Front Row Motorsports Cup Series Race Report - Richmond II

No. 34 Love's Travel Stops Ford Mustang Dark Horse:

Michael McDowell returned from the break with expectations of a solid run at the Richmond Raceway. Fighting a loose race car back in the mid-pack, McDowell was able to pass the No. 7 car and get the free pass at the end of Stage 1 after several side-by-side laps. On the ensuing pit stop, Crew Chief Travis Peterson elected to put on the red option tires and it paid off. McDowell was able to drive through the field all the way up to the seventh position in less than 25 laps, giving him much needed track position. After a cycle of green flag stops, McDowell ended Stage 2 in 6th with stage points. The 34 was able to stay inside the Top-10 for the majority of the final stage, running as high as seventh and back to 11th with a green flag pit stop with 68 laps to go. A caution with five laps remaining forced a NASCAR Overtime and the 34 team pitting two tires with McDowell restarting 11th. He was able to hang on and come home 15th, his best finish since the Chicago Street Race (5th) and best finish on an oval since Loudon (15th).

Start: 28th

Stage One: 29th

Stage Two: 6th

Race Result: 15th

DRIVER MICHAEL MCDOWELL:

"I am proud of everyone on the Love’s RV Stop Ford Dark Horse team. The run before the caution I had to race the 24 and 77 really hard for a Top-10. We were then too loose. We tried two tires at the end and got a Top-15. Travis made a great call in the beginning to take reds. We went from free pass to seventh. That changed our night and put us in contention."

No. 38 Pete Store Ford Mustang Dark Horse:

Todd Gilliland made his return behind the wheel of the No. 38 Pete Store Ford Mustang Dark Horse after NASCAR's two week Olympic break.

Qualifying 17th, Gilliland and company settled in for a long night. With two different tire options, a prime / hard tire, and a option / soft tire, giving Crew Chief Ryan Bergenty plenty of scenarios for strategy. Chipping away at the competition in a cautionless Stage 1, Gilliland finished the stage in 20th. Under the stage-break caution, Bergenty called Gilliland to pit road, electing to stick with the prime tire. As the pit cycle started, Gilliland pitted for the option tire but was caught speeding leaving pit road and forced to do a pass through. Gilliland finished Stage 2 in 24th. Pitting under the stage-break caution, Gilliland's Ford Mustang was switched back to the prime tire. Gilliland continued to fight and peak his way into the Top-15. A caution for the No. 47 and No. 41 allowed Gilliland to get caught up and back on the lead lap before finishing the race in the 17th position after the NASCAR Overtime.

Start: 23rd

Stage One: 20th

Stage Two: 24th

Race Result: 17th

DRIVER TODD GILLILAND:

"Pretty good day for us overall, especially with how qualifying went. I sped on pit road which hurt us, but Ryan (Bergenty) and them team made the car better with each stop to put us within the Top-20. Glad to be back and excited for the next stretch of races coming up."