NASCAR Sprint Cup Series
Kansas 400
Kansas Speedway
October 18, 2015
Race Highlights:
Richard Childress Racing drivers Ryan Newman, Paul Menard and Austin Dillon finished 11th, 19th and 41st, respectively, in the Kansas 400 at Kansas Speedway Speedway.
Austin Dillon’s Promising Run Ends Early by Cut Tire Kansas Speedway
Richard Childress Racing’s Austin Dillon and the No. 3 American Ethanol Chevrolet team finished 41st in Sunday’s NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Kansas Speedway after retiring from the event 113 laps shy of its advertised distance with a cut tire and subsequent mechanical damage from hitting the Turn 2 wall. Dillon started the 267-lap race from the 25th position and reported a tight-handling condition on exit to the corners, which was remedied through routine pit stops for four tires, fuel and wedge adjustments on laps 31, 66 and 110. At times, the American Ethanol Chevrolet was recorded as the fastest machine on the track and Dillon raced his way into the top 20 by lap 20, the top 10 by lap 75 and the top five by lap 125. Dillon was fifth and closing in on the fourth position on lap 155 when he cut a tire and made contact with the Turn 2 wall, causing extensive damage to the No. 3 machine. The team retired to the garage and Dillon was recorded with a 41st-place finish. Next, Dillon will drive the No. 3 Dow WeatherTech Chevrolet in the Campingworld.com 500 at Talladega Superspeedway on Sunday, October 25. The race is live on NBCSN at 2:30 p.m. Eastern Time.
Start – 25 Finish – 41 Laps Led – 0 Points – 21
AUSTIN DILLON QUOTE:
“We had a really fast American Ethanol Chevrolet. We were a little tight that run. I was catching everybody in front of us. The team worked hard on our Chevrolet this weekend and I’m really proud of them. Man, what a bummer. I guess we just cut a right-front tire. I don’t know if I ran over something, or what. It showed a little heat the second run but not that much. We’re carrying a lot of speed around the top of the track, and just cut a tire. If we bring another car like this one to the racetrack this year, we will end up with a win.”
Paul Menard and the No. 27 FVP/Menards Chevrolet SS team started 13th and finished 19th in Sunday’s scheduled 267-lap NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Kansas Speedway. Crew chief Justin Alexander had a busy day on the pit box, providing changes for a loose-handling condition and repairs after Menard brushed the wall. Remedies proved successful when Menard radioed on lap 43 that his FVP/Menards Chevrolet was handling better and changes were heading in the right direction. The No. 27 team continued to improve the Richard Childress Racing-prepared Chevrolet SS on laps 66, 110, 174, 230 and 264 with a combination of two- and four-tires stops, fuel, wedge and air pressure adjustments. Menard continued to check off laps, taking the lead from laps 223 to 229 before the team’s scheduled green-flag pit stop on lap 230. The team continued to fight through a green-white-checkered finish and crossed the finish line 19th. Up next for the No. 27 team is Sunday’s race at Talladega Superspeedway.
Start – 13 Finish – 16 Laps Led – 7 Chase Grid – 15
PAUL MENARD QUOTE:
“We had more for them today. I know we are capable of doing better. My guys made good changes to the FVP/Menards Chevy and had fast stops on pit road. I always appreciate their hard work.”
Ryan Newman Races to an 11th-Place Finish at Kansas Speedway
Ryan Newman and the No. 31 Caterpillar Chevrolet team started the Kansas 400 in 10th place for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race on Sunday afternoon at Kansas Speedway and finished 11th. Once the green flag waved for the scheduled 267-lap race, Newman radioed into crew chief Luke Lambert that a tight-handling condition was preventing him from moving forward in the field. Through several pit stops under yellow-flag conditions, the crew made chassis and air pressure adjustments to improve the car’s balance around the 1.5-mile speedway. By the lap-100 mark, Newman said the car was handling better while running in 10th place. A two-tire pit stop under yellow on lap 110 put the No. 31 Caterpillar Chevrolet SS into sixth place for the restart. From there, Newman raced in and around the top-10 until a green-flag stop on lap 214. A caution with five laps remaining set up a green-white-checkered flag finish. When the checkered flag did wave, Newman was 11th on the scoring pylon. As a result, he is 10th in points as the Sprint Cup Series heads to Talladega Superspeedway next weekend to determine the eight teams to remain in the Chase for the Championship.
Start – 10 Finish – 11 Laps Led – 0 Chase Grid – 10
RYAN NEWMAN QUOTE:
“We struggled a little bit with a tight car there in the beginning, but as the race went and we were able to make some adjustments and the balance of the car improved. We were in the top-10 positions for most of the race, but fell just one spot there at the end to finish 11th. That just means Talladega is going to be that much more interesting for everyone next weekend.”
