Event:               AAA 400 Drive for Autism (Round 13 of 36)
Series:               Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series
Location:          Dover (Del.) International Speedway (1-mile, concrete oval)
Format:             400 laps, broken into three stages (120 laps/120 laps/160 laps)
Start/Finish:      22^nd/31^st (Running, completed 391 of 406 laps)
Point Standing: 10^th (349 points, 196 out of first) 

Race Winner:    Jimmie Johnson of Hendrick Motorsports in overtime (Chevrolet)

Stage 1 Winner: Martin Truex Jr. of Furniture Row Racing (Toyota)

Stage 2 Winner: Martin Truex Jr. of Furniture Row Racing (Toyota)

Stage 1 Recap (Laps 1-120):

• Started 22^nd, finished 36^th.
• Bowyer began moving up through the field, but noted that his car was tight on the throttle and loose into the corners.
• Bowyer ran as high as fourth until lap 97 when his Haas Automation crew noticed a mechanical issue while Bowyer was pitting under caution.
• Bowyer brought his Ford Fusion to the garage for repairs, putting him18 laps down.

Stage 2 Recap (Laps 121-240):

• Started 36^th, finished 36^th.
• After a lap-195 caution, Bowyer earned one lap to run only 17 laps down.
• Bowyer earned back another lap to run only 16 laps down at the conclusion of the stage.

Final Stage Recap (Laps 241-400):

• Started 36^th, finished 31^st.
• Bowyer ran in and around the middle of the field throughout the final stage.
• Bowyer earned one more lap back to run only 15 laps down at the conclusion of the race.

Notes:              

• The race finished in overtime, going six laps past its scheduled 400-lap distance.
• There were 15 caution periods for a total of 72 laps, including the final lap.
• Only 14 drivers in the 39-car field finished on the lead lap.
• Jimmie Johnson won the AAA 400 Drive for Autism to score his 83^rd career Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series victory, tying NASCAR Hall of Famer Cale Yarborough for sixth on the all-time series win list. It was also Johnson’s third win of the season and his 11^th at Dover.

Clint Bowyer, driver of the No. 14 Haas Automation Ford Fusion for Stewart-Haas Racing:           

“The guys worked their tails off this week on our Haas Automation Ford. We were a force to be reckoned with. We started 22^nd and moved our way up to the top-five. We were doing great and exactly what we needed to do to get stage points. If we keep doing that and working together as a team, we’ll get back up there where we need to be.”

Next Up:          

The next event on the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series schedule is the Pocono 400 on Sunday, June 11 at Pocono (Pa.) Raceway. The race starts at 3 p.m. EDT with live coverage provided by FS1.

Event:               AAA 400 Drive for Autism (Round 13 of 36)
Series:               Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series
Location:          Dover (Del.) International Speedway (1-mile, concrete oval)
Format:             400 laps, broken into three segments (120 laps/120 laps/160 laps)
Start/Finish:      31st/10th (Running, completed 406 of 406 laps)
Point Standings: 30th (154 points, 391 out of first)
 
Race Winner:    Jimmie Johnson of Hendrick Motorsports in overtime (Chevrolet)

Stage 1 Recap (Ended on lap 120):

• Danica Patrick started 31st and finished 21st.
• The No. 10 Aspen Dental Ford Fusion team gained ground in the first stage of the race as Patrick reported a tight-handling condition.
• The team pitted four times during Stage 1 for tires, fuel and wedge, air pressure and packer adjustments. A number of teams stayed out when the caution flag waved to end the stage, which dropped Patrick back to 29th to start Stage 2.

