Roush Fenway Racing driver Ryan Reed and the No. 16 Lilly Diabetes American Diabetes Association team finished 17th on Saturday at Homestead-Miami Speedway in the 2015 NASCAR XFINITY Series season finale after starting in the same position.
“While that’s not how we wanted to wrap up the 2015 season, I’m really proud of what our team has done all year and definitely want to congratulate Chris Buescher and the No. 60 team on the Championship,” said Reed. “We struggled with the handling all weekend and just couldn’t find the speed we needed to fight for position. We will work hard this offseason and come back strong in February at Daytona.”
Reed started the 200-lap event from the 17th position and held his position through the first caution flag on Lap 9. The field was briefly slowed by the yellow flag before restarting on Lap 13. Following the restart, Reed settled in the 20th position and told crew chief Chad Norris that his No. 16 Ford Mustang was free and he had no grip on entry to the turns.
The Lap 25 competition caution gave the team its first chance to make adjustments. Reed pitted from the 22nd position on Lap 27 for fresh tires, fuel and a wedge and track bar adjustment. The team gained Reed two positions on pit road, allowing him to restart 20th on Lap 30.
By Lap 40, Reed had made his way up to 18th and broke into the top 15 by Lap 65. He reported that the car had swung to the tight side and he believed the track itself was tightening up.
The team made a green-flag pit stop on Lap 79 from the 14th position for an air pressure adjustment. Once the stops had cycled through, Reed was scored in the 12th position and reported that he still needed help on entry into the turns.
The third caution flag of the night was displayed on Lap 117 while Reed was running 15th. Norris called for a wedge and air pressure adjustment when the team pitted on Lap 119. Reed restarted 14th on Lap 122. Soon after the restart, Norris told Reed to be alert as a rain shower was moving into the area.
The race was slowed by a caution for a brief rain shower with 59 laps to go while Reed was running 18th. Norris brought Reed in for a track bar and air pressure adjustment. With 54 laps to go, Reed restarted 18th as the 2015 NASCAR XFINITY Series season drew to a close.
With 28 laps remaining in the event, the field was again slowed by caution. Reed took the wave around to get a lap back and restarted 17th with 22 laps to go.
The final caution of the night was displayed on Lap 180 as Reed ran 17th. He came into the pits for fresh tires in hopes of improving the car’s front turn for the remainder of the event. Reed restarted 16th with 16 laps remaining in the season. He settled into 17th and would cross the finish line in that position in the Ford EcoBoost 300.
Reed finished 10th in the 2015 NASCAR XFINITY Series Championship point standings, 288 points behind Roush Fenway Racing teammate and 2015 NASCAR XFINITY Series Champion Chris Buescher.
Reed will be back behind the wheel of the No. 16 Lilly Diabetes American Diabetes Association Ford Mustang for Roush Fenway Racing in 2016 as the defending race winner at Daytona International Speedway in February.
RFR PR
