Robert began driving at the Richard Petty Driving Experience and Team Texas Driving School at Texas Motor Speedway in 2002. He was runner-up in Rookie of the Year honors the following season in Romco Super Late Models. In 2004, he made his Auto Racing Club of America debut at Chicagoland Speedway. He is a former quarterback at Southern Methodist University. Richardson currently drives the #38 Mahindra Tractor Ford Fusion for Front Row Motorsports with Yates Racing part time in the Sprint Cup Series and the #23 Mahindra Tractor Chevrolet Impala for R3 Motorsports in the Natinowide Series. - Wikipedia®
The one thing I am very happy about is that I got to take part in my first Daytona 500. As a kid, you dream about moments like this when you’re running Legends cars and Late Models.
I can’t thank the people at Front Row Motorsports, Mahindra Tractors USA and everyone involved in this for making it happen.
Our plan for the race was to stay out of the way, not make any mistakes and just be in the right position towards the end of the race. For the early part, I just kind of laid back and let them race up ahead.
Just before the first red flag for the chunks of the track coming up, the car was starting to get tight on entry and exit. Then, we had that first delay and we got out of the cars so they could fix the track. I was in the mood for ice cream at this time.
I was able to talk to some of the other drivers about what was going on with their cars and what they thought. We made a slight air pressure and ½ rounds of track bar adjustments during the race.
That seemed to help as we kept racing around. I still wasn’t going to get up front and get caught up in stuff. I had a few wrecks happen right in front of me that caused me to sit up pretty straight in the seat.
Then, we had that second red flag to fix the hole – again – and I ended up grabbing a big ol’ Speedway Dog from the concession stand. So much for the ice cream, but I was pretty darn hungry.
For the second restart, we pitted early and at one point (lap 165) I was actually scored second on the pylon. Heck, I saw that and asked someone to take a photo of it while it lasted.
We went back to racing and now the car was tight in the entry, middle and exit of the turns. When I would try to turn, the car wouldn’t take the steering I was putting into it, so I had to adjust my line a little to make it work.
We got the chance to pit again and my crew chief (Randy Seals) was able to make a track bar and air pressure adjustment. That helped us for the rest of the race. I was ready to rock n roll out there and start making some moves.
I went from 33rd to 31st in one lap, then up to 29th when a caution came out on lap 193. Michael Waltrip told me during the second red flag that he felt like we still had another big wreck to get through. He was right.
For the lap 198 restart, I was 25th and they told me to be smart. I told them I didn’t know if I had to be smart or crazy for the rest of the race to make some moves. I chose crazy and was up to 23rd when the lap 200 caution waved.
I restarted there and just as I was moving up some more, the 24, 9 and 19 all got to bumping with the 9 spinning down the apron. Unfortunately, that’s where I dove to get out of the way and the right front got into the side of him.
The No. 38 Mahindra Tractors USA Ford ended its day on the backstretch grass done for the day. I was okay, so that’s a good thing. When I got out of the car, I stood up on the window edge and pumped my arms in the air for the backstretch crowd.
Heck, I was pumped up and wanted to share it with the fans. They endured two red flags, so I figured the least I could do was give them some entertainment.
So, we ended up 31st in my first Daytona 500. It wasn’t the way I wanted, but it’s Daytona. I can’t wait until my next plate race in that Cup car.
Thanks to all of you for following along this week and allowing me to share my first Daytona 500 Speedweeks with you. Talk to you soon.
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