08/28/2017
Reed’s Day Cut Short at Road America
PLYMOUTH, Wis. (August 28, 2017) – Ryan Reed showed off his road course racing skills at Road America. The driver of the Lilly Diabetes Ford started 14th and worked his way up to sixth before getting spun going into turn one. The contact resulted in right-front fender damage, which proved to be more than cosmetic and plagued the team for the remainder of the race. As a result of the damage, Reed suffered a flat tire from a fender rub which ultimately led to brake issues in the closing laps. The loss of brakes sent Reed to the garage nine laps shy of the finish and left him with a 35th-place finish in his No. 16 Lilly Diabetes Ford.
Reed started the race 14th after NASCAR cancelled qualifying due to a damp racing surface. The Lilly Diabetes Ford was fast from the start and Reed was able to pick up five positions on the first lap. At the conclusion of Stage 1 Reed had worked his way up to sixth. Reed pitted at the Stage break for just four tires and fuel.
Reed lined up 13th for the start of Stage 2, but by lap 18 he had worked his way back up to sixth. His forward momentum was cut short as he was spun going into to turn one and suffered some damage to the right front of his Ford. Reed was able to finish out Stage 2 before coming down pit road for four tires, fuel and damage repair.
The third Stage kicked off on lap 23 and Reed wasted little time rebounding from the spin in Stage 2. Reed worked his way up to 12th before having to pit on lap 28 for a tire rub. Reed returned to the track, but the tire rub persisted and caused the tire to go all the way down just two laps later.
Reed took the shortcut around the track to limp his damaged Ford to pit road for tires and repairs. The multiple tire issues had taken their toll and Reed reported he was having brake issues. Shortly after relaying that info to the team he was off the track and the Lilly Diabetes Ford was severely damaged. Reed was forced to head to the garage due to the damage with nine laps remaining, resulting in a 35th-place finish.
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 wide range of therapies 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.
