NASCAR Sprint Cup Series
Kansas 400 Post Race Report
Kansas Speedway
May 10, 2014
Race Highlights:
Richard Childress Racing teammates Ryan Newman, Paul Menard and Austin Dillon finished 11th, 17th and 19th, respectively.
Newman ranks eighth in the Sprint Cup Series championship point standings, trailing current leader Jeff Gordon by 62 points, while Dillon ranks 14th and Menard ranks 18th.
Gordon earned his first victory of the 2014 season and was followed to the finish line by Kevin Harvick, Kasey Kahne, Joey Logano and Dale Earnhardt, Jr.
The next Sprint Cup Series race is the Sprint Showdown at Charlotte Motor Speedway on Friday, May 16, which is scheduled to be televised live on FOX Sports 1 beginning at 7 p.m. Eastern Time. The top two finishers will be transferred into Saturday night’s All Star race, which airs live on FOX Sports 1 on Saturday at 9 p.m. Eastern Time and is scheduled to be broadcast live on the Performance Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Satellite Radio, channel 90.
Austin Dillon Earns 19th-Place Finish in No. 3 Dow Chevrolet at Kansas Speedway
Austin Dillon earned a 19th-place finish in the No. 3 Dow Chevrolet SS in Saturday’s NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Kansas Speedway. Dillon started from the 19th spot and noted a loose-handling condition from the start of the 400-mile event. The Gil Martin-led team worked on the handling of the No. 3 Chevrolet during routine pit stops under green-flag and yellow-flag conditions. The team made their biggest swing at adjustments during a four-tire stop on lap 157 while running in the 20th spot. Dillon restarted 20th and remained a top-20 contender. He crossed the finish line in the 19th spot, losing one lap to the race leader during the final run of the night. He remains 14th in the Sprint Cup Series driver point standings.
Start – 19th Finish – 19th Laps Led – 0 Points – 14th
AUSTIN DILLON QUOTE:
“We learned a lot tonight. It was a long night for sure but we’re moving onto Charlotte Motor Speedway and excited for the next two weeks.”
Paul Menard Earns 17th-Place Finish in No. 27 Schrock / Menards Chevy at Kansas Speedway
Despite loose handling conditions and incurring damage to the No. 27 Schrock / Menards Chevrolet during an on-track incident in Saturday’s NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Kansas Speedway, Paul Menard and the Richard Childress Racing team persevered to earn a 17th-place finish. Menard started the 400-mile event from the 16th position and lost significant track position due to a loose-handling condition which caused the No. 27 Schrock / Menards Chevy to go one lap down. Crew Chief Slugger Labbe directed the team to make adjustments to tighten the car up during a green-flag pit stop on lap 37. The Eau Claire, Wisc. driver raced back onto the lead lap. On lap 186, a car spun on the track beneath Menard’s car causing slight damage to bring out the caution flag. The No. 27 pit crew made several adjustments to the car under caution. Menard restarted 19th with 78 laps remaining to bring home a 17th-place finish. .
Start – 16th Finish – 17th Laps Led – 0 Points – 18th
PAUL MENARD QUOTE:
“Today wasn’t what we were hoping for at Kansas Speedway. The Schrock / Menards Chevy was loose all night and we made a lot of adjustments to tighten it up. We finally got what we needed and were able move our way through the field. There was a wreck we were almost caught up in but luckily we got out with minor damage. The guys did a great job on pit road all night making adjustments and getting us where we needed to be. Now it’s on to Charlotte.”
Ryan Newman Records 11th-Place Finish in Kwikset Chevrolet at Kansas Speedway
Ryan Newman drove Richard Childress Racing’s No. 31 Kwikset Chevrolet SS to an 11th-place finish in Saturday night’s 267-lap event at Kansas Speedway. The South Bend, Ind., driver started seventh as a result of Friday’s knockout qualifying session. After a 20-minute delay due to severe weather near the track, Newman fired up the engine to race in the top 15 during the opening laps. His only real complaint to crew chief Luke Lambert was a loose-handling condition through the corners. The Kwikset crew serviced the No. 31 Chevrolet several times to enable Newman to run competitively and in or around the top 10. The team’s final service for gas, two fresh right-side tires and a chassis adjustment took place with 29 laps to go. With fuel mileage out of the equation, Newman set his sights on a strong finish in the remaining circuits and crossed the finish line in 11th place. The result moved Newman up a spot in the driver championship point standings to eighth place. Up next for the No. 31 team is Saturday’s exhibition race, the NASCAR Sprint All-Star race at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
Start – 7th Finish – 11th Laps Led – 0 Points – 8th
RYAN NEWMAN QUOTE:
“Tonight we were strong in the corners, but struggled in the straight-aways. We had the same issue yesterday in qualifying, but it was much more noticeable during the race. I’m not sure if we missed something or what. It was a decent run overall for the Kwikset Chevrolet. I wish we could have run better for them. We strive to be better than that so we will keep working hard to put this team in winning contention.”
