Track: Indianapolis Motor Speedway, 2.5 Mile Oval
Race: 16 of 38
Event: Big Machine Hand Sanitizer 400 (400 miles, 160 laps)
John Hunter Nemechek
No. 38 Fire Alarm Services, Inc. Ford Mustang
Started: 19th
Finished: 15th
Stage One: 17th
Stage Two: 17th
Stage Three: 15th
After a delayed start due to lightning in the area, John Hunter Nemechek took the green flag in Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in the 19th position. At the Competition Caution on Lap 12, he radioed to the team that his No. 38 Fire Alarm Services, Inc. (FAS) Ford Mustang was snug in all four corners and that he needed “help with turn center off.” He was on pit road for 4 tires, fuel and a track bar adjustment when a wreck happened on pit road directly in front and alongside Nemechek’s pit box, but he did not sustain any damage. He would stay there for a brief red flag and restarted the race in 21st place. Through the rest of Stage 1, Nemechek tried to experiment with the throttle and his driving line, but still struggled to “keep it turning in traffic.” He would take the green- and-white checkered flag in the 17th position.
Crew Chief Seth Barbour made the call for Nemechek to stay out at the Stage 1 Caution, allowing him to start Stage 2 in 11th place. He still battled some tightness in traffic with his No. 38 FAS machine but noted that he was good running by himself. By the end of Stage 2, Nemechek radioed to tell the team that previous adjustments had helped and that he could turn better in traffic, but he could still stand to be a tick freer. He would finish Stage 2 in the 17th position.
Nemechek took the green flag to start the day’s Final Stage in the 18th place. During a caution on Lap 124, Nemechek noted that his No. 38 FAS Ford Mustang was “free to fire off” and “tightened up as the run goes on.” He managed to stay inside of the top 20 for much of the stage. When a caution came out with less than 10 laps to go, Nemechek did not pit and restarted P13. He was involved in a last-lap wreck, but kept it rolling to take the checkered flag in 15th place.
Nemechek on Indianapolis:
“It was a hard-fought day for our No. 38 Fire Alarm Services, Inc. Ford Mustang. We were tight in traffic to start and it was difficult to keep the car turning when I was behind another car. Seth and the crew made some good adjustments throughout the day that helped our handling a lot. We got caught up there at the end, but still had a decent top-15 day. I’m proud of our Front Row Motorsports team’s continued effort in the shop and at the track each week. Huge shoutout to FAS and Digital Ally Body Cameras for coming on board with us today. We’ll regroup this week and come back ready for Kentucky.”
