April 18th, 2026 – The Cadillac Hertz Team JOTA qualified P5 and P13 for the opening round of the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) at the Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari, Imola. The No. 12 Cadillac Hertz Team JOTA V-Series.R, driven by Norman Nato, advanced to the Hyperpole session after setting the 10th fastest time (01:30:644) in the initial qualifying session. In Hyperpole Nato improved further on this time, posting a lap time of 1:30:419. The No.12 car, driven by Will Stevens and Norman Nato, will line up in fifth position on the grid for tomorrow’s race. Earl Bamber qualified the No.38 Cadillac Hertz Team JOTA V-Series.R in P13 with a lap of 1:30:867. Sebastian Bourdais will share driving duties in the No.38 car for the 6 Hours of Imola. The race will take place on the historic 4.909-kilometre (3.050-mile), 21-turn Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari. It is scheduled for 1 p.m. local/7 a.m. ET Sunday April 19th. What they’re saying No. 12 Cadillac Hertz Team JOTA V-Series.R Norman Nato: “Of course we were aiming for more, but taking everything into consideration, the limited testing, this being our first race weekend back together, and adapting to working without Alex for this race, there was a lot to manage. For me personally, it was my first Hypercar qualifying session in 18 months, so there was a lot to relearn. I was a little concerned before qualifying, so to come away with a top-five result is very positive and I’m very happy with that. It was a lot of fun as well, so a big thank you to the team for the trust in putting me in the car for qualifying this weekend. It gives us a good position to start from, and from here we can focus on making progress in the race.”  No. 38 Cadillac Hertz Team JOTA V-Series.R Earl Bamber: “ It was okay, it’s always disappointing not to make it through to Hyperpole but at least we know why. We struggled a little with one corner on the track and just couldn’t quite fix it, which cost us some time and made qualifying a bit of a challenge. Apart from that, the car has been behaving well and I think there are still positives to take from the session. It’s a long race tomorrow and the focus now is on making sure we maximise what we have during the race. We’ll look through the data tonight, see what we can improve, and come back ready to fight for the opening race of the season.”

Cadillac Hertz Team JOTA to start fifth at Imola

April 18th, 2026 – The Cadillac Hertz Team JOTA qualified P5 and P13 for the opening round of the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) at the Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari, Imola. The No. 12 Cadillac Hertz Team JOTA V-Series.R, driven by Norman Nato, advanced to the Hyperpole session after setting the 10th fastest time (01:30:644) in the initial qualifying session. In Hyperpole Nato improved further on this time, posting a lap time of 1:30:419. The No.12 car, driven by Will Stevens and Norman Nato, will line up in fifth position on the grid for tomorrow’s race. Earl Bamber qualified the No.38 Cadillac Hertz Team JOTA V-Series.R in P13 with a lap of 1:30:867. Sebastian Bourdais will share driving duties in the No.38 car for the 6 Hours of Imola. The race will take place on the historic 4.909-kilometre (3.050-mile), 21-turn Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari. It is scheduled for 1 p.m. local/7 a.m. ET Sunday April 19th. What they’re saying No. 12 Cadillac Hertz Team JOTA V-Series.R Norman Nato: “Of course we were aiming for more, but taking everything into consideration, the limited testing, this being our first race weekend back together, and adapting to working without Alex for this race, there was a lot to manage. For me personally, it was my first Hypercar qualifying session in 18 months, so there was a lot to relearn. I was a little concerned before qualifying, so to come away with a top-five result is very positive and I’m very happy with that. It was a lot of fun as well, so a big thank you to the team for the trust in putting me in the car for qualifying this weekend. It gives us a good position to start from, and from here we can focus on making progress in the race.”  No. 38 Cadillac Hertz Team JOTA V-Series.R Earl Bamber: “ It was okay, it’s always disappointing not to make it through to Hyperpole but at least we know why. We struggled a little with one corner on the track and just couldn’t quite fix it, which cost us some time and made qualifying a bit of a challenge. Apart from that, the car has been behaving well and I think there are still positives to take from the session. It’s a long race tomorrow and the focus now is on making sure we maximise what we have during the race. We’ll look through the data tonight, see what we can improve, and come back ready to fight for the opening race of the season.”

Fifth-, seventh-row starting spots for team’s Corvettes to start 2026 FIA WEC IMOLA, Italy (April 18, 2026) – TF Sport will begin its 2026 FIA World Endurance Championship campaign with its pair of Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3.Rs starting on the fifth and seventh rows of the LMGT3 grid for the season-opening Six Hours of Imola. The No. 34 Racing Team Turkey by TF Corvette of Charlie Eastwood, Salih Yoluc and Peter Dempsey will start 10th in a tight field of GT3 cars that saw the top-six entries in the 10-car Hyperpole session separated by less than seven-tenths of a second.

Getting into Hyperpole was quite an accomplishment with series and Corvette rookie Dempsey posting the fastest time in the opening qualifying session at 1:41.642 (108.056 mph). Yoluc had just set his best lap in Hyperpole when he spun off-track to bring the session to an early end. The No. 33 TF Sport Corvette of Nicky Catsburg, Jonny Edgar and Blake McDonald will start 14th in class.

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McDonald, who drives for the team in the European Le Mans Series, was a late call-up to replace the injured Ben Keating for the first two laps. As a result, his qualifying run was his first in the series and the circuit. Of note, Edgar had the second-fastest time of all LMGT3 drivers across the three free practice sessions leading into qualifying.  The 2026 season is the fifth for Corvette Racing in the WEC. In that span, Corvettes have captured six victories plus the 2023 GTE Am championships. Two of those victories came via TF Sport in 2025 – one for each of its two entries – with the team looking for new heights in its third season as a Corvette Z06 GT3.R team. The Six Hours of Imola and opening round of the FIA World Endurance Championship is set for 7 a.m. ET / 1 p.m. CET on Sunday. Live streaming coverage plus timing and scoring is available through a subscription on FIA WEC Plus with additional live streaming on the HBO Max app in the U.S.

CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R POST-QUALIFYING DRIVER QUOTES

CHARLIE EASTWOOD, NO. 34 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R: “The weather forecast for the Prologue looked a lot worse than it actually was. We thought we would only get wet running, but it was great and we got quite a bit of dry running. Peter has never been here. Salih has never been here in a GT, so we needed that dry running to get some laps under the belts for everybody. It looked pretty decent. As always with the Corvette, it goes well with the higher track temps. We struggled a little to switch on the front tire in the Prologue but now with the higher track temps, we seem really strong. New for 2026 is single-stinting all the tires but even with that there is enough degradation around here that if the temps stay as they are, we should be strong in the last 10 laps of the stint. It continues to go well.”(On new tire allocation rules for 2026) “I think the lesser cars come into the picture. So the likes of the BMW, they struggled in a double-stint last year so they will now be in the picture a lot more fighting for wins when they were never really there versus cars like us who were similar in the first stint. So it doesn’t really change much. It will get more people fighting for the win.”

PETER DEMPSEY, NO. 34 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R: “That felt fantastic. It was my first qualifying session in a long time so I was a bit nervous before I started. But once I rolled out of the lane I felt pretty comfortable. TF Sport and Corvette gave me the tools for the job for Racing for Turkey so I’m really happy with that performance.”

CORVETTE RACING AT IMOLA: TF Sport Aiming to Move ForwardFifth-, seventh-row starting spots for team’s Corvettes to start 2026 FIA WEC IMOLA, Italy (April 18, 2026) – TF Sport will begin its 2026 FIA World Endurance Championship campaign with its pair of Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3.Rs starting on the fifth and seventh rows of the LMGT3 grid for the season-opening Six Hours of Imola. The No. 34 Racing Team Turkey by TF Corvette of Charlie Eastwood, Salih Yoluc and Peter Dempsey will start 10th in a tight field of GT3 cars that saw the top-six entries in the 10-car Hyperpole session separated by less than seven-tenths of a second.

Getting into Hyperpole was quite an accomplishment with series and Corvette rookie Dempsey posting the fastest time in the opening qualifying session at 1:41.642 (108.056 mph). Yoluc had just set his best lap in Hyperpole when he spun off-track to bring the session to an early end. The No. 33 TF Sport Corvette of Nicky Catsburg, Jonny Edgar and Blake McDonald will start 14th in class.

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McDonald, who drives for the team in the European Le Mans Series, was a late call-up to replace the injured Ben Keating for the first two laps. As a result, his qualifying run was his first in the series and the circuit. Of note, Edgar had the second-fastest time of all LMGT3 drivers across the three free practice sessions leading into qualifying.  The 2026 season is the fifth for Corvette Racing in the WEC. In that span, Corvettes have captured six victories plus the 2023 GTE Am championships. Two of those victories came via TF Sport in 2025 – one for each of its two entries – with the team looking for new heights in its third season as a Corvette Z06 GT3.R team. The Six Hours of Imola and opening round of the FIA World Endurance Championship is set for 7 a.m. ET / 1 p.m. CET on Sunday. Live streaming coverage plus timing and scoring is available through a subscription on FIA WEC Plus with additional live streaming on the HBO Max app in the U.S.

CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R POST-QUALIFYING DRIVER QUOTES

CHARLIE EASTWOOD, NO. 34 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R: “The weather forecast for the Prologue looked a lot worse than it actually was. We thought we would only get wet running, but it was great and we got quite a bit of dry running. Peter has never been here. Salih has never been here in a GT, so we needed that dry running to get some laps under the belts for everybody. It looked pretty decent. As always with the Corvette, it goes well with the higher track temps. We struggled a little to switch on the front tire in the Prologue but now with the higher track temps, we seem really strong. New for 2026 is single-stinting all the tires but even with that there is enough degradation around here that if the temps stay as they are, we should be strong in the last 10 laps of the stint. It continues to go well.”(On new tire allocation rules for 2026) “I think the lesser cars come into the picture. So the likes of the BMW, they struggled in a double-stint last year so they will now be in the picture a lot more fighting for wins when they were never really there versus cars like us who were similar in the first stint. So it doesn’t really change much. It will get more people fighting for the win.”

PETER DEMPSEY, NO. 34 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R: “That felt fantastic. It was my first qualifying session in a long time so I was a bit nervous before I started. But once I rolled out of the lane I felt pretty comfortable. TF Sport and Corvette gave me the tools for the job for Racing for Turkey so I’m really happy with that performance.”

NICKY CATSBURG, NO. 33 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R: “The weekend has been great so far, to be honest. We’ve been really fast all week in the Prologue and now as well. Unfortunately for Blake in qualifying, he didn’t really put it together but he has the pace to be inside the top-10. Jonny had a great chance to fight for pole. The car and the team are working well. I’m having a good time. It’s great to work with Blake and Jonny. The sister car was super-fast with Peter in Q1 but unfortunately Salih had an incident. But I think we all will show great pace tomorrow and we can move forward.”(On being back in WEC) “It’s great to be back. It’s a paddock that I’ve missed. When I’m in IMSA, I miss WEC. And when I’m in WEC, I miss IMSA. So why not just do both! I’m a really lucky guy and it’s great to be back. Having Ben here is great for moral support. I’ve missed hanging out with him. It’s good to have him back and hopefully he recovers quickly so we can share the car again soon.”

LONG BEACH (April 17, 2026) – Louis Delétraz and the No. 40 Cadillac Wayne Taylor Racing V-Series.R, qualified third for the 51st Long Beach Grand Prix IMSA race. His lap of 1:11.833 was bettered by pole winner Nick Yelloly of Michael Shank Racing who posted a pole-winning time of 1:11.626.  Jack Atiken, driver of the No. 31 Whelen Cadillac V-Series.R run by Action Express Racing was fourth with a lap of 1:11.844, while Filipe Albuquerque, No. 10 Cadillac Wayne Taylor Racing V-Series.R was ninth with a lap of 1:12.101.  Cadillac Racing has won six of the eight IMSA races at Long Beach (no race in 2020), including five in a row (2017-2022) The Grand Prix of Long Beach is set for 1:05 p.m. PT on Saturday, April 18 from the Long Beach street circuit in southern California. It will air live on NBC starting at 4 p.m. ET with streaming coverage on Peacock. IMSA Radio will stream live audio coverage on XM 206, Channel 996 on the SiriusXM app and IMSA.com.

Louis Delétraz, No. 40 Cadillac Wayne Taylor Racing V-Series.R: “Great qualifying and P3 is a good position to start at Long Beach as we know it is very hard to overtake so big thank you to everyone at Cadillac racing and Wayne Taylor Racing. We still have the hardest part tomorrow with the race, but the car feels good. It was our best qualifying of the year and looking forward to the race and try to get our first podium of the year.”

Jack Aitken, No. 31 Whelen Cadillac V-Series.R run by Action Express Racing: “Yeah it was not bad I think we were hoping for a little bit more. The track conditions felt good and felt fast. But it was difficult to find that last little bit. I think we put a good lap initially but a lot of other cars toward the end after we done our run as it were. It was what it was at that point. It’s a bit of a shame, but still a good starting position for tomorrow and we have to Cadillac up there, so hopefully we can pull out a good result from that.”

Cadillac to start third in 51st Long Beach Grand Prix

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LONG BEACH (April 17, 2026) – Louis Delétraz and the No. 40 Cadillac Wayne Taylor Racing V-Series.R, qualified third for the 51st Long Beach Grand Prix IMSA race. His lap of 1:11.833 was bettered by pole winner Nick Yelloly of Michael Shank Racing who posted a pole-winning time of 1:11.626.  Jack Atiken, driver of the No. 31 Whelen Cadillac V-Series.R run by Action Express Racing was fourth with a lap of 1:11.844, while Filipe Albuquerque, No. 10 Cadillac Wayne Taylor Racing V-Series.R was ninth with a lap of 1:12.101.  Cadillac Racing has won six of the eight IMSA races at Long Beach (no race in 2020), including five in a row (2017-2022) The Grand Prix of Long Beach is set for 1:05 p.m. PT on Saturday, April 18 from the Long Beach street circuit in southern California. It will air live on NBC starting at 4 p.m. ET with streaming coverage on Peacock. IMSA Radio will stream live audio coverage on XM 206, Channel 996 on the SiriusXM app and IMSA.com.

Louis Delétraz, No. 40 Cadillac Wayne Taylor Racing V-Series.R: “Great qualifying and P3 is a good position to start at Long Beach as we know it is very hard to overtake so big thank you to everyone at Cadillac racing and Wayne Taylor Racing. We still have the hardest part tomorrow with the race, but the car feels good. It was our best qualifying of the year and looking forward to the race and try to get our first podium of the year.”

Jack Aitken, No. 31 Whelen Cadillac V-Series.R run by Action Express Racing: “Yeah it was not bad I think we were hoping for a little bit more. The track conditions felt good and felt fast. But it was difficult to find that last little bit. I think we put a good lap initially but a lot of other cars toward the end after we done our run as it were. It was what it was at that point. It’s a bit of a shame, but still a good starting position for tomorrow and we have to Cadillac up there, so hopefully we can pull out a good result from that.”

Filipe Albuquerque, No. 10 Cadillac Wayne Taylor Racing V-Series.R: “Looking at the result, it is just not what I wanted. We were fighting the car, and I was just a tenth off my teammates in Cadillac and a tenth off here is bigger than any other track. It is what it is and tomorrow is going to be a bit harder for us, but it’s IMSA and it’s Long Beach and you just never know and we go on. The car is competitive, but the whole field is very tight.”

LONG BEACH (April 17, 2026) – Louis Delétraz and the No. 40 Cadillac Wayne Taylor Racing V-Series.R, qualified third for the 51st Long Beach Grand Prix IMSA race. His lap of 1:11.833 was bettered by pole winner Nick Yelloly of Michael Shank Racing who posted a pole-winning time of 1:11.626.  Jack Atiken, driver of the No. 31 Whelen Cadillac V-Series.R run by Action Express Racing was fourth with a lap of 1:11.844, while Filipe Albuquerque, No. 10 Cadillac Wayne Taylor Racing V-Series.R was ninth with a lap of 1:12.101.  Cadillac Racing has won six of the eight IMSA races at Long Beach (no race in 2020), including five in a row (2017-2022) The Grand Prix of Long Beach is set for 1:05 p.m. PT on Saturday, April 18 from the Long Beach street circuit in southern California. It will air live on NBC starting at 4 p.m. ET with streaming coverage on Peacock. IMSA Radio will stream live audio coverage on XM 206, Channel 996 on the SiriusXM app and IMSA.com.

Louis Delétraz, No. 40 Cadillac Wayne Taylor Racing V-Series.R: “Great qualifying and P3 is a good position to start at Long Beach as we know it is very hard to overtake so big thank you to everyone at Cadillac racing and Wayne Taylor Racing. We still have the hardest part tomorrow with the race, but the car feels good. It was our best qualifying of the year and looking forward to the race and try to get our first podium of the year.”

Jack Aitken, No. 31 Whelen Cadillac V-Series.R run by Action Express Racing: “Yeah it was not bad I think we were hoping for a little bit more. The track conditions felt good and felt fast. But it was difficult to find that last little bit. I think we put a good lap initially but a lot of other cars toward the end after we done our run as it were. It was what it was at that point. It’s a bit of a shame, but still a good starting position for tomorrow and we have to Cadillac up there, so hopefully we can pull out a good result from that.”

Cadillac to start third in 51st Long Beach Grand Prix

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LONG BEACH (April 17, 2026) – Louis Delétraz and the No. 40 Cadillac Wayne Taylor Racing V-Series.R, qualified third for the 51st Long Beach Grand Prix IMSA race. His lap of 1:11.833 was bettered by pole winner Nick Yelloly of Michael Shank Racing who posted a pole-winning time of 1:11.626.  Jack Atiken, driver of the No. 31 Whelen Cadillac V-Series.R run by Action Express Racing was fourth with a lap of 1:11.844, while Filipe Albuquerque, No. 10 Cadillac Wayne Taylor Racing V-Series.R was ninth with a lap of 1:12.101.  Cadillac Racing has won six of the eight IMSA races at Long Beach (no race in 2020), including five in a row (2017-2022) The Grand Prix of Long Beach is set for 1:05 p.m. PT on Saturday, April 18 from the Long Beach street circuit in southern California. It will air live on NBC starting at 4 p.m. ET with streaming coverage on Peacock. IMSA Radio will stream live audio coverage on XM 206, Channel 996 on the SiriusXM app and IMSA.com.

Louis Delétraz, No. 40 Cadillac Wayne Taylor Racing V-Series.R: “Great qualifying and P3 is a good position to start at Long Beach as we know it is very hard to overtake so big thank you to everyone at Cadillac racing and Wayne Taylor Racing. We still have the hardest part tomorrow with the race, but the car feels good. It was our best qualifying of the year and looking forward to the race and try to get our first podium of the year.”

Jack Aitken, No. 31 Whelen Cadillac V-Series.R run by Action Express Racing: “Yeah it was not bad I think we were hoping for a little bit more. The track conditions felt good and felt fast. But it was difficult to find that last little bit. I think we put a good lap initially but a lot of other cars toward the end after we done our run as it were. It was what it was at that point. It’s a bit of a shame, but still a good starting position for tomorrow and we have to Cadillac up there, so hopefully we can pull out a good result from that.”

Filipe Albuquerque, No. 10 Cadillac Wayne Taylor Racing V-Series.R: “Looking at the result, it is just not what I wanted. We were fighting the car, and I was just a tenth off my teammates in Cadillac and a tenth off here is bigger than any other track. It is what it is and tomorrow is going to be a bit harder for us, but it’s IMSA and it’s Long Beach and you just never know and we go on. The car is competitive, but the whole field is very tight.”

No. 36 Corvette rolling off second in GTD for IMSA season’s first sprint race LONG BEACH, Calif. (April 17, 2026) – DXDT Racing’s Robert Wickens thrilled his team and fans at Long Beach on Friday with second-place qualifying effort for Saturday’s Grand Prix of Long Beach in the No. 36 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3.R specially equipped with a hand-control system. Wickens set a lap of 1:18.562 (90.181mph) in Friday’s 15-minute session for the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship’s GTD class. He was just 0.151 seconds off the class pole-winning time.

Long Beach will be his first race of the season back in the cockpit of the Corvette as he embarks on a five-race campaign in IMSA’s sprint rounds with full-season DXDT driver Mason Filippi. Friday’s result was his best since joining DXDT Racing and Corvette a year ago. Long Beach in 2025 was the site of Wickens’ debut both in the WeatherTech Championship and in the Corvette.

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The Z06 GT3.R features a fully electronic braking system by Bosch with a specially constructed steering wheel attachment that allows Wickens to accelerate and brake with his hands. The advancement is a revolutionary and collaborative effort between DXDT Racing, Bosch, General Motors and Pratt Miller, which is the constructor of the Corvette GT3. DragonSpeed’s No. 81 Corvette and the No. 13 entry from 13 Autosport will start Saturday’s race from the eighth and ninth rows of the GTD grid, respectively. Chevrolet and the Corvette brand have been a fixture at Long Beach since the Corvette Racing program first visited Long Beach in 2007. In 18 visits, Corvette GT cars have captured eight victories with two additional in the Corvette Daytona Prototype era. Combined with results from the NTT INDYCAR SERIES, Chevrolet boasts a total of 22 victories in the Grand Prix’s two premier events. The Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach is set for 1:05 p.m. PT on Saturday from the Long Beach street circuit in southern California. It will air live on NBC starting at 4 p.m. ET with streaming coverage on Peacock. IMSA Radio will stream live audio coverage on XM 206, Channel 996 on the SiriusXM app and IMSA.com.

CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R POST-QUALIFYING DRIVER QUOTES ROBERT WICKENS, NO. 36 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R: “We’ve been having some radio issues here and there so I heard I went P1 at the checkered. And then I didn’t hear anything for the rest of the lap because of the static. But yeah, P2 is alright! As soon as I heard that I missed it by a tenth, I knew exactly where I could have found that to snag P1. DXDT Racing gives me a good racecar, and the Corvette Z06 GT3.R is a dream around here. Living a good life!”(Do you feel like you’re getting back in a comfort zone?) “Especially this weekend. The last time I drove a car was VIR last year. So it’s been a steep learning curve. Ironically I felt more prepared last year even though it was my debut in the series. This team is so strong. Mason (Filippi) has been doing an amazing job getting me up to speed. It’s a full team effort here. Hopefully we can play from P2 and try to get a podium.”(Satisfying after last year’s qualifying?) “A bit of a redemption from last year, even making it through FP2 and having a clean weekend this year compared to last. DXDT Racing and Corvette Racing are doing an amazing job. The car is so nice to drive. When I heard I missed it by a tenth, you immediately know as a driver where you could have found it. It’s a good problem to have. We had the equipment to put it on the pole today. Hopefully with a little more experience, I can get a little more from the car and from the hand control system from Bosch. Going into this weekend, if you told me I’d be on the front row, I would have taken it.”(Thinking about Turn One at the start?) “I’m not really thinking about Turn One. I’m more thinking about the hairpin to take the green. I feel like when you’re the slower class on the starts, it’s a bit of free-for-all and you can go wherever you want. I’m more worried about getting stuck on the outside of the hairpin and maybe getting a bad exit. I’m going to spend some time tonight and tomorrow looking at race starts over the past few years and see what I can learn.”

CORVETTE RACING AT LONG BEACH: Front Row for Wickens, DXDTNo. 36 Corvette rolling off second in GTD for IMSA season’s first sprint race LONG BEACH, Calif. (April 17, 2026) – DXDT Racing’s Robert Wickens thrilled his team and fans at Long Beach on Friday with second-place qualifying effort for Saturday’s Grand Prix of Long Beach in the No. 36 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3.R specially equipped with a hand-control system. Wickens set a lap of 1:18.562 (90.181mph) in Friday’s 15-minute session for the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship’s GTD class. He was just 0.151 seconds off the class pole-winning time.

Long Beach will be his first race of the season back in the cockpit of the Corvette as he embarks on a five-race campaign in IMSA’s sprint rounds with full-season DXDT driver Mason Filippi. Friday’s result was his best since joining DXDT Racing and Corvette a year ago. Long Beach in 2025 was the site of Wickens’ debut both in the WeatherTech Championship and in the Corvette.

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The Z06 GT3.R features a fully electronic braking system by Bosch with a specially constructed steering wheel attachment that allows Wickens to accelerate and brake with his hands. The advancement is a revolutionary and collaborative effort between DXDT Racing, Bosch, General Motors and Pratt Miller, which is the constructor of the Corvette GT3. DragonSpeed’s No. 81 Corvette and the No. 13 entry from 13 Autosport will start Saturday’s race from the eighth and ninth rows of the GTD grid, respectively. Chevrolet and the Corvette brand have been a fixture at Long Beach since the Corvette Racing program first visited Long Beach in 2007. In 18 visits, Corvette GT cars have captured eight victories with two additional in the Corvette Daytona Prototype era. Combined with results from the NTT INDYCAR SERIES, Chevrolet boasts a total of 22 victories in the Grand Prix’s two premier events. The Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach is set for 1:05 p.m. PT on Saturday from the Long Beach street circuit in southern California. It will air live on NBC starting at 4 p.m. ET with streaming coverage on Peacock. IMSA Radio will stream live audio coverage on XM 206, Channel 996 on the SiriusXM app and IMSA.com.

CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R POST-QUALIFYING DRIVER QUOTES ROBERT WICKENS, NO. 36 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R: “We’ve been having some radio issues here and there so I heard I went P1 at the checkered. And then I didn’t hear anything for the rest of the lap because of the static. But yeah, P2 is alright! As soon as I heard that I missed it by a tenth, I knew exactly where I could have found that to snag P1. DXDT Racing gives me a good racecar, and the Corvette Z06 GT3.R is a dream around here. Living a good life!”(Do you feel like you’re getting back in a comfort zone?) “Especially this weekend. The last time I drove a car was VIR last year. So it’s been a steep learning curve. Ironically I felt more prepared last year even though it was my debut in the series. This team is so strong. Mason (Filippi) has been doing an amazing job getting me up to speed. It’s a full team effort here. Hopefully we can play from P2 and try to get a podium.”(Satisfying after last year’s qualifying?) “A bit of a redemption from last year, even making it through FP2 and having a clean weekend this year compared to last. DXDT Racing and Corvette Racing are doing an amazing job. The car is so nice to drive. When I heard I missed it by a tenth, you immediately know as a driver where you could have found it. It’s a good problem to have. We had the equipment to put it on the pole today. Hopefully with a little more experience, I can get a little more from the car and from the hand control system from Bosch. Going into this weekend, if you told me I’d be on the front row, I would have taken it.”(Thinking about Turn One at the start?) “I’m not really thinking about Turn One. I’m more thinking about the hairpin to take the green. I feel like when you’re the slower class on the starts, it’s a bit of free-for-all and you can go wherever you want. I’m more worried about getting stuck on the outside of the hairpin and maybe getting a bad exit. I’m going to spend some time tonight and tomorrow looking at race starts over the past few years and see what I can learn.”

