| ||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
RCR Post Race Report – Coca-Cola 600
Coca-Cola
HaasTooling.com Racing: Cole Custer Coca-Cola 600 Race Report
Date: May 24, 2020
Event: Coca-Cola 600
Series: NASCAR Cup Series
Location: Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway (1.5-mile oval)
Format: 400 laps, broken into four stages (100 laps/100 laps/100 laps/100 laps)
Start/Finish: 28th/13th (Running, completed 405 of 405 laps)
Point Standing: 22nd with 118 points, 171 out of first
Note: Race extended five laps past its scheduled 400-lap distance due to a green-white-checkered finish.
Race Winner: Brad Keselowski of Team Penske (Ford)
Stage 1 Winner: Alex Bowman of Hendrick Motorsports (Chevrolet)
Stage 2 Winner: Alex Bowman of Hendrick Motorsports (Chevrolet)
Stage 3 Winner: Joey Logano of Team Penske (Ford)
Stage 1 Recap (Laps 1-100):
● Cole Custer started 28th and finished 23rd.
● Custer pitted from 24th during the competition caution for adjustments to help his tight HaasTooling.com Mustang.
● At lap 50 the race was red-flagged for precipitation. When the event resumed, Custer pitted from 30th for more adjustments and restarted 24th on lap 57.
● As the laps clicked off, Custer reported his Mustang went from loose to tight, and lost all grip in the final 10 laps of the stage.
● During the Stage 1 break the 22-year-old pitted from 23rd for a bevy of adjustments, four tires and fuel.
Stage 2 Recap (Laps 101-200):
● Custer started 19th and finished 21st.
● On lap 116 the California native reported his Mustang fired off a tick loose, but had tightened up.
● Custer made a scheduled green-flag pit stop from 24th on lap 156 for fuel, four tires and adjustments.
● The rookie driver went one lap down on lap 168 while in the 22nd spot.
● Custer pitted from 21st during the Stage 2 break for fuel, four tires and adjustments to help with his tight-handling Mustang.
Stage 3 Recap (Laps 201-300):
● Custer started 18th and finished 20th.
● Custer made a scheduled green-flag pit stop on lap 242 from 19th for fuel, four tires and adjustments.
● With the caution out on lap 275 he pitted from 20th for four tires, fuel and adjustments to help with his tight condition.
● During the Stage 3 break Custer reported his No. 41 Mustang remained tight. He was the beneficiary of the free pass from 20th.
Final Stage Recap (Laps 301-405):
● Custer started 20th and finished 13th.
● The Ford driver worked his way up to 18th with a tight car. He made a pit stop under caution on lap 350.
● After the pit stop, Custer served an uncontrolled tire penalty and was forced to start at the rear of the field in 20th.
● A green-flag run ensued until the caution was displayed with one lap to go. Custer pitted for fuel and four tires after reporting his Mustang was pretty solid during the run.
● The SHR driver restarted 19th for overtime and was able to maneuver his way to a 13th-place finish.
Notes:
● Custer made his 10th career NASCAR Cup Series start and his first on the oval at Charlotte.
● Brad Keselowski won the Coca-Cola 600 to score his 31st career NASCAR Cup Series victory, his first of the season and his second on the oval at Charlotte. His margin of victory over second-place Jimmie Johnson was .293 of a second.
● This was Ford’s 690th all-time NASCAR Cup Series victory.
● This was Ford’s 31st NASCAR Cup Series victory at Charlotte’s oval, the most among all manufacturers. The last Ford driver to win the Coca-Cola 600 was Mark Martin in 2002. Ford’s first Coca-Cola 600 victory came in 1962 via Nelson Stacy.
● There were eight caution periods for a total of 52 laps.
● Only 20 of the 40 drivers in the Coca-Cola 600 finished on the lead lap.
● Harvick remains the championship leader after the Coca-Cola 600 with a 22-point advantage over second-place Joey Logano.
Cole Custer, Driver of the No. 41 HaasTooling.com Ford Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing:
“Man, definitely a persevering night for the HaasTooling.com Mustang. I could’ve done better at the start of the race. We definitely got the car better throughout the race. We fought hard all night. We fought hard to stay on the lead lap and got our lap back that one time. To finish 13th in my first 600 that I’ve run was definitely pretty cool. I got a good restart at the end. We have some things we know we can do better when we come back Wednesday. I can do some things better. I’m looking forward to it. We’re moving in the right direction with this package. We just have to keep grinding through it.”
