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Gifford, Shell-Pennzoil Racing Finish Fourth
28/06/2009
A solid run by Ryan Gifford and the No. 29 Shell-Pennzoil team netted them a fourth-place finish in Friday's Heluva Good.
Today was really fun. It was my first time on a one-mile race track and I learned a lot about racing on bigger racing surfaces. We're going to work on our qualifying efforts for our next (NASCAR Camping World Series) East race because I think that will really help our race efforts. I'm happy with the top-five finish and if we keep these types of runs up, we'll be battling for wins soon.
While it may have been his first career start on a track as large as the 1.058-mile New Hampshire Motor Speedway, a solid run by Ryan Gifford and the No. 29 Shell-Pennzoil team netted them a fourth-place finish in Friday's Heluva Good! Summer 125 NASCAR Camping World Series East race at NHMS.
Prior to the practice laps he made on Thursday at the New England facility, Gifford had never driven on a track larger than a half-mile in length. Far from being intimidated by the higher speeds he experienced on the bigger track layout, Gifford qualified 12th for the 125-lap feature, touring the concrete oval in 30.996 seconds at an average speed of 122.999 mph. Thursday afternoon.
Making just his third career NCWSE start, Gifford picked off two positions by lap 10. He continued his charge toward the front, taking over the fourth spot before the event's first caution at lap 39. Crew chief Wayne Orme called the 20-year old driver to pit road for fuel one lap later while under yellow-flag conditions. The quick stop by the Richard Childress Racing crew netted Gifford two spots as he left pit lane.
Gifford & Co. lost one position over the next 18 laps and was scored third when the yellow flag waved for the second time of the day on lap 64. Gifford visited pit road one lap later for a two-tire stop. The fast pit work would have given the RCR team the lead if not for the three cars that elected to stay out -- Gifford restarted fourth on lap 68.
The Shell-Pennzoil Chevrolet advanced one position on lap 70, but fell back to seventh over the next seven circuits around the Loudon, N.H., facility. The Winchester, Tenn., native raced into sixth on lap 82 and then moved into fifth on lap 110 after narrowly missing contact with another competitor who spun in front of him.
Gifford passed the No. 88 of Jody Lavender three laps later and maintained the fourth position when he crossed the checkered flag.
Matt DiBenedetto used the bump-and-run on Ryan Truex on the final lap to score the victory, crossing the line 0.169-of-a-second ahead of Truex. Kevin Swindell finished third and Lavender rounded out the top five.
Ryan Gifford Quote:
"Today was really fun. It was my first time on a one-mile race track and I learned a lot about racing on bigger racing surfaces. We're going to work on our qualifying efforts for our next (NASCAR Camping World Series) East race because I think that will really help our race efforts. I'm happy with the top-five finish and if we keep these types of runs up, we'll be battling for wins soon."