Catchfence

Homestead, Fl (November 21, 2009) — Eric McClure and the Hefty® Racing™ team headed to Homestead-Miami Speedway with their sights set on ending the 2009 NASCAR Nationwide Series season on a positive note by continuing the team’s recent on-track improvements. Starting the race from the 33rd position and advancing as high as 24th, accomplishing the goals looked promising. However, an untimely caution during a round of green flag pit stops placed the driver two laps down and in the 28th-position, where he remained for the conclusion of the Ford 300. With this finish Team Rensi Motorsports (TRM) maintained the 26th position in NASCAR Owner Standings and McClure concluded the season by holding the 17th position in NASCAR Driver standings.

“I’m a little disappointed with the finish today. I really thought after practice we could have finished in the top-20, but there were a couple of things that happened during the race that hurt us. Although disappointed, we were able to race and pass guys and put ourselves in position to make a couple of decisions that impacted the race. Although our results didn’t always show it, I am happy with the way the season went and with my improvement during the year. I feel like I’m where I should’ve been my first year with driving these things and all the nuances that come with it and I owe that a lot to this race team. This is, by far, the best season I’ve had in the Nationwide Series and I feel I’ve learned some things that will pay dividends in the future.”

When the 200-lap event commenced, McClure slid back to the 35th position as the car was “extremely loose” throughout the turns. When the first caution of the race occurred on lap eight, the 30-year-old driver brought the Hefty® Steel Sak® Ford to pit road for a track-bar adjustment and Sunoco fuel. When the race resumed Team Rensi Motorsports was scored in the 28th position.

As the race progressed and the sun began to set, the car’s handling became “too tight” through the center of the turns causing McClure to lose positions as he was having to back-up his entry point to allow the car to roll through the center of the turns. Running in the 35th position when the third caution occurred, the No. 24 machine was brought back down pit road for tires, fuel, and track-bar and wedge adjustments. After a quick pit stop the Hefty® Racing™ team restarted the event in the 32nd position.

After forty laps of green-flag racing, the caution flag waved on lap 79 and then again on lap 90. The handling on the Hefty® Steel Sak® Ford was still not to the driver’s liking and was very “unstable.” Crew Chief Chris Wright called for major adjustments during both cautions, which seemed to help when green flag racing resumed, as McClure was shown in the 28th position by the halfway point of the 200-lap event.

During a second long green flag run, pit stops began on lap 140 but McClure stayed on track as long as possible until running out of fuel became a threat to the team. While running in the 24th position Wright called the driver to pit road on lap 157. Trying not to lose substantial time on pit road, the call was made for right side tires and fuel only. Unfortunately, the gamble didn’t pay off as the caution flag was displayed for debris one lap later. As a result the driver came back down pit road for fuel and left side tires. As a result of the caution TRM was scored in the 28th position, two laps down to the race leader.

Shortly after the restart the Hefty® brand Ford was pinned behind a pair of slower competitors running side by side and fell to the 29th position when the final caution of the event occurred on lap 185. By visiting pit road for one final track-bar adjustment and “scuffed” tires McClure was able to advance his placement by a position to finish the Ford 300 in the 28th position.

- Team Rensi Motorsports Press Release