FONTANA FACTS: This Sunday’s race at Auto Club Speedway (ACS) marks the first race of the NASCAR Cup Series West Coast swing and driver William Byron’s fifth trip to the 2-mile oval. In fact, in his first three showings, the Charlotte, North Carolina, native finished 15th in all three events. Last year, Byron finished 34th due to an on-track incident on lap 152 but not before finishing both stages in the top 10. On the day, he spent 102 laps within the top five – fifth-most – and led 16 laps before having a flat tire. In fact, Byron has led a lap in all four of his starts at the California track, which is the longest active streak in the field. The 25-year-old also has one NASCAR Xfinity Series start under his belt at Auto Club, in 2017, where he started from the sixth position and crossed the finish line in fifth.
TWO - (THREE) – FOUR: In the Cup Series at ACS, the No. 24 has reached victory lane on three different occasions. Those three wins tie the No. 24 with two other car numbers for the most wins at the California-based track in the Cup Series behind only the No. 48's six wins. Byron hopes to add to that winning tradition with a victory in Sunday’s race.
WEST COAST VIBIN’: During the three-race West Coast swing last year, Byron collected a total of 97 points. That mark was tied with Hendrick Motorsports teammate Chase Elliott for the sixth-most by a driver in those races in 2022.
RUDY RETURNS: When the Cup Series takes to the track this weekend, Sunday will mark crew chief Rudy Fugle’s second race at the Fontana, California, venue at the highest level of competition. In last year’s event, Fugle and the No. 24 team ran consistently within the top 10 before being collected in an on-track incident just past the three-quarter mark of the race. The Livonia, New York, native has three other starts at the 2-mile oval, all coming in the Xfinity Series. In those three starts, Fugle’s best finish came in 2009 with Michael Annett, where the duo scored a sixth-place effort.
RAPTOR® TOUGH: RAPTOR® Tough and Tintable Protective Coatings will appear on Byron’s No. 24 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1. RAPTOR® is a durable protective coating that is designed to tolerate the toughest climatic conditions and can be applied to a wide range of items, including truck beds, lawnmowers, outdoor furniture and more. With 16 pre-mixed colors available, it’s easy to personalize anything you want to protect. RAPTOR® is available at local paint distributors, auto parts stores, and online retailers. For a better look at Byron’s No. 24 RaptorTough.com Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, click here.
RETURNING TO THE ROOTS: Byron was victorious twice at New Smyrna Speedway last week. Driving the No. 24 Super Late Model for Wilson Motorsports, he scored the win in Monday night's World Series of Asphalt race and then won Tuesday night's 100-lapper. With two wins in each of the past two seasons, Byron now has four victories in five starts in the event.
William Byron, driver of the No. 24 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, on his thoughts for this weekend in Auto Club: "Last year’s race I think was the best race I’ve had there in the Cup Series. I know we didn’t finish well, but we were up front all race. Even after having a flat tire while leading, we still had a shot at it. Hopefully, this weekend will be about the same for our team. I know weather will play a factor, though, so we’ll see how that goes. Our plan is to go in and control what we can control. That’s all we can do. I think we showed in Daytona that we’ve made strides as a team, and I think we will do that again in California."
Rudy Fugle, crew chief of the No. 24 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, on why he enjoys racing at Auto Club: "This is the last time we get to race on the big track in Fontana, unless they change their mind on reconfiguring it, which I hope they do. As a crew chief, that track makes the hair on the back of your neck stand up. Seeing them rip the fence with such little grip up there – it’s unnerving. I’m always excited to go there and race. Even in practice, it’s hairy because there tends to be wrecks just because everyone is on such a fine line. I’m really excited to get there and see what we can do."
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