CHEVROLET IN THE NTT INDYCAR SERIES Grand Prix Of Long Beach1.968-mile, 11 turn, Long Beach street circuitLong Beach CaliforniaFriday Practice ReportApril 17, 2026 LONG BEACH, California (April 17, 2026) – For the fourth straight road and street course, Scott McLaughlin was the quickest Chevrolet-powered driver during the first practice, with Arrow McLaren teammates Christian Lundgaard in the No. 7 VELO Arrow McLaren Chevrolet and Pato O’Ward also had top ten pace in the first practice on the 1.968-mile, 11-turn, Long Beach street circuit. For the 2026 NTT INDYCAR SERIES season, the first practice on the road and street courses is split into three portions, with the entire field running the first forty minutes, and the field split in two for a pair of 12-minute sessions.  Chevrolet-powered drivers took six of the top 10 spots in the first 40 minutes, with drivers utilizing the Primary Firstone Firehawk racing tires (Black), with Pato O’Ward in the No. 5 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet leading the way for Team Chevy. McLaughlin, David Malukas in the No. 12 Verizon Team Penske Chevrolet, Christian Lundgaard in the No. 7 VELO Arrow McLaren Chevrolet, Alexander Rossi in the No. 20 ECR Liquid Science Orange Chevrolet, and Josef Newgarden in the No. 2 Astemo Team Penske Chevrolet joined the Mexican driver. When the first half of the field put on the Alternate Firestone Firehawk racing tires (Red), McLaughlin was immediately quick, setting a lap of 67.6053 seconds on his first hot lap. The Kiwi was on his second hot lap when the rear end of his No. 3 AAA Travel Team Penske Chevrolet stepped out under braking in Turn 9, tagging the tire barriers and ending his session.  “I felt like I got a denied downshift,” said McLaughlin. “It was a bit unfortunate, going in there, you’re committing pretty high. Looking back on it now, I probably should have. Looking back on it now, I probably didn’t have as much time because it was sliding for a long time. I grabbed a gear and it just locked the rear tires and I was a bit of a passenger. The car was super good. I was just trying to test those AAA tow trucks and figure if we could get some help; they were right there on the job. Excited for the AAA Travel Team Chevy. We’ve got a rocket ship this weekend; it’s just a matter of putting it together.” After going sixth quickest in the first session on Blacks, Lundgaard was third best in his session on the Reds. Joining Lundgaard in the top five in the second 12-minute session was Alexander Rossi in the No. 20 ECR Liquid Science Orange Chevrolet. Malukas confirmed that Team Penske had speed, setting the quickest times in the first two sectors of his best lap before encountering traffic. Grand Prix Of Long Beach Practice #1 ResultsTune-In Alert SaturdayNTT INDYCAR SERIES Practice #2 – 1:30pm (ET)/12:30pm (CT)/11:30am (MT)/10:30am (PT) – FS1/ INDYCAR Radio Network/SIRIUSXM 218NTT INDYCAR SERIES Qualifying – 6:30pm (ET)/5:30pm (CT)/4:30pm (MT)/3:30pm (PT) – FS1/ INDYCAR Radio Network/SIRIUSXM 218 Sunday NTT INDYCAR SERIES Warm Up – 1pm (ET)/noon (CT)/11am (MT)/10am (PT) – FS1/ INDYCAR Radio Network/SIRIUSXM 218  Grand Prix Of Long Beach (90 laps) – 5:30pm (ET)/4:30pm (CT)/3:30pm (MT)/2:30pm (PT) – – FOX/INDYCAR Radio Network/SIRIUSXM 218

CHEVROLET IN THE NTT INDYCAR SERIESGrand Prix Of Long Beach1.968-mile, 11 turn, Long Beach street circuitLong Beach CaliforniaFriday Practice ReportApril 17, 2026 LONG BEACH, California (April 17, 2026) – For the fourth straight road and street course, Scott McLaughlin was the quickest Chevrolet-powered driver during the first practice, with Arrow McLaren teammates Christian Lundgaard in the No. 7 VELO Arrow McLaren Chevrolet and Pato O’Ward also had top ten pace in the first practice on the 1.968-mile, 11-turn, Long Beach street circuit. For the 2026 NTT INDYCAR SERIES season, the first practice on the road and street courses is split into three portions, with the entire field running the first forty minutes, and the field split in two for a pair of 12-minute sessions.  Chevrolet-powered drivers took six of the top 10 spots in the first 40 minutes, with drivers utilizing the Primary Firstone Firehawk racing tires (Black), with Pato O’Ward in the No. 5 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet leading the way for Team Chevy. McLaughlin, David Malukas in the No. 12 Verizon Team Penske Chevrolet, Christian Lundgaard in the No. 7 VELO Arrow McLaren Chevrolet, Alexander Rossi in the No. 20 ECR Liquid Science Orange Chevrolet, and Josef Newgarden in the No. 2 Astemo Team Penske Chevrolet joined the Mexican driver. When the first half of the field put on the Alternate Firestone Firehawk racing tires (Red), McLaughlin was immediately quick, setting a lap of 67.6053 seconds on his first hot lap. The Kiwi was on his second hot lap when the rear end of his No. 3 AAA Travel Team Penske Chevrolet stepped out under braking in Turn 9, tagging the tire barriers and ending his session.  “I felt like I got a denied downshift,” said McLaughlin. “It was a bit unfortunate, going in there, you’re committing pretty high. Looking back on it now, I probably should have. Looking back on it now, I probably didn’t have as much time because it was sliding for a long time. I grabbed a gear and it just locked the rear tires and I was a bit of a passenger. The car was super good. I was just trying to test those AAA tow trucks and figure if we could get some help; they were right there on the job. Excited for the AAA Travel Team Chevy. We’ve got a rocket ship this weekend; it’s just a matter of putting it together.” After going sixth quickest in the first session on Blacks, Lundgaard was third best in his session on the Reds. Joining Lundgaard in the top five in the second 12-minute session was Alexander Rossi in the No. 20 ECR Liquid Science Orange Chevrolet. Malukas confirmed that Team Penske had speed, setting the quickest times in the first two sectors of his best lap before encountering traffic. Grand Prix Of Long Beach Practice #1 ResultsTune-In Alert SaturdayNTT INDYCAR SERIES Practice #2 – 1:30pm (ET)/12:30pm (CT)/11:30am (MT)/10:30am (PT) – FS1/ INDYCAR Radio Network/SIRIUSXM 218NTT INDYCAR SERIES Qualifying – 6:30pm (ET)/5:30pm (CT)/4:30pm (MT)/3:30pm (PT) – FS1/ INDYCAR Radio Network/SIRIUSXM 218 Sunday NTT INDYCAR SERIES Warm Up – 1pm (ET)/noon (CT)/11am (MT)/10am (PT) – FS1/ INDYCAR Radio Network/SIRIUSXM 218  Grand Prix Of Long Beach (90 laps) – 5:30pm (ET)/4:30pm (CT)/3:30pm (MT)/2:30pm (PT) – – FOX/INDYCAR Radio Network/SIRIUSXM 218

Josef Newgarden in the No. 2 Team Penske Chevrolet drives around the fountain on the 1.968-mile, 11 turn, Long Beach street circuit on the way to a win in 2022. Chevrolet History on the Streets of Long Beach Wins – 12 2022 – Josef Newgarden – Team Penske2016 – Simon Pagenaud – Team Penske2015 – Scott Dixon – Chip Ganassi Racing2014 – Mike Conway – ECR2012 – Will Power – Team Penske1993 – Paul Tracy – Team Penske1992 – Danny Sullivan – Galles Racing1991 – Al Unser Jr.. – Galles Racing1990 – Al Unser Jr. – Galles Racing1989 – Al Unser Jr. – Galles Racing1988 – Al Unser Jr. – Galles Racing1987 – Mario Andretti – Newman Haas Racing Poles – 10 2021 – Josef Newgarden – Team Penske2017 – Helio Castroneves – Team Penske2016 – Helio Castroneves – Team Penske2015 – Helio Castroneves – Team Penske2012 – Ryan Briscoe – Team Penske1991 – Michael Andretti – Newman Haas Racing1990 – Al Unser Jr. – Galles Racing1989 – Al Unser Jr. – Galles Racing1988 – Danny Sullivan – Team Penske1987 – Mario Andretti – Newman Haas Racing Chevrolet Podiums: 32 Driver Podiums: Josef Newgarden (4), Al Unser Jr. (4), Emerson Fittipaldi (3), Will Power (3), Bob Rahal (3), Helio Castroneves (2), Scott Dixon (2), Danny Sullivan (2), Mario Andretti (1), Michael Andretti (1), Eddie Cheever (1), Mike Conway (1), James Hinchcliffe (1), Christian Lundgaard (1), Juan Montoya (1), Simon Pagenaud (1), Paul Tracy (1) Team Podiums: Team Penske (15), Galles Racing (6), Chip Ganassi Racing (3), Newman Haas Racing (2), Rahal Hogan Racing (2), Andretti Global (1), Arrow McLaren (1), ECR (1), Patrick Racing (1) Chevrolet Laps Led: 991 Driver Laps Led: Al Unser Jr. (395), Mario Andretti (108), Josef Newgarden (101), Paul Tracy (81), Helio Castroneves (78), Scott Dixon (68), Will Power (42), Simon Pagenaud (28), Christian Lundgaard (26), Danny Sullivan (24), Sting Ray Robb (12), Michael Andretti (5), Ryan Briscoe (5), Ryan Hunter-Reay (5), Augustin Canapino (3), Mike Conway (3), Charlie Kimball (3), Sebastian Saavedra (3), Sebastien Bourdais (1), Team Laps Led: Galles Racing (402), Team Penske (352), Newman Haas Racing (113), Chip Ganassi Racing (71), Arrow McLaren (26), Juncos Hollinger Racing (15), Andretti Global (5), KV Racing Technology (4), ECR (3) Manufacturer History on the Streets Of Long Beach Wins (with competition) 15 – Honda (2025, 2024, 2023, 2021, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2013, 2002, 2001, 2000, 1999, 1998, 1997, 1996)12 – Chevrolet (2022, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2012, 1993, 1992, 1991, 1990, 1989, 1988, 1987)3 – Cosworth (1986, 1985, 1984)1 – Ilmor (1994)1 – Mercedes (1995) Poles (with competition) 13 – Honda (2025, 2024, 2023, 2022, 2019, 2018, 2014, 2013, 2001, 2000, 1999, 1997, 1996)10 – Chevrolet (2021, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2012, 1991, 1990, 1989, 1988, 1987)5 – Ford (2002, 1998, 1995, 1993, 1992)3 – Cosworth (1986, 1985, 1984)1 – Ilmor (1994) Historical Chevrolet in the INDYCAR SERIES information• INDYCAR SERIES Manufacturer Championships (since 1979)• Chevrolet-Powered Wins in the Twin-Turbo 2.2L V6 Era (2012-present)• Chevrolet-Powered Wins – All-Time

 

CONCORD, NC — April 17, 2026 — While drivers spent grueling days and nights up and down the road with the DIRTcar Summer Nationals, Todd Turner pioneered instant news coverage in dirt racing through pure passion.

The Kentucky native was raised with racing in his area, but it wasn’t until his teenage years that he found his true love in motorsports: dirt Late Models.

 
“I grew up as, actually, an asphalt racing fan,” Turner said. “When I was a teenager, I discovered dirt racing because my asphalt track closed in Louisville, KY. Once I found dirt Late Models, I was much more captivated by it.

“It was much more exciting, and I was growing up to where I could be able to drive myself to these races. Soon thereafter, I couldn’t go back to asphalt compared to the excitement in dirt racing.” 

Turner graduated with a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Western Kentucky University in 1988 and then with a master’s degree in history in 1990. That same year, Turner had his first interaction with the Summer Nationals at Haubstadt, IN’s Tri-State Speedway on July 15. 

 
After witnessing Scott Bloomquist win his third race of the season en route to the championship, Turner realized the challenge of the Hell Tour, with its daily racing in the sweltering heat.

“I lived in Owensboro, KY, in 1990 for my first job at a newspaper there,” Turner recalled. “I used to go to Tri-State Speedway, which is about an hour away. That was the first time I saw them, and I literally stumbled onto it. I remember watching the Summer Nationals and knowing it was a big race.

“Then, I saw somebody looking at this colored flyer, and they left it on the bleachers. So, I grabbed it and then saw that they were racing the next night in Missouri, and I was like, ‘This is fantastic.’ Soon enough, I was taking all my vacation days each summer to follow the series because it was all within a reasonable distance to drive, and it was such a cool thing to do during the summer.”

In 1995, Turner began covering dirt racing events under his own publication, DirtNews Digest. Before smartphones, Wi-Fi, and social media, Turner used email newsletters to cover the Summer Nationals nightly, delivering beats to fans who followed the Hell Tour at a faster rate than traditional newspapers.

“By 1995 is when I started covering through (DirtNews) Digest,” Turner said. “I covered a lion’s share of them through the first couple years, so it became more of a passion when I was actually reporting on it and going to all those races. I know for younger folks it’s hard to explain, but people were waiting for coverage from the news of races in their newspaper that would come through the mail.

“So, to be able to report on those night after night races, turn around the race stories immediately, and send out that information was really changely you could report on things quickly. It made it all the more exciting for me to be covering it that way and something that was nightly, not just something that was on Saturday night and come in the next week’s paper.”

The defining Hell Tour moment that remains vivid in Turner’s mind is the 1997 Herald & Review 100 at Macon Speedway. After Shannon Babb’s car had a terminal engine issue before the start of the Feature, Illinois local Virgil Bilbrey offered a last-second seat for the 23-year-old to climb into. Though Babb barnstormed through the field to pass the finish line in first place, he came up 20 pounds short of victory at the scales – handing the win to second-place Ed Bauman.

“I remember specifically the 1997 race that Shannon Babb crossed the finish line first at Macon,” Turner reminisced. “He ended up being DQ’d because he was light. It was such an exciting race that he had come from the tail, driving Bilbrey’s car, and he presumably won the race. It turned out he was light, so he ended up losing.

“The excitement of all that, and how it turned out, I remember going to Farmer City the next night, and people were reacting to that story and talking about that specifically. It was one of those where if you had done that story for a newspaper, it would have been two weeks, basically, until you got the news. So, it was just perfect for that kind of thing to have instant news.”

Through Turner’s coverage, he became a first-hand source to write about the unlikeliest events to occur that remain unique to Summer Nationals lore. Between underdog tales, regional racers before becoming the biggest names in racing, and the daily racing in between are the types of storylines that Bob Memmer’s “brainchild” has created over four decades of operation.

“I think going back to Bob Memmer’s brainchild, he loved the little guy,” Turner said. “He’d always talk about the little guy in this series. That was the ideal of it. You’re going to draw your Billy Moyers, John Gills, Jim Curry’s, and Scott Bloomquist’s to the biggest races, but you also hold out hope that one of the local guys is going to upset them.

“Bob Memmer’s rules and ideas were, if you can set these rules up, we can have a series where the local guy can compete with even the traveling pros. That’s what the night-after-night saying can give guys that opportunity. Everybody likes to see fantastic drivers gather and race, but also local fans wonder in the back of their minds if their guy can win that night too.”

Throughout the 21st century, Turner has continued to cover all the happenings across the dirt Late Model world as the managing editor for DirtonDirt.com.

In 2024, he was inducted into the National Dirt Late Model Hall of Fame with the “Contributor to the Sport” award for his journalistic coverage of over 30 years. But the honors have not stopped him from finding a weekend at the track with a notepad and pen in hand to write about the undiscovered storylines in dirt Late Model competition.

“I’m humbled by it all,” Turner said. “I’ve told many people that if I ever dreamed as a kid that I could make a living covering auto racing as a reporter, I would have never believed it. So, the Summer Nationals is particularly special to me in that way because it gave me that opportunity.

“Drivers are honing their skills and learning night after night. As a journalist, I’m also learning how to work quicker, how to work better, and find better stories because each night I’ve got to come up with something creative. I feel blessed to be any part of the Summer Nationals and the sport as a whole to have an honor like the Hall of Fame. I will still hold Summer Nationals near and dear to me for those reasons.”

Hell’s Historian: Todd Turner Recounts Building Career With Summer Nationals Coverage 

CONCORD, NC — April 17, 2026 — While drivers spent grueling days and nights up and down the road with the DIRTcar Summer Nationals, Todd Turner pioneered instant news coverage in dirt racing through pure passion.

The Kentucky native was raised with racing in his area, but it wasn’t until his teenage years that he found his true love in motorsports: dirt Late Models.

 
“I grew up as, actually, an asphalt racing fan,” Turner said. “When I was a teenager, I discovered dirt racing because my asphalt track closed in Louisville, KY. Once I found dirt Late Models, I was much more captivated by it.

“It was much more exciting, and I was growing up to where I could be able to drive myself to these races. Soon thereafter, I couldn’t go back to asphalt compared to the excitement in dirt racing.” 

Turner graduated with a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Western Kentucky University in 1988 and then with a master’s degree in history in 1990. That same year, Turner had his first interaction with the Summer Nationals at Haubstadt, IN’s Tri-State Speedway on July 15. 

 
After witnessing Scott Bloomquist win his third race of the season en route to the championship, Turner realized the challenge of the Hell Tour, with its daily racing in the sweltering heat.

“I lived in Owensboro, KY, in 1990 for my first job at a newspaper there,” Turner recalled. “I used to go to Tri-State Speedway, which is about an hour away. That was the first time I saw them, and I literally stumbled onto it. I remember watching the Summer Nationals and knowing it was a big race.

“Then, I saw somebody looking at this colored flyer, and they left it on the bleachers. So, I grabbed it and then saw that they were racing the next night in Missouri, and I was like, ‘This is fantastic.’ Soon enough, I was taking all my vacation days each summer to follow the series because it was all within a reasonable distance to drive, and it was such a cool thing to do during the summer.”

In 1995, Turner began covering dirt racing events under his own publication, DirtNews Digest. Before smartphones, Wi-Fi, and social media, Turner used email newsletters to cover the Summer Nationals nightly, delivering beats to fans who followed the Hell Tour at a faster rate than traditional newspapers.

“By 1995 is when I started covering through (DirtNews) Digest,” Turner said. “I covered a lion’s share of them through the first couple years, so it became more of a passion when I was actually reporting on it and going to all those races. I know for younger folks it’s hard to explain, but people were waiting for coverage from the news of races in their newspaper that would come through the mail.

“So, to be able to report on those night after night races, turn around the race stories immediately, and send out that information was really changely you could report on things quickly. It made it all the more exciting for me to be covering it that way and something that was nightly, not just something that was on Saturday night and come in the next week’s paper.”

The defining Hell Tour moment that remains vivid in Turner’s mind is the 1997 Herald & Review 100 at Macon Speedway. After Shannon Babb’s car had a terminal engine issue before the start of the Feature, Illinois local Virgil Bilbrey offered a last-second seat for the 23-year-old to climb into. Though Babb barnstormed through the field to pass the finish line in first place, he came up 20 pounds short of victory at the scales – handing the win to second-place Ed Bauman.

“I remember specifically the 1997 race that Shannon Babb crossed the finish line first at Macon,” Turner reminisced. “He ended up being DQ’d because he was light. It was such an exciting race that he had come from the tail, driving Bilbrey’s car, and he presumably won the race. It turned out he was light, so he ended up losing.

“The excitement of all that, and how it turned out, I remember going to Farmer City the next night, and people were reacting to that story and talking about that specifically. It was one of those where if you had done that story for a newspaper, it would have been two weeks, basically, until you got the news. So, it was just perfect for that kind of thing to have instant news.”

Through Turner’s coverage, he became a first-hand source to write about the unlikeliest events to occur that remain unique to Summer Nationals lore. Between underdog tales, regional racers before becoming the biggest names in racing, and the daily racing in between are the types of storylines that Bob Memmer’s “brainchild” has created over four decades of operation.

“I think going back to Bob Memmer’s brainchild, he loved the little guy,” Turner said. “He’d always talk about the little guy in this series. That was the ideal of it. You’re going to draw your Billy Moyers, John Gills, Jim Curry’s, and Scott Bloomquist’s to the biggest races, but you also hold out hope that one of the local guys is going to upset them.

“Bob Memmer’s rules and ideas were, if you can set these rules up, we can have a series where the local guy can compete with even the traveling pros. That’s what the night-after-night saying can give guys that opportunity. Everybody likes to see fantastic drivers gather and race, but also local fans wonder in the back of their minds if their guy can win that night too.”

Throughout the 21st century, Turner has continued to cover all the happenings across the dirt Late Model world as the managing editor for DirtonDirt.com.

In 2024, he was inducted into the National Dirt Late Model Hall of Fame with the “Contributor to the Sport” award for his journalistic coverage of over 30 years. But the honors have not stopped him from finding a weekend at the track with a notepad and pen in hand to write about the undiscovered storylines in dirt Late Model competition.

“I’m humbled by it all,” Turner said. “I’ve told many people that if I ever dreamed as a kid that I could make a living covering auto racing as a reporter, I would have never believed it. So, the Summer Nationals is particularly special to me in that way because it gave me that opportunity.

“Drivers are honing their skills and learning night after night. As a journalist, I’m also learning how to work quicker, how to work better, and find better stories because each night I’ve got to come up with something creative. I feel blessed to be any part of the Summer Nationals and the sport as a whole to have an honor like the Hall of Fame. I will still hold Summer Nationals near and dear to me for those reasons.”

The 40th anniversary of the DIRTcar Summer Nationals begins at the Brownstown Bullring on Tuesday, July 9, commencing a 2026 journey that packs 33 races across 34 days.

JACKSONVILLE, IL (April 16, 2026) – The career crossroads Spencer Bayston faced last year are well behind him.
 
Parting ways with Jason Meyers Racing in August left Bayston searching for a ride. Impressive runs on the West Coast in Kevin Kozlowski’s Works Limited Sprint Car and the Tarlton Motorsports No. 21 reminded the sport of this 27-year-old’s talent. Most importantly, he caught the eyes of Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and Richard and Jennifer Marshall as they hunted a new driver.
 
The two sides struck a deal for Bayston to climb aboard the Stenhouse Jr./Marshall Racing (SJMR) No. 17 for the 2026 World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series season, and the move is already paying dividends.
 
The Lebanon, IN native came out swinging with a win in the season opener at Volusia Speedway Park. Since then, he’s collected seven more top 10s and is fresh off his best weekend of the season. Bayston picked up a podium on Friday at I-55 Federated Auto Parts Raceway Park before driving from 20th to fifth the next night.
 
“I feel like we’ve started honing on some of our weaknesses and determining what we need to change in order to improve on them,” Bayston said. “And I wouldn’t say we have it figured out completely yet, but I think it was a step in the right direction. Our off week over Easter, we did make some structural changes to our program to try to improve some of the issues we’ve been facing. I feel like the car responded well.”
 
The start to the season has given Bayston and the crew a positive outlook with plenty of racing remaining. The dynamic between he and crew chief Kyle Pruitt strengthens every week. Their lone weakness so far has been Qualifying, but they’ve proven to have no issues marching forward come Feature time with a total of 85 cars passed through 13 races. Bayston is confident they’ll put the complete package together sooner than later.
 
“If you have to pick one of the other, if you’d rather have race pace or qualifying speed, I would much rather choose to have a car that can contend in the Features,” Bayston said. “I’m very optimistic we’ll figure it out. It’s only a matter of time. And in trying to figure out the car and getting it to handle and qualify with speed, obviously I’m trying to learn how to communicate and work alongside Kyle our crew chief just to understand each other’s language and when we’re making changes to make sure him and I are both on the same page of what I’m trying to say I feel to what he applies.”
 
Momentum is building with a special race ahead for Bayston. The 2026 calendar features two nights on home turf for the “Hoosier,” and this Saturday, April 18 marks the first. Haubstadt, IN’s Tri-State Speedway has long been a staple of The Greatest Show on Dirt, and the tradition continues this weekend. It’s a chance for Bayston to race close to family and friends and continue to enjoy this opportunity with SJMR as he rejuvenates his Sprint Car career.
 
“Anytime I get to race in Indiana it feels special,” Bayston said. “Getting to run at Haubstadt this weekend is exciting because it’s got kind of a home track feel with a little bit of extra support, but also a place I’ve ran Midgets at and ran Sprint Car races at. It usually puts on exciting races. It’s a unique track.”
 
Bayston’s 2026 season with Stenhouse Jr./Marshall Racing continues this weekend at Illinois’ Jacksonville Speedway on Friday, April 17 before his home state race on Saturday, April 18 at Haubstadt, IN’s Tri-State Speedway. Grandstands tickets are sold out for Jacksonville, but pit passes for seating in the pit bleachers can still be purchased at the track on race day. For Tri-State tickets, call (812) 768-6025.
 
Where can you watch every World of Outlaws race? Live on DIRTVision.

Where can you see the World of Outlaws in 2026? Click to see the full schedule.

Spencer Bayston, Stenhouse Jr./Marshall Racing Off to Fast Start

JACKSONVILLE, IL (April 16, 2026) – The career crossroads Spencer Bayston faced last year are well behind him.
 
Parting ways with Jason Meyers Racing in August left Bayston searching for a ride. Impressive runs on the West Coast in Kevin Kozlowski’s Works Limited Sprint Car and the Tarlton Motorsports No. 21 reminded the sport of this 27-year-old’s talent. Most importantly, he caught the eyes of Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and Richard and Jennifer Marshall as they hunted a new driver.
 
The two sides struck a deal for Bayston to climb aboard the Stenhouse Jr./Marshall Racing (SJMR) No. 17 for the 2026 World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series season, and the move is already paying dividends.
 
The Lebanon, IN native came out swinging with a win in the season opener at Volusia Speedway Park. Since then, he’s collected seven more top 10s and is fresh off his best weekend of the season. Bayston picked up a podium on Friday at I-55 Federated Auto Parts Raceway Park before driving from 20th to fifth the next night.
 
“I feel like we’ve started honing on some of our weaknesses and determining what we need to change in order to improve on them,” Bayston said. “And I wouldn’t say we have it figured out completely yet, but I think it was a step in the right direction. Our off week over Easter, we did make some structural changes to our program to try to improve some of the issues we’ve been facing. I feel like the car responded well.”
 
The start to the season has given Bayston and the crew a positive outlook with plenty of racing remaining. The dynamic between he and crew chief Kyle Pruitt strengthens every week. Their lone weakness so far has been Qualifying, but they’ve proven to have no issues marching forward come Feature time with a total of 85 cars passed through 13 races. Bayston is confident they’ll put the complete package together sooner than later.
 
“If you have to pick one of the other, if you’d rather have race pace or qualifying speed, I would much rather choose to have a car that can contend in the Features,” Bayston said. “I’m very optimistic we’ll figure it out. It’s only a matter of time. And in trying to figure out the car and getting it to handle and qualify with speed, obviously I’m trying to learn how to communicate and work alongside Kyle our crew chief just to understand each other’s language and when we’re making changes to make sure him and I are both on the same page of what I’m trying to say I feel to what he applies.”
 
Momentum is building with a special race ahead for Bayston. The 2026 calendar features two nights on home turf for the “Hoosier,” and this Saturday, April 18 marks the first. Haubstadt, IN’s Tri-State Speedway has long been a staple of The Greatest Show on Dirt, and the tradition continues this weekend. It’s a chance for Bayston to race close to family and friends and continue to enjoy this opportunity with SJMR as he rejuvenates his Sprint Car career.
 
“Anytime I get to race in Indiana it feels special,” Bayston said. “Getting to run at Haubstadt this weekend is exciting because it’s got kind of a home track feel with a little bit of extra support, but also a place I’ve ran Midgets at and ran Sprint Car races at. It usually puts on exciting races. It’s a unique track.”
 
Bayston’s 2026 season with Stenhouse Jr./Marshall Racing continues this weekend at Illinois’ Jacksonville Speedway on Friday, April 17 before his home state race on Saturday, April 18 at Haubstadt, IN’s Tri-State Speedway. Grandstands tickets are sold out for Jacksonville, but pit passes for seating in the pit bleachers can still be purchased at the track on race day. For Tri-State tickets, call (812) 768-6025.
 
Where can you watch every World of Outlaws race? Live on DIRTVision.

Where can you see the World of Outlaws in 2026? Click to see the full schedule.

ARTICLE: https://worldofoutlaws.com/sprintcars/spencer-bayston-stenhouse-jr-marshall-racing-off-to-fast-start/

Ventura Short Track to Feature FMX Stunt Show, 805 Pit Party, and Special Tributes

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (April 16, 2026) – Progressive American Flat Track, sanctioned by AMA Pro Racing, is set to deliver a full weekend of racing, entertainment, and special moments at Ventura Raceway, bringing the series to the heart of motorcycle country with a lineup of stars on and off the track on Saturday, April 25. Tyler Bereman rolls in as Grand Marshal, bringing the all-gas-no-brakes energy of a 14-time X Games medalist to Ventura, both on the track and throughout the event. “Growing up racing flat track and watching my dad mix it up with the greats of the sport, I’m honored to serve as Grand Marshal for Ventura AFT,” said Bereman. “Turning left and backing it in is where it all started for me, so coming back at this point in my career feels like home. I’m looking forward to seeing you all there and enjoying some battles on the beach.” The excitement continues with Trashed Kids FMX, as Patrick Evans, Dustin Nowak, and Bereman deliver a freestyle motocross show packed with big air, style, and crowd-pleasing intensity. Fans looking to elevate their race day can experience the 805 Pit Party, a premium add-on featuring a dedicated hospitality area, 805 beverage options, snacks served throughout the event, and paddock access for a closer look at the teams and riders, all just steps from the on-track action. Adding extra incentive on track, the Jess Garcia Memorial Challenge gives KICKER AFT Singles riders the opportunity to compete in tribute to the California native and former AFT Singles competitor, with $1,414 on the line. The Ventura Short Track will also serve as “Chris Raschke Day,” with tributes throughout the evening honoring his life and lasting impact on the sport. And when the gate drops, it’s pure Ventura, tight, fast, and wide open, a showcase of everything that makes Progressive American Flat Track one of the most electrifying forms of motorcycle racing in the world. Next Up The 2026 Progressive American Flat Track season heads to the West Coast for the Memphis Shades Ventura Short Track presented by 805 Beer at Ventura Raceway on April 25. For tickets to the Memphis Shades Ventura Short Track presented by 805 Beer, visit https://www.tixr.com/groups/americanflattrack/events/2026-ventura-short-track-168769.

Event: AdventHealth 400Date/Time: Sunday, April 19, 2026, 2 p.m. ETLocation: Kansas Speedway, Kansas City, KansasLayout: 1.5-Mile OvalTV/Radio: FOX, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR RadioJosh Berry and the No. 21 DEX team head to Kansas Speedway this weekend as the NASCAR Cup Series returns to intermediate-track racing for Sunday’s AdventHealth 400 after back-to-back races on short tracks. A key point of focus leading into the race has been the team’s performance on intermediate tracks, following a recent Goodyear tire test at Las Vegas Motor Speedway that provided valuable insight.Berry said the test offered a productive opportunity to better understand the No. 21 Ford Mustang Dark Horse on 1.5-mile tracks like Las Vegas, Kansas, Texas and others. “I feel like that’s an area that we’ve been working hard at,” Berry said. “We struggled at Vegas the last couple of times we’ve gone back there since we won, so being able to stay and do that tire test was really helpful.“I thought it went really well, and we learned a lot. We got some answers to questions we had, so now it’s about applying that over these next few weeks and continuing to build on it. I’m excited for both Kansas and Texas.”While the Wood Brothers are still searching for their first Cup Series win at Kansas, the organization has shown speed at the 1.5-mile oval over the years. The team’s best finish at the track came in 2004, when Ricky Rudd scored a runner-up result. Overall, Wood Brothers Racing has recorded five top-five and 10 top-10 finishes in 32 starts at Kansas, including Berry’s sixth-place run in this event last season. The team also owns one pole at the track, earned by Ryan Blaney in 2017.On-track activity begins Saturday with practice at 4 p.m. ET, followed by qualifying at 5:10 p.m. ET. Coverage will be available on Prime Video.Sunday’s 267-lap, 400.5-mile race is scheduled to take the green flag just after 2 p.m. ET, with television coverage on FOX. Stage breaks are set for Laps 80 and 165.Saturday, April 18Josh Berry will sign autographs at the Team Penske/Wood Brothers merchandise unit in the fan zone at Kansas Speedway beginning at 12:45 p.m. local time. 100 wristbands will be distributed on a first come, first-served basis.Josh BerryAge: 35 (Oct. 22, 1990)Hometown: Hendersonville, TennesseeCrew Chief: Miles StanleyIG: @joshberry88X: @joshberryAbout DEX DEX is the nation’s largest independent provider of document technology and managed print services, delivering a broad range of products and solutions that help organizations improve operational efficiencies, reduce costs, and strengthen security. DEX uses real-time data analytics to help businesses gain valuable insights into their print job patterns and frequency, resource allocation, and cost distribution. The knowledge gained is used to optimize workflows, enhance user performance, eliminate unnecessary expenses, and ensure print security and compliance.