Next Up:
The next event on the NASCAR Cup Series schedule is the Alsco Uniforms 500k on Wednesday, May 27 at Charlotte Motor Speedway. The race starts at 8 p.m. EDT with live coverage provided by FS1 and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.
No. 14 Rush Truck Centers/ Mobil Delvac 1 Ford Racing: Clint Bowyer Charlotte 600 Race Report
Date: May 24, 2020
Event: Coca-Cola 600 (Round 7 of 36)
Series: NASCAR Cup Series
Location: Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway (1.5-mile oval)
Format: 400 laps, broken into four stages (100 laps/100 laps/100 laps/100 laps)
Note: Race extended five laps past its scheduled 400-lap distance due to an overtime finish.
Start/Finish: 20th/40th (Running, completed 96 of 405 laps)
Point Standing: 15th with 171 points, 118 out of first
Race Winner: Brad Keselowski of Team Penske (Ford)
Stage 1 Winner: Alex Bowman of Hendrick Motorsports (Chevrolet)
Stage 2 Winner: Alex Bowman of Hendrick Motorsports (Chevrolet)
Stage 3 Winner: Joey Logano of Team Penske (Ford)
Stage 1 Recap (Laps 1-100):
● Clint Bowyer started 20th and finished 40th.
● The No. 14 Rush Truck Centers/Mobil Delvac 1 Ford Mustang reported a lack of rear grip to begin the race.
● Bowyer restarted the race in 14th after the competition caution at lap 25.
● Bowyer moved to 11th by lap 50 when rain stopped the race for a little more than an hour.
● The Ford driver restarted the race in 12th on lap 57.
● Bowyer’s race came to an end on lap 97 when a mechanical issue at the front of the car sent him hard into the turn one wall while racing in 11th.
● Bowyer gingerly climbed from the car before visiting the care center where he was evaluated and released.
● The No. 14 suffered too much damage to continue racing.
Notes:
● Sunday marked Bowyer’s first DNF (Did Not Finish) this season and only his second in 27 career NASCAR Cup Series starts on Charlotte’s oval
● Brad Keselowski won the Coca-Cola 600 to score his 31st career NASCAR Cup Series victory, his first of the season and his second on the oval at Charlotte. His margin of victory over second-place Jimmie Johnson was .293 of a second.
● This was Ford’s 690th all-time NASCAR Cup Series victory.
● This was Ford’s 31st NASCAR Cup Series victory at Charlotte’s oval, the most among all manufacturers. The last Ford driver to win the Coca-Cola 600 was Mark Martin in 2002. Ford’s first Coca-Cola 600 victory came in 1962 via Nelson Stacy.
● There were eight caution periods for a total of 52 laps.
● Only 20 of the 40 drivers in the Coca-Cola 600 finished on the lead lap.
● Harvick remains the championship leader after the Coca-Cola 600 with a 22-point advantage over second-place Joe Logano.
Clint Bowyer, driver of the No. 14 Rush Truck Centers/Mobil Delvac 1 Ford Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing:
“It knocked the wind out of me there. I mean, we’re 100 laps into a 400-lap race and to be out already, you talk about a helpless feeling. The guys worked really hard on the Rush Truck Centers/Mobil Delvac 1 Ford, but it just wasn’t meant to be. We’ll get ready for next Wednesday and we’ll be back at it. I’m going to go somewhere and take this thing (mask) off and find somewhere where I can find a cold beer. I’m out of here.”
Next Up:
The next event on the NASCAR Cup Series schedule is the Alsco Uniforms 500k on Wednesday, May 27 at Charlotte Motor Speedway. The race starts at 8 p.m. EDT with live coverage provided by FS1 and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.
Michael McDowell Post Race Report: Charlotte
|
|
|
|
|
|
Roush Fenway Weekly Advance | Charlotte 1
NASCAR’s return to racing continues Memorial Day weekend with the running of the prestigious Coca-Cola 600. Roush Fenway has 20 wins all-time at Charlotte Motor Speedway, including four in the Coke 600. Chris Buescher – who will pilot the Fifth Third Ford – is coming off a sixth-place run in this race a year ago while Ryan Newman –piloting the Roman Ford – has nine-career poles at the 1.5-mile track, the most of any active driver in NASCAR.
