During the days practice Loden felt confident in the easiness to drive his #29 Monroe Roadways/Red Mango Yogurt Chevy Impala around the third mile facility. A slight tight condition through the center of the turns was all that the team worked on through the multiple practice sessions before the afternoon’s time trails to set the twenty-eight car field. As qualifying rolled around it came time for Loden to expand his record of PASS South career poles; it looked like that was exactly what he was going to do as he held the fastest time in qualifying before the second to last car that went out knocked Loden to the second place position.
As result of the series redraw of the top ten qualifiers Andy took the green flag from the fourth position. He wasn’t there long as he quickly made his way to the lead just several laps in to the 150 lap event. Just as quick as his lead expanded over his fellow drivers it soon went away just as quick as his car soon began hitting the track’s surface affecting the handling of his Chevy Impala. A bit of luck was on the team’s side as the caution waved allowing Andy to bring the car in to the pits from the fourth position. After the team’s examination of car it was quickly determined a flat right front was to blame for the car’s sudden change.
A quick tire change before the field went back to green flag racing put Andy at the tail end of the twenty-eight car field with half of the 150 lap race in the books. Over the next sixty-five laps Loden made his way through the field passing cars and just missing several major wrecks along the way. With less than twelve laps remaining Andy found himself in the third position with a car that was still capable of pulling off the come from behind win. On the event’s final restart Loden spun his #29 Monroe Roadways Chevy Impala’s rear tires allowing leader Ben Rowe to pull away for the win and forcing Loden to a second place finish.
“What a stressful night of racing. I thought when we had that tire go down and had to come to the pits we didn’t have at anything but getting a car tore up trying to make it back through the field. But we had a awesome car and caught some breaks along the way to put us in a position for a solid finish and even a shot at the win, and as a driver that’s all you ever want is a shot at the win, “stated Loden. “We thought coming in to tonight’s race there was no way we would have a chance at winning the championship so we weren’t going to Concord for the Mason Dixon Meltdown race, but with (Jay) Fogleman and (Ryan) Blaney’s troubles tonight we have some figuring out to do to try see if we can make it there and maybe win this PASS South championship.”
For more information on driver Andy Loden and his R & L Motorsports including news, results, and merchandise visit his all new website at www.andyloden.net.
- Tex Motorsports Marketing Press Release
