AUSTIN HILL – TEAM CHEVY PHOTO
Rockingham Speedway April 18-19, 2025
While the NASCAR Cup Series embarks on its only off-weekend of the 2025
season, the Xfinity and Craftsman Truck Series are on the horizon of one
of the most anticipated stops on their respective schedules – the
return to Rockingham Speedway.
The 1.017-mile oval known as “The Rock” has a deep-rooted history
with the sport that dates back to the mid-1960s, with the revival of the
North Carolina venue marking the end of a 12-year hiatus from NASCAR
competition.
Chevrolet at Rockingham Speedway:
Chevrolet is the only manufacturer with a win in all three NASCAR
national series at Rockingham Speedway – accumulating 19 Cup Series
wins, 10 Xfinity Series wins and 2 Truck Series wins throughout the
track’s storied history. NASCAR’s most recent visit to “The
Rock” came in 2012-13 when the North Carolina venue played host for
the Truck Series’ only two appearances at the track. Both events saw a
Chevrolet-powered machine in victory lane with two very familiar faces
behind the wheel – Kyle Larson (2012) and Kasey Kahne (2013). Kahne,
who retired from full-time NASCAR competition in 2018, is NASCAR’s
most recent winner at Rockingham Speedway and is the track’s only past
winner entered in this weekend’s events.
KAHNE SET FOR NASCAR RETURN
For the first time in nearly six years, Kasey Kahne will suit up to get
back behind the wheel of a stock car to pilot a third entry for Richard
Childress Racing in Saturday’s Xfinity Series race. Rockingham
Speedway was the very site where the 45-year-old Enumclaw, Washington,
native made his first career Xfinity Series start and his debut in the
NASCAR national ranks. Kahne quickly moved up into NASCAR’s top
division in 2004 to start what turned into a 15-year career in the
series. Throughout his career, Kahne amassed 18 Cup Series wins, eight
Xfinity Series wins and five Truck Series wins, with his final win in
each series coming in a Chevrolet-powered machine. Among those triumphs
included three Coca-Cola 600 victories, as well as the win in the 2017
Brickyard 400 that marked his final trip to victory lane before retiring
from full-time NASCAR competition.
LARSON’S FIRST
Kyle Larson made his debut in the NASCAR national ranks with his first
career Truck Series start at Kentucky Speedway in June 2012. Just shy of
a year later, the Elk Grove, California, native made his first trip to
victory lane – picking up the Truck Series win at Rockingham Speedway
in April 2013. Now 12 years later, Larson is well on his way to a Hall
of Fame worthy career. The 32-year-old driver is a 31-time Cup Series
winner, including three crown jewel wins (2021 Coca-Cola 600; 2023
Southern 500 and 2024 Brickyard 400); a three-time NASCAR All-Star race
winner (2019, ’21, ’23); and the 2021 Cup Series champion. In
addition, Larson has tallied 16 Xfinity Series wins and four Truck
Series wins throughout his career – all of which have come with
Chevrolet.
KATHERINE LEGGE EXPANDS 2025 NASCAR SCHEDULE
Just one month ago at Phoenix Raceway, Katherine Legge made history as
the first female in seven years to compete in NASCAR’s top division.
With her Cup Series debut in the rearview mirror, the 44-year-old
England native has expanded her 2025 schedule to 12 more races across
NASCAR’s top two divisions, including five Cup Series starts with Live
Fast Motorsports and seven Xfinity Series starts with Jordan Anderson
Racing. The revival of Rockingham will kick off Legge’s expanded
schedule, with the Chevrolet driver climbing into the seat of the No. 32
E.L.F. Cosmetics Chevrolet. Legge has previously tallied five career
Xfinity Series starts, with her most recent coming at Road America in
2023. Her racing resume expands across a variety of racing disciplines,
including 19 starts in the NTT INDYCAR Series – four of which have come
in the Indianapolis 500. She has also made 92 starts in the IMSA
WeatherTech SportsCar Championship – earning four wins, 11 podium
finishes and two poles.
TEAM CHEVY CONTINUES XFINTIY SERIES DOMINANCE
Kyle Larson nearly pulled off the tripleheader sweep at Bristol Motor
Speedway last weekend, with a runner-up finish in the Truck Series race
leading up to a pair of dominating triumphs in the Xfinity and Cup
Series at the Tennessee half-mile. The victory in Saturday’s race
marked Hendrick Motorsports’ first win in the series this season and
the first as a crew chief for Adam Wall, who previously worked with
Larson as the lead engineer on the No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
team during his championship-earning season (2021).