Charlotte Motor Speedway (1.5-Mile)
Coca-Cola 600
Sunday, May 24, 2020 | 6 p.m. ET
FOX, PRN, SiriusXM Channel 90
- Ryan Newman, No. 6 Roman Ford Mustang
- Chris Buescher, No. 17 Fifth Third Ford Mustang
NASCAR Returns to Action
- NASCAR continues its historic return to racing Sunday with the prestigious Coca-Cola 600, the third of four NASCAR Cup Series events over a 10-day span. The NCS will return to Charlotte Motor Speedway on Wednesday for a 310.6-mile event, which is set for 8 p.m. ET.
- Despite heavy rain in the Darlington area on Wednesday, NASCAR was able to get an official race in under the lights for the Cup Series’ sixth points race of 2020.
- Four weeks of NASCAR action were completed prior to the hiatus with races at Atlanta, Homestead, Texas, Bristol, Richmond, Talladega, Dover and Martinsville postponed.
Wednesday Recap, Sunday Preview
- With rain in the area through much of the night Wednesday, a bold strategy call put Newman in the lead just past halfway Wednesday night, before he overcame an unlucky pit road incident to record a 14th-place finish in a rain-shortened 208-lap race.
- The same strategy call put Buescher just behind teammate Newman for a restart just past halfway in Wednesday’s event at Darlington, with the race ultimately running 208 laps before rain cut it short. Buescher later missed pit road on a pit stop and got one of his laps back, before recording a 23rd-place finish.
- After two straight events with no qualifying, the field for Sunday’s Coca-Cola 600 will be set by qualifying, which is slated for 2 p.m. ET (FS1).
Roush Fenway in the 600
In 102 NCS starts in the famed Coca-Cola 600, Roush Fenway Racing has visited victory lane four times and recorded 23 top-five and 38 top-10 finishes. Jeff Burton leads the way with two Coke 600 victories for Jack Roush, while Mark Martin and Matt Kenseth have one each.
Golden Sombrero
Roush Fenway won a record four-consecutive Coca-Cola 600’s from 1999-2002 with drivers Jeff Burton, Matt Kenseth and Mark Martin. During that span, Roush Fenway led 427 laps, including 201 of 400 laps in the 1999 event.
2006 Dominance in the Coca-Cola 600
Roush Fenway had its best overall outing in the Coca-Cola 600 in 2006, when its five entries averaged a 5.4 finish. Roush Fenway Fords finished third, fourth, fifth, seventh and eighth, while leading 52 laps in the event. In 2002, Roush Fenway posted a one-two finish in the event with Martin and Kenseth battling feverishly for the win and combining to lead 67 laps in the race (with Martin taking the win).
Tale of the Tape
Roush Fenway has started 210 NCS races at Charlotte, recording eight total wins with 46 top-five and 79 top-10 finishes. RFR Fords have an average finish of 16.3 with 2627 laps led all-time.
600 Miles of Remembrance
To align with the nation’s spirit of Memorial Day, the NASCAR industry will come together to honor and remember the brave men and women of the U.S. Armed Forces who’ve made the ultimate sacrifice defending our freedom. Each driver/team entry into the Coca-Cola 600 will display a fallen service member name on the windshield header decal of the racecar.
Buescher will carry the name of SPC Anthony Kinslow, a native of Phoenix who was based in Fort Carson, Colorado, in the U.S. Army. Kinslow was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 17th Field Artillery Regiment, 2nd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division. He was killed June 13, 2005, when his military vehicle came under a grenade attack while he was conducting combat operations in Ramadi, Iraq.
Newman will carry the name of Nathan Bruckenthal, a native of Stony Brook, N.Y., who enlisted in the U.S. Coast Guard on Jan. 5, 1999. He was later assigned to Tactical Law Enforcement Detachment South, LEDET 403, at Coast Guard Air Station Miami, Florida, and deployed to the Persian Gulf in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.
