Up-And-Down Day for Smith at Atlanta

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In: NASCAR Cup Series News

Regan Smith, interim driver of the No. 41 Haas Automation Chevrolet SS for Stewart-Haas Racing (SHR), endured an up-and-down day in the Folds of Honor 500 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Atlanta Motor Speedway. He struggled with an ill-handling racecar for the first half of the 325-lap race around the 1.54-mile oval but was on his way up when, in the closing laps, an incident unfolded in front of him that he’d all but avoided before being hit from behind. Despite the setback, Smith was able to rally to a 17th-place finish.

“It was a battle all day,” Smith said. “We kind of struggled with the handling on the No. 41 Haas Automation Chevrolet SS. Finally when we got it where I was happy with it, we were a lap down. It was kind of too late at that point. But right after we got it where I was happy, we got damage on the nose. I don’t know, somebody up there wrecked and everybody stopped. Tony (Gibson, crew chief) made some great pit calls to somehow get us back to one lap down. I still don’t know how that happened. It was a good job by him to salvage the day for the team.”

Smith started 38th after NASCAR’s technical inspection process on Friday dragged on so long that 13 drivers, including Smith, were never able to make a qualifying lap. Even with a handling condition that made his Haas Automation Chevrolet loose into and off of the track’s corners while being tight rolling the center, Smith was able to steadily advance to the 27th position by the race’s scheduled competition caution on lap 25.

Gibson called for chassis adjustments ranging from wedge and air pressure to removing packers in the right-front shock, but as the laps clicked off, handling characteristics went to the tight side. Despite the team’s best efforts, the Haas Automation Chevrolet went a lap down on lap 148.

Smith was able to race his way to become the first car one lap down and in position for the “free pass” to return to the lead lap should the caution flag be displayed. Unfortunately, the caution that the No. 41 team needed came during a cycle of green-flag pit stops, trapping them another lap down to the race leader.

Not long after, a multicar incident unfolded in front of Smith. While he was able to avoid significant damage, a trip down pit road was required to make repairs to the nose and hood of his Chevrolet. Smith was able to recover from the mishap and was once again in position to get back on the lead lap when, following a lap-304 restart, he was caught up in a multicar accident that significantly damaged the rear end of the Haas Automation Chevrolet.

Gibson was able to make needed repairs to the racecar during two trips to pit road. However, the damage sustained and limited laps remaining thwarted Smith’s forward progress as time ran out.

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Speedway Digest Staff
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