04/16/2016
Wheel Issue Leads to 21st-Place Finish for Reed in Bristol
Wheel Issue Leads to 21st-Place Finish for Reed in Bristol
BRISTOL, Tenn. (April 16, 2016) – Roush Fenway Racing driver Ryan Reed and the No. 16 Lilly Diabetes/American Diabetes Association team finished 21st on Saturday at Bristol Motor Speedway after an issue with the right-front wheel forced an unscheduled green-flag pit stop while the team was running 12th.
“Since we unloaded we weren’t great, but we made a lot of progress,” said Reed. “I felt like we had the chance to salvage what wasn’t a great weekend and then we broke a right-front wheel. I’m proud of my guys. They’re just keeping their heads down and grinding through it and trying to get the bad luck out of the way. Now we’ll just move on to Richmond, which is a place I like to go to.”
After posting a 21st-place qualifying time Saturday morning, Reed lined up 11th in his 50-lap heat race early Saturday afternoon. Reed took the green flag for the 200-lap main event from the 17th position after finishing ninth in his heat race. Reed had reported that the car was tight-center off throughout the day and reinforced that sentiment by the first caution on Lap 37. This gave the team a chance to work on the No. 16 Ford Mustang, pitting on Lap 39 from the 17th position for tires and a wedge adjustment.
Reed restarted 16th on Lap 46 and maintained that position until the next caution period on Lap 125. The Bakersfield, Calif. native told crew chief Phil Gould the car was tight through Turns 1 and 2. Gould had his driver take the wave-around under caution to get back on the lead lap, allowing Reed to restart 11th with 67 laps to go.
With 40 laps to go, Reed reported to the team he had a tire issue and immediately came down pit road while he was running 12th, causing him to lose several laps. After the stop, it was determined that it was actually a problem with the wheel.
Reed returned to the track in the 24th position and had sustained damage to the body of the car by the time the next caution flew with 13 laps to go. Gould brought Reed down pit road to make sure there were no tire rubs and sent Reed back out to restart 21st with three laps to go, which is where he would finish on Saturday afternoon.
After Saturday’s race, Reed remains ninth in the NASCAR XFINITY Series Championship standings. Next up for Reed and the No. 16 Lilly Diabetes/American Diabetes Association team is Richmond International Raceway on Saturday, April 23.
About the Drive to Stop Diabetes
The Drive to Stop Diabetes campaign strives to educate people about living well with diabetes. The campaign encourages the millions of Americans who have diabetes to talk about it with their doctor, family, and friends and to actively manage their health.
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.
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. Founded in 1940, the Association’s mission is 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 (800-342-2383) or visit diabetes.org. Information from both these sources is available in English and Spanish.
