Acura Team Penske scores fourth IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship victory of 2020 with 1-2 finish, claims Drivers’ Championship lead
Meyer Shank Racing completes winning day for Acura and returns to the top of the championship points table with 1-3 result in GTD
Manufacturers’ and Drivers’ championships to be decided at Sebring season finale

MONTEREY, Calif. (Nov. 1, 2020) – Acura resumed its race-winning ways in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship Sunday at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca, scoring its second sweep of the 2020 season with a 1-2 finish overall and in DPi for Acura Team Penske, and a 1-3 result in GTD for the Meyer Shank Racing Acura NSX GT3 Evos.

As a result of today’s wins – the best combined finish for Acura in the three years the company has been contesting both DPi and GTD – Acura goes to the season finale at Sebring International Raceway leading the IMSA Manufacturers’ and Drivers’ championships GTD; and the Drivers’ Championship in DPi; while trails in the DPi Manufactuers’ Championship by just a single point.

Acura Team Penske
Pole qualifier Juan Pablo Montoya and co-driver Dane Cameron dominated today’s two-hour, 40-minute contest, leading 104 laps before allowing teammate Ricky Taylor to move to the front for the final minutes, as Taylor and co-driver Helio Castroneves are better placed in the overall championship battle.

The late-race swap enabled Castroneves and Taylor to score their fourth win from eight races this season, moving the pair to the top of the championship with 242 points to 240 for Wayne Taylor Racing drivers Renger van der Zande and Ryan Briscoe, who finished sixth today.

Montoya took charge of the two-hour, 40-minute contest in the #6 Acura ARX-05 right from the green flag, while outside front-row starter Castroneves slotted into second as the pair of Acuras led the 29-car starting field. Montoya soon established a comfortable, eight-second lead before handing off the driving duties to Cameron at the first scheduled pit stop. Cameron maintained the advantage for the #6 Acura ARX-05 throughout the next two stints, building a lead of as much as 12 seconds.

Meanwhile, Castroneves survived an early scare when contact with the GTLM Corvette of Jordan Taylor resulted in the Acura losing a front aerodynamic “dive plane” in Turn 11. Despite the resulting understeer, Castroneves and co-driver Ricky Taylor were able to fend off the frequent advances from the #31 Cadillac of third-running Pipo Derani and Felipe Nasr until the first and only caution flag of the race – for debris on track – waved with just over 20 minutes remaining.

However, when green flag racing resumed, both Cameron and Taylor were able to gap the field, enabling Cameron to let his teammate into the lead in the #7 Acura for the final two laps. The 1-2 finish for Acura Team Penske move Castroneves and Taylor into the Drivers’ Championship lead with 242 points to 240 for van der Zande and Briscoe; and takes Acura to within one point of Cadillac [263-262] with just the season finale at Sebring remaining.

Acura NSX GT3 Evo Teams
Matt McMurry and Mario Farnbacher scored their second victory of 2020 at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca in the #86 Meyer Shank Racing Acura NSX GT3 Evo to complete a double-win, quadruple-podium day for Acura in IMSA competition.

Leading the GTD field from the class pole, McMurry held off a challenging BMW in the hands of Robby Foley at the start, and established a commanding lead through the first stint of the race before handing over to teammate Farnbacher with under two hours to go.

Farnbacher continued to hold the advantage in his Acura, despite traffic that allowed the BMW, now with Bill Auberlen driving, to close the gap through the middle stages of the race. But once in clear air, Farnbacher was able to extend the lead until a late-race caution bunched the field up again. When the green waved once more in the final 15 minutes of the race, Farnbacher again stretched the lead to more than 10 seconds at the checkers.

The #57 Heinricher Racing with MSR Curb-Agajanian Acura of Misha Goikhberg and Alvaro Parente had their best result of 2020 with a third-place result. Goikhberg had a stellar start from fourth, getting around the #63 Ferrari for third. He and co-driver Parente would maintain their rapid pace throughout the day, finishing third to give Acura four podium-finishing cars today.

The Sprint Championship-contesting Gradient Racing #22 Acura NSX GT3 Evo ran their final IMSA race of the season, highlighted by a season-best eighth in qualifying by starting driver Till Bechtolsheimer. Although co-driver Marc Miller was shuffled back to a 12th-place finish late in the contest, their NSX showed strong pace in the race, with Miller setting a best race lap of 1:25.922, a time eclipsed by only two other GTD entries.

Today’s class victory by McMurry and Farnbacher catapulted them back to the lead of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship GTD Drivers’ standings by seven points, and gives Acura a two-point advantage in the Manufacturers’ title heading into Sebring.

Next
The 2020 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship now takes a weekend off before resuming November 12-14 for the season-ending Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring at the famed Sebring International Raceway in central Florida.

Acura Motorsports Social media content and video links from this weekend’s Acura Sports Car Challenge are available on Instagram (www.instagram.com/hondaracing_hpd), Twitter (www.twitter.com/HondaRacing_HPD) and Facebook (www.facebook.com/HondaRacingHPD).

Quotes
Ricky Taylor (#7 Acura Team Penske ARX-05) race winner, Fourth IMSA victory of 2020, moves into the DPi Drivers’ Championship lead with co-driver Helio Castroneves: “It was them [teammates Juan Pablo Montoya and Dane Cameron] being nice guys for us. We were strong all the day, but the No. 6 [Acura] was super, super strong. At the end of the race, we weren’t specifically asking [for a pass around], but when you work for such a strong team like Acura Team Penske, all eyes are on the big goal, the championship. They really were the class of the field this weekend, they really earned the win, but they thought about us and our championship situation.”

Mario Farnbacher (#86 Meyer Shank Racing Acura NSX GT3 Evo) Second GTD win of 2020, returns to the lead of GTD Drivers’ Championship with co-driver Matt McMurry: “That’s exactly what we needed. Last year, we had such a hard race here [finishing eighth] and in a million years I wouldn’t have thought our Acura would perform as well as it did today. I really have to thank Matt [McMurry], because being on the pole here is at least 80% of the job, since [the race here is] all about track position. Our engineer [Ryan McCarthy], he made a ‘masterpiece’ out of the car. He did a [setup] change overnight and it improved everything – tire wear, pace, overall pace. I’m so incredibly happy that we’re back in the lead of the championship because that’s the important part going into the last race. Bringing home the championship, especially in the last year of the car, means everything.” 
David Salters (Technical Director, Honda Performance Development) on today’s double victory for Acura: “Laguna Seca is one of the world’s most iconic race tracks, it’s great to show Acura’s world-class ‘Precision Crafted Performance’, and to take the fight to our very skilled competitors here today in both DPi and GTD. Our drivers and teams had a superb weekend, with pole positions and victories in both classes; and our best combined result since we returned to DPi competition, along with GTD, in 2018. Massive thanks to the team of committed associates at HPD who engineer and support these projects. We race to grow our people and technology at HPD, and weekends like this really reward everyone’s efforts and competence. Coming into this weekend, our goal was to put ourselves in position to take the championship fight to the last race. So lets go race and entertain the fans at Sebring.”