CONCORD, NC (April 16, 2026) – Kings Speedway is back, and the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series is ready to help bring it back to life.
 
The Greatest Show on Dirt has added a date at Kings to the 2026 California swing. The tour will invade the Hanford, CA oval on Tuesday, Sept. 22 for the Central Valley Clash. It’s the meat in the “Golden State” sandwich with the $83,000-to-win Dennis Roth Classic at Stockton Dirt Track opening the trip on Sept. 18-19 and a weekend at Bakersfield Speedway at Kevin Harvick’s Kern Raceway (Sept. 25) and Ventura Raceway (Sept. 26) punctuating the stay.
 
The Hanford, CA track shuttered for 2025, but One More Time Promotions took over operations for 2026 and has been busy preparing the historic venue for reopening. The promotional duo of Bubby Morse and Don Chambers have plans of putting Kings back on the map, and bringing the World of Outlaws back right away is a major step in that effort.
 
Kings is the fourth most visited California track in Series history as the tour has traveled to the 3/8 mile 38 times in the past. The first was topped by Jeff Swindell in 1985. Most recently, Lemoore, CA’s Carson Macedo won at his home track in 2024.
 
Tickets for the Central Valley Clash are on sale now and can be purchased by CLICKING HERE. Those who had reserved seats to the most recent World of Outlaws trip to Kings in 2024 will be receiving an email with the opportunity to renew their tickets.
 
Where can you watch every World of Outlaws race? Live on DIRTVision.

Where can you see the World of Outlaws in 2026? Click to see the full schedule. 

CONCORD, NC (April 16, 2026) – If you’ve ever seen Drake Troutman at a racetrack, you’ve almost certainly also seen Hunter Cornell.

The 22-year-old Berlin, PA native is in his second season on the road with the World of Outlaws Late Model Series presented by DIRTVision as the crew chief of the G.R. Smith Motorsports No. 22*. It’s nothing short of a dream job for Cornell, who has been tinkering with race cars for as long as he can remember.

It all started when Cornell went to the races as a child with his father, Greg, who raced Street Stocks at a variety of tracks across Pennsylvania. One of Greg’s close friends in the pit area was fellow racer DJ Troutman, who brought along his own young son, Drake.

Whether it was at the track or on the high school football field, Cornell and Troutman had plenty of chances to get to know each other growing up. When Troutman began building his own racing program and was looking for crew help, he knew exactly who to call.

“He was a grade below me, we were kind of cross-town rivals,” Cornell said. “At the track, we would always park beside him and all that, me and Drake would always hang out when he wasn’t racing.

“Probably two months before I got out of high school, after he got back from Speedweeks, he kind of asked me what I was doing after high school. He’s like, ‘What about working on a race car?’ So, I went down for two months before I graduated and hung out with them. Really didn’t go to any tracks, just kind of hung around the shop, see if I liked it and all that.”

As it turned out, Cornell did like it. At a time when his classmates were preparing to head off to college in the fall or find their first 9-to-5 job, Cornell was preparing to go to work in dirt racing answering to a then 16-year-old boss. And he wouldn’t have wanted it any other way.

“I was going to be away from home for a while with either job I took,” Cornell said. “If Drake didn’t hire me, I would have went to a pipeline. So, I was going to be gone no matter what.”

Many people’s favorite memories were made as teenagers running around with their high school friends, and Cornell is no different. But those memories usually involve house parties and date nights, not fielding a professional race team. Logic would say the arrangement should have never worked out, but somehow, the pairing lived to tell the story.

“It was different,” Cornell said. “Only me and Drake, and then we’d have his pap; his pap would drive the truck since we didn’t really know how to drive a big truck yet. We had a couple family friends drive us when we would need to. But like, if we were going to Bedford [Speedway], Drake would drive, but his pap would be in the passenger seat telling him when to shift and all that. It was really an experience, I’ll say that.”

A lot has changed since those early days. Troutman has transitioned from DIRTcar UMP Modifieds to Super Late Models and gone from regional racing to a full national schedule. And of course, Troutman is now capable of driving the hauler on his own.

Cornell’s first three seasons with Troutman were spent working on his family-owned No. 7 program until the end of 2024, when Troutman got a call from G.R. Smith. When the idea was floated of Troutman becoming the new driver of the No. 22* for a rookie World of Outlaws campaign in 2025, it was made clear that Troutman and Cornell were a package deal. Now in his fifth year working full-time in racing, Cornell has turned into one of the more well-known crew chiefs on the World of Outlaws tour, despite being less than half the age of several others in that category.

At his core, Cornell is still a diehard racing junkie who found a way to make a living chasing his dreams alongside his best friend. Several other crew members have come and gone, but Cornell is the one who has been there for every step of the journey. It’s already taken him through plenty of unforgettable moments, and with Cornell and Troutman continuing to gain comfort and confidence racing with the best, there’s still plenty more winning left to do.

“There’s a couple I really liked,” Cornell said when asked about his most memorable nights at the track. “Lernerville [Speedway] when we won with Lucas, and then especially Pevely [Troutman’s first World of Outlaws win last season], that was the biggest win of our careers pretty much. Port Royal [Speedway], when Drake slid [Gregg] Satterlee for the lead coming out of [Turn] 4 on the last lap. There’s a lot, honestly.

“I always think it’s cool. A bunch of 16, 18-year-olds when we started, and now we’re 22 and 20. It’s crazy how it’s all evolved.”

The 2026 World of Outlaws Late Model Series presented by DIRTVision season continues next weekend at Talladega Short Track in the Alabama Gang 100, Friday-Saturday, April 24-25. Get your tickets in advance by clicking here.

How Hunter Cornell Made a Career Out of Racing With His Best Friend

CONCORD, NC (April 16, 2026) – If you’ve ever seen Drake Troutman at a racetrack, you’ve almost certainly also seen Hunter Cornell.

The 22-year-old Berlin, PA native is in his second season on the road with the World of Outlaws Late Model Series presented by DIRTVision as the crew chief of the G.R. Smith Motorsports No. 22*. It’s nothing short of a dream job for Cornell, who has been tinkering with race cars for as long as he can remember.

It all started when Cornell went to the races as a child with his father, Greg, who raced Street Stocks at a variety of tracks across Pennsylvania. One of Greg’s close friends in the pit area was fellow racer DJ Troutman, who brought along his own young son, Drake.

Whether it was at the track or on the high school football field, Cornell and Troutman had plenty of chances to get to know each other growing up. When Troutman began building his own racing program and was looking for crew help, he knew exactly who to call.

“He was a grade below me, we were kind of cross-town rivals,” Cornell said. “At the track, we would always park beside him and all that, me and Drake would always hang out when he wasn’t racing.

“Probably two months before I got out of high school, after he got back from Speedweeks, he kind of asked me what I was doing after high school. He’s like, ‘What about working on a race car?’ So, I went down for two months before I graduated and hung out with them. Really didn’t go to any tracks, just kind of hung around the shop, see if I liked it and all that.”

As it turned out, Cornell did like it. At a time when his classmates were preparing to head off to college in the fall or find their first 9-to-5 job, Cornell was preparing to go to work in dirt racing answering to a then 16-year-old boss. And he wouldn’t have wanted it any other way.

“I was going to be away from home for a while with either job I took,” Cornell said. “If Drake didn’t hire me, I would have went to a pipeline. So, I was going to be gone no matter what.”

Many people’s favorite memories were made as teenagers running around with their high school friends, and Cornell is no different. But those memories usually involve house parties and date nights, not fielding a professional race team. Logic would say the arrangement should have never worked out, but somehow, the pairing lived to tell the story.

“It was different,” Cornell said. “Only me and Drake, and then we’d have his pap; his pap would drive the truck since we didn’t really know how to drive a big truck yet. We had a couple family friends drive us when we would need to. But like, if we were going to Bedford [Speedway], Drake would drive, but his pap would be in the passenger seat telling him when to shift and all that. It was really an experience, I’ll say that.”

A lot has changed since those early days. Troutman has transitioned from DIRTcar UMP Modifieds to Super Late Models and gone from regional racing to a full national schedule. And of course, Troutman is now capable of driving the hauler on his own.

Cornell’s first three seasons with Troutman were spent working on his family-owned No. 7 program until the end of 2024, when Troutman got a call from G.R. Smith. When the idea was floated of Troutman becoming the new driver of the No. 22* for a rookie World of Outlaws campaign in 2025, it was made clear that Troutman and Cornell were a package deal. Now in his fifth year working full-time in racing, Cornell has turned into one of the more well-known crew chiefs on the World of Outlaws tour, despite being less than half the age of several others in that category.

At his core, Cornell is still a diehard racing junkie who found a way to make a living chasing his dreams alongside his best friend. Several other crew members have come and gone, but Cornell is the one who has been there for every step of the journey. It’s already taken him through plenty of unforgettable moments, and with Cornell and Troutman continuing to gain comfort and confidence racing with the best, there’s still plenty more winning left to do.

“There’s a couple I really liked,” Cornell said when asked about his most memorable nights at the track. “Lernerville [Speedway] when we won with Lucas, and then especially Pevely [Troutman’s first World of Outlaws win last season], that was the biggest win of our careers pretty much. Port Royal [Speedway], when Drake slid [Gregg] Satterlee for the lead coming out of [Turn] 4 on the last lap. There’s a lot, honestly.

“I always think it’s cool. A bunch of 16, 18-year-olds when we started, and now we’re 22 and 20. It’s crazy how it’s all evolved.”

The 2026 World of Outlaws Late Model Series presented by DIRTVision season continues next weekend at Talladega Short Track in the Alabama Gang 100, Friday-Saturday, April 24-25. Get your tickets in advance by clicking here.

Want to watch the World of Outlaws? Stream every race live on DIRTVision.

CHEVROLET IN THE NTT INDYCAR SERIES Grand Prix Of Long Beach 1.968-mile, 11 turn, Long Beach street circuit Long Beach California Race Advance April 17-19, 2026 DETROIT (April 15, 2026) – The 2026 edition of the Acura Grand Prix Of Long Beach will be the 42nd NTT INDYCAR SERIES held on the Streets of Long Beach. After a small break, the Team Chevy drivers and teams are back to work on the 1.968-mile, 11 turn, Long Beach street circuit for the fifth round of 18 rounds that make up the championship.  An Important First  In 1984, the Chevrolet Indy V8, a 2.65L (162 cubic inch) turbocharged bespoke V8 racing engine began life as a contract with Ilmor to build an engine to take on the dominant engine in INDYCAR, the Cosworth DFX. While recovering from serious foot injuries suffered at Sanair in 1984, Rick Mears spent much of late 1985 and early 1986 developing the new engine through the paces at airfields in the United Kingdom.  Team Penske, with Al Unser at the wheel, debuted the first full factory-backed Chevrolet at Phoenix on April 6, 1986. Mears and Unser split development for the first half of the 1986 season, before Mears took over in the second half. When the 1987 Championship Auto Racing Teams season opener got underway in April, three teams with five drivers were utilizing the Chevrolet Indy V8. Rick Mears and Danny Sullivan for Team PenskeKevin Cogan and Emerson Fittipaldi for Patrick RacingMario Andretti for Newman Haas Racing It became evident that the new engine was strong when Andretti qualified on pole, with Fittipaldi (3rd), Cogan (4th), and Sullivan (9th) qualifying in the top ten.  Early in the 95-lap race, Andretti was stalked closely by Fittipaldi, but went on to win by a lap when the Brazilian had a mechanical issue.Photo courtesy of Penske Entertainment After the race, Andretti had the following things to say: To NBC’s Gary Gerould – “Well, I tell you, the car just ran fantastic. I’m so happy, because this is the first win for the Chevy, Chevrolet Indy engine, and we have a lot of new people on board. (when asked if there were any issues) None whatsoever. The car just ran perfect. When Fittipaldi was behind me, I tried to just run his pace, tried to regulate the car the best way, and not use any more than I had to. He definitely kept me honest, but I had a little more to go if I really needed it.” To the Indianapolis News – “I could hear the Chevrolet buzzing just perfectly. Everything was fantastic. This is what I was naturally thinking about. There was no reason we shouldn’t finish because of the testing we do. The engine ran just impeccably.” To the Los Angeles Times – “The engine was absolutely fantastic. Toward the end of the race, when a driver usually hears funny sounds from his engine, all I heard was the Chevrolet buzzing just perfect. The chassis, the gearbox, the engine were perfect. It was just one of those days when everything goes perfectly.” Notable Numbers 4.3 – the average starting position of David Malukas (Team Penske), who is tied for the NTT INDYCAR SERIES best with Álex Palou.6 – the number of different countries represented by Team Chevy drivers – United States (6) – Denmark (2) – Brazil (1) – Mexico (1) – Netherlands (1) – New Zealand (1)9 – the number of wins by current Team Chevy teams, Arrow McLaren and ECR12 – the number of drivers representing Team Chevy at the Grand Prix Of Long Beach13 – the number of driver championships won by Chevrolet all-time32 – the number of spots Christian Lundgaard (Arrow McLaren), has finished ahead of where he has started, the highest in the series33 – the number of wins by Josef Newgarden, the winningest Team Chevy driver all-time40 – the number of different drivers that have won INDYCAR races while powered by Chevrolet42 – the number of different tracks that Chevrolet-powered cars have won42 – the number of drivers that have an earned pole for Team Chevy, after David Malukas added his name to the list at Phoenix Raceway100 – the percentage of laps Team Chevy drivers Christian Lundgaard (Arrow McLaren), David Malukas (Team Penske), Scott McLaughlin (Team Penske), Josef Newgarden (Team Penske), Pato O’Ward (Arrow McLaren) and Alexander Rossi (ECR) have completed this season125 – the number of Bowtie-backed wins by Team Penske since their first at Pocono Raceway by Rick Mears in 1987128 – the number of wins by Chevrolet since the introduction of the 2.2L Twin-Turbo V6 in 2012143 – the number of earned poles by Chevrolet-powered teams since the introduction of the 2.2L Twin-Turbo V6 in 2012238 – the number of wins by Chevrolet-powered cars in INDYCAR all-time247 – the number of earned poles by Chevrolet-powered cars in INDYCAR all-time365 – the number of podiums by Chevrolet-powered teams since the introduction of the 2.2L Twin-Turbo V6 in 2012681 – the number of podiums by Chevrolet-powered cars in INDYCAR allWhat They’re Saying A.J. Foyt Racing Caio Collet, No. 4 Combitrans Amazonia Chevrolet: You went back to Brazil after Barber, how did you celebrate your 24th birthday?“I had dinner with family and friends, it was really nice.”  Since this will be your first time racing at Long Beach, how do you prepare for this weekend?“Preparation has been focused on maximizing track knowledge before getting there. I’ve spent a lot of time on the simulator, studying onboard videos, braking references, and understanding how the track evolves over a weekend. Long Beach is very technical for a street circuit, so being precise and building confidence session by session will be key.” Santino Ferrucci, No. 14 Homes For Our Troops Chevrolet: Long Beach is such a tight and technical street circuit, what’s the biggest challenge you face there compared to other tracks?“Some of the biggest challenges in Long Beach are getting the brake zones correct. With them being so long and the track not having a lot of grip like other street circuits, it’s very easy to gain or lose time in that area.” How important is qualifying there, and how does it change your strategy going into the race?“Qualifying is crucial. Last year I got into the wall and we had to start last, and we only ended up 11th primarily because of strategy and pace. It would be much better to start in the front and stay up front at this track.” You’ve had some strong, aggressive drives on street circuits, how does the unique layout of Long Beach suit your driving style compared to other tracks?“This track in particular is good for me because I do well with 90° corners and big brake zones. We have been struggling a little bit this year under braking, but it seems like in Barber, we’ve started to sort that out a little bit. We still have a little bit of work there and some gains to be made, but overall, I’m very confident in what we can bring this weekend.” Arrow McLaren Pato O’Ward, No. 5 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet:“Long Beach fans always show up in a big way, and the atmosphere is amazing every time we come here. This circuit has always been a challenge for myself and the team. We know it won’t be an easy breeze of a weekend, but I’m looking forward to getting back into the car and making it a good one.” Nolan Siegel, No. 6 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet:“I’m looking forward to returning to my home state and to race at such a historic event in Long Beach. Last year, we earned a good starting position but fell short of a result that I felt we were capable of. We’ll look to capture that pace again and make our way forward.” Christian Lundgaard, No. 7 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet:“We’re building really good momentum with the 7 car group, and I’m excited to head back to Long Beach after finishing on the podium there last year. The goal is to be in the fight at the front again and take that next step. We’ve been close to that first win, and everyone is pushing hard to make it happen.” ECR Alexander Rossi, No. 20 ECR Liquid Science Orange Chevrolet:“Racing in Long Beach is one of the things I look forward to the most each season! The event has an amazing atmosphere, and the track is awesome to drive. To top it off, being from California, this is a pseudo-home race for me, so it’s really great to be able to put on a show for friends and family.” Christian Rasmussen, No. 21 ECR Liquid Science Arctic Freeze Chevrolet:“We’ve shown strong pace to start the season, we just haven’t been able to put together the results yet. Long Beach feels like the perfect place to change that! It’s such a historic and iconic event, and I’m excited to be back in the Liquid Science car and ready for a strong weekend.”Tune-In Guide FridayNTT INDYCAR SERIES Practice #1 – 6pm (ET)/5pm (CT)/4pm (MT)/3pm (PT) –FS1/ INDYCAR Radio Network/SIRIUSXM 218SaturdayNTT INDYCAR SERIES Practice #2 – 1:30pm (ET)/12:30pm (CT)/11:30am (MT)/10:30am (PT) – FS1/ INDYCAR Radio Network/SIRIUSXM 218NTT INDYCAR SERIES Qualifying – 6:30pm (ET)/5:30pm (CT)/4:30pm (MT)/3:30pm (PT) – FS1/ INDYCAR Radio Network/SIRIUSXM 218SundayNTT INDYCAR SERIES Warm Up – 1pm (ET)/noon (CT)/11am (MT)/10am (PT) – FS1/ INDYCAR Radio Network/SIRIUSXM 218 Grand Prix Of Long Beach (90 laps) – 5:30pm (ET)/4:30pm (CT)/3:30pm (MT)/2:30pm (PT) – – FOX/INDYCAR Radio Network/SIRIUSXM 218

Chevrolet History on the Streets of Long Beach Wins – 12 2022 – Josef Newgarden – Team Penske2016 – Simon Pagenaud – Team Penske2015 – Scott Dixon – Chip Ganassi Racing2014 – Mike Conway – ECR2012 – Will Power – Team Penske1993 – Paul Tracy – Team Penske1992 – Danny Sullivan – Galles Racing1991 – Al Unser Jr.. – Galles Racing1990 – Al Unser Jr. – Galles Racing1989 – Al Unser Jr. – Galles Racing1988 – Al Unser Jr. – Galles Racing1987 – Mario Andretti – Newman Haas Racing Poles – 10 2021 – Josef Newgarden – Team Penske2017 – Helio Castroneves – Team Penske2016 – Helio Castroneves – Team Penske2015 – Helio Castroneves – Team Penske2012 – Ryan Briscoe – Team Penske1991 – Michael Andretti – Newman Haas Racing1990 – Al Unser Jr. – Galles Racing1989 – Al Unser Jr. – Galles Racing1988 – Danny Sullivan – Team Penske1987 – Mario Andretti – Newman Haas Racing Chevrolet Podiums: 32 Driver Podiums: Josef Newgarden (4), Al Unser Jr. (4), Emerson Fittipaldi (3), Will Power (3), Bob Rahal (3), Helio Castroneves (2), Scott Dixon (2), Danny Sullivan (2), Mario Andretti (1), Michael Andretti (1), Eddie Cheever (1), Mike Conway (1), James Hinchcliffe (1), Christian Lundgaard (1), Juan Montoya (1), Simon Pagenaud (1), Paul Tracy (1) Team Podiums: Team Penske (15), Galles Racing (6), Chip Ganassi Racing (3), Newman Haas Racing (2), Rahal Hogan Racing (2), Andretti Global (1), Arrow McLaren (1), ECR (1), Patrick Racing (1) Chevrolet Laps Led: 991 Driver Laps Led: Al Unser Jr. (395), Mario Andretti (108), Josef Newgarden (101), Paul Tracy (81), Helio Castroneves (78), Scott Dixon (68), Will Power (42), Simon Pagenaud (28), Christian Lundgaard (26), Danny Sullivan (24), Sting Ray Robb (12), Michael Andretti (5), Ryan Briscoe (5), Ryan Hunter-Reay (5), Augustin Canapino (3), Mike Conway (3), Charlie Kimball (3), Sebastian Saavedra (3), Sebastien Bourdais (1), Team Laps Led: Galles Racing (402), Team Penske (352), Newman Haas Racing (113), Chip Ganassi Racing (71), Arrow McLaren (26), Juncos Hollinger Racing (15), Andretti Global (5), KV Racing Technology (4), ECR (3) Manufacturer History on the Streets Of Long Beach Wins (with competition) 15 – Honda (2025, 2024, 2023, 2021, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2013, 2002, 2001, 2000, 1999, 1998, 1997, 1996)12 – Chevrolet (2022, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2012, 1993, 1992, 1991, 1990, 1989, 1988, 1987)3 – Cosworth (1986, 1985, 1984)1 – Ilmor (1994)1 – Mercedes (1995) Poles (with competition) 13 – Honda (2025, 2024, 2023, 2022, 2019, 2018, 2014, 2013, 2001, 2000, 1999, 1997, 1996)10 – Chevrolet (2021, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2012, 1991, 1990, 1989, 1988, 1987)5 – Ford (2002, 1998, 1995, 1993, 1992)3 – Cosworth (1986, 1985, 1984)1 – Ilmor (1994) Historical Chevrolet in the INDYCAR SERIES information• INDYCAR SERIES Manufacturer Championships (since 1979)• Chevrolet-Powered Wins in the Twin-Turbo 2.2L V6 Era (2012-present)• Chevrolet-Powered Wins – All-Time

CHEVROLET IN THE NTT INDYCAR SERIESGrand Prix Of Long Beach1.968-mile, 11 turn, Long Beach street circuitLong Beach CaliforniaRace AdvanceApril 17-19, 2026 DETROIT (April 15, 2026) – The 2026 edition of the Acura Grand Prix Of Long Beach will be the 42nd NTT INDYCAR SERIES held on the Streets of Long Beach. After a small break, the Team Chevy drivers and teams are back to work on the 1.968-mile, 11 turn, Long Beach street circuit for the fifth round of 18 rounds that make up the championship.  An Important First  In 1984, the Chevrolet Indy V8, a 2.65L (162 cubic inch) turbocharged bespoke V8 racing engine began life as a contract with Ilmor to build an engine to take on the dominant engine in INDYCAR, the Cosworth DFX. While recovering from serious foot injuries suffered at Sanair in 1984, Rick Mears spent much of late 1985 and early 1986 developing the new engine through the paces at airfields in the United Kingdom.  Team Penske, with Al Unser at the wheel, debuted the first full factory-backed Chevrolet at Phoenix on April 6, 1986. Mears and Unser split development for the first half of the 1986 season, before Mears took over in the second half. When the 1987 Championship Auto Racing Teams season opener got underway in April, three teams with five drivers were utilizing the Chevrolet Indy V8. Rick Mears and Danny Sullivan for Team PenskeKevin Cogan and Emerson Fittipaldi for Patrick RacingMario Andretti for Newman Haas Racing It became evident that the new engine was strong when Andretti qualified on pole, with Fittipaldi (3rd), Cogan (4th), and Sullivan (9th) qualifying in the top ten.  Early in the 95-lap race, Andretti was stalked closely by Fittipaldi, but went on to win by a lap when the Brazilian had a mechanical issue.Photo courtesy of Penske Entertainment After the race, Andretti had the following things to say: To NBC’s Gary Gerould – “Well, I tell you, the car just ran fantastic. I’m so happy, because this is the first win for the Chevy, Chevrolet Indy engine, and we have a lot of new people on board. (when asked if there were any issues) None whatsoever. The car just ran perfect. When Fittipaldi was behind me, I tried to just run his pace, tried to regulate the car the best way, and not use any more than I had to. He definitely kept me honest, but I had a little more to go if I really needed it.” To the Indianapolis News – “I could hear the Chevrolet buzzing just perfectly. Everything was fantastic. This is what I was naturally thinking about. There was no reason we shouldn’t finish because of the testing we do. The engine ran just impeccably.” To the Los Angeles Times – “The engine was absolutely fantastic. Toward the end of the race, when a driver usually hears funny sounds from his engine, all I heard was the Chevrolet buzzing just perfect. The chassis, the gearbox, the engine were perfect. It was just one of those days when everything goes perfectly.” Notable Numbers 4.3 – the average starting position of David Malukas (Team Penske), who is tied for the NTT INDYCAR SERIES best with Álex Palou.6 – the number of different countries represented by Team Chevy drivers – United States (6) – Denmark (2) – Brazil (1) – Mexico (1) – Netherlands (1) – New Zealand (1)9 – the number of wins by current Team Chevy teams, Arrow McLaren and ECR12 – the number of drivers representing Team Chevy at the Grand Prix Of Long Beach13 – the number of driver championships won by Chevrolet all-time32 – the number of spots Christian Lundgaard (Arrow McLaren), has finished ahead of where he has started, the highest in the series33 – the number of wins by Josef Newgarden, the winningest Team Chevy driver all-time40 – the number of different drivers that have won INDYCAR races while powered by Chevrolet42 – the number of different tracks that Chevrolet-powered cars have won42 – the number of drivers that have an earned pole for Team Chevy, after David Malukas added his name to the list at Phoenix Raceway100 – the percentage of laps Team Chevy drivers Christian Lundgaard (Arrow McLaren), David Malukas (Team Penske), Scott McLaughlin (Team Penske), Josef Newgarden (Team Penske), Pato O’Ward (Arrow McLaren) and Alexander Rossi (ECR) have completed this season125 – the number of Bowtie-backed wins by Team Penske since their first at Pocono Raceway by Rick Mears in 1987128 – the number of wins by Chevrolet since the introduction of the 2.2L Twin-Turbo V6 in 2012143 – the number of earned poles by Chevrolet-powered teams since the introduction of the 2.2L Twin-Turbo V6 in 2012238 – the number of wins by Chevrolet-powered cars in INDYCAR all-time247 – the number of earned poles by Chevrolet-powered cars in INDYCAR all-time365 – the number of podiums by Chevrolet-powered teams since the introduction of the 2.2L Twin-Turbo V6 in 2012681 – the number of podiums by Chevrolet-powered cars in INDYCAR allWhat They’re Saying A.J. Foyt Racing Caio Collet, No. 4 Combitrans Amazonia Chevrolet: You went back to Brazil after Barber, how did you celebrate your 24th birthday?“I had dinner with family and friends, it was really nice.”  Since this will be your first time racing at Long Beach, how do you prepare for this weekend?“Preparation has been focused on maximizing track knowledge before getting there. I’ve spent a lot of time on the simulator, studying onboard videos, braking references, and understanding how the track evolves over a weekend. Long Beach is very technical for a street circuit, so being precise and building confidence session by session will be key.” Santino Ferrucci, No. 14 Homes For Our Troops Chevrolet: Long Beach is such a tight and technical street circuit, what’s the biggest challenge you face there compared to other tracks?“Some of the biggest challenges in Long Beach are getting the brake zones correct. With them being so long and the track not having a lot of grip like other street circuits, it’s very easy to gain or lose time in that area.” How important is qualifying there, and how does it change your strategy going into the race?“Qualifying is crucial. Last year I got into the wall and we had to start last, and we only ended up 11th primarily because of strategy and pace. It would be much better to start in the front and stay up front at this track.” You’ve had some strong, aggressive drives on street circuits, how does the unique layout of Long Beach suit your driving style compared to other tracks?“This track in particular is good for me because I do well with 90° corners and big brake zones. We have been struggling a little bit this year under braking, but it seems like in Barber, we’ve started to sort that out a little bit. We still have a little bit of work there and some gains to be made, but overall, I’m very confident in what we can bring this weekend.” Arrow McLaren Pato O’Ward, No. 5 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet:“Long Beach fans always show up in a big way, and the atmosphere is amazing every time we come here. This circuit has always been a challenge for myself and the team. We know it won’t be an easy breeze of a weekend, but I’m looking forward to getting back into the car and making it a good one.” Nolan Siegel, No. 6 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet:“I’m looking forward to returning to my home state and to race at such a historic event in Long Beach. Last year, we earned a good starting position but fell short of a result that I felt we were capable of. We’ll look to capture that pace again and make our way forward.” Christian Lundgaard, No. 7 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet:“We’re building really good momentum with the 7 car group, and I’m excited to head back to Long Beach after finishing on the podium there last year. The goal is to be in the fight at the front again and take that next step. We’ve been close to that first win, and everyone is pushing hard to make it happen.” ECR Alexander Rossi, No. 20 ECR Liquid Science Orange Chevrolet:“Racing in Long Beach is one of the things I look forward to the most each season! The event has an amazing atmosphere, and the track is awesome to drive. To top it off, being from California, this is a pseudo-home race for me, so it’s really great to be able to put on a show for friends and family.” Christian Rasmussen, No. 21 ECR Liquid Science Arctic Freeze Chevrolet:“We’ve shown strong pace to start the season, we just haven’t been able to put together the results yet. Long Beach feels like the perfect place to change that! It’s such a historic and iconic event, and I’m excited to be back in the Liquid Science car and ready for a strong weekend.”Tune-In Guide FridayNTT INDYCAR SERIES Practice #1 – 6pm (ET)/5pm (CT)/4pm (MT)/3pm (PT) –FS1/ INDYCAR Radio Network/SIRIUSXM 218SaturdayNTT INDYCAR SERIES Practice #2 – 1:30pm (ET)/12:30pm (CT)/11:30am (MT)/10:30am (PT) – FS1/ INDYCAR Radio Network/SIRIUSXM 218NTT INDYCAR SERIES Qualifying – 6:30pm (ET)/5:30pm (CT)/4:30pm (MT)/3:30pm (PT) – FS1/ INDYCAR Radio Network/SIRIUSXM 218SundayNTT INDYCAR SERIES Warm Up – 1pm (ET)/noon (CT)/11am (MT)/10am (PT) – FS1/ INDYCAR Radio Network/SIRIUSXM 218 Grand Prix Of Long Beach (90 laps) – 5:30pm (ET)/4:30pm (CT)/3:30pm (MT)/2:30pm (PT) – – FOX/INDYCAR Radio Network/SIRIUSXM 218

