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.
Ricky Stenhouse Jr. started his career with a few flyers at Kansas Speedway.
During his rookie season in 2013, Stenhouse qualified third and second in the season’s two Kansas visits, leading 26 laps. However, the finishes didn’t give the Roush Fenway racer what he wanted going forward, adding the 1.5-miler to the list of tracks with improvement needed.
In Sunday’s Hollywood Casino 400, Stenhouse would still search for (and fail) to score a top 10 at Kansas, finishing 20th in his No. 17 Ford. The day started from the 15th spot and reached to the race lead after a pit strategy play on lap 63.
The lap out front was the fourth time in the last five races Stenhouse led a lap.
With different tires, Stenhouse didn’t last long and eventually fell back outside the top 20 as the clean-and-green afternoon continued on.
“We really struggled today with the handling of our Fastenal Ford,” Stenhouse said. “Kansas has been a decent track for us in the past but we just struggled.”
Running 21st for Stage 1, Stenhouse suffered a pit road penalty on lap 121 for speeding. This dragged the No. 17 two laps down, crossing the line to finish 20th, his eighth top 20 in 12 Kansas starts.
Unfortunately for Stenhouse, top 20 are where it’s at in 2018. Having two plate wins last year boost him into the playoffs, a return to the postseason was spoiled in the three regular-season plate races this year. The plate tracks still, however, brought him two of his three top-five finishes this year.
Right now, Stenhouse’s average finish is more than two positions worse than 2017 and he will finish lower in points with less lead-lap finishes. With two drivers splitting the No. 6, Stenhouse has been the team’s stable veteran, who has not captured any lightning this season at any point.
This weekend, he heads to Martinsville Speedway, which was home to one of his worst races of the season, finishing 37th and 19 laps down in the spring. However, he did score two 10th-place runs in both Martinsville races last year.
“We have four more races to keep building momentum as we head into the offseason,” he concluded.
List of 20th-Place Finishers So Far in 2018
Daytona: Gray Gaulding
Atlanta: Alex Bowman
Las Vegas: Trevor Bayne
ISM: Trevor Bayne (2)
Auto Club: Darrell Wallace Jr.
Martinsville: William Byron
Texas: Gray Gaulding(2)
Bristol: Landon Cassill
Richmond: Ty Dillon
Talladega: DJ Kennington
Dover: Chris Buescher
Kansas: Michael McDowell
Charlotte: Kasey Kahne
Pocono: Clint Bowyer
Michigan: Jimmie Johnson
Sonoma: Kasey Kahne(2)
Chicagoland: William Byron(2)
Daytona: Trevor Bayne(3)
Kentucky: William Byron(3)
New Hampshire: Chris Buescher(2)
Pocono: Jamie McMurray
Watkins Glen: Chris Buescher (3)
Michigan: Chris Buescher (4)
Bristol: Kyle Busch
Darlington: Michael McDowell (2)
Indianapolis: Regan Smith
Las Vegas: Ross Chastain
Richmond: William Byron (4)
Charlotte ROVAL: Cole Whitt
Dover: Matt Kenseth
Talladega: William Byron (5)
Kansas: Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
Mid-Pack With Zach: Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Roush Fenway 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.
Ricky Stenhouse Jr. started his career with a few flyers at Kansas Speedway.
During his rookie season in 2013, Stenhouse qualified third and second in the season’s two Kansas visits, leading 26 laps. However, the finishes didn’t give the Roush Fenway racer what he wanted going forward, adding the 1.5-miler to the list of tracks with improvement needed.
In Sunday’s Hollywood Casino 400, Stenhouse would still search for (and fail) to score a top 10 at Kansas, finishing 20th in his No. 17 Ford. The day started from the 15th spot and reached to the race lead after a pit strategy play on lap 63.
The lap out front was the fourth time in the last five races Stenhouse led a lap.
With different tires, Stenhouse didn’t last long and eventually fell back outside the top 20 as the clean-and-green afternoon continued on.
“We really struggled today with the handling of our Fastenal Ford,” Stenhouse said. “Kansas has been a decent track for us in the past but we just struggled.”
Running 21st for Stage 1, Stenhouse suffered a pit road penalty on lap 121 for speeding. This dragged the No. 17 two laps down, crossing the line to finish 20th, his eighth top 20 in 12 Kansas starts.
Unfortunately for Stenhouse, top 20 are where it’s at in 2018. Having two plate wins last year boost him into the playoffs, a return to the postseason was spoiled in the three regular-season plate races this year. The plate tracks still, however, brought him two of his three top-five finishes this year.
Right now, Stenhouse’s average finish is more than two positions worse than 2017 and he will finish lower in points with less lead-lap finishes. With two drivers splitting the No. 6, Stenhouse has been the team’s stable veteran, who has not captured any lightning this season at any point.
This weekend, he heads to Martinsville Speedway, which was home to one of his worst races of the season, finishing 37th and 19 laps down in the spring. However, he did score two 10th-place runs in both Martinsville races last year.
“We have four more races to keep building momentum as we head into the offseason,” he concluded.
List of 20th-Place Finishers So Far in 2018
Daytona: Gray Gaulding
Atlanta: Alex Bowman
Las Vegas: Trevor Bayne
ISM: Trevor Bayne (2)
Auto Club: Darrell Wallace Jr.
Martinsville: William Byron
Texas: Gray Gaulding(2)
Bristol: Landon Cassill
Richmond: Ty Dillon
Talladega: DJ Kennington
Dover: Chris Buescher
Kansas: Michael McDowell
Charlotte: Kasey Kahne
Pocono: Clint Bowyer
Michigan: Jimmie Johnson
Sonoma: Kasey Kahne(2)
Chicagoland: William Byron(2)
Daytona: Trevor Bayne(3)
Kentucky: William Byron(3)
New Hampshire: Chris Buescher(2)
Pocono: Jamie McMurray
Watkins Glen: Chris Buescher (3)
Michigan: Chris Buescher (4)
Bristol: Kyle Busch
Darlington: Michael McDowell (2)
Indianapolis: Regan Smith
Las Vegas: Ross Chastain
Richmond: William Byron (4)
Charlotte ROVAL: Cole Whitt
Dover: Matt Kenseth
Talladega: William Byron (5)
Kansas: Ricky Stenhouse Jr.