CHASE ELLIOTT, CHEVROLET CAMARO ZL1 1LE SCORES VICTORY AT MARTINSVILLETeam Chevy Heads to the Championship Four
RIDGEWAY, VA (November 1, 2020) – It was a weekend of ‘firsts’ for Chase Elliott when he powered his No. 9 NAPA Auto Parts Camaro ZL1 1LE to victory lane in the Xfinity 500 at Martinsville Speedway, the elimination race for the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs’ Round of Eight. Elliott not only scored his first-career victory at the .526-mile oval of Martinsville Speedway, but also punched his ticket to his first-career appearance in the Championship Four to battle for the title of the NASCAR Cup Series Champion. The win was his 10th victory in 185-starts in the NASCAR Cup Series. 
With the stage two win and 236-laps led, Elliott’s victory during the 500-lap, 263-mile event marked his fourth points-paying win of the season, the most in one season during his career in NASCAR’s premier series. The triumph at the Martinsville, Virginia, circuit is Chevrolet’s eighth victory of the 2020 season and the manufacturer’s 794th all-time win in the NASCAR Cup Series. Elliott’s win gives the Bowtie brand its 57th victory at Martinsville Speedway, continuing Chevrolet’s lead in Martinsville victories of all manufacturers. 
The win is the 262nd all-time NASCAR Cup Series triumph and 25th win at Martinsville Speedway for Hendrick Motorsports, leading all teams in the series at the track. Elliott’s Hendrick Motorsports teammate, Alex Bowman, concluded his first-career Playoffs’ Round of Eight run with a sixth-place finish in his No. 88 Planters Camaro ZL1 1LE, his ninth top-10 finish in the last 11 races. Fellow Chevrolet driver, Kurt Busch, brought his No. 1 Monster Energy Camaro ZL1 1LE across the line in the fifth position to give Team Chevy three of the top-10 spots in the final running order.  Ryan Blaney (Ford) was second, Joey Logano (Ford) was third, and Brad Keselowski (Ford) was fourth to round out the top-five finishers.  The NASCAR Cup Series season concludes next weekend at Phoenix Raceway with the Season Finale 500 on Sunday, November 8, at 3:00 p.m. ET, the first time in NASCAR history that the 1-mile Arizona venue will host the Championship event. Live coverage of the 312-lap, 312-mile race can be found on NBC, NBC Sports Gold, MRN, and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.  CHASE ELLIOTT, NO. 9 NAPA AUTO PARTS CAMARO ZL1 1LE, PRESS CONFERENCE TRANSCRIPT:  THE MODERATOR: Congratulations, Chase. Thank you for taking the time to join us. We will get right into questions for our race winner, Chase Elliott.            Q. With the Championship 4 set, is there one team you see as the biggest threat? If so, why?CHASE ELLIOTT: I think the worst thing we can do is worry about everybody else all week. But for right now, I’m just enjoying the night. This is a big moment for us, having to perform in a tough spot. We had to, didn’t have a choice. I think that’s something we’ve been missing as a team, something we haven’t been able to achieve over the last handful of years.           To be in the position tonight to have to perform, to go perform, to win the race, lock ourselves into Phoenix, have a shot for a championship, these are all moments that I’ve never experienced, moments we haven’t done yet as a team.           I’m just enjoying that right now. I know the week is short. I’m going to enjoy that for sure for a little while. We’ll go to work on Phoenix starting tomorrow.            Q. Is this the biggest win of your career?CHASE ELLIOTT: Hands down, I think, absolutely.            Q. What do you think it means kind of getting over the hump of getting into the Final 4, doing it this way, doesn’t just mean for the next six days but for years to come?CHASE ELLIOTT: I think you hit it. I think it’s huge. I think it’s huge for me personally. I think it’s huge for our team as a whole, each and every person that puts in time and effort to try to make our program work.           I think when you’re able to be in a position that we were in, like we were tonight, have to go to perform, go and do that, I think everybody gains a lot of confidence from it.           We proved to ourselves that we can do it. I think we have always believed we can do it. But to go out there and achieve it certainly is something we haven’t experienced yet as a group.           To win a championship in this series, you have to make the Final 4. We’ve seen the same crowd make the Final 4 since this deal has been implemented. We want to assert ourselves amongst the people who can make it consistently.           I feel like we’re very capable of doing that. We just have to seize the moment, enjoy it. This is a huge week. I’m just excited to get out there and try to have the best race we can.            Q. In a massive moment like this that you’ve never been in before, is there any extra composure that you have to have in the final laps, when you’re making the pass to lead, to calm yourself down? How do you stay focused, keep your lunch from not coming up, things like that?CHASE ELLIOTT: Yeah, good question. I think for me and kind of the experiences that I’ve kind of had handed to me over the past number of years, since I’ve been in Cup, have taught me a lot of lessons that the race is not over. I think we’ve all kind of seen that, different positions we’ve been in, races we lost.           For me, I don’t have to think back into my head very far to realize that the race isn’t over till it’s over. Just to be prepared for another caution, another restart, whatever it takes to try to get the job done.           I knew everybody had their last set of tires on. We were going to be riding that set to the end. If we had a caution there with just a couple laps to go, everybody was going to be restarting on old tires. Certainly challenging.           I was trying to think about that, tried to be prepared for what was going to come. I felt like the odds of a caution coming out were better than not to have one, to be honest. I was surprised to see it go green.            Q. Not only is this a big day for you, but it will be the first time Chevrolet has had a driver competing in the Championship 4 since 2016, who happened to also be the last Hendrick driver, which is Jimmie Johnson. It’s probably a pretty big deal for manufacturers not to have a chance to win the championship. What are your thoughts on being able to do that?CHASE ELLIOTT: Yeah, absolutely, man. It’s a huge deal for everybody involved. Obviously me personally, it’s a huge deal. Never been in this position before. That’s exciting. But for everybody that is a part of our organization, obviously NAPA is a huge partner, super pumped to have them on the car tonight, a big moment. They’ve been a big piece of my career. Hendrick Motorsport, everyone that lays a hand on our cars. It’s a big deal for everyone to have a chance to win a championship.           For Chevrolet to have a shot again this year I think is important for them, for sure. I’m excited for everybody. I’m excited for myself. I’m going to enjoy it, then we’ll go to work tomorrow and get ready for the big day.            Q. Your thoughts on Phoenix being the decider? When you look at your competition, do you think you’ll stack up pretty good?CHASE ELLIOTT: Yeah, I mean, I think the worst thing we can do is to sit back and worry and watch everybody else. I just think we need to focus on ourselves this week and really think about what we struggled with there at the first race this year, what we might need to do to be better, put our best guess on that, go run the race.           I think if we sit back, start worrying about who is favorite, who is not, who is the underdog, getting everybody running their mouths deal, I’m just not about that. I think it’s unproductive.           We’re going to worry about ourselves, try to give it our best shot to win.            Q. Normally championship contenders have the whole weekend to run through and get themselves in championship mode. You got to take the green on Sunday with no practice. What do you think this week is going to be like in terms of anxious, being excited, especially moments before the green flag?CHASE ELLIOTT: Yeah, I mean, I think just excited, looking forward to the opportunity. I think the more that you can enjoy that moment, enjoy being backed up against a wall, having to perform, the more you can enjoy that, the better off you’re going to be.           That’s something we put a lot of emphasis on, something I personally put emphasis on to try to get better in those moments. That’s what we had to do today.           I think moments like tonight prepares you for moments like what we’re going to see next week and I’m excited about it.            Q. Is Sunday going to be a backs‑against‑the‑wall moment for you again?CHASE ELLIOTT: Well, you got to win to win the championship, so I would say so.            Q. Given that a driver like Kevin Harvick, who had nine wins this season, completely missed out on the Playoffs, he would have won the championship a few days ago at Texas if the points went the full season, what does it say about the integrity or legitimacy of the championship?CHASE ELLIOTT: I mean, the rules are the rules. I don’t get a vote in that. I don’t want a vote in that. I know they’re the same for everybody when you start the year. Whether you might agree or not agree with it, that’s just what it is.           I’m focused on ourselves and enjoying tonight. Had to come out here and perform, and we did. I think worrying about other competitors is just not going to get us anywhere. I’m just excited for us, looking forward to a great opportunity next week.            Q. What was your message to the team once you got to greet them at the end of the race? You proved tonight that NASCAR is a team sport, good pit stops, appealing the penalty. What did you say to your team?CHASE ELLIOTT: Yeah, just a lot of yelling and screaming and happy people. This is a moment that we haven’t experienced together. I said that a few times tonight. You just don’t know those emotions until you go through it, are able to experience it. We obviously all put a lot of effort in to try to do our jobs to the best of our ability.           T.J. made a mistake. He was heads up enough to go back and fix it, not to have to go to the back of the field. If he hadn’t have done that, I don’t think we’d have been able to win. There just wasn’t enough time left. That’s super heads up.           It absolutely is a team sport. We can’t do it on our own. I can’t do it by myself. No one on our team can do it alone. We recognize that. Feel like we have a great group, a group that’s capable of winning. I thought we showed that and proved that tonight. I think we can have a great shot next week.            Q. Have you had any chance to check in with your father and get reaction? If not, what do you suppose the reaction is going to be back home?CHASE ELLIOTT: Yeah, I’m excited. I don’t have my phone on me. He’s not here. My family isn’t here. I wish they were. So hard, right, to come to these races by yourself some weeks, not have that support group around you.           But I certainly wish they were here, wish we could have shared this moment together. Looking forward to seeing them tonight. Yeah, be headed home here just in a little while.             THE MODERATOR: Chase, congratulations. Thank you so much for taking the time. We’ll see you at Phoenix.             CHASE ELLIOTT: Thanks, guys. ALAN GUSTAFSON, CREW CHIEF, NO. 9 NAPA AUTO PARTS CAMARO ZL1 1LE, PRESS CONFERENCE TRANSCRIPT: 
THE MODERATOR: We are now joined by our race winning crew chief, Alan Gustafson. Congratulations on heading to the Championship 4.           We’ll get right into questions.            Q. On the pit stop when your jackman came back to the wall, you were aware of that? Is that something you drilled into those guys?ALAN GUSTAFSON: Yeah, I mean, we were certainly aware of it. I can’t take the credit for coaching that into those guys. I think that credit goes to Chris, our pit department. They did a good job of instructing those guys, T.J., what to do.           It’s a new rule. Man, I want to say it’s new this year or last year. It’s certainly an adjustment that NASCAR has made to give those guys a little bit of forgiveness if that was to happen.           Yeah, they did a great job. It was a huge moment in the race. Certainly we didn’t need the mistake. For T.J. to have the wherewithal to go back to the wall and reset was great.            Q. How much stress was there tonight with the way it was going up and down?ALAN GUSTAFSON: Yeah, I mean, it’s an intense race. It’s a lot of fun. This is a great track. It’s a good place to do this.           For us, I had my mind made up we were going to have to win. I didn’t really see any way to get in on points. Especially when the 2 and the 11 and some of those guys did a fairly decent the first stage, it was going to be all about winning the race.           We were able to do that fortunately. That was our focus. We didn’t get too caught up in the back and forth of it.            Q. The rule said you have to reestablish yourself to the wall. Did you know you just need to touch the wall? Is that an interpretation that NASCAR described to you or your pit coaches?ALAN GUSTAFSON: Basically, yeah, yes. I don’t know the exact language they described it to us. Yeah, you just got to get back on the wall, your foot back on the wall.           I don’t think it’s a judgment call in my opinion. I think it’s pretty straightforward. He did what he was supposed to do, took the time to reset. It’s the way the rule is stated.            Q. What do you think this win means not for next week but for Chase and your team in the years going forward?ALAN GUSTAFSON: We’ve been trying to take this step now for the last two or three years. I feel like we’ve been really ready to do it, able to do it. We just have not done it when it mattered. Today we were able to.           We were able to overcome some pretty tough circumstances at Texas, come here really in a must‑win situation. Being able to do it was great. It’s great for the team. Super proud of those guys. Everybody at HMS essentially delivered. Brand‑new car, great car. Tons of speed obviously. Great engine. Pit crew did what we had to do. Yeah, it’s a good day.            Q. I heard you get pretty hot about guys running in to you purposely to try to cut the tire using the fender. That’s always been a practice in short‑track racing. Is there any way to police it?ALAN GUSTAFSON: I think it’s self‑policing, in my opinion. There’s a couple guys that consistently do it, at least to us. You just get tired of getting raced that way.           Yeah, I was pretty upset about it. If that ultimately was a tire rub, would have cut our tire down, it was going to get ugly in a hurry.           It happens, right? I get it, you’re racing. I think you see guys when you’re racing them, things happen. You might get into each other. When it happens consistently from the same person, you’re just over it.            Q. What do you believe sets the No. 9 team apart from the other three championship contenders?ALAN GUSTAFSON: Well, our objective is to have the fastest car. That’s going to be the key. That’s certainly what we’re going to try to do. I think the person with the fastest car has a significant advantage in the race. That’s what we’ll focus on trying to do. That’s going to be our objective.            Q. Chase mentioned the importance of he called it to be able to perform when you have no choice. Would you agree with that assessment as an accomplishment tonight?ALAN GUSTAFSON: Yeah, it’s a tough thing to describe. I’m trying to think of the best way.           You have one shot. I mean, that’s it, right? I never played in the Major Leagues or whatever, but you think about the World Series, you’re up to bat, this is it, right? Bottom of the ninth, two outs. It’s up to you to make it happen.           Those pressure situations in sport are great. I think that’s what draws so many fans and gets everybody so excited. It’s such a special moment. That’s what you have to do. You have to be able to deliver. That’s it, it’s your last shot. It’s time to go, time to do it. There’s no tomorrow.           To be able to do it, like I said earlier, I felt confident we had to win. All week I didn’t have any designs of anything but winning. We knew that was what it was going to take. The competition is too good to make up 25 points in a race. That’s just not going to happen. We knew we had to win. Everybody did.           It’s a huge effort. You see what goes on here at the track. What you don’t see is everybody in the shop midnight Friday getting the car ready to go, making sure every single circumstance in the car is as good as it can be, putting their hearts and souls into it.           That’s a huge thing for us to be able to pull it off.             THE MODERATOR: Alan, thank you so much for taking the time to join us today.

