TriStar Motorsports Post-Race Report: Chicagoland Speedway

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In: Xfinity Series News
Race Highlights: 
 
Cale Conley qualified 20th for the Furious 7 300, followed by Blake Koch in 23rd, David Starr in 30th and Eric McClure in 34th.
 
The 200-lap race included five cautions for 22 laps and 15 lead changes among seven drivers.
 
Blake Koch finished the race 21st, followed by David Starr in 23rd, Eric McClure in 27th and Cale Conley in 33rd.                        
   
Blake Koch Finishes 21st in the Furious 7 300
Blake Koch started 23rd in Saturday nights Furious 7 300 at Chicagoland Speedway. Early into the race, Koch reported that his Camry was tight in the center, but that they car was starting to come to him. When the first caution flag came out around lap 22, Koch brought his No. 8 LeafFilter Gutter Protection Camry to pit road for four tires, fuel and adjustments. Running in the 25th position on lap 52, Koch was quiet on the radio. Reporting that his Camry was loose on entry, Koch and the team decided to take the wave around when the caution came out at lap 87. Koch came on the radio on lap 100 and reported that the car was the best it had been all day. With 22 laps to go, Koch was scored in the 22nd position and would advance one position to finish the Furious 7 300 in the 21st position.
 
Start- 23rd        Finish- 21st       Laps Led- 0      Points- 23 points
                                                   
Driver QUOTE: “We had some good speed at times during the race and I feel like we are making progress. This is not the finish that we want, but we will get them next week in Kentucky.”
 
David Starr Finishes 23rd in the Furious 7 300
A 23rd place finish concluded the day for David Starr in the No. 44 Zachry Camry at Chicagoland Speedway. The Texas native, qualified 30th for the Furious 7 300 NASCAR XFINITY Series race and relayed the setup of the car was good following the qualifying session. Early in the race, running in the 28th position, Starr radioed he was battling a loose handling car and requested adjustments that would positively impact entry into the corners. Under a timely caution, crew Chief Greg Conner called the Zachry Camry to pit for four tires, fuel and a wedge adjustment. Starr returned to the field 29th. As the sun set and the temperature cooled, the No. 44 became loose on entry and tight in the center off the turns. With additional adjustments through a series of pit stops, the Zachry Camry continued to maintain the previous handling; a condition that remained consistent for the duration of the 200 lap race.
Start- 30th    Finish- 23rd      Laps Led -0      Points- 21 points
                                                   
Eric McClure Finishes 27th in the Furious 7 300
In his 14th NASCAR XFINITY Series start at Chicagoland Speedway, Eric McClure started Saturday night’s Furious 7 300 from the 34th position. With a challenging Reynolds Wrap® Camry out of the gate, McClure knew he and his TriStar Motorsports team had their work cut-out for them. As the leaders started laying down super-fast laps, McClure was in the Lucky Dog position by lap 14. Radioing to Crew Chief Rick Ren, McClure said the No. 24 was “bouncing over the bumps in three and four and the back-end doesn’t have much security”. The Reynolds Wrap® crew started making adjustments with the first caution on lap 21. The night was equipped with a green flag pit stop on lap 82 while running 28th on the track. Racing as high as 21st, the challenges the No. 24 Reynolds Wrap® Camry posed were too big to completely regain track position within the 200-lap event. Although his crew never stopped working to try and better the handling of the car, McClure finished the 15th Annual Furious 7 300 in the 27th position.
Start- 34th        Finish- 27th      Laps Led- 0     Points- 17 points
 
Driver QUOTE: “This car was the most challenging car that I have driven since being back at TriStar Motorsports. Towards the end of the final run, the car did start to feel a bit more secure. My guys worked really hard to try to make improvements throughout the race, but nothing really seemed to stick until the end.”
                             
Cale Conley Finishes 33rd in the Furious 7 300
Cale Conley and the No. 14 IAVA team headed back to Chicagoland Speedway in hopes of redeeming their previous finish at the Joliet track. Conley advanced through to round two of NASCAR XFINITY Series qualifying, posting speeds fast enough to start the Furious 7 300 from the 20th position. Conley continued to steadily advance position throughout the night, running as third by mid-race. Unfortunately, following a late-race restart, a rock bounced off the track and through the radiator of the No. 14 Camry causing terminal damage. Conley ended his night early in the 33rd position.
Start -20th       Finish- 33rd     Laps Led- 0      Points- 11 points
 
Driver QUOTE: “What a frustrating way to end a good race for us. I felt like I could really race through the field tonight and hate that I didn’t get a chance to continue to. I noticed my temperature hit 240 degrees and shut it off to try to save the engine. Unfortunately, the damage had been done. On to Kentucky.”

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