Stage 2 Recap (Ended on lap 240):         

• Patrick started 29th and finished 21st.
• At lap 146, Patrick brought out the caution flag as the No. 10 Aspen Dental Ford spun in turns three and four. Crew chief Billy Scott called Patrick to pit road for fresh tires and fuel the following lap.
• Patrick went a lap down to the leader on the subsequent long, green-flag run. When the caution flag waved again at lap 193, Scott called for Patrick to remain on track and take the wave-around to get back on the lead lap.
• On the following run, Patrick once again went a lap down to the leader. Two laps later the caution flag waved, and Patrick was the recipient of the Lucky Dog award, putting her back on the lead lap. She reported to the team that the car was “a five out of five loose,” so Scott called for air pressure and wedge adjustments and had the team pull tape off the grille in an effort to improve the car’s handling. She finished the stage in the 21st position. 

Final Stage Recap (Ended on lap 400):   

• Patrick started 19th and finished 10th.
• The No. 10 Aspen Dental Ford team pitted under caution at lap 265 for fuel and tires. The crew also made repairs to the car’s left-rear quarterpanel that was damaged by contact from another car on the run prior to the stop.
• Patrick went a lap down to the leader at lap 310, but the team caught a break as the caution flag waved in the midst of green-flag pit stops at lap 329. Patrick had yet to stop, so she was scored in the eighth position on the lead lap when the caution flag waved. The team changed tires, added fuel and made additional repairs to the left-rear quarterpanel during the caution period.
• Patrick dropped as low as 16th in the final portion of the race. A late caution sent the event into overtime. Patrick lined up in the 15th spot for the restart and, despite sustaining damage on the white-flag lap, was able to take the checkered flag in the 10th position. 

Notes:              

• Patrick earned 27 points in Sunday’s race at Dover International Speedway, which puts her at 154 total points for the season thus far. She is ranked 30th in the driver point standings.
• Patrick’s result marked her career-best finish at Dover. Her previous top finish at the track was a 13th-place result in May 2016.
• Sunday’s 10th-place finish marked Patrick’s first top-10 of the 2017 season. It was also her first top-10 result since she finished ninth at Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway in April 2015.
• Patrick’s finish at Dover extends her record for most top-10 finishes by a female in NASCAR Cup Series competition to seven.

Danica Patrick, driver of the No. 10 Aspen Dental Ford Fusion for Stewart-Haas Racing: 

“It was a good day for us. We got a bit lucky with staying out at the right time and catching the yellow flags. It’s the stuff that hasn’t been happening for us all year, and it’s just nice to catch some breaks today. We weren’t the fastest car today, and I’m not sure we were a top-10 car, but a lot of times we have had a 10th-place car and weren’t able to get the finish we needed. I’ll take the lucky days anytime I can, because there have been plenty of times where it went the other way.” 

Next Up:                                                                        

The next event on the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series schedule is the Axalta presents the Pocono 400 on Sunday, June 11 at Pocono (Pa.) Raceway. The event starts at 3 p.m. EDT with live coverage provided by FS1.

Event:               AAA 400 Drive for Autism (Round 13 of 36)
Series:               Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series
Location:          Dover (Del.) International Speedway (1-mile, concrete oval)
Format:             400 laps, broken into three stages (120 laps/120 laps/160 laps)
Start/Finish:      18th/9th (Running, completed 406 of 406 laps)
Point Standing: 3rd (429 points, 116 out of first) 

Race Winner:    Jimmie Johnson of Hendrick Motorsports (Chevrolet)
Stage 1 Winner: Martin Truex Jr. of Furniture Row Racing (Toyota)
Stage 2 Winner: Martin Truex Jr. of Furniture Row Racing (Toyota)

Stage 1 Recap (Ended on Lap 120):

• Kevin Harvick started 18th, finished third, earning eight bonus points.
• Jimmy John’s Ford Fusion entered the top-10 on lap 49.
• Avoided a wreck between Kurt Busch and Brad Keselowski on lap 67.
• Pitted at the conclusion of the stage for four tires, fuel and air pressure adjustment.

Stage 2 Recap (Ended on Lap 240):

• Started 15th, finished sixth, earning five bonus points.
• Came to pit road under caution on lap 146 for four tires and fuel and came off pit road in the 11^th position.
• Came to pit road under caution on lap 194 for four tires, fuel and air pressure and a wedge adjustment to help turn the front end.
• Stayed out under caution on lap 217.
• Pitted at the conclusion of Stage 2 for four tires, fuel and wedge and air pressure adjustments.

