RCR Post Race Report – Auto Club 400

Austin Dillon Earns Pole Award at Auto Club Speedway and Runs in Top-10 Before Finishing 24th in American Ethanol Chevrolet 

“We win as a team and we lose as a team and this weekend we definitely experienced a little bit of both. We made huge strides as an organization earning the pole award and I liked the view from up front. We got a little bit behind in the middle of the race but we were able to battle back and race our way into the top-10. When the final caution came out it was never a question whether or not to pit, just whether to take two or four tires. We took four but had a parts failure and it hurt us in the end. Nothing we can do about it but be gracious in defeat. On to Martinsville Speedway.”
 Austin Dillon

The No. 27 FVP/Menards Team Bounces Back After Pit-Road Penalty to Finish 15th at Auto Club Speedway

“Our race started out strong today in California. Right at the beginning the car was on the splitter but we made adjustments during the first caution that helped. The next stop we adjusted a little too far, then received a speeding penalty on pit road. The penalty put us a lap down and definitely set us back for a while. After taking the wave around, we got some positions back but needed more on the restarts. I’m proud of my team for not giving up today. We’ll take a weekend off then get back at it in Martinsville.” 
 Paul Menard

Ryan Newman and the Caterpillar Team Forge On After a 14th-Place Finish at Auto Club Speedway

“Luke Lambert and the Caterpillar pit crew did a great job on pit road for me today. We had a top-10 Chevrolet for a good portion of the race. Our biggest challenge was a lack of grip and a loose-handling Chevrolet but we kept fine tuning on it. The pit crew busted off a fast stop at the end when we needed it to have us lined up in 10th on the final restart. Unfortunately the adjustment we made did not react the way we predicted and I drove as hard as I could to get that finish. It’s disappointing to come up short but at the same time, it’s encouraging to see the potential this team has as well as the rest of our RCR teammates. I mean, Austin Dillon drove up in the top 10 for most of the race and Paul Menard was right there with us so the hard work put in during the off season is producing solid results. Now that the West Coast tour is over, we can get a nice break and prepare for the long haul.”

 Ryan Newman

RCR PR