After taking the wave around three times to get back on the lead lap, Ricky Stenhouse Jr. charged forward in his NOS Energy Drink Ford picking up 10 positions in the final nine laps to take the checkered flag in the 15th position at Auto Club Speedway.
“We really struggled this weekend but to leave here with a top-15 finish is awesome,” Stenhouse said. “Nick (Sandler) did really good job with strategy there at the end of the race to get us a top-15 finish. We just need to keep working hard on improving our cars so we can compete up there with the front runners.”
Leading the Roush Fenway Racing qualifying efforts on Friday, the 2013 Rookie of the Year started his third career NSCS start at Auto Club Speedway in the 27th position and steadily maintained as he was fighting a tight handling machine for a majority of the 200-lap race.
When the yellow flag was displayed on lap 198 setting up the first attempt at a green-white-checkered finish, the Olive Branch, Miss. native was scored in the 25th position. Crew chief Nick Sandler called Stenhouse to pit-road for four fresh tires and fuel in hopes to gain as many positions as possible in the final shootout.
On the first green-white-checkered attempt, the yellow flag was displayed once again setting up another attempt at a green-white-checkered finish. When the final green flag waved, the Roush Fenway Racing driver lined up in the 18th position and quickly picked up three additional positions in the closing laps earning a 15th– place finish.
Next up for Stenhouse and the No. 17 team is the STP500 at Martinsville Speedway on Sunday, March 29. Race coverage begins at 1:00 p.m. on FOX Sports 1. Coverage can also be heard on MRN and SIRIUS radio channel 90.
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