NASCAR CUP SERIES XFINITY 500 MARTINSVILLE SPEEDWAY TEAM CHEVY POST-RACE NOTES & QUOTES NOVEMBER 1, 2020
 TOP TEAM CHEVY UNOFFICIAL RACE RESULTS:POS.   DRIVER1st      CHASE ELLIOTT, NO. 9 NAPA AUTO PARTS CAMARO ZL1 1LE 5th      KURT BUSCH, NO. 1 MONSTER ENERGY CAMARO ZL1 1LE 6th      ALEX BOWMAN, NO. 88 PLANTERS CAMARO ZL1 1LE14th    MATT KENSETH, NO. 42 CLOVER CAMARO ZL1 1LE16th    TY DILLON, NO. 13 GEICOWEEN CAMARO ZL1 1LE  TOP FIVE UNOFFICIAL RACE RESULTS: POS.  DRIVER1st      Chase Elliott (Chevrolet)2nd     Ryan Blaney (Ford)3rd      Joey Logano (Ford)4th      Brad Keselowski (Ford)5th      Kurt Busch (Chevrolet)UNOFFICIAL CURRENT PLAYOFF RANK (Following Race 9 of 10 / Entering into the Championship Four)POS.   DRIVER (* = Chevy Contender)        1st      Joey Logano (Ford)2nd     * Chase Elliott (Chevrolet)3rd      Brad Keselowski (Ford)4th      Denny Hamlin (Toyota)
The 2020 NASCAR Cup Series seasons concludes at Phoenix Raceway with the Season Finale 500 on Sunday, November 8,^, at 3:00 p.m. ET. Live coverage can be found on NBC, the NBC Sports Gold app, MRN, and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.
TEAM CHEVY NOTES AND QUOTES:CHASE ELLIOTT, NO. 9 NAPA AUTO PARTS CAMARO ZL1 1LE – Race WinnerAT THE MOST IMPORTANT TIME, YOU SEE YOUR FIRST VICTORY AT MARTINSVILLE SPEEDWAY. YOUR CREW IS A LITTLE EXCITED, AS YOU ARE TOO, RIGHT CHASE?“Oh, my gosh. This is the biggest win ever for us. I’m just so proud to be able to be backed into a corner like that and have to win tonight. I feel like that’s what we’ve been missing these past four or five years and perform when we don’t have a choice. And, to do that tonight; we couldn’t ask for a better night. This is unreal. Thanks to the fans for coming out. They’re here and I love to see it! I’ve just got to catch my breath. This is just unbelievable. We’re going to Phoenix with a shot to win a championship and have a beautiful blue NAPA Camaro headed out there with a shot to win a title. What more could you ask for? WHEN YOU HAD YOUR CAR BACK IN THE PACK A LITTLE BIT AND A COUPLE OF MISCUES ON PIT ROAD, WHAT CONCERNS DID YOU HAVE?“Yeah, I didn’t think our car was driving as good there at the end as it was at the beginning of the race. But those last couple of pit stops made some really good changes and had a good pit stop on that last one and a good last restart. And that was the difference. Everybody makes this possible. This is unbelievable. I’m just at a bit of a loss for words. Like I said, this is the piece we’ve been missing. I feel like we’ve had the group to do this. We just have to go make it happen and we did tonight.” KURT BUSCH, NO. 1 MONSTER ENERGY CAMARO ZL1 1LE – Finished 5thKURT BUSCH FINISHES FIFTH, BUT THAT DOESN’T FULLY EXPLAIN THE DAY YOU HAD. YOU GUYS PUT A VALIANT EFFORT TO PUT YOURSELF IN POSITION TO WIN THIS RACE. WHAT MORE DID YOU NEED? “We gave it all we had. I’m really proud of my guys. Chip Ganassi Racing put up a really good fight this year to get this far, to win and to post top-five’s through the Playoffs. We crossed over our threshold. Last week, we finished seventh at Texas, fifth tonight and we’re walking around kind of kicking the ground – like that wasn’t our best effort or we could have done this or could of done that. When I started here two years ago, we finished in the top-five and were celebrating. We’ve come that far in this short amount of time and I’m really proud of everybody back at the shop, Chevrolet, thankful for Monster Energy, GEARWRENCH and all of our partners at Chip Ganassi Racing. To come here with a shot at it, we knew we had to win. It takes a team all the way through. The driver has to make good decision – spotter, pit crew, crew chief and adjustments. We just came up a little shy. Our weakest area was pit road and we know that we need to work on that. But all-in-all, I can’t thank everybody enough. It’s cool to see the evolution of where we’ve come in two years.” YOU’VE HEARD A LOT OF PEOPLE SAY YOU GUYS ARE AN UNDERDOG COMING INTO THIS ROUND OF EIGHT. I KNOW YOU GUYS MAYBE HAD A LITTLE MORE CONFIDENCE THAN THAT. DO YOU FEEL LIKE YOU SHOWED THAT WITH THOSE TOP-FIVES AND THE SPEED YOU HAD HERE IN THE ROUND OF EIGHT?“You’re an underdog when you go in ranked eighth out of eight. We had an engine problem at Kansas and that just kicked us straight in the shin. From there, we had to win. Texas, we just didn’t get the job done – we got seventh. Today, we got fifth. Those are great quality finishes, but you can’t rely on those in the Playoffs against the best of the best. Right now, (Kevin) Harvick’s not in. That just shows you how tough this competition is.  ALEX BOWMAN, NO. 88 PLANTERS CAMARO ZL1 1LE – Finished 6th“I drive this place so wrong. I try to roll the center really fast and then I am like oh we don’t have any drive off. You would think I would figure it out, but I kind of know what I need to do. All in all, a good day for our Planters Chevrolet. Mr. Peanut looked pretty cool. Really proud of Chase (Elliott) and making the final four there. Bummed we aren’t a part of it, but I think we have a solid shot at getting fifth in points. The progress this team has made over the past two months has been incredible. This is something they really deserve.”
TY DILLON, NO. 13 GEICOWEEN CAMARO ZL1 1LE – Finished 16th “Today was a good day for our Germain Racing team. Our GEICOween Chevrolet Camaro would build tight over the run, but Matt (Borland) and the guys continued to make it better with every adjustment. Our team never gives up and I had a lot of fun behind the wheel today. To finish 16th is a great way to end our final Martinsville start together as a team. We are going to head to Phoenix next week and give it everything we have to make the last race for Germain Racing a memorable one.” TYLER REDDICK, NO. 8 MOTORTREND CAMARO ZL1 1LE – Finished 24th “This was only my second time at Martinsville Speedway in four years, and I definitely learned a lot today in the No. 8 MotorTrend Chevrolet Camaro ZL1. We fought pretty much the same problem all day, just too tight in the turns from about two-thirds of the way in through the exit. My team did everything they could today, and we tried every adjustment we could think of to loosen our car up but nothing seemed to stick. Our changes would help for a handful of laps on each restart, but then the track would rubber up and the tightness would return every time. Not our day, but I’m thankful for my team for sticking with it all race long and continuing to fight. We’ll look to finish out the season strong at Phoenix Raceway next weekend.”

Austin Dillon and the No. 3 Bass Pro Shops/TRACKER Off Road/E-Z-GO Chevrolet Team Hang On at Martinsville Speedway For 23rd-Place Finish

23rd   14th

“That’s not the finish we wanted in the No. 3 Bass Pro Shops/TRACKER Off Road/E-Z-GO Chevrolet at Martinsville Speedway tonight, but we hung on all race and tried our hardest. We just missed the balance. For most of the race, we were too tight and the car just wouldn’t turn. Even though our team worked on our Chevy all race, we never got it. It’s not what we wanted, but I’m proud of this team for never giving up. We’ll go to Phoenix Raceway and finish this season off.”-Austin Dillon

Tyler Reddick and No. 8 MotorTrend Team Show Perseverance During Martinsville Speedway Run

24th   17th

“This was only my second time at Martinsville Speedway in four years, and I definitely learned a lot today in the No. 8 MotorTrend Chevrolet Camaro ZL1. We fought pretty much the same problem all day, just too tight in the turns from about two-thirds of the way in through the exit. My team did everything they could today, and we tried every adjustment we could think of to loosen our car up but nothing seemed to stick. Our changes would help for a handful of laps on each restart, but then the track would rubber up and the tightness would return every time. Not our day, but I’m thankful for my team for sticking with it all race long and continuing to fight. We’ll look to finish out the season strong at Phoenix Raceway next weekend.” -Tyler Reddick

NARC NEWSLINE – November 1, 2020, By Jim Allen… Here’s something that has never been said in the 61-year history of the Northern Auto Racing Club during the month of October:  “Welcome to our third race of the season!”  Such was the case when the King of the West Fujitsu 410 Sprint Car Seriespulled through theKeller Auto Speedwaypit gate in Hanford on October 10^th.   Rest assured, we all agree that having only three races before Halloween sucks on many different levels, but what we have lacked in quantity, we have made up for with quality. I know that sound like a cliché’ marketing slogan but it would pass my polygraph test.  And be thankful because without that, we would all be shuffling like a Zombie down the Tequila aisle at Bevmo! or be in desperate need of strong prescription meds.

The inaugural Morrie Williams Legends Tributelived up to that mantra of a good quality event.  For the first time since … well … I really can’t remember … if ever… we ran a pair of twin 20-main events on the same program.  The first one straight up by times, and the second completely inverted by the finish of the first 20.  Yup, the fast guys charging from the back reminiscent of the 1970’s non-wing days of NARC.  If you were nostalgic enough, you were probably walking through the pit area looking for the likes of LeRoy Van Connect, Hank Butcher, Rick Horton, and Johnny Anderson.

