Track: New Hampshire Motor Speedway
Race: 20 of 36
Event: Foxwoods Resort Casino 301
(318 miles, 301 laps)
Michael McDowell
No. 34 Chicago Pneumatic Compressors Ford Mustang
Started: 18th
Finished: 19th
Stage One: 26th
Stage Two: 25th
Stage Three: 19th
Following a random draw for starting positions, Michael McDowell and his No. 34 Chicago Pneumatic (CP) Compressors Ford Mustang took the green flag from the 18th position in Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. At the Competition Caution on Lap 30, McDowell radioed to his team to say that his race car was, “loose getting into the corner and under breaking” and would pit for 4 tires, fuel and a track bar adjustment. With less than 15 laps remaining in the first stage, the caution flag would come out once again. This time, McDowell noted that his CP Compressors Ford Mustang was “on the tight side” and he would pit for 4 tires, fuel, a wedge and track bar adjustment. The No. 34 CP Compressors Ford Mustang would go on to finish Stage 1 from the 26th position. Under the Stage 1 caution, Crew Chief Drew Blickensderfer told McDowell to “stay out.”
During Stage 2, the caution flag would fly early as rain began to fall over New Hampshire Motor Speedway. Thankfully, it did not last long and cars were able to remain on track. Under the caution, Blickensderfer called the No. 34 CP Compressors Ford Mustang to pit road for 4 tires and fuel. McDowell would run in and around the Top-25 for the remainder of the stage and take the Stage 2 green- and white-checkered flag from the 25th position. Under the caution, McDowell and his No. 34 CP Compressors Ford Mustang would pit for 4 tires, fuel and a packer adjustment.
For the first half of the Final Stage, McDowell and his No. 34 CP Compressors Ford Mustang would continue to battle in and around the 25th position. A mid-race caution would occur and Blickensderfer would call the No. 34 Ford to pit road for 4 tires and fuel. The remainder of the stage would run cautionless, however McDowell and his No. 34 CP Compressors Ford Mustang would make a late race charge and take the checkered flag from the 19th position at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.
McDowell on New Hampshire:
“It was certainly a tough day for our No. 34 team today at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. We didn’t fire off exactly how we had hoped, but we consistently made good improvements to the car and ended up with a Top-20 finish after running around the 25th position for a majority of the race. I can’t thank Drew and my guys on pit road enough for all of their hard work to improve our car all race long. A big thank you to Chicago Pneumatic Compressors for joining our No. 34 team today for their first race in the NASCAR Cup Series. I’m looking forward to having them back on board with us in a few weeks for the road course race at Daytona.”