On April 24, 2004, while serving as part of Coast Guard Patrol Forces Southwest Asia aboard USS Firebolt, Petty Officer 3rd Class Bruckenthal, a damage controlman, and two U. S. Navy sailors were killed in the line of duty while conducting maritime intercept operations in the North Arabian Gulf. Bruckenthal and six other coalition sailors attempted to board a small boat near the Iraqi Khawr Al Amaya Oil Terminal. As they boarded the boat, it exploded. Bruckenthal later died from the wounds he sustained in the explosion. Bruckenthal was the first Coast Guard member killed in action since the Vietnam War.
Roush Fenway Charlotte Wins
1992-2 Martin Cup
1995-2 Martin Cup
1998-2 Martin Cup
1999-1 Burton Cup
2000-1 Kenseth Cup
2001-1 Burton Cup
2002-1 Martin Cup
2011-2 Kenseth Cup
1993-2 Martin NXS
1995-2 Martin NXS
1996-1 Martin NXS
1996-2 Martin NXS
1998-1 Martin NXS
1999-1 Martin NXS
2000-1 Burton NXS
2001-2 Biffle NXS
2002-2 Burton NXS
2006-1 Edwards NXS
2011-1 Kenseth NXS
2011-2 Edwards NXS
2011-2 Edwards NXS
2015-1 Buescher NXS
Ryan Newman – Charlotte I Advance
Team: No. 6 Roman Ford Mustang
Crew Chief: Scott Graves
PR Contact: Brandon Lee; blee@roushfenway.com; 704-783-5446
Twitter: @Roush6Team, @RoushFenway and @RyanJNewman
Race Format: 600 miles, 400 laps, Stage Lengths: 100-100-100-100
Coca-Cola 600 – Sunday, May 24 at 6 p.m. ET on FOX, PRN, SiriusXM Channel 90
ADVANCE NOTES
NASCAR Returns to Action
- NASCAR continues its historic return to racing Sunday with the prestigious Coca-Cola 600, the third of four NASCAR Cup Series events over a 10-day span. The NCS will return to Charlotte Motor Speedway on Wednesday for a 310.6-mile event, which is set for 8 p.m. ET.
- Despite heavy rain in the Darlington area on Wednesday, NASCAR was able to get an official race in under the lights for the Cup Series’ sixth points race of 2020.
- Four weeks of NASCAR action were completed prior to the hiatus with races at Atlanta, Homestead, Texas, Bristol, Richmond, Talladega, Dover and Martinsville postponed.
Wednesday Recap, Sunday Preview
- With rain in the area through much of the night Wednesday, a bold strategy call put Newman in the lead just past halfway Wednesday night, before he overcame an unlucky pit road incident to record a 14th-place finish in a rain-shortened 208-lap race.
- After two-straight events with no qualifying, the field for Sunday’s Coca-Cola 600 will be set by qualifying, which is slated for 2 p.m. ET (FS1). Newman will pilot the Roman Ford Mustang in the company’s debut into NASCAR.
Newman Historically at Charlotte Motor Speedway
- Sunday marks Newman’s 37th start at the oval of Charlotte Motor Speedway, and 20th start in the Coke 600. He has an overall average finish of 18.2 with a best Coke 600 finish of second (2009).
- Newman has turned in 15 career top-10 finishes at CMS, including eight in the 600-mile event. Dating back four spring events, Newman has two top-10s (ninth – 2017, 10th – 2016).
- Newman has an impressive nine poles at CMS dating back to 2001, by the far the most of any active driver at the 1.5-mile track and tied for second-most of any driver in NASCAR history. Only David Pearson has more with 14, while Newman and Jeff Gordon are tied for second. He swept the pole awards in 2003 and 2007, and also secured the top spot in 2001, 2004, 2005, 2009 and 2010.
- Newman has five Xfinity Series starts at CMS with one win (2005) and finished top-10 in each race. He also made one start in the truck series there in 2009 finishing fourth in a Kevin Harvick-owned truck.
Scott Graves at Charlotte Motor Speedway
- Graves will call his eighth NCS race at Charlotte Motor Speedway on Sunday, and fifth Coke 600. In seven prior start he has an average finish of 15.7 with one top-10 (sixth – 2017).
- He also has sixth starts in the NXS atop the pit box, earning four top-10s and one top five. He finished third with Suarez in 2016, and also earned three top-10s with Chris Buescher in 2014 and 2015.
