08/24/2015
Reed Finishes 25th at Bristol
BRISTOL, Tenn. (August 21, 2015) – Roush Fenway Racing driver Ryan Reed and the No. 16 Lilly Diabetes American Diabetes Association team finished 25th on Friday night following an eventful 300-lap event under the lights.
“Tonight was definitely not the result we hoped for,” said Reed. “The guys worked so hard to get the car better and I really felt like we were making progress when we got caught up in some unfortunate incidents. We will regroup and hope to turn things around at Road America.”
Reed started the event from the 17th position just before sunset on Friday evening. He was quiet on the radio until the sixth lap, when the caution flag waved for the first time. He reported that he needed some forward drive in the car. Crew chief Chad Norris brought Reed down pit road for four tires and a track bar adjustment. The team’s quick work on pit road gained Reed a spot, allowing him to restart in the 16th position on Lap 59.
He maintained the 16th position until Lap 100 when we reported that the car had lost all side bite. He had fallen back to the 21st position and said the car did not handle well in the top groove of the racetrack.
The second caution flag of the night was displayed on Lap 128 while Reed was running in the 28th position. He reported that the car was a little free so Norris decided to bring Reed down pit road for four tires and a wedge adjustment.
The field restarted on Lap 136 but was slowed by caution just two laps later. Reed restarted in a position to get his lap back, but was slowed when he scraped the wall coming out of Turn 2 on Lap 176. He reported that the car’s damage was not significant enough to need to pit and the race stayed green until Lap 191.
The team brought Reed down pit road under caution on Lap 194 for four tires and a track bar adjustment. Following a short green-flag run, the fifth caution flag of the night was displayed on Lap 212. Reed ran in the 22nd position, which is where he would restart on Lap 220.
Shortly after the restart, Reed reported that he thought he had a right-front tire going down and immediately came down pit road to the attention of his crew. The team replaced the right-side tires and sent Reed back out on the track. Later, the team discovered the valve stem on the tire was damaged, which was causing the slow leak that Reed had reported.
The sixth caution flag of the night was displayed on Lap 249 while Reed was running 27th. He reported that the car was tight in the center, but the grip and forward drive had improved.
On the Lap 257 restart, Reed was involved in an incident, causing further damage to the No. 16 Lilly Diabetes American Diabetes Association Ford Mustang. He restarted in the 25th position with 35 laps to go and maintained that position through the last caution flag and remainder of the race.
Reed remains 10th in the NASCAR XFINITY Series championship standings, 194 points behind points -leader and teammate Chris Buescher. Reed and the rest of the NASCAR XFINITY Series will return to the track on Saturday, August 29 at Road America. .
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.