Race Notes
Busch Light Crocs at Kansas: Ross Chastain will be driving in ultimate comfort – and style – representing Busch Light’s partnership with leading footwear brand, Crocs. Along with Busch Light’s vibrant blue and white mountain landscape, the No. 1 car will display an iconic Crocs’ design complete with the essential ‘Sport Mode’ strap on the sides of the car. The paint scheme celebrates the release of Busch Light Crocs – two limited-edition sandal and clog styles featuring attached accessories like a roll-up koozie and bottle opener, giving 21+ fans everything they need to enjoy outdoor activities (like cracking open a cold one at a NASCAR race!) conveniently on their feet.
Busch Light Sweeps: Busch Light is continuing to give fans a chance to win every weekend throughout the season. Follow @BuschBeer on X and turn on notifications to find out how to enter. This weekend, you have a chance to win a pair of custom Busch Light Crocs and beer money.
Meet Chastain: On Saturday at 6:30 p.m. local time, Chastain will appear at Casey’s, 13000 State Avenue, Kansas City, Kansas. Wristband required – distribution at Casey’s at 9 a.m. day of appearance.
Kansas Stats: In Chastain’s 10 Cup Series starts at Kansas, he has a best finish of fifth. While driving the No. 1 Chevrolet for Trackhouse Racing, he has three top-seven finishes and a 13th-place finish. He’s also had a stellar qualifying run behind the wheel of the No. 1 at Kansas – he hasn’t started outside of the top-11. In his six Truck Series starts at Kansas, he has one win in May 2019.
Season Stats: Chastain has earned four top-10s in 11 races so far this season along with 65 laps led. He’s currently 10th in driver points.
NASCAR: Full Speed: Catch Chastain in the five-episode docuseries NASCAR: Full Speed on Netflix. The series documented portions of Chastain’s 2023 season on and off the track. All five episodes are currently available on Netflix.
Last Weekend at Dover: Chastain qualified 22nd at Dover and in a race that saw long green-flag runs, the Chevrolet driver reached the top-10 in the final stage. Unfortunately, in the final laps he was not able to hold onto a top-10 position and ended the day in 12th.
2023 Season Recap: Chastain won at Nashville (Tenn.) Superspeedway in June and at the Phoenix Raceway season finale in November. He posted 10 top-five and 14 top-10 finishes in his third fulltime Cup season. The Alva, Florida native finished ninth in points.
Ross Chastain Career Statistics
Chastain Quotes:
What is racing at like at Kansas?
“Kansas was built like other mile-and-a-half tracks but it doesn’t race like them. It has progressive banking where it gets steeper the further up the track you go up closer to the wall. The winters in Kansas can be tough so that has a big bearing on how the track ages each year. I’ve only raced on the current pavement. I went there the first year of the current pavement in the Truck Series. I’ve gotten to progress with the asphalt there as it ages from super good stuff to where you wanted to stay in the rubber and now you’re looking to get away from the rubber. Now, you want to drive anywhere but where the vehicle in front of you is or where most cars aren’t running. I love the Kansas track. Sometimes I feel like I have to hang on to something so the wind doesn’t blow me away, and sometimes you feel like you’re going to get shoved in the wall because the wind gusts are so strong.”
What are restarts like at Kansas?
“Restarts at Kansas are wild. We have to stay above the white line until the start/finish line and then you can bail to the bottom. Going back to racing in the truck series, I’ve made plenty of three-wide going to the bottom to get position on guys. I’ve ripped the top, getting a run drafting in turn 1 and pulling out and being able to run wide open up there and get to the right rear quarter panel and get the pass done. Most vehicles you’re a lot of throttle all of the way to turn 3 on the restart.”
ABOUT BUSCH LIGHT
Busch Light is made with exceptional ingredients and has a crisp, refreshing taste that is as cold and smooth as a mountain stream. The beer brewed for the great outdoors takes cracking a cold one and heading for the mountains seriously, with passion points rooted in fishing, hunting, farming, NASCAR and country music. With focus and investment on meeting fans where they already are with a Busch Light in hand, the brand has experienced consistent growth since 2019. The Busch brand name represents a family of products including Busch Beer, Busch Light, Busch Ice and Busch NA. For more information, visit www.busch.com and follow Busch Light on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
Suárez Notes
Suárez Passes Citizenship Test: The Monterrey, Mexico native passed the United States Citizenship test Monday in Charlotte and will take the Oath of Allegiance at a naturalization ceremony in the next few weeks when he will become a dual citizen of Mexico and the United States.
