Fresh off a ninth-place finish in a typically topsy-turvy race at Talladega, Paul Menard and the No. 21 Menards/NIBCO team head to Kansas Speedway for the Hollywood Casino 400.
The veteran driver said he’s feeling good about his team’s prospects for Sunday’s race.
“I’m looking forward to getting back to Kansas,” he said. “That’s been a pretty good track for me.”
Menard finished sixth in the KC Masterpiece 400 at Kansas in May and has five other top-10s there in his career. He also is encouraged by the performance of his No. 21 Fusion showed in a recent test session at Kansas, and he’s interested to see how the race plays out.
“We had good speed at the test, and we were surprised how fast the top groove came in,” he said. “You run right by the wall to get the best speed.
“It’s definitely going to be a little different than the average race on an intermediate track.”
Looking back at Talladega, Menard said he was proud of the way his team kept its focus despite falling two laps down early in the race because of a flat tire and the resulting green-flag pit stop.
“We fought through a lot and got a good finish,” he said, adding that he believes his team’s perseverance at Talladega is a sign of ongoing improvement. “We’re still learning each other, and we’re getting more comfortable with the decisions we make throughout the weekend.”
Qualifying at Kansas is set for Friday at 7:10 p.m. Eastern Time, and the race is scheduled to start just after 2:30 p.m. Eastern on Sunday with TV coverage for both events on NBCSN.
Menards
A family-owned and run company started in 1958, Menards currently operates 316 home improvement stores located in 14 Midwestern states. Menards is well known throughout the Midwest for a complete selection of high-quality, name brand merchandise and all the tools, materials and supplies for any job. Whether just needing a light bulb, gallon of paint or household supplies, or building a deck, fence or new home, there is something for everyone at Menards whether a beginning do-it-yourselfer or more experienced contractor.
Wood Brothers Racing
Wood Brothers Racing was formed in 1950 in Stuart, Va., by Hall of Famer Glen Wood. Wood Brothers Racing is the oldest active team and one of the winningest teams in NASCAR history. Since its founding, the team won 99 races (including at least one race in every decade for the last seven decades) and 120 poles in NASCAR’s top-tier series. Fielding only Ford products for its entire history, the Wood Brothers own the longest association of any motorsports team with a single manufacturer. Glen’s brother, Leonard, is known for inventing the modern pit stop. The team currently runs the Ford Fusion driven by Paul Menard in the famous No. 21 racer.
