Category: NASCAR Cup PR

Team: No. 17 Fastenal Ford Mustang
Crew Chief: Brian Pattie
Twitter: @Stenhouse17Team, @StenhouseJr, and @roushfenway

ADVANCE NOTES

Stenhouse at Texas Motor Speedway

Stenhouse has 13 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series (MENCS) starts at Texas Motor Speedway (TMS) with an average starting position of 17.9 and average finishing position of 19.3.

Stenhouse knows how to get to victory lane at TMS. In 2012, he held off MENCS veteran Denny Hamlin to claim his first victory at Texas Motor Speedway in the NASCAR Xfinity Series.

Last time at Texas

As he was working his way through the field, the caution flag waved scoring Stenhouse in the 16th position. Under the caution, Pattie brought the Ford to pit-road for tires and fuel and another chassis adjustment in hopes to help with the loose handling condition.

As green flag pit-stops were cycling though, Stenhouse forfeited his fourth position to bring his Fastenal Ford to pit-road for his final scheduled pit-stop. As he was leaving pit-road, he was penalized for speeding on exit forcing him to serve a pass thru penalty. With few laps remaining, Stenhouse was forced to settle with a 16th-place finish.

Fastenal Racing Fan Club

Make sure to go join the new Fastenal Racing Fan Club to receive exclusive content and prizes.

On the Car

Fastenal is currently in its eighth season as a primary partner in the MENCS for Roush Fenway. They spent three years on the No. 99 before jumping over to the No. 17 entry, and were the primary partner on the No. 60 Xfinity team that captured the owner’s championship in 2011.

Texas Native

Kenny DeGuisto, the underneath mechanic, is from Garland which is northeast of Dallas.

Stenhouse Jr. on racing at Texas:

“Eddie and everyone at the track does a great job putting on a show for the fans. I’m looking forward to this weekend. We had a solid run at Kansas so that should translate to this weekend. Earlier this year, I sped on pit-road at the end costing us a few positions so I’m looking for a mistake free weekend and hopefully having another solid run.”

Financial Services Leader Cashes in on No. 36 Ford

MOORESVILLE, N.C. (October 29, 2019) – Speedy Cash, an omni-channel financial services provider specializing in short-term loans, has teamed up with Front Row Motorsports (FRM) and John Hunter Nemechek for the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race at Texas Motor Speedway on Nov. 3. Nemechek will drive the No. 36 Speedy Cash Ford Mustang at Texas for Matt Tifft, who suffered a medical condition at Martinsville Speedway and will not compete this weekend.

Founded in Riverside, Calif., Speedy Cash offers a variety of convenient, easily accessible financial services, including installment loans, lines of credit, title loans and check cashing. The lender is also the exclusive provider of Opt+ prepaid debit cards. For over 20 years, Speedy Cash has provided the latest and most innovative lending methods to its customers with services available in branches, online, over the phone and via mobile app.

It will be hard to miss the FRM-Speedy Cash partnership at the track and throughout the greater Ft. Worth area. The partnership will include a public appearance at the Speedy Cash display at the track on Sunday morning at 11 a.m. along with unique Speedy Cash giveaways for fans. Speedy Cash branches will feature the likeness of Tifft as Speedy Cash reaches the NASCAR fans.

“We are excited to partner with Front Row Motorsports for the Texas Motor Speedway race,” said Don Gayhardt CEO of CURO Financial Technologies. “Of course, our thoughts are with Matt Tifft as he continues to recover, and we wish him well. We are excited for our teammates and customers to see the No. 36 Speedy Cash Ford Mustang race on Nov 3rd. As an organization, we pride ourselves on being the best at delivering financial services fast, and we are confident that John Hunter Nemechek will deliver results in that same fashion.”

“I am looking forward to making my Cup series debut with Speedy Cash this weekend at Texas, but wish it had been under different circumstances,” said Nemechek. “Speedy Cash is really going ‘all-in’ with FRM on this partnership and it’s a testament to the team’s focus on creating successful programs for our sponsors. I look forward to making them proud on Sunday and giving Speedy Cash an awesome experience at track.”

The No. 36 Speedy Cash Ford Mustang will make its debut at Texas Motor Speedway on Friday, Nov. 1 for practice. The Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race at Texas will air Sunday, Nov. 3 at 3:00 p.m. ET on NBCSN and PRN.

For more information about Speedy Cash, visit SpeedyCash.com.

