Roush Fenway Racing driver Ryan Reed and the No. 16 Lilly Diabetes/American Diabetes Association team finished 18th on Saturday at Dover International Speedway after receiving damage in an incident on Lap 20.
“We made really good changes during practice on Friday and after the first heat race today, but bad luck got us again,” said Reed. “Our car was pretty good, but once we got the damage it just slowed us down so much. We will regroup during the off week and be ready to go at Charlotte.”
After qualifying 15th on Saturday morning, Reed lined up eighth in the first 40-lap heat race early Saturday afternoon. Reed finished in the same position he started, reporting to crew chief Phil Gould that the car needed rear and lateral grip. The team made a wedge adjustment during the allotted break and started the 120-lap main event 15th.
By Lap 11 in the main, Reed had made his way up to the 13th position and was running fast lap times. Unfortunately, contact with another car on Lap 20 left Reed with damage to the right-rear quarter panel, causing him to lose several positions. With the possibility that the damage could cause a tire rub, Reed was cautious but able to keep the pace until the team had the chance to repair the damage under caution on Lap 71.
Under the debris caution, Reed came down pit road for fresh tires and to repair the damage to the right-rear of the car. The team pitted again on Lap 74 to continue damage repair, eventually restarting 15th on Lap 76.
Reed was able to gain several positions in the closing 30 laps of the race, making us way up to 22nd by Lap 90 and 18th by Lap 109.
When the caution flag flew with 11 laps to go, Gould brought Reed down pit road for fresh tires and to ensure no further damage was incurred since the last pit stop. Reed restarted 22nd with five laps to go and made his way up to 18th to cross the finish line.
After Saturday’s race, Reed remains tenth in the NASCAR XFINITY Series Championship standings. Next up for Reed and the No. 16 Lilly Diabetes/American Diabetes Association team is Charlotte Motor Speedway on Saturday, May 28.
RFR PR
