Richard Petty Motorsports Bristol Re-Cap

MARCOS AMBROSE

No. 9 Stanley Ford Fusion

·         Marcos Ambrose started the race at Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway from the 11th spot

·         Ambrose finished the 500-lap NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race in the 10th position

·         Unofficially, Ambrose sits in 22nd position in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series point standings

Race Summary: Marcos Ambrose started the 500-lap NASCAR Sprint Cup Series event at Bristol Motor Speedway from the 11th position and quickly relayed to Crew Chief Todd Parrott that the Stanley Ford was good on entry into the corners, but tight in the center and on exit.

After slipping back to the 14th spot in the first few laps, Parrott called the No. 9 Stanley Ford into the pits during the first caution period of the race on Lap 33 for a trackbar adjustment, four fresh tires and fuel. Several cars elected to only change two tires under the yellow flag condition, resulting in Ambrose restarting from the 19th position. The changes made during that pit stop seemed to help the No. 9 machine’s handling issues and Ambrose quickly gained seven spots to put him in the 12th position by Lap 95.

Though Ambrose was moving through the field and clicking off lap times as fast as the leader, he communicated to the crew he was losing grip in both rear tires. A Lap 105 caution allowed Ambrose to come into the pits for an air pressure adjustment, four tires and fuel to help remedy the car’s loss of grip.

Running in or near the top 10 for the majority of the evening, the Richard Petty Motorsports crew continued to make slight chassis and air pressure adjustments to improve the handling of the Stanley Ford during the middle stages of the event.

Falling only as far back as 11th place, Parrott and crew were able to get the car’s handling to Ambrose’s liking toward the end of the race. Watching the Stanley machine in ninth place and running lap times faster than the leader, Parrott called Ambrose into the pits one final time during a Lap 415 caution for four fresh tires and a splash of fuel. The pit crew had stellar stops all evening and the last pit stop of the night was no exception. The Stanley team got Ambrose back out to restart the race in the ninth spot, the same position he was running in before he elected to pit.

Losing just one spot on the restart, Ambrose was able hang on for the remaining 85 laps and drove the No. 9 Ford to a 10th-place finish at the .533-mile concrete oval. Ambrose’s finish marked his eighth Top-10 of the season and moved him up one position in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series point standings to 22nd place heading to Atlanta Motor Speedway next weekend.

Ambrose’s Thoughts After the Race: “We finished 10th and I am pretty proud of our efforts tonight. The Stanley Ford wasn’t perfect but we stayed on the lead lap and kept digging on the top groove. The tire was very challenging for the teams to set up for. It was pretty loose in and I am pleased with our results.”

AJ ALLMENDINGER

No. 43 Best Buy Ford Fusion

·         AJ Allmendinger started in the 18th position for the 500-lap event at Bristol Motor Speedway

·         Allmendinger, finished in the race in the 12th position at the .533-mile concrete oval

·         Unofficially, Allmendinger sits in 14th place in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver point standings

Race Summary: AJ Allmendinger lined up in the 18th position for the start of the 266.5-mile event at Bristol Motor Speedway. Picking up several spots in the early laps of the race, Allmendinger relayed to Crew Chief Greg Erwin the Best Buy Ford was handling to his liking.

Running in the 15th position when the first caution flag of the 500-lap event flew on Lap 33, Erwin called Allmendinger into the pits for right side tires and fuel. The two tire call by the crew allowed Allmendinger to pick up a couple spots on pit road and Allmendinger restarted in the 13th position.

The No. 43 Ford quickly jumped up to 11th place in just three laps, but shortly after, Allmendinger communicated to Erwin that the two tire call upset the handling of the Best Buy machine and the car was loose. The No. 43 Richard Petty Motorsports Ford slipped back to the 16th spot before a Lap 105 caution allowed Erwin to again call Allmendinger into the pits, this time for four tires, fuel, wedge and air pressure adjustments.

Restarting in the 17th position, Allmendinger communicated to the crew that the changes made on the previous pit stop seemed to help the car’s handling issues. Running lap times as fast as the leader, Allmendinger began picking off cars one-by-one and had raced his way to 12th by Lap 235.

As the laps wore on, Allmendinger began to fight a tight handling car and the Best Buy crew made an array of chassis adjustments during the ensuing pit stops to try and correct the tight condition.

Though the Best Buy machine wasn’t exactly to Allmendinger’s liking, he was still able to run fast and consistent lap times and remain in or near the top 10 for the majority of the night. When the checkered flag flew at the half-mile oval, Allmendinger crossed the finish line in the 12th position.

The solid run at Bristol moved Allmendinger up one position in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver point standings, and he heads into the 25th race of the season at Atlanta Motor Speedway in the 14th spot.

Allmendinger’s Thoughts After the Race: “Off of past results this was an awesome night. With like 200 to go we were running sixth or seventh and we were just kind of going back and forth between being too loose and too tight and we got it too tight the rest of the night. Everybody just runs the top and especially when you are tight you can’t do anything. I feel like 12th place, I am pleased with it, not thrilled but pleased with it.”

RPM PR