Chevrolet History on the Streets of Long Beach Wins – 12 2022 – Josef Newgarden – Team Penske2016 – Simon Pagenaud – Team Penske2015 – Scott Dixon – Chip Ganassi Racing2014 – Mike Conway – ECR2012 – Will Power – Team Penske1993 – Paul Tracy – Team Penske1992 – Danny Sullivan – Galles Racing1991 – Al Unser Jr.. – Galles Racing1990 – Al Unser Jr. – Galles Racing1989 – Al Unser Jr. – Galles Racing1988 – Al Unser Jr. – Galles Racing1987 – Mario Andretti – Newman Haas Racing Poles – 10 2021 – Josef Newgarden – Team Penske2017 – Helio Castroneves – Team Penske2016 – Helio Castroneves – Team Penske2015 – Helio Castroneves – Team Penske2012 – Ryan Briscoe – Team Penske1991 – Michael Andretti – Newman Haas Racing1990 – Al Unser Jr. – Galles Racing1989 – Al Unser Jr. – Galles Racing1988 – Danny Sullivan – Team Penske1987 – Mario Andretti – Newman Haas Racing Chevrolet Podiums: 32 Driver Podiums: Josef Newgarden (4), Al Unser Jr. (4), Emerson Fittipaldi (3), Will Power (3), Bob Rahal (3), Helio Castroneves (2), Scott Dixon (2), Danny Sullivan (2), Mario Andretti (1), Michael Andretti (1), Eddie Cheever (1), Mike Conway (1), James Hinchcliffe (1), Christian Lundgaard (1), Juan Montoya (1), Simon Pagenaud (1), Paul Tracy (1) Team Podiums: Team Penske (15), Galles Racing (6), Chip Ganassi Racing (3), Newman Haas Racing (2), Rahal Hogan Racing (2), Andretti Global (1), Arrow McLaren (1), ECR (1), Patrick Racing (1) Chevrolet Laps Led: 991 Driver Laps Led: Al Unser Jr. (395), Mario Andretti (108), Josef Newgarden (101), Paul Tracy (81), Helio Castroneves (78), Scott Dixon (68), Will Power (42), Simon Pagenaud (28), Christian Lundgaard (26), Danny Sullivan (24), Sting Ray Robb (12), Michael Andretti (5), Ryan Briscoe (5), Ryan Hunter-Reay (5), Augustin Canapino (3), Mike Conway (3), Charlie Kimball (3), Sebastian Saavedra (3), Sebastien Bourdais (1), Team Laps Led: Galles Racing (402), Team Penske (352), Newman Haas Racing (113), Chip Ganassi Racing (71), Arrow McLaren (26), Juncos Hollinger Racing (15), Andretti Global (5), KV Racing Technology (4), ECR (3) Manufacturer History on the Streets Of Long Beach Wins (with competition) 15 – Honda (2025, 2024, 2023, 2021, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2013, 2002, 2001, 2000, 1999, 1998, 1997, 1996)12 – Chevrolet (2022, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2012, 1993, 1992, 1991, 1990, 1989, 1988, 1987)3 – Cosworth (1986, 1985, 1984)1 – Ilmor (1994)1 – Mercedes (1995) Poles (with competition) 13 – Honda (2025, 2024, 2023, 2022, 2019, 2018, 2014, 2013, 2001, 2000, 1999, 1997, 1996)10 – Chevrolet (2021, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2012, 1991, 1990, 1989, 1988, 1987)5 – Ford (2002, 1998, 1995, 1993, 1992)3 – Cosworth (1986, 1985, 1984)1 – Ilmor (1994) Historical Chevrolet in the INDYCAR SERIES information• INDYCAR SERIES Manufacturer Championships (since 1979)• Chevrolet-Powered Wins in the Twin-Turbo 2.2L V6 Era (2012-present)• Chevrolet-Powered Wins – All-Time

TEAM CHEVY ADVANCE Kansas SpeedwayApril 18-19, 2026

NASCAR will make its first appearance in the Midwest this weekend as the 1.5-mile oval of Kansas Speedway will play host for a Cup and O’Reilly Auto Parts Series doubleheader event.

MEDIA RESOURCES: Photo Gallery | Race AdvancesChevrolet Newsroom

With yet another powerhouse performance at Bristol Motor Speedway under his belt, Kyle Larson and the No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet team is hungrier than ever to get back to victory lane. With momentum on his side, the reigning champion heads back to the heartland as the event’s defending winner. JR Motorsports is well on its way towards the opportunity for another record season with Connor Zilisch’s return to the organization at “The Last Great Colosseum” ending with a trip to victory lane – giving the team its sixth win in the series’ nine-race stretch. The Chevrolet organization is credited with the manufacturer’s most recent O’Reilly Auto Parts Series win at the Kansas-based venue (2022). Their four-car lineup will see Cup Series regular, William Byron, make his return to the seat of the No. 88 Chevrolet entry.

ON THE HORIZON OF A RECORD-SETTING STREAK One year ago, it was Hendrick Motorsports’ Kyle Larson that drove a near-dominate race at Kansas Speedway – sitting on the pole, sweeping the stages and leading 221 of 267 laps en route to his second consecutive victory in the track’s spring race. When the series returned to Kansas in the fall, Chase Elliott completed the Chevrolet season sweep at the track when he drove from eighth to first during an overtime restart to take the victory and an automatic berth into the Round of Eight. The victory not only extended Chevrolet’s series-leading record to 17 all-time wins at Kansas, but also boosted the Bowtie brand to a streak of four-straight to tie the track’s record for the longest win streak by a single manufacturer in NASCAR’s top division.

Kyle LarsonNo. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet Kansas Speedway – May 11, 2025Chase ElliottNo. 9 Hendrick Motorsports ChevroletKansas Speedway – Sept. 28, 2025

HENDRICK’S HEARTLAND HISTORYHendrick Motorsports is the only organization to own a double-digit win record in NASCAR’s top division at Kansas Speedway, with Chase Elliott’s victory last fall marking their 11th all-time triumph at the track. The organization’s winning ways date back to the series’ inaugural visit to the Kansas-based oval in 2001 when career Chevrolet driver, Jeff Gordon, put the famed No. 24 entry in victory lane – his first of three wins at the track. Gordon is one of four drivers who have earned a victory under the Hendrick Motorsports banner at the track, joining the likes of Jimmie Johnson (three wins) and the organization’s current drivers, Kyle Larson and Chase Elliott, who own two wins each. Along with their wins, Larson and Elliott have each earned other notable leading feats among the series’ active drivers at the track, including Larson’s most laps led of 925 and Elliott’s best average finish of 9.9.

STACKING STAGE POINTS Despite falling just short of his return to victory lane, yet another strong run by Kyle Larson and the No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet team at Bristol Motor Speedway paid great dividends in the points standings. The Elk Grove, California, native swept the stages before bringing home a third-place finish – ultimately netting a 54-point day, which was the second-highest of the field. The effort was enough to propel the reigning champion up four positions in the standings to sixth as he heads to the site of his most recent triumph. For the Cliff Daniels-led team, collecting stage points has been their forte throughout the early-season run. Within the first eight races, Larson has accumulated 72 stage points – the second-highest of the series.  During Larson’s tenure at Hendrick Motorsports, his resume at Kansas Speedway is nothing short of impressive. In 10 career starts, the driver has accumulated three wins (second-most of the series’ active drivers), six top-fives and eight top-10s. Qualifying has also been a strong suit for the No. 5 team, owning two pole wins and seven top-five starting positions. From a points perspective, Larson’s earned points in both stages in six events, with the 2025 season seeing him finish no worse than third in each stage, including a sweep of the stages in the spring race.

ALLGAIER ADDS TO SEASON-LEADING ACCOLADES A consistent figure within the top-five for much of the race yet again, Justin Allgaier ultimately brought home a fourth-place finish at Bristol Motor Speedway – extending his top-five streak to six-straight. Allgaier heads to the Midwest with a 130-point lead, an effort largely due to his monstrous stage performances throughout the season. Allgaier continues to be the only driver to have earned points in every stage thus far this season, adding another pair of top-five stage finishes last weekend. The veteran driver’s other early-season accolades include a series-best three wins, seven top-fives and eight top-10s.

JR MOTORSPORTS WITH EARLY STRIDES TOWARDS ANOTHER RECORD SEASON With a record-setting campaign in the rearview mirror, JR Motorsports came into the 2026 NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series season with an extra boost of momentum. The Chevrolet organization has quickly turned that momentum into results, already collecting six wins in the first nine races of the season. That pace puts JR Motorsports well on its way towards the opportunity to top its 2025 run, which saw the organization earn 12 of its 17 victories within the first 21 races of the season. When it comes to the early outlook on the true title contenders, JR Motorsports has a strong representation – led by the organization’s veteran driver, Justin Allgaier, who continues to hold a triple-digit lead in the points standings. His teammates, Carson Kvapil and Sammy Smith, have also resided comfortably in the top-10 of the standings throughout much of the early-season stretch – heading to the heartland ranked fifth and seventh, respectively.

ECKES PROVING TO BE A TITLE CONTENDERA trip to Bristol Motor Speedway was exactly what Christian Eckes and the No. 91 McAnally-Hilgemann Racing Chevrolet team needed to get back into the championship title hunt. The Middletown, New York, native started the day by turning in his season-best qualifying effort of second. Eckes went on to score a stage win, a race-high 132 laps led and his third top-five finish of the season. A performance that culminated into a race-high 48-point day, Eckes moved up to fifth in the standings and just 17-points behind the leader as the series heads into a pair of off-weekends.

BOWTIE BULLETS:·        Active Chevrolet drivers with a NASCAR Cup Series win at Kansas Speedway: Kyle Larson – three wins (2025, 2024, 2021)Chase Elliott – two wins (2025, 2018)Kyle Busch – two wins (2021, 2016)Ross Chastain – one win (2024) ·        In 40 NASCAR Cup Series races at Kansas Speedway, Chevrolet leads all manufacturers with 17 victories – including both the series’ inaugural race (Jeff Gordon – Sept. 2021) and the most recent race (Chase Elliott – Sept. 2025).  ·        With seven-straight victories to start the 2026 NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series season, Chevrolet set the record for the longest season-opening streak by a single manufacturer in the division’s history.  ·        In 152 points-paying races in the NASCAR Cup Series Next Gen era, Chevrolet leads all manufacturers with 68 victories – a winning percentage of 44.7%.  ·        Chevrolet is coming off its 29th all-time sweep of the NASCAR Cup Series championship titles – capturing its 34th driver championship and 44th, and fifth consecutive, manufacturer championship in 2025. ·        With its 44 NASCAR Cup Series manufacturer championships, 34 NASCAR Cup Series driver championships, and 882 all-time NASCAR Cup Series wins, Chevrolet continues to hold the title as the winningest brand in NASCAR Cup Series history.

TUNE-IN:NASCAR Cup Series AdventHealth 400Sunday, Apr. 19, at 2 p.m. ETFOX, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90  NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts SeriesKansas Lottery 300Saturday, Apr. 18, at 7 p.m. ETCW, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90

QUOTABLE QUOTES:Austin Dillon, No. 3 Richard Childress Racing ChevroletHow unique is Kansas Speedway compared to some of the other 1.5-mile tracks, and how will you attack the track this weekend?“Kansas Speedway has its own personality for sure. Even though it’s a mile-and-a-half like some other tracks, the surface has aged a bit, so you get a lot of tire fall-off and have to manage your run. It’s wide, which gives you options—up by the wall or down on the bottom—so you can move around depending on how your car’s handling. This weekend, we’ll focus on getting the balance right early in the run and try to keep the speed over the long haul. If we can do that, I think we’ll be in good shape.” Daniel Suarez, No. 7 Spire Motorsports ChevroletAs you head into Kansas this weekend, what’s your outlook for the race?“I really enjoy racing at Kansas. It’s a great track with multiple grooves, which gives you a lot of options during a run. You can run the bottom, middle, or top depending on how the car is handling. I’ve been watching the weather for qualifying and there’s a chance of rain. If that happens and qualifying gets washed out, we’d line up 13th for the race. Track position is important at Kansas, so that wouldn’t be a bad place to start.”   Kyle Busch, No. 8 Richard Childress Racing ChevroletWhat makes Kansas unique? “Kansas is a cool track. It’s a mile-and-a-half racetrack that lends itself to two, three and even four-wide racing with progressive banking. You can race anywhere, high or low and set up moves where you slide up in front of a guy and mess up his air. Aerodynamics play a big role with how fast we’re entering the corners, so there’s a lot of reliance on aerodynamic grip. You’ve got to get out front in clean air to get to victory lane.”  AJ Allmendinger, No. 16 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet“Kansas is definitely a racetrack that was difficult for us last year. But in the past, there we’ve had at least decent competitive speed. I feel like after the off week and the good run we had at Bristol, we’re learning as a race team of what we need. At least Bristol was a confidence booster. We’re taking small victories and we had speed there all weekend.  It’s about having solid weekends and keep learning whether it’s a good or bad weekend. We’re doing a good job of that. I’m happy with some of the progress we made at Bristol. Kansas is a racetrack that you have to kind of run the fence most of the time. It might be cooler weather there, so, maybe you can kind of change lines around. Even though it’s been a difficult racetrack for us, we’re going there with a good mindset. We’ll have a decent qualifying order, which will help. Hopefully, we can go out and have a good practice like we did at Bristol and be close. I think that’s the most important thing for us is having a good practice and when we do that, we’re able to not make a lot of changes going into the race.”   Cole Custer, No. 41 Haas Factory Team Chevrolet“I’m looking forward to Kansas. It’s going to be cool out, we are all going to be wide open, really fast around the track the whole weekend. It’s a really fun track, you can run all over the place, but it will be even more fun with how much throttle we are carrying around it. Our HaasTooling.com Chevy is going to be wide open and a lot of fun!”   Ricky Stenhouse Jr., No. 47 Hyak Motorsports Chevrolet“Kansas is always a fun place to race because you can move around and search for speed. We’ve had some good runs there over the years, and hopefully we can keep that going this weekend. It’s great to have Pylon Aviation back on the No. 47 car. They’ve been a great partner for our team, and we’re looking forward to putting together a strong weekend for them.” Alex Bowman, No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet“Kansas (Speedway) is one of my favorite tracks and one I always look forward to. It’s no secret it’s been a tough start to the season for our No. 48 team. With that, it’s hard to say that we could go win, but we are typically so good that we really could. We’ve got a lot of work to do but Kansas is a good place for us to get things turned around.”    Cody Ware, No. 51 Rick Ware Racing Chevrolet“Kansas is a mile-and-a-half track that’s in great condition. No bumps, no wear, you can pretty much run that track from top to bottom. If you want to run the apron, you can run the apron. If you want to run the wall, you can run the wall. And you can run any combination of lanes in between. You’re not having to fight through bumps. You’re not dealing with a rough track surface. It’s really just a very good, solid, smooth, clean racetrack, which makes it easier to extract the car’s full potential. I feel like everyone typically unloads really, really well at Kansas. Because the track allows you to move around, you can find a line that suits you and your racecar the best. You can get your car 99 percent there with where you want it to be.”   Michael McDowell, No. 71 Spire Motorsports ChevroletWhat makes Kansas different from the other traditional mile-and-a-halves?“I think a big part of it is that Kansas is one of the easiest tracks to get multiple lanes going right away. Even on the first lap of practice, you can run the top, where at places like Charlotte (Motor Speedway), Texas, or other 1.5-mile tracks, you really have to build up to that. Kansas has multiple lanes and grooves, and everything comes together fairly early in a run, which usually leads to a pretty good race because you’re able to move around. It’s always been a great track, and everyone eventually migrates toward the wall, so it gets intense. The track changes a lot throughout the weekend. It typically starts out really fast, then by race time it drops off, forcing you to slide more and search for grip. It’s been a strong track for us in the past, but it can be tough to hit it just right. The speed we’ve shown at tracks like Vegas and Texas last year gives us a solid baseline, so I feel good with what we have and hopefully we can maximize our day in Kansas.”   Carson Hocevar, No. 77 Spire Motorsports ChevroletWhat stands out about Kansas?“It is a fun track. You can move around a lot for sure, but the top lane has by far been the fastest the last couple years, especially when it’s really warm. You want to get as close to the wall as you can without putting yourself in the fence, just like at Darlington and Homestead. The track has gotten abrasive, so managing your tires is important. Then to top it all off, the restarts are crazy with the runs you can build and the ability to run three wide through the corner. “I really enjoy the mile-and-a-half tracks, and we have shown we can run up front at the intermediates over the past year. We’ve shown speed the last few weeks, and I know we can continue that this week.”   Connor Zilisch, No. 88 Trackhouse Racing ChevroletWhat do you expect this weekend at Kansas Speedway?“I’m excited for Kansas this weekend. I’ve been there a few times. I love Kansas and it’s one of my favorite racetracks, just being able to move around so much and run so many different lanes. I’m always excited to go back there. I finished second there in the O’Reilly race last year. Kansas has always been pretty good to me. I’m looking forward to it. Hopefully we can go out and get ourselves a win and check that box. We will certainly do our best in our Choice Privileges Chevrolet.” Where is your favorite lane on the racetrack at Kansas? Do you like to run up against the wall?“I feel like you have to run up high but there are a lot of different ways to slice it at Kansas. You can run down at the bottom, you can top seam, you can run against the fence. There are a lot of ways to do it but I’m sure at some point I’ll be up there running the fence.” The wind can be a big factor at Kansas. Is that sensitive to the race car?“It can change things a little bit but it’s not too crazy. If the wind is really gusting you can have some moments because of it, but it’s really got to be blowing hard to make a big change to what you’re feeling inside the race car.”   Shane van Gisbergen, No. 97 Trackhouse Racing ChevroletA 10th-place finish last year at Kansas, your best oval finish of the 2025 season. Any particular reason you did better there than other places? Do you enjoy racing at Kansas?“I guess it was later in the year. We were just getting better and better. I think we had some races where we had better speed than that, but I didn’t get it right or we got crashed out or something. I felt like we were getting toward the top 10 more often than not at the end, which was really cool. But yeah, I really like Kansas (Speedway), you can run all over the track and try to find grip and speed. Hoping for another good result there this weekend.” Your oval progression is certainly improving. What have you done and focused on to continue your oval progress? “It’s really just time. Every race I’m learning something new and trying to keep good notes. I try to have a good notebook of set up stuff too. Even though we have a new body and rule set, the set-up advancements that we have made for my style of racing, have certainly translated this year. It’s time and experience, going back to these tracks now for my third and fourth races there, kind of makes the difference. I know what to expect, how to approach the weekend, and how the track is going to change. All of that stuff just adds up.”

Chevrolet NASCAR Cup Series StatisticsManufacturer Championships:Total (1949-2025): 44First title for Chevrolet: 1958Highest number of consecutive titles: 13 (2003-15)Most recent: 2025 Years Won: 1958, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1993, 1995, 1996, 1998, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025 Driver Championships:Total (1949-2025): 34First Chevrolet champion: Buck Baker (1957)Highest number of consecutive titles: 7 (2005-11)Most recent: Kyle Larson (2025)Driver and Manufacturer Championship Sweeps: 29 Years Won: 1957, 1960, 1961, 1973, 1976, 1977, 1979, 1980, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1990, 1991, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2001, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2020, 2021, 2025 Event Victories:Record for total race wins in single season: 26 (2007)                2026 STATISTICS:                                                                                                    Wins: 1Poles: 1Laps Led: 655Top-Fives: 14Top-10s: 25Stage Wins: 4 CHEVROLET IN NASCAR CUMULATIVE STATISTICS:Total Chevrolet race wins: 882 (1949 to date)Poles won to date: 767Laps led to date: 257,389Top-fives to date: 4,450Top-10s to date: 9,176                                                                                                          Total NASCAR Cup Wins by Corporation, 1949 to Date:                    General Motors: 1,216           Chevrolet: 882           Pontiac: 154           Oldsmobile: 115           Buick: 65            Ford: 848                                                                                          Ford: 748           Mercury: 96           Lincoln: 4            Fiat Chrysler Automobiles: 467           Dodge: 217           Plymouth: 191           Chrysler: 59            Toyota: 209

TEAM CHEVY ADVANCEKansas SpeedwayApril 18-19, 2026

NASCAR will make its first appearance in the Midwest this weekend as the 1.5-mile oval of Kansas Speedway will play host for a Cup and O’Reilly Auto Parts Series doubleheader event.

MEDIA RESOURCES: Photo Gallery | Race AdvancesChevrolet Newsroom

With yet another powerhouse performance at Bristol Motor Speedway under his belt, Kyle Larson and the No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet team is hungrier than ever to get back to victory lane. With momentum on his side, the reigning champion heads back to the heartland as the event’s defending winner. JR Motorsports is well on its way towards the opportunity for another record season with Connor Zilisch’s return to the organization at “The Last Great Colosseum” ending with a trip to victory lane – giving the team its sixth win in the series’ nine-race stretch. The Chevrolet organization is credited with the manufacturer’s most recent O’Reilly Auto Parts Series win at the Kansas-based venue (2022). Their four-car lineup will see Cup Series regular, William Byron, make his return to the seat of the No. 88 Chevrolet entry.

ON THE HORIZON OF A RECORD-SETTING STREAK One year ago, it was Hendrick Motorsports’ Kyle Larson that drove a near-dominate race at Kansas Speedway – sitting on the pole, sweeping the stages and leading 221 of 267 laps en route to his second consecutive victory in the track’s spring race. When the series returned to Kansas in the fall, Chase Elliott completed the Chevrolet season sweep at the track when he drove from eighth to first during an overtime restart to take the victory and an automatic berth into the Round of Eight. The victory not only extended Chevrolet’s series-leading record to 17 all-time wins at Kansas, but also boosted the Bowtie brand to a streak of four-straight to tie the track’s record for the longest win streak by a single manufacturer in NASCAR’s top division.

Kyle LarsonNo. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet Kansas Speedway – May 11, 2025Chase ElliottNo. 9 Hendrick Motorsports ChevroletKansas Speedway – Sept. 28, 2025

HENDRICK’S HEARTLAND HISTORYHendrick Motorsports is the only organization to own a double-digit win record in NASCAR’s top division at Kansas Speedway, with Chase Elliott’s victory last fall marking their 11th all-time triumph at the track. The organization’s winning ways date back to the series’ inaugural visit to the Kansas-based oval in 2001 when career Chevrolet driver, Jeff Gordon, put the famed No. 24 entry in victory lane – his first of three wins at the track. Gordon is one of four drivers who have earned a victory under the Hendrick Motorsports banner at the track, joining the likes of Jimmie Johnson (three wins) and the organization’s current drivers, Kyle Larson and Chase Elliott, who own two wins each. Along with their wins, Larson and Elliott have each earned other notable leading feats among the series’ active drivers at the track, including Larson’s most laps led of 925 and Elliott’s best average finish of 9.9.

STACKING STAGE POINTS Despite falling just short of his return to victory lane, yet another strong run by Kyle Larson and the No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet team at Bristol Motor Speedway paid great dividends in the points standings. The Elk Grove, California, native swept the stages before bringing home a third-place finish – ultimately netting a 54-point day, which was the second-highest of the field. The effort was enough to propel the reigning champion up four positions in the standings to sixth as he heads to the site of his most recent triumph. For the Cliff Daniels-led team, collecting stage points has been their forte throughout the early-season run. Within the first eight races, Larson has accumulated 72 stage points – the second-highest of the series.  During Larson’s tenure at Hendrick Motorsports, his resume at Kansas Speedway is nothing short of impressive. In 10 career starts, the driver has accumulated three wins (second-most of the series’ active drivers), six top-fives and eight top-10s. Qualifying has also been a strong suit for the No. 5 team, owning two pole wins and seven top-five starting positions. From a points perspective, Larson’s earned points in both stages in six events, with the 2025 season seeing him finish no worse than third in each stage, including a sweep of the stages in the spring race.

ALLGAIER ADDS TO SEASON-LEADING ACCOLADES A consistent figure within the top-five for much of the race yet again, Justin Allgaier ultimately brought home a fourth-place finish at Bristol Motor Speedway – extending his top-five streak to six-straight. Allgaier heads to the Midwest with a 130-point lead, an effort largely due to his monstrous stage performances throughout the season. Allgaier continues to be the only driver to have earned points in every stage thus far this season, adding another pair of top-five stage finishes last weekend. The veteran driver’s other early-season accolades include a series-best three wins, seven top-fives and eight top-10s.

JR MOTORSPORTS WITH EARLY STRIDES TOWARDS ANOTHER RECORD SEASON With a record-setting campaign in the rearview mirror, JR Motorsports came into the 2026 NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series season with an extra boost of momentum. The Chevrolet organization has quickly turned that momentum into results, already collecting six wins in the first nine races of the season. That pace puts JR Motorsports well on its way towards the opportunity to top its 2025 run, which saw the organization earn 12 of its 17 victories within the first 21 races of the season. When it comes to the early outlook on the true title contenders, JR Motorsports has a strong representation – led by the organization’s veteran driver, Justin Allgaier, who continues to hold a triple-digit lead in the points standings. His teammates, Carson Kvapil and Sammy Smith, have also resided comfortably in the top-10 of the standings throughout much of the early-season stretch – heading to the heartland ranked fifth and seventh, respectively.

ECKES PROVING TO BE A TITLE CONTENDERA trip to Bristol Motor Speedway was exactly what Christian Eckes and the No. 91 McAnally-Hilgemann Racing Chevrolet team needed to get back into the championship title hunt. The Middletown, New York, native started the day by turning in his season-best qualifying effort of second. Eckes went on to score a stage win, a race-high 132 laps led and his third top-five finish of the season. A performance that culminated into a race-high 48-point day, Eckes moved up to fifth in the standings and just 17-points behind the leader as the series heads into a pair of off-weekends.

BOWTIE BULLETS:·        Active Chevrolet drivers with a NASCAR Cup Series win at Kansas Speedway: Kyle Larson – three wins (2025, 2024, 2021)Chase Elliott – two wins (2025, 2018)Kyle Busch – two wins (2021, 2016)Ross Chastain – one win (2024) ·        In 40 NASCAR Cup Series races at Kansas Speedway, Chevrolet leads all manufacturers with 17 victories – including both the series’ inaugural race (Jeff Gordon – Sept. 2021) and the most recent race (Chase Elliott – Sept. 2025).  ·        With seven-straight victories to start the 2026 NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series season, Chevrolet set the record for the longest season-opening streak by a single manufacturer in the division’s history.  ·        In 152 points-paying races in the NASCAR Cup Series Next Gen era, Chevrolet leads all manufacturers with 68 victories – a winning percentage of 44.7%.  ·        Chevrolet is coming off its 29th all-time sweep of the NASCAR Cup Series championship titles – capturing its 34th driver championship and 44th, and fifth consecutive, manufacturer championship in 2025. ·        With its 44 NASCAR Cup Series manufacturer championships, 34 NASCAR Cup Series driver championships, and 882 all-time NASCAR Cup Series wins, Chevrolet continues to hold the title as the winningest brand in NASCAR Cup Series history.