Larson’s victory came after a near-perfect day for the No. 17
HendrickCars.com Chevrolet team that included the pole position, a stage
win and 277 of 300 laps led. The statistics further added to
Chevrolet’s already dominating start to the 2025 Xfinity Series
season. With nine races complete, five drivers from three different
Chevrolet organizations have earned a combined seven victories. In
addition, the Bowtie brand has tallied six pole wins; wins in 14 of the
18 stages; 30 top-fives; 56 top-10s; and 1,315 laps led.
CUP SERIES HITS THE QUARTER MARK
The drop of the checkered flag at Bristol Motor Speedway also marked the
quarter mark of the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series season. With nine
points-paying races in the books, the division will sit idle for the
weekend before going full throttle in the race for the championship.
Heading into the off-weekend, Team Chevy has already hit some
early-season high points:
· Chevrolet leads its manufacturer competitors in a variety of
statistical categories including: pole wins (five), laps led (1,167) and
top-10 finishes (41).
· Kyle Larson’s dominating Tennessee triumph marked
Chevrolet’s third NASCAR Cup Series win of the 2025 season, each of
which have been recorded on a distinctly different track configuration.
Among that list includes William Byron’s win at the 2.5-mile
superspeedway of Daytona International Speedway, as well as Larson’s
win at the 1.5-mile intermediate oval of Homestead-Miami Speedway.
· Chevrolet has earned at least four top-10 finishes in six of
the nine points-paying NASCAR Cup Series races thus far this season,
with five of those events seeing representation by three or more
different Chevrolet organizations in those results. The manufacturer hit
a season-high seven top-10 finishes at Las Vegas Motor Speedway –
earned collectively by three different Chevrolet organizations. The
series’ second race of the season at Atlanta Motor Speedway saw a
season-high five different Chevrolet organizations represented in the
top-10. At the conclusion of just the fifth points-paying race at Las
Vegas Motor Speedway, every full-time Chevrolet organization had scored
a top-10 finish this season.
Chevrolet’s season statistics with nine NASCAR Cup Series races
complete:
Wins: 3
Poles: 5
Laps Led: 1,167
Top-Fives: 17
Top-10s: 41
Stage Wins: 7
Chevrolet’s season statistics with nine NASCAR Xfinity Series races complete:
Wins: 7
Poles: 6
Laps Led: 1,315
Top-Fives: 30
Top-10s: 56
Stage Wins: 14
Chevrolet’s season statistics with six NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series races complete:
Wins: 3
Poles: 2
Laps Led: 399
Top-Fives: 13
Top-10s: 25
Stage Wins: 4
BOWTIE BULLETS:
· Chevrolet is the only manufacturer with a win in all three
NASCAR national series at Rockingham Speedway – accumulating 19 Cup
Series wins, 10 Xfinity Series wins and 2 Truck Series wins.
· Chevrolet continues to dominate in the NASCAR Xfinity Series,
with Kyle Larson becoming the fifth driver from the third different
Chevrolet organization to reach victory lane this season with his win at
Bristol Motor Speedway. In nine races, Chevrolet has also amassed a
manufacturer-leading six pole wins; wins in 14 of the 18 stages; 30
top-fives; 56 top-10s; and 1,315 laps led.
· In 117 points-paying races in the Next Gen era, Chevrolet leads
all manufacturers with 55 victories – a winning percentage of 47%.
· With its 43 NASCAR Cup Series Manufacturer Championships, 33
NASCAR Cup Series Driver Championships, and 869 all-time NASCAR Cup
Series wins, Chevrolet continues to hold the title as the winningest
brand in NASCAR Cup Series history.
TUNE-IN:
NASCAR Xfinity Series
North Carolina Education Lottery 250 presented by Black’s Tire
Saturday, April 19, at 4 p.m. ET
(CW, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90)
NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series
Black’s Tire 200
Friday, April 18, at 5 p.m. ET
(FS1, NASCAR Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90)
QUOTABLE QUOTES:
Carson Kvapil, No. 1 JR Motorsports Chevrolet
“Rockingham is tough, but I am looking forward to the opportunity to
get out there and run laps this weekend. We had speed at the test, so I
know this No. 1 team is going to unload a fast Chevrolet on Friday. We
have had really great momentum these past two weeks, so hopefully at the
end we can not only contend for the win, but also the $100,000. It would
mean a lot to finally get that finish we’ve been chasing for Johnny
Morris and everyone at Bass Pro Shops and Clarience Technologies and
this entire No. 1 team.”
