JOLIET, Ill. (Sept. 18, 2016) – In the first race for the Chase of the NASCAR Sprint Cup, Ricky Stenhouse Jr. drove his Fastenal Ford to a 25th-place finish after long green flag runs kept him from getting back on the lead lap in Sunday’s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 400 at Chicagoland.
“We just kept taking the wave around in hopes of a quick caution but never could catch a break,” Stenhouse said. “We struggled with the handling on our Fastenal Ford. We will go back and see what we need to do to get better on our intermediate program.”
After qualifying was rained out on Friday, setting the field by owners’ points, the Olive Branch, Mississippi native lined up in the 23rd position but fell a few positions early on due to a tight handling machine.
With the race going green for numerous laps and differing pit sequences, Stenhouse fell two laps down to the leaders early on. After taking the wave around twice to get back to one lap down, the two-time XFINITY champion needed another caution but unfortunately the race stayed green forcing Stenhouse to pit-road for a scheduled pit stop.
When the final yellow flag waved sending the 267-lap race into overtime, Nick Sandler called Stenhouse to pit-road for 4 tires and to repair the right side damage on the Fastenal Ford. Stenhouse lined up in the 26th position for the final shootout and gained one position in the closing laps to take the checkered flag in the 25th position.
Stenhouse and the No. 17 team travel to New Hampshire Motor Speedway next weekend for the New England 300. The race is set for Sunday, Sept. 25. Coverage will begin at 2 p.m. (EST) on NBCSN.
