No. 17 DeWALT NANO FORD FUSION RECAP:
Mid-race accident sends Team 17 to Richmond garage, ruins chances for solid finish

Race Summary Start: 24th Mid-race: 17th 40 to go: 38th Finish: 38th High: 14th Low: 41st Fastest Laps: 6 Laps in top 15: 13 Laps: 345/410 Led: 0 Status: Running Points: 49 Earnings: $113,366 Points Summary Race Total: 49 Season Total: 958 Ranked: 22nd, 537 behind first

For the third consecutive race, Matt Kenseth and the No. 17 DEWALT NANO Ford team suffered misfortune on the racetrack that resulted in a trip to the garage, a less than stellar finish, and a loss of valuable points in overall standings. To say the least, this weekend’s events at Richmond International Raceway were anything but kind. After struggling to find speed during Friday’s practice session and qualifying a disappointing 24th for the Crown Royal presents the Dan Lowry 400, Kenseth and crew were hoping that things would turn around for them during the Saturday night race. But that would not be the case. Kenseth struggled to find grip for the first half of the race and was relegated to running mid-pack. Then on lap 230, the No. 17 was caught up in a multi-car melee that resulted in severe damage and a trip to the garage. After Team 17 spent several laps working to repair the DEWALT NANO Ford, Kenseth returned to the track in 41st position 62 laps down to the leaders. Though Kenseth would gain a few track positions, 38th place is where he ultimately finished.

Denny Hamlin led the 43-car field to the green flag before his hometown crowd on Saturday evening. Kenseth, in the black No. 17 DEWALT NANO Technology Ford Fusion, rolled off 24th. When the first caution was displayed on lap 65, Kenseth reported that his Ford was lacking grip. Crew chief Chip Bolin directed Kenseth to pit. In hopes of remedying the handling problems, Bolin directed the No. 17 crew to bolt on four fresh tires and adjust air pressures. Green flag racing commenced on lap 71 and Kenseth was scored in 24th place.

Over the beginning of the next run, Kenseth was still not satisfied with the handling of the No. 17 and fell back to 31st position. However, as the run progressed, his lap times were matching those of the leaders and when the second caution fell on lap 127, Kenseth was scored 21st.

Bolin and crew would continue to work on the No. 17 during pit stops under caution in hopes of giving Kenseth more traction for the start of the runs. Air pressure and track bar adjustments were made and spring rubbers were pulled from the No. 17, all in anticipation of a better handling Ford. The adjustments were seemingly helping as Kenseth managed to maintain a top-20 running position over the ensuing 26 laps.

Just when Kenseth was starting to make progress on the track a multi-car melee collected 10 cars, including Kenseth’s No. 17. Kenseth immediately drove his Ford to the garage where the DEWALT team met him to assess the damages, which included a busted radiator. The field was red-flagged for over 21 minutes, so team 17 was unable to begin work on the demolished car. When the caution flag waved to signal the restart of the race, the DEWALT crew went to work. After 62 laps in the garage, the team had bandaged up Kenseth’s Ford and he returned to the track on lap 291.

Besides routine stops for tires and fuel, Kenseth continued to make laps for the remainder of the race and ultimately finished 38th.

“We didn’t run very well at all even before the accident,” said Kenseth. “We were running in the back and everybody was doubled up. We were two- and three-wide back there, and everybody was trying to stay on the lead lap and they all wrecked. I got run into from behind and kind of got pushed into it, but that’s part of it.”

Pole-sitter Hamlin owned the race until he had a tire go flat on Lap 383, bringing out the caution flag. After the restart, fan favorite Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Kyle Busch battled several laps for the lead with Earnhardt taking over, much to the delight of the crowd. Their cheers turned to boos a few laps later when the two drivers scraped together and Earnhardt spun, hitting the outside wall.

The incident set the stage for a green/white/checker finish with Clint Bowyer leading the race. Bowyer held off Busch for the two laps. The sellout crowd of more than 110,000 fans roared as Bowyer took the checkered flag. Busch finished second. Mark Martin, Tony Stewart, and Martin Truex Jr. followed to complete the top five.

The third consecutive disappointing finish for Kenseth dropped him and the No. 17 DEWALT team from 19th to 22nd in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver point standings. Kenseth is currently 537 points behind point leader Kyle Busch.

Kenseth and the No. 17 DEWALT NANO Technology team will travel to Darlington, S.C., next weekend for racing action under the lights at Darlington Raceway on Saturday evening. FOX television and MRN radio will carry the live broadcast beginning at 7:30 p.m. (EST).

NEXT UP:
Sprint Cup: Dodge Challenger 500 • Darlington Raceway • Saturday, May 10 • DeWALT Nano car

Richmond Nationwide recap
May 4, 2008

No. 17 CitiFinancial FORD FUSION RECAP:
STRONG RUN FOR KENSETH HALTED BY LATE-RACE PENALTY

The last Nationwide Series outing for Matt Kenseth and the No. 17 team resulted in victory at Atlanta Motor Speedway in March. This weekend the team wasn’t so lucky. After qualifying seventh and running in the top 10 for most of the night, Kenseth was sent to the tail end of the longest line after a tire rolled out of the box on a pit stop with 20 laps remaining in the race. With time running out, Kenseth was unable to make up much ground and when the checkered flag flew, the No. 17 CitiFinancial Ford Fusion was 12th.

Early during the race, Kenseth said the CitiFinancial Ford Fusion was “tight through the middle.” He was running seventh when the caution flew on lap 66 and crew chief Drew Blickensderfer called Kenseth down pit road for the first time. The CitiFinancial team gave Kenseth four fresh tires, an air pressure adjustment and removed a left rear spring rubber to help with the tight condition. Shortly after restarting, Kenseth voiced concern over his rising water temperature. The team readied for the worst, but Kenseth was able to stay in clean air and keep the temperature down.

During the subsequent green flag run, Kenseth broke into the top five and was running a race-high third by lap 128. The next caution flew on lap 141 and Kenseth said he was loose off and tight in the middle. The CitiFinancial Ford Fusion came down pit road and Kenseth received four tires and wedge and air pressure adjustments. Shortly after the restart, Kenseth said he had “no grip.”

A long green flag run set in and without the ability to adjust on the car, Kenseth began falling back. The CitiFinancial Ford Fusion was seventh when a caution finally flew and Kenseth came down pit road. Kenseth told Blickensderfer to “get the car to turn better in the middle.” Blickensderfer called for four tires and an air pressure adjustment. At the end of the stop, a tire bounced out of Kenseth’s pit box and rolled across pit road. NASCAR penalized Kenseth by sending him to the tail end of the longest line which moved him from fifth to 16th with 20 laps remaining in the race.

With the laps quickly winding down, Kenseth fought to gain as many last-minute positions as possible. Kenseth was able to pick up four spots and the No. 17 CitiFinancial Ford Fusion finished 12th.

“It was a disappointing night,” said Kenseth. “The CitiFinancial Ford Fusion was pretty good for most of the race. After the second to last stop, the car started chattering the right front. That last set of tires felt better but after the penalty I just ran out of laps.”

NEXT UP:
Nationwide: Diamond Hill Plywood 200 • Darlington Raceway • Friday, May 9 • Citi Financial car