Catchfence

Dover, DE (May 30, 2009)— Eric McClure and the Hefty® Racing™ team started the Helluva Good! ® 200 in the 18th position, matching their highest qualifying position of the season, before struggling with the handling of the car throughout the race to cross the finish line in the 23rd position.

“I’m disappointed we didn’t have a better finish today, but this one’s all on me,” McClure stated. “We qualified well; it was by far the fastest I’ve ever been at Dover, but when the race started, other than the second run, I had a hard time finding a rhythm. The team made adjustments throughout the race that improved the car’s handling, but I just couldn’t get a hold of the track for some reason and it cost us. Our qualifying has been much better this year, and so has the racing of late, but it’s still a work in progress. With Dover behind us, we will move on to Nashville where we hope to build on the run we had in April.”

Starting the race from the 18th position after picking up seven tenths of a second during time trials, McClure slid back to the 29th position and lost a lap to the race leader as he was fighting a car that “wouldn’t turn in the center and was loose off the corner.” When the second caution of the race occurred on lap 28, Crew Chief Chris Wright brought the No. 24 Hefty® Odor Block™ Ford Fusion to pit road to receive tires with an air-pressure adjustment and fuel and McClure was able to return to the track in the 29th position.

When the race resumed McClure was able to maintain his position on the track while continuing to fight the handling on his machine. On lap 72, contact was made with the No. 52 car bringing out the third caution. Although the car only suffered minor right front damage, the team used this caution to receive tires, fuel, and a track-bar adjustment. When the race resumed, the RHR team was shown in the 29th position.

“We got into the 52 and messed up their day and some of ours as well,” McClure added. “I really wish that hadn’t happened and it certainly wasn’t intentional. They are a great bunch and if there’s anybody I wouldn’t want to turn it is Jimmy and Kevin. That was a downer.”

During the remainder of the event, McClure visited pit road six more times, each under caution, to receive tires, fuel, and track-bar adjustments, which improved the car’s handling and allowed the 30-year-old driver to run his fastest lap during the latter stages of the event. In the end, the No. 24 crossed the finish line in the 23rd position, scoring his career best finish at the “Monster Mile”.

- Hamilton-Rensi Motorsports Press Release