Trackhouse Welcomes Choice Privileges®: Choice Privileges®, the award-winning rewards program of Choice Hotels International, Inc. (NYSE: CHH), makes its first appearance as a primary sponsor with Daniel Suárez and Trackhouse Racing on Sunday at Kansas Speedway. As part of the continued reinvigoration of the program, Choice Privileges® is offering exclusive VIP experience passes for races throughout the season. Choice Privileges® is increasingly strengthening rewards and opportunities for members following the successful college football, basketball, baseball and hockey experiences previously offered.
Join Choice Privileges®: Throughout the season Choice Privileges® is offering exclusive redeemable experiences for members. The new experiences will include: access to the Trackhouse garage and pit road prior to the race; a tour of the garage and pit road; meet and greet with the pit crew and driver, Daniel Suarez; and pre-race hospitality with food and drink. For more information or to enroll in Choice Privileges®, visit www.choicehotels.com/choice-privileges.
Choice Privileges® Schedule: Choice Privileges® schedule as the primary sponsor on Suárez’s No.99 includes Worldwide Technology Raceway near St. Louis on June 2, Richmond (Va.) Raceway on Aug. 11 and the Roval at Charlotte Motor Speedway on Oct. 13.
Season So Far: Suárez is 18th in points and likely secured a place in the 2024 playoffs with his victory at Atlanta Motor Speedway on Feb. 25.
Atlanta Victory: At Atlanta, he and runner-up Ryan Blaney were separated by 0.003 seconds at the finish line. It was the third-closest finish in series history, and with third-place Kyle Busch just 0.007 seconds behind the winner, it also stands as the closest finish among three cars in the history of auto racing.
Trackhouse Victories: Atlanta marked Trackhouse Racing’s seventh win in the NASCAR Cup Series, and first at Atlanta. Chastain owns four victories, Suárez two and one for Shane van Gisbergen.
Mexico Series: Suárez won the 150-lap Mexico Series race at the Los Angeles Coliseum on Feb. 3. It was his 11th victory.
First Mexican to Win in Cup: Suárez became the first driver from Mexico (Monterrey) to win in the NASCAR Cup Series on June 12, 2022, at Sonoma (Calif.) Raceway.
International Driver: He is one of six drivers not from the United States to win a NASCAR Cup Series race: Shane van Gisbergen (New Zealand), Marcos Ambrose (Australia), Juan Pablo Montoya (Colombia), Earl Ross (Canada) and Mario Andretti (Italy). Ambrose, Montoya, and Suarez own two victories each.
Cup Career Highlights: Suárez owns two victories (Sonoma 2022 and Atlanta 2024) and three Busch Light Pole Awards – Pocono (Pa.) Raceway July 2018, Kentucky Speedway July 2019, and on the road course at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway August 2023.
English is a Second Language: Suárez came to America to race. He did not speak English when he arrived in Buffalo, New York. He is the only Spanish-speaking driver in the NASCAR Cup Series.
Daniel Suárez Career Statistics
Suárez Quotes:
What do think about racing at Kansas?
“Kansas is going to be fun. It’s a mile-and-a-half track that produces great racing because you have the option of going to the bottom or going to the top. It’s a mile-and-a-half but it feels smaller because you can run everywhere.
“Our mile-and-a-half program has been pretty good this season. I think that will show this weekend.”
What is it like to pass the test getting closer to becoming a United States citizen?
“I passed my test on Monday! I studied a lot for it. There was a list of 100 questions and I had to answer six of 10 questions correctly. It took me seven questions to get six right. I missed the one about the Constitutional Convention, but got all the others correct. It was fun. When I was a kid I wasn’t a big fan of history class, but in studying for the citizenship test I found American history really interesting. I will be a dual citizen of Mexico and America. I am proud to be from Mexico and very thankful for the opportunities I have had in America to make my dreams come true.”
What are your thoughts on Choice Privileges® serving as the primary sponsor for the first time this weekend in Kansas?
“We have a fantastic family of partners at Trackhouse Racing and we are honored a company like Choice Privileges joined us. I hope we can give them a memorable first weekend with us. The paint scheme looks great!”
About Choice Hotels®
Choice Hotels International, Inc. (NYSE: CHH) is one of the largest lodging franchisors in the world. The challenger in upscale and a leader in midscale and extended stay, Choice® has over 7,500 hotels, representing more than 630,000 rooms, in 46 countries and territories. A diverse portfolio of 22 brands that range from full-service upper upscale properties to midscale, extended stay and economy enables Choice® to meet travelers’ needs in more places and for more occasions while driving more value for franchise owners and shareholders. The award-winning Choice Privileges® rewards program and co-brand credit card options provide members with a fast and easy way to earn reward nights and personalized perks. For more information, visit www.choicehotels.com.