About Speedy Cash
Speedy Cash is an Omni-channel lender that specializes in financial services such as installment loans, personal lines of credit, title loans, check cashing and money transfers and money orders. The company was founded in 1997 in Riverside, California by three friends from Wichita, Kansas to meet the growing consumer need for accessible credit. Speedy Cash has 214 brick & mortar locations across the U.S. (operating as Rapid Cash in Nevada, Oregon and Washington) and offers online loans in 28 states. Speedy Cash is owned and operated by CURO Group Holdings Corp (NYSE: CURO).
In Texas, Speedy Cash operates as a Registered Credit Access Business (CAB). The actual lender is an unaffiliated third party.

About Front Row Motorsports
Front Row Motorsports (FRM) is a winning organization in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series. The team was founded in 2004 and is owned by successful entrepreneur, Bob Jenkins. FRM fields three full-time entries – the No. 34 of Michael McDowell, the No. 36 of Matt Tifft and the No. 38 of David Ragan – from its Mooresville, N.C., headquarters just outside of Charlotte. The team’s partnership base includes CITGO Petroleum Corporation, Ford Performance, Love’s Travel Stops, Select Blinds, Shriners Hospitals for Children, Surface and Speedco. Visit teamfrm.com and follow FRM on social media: Twitter at @Team_FRM, Instagram at @team_frm and Facebook at facebook.com/FrontRowMotorsports.

FORD PERFORMANCE NASCAR: TEXAS PLAYOFF NOTES

The Round of 8 hits the midway point this weekend in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series and NASCAR XFINITY Series at Texas Motor Speedway. Ford has won more events than any other manufacturer in the two series and has both defending race winners as well. Kevin Harvick has captured the Texas playoff race on the MENCS side each of the last two seasons while Cole Custer took the NXS event last year. Here’s a look at where Ford’s playoff drivers stand, along with its statistical success at the 1.5-mile facility.

ROUND OF 8 MENCS PLAYOFF STANDINGS (Top 4 Advance After Phoenix)
4th – Joey Logano (+14 ahead of cutoff)
5th – Kevin Harvick (-14 from final transfer spot)
6th – Ryan Blaney (-15 from final transfer spot)

FORD IN THE MONSTER ENERGY NASCAR CUP SERIES AT TMS
· Ford has the most all-time Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series wins at TMS with 14.
· Kevin Harvick is the two-time defending champion of the Playoff race at TMS.
· Jack Roush is tied for the most wins among car owners at TMS with nine.

ROUND OF 8 NXS PLAYOFF STANDINGS (Top 4 Advance After Phoenix)
2nd – Cole Custer +38 ahead of cutoff)
5th – Chase Briscoe (-2 from final transfer spot)
8th – Austin Cindric (-30 from final transfer spot)

FORD IN THE NASCAR XFINITY SERIES AT TMS
· Ford leads all manufacturers with 13 NASCAR XFINITY Series wins at TMS.
· Cole Custer won the NXS Playoff race at TMS last year, giving Ford a season sweep.
· Mark Martin won the first NXS race at Texas and leads Ford with three series victories overall.

HARVICK POSTS CONSECUTIVE TEXAS PLAYOFF WINS

The last two times the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series has come to Texas Motor Speedway in the playoffs, Kevin Harvick has come away with the victory and a spot in the Championship 4. Last season, Harvick took the lead early in Stage 1 and never looked back as he led 177 laps and won all three stages in a dominating performance. That was much different from what he did in 2017 when he passed Martin Truex Jr. with 10 laps remaining to win and advance. That marked Harvick’s first Cup victory at the speedway in 30 starts.

LAST LAP PASS LEADS LOGANO TO VICTORY

Joey Logano’s first Cup win at TMS came in 2014 in a race that was delayed until Monday because of rain. Logano dominated much of the second half, but a caution with two laps to go forced a green-white-checker finish. He started third on the restart after the leaders stopped on pit road and was able to get past Jeff Gordon on the final lap to claim victory. Logano led 108 of the final 116 laps to claim the first of five wins that season.

A TEXAS TWO-FIRST

A couple of firsts happened on April 6, 1997 as Texas Motor Speedway hosted its inaugural Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series event and Jeff Burton took his first checkered flag. Burton, led by crew chief Buddy Parrott, passed Todd Bodine with 58 laps remaining and beat fellow Ford driver Dale Jarrett to the finish line by four seconds. The race was slowed by 10 cautions, which included a multi-car accident in first turn of the first lap. Burton went on to win 21 career series races with 17 of those coming in a Thunderbird or Taurus.

