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| Jimmie Johnson is 10/1 to win this week. |
DETROIT – (Sept. 22, 2015) – This weekend at New Hampshire Motor Speedway (NHMS), Chevrolet aims to break a 10-race winless streak dating back to July 5th when Dale Earnhardt, Jr. earned the 749th victory for the Bowtie Brand at Daytona International Speedway.
Chevrolet drivers and teams have been consistent throughout the last 10 races, proven by nine drivers making this season’s Chase for the Sprint Cup Series championship, more than any other manufacturer. Nevertheless, none have hoisted the trophy.
As Chevrolet approaches a milestone win of 750, a number that surpasses any other brand in NASCAR Sprint Cup Series competition, the manufacturer will have to tame the 1.058-mile oval in Loudon, New Hampshire. Chevrolet has 18 wins in 41 races at NHMS, but has not visited Winner’s Circle in the Northeastern state since 2012.
Known as the ‘Magic Mile’, NHMS is all about track position and strategy.
“Loudon is tough just because the track position is so important there,” said defending NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion Kevin Harvick. “It’s really hard to pass. It always seems like there is some kind of crazy strategy that plays out towards the end of the race with fuel mileage or something along those lines of when you pit, when you don’t pit. Restarts play a big factor, but Loudon, there is definitely going to be a lot of strategy involved.”
Loudon will be a key track for Harvick, who earned his first and only win at the track in 2006. In the first round of Chase competition last weekend at Chicagoland Speedway, Harvick experienced a tire failure that resulted in a crash; he needs to find Victory Lane at NHMS to keep his Chase chances alive.
Chevrolet SS Chase contenders Kurt Busch, Jimmie Johnson, Ryan Newman, Dale Earnhardt, Jr., Martin Truex Jr., Jamie McMurray, and Paul Menard will also be looking for Victory Lane. A win would ensure a place in the second or ‘Contender’ round of the Chase, but consistency in the first three races before the cutoff could lead to advancement as well.
Three-time NHMS winner and championship hopeful, Jeff Gordon, will reach yet another career milestone this weekend. Gordon will become NASCAR’s ‘Iron Man’ by competing in 789 consecutive races. The four-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion has not missed a race since he made his series debut at Atlanta Motor Speedway in 1992. Winless thus far in 2015, Gordon is hungry to get a win to advance in the Chase and put a stamp on his final season as a full-time driver in the Sprint Cup Series.
Tension will be high on the narrow, one-groove, one-mile track on Sunday; and when the checkered flag flies at NHMS, the Chase grid will once again be shaken as the focus turns to Dover International Speedway – the first cutoff race in Chase competition this season.
The 300-lap/317.4-mile Sylvania 300 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway is scheduled to begin at 2:00 p.m. ET on Sunday September 27. Live coverage will be available on NBC Sports Network (NBCSN), PRN, Sirius NASCAR Radio Channel 90 and NASCAR.com.
TEAM CHEVY IN NASCAR SPRINT CUP SERIES (NSCS) COMPETITION:
Chevrolet has won 38 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series (NSCS) Manufacturers’ Championships
Team Chevy drivers have scored 749 wins and 676 poles in NSCS competition
CHEVROLET ON THE TRACK—NEW HAMPSHIRE MOTOR SPEEDWAY:
Chevrolet drivers have won 18 of 41 races at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. Victories by current Team Chevy drivers are:
Kurt Busch, No. 41 Haas Automation Chevrolet SS, has visited Victory Lane at New Hampshire Motor Speedway three times (’04 – TWICE & ’08)
Jeff Gordon, No. 24 Drive To End Hunger Chevrolet SS, has three wins at New Hampshire Motor Speedway (’95, ’97 & ‘98)
Jimmie Johnson, No. 48 Lowe’s Pro Services Chevrolet SS, has collected three trophies from New Hampshire Motor Speedway (’03 – TWICE &’10)
Ryan Newman, No. 31 Caterpillar Chevrolet SS, has three victories at New Hampshire Motor Speedway (’02, ’05 & ’11)
Tony Stewart, No. 14 Code 3 Associates/Mobil 1 Chevrolet SS, has three wins at New Hampshire Motor Speedway (’00, ’05 & ‘11)
Kevin Harvick, No. 4 Ditech Chevrolet SS, has one win at New Hampshire Motor Speedway (’06)
Kasey Kahne, No. 5 Farmers Insurance Chevrolet SS, has visited Victory Lane at New Hampshire Motor Speedway once (’12)
A Chevrolet driver has won one of the last seven races at New Hampshire Motor Speedway
A Chevrolet driver has sat on the pole at New Hampshire Motor Speedway 17 times
Team Chevy drivers have scored 93 top-five and 170 top-10 finishes at New Hampshire Motor Speedway
A Chevrolet has led 5,762 laps (47.3% of possible 12,159 laps) at New Hampshire Motor Speedway
DID YOU KNOW? Building on the performance-oriented updates made to the Chevrolet SS last year, the 2016 model features several exterior enhancements that reinforce its presence on the road. A revised front fascia features new, vertical ducts at the outer edges to direct airflow over the front wheel openings to improve aerodynamic efficiency. The fascia also incorporates new LED signature lighting, while new, functional hood vents and new-design 19-inch cast-aluminum wheels contribute to a stronger appearance for the rear-drive sports sedan.
