03/15/2015
Reed Finishes 13th At Phoenix
AVONDALE, Ariz. (March 14, 2015) – Ryan Reed earned a 13th-place finish in the fourth NASCAR XFINITY Series race of the season at Phoenix International Raceway (PIR) on Saturday afternoon.
The team made adjustments throughout the race that improved the car on each run, allowing Reed to gain several positions from where he started and finish just outside the top-10 with his other Roush Fenway Racing teammates.
“We battled hard all day,” said Reed. “None of us like running outside of the top-10 but I am proud of the Lilly Diabetes team. We have the right people, we just have to put the right pieces together and go out there and run better. It isn’t from a lack of effort. We will keep trying and we will get there.”
On a nearly 90 degree day in the Valley of the Sun, Reed started the 200-lap event from the 17th position and was quiet on the radio until the first caution on Lap-48 when he reported the car was tight in the center. Crew Chief Seth Barbour brought Reed down pit road for four tires, fuel and a track bar adjustment to try to improve the car’s handling. The crew’s quick work in the pits helped Reed gain two positions after the stop, putting Reed in the 16th position for the restart.
The caution flag flew again at Lap 94 and Reed reported that the car needed more of the same adjustment to alleviate the tight handling condition through the corners. The team completed its second pit stop of the day during this yellow flag, again adjusting the track bar and changing all four tires. The adjustments helped propel Reed up to the 14th position.
By the Lap 122 caution flag, Reed was still in control of the 14th position and reported that the car continued to handle tight through the turns. The team brought him down pit road for just right side tires and yet another track bar adjustment. Reed reported that his handling improved on the following green-flag run, but dwindled as the run became longer.
The team elected not to pit as the final caution flag flew on Lap 143, allowing Reed to restart in the 14th position and eventually settle in to 13th-place, where he would finish the race.
Reed’s 13th-place finish on Saturday is his best at PIR and is six positions better than his last appearance at the track.
He leaves Phoenix third in the NASCAR XFINITY Series championship standings, twenty-two behind points-leader Ty Dillon.
Reed returns home to California next weekend as the NASCAR XFINITY Series continues its western swing at Auto Club Speedway.
