CONCORD, N.C. (September 21, 2017) – Ryan Reed secured his position in the 2017 NASCAR XFINITY Series Playoffs with his win in his No. 16 Lilly Diabetes Ford Mustang in the season opener at Daytona International Speedway. The 2017 Playoffs kick off this Saturday night at Kentucky Speedway and Reed has his eyes on a solid finish to set the tone for the remainder of the season and to advance through the Playoff field.
“We had a good run last year at Kentucky to start the Playoffs and were able to carry that momentum through the first round,” said Reed. “It’s important to be consistent and not dig yourself a hole to start the Playoffs. We’ve got some fast cars and have had some speed lately. I’m excited to get these Playoffs underway and see what we’ve got.”
The 2016 season was the inaugural year for the NASCAR XFINITY Series Playoffs. Reed advanced all the way to the conclusion of the Round of 8 at Phoenix International Raceway, barely missing a spot in the final four for the season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway.
In Kentucky one year ago, Reed drove his No. 16 Lilly Diabetes Ford Mustang to a seventh-place finish and set the tone for the Playoffs. Reed followed up his run with a top-10 finish at Dover then advanced to the Round of 8 with a 15th-place finish at Charlotte.
Reed entered the cutoff race at Phoenix sixth in the Playoff standings, just five points out of fourth place after finishing 16th at Kansas and 12th at Texas. Reed put forth a valiant effort at Phoenix, racing his way to a sixth-place finish, narrowly missing a spot in the Championship round at Homestead.
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.
About Eli Lilly and Company
Lilly is a global healthcare leader that unites caring with discovery to make life better for people around the world. We were founded more than a century ago by a man committed to creating high-quality medicines that meet real needs, and today we remain true to that mission in all our work. Across the globe, Lilly employees work to discover and bring life-changing medicines to those who need them, improve the understanding and management of disease, and give back to communities through philanthropy and volunteerism. To learn more about Lilly, please visit us at www.lilly.com and www.lilly.com/newsroom/social-channels
About Roush Fenway Racing
Roush Fenway Racing is the winningest team in NASCAR history, fielding multiple teams in Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series and NASCAR XFINITY Series competition. Moving into its 30th season, Roush Fenway is a leader in driver development, having launched the careers for many of the top drivers in the sport. Off-track, Roush Fenway is a leader in NASCAR marketing solutions, pioneering motorsport’s first team-focused TV show and producing multiple award-winning Social Media, digital content and experiential marketing campaigns. Roush Fenway is co-owned by Jack Roush, the winningest team owner in NASCAR history and Fenway Sports Group, parent company of Major League Baseball’s Boston Red Sox and English Premier League’s Liverpool F.C. Visit RoushFenway.com, circle on Google+, become a fan on Facebook and Instagram and follow on Twitter at @roushfenway.