SADLER WINS FIRST RACE WITH RYR

Elliott Sadler passed Jeff Gordon with 27 laps remaining and then held off Kasey Kahne in the closing laps to win the Samsung/Radio Shack 500 on April 4, 2004. Sadler, in his second season with Robert Yates Racing, hugged the inside lane over the final three laps as Kahne worked the outside. When the two cars came off turn four for the final time, Sadler had a lapped car in front of him and that allowed Kahne to make one last charge. Despite gaining crucial ground through the tri-oval, Kahne came up half-a-car length short as Sadler crossed the line first to gain his second of three career series wins.

FORD MONSTER ENERGY NASCAR CUP SERIES WINNERS AT TEXAS
1997 – Jeff Burton
1998 – Mark Martin
2001 – Dale Jarrett
2002 – Matt Kenseth
2004 – Elliott Sadler
2005 – Greg Biffle (1) and Carl Edwards (2)
2008 – Carl Edwards (Sweep)
2011 – Matt Kenseth (1)
2012 – Greg Biffle (1)
2014 – Joey Logano (1)
2017 – Kevin Harvick (2)
2018 – Kevin Harvick (2)

FORD NASCAR XFINITY SERIES WINNERS AT TEXAS
1997 – Mark Martin
1999 – Mark Martin
2000 – Mark Martin
2004 – Matt Kenseth
2007 – Matt Kenseth
2010 – Carl Edwards (2)
2011 – Carl Edwards (1) and Trevor Bayne (2)
2012 – Ricky Stenhouse (1)
2013 – Brad Keselowski (2)
2015 – Brad Keselowski (2)
2018 – Ryan Blaney (1) and Cole Custer (2)

Denny Hamlin
#11 FedEx Office Toyota
Joe Gibbs Racing

Race Info:
Race: AAA Texas 500
Date/Time: Sunday, Nov. 3/3:00 p.m. ET
Race Distance: 334 laps / 501 miles
Track Shape: Oval
Track Length: 1.5 Miles
Banking: 24 degrees
2018 Winner: Kevin Harvick

Express Notes:

Martinsville Recap:  Denny Hamlin earned a top-five finish at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway on Sunday, giving himself a second-place perch in the Playoff points after the first race of the Round of 8. The 500-lap race at the close-quartered short track featured its typical beating and banging – as well as some lengthy green-flag runs with no passing at all. Hamlin started from the pole in his #11 FedEx Freight Toyota and led the first 30 laps. But a couple of slow pit stops in the early stages dropped him farther back in the top 10. Reclaiming those spots proved difficult for the rest of the race, with the driver citing a lack of grip to make moves off the corners. The 263-mile race featured 11 caution flags, including three within the final 50 laps that repeatedly bunched up the leaders and allowed Hamlin to regain several spots and move into the top five. He crossed the finish line in fourth place as teammate Martin Truex Jr. took the victory after leading 464 of the 500 laps. Hamlin’s finish puts him second in Playoff points with two more races remaining before the championship field is pared to four.

Texas Motor Speedway Preview: The series heads next to Texas Motor Speedway for a 501-mile event on Sunday, Nov. 3. In his 27 starts at the Fort Worth track, Hamlin has three victories, including his second victory of the 2019 season. He and the FedEx #11 team look to repeat their past success this weekend at the 1.5-mile oval track.

Hamlin Statistics:
Track: Texas Motor Speedway
Races: 27
Wins: 3
Poles: 0
Top-5: 7
Top-10: 13
Laps Led: 277
Avg. Start: 14.1
Avg. Finish: 13.2

Hamlin Conversation – Texas:

How are you feeling moving ahead to Texas after a long, challenging race at Martinsville?

“You always want to come away with a victory each time you hit the track, but we’ll take our top-five and move on. It was difficult to make up spots in Martinsville. Chris (Gabehart) and the team worked hard to give us a fast car, but we just weren’t able to pass our way back up to the front under the conditions. But, we’re in a good spot in the points, and we move on to a racetrack in Texas where we won earlier this year.”

With two races left in the Round of 8, how important is it for you to secure a victory this week in Texas?

“It would certainly help, clinching a spot to move on and not have to worry about it in Phoenix. We’re all going to work as hard as we can to prepare and position ourselves to end up in Victory Lane at Texas Motor Speedway.”

FedEx Office Along for the Ride at Texas Motor Speedway: For the Texas race, FedEx Office will spotlight the efforts that went into its new internal online task management solution, My Action Planner, with the letters MAP on the B-post of the FedEx Office Toyota. The MAP App establishes a single repository for the vast majority of store-specific tasks and was the result of time, expertise and support from the managers and teams in Region 35 Heartland, District 38 Kansas City, Region 48 Ohio Valley and District 70 Pittsburgh.