Final Stage Recap (Ended on Lap 406):

• Started sixth, finished ninth.
• Came to pit road under green-flag conditions on lap 329 for four tires and fuel.
• Fell a lap down as the caution flag flew during the pit cycle.
• Took the wave-around on lap 337 to return to the lead lap and restarted 15^th.
• Came to pit road for four tires and fuel under caution on lap 396 prior to the overtime session and restarted 11^th.
• Missed a multicar wreck in overtime to advance to the ninth position by the checkered flag.

Notes:                          

• Harvick scored his 15^th top-10 finish in 33 Cup Series starts at Dover and his eighth of the 2017 Cup Series season.
• Jimmie Johnson won the AAA 400 Drive for Autism, earning his 83rd victory in 556 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series races.
• Johnson’s 83^rd career Cup Series victory ties him for sixth all-time with Cale Yarborough.
• Johnson scored his third victory and fifth top-10 finish in 2017 and his 11th victory in 31 races at Dover.
• There were 17 lead changes among nine drivers and 15 caution periods for a total of 72 laps.
• The race finished in overtime, going six laps past its scheduled 400-lap distance. 

Kevin Harvick, driver of the No. 4 Jimmy John’s Ford Fusion for Stewart-Haas Racing: 

“We had a good day with our Jimmy John’s Ford. We just got caught under caution and could never make it back up. We had an okay car and just tried to stay out of trouble all day. It was a long day. A lot going on out there today.”

Next Up:                                                                        

The next event on the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series schedule is the Axalta presents the Pocono 400 Monster Energy NASCAR Race on Sunday, June 11 at Pocono (Pa.) Raceway. The race starts at 3 p.m. EDT with live coverage provided by FS1.

Cole Custer Finishes Fourth at Dover

Haas Automation Driver Ties Career-Best NASCAR XFINITY Series Finish

Date: June 3, 2017
Event: OneMain Financial 200 (Round 11 of 33)
Series: NASCAR XFINITY Series
Location: Dover (Del.) International Speedway (1-mile, concrete oval)
Format: 200 laps, broken into three stages (60 laps/60 laps/80 laps)
Start/Finish: 14^th/4^th (Running, completed 200 of 200 laps)
Point Standing: 10^th (242 points, 133 out of first)
 

Race Winner: Kyle Larson of Chip Ganassi Racing (Chevrolet)
Stage 1 Winner: Kyle Larson of Chip Ganassi Racing (Chevrolet)
Stage 2 Winner: Darrell Wallace Jr. of Roush Fenway Racing (Ford)

Stage 1 Recap (Laps 1-60):

•  Started 14^th, finished 16^th.
• Custer battled tight-handling conditions on exit throughout Stage 1.
• Toward the end of the stage, Custer raced his Haas Automation Ford Mustang just outside of the top-10 until he was caught in traffic that pushed him back to the middle of the field.
• At the conclusion of the stage, Custer pitted for four tires, fuel and a chassis adjustment.

Stage 2 Recap (Laps 61-120):     

•  Started 15^th, finished 16^th.
• Custer’s tight-handling conditions persisted, but improved slightly as the stage went on.
• During a lap-113 caution, Custer opted to pit for four fresh tires, fuel and chassis adjustments.

Final Stage Recap (Laps 121-200):          

•  Started third, finished fourth.
• Custer did not pit at the conclusion of Stage 2, placing him in the top-five for the first time in the race.
• After a lap-145 caution, Custer battled his way into second place.
• Custer ran consistently inside the top-four for the remainder of the race.