It’s not every day that you can drop this type of event on a NARC King of the West racing schedule.  But without a 2020 championship being pursued, and everyone eager to honor the late great Morrie Williams,it became a reality.  It started at the top with promoter Peter Murphydoing what he does best by putting on his “Sprint Car Ambassador”hat and talking it up.  This included many conversations with local officials who are basically handcuffed by PP (Pandemic Politics) in Sacramento.  But with less than a month remaining before the scheduled race day, it was cleared for launch.  At that point, Ashley Smithcaffeinated-up and hustled extra sponsorship support for the show that eventually sported a healthy $28,000 purse.  Not bad for having to run only 10 extra action-packed feature event laps.

What made this event really, really work was an exceptional multiple-line racing surface that promoted great wheel-to-wheel racing.  Although he will never admit it before the event, Peter Murphywas a little stressed because he knew an excellent track surface was 100% mandatory for this 20/20 in 2020.  A hooked up first 20, followed by a rubber-down back 20 would have been disastrous.  In the end, Murphy deserved a nice frosty Fostersbeer for what he delivered!  Drivers were charging from deep in the pack and it was “edge of the seat” type of open wheel entertainment.

One of the best things about this show was it had a storybook ending that few could have predicted.  After all, what are the odds of two different Williams Motorsports white ZERO cars winning the two features?  (Well, that one might actually have good odds.)  And what is the numerical probability that one of those winning cars was towed to Hanford on an open trailer?  That hasn’t happened at a NARC race since the early 1990’s.  Kyle Hirst’s cushion-riding final lap, wheel-hopping photo finish over Mitchell Faccintohad America vaulting off their couches with a massive beer-spilling adrenalin rush.  It was the sixth lead change in the first 20-laps.  Dominic Scelzi’ s methodical charge to the front in the second main after starting 11^thwas a gem also.  You can chalk up some of that success to a pair of master crew chiefs by the name of Sean GrealyandAshley Smith.  In the end, it was a great Katie Scott, Hirst, Scelzi, Grealy, Smith& crew photograph in victory lane that served as a perfect legends tribute to Morrie Williams. Two races, two winners. Kyle Hirst and Dominic Scelzi got it done! Photo by Ashley Grealy.

MORRIE WILLIAMS RACE NOTES:  One of the more impressive performances was by 2005 series champ Sean Beckerin the Dan Monhoff#35 machine.  He started 10^thand took the lead from Kyle Hirstin the late going of the first event, only to have the caution wave and revert back a lap.  That got Hirst sitting high in the seat with his elbows-up the rest of the way.  Becker ended up with a front row seat for the crazy Hirst/Mitchell Faccintowheel-to-wheel scuffle at the checkered.  The “Shark” started 17^thin the second feature and fought his way to fourth.  That was good enough to finish second in the overall standings, only one spot behind Tim Kaeding. … Speaking of Kaeding, he was on a mission during the final laps of the night, getting past Becker and Ryan Robinsonduring the last 1 ½ laps.  That was worth an additional $1000 and something everybody needs, a Budweiseracoustic guitar. … Iowa’s Austin McCarlwas the featured driver in the Roth Motorsports 83JRand was a rocket from the first second he stomped on the loud pedal.  He set quick time, picked off his heat race, and claimed the Sunnyvalley Bacondash to start on the pole. At this point, it looked like he was going to pull a “Spencer Baystonrepeat of June 20th” and sweep the night.  But racing is unpredictable, otherwise we would be doing something else on our weekends.  He ended up eighth and fifth in the two 20’s. …

… Earning the Hardcharger award proved to be lucrative.  Sean Becker(10^thto 3^rd) and Tim Kaeding(16^thto 2^nd) ended up with the honors.  Each pocketed $400 from Swift Metal Finishingand Alan Cade, plus a Hoosierright rear tire. … Two-days before the event, Tarlton Motorsportsannounced that Bud Kaedingwas their driver for the Morrie Williams event.  Wasn’t expecting that?  The familiar BK Racing 69sported a 360 powerplant which he used to claim the Kings of Thunder 360 Cotton Classicrace over Mr. Scelzi. … Yes, that was Sean Grealy sporting white coveralls honoring Mr. Williams. …  No tire changes were allowed during the intermission unless the team wanted their car to start the second 20 at the very back (even behind the lapped cars).  Most knew it, but some got sidetracked.  The Country Buildersteam inadvertently changed a LR tire and had to start dead last in feature number two. Otherwise, Kyle Offillwould have started in the fourth row. … When Stan Greenbergand Mitchell Faccintowere asked if they were considering a RR tire change during intermission, they answered they couldn’t if they wanted to.  Their spare was on their 360.  The Williams Motorsports team changed the RR on Hirst car after the win figuring they had nothing to lose.  Hirst pulled off only 11 laps in with motor issues. … Yes, that was Burt Foland Jr.driving a 410-powered sprint car. … Ryan Robinsonled the first 15-laps of the second feature in Mike Phulps #56. … Blake Carrickwas impressive battling for the lead midway through the first main.  He finished fifth.  Tanner Carrickfinished sixth in the second race. …  Kyle Hirst captured Friday nights Kings of Thunder 410 feature at Hanford.  Yes, that was Sean Watts who set quick time. …

… We would like to thank all the sponsors of the event once again.  They include:  EMADCO, Southern Pacific Farms, Fujitsu General, Tiner/Hirst Enterprises, Ashley Smith, Johnstone Supply, Floracing.com, Kistler Racing Engines, Prior Engineering, Kimo’s Tropical Car Wash, Hoosier Tire West, Roth Motorsports, Dan Bandy, Kevin Shearer Design and Peter Murphy. …

NARC NOTES:  We know there isn’t a NARC-KWS championship points race this season due to the COVID challenged schedule.  But, if there was, Tim Kaedingand car owners Joshua Bates/Roger Hamiltonwould be on top of the standings.  Kaeding leads Mitchell Faccintoby five points and the car owner duo has a three-point advantage over Tarlton Motorsports.  Kaeding will be competing with the Outlaws at the season finale, so the mythical 2020 championship driver’s battle is up for grabs.  The Bates-Hamilton team is expected to announce their cameo driver soon.  No matter what happens, this will be a great trivia question a decade or two down the road: “Who won the 2020 NARC King of the West championships that didn’t count?”… Dennis Rothwas presented with the prestigious Dave Bradway Jr. Inspirational Trophyat Hanford.  Roth’s contributions to sprint car racing could easily fill a Hall of Fame. Team Manager Todd Venturaaccepted the award on his behalf because Dennis was home nursing a sore back.  However, he was watching the presentation on Floracing.com.…

… It’s also time for a random shout out to Keller Motorsportsmotor sponsor Mike Mitchell Construction.  He is a General Contractor out of Paso Robles who actively supports the 410-motor program of the Keller’s and driver JJ Ringo.  This sport isn’t cheap, and we need all the Mike Mitchell’s we can get.  Thank him if you get a chance (www.mitchellconst.com).  Better yet, do business with him if the opportunity presents itself.  Please support those who support sprint car racing. …  Mike Andreettaand Chris Goodwill be presenting the Billy Albini Mechanic of the Year Awardat the season finale.  Expect this award to recognize past crew chief superheroes as well as current ones because there are a lot of noteworthy candidates that need to be put on a pedestal. …  Enjoyed a nice conversation with Greg DeCairesin the Hanford pits.  DeCaires just finished up radiation cancer treatments and is now in the recovery mode – ready to tackle regular life again and go back to work.  What started out as a little lump became serious, but he got a jump on it and got treated  We traded cancer recovery stories and concluded that we were glad we both acted fast.  Not to provide any medical advice here, but we ask that all of you race fans do the same.  Go to the doctor and get a physical once a year.  You’ll live longer! … The 2021 season opener?  How about March 13^that Kern County Raceway Park!…

WHAT’S NEXT?  Well, the only thing better than three NARC King of the West410 races in 2020, would be four.  Stockton Dirt Trackpromoter Tony Noceti, who has been chomping at the bit since March to get the lights turned on, finally got an approval to stage a racing event (without mufflers no less.)  It will be the November 7^thTribute to Gary Patterson.  Are the grandstands open for front gate general admission?  NO …, BUT …, that’s not any fault of anyone in the racing community.  However, and this is a big HOWEVER, there will be two types of pit passes offered to accommodate an “in person” experience.  Stay with me here and read between the lines.  All racing team participants, diehard fans and people staying in the pit area will purchase the normal (HOT) pit pass.  For this event, there will also be a COLD PASS sold at the front gate tunnel for race fans/sponsors/fanatics.  A $30 cold pass will get you into the pits until racing gets underway around 5:00 p.m.

At that point, all “Cold-Passers” will be funneled back into the main grandstand area, where they can safely enjoy the 37^thAnnual GP race, along with 360 racing on the 4/10^thmile dirt oval. Make sense?  It’s what has to be done to play within the regulations that were provided.

As part of our standard public service announcement, please note that the normal California COVID-19 safety protocols are in full effect:  Wear a mask, practice social distancing, and don’t sing, chant, chew tobacco, bob for apples, share a Kleenex, sit at a bar, spit out your gum or sunflower seeds, French kiss a homeless person, play a kazoo, get your nails done, trade bodily fluids in the parking lot, travel to Wuhan, use a friends toothbrush or earplugs, pick your teeth with a business card, work out with gym equipment, cough, sneeze, touch your face, hold hands, or … use a plastic straw or bag.  And for God’s sake, if you don’t feel good, please stay at home, and watch the festivities on Floracing.com

Coming to you live from Auburn, CA.  See ya.