Michael McDowell
No. 34 A&W Ford Mustang
Started: 5 | Finished: 23

“It was an up and down day for our No. 34 A&W Restaurants team. We battled hard, but missed the lucky dog by inches 3 or 4 times and just couldn’t seem to get back on the lead lap. I’m really happy for my teammate, David Ragan, for being able to sneak a strong finish out of a tough day at Martinsville Speedway. On to Texas Motor Speedway.”

Matt Crafton
No. 36 Surface Sunscreen/Tunity Ford Mustang
Started: 31 | Finished: 25

“I’m grateful to have the opportunity to drive a Cup car this weekend, but sorry that it was under these circumstances. We ran over a piece of debris and took some damage to the front end early in the race and then we picked up a brake vibration partway through that we never really could recover from. Wish we could have had a better finish for the No. 36 Surface Sunscreen/Tunity Ford but it was fun working with the team today.”

David Ragan
No. 38 MDS Ford Mustang
Started: 17 | Finished: 11

“We had a hard fought day at Martinsville Speedway, but our No. 38 MDS Trucking team never gave up. They worked extremely hard getting a very tight handling race car adjusted. We caught a couple of timely cautions towards the end and were able put down some of our best laps in the last 100 laps of the race. I can’t say enough about Mike Kelley and our team for making some aggressive adjustments throughout the race to get our car better. It was a lot of fun racing for a top-10 at one of my favorite tracks.”

MARTINSVILLE, Va. (Oct. 27, 2019) – After multiple cautions in the final stage of racing, Ricky Stenhouse Jr. walked away from Martinsville Speedway with a solid 15th-place finish Sunday afternoon in his Fifth Third Ford Mustang.

Stenhouse rolled off in the 16th position for the 500-lap race, but fell back to 26th early in stage one. The No. 17 Ford pitted during the race’s first caution at Lap 27 for four tires and fuel but had to restart at the rear of the field after speeding on pit road. Stenhouse took the green-white-checkered for stage one in 26th with reports of a vibration in the rear and bad turn.

The team was able to bounce back with a fast pit stop to restart for stage two in 24th. The driver toggled between 24th and 26th, went one lap down and reported heavy vibrations every time the throttle was touched. Luckily a caution flag was displayed at lap 251, resulting in an opportunity to take the free pass. The No. 17 team then pitted at lap 254 for fuel, tires and an adjustment to finish the second stage 18th.

After staying out during the stage break, Stenhouse got to work for the final laps. The team restarted 17th and held the position for the majority of the stage. The No. 17 Fifth Third Ford’s adjustments paid off, as reports of the car got better. Through various cautions, the team was able to maintain position until being slightly involved in an incident at Lap 352. After pitting to repair the minor damages, Stenhouse drove up through the field climbing as high as 12th. The team ultimately took the checkered flag 15th, going home with a solid finish at the Virginia track.

Stenhouse and the No. 17 team heads down south next weekend for 500 miles of racing at Texas Motor Speedway. The race is set for Sunday, Nov. 3 at 3 p.m. EST on NBC Sports Network.

MARTINSVILLE, Va. (Oct. 27, 2019) – Ryan Newman and the No. 6 team battled back from an early deficit to record a 10th-place finish at Martinsville Speedway Sunday afternoon in the Blue Bird Ford Mustang.

“We just got out-tired there at the end,” Newman said after the race. “Those other guys had tires and we didn’t and it didn’t work out the best for us. It was a challenge. Our pit stops were awesome today. That made a big difference and we just came up short.”

Newman qualified 27th in the yellow No. 6 Ford, matching that of the iconic school bus brand Blue Bird, but started at the rear of the field after failing pre-race technical inspection Sunday morning. It took an opening stage to break inside the top-20, but from there the team continued their upward trend en route to their 13th top-10 of 2019.

After concluding stage one 22nd in which he went a lap down to the leaders, Newman lined back up 18th for stage two after the team made adjustments to try and tighten up his Ford Mustang. As the second stage began the South Bend, Indiana, native was in the free pass position, and he was the recipient of it after the caution came out at lap 177.

From there, Newman pitted again for service and restarted 16th, back on the lead lap, as the race went green to lap 250 from that point. He would pit again for service and no adjustments, before lining back up 12th on the restart with three to go in the stage, where he would finish at the end of 260 laps.

The 2012 Martinsville winner rolled off 11th for the final stage and from there would begin his charge inside the top-10. He broke through at lap 285 picking off the 10th spot, before going on to restart eighth at lap 352. Newman’s final pit stop of the day came with 50 laps to go, and he fired off seventh on the ensuing restart.

