RCR Cup Post Race Report - Dover International Speedway

NASCAR Sprint Cup Series
Dover International Speedway
September 29, 2013

Race Highlights:

Richard Childress Racing teammates finished sixth (Kevin Harvick), 14th (Jeff Burton), and 18th (Paul Menard) in the AAA 400.
Following the event at Dover International Speedway, Harvick is fourth in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver championship point standings, 39 markers behind the leader, while Menard is 17th and Burton sits 20th.
The No. 29 Chevrolet SS team ranks fourth in the Sprint Cup Series owner championship point standings, with the No. 27 team 18th and the No. 31 team 21st.
According to NASCAR’s Post-Race Loop Data Statistics, Harvick completed 53 Green-Flag Passes, 39 of which came while running in the top 15 (Quality Passes), positioning him second and third in the loop data categories.
Harvick was the seventh-Fastest Driver Late in a Run, eighth in the Closers category after gaining two positions during the final 10 percent (40 laps) of the race, had the eighth-fastest Speed in Traffic, spent 95.5 percent of the laps in the Top 15, ranking him ninth, and was the 10th-Fastest Driver Early in a Run.
Burton gained one position during the final 10 percent (40 laps) of the race, placing him the 10th in the Closers category and was the 10th-Fastest Driver Late in a Run.
Menard completed 37 Green-Flag Passes during the 400-lap event.
RCR teammates Burton, Harvick and Menard posted nine of the Fastest Laps Run with four, three and two laps, respectively.
Jimmie Johnson earned his fifth victory of the 2013 Sprint Cup Series season and was followed to the finish line by Dale Earnhardt, Jr., Joey Logano, Jeff Gordon and Kyle Busch.
The next Sprint Cup Series race is the Kansas 400 at Kansas Speedway on Sunday, Oct. 6. The 30th race of the 2013 season is scheduled to be televised live on ESPN beginning at 1 p.m. Eastern Time and broadcast live on the Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Satellite Radio, channel 90.

Menard Finishes 18^th at Dover International Speedway

Paul Menard started the 400-mile event at Dover International Speedway from the 21^st position and struggled with handling issues throughout the day to finish 18^th on Sunday afternoon. A long green-flag run in the early laps of the race, coupled with a loose-handling condition, caused Menard to fall a lap down to the leader at lap 130. The No. 27 pit crew made a variety of chassis adjustments during the ensuing pit stops in hopes of providing some relief to the Eau Claire Wis., native. After a lap-231 pit stop for four tires, fuel and multiple chassis adjustments, Menard was running in 18^th and relayed to the No. 27 crew that the car was the best that it had been all day and the loose-handling condition was tightening up. Continued long green-flag runs and persistent handling issues contributed to Menard falling two laps down to the leader toward the latter portion of the race. The Richard Childress Racing driver and team never gave up and Menard was running lap times comparative to the leader, but the caution flags never fell in his favor. Unable to gain any laps back, Menard ultimately finished the 400-lap event in the 18^th position and sits in 17^th in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver championship point standings heading into Kansas Speedway.

Start – 21Finish – 18 Laps Led – 0 Points – 17th

PAUL MENARD QUOTE:

“It was a tough day for the No. 27 CertainTeed/Menards crew. We struggled with handling all weekend at Dover (International Speedway), and never seemed to hit on the right setup until the end of the race. The crew worked hard making adjustments all day to try and get the car to handle better. Track position is everything at Dover. Once you fall a lap down to the leader it’s hard to gain any ground, especially with the long green-flag runs we had today.”

Harvick Finishes Sixth at the Monster Mile

Kevin Harvick and the No. 29 Budweiser team finished sixth in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series event at Dover International Speedway on Sunday afternoon after battling handling issues throughout the race. The California native started the 400-lap event from the 12th position and maintained a spot in the top 15 while battling a simultaneously tight and loose-handling red and white machine during the early laps. The Gil Martin-led pit crew made adjustments to the Budweiser Chevrolet during scheduled four-tire pit stops throughout the first half of the race, but Harvick continued to battle an ill-handling machine. As the race progressed, the pit crew continued to work to improve the handling of the Richard Childress Racing entry, allowing the 21-time Sprint Cup Series race winner to gain valuable track position, crossing the finish line sixth and picking up his 15th top-10 finish of the 2013 race season. Following the 400-mile event, Harvick gained two positions and now sits fourth in the Sprint Cup Series driver championship point standings.

Start – 12 Finish – 6 Laps Led – 0 Points – 4th

KEVIN HARVICK QUOTE:

“This was a tough one for us. We struggled most of the weekend to find the right balance on the Budweiser Chevrolet and battled handling issues during the race. The team did a great job bouncing back today and it resulted in the solid finish we needed.”

Burton Finishes 14^th at Dover International Speedway

Jeff Burton and the No. 31 Caterpillar Chevrolet team battled back to a top-15 finish of 14^th at Dover International Speedway on Sunday afternoon. Starting the 400-lap event from the 25^th position, the 21-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race winner battled a tight-handling condition on his black and yellow machine early, entering the top 20 just before lap 100. On two occasions, the Richard Childress Racing driver was trapped one lap down to the leader during long green-flag runs, receiving the “Lucky Dog” free pass award both times when the caution flag was displayed to get back onto the lead lap. Restarting with a top-20 position on lap 236, Burton struggled throughout another long green-flag run and once again dropped one lap down to the leader. The Caterpillar team didn’t give up over the course of the race, making several air pressure and chassis adjustments to remedy the tight-handling condition and Burton cracked the top 15 with less than 100 laps remaining. The South Boston, Va., native maintained that top-15 running position for the remainder of the event and brought home a 14^th-place finish. Burton remains 20^th in the Sprint Cup Series driver championship point standings.

Start – 25 Finish – 14 Laps Led – 0 Points – 20th

JEFF BURTON QUOTE:

“Everyone on this Caterpillar Chevrolet team put in a solid effort all weekend. We weren’t where we needed to be on the speed chart, but we never gave up throughout the race and ended up with a top-15 finish. When things are tough, you find out what people are made of. I am proud of these No. 31 guys.”