TEAM CHEVY ADVANCEFOXWOODS RESORT AND CASINO 301NEW HAMPSHIRE MOTOR SPEEDWAYLOUDON, NEW HAMPSHIREAUGUST 2, 2020
RACE #20: NEW HAMPSHIRE:As part of the revised 2020 NASCAR Cup Series (NCS) schedule, the original July 19th date for the Foxwoods Resort and Casino 301 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway (NHMS) will now happen two weeks later on Sunday, August 2nd. For nearly three decades, the popular venue known as the ‘Magic Mile’ has hosted race fans across the northeast and around the world.
In keeping with social distancing requirements and additional health and safety protocols, the facility will again offer an in-person viewing experience for fans. Although the stands will not be as full as they typically are, the race will be the largest fan event held in New England since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.
BOWTIE BULLETS:Chevrolet leads all other manufacturers with 19 wins at the 1.058-mile oval. Other statistics of note for the Bowtie brand at Loudon are 100 top five’s, 190 top 10’s, and 6,037 laps led in its 48-race history. Chevrolet has sat on the pole at New Hampshire Motor Speedway 18 times.
Thirteen different Chevrolet drivers have posted wins at NHMS.
Team Chevy had a six-race winning streak at the track from 2009-‘12. THREE FOR THREE:Career Chevrolet driver Jeff Gordon recorded the brand’s first win in 1995 and collected two additional trophies in ‘97 and ’98.
Three active Team Chevy drivers have three wins apiece to-date at NHMS:· Jimmie Johnson, No. 48 Ally ZL1 1LE, has collected three trophies (two in ’03, & one in’10). · Kurt Busch, No. 1 Monster Energy Camaro ZL1 1LE was victorious with two wins in ’04, one in ’08. · Matt Kenseth, No. 42 Clover Camaro ZL1 1LE, also has a trio of wins (2013, ’15, & ’16).
STARTING LINE-UP:In keeping with the current race format, the one-day show will have no practice and no qualifying. Owner points and a random draw have again set the starting line-up. Here are Chevy’s top-20 starters:
3rd Chase Elliott, No. 9 NAPA Auto Parts Camaro ZL1 1LE8th Alex Bowman, No. 88 ChevyGoods.com/Adam’s Polishes Camaro ZL1 1LE10th Kurt Busch, No. 1 Monster Energy Camaro ZL1 1LE13th Tyler Reddick, No. 8 Feeding America Camaro ZL1 1LE15th Bubba Wallace, No. 43 Cash App Camaro ZL1 1LE16th William Byron, No. 24 Liberty University Camaro ZL1 1LE20th Jimmie Johnson, No. 48 Ally Camaro ZL1 1LE
TUNE-IN:The Foxwoods Resort and Casino 301 is scheduled to begin on Sunday, August 2nd at 3:00 pm, ET. Live coverage can be found on NBCSN, PRN, and Sirius XM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.
QUOTABLE QUOTES:
CHASE ELLIOTT, NO. 9 NAPA AUTO PARTS CAMARO ZL1 1LE – 5th IN STANDINGSELLIOTT ON IF SUCCESS WITH LOW DOWNFORCE PACKAGE THIS SEASON WILL AFFECT OUTLOOK AT NEW HAMPSHIRE:“I am not really sure why we have been better at the low downforce races this season. I kind of just think it is more happenstance with the racetrack more than it is the aero package. Loudon has been a really hit or miss place for us, it’s just a different track. It takes a different driving style, I feel like, than some of the other places. I look at London at being more of its own animal. We’ve had a couple solid runs there, but never a dominating performance. It hasn’t been my best place, I don’t feel like personally, but we have some decent ideas and some different approach options that hopefully will lend us a more consistent result.” ALEX BOWMAN, NO. 88 CHEVYGOODS.COM / ADAM’S POLISHES CAMARO ZL1 1LE – 11th IN STANDINGSBOWMAN ON RACING AT NEW HAMPSHIRE MOTOR SPEEDWAY:“I am really hoping that we have a strong weekend in New Hampshire. Last year was just a weekend of not great circumstances, but this team really fought through and finished inside the top 15. We really need to have a good weekend and keep the car clean. New Hampshire is a very unique track we go to, so I know that it will be a challenge, but I’m confident in this team.”
