Incident Shortens Day and Results in 34th Place Finish for Whitt

Stage 1
  • Cole Whitt qualified 38th in the RTIC Coolers  No. 72 to start the Alabama 500
  • Lap 8: Whitt advanced to 25th
  • Under green flag pit stops, Whitt was scored 20th on the leaderboard 
  • Caution Lap 27 (incident): Whitt, scored 17th, pitted under caution for four tires, fuel, packer, wedge and air pressure adjustments. He restarted 22nd and immediately advanced two positions to 20th
  • Lap 37: Whitt secured the 19th placement on the leaderboard
  • Caution Lap 52 (incident): Posted 24th, Whitt reported the nose was jumping and handling was tight. He pitted for four tires, fuel, wedge and trackbar adjustment. He restated 24th to run the final lap of Stage 1
  • Stage 1 Completion Caution: Lap 55: Whitt completed the Stage 26th in the RTIC Coolers No. 72. Having just pitted, he came back to pit road to top off with fuel
 
 
Stage 2
  • Whitt started Stage 2 in the 22nd position and worked up to 19th 
  • Lap 68: Running 25th with green flag pit stops underway, he pitted for fuel only, ultimately cycling back to the field 34th
  • Caution Lap 82 (debris): posted 35th, Crew Chief Frank Kerr had called Whitt to pit. Before pit road was open, Whitt relayed something may have fallen off the car. NASCAR radioed stating the responder had fallen off the the RTIC Coolers No. 72. With instruction from NASCAR, Whitt cake to pit road for his scheduled pit stop for four tires and fuel. He returned to the field for one lap and came back to pit road for the crew to install a new responder under the No. 72. Whitt was allowed to return to the field and resume his original position of 31st for the restart.
  • Stage 2 Completion Caution: Lap 110: Running 27th, Whitt related he was more free on that run. He pitted for four tires. Fuel and wedge adjustment.
 
Stage 3
  • Whitt started Stage 3 in the 29th position 
  • Lap 127: Had advanced to 21st
  • Lap 141: Whitt had slipped to 30th
  • Lap 144: Whitt cake in for a green flag pit stop for four tires and fuel
  • Caution Lap 153 (incident): Crew Chief Frank Kerr called Whitt to pit for left side tires and fuel. He rejoined the field 26th. 
  • Caution Lap 157 (incident): Whitt was involved in an incident and sustained heavy damage. The damage was extensive enough to end the day for him and the RTIC Coolers No. 72 team; resulting in a 34th place finish in the Alabama 500 at Talladega SuperSpeedway

Tristar PR