TriStar Motorsports Post-Race Report: Watkins Glen International

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In: Xfinity Series News
Race Highlights: 
 
Cale Conley qualified 25th for the Zippo 200, followed by Eric McClure in 27th, Blake Koch in 29th and David Starr in 34th.
 
The 200-mile race included seven cautions for 20 laps and nine lead changes among four drivers.
 
Blake Koch finished the 82-lap race 18th, followed by Cale Conley in 21st, Eric McClure in 24th and David Starr in 26th.              
   
Blake Koch Finishes 18th in the Zippo 200
Blake Koch qualified 29th for the Zippo 200 at Watkins Glen International. Early into the race, Koch brought his Camry to pit road after reporting that his Camry had shut off. Once the team assessed the issue, Koch re-entered the track. Running under caution at lap 10, Koch came to pit road for adjustments to make the car tighter in the right turns. On lap 30, Koch was running in the 31st position and nine laps later he was scored in 19th. With 22 laps to go, Koch received the Lucky Dog and was back on the lead lap. Under caution, Koch came to pit road for four tires, fuel and another round of adjustments. With 8 laps to go, the No. 8 LeafFilter Gutter Protection Camry was scored in the 21st position and would advance three positions to finish the Zippo 200 18th.
Start- 29th         Finish- 18th      Laps Led- 0      Points- 26 points
                                                   
Driver QUOTE: “We overcame a lot of things that happened throughout the weekend, but we learned a lot and never gave up. We were proud to get a top-20 finish.”
 
Cale Conley Finishes 21st in the Zippo 200
Cale Conley took the track at Watkins Glen International for the first time ever this weekend for the Zippo 200, qualifying his IAVA Toyota Camry in the 25th position. Upon taking the green flag for the 82-lap event, Conley began to steadily move through the field. By mid-race, Conley had maneuvered through several multi-car incidents and was running solidly in the top 15. Unfortunately with about 30 laps to go, he radioed to crew chief Eddie Pardue that he was losing power steering. Each remaining caution, the IAVA crew worked quickly to repair the leak in the power steering fluid, so that Conley could remain on the lead lap. He was able to gain a number of positions in the final laps of the Zippo 200 and he finished in the 21st position.
Start- 25th    Finish- 21st      Laps Led -0      Points- 23 points
                                                   
Driver QUOTE: “I enjoyed my first road course race in the XFINITY Series. I really think we could have had a top-15 finish if it weren’t for the power steering issues throughout the race. But my team worked hard to keep the car on the lead lap and me in contention, so I am looking forward to improving next weekend at Mid-Ohio.”
 
Eric McClure Finishes 24th in the Zippo 200
The 21st Annual Zippo 200 at Watkins Glen International served as Eric McClure’s seventh NASCAR XFINITY Series start at the 2.4-mile course. Rolling off 27th McClure and the Reynolds Wrap® Camry set out for 82-laps of vigorous competition. As the field made their third lap at the course, McClure slipped back to 31st.  Stating the Camry was loose in the right hand turns, McClure came to pit road for the first time during the second caution on lap 21. Crew Chief, Rich Viers, called for a chassis adjustment, four tires, fuel and tear off; sending McClure back out to restart 19th. Not even getting in a full lap the field came under caution again. Knowing fuel was essential to finish the 200.9-mile event, McClure came to pit road to clear off his grill and top-off on fuel. Approaching the halfway mark, McClure radioed that he was having trouble keeping momentum on the exit of the turns and that the Reynolds Wrap® Camry is “snappy” in the exit of the right hand turns. McClure was awarded the Lucky Dog with five laps to go, while running in the 24th position. Holding on for two laps when the field took the green, McClure solidified a 24th place finish for the second consecutive time at Watkins Glen International.
Start- 27th        Finish- 24th      Laps Led- 0     Points- 20 points
 
Driver QUOTE: “We had an interesting day, with a very solid car. I made a couple of mistakes trying too hard, but we battled back by racing hard. I’m disappointed that we did not get a chance to improve on our finish, but it was a much better overall attempt at WGI.”
                                                   
David Starr Finishes 26th in the Zippo 200
Making his first XFINITY Series start at Watkins Glen International, David Starr qualified 34th for the Zippo 200. With a caution on lap 8, Starr radioed the No. 44 Zachry Camry was “not bad”. He pitted for fuel only on lap 10 and returned to the field in 29th position. With another caution soon to follow, on lap 23, Crew Chief Greg Conner, called Starr to pit road for 4 tires, fuel and cycled back to the green in the 23rd position. Relaying to the team that second gear went out on the No. 44, Starr fought to to battle the turns; shuffling between 23rd and 28th in scoring. Brushing the wall and sustaining left side damage to the Zachry Camry, on lap 42, followed by a tire going down, Starr pitted several times for the crew to change tires and assess damage. Despite the damage, he managed to keep the No. 44 on track and finished the Zippo 200 with a 26th place finish.
Start -34th       Finish- 26th     Laps Led- 0      Points- 18 points
                                                   
Driver QUOTE: “I was excited to come back and run my first XFINITY race at Watkins Glen. We had a good Zachry Toyota Camry at the start of the race and unfortunately lost 2nd gear in the transmission. This hurt our performance throughout the remainder of the race, but I was able to gain some road course experience that will hopefully help us at Mid-Ohio next week”.

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