TUNE-IN:NASCAR Cup Series AdventHealth 400Sunday, Apr. 19, at 2 p.m. ETFOX, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90  NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts SeriesKansas Lottery 300Saturday, Apr. 18, at 7 p.m. ETCW, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90

QUOTABLE QUOTES:Austin Dillon, No. 3 Richard Childress Racing ChevroletHow unique is Kansas Speedway compared to some of the other 1.5-mile tracks, and how will you attack the track this weekend?“Kansas Speedway has its own personality for sure. Even though it’s a mile-and-a-half like some other tracks, the surface has aged a bit, so you get a lot of tire fall-off and have to manage your run. It’s wide, which gives you options—up by the wall or down on the bottom—so you can move around depending on how your car’s handling. This weekend, we’ll focus on getting the balance right early in the run and try to keep the speed over the long haul. If we can do that, I think we’ll be in good shape.” Daniel Suarez, No. 7 Spire Motorsports ChevroletAs you head into Kansas this weekend, what’s your outlook for the race?“I really enjoy racing at Kansas. It’s a great track with multiple grooves, which gives you a lot of options during a run. You can run the bottom, middle, or top depending on how the car is handling. I’ve been watching the weather for qualifying and there’s a chance of rain. If that happens and qualifying gets washed out, we’d line up 13th for the race. Track position is important at Kansas, so that wouldn’t be a bad place to start.”   Kyle Busch, No. 8 Richard Childress Racing ChevroletWhat makes Kansas unique? “Kansas is a cool track. It’s a mile-and-a-half racetrack that lends itself to two, three and even four-wide racing with progressive banking. You can race anywhere, high or low and set up moves where you slide up in front of a guy and mess up his air. Aerodynamics play a big role with how fast we’re entering the corners, so there’s a lot of reliance on aerodynamic grip. You’ve got to get out front in clean air to get to victory lane.”  AJ Allmendinger, No. 16 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet“Kansas is definitely a racetrack that was difficult for us last year. But in the past, there we’ve had at least decent competitive speed. I feel like after the off week and the good run we had at Bristol, we’re learning as a race team of what we need. At least Bristol was a confidence booster. We’re taking small victories and we had speed there all weekend.  It’s about having solid weekends and keep learning whether it’s a good or bad weekend. We’re doing a good job of that. I’m happy with some of the progress we made at Bristol. Kansas is a racetrack that you have to kind of run the fence most of the time. It might be cooler weather there, so, maybe you can kind of change lines around. Even though it’s been a difficult racetrack for us, we’re going there with a good mindset. We’ll have a decent qualifying order, which will help. Hopefully, we can go out and have a good practice like we did at Bristol and be close. I think that’s the most important thing for us is having a good practice and when we do that, we’re able to not make a lot of changes going into the race.”   Cole Custer, No. 41 Haas Factory Team Chevrolet“I’m looking forward to Kansas. It’s going to be cool out, we are all going to be wide open, really fast around the track the whole weekend. It’s a really fun track, you can run all over the place, but it will be even more fun with how much throttle we are carrying around it. Our HaasTooling.com Chevy is going to be wide open and a lot of fun!”   Ricky Stenhouse Jr., No. 47 Hyak Motorsports Chevrolet“Kansas is always a fun place to race because you can move around and search for speed. We’ve had some good runs there over the years, and hopefully we can keep that going this weekend. It’s great to have Pylon Aviation back on the No. 47 car. They’ve been a great partner for our team, and we’re looking forward to putting together a strong weekend for them.” Alex Bowman, No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet“Kansas (Speedway) is one of my favorite tracks and one I always look forward to. It’s no secret it’s been a tough start to the season for our No. 48 team. With that, it’s hard to say that we could go win, but we are typically so good that we really could. We’ve got a lot of work to do but Kansas is a good place for us to get things turned around.”    Cody Ware, No. 51 Rick Ware Racing Chevrolet“Kansas is a mile-and-a-half track that’s in great condition. No bumps, no wear, you can pretty much run that track from top to bottom. If you want to run the apron, you can run the apron. If you want to run the wall, you can run the wall. And you can run any combination of lanes in between. You’re not having to fight through bumps. You’re not dealing with a rough track surface. It’s really just a very good, solid, smooth, clean racetrack, which makes it easier to extract the car’s full potential. I feel like everyone typically unloads really, really well at Kansas. Because the track allows you to move around, you can find a line that suits you and your racecar the best. You can get your car 99 percent there with where you want it to be.”   Michael McDowell, No. 71 Spire Motorsports ChevroletWhat makes Kansas different from the other traditional mile-and-a-halves?“I think a big part of it is that Kansas is one of the easiest tracks to get multiple lanes going right away. Even on the first lap of practice, you can run the top, where at places like Charlotte (Motor Speedway), Texas, or other 1.5-mile tracks, you really have to build up to that. Kansas has multiple lanes and grooves, and everything comes together fairly early in a run, which usually leads to a pretty good race because you’re able to move around. It’s always been a great track, and everyone eventually migrates toward the wall, so it gets intense. The track changes a lot throughout the weekend. It typically starts out really fast, then by race time it drops off, forcing you to slide more and search for grip. It’s been a strong track for us in the past, but it can be tough to hit it just right. The speed we’ve shown at tracks like Vegas and Texas last year gives us a solid baseline, so I feel good with what we have and hopefully we can maximize our day in Kansas.”   Carson Hocevar, No. 77 Spire Motorsports ChevroletWhat stands out about Kansas?“It is a fun track. You can move around a lot for sure, but the top lane has by far been the fastest the last couple years, especially when it’s really warm. You want to get as close to the wall as you can without putting yourself in the fence, just like at Darlington and Homestead. The track has gotten abrasive, so managing your tires is important. Then to top it all off, the restarts are crazy with the runs you can build and the ability to run three wide through the corner. “I really enjoy the mile-and-a-half tracks, and we have shown we can run up front at the intermediates over the past year. We’ve shown speed the last few weeks, and I know we can continue that this week.”   Connor Zilisch, No. 88 Trackhouse Racing ChevroletWhat do you expect this weekend at Kansas Speedway?“I’m excited for Kansas this weekend. I’ve been there a few times. I love Kansas and it’s one of my favorite racetracks, just being able to move around so much and run so many different lanes. I’m always excited to go back there. I finished second there in the O’Reilly race last year. Kansas has always been pretty good to me. I’m looking forward to it. Hopefully we can go out and get ourselves a win and check that box. We will certainly do our best in our Choice Privileges Chevrolet.” Where is your favorite lane on the racetrack at Kansas? Do you like to run up against the wall?“I feel like you have to run up high but there are a lot of different ways to slice it at Kansas. You can run down at the bottom, you can top seam, you can run against the fence. There are a lot of ways to do it but I’m sure at some point I’ll be up there running the fence.” The wind can be a big factor at Kansas. Is that sensitive to the race car?“It can change things a little bit but it’s not too crazy. If the wind is really gusting you can have some moments because of it, but it’s really got to be blowing hard to make a big change to what you’re feeling inside the race car.”   Shane van Gisbergen, No. 97 Trackhouse Racing ChevroletA 10th-place finish last year at Kansas, your best oval finish of the 2025 season. Any particular reason you did better there than other places? Do you enjoy racing at Kansas?“I guess it was later in the year. We were just getting better and better. I think we had some races where we had better speed than that, but I didn’t get it right or we got crashed out or something. I felt like we were getting toward the top 10 more often than not at the end, which was really cool. But yeah, I really like Kansas (Speedway), you can run all over the track and try to find grip and speed. Hoping for another good result there this weekend.” Your oval progression is certainly improving. What have you done and focused on to continue your oval progress? “It’s really just time. Every race I’m learning something new and trying to keep good notes. I try to have a good notebook of set up stuff too. Even though we have a new body and rule set, the set-up advancements that we have made for my style of racing, have certainly translated this year. It’s time and experience, going back to these tracks now for my third and fourth races there, kind of makes the difference. I know what to expect, how to approach the weekend, and how the track is going to change. All of that stuff just adds up.”

Chevrolet NASCAR Cup Series StatisticsManufacturer Championships:Total (1949-2025): 44First title for Chevrolet: 1958Highest number of consecutive titles: 13 (2003-15)Most recent: 2025 Years Won: 1958, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1993, 1995, 1996, 1998, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025 Driver Championships:Total (1949-2025): 34First Chevrolet champion: Buck Baker (1957)Highest number of consecutive titles: 7 (2005-11)Most recent: Kyle Larson (2025)Driver and Manufacturer Championship Sweeps: 29 Years Won: 1957, 1960, 1961, 1973, 1976, 1977, 1979, 1980, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1990, 1991, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2001, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2020, 2021, 2025 Event Victories:Record for total race wins in single season: 26 (2007)                2026 STATISTICS:                                                                                                    Wins: 1Poles: 1Laps Led: 655Top-Fives: 14Top-10s: 25Stage Wins: 4 CHEVROLET IN NASCAR CUMULATIVE STATISTICS:Total Chevrolet race wins: 882 (1949 to date)Poles won to date: 767Laps led to date: 257,389Top-fives to date: 4,450Top-10s to date: 9,176                                                                                                          Total NASCAR Cup Wins by Corporation, 1949 to Date:                    General Motors: 1,216           Chevrolet: 882           Pontiac: 154           Oldsmobile: 115           Buick: 65            Ford: 848                                                                                          Ford: 748           Mercury: 96           Lincoln: 4            Fiat Chrysler Automobiles: 467           Dodge: 217           Plymouth: 191           Chrysler: 59            Toyota: 209

JACKSONVILLE, IL (April 14, 2026) – Two of the globe’s best bullrings are ready to welcome the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series.
 
Unleashing Sprint Cars on a tight 1/4-mile dirt track has often been compared to firing up fighter jets in a gymnasium. It’s a ton of power with nowhere to run and nowhere to hide. Action is constant everywhere you look.
 
First up is Illinois’ Jacksonville Speedway for the Hy-Vee Perks 40 on Friday, April 17. The “Land of Lincoln” oval never fails to thrill and delivered 2024’s race of the year for the World of Outlaws.
 
Then it’s over to the “Hoosier State” on Saturday, April 18 as Haubstadt, IN’s Tri-State Speedway takes center stage. The 1/4 mile is Indiana’s most visited track by the World of Outlaws, with 45 prior races contested at “The Class Track.” And just like Jacksonville, Tri-State does not disappoint when the world’s best Sprint Car drivers roll into town.
 
BUY JACKSONVILLE TICKETS HERE
FOR TRI-STATE TICKETS, CALL (812) 768-6025
 
WATCH LIVE ON DIRTVision
 
Let’s look at the top stories to watch this weekend:
 
KOFOID’S STREAK
 
After mechanical troubles and a crash hampered Michael “Buddy” Kofoid in early March, he and Roth Motorsports are now on fire.
 
They’ve strung together three consecutive victories and five straight top-two finishes. It’s the first time Kofoid has topped a trio in a row in his career, and the first three-race World of Outlaws win streak for Roth in 26 years. The recent stretch allowed Kofoid to climb from sixth to third in the standings, with Carson Macedo just 18 markers ahead in second.
 
Looking ahead to see if the streak could continue, Kofoid visited Jacksonville Victory Lane in 2020 when he topped a POWRi Midget race. He’s a two-time runner-up there with the MOWA Sprint Cars, and he finished third at the 2024 World of Outlaws visit. Over at Tri-State Speedway, the Penngrove, CA native has done everything but win. He’s got three second-place finishes with the USAC National Midgets, notched a third in 2024 with the World of Outlaws, and moved up to second during last year’s trip, narrowly falling short to Sheldon Haudenschild.
 
BULLRING BEASTS
 
Kofoid may have all the momentum, but the two competitors he’s chasing are no slouches at the tracks on the agenda.
 
Carson Macedo owns a combined four checkered flags from Jacksonville and Tri-State. He claimed the 2019 Jacksonville visit, driving for Kyle Larson Racing. Since joining forces with Jason Johnson Racing, the Lemoore, CA native has been no worse than fourth there in three tries. There was a time when Macedo was inevitable at Tri-State, winning three straight from 2020 through 2022.
 
Defending champion and current point leader David Gravel conquered Jacksonville in a 2024 thriller when he outdueled Kyle Larson. He’s twice topped Tri-State, taking the CJB Motorsports machine to Victory Lane in 2016 and 2018. His best showing at the 1/4 mile with Big Game Motorsports is a 2024 runner-up.
 
HOOSIER HEROES
 
A pair of Indiana natives are looking forward to the first of two nights in the home state this season on Saturday.
 
Lebanon, IN’s Spencer Bayston enters the weekend riding the momentum of back-to-back top fives at I-55. He notched a podium on Friday before wheeling the Stenhouse Jr./Marshall Racing No. 17 from 20th to fifth Saturday. Bayston’s top Tri-State effort is a fourth in 2022 during his Kevin Gobrecht Rookie of the Year presented by Five Star Bodies campaign.
 
And speaking of rookie seasons, Bayston’s fellow Hoosier, Emerson Axsom (Franklin, IN), is in the midst of his with the Klaasmeyer/Petry Motorsports team. He trails Ashton Torgerson by just two markers in that battle. Tri-State is a special place for Axsom as it’s where he made his World of Outlaws debut in 2023. Last year, he collected a runner-up finish at “The Class Track” with the Interstate Racing Association (IRA) and came home fourth when The Greatest Show on Dirt came to town.
 
BIG DADDY’S BACK HOME
 
Bayston and Axsom aren’t the only World of Outlaws drivers racing close to home this weekend.
 
Chris Windom comes from Canton, IL, making Jacksonville a home game for him. “Big Daddy” collected a MOWA podium at the “Land of Lincoln” track in 2011. He was also a runner-up there with the All Star Circuit of Champions (ASCoC) in 2023. Last year, Windom wheeled the Sides Motorsports No. 7S from 23rd to 13th at Jacksonville. It’s also worth noting that Windom is also plenty familiar with Tri-State thanks to his wingless days, and that includes a 2017 USAC win.
 
Windom enters the weekend after putting together one of his strongest weekends of the season. On Friday at I-55, he drove from 16th to as high as third before slipping to eighth. The following night brought another top 10 for the Series sophomore.
 
USAC INVASION
 
Tri-State Speedway is a mainstay on the USAC National Sprint Car tour, so over the years, it’s become common for those with USAC ties to throw some wings on and face off with the World of Outlaws. A potent pair is expected to continue the trend on Saturday.
 
He may not be full-time with USAC these days, but Brady Bacon is one of the best ever without wings. The four-time USAC Sprint Car champion boasts several Tri-State Speedway trophies, including his two career World of Outlaws wins. The “Macho Man” outmuscled The Greatest Show on Dirt in 2023 and 2024. He’ll be in action both nights this weekend aboard the TKH Motorsports No. 21H.
 
Defending USAC Sprint Car champion Kyle Cummins, is the king of Tri-State Speedway. He’s a native of nearby Princeton, IN, and has been to Victory Lane at his home track dozens of times, including seven in USAC National Sprint Car competition. He had a solid run going last year with the World of Outlaws in the Petty Performance Racing No. 3P before getting caught up in a wreck.

THIS WEEKEND AT A GLANCE

WHEN AND WHERE 
Friday, April 17 at Jacksonville Speedway in Jacksonville, IL
Saturday, April 18 at Tri-State Speedway in Haubstadt, IN

AROUND THE TURN
Friday-Saturday, April 24-25 at Knoxville Raceway in Knoxville, IA (TICKETS)

CURRENT CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS (13/85 Races):
1. David Gravel – Big Game Motorsports No. 2 (1810 PTS)
2. Carson Macedo – Jason Johnson Racing No. 41 (-42 PTS)
3. Michael Kofoid – Roth Motorsports No. 83 (-60 PTS)
4. Donny Schatz – CJB Motorsports No. 15 (-82 PTS)
5. Sheldon Haudenschild – KCP Racing No. 18 (-94 PTS)
6. Logan Schuchart – Shark Racing No. 1S (-124 PTS)
7. Garet Williamson – Fischer Motorsports No. 23 (-184 PTS)
8. Spencer Bayston – Stenhouse Jr./Marshall Racing No. 17 (-194 PTS)
9. Chris Windom – Sides Motorsports No. 7S (-200 PTS)
10. Bill Balog – B2 Motorsports (-228 PTS)

NOS ENERGY DRINK FEATURE WINNERS (7 Drivers):
4 Wins – Michael Kofoid
3 Wins – David Gravel
2 Wins – Anthony Macri
1 Win – Spencer Bayston, Sheldon Haudenschild, Donny Schatz, Carson Macedo

FEATURE LAPS LED (16 Drivers):
91 Laps Led – Michael Kofoid
53 Laps Led – David Gravel
44 Laps Led – Bill Balog
40 Laps Led – Anthony Macri
35 Laps Led – Donny Schatz
32 Laps Led – Carson Macedo
28 Laps Led – Ryan Timms
25 Laps Led – Sheldon Haudenschild
18 Laps Led – Brady Bacon
10 Laps Led – Spencer Bayston, Cole Macedo
7 Laps Led – Kasey Jedrzejek
6 Laps Led – Brian Brown, Brock Zearfoss
5 Laps Led – Logan Schuchart
1 Lap Led – Christopher Thram

PODIUM FINISHES (13 Drivers):
9 Podiums – David Gravel
7 Podiums – Carson Macedo, Michael Kofoid
3 Podiums – Anthony Macri, Donny Schatz
2 Podiums – Sheldon Haudenschild, Spencer Bayston
1 Podium – Ashton Torgerson, Bill Balog, Scott Bogucki, Brady Bacon, Cole Macedo, Ryan Timms

SIMPSON PERFORMANCE PRODUCTS QUICKTIME AWARDS (7 Drivers):
6 Quick Times – David Gravel
2 Quick Times – Sheldon Haudenschild
1 Quick Time – Logan Schuchart, Ashton Torgerson, Kasey Jedrzejek, Brady Bacon, Will Armitage

HEAT RACE WINNERS (18 Drivers):
11 Heat Wins – David Gravel
7 Heat Wins – Sheldon Haudenschild
4 Heat Wins – Carson Macedo
3 Heat Wins – Logan Schuchart, Ashton Torgerson, Michael Kofoid, Bill Balog
2 Heat Wins – Anthony Macri, Donny Schatz, Cole Macedo
1 Heat Win – Chase Dietz, Justin Peck, Tanner Holmes, Scotty Thiel, Emerson Axsom, Kasey Jedrzejek, Will Armitage, Rees Moran

TOYOTA DASH APPEARANCES (32 Drivers):
12 Dashes – David Gravel
11 Dashes – Sheldon Haudenschild
9 Dashes – Michael Kofoid
6 Dashes – Carson Macedo
5 Dashes – Ashton Torgerson
4 Dashes – Anthony Macri, Logan Schuchart, Bill Balog, Kasey Jedrzejek
3 Dashes – Emerson Axsom, Donny Schatz, Cole Macedo
2 Dashes – Brent Marks, Tanner Holmes, Garet Williamson, Scotty Thiel, Ryan Timms, Kerry Madsen, Spencer Bayston, Chris Windom
1 Dash – Brian Brown, Chase Dietz, Justin Peck, Parker Price-Miller, Brock Zearfoss, Bryce Lucius, Christopher Thram, Brady Bacon, Sam Hafertepe Jr., Will Armitage, Rees Moran, Bryce Norris


MICRO-LITE LAST CHANCE SHOWDOWN WINS (8 Drivers):
3 LCS Wins – Donny Schatz
2 LCS Wins – Michael Kofoid, Chris Windom
1 LCS Wins – Cameron Martin, Bill Balog, Blake Hahn, Garet Williamson, Landon Crawley

KSE HARD CHARGER AWARDS (9 Drivers):
2 Hard Chargers – Garet Williamson, Donny Schatz, Michael Kofoid, Carson Macedo
1 Hard Charger – Chris Windom, Giovanni Scelzi, Spencer Bayston, Ryan Timms, Logan Schuchart

ACME FASTEST LAP AWARDS (10 Drivers):
3 Fastest Laps – Michael Kofoid
2 Fastest Laps – Bill Balog
1 Fastest Lap – Anthony Macri, Brock Zearfoss, Sheldon Haudenschild, Carson Macedo, Brady Bacon, Cole Macedo, Ryan Timms, Kasey Jedrzejek

RACE READY CLOTHING HOTTEST LAP OF THE NIGHT AWARDS (7 Drivers):
5 Hottest Laps – David Gravel
2 Hottest Laps – Logan Schuchart, Michael Kofoid
1 Hottest Lap – Austin McCarl, Brent Marks, Cole Macedo, Emerson Axsom

2026 WORLD OF OUTLAWS SPRINT CAR SCHEDULE & WINNERS:
Day, Date / Track / Location / Winner
Wed, Feb 4 / Volusia Speedway Park / Barberville, FL / Spencer Bayston (1)
Fri, Feb 6 / Volusia Speedway Park / Barberville, FL / Michael Kofoid (1)
Sat, Feb 7 / Volusia Speedway Park / Barberville, FL / Anthony Macri (1)
Sun, March 1 / Volusia Speedway Park / Barberville, FL / Sheldon Haudenschild (1)
Mon, March 2 / Volusia Speedway Park / Barberville, FL / Anthony Macri (2)
Fri, March 6 / Talladega Short Track / Eastaboga, AL / Donny Schatz (1)
Fri, March 13 / Kennedale Speedway Park / Kennedale, TX / David Gravel (1)
Fri, March 20 / Lawton Speedway / Lawton, OK / David Gravel (2)
Sat, March 21 / Creek County Speedway / Sapulpa, OK / David Gravel (3)
Fri, March 27 / US 36 Raceway / Osborn, MO / Carson Macedo (1)
Sat, March 28 / 81 Speedway / Park City, KS / Michael Kofoid (2)
Fri, April 10 / I-55 Federated Auto Parts Raceway Park / Pevely, MO / Michael Kofoid (3)
Sat, April 11 / I-55 Federated Auto Parts Raceway Park / Pevely, MO / Michael Kofoid (4)
Fri, April 17 / Jacksonville Speedway / Jacksonville, IL
Sat, April 18 / Tri-State Speedway / Haubstadt, IN
Fri, April 24 / Knoxville Raceway / Knoxville, IA
Sat, April 25 / Knoxville Raceway / Knoxville, IA
Fri, May 1 / Attica Raceway Park / Attica, OH
Sat, May 2 / Sharon Speedway / Hartford, OH
Tues, May 5 / Lincoln Speedway / Abbottstown, PA
Fri, May 8 / Williams Grove Speedway / Mechanicsburg, PA
Sat, May 9 / Williams Grove Speedway / Mechanicsburg, PA
Fri, May 15 / Eldora Speedway / Rossburg, OH
Sat, May 16 / Eldora Speedway / Rossburg, OH
Sat, May 23 / Knoxville Raceway / Knoxville, IA
Sun, May 24 / Huset’s Speedway / Brandon, SD
Fri, May 29 / River Cities Speedway / Grand Forks, ND
Sun, May 31 / Nodak Speedway / Minot, ND
Fri, June 5 / Hartford Speedway / Hartford, MI
Sat, June 6 / Plymouth Dirt Track / Plymouth, WI
Sun, June 7 / Angell Park Speedway / Sun Prairie, WI
Fri, June 12 / Knoxville Raceway / Knoxville, IA
Sat, June 13 / Knoxville Raceway / Knoxville, IA
Wed, June 17 / Huset’s Speedway / Brandon, SD
Thurs, June 18 / Huset’s Speedway / Brandon, SD
Fri, June 19 / Huset’s Speedway / Brandon, SD
Sat, June 20 / Huset’s Speedway / Brandon, SD
Fri, June 26 / Cedar Lake Speedway / New Richmond, WI
Sat, June 27 / Cedar Lake Speedway / New Richmond, WI
Fri, July 10 / Wilmot Raceway / Wilmot, WI
Sat, July 11 / Wilmot Raceway / Wilmot, WI
Tues, July 14 / Attica Raceway Park / Attica, OH
Fri, July 17 / Eldora Speedway / Rossburg, OH
Sat, July 18 / Eldora Speedway / Rossburg, OH
Tues, July 21 / Ohsweken Speedway / Ohsweken, ON, Canada
Wed, July 22 / Ohsweken Speedway / Ohsweken, ON, Canada
Sat, July 25 / Weedsport Speedway / Weedsport, NY
Sun, July 26 / Weedsport Speedway / Weedsport, NY
Wed, July 29 / BAPS Motor Speedway / York Haven, PA
Fri, July 31 / Williams Grove Speedway / Mechanicsburg, PA
Sat, Aug 1 / Williams Grove Speedway / Mechanicsburg, PA
Fri, Aug 7 / I-55 Federated Auto Parts Raceway Park / Pevely, MO
Sat, Aug 8 / I-55 Federated Auto Parts Raceway Park / Pevely, MO
Wed, Aug 12 / Knoxville Raceway / Knoxville, IA*
Thurs, Aug 13 / Knoxville Raceway / Knoxville, IA*
Fri, Aug 14 / Knoxville Raceway / Knoxville, IA*
Sat, Aug 15 / Knoxville Raceway / Knoxville, IA
Fri, Aug 21 / Ogilvie Raceway / Ogilvie, MN
Sat, Aug 22 / Jackson Motorplex / Jackson, MN
Fri, Aug 28 / River Cities Speedway / Grand Forks, ND
Sat, Aug 29 / Red River Valley Speedway / West Fargo, ND
Fri, Sept 4 / Huset’s Speedway / Brandon, SD
Sat, Sept 5 / Huset’s Speedway / Brandon, SD
Sun, Sept 6 / Huset’s Speedway / Brandon, SD
Fri, Sept 11 / Belleville High Banks / Belleville, KS
Sat, Sept 12 / Dodge City Raceway Park / Dodge City, KS
Mon, Sept 14 / El Paso County Raceway / Calhan, CO
Fri, Sept 18 / Stockton Dirt Track / Stockton, CA
Sat, Sept 19 / Stockton Dirt Track / Stockton, CA
Fri, Sept 25 / Bakersfield Speedway at Kevin Harvick’s Kern Raceway / Bakersfield, CA
Sat, Sept 26 / Ventura Raceway / Ventura, CA
Fri, Oct 2 / Williams Grove Speedway / Mechanicsburg, PA
Sat, Oct 3 / Williams Grove Speedway / Mechanicsburg, PA
Thurs, Oct 8 / Millstream Speedway / Findlay, OH
Fri, Oct 9 / Mansfield Speedway / Mansfield, OH
Sat, Oct 10 / Sharon Speedway / Hartford, OH
Fri, Oct 16 / Lincoln Park Speedway / Putnamville, IN
Sat, Oct 17 / TBA
Fri, Oct 23 / Texarkana 67 Speedway / Texarkana, AR
Sat, Oct 24 / Texarkana 67 Speedway / Texarkana, AR
Wed, Nov 4 / The Dirt Track at Charlotte / Concord, NC
Thurs, Nov 5 / The Dirt Track at Charlotte / Concord, NC
Fri, Nov 6 / The Dirt Track at Charlotte / Concord, NC
Sat, Nov 7 / The Dirt Track at Charlotte / Concord, NC

*denotes unofficial split-field prelim race.

TOP FIVE STORYLINES: Jacksonville, Tri-State Set Stage for World of Outlaws Bullring Weekend

JACKSONVILLE, IL (April 14, 2026) – Two of the globe’s best bullrings are ready to welcome the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series.
 
Unleashing Sprint Cars on a tight 1/4-mile dirt track has often been compared to firing up fighter jets in a gymnasium. It’s a ton of power with nowhere to run and nowhere to hide. Action is constant everywhere you look.
 
First up is Illinois’ Jacksonville Speedway for the Hy-Vee Perks 40 on Friday, April 17. The “Land of Lincoln” oval never fails to thrill and delivered 2024’s race of the year for the World of Outlaws.
 
Then it’s over to the “Hoosier State” on Saturday, April 18 as Haubstadt, IN’s Tri-State Speedway takes center stage. The 1/4 mile is Indiana’s most visited track by the World of Outlaws, with 45 prior races contested at “The Class Track.” And just like Jacksonville, Tri-State does not disappoint when the world’s best Sprint Car drivers roll into town.
 
BUY JACKSONVILLE TICKETS HERE
FOR TRI-STATE TICKETS, CALL (812) 768-6025
 
WATCH LIVE ON DIRTVision
 
Let’s look at the top stories to watch this weekend:
 
KOFOID’S STREAK
 
After mechanical troubles and a crash hampered Michael “Buddy” Kofoid in early March, he and Roth Motorsports are now on fire.
 
They’ve strung together three consecutive victories and five straight top-two finishes. It’s the first time Kofoid has topped a trio in a row in his career, and the first three-race World of Outlaws win streak for Roth in 26 years. The recent stretch allowed Kofoid to climb from sixth to third in the standings, with Carson Macedo just 18 markers ahead in second.
 
Looking ahead to see if the streak could continue, Kofoid visited Jacksonville Victory Lane in 2020 when he topped a POWRi Midget race. He’s a two-time runner-up there with the MOWA Sprint Cars, and he finished third at the 2024 World of Outlaws visit. Over at Tri-State Speedway, the Penngrove, CA native has done everything but win. He’s got three second-place finishes with the USAC National Midgets, notched a third in 2024 with the World of Outlaws, and moved up to second during last year’s trip, narrowly falling short to Sheldon Haudenschild.
 
BULLRING BEASTS
 
Kofoid may have all the momentum, but the two competitors he’s chasing are no slouches at the tracks on the agenda.
 
Carson Macedo owns a combined four checkered flags from Jacksonville and Tri-State. He claimed the 2019 Jacksonville visit, driving for Kyle Larson Racing. Since joining forces with Jason Johnson Racing, the Lemoore, CA native has been no worse than fourth there in three tries. There was a time when Macedo was inevitable at Tri-State, winning three straight from 2020 through 2022.
 
Defending champion and current point leader David Gravel conquered Jacksonville in a 2024 thriller when he outdueled Kyle Larson. He’s twice topped Tri-State, taking the CJB Motorsports machine to Victory Lane in 2016 and 2018. His best showing at the 1/4 mile with Big Game Motorsports is a 2024 runner-up.
 
HOOSIER HEROES
 
A pair of Indiana natives are looking forward to the first of two nights in the home state this season on Saturday.
 
