Track: Bristol Motor Speedway, 0.5 Mile Oval
Race: 29 of 38
Event: Bass Pro Shops Night Race (266.5 miles, 500 laps)
John Hunter Nemechek
No. 38 Mystik Lubricants Ford Mustang
Started: 31st
Finished: 20th
Stage One: 17th
Stage Two: 18th
Stage Three: 20th
John Hunter Nemechek started Saturday’s event at Bristol Motor Speedway in the 31st position. At the Competition Caution, he radioed to the team that his No. 38 Mystik Lubricants Ford Mustang was “free to start… lacking a little drive” and that he “felt like it was starting to come to” as his run went on. Crew Chief Seth Barbour called him to pit road for 4 tires, fuel and track bar and packer adjustments. By the time Nemechek finished Stage 1 in 17th place, he said he “started off free; built tighter.” Expecting the track to tighten up as the race went into the evening, Nemechek would pit at the Stage Break Caution for 4 tires and fuel.
Nemechek drove his way towards the top 20 throughout most of Stage 2. When a caution came out on Lap 232, he noted that his No. 38 Mystik Lubricants machine was a “little free off, snug center… I get tight off the bottom.” After going a lap down in the previous run, he stayed out to take the wave-around and would go on to finish Stage 2 in 18th place.
Partway through the Final Stage of the night at Bristol Motor Speedway, Nemechek reported that he was picking up a slight vibration in his No. 38 Mystik Lubricants Ford Mustang. He was able to stay out on track until a caution came on Lap 406, where he noted that he was “free center, struggling with drive off.” Barbour called him to pit road for 4 tires, fuel and a track bar adjustment. Nemechek would go on to take the checkered flag in 20th place.
Nemechek on Bristol:
“The crew put together a solid top-15, maybe even top-10 car tonight at Bristol. Our No. 38 Mystik Lubricants Ford Mustang was decent on the long run, but we struggled a little with drive off. After the first stage, it was looking like we were going to have a decent night. We tried a couple of different adjustments on pit road tonight – some of them helped, some not as much. Overall, we wanted to be able to finish a few spots higher. Thanks to our partners at Mystik Lubricants for coming on board with us this season. We’ll debrief this week and come back ready for Las Vegas.”
