By: Zach Catanzareti, Staff Writer
Each week, Kickin’ The Tires will highlight the 20th-place finisher from the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series. Standing as the middleman in weekends with 40-car fields, there is sure to be a story behind each one.
Last weekend at Las Vegas Motor Speedway can nsurely be condensed into a single word for Austin Dillon: a letdown.
After leading both practices on the weekend, Dillon’s No. 3 Chevrolet had the target on his back entering Sunday’s Pennzoil 400.
In fact, it was the entire Richard Childress Racing organization that had all eyes pointed their way, as they finished 1-2 with rookie Daniel Hemric finishing second in both practices. They backed up the speed in qualifying, lining up fourth and fifth, respectively.
Dillon, as well as Hemric, felt the pressure heading into the 400-miler.
“Our cars are much similar this week; like exact,” Dillon said Friday. “You saw it on the board. We were first and second (in practice) and that was nice to see.
“Now it’s just our job to keep progressing together. Sometimes you get more stress when you are the fastest. Now you’ve got to keep that banner going.”
And at the drop of the green on Sunday, the speed continued for Dillon, who jumped from fourth to second in the opening 15 laps. However, the progress was shot back hard on lap 43 when the No. 3 team was penalized for too many men over the wall. A controversial penalty, but a penalty nonetheless.
Dillon struggled to make positions back, as Hemric, too, fell outside the top 15 early and only managed 23rd. Dillon came home one lap down in 20th, capping off a promising weekend with a broken dream.
“We just struggled executing on pit road all day,” Dillon said. “Had the early penalty, fought back from it. We over-adjusted the car and then decided to run long instead of race the next couple of cars. That put us another lap down.
“It was a bummer. I think we had a top-10 car.”
Dillon enters this weekend at ISM Raceway 20th in points.
Catch up on Mid-Pack with Zach HERE
List of 20th-Place Finishers in 2019
Daytona: Clint Bowyer
Atlanta: Daniel Hemric
Las Vegas: Austin Dillon
Mid-Pack with Zach: Austin Dillon, Richard Childress Racing
By: Zach Catanzareti, Staff Writer
Each week, Kickin’ The Tires will highlight the 20th-place finisher from the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series. Standing as the middleman in weekends with 40-car fields, there is sure to be a story behind each one.
Last weekend at Las Vegas Motor Speedway can nsurely be condensed into a single word for Austin Dillon: a letdown.
After leading both practices on the weekend, Dillon’s No. 3 Chevrolet had the target on his back entering Sunday’s Pennzoil 400.
In fact, it was the entire Richard Childress Racing organization that had all eyes pointed their way, as they finished 1-2 with rookie Daniel Hemric finishing second in both practices. They backed up the speed in qualifying, lining up fourth and fifth, respectively.
Dillon, as well as Hemric, felt the pressure heading into the 400-miler.
“Our cars are much similar this week; like exact,” Dillon said Friday. “You saw it on the board. We were first and second (in practice) and that was nice to see.
“Now it’s just our job to keep progressing together. Sometimes you get more stress when you are the fastest. Now you’ve got to keep that banner going.”
And at the drop of the green on Sunday, the speed continued for Dillon, who jumped from fourth to second in the opening 15 laps. However, the progress was shot back hard on lap 43 when the No. 3 team was penalized for too many men over the wall. A controversial penalty, but a penalty nonetheless.
Dillon struggled to make positions back, as Hemric, too, fell outside the top 15 early and only managed 23rd. Dillon came home one lap down in 20th, capping off a promising weekend with a broken dream.
“We just struggled executing on pit road all day,” Dillon said. “Had the early penalty, fought back from it. We over-adjusted the car and then decided to run long instead of race the next couple of cars. That put us another lap down.
“It was a bummer. I think we had a top-10 car.”
Dillon enters this weekend at ISM Raceway 20th in points.
Catch up on Mid-Pack with Zach HERE
List of 20th-Place Finishers in 2019
Daytona: Clint Bowyer
Atlanta: Daniel Hemric
Las Vegas: Austin Dillon