West Allis, WI (June 20 2009)ÑEric McClure and the No. 24 Rensi-Hamilton Racing (RHR) team started the NorthernTool.com 250 in the 38th position and struggled with the handling during the first long green flag run of the event, losing two laps to the race leader before adjustments were made to the car. Subsequently, the adjustments made brought the Hefty¨ Odor Blockª Ford to life, allowing McClure to run speeds as fast as those running in the top-10 by the halfway point and beyond. However, during the final caution of the event, the shifter in the car came loose from the transmission and as a result, McClure lost three positions while the part was replaced on pit-road to finish the event in the 32nd position. With this finish, the RHR team fell one position (28th) in the NASCAR owner standings.
ÒWe struggled during practice, but the guys worked hard and changed everything under the car before qualifying. Chris (Wright-crew chief) told me that by the end of the race, I would be happy with the car. He was right. We struggled at the beginning and lost two laps early to the race leader during the long green flag run. Once the caution came out and we made adjustments we were real strong. We were running times consistent with those running in the top-10 and was able to run cars down (on our lap) that were half-a-track ahead of us. That, by far, was a big improvement from where we started at the beginning of the day, but unfortunately during the last caution, the shifter came off while I was shifting down to third (gear) and we lost a lot of laps fixing that. I am starting to think we wouldnÕt have any luck at all if we didnÕt have bad luck.Ó
Starting the race from the 38th position, Eric McClure gained seven positions by lap five and was able to maintain his position, although the Hefty¨ Ford was too tight. Consequently, the driver had to back-up his entry and use less brake in-order to make the car roll through the center. As a result, two laps were lost to the race leader by the time the car was brought to pit-road on lap 83, under green flag conditions, to receive tires, fuel, and a wedge adjustment. Upon returning to the track, RHR was shown a third lap down in the 32nd position.
Over the next forty laps, the handling on the No. 24 Hefty¨ Odor Blockª Ford significantly improved, allowing McClure to run speeds consistent with those in the top-10. When the second caution of the night occurred on lap 124, the driver returned to pit-road for tires, fuel, and a wedge adjustment. After quick service by the crew, the RHR team restarted the event in the 31st position.
As the race progressed, the adjustments made continued to help the handling enabling McClure to advance two positions and run his fastest lap of the race on lap 131. With 35 laps remaining in the 250-lap event, the final caution of the night occurred and as McClure was down shifting to third gear, the shifter came off. After receiving a push to pit-road by a safety vehicle, repairs began and upon completion, the No. 24 Ford returned to the track to finish the NorthernTool.com 250 in the 32nd position where they would end the night.
The Hefty¨ Racingª team returns to action on Saturday, June 27th at the site of McClureÕs 2007 spectacular accident, New Hampshire Motor Speedway.