Lebanon, IN’s Spencer Bayston enters the weekend riding the momentum of back-to-back top fives at I-55. He notched a podium on Friday before wheeling the Stenhouse Jr./Marshall Racing No. 17 from 20th to fifth Saturday. Bayston’s top Tri-State effort is a fourth in 2022 during his Kevin Gobrecht Rookie of the Year presented by Five Star Bodies campaign.
 
And speaking of rookie seasons, Bayston’s fellow Hoosier, Emerson Axsom (Franklin, IN), is in the midst of his with the Klaasmeyer/Petry Motorsports team. He trails Ashton Torgerson by just two markers in that battle. Tri-State is a special place for Axsom as it’s where he made his World of Outlaws debut in 2023. Last year, he collected a runner-up finish at “The Class Track” with the Interstate Racing Association (IRA) and came home fourth when The Greatest Show on Dirt came to town.
 
BIG DADDY’S BACK HOME
 
Bayston and Axsom aren’t the only World of Outlaws drivers racing close to home this weekend.
 
Chris Windom comes from Canton, IL, making Jacksonville a home game for him. “Big Daddy” collected a MOWA podium at the “Land of Lincoln” track in 2011. He was also a runner-up there with the All Star Circuit of Champions (ASCoC) in 2023. Last year, Windom wheeled the Sides Motorsports No. 7S from 23rd to 13th at Jacksonville. It’s also worth noting that Windom is also plenty familiar with Tri-State thanks to his wingless days, and that includes a 2017 USAC win.
 
Windom enters the weekend after putting together one of his strongest weekends of the season. On Friday at I-55, he drove from 16th to as high as third before slipping to eighth. The following night brought another top 10 for the Series sophomore.
 
USAC INVASION
 
Tri-State Speedway is a mainstay on the USAC National Sprint Car tour, so over the years, it’s become common for those with USAC ties to throw some wings on and face off with the World of Outlaws. A potent pair is expected to continue the trend on Saturday.
 
He may not be full-time with USAC these days, but Brady Bacon is one of the best ever without wings. The four-time USAC Sprint Car champion boasts several Tri-State Speedway trophies, including his two career World of Outlaws wins. The “Macho Man” outmuscled The Greatest Show on Dirt in 2023 and 2024. He’ll be in action both nights this weekend aboard the TKH Motorsports No. 21H.
 
Defending USAC Sprint Car champion Kyle Cummins, is the king of Tri-State Speedway. He’s a native of nearby Princeton, IN, and has been to Victory Lane at his home track dozens of times, including seven in USAC National Sprint Car competition. He had a solid run going last year with the World of Outlaws in the Petty Performance Racing No. 3P before getting caught up in a wreck.

THIS WEEKEND AT A GLANCE

WHEN AND WHERE 
Friday, April 17 at Jacksonville Speedway in Jacksonville, IL
Saturday, April 18 at Tri-State Speedway in Haubstadt, IN

AROUND THE TURN
Friday-Saturday, April 24-25 at Knoxville Raceway in Knoxville, IA (TICKETS)

CURRENT CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS (13/85 Races):
1. David Gravel – Big Game Motorsports No. 2 (1810 PTS)
2. Carson Macedo – Jason Johnson Racing No. 41 (-42 PTS)
3. Michael Kofoid – Roth Motorsports No. 83 (-60 PTS)
4. Donny Schatz – CJB Motorsports No. 15 (-82 PTS)
5. Sheldon Haudenschild – KCP Racing No. 18 (-94 PTS)
6. Logan Schuchart – Shark Racing No. 1S (-124 PTS)
7. Garet Williamson – Fischer Motorsports No. 23 (-184 PTS)
8. Spencer Bayston – Stenhouse Jr./Marshall Racing No. 17 (-194 PTS)
9. Chris Windom – Sides Motorsports No. 7S (-200 PTS)
10. Bill Balog – B2 Motorsports (-228 PTS)

NOS ENERGY DRINK FEATURE WINNERS (7 Drivers):
4 Wins – Michael Kofoid
3 Wins – David Gravel
2 Wins – Anthony Macri
1 Win – Spencer Bayston, Sheldon Haudenschild, Donny Schatz, Carson Macedo

FEATURE LAPS LED (16 Drivers):
91 Laps Led – Michael Kofoid
53 Laps Led – David Gravel
44 Laps Led – Bill Balog
40 Laps Led – Anthony Macri
35 Laps Led – Donny Schatz
32 Laps Led – Carson Macedo
28 Laps Led – Ryan Timms
25 Laps Led – Sheldon Haudenschild
18 Laps Led – Brady Bacon
10 Laps Led – Spencer Bayston, Cole Macedo
7 Laps Led – Kasey Jedrzejek
6 Laps Led – Brian Brown, Brock Zearfoss
5 Laps Led – Logan Schuchart
1 Lap Led – Christopher Thram

PODIUM FINISHES (13 Drivers):
9 Podiums – David Gravel
7 Podiums – Carson Macedo, Michael Kofoid
3 Podiums – Anthony Macri, Donny Schatz
2 Podiums – Sheldon Haudenschild, Spencer Bayston
1 Podium – Ashton Torgerson, Bill Balog, Scott Bogucki, Brady Bacon, Cole Macedo, Ryan Timms

SIMPSON PERFORMANCE PRODUCTS QUICKTIME AWARDS (7 Drivers):
6 Quick Times – David Gravel
2 Quick Times – Sheldon Haudenschild
1 Quick Time – Logan Schuchart, Ashton Torgerson, Kasey Jedrzejek, Brady Bacon, Will Armitage

HEAT RACE WINNERS (18 Drivers):
11 Heat Wins – David Gravel
7 Heat Wins – Sheldon Haudenschild
4 Heat Wins – Carson Macedo
3 Heat Wins – Logan Schuchart, Ashton Torgerson, Michael Kofoid, Bill Balog
2 Heat Wins – Anthony Macri, Donny Schatz, Cole Macedo
1 Heat Win – Chase Dietz, Justin Peck, Tanner Holmes, Scotty Thiel, Emerson Axsom, Kasey Jedrzejek, Will Armitage, Rees Moran

TOYOTA DASH APPEARANCES (32 Drivers):
12 Dashes – David Gravel
11 Dashes – Sheldon Haudenschild
9 Dashes – Michael Kofoid
6 Dashes – Carson Macedo
5 Dashes – Ashton Torgerson
4 Dashes – Anthony Macri, Logan Schuchart, Bill Balog, Kasey Jedrzejek
3 Dashes – Emerson Axsom, Donny Schatz, Cole Macedo
2 Dashes – Brent Marks, Tanner Holmes, Garet Williamson, Scotty Thiel, Ryan Timms, Kerry Madsen, Spencer Bayston, Chris Windom
1 Dash – Brian Brown, Chase Dietz, Justin Peck, Parker Price-Miller, Brock Zearfoss, Bryce Lucius, Christopher Thram, Brady Bacon, Sam Hafertepe Jr., Will Armitage, Rees Moran, Bryce Norris


MICRO-LITE LAST CHANCE SHOWDOWN WINS (8 Drivers):
3 LCS Wins – Donny Schatz
2 LCS Wins – Michael Kofoid, Chris Windom
1 LCS Wins – Cameron Martin, Bill Balog, Blake Hahn, Garet Williamson, Landon Crawley

KSE HARD CHARGER AWARDS (9 Drivers):
2 Hard Chargers – Garet Williamson, Donny Schatz, Michael Kofoid, Carson Macedo
1 Hard Charger – Chris Windom, Giovanni Scelzi, Spencer Bayston, Ryan Timms, Logan Schuchart

ACME FASTEST LAP AWARDS (10 Drivers):
3 Fastest Laps – Michael Kofoid
2 Fastest Laps – Bill Balog
1 Fastest Lap – Anthony Macri, Brock Zearfoss, Sheldon Haudenschild, Carson Macedo, Brady Bacon, Cole Macedo, Ryan Timms, Kasey Jedrzejek

RACE READY CLOTHING HOTTEST LAP OF THE NIGHT AWARDS (7 Drivers):
5 Hottest Laps – David Gravel
2 Hottest Laps – Logan Schuchart, Michael Kofoid
1 Hottest Lap – Austin McCarl, Brent Marks, Cole Macedo, Emerson Axsom

2026 WORLD OF OUTLAWS SPRINT CAR SCHEDULE & WINNERS:
Day, Date / Track / Location / Winner
Wed, Feb 4 / Volusia Speedway Park / Barberville, FL / Spencer Bayston (1)
Fri, Feb 6 / Volusia Speedway Park / Barberville, FL / Michael Kofoid (1)
Sat, Feb 7 / Volusia Speedway Park / Barberville, FL / Anthony Macri (1)
Sun, March 1 / Volusia Speedway Park / Barberville, FL / Sheldon Haudenschild (1)
Mon, March 2 / Volusia Speedway Park / Barberville, FL / Anthony Macri (2)
Fri, March 6 / Talladega Short Track / Eastaboga, AL / Donny Schatz (1)
Fri, March 13 / Kennedale Speedway Park / Kennedale, TX / David Gravel (1)
Fri, March 20 / Lawton Speedway / Lawton, OK / David Gravel (2)
Sat, March 21 / Creek County Speedway / Sapulpa, OK / David Gravel (3)
Fri, March 27 / US 36 Raceway / Osborn, MO / Carson Macedo (1)
Sat, March 28 / 81 Speedway / Park City, KS / Michael Kofoid (2)
Fri, April 10 / I-55 Federated Auto Parts Raceway Park / Pevely, MO / Michael Kofoid (3)
Sat, April 11 / I-55 Federated Auto Parts Raceway Park / Pevely, MO / Michael Kofoid (4)
Fri, April 17 / Jacksonville Speedway / Jacksonville, IL
Sat, April 18 / Tri-State Speedway / Haubstadt, IN
Fri, April 24 / Knoxville Raceway / Knoxville, IA
Sat, April 25 / Knoxville Raceway / Knoxville, IA
Fri, May 1 / Attica Raceway Park / Attica, OH
Sat, May 2 / Sharon Speedway / Hartford, OH
Tues, May 5 / Lincoln Speedway / Abbottstown, PA
Fri, May 8 / Williams Grove Speedway / Mechanicsburg, PA
Sat, May 9 / Williams Grove Speedway / Mechanicsburg, PA
Fri, May 15 / Eldora Speedway / Rossburg, OH
Sat, May 16 / Eldora Speedway / Rossburg, OH
Sat, May 23 / Knoxville Raceway / Knoxville, IA
Sun, May 24 / Huset’s Speedway / Brandon, SD
Fri, May 29 / River Cities Speedway / Grand Forks, ND
Sun, May 31 / Nodak Speedway / Minot, ND
Fri, June 5 / Hartford Speedway / Hartford, MI
Sat, June 6 / Plymouth Dirt Track / Plymouth, WI
Sun, June 7 / Angell Park Speedway / Sun Prairie, WI
Fri, June 12 / Knoxville Raceway / Knoxville, IA
Sat, June 13 / Knoxville Raceway / Knoxville, IA
Wed, June 17 / Huset’s Speedway / Brandon, SD
Thurs, June 18 / Huset’s Speedway / Brandon, SD
Fri, June 19 / Huset’s Speedway / Brandon, SD
Sat, June 20 / Huset’s Speedway / Brandon, SD
Fri, June 26 / Cedar Lake Speedway / New Richmond, WI
Sat, June 27 / Cedar Lake Speedway / New Richmond, WI
Fri, July 10 / Wilmot Raceway / Wilmot, WI
Sat, July 11 / Wilmot Raceway / Wilmot, WI
Tues, July 14 / Attica Raceway Park / Attica, OH
Fri, July 17 / Eldora Speedway / Rossburg, OH
Sat, July 18 / Eldora Speedway / Rossburg, OH
Tues, July 21 / Ohsweken Speedway / Ohsweken, ON, Canada
Wed, July 22 / Ohsweken Speedway / Ohsweken, ON, Canada
Sat, July 25 / Weedsport Speedway / Weedsport, NY
Sun, July 26 / Weedsport Speedway / Weedsport, NY
Wed, July 29 / BAPS Motor Speedway / York Haven, PA
Fri, July 31 / Williams Grove Speedway / Mechanicsburg, PA
Sat, Aug 1 / Williams Grove Speedway / Mechanicsburg, PA
Fri, Aug 7 / I-55 Federated Auto Parts Raceway Park / Pevely, MO
Sat, Aug 8 / I-55 Federated Auto Parts Raceway Park / Pevely, MO
Wed, Aug 12 / Knoxville Raceway / Knoxville, IA*
Thurs, Aug 13 / Knoxville Raceway / Knoxville, IA*
Fri, Aug 14 / Knoxville Raceway / Knoxville, IA*
Sat, Aug 15 / Knoxville Raceway / Knoxville, IA
Fri, Aug 21 / Ogilvie Raceway / Ogilvie, MN
Sat, Aug 22 / Jackson Motorplex / Jackson, MN
Fri, Aug 28 / River Cities Speedway / Grand Forks, ND
Sat, Aug 29 / Red River Valley Speedway / West Fargo, ND
Fri, Sept 4 / Huset’s Speedway / Brandon, SD
Sat, Sept 5 / Huset’s Speedway / Brandon, SD
Sun, Sept 6 / Huset’s Speedway / Brandon, SD
Fri, Sept 11 / Belleville High Banks / Belleville, KS
Sat, Sept 12 / Dodge City Raceway Park / Dodge City, KS
Mon, Sept 14 / El Paso County Raceway / Calhan, CO
Fri, Sept 18 / Stockton Dirt Track / Stockton, CA
Sat, Sept 19 / Stockton Dirt Track / Stockton, CA
Fri, Sept 25 / Bakersfield Speedway at Kevin Harvick’s Kern Raceway / Bakersfield, CA
Sat, Sept 26 / Ventura Raceway / Ventura, CA
Fri, Oct 2 / Williams Grove Speedway / Mechanicsburg, PA
Sat, Oct 3 / Williams Grove Speedway / Mechanicsburg, PA
Thurs, Oct 8 / Millstream Speedway / Findlay, OH
Fri, Oct 9 / Mansfield Speedway / Mansfield, OH
Sat, Oct 10 / Sharon Speedway / Hartford, OH
Fri, Oct 16 / Lincoln Park Speedway / Putnamville, IN
Sat, Oct 17 / TBA
Fri, Oct 23 / Texarkana 67 Speedway / Texarkana, AR
Sat, Oct 24 / Texarkana 67 Speedway / Texarkana, AR
Wed, Nov 4 / The Dirt Track at Charlotte / Concord, NC
Thurs, Nov 5 / The Dirt Track at Charlotte / Concord, NC
Fri, Nov 6 / The Dirt Track at Charlotte / Concord, NC
Sat, Nov 7 / The Dirt Track at Charlotte / Concord, NC

*denotes unofficial split-field prelim race.

ARTICLE: https://worldofoutlaws.com/sprintcars/top-five-storylines-jacksonville-tri-state-set-stage-for-world-of-outlaws-bullring-weekend/

Pair of Corvette Z06 GT3.Rs complete Prologue testing ahead of WEC opener IMOLA, Italy (April 14, 2026) – TF Sport and its two Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3.Rs are set for the official opening of this year’s FIA World Endurance Championship following two sessions and nine hours of testing Tuesday at the Imola Circuit in the heart of Italy.

The goal was for the team and its set of six drivers to put the two Corvette GT3 racecars through their paces ahead of Sunday’s Six Hours of Imola and first round of the championship.  The two Corvettes combined to complete 302 laps for 921.10 miles around the 3.05-mile, 20-turn circuit nestled in the northern and central region of Italy. Mixed conditions with alternating dry- and wet-weather running was the order of the day with rain falling during most of the second session. At the end of the day, Corvette Racing factory driver Charlie Eastwood was the quickest of the TF Sport drivers across the two sessions with a lap of 1:42.826 (106.814 mph) in the No. 34 Corvette during the afternoon session, good enough for fourth-fastest on the day.  He will drive the full season with Salih Yoluc and team newcomer Peter Dempsey in the Corvette running under the banner of Racing Team Turkey by TF.

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TF teammate Jonny Edgar wasn’t far behind with a lap of 1:42.876 (106.752 mph) in the No. 33 Corvette that he will share with Corvette factory driver Nicky Catsburg and Blake McDonald, who is filling in for the injured Ben Keating.  This will be the third WEC race at Imola for the Corvette Z06 GT3.R with a best showing of sixth a year ago. TF Sport and Corvette did, however, win the four-hour Imola round of the 2025 European Le Mans Series on their way to the LMGT3 Drivers and Teams titles. The 2026 season is the fifth for Corvette Racing in the WEC. In that span, Corvettes have captured six victories plus the 2023 GTE Am championships. Two of those victories came via TF Sport in 2025 – one for each of its two entries – with the team looking for new heights in its third season as a Corvette Z06 GT3.R team. Tuesday’s Prologue was a condensed version of the originally scheduled two-day test a month ago at Qatar. It moved to Imola with the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. The Six Hours of Imola and opening round of the FIA World Endurance Championship is set for 7 a.m. ET / 1 p.m. CET on Sunday, April 19. Live streaming coverage plus timing and scoring is available through a subscription on FIA WEC Plus with additional live streaming on the HBO Max app in the U.S.

CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R POST-PROLOGUE DRIVER QUOTESNICKY CATSBURG, NO. 33 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R: “Honestly today went really good. Not many issues with the car, and we got more dry running than we expected. We were always kind of in the top-five, I would say. It’s nice working with Jonny, and I feel Blake has settled in really quick. So it’s been a positive day. There is a nice mood in the team and so far so good. It’s great for me to be back in WEC. The paddock is awesome and this track is really nice. I’ve missed driving here because it’s been a long time for me. But everything feels really good and it’s really nice to be back.” CHARLIE EASTWOOD, NO. 34 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R: “A good first day in WEC ahead of the first round. We thought it was going to be wet the whole day and pretty pointless. But we ended with mixed conditions and got plenty of dry running both in the morning and afternoon. Everyone on the team is up to speed. We look very competitive at this point so hopefully it stays that way.” PETER DEMPSEY, NO. 34 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R: “It was a good first day. This was my first time here driving the Corvette at Imola. Obviously I had to learn the track but got to drive in the wet, the damp and the dry! So I got every bit of experience needed to be as well-prepared as possible heading into the race weekend. I’m looking forward to Friday and FP1.”  CORVETTE RACING AT IMOLA & LONG BEACH: By the Numbers• 1: As in one manufacturer and one model of car for the 19th year at Long Beach: Chevrolet and the Corvette• 3: Corvette Z06 GT3.Rs in competition at Long Beach this weekend – No. 13 of 13 Autosport, No. 36 of DXDT Racing and No. 81 of DragonSpeed• 5: Number of Corvettes competing this weekend around the world – the three at Long Beach and two in the FIA World Endurance Championship’s Six Hours of Imola run by TF Sport• 8: Number of Long Beach victories for the Corvette Racing program• 10: Number of Long Beach sports car victories for Chevrolet. Throw in 12 IndyCar wins, and Chevrolet has claimed 22 victories in the event’s two premier races• 15: Manufacturer Championships for Chevrolet and Corvette Racing since 2001• 17: Wins in 2025 for the Corvette Z06 GT3.R across six different series. Three came via TF Sport across the FIA WEC and ELMS• 33: Tracks at which Corvette Racing has won races – Baltimore, Charlotte Motor Speedway, COTA, Canadian Tire Motorsport Park/Mosport, Chang International Circuit (Thailand), Daytona, Detroit, Fuji, Houston, Imola, Indianapolis, Laguna Seca, Le Mans, Lime Rock, Long Beach, Lusail International Circuit (Qatar), Sepang International Circuit (Malaysia), Miami, Mid-Ohio, Monza, Portimão, Portland, Road America, Road Atlanta, Sebring, Sonoma, St. Petersburg, Texas, Trois Rivieres, Utah, VIR, Washington DC and Watkins Glen• 40: Number of drivers to win races in Corvette Racing entries since 1999. The latest to join the list was Tom Van Rompuy at Fuji in September for TF Sport• 73: Years since Corvette was introduced to the world on Jan. 17, 1953 in New York City. A total of 300 cars were produced that year• 84: Number of drivers in Corvette Racing entries since 1999. Steller Motorsport’s Dennis Lind, Lorenzo Fluxa Cross and Antonie Doquin joined the list at Paul Ricard in GT World Challenge Europe. TF Sport’s Peter Dempsey will make his first start in a Corvette at Imola• 154: Victories worldwide for Corvette Racing starting the 2026 season – 118 in IMSA, nine at Le Mans, five in the FIA WEC, 13 in GT World Challenge America, three in GT World Challenge Asia and GT America and two in the European Le Mans Series• 368: Event starts by Corvette Racing since 1999• 4,630.68: Number of racing miles completed by Corvette Racing in its 17 previous trips to Long Beach. That represents 2,353 laps around the 1.968-mile street circuit… or 272.39 miles per year• 487,110.42: Total number of racing miles completed by Corvette Racing since its inception. The program should surpass the half-million mile mark midway through this season Corvette Racing at Imola2024 – No. 81 Corvette Z06 GT3.R: Charlie Eastwood/Rui Andrade/Tom Van Rompuy – 7th in LMGT3No. 82 Corvette Z06 GT3.R: Dani Juncadella/Sebastien Baud/Hiroshi Koizumi – 8th in LMGT3 2025 – No. 33 Corvette Z06 GT3.R: Dani Juncadella/Jonny Edgar/Ben Keating – 7th in LMGT3No. 81 Corvette Z06 GT3.R: Charlie Eastwood/Rui Andrade/Tom Van Rompuy – 6th in LMGT3

CORVETTE RACING AT IMOLA: TF Sport Aiming HighPair of Corvette Z06 GT3.Rs complete Prologue testing ahead of WEC opener IMOLA, Italy (April 14, 2026) – TF Sport and its two Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3.Rs are set for the official opening of this year’s FIA World Endurance Championship following two sessions and nine hours of testing Tuesday at the Imola Circuit in the heart of Italy.

The goal was for the team and its set of six drivers to put the two Corvette GT3 racecars through their paces ahead of Sunday’s Six Hours of Imola and first round of the championship.  The two Corvettes combined to complete 302 laps for 921.10 miles around the 3.05-mile, 20-turn circuit nestled in the northern and central region of Italy. Mixed conditions with alternating dry- and wet-weather running was the order of the day with rain falling during most of the second session. At the end of the day, Corvette Racing factory driver Charlie Eastwood was the quickest of the TF Sport drivers across the two sessions with a lap of 1:42.826 (106.814 mph) in the No. 34 Corvette during the afternoon session, good enough for fourth-fastest on the day.  He will drive the full season with Salih Yoluc and team newcomer Peter Dempsey in the Corvette running under the banner of Racing Team Turkey by TF.

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TF teammate Jonny Edgar wasn’t far behind with a lap of 1:42.876 (106.752 mph) in the No. 33 Corvette that he will share with Corvette factory driver Nicky Catsburg and Blake McDonald, who is filling in for the injured Ben Keating.  This will be the third WEC race at Imola for the Corvette Z06 GT3.R with a best showing of sixth a year ago. TF Sport and Corvette did, however, win the four-hour Imola round of the 2025 European Le Mans Series on their way to the LMGT3 Drivers and Teams titles. The 2026 season is the fifth for Corvette Racing in the WEC. In that span, Corvettes have captured six victories plus the 2023 GTE Am championships. Two of those victories came via TF Sport in 2025 – one for each of its two entries – with the team looking for new heights in its third season as a Corvette Z06 GT3.R team. Tuesday’s Prologue was a condensed version of the originally scheduled two-day test a month ago at Qatar. It moved to Imola with the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. The Six Hours of Imola and opening round of the FIA World Endurance Championship is set for 7 a.m. ET / 1 p.m. CET on Sunday, April 19. Live streaming coverage plus timing and scoring is available through a subscription on FIA WEC Plus with additional live streaming on the HBO Max app in the U.S.

CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R POST-PROLOGUE DRIVER QUOTESNICKY CATSBURG, NO. 33 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R: “Honestly today went really good. Not many issues with the car, and we got more dry running than we expected. We were always kind of in the top-five, I would say. It’s nice working with Jonny, and I feel Blake has settled in really quick. So it’s been a positive day. There is a nice mood in the team and so far so good. It’s great for me to be back in WEC. The paddock is awesome and this track is really nice. I’ve missed driving here because it’s been a long time for me. But everything feels really good and it’s really nice to be back.” CHARLIE EASTWOOD, NO. 34 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R: “A good first day in WEC ahead of the first round. We thought it was going to be wet the whole day and pretty pointless. But we ended with mixed conditions and got plenty of dry running both in the morning and afternoon. Everyone on the team is up to speed. We look very competitive at this point so hopefully it stays that way.” PETER DEMPSEY, NO. 34 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R: “It was a good first day. This was my first time here driving the Corvette at Imola. Obviously I had to learn the track but got to drive in the wet, the damp and the dry! So I got every bit of experience needed to be as well-prepared as possible heading into the race weekend. I’m looking forward to Friday and FP1.”  CORVETTE RACING AT IMOLA & LONG BEACH: By the Numbers• 1: As in one manufacturer and one model of car for the 19th year at Long Beach: Chevrolet and the Corvette• 3: Corvette Z06 GT3.Rs in competition at Long Beach this weekend – No. 13 of 13 Autosport, No. 36 of DXDT Racing and No. 81 of DragonSpeed• 5: Number of Corvettes competing this weekend around the world – the three at Long Beach and two in the FIA World Endurance Championship’s Six Hours of Imola run by TF Sport• 8: Number of Long Beach victories for the Corvette Racing program• 10: Number of Long Beach sports car victories for Chevrolet. Throw in 12 IndyCar wins, and Chevrolet has claimed 22 victories in the event’s two premier races• 15: Manufacturer Championships for Chevrolet and Corvette Racing since 2001• 17: Wins in 2025 for the Corvette Z06 GT3.R across six different series. Three came via TF Sport across the FIA WEC and ELMS• 33: Tracks at which Corvette Racing has won races – Baltimore, Charlotte Motor Speedway, COTA, Canadian Tire Motorsport Park/Mosport, Chang International Circuit (Thailand), Daytona, Detroit, Fuji, Houston, Imola, Indianapolis, Laguna Seca, Le Mans, Lime Rock, Long Beach, Lusail International Circuit (Qatar), Sepang International Circuit (Malaysia), Miami, Mid-Ohio, Monza, Portimão, Portland, Road America, Road Atlanta, Sebring, Sonoma, St. Petersburg, Texas, Trois Rivieres, Utah, VIR, Washington DC and Watkins Glen• 40: Number of drivers to win races in Corvette Racing entries since 1999. The latest to join the list was Tom Van Rompuy at Fuji in September for TF Sport• 73: Years since Corvette was introduced to the world on Jan. 17, 1953 in New York City. A total of 300 cars were produced that year• 84: Number of drivers in Corvette Racing entries since 1999. Steller Motorsport’s Dennis Lind, Lorenzo Fluxa Cross and Antonie Doquin joined the list at Paul Ricard in GT World Challenge Europe. TF Sport’s Peter Dempsey will make his first start in a Corvette at Imola• 154: Victories worldwide for Corvette Racing starting the 2026 season – 118 in IMSA, nine at Le Mans, five in the FIA WEC, 13 in GT World Challenge America, three in GT World Challenge Asia and GT America and two in the European Le Mans Series• 368: Event starts by Corvette Racing since 1999• 4,630.68: Number of racing miles completed by Corvette Racing in its 17 previous trips to Long Beach. That represents 2,353 laps around the 1.968-mile street circuit… or 272.39 miles per year• 487,110.42: Total number of racing miles completed by Corvette Racing since its inception. The program should surpass the half-million mile mark midway through this season Corvette Racing at Imola2024 – No. 81 Corvette Z06 GT3.R: Charlie Eastwood/Rui Andrade/Tom Van Rompuy – 7th in LMGT3No. 82 Corvette Z06 GT3.R: Dani Juncadella/Sebastien Baud/Hiroshi Koizumi – 8th in LMGT3 2025 – No. 33 Corvette Z06 GT3.R: Dani Juncadella/Jonny Edgar/Ben Keating – 7th in LMGT3No. 81 Corvette Z06 GT3.R: Charlie Eastwood/Rui Andrade/Tom Van Rompuy – 6th in LMGT3

Cadillac aims for victory in 100-minute Long Beach sprint race

DETROIT (April 14, 2026) – After two races that lasted 36 hours total (the Rolex 24 at Daytona and the Mobil 1 12 Hours of Sebring), Cadilliac Racing now heads to Long Beach, California for a 100-minute sprint race.  It’s like a runner competing in a marathon, a half marathon and then doing a 100-meter dash.  But it is still competition, and it’s race three of the IMSA season as both Action Express Racing and Cadillac Wayne Taylor Racing are looking for wins and points for the season-long championship.  Last year, the No. 31 Whelen Cadillac V-Series.R finished fourth with Jack Aitken, Earl Bamber, while Cadillac Wayne Taylor finished sixth (No. 10 Ricky Tayor and Filipe Albuquerque) and seventh (No. 40 Jordan Taylor, Louis Deletraz).  Bamber will be overseas competing in the World Endurance Championship Six Hours of Imola for Cadillac Hertz Team Jota, so it will be Aitken and Fredrick Vesti in the No. 31, while the No. 10 and No. 40 cars have the same drivers as last year.  All three teams are looking for a win or a podium in the historic Long Beach Grand Prix. The No. 31 Whelen Cadillac V-Series.R has had four consecutive podium finishes including two wins coming last fall at Indianapolis and Road Atlanta. They finished second in the Rolex 24 at Daytona and then third last month at Sebring.