Notes:              

• Custer was the highest-finishing rookie and NASCAR XFINITY Series regular driver.
• This was Custer’s second consecutive race as the highest-finishing rookie and XFINITY Series regular driver.
• His fourth-place finish was his best finish this season and it equaled his career-best result, first earned at Charlotte (N.C) Motor Speedway in May 2016.
• This is Custer’s third top-five finish in 16 career XFINITY Series starts, his second top-five of the 2017 season and his second top-five at Dover.
• There were a total of 10 caution periods for 45 laps.
• Kyle Larson won the OneMain Financial 200 to score his eighth career XFINITY Series victory, his third of the season and his first at Dover. His margin of victory over second-place Ryan Blaney was 1.173 seconds.

Cole Custer, driver of the No. 00 Haas Automation Ford Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing:
“We played the strategy game today and it worked out perfect for us. Once we got our Haas Automation Ford Mustang into clean air, we were able to run really well. It’s awesome to be able to finally build some consistency. It’s great to get some consistent runs even when things aren’t going our way.”

Event:                OneMain Financial 200 (Round 11 of 33)
Date:                 June 3, 2017
Location:          Dover (Del.) International Speedway
Layout:             Concrete mile oval

Cole Custer Notes of Interest 

• The OneMain Financial 200 will mark Cole Custer’s 16^th career NASCAR XFINITY Series start and his first XFINITY Series start at Dover International Speedway.

• While the OneMain Financial 200 will be Custer’s first XFINITY Series start at Dover, it will be his sixth overall start at the concrete mile oval. Custer has three NASCAR Camping World Truck Series starts and two NASCAR K&N Pro Series starts at Dover. Custer’s best finish at Dover is fifth in the 2016 Truck Series race.

• In the 2015 Truck Series race at Dover, Custer led 67 laps and ran in and around the top-five until lap 138 when a fueling issue pushed him off the lead lap and into the 13^th position, where he would ultimately finish the race.

• In 15 XFINITY Series starts, 42 Camping World Truck Series starts and 29 K&N Pro Series starts since 2015, Custer has five wins, six poles, 13 top-five finishes, 22 top-10s and 919 laps led at tracks that are a mile in length or shorter.

• Custer’s best finish in the 10 XFINITY Series races run this season is fifth, earned in the sixth event April 8 at Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth. It was his second career top-five finish in the XFINITY Series.

• Custer’s best qualifying effort in the 10 XFINITY Series races run this season is third, earned in the seventh race of the season April 22 at Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway. Custer has six top-10 starts and two top-five starts this season.

• Last weekend at Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway, Custer was the highest-finishing XFINITY Series regular driver and rookie in all three stages (third, fifth and seventh, respectively). It was the second consecutive time Custer was the highest-finishing rookie and XFINITY Series regular at Charlotte.

• Custer is third in the XFINITY Series Rookie of the Year standings, 21 points behind leader William Byron and 16 points behind second-place Daniel Hemric. Custer has earned three Rookie of the Race awards this season, all at 1.5-mile tracks (fifth at Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth, 11^th at Las Vegas Motor Speedway and seventh at Charlotte).

• Custer is 11^th in the XFINITY Series driver standings, 123 points behind series leader Elliot Sadler.

• The OneMain Financial 200 is the last of four Dash 4 Cash races on the 2017 XFINITY Series schedule. This means drivers will race for a $100,000 cash bonus. Each of the top two full-time XFINITY Series drivers from Stage 1 and Stage 2 will become Dash 4 Cash eligible in the final stage.

• As a Dash 4 Cash race, no full-time Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series drivers with five or more years of experience is entered in the OneMain Financial 200 in order to give regular XFINITY Series drivers a better chance to win. This means the only NASCAR Cup Series drivers competing in the OneMain Financial 200 are Austin Dillon, Ty Dillon, Daniel Suarez, Kyle Larson, Erik Jones and Ryan Blaney.

Cole Custer, Driver Q&A

How do you like racing at Dover?

“I’m looking forward to it. It’s one of the coolest tracks we go to. Dover is a concrete track and we had a great run at Bristol. I think we’ll unload another great car and, with the momentum we’re bringing from Charlotte, I think we’ll have a good shot.”

This is the last Dash 4 Cash race of the 2017 season. Is there any pressure to bring home the grand prize?