NASCAR CUP SERIES XFINITY 500 MARTINSVILLE SPEEDWAY TEAM CHEVY PRESS CONF. TRANSCRIPT NOVEMBER 1, 2020
JIMMIE JOHNSON, ALLY ‘SIGN FOR JIMMIE’ CAMARO ZL1 1LE, met with media and discussed nearing the end of the 2020 season, his goals looking ahead, his primary sponsor for 2021 INDYCAR and partners for other special events on his wish list, and more. Full Transcript: WHAT EMOTIONS ARE YOU FEELING RIGHT NOW?“I’m excited, honestly. It’s been an amazing journey and one that I could have never dreamed of; and to be here at the end of it going out on my terms and when I choose to go out. With the great support of Hendrick Motorsports, Ally, friends & family, partners, and everybody involved, I’m excited. I’m happy. I’m in a great head space. I’m excited to be at one of my best tracks. The sun is out, thankfully; unlike last week and I’m excited to get going.”
YOU’VE TALKED ABOUT MAYBE DOING SOME ONE-OFF NASCAR RACES IN THE FUTURE. NOW THAT YOU’VE GOT THE SPONSORSHIP SORTED OUT ON THE INDYCAR SIDE OF THINGS, HAVE YOU HAD THOSE CONVERSATIONS AND WHERE DOES THAT STAND?“Yeah, nothing directly. The whole group understands some options that could be out there, but we’ve all been so busy trying to finish up the current NASCAR season and just trying to get prepared for the start of the INDYCAR season for next season, that nothing has really materialized yet. So, to be determined. I hope to get something kind of moving on the Rolex 24. That’s certainly high on my list for next year. But again, with my plate being so full wrapping up and then just trying to get started on the INDYCAR side, I haven’t had a chance to work on much of that, either.”
WHEN YOU LOOK AT YOUR TWO DECADES IN THE CUP SERIES, DO YOU HAVE ANY REGRETS? DO YOU WISH YOU COULD GET A DO-OVER ON ANYTHING OR WISH YOU COULD RE-DO AN ENTIRE SEASON OR WISH YOU COULD HAVE ONE RACE BACK?“I think do-overs; I’m not sure about regrets. I’ve always felt like mistakes made really give you a chance to learn and grow. And although the last three years really haven’t been how I wanted them to go or expected them to go. I’ve done a lot of learning and soul searching on my own and feel like I’ve had a lot of personal growth through it all. So, I’m thankful for that. There are some moments in time that I wish I could do over or handle differently, but no real regrets at the end of the day.”
EVERYBODY TALKS ABOUT WHAT A NICE GUY YOU ARE. PEOPLE ALSO SAY THAT NICE GUYS FINISH LAST. HOW HAVE YOU BEEN ABLE TO MESH THE TWO?“I think if you just be yourself, ultimately you’re going to be the best that you can be. Anybody that’s trying to be nice and isn’t, is going to fall short. And it plays the same way in the other direction. And I think you’re personality and the way you treat people and handle things, not only impacts your live specifically, but it also attracts like-minded people to be around you and the teams that you drive for and the sponsors that you have. When I look at the big picture you see all these other variables where like-minded people have assembled together and we’re able to do what we do. So, it’s a saying and I think I understand why; because competition is fierce and you have to be cutthroat at times, but I think I’m one of quite a few examples that if you just be yourself, and do your thing, you can be respectful and kind to others and still succeed in a competitive sport.”
DO YOU THINK THAT WAS PART OF YOUR ATTITUDE EARLY JUST BECAUSE YOU DIDN’T HAVE SUCCESS IN THE XFINITY SERIES?“Yes, Xfinity; and then I would back up to my ASA days, different moments in time in my off-road days, my motocross days; I’ve had patterns my whole life where things started slowly and then I was able to have my moment. And it goes all the way back to my earliest years of racing on dirt bikes. And then I’d also have to put my family dynamic in there; how I grew up and my parents and my siblings and just the way we lived our lives and interacted with others.”
ON THE SPONSOR-SIDE, YOU’VE BEEN PRETTY FORTUNATE WITH LOWES AND ALLY. HOW DID THE CARVANA SPONSORSHIP COME TOGETHER FOR YOU IN INDYCAR AND WHAT WAS YOUR ROLE IN THAT?  HOW SATISFYING WAS THAT TO PUT TOGETHER?“It was certainly satisfying. And, as I understood the hurdles, I had in front of me to go INDYCAR racing, I went to my contact lists and my friends, far and wide; some in North Carolina, some in New York, and some out in Colorado. I just started conversations with people that I knew were plugged into corporate America, if you will. And that led to some other phone calls and eventually phone calls to the Carvana folks. And quick in the conversations with them, I could sense that Ernie Garcia, the founder of Carvana, could really identify the opportunity here. Although he is not very familiar with auto racing and sports marketing in that sense, he could understand kind of the life story going on or my journey and the opportunity within all of that. And within short order, they expressed a verbal interest and wanted to move forward with things.
“So, I’m very pleased, obviously, to have them. It’s a tough world out there right now with the pandemic. And to find such an amazing sponsor with such reach and understanding of this opportunity was really special to us. And then we’re certainly looking forward to a few more partners to come on-board with the INDYCAR program; and then as I move into some other one-off events, we’ll need other partners for that stuff as well. Through our search in my office and the contacts that we have, what I’ve accumulated on a digital platform standpoint, clearly success on track, and this opportunity to tell a story in transitioning from NASCAR to other forms of racing, creates a unique opportunity for many marketers, that at least I could call on and they would listen to you. Finding those right partners are just so important.”
WAS THERE EVER A FEAR THAT YOU MIGHT NOT COME UP WITH SPONSORSHIP? WOULD THAT HAVE DE-RAILED THE INDYCAR DEAL OR WERE YOU JUST THAT CONFIDENT YOU WOULD FIND SOMEBODY?“I’ve really felt good about things. I wasn’t sure, I didn’t feel in my heart that we would have a sole primary sponsor for INDYCAR. I felt like selling it in three, four-race blocks or four, three-race blocks, might be the way to go about it and the way we would get to the finish line. But as soon as we spoke to Carvana, we understood that if they came in they would come in on a big level. And that kind of changed our thought process then.”
YOU MENTIONED THE ROLEX 24 EARLIER. DO YOU WANT TO RUN IT AGAIN BECAUSE IN EIGHT STARTS YOU STILL HAVEN’T GOTTEN THE WATCH? TO GET THAT WATCH, WOULD THAT JUST BE SOMETHING YOU COULD ADD TO YOUR RESUME? IS THAT IMPORTANT TO YOU?“Oh, without a doubt. The fact that I’ve been second twice fuels that fire a bit more (laughs). And, in these bucket lists items involve marquee events and Le Mans and the Rolex 24, those are on the top of any auto racer’s list. They’re still on mine although I’ve been in the Rolex 24 quite a few times; I just want to go back and do it. These marquee events and unique opportunities like this really sound fun and exciting to me moving forward.”
OTHER THAN THE INDY 500, IS THERE ONE TRACK IN PARTICULAR, FROM AN INDYCAR STANDPOINT, THAT CALLS YOUR NAME OR SOMETHING YOU’VE ALWAYS SAID, THAT’S THE ONE?“There are quite a few that are really interesting. But as a kid, I just knew so much more what was going on in California. And the track in Monterey was always so picturesque and unique and different with the corkscrew; so that was really high on my list. But then as I started dreaming of a professional racing career, the Long Beach Grand Prix was an event that I would go to in order to get face time with everyone at Chevrolet. Showing up there and thinking of racing and wondering if I could have a professional career, changed my experience at that track. So, I think those two tracks are probably the most meaningful ones for me right now as I look forward to my schedule next year.”
TWO YEARS AGO, THIS WAS THE RACE WHERE YOU ANNOUNCED THE ALLY PARTNERSHIP. WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON THAT? WHAT HAS YOUR RELATIONSHIP BEEN LIKE WITH THEM? DO YOU EXPECT TO HAVE A RELATIONSHIP WITH THEM AFTER YOUR NASCAR CAREER?“I really do. We’re working on what that arrangement will look like. I feel like we just have so many synergies together and share so much in common with our identity or brand identity if you will. I’ve become very close with the executive staff at Ally. They’re not only working friends, but I have friendships and relationship with them and have been integrated into their company in a very unique and fun way. So, I really see the relationship continuing on longer. And I’m very happy for Mr. Hendrick and Hendrick Motorsports and the long relationship that they’ll have with Ally. I think they’re signed-up through 2023, if I remember right. It clearly makes a lot of sense from a B-to-B standpoint. But then again with Ally’s presence in Charlotte and their CEO living there in town and just the relationship we’ve all built; especially Rick (Hendrick) and the Ally folks. I would anticipate Ally being around at Hendrick Motorsports for a long time and hopefully with me, for many years to come, as well.”
REGARDING THE CHOOSE RULE, THE WAY THE CARS HAVE BEEN LINING UP HAS BEEN RATHER EVEN. WHY HAS THAT BEEN THE CASE?“I don’t know. I’m running it through my mind. I think you’re probably right. You probably have stats to prove that (laughs). I don’t know. I think ultimately, we just wanted that opportunity to choose what happens. You see some of these races play out because you had a strong car and you didn’t have a chance to pick the right lane or you didn’t come off pit road in the right spot or drivers were dragging their feet to try to be even or odd for what needed on that particular race track. So just to take all that out seemed like a cleaner and easier way to go about it. And the conversation was bounced around for quite a few years. In the end, once we tried it, we realized there wasn’t a great affect and it’s pretty simple to manage. And everybody feels like they chose their own destiny. So, it just kind of negates any reason to argue and it’s turned out really well.”

Taylor Sets GTLM Record in Pole Position RunGavin to start third in another strong showing for Corvette C8.R at new track

MONTEREY, Calif. (Nov. 1, 2020) – Corvette Racing’s Jordan Taylor captured pole position and set a GT Le Mans track record in the process Sunday morning ahead of the Monterey Sports Car Championship at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca. Taylor, driving the No. 3 Mobil 1/SiriusXM Chevrolet Corvette C8.R, set the fastest time in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship’s GTLM category – 1:21.483 (98.876 mph) – as he and teammate Antonio Garcia look to close out the class Drivers and Team championships. It was the fifth pole position of 2020 for Corvette Racing, fourth in a row for the No. 3 Corvette and fourth of the season for Taylor. He broke the previous GTLM qualifying record by 0.074 seconds. Oliver Gavin will line up behind Taylor on the GTLM grid after qualifying third in class with the No. 4 Corvette. His best lap of 1:21.853 (98.429 mph) was only 0.370 from the other C8.R and barely a tenth-of-a-second from starting second with teammate Tommy Milner; the No. 4 pairing is second in GTLM points heading into today’s next-to-last round of the season. The Monterey Sports Car Championship is scheduled for 4:05 p.m. ET today with same-day television coverage on NBCSN beginning at 6:30 p.m. ET. TrackPass on NBC Sports Gold will offer live streaming of the full race starting at 4 p.m. ET. In addition, IMSA Radio will broadcast the race on IMSA.com, which also will host live timing and scoring. The race also will air on XM channel 202 and SiriusXM Online 972.