Brothers Jordan and Ricky Taylor won the 2017 IMSA race from the pole – one in the streak of five consecutive victories to start the season that culminated in the manufacturer and drivers’ championships. Current teammate Filipe Albuquerque co-drove to victory in the 2018 and 2019 races in the Cadillac DPi-V.R. In April 2024, Cadillac Racing finished 1-2, with the No. 01 Cadillac V-Series.R edging the pole-sitting No. 31 Whelen Cadillac V-Series.R by 0.564 of a second. Opting not to change Michelin tires during the lone service stop and mandatory driver change, the No. 01 Cadillac V-Series.R drove to the front of the field and led the final 34 laps. The 1-2 finish was the third for Cadillac Racing’s prototype program at Long Beach, which includes victories in 2022, 2021, 2019, 2018 and 2017. There was no race in 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic. In total, Cadillac Racing has nine victories at Long Beach. Sports car racing returned to the oceanside community in 2006 after a 15-year absence, with Ron Fellows driving the No. 16 Cadillac CTS-V to the victory in the Speed World Challenge GT race. Also at Long Beach, Andy Pilgrim won the 2012 Pirelli World Challenge GT race in the No. 8 Cadillac CTS-V Coupe that led to the series’ manufacturer title and 1-2 in the driver championship (Johnny O’Connell and Pilgrim) for the brand. O’Connell drove the No. 3 Cadillac CTS-V to victory in the 2014 GT race on the way to earning his third consecutive drivers’ title and the third successive manufacturer title for Cadillac.

What they’re saying: No. 10 Cadillac Wayne Taylor Racing V-Series.R Filipe Albuquerque: “I have great memories at Long Beach with Cadillac. My two wins at Long Beach from the first three years I drove there are with Cadillac. Cadillac has been running really well; it draws strong speed and pace. I am motivated with our Cadillac WTR team and with Ricky Taylor. I think we are doing a good job and besides the end results that we are getting, the pace is there and we have evolved a lot from last year. So, let’s hope that we have a breakthrough in Long Beach.”   Ricky Taylor: “We get back to our normal race weekend routine at Long Beach, focusing on the small details to execute the whole weekend as well as we can. Everything in Long Beach is important, starting from Practice 1. Everything has to be right from practice through the race. No flat spots in practice, good qual prep, good qualifying, perfect pit stop/driver change. There is no room for any errors if we are going to win this race.” No. 31 Whelen Cadillac V-Series.R Jack Aitken: “It’s always a favorite in the calendar for me, because street circuits are just that bit more thrilling than normal tracks. We’ve generally gone well there in the past, but we will be pushing hard to keep our podium streak going. That means a good qualifying and a good stop here.” Frederik Vesti: “Ever since I was notified of Long Beach, I’ve been extremely excited. It’s a very, very cool historical racetrack with barriers all around. It’s an awesome location. It’ll be my first time in LA. I’ve driven this track for at least eight years on the simulator so to try it out in real life with the Action Express Whelen Cadillac 31 will be very very special. And doing my second sprint race in IMSA is still a challenge and something that we will need to see and work on, obviously it’s 100 minutes and it’s a very intense race with the tight GT traffic as well. So yeah I’m looking very much forward to the challenge and hopefully we can make Earl (Bamber) proud across the world and make Cadillac proud as well. I went to Belgium with Jack to do a bike race 100-mile bike race called Tour of Flanders, which was good fun. A bit of a relaxing weekend if you can see that about 100-mile race.” No. 40 Cadillac Wayne Taylor Racing V-Series.R Louis Deletraz: “I’m really excited for Long Beach, it’s always a great event. It’s very short, only two days. Friday is always very busy with all of the practices and qualifying. Obviously, it’s a different approach from Daytona and Sebring where we were fast but in endurance races you need to survive the first hours and race towards the end, but here at Long Beach it’s a full sprint. You want to be up front and stay up front. It’s really a full push. I think a crucial aspect of the weekend will be pure pace and racing hard. It’s street race, the surface is different and bumpy – the walls are everywhere and doesn’t forgive mistakes. So, it’s always exciting and I’m sure Cadillac will do great; it’s always strong on street tracks and bumpy tracks. I’m looking forward to driving the V-Series.R around the streets of California.”  Jordan Taylor: “The Cadillac V-Series.R always seems to suit street courses well. Over the past few years, it has always been strong at Long Beach and Detroit. We’ve made some big gains on setup and systems since this time last year, so I’m excited to see how we go this weekend.”

Cadillac Racing Long Beach results 2017-2025 2025: Fourth (No. 31 Whelen Cadillac V-Series.R) start seventh – Jack Aitken, Earl Bamber           Sixth (No. 10 Cadillac Wayne Taylor Racing V-Series.R) start eighth – Ricky Taylor, Filipe Albuquerque           Seventh (No. 40 Cadillac Wayne Taylor Racing V-Series.R) start 10th – Jordan Taylor, Louis Deletraz2024: Overall winner (No. 01 Cadillac V-Series.R) start third – Sebastien Bourdais, Renger van der Zande          Second (No. 31 Whelen Cadillac V-Series.R) start first – Pipo Derani, Jack Aitken2023: Fifth (No. 31 Whelen Cadillac V-Series.R) start seventh – Pipo Derani, Alexander Sims         Eighth (No. 01 Cadillac V-Series.R) start third – Sebastien Bourdais, Renger van der Zande2022: Overall winner (No. 01 V-Performance Academy Cadillac DPi-V.R) start first – Renger van der Zande, Sebastien Bourdais          Second (No. 02 Cadillac Accessories Cadillac DPi-V.R) start second – Earl Bamber, Alex Lynn          Third (No. 5 Mustang Sampling Racing Cadillac DPi-V.R) start fifth – Tristan Vautier, Richard Westbrook          Fifth (No. 31 Whelen Engineering Cadillac DPi-V.R) start fourth – Pipo Derani, Tristan Nunez2021: Overall winner (No. 31 Whelen Engineering Cadillac DPi-V.R) start first – Pipo Derani, Felipe Nasr         Second (No. 01 Cadillac Chip Ganassi Racing Cadillac DPi-V.R) start second – Renger van der Zande, Kevin Magnussen         Third (No. 5 Mustang Sampling Racing Cadillac DPi-V.R) start third – Tristan Vautier, Loic Duval2019: Overall winner (No. 5 Mustang Sampling Cadillac DPi-V.R) start fourth – Filipe Albuquerque, Joao Barbosa         Fifth (No. 84 JDC-Miller MotorSports Cadillac DPi-V.R) start seventh – Stephen Simpson, Simon Trummer         Sixth (No. 31 Whelen Engineering Cadillac DPi-V.R) start second – Pipo Derani, Felipe Nasr        Seventh (No. 50 Juncos Racing Cadillac DPi-V.R) start ninth – Kyle Kaiser, Will Owen        10th (No. 10 Konica Minolta Cadillac DPi-V.R) start 10th – Renger van der Zande, Jordan Taylor2018: Overall winner (No. 5 Mustang Sampling Racing Cadillac DPi-V.R) start fifth — Filipe Albuquerque, Joao Barbosa        Third (No. 10 Konica Minolta Cadillac DPi-V.R) start sixth – Renger van der Zande, Jordan Taylor        Seventh (No. 31 Whelen Engineering Cadillac DPi-V.R) start second – Felipe Nasr, Eric Curran2017: Overall winner (No. 10 Konica Minolta Cadillac DPi-V.R) start first – Jordan Taylor, Ricky Taylor        29th overall, seventh in class (No. 5 Mustang Sampling Racing Cadillac DPi-V.R) start second – Joao Barbosa, Christian Fittipaldi        32nd overall, eighth in class (No. 31 Whelen Engineering Cadillac DPi-V.R) start fifth – Eric Curran, Dane Cameron

Cadillac aims for victory in 100-minute Long Beach sprint race

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DETROIT (April 14, 2026) – After two races that lasted 36 hours total (the Rolex 24 at Daytona and the Mobil 1 12 Hours of Sebring), Cadilliac Racing now heads to Long Beach, California for a 100-minute sprint race.  It’s like a runner competing in a marathon, a half marathon and then doing a 100-meter dash.  But it is still competition, and it’s race three of the IMSA season as both Action Express Racing and Cadillac Wayne Taylor Racing are looking for wins and points for the season-long championship.  Last year, the No. 31 Whelen Cadillac V-Series.R finished fourth with Jack Aitken, Earl Bamber, while Cadillac Wayne Taylor finished sixth (No. 10 Ricky Tayor and Filipe Albuquerque) and seventh (No. 40 Jordan Taylor, Louis Deletraz).  Bamber will be overseas competing in the World Endurance Championship Six Hours of Imola for Cadillac Hertz Team Jota, so it will be Aitken and Fredrick Vesti in the No. 31, while the No. 10 and No. 40 cars have the same drivers as last year.  All three teams are looking for a win or a podium in the historic Long Beach Grand Prix. The No. 31 Whelen Cadillac V-Series.R has had four consecutive podium finishes including two wins coming last fall at Indianapolis and Road Atlanta. They finished second in the Rolex 24 at Daytona and then third last month at Sebring.

Brothers Jordan and Ricky Taylor won the 2017 IMSA race from the pole – one in the streak of five consecutive victories to start the season that culminated in the manufacturer and drivers’ championships. Current teammate Filipe Albuquerque co-drove to victory in the 2018 and 2019 races in the Cadillac DPi-V.R. In April 2024, Cadillac Racing finished 1-2, with the No. 01 Cadillac V-Series.R edging the pole-sitting No. 31 Whelen Cadillac V-Series.R by 0.564 of a second. Opting not to change Michelin tires during the lone service stop and mandatory driver change, the No. 01 Cadillac V-Series.R drove to the front of the field and led the final 34 laps. The 1-2 finish was the third for Cadillac Racing’s prototype program at Long Beach, which includes victories in 2022, 2021, 2019, 2018 and 2017. There was no race in 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic. In total, Cadillac Racing has nine victories at Long Beach. Sports car racing returned to the oceanside community in 2006 after a 15-year absence, with Ron Fellows driving the No. 16 Cadillac CTS-V to the victory in the Speed World Challenge GT race. Also at Long Beach, Andy Pilgrim won the 2012 Pirelli World Challenge GT race in the No. 8 Cadillac CTS-V Coupe that led to the series’ manufacturer title and 1-2 in the driver championship (Johnny O’Connell and Pilgrim) for the brand. O’Connell drove the No. 3 Cadillac CTS-V to victory in the 2014 GT race on the way to earning his third consecutive drivers’ title and the third successive manufacturer title for Cadillac.

What they’re saying: No. 10 Cadillac Wayne Taylor Racing V-Series.R Filipe Albuquerque: “I have great memories at Long Beach with Cadillac. My two wins at Long Beach from the first three years I drove there are with Cadillac. Cadillac has been running really well; it draws strong speed and pace. I am motivated with our Cadillac WTR team and with Ricky Taylor. I think we are doing a good job and besides the end results that we are getting, the pace is there and we have evolved a lot from last year. So, let’s hope that we have a breakthrough in Long Beach.”   Ricky Taylor: “We get back to our normal race weekend routine at Long Beach, focusing on the small details to execute the whole weekend as well as we can. Everything in Long Beach is important, starting from Practice 1. Everything has to be right from practice through the race. No flat spots in practice, good qual prep, good qualifying, perfect pit stop/driver change. There is no room for any errors if we are going to win this race.” No. 31 Whelen Cadillac V-Series.R Jack Aitken: “It’s always a favorite in the calendar for me, because street circuits are just that bit more thrilling than normal tracks. We’ve generally gone well there in the past, but we will be pushing hard to keep our podium streak going. That means a good qualifying and a good stop here.” Frederik Vesti: “Ever since I was notified of Long Beach, I’ve been extremely excited. It’s a very, very cool historical racetrack with barriers all around. It’s an awesome location. It’ll be my first time in LA. I’ve driven this track for at least eight years on the simulator so to try it out in real life with the Action Express Whelen Cadillac 31 will be very very special. And doing my second sprint race in IMSA is still a challenge and something that we will need to see and work on, obviously it’s 100 minutes and it’s a very intense race with the tight GT traffic as well. So yeah I’m looking very much forward to the challenge and hopefully we can make Earl (Bamber) proud across the world and make Cadillac proud as well. I went to Belgium with Jack to do a bike race 100-mile bike race called Tour of Flanders, which was good fun. A bit of a relaxing weekend if you can see that about 100-mile race.” No. 40 Cadillac Wayne Taylor Racing V-Series.R Louis Deletraz: “I’m really excited for Long Beach, it’s always a great event. It’s very short, only two days. Friday is always very busy with all of the practices and qualifying. Obviously, it’s a different approach from Daytona and Sebring where we were fast but in endurance races you need to survive the first hours and race towards the end, but here at Long Beach it’s a full sprint. You want to be up front and stay up front. It’s really a full push. I think a crucial aspect of the weekend will be pure pace and racing hard. It’s street race, the surface is different and bumpy – the walls are everywhere and doesn’t forgive mistakes. So, it’s always exciting and I’m sure Cadillac will do great; it’s always strong on street tracks and bumpy tracks. I’m looking forward to driving the V-Series.R around the streets of California.”  Jordan Taylor: “The Cadillac V-Series.R always seems to suit street courses well. Over the past few years, it has always been strong at Long Beach and Detroit. We’ve made some big gains on setup and systems since this time last year, so I’m excited to see how we go this weekend.”

Cadillac Racing Long Beach results 2017-2025 2025: Fourth (No. 31 Whelen Cadillac V-Series.R) start seventh – Jack Aitken, Earl Bamber           Sixth (No. 10 Cadillac Wayne Taylor Racing V-Series.R) start eighth – Ricky Taylor, Filipe Albuquerque           Seventh (No. 40 Cadillac Wayne Taylor Racing V-Series.R) start 10th – Jordan Taylor, Louis Deletraz2024: Overall winner (No. 01 Cadillac V-Series.R) start third – Sebastien Bourdais, Renger van der Zande          Second (No. 31 Whelen Cadillac V-Series.R) start first – Pipo Derani, Jack Aitken2023: Fifth (No. 31 Whelen Cadillac V-Series.R) start seventh – Pipo Derani, Alexander Sims         Eighth (No. 01 Cadillac V-Series.R) start third – Sebastien Bourdais, Renger van der Zande2022: Overall winner (No. 01 V-Performance Academy Cadillac DPi-V.R) start first – Renger van der Zande, Sebastien Bourdais          Second (No. 02 Cadillac Accessories Cadillac DPi-V.R) start second – Earl Bamber, Alex Lynn          Third (No. 5 Mustang Sampling Racing Cadillac DPi-V.R) start fifth – Tristan Vautier, Richard Westbrook          Fifth (No. 31 Whelen Engineering Cadillac DPi-V.R) start fourth – Pipo Derani, Tristan Nunez2021: Overall winner (No. 31 Whelen Engineering Cadillac DPi-V.R) start first – Pipo Derani, Felipe Nasr         Second (No. 01 Cadillac Chip Ganassi Racing Cadillac DPi-V.R) start second – Renger van der Zande, Kevin Magnussen         Third (No. 5 Mustang Sampling Racing Cadillac DPi-V.R) start third – Tristan Vautier, Loic Duval2019: Overall winner (No. 5 Mustang Sampling Cadillac DPi-V.R) start fourth – Filipe Albuquerque, Joao Barbosa         Fifth (No. 84 JDC-Miller MotorSports Cadillac DPi-V.R) start seventh – Stephen Simpson, Simon Trummer         Sixth (No. 31 Whelen Engineering Cadillac DPi-V.R) start second – Pipo Derani, Felipe Nasr        Seventh (No. 50 Juncos Racing Cadillac DPi-V.R) start ninth – Kyle Kaiser, Will Owen        10th (No. 10 Konica Minolta Cadillac DPi-V.R) start 10th – Renger van der Zande, Jordan Taylor2018: Overall winner (No. 5 Mustang Sampling Racing Cadillac DPi-V.R) start fifth — Filipe Albuquerque, Joao Barbosa        Third (No. 10 Konica Minolta Cadillac DPi-V.R) start sixth – Renger van der Zande, Jordan Taylor        Seventh (No. 31 Whelen Engineering Cadillac DPi-V.R) start second – Felipe Nasr, Eric Curran2017: Overall winner (No. 10 Konica Minolta Cadillac DPi-V.R) start first – Jordan Taylor, Ricky Taylor        29th overall, seventh in class (No. 5 Mustang Sampling Racing Cadillac DPi-V.R) start second – Joao Barbosa, Christian Fittipaldi        32nd overall, eighth in class (No. 31 Whelen Engineering Cadillac DPi-V.R) start fifth – Eric Curran, Dane Cameron

TEAM CHEVY ADVANCE Bristol Motor SpeedwayApril 10-12, 2026

Fresh off its first off-weekend of the season, the NASCAR Cup Series will return to action for 16-straight weeks of competition, with the stretch kicking off Sunday at “The Last Great Colosseum” of Bristol Motor Speedway.

MEDIA RESOURCES: Photo Gallery | Race AdvancesChevrolet Newsroom

Chevrolet is the most recent manufacturer to make a trip to victory lane at NASCAR’s highest level, with Hendrick Motorsports’ Chase Elliott driving the new Camaro ZL1 racecar to its first win of the season at Martinsville Speedway two weeks ago. The Tennessee tripleheader will get underway Friday evening with the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series – an event that will see five Cup Series regulars – Daniel Suarez, Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Kyle Busch, Ross Chastain and Carson Hocevar -back behind the wheel of a Silverado RST. On Saturday, it will be the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series’ turn to hit the high-banked half-mile as Team Chevy looks to build onto its already stout early-season run in the second-level series.

LARSON LOOKS TO DEFEND A trip to Bristol Motor Speedway might just be what Kyle Larson and the No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet team need to get back to victory lane. The Elk Grove, California, native knows his way around the high-banked half-mile – owning a combined five wins across NASCAR’s top-two divisions. His most recent victories came one year ago during the track’s spring date when the reigning champion attempted a tripleheader sweep – an effort that ended with a pair of near dominate triumphs in the Cup and O’Reilly Auto Parts Series events. Since joining Hendrick Motorsports, Larson’s Bristol statistics include three wins, six top-fives and 1,121 laps led. Two of his victories have come in the series’ past three visits to the track, with the triumphs accompanied by a sweep of the stages and over 400 laps led in each race.  Larson will also have the opportunity to defend his crown in the track’s spring race for the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series, with the driver returning to the seat of the No. 88 JR Motorsports Chevrolet for Saturday’s race. This will mark Larson’s third start with the Mardy Lindley-led team this season – a partnership that has already seen a trip to victory lane at Las Vegas Motor Speedway and, most recently, a pole win and a fourth-place finish at Darlington Raceway.

VAN GISBERGEN BUILDING SHORT TRACK CONFIDENCETrackhouse Racing’s Shane van Gisbergen is carrying the confidence of a career-best short-track effort. At Martinsville Speedway two weeks ago, the Auckland, New Zealand, native put together a strong Saturday performance that led to his career-best oval qualifying effort of fifth. Van Gisbergen went on to score points in each stage en route to an 11th-place finish – marking his best result on a half-mile at NASCAR’s highest level. The Trackhouse Racing driver also kickstarted his sophomore campaign with an impressive run in the series’ preseason exhibition race at Bowman Gray Stadium. When precipitation overcame the quarter-mile track, it was Van Gisbergen that capitalized on the wet-weather tires to make a charge from 15th to the top position – going on to lead 15 laps and maintain a running position in the top-five for much of the second-half of the race.

RCR TEAMMATES READY FOR REDEMPTION The circuit’s short tracks have fit right into Austin Dillon’s wheelhouse in recent seasons. In six short track events last season, the Welcome, North Carolina, native collected one victory (Richmond Raceway), along with a pair of top-10 results, one of which came in the spring race at Bristol Motor Speedway. Dillon’s success at the Tennessee half-mile expands across the NASCAR national ranks, with the Richard Childress Racing driver picking up a win in the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series in 2016. Dillon’s teammate, Kyle Busch, also shares a decorated history at Bristol, with the two-time champion leading the series’ active drivers in wins (eight), runner-up finishes (four), top-fives (14) and top-10s (19) at the track.

ALLGAIER AT THE TOP The NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series points leader, Justin Allgaier, further solidified his position at the top of the standings at Rockingham Speedway last weekend – driving his No. 7 JR Motorsports Chevrolet to his fifth-straight top-five finish. The veteran driver has been a points powerhouse already this season – standing tall as the only driver to earn points in every stage thus far. With a culmination of three wins, six top-fives, seven top-10s and 120 stage points earned, Allgaier heads into the Bristol race weekend with a monstrous 126-point lead over the series’ reigning champion, Jesse Love. Allgaier’s tenure with JR Motorsports has produced a strong set of statistics at “The Last Great Colosseum”. In 16 career starts with the organization at the track, he’s earned one trip to victory lane (2023), nine top-fives and 12 top-10s.

DAY DIALING IN CONSISTENCY Corey Day is making a statement early in his NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series rookie campaign. The Clovis, California, turned in a career day at Rockingham Speedway last weekend. In his first appearance at the North Carolina venue, Day drove his No. 17 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet to his first career pole win, a sweep of the stages and a career-high 118 laps led en route to a 10th-place finish. The result marked Day’s seventh-consecutive top-10 finish of the season – a feat that also leads the series. Day was the only driver in the top-10 of the points standings to make a move up the ranks, with the rookie taking over the fifth position heading into the Bristol race weekend.

ECKES EYING OPPORTUNITY With five races in the books, McAnally-Hilgemann Racing’s (MHR) Christian Eckes leads the Bowtie brigade in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series points standings, leaving “The Rock” in the seventh position. Returning to the division full-time this season, Eckes has a new voice from atop the pit box, with the No. 91 team under the leadership of series veteran, Dave Elenz. In the pair’s first race together at Daytona International Speedway, they scored their season-best finish of third, going on to match the result at Darlington Raceway two weeks ago. Finding their rhythm early in the season, they head to a track where Eckes already has a strong notebook with the Chevrolet organization. In his three Bristol starts behind the wheel of a MHR-prepared Chevrolet, Eckes has finished no worse than fourth, including a trip to victory lane (Mar. 2024). He’s also scored third-place or higher points in every stage and accumulated 294 laps led.

BOWTIE BULLETS:·        Chevrolet will serve as the official pace vehicle for the tripleheader weekend at Bristol Motor Speedway, with the Corvette Stingray pacing the NASCAR Cup and O’Reilly Auto Parts Series and the Silverado RST pacing the Craftsman Truck Series.   ·        Active Chevrolet drivers with a NASCAR Cup Series win at Bristol Motor Speedway: Kyle Busch: Eight wins (2019, ’18, ’17, ’11, ’10, ’09 sweep, ’07)Kyle Larson: Three wins (2025, 2024, ’21)  ·        Chevrolet is the winningest manufacturer in both of NASCAR’s top-two divisions at Bristol Motor Speedway, heading into the weekend with 48 Cup Series wins and 38 O’Reilly Auto Parts Series wins.  ·        With seven-straight victories to start the 2026 NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series season, Chevrolet set the record for the longest season-opening streak by a single manufacturer in the division’s history.   ·        In 151 points-paying races in the NASCAR Cup Series Next Gen era, Chevrolet leads all manufacturers with 68 victories – a winning percentage of 45%. ·        Chevrolet is coming off its 29th all-time sweep of the NASCAR Cup Series championship titles – capturing its 34th driver championship and 44th, and fifth consecutive, manufacturer championship in 2025.  ·        With its 44 NASCAR Cup Series manufacturer championships, 34 NASCAR Cup Series driver championships, and 882 all-time NASCAR Cup Series wins, Chevrolet continues to hold the title as the winningest brand in NASCAR Cup Series history.

TUNE-IN:NASCAR Cup Series Food City 500Sunday, Apr. 12, at 3 p.m. ETFS1, PRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90  NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts SeriesSuburban Propane 300Saturday, Apr. 11, at 7:30 p.m. ETCW, PRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90  NASCAR Craftsman Truck SeriesTennessee Army National Guard 250Friday, Apr. 10, at 7:30 p.m. ETFS1, NASCAR Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90

QUOTABLE QUOTES:Ross Chastain, No. 1 Trackhouse Racing ChevroletWhat do you like about Bristol?“I love racing at Bristol which is why I always try and run more than one series there. It’s so fun to be on the track which is kind of down in a bowl with all of the fans right next to you. The atmosphere at Bristol is just so cool. Walking across the track down into the infield at the crossover gate is a neat experience. You get to feel how steep the banking is.” A little different paint scheme this weekend?“Yeah, I’m looking forward to getting back into the car after a weekend off. It was nice to have a few days to myself but I’m happy to be getting back to the track. Busch Light always does such a great job with the specialty schemes. I’m pumped to drive the Busch Light fishing car this weekend. The fans always love the specialty schemes and they’re very vocal about their thoughts which is always fun. It would look even better in victory lane at Bristol.”   Austin Dillon, No. 3 Richard Childress Racing ChevroletWhat does Bristol mean to you?“When you come to Bristol, this place is like one of the eight wonders of the world. You walk in and it’s like a gladiator dome. It’s always a privilege to come race here and be a part of the big races that they’ve had here. Got to drive up to victory lane once, and we’d like to do it again this weekend.” What is your favorite RCR win at Bristol Motor Speedway? “Hard to choose, but my NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series win at Bristol Motor Speedway was pretty special to me, personally.”  What is your favorite Bass Pro Shops paint scheme? “Oh man, it’s hard to choose a favorite Bass Pro Shops paint scheme. We’ve had so many patriotic paint schemes, and those ones mean a lot. I love the Bass Pro Shops/Winchester Long Beard XR paint scheme that we are running this year, too.”    Daniel Suarez, No. 7 Spire Motorsports ChevroletThis is your first double header with Spire Motorsports. How are you feeling about being back in a truck?“I’m really excited to get back to the CRAFTSMAN Truck Series—it’s been a few years. The last race I ran was the dirt race about five years ago, so it’s been a long time since I’ve competed on an oval. Honestly, the last time I did a true oval race was back in 2016, so this is definitely something I’ve been looking forward to. It’s also been nearly a year since I’ve been in a truck, so I’m excited to get back behind the wheel in the No. 71 Freeway Insurance Silverado RST. The last time I worked with this team and Bono, we were able to win a race, so hopefully we can have some fun first and, with a little luck, bring home another trophy.” Since 2014, winners at Bristol are awarded a sword, what would it mean to you to win this iconic trophy?“It would be incredible to win the ceremonial Gladiator sword trophy—having one of my own would feel truly special. The level of detail in the design is amazing, and I’d love the opportunity to sit down with the person who created it and learn more about their process.”   Kyle Busch, No. 8 Richard Childress Racing ChevroletThe track is a little bit Dr. Jekyll, being the normal, and Mr. Hyde, being the crazy with the tire wear. Which do you prefer?  “I don’t mind the crazy. I feel like it lends itself into some unexpected results or things that may happen out of the ordinary. Guys that get flat tires because they chew up their tires quicker than others don’t benefit well from those races, so it can lend itself a little bit to guys that know what they are doing.”  What makes Bristol so special for you? “I always love going there, it’s one of my favorite places to race. I grew up racing on the local short tracks across the country and racing in the tight confines of Bristol reminds me of my earlier days racing late models. There’s always action going from the bottom to the middle and the top of the racetrack. 500 laps at Bristol seems like a long time, but it goes by really fast. It’s a fun place to race.”    Ty Dillon, No. 10 Kaulig Racing ChevroletHow important is Bristol to you?“I think anyone who says they are a NASCAR fan likes Bristol. I’ve loved the place since I was a kid, and I’ve loved racing there in the truck and (now O’Reilly Auto Parts Series). When I was a kid going there, for the longest time I thought that Food City store logo with the blue square and red FC was the Bristol logo!” What makes Bristol special to you?“Being at Bristol is a special tradition for our family. This is like a home race for us. This is one of the ones that always means so much. Just the tradition of NASCAR, you feel it so strongly when you come here to Bristol. It’s good to have a partner in Ohio Logistics join us in Bristol this weekend. They were on our car in Mexico last year. They are going to see something really cool this weekend.”   AJ Allmendinger, No. 16 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet“Bristol will always kind of be good memories of our past there between the exciting finish of the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts race and obviously getting the (NASCAR Cup Series) pole last year was really special and cool for Kaulig Racing. It’s tricky with the last couple years, depending on what tire they bring and whether it’s tire conservation or kind of a flat-out race. So that’s something that we don’t really know until you get there. And even through practice, sometimes you don’t realize it, so very tricky, but it’s one of those places that I still drive into and kind of get a little bit of chills and goosebumps just knowing what that place is. Probably the most physical racetrack for me. So, you know, we’ve had success there. We’re definitely searching right now, trying to figure out what we need to do to be better, so hopefully it’s a racetrack that we can kind of get some momentum back. I think it’s good for the off week to have everybody reset and kind of go a different direction and figure out what we need to do to be better with whatever package that they bring. But overall, it’s going to be a tough race, physically and mentally, and hopefully we can go out there and have a good practice and qualifying. Track position is always critical there, especially early in the race and not going a lap down. So yeah, we’ll just go there and see what we got and give it our best.”   Cole Custer, No. 41 Haas Factory Team Chevrolet“Bristol is always a race I think all of us look forward to, with it being the Last Great Coliseum and being the crazy, wild place that it is with all of the banking and the huge grandstands. We will be beating and banging all night, so it is definitely a place everyone looks forward to and a place where everybody looks forward to try and win it. We are going to go out there and give HaasTooling.com and Gene the best chance that we can.”   Ricky Stenhouse Jr., No. 47 Hyak Motorsports Chevrolet“Bristol is one of my favorite tracks of the season, so it’s always exciting to get there. Having NOS Energy Drink back on the No. 47 this weekend makes it even better. Bristol is such a fast, intense place where things happen quick, so qualifying well and staying up front is really important. Our team has been working hard in the shop, and I think we’ll have a good shot to put together a strong weekend.”   Cody Ware, No. 51 Rick Ware Racing Chevrolet“Bristol is 500 laps of chaos no matter if it’s on a sunny afternoon in April or under the lights on a Saturday night in September. To be able to walk out of Bristol with a good result is always very rewarding, because you know how hard it is to achieve. Even though the distance at Bristol is not very long – a little more than 266 miles – 500 laps there is a long time. The mental endurance it takes run at 110 percent and be on you’re A-game from start to finish is key. You have to be laser-focused on hitting your marks, but also ready to adapt. Bristol is not like a traditional short track where the bottom lane is dominant throughout the race. You’re going to see people racing the middle line and the high line, and the track conditions are going to play a big part in that. You need to be on the wheel and stay ahead of those changing track conditions, and really pay attention to tire wear and what you’re feeling during the course of a run.”   Michael McDowell, No. 71 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet“Bristol is all about intensity, and it’s a place where I’ve had some good success recently with a couple of near top-10 finishes in the NextGen car. We had a few issues there last spring, but we have addressed them and feel good about those changes. We knew what needed to be fixed, and that gives me a lot of confidence going back. Spire had a ton of speed in the first Bristol race last year, so we have a strong notebook and feel like contenders. Bristol has a special energy, and I always tell fans that if they’ve never been to a race, or never been to Bristol, it’s a must. It’s one of the coolest events you can experience as both a fan and a driver. It’s a place that has been pretty good to me over the last few years, so it’s definitely a track we’ve circled to go back and capitalize on.”    Carson Hocevar, No. 77 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet You have been fast at Bristol, but the finishes don’t reflect that. How do you remain optimistic?“We’ve been fast at Bristol ever since my first Cup race there in 2023. We have just been very successful there. I really enjoy running there, and it is one of Luke’s (Lambert) favorite tracks. He has a lot of experience there and won races at every level. We are close, we just need everything to come together.” What about Bristol fits your driving style?“Bristol is super-fast and I think that suits me. You carry a lot of speed around there and you have to make decisions very quickly and pick between the top and bottom lanes depending on where the lap traffic is. It is almost like running on a dirt track.”   Connor Zilisch, No. 88 Trackhouse Racing ChevroletThis will be your first race at Bristol in the Cup car…“I really appreciate the support from everyone at Roto-Rooter and it’s so cool they are the primary sponsor for both the Cup and O’Reilly Series cars this weekend. Bristol is crazy. It’s one of those tracks that sometimes you forget which end of the track that you’re on. When you’re going around there so fast time flies and the laps fly by quickly. Everything happens really fast at Bristol. Bristol is a really cool track to go to. The entire facility is one of a kind and I’m excited for my first Cup race there. We finished top-five there in the O’Reilly race last fall. We had a really good day, won a stage, and led a lot of laps but ended up getting caught up in some late race strategy that took us out of contention for the win.” Do you have to remind yourself to breathe at Bristol?“You do have to voluntarily remember to breathe and keep yourself cool. Drivers always talk about this is the track where your heartrate gets the highest and it’s definitely the most intense racetrack that we go to because you don’t have time to relax. It’s not like you’re going to Las Vegas where the corners are really intense but then you have 10 seconds to relax down the straightaways. Bristol is very intense in the corners and you don’t have a lot of time to relax out of them.” How challenging is the communication between the crew chief and spotter at Bristol?“As long as you can multi-task a little bit and listen while you’re in the middle of the corner, it’s all right. Bristol is certainly one of those tracks where you have to multi-task and listen to your spotter give you advice while you’re in the middle of the corner. That’s just kind of the way it is. I’m curious to see what it’s like to go around there for 500 laps. I haven’t gone that far before so I’m excited for that challenge.” Did the off weekend come at a good time for you and the race team?“It was a little early. I would have liked a couple more weeks to continue to build on what we were doing but a weekend off is always a good way to completely reset your body and your mind. It’s always good to have a week off.”   Shane van Gisbergen, No. 97 Trackhouse Racing ChevroletThoughts on racing at Bristol Motor Speedway?“It’s pretty amazing. It’s such a unique place to race. It’s a really tough track for me, but I need to get better at it. I felt like I was reasonably competitive last time we ran there but just got on the wrong side of how the tires fell off. Hopefully I’ll have some progression this time around.” Do you find that you have more confidence on certain types of oval tracks?“On the shorter tracks, yeah I feel a bit more confident. You feel on top of the car, and I feel like I can drive it. Still on the bigger tracks, it’s always nerve-racking, I guess. Like the Vegas and Texas tracks, they are the tougher ones for me. In general, the more I go to them, the more comfortable I seem to get.”

