Ben Kennedy and the Jacob Companies Team Finish 15th at Atlanta

Ben Kennedy and the No. 11 Jacob Companies team earned a 15th-place finish in the Great Clips 200 at Atlanta Motor Speedway. After unloading the blue-and-white Jacob Companies Toyota Tundra, Kennedy and the No. 11 team posted the 16th fastest time in Friday’s first practice and the sixth fastest time in both the second and third practice sessions. During Saturday morning’s knockout qualifying session, Kennedy transferred into the second and final round and secured the 10th starting position for the afternoon’s race. The field took the green flag for 130 laps as the afternoon sun began to set and while Kennedy dropped back on the start, he climbed to the seventh position by lap 15. The caution clock brought out the yellow flag on lap 39 and Kennedy brought his Toyota Tundra to the attention of crew chief Scott Zipadelli and the No. 11 team, who gave him four fresh Goodyear tires and Sunoco fuel. Kennedy also reported that his shifter had popped out of gear, so the team handed him a bungee cord to secure it. Fighting a tight condition, Kennedy remained in the top-10 until a caution flew on lap 62, when he once again visited pit road for four tires and fuel. On the restart, Kennedy worked his way to fourth, before reporting a vibration and returning to pit road. The No. 11 team changed tires, which corrected the problem, and Kennedy returned to the track one lap down. A few laps later, the caution flew and Kennedy was able to take the wave around to regain the lead lap and then pit under a subsequent caution. The 24-year-old restarted in the 15th position with 15 laps to go, and worked his way up to the ninth position before a caution flag flew once again, setting the field up for a two-lap shootout. Kennedy took the green in the ninth position, but traffic held up his racing line and he crossed the finish line in 15th.

 

 

“We had a really fast Jacob Companies Toyota Tundra this weekend, we just had some bad luck. Thanks to some good strategy by Scott (Zipadelli, crew chief) and some quick stops by the Red Horse Racing guys, we were able to rebound and get back on the lead lap. Now we’ve got a little break before Martinsville (Speedway) and we’ll get back at it.” 

RHR PR