JORDAN TAYLOR, NO. 3 MOBIL 1/SiriusXM CHEVROLET CORVETTE C8.R – GTLM POLE-WINNER: “It was good. This is more of a championship-focused weekend, but we have a competitive Corvette and we saw that right out of the box. We led both practice sessions and obviously we led qualifying. The C8.R is definitely quick and has pace. The race will be a much different story with tire degradation and things like that. We wanted to get track position early on like this, so the qualifying went well for that. The year has been going incredibly well… our fourth pole in a row. We’re trying to close out the season on a strong point.” MOOD OF THE TEAM CLOSING IN ON CHAMPIONSHIP BUT SEEING NEWS ABOUT OLIVER GAVIN IN 2021:“It’s business as usual. The news about Oliver was disappointing for everyone, but he’s in great spirits. He’s a racer and is at the track wanting to win the race. It was a small talking point at the start of the weekend, but once the weekend started with practice, it was back to business as usual, trying to work on the cars and race strategy. Sebring will be his last full-time race with the team, so that one might be a little bit different. But it’s almost more special to have that one be his final race.” ADAPTING TO THE TRACK WITH NO PREVIOUS TESTING: “It’s similar to Mid-Ohio. The track is low-grip so the car is moving around a lot more. The tire compounds are similar for what you want to use. We were able to do a day at the simulator, which was a big help to get the setup in the window where we wanted it. I think we’ve tried two setup changes on our car and have gone back to where we started the weekend. It was crucial to have that day to get up to speed for Tommy and I. When we got here, the car was right where we wanted it and we were strongest right out of the box. This was good proof of the simulator working again.” ON POTENTIALLY CLINCHING THE GTLM CHAMPIONSHIP TODAY: “The week off between Petit Le Mans and now, it was on my mind. But as soon as you’re in the car, you want to do the best job possible and be quickest. Now we’re on pole and our mentality is to win the race. We have a competitive car so we can race for the win. I don’t think points are going to be really at the top of our minds most of the day. It’s going to be about maximizing the results with what we have.”

2020 WeatherTech SportsCar Championship – GTLM Standings (After Nine of 11 Events) Driver Standings1. Antonio Garcia/Jordan Taylor – 2932. Oliver Gavin/Tommy Milner – 2653. Jesse Krohn/John Edwards – 2614. Bruno Spengler/Connor De Phillippi – 2595. Fred Makowiecki/Nick Tandy – 2326. Earl Bamber/Laurens Vanthoor – 222 Team Standings1. No. 3 Corvette Racing – 2932. No. 4 Corvette Racing – 2653. No. 24 BMW Team RLL – 2614. No. 25 BMW Team RLL – 2595. No. 911 Porsche GT Team – 2326. No. 912 Porsche GT Team – 222 Manufacturer Standings1. Chevrolet – 3042. BMW – 2883. Porsche – 2514. Ferrari – 28 CORVETTE RACING AT WEATHERTECH RACEWAY LAGUNA SECA: By the Numbers• 1: As in one team, one manufacturer and one model of car for more than 20 years: Corvette Racing, Chevrolet and the Chevrolet Corvette.• 3: Generations of Corvette Racing entries at Laguna Seca since 1999 – Corvette C5-R (1999-04) Corvette C6.R (2005-2013) and the Corvette C7.R (2014-2019). The new mid-engine Corvette C8.R will make it four starting this weekend.• 4: Career victories at Laguna Seca for Oliver Gavin – all with Corvette Racing.• 7: Number of Laguna Seca victories for Corvette Racing dating back to 2004.• 10: Laguna Seca victories for the current Corvette Racing for the current driving lineup – Oliver Gavin (four), Antonio Garcia (three) and Tommy Milner (two) and Jordan Taylor (one).• 11: Drivers who have competed for Corvette Racing at Laguna Seca. Of those, seven went on to win at Monterey.• 11: Victories at Laguna Seca for Chevrolet in IMSA competition.• 12: Manufacturer Championships for Chevrolet and Corvette Racing since 2001.• 21: Number of GT Le Mans wins in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship for Corvette Racing since the start of 2014.• 25: Tracks at which Corvette Racing has won races – Baltimore, Charlotte, COTA, Canadian Tire Motorsport Park/Mosport, Daytona, Detroit, Houston, Laguna Seca, Le Mans, Lime Rock, Long Beach, Miami, Mid-Ohio, Portland, Road America, Road Atlanta, Sebring, Sonoma, St. Petersburg, Texas, Trois Rivieres, Utah, VIR, Washington DC and Watkins Glen.• 29: Number of drivers for Corvette Racing since 1999.• 113: Victories worldwide for Corvette Racing – 105 in North America and eight at Le Mans.• 236: Event starts by Corvette Racing since 1999.• 12,292.10: Number of racing miles completed by Corvette Racing in its 19 previous trips to Laguna Seca. That represents 5,575 laps or nearly 725 trips along historic 17-Mile Drive on the Monterey Peninsula.• 310,644.74: Total number of racing miles completed by Corvette Racing since its inception. To put that in perspective, Corvette Racing is nearly halfway to the distance traveled by Apollo 13 – the longest manned spaceflight in history – at 622,268 miles.

·        Don Schumacher Racing (DSR) driver Ron Capps drove his Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat to the No.1 spot in the final qualifying session of the 2020 National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) Drag Racing season at the Dodge NHRA Finals Presented by Pennzoil

·        Capps earned his first No.1 qualifier position of the season and taking it away from the provisional pole sitter and points leader Matt Hagan at The Strip at Las Vegas Speedway

·        No. 2 qualifier Hagan leads No. 4 seed Tommy Johnson Jr. and No. 10 Jack Beckman into the final elimination rounds of the 2020 season to determine the NHRA world champion among the top-three DSR Dodge Funny Cars

·        Leah Pruett will launch her Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat Redeye Top Fuel dragster from the No. 6 position in her quest to secure a top-three finish in the championship 

·        Pruett starts her Mopar Drag Pak from No.3 spot in Factory Stock while teammate Mark Pawuk looks for runner-up finish in the Factory Stock Showdown championship to close out the 2020 season.

October 31, 2020, Las Vegas, Nev. – The final qualifying sessions of the 2020 National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) Drag Racing Series season have been completed at the Dodge Finals Presented by Pennzoil with Don Schumacher Racing (DSR) Funny Car pilot Ron Capps taking his Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat to the No. 1 qualifier position. Capps and his DSR teammates, Matt Hagan, Tommy Johnson Jr. and Jack Beckman head into the final eliminations rounds of the season battling for the Funny Car world championship with a points-a-half format to determine the winner among them.

Capps earned his first No.1 qualifier honors of the season, the 25^th of his career, in the final session with a 3.902-second elapsed time pass at 327.98 mph to dislodge the provisional pole sitter and the defending race winner Hagan. Capps has taken home five Wally trophies (2001, 2005, 2009, 2011 and 2012) from The Strip at Las Vegas Speedway and will start his quest for another against Chris Morel in the first round.

With the qualifying result Capps added four bonus points to his total which has him fourth in the standings that the four DSR Dodge Funny Car have dominated all season-long with an undefeated streak of 13 national event wins that stretches back to October 2019.

Hagan’s 3.911-second pass at 327.82 mph was enough to keep his Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat Redeye No. 2 on the ladder. Looking to secure his third championship title, the Mopar driver will begin his drive through eliminations with a first round match against Cruz Pedregon.

Should he be successful, the biggest challenge of the day could be a quarterfinal pairing with teammate and fellow championship contender Beckman who qualified tenth and would need to beat Hagan for his own chance to vie for the title.

Johnson Jr qualified fourth with a solid 3.915-second pass at 319.14 mph aboard his MD Anderson Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat, earning bonus points in both sessions for posting the fourth and third quickest runs, respectively, and will look to turn on four win lights on Sunday to earn his first Funny Car championship title. 

Trailing the points leader by 45 and 52 markers respectively, Johnson and Beckman would both have to finish two rounds ahead of Hagan for a chance to win the Funny Car crown. With both on opposite sides of the ladder, that could also set up an all-DSR Dodge final round showdown for both the national event win and the Funny Car world championship.

Last year’s No. 1 Top Fuel qualifier at the Fall Vegas event, Leah Pruett set the second quickest run in the first session by driving her “Demon-possessed” Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat Redeye dragster to a 3.791 sec./ 322.04 mph run. That lap was good enough to keep her in the top half of the ladder when her second run didn’t go as planned and will see her line up against Chris Karamesines in the opening round. From her No. 6 position, Leah hopes to make a run for her first event win of the season and boost her back into the top-three in the standings to finish the season in which she was part of the championship conversation until the very end. 

Pruett will also close out the season with a No. 3 Factory Stock Showdown starting position for her Dodge Challenger Mopar Drag Pak after setting the second quickest run in the first session and then improving on her second lap with a 7.976 sec./170.00 mph pass. She’ll meet up with Kevin Skinner in the opposite lane for her first run on Sunday. 

Meanwhile, her Factory Stock Showdown DSR Dodge Challenger Mopar Drag Pak teammate Mark Pawuk, after two difficult qualifying sessions without a clean run, finds himself starting from 15^th place on the ladder. He will line up his Empaco Equipment Drag Pak against No. 2 qualifier Aaron Stanfield who clinched the Factory Stock Showdown championship last weekend after their semi-final match-up at the Mopar Express Lane Spring Nationals. Pawuk will be looking to win that rematch to help him secure a runner-up finish in the Factory Stock Showdown championship.

The 2020 NHRA season concludes at the Dodge NHRA Finals in Las Vegas with FS1 broadcasting the action on Sunday, Nov. 1. Qualifying highlights will air from 2-4 p.m. ET and then eliminations from 4- 7 p.m. ET will feature live coverage of the final rounds.