Jesse Love, No. 2 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet
What did you take away from the NASCAR Xfinity Series test at Rockingham
Speedway in January?
“We showed a lot of speed and were one of the best cars, if not the
best, at the test. That test in January set our No. 2 team up to have
momentum heading into the start of this season, and we have carried that
momentum pretty well through the first nine races. We are taking a setup
similar to what we had at the test. Just making a few small adjustments
for the weather and the track taking rubber, but what we hit on at the
test should work again this coming weekend.”
What were your initial thoughts of Rockingham Speedway?
“Rockingham is a track that fits my driving style. It’s right up my
alley and fits how I like to drive a racetrack. It’s pretty similar to
one of my favorite tracks in Dover, so I’m looking forward to going
back there this weekend and having a shot at the win. It would be good
to get up to second in points and hopefully leave with more Playoff
points.”
Justin Allgaier, No. 7 JR Motorsports Chevrolet
“It’s really cool to be heading back to Rockingham with our BRANDT
Professional Agriculture Chevrolet. No one really knows what to expect
this weekend, but I feel like the test we had here back in January gave
Jim (Pohlman, crew chief) and all the guys on this team a good playbook
to start with. We’ve had a lot of momentum on our side here lately,
and hopefully that will carry over and we will have another great run on
Saturday.”
Sammy Smith, No. 8 JR Motorsports Chevrolet
“I’m excited to go to Rockingham and try out a new track where
it’s a level playing field. The weather was much different when we
tested earlier this year than it will be this weekend. Some of what we
learned during the test will translate but a lot of it will come from
knowledge and experience from running similar 1-mile tracks. Racing the
Truck Friday will help me get more comfortable with more laps and I’ll
be able to take some of that into Saturday where we’ll race for
$100,000 and a win for Pilot.”
Daniel Dye, No. 10 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet
”The last time the Xfinity Series raced at Rockingham, I had barely
been born! It’s exciting to get to go back to such a historic track in
NASCAR. We tested there earlier this year, and I was able to get
comfortable in the car. One challenge this week will be the difference
in temperature compared to when we tested in the winter, but I’m
looking forward to it.”
Josh Williams, No. 11 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet
“Rockingham is, I think, one of the more unique tracks we’ll go to
this season. It’s pretty fast compared to what it was when I ran there
[in 2010] because of the repave, so I’m not exactly sure what to
expect in the race. As a team, I think we’ve got even more room to
improve based off of our test [at Rockingham in January], but everyone
is starting from the same point, so I’m sure we’ll get there come
the race.”
Christian Eckes, No. 16 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet
“It’s exciting to have Rockingham back on the NASCAR schedule. We
had a successful test there before the season and were able to get a lot
of good seat time. I really enjoy the challenges of learning a new
track, and I know our No. 16 team is prepared for it.”
Austin Hill, No. 21 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet
Talk about the NASCAR Xfinity Series test session in January and your
thoughts on Rockingham Speedway.
“I had only been to Rockingham one other time outside of the test, for
a Legends Car and Bandolero race out back. I haven’t seen or really
watched any past races there. It was a lot different than what I
expected, with the new repave though. It is extremely fast. Faster than
what I expected. I thought the pace would be up, because with the
Xfinity car, you are not off the throttle for long – especially when
your car is driving well. The biggest thing I’m questioning is how it
is going to race. Part of me thinks whoever gets out front in clean air
is going to be the guy who wins the race. Passing is going to be at a
premium. I hope we get the second lane in. I started to run it during
the test before Jesse (Love) jumped in the car. There is a little
moveability in Turns 1 and 2. But in Turns 3 and 4, you need to run the
bottom, drive in super deep, and barely touch the brake. If you do touch
the brake in that end of the track, it’s just to set the car really
quick.”
Are you looking forward to racing at track like Rockingham Speedway?
“I’m excited to go there and race at a place with so much history. I
just wish it was the old asphalt, but that’s not something we can go
back and change now. We have what we have. I personally love racetracks
that you can slip and slide around on, like Darlington a few weeks ago.
If the actual package is anything like the test showed, it’s going to
be a really good race.”
Kasey Kahne, No. 33 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet
The NASCAR Xfinity Series test at Rockingham Speedway was your first
time back in a stock car in years. Describe how that test went and how
you felt during it.
“It had been six and a half years. It was really nice to be back in a
car. I didn’t know exactly how it would feel and if I would have to
refigure out how to drive in a way, but truthfully once I got to Turn 3
coming to the start of practice and the car loaded into the corner, I
instantly felt right at home and felt like I had been doing it for a
while. From there on, it was a solid practice for the next four or five
hours.”
