04/24/2015
Reed Finishes 21st At Richmond
RICHMOND, Va. (April 25, 2015) – Roush Fenway Racing driver Ryan Reed and the No. 16 Lilly Diabetes American Diabetes Association team finished 21st for the second week in a row in Friday night’s NASCAR XFINITY Series race at Richmond International Raceway (RIR).
“I hate to leave this track with such a disappointing finish,” said Reed. “I really thought we had a top-10 Lilly Diabetes American Diabetes Association Ford Mustang after today’s practice and qualifying sessions but we just missed our mark when it came to tonight’s race. We do well at superspeedways so hopefully next weekend at Talladega will be a chance for us to turn things around.”
Reed started Friday night’s race in the 14th position after surviving two of three rounds of qualifying earlier in the afternoon. After the green flag flew, it was quickly apparent that the car’s handling was not where Reed expected it to be as he had fallen back to the 19thposition by Lap 35. Reed reported to the team that the car’s handling would not allow him to run the bottom line of the racetrack.
The first caution flag flew on Lap 48 and allowed the team to bring Reed down pit road to make adjustments to the car. Reed reported he was loose on the entry to the turns and tight in the center. Crew Chief Seth Barbour called for a spring rubber and wedge adjustment to help the handling of the car. Reed received his lap back for being the first car one lap down and restarted in the 19thposition on Lap 55.
On the next green flag run, Reed was quiet on the radio and continued to run in the 19th position. By the Lap 109 caution flag, Reed reported the car was tight and kept getting tighter as the green-flag run progressed. The team had to wait to pit as a fire on pit road closed the pit road down for several laps. When it reopened, Reed came in for a track bar and wedge adjustment to try to free up the racecar.
Reed restarted in the 18th position on Lap 120 and reported the car had not improved by the Lap 144 caution flag. The team did not pit in an effort to save track position and wait a few more laps before using the last set of tires.
Reed’s final pit stop of the night for four tires and a wedge adjustment came on Lap 217 under the green flag. Reed held his ground on the track to bring home a 21st-place finish in the 250-lap event.
Reed drops to eighth in the NASCAR XFINITY Series championship standings after Friday night’s race at RIR, 50 points out of the lead. He is still the only series regular to win a race so far in the 2015 season with his win in the season opener at Daytona.
Reed and the No. 16 team return to the track next Saturday, May 2 at Talladega Superspeedway.
Roush Fenway Racing is the winningest team in NASCAR history, fielding multiple teams in NASCAR Sprint Cup Series and NASCAR XFINITY Series competition with drivers Greg Biffle, Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Trevor Bayne, Elliott Sadler, Ryan Reed, Chris Buescher and Bubba Wallace. Now in its 28th season, Roush Fenway is a leader in driver development, having launched the careers for many of the top drivers in the sport. Off-track, Roush Fenway is a leader in NASCAR marketing solutions, pioneering motorsport’s first team-focused TV show and producing multiple award-winning digital and experiential marketing campaigns. Roush Fenway is co-owned by Jack Roush, the winningest team owner in NASCAR history and Fenway Sports Group, parent company of Major League Baseball’s Boston Red Sox and English Premier League’s Liverpool F.C. Visit RoushFenway.com, circle on Google+, become a fan on Facebook and Instagram and follow on Twitter at @roushfenway.
About The American Diabetes Association
The American Diabetes Association is leading the fight to Stop Diabetes and its deadly consequences and fighting for those affected by diabetes. The Association funds research to prevent, cure and manage diabetes; delivers services to hundreds of communities; provides objective and credible information; and gives voice to those denied their rights because of diabetes. For the past 75 years, our mission has been to prevent and cure diabetes and to improve the lives of all people affected by diabetes. For more information please call the American Diabetes Association at 1-800-DIABETES (1-800-342-2383) or visit www.diabetes.org. Information from both these sources is available in English and Spanish.
About Lilly Diabetes
Lilly has been a global leader in diabetes care since 1923, when we introduced the world’s first commercial insulin. Today we are building upon this heritage by working to meet the diverse needs of people with diabetes and those who care for them. Through research and collaboration, a broad and growing product portfolio and a continued determination to provide real solutions—from medicines to support programs and more—we strive to make life better for all those affected by diabetes around the world. For more information, visit www.lillydiabetes.com or follow us on Twitter: @LillyDiabetes.
