Chase Elliott Makes Sprint Cup Debut with NAPA On Board
MOORESVILLE, N.C. (March 24, 2015) – NAPA AUTO PARTS driver and 2014 NASCAR XFINITY Series champion, Chase Elliott, will make his NASCAR Sprint Cup Series debut in the No. 25 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet SS this Sunday, March 29 at Martinsville Speedway.
At the age of 19 years, four months and one day, Elliott, will become the 12th youngest Cup Series driver to debut in the sport. He will be the youngest Cup driver to debut since Joey Logano at New Hampshire Motor Speedway on Sunday, September 14, 2008 for the Sylvania 300, when he was 18 years, three months and 20 days young.
Team owner Rick Hendrick also made his NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver debut in the No. 25 Chevrolet at Riverside International Raceway during the 1987 Winston Western 500. Also, during the 2008 Dickies 500, Brad Keselowski debuted for Hendrick Motorsports in the No. 25 Chevrolet.
It will be familiar territory for Elliott Sunday at Martinsville. In two previous NASCAR Camping World Truck Series starts, Elliott completed 100% of his total laps run (450), with an average finish of 13th at the oldest and shortest (.526-mile oval) in-use NASCAR facility. His Martinsville track debut came on Saturday, April 6, 2013 in the Hendrick owned No. 94 Chevrolet, finishing sixth. His second attempt at the “paperclip” was Saturday, October 26 where he finished 20th.
NAPA AUTO PARTS will serve as Elliott’s primary sponsor on the No. 25 Chevrolet SS on Sunday. NAPA will continue to be the principal sponsor for Elliott for his four remaining Cup races at Hendrick Motorsports in 2015 (Saturday, April 25, at Richmond International Raceway; Sunday, May 24, at Charlotte Motor Speedway; Sunday, July 26, at Indianapolis Motor Speedway; and Sunday, September 6, at Darlington Raceway).
Driver Quotes | Chase Elliott
Weekend Expectations:
“As far as expectations go, I don’t really know what to expect. I just want to go out and give it all I’ve got. It really hinges on me giving all the guys everything I possibly can to put us in position. If it wasn’t for NAPA AUTO PARTS, we wouldn’t be here with this incredible opportunity. So it means a lot they are committed and giving me the opportunity to go do something I love.”
Weekend Goals:
“If we could go run all the laps, stay on the lead lap and be inside the top-15 at the end of Sunday’s race, I’d say that would be a day well done, across the board. This is something I’ve wanted to do ever since I can remember. It has been a dream of mine and to have an opportunity to race in the Cup Series. And to represent Hendrick Motorsports at Martinsville in the process, words cannot describe the feeling I have at the moment. I’m just ready to get there and get the job done.”
NASCAR Nationwide Series TV Schedule
All times Eastern Standard Time (EST)
Friday, March 27
12:00 PM NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Practice FOX Sports 1
4:45 PM NASCAR Sprint Cup Qualifying FOX Sports 1
Saturday, March 28
10:00 AM NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Practice FOX Sports 1
1:00 PM NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Final Practice FOX Sports 2
8:00 PM NHRA Charlotte Qualifying (tape delayed) ESPN2
Sunday, March 29
1:00 PM NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Race FOX Sports 1
RADIO: MRN & Sirius XM Ch 90 (12 p.m. ET)
NAPA AUTO PARTS: @theNAPAnetwork
Chase Elliott: @ChaseElliott
Elliot Mabe: @ElliotMabe9
Hendrick Motorsports: @TeamHendrick