QUOTE WORTHY
Newman on the Coke 600:
“The Coke 600 is the longest race of the season and a special tribute and thanks to all the men and women who make Memorial Day the freedom day that we should all appreciate. NASCAR does a great job of showing patriotism, so as we go into our longest race of the year, we think about those who we have lost. On the track, we have to focus on what we need to do to be good at the start of the race and especially good at the end as it is a challenging race. I’m a proud member of the Coca-Cola Racing Family so the Coca-Cola 600 is definitely special for us.”
600 Miles of Remembrance
To align with the nation’s spirit of Memorial Day, the NASCAR industry will come together to honor and remember the brave men and women of the U.S. Armed Forces who’ve made the ultimate sacrifice defending our freedom. Each driver/team entry into the Coca-Cola 600 will display a fallen service member name on the windshield header decal of the racecar.
Newman will carry the name of Nathan Bruckenthal, a native of Stony Brook, N.Y., who enlisted in the U.S. Coast Guard on Jan. 5, 1999. He was later assigned to Tactical Law Enforcement Detachment South, LEDET 403, at Coast Guard Air Station Miami, Florida, and deployed to the Persian Gulf in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.
On April 24, 2004, while serving as part of Coast Guard Patrol Forces Southwest Asia aboard USS Firebolt, Petty Officer 3rd Class Bruckenthal, a damage controlman, and two U. S. Navy sailors were killed in the line of duty while conducting maritime intercept operations in the North Arabian Gulf. Bruckenthal and six other coalition sailors attempted to board a small boat near the Iraqi Khawr Al Amaya Oil Terminal. As they boarded the boat, it exploded. Bruckenthal later died from the wounds he sustained in the explosion. Bruckenthal was the first Coast Guard member killed in action since the Vietnam War.
On the Car
It was announced Wednesday that Roman – a leading men’s digital health clinic – will serve as the primary partner for Newman and the No. 6 team for the prestigious Coke 600. Powered by its parent company Ro, Roman offers a personalized healthcare experience for men from online treatment to the delivery of medication and ongoing care.
About Roman
Launched in 2017, Roman is the men’s digital health clinic from Ro that brings the care of leading medical experts to the privacy of one’s home. The company’s nationwide network of physicians and pharmacies provides a personalized, end-to-end healthcare experience from online treatment to the delivery of medication and ongoing care. Roman offers treatments for erectile dysfunction, premature ejaculation, hair loss, cold sores, genital herpes, allergies, skincare and more. For information about Roman, please visit www.getroman.com.
John Hunter Nemechek to Remember Fallen Soldier at Charlotte Motor Speedway
MOORESVILLE, N.C. (May 21, 2020) – John Hunter Nemechek, along with primary sponsor YANMAR America, will pay tribute to a fallen member of the United States Army at Charlotte Motor Speedway. This Memorial Day weekend, Nemechek’s No. 38 Front Row Motorsports Ford Mustang will carry a decal across the windshield with the name of Staff Sergeant Nicholas Carnes, who was killed in the line of duty in 2007. SSG Carnes has a special connection to YANMAR’s own Matt Hilliard, as the two served together before Hilliard joined the YANMAR team.
SSG Carnes joined the Kentucky Army National Guard in March of 1999, at the age of 17. A resident of Dayton, Ky., he graduated from Dayton High School in 2000. Carnes was a member of Battery A, 2nd Battalion, 138th Field Artillery in Carrollton and deployed with his unit to Afghanistan in March of 2007, where he perished on August 26, 2007 by small arms fire during a firefight in the village of Lewanne Bazaar, Paktika Province.
The No. 38 YANMAR Ford Mustang will sport its customary red and black paint scheme to accompany SSG Carnes’ name on the windshield, along with the Folds of Honor logo, a non-profit organization benefiting the families of fallen or disabled service members.
“We would never be able to go to the track and do what we love every week if not for everyone in our military,” said Nemechek. “I’m honored to carry Staff Sergeant Carnes’s name on my car this weekend. He and Matt Hilliard from YANMAR had a special connection and it means a lot that we are able to acknowledge his sacrifice in this small way.”