“We’ll race as hard as we can to get in those Dash 4 Cash spots, but we don’t want to put ourselves in a bad position to jeopardize a solid points-paying finish.”

You’ve been successful in your career at mile tracks. What are your expectations for this weekend at Dover?

“I’m fairly confident going into the weekend. Dover is somewhere I’ve always run well at, but I’ve never really gotten the finishes I would like to have there. It seems like we’ve always been in the fight for a win there. I’m looking forward to getting back there in our Haas Automation Ford Mustang and logging another solid finish.”

Jeff Meendering, Crew Chief Q&A

What are your thoughts on racing at Dover?

“Dover is one of the more challenging tracks we run at. It’s very difficult to get a good balance with the big transitions in and out of the corners. Cole has had good runs in other series at that track. After a good run in Charlotte, we come into the weekend with a lot of confidence.”

Event:               Coca-Cola 600 (Round 12 of 36)
Series:               Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series
Location:          Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway (1.5-mile oval)
Format:             400 laps, broken into four segments (100 laps/100 laps/100 laps/100 laps)
Start/Finish:      15th/25th (Running, completed 396 of 400 laps)
Point Standing: 32nd (127 points, 364 out of first) 
Race Winner:    Austin Dillon of Richard Childress Racing (Chevrolet)

Stage 1 Recap (Ended on lap 100):

• Danica Patrick started 15th and finished 26th.
• Patrick was running solidly inside the top-20 when the caution flag waved at lap 20 for an accident on the frontstretch. The right front of the No. 10 Code 3 Associates Ford Fusion hit a piece of debris, which caused considerable damage to the car. The team pitted twice under the caution to assess the situation and make repairs, but they were not able to fully address the damage before the field went back to green.
• Patrick restarted in the 33rd position at lap 27 and worked her way up to the 25th spot before teams started making green-flap pit stops. In hopes of catching a caution to make further repairs to the car, crew chief Billy Scott had Patrick remain on track as long as possible. She took the lead at lap 69 and led seven laps before pitting at lap 76 for tires and fuel.
• Due to the damage sustained, the team had trouble jacking the racecar up during the stop, which left Patrick a lap down to the leader when Stage 1 ended at lap 100. 

Stage 2 Recap (Ended on lap 200):         

• Patrick started 27th and finished 27th.
• The caution flag waved due to the threat of severe weather at lap 142, and the event was red flagged for more than 90 minutes during a downpour and as NASCAR officials worked to dry the track after the storm cleared out.
• Patrick was running in the 25th position when the No. 10 Code 3 Associates Ford sustained significant right-side damage after contact with the wall in turn three. The team’s initial inspection found the tire was cut, which led to contact with the wall. The team pitted multiple times for repairs, and Patrick went down a second lap to the leader before restarting in the 29th position at lap 178.
• She was able to gain two spots in the closing laps of the stage, and the team pitted for tires, fuel and air pressure and wedge adjustments. 

Stage 3 Recap (Ended on lap 300):         

• Patrick started 29th and finished 23rd.
• She noted the car was a “four out of five unstable” during the first half of the stage, and the No. 10 team pitted for wedge and air pressure adjustments at lap 249.
• Patrick continued to battle a loose-handling condition in the second half of the stage, so the team made a significant wedge adjustment when they pitted again at lap 295. 

Final Stage Recap (Ended on lap 400):

• Patrick started 23rd and finished 25th.
• Less than 30 laps into the final stage, Patrick once again cut a right-front tire and made contact with the wall in turn three. The team pitted twice for tires and to make repairs to the No. 10 Code 3 Associates Ford Fusion. Patrick restarted in the 24th position, three laps down to the leader, when the field went back to green at lap 333.
• Patrick soldiered along for the remainder of the race and took the checkered flag in the 25th position. 

Notes:              

• Patrick earned 12 points in Sunday night’s race at Charlotte Motor Speedway, which puts her at 127 total points for the season thus far. She is ranked 32nd in the driver point standings.