Did you have any nerves before making those first laps at the test?
“There were definitely a little bit of nerves with wondering how I
would pick it up and how the car would feel. It felt very similar to
what it did six years ago. On the Xfinity side, it doesn’t feel like
those cars have changed a lot, but I still saw and felt it the same way
I did in the past. I was happy with that.”
Are there specific things that are on your mind heading into your first
race back?
“There are a few key things that I’ve thought about. Doing live pit
stop again. Getting the balance of the car to a point where I can run
throughout the entire race without getting too tight or too loose for my
driving style. Working with spotters and understanding where other cars
are around you. I haven’t had a spotter in so long. You just race in
sprint cars, but spotters are great. Getting on the same page for that
to take advantage of situations instead of getting used up. Restarts
will be important. Overall, I just want to make sure that I’m prepared
as I can be to put together a solid day.”
What are you looking forward to the most?
“I’m looking forward to the race the most. Driving, racing,
competing. Trying to win or run top-five, top-10; be in the hunt and
part of the mix. That’s why I’m doing this. To have a good time and
get all that we can.”
Connor Zilisch, No. 88 JR Motorsports Chevrolet
“I’m really excited to go to Rockingham for the first time this
weekend because it’s such a unique racetrack and has so much history
in NASCAR. It’s really cool to finally have it back on the schedule
again. Rockingham is a fast track with a lot of grip with the fresh
repave. A lot of people don’t know how well it’s going to race, but
based off how we were at the test a few months ago, I think we are going
to have a really solid WeatherTech Chevrolet. The JR Motorsports cars
have been really fast lately. We’ve all shown a lot of speed, and we
just need a finish to go our way.”
Sammy Smith, No. 07 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet
Talk about returning to Spire after four successful outings with the
team in 2024.
“I’m excited to get back with Spire. I really got comfortable in the
truck in my few starts last year, so I’m hoping it will come back to me
as we get rolling. I’m excited for the opportunity to work with Allen
(Hart) and all the guys on the No. 07 team. Hopefully we can get a win
for all the people who help make this happen.”
What does it mean to race at a venue as rich in history as Rockingham?
“It’s really cool to race at a track like Rockingham with so much
history, and to have the opportunity to go back in a truck and Xfinity
car is really neat. With the repave, it will be very different from when
the trucks were last there in 2013. At the test, I was able to get a ton
of laps in both the truck and Xfinity car. While the two don’t drive
anything alike, the track is still super-fast and has a lot of grip for
both. I’m looking forward to getting out on track Friday.”
Corey Day, No. 7 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet
What are your thoughts heading into Rockingham?
“I feel like I’m finally starting to really understand what I need
to do in the trucks. I know I still have a lot to learn but I definitely
am starting to feel more comfortable. While most of us haven’t raced
at Rockingham Speedway before we all got to test there earlier this
year. Those laps are going to be useful to help me get up to speed
quicker than tracks I haven’t raced at before. I think it should be a
good race.”
Tyler Ankrum, No. 18 McAnally Hilgemann Racing Chevrolet
“I was super surprised back in January at how fast Rockingham was and
that is what makes me so excited to get back there this weekend. We were
really fast there at the test so I know we are going to unload a good
piece and be ready to fight up front all race and hopefully lock in that
first win of the season and a spot in the playoffs. We have been so
close these last few races and I am so proud of this No. 18 team for
holding their heads high. Our time is coming and I am confident we can
get this No. 18 LIUNA Chevrolet in Victory Lane this weekend at “The
Rock”.”
Matt Mills, No. 42 Niece Motorsports Chevrolet
Since you had two days of testing and will have another 50 minutes of
practice, how much is that extra track time going to help you?
“I think that’s going to be really good for us because we can go into
the practice session based off the changes we made at the end of the
test. We’ll have a notebook of what Ross (Chastain) also felt in the
test, and that is going to be extremely helpful. That should put us in a
good place to start because we were pretty good by the time we left. You
can’t make a whole lot of changes in practice, so it’s mainly going to
be about fine tuning and getting into a good rhythm to get used to the
new track.”
Bayley Currey, No. 44 Niece Motorsports Chevrolet
Even though you didn’t make any laps, do you think you learned anything
by going to the test?
“Yes and no. I just got to see how much speed those guys were carrying
with the new asphalt. I just ran it in the simulator and I think going
to the test helped me grasp on where guys are lifting and where they’re
getting back to the gas. I felt like I was able to learn a bit more
about that in turns one and two since we were pitted down that way, but
I think it helped a little bit. We’re going to be carrying so much speed
here this week and I think it’ll be fun to go out there and make some
laps in practice to get accustomed to it before the race. We’ve been
having some good runs to open up our season and I’ve been really
anticipating getting to Rockingham with our Masked Owl Technologies
Chevy.”
