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05.29.16
Coca-Cola 600 Race Report
Date: May 29, 2016
Event: Coca-Cola 600 (Round 13 of 36)
Series: NASCAR Sprint Cup Series
Location: Charlotte (N.C.) Speedway (1.5-mile oval)
Start/Finish: 19th/21st (Running, completed 396 of 400 laps)
Point Standing: 24th (236 points)
Winner: Martin Truex Jr. of Furniture Row Racing (Toyota)
Danica Patrick and the No. 10 Nature’s Bakery Chevrolet SS for Stewart-Haas Racing (SHR) scored a 21st-place finish in Sunday’s Coca-Cola 600 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway.
Patrick started the race from the 19th position but quickly dropped outside of the top-20 as she battled a tight-handling racecar. Crew chief Billy Scott called for wedge and air pressure adjustments to help improve the car’s handling, but Patrick dropped as low as 29th.
A quarter of the way through the race, Scott had the Nature’s Bakery team add a spring rubber to the right-rear spring and make a packer adjustment. On the subsequent run, Patrick reported that the car was too loose on entry and exit.
Patrick ended up three laps down to the leader after a series of long, green-flag runs near the midpoint of the race. In the second half, she worked her way back inside the top-25 and was scored in the 22nd position when the caution waved for the final time at lap 339. Patrick had just been passed once again by the leader, putting her four laps down.
On the final run, Patrick was able to pick up one additional position to take the checkered flag in the 21st spot.
“I’m glad we were able to salvage a decent finish from tonight,” Patrick said. “The last run was the best the car had been all night. I have to thank Billy and the rest of my Nature’s Bakery team for making good adjustments all night and making the car better. We just need to figure how we can start out closer.”
Kevin Harvick in the No. 4 Jimmy John’s Chevrolet SS led the four-car SHR contingent Sunday night at Charlotte by finishing second.
Kurt Busch, driver of the No. 41 Monster Energy/Haas Automation Chevrolet SS for SHR, finished sixth.
Tony Stewart, driver of the No. 14 Mobil 1 Chevrolet SS for SHR, finished 24th.
Martin Truex Jr. won the Coca-Cola 600 in dominating fashion. He started from the pole and led five times for a race-high 392 laps, setting a new record for the most laps led, breaking a 49-year mark set by Jim Paschal in the 1967 World 600 at Charlotte. Truex also set a new NASCAR record by leading 588 miles.
Harvick finished 2.572 seconds behind Truex, with Jimmie Johnson, Denny Hamlin and Brad Keselowski rounding out the top-five. Busch, Matt Kenseth, Chase Elliott, Joey Logano and Ryan Newman comprised the remainder of the top-10.
There were four caution periods for 19 laps, with only two drivers failing to finish.
With round 13 of 36 complete, Harvick leads SHR in the championship standings with 457 points, 36 ahead of second-place Busch. This marks the first time in SHR history where it has two drivers 1-2 in points. Patrick is 24th in the standings with 236 point and Stewart is 35th with 111 points, 60 out of the top-30.
The next event on the Sprint Cup schedule is the Axalta “We Paint Winners” 400 on Sunday, June 5 at Pocono (Pa.) Raceway. Coverage by FOX Sports 1 begins with NASCAR RaceDay at 11:30 a.m. EDT and the race broadcast begins at 1 p.m.