ENGINEER EXPERTISE FROM THE GARAGE AREA – ALBA COLON, CHEVROLET RACING PROGRAM MANAGER – NASCAR SPRINT CUP SERIES:
“As we enter the second race of the Chase, Team Chevy drivers are getting ready to visit New Hampshire Motor Speedway. We are well represented by our nine contenders and none of them are letting their guard down. We are all working very diligently to ensure that Team Chevy is battling for the 2015 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Championship at the season finale in Homestead, FL. Our goals are very clear – to retain, at home, the Drivers’ and Manufacturers’ Championship.
“New Hampshire Motor Speedway is a very hard track to pass and gain positions. The key is to be up front. More than any other race, it is extremely important to qualify well and to have flawless pit stops. There is no other track like this one on the circuit; and we love racing here. This track commands a great handling car. To be successful in this race requires cars with great cornering abilities for a short track, combined with the aero characteristics necessary for an intermediate track. To find the right balance is part of the winning strategy.
“The racing will be exciting, for sure; and Team Chevy is looking forward to making a visit to the Winner’s Circle at New Hampshire on Sunday evening.”
TEAM CHEVY FROM THE DRIVER’S SEAT:
KURT BUSCH, NO. 41 HAAS AUTOMATION CHEVROLET SS – 5TH IN STANDINGS
“New Hampshire is a track that has been pretty good to me since I started racing in the top series of this sport. I raced there for the first time in the Truck Series and won that race. Then it’s a track where I have three wins in the Cup cars and, when you’re able to go to a track where you’ve had that kind of success, it just gives you that confidence. Because of the wins and everything, it’s a place we go to where I feel like I especially know what it takes from the car and the driver to be successful.”
JIMMIE JOHNSON, NO. 48 LOWE’S PRO SERVICES CHEVROLET SS – 7TH IN STANDINGS
“New Hampshire is a scrappy track – it’s tough. We qualified well last time out but didn’t have the finish we needed. As you can tell, the Chase is going to be intense, and drivers are going to be fighting for every inch on the racetrack. Dover is a cut off so everyone is going to be going for it with two races to go.”
RYAN NEWMAN, NO. 31 CATERPILLAR CHEVROLET SS – 8TH IN STANDINGS
“Loudon is flat and requires a lot of finesse. You have to qualify well there. It’s difficult to pass, especially when you are dealing with 15 people who do not want to let you go. So if you are that 16th qualifier of the Chase contenders, you have a lot of work to do. Qualifying in front of a lot of different people is important, and having good pit stops. At Loudon, we are only looking at three or four opportunities to come down pit road. Because of that, you have to be buttoned up before you even get started. Good news is, statistically, Loudon is one of my best tracks and it’s nice to know that I have wins at all three races in the Challenger Round.”
DALE EARNHARDT, JR., NO. 88 NATIONWIDE CHEVROLET SS – 10TH IN STANDINGS
“We’ve got a pretty good track record at New Hampshire. I think we’ve gotten top 10s in the last four races there, and hopefully the guys have worked on some things to improve and we’ve got a competitive car going into this week. It’s a very flat track – the corners are flat and there’s not a lot of banking to lean on, so the car gets a little loose on entry and tight in the center. It’s really hard to get a car to get around there exactly like you want. You’re never extremely thrilled or happy with the way the car runs. There’s always something that it needs to do better, even when the car is really fast. Your line can’t vary but maybe half a foot or a foot each lap. You have this very small groove to race in, there are seams on the track that the tires do not like to touch, and you have to run in this little alley all day long, so it’s a bit of a challenge, but a fun one.”