Kaden Honeycutt, No. 45 Niece Motorsports Chevrolet
Basing off your speed in the test, do you feel confident in the piece
your team is bringing this weekend?
“Yeah, I think for us as a company, we were all really fast at the
test. We are very optimistic in how we’re going to handle here. We’re
not going to change much from where we ended the test at, we’re just
going to go through practice similarly and see how we stack up.
Hopefully we have a good qualifying lap because starting up front is
going to mean a lot. After we see how qualifying goes, we’ll come up
with a plan to march to the front or keep our track position.”
Rajah Caruth, No. 71 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet
Rockingham Speedway has a deep history. What does it mean to be able to
race on the hollowed grounds in Richmond County?
“I think it will be really cool to race at ‘The Rock.’ Personally, the
last time I saw anything there was the Truck and K&N Series events in
2012-13. I have no real recollection of anything else there, aside from
what I’ve read in my NASCAR Encyclopedia and watching highlights from
the 2004 Cup Series race. While I don’t have a connection to the track,
I’m a student of the sport and a fan of its history. It just makes it
that much cooler to get the opportunity to race there. Hopefully I can
add my name to the list of winners at Rockingham.”
You took part in the organizational test in January. What did you learn
to help you heading into the weekend?
“I think the test in January was a valuable tool. I got some time to
work with my new group, expose myself to the rule changes and gain some
data points and information on what we needed to work on in the
simulator. It was significantly colder than it will be this weekend,
which will be a factor of some sort. The track will have a lot of grip,
and hopefully it has worn out a little bit since the test so we can move
around and use some lines.”
Andres Perez de Lara, No. 77 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet
What are your thoughts heading into Rockingham?
“I am feeling confident about this weekend. I enjoyed running the
track when we tested there in January. We ran a lot of laps at the test
and we got our Silverado where I like it. Having track time at a place
as tricky as Rockingham is key for me, and will only help me this
weekend. I’m also confident this weekend because we will be on the
same playing field as everyone else. Most of the drivers haven’t raced
at Rockingham, like me. This is the first time this year that I can say
that. I hope the fans show up for the race because Rockingham is a great
track.”
You are a quarter of the way through your rookie year. How do you feel
the year has gone up to this point?
“Jumping into the truck this has been a great learning experience. I
feel like we have had speed but are yet to put a full race together. I
know when we put a full race together and get a good result. Hopefully
Rockingham will be the race everything will come together and we can
start building momentum. I am proud of our No. 77 team and all the work
they have put in this year.”
Jack Wood, No. 91 McAnally Hilgemann Racing Chevrolet
“I am super excited to get to Rockingham this weekend and hopefully
continue on our high momentum. Rockingham is a super fast track as we
were able to discover at the test back in January. It is really cool
that NASCAR is able to bring this track back and all of us at MHR are
pretty pumped to be a part of that. Looking forward to this Friday and I
am confident that this No. 91 team can keep this truck in contention for
a solid finish at “The Rock”.”
Chevrolet NASCAR Cup Series Statistics
Manufacturers Championships:
Total (1949-2024): 43
First title for Chevrolet: 1958
Highest number of consecutive titles: 13 (2003-15)
Most recent: 2024
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
Drivers Championships:
Total (1949-2024): 33
First Chevrolet champion: Buck Baker (1957)
Highest number of consecutive titles: 7 (2005-11)
Most recent: Kyle Larson (2021)
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
Event Victories:
Record for total race wins in single season: 26 (2007)
2025 STATISTICS:
Wins: 3
Poles: 5
Laps Led: 1,167
Top-Fives: 17
Top-10s: 41
Stage Wins: 7
CHEVROLET IN NASCAR CUMULATIVE STATISTICS:
Total Chevrolet race wins: 869 (1949 to date)
Poles won to date: 758
Laps led to date: 253,878
Top-fives to date: 4,386
Top-10s to date: 9,048
Total NASCAR Cup Wins by Corporation, 1949 to Date:
General Motors: 1,203
Chevrolet: 869
Pontiac: 154
Oldsmobile: 115
Buick: 65
Ford: 841
Mercury: 96
Lincoln: 4
Fiat Chrysler Automobiles: 467
Dodge: 217
Plymouth: 191
Chrysler: 59
Toyota: 194