“Before I began working at YANMAR, I served in the Army alongside Staff Sergeant Nicholas Carnes,” said Matt Hilliard, YANMAR Industrial Account Manager. “When I learned YANMAR and our partner FRM were looking to honor a fallen hero, I felt compelled to present Nicholas’ name. Having his name on the No. 38 YANMAR car is a great way to show our respect and pay tribute to someone who gave the ultimate sacrifice in service of our country. I appreciate YANMAR, FRM, our driver John Hunter Nemechek and the Carnes family for allowing me the privilege to honor my friend Staff Sergeant Carnes on Memorial Day weekend, a time created for us all to remember those we’ve lost in service for our country.”
The No. 38 YANMAR Ford Mustang will take to the track on Sunday, May 27 for the “Coca-Cola 600” NASCAR Cup Series Race at 6:00 p.m. ET on FOX.
About Yanmar America
YANMAR America Corporation, located in Adairsville, GA, is the regional headquarters of YANMAR Co., Ltd. a global company based in Osaka, Japan. YANMAR Co., Ltd. was established in 1912, and in 1933 became the world’s first manufacturer to develop a practical small diesel engine. Today, YANMAR is a recognized leader in the design and manufacturing of advanced performance diesel engines and diesel-powered equipment, as well as gas engine-based energy systems. By focusing on the development of highly efficient diesel engines, YANMAR remains committed to their mission statement of providing sustainable solutions for modern power needs.
YANMAR America Corporation is located at 101 International Parkway, Adairsville, GA 30103. For more information Visit yanmar.com/us and follow them on social media: Twitter at @YanmarAmerica, Instagram at @YanmarAmerica and Facebook at Facebook.com/YanmarAmerica.
About Front Row Motorsports
Front Row Motorsports (FRM) is a winning organization in the NASCAR Cup Series. The team was founded in 2004 and is owned by successful entrepreneur, Bob Jenkins. FRM fields two full-time entries – the No. 34 of Michael McDowell and the No. 38 of John Hunter Nemechek – from its Mooresville, N.C., headquarters just outside of Charlotte. In 2020, the team announced an expansion to include the No. 38 Ford F-150 in the NASCAR Gander RV and Outdoors Truck Series, driven by Todd Gilliland. Visit teamfrm.com and follow FRM on social media: Twitter at @Team_FRM, Instagram at @team_frm and Facebook at facebook.com/
Chris Buescher – Charlotte I Advance
Team: No. 17 Fifth Third Bank Ford Mustang
Crew Chief: Luke Lambert
Twitter: @17RoushTeam, @RoushFenway and @Chris_Buescher
Race Format: 600 miles, 400 laps, Stage Lengths: 100-100-100-100
Coca-Cola 600 – Sunday, May 24 at 6 p.m. ET on FOX, PRN, SiriusXM Channel 90
ADVANCE NOTES
NASCAR Returns to Action
- NASCAR continues its historic return to racing Sunday with the prestigious Coca-Cola 600, the third of four NASCAR Cup Series events over a 10-day span. The NCS will return to Charlotte Motor Speedway on Wednesday for a 310.6-mile event, which is set for 8 p.m. ET.
- Despite heavy rain in the Darlington area on Wednesday night, NASCAR was able to get an official race in under the lights for the Cup Series’ sixth points race of 2020.
- Four weeks of NASCAR action were completed prior to the hiatus with races at Atlanta, Homestead, Texas, Bristol, Richmond, Talladega, Dover and Martinsville postponed.
Wednesday Recap, Sunday Preview
- A bold strategy call put Buescher and teammate Ryan Newman on the front row for a restart just past halfway in Wednesday’s event at Darlington, with the race ultimately running 208 laps before rain cut it short. Buescher later missed pit road on a pit stop and got one of his laps back, before recording a 23rd-place finish.
- After two straight events with no qualifying, the field for Sunday’s Coca-Cola 600 will be set by qualifying, which is slated for 2 p.m. ET (FS1). Buescher will pilot the No. 17 Fifth Third Ford Mustang in their second consecutive race on the car.
Buescher Historically at Charlotte Motor Speedway
- Buescher makes his seventh Cup start at Charlotte on Sunday, and fifth Coke 600 start. Overall he carries an average finish of 21st at the 1.5-mile track.
- Buescher has a best finish of sixth in the Coke 600, which came last season after starting 22nd.
- His best qualifying effort at the CMS oval is 18th (2018), with an overall average starting spot of 23rd.
