FORT WORTH, Tx. (March 31, 2019) – Despite battling an ill-handling machine for a majority of Sunday’s Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series (MENCS) race at Texas Motor Speedway, Ricky Stenhouse Jr. drove his Fastenal Ford to a 16th-place finish.

​“We struggled with the handling today,” Stenhouse said. “Our Fastenal Ford was just too loose for a majority of the race. We probably would have finished a few positions higher but unfortunately we got a penalty that last stop. We will go back and look at what we need to improve on and be ready for Kansas.”

After rolling off in the 17th position for the 334-lap race, the Olive Branch, Mississippi, native gained three positions in the first 14 laps before the yellow flag was displayed. Crew chief Brian Pattie opted to take two tires under the caution. With the remainder of the stage going green and another scheduled green flag pit-stop, Stenhouse Jr. took the first green checkered in the 21st position.

Due to penalty during the caution, the two-time Xfinity champion had to line up at the tail end of the field for the restart. Still battling a loose handling machine, Stenhouse caught a lucky break when the caution waved on lap 148 trapping some of the leaders a lap down. With 12 laps remaining in stage two, Stenhouse restarted in the 10thposition and was able to work his way up to seventh by the time the second green checkered waved earning valuable stage points.

When the green flag waved at the start of the final stage, the Roush Fenway Racing driver started in the fifth position after staying out under the stage break. Due to other competitors having fresher tires, Stenhouse dropped to 13th by the time he brought his Ford to pit-road for four tires and fuel.

As he was working his way through the field, the caution flag waved scoring Stenhouse in the 16th position. Under the caution, Pattie brought the Ford to pit-road for tires and fuel and another chassis adjustment in hopes to help with the loose handling condition.

As green flag pit-stops were cycling though, Stenhouse forfeited his fourth position to bring his Fastenal Ford to pit-road for his final scheduled pit-stop. As he was leaving pit-road, he was penalized for speeding on exit forcing him to serve a pass thru penalty. With few laps remaining, Stenhouse was forced to settle with a 16th-place finish.

Stenhouse and the No. 17 team travel to Bristol Motor Speedway for the Food City 500 next Sunday, April 7.

via Roush Fenway Racing

MARTINSVILLE, V.A. (March 24, 2019) – Ricky Stenhouse Jr. battled through 500 grueling laps at Martinsville Speedway to finish 25th in Sunday’s Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series (MENCS) race at the half-mile track.

​The two-time Xfinity Series Champion started the race from the 24th position in his Fastenal Ford Mustang and immediately began working his way forward. By the first caution of the race on lap 65, Stenhouse had navigated to the 19th spot. It was then that crew chief Brian Pattie brought the Ford Mustang down pit road for the first pit stop of the day.

The handling of the Fastenal Mustang soon began to deteriorate, with Stenhouse complaining of a tight-handling race car. The Mississippian began to fade backwards in the pack, ultimately giving way to the leaders and falling one lap down just before the end of the first stage. As the first car not on the lead lap, Stenhouse received the lucky dog and would restart for the second stage from the 25th position, but on the lead lap.

Stenhouse struggled to improve his position from that point on, and the handling of his car continued to present issues for the team. He would lose a lap again to the leaders before the end of the second stage at lap 260, taking the green-white checkered flag 26th.

A stellar pit stop from the Fastenal crew put Stenhouse back into the lucky dog position, but an extended green flag run left him unable to capitalize on the free pass. He would ultimately fall a second lap down to the leaders and finish the 500 lap race 25th.

Next up for Stenhouse and the No. 17 team is the O’Reilly Auto Parts 500 at Texas Motor Speedway on Sunday, March 31. Race coverage begins at 3:00 p.m. on FOX. Coverage can also be heard on PRN and SIRIUS radio channel 90.

via Roush Fenway Racing