Track: Michigan International Speedway
Race: 21 of 36
Event: FireKeepers Casino 400 (312 miles, 156 laps)
John Hunter Nemechek
No. 38 Death Wish Coffee Ford Mustang
Started: 31st
Finished: 36th (out)
Stage One: 13th
Stage Two: 16th
Stage Three: 36th (out)
Following a random draw for starting position, John Hunter Nemechek took the green flag in the first of the Michigan International Speedway doubleheader races in 31st place. Nemechek reported possible damage and tire smoke early on after contact with the 00 on the first lap. When the Competition Caution came out on Lap 15, Nemechek noted that his No. 38 Death Wish Coffee Ford Mustang needed to be “freed up just a tick in the center.” Ending Stage 1 in 13th place, his feedback was the same, though he said his handling wasn’t bad. At the Stage Break Caution, he pitted for 4 tires with an air pressure adjustment, fuel, a track bar adjustment and grille tape.
Nemechek began the second stage in 17th place. He radioed on Lap 63 that his No. 38 Death Wish Coffee Ford Mustang was “missing a bit of front turn.” Nemechek fought to stay inside the top 20 for the majority of the stage, noting on Lap 70 that he had picked up a vibration. He would take the green- and white-checkered flag to end Stage 2 in the 16th position and said that he needed “more turn in the center… double what we did” on the previous stop. He pitted at the Stage Break Caution for 4 tires, fuel and a track bar adjustment.
After a great pit stop, Nemechek took the green flag for the Final Stage in 16th place. On Lap 92, contact with the No. 17 sent his No. 38 Death Wish Coffee Ford Mustang into the grass, bringing out a caution. After pitting for the crew to assess damage, Crew Chief Seth Barbour told Nemechek, “overall not too much damage.” Shortly after restarting the race, Nemechek had a cut tire, causing him to spin coming off of Turn 4. Nemechek would have another tire go down on Lap 130, resulting in heavy damage and ending his day. He finished in the 36th position.
Nemechek on Michigan:
“It was a long, tough day at Michigan International Speedway for our No. 38 Death Wish Coffee Ford Mustang. We actually weren’t too bad to start off, just needed to be a tick freer at the beginning. Unfortunately, we had some contact with the 17, which sent us into the grass and then we had multiple tires go down, which ended our day prematurely. Appreciate all the hard work my crew has put into our cars this weekend and all the support from our partners. Thankfully, we’ll have another chance in tomorrow’s race.”