Two more yellows were displayed in the closing laps, and Newman got up to sixth with 35 to go before the No. 18 made contact causing left rear damage, but Newman was able to fend off the field crossing the line 10th.

Newman and the No. 6 team return to action next weekend at Texas Motor Speedway. Race coverage on Sunday begins at 3 p.m. ET on NBCSN. Coverage can also be heard on PRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Channel 90.

Paul Menard and the No. 21 Quick Lane Tire & Auto Center Ford Mustang were on their way to recovering from a poor starting position in Sunday’s First Data 500 at Martinsville Speedway when a freak mechanical issue dealt them a setback they were unable to overcome.

He wound up 21st at the finish.

Menard started 30th in his final Cup run at Martinsville, the home track for his Wood Brothers team, and managed to keep from getting lapped – a real feat for someone starting near the rear of the pack on the tight half-mile track – until the first caution flag at Lap 29.

But his hard-fought ground was immediately lost when his engine failed to restart after Menard routinely shut it off and coasted under the caution flag. The engine eventually refired but the delay led to a lost lap and a drop to 35th place.

Once the race restarted, the green flag flew for 97 straight laps. Menard held the free-pass position for much of that run but eventually saw other drivers ahead of him get lapped, and that led to Menard losing a second lap.

By taking the wave-around he was able to regain one of the lost laps, but by the time he did there were less than 40 laps left to run. Menard gained two positions in the closing laps to move to 21st in the finishing order.

Eddie Wood said the second lost lap was more than Menard and the team could overcome.

“We just couldn’t get two laps back,” he said. “We were in position to get back on the lead lap for a long time but it just didn’t work out.

“It was a typical hard day at Martinsville.”

Menard and the Wood Brothers maintained 19th place in the points standings with three races left to run including Sunday’s AAA Texas 500 at Texas Motor Speedway.

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About Motorcraft

Motorcraft® offers a complete line of replacement parts that are recommended and approved by Ford Motor Company. From routine maintenance to under-hood repairs, Motorcraft parts offer exceptional value with the highest quality and right fit at competitive prices. Motorcraft parts are available nationwide at Ford and Lincoln dealers, independent distributors and automotive parts retailers are backed by Ford Motor Company’s two-year, unlimited-miles Service Parts Limited Warranty. Ask for Motorcraft by name when you visit your local auto parts store or your favorite service facility. For more information, visit www.motorcraft.com.

About Quick Lane Tire & Auto Centers

Ford’s Quick Lane Tire & Auto Center offers routine vehicle maintenance such as oil and filter changes, light repair services including brake repair, and tire replacements on all vehicle makes and models. With more than 800 locations and growing, customers can visit www.quicklane.com to find a center that is closest to them, print savings coupons and review maintenance tips to keep their vehicles running at peak efficiency. This site includes information on how to spot tire wear, how to jump-start a battery and even a series of tips to improve a vehicle’s fuel economy.

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 Paul Menard in the famous No. 21 racer.

Team Penske Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Race Report
Track: Martinsville Speedway
Race: First Data 500
Date: October 27, 2019

____________________________________

No. 2 Alliance Truck Parts Ford Mustang – Brad Keselowski
Start: 15th
Stage 1: 15th
Stage 2: 10th
Finish: 3rd
Status: Running
Laps Completed: 500/500
Laps Led: 0
Driver Point Standings: 9th (38 ahead of 10th-place)

Notes:

Brad Keselowski held off Denny Hamlin in the closing laps to score a third-place finish in the First Data 500 Sunday evening at Martinsville Speedway. Keselowski claimed his 13th top-five finish of the 2019 season and his ninth top-five in 20 starts at Martinsville. He sits ninth in the NASCAR Cup Series point standings, 38 points ahead of 10th-place William Byron.

Keselowski started 15th in the 500-lap race and was struggling with the balance on the Alliance Truck Parts Ford Mustang during Stage 1. He was losing time through the center of the corners, especially being too tight two-thirds of the way through the corner. He scored a 15th-place finish when the stage ended on lap 130. He pitted during the stage caution for four tires and air pressure adjustments and restarted 14th when the race went green on lap 139.

As the laps ticked off early in Stage 2, the balance on the No. 2 Mustang improved. Keselowski said he was turning better in the both corners. He climbed back into the top-10 by lap 184 despite contact with Jimmie Johnson while leaving the pits under caution on lap 180. He was running eighth as Stage 2 entered its final laps. The fourth caution slowed the pace on lap 253, seven laps from the finish of the segment. Crew chief Paul Wolfe called his driver to the pit lane during the yellow for four tires and air pressure adjustments. He restarted 10th on lap 257 and held firm to the position over the next three laps. Keselowski didn’t pit during the stage caution and restarted ninth when the race went green on lap 268.

