Race Highlights:
- Richard Childress Racing teammates finished 12th (Paul Menard), 22nd (Jeff Burton) and 32nd (Kevin Harvick).
- Menard gained seven positions in the final 10 percent (50 laps) of the TUMS Fast Relief 500, ranking him third in the NASCAR Loop Data category of Closers, while Burton gained four positions ranking him fourth.
- Menard ranked 14th-Fastest on Restarts with an average speed of 90.388 mph, made 81 Green Flag Passes and 23 Quality Passes according to NASCAR’s Loop Data Statistics.
- Burton made 75 Green Flag Passes during the 500-lap race.
- Burton was the 14th-Fastest Driver Late in a Run with an average speed of 90.423 mph.
- Harvick posted eight of the Fastest Laps Run in the 33rd points-paying event of the 2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season and Menard turned five.
- Harvick spent 250 laps running in the Top 15 during the TUMS Fast Relief 500, made 82 Green Flag Passes and 34 Quality Passes.
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Jimmie Johnson captured his fourth NASCAR Sprint Cup Series win of the 2012 season and was followed to the finish line by Kyle Busch, Kasey Kahne, Aric Almirola and Clint Bowyer.
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The next scheduled Sprint Cup Series race is the AAA Texas 500 at Texas Motor Speedway on Sunday, Nov. 4. The race is scheduled to be televised live on ESPN beginning at 2 p.m. Eastern Time and broadcast live on the Performance Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.
Paul Menard Earns Career-Best Finish of 12th at Martinsville Speedway
Paul Menard started the No. 27 Zecol/Menards Chevrolet from the ninth position in Sunday’s NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race and persevered through handling challenges to earn a 12th-place finish, his career-best at Martinsville Speedway. The Richard Childress Racing driver reported a tight-handling condition early in the 500-lap event, but still competed in the top 15 for the first 90 laps. The handling issues continued despite aggressive chassis and air pressure adjustments during routine service while under caution on laps 47, 97,129, 151 and 200. Menard fell to 25th in the running order as he wrestled the neon yellow machine around the half-mile race track. Additional adjustments during pit stops under green and yellow-flag conditions provided little relief, but the Eau Claire, Wis., native still fought his way into the top 20. Crew chief Slugger Labbe instructed his driver to remain on track during the lap-431 caution-flag period in order to take the “wave around” pass and return to the lead lap in the 19th position. In the final 10 laps, Menard used strong restarts to work his way into the top 15 and bring home a 12th-place result in the TUMS Fast Relief 500.
Start – 9 Finish – 12 Laps Led – 0 Points – 16
PAUL MENARD QUOTE:
“I’m very proud of this Zecol/Menards team. No one gave up today and somehow we were able to salvage a decent finish. We just missed the setup for today and no matter what adjustments we made, I couldn’t get the car to turn”
Blown Engine Relegates Kevin Harvick and the Rheem Chasing the Cure team to a 32nd-Place Finish at Martinsville Speedway
Start – 12 Finish – 32 Laps Led – 0 Points – 11
KEVIN HARVICK QUOTE:
“This definitely wasn’t the way I wanted to finish the day, but there are some things that are outside of your control. The Rheem Chasing the Cure team worked so hard today to get the car handling the way I needed it to and I was able to work my way toward the front. I wish we could have had a better finish to show for our hard work today.”
Pit Road Penalty Relegates Jeff Burton to 22nd-Place Finish at Martinsville Speedway
Start – 4 Finish – 22 Laps Led – 0 Points – 19
JEFF BURTON QUOTE:
“We had a really strong car all weekend and it started with the top-five qualifying effort. A mistake on pit road cost us, but it happens. I can’t be mad at these guys. They have been the most consistent pit crew all season. This team never gave up and we had a top-10 car there in the end. Everyone on this EnerSys/ODYSSEY Battery Chevrolet team put in a solid effort all weekend.”
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