MARTIN TRUEX, JR., NO. 78 FURNITURE ROW/VISSER PRECISION CHEVROLET SS – 11TH IN STANDINGS
“New Hampshire has been a difficult track for me the past couple of years. But we learned a ton the first time there this year. We went there with a completely different mindset. We came up with a new setup package and it worked really well for us. We had a fast car all weekend long. We qualified well and raced well. We didn’t get the finish (12th) we had hoped for because of an untimely caution after a green flag pit stop. That put us a lap down and we had to battle back through the field. Had a great race car, had a different package and something that I think we can fine tune and find more speed. Then it’s all about putting yourself in the right position. Just have to watch out for the land mines or something that could catch you off guard. Regarding the Chase opener in Chicagoland, we were disappointed finishing 13th. We had a much better car –ran in the top 10 all day. The last restart we got bottled up in traffic and shuffled back.”
JEFF GORDON, NO. 24 DRIVE TO END HUNGER CHEVROLET SS – 12TH IN STANDINGS
“When I think of things I’ve accomplished in NASCAR, the Iron Man record is one I think ‘…damn, that’s a tough thing to do,’ especially when you see what happened to Kyle (Busch) or Denny (Hamlin) or Tony (Stewart). It could be an illness or a broken bone or an accident or a lot of things that can easily take you out of one race.
“Since I was five years old, I have missed only one race that I was scheduled to do and that was because of poison ivy.”
JAMIE MCMURRAY, NO. 1 FLIRR CHEVROLET SS – 13TH IN STANDINGS
“We had a really good car at the first race in Loudon, just not the result to show for it. We ran up front most of the day. I just missed a shift on a late restart and hurt the engine. Hopefully we can repeat the strong run and cap it off with a deserving finish. Loudon is a tough place to pass and no matter how fast you are, it seems like the car doesn’t handle well. We have been good on the short-tracks and I’m confident heading to New Hampshire this week.”
PAUL MENARD, NO. 27 SYLVANIA/MENARDS CHEVROLET SS – 14TH IN STANDINGS
“New Hampshire is always a challenge for us. It’s probably our worst track in the Chase. It’s a one-mile track that races like a short track. It’s flat and hard to pass. We’ve had some decent runs, but it’s usually hit or miss for us. We have yet to find some consistency there. It’s a tough little track to manage your brakes and tires along with keeping the fenders on it. You have to have all three to have a good run.”
KEVIN HARVICK, NO. 4 DITECH CHEVROLET SS – 16TH IN STANDINGS
“Loudon is tough just because the track position is so important there. It’s really hard to pass. It always seems like there is some kind of crazy strategy that plays out towards the end of the race with fuel mileage or something along those lines of when you pit, when you don’t pit. Restarts play a big factor, but Loudon, there is definitely going to be a lot of strategy involved.”
KEITH RODDEN, CREW CHIEF, NO. 5 FARMERS INSURANCE CHEVROLET SS – 18TH IN STANDINGS
“Loudon is a really tough racetrack. It’s hard to call a race there. Tires do matter a little bit. It’s tough to find that balance of track position versus tires and getting your car to handle correctly. The restarts there are crazy. Sometimes the inside lane gets bottled down by the outside lane and everyone gets started bouncing around in Turns 1 and 2. There are a lot of near misses there. That’s tough. The traffic is tough there. It’s a really hard track, but we’ve run really well there in the past and I’m looking forward to getting back and seeing what we can do this time.”
KYLE LARSON, NO. 42 TARGET PLAID CHEVROLET SS – 19TH IN STANDINGS
“Loudon was a track where we had two good finishes last season, but didn’t have a very good race there earlier this year. We’ve been a lot more consistent the last few weeks, so I’m hoping we can get a better finish this time at Loudon. I’m also excited to get out on track in the first of our Target Plaid Chevy’s. We’ll have eight cars in plaid schemes over the next nine races to go along with Target’s plaid take over in store, so it’ll be cool to be a part of what they’re doing in stores. The cars will be plaid, I’ve got plaid suits, and the crew will be wearing plaid too, so we’ll be bringing some style to the track to end the season.”
