The No. 16 Team Finishes 19th in Phoenix

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In: Xfinity Series News

Ryan Reed, driver of the No. 16 American Diabetes Association Drive to Stop DiabetesSM presented by Lilly Diabetes Ford Mustang was poised for a top-15 finish late in Saturday afternoon’s NASCAR Nationwide Series (NNS) race, until an unscheduled green flag pit stop with 24 Laps remaining left the team with a 19th-place finish at Phoenix International Raceway.

“It was just a tough day,” said Reed.  “I made a mistake at the end and thought I had a tire going down after I used the cutoff and got a bunch of dirt on my tires.  That cost us a couple spots, but we’ll go back and work on it.  We took a lot of notes and tried to learn what we could, so we’ll go back and work from there.”

For the second time this season, the NNS traveled out west to Phoenix International Raceway.  After Saturday morning’s qualifying session, Reed lined up 15th in his No. 16 Ford Mustang.

During the opening green flag run of the 200-Lap race, Reed maintained 15th-position; radioing to the team that his car was free on entry, tight in the center and loose on exit.  Crew Chief Seth Barbour called the rookie down pit road during a caution on Lap 38 for four tires, fuel and a track bar adjustment.

Reed continued to run inside the top-15 for the majority of the race, but battled the same handling issue, a lack of overall grip. 

The No. 16 team received the free pass back onto the lead lap during a Lap 165 caution.  Barbour called Reed down pit road for the last scheduled stop of the day for four tires, fuel and another chassis adjustment.

Following a restart on Lap 171, Reed felt as though he had a flat tire.  He visited pit road under the green flag on Lap 176 for right side tires.  Upon returning to the track, Reed was informed that the right side tires were not flat.

The green flag pit stop dropped Reed from the lead lap, ultimately relegating the team to a 19th-place finish.  With the result, Reed remains ninth in the NNS standings heading to the season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

RFR PR

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