RICHMOND, Va. (September 9, 2016) – Roush Fenway Racing driver Ryan Reed and the No. 16 Lilly Diabetes/American Diabetes Association team finished 11th on Friday night at Richmond International Raceway, securing a spot in the Chase for the 2016 NASCAR XFINITY Series Championship.
“It started off as a pretty frustrating night,” said Reed. “We bounced between loose and tight all night and didn’t find the balance until the last run. If we hadn’t had to start at the tail end when we took the Lucky Dog, I feel we could have had a top-10 run. Obviously we are really happy about locking into the Chase and am looking forward to getting it started in the next couple of weeks.”
Reed started the event from the 17th position after fighting the handling of the car in group qualifying on Friday afternoon. After the start, Reed settled in and began to get a feel for the car while maintaining the 17th position. By the first caution on Lap 48, Reed said the car was tight in the center. Crew chief Phil Gould and the No. 16 team went to work under caution on Lap 51, pitting for fresh tires, fuel, a track bar adjustment and an air pressure adjustment. The team’s quick work on pit road gained Reed five positions, putting him 12th for the restart on Lap 56.
By Lap 59, Reed broke into the top 10 and ran there through the first quarter of the race. He reported that the car was tight in the corners and loose on exit after 87 laps, but maintained the 10th position.
Reed fell back to the 12th position by Lap 109, but rebounded to 11th by the halfway point in the race. Just past halfway, the team pitted under green on Lap 149 for tires, fuel, track bar and air pressure adjustments. The caution was displayed soon after the green-flag pit stop, putting Reed in the position to get back on the lead lap as the Lucky Dog beneficiary.
Under the caution, Reed reported he needed turn in the center. The team pitted on Lap 167 for tires, fuel, wedge and air pressure adjustments. Reed restarted 12th on Lap 171, but at the tail end of the field since he was the beneficiary of the caution.
Throughout the latter part of the race, Reed ran quick lap times but ran out of time to improve any additional positions. Reed crossed the finish line 11th to record his 17th top-15 finish of the season.
After today’s race, Reed remains 10th in the NASCAR XFINITY Series championship standings and has locked in to compete in the NASCAR XFINITY Series Chase.
Reed and the rest of the NASCAR XFINITY Series will be back on track on Saturday, September 17th at Chicagoland Speedway.
About the Drive to Stop Diabetes
The Drive to Stop Diabetes campaign strives to educate people about living well with diabetes. The campaign encourages the millions of Americans who have diabetes to talk about it with their doctor, family, and friends and to actively manage their health.
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.
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. Founded in 1940, the Association’s mission is 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 (800-342-2383) or visit diabetes.org. Information from both these sources is available inEnglish and Spanish.
