Whitt Secures 21st Place Finish at Sonoma Raceway

Stage 1:  Laps 1-25
  • Started 29th , finished 12th
  • Within a few laps of the start, Cole Whitt relayed the RTIC Coolers No. 72 was “tight early corner, loose forward drive”.
  • Caution on lap 16:  Pitted for four tires, fuel and air pressure adjustment. Restarted 32nd
  • As some cars cycled through with green flag pit stops late in Stage 1, Cole Whitt stayed out and was posted as high as 12th on the leaderboard.
  • Stage 1 Completion Caution:  Finished 12th.  Crew Chief Frank Kerr advised him to save fuel. Whitt relayed the RTIC Coolers No. 72 was “tight in Turn 11”. By staying out under caution, he took the green flag and restarted 7th for Stage 2.
 
Stage 2: Concluded on Lap 50
  • Having two cautions during Stage 2 (laps 32-33 for an incident and laps 40-44 for debris), Whitt stayed out under the lap 32 caution. Running 21st, Whitt utilized the lap 40 caution to pit for four tires, fuel and air pressure adjustment. He rejoined to field to take the restart 28th.
  • Stage 2 Completion Caution:  Some competitors opted to pit under green prior to the Stage 2 completion caution, allowing Whitt a 14th place finish to end Stage 2. As Whitt came to pit under caution, he relayed he did not have any power and may have a battery issue. Whitt received a push from behind from the track support truck and was able to re-fire the RTIC Coolers No. 72. He made it to pit but with the cycling of the cars on track, he was immediately sent back out to rejoin the field to ensure he would not go a lap down. Whitt came back to pit on lap 52, still under caution, to have the RTIC Coolers No. 72 serviced with four tires and fuel. He restarted 36th.
 
Stage 3:  Concluded on Lap 110
  • Whitt remained very quiet on the radio hardly speaking a word for the duration of Stage 3.  
  • Lap 70, under green flag conditions, Whitt pitted for four tires and fuel, rejoining  the field 30th.
  • Whitt remained focused and steadily increased through the field a position per lap. He was posted as high as 13th .
  • As Stage 3 neared end, some cars elected to come to pit under green. Whitt stayed out on track and secured a 21st place finish in the RTIC Coolers No. 72 for the Toyota/SaveMart 250 at Sonoma Raceway.

Tristar PR