AUSTIN DILLON, NO. 3 CHEERIOS CHEVROLET SS – 21ST IN STANDINGS
“I really like New Hampshire Motor Speedway. I’ve had a lot of success there in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, NASCAR XFINITY Series and even some really good runs in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, but it’s a place I’ve never been able to win at before. In the July race we ran eighth and it was a really good finish, but I think we can improve on that. It was one of my first few races with Slugger Labbe and now that we have a few more races together, I think we have something to build off of. We’re bringing a fast car and we have nothing to lose.”
DANICA PATRICK, NO. 10 GODADDY CHEVROLET SS – 23RD IN STANDINGS
“It’s flat and tough to get around sometimes. You just have to make sure you get through the corners OK and are able to get on the gas quick on the straightaways. It’s tough but, if you have a good car, you can pass and move up through the field. But it can be challenging if it’s not working in your favor.”
AJ ALLMENDINGER, NO. 47 BUSH’S CHILI BEANS CHEVROLET SS – 24TH IN STANDINGS
“I was able to visit Burlington, Vermont recently to promote the upcoming Sylvania 300 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. It was definitely a blast and I had never been to Vermont. It is a beautiful area. I mean New England, just in general, is a pretty beautiful place. It’s always fun to come up to this region because there’s so much to do whether you’re at the racetrack or away from it. New Hampshire Motor Speedway is definitely one of my most favorite stops on the 2015 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series circuit and we are thankful the fans always come out to the race. We typically run well at Loudon. So, it’s a track we look forward to going to each time. During the July race we were able to stay out to lead some laps and almost get a top-10 out of it. We ended up 13th. Hopefully, we can improve upon that with our No. 47 BUSH’S Chili Beans Chevrolet SS.”
TONY STEWART, NO. 14 CODE 3 ASSOCIATES/MOBIL 1 CHEVROLET SS – 26TH IN STANDINGS
“There’s nothing trick or fancy about it. It’s just a fun track. It just seems like it’s always been a fun driver’s track. Your car has to work well there, but when you get to racing guys – you’re trying to out-brake them, trying to get your car to turn and you struggle for forward bite. It’s just got a little bit of everything the drivers look for to have a good race.”
JUSTIN ALLGAIER, NO. 51 ACCUDOC SOLUTIONS CHEVROLET SS – 30TH IN STANDINGS
“I really like New Hampshire [Motor Speedway] and we had a mechanical issue at the race earlier this year, so I’m looking for some redemption this weekend. It’s a short race compared to most of the races we run. It looks like the weather should be nice and consistent which is helps us a lot on the track. AccuDoc Solutions is on the car this weekend, and I want to get a solid finish for them.”
Chevrolet NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Statistics
Manufacturers Championships
Total (1949 – 2014): 38
First title for Chevrolet: 1958
Highest number of consecutive titles: 12 (2003-2014)
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
Drivers Championships
Total (1949 – 2014): 30
First Chevrolet champion: Buck Baker (1957)
Highest number of consecutive titles: 7 (2005 – ’11)
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
Event Victories
Record for total race wins in single season: 26 – (in 2007)
2015 STATISTICS:
Wins: 11
Poles: 10
Laps led: 3939
Top-five finishes: 73
Top-10 finishes: 152
CHEVROLET IN NASCAR SPRINT CUP CUMULATIVE STATISTICS:
Total Chevrolet race wins: 749 (1949 – to date); (2,438 possible = 30.0%)
Poles Won to Date: 676
Laps Lead to Date: 223,750
Top-Five Finishes to Date: 3,782
Top-10 Finishes to Date: 7,728
Total NASCAR Cup wins by Corporation, 1949 – To-Date
GM: 1,084
Chevrolet: 749
Pontiac: 155
Oldsmobile: 115
Buick: 65
Ford: 736
Ford: 636
Mercury: 96
Lincoln: 4
Chrysler: 466
Dodge: 217
Plymouth: 190
Chrysler: 59
Toyota: 77
About Chevrolet:
Founded in 1911 in Detroit, Chevrolet is now one of the world’s largest car brands, doing business in more than 115 countries and selling around 4.8 million cars and trucks a year. Chevrolet provides customers with fuel-efficient vehicles that feature engaging performance, design that makes the heart beat, passive and active safety features and easy-to-use technology, all at a value. More information on Chevrolet models can be found at www.chevrolet.com.
- Team Chevv
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