Despite Challenges Whitt Rallies to a 20th Place Finish in the Rinnai No. 72

Series: Monster Energy Cup Series

Race: Bank of America ROVAL 400

Venue: Charlotte Motor Speedway

Track Length/Configuration: 2.28-mile, road course

Race Distance: 109 laps/248.52 miles

Race Format: 3 Stages: Stages end on Laps 25/50/109

Cautions:  8 cautions for 16 yellow flag laps

Lead Changes: 10 among 8 drivers

Started: 33

Finished: 20

Laps Completed: 109

Points Gained: 17

 

 

Cole Whitt rolled off the grid in the 33rd position in the Rinnai No. 72 to start the Bank of America ROVAL 400 at Charlotte Motor Speedway

 

Caution Lap 15 (incident): Whitt was running 29th and relayed the Rinnai No. 72 was a little free but had good forward drive and bettered on the long runs. He stayed out on track under the caution

 

Stage 1 Completion Caution: Whitt completed the stage 28th. He relayed the Rinnai No. 72 was tight in and free off. He came to pit for service of four tires, fuel and air pressure adjustment

 

 

Whitt took the green flag in the 35th position

 

By lap 38, Whitt relayed the handling was worse and expressed possible front end issues.

 

Stage 2 Completion Caution: completing the stage 38th, Whitt came to pit for service of four tires, fuel. The crew determined an issue with the left front control arm.

 

 

Whitt was still in the pit box for replacement of the control arm when the field took the green flag restart for Stage 3. After successful repairs, Whitt rejoined the field in the 38th position and had fallen three laps down from the leader

 

Caution Lap 60 (debris): Whitt was three laps down. He stayed out and secured the free pass. He restarted 38th, two laps down

 

Caution Lap 67 (incident): Whitt was eligible once again as the free pass. He secured the positon and pitted for four tires and fuel, restarting 37th, one lap down

 

Caution Lap 70 (incident): Securing the free pass for the third time, Whitt stayed out on track and took the restart 35th posted back on the lead lap in the Rinnai No. 72

 

Lap 98: Running extremely low on fuel, Whitt came in for a green flag pit stop for service of four tires, fuel and air pressure adjustment. The stop placed him in the 33rd positon, a lap down from the leader

 

Caution Lap 103 (incident): Crew Chief Frank Kerr kept Whitt out on track

 

Caution Lap 105 (incident): A multi-car incident created a red flag scenario for track clean up. When the red flag was lifted, Whitt received the free pass for the fourth time of the day. Despite the challenges of the day, Whitt rallied to bring home a 20th place finish in the Rinnai No. 72 for the Bank of America ROVAL at Charlotte Motor Speedway

 

TriStar PR