ADDITIONAL NOTES and QUOTES: 

Jack Beckman, Infinite Hero Foundation Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat Funny Car
(No. 10 Qualifier – 3.996 seconds at 309.70 mph)
Qualifying 1: 4.983 sec./ 153.37 mph  

Qualifying 2: 3.996 sec./ 309.70 mph

“You can strategize and worry yourself into the ground trying to figure out where you should qualify to be the most advantageous. Sometimes it’s easier to put your blinders on and go up there and try to get data for the car. Low and behold, the ladder turned out exactly the way we needed it. If we go out and win the race we will be the champions. We will get to face Matt Hagan early in eliminations and if they beat us more power to them. And if we beat them we’re going to keep marching on. This is going to be one of the most exciting Sunday’s of my entire career. This is the site where I got my first nitro win back in 2006 and if this is the end of my career this would be the perfect place to close it out.”

Matt Hagan, Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat Redeye Funny Car  
(No. 2 Qualifier – 3.911 seconds at 327.82 mph)
Qualifying 1: 3.911 sec./327.82 mph 

Qualifying 2: 6.026 sec./ 113.06 mph

“We ended up No. 2 and made a great first run out here at (Las) Vegas and ended up No. 2. If we get there, we could see (Jack) Beckman second round. We just need everything to fall in place. We have a great opportunity with a great race car and Vegas has been very kind to me. We’ve been lucky. We want to keep that going, but it’s drag racing and you just never know and that’s why the fans buy tickets to see what’s going to happen. This Dodge SRT Redeye Hellcat is hauling the mail and I’m fortunate to be driving it.”

Tommy Johnson Jr., MD Anderson Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat Funny Car
(No. 4 Qualifier –  3.915 seconds at 319.14 mph)

Qualifying 1: 3.939 sec./ 310.98 mph 

Qualifying 2: 3.915 sec./ 319.14 mph

“I’m happy with how qualifying played out. We have a really good, consistent race car and we’re ok for tomorrow to go some rounds. So far, everything is going as planned and we’ll go out tomorrow and see if we can click off four more like we did the last race and see how it all falls after that.”
 
Ron Capps, Pennzoil NAPA Auto Parts Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat Funny Car
(No. 1 Qualifier – 3.902 seconds at 327.98 mph)
Qualifying 1: 3.958 sec./ 324.20 mph

Qualifying 2:  3.902 sec./ 327.98 mph

“A great job (Rahn) Tobler, Dustin (Heim) and the guys. We obviously brought this car out under extreme circumstances for the final round in Gainesville and it won, and then we brought it out again in Houston and came close to winning last Sunday. Honestly, we had never warmed the car up until today. Both those final rounds we didn’t get to warm the car up because we were under such pressure and time constraints. Tobler decided to run this car and I kept telling him how much I like this car and I love driving it and my lights are good and it feels right. Low and behold, it went out and made a nice, safe run. We had some DSR parts we wanted to try on the first lap, so we had to back it down a bit and just get down there. And then everything was right to plan with the NAPA Know How we talk about and it went up there and leaned on the tune-up and that number popped up. It probably had more in it, but at the time that’s what he was trying to do. For me, I wanted to get a Camping World hat and obviously a win would be great, but to steal the No. 1 spot at the last race of the year is a big feather in the cap. Now time to do some big stuff tomorrow.”

Leah Pruett, Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat Redeye Top Fuel Dragster  
(No. 6 Qualifier – 3.791  seconds at 322.04 mph)

Qualifying 1: 3.791 sec./ 322.04 mph 

Qualifying 2: 6.414 sec./ 103.29 mph

“One of our favorite things to do is race at (Las) Vegas. We have a strong history of qualifying well and going deep into the rounds. We laid down a solid Q1 pass and were excited about the foundation that allowed us to put the coals to it for Q2. Unfortunately, we had about 24 extra seconds on the line idling which drowned more than a gallon of fuel and these cars are very sensitive to weight and I had the front tires in the air much longer than normal and when they came down we smoked the tires. We had it set up to run a high .60, low .70 and go to the No. 1 spot. We can’t change the variables from that Q2 run, but we are ready for a very long Sunday and finish the season in a strong manner.”

Mark Pawuk, Empaco Equipment Mopar Drag Pak– Factory Stock Shootout
(No. 15 Qualifier – 9.346 seconds at 168.22 mph)

Qualifying 1: 9.346 sec./168.22 mph 

Qualifying 2: 21.467 sec./ 47.63 mph

“Coming into the last race of the season, we were really looking forward to making some good laps, but unfortunately we couldn’t get the car to hook up either session today. So, the car is going to have to go down the race track tomorrow. We qualified way down in the field and we’ll be running one of the fastest cars in round one. I’m going to do the best I can. I know my crew will be there for me and we’ll tune this Drag Pak Hemi up and try to knock out one of the top qualifiers.”

Leah Pruett, Mopar Dodge Challenger Mopar Drag Pak – Factory Stock Shootout 
(No. 3 Qualifier – 7.976 seconds at 170 mph)
Qualifying 1: 7.989 sec. /170.17 mph

Qualifying 2: 7.976 sec./ 170.00 mph

“The car ran really good on both runs and that puts us deep in the field like we want. We’ve never race El Bandito in (Las) Vegas before. We need some win lights on Sunday and a little gold man. We’ve got the car and the setup for it just like we’ve been preaching all season and it’s finally here. This would be a good way to wrap up this 2020 Factory Stock (Showdown) season. We have a lot of confidence heading into Sunday. We want a strong day in both Factory and Top Fuel and I feel good.”

Late Race Incident Spoils Top-10 Run For Myatt Snider and The No. 21 TaxSlayer Chevrolet Team at Martinsville Speedway

23rd   22nd

“It felt really good to be back with Richard Childress Racing and this entire No. 21 TaxSlayer team today at Martinsville Speedway. We had great speed, but we battled the handling of our TaxSlayer Chevrolet throughout the day. I just could not get the car to rotate through the center how we needed it to. My crew chief, Andy Street, played some great strategy to get us towards the front in the final stage and I was able to drive up inside the top-five. We ended up getting turned around in the pack after a pit stop, which really set us back. That incident led to us losing a lap, but we battled back to be in position for the free pass. I was really hoping we would catch a late yellow, so we could get our lap back and make our way back towards the front, but unfortunately, it just didn’t play in our favor. I am still really proud of our team. We had a really nice looking Halloween TaxSlayer scheme this weekend and I wish we could have gotten the finish we deserved. I am looking forward to finishing the year strong next weekend at Phoenix.”  -Myatt Snider

Longest serving, most accomplished driver in Corvette Racing program history

DETROIT (October 31, 2020) – Chevrolet and Corvette Racing are paying tribute to the accomplishments of Oliver Gavin, who will step away from full-time competition with the program at the end of 2020. Gavin, one of sports car racing’s biggest stars, has been part of Corvette Racing since 2002 and will complete his 18th full-time season with the team at the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring in two weeks. The first race for Gavin with Corvette Racing took place at Sebring in 2002, and he was promoted to full-time status the following year. Gavin’s list of accomplishments with Corvette Racing is unmatched. He has more starts (201), championships (five), race wins (51), 24 Hours of Le Mans victories (five) and pole positions (25) than any other driver in program history. He also has won five times at both Sebring and Petit Le Mans with Corvette Racing and captured the Rolex 24 At Daytona in 2016 to begin his latest championship run. “To have been with the same team for 19 seasons has been an immense privilege, and I thank from the bottom of my heart each and every person who has shared that journey with me,” Gavin said. “It’s been an amazing run, and I’ve been very lucky to have been able to drive at such a high level for so long. I’m extremely proud of what we’ve achieved together, especially the championship wins and milestone victories at Le Mans, Daytona and Sebring, among others. I’m also very proud of the part I played in developing four generations of Corvette race cars for both IMSA and at Le Mans, and I look forward to exploring opportunities to represent Chevrolet and Corvette Racing in the future.”

In addition to his competitive record, Gavin also has been a fundamental part in the development of every generation of racing Corvette during his tenure with the program. His efforts in the Corvette C5-R laid the groundwork for the GT1- and GT-spec versions of the C6.R. Gavin was heavily involved in testing and development of the C7.R and mid-engine C8.R. He won an IMSA championship, the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the Rolex 24 At Daytona and 12 Hours of Sebring with the Corvette C7.R. “Oliver Gavin is a name that is synonymous with Corvette Racing,” said Jim Campbell, Chevrolet U.S. Vice President, Performance and Motorsports. “He has been one of the sport’s greatest drivers and a fantastic representative of Chevrolet for nearly two decades – on the track, working with our Corvette production engineers, and engaging Corvette owners and fans around the world.” Gavin claimed the first pole position for the C8.R at Daytona in July, and he and Milner won the next event at Sebring in their No. 4 Mobil 1/SiriusXM Corvette C8.R. They stand second in the GT Le Mans Drivers’ Championship entering this weekend’s IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship event at Laguna Seca. “All of us at Chevrolet thank Oliver for his nearly 20 years of contributions to Corvette Racing,” Campbell added. “No driver at Corvette Racing has started more events, captured more championships or won more races. Oliver’s success has brought great improvements over the years not just to Corvette Racing, but also to every Corvette that sits in an owner’s driveway. We are hopeful of creating more of those opportunities with Oliver into the future.” Details on Corvette Racing’s complete driver roster for 2021 will be confirmed at a later date.