WILLIAM BYRON, NO. 24 LIBERTY UNIVERSITY CAMARO ZL1 1LE – 14th IN STANDINGSBYRON ON NEW HAMPSHIRE MOTOR SPEEDWAY:“It’s a challenging track and has honestly become more of a challenge for me since they’ve put the PJ1 down. It was already a slick track, but with the traction compound it almost has more of a slick feeling. You’re also on the brakes hard at New Hampshire and there’s a lot of bumps under braking. Managing all those bumps and oscillations in the track is important as well. Some guys are really good at that and it shows in their ability to make speed. I think understanding what your car needs to be able to do to run well there is the key.” BYRON ON NEW HAMPSHIRE MOTOR SPEEDWAY’S PROGRESSION THROUGHOUT A RACE:“New Hampshire is a really line sensitive track already, but the traction compound makes it even more so especially with the way the marbles accumulate outside the preferred groove. I think as a driver you try to keep your car within that line that is really fast but also try to give the best feedback you can on how to adjust. Thankfully you can manage the line more though as the race goes on. Typically, with our race cars, as soon as rubber gets laid down the groove starts to widen out and the room for error becomes greater. You can drive the car a little bit looser at that point. We just have to see how the track progresses and keep up with it.” TYLER REDDICK, NO. 8 FEEDING AMERICA CAMARO ZL1 1LE – 15th IN STANDINGS“I love the fans up at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, and I love the scenery, but that track is one of the trickiest ones on the circuit for me. Back in my NASCAR Truck and Xfinity days, I relied a lot on practice to get comfortable there each year, so that is going to be a challenge for myself and my team to overcome on Sunday. I’ve started to get a little more comfortable over the years, but I still am not quite where I’d like to be with it. I am leaning a lot on my crew chief, Randall Burnett, to prepare for the race. He always does a great job at these tracks were I’m not as comfortable and setting up our No. 8 Feeding America Chevrolet to be as strong as possible off the truck. I’ll also lean on my teammate, Austin Dillon, a lot too this weekend. He likes going to New Hampshire, so I’m hoping he’ll have some good notes and feedback to share.” AUSTIN DILLON, NO. 3 FREIGHTLINER CAMARO ZL1 1LE – 17th IN STANDINGSWHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON NEW HAMPSHIRE MOTOR SPEEDWAY?“New Hampshire Motor Speedway has always been a really fun track. I love going there. It’s a flat track. Entry is fun there. It’s different. It’s a different type of feel than what we have anywhere. You slide the left rear into the corner, and you pick up the right front and the first person to get back to the gas is going to be good.” RICKY STENHOUSE JR., NO. 47 KROGER CAMARO ZL1 1LE – 25th IN STANDINGS“New Hampshire Motor Speedway is a really fast one-mile track. There’s multiple grooves, and usually with practice you’re able to test those grooves but we obviously won’t have that this weekend. I’ve run decent at New Hampshire in the past, and I think the cars we have this year have been a positive change for my driving style than what I’ve had in my career. July wasn’t the month that we needed, but we’re not out of the fight and August is a new month with plenty of chances to get this No. 47 Kroger team in the Playoffs.” RYAN PREECE, NO. 37 LOUISIANA HOT SAUCE CAMARO ZL1 1LE – 31st IN STANDINGS“New Hampshire Motor Speedway is such a special place for me. It’s my home track, a track I’ve raced at my entire life in the Modified Series, and I always love coming home to New England. I’ve turned a lot of laps at New Hampshire in my career, so I think that helps with not having any practice during the weekend. If there’s any track that’s going to turn our luck around this year, I feel confident that New Hampshire is that track with our No. 37 Louisiana Hot Sauce Chevrolet.”
