DOVER, Del. (Oct. 4, 2015) – After starting 27th for Sunday’s NASCAR Sprint Cup Series (NSCS) race at Dover International Speedway, Ricky Stenhouse Jr. drove his Fastenal Ford to an eighth-place finish earning his second top-10 finish of the 2015 NSCS season.
“I’m really proud of my team,” Stenhouse said. “We didn’t get much practice this weekend due to the weather but felt like we had a strong Fastenal Ford during the limited practice we had on Saturday. We’ve been focusing on being consistent and we have finished inside the top-20 the past four races. We will keep building and take the momentum into the off-season as we prepare for the 2016 season.”
With qualifying being rained out on Friday, the starting lineup was set by the NASCAR Rule Book causing Stenhouse to line up in the 27th – starting position. The Olive Branch, Miss. native quickly marched his way up inside the top-20 picking up eight positions by the time the competition yellow was displayed on lap 40.
Despite battling a tight machine, the two-time XFINITY champion still ran inside the top-15 for a majority of the 400-lap race.
When the final caution flag was displayed on lap 371, Nick Sandler called Stenhouse Jr. to pit road for four tires and a splash of fuel with a limited number of cars on the lead lap and some of the leaders were gambling on fuel strategy.
When the final green flag waved with 24 laps remaining, the Roush Fenway Racing driver restarted 14th but bullied his way up through the field picking up six positions in the final laps to take the checkered flag in the eighth position.
Stenhouse and the No. 17 team head home to race in their backyard at Charlotte Motor Speedway on Oct. 10, 2015. Race coverage begins at 7:00 p.m. on NBC. Coverage can also be heard on PRN and SIRIUS radio channel 90.