Danica Patrick, driver of the No. 10 Code 3 Associates Ford Fusion for Stewart-Haas Racing:

“I’m not sure where to even begin with tonight’s race. I mean, damage from debris and two cut tires – it was just a rough night all around for the No. 10 Code 3 Associates Ford team. We struggled with the handling for a good bit of the night, but it was actually a lot better the last few runs. Unfortunately, we weren’t in a position to gain much at the end, but I have to give credit to my team for working hard all night and not ever giving up.”

Next Up:                                                                        

The next event on the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series schedule is the AAA 400 Drive for Autism on Sunday, June 4 at Dover (Del.) International Speedway. The event starts at 1 p.m. EDT with live coverage provided by FS1.

Event:               Coca-Cola 600 (Round 12 of 36) 
Series:               Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series 
Location:          Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway (1.5-mile oval) 
Format:             400 laps, broken into four stages (100 laps/100 laps/100 laps/100 laps)
Start/Finish:      12th/6th (Running, completed 400 of 400 laps) 
Point Standing: 14th (290 points, 201 out of first) 
Race Winner:    Austin Dillon of Richard Childress Racing (Chevrolet)

Stage 1 Recap (Laps 1-100):

• Kurt Busch started 12th, finished ninth.
• Battled a tight-handling condition on corner exit.
• With his ninth-place finish in Stage 1, Busch earned two bonus points.
• Visited pit road at the end of Stage 1 to take four tires, fuel and air pressure and wedge adjustments.

Stage 2 Recap (Laps 101-200):

• Started 10th, finished fifth.
• As the sun began to set, Busch struggled with a loose-handling condition.
• Was running seventh when inclement weather forced NASCAR to red flag the race.
• Pitted when the race restarted for four tires, fuel and air pressure and wedge adjustments.
• With his fifth-place finish in Stage 2, Busch earned five bonus points.
• Visited pit road at the end of Stage 2 to take four tires, fuel and air pressure adjustments.

Stage 3 Recap (Laps 201-300):

• Started seventh, finished sixth.
• Battled a loose-handling condition on entry and was tight off the corners for much of the stage.
• Visited pit road on lap 294 to take four tires, fuel and air pressure adjustments.
• With his sixth-place finish in Stage 3, Busch earned four bonus points. 

Final Stage Recap (Laps 301-400):

• Started sixth, finished sixth.
• Struggled with a tight-handling condition on the short run and a loose-handling condition on the long run.
• Was credited with leading a lap during a cycle of green-flag pit stops on lap 368.
• Finished sixth to earn his sixth top-10 finish of the 2017 season. 

Notes:

• Busch’s sixth-place finish was his fourth top-10 in his last six races and his 12th top-10 in 34 career Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series starts at Charlotte.
• Busch led once for one lap.
• Busch earned points in each stage of the race, marking the first time this season he has done so.

Kurt Busch, driver of the No. 41 Haas Automation/Monster Energy Ford Fusion for Stewart-Haas Racing:

“We did well. We battled and battled and had fun throughout. The balance of our car was too tight to start and too loose on the long run. We saw a little bit of that in the All-Star Race, so we tried to compensate. The track came to us with the rain delay. I thought we were a stronger car in the later half of the race. The short-run speed we were tight, the long-run speed we were loose, but we tried and tried and tried. Thanks to Haas Automation, Monster Energy and Ford. I’ve got a great group of guys. Tonight was a good run. We finished sixth, but some guys stayed out on fuel, and we really gave it our heart tonight.”

Next Up:                                                                        

The next event on the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series schedule is the AAA 400 Drive for Autism on Sunday, June 4 at Dover (Del.) International Speedway. The race starts at 1 p.m. EDT with live coverage provided by FS1.