- Buescher also made five starts at Charlotte in the NASCAR Xfinity Series for Roush Fenway from 2013-15, earning three top-10 finishes with a best of sixth in 2014.
Luke Lambert at Charlotte Motor Speedway
- Lambert will be atop the box for his 13th NCS race at the CMS oval, and seventh Coke 600. Overall he has an average finish of 17.2 in 12 starts.
- His best Coke 600 finish as a crew chief came in 2017 with Ryan Newman with a ninth-place result. He and Newman put together a sixth-place qualifying effort just two years ago and has an overall average starting spot of 18.1.
- Lambert also called two NXS events at CMS with Elliott Sadler in 2012, finishing fifth and third after earning the pole in the fall race that season.
QUOTE WORTHY
Buescher on the Coca-Cola 600:
“First and foremost, as a sport and personally, we’re always honored to pay tribute to those who fought for our freedom. NASCAR’s efforts in Mission 600 and the recognition of Memorial Day ties together the meaning behind the weekend, and we’re honored to have SPC Kinslow riding with us on the No. 17 Ford. The Coke 600 is one of our tougher races, both physically and mentally, and with our condensed schedule now it’s more important than ever. I had a good run in this race a year ago, so we’re hoping to put our Fifth Third Ford in a good position at the end of a long 600 miles.”
600 Miles of Remembrance
To align with the nation’s spirit of Memorial Day, the NASCAR industry will come together to honor and remember the brave men and women of the U.S. Armed Forces who’ve made the ultimate sacrifice defending our freedom. Each driver/team entry into the Coca-Cola 600 will display a fallen service member name on the windshield header decal of the racecar.
Buescher will carry the name of SPC Anthony Kinslow, a native of Phoenix who was based in Fort Carson, Colorado, in the U.S. Army. Kinslow was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 17th Field Artillery Regiment, 2nd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division. He was killed June 13, 2005, when his military vehicle came under a grenade attack while he was conducting combat operations in Ramadi, Iraq.
On the Car
Fifth Third Bank makes its second consecutive appearance aboard Buescher’s No. 17 machine on Sunday in the prestigious Coke 600. As part of NASCAR’s return and the ongoing implications from COVID-19, the company will run special messaging aboard Buescher’s Ford Mustang on the hood and TV panel.
- In appreciation of all frontline employees, Fifth Third has added a special tribute to the No. 17 scheme. The message reads, “Thank you frontline heroes for giving your 166.7%.” The messaging is a nod to the Bank’s brand campaign, which plays off the improper fraction that is the Bank’s name.
- As a fraction, 5/3 translates to more than 100 percent – 166.7 percent, to be exact – this special scheme honors all frontline employees who are going the extra mile to help our communities during this difficult time.
About Fifth Third Bank
Fifth Third Bancorp is a diversified financial services company headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio, and the indirect parent company of Fifth Third Bank, National Association, a federally chartered institution. As of March 31, 2020, Fifth Third had $185 billion in assets and operated 1,123 full-service banking centers and 2,464 ATMs with Fifth Third branding in Ohio, Kentucky, Indiana, Michigan, Illinois, Florida, Tennessee, West Virginia, Georgia and North Carolina. In total, Fifth Third provides its customers with access to approximately 53,000 fee-free ATMs across the United States. Fifth Third operates four main businesses: Commercial Banking, Branch Banking, Consumer Lending and Wealth & Asset Management. Fifth Third is among the largest money managers in the Midwest and, as of March 31, 2020, had $374 billion in assets under care, of which it managed $42 billion for individuals, corporations and not-for-profit organizations through its Trust and Registered Investment Advisory businesses. Investor information and press releases can be viewed at www.53.com. Fifth Third’s common stock is traded on the Nasdaq® Global Select Market under the symbol “FITB.” Fifth Third Bank was established in 1858. Deposit and Credit products are offered by Fifth Third Bank, National Association. Member FDIC.
No. 10 Smithfield Ford Racing: Aric Almirola Charlotte 1 Race Advance
| |||||||||
| |||||||||
|
DiBenedetto Finishes 9th at Darlington
Despite struggling to find the speed he hoped to have at Darlington Raceway, Matt DiBenedetto came away from two races in four days with two solid finishes, including his second top-10 finish of the season, a ninth-place effort in Wednesday night’s 500-kilometer race at the Lady in Black.
