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Menard Posts 10th-Place Finish at Darlington
Menard Advances to Sixth in Nationwide Points Standings
Darlington, S.C. (May 7, 2010) – Paul Menard started the Royal Purple 200 Nationwide Race in the 16th position on Friday night at Darlington Raceway. Menard immediately began working through the field and was in the 10th position by lap 12.
The second caution came out on a lap 26 and Menard reported the car was good in turns one and two but tight in three and four. Crew Chief Matt Puccia called Menard to the pits under caution on lap 27 for four tires, fuel and adjustments to air pressure and the track bar.
Menard’s Richmond/Menard Ford Fusion was running well, although Menard reported he was still tight off turn four. On lap 50 Menard recorded the fastest lap of the field. Menard continued to avoid trouble at Darlington and ran in the top 12 until the next caution on lap 57. Menard entered the pits on lap 58 under yellow for four tires, fuel and additional air pressure and track bar adjustments. A lug nut came loose on the left rear costing the crew some time and two positions on the track, Menard was now in 14th position.
Greg Biffle in the No. 27 car hit the wall on lap 79 bringing out the caution for the fifth time during the race. Puccia called Menard into the pits for right side tires and fuel, advancing Menard from 13th position to seventh. Menard now had enough fuel to finish the race and passed on a pit stop when the caution came out on lap 90.
Menard was in 11th position when the caution flew on lap 121. Menard reported the car was tight off two and tighter off four and wanted to “pump up the tires”. Puccia decided it was too early, with 25 to go, to pump them up and called for a track bar adjustment, four tires and a can of fuel. The crew posted a 13.45 second pit stop, their best of the night, but Menard lost five positions to teams that took only two tires or avoided the pits, with 24 laps to go Menard would start in the 16th position.
Menard quickly got to work moving through heavy traffic putting his Richmond/Menards For Fusion in the 10th-place at the finish line.
“We were in front of the trouble on the track all night,” Menard said. “We had some difficulty getting the setup right throughout the race, but the crew did a good job making adjustments and keeping me in the race.”
The Nationwide Series will travel to Dover next weekend, where Menard has finished in the top 10 six times in 10 starts.
About Roush-Fenway Racing
Roush Fenway Racing is NASCAR’s largest team operating eight motorsports teams. Four in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series with drivers Matt Kenseth, Greg Biffle, Carl Edwards and David Ragan; and four in the Nationwide Series with Edwards, Ricky Stenhouse, Jr., Colin Braun, and Paul Menard. For more information on any of the Roush Fenway Racing teams, log onto www.RoushFenway.com ( http://www.roushfenway.com/ ). Become a fan of Roush Fenway Racing on Facebook by going to http://www.facebook.com/roushfenway. And for sponsorship inquiries please contact Robin Johnson at 704.720.4645.
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