Event:               Coca-Cola 600 (Round 12 of 36)
Series:               Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series
Location:          Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway (1.5-mile oval)
Format:             400 laps, broken into four stages (100 laps/100 laps/100 laps/100 laps)
Start/Finish:      9th/14th (Running, completed 400 of 400 laps)
Point Standing: 9th (343 points, 148 out of first)
Race Winner:    Austin Dillon of Richard Childress Racing (Chevrolet)

Stage 1 Recap (Ended at Lap 100):

• Started ninth and finished eighth to earn three race points.
• Battled a tight-handling car throughout the stage.
• Made adjustments during pit stops, but handling didn’t improve.

Stage 2 Recap (Ended at Lap 200):

• Started eighth and finished 14^th.
• Reported car was still “plowing” in the corners.
• Rain stopped action on lap 143 and delayed race by an hour and 40 minutes.

Stage 3 Recap (Ended at Lap 300):

• Started 14th and finished 14^th.
• Crew continued to try major changes to help the front end of the No. 14 turn.
• Bowyer reported handling improvement late in the stage.

Final Stage Recap (Ended at Lap 400):

• Started 13th and finished 14th.
• Climbed as high as 12th.
• Pitted under green with 33 laps remaining and dropped to 19th.
• Several cars stretched fuel mileage in the final run and finished ahead of Bowyer.

Notes:              

• Throughout the race weekend the No. 14 honored Army Staff Sgt. Terry D. Wagoner, 28, of Pelzer, South Carolina, who along with two others died in Baghdad, Iraq, in 2007 from wounds sustained when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle during combat operations. Wagoner’s family met with Bowyer before the race and on the grid.

Clint Bowyer, driver of the No. 14 Haas Automation Ford Fusion for Stewart-Haas Racing: 

“We just couldn’t get our Ford to turn tonight. We tried everything we knew to help the front end, but we never got it to where we could race with the leaders.” 

Next Up:          

The next event on the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series schedule is the AAA 400 Drive for Autism on Sunday, June 4 at Dover (Del.) International Speedway. The race starts at 1 p.m. EDT with live coverage provided by FS1.

Event:               Coca-Cola 600 (Round 12 of 36)
Series:               Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series
Location:          Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway (1.5-mile oval)
Format:             400 laps, broken into four stages (100 laps/100 laps/100 laps/100 laps)
Start/Finish:      1st/8th (Running, completed 400 of 400 laps)
Point Standing: 4th (388 points, 103 points out of first)
Race Winner:    Austin Dillon of Richard Childress Racing (Chevrolet)

Stage 1 Winner: Kyle Busch of Joe Gibbs Racing (Toyota)
Stage 2 Winner: Martin Truex Jr. of Furniture Row Racing (Toyota)
Stage 3 Winner: Denny Hamlin of Joe Gibbs Racing (Toyota)

Stage 1 Recap (Ended on Lap 100):

• Kevin Harvick started first, finished third and earned eight bonus points.
• Fell back to second at the start but gained a position on pit road during the competition caution to regain the lead.
• Gave up the lead to come to pit road under green-flag conditions on lap 66 for four tires, fuel and several adjustments.
• Led twice for 41 laps in Stage 1.
• Pitted for four tires, fuel and multiple adjustments following Stage 1 and won the race off pit road to retake the lead. 

Stage 2 Recap (Ended on Lap 200):

• Started first, finished 13th.
• Gave up the third position to come to pit road under green-flag conditions after reporting a loose wheel on lap 124.
• Lost a lap to the leaders and dropped to the 23^rd position due to the unscheduled pit stop for the loose wheel.
• Severe weather led to a red flag on lap 144 lasting one hour and 48 minutes.
• Returned to the lead lap under caution on lap 150 by way of a free pass immediately following the weather delay.
• Restarted 22^nd on lap 154 and raced up to 13^th by the end of Stage 2.
• Pitted for four tires, fuel and air pressure adjustments following Stage 2 and gained five positions on pit road. 

Stage 3 Recap (Ended on Lap 300):

• Started eighth, finished seventh and earned four bonus points.
• Slid through oil on lap 147 and nearly spun while racing in the 10^th position, but saved it without making contact with the wall.
• Pitted under caution on lap 249 for four tires, fuel and air pressure and wedge adjustments.
• Restarted 14^th on lap 253 and raced his way to the 11^th position by the caution on lap 294.
• Raced his way up to seventh in the final three laps of the stage and stayed out following the stage. 

