After maneuvering his Fifth Third Bank Ford up to the 12th position, Ricky Stenhouse Jr. was forced to settle for a 25th-place finish after a costly pit-road mistake on the final pit stop in Saturday night’s race at Kentucky Speedway.
“I am really disappointed,” said Stenhouse. “We had worked our way up inside the top-15 due to pit strategy but on the final pit stop we left a wheel loose which forced us to pit road. Track position is so important at Kentucky. We will put this behind us and head to Daytona where we had a good run earlier this year.”
The Olive Branch, Miss. native led Roush Fenway Racing’s qualifying efforts on Friday with a 21st-starting position. With only a 100 laps remaining, a two-tire pit strategy gained Stenhouse eight positions and placed him in 16th place at a track where track position is key.
On the final pit-stop of the 267-lap race, the two-time NASCAR Nationwide Series champion brought the Fifth Third Ford to pit-road for four tires and fuel but a wheel was left loose forcing Stenhouse to return to pit road one lap later.
On the final restart, Stenhouse battled back from the tail end of the field to take the checkered flag in the 25th position.
Next up for Stenhouse and the No. 17 team return to Daytona International Speedway for the Coke Zero 400 on Saturday, July 5. Race coverage begins at 7:30 p.m. ET on TNT. Coverage can also be heard on MRN and SIRIUS radio channel 90.
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