SPEEDWAYRIDGEWAY, VIRGINIA NOVEMBER 1, 2020

MARTINSVILLE: RACE #35NASCAR’S three national series head to the .526-mile oval of Martinsville Speedway to close out the Playoffs’ Round of Eight and the last opportunity for drivers to punch their ticket for the Championship Four in each series. For the second time this season, the NASCAR Cup Series returns to the Martinsville, Virginia, short track for the Xfinity 500. The 500-lap, 263-mile event will be the 144th race in the track’s history for NASCAR’s premier series and the first time that Martinsville has held the elimination race for the Round of Eight. 
The Playoff tripleheader kicks off under the lights with the NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series’ NASCAR Hall of Fame 200 tonight, October 30th, at 8:00 p.m. ET. Day two is an appearance by the NASCAR Xfinity Series with the Draft Top 250 on Saturday, October 31st, at 3:30 p.m. ET, the first time the series has been at Martinsville Speedway since 2006. To conclude the weekend. The NASCAR Cup Series’ Xfinity 500 will wrap up the Playoff Round of Eight cut-off weekend on Sunday, November 1st, at 2:00 p.m. ET. 
As NASCAR returns to Martinsville Speedway, up to 1,000 fans will be welcomed back to the venue and have the chance to experience the three days of Playoff racing action in-person. 
ROUND OF EIGHT: THE ELIMINATION RACE  It all comes down to 500-laps around the .526-mile paperclip-shaped oval of Martinsville Speedway to set the field for the series’ championship. Martinsville Speedway has held three different spots on the post-season schedule since the beginning of the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs in 2004. It’s the third different track to be positioned as the ninth event in the Playoff stretch, joining Darlington Raceway (2004) and Phoenix Raceway (2005-2019).  Three Team Chevy drivers have their eye on the final three spots left in the Championship Four and their opportunity to compete for the title of the NASCAR Cup Series Champion. Going into the Round of Eight elimination race at Martinsville Speedway, here’s where the Team Chevy drivers currently sit in the Playoff standings, as well as key statistics at the track:  Alex Bowman, No. 88 Planters Camaro ZL1 1LE – 5th in Standings (4,095 points)Victories: 1 (Auto Club Speedway)Top-Fives: 6; Top-10’s: 14; Laps Led: 439; Average Finish: 14.9Stage Wins: 4 At Martinsville: Top-10’s: 2; Average Finish: 22.0 Chase Elliott, No. 9 NAPA Auto Parts Camaro ZL1 1LE – 6th in Standings (4,095 points)Victories: 3 (Charlotte Motor Speedway, Daytona Road Course, Charlotte Road Course)Top-Fives: 13; Top-10’s: 20; Laps Led: 858; Average Finish: 12.3Stage Wins: 9At Martinsville: Top-Five’s: 3; Top-10’s: 5; Laps led: 193; Average Finish: 13.4 Kurt Busch, No. 1 Monster Energy Camaro ZL1 1LE – 8th in Standings (4,039 points)Victories: 1 (Las Vegas Motor Speedway)Top-Fives: 6; Top-10’s: 18; Laps Led: 142; Average Finish: 15.9Stage Wins: 1 At Martinsville: Wins: 2; Top-Five’s: 3; Top-10’s: 8; Laps Led: 464; Average Finish: 20.1 Coming off last weekend’s NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series win at Texas Motor Speedway, GMS Racing and Team Chevy’s, Sheldon Creed, secured his position in the Championship Four. Joining teammate Brett Moffitt, Team Chevy enters into the Round of Eight cut-off race with two spots clinched in the season finale at Phoenix Raceway and the chance to win the series title. 
After a wild conclusion in the Lone Star state, three spots are still up for grabs for the NASCAR Xfinity Series Championship Four. Of the eight playoff contenders left in title contention, five of those are occupied by Team Chevy drivers. For their first appearance at the track since 2006, the series finds their trip to Martinsville Speedway as their final shot to seal their fate into the championship weekend at Phoenix Raceway. 
Heading into the Round of Eight finale, here are where the Team Chevy drivers sit in the NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series and NASCAR Xfinity Series Playoff standings: 
NASCAR GANDER RV & OUTDOORS TRUCK SERIES1.        Sheldon Creed, No. 2 GMS Racing Silverado: Clinched by Win2.        Brett Moffitt, No. 23 GMS Racing Silverado: Clinched by Win3.        Zane Smith, No. 21 GMS Racing Silverado: 3,108 points / +12 points8.        Tyler Ankrum, No. 26 GMS Racing Silverado: 3,029 points / -79 points
NASCAR XFINITY SERIES3.        Justin Allgaier, No. 7 JR Motorsports Camaro SS: 3,097 points / +8 points4.        Justin Haley, No. 11 Kaulig Racing Camaro SS: 3,093 points / +4 points6.        Ross Chastin, No. 10 Kaulig Racing Camaro SS: 3,078 points / -15 points7.        Noah Gragson, No. 9 JR Motorsports Camaro SS: 3,069 / -24 points8.        Ryan Sieg, No. 39 RSS Racing Camaro SS: 3,050 points / -43 points BOWTIE BULLETS:·       Victories by active Team Chevy drivers at Martinsville Speedway include:Jimmie Johnson, No. 48 Ally Camaro ZL1 1LE, has nine wins (2004, ’06, ’07-twice, ’08, ’09, ’12, ’13, & ’16)Kurt Busch, No. 1 Monster Energy Camaro ZL1 1LE has two wins (2002, & ’14)
·       The first win for Chevrolet at Martinsville Speedway came in 1957, when Buck Baker parked his Chevrolet 150 ‘Black Widow’ stock car in victory lane. Through NASCAR’s history at the .526-mile oval, other models that have scored a win include Bel Air, Biscayne, Impala, Monte Carlo, Lumina, Impala SS and SS. Of the 143 NCS races held at the oldest track on the NASCAR circuit, a Bowtie brand has visited victory lane 56 times, the most of any other manufacturer. 
·       Hendrick Motorsports and Team Chevy driver, Chase Elliott, heads into the final race of the Round of Eight leading Playoff drivers in a variety of statistical categories through eight Playoff races: Most points earned (307), stage points earned (93), most laps in the top-five (1,374), and most laps in the top-10 (2,006). Teammate, Alex Bowman, has had an impressive run in his first Round of Eight run in his six-year Cup Series career. Bowman holds the best average finish in the Playoffs thus far with an 8.3 and ties for the lead of top-10 finishes in the Playoffs with six. 
·       In 143 NASCAR Cup Series events held at the .526-mile venue, Chevrolet has captured 53 poles, 262 top-five’s, 500 top-10’s and 27,429 laps led. 
·       Hendrick Motorsports leads the NASCAR Cup Series in wins at Martinsville Speedway with 24 wins: Jeff Gordon (nine), Jimmie Johnson (nine), Darrell Waltrip (four), Geoffrey Bodine (one) and Dale Earnhardt Jr. (one).
·       Heading into his final race in his full-time NASCAR Cup Series career at Martinsville Speedway, Hendrick Motorsports and Chevrolet driver, Jimmie Johnson, tops the leaderboard in a variety of categories in his 37 career starts:o  Johnson leads the series in victories at Martinsville Speedway with nine. With a win this weekend, Johnson can become the third driver in NASCAR Cup Series history to record 10 or more wins, joining Richard Petty and Darrell Waltrip.  o  Johnson leads the series in runner-up finishes at Martinsville Speedway with four, top-five finishes with 19, and top-10 finishes with 25. o  Among active drivers, Johnson leads the series in average finishing position with a 9.3. 
STARTING LINE-UP:For the remainder of the 2020 NCS season, the starting lineups will be determined by a competition-based formula, combining the following metrics from the previous race event: 15% of a fastest lap time position, 25% of the driver’s final race finish position, 25% of the owner’s final race position and 35% of the Owner points position.  Here are Team Chevy’s top-20 starters for Sunday’s Xfinity 500: 3rd      Alex Bowman, No. 88 Planters Camaro ZL1 1LE5th      Kurt Busch, No. 1 Monster Energy Camaro ZL1 1LE8th      Chase Elliott, No. 9 NAPA Auto Parts Camaro ZL1 1LE13th    William Byron, No. 24 Liberty University Camaro ZL1 1LE14th    Austin Dillon, No. 3 Bass Pro Shops/Tracker Off Road Camaro ZL1 1LE17th    Tyler Reddick, No. 8 MotorTrend Camaro ZL1 1LE18th    Ricky Stenhouse Jr., No. 47 Kroger Camaro ZL1 1LE TUNE-IN:NBC will telecast the Xfinity 500 at Martinsville Speedway on Sunday, November 1st, at 2:00 p.m. ET. Live coverage of the 263-mile, 500-lap event for the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs Round of Eight elimination race can also be found on the NBC Sports Gold app, MRN, and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90. 
QUOTABLE QUOTES:ALEX BOWMAN, NO. 88 PLANTERS CAMARO ZL1 1LE – 5th IN STANDINGS“The only way to make the final four is to go out this weekend and get the win. We have been really focused on Martinsville not knowing the outcome of the first two events of the Round of 8. I am confident in this No. 88 team and I am confident in Greg (Ives). This is what we have been working for all year, to go for a championship in Phoenix. While we were in Texas, the crew back at Hendrick Motorsports was dialing in our Martinsville Chevrolet and getting it ready to race. We have all been putting in the work needed to get the job done and that is what we plan on doing.” CHASE ELLIOTT, NO. 9 NAPA AUTO PARTS CAMARO ZL1 1LE – 6th IN STANDINGS“Both fortunately and unfortunately we have been in this position a few times. I think at the same time it’s not something where you need to go hit a homerun, we just need to go win. I don’t think you have to hit homeruns to win races. We will treat it like a normal race weekend because that is what it is and we will give it our best shot to make it to the final four. If we just do our thing and improve on the last couple of Martinsville trips, take our notebook and try to improve upon it, I think we can contend for a race win. Still one race left in the round so it’s certainly not over. I’m looking forward to it.” WILLIAM BYRON, NO. 24 LIBERTY UNIVERSITY CAMARO ZL1 1LE – 12th IN STANDINGSBYRON ON HOW TO APPROACH RACING AT MARTINSVILLE:“I’ve really enjoyed going to Martinsville even more recently since I’ve really started to figure it out I feel like. It has an interesting rhythm to it, and once you figure it out it’s just a lot of fun and a cool track in general. There really is no room to move around that much. And while rhythm is a key there, you need to know the areas of the track that you want your car to be good in as well. There is a lot of factors that make speed there. It’s just figuring out that rhythm that you need to go fast.” TYLER REDDICK, NO. 8 MOTORTREND CAMARO ZL1 1LE – 19th IN STANDINGSWHAT ARE SOME LESSONS FROM THE RACE WE HAD AT MARTINSVILLE SPEEDWAY EARLIER THIS YEAR THAT YOU CAN APPLY TO THIS WEEKEND? “We had a really good Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE the last time we went to Martinsville Speedway and learned a lot about the track that I think will help us this time around. The race we had back in June was my first time back at Martinsville since 2016, so I had to adapt quickly to figure out how to get around there in a Cup car since we went into that race without any practice. The track changed a lot over the course of that race, a lot more than we were expecting, so we’ll take that into account when setting up our strategy for it this time around. This is one of my crew chief’s favorite tracks, so we’re all looking forward to getting back there in our No. 8 MotorTrend Chevrolet to see what we can do.”