NEWTON, Iowa (June 24, 2017) – Ryan Reed was making his move on the top-five late in the race when a flat left-front tire sent him into the outside wall and down pit road for repairs. Reed had previously rebounded from earlier contact thanks to a fast No. 16 Lilly Diabetes Ford, but the flat tire cost him the track position he had earned. Reed was able to stay on the lead lap and cross the finish line 19th.
“Tough night, had a really fast Lilly Diabetes Ford Mustang,” said Reed. “Didn’t have the qualifying speed, but as soon as we got into the race I drove up into the top 10 and even the top five at some points during the race. We definitely had a sixth or seventh-place car, but on a good run we were top five. We got put into the fence late in the race and then just had some bad luck. After getting into the fence we blew a tire and that was pretty much the end of our night. Tough night, but we know we’ve got speed for when we come back here next month.”
Reed’s No. 16 Lilly Diabetes Ford lacked speed in qualifying, but rebounded when the green flag dropped. Reed started the race 17th and despite reporting his Ford was “tight center” was able to work his way through the field to close out stage one in ninth. Over the stage break Reed pitted for four tires, fuel and an air pressure adjustment.
Reed started stage two ninth and just 10 laps in cracked the top five. Reed solidly was able to keep his No. 16 Ford in the top 10 over the course of stage two. In stage three, Reed’s luck took a turn for the worse. He was forced into the outside wall twice, which caused the team to change tires and fix sheet metal multiple times.
As the amount of fresh tires dwindled in the No. 16 pit box, crew chief Phil Gould had to gamble with some pit strategy and just when their risk was paying off, the No. 16 was sent spinning. Reed was running ninth when he was hit and his Ford went for a spin on the track.
Reed pitted and took the next restart 13th, and despite a damaged Ford worked his way up to sixth when the left-front tire went flat and sent Reed into the wall. Despite the damage, Reed was able to stay on the lead lap and take the final restart with 10 to go from the 19th position. Reed was the last car on the lead lap and finished 19th.
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 wide range of therapies 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.