During the final stage, Keselowski’s Ford improved, and he steadily worked his way up the leaderboard. He said his Mustang was turning better as track cooled with the setting sun. Keselowski was up to eighth-place when he pitted under caution on lap 348 and during the next run the balance improved again. He was running sixth when the ninth caution on lap 450 set up the final round of stops. Keselowski took four tires and added a piece of tape to the nose of the No. 2 Mustang and restarted sixth on lap 455.

From there the driver of the Alliance Truck Parts Ford Mustang made one final push to the front but it wasn’t without a close call with teammate Ryan Blaney. Blaney blocked Keselowski as they raced for third on lap 468 and Keselowski nudged his teammate out the way in Turn 1. One corner later Keselowski got loose and gave Blaney room to make a clean pass for position. Keselowski made the pass for good on lap 481 and held off Hamlin in the final laps to claim his top-five finish.

Quotes: “I think that’s about all we had or maybe a little more than what we had. We just kind of kept our head on our shoulders all day and made the most of what we had. I was proud of our Alliance Truck Parts team for that effort. It was tough to pass. When you get behind somebody that you are way faster than, that big spoiler would just kill you. It was a good day for us. I had somebody right on my butt and Blaney came down to block and I couldn’t let him in, and I about spun him out. And then I got to the other end and I about spun out and I was like, ‘Just go, Blaney. I about spun you out last time.’ My car ran better behind other cars, so that was it.”

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No. 12 Menards/Richmond Ford Mustang – Ryan Blaney
Start: 5th
Stage 1: 3rd
Stage 2: 3rd
Finish: 5th
Status: Running
Laps Completed: 500/500
Laps Led: 0
Point Standings (behind first): 6th (-45)

Notes:

Ryan Blaney began the NASCAR Playoffs Round of 8 with a fifth-place finish in the First Data 500 at the Martinsville Speedway. This was his 10th top-five finish of 2019 and he now sits sixth NASCAR Cup Series point standings, 45 points behind leader Martin Truex Jr. and 15 points behind fourth-place Joey Logano.

Blaney started fifth and began working his way towards the front. He would drive up to third by lap 20 when the first caution of the day came out on lap 29. Blaney would pit on lap 30 for tires, fuel and a slight air pressure adjustment. Strong service by the Menards crew allowed Blaney to restart second on when racing resumed on lap 34. His car would remain tight on throttle and he would eventually fall back to third behind Denny Hamlin. He would remain in the same spot until the end of the stage on lap 130, bringing home a third-place finish. Under the stage break crew chief Jeremy Bullins would call for major air pressure adjustment.

Blaney would restart third when Stage 2 began on lap 139. A bad restart by Hamlin would put Blaney back to sixth place. A caution on lap 179, would bring the leaders back to pit road where the Menards crew would make another air pressure adjustment. Another strong pit stop by the No. 12 crew would gain Blaney three spots on pit road. He would pass Clint Bowyer for second on lap 236 and set his sights on Martin Truex Jr. for the race lead. The caution would fly on lap 253 for debris, just seven laps prior to the Stage 2 conclusion. Blaney would pit for tires, fuel and another wedge adjustment. Restarting third, he would battle Truex Jr. and Larson for the Stage victory, but in the end would settle for a third-place finish.

Restarting third for the final stage on lap 268, Blaney would report that his car was the tightest it had been all day. He would fall back to fourth on lap 280 and remain in that position until a caution on lap 347. The Menards crew would take tires, fuel and a major wedge and air pressure adjustment reporting the car had no forward drive. Another strong pit stop got the High Point, N.C. native out from fourth to second place for the restart on lap 352.

Restarting second and needing a long run, Blaney set his sights on leader Truex Jr., but would begin to receive pressure from William Byron. Blaney would make his final stop of the day under caution on lap 451 for tires, fuel and another wedge and air pressure adjustment.
Even with multiple chassis and air pressure adjustments, the Menards Ford needed long runs, which simply didn’t happen over the last 50 laps. Blaney would eventually lose spots to teammate Brad Keselowski and Hamlin late, coming home with a fifth-place finish.

Quote: “We were in the top five all day and I thought we had a good shot at second. We weren’t good on short runs. We struggled for probably 30-40 laps and then we’d come alive and be great, but just didn’t have the speed.”