Final Stage Recap (Ended on Lap 400):

• Started seventh, finished eighth.
• Pitted from the seventh position for four tires, fuel and air pressure adjustments under caution on lap 330.
• Restarted sixth on lap 333 and raced into the top-five by lap 334.
• Surrendered the second position for a four-tire pit stop under green on lap 369.
• Several cars gambled on fuel strategy that paid off, and Harvick raced to an eighth-place finish in the closing laps. 

Notes:

• Harvick won the pole position for the Coca-Cola 600 on Thursday night with a lap of 27.918 seconds at 193.424 mph.
• Harvick scored his 15^th top-10 finish in 33 career NASCAR Cup Series starts at Charlotte and his seventh top-10 finish of 2017.
• Harvick scored 12 stage points and led three times for 45 laps.
• Austin Dillon scored his first career NASCAR Cup Series victory.

Next Up:                        

The next event on the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series schedule is the AAA 400 Drive for Autism on Sunday, June 4 at Dover (Del.) International Speedway. The race starts at 1 p.m. EDT with live coverage provided by FS1.

Cole Custer Finishes Seventh at Charlotte

Haas Automation Driver Claims Rookie of the Race Honors

Date: May 27, 2017
Event: Hisense 4K TV 300 (Round 10 of 33)
Series: NASCAR XFINITY Series
Location: Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway (1.5-mile oval)
Format: 200 laps, broken into three stages (45 laps/45 laps/110 laps)
Start/Finish: Sixth/Seventh (Running, completed 200 of 200 laps)
Point Standing: 11th (209 points, 123 out of first)

Race Winner: Ryan Blaney of Team Penske (Ford)
Stage 1 Winner: Kevin Harvick of Stewart-Haas Racing (Ford)
Stage 2 Winner: Ryan Blaney of Team Penske (Ford)

Stage 1 Recap (Laps 1-45):

•  Started sixth, finished third to earn eight stage points.
• Custer ran the majority of Stage 1 in the top-five.
• He noted his Haas Automation Mustang was tight in the center and free on entry throughout the stage.
• At the conclusion of Stage 1, Custer took four fresh tires and adjustments.

Stage 2 Recap (Laps 46-90):       

•  Started fifth, finished fifth to earn six stage points.
• Adjustments improved the handling of Custer’s Ford Mustang at the beginning of the stage, but the handling became loose on landing as the stage went on.
• Custer took his second set of fresh tires and air pressure adjustments at the conclusion of Stage 2.

Final Stage Recap (Laps 91-200):

•  Started fifth, finished seventh.
• Custer ran in and around the top-five for the majority of the final stage.
• On lap 160, Custer pitted under caution for four tires and adjustments. He gained one position and restarted fourth.
• After the final caution, Custer restarted 10th and battled his Ford Mustang up three positions before the conclusion of the race.

Notes:              

• Custer was the highest-finishing rookie and NASCAR XFINITY Series regular in all three stages.
• This marks Custer’s fifth top-10 finish in 15 career XFINITY Series starts, his third top-10 of the 2017 season and his second consecutive top-10 finish at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
• Custer earned the most stage points of any XFINITY Series regular driver with 14 stage points.
• This marks Custer’s second consecutive Charlotte Motor Speedway finish as the highest-finishing XFINITY Series driver.
• There were a total of 12 cautions for 52 laps.

Cole Custer, driver of the No. 00 Haas Automation Ford Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing:

How did you feel about the race today at Charlotte?

“We had an awesome Haas Automation Mustang. I had one bad restart there at the end, but all of my other restarts were decent and had us in the top-five. I just can’t thank everybody enough. We had an awesome day today and it’s all about my team, I’m just steering the wheel. Ford Performance has been a big help this year. We’ve used a lot of their tools to come here with and I think we’ll have a great car to come back with.”