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05.20.17

MECS Open Race Report

Date: May 20, 2017
Event: Monster Energy Open (non-points event)
Series: Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series
Location: Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway (1.5-mile oval)
Format: 50 laps, broken into three segments (20 laps/20 laps/10 laps)
Start/Finish: 9th/5th (Running, completed 50 of 50 laps)

 

Winner:            Stage 1: Clint Bowyer of Stewart-Haas Racing (Ford)

                        Stage 2: Ryan Blaney of Wood Brothers Racing (Ford)

                        Stage 3: Daniel Suarez of Joe Gibbs Racing (Toyota)

 

Stage 1 Recap (Ended on lap 20):

-Danica Patrick started ninth and finished 10th.

-The No. 10 “Wonder Woman”/One Cure Ford Fusion team dropped back to 12th at the start of Stage 1 as Patrick battled with a loose-handling racecar, but she was able to work her way back up to the 10th position by the end of the stage.

-At the end of the stage the team pitted for tires, fuel and a wedge adjustment.

 

Stage 2 Recap (Ended on lap 40):

-Patrick started sixth and finished seventh.

-At the end of the stage Patrick radioed to the team that the No. 10 “Wonder Woman”/One Cure Ford was “wicked loose in.”

-The team changed tires and added fuel between stages.

 

Final Stage Recap (Ended on lap 50):

-Patrick started sixth and finished fifth.

-Patrick took the green flag in the sixth position, but the caution flag waved before the field made it to turn two for a spin by the No. 34 car. When the field went back to green, Patrick lined up in the fourth position.

-She lost one spot on the opening lap but maintained the fifth position for the duration of the final stage.

 

Notes:

-As Patrick did not win a stage or the fan vote, she did not advance to the Monster Energy All-Star Race.

-Patrick’s fifth-place finish marked her career-best effort into the Monster Energy Open. Her previous top finish in the event was ninth.

 

Danica Patrick, driver of the No. 10 “Wonder Woman”/One Cure Ford Fusion for Stewart-Haas Racing:

“The car was just way too loose throughout the race. Nothing seemed to help much at all. I wish we were racing in the All-Star Race tonight, but at least we were more competitive in the Open this year and learned some things for next weekend.”

 

Next Up:

The next event on the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series schedule is the Coca-Cola 600 on Sunday, May 28 at Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway. The event starts at 6 p.m. EDT with live coverage provided by FOX.