Daniel Suárez delivered Chevrolet its 853rd all-time victory in the NASCAR Cup Series at Atlanta, extending the manufacturer’s record as the winningest manufacturer in series’ history.
With its 42 NASCAR Cup Series Manufacturer Championships, 33 NASCAR Cup Series Driver Championships, and 857 all-time NASCAR Cup Series wins, Chevrolet continues to hold the title of winningest brand in NASCAR Cup Series history.
Trackhouse At-Track Rosters
Founder: Justin Marks, Rocklin, California
Chief Business Officer: Ty Norris, Sumter, South Carolina
Chief Operating Officer: Tony Lunders, Chehalis, Washington
Director of Performance: Darian Grubb, Floyd, Virginia
Engine Builder: ECR Engines, Welcome, North Carolina
No. 1 Trackhouse Team
Crew Chief: Phil Surgen, Lake Elmore, Vermont
Car Chief: David Fero, Galt, California
Spotter: Brandon McReynolds, Mooresville, North Carolina
Engine Tuner: Harry Holcomb, Mount Pulaski, Illinois
Fueler: Brook Davenport, Centreville, Maryland
Front Tire Changer: Mike Roberts, Hendersonville, North Carolina
Rear Tire Changer: Ken Pozega, Warren, Ohio
Jackman: Shane Wilson, Edgewater, Maryland
Tire Carrier: Matt Simmons, Charlotte, North Carolina
Engineer: Mike Skarbowski, Upper Black Eddy, Pennsylvania
Engineer: Mike Hann, East Granby, Connecticut
Mechanic: Josh Heidkamp, Vandalia, Ohio
Mechanic: Mike Madill, Glendale, Arizona
Tires: Patrick Lyden, Erie, Pennsylvania
Truck Driver: Roy Miller, Elkridge, Maryland
No. 99 Trackhouse Team
Crew Chief: Matt Swiderski, Garden Homes, Illinois
Car Chief: Eddie D’Hondt Jr., East Islip, New York
Spotter: Frank Kimmel II, Jeffersonville, Indiana
Engine Tuner: Dustyn Presgraves, Floyd Florida
Fueler: Milan Rudanovic, Wantage, New Jersey
Front Tire Changer: Josh Bush, Lexington, North Carolina
Rear Tire Changer: Seth Gajdours, Manhattan, Illinois
Jackman: Josh Appleby, Athens, Alabama
Tire Carrier: Charles Plank, Solon, Ohio
Engineer: Dustin Zacharyasz, Berea, Ohio
Engineer: Troy Davis, Windham, Maine
Mechanic: Matt Petrea, Kannapolis, North Carolina
Mechanic: Tony Barkman, Rio Vista, California
Interior Mechanic: Lucas Tucker, Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
Truck Driver: Glenn Shano, Toronto, Canada
Truck Driver: Ron Miske, Bridgeport, Connecticut
Meet the Trackhouse Crew Chiefs
Phil Surgen, 42, of Lake Elmore, Vermont, marks his fourth season as crew chief for Ross Chastain on the No. 1 Chevrolet team.
In 2020, Surgen was named interim crew chief for the No. 42 Chip Ganassi Racing team and led veteran driver Matt Kenseth in 16 races.
Began working with Chastain in 2021. The duo has combined for four Cup Series victories, made two consecutive playoff appearances and finished second in the point standings in 2022.
Joined Chip Ganassi Racing in 2016 as a race engineer. Began NASCAR Cup Series career with Evernham Motorsports, which turned into Gillette Evernham and then Richard Petty Motorsports from 2005 to 2013
Worked at Richard Childress Racing 2014 – 2015 as a race engineer on Ryan Newman’s car.
Career statistics
Matt Swiderski, 42, begins his first season as Daniel Suárez’s crew chief on the No. 99 Chevrolet.
Suárez and Swiderski combined to win at Atlanta Motor Speedway on Feb. 25 in just their second race together.
Swiderski has spent nearly 20 years in NASCAR, most recently as crew chief at Kaulig Racing for the team’s No. 16 entry driven by AJ Allmendinger.
The duo combined to win road course races at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in 2021 and at Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway in 2023.
Prior to his time at Kaulig Racing, Swiderski served as crew chief for the No. 12 Team Penske NASCAR Xfinity Series team, and crew chief for the No. 3 Richard Childress Racing NASCAR Xfinity Series team where he also held vehicle performance and engineering management roles since 2005.
He also served as an engineer in the Dynamics Group at SpaceX.
TIL NEXT TIME, I AM STILL WORKING ON MY REDNECK
