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| Chase Elliott won the first two stages at LVMS spring. |
KEEPIN’ THE STREAK ALIVE: Chase Elliott, driver of the No. 9 NAPA AUTO PARTS Chevrolet, has led laps in the last five NASCAR Cup Series events and is tied with Joey Logano for the longest active streak. In the five-race span that dates back to last season, Elliott has led the most total laps (440) out of all Cup Series drivers and has led the most laps in three of the last five events.
LAS VEGAS STATS: On Sunday, Elliott is set to make his ninth NASCAR Cup Series start at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. In his previous eight starts, he has collected two top-five finishes, three top-10s and led 155 laps. The 25-year-old driver’s 155 laps led at LVMS is the second-most that he has at a track without a points-race win (Bristol – 310).
1.5 MILERS: Elliott will make his 58th start on a 1.5-mile track this Sunday while in Sin City. In his previous 57 races, he has led 742 laps. Last season, he scored his second career 1.5-mile track win at Charlotte Motor Speedway on May 28. Along with two victories, Elliott has collected 18 top-five finishes – five of which are runner-up results – and 29 top-10s on 1.5-milers.
2020 1.5-MILE TRACK STATS: In the 11 1.5-mile races during the 2020 season, Elliott collected one win, three top-three, five top-10s and led 310 laps - the fourth-most laps led of all drivers. The Dawsonville, Georgia, native also garnered the most stage wins (four) on 1.5-mile tracks of all drivers in 2020. Three of those stage wins came at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
THIS RACE LAST SEASON: Last year during the spring race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Elliott started from the 10th position and won stage one and stage two. He led a total of 70 laps before a flat left-rear tire during a green-flag run relegated him to a 26th-place finish.
GUSTAFSON AT LVMS: This weekend, No. 9 team crew chief Alan Gustafson will call his 20th race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway from atop the pit box. In his previous 19 events at the venue, Gustafson has garnered five top-five finishes, eight top-10s and 164 laps led.
COTA TEST: On Tuesday, Elliott and the No. 9 team participated in a one-day tire test at Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas. The test was the first time NASCAR Cup Series cars have been on track at the 20-turn road course.
NAPA KNOW HOW: This weekend at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, the No. 9 Chevrolet will don the familiar blue, white and yellow NAPA AUTO PARTS paint scheme. The Atlanta-based company is serving as majority sponsor for Elliott and the No. 9 team for 25 NASCAR Cup Series races this season.
CHECK OUT THOSE HATS: During the month of March, the No. 9 team will wear special limited-edition NAPA hats at the track. The hats are part of NAPA AUTO PARTS' March in-store promotion. Throughout the month when customers spend $25 in store, they will receive the No. 9 NAPA Racing/Chase Elliott hat while supplies last.
Chase Elliott, driver of the No. 9 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE, on racing at Las Vegas: “I thought we were pretty good at Las Vegas last year in the spring race. We struggled a little bit in the fall, but there are certainly some things we can learn and take from both of those races. I think more importantly, we can take the things we saw at Homestead last Sunday, where we need to improve, and apply those to this weekend.”
Elliott on the team's test this week at Circuit of the Americas: “The track’s been fun. Anytime you go somewhere new is refreshing for race car drivers. I’ve enjoyed the challenge. There’s lots of places on the track (where) I haven’t made a ton of laps, so just really trying to understand: Is this the right way or is this the wrong way? It’s tough because when you’re new and you’re trying to get going, you might hit the first part of the track pretty good, then you might miss two spots back here. Your lap time doesn’t tell the whole story, right? So you really have to piece that together and understand what you think you did good and what you didn’t and then go put the pieces of the puzzle together and try to put the whole thing in the works.”
Alan Gustafson, crew chief of the No. 9 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE, on racing at intermediate tracks: “With this weekend being another race on an intermediate track, I think we learned a lot last week at Homestead. We figured out the areas that we need to improve on and focus on for Las Vegas. We brought pretty strong Chevrolets to the track last year in Vegas so we just have to work hard this week on getting everything right and I think we will be ok.”
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