Catchfence

Dover, DE. (October 1, 2011)— After a strong run in the Nationwide Series’ first trip to Dover Int’l Speedway in May, Eric McClure was admittedly “geared up” for the return trip to the “Monster Mile,” this time hoping the issues that plagued the team’s result would not show up this time around. Despite starting the event from the 27th position and struggling with the car’s handling, and taking a gamble with a “wave around” early in the race that didn’t pay the team dividends, the TriStar Motorsports team was still able to salvage a 24th-place finish. As a result, the Virginia driver advanced one position to 19th in NASCAR Driver Standings.

“We had good speed in practice but, for some reason, the handling never was consistent. We started off loose then went to being loose on entry and tight on exit. We gambled with the wave around but it didn’t work out for us and we had to pit under green and it cost us a spot or two. But on the positive side, we came out of Dover without a scratch on the car and that’s something we needed. We can put this behind us and move forward to Kansas.”

Despite the car’s handling being “wicked loose” on entry and through the center of the turns, McClure was able to maintain the 27th position until the event’s first caution flag was displayed for debris on lap 5. As NASCAR was going to impose a competition caution on lap 40 due to rain showers that passed through the area overnight, the call was made for the Hefty® BlakckOut™/Reynolds™ Chevrolet to remain on track. As a result, the TriStar Motorsports team was able to restart the event from the 26th position.

Over the next 30 laps, McClure was able to advance to the 25th position, despite informing the crew that the car was “still loose on entry and lacking overall rear grip.” When the competition caution flag was displayed, the Hefty® BlackOut™/Reynolds™ Chevrolet came to pit road for tires and a track-bar adjustment. When the service was complete, McClure was scored in the 26th position.

As the race progressed under green conditions, McClure slipped to the 28th position as the car was now shifting to a tight characteristic on exit. When the event’s third caution flag was displayed on lap 78, crew chief Gary Cogswell decided to have McClure stay on track and take the wave around, which would allow the team to gain one lap back to the race leader when the race resumed on lap 83. Unfortunately, the caution needed for the wave around to pay dividends did not occur so the team was forced to give up the 26th position in the running order to visit pit road on lap 131, under green conditions, for four tires with an air-pressure adjustment and fuel. Following the service, the TriStar Motorsports Chevrolet returned to the track in the 28th position.

In the remaining laps, the car’s handling reverted back to a loose handling characteristic. During the event’s fourth and final caution on lap 158, McClure brought the No. 14 car to pit road for four scuffed tires with an air-pressure adjustment and fuel. Although McClure restarted the event in the 26th position, he was able to advance two positions in the final 30 laps to finish the OneMain Financial 200 in the 24th position. With this finish, the 32-year-old driver advanced to the 19th position in NASCAR Driver Standings.

The Hefty Racing® team returns to action Saturday, October 8 at Kansas Speedway with the running of the Kansas Lottery 300. Catch all of the action live on ESPN 2 beginning at 3:00pm (ET).

- Team McClure Inc. Press Release