Chevrolet NASCAR Cup Series StatisticsManufacturer Championships:Total (1949-2025): 44First title for Chevrolet: 1958Highest number of consecutive titles: 13 (2003-15)Most recent: 2025 Years Won: 1958, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1993, 1995, 1996, 1998, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025 Driver Championships:Total (1949-2025): 34First Chevrolet champion: Buck Baker (1957)Highest number of consecutive titles: 7 (2005-11)Most recent: Kyle Larson (2025)Driver and Manufacturer Championship Sweeps: 29 Years Won: 1957, 1960, 1961, 1973, 1976, 1977, 1979, 1980, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1990, 1991, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2001, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2020, 2021, 2025 Event Victories:Record for total race wins in single season: 26 (2007)                2026 STATISTICS:                                                                                                    Wins: 1Poles: 1Laps Led: 365Top-Fives: 13Top-10s: 23Stage Wins: 2 CHEVROLET IN NASCAR CUMULATIVE STATISTICS:Total Chevrolet race wins: 882 (1949 to date)Poles won to date: 767Laps led to date: 257,099Top-fives to date: 4,449Top-10s to date: 9,174                                                                                                          Total NASCAR Cup Wins by Corporation, 1949 to Date:                    General Motors: 1,216           Chevrolet: 882           Pontiac: 154           Oldsmobile: 115           Buick: 65            Ford: 848                                                                                             Ford: 748           Mercury: 96           Lincoln: 4            Fiat Chrysler Automobiles: 467           Dodge: 217           Plymouth: 191           Chrysler: 59            Toyota: 208

TEAM CHEVY ADVANCEBristol Motor SpeedwayApril 10-12, 2026

Fresh off its first off-weekend of the season, the NASCAR Cup Series will return to action for 16-straight weeks of competition, with the stretch kicking off Sunday at “The Last Great Colosseum” of Bristol Motor Speedway.

MEDIA RESOURCES: Photo Gallery | Race AdvancesChevrolet Newsroom

Chevrolet is the most recent manufacturer to make a trip to victory lane at NASCAR’s highest level, with Hendrick Motorsports’ Chase Elliott driving the new Camaro ZL1 racecar to its first win of the season at Martinsville Speedway two weeks ago. The Tennessee tripleheader will get underway Friday evening with the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series – an event that will see five Cup Series regulars – Daniel Suarez, Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Kyle Busch, Ross Chastain and Carson Hocevar -back behind the wheel of a Silverado RST. On Saturday, it will be the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series’ turn to hit the high-banked half-mile as Team Chevy looks to build onto its already stout early-season run in the second-level series.

LARSON LOOKS TO DEFEND A trip to Bristol Motor Speedway might just be what Kyle Larson and the No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet team need to get back to victory lane. The Elk Grove, California, native knows his way around the high-banked half-mile – owning a combined five wins across NASCAR’s top-two divisions. His most recent victories came one year ago during the track’s spring date when the reigning champion attempted a tripleheader sweep – an effort that ended with a pair of near dominate triumphs in the Cup and O’Reilly Auto Parts Series events. Since joining Hendrick Motorsports, Larson’s Bristol statistics include three wins, six top-fives and 1,121 laps led. Two of his victories have come in the series’ past three visits to the track, with the triumphs accompanied by a sweep of the stages and over 400 laps led in each race.  Larson will also have the opportunity to defend his crown in the track’s spring race for the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series, with the driver returning to the seat of the No. 88 JR Motorsports Chevrolet for Saturday’s race. This will mark Larson’s third start with the Mardy Lindley-led team this season – a partnership that has already seen a trip to victory lane at Las Vegas Motor Speedway and, most recently, a pole win and a fourth-place finish at Darlington Raceway.

VAN GISBERGEN BUILDING SHORT TRACK CONFIDENCETrackhouse Racing’s Shane van Gisbergen is carrying the confidence of a career-best short-track effort. At Martinsville Speedway two weeks ago, the Auckland, New Zealand, native put together a strong Saturday performance that led to his career-best oval qualifying effort of fifth. Van Gisbergen went on to score points in each stage en route to an 11th-place finish – marking his best result on a half-mile at NASCAR’s highest level. The Trackhouse Racing driver also kickstarted his sophomore campaign with an impressive run in the series’ preseason exhibition race at Bowman Gray Stadium. When precipitation overcame the quarter-mile track, it was Van Gisbergen that capitalized on the wet-weather tires to make a charge from 15th to the top position – going on to lead 15 laps and maintain a running position in the top-five for much of the second-half of the race.

RCR TEAMMATES READY FOR REDEMPTION The circuit’s short tracks have fit right into Austin Dillon’s wheelhouse in recent seasons. In six short track events last season, the Welcome, North Carolina, native collected one victory (Richmond Raceway), along with a pair of top-10 results, one of which came in the spring race at Bristol Motor Speedway. Dillon’s success at the Tennessee half-mile expands across the NASCAR national ranks, with the Richard Childress Racing driver picking up a win in the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series in 2016. Dillon’s teammate, Kyle Busch, also shares a decorated history at Bristol, with the two-time champion leading the series’ active drivers in wins (eight), runner-up finishes (four), top-fives (14) and top-10s (19) at the track.

ALLGAIER AT THE TOP The NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series points leader, Justin Allgaier, further solidified his position at the top of the standings at Rockingham Speedway last weekend – driving his No. 7 JR Motorsports Chevrolet to his fifth-straight top-five finish. The veteran driver has been a points powerhouse already this season – standing tall as the only driver to earn points in every stage thus far. With a culmination of three wins, six top-fives, seven top-10s and 120 stage points earned, Allgaier heads into the Bristol race weekend with a monstrous 126-point lead over the series’ reigning champion, Jesse Love. Allgaier’s tenure with JR Motorsports has produced a strong set of statistics at “The Last Great Colosseum”. In 16 career starts with the organization at the track, he’s earned one trip to victory lane (2023), nine top-fives and 12 top-10s.

DAY DIALING IN CONSISTENCY Corey Day is making a statement early in his NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series rookie campaign. The Clovis, California, turned in a career day at Rockingham Speedway last weekend. In his first appearance at the North Carolina venue, Day drove his No. 17 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet to his first career pole win, a sweep of the stages and a career-high 118 laps led en route to a 10th-place finish. The result marked Day’s seventh-consecutive top-10 finish of the season – a feat that also leads the series. Day was the only driver in the top-10 of the points standings to make a move up the ranks, with the rookie taking over the fifth position heading into the Bristol race weekend.

ECKES EYING OPPORTUNITY With five races in the books, McAnally-Hilgemann Racing’s (MHR) Christian Eckes leads the Bowtie brigade in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series points standings, leaving “The Rock” in the seventh position. Returning to the division full-time this season, Eckes has a new voice from atop the pit box, with the No. 91 team under the leadership of series veteran, Dave Elenz. In the pair’s first race together at Daytona International Speedway, they scored their season-best finish of third, going on to match the result at Darlington Raceway two weeks ago. Finding their rhythm early in the season, they head to a track where Eckes already has a strong notebook with the Chevrolet organization. In his three Bristol starts behind the wheel of a MHR-prepared Chevrolet, Eckes has finished no worse than fourth, including a trip to victory lane (Mar. 2024). He’s also scored third-place or higher points in every stage and accumulated 294 laps led.

BOWTIE BULLETS:·        Chevrolet will serve as the official pace vehicle for the tripleheader weekend at Bristol Motor Speedway, with the Corvette Stingray pacing the NASCAR Cup and O’Reilly Auto Parts Series and the Silverado RST pacing the Craftsman Truck Series.   ·        Active Chevrolet drivers with a NASCAR Cup Series win at Bristol Motor Speedway: Kyle Busch: Eight wins (2019, ’18, ’17, ’11, ’10, ’09 sweep, ’07)Kyle Larson: Three wins (2025, 2024, ’21)  ·        Chevrolet is the winningest manufacturer in both of NASCAR’s top-two divisions at Bristol Motor Speedway, heading into the weekend with 48 Cup Series wins and 38 O’Reilly Auto Parts Series wins.  ·        With seven-straight victories to start the 2026 NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series season, Chevrolet set the record for the longest season-opening streak by a single manufacturer in the division’s history.   ·        In 151 points-paying races in the NASCAR Cup Series Next Gen era, Chevrolet leads all manufacturers with 68 victories – a winning percentage of 45%. ·        Chevrolet is coming off its 29th all-time sweep of the NASCAR Cup Series championship titles – capturing its 34th driver championship and 44th, and fifth consecutive, manufacturer championship in 2025.  ·        With its 44 NASCAR Cup Series manufacturer championships, 34 NASCAR Cup Series driver championships, and 882 all-time NASCAR Cup Series wins, Chevrolet continues to hold the title as the winningest brand in NASCAR Cup Series history.

TUNE-IN:NASCAR Cup Series Food City 500Sunday, Apr. 12, at 3 p.m. ETFS1, PRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90  NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts SeriesSuburban Propane 300Saturday, Apr. 11, at 7:30 p.m. ETCW, PRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90  NASCAR Craftsman Truck SeriesTennessee Army National Guard 250Friday, Apr. 10, at 7:30 p.m. ETFS1, NASCAR Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90

QUOTABLE QUOTES:Ross Chastain, No. 1 Trackhouse Racing ChevroletWhat do you like about Bristol?“I love racing at Bristol which is why I always try and run more than one series there. It’s so fun to be on the track which is kind of down in a bowl with all of the fans right next to you. The atmosphere at Bristol is just so cool. Walking across the track down into the infield at the crossover gate is a neat experience. You get to feel how steep the banking is.” A little different paint scheme this weekend?“Yeah, I’m looking forward to getting back into the car after a weekend off. It was nice to have a few days to myself but I’m happy to be getting back to the track. Busch Light always does such a great job with the specialty schemes. I’m pumped to drive the Busch Light fishing car this weekend. The fans always love the specialty schemes and they’re very vocal about their thoughts which is always fun. It would look even better in victory lane at Bristol.”   Austin Dillon, No. 3 Richard Childress Racing ChevroletWhat does Bristol mean to you?“When you come to Bristol, this place is like one of the eight wonders of the world. You walk in and it’s like a gladiator dome. It’s always a privilege to come race here and be a part of the big races that they’ve had here. Got to drive up to victory lane once, and we’d like to do it again this weekend.” What is your favorite RCR win at Bristol Motor Speedway? “Hard to choose, but my NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series win at Bristol Motor Speedway was pretty special to me, personally.”  What is your favorite Bass Pro Shops paint scheme? “Oh man, it’s hard to choose a favorite Bass Pro Shops paint scheme. We’ve had so many patriotic paint schemes, and those ones mean a lot. I love the Bass Pro Shops/Winchester Long Beard XR paint scheme that we are running this year, too.”    Daniel Suarez, No. 7 Spire Motorsports ChevroletThis is your first double header with Spire Motorsports. How are you feeling about being back in a truck?“I’m really excited to get back to the CRAFTSMAN Truck Series—it’s been a few years. The last race I ran was the dirt race about five years ago, so it’s been a long time since I’ve competed on an oval. Honestly, the last time I did a true oval race was back in 2016, so this is definitely something I’ve been looking forward to. It’s also been nearly a year since I’ve been in a truck, so I’m excited to get back behind the wheel in the No. 71 Freeway Insurance Silverado RST. The last time I worked with this team and Bono, we were able to win a race, so hopefully we can have some fun first and, with a little luck, bring home another trophy.” Since 2014, winners at Bristol are awarded a sword, what would it mean to you to win this iconic trophy?“It would be incredible to win the ceremonial Gladiator sword trophy—having one of my own would feel truly special. The level of detail in the design is amazing, and I’d love the opportunity to sit down with the person who created it and learn more about their process.”   Kyle Busch, No. 8 Richard Childress Racing ChevroletThe track is a little bit Dr. Jekyll, being the normal, and Mr. Hyde, being the crazy with the tire wear. Which do you prefer?  “I don’t mind the crazy. I feel like it lends itself into some unexpected results or things that may happen out of the ordinary. Guys that get flat tires because they chew up their tires quicker than others don’t benefit well from those races, so it can lend itself a little bit to guys that know what they are doing.”  What makes Bristol so special for you? “I always love going there, it’s one of my favorite places to race. I grew up racing on the local short tracks across the country and racing in the tight confines of Bristol reminds me of my earlier days racing late models. There’s always action going from the bottom to the middle and the top of the racetrack. 500 laps at Bristol seems like a long time, but it goes by really fast. It’s a fun place to race.”    Ty Dillon, No. 10 Kaulig Racing ChevroletHow important is Bristol to you?“I think anyone who says they are a NASCAR fan likes Bristol. I’ve loved the place since I was a kid, and I’ve loved racing there in the truck and (now O’Reilly Auto Parts Series). When I was a kid going there, for the longest time I thought that Food City store logo with the blue square and red FC was the Bristol logo!” What makes Bristol special to you?“Being at Bristol is a special tradition for our family. This is like a home race for us. This is one of the ones that always means so much. Just the tradition of NASCAR, you feel it so strongly when you come here to Bristol. It’s good to have a partner in Ohio Logistics join us in Bristol this weekend. They were on our car in Mexico last year. They are going to see something really cool this weekend.”   AJ Allmendinger, No. 16 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet“Bristol will always kind of be good memories of our past there between the exciting finish of the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts race and obviously getting the (NASCAR Cup Series) pole last year was really special and cool for Kaulig Racing. It’s tricky with the last couple years, depending on what tire they bring and whether it’s tire conservation or kind of a flat-out race. So that’s something that we don’t really know until you get there. And even through practice, sometimes you don’t realize it, so very tricky, but it’s one of those places that I still drive into and kind of get a little bit of chills and goosebumps just knowing what that place is. Probably the most physical racetrack for me. So, you know, we’ve had success there. We’re definitely searching right now, trying to figure out what we need to do to be better, so hopefully it’s a racetrack that we can kind of get some momentum back. I think it’s good for the off week to have everybody reset and kind of go a different direction and figure out what we need to do to be better with whatever package that they bring. But overall, it’s going to be a tough race, physically and mentally, and hopefully we can go out there and have a good practice and qualifying. Track position is always critical there, especially early in the race and not going a lap down. So yeah, we’ll just go there and see what we got and give it our best.”   Cole Custer, No. 41 Haas Factory Team Chevrolet“Bristol is always a race I think all of us look forward to, with it being the Last Great Coliseum and being the crazy, wild place that it is with all of the banking and the huge grandstands. We will be beating and banging all night, so it is definitely a place everyone looks forward to and a place where everybody looks forward to try and win it. We are going to go out there and give HaasTooling.com and Gene the best chance that we can.”   Ricky Stenhouse Jr., No. 47 Hyak Motorsports Chevrolet“Bristol is one of my favorite tracks of the season, so it’s always exciting to get there. Having NOS Energy Drink back on the No. 47 this weekend makes it even better. Bristol is such a fast, intense place where things happen quick, so qualifying well and staying up front is really important. Our team has been working hard in the shop, and I think we’ll have a good shot to put together a strong weekend.”   Cody Ware, No. 51 Rick Ware Racing Chevrolet“Bristol is 500 laps of chaos no matter if it’s on a sunny afternoon in April or under the lights on a Saturday night in September. To be able to walk out of Bristol with a good result is always very rewarding, because you know how hard it is to achieve. Even though the distance at Bristol is not very long – a little more than 266 miles – 500 laps there is a long time. The mental endurance it takes run at 110 percent and be on you’re A-game from start to finish is key. You have to be laser-focused on hitting your marks, but also ready to adapt. Bristol is not like a traditional short track where the bottom lane is dominant throughout the race. You’re going to see people racing the middle line and the high line, and the track conditions are going to play a big part in that. You need to be on the wheel and stay ahead of those changing track conditions, and really pay attention to tire wear and what you’re feeling during the course of a run.”   Michael McDowell, No. 71 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet“Bristol is all about intensity, and it’s a place where I’ve had some good success recently with a couple of near top-10 finishes in the NextGen car. We had a few issues there last spring, but we have addressed them and feel good about those changes. We knew what needed to be fixed, and that gives me a lot of confidence going back. Spire had a ton of speed in the first Bristol race last year, so we have a strong notebook and feel like contenders. Bristol has a special energy, and I always tell fans that if they’ve never been to a race, or never been to Bristol, it’s a must. It’s one of the coolest events you can experience as both a fan and a driver. It’s a place that has been pretty good to me over the last few years, so it’s definitely a track we’ve circled to go back and capitalize on.”    Carson Hocevar, No. 77 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet You have been fast at Bristol, but the finishes don’t reflect that. How do you remain optimistic?“We’ve been fast at Bristol ever since my first Cup race there in 2023. We have just been very successful there. I really enjoy running there, and it is one of Luke’s (Lambert) favorite tracks. He has a lot of experience there and won races at every level. We are close, we just need everything to come together.” What about Bristol fits your driving style?“Bristol is super-fast and I think that suits me. You carry a lot of speed around there and you have to make decisions very quickly and pick between the top and bottom lanes depending on where the lap traffic is. It is almost like running on a dirt track.”   Connor Zilisch, No. 88 Trackhouse Racing ChevroletThis will be your first race at Bristol in the Cup car…“I really appreciate the support from everyone at Roto-Rooter and it’s so cool they are the primary sponsor for both the Cup and O’Reilly Series cars this weekend. Bristol is crazy. It’s one of those tracks that sometimes you forget which end of the track that you’re on. When you’re going around there so fast time flies and the laps fly by quickly. Everything happens really fast at Bristol. Bristol is a really cool track to go to. The entire facility is one of a kind and I’m excited for my first Cup race there. We finished top-five there in the O’Reilly race last fall. We had a really good day, won a stage, and led a lot of laps but ended up getting caught up in some late race strategy that took us out of contention for the win.” Do you have to remind yourself to breathe at Bristol?“You do have to voluntarily remember to breathe and keep yourself cool. Drivers always talk about this is the track where your heartrate gets the highest and it’s definitely the most intense racetrack that we go to because you don’t have time to relax. It’s not like you’re going to Las Vegas where the corners are really intense but then you have 10 seconds to relax down the straightaways. Bristol is very intense in the corners and you don’t have a lot of time to relax out of them.” How challenging is the communication between the crew chief and spotter at Bristol?“As long as you can multi-task a little bit and listen while you’re in the middle of the corner, it’s all right. Bristol is certainly one of those tracks where you have to multi-task and listen to your spotter give you advice while you’re in the middle of the corner. That’s just kind of the way it is. I’m curious to see what it’s like to go around there for 500 laps. I haven’t gone that far before so I’m excited for that challenge.” Did the off weekend come at a good time for you and the race team?“It was a little early. I would have liked a couple more weeks to continue to build on what we were doing but a weekend off is always a good way to completely reset your body and your mind. It’s always good to have a week off.”   Shane van Gisbergen, No. 97 Trackhouse Racing ChevroletThoughts on racing at Bristol Motor Speedway?“It’s pretty amazing. It’s such a unique place to race. It’s a really tough track for me, but I need to get better at it. I felt like I was reasonably competitive last time we ran there but just got on the wrong side of how the tires fell off. Hopefully I’ll have some progression this time around.” Do you find that you have more confidence on certain types of oval tracks?“On the shorter tracks, yeah I feel a bit more confident. You feel on top of the car, and I feel like I can drive it. Still on the bigger tracks, it’s always nerve-racking, I guess. Like the Vegas and Texas tracks, they are the tougher ones for me. In general, the more I go to them, the more comfortable I seem to get.”

Chevrolet NASCAR Cup Series StatisticsManufacturer Championships:Total (1949-2025): 44First title for Chevrolet: 1958Highest number of consecutive titles: 13 (2003-15)Most recent: 2025 Years Won: 1958, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1993, 1995, 1996, 1998, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025 Driver Championships:Total (1949-2025): 34First Chevrolet champion: Buck Baker (1957)Highest number of consecutive titles: 7 (2005-11)Most recent: Kyle Larson (2025)Driver and Manufacturer Championship Sweeps: 29 Years Won: 1957, 1960, 1961, 1973, 1976, 1977, 1979, 1980, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1990, 1991, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2001, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2020, 2021, 2025 Event Victories:Record for total race wins in single season: 26 (2007)                2026 STATISTICS:                                                                                                    Wins: 1Poles: 1Laps Led: 365Top-Fives: 13Top-10s: 23Stage Wins: 2 CHEVROLET IN NASCAR CUMULATIVE STATISTICS:Total Chevrolet race wins: 882 (1949 to date)Poles won to date: 767Laps led to date: 257,099Top-fives to date: 4,449Top-10s to date: 9,174                                                                                                          Total NASCAR Cup Wins by Corporation, 1949 to Date:                    General Motors: 1,216           Chevrolet: 882           Pontiac: 154           Oldsmobile: 115           Buick: 65            Ford: 848                                                                                             Ford: 748           Mercury: 96           Lincoln: 4            Fiat Chrysler Automobiles: 467           Dodge: 217           Plymouth: 191           Chrysler: 59            Toyota: 208

Event: Food City 500Date/Time: Sunday, April 12, 2026, 3 p.m. ETLocation: Bristol Motor Speedway, Bristol, TennesseeLayout: 0.533-Mile OvalTV/Radio: FS1, PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR RadioAfter the Easter break, Josh Berry and the No. 21 Motorcraft/Quick Lane team return to action this weekend at Bristol Motor Speedway, aiming to carry forward the momentum built over the last two NASCAR Cup Series races.Following a challenging stretch after a ninth-place finish in the season-opening Daytona 500, Berry and the Wood Brothers Racing team have shown encouraging progress with their Ford Mustang Dark Horse, recording a 17th-place result at Darlington Raceway and a 10th-place finish at Martinsville Speedway.“I feel pretty good about where we’re at,” Berry said on a teleconference Wednesday. “I think there are a lot of strong tracks for us coming up. We had a solid day at Darlington, a day that we needed, and then had a really good car at Martinsville.“Unfortunately, we just kind of lost some track position here or there to take us out of a top five, but I certainly thought we had top-five pace and ended up 10th there, so I think there are a lot of positives.“We had a nice off weekend and we’re ready to get back to Bristol. We had good cars there last year and hopefully we can keep the train rolling.”Berry enters Sunday’s Food City 500 with a solid baseline at the high-banked, half-mile concrete oval. In last year’s spring race, he finished 12th, while a fire cut short his effort in the September night race.He noted that short tracks continue to be a key area of strength for the Motorcraft/Quick Lane team.“I feel like it’s been good,” he said. “It was a strength of ours last year. It seems like we struggled a little bit more at Phoenix than we expected, but obviously had a really good car at Martinsville.”Despite updates to the rules package since last season, Berry is confident in the team’s preparation as he returns to race in his home state. A native of Hendersonville, Tennessee, Berry will compete roughly 300 miles from home this weekend.“I feel good about everything we’ve been doing this week to prepare for Bristol,” he said. “It’s obviously a little different aero package and horsepower, so there’s going to be some adapting for everybody to that package. Hopefully we can keep the momentum going and have another solid day.”Practice for the Food City 500 is scheduled for Saturday at 4:30 p.m. ET, followed by qualifying at 5:40 p.m. ET, with coverage on Prime Video. Sunday’s 500-lap race is set to take the green flag shortly after 3 p.m. ET on FS1, with Stage 1 concluding at Lap 125 and Stage 2 at Lap 250.Sunday, April 12Josh Berry will sign autographs at the Team Penske/Wood Brothers merchandise hauler beginning at 11:10 a.m. local time in the Bristol Motor Speedway fan zone. 100 wristbands will be distributed on a first come, first-served basis.Josh BerryAge: 35 (Oct. 22, 1990)Hometown: Hendersonville, TennesseeCrew Chief: Miles StanleyIG: @joshberry88X: @joshberryAbout Motorcraft® Motorcraft offers a complete line of replacement parts that are recommended by Ford Motor Company. From routine maintenance to under hood repairs, Motorcraft parts offer value with high quality and the right fit at competitive prices. Motorcraft parts are available nationwide at Ford Dealers and Lincoln Retailers, independent distributors and automotive-parts retailers, and are backed by the Service Parts Limited Warranty* of Ford Motor Company. For more information, visit www.motorcraft.com. *See your dealer for limited-warranty details. About Quick Lane® Tire & Auto Center Quick Lane Tire & Auto Center offers extraordinary service for routine maintenance, serving all vehicle makes and models. Quick Lane provides a full menu of automotive services, including tires, oil change and maintenance, brakes, batteries, alternator and electrical system, air conditioning system, cooling system, transmission service, suspension and steering, wheel alignment, belts and hoses, lamps and bulbs and wiper blades plus a thorough vehicle checkup report. Service is performed by expert technicians while you wait at any of nearly 800 locations in the U.S., with evening and weekend hours available and no appointment necessary. For more information about Quick Lane, please visit www.quicklane.com. *See your dealer for limited-warranty details.