DiBenedetto and his No. 21 Motorcraft/Quick Lane Mustang fired off fast in Wednesday’s race, the start of which was delayed by rain throughout the day.
He started seventh after the qualifying order was set through an inversion of the finishing order of Sunday’s Darlington race in which he finished 14th.
He had driven up to fifth place, but made an early pit stop because he and the team were worried that there might be an issue with his car.
The decision to pit cost DiBenedetto and the team track position and caused them to use up one of the eight sets of tires each team was allotted for the race.
DiBenedetto restarted 27th and passed 15 cars in just 10 laps.
“It was fun to fly through the field like that,” he said. “I was surprised how many cars I could just fly by.”
But as the track took on more rubber, the results weren’t as good.
“We were a lot better on the green track,” he said. “When the track rubbered up, we just weren’t where we needed to be.”
Still he was able to finish 10th in the second 60-lap stage, earning one stage point.
As the laps wound down, DiBenedetto and his team, led by crew chief Greg Erwin and spotter Doug Campbell, used strategy to move into the top 10 when it counted.
Sensing rains would arrive before the race reached the advertised distance, the decision was made to leave DiBenedetto on the track when the caution flag flew with 32 laps remaining.
DiBenedetto moved up to second for the restart and was hanging on to ninth place when the race was called for rain 20 laps shy of the planned 228 laps.
“We gambled at the end and got lucky, but we’ll take it,” he said of his second top-10 finish of the season, the first a runner-up run at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in the second race of the season. “All of the tracks except for Darlington we have had really good speed, so I know we will take a little luck from this one and moving forward we should be fast at a lot of places and be better at Charlotte.”
DiBenedetto and the team remain in ninth place in the Cup standings heading into this weekend’s Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
###
About Motorcraft:
Motorcraft offers a complete line of replacement parts that are recommended by Ford Motor Company. From routine maintenance to underhood repairs, Motorcraft parts offer value with high quality and the right fit at competitive prices. Motorcraft parts are available nationwide at Ford and Lincoln Dealers, independent distributors and automotive parts retailers, and are backed by the Service Parts Limited Warranty of Ford Motor Company. For more information, visit www.motorcraft.com.
About Omnicraft:
Omnicraft is part of the Ford lineup of parts brands: Ford Parts, Motorcraft and Omnicraft. Omnicraft is the exclusive non-Ford/Lincoln parts brand of premium aftermarket parts. With over a century of parts heritage to build upon, Omnicraft provides excellent quality and fit and is a preferred choice of professional automotive technicians. To find out more about Omnicraft, visitwww.omnicraftautoparts.
About Quick Lane Tire & Auto Center
Quick Lane Tire & Auto Center offers extraordinary service for routine vehicle maintenance including tire repair and replacement with a Low Tire Price Guarantee and a full menu of automotive services including oil and filter, brakes, alignments, batteries, and shocks and struts on all vehicle makes and models. Service is performed by certified technicians at more than 1,000 locations worldwide while you wait, and no appointment is necessary. For more information about Quick Lane, please visit www.quicklane.com.
About Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company is a global company based in Dearborn, Michigan. The company designs, manufactures, markets and services a full line of Ford cars, trucks, SUVs, electrified vehicles and Lincoln luxury vehicles, provides financial services through Ford Motor Credit Company and is pursuing leadership positions in electrification, autonomous vehicles and mobility solutions. Ford employs approximately 200,000 people worldwide. For more information regarding Ford, its products and Ford Motor Credit Company, please visit www.corporate.ford.com.
Wood Brothers Racing
Wood Brothers Racing was formed in 1950 in Stuart, Va., by Hall of Famer Glen Wood. Wood Brothers Racing is the oldest active team and one of the winningest teams in NASCAR history. Since its founding, the team won 99 races (including at least one race in every decade for the last seven decades) and 120 poles in NASCAR’s top-tier series. Fielding only Ford products for its entire history, the Wood Brothers own the longest association of any motorsports team with a single manufacturer. Glen’s brother, Leonard, is known for inventing the modern pit stop. The team currently runs the Ford Mustang driven by Matt DiBenedetto in the famous No. 21 racer.