SPARTA, Ky. (September 27, 2015) – Roush Fenway Racing driver Ryan Reed and the No. 16 Lilly Diabetes American Diabetes Association team finished 25th on Saturday night at Kentucky Speedway after sustaining significant damage on Lap 2.
“Well today started off pretty great, but we just really missed it on the setup for qualifying, which put us in the back for the start,” said Reed. “We got tangled up in someone else’s mess but the guys worked so hard to get us back out there and make the car drivable. We will work hard to prepare for Dover and hope for better luck there.”
Reed started off the day on Saturday by winning the 100-lap ARCA Racing Series Crosley 150 in the No. 38 Lilly Diabetes Lira Motorsports Ford Fusion.
Soon after leaving Victory Lane, Reed hopped in his No. 16 Lilly Diabetes American Diabetes Association Ford Mustang for NASCAR XFINITY Series qualifying. After the first round, Reed reported that the car felt really different from Friday’s practice and he didn’t feel like it was taking to the track like it should. Reed walked away with a 19th-place starting position for Saturday night’s race.
One lap after the field took the green flag for the 200-lap event, Reed was collected in an incident that left major damage to the right front and entire left side of the No. 16 machine. With the race under caution, the team made four stops to repair the car. The first two were to evaluate the damage and change right-side then left-side tires. The following stops were used to apply tape and secure sheet metal to the car.
The field restarted on Lap 7 with Reed in the 25th position. Three laps later Reed updated the team that the car’s toe was knocked to the right and the right-side splitter was dragging the ground.
The team got another chance to make repairs under the Lap 26 caution period. Reed was the first car one lap down and was able to get back on the lead lap. After getting his lap back, Reed came down pit road on Lap 28 from the 26th position for right-side tires, a track bar adjustment and to attach a block on the splitter.
The team brought Reed back down pit road under the caution period to change the left-side tires and further evaluate the damage to the toe and splitter. Reed restarted in the 25th position on Lap 32.
The longest green-flag run of the day was between Laps 32 and 85. Reed maintained the 27th position during this time and reported to the team that the car was extremely loose, but he was able to hold onto it. The team pitted under green on Lap 83 for tires, fuel and to further repair damage.
As Reed left pit road, the caution was displayed. He was scored in the 30th position at the time. Crew chief Chad Norris decided to bring Reed back down pit road twice under the caution period to work on the toe of the car. Reed restarted in the 29th position on Lap 94.
Just before the race reached the halfway mark, the field was slowed by a red flag. Reed maintained the 29th position and let the team know that the car did not seem to be handling any better. When the race returned to caution, Reed pitted for fuel and a wedge adjustment. He restarted 28th on Lap 105.
Soon after the restart, the field was again slowed by caution. Reed pitted on Lap 109 under the caution period for fuel and to make sure the repairs were holding up. He restarted in the 30th position on Lap 111.
The next caution flag flew on Lap 118. Reed again came down pit road for a wedge adjustment and fuel. He restarted in the 28th position on Lap 127.
The seventh caution flag of the night came on Lap 166. Reed was up to the 27th position. Norris brought his driver down pit road for fuel and fresh tires. Reed restarted the race in the 27th position on Lap 172.
Two more cautions were displayed before the field reached the end of Saturday night’s event. Reed stayed out on the track during both and was able to gain two positions, finishing 25th at Kentucky Speedway.
Reed remains 10th in the NASCAR XFINITY Series championship standings. Reed and the rest of the NASCAR XFINITY Series will return to the track on Saturday, October 3rd at Dover Speedway.
Roush Fenway Racing is the winningest team in NASCAR history, fielding multiple teams in NASCAR Sprint Cup Series and NASCAR XFINITY Series competition with drivers Greg Biffle, Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Trevor Bayne, Elliott Sadler, Ryan Reed, Chris Buescher and Bubba Wallace. Now in its 28th 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 digital 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.
About The American Diabetes Association
The American Diabetes Association is leading the fight to Stop Diabetes and its deadly consequences and fighting for those affected by diabetes. The Association funds research to prevent, cure and manage diabetes; delivers services to hundreds of communities; provides objective and credible information; and gives voice to those denied their rights because of diabetes. For the past 75 years, our mission has been to prevent and cure diabetes and to improve the lives of all people affected by diabetes. For more information please call the American Diabetes Association at 1-800-DIABETES (1-800-342-2383) or visit www.diabetes.org. Information from both these sources is available in English and Spanish.
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 broad and growing product portfolio 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.