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No. 22 Shell-Pennzoil Ford Mustang – Joey Logano
Start: 10th
Stage 1: 5th
Stage 2: 4th
Finish: 8th
Status: Running
Laps Completed: 500/500
Laps Led: 0
Point Standings (behind first): 4th (-30)

Notes:

Joey Logano rallied back from a late-race incident with Denny Hamlin to score an eighth-place finish in the First Data 500 at Martinsville Speedway. Logano was squeezed into the wall off Turn 4 on lap 458 and spun out two laps later due to a cut tire. He made multiple pit stops during the caution for repairs but fought through traffic from deep in the field over the final 35 laps to score an eighth-place finish. The Shell-Pennzoil team is fourth in the NASCAR Cup Series point standings, 14 points ahead of fifth-place Kevin Harvick.

In the opening 20 laps, Logano reported the Shell-Pennzoil Ford Mustang was fighting loose on both entry and exit around the tight half-mile at Martinsville, feeling like the lack of drive off was most hurting his overall lap times. The first caution on lap 29 brought Logano to pit road, where quick service by the No. 22 crew moved him up four spots for the restart on lap 34. Early in the run Logano reported the Shell-Pennzoil Ford was looser, however, 20 laps later he said the balance was improving and he began to move forward through the field.

Logano was fifth when Stage 1 concluded on lap 130. He said his No 22 Shell-Pennzoil Mustang was loose early in a run but on a longer run the better he ran. During the early laps of the second stage, Logano slipped back through the field as the handling condition on his Mustang swung to the loose side. A pit stop during the third caution on lap 181 allowed the team to make wedge and air pressure changes looking to give Logano more security for the race to the end of the second stage. The fourth yellow on lap 253 set up another round of pit stops among the leaders. Logano survived the three-lap dash to end Stage 2, collecting a fourth-place finish. Crew chief Todd Gordon chose not to pit during the stage caution and Logano restarted third when the race went green on lap 268.

On the restart, Logano moved around teammate Ryan Blaney and up to second. He slipped back to third by lap 325, reporting he was building tight through the center and snapping loose off. A caution flag on lap 347 set up another pit stop for the Shell-Pennzoil team where Gordon called for air pressure adjustments to correct Logano’s tight condition.

Logano drifted back to the fifth position as the laps began to wind down, struggling with his Mustang being too tight and having no rear grip. The ninth caution on lap 450 set up the team’s final stop of the race. The group made a four-tire stop and their quick service on pit road moved Logano up to fourth position for the restart on lap 455.

Three laps later Logano was squeezed into the wall off Turn 4 wall while racing Hamlin for position. The contact with Hamlin resulted in flat right-side tires and sheet metal damage and led to Logano’s spin on which brought out the caution on lap 460. The No. 22 team made multiple stops during the caution for repairs so that their Ford Mustang to finish the race.
Despite a wrinkled race car, Logano rallied during the closing laps to claim an eighth-place finish, his 18th top-10 of the season. Logano heads to Texas Motor Speedway fourth in the championship standings with a 14-point edge over fifth-place Kevin Harvick.

Quote: “We had a solid day on pit road and we were able to make some adjustments that at times had our Shell-Pennzoil Ford Mustang really competitive. I hate the fact that we took the damage late in the race because it spoiled a top-five day for my Shell-Pennzoil team. We’ll go on to Texas and try to lock into Ford Championship weekend with a win.”

Martin Truex Jr. Sails to Victory in Martinsville, Advances to Championship 4 Race
Truex Captures Single-Season Best 17th win for Toyota

MARTINSVILLE, Va. (October 27, 2019) – Martin Truex Jr. dominated Sunday’s Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race at Martinsville Speedway, leading a career-high 464 laps to capture his seventh win of 2019 and secure a spot in the Championship 4. The win was the 17th for a Camry driver this season, a single-season record for Toyota in the NASCAR Cup Series.

Toyota Racing Post-Race Recap
Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series
Martinsville Speedway
Race 33 of 36 – 263 miles, 500 laps

TOYOTA FINISHING POSITIONS
1st, MARTIN TRUEX JR.
2nd, William Byron*
3rd, Brad Keselowski*
4th, DENNY HAMLIN
5th, Ryan Blaney*
14th, KYLE BUSCH
16th, MATT DiBENEDETTO
20th, ERIK JONES
*non-Toyota driver

Truex led a career-high 464 laps (of 500) on the way to his seventh victory of 2019.

With the win, Truex secured a spot in the Championship 4 at Homestead-Miami Speedway in the championship title event.

The Camry driver’s win at Martinsville was the 17th win for Toyota this season, a single-season record for the manufacturer.

