Reed Finishes 19th at Iowa after Last-Lap Incident

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In: Xfinity Series News

Roush Fenway Racing driver Ryan Reed and the No. 16 Lilly Diabetes American Diabetes Association team finished 19th on Saturday night after getting caught up in an incident on the last lap while running eighth.

“I’m so proud of our entire Lilly Diabetes American Diabetes Association team for not giving up and making adjustments to get us up in the top 10 at the end of the race,” said Reed. “We struggled all weekend but really had the car dialed in by the end. It’s a shame that our night had to end the way it did, but we will come back strong next week at Watkins Glen.”

Reed started the 250-lap event from the 20th position after struggling with the handling of the car through both practice sessions on Friday and qualifying on Saturday.

After taking the green flag on the .875-mile short track, Reed settled into the 22nd position and reported the car was lacking forward drive. The team made adjustments under the first caution period of the day on Lap 77. Reed pitted from the 23rd position for four fresh tires, a wedge adjustment and a track bar adjustment.

Reed restarted 22nd with 169 laps to go and was up to the 20th position by the halfway point of the race. Soon after, Reed reported that the car was loose but held on until the team was able to make more adjustments under the caution period on Lap 146.

The team’s second pit stop of the day was for four tires, a spring rubber adjustment and a track bar adjustment.  Reed restarted in the 19th position on the following restart with under 100 laps to go in the race.

With 60 laps to go in the event, Reed maintained the 19th position and was recording lap times as good as drivers running in the top 10. Reed reported that the car was still loose, but it seemed to do better on the short run.

The caution flag flew again on Lap 203. Reed stayed out to take the wave around and get back on the lead lap.  Shortly after the restart, the field fell under caution again, which gave the team a chance to put four fresh tires on the No. 16 Lilly Diabetes American Diabetes Association Ford Mustang and make a wedge adjustment.

By the time the caution flag flew on lap 229, Reed was up to the 12th position and was complimentary of the car and the entire team for their hard work to improve the handling.  Just four laps after the restart, the caution was displayed again with 10 laps to go in the race.

The field restarted with just five laps to go, but quickly fell back under the yellow flag. Reed sustained damage to the right rear of the car, but it was not substantial enough to bring him down pit road to make repairs.

With three laps to go, Reed restarted from the 12th position for the first attempt at a green-white-checker finish. Before the field could complete a lap, the caution came back out. Reed was up to the eighth position for the second attempt at the green-white-checker finish.

On the last lap, Reed was collected in an incident while running in eighth, relegating him to a 19th place finish at Iowa Speedway.

Reed remains 10th in the NASCAR XFINITY Series championship standings after Saturday’s race. Reed and the No. 16 team return to the track on Saturday, August 8 for the first road course race of the season at Watkins Glen International.

RFR PR

Speedway Digest Staff
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