Denny Hamlin, Kyle Busch and Truex continue the Round of 8 in the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs next weekend at Texas Motor Speedway.

TOYOTA QUOTES

MARTIN TRUEX JR., No. 19 Auto Owners Insurance Toyota Camry, Joe Gibbs Racing

Finishing Position: 1st

The first to be locked into the Championship 4, how big is that advantage?

“I’ll let you know in three weeks. I really don’t know. We’ve never done it this way. We’ve always pointed our way in through the third round. This is the first time we’ve won at one of these tracks, so I mean, they still give out trophies and money the next two weeks, we’re going to go after them.”

What made the difference today and have you ever had this dominating over a car?

“Well, not here that’s for sure. We’ve led some laps here, but not many. We’ve never, I felt like, had the best car here. Last year, we got about the best at the end, but I’m just really proud of this team. We weren’t that great yesterday in practice and I told them what I needed it to do and they went to work last night and got it better and we qualified good. Beginning of the race, I thought yeah, it’s pretty decent, but we need to work on it and a few adjustments later man, the thing was just dominant. I’m just really proud of everybody on this team. Thanks to all the fans for coming out. Man, this is a special race track. This is one everybody wants to win and I’ve worked hard for a long time to try to get better at this place and try to figure it out and thanks to my guys on this team, they’ve helped me figure it out and here we are.”

When you’re sitting in the car, can you tell it’s a great pit stop?

“Oh yeah. You can tell. You can tell. You can hear the lugnuts coming off and going on and if it all sounds synchronized and that right side drops before you’re ready for it, you know it’s a good one. Hats off to them. They’ve had an up-and-down season and had to work really hard to get better and better. They’re in the prime right now, so hopefully they can keep it up.”

Is there extra satisfaction after what happened last year in already getting into the Championship 4?

“Yeah, I think there is. I mean, honestly, more than anything I just wanted to win here so bad last year. It wasn’t really about getting to Miami because we got there anyway, but this track is so tough. It’s old school. It’s the heart of NASCAR and NASCAR has been coming here so long, the history here is amazing and I’m proud to be a part of that.”

Martin, how much redemption is this win for what happened here last year?

“I don’t know. I mean, that was completely unrelated to today in my opinion. Luckily, we were just able to do all the right things, and I didn’t feel great about our car after practice and we made a lot of changes on it, so hats off to James (Small) and Cole (Pearn, crew chief) for making the right changes. I’m just proud to win here. This is a big, big race for anyone in this sport. Grandfather clock coming home with me, baby. I never would have thought it. Just hats off to everybody on this team back at the shop, TRD, everybody at Costa Mesa; put a beat‑down on that engine right there, and she still sounded pretty good, so thanks for that. I’m a lucky guy to drive for these guys, and hopefully we can spend the next two weeks getting ready to go to Homestead and do this again.”

Welcome to Miami.

“I can’t believe we just won Martinsville, man. Miami is awesome, but we’ve wanted to win here for a long time, but the guys have worked so hard, I’ve worked so hard. I used to just be terrible here, and just an awesome bunch of guys. What can I say, Auto Owners, Bass Pro, TRD, everybody back at the shop, brand new race car, and again, it still wants to keep going.”

Did you expect a performance like that, leading 464 laps?

“I don’t think anyone expected that. This race track in general, you don’t see that. Hats off to my guys. Pit crew was stellar today, and we didn’t make many adjustments. We adjusted on it early and it came to life, and that was a lot of fun. I don’t know, maybe now I’ve got this place figured out, who knows. But just really proud of everybody, and after last year, we talked earlier, everybody wants to keep talking about last year, and I’m like, we’ve got work to do. I’m just proud of everybody for giving me a race car like that and being able to put it all together today when it counted.”

You mentioned the disappointment of last year. Does this make up for that?

“I’ll let you know in a few weeks. The cool part is we’re going to Homestead again, and that was what we tried to accomplish this weekend. We don’t have to worry about points anymore, we can just get to work on our Homestead car. Just honestly, I’m so excited and proud to drive this thing, and our team is unbelievable.”

DENNY HAMLIN, No. 11 FedEx Freight Toyota Camry, Joe Gibbs Racing

FInishing Position: 4th

What happened between you and Joey Logano?

“We were having a discussion and everything was civil and then like Joey (Logano) does, he gives a little push and runs away. That’s Joey. I mean he said ‘you want to go?’ I said ‘yes, I’m here,’ but then he runs away.”

What was the on-track incident that led to the disagreement?

“I got close off of Turn 4 and it looks like we got together and it looks like collateral damage. He blew a tire. I mean, he would probably say, oh, short track racing.”

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