RICKY CARMICHAEL/ NO. 4 MONSTER ENERGY CHEVROLET RACE RECAP
VENUE: TEXAS MOTOR SPEEDWAY (1.5-MILE –SHAPED-OVAL)
CIRCUIT: ARCA RACING SERIES PRESENTED BY REMAX & MENARDS (RACE 4 of 20)
RACE: RATTLESNAKE 150 (100 LAPS,150 MILES)
DATE: APRIL 16, 2010
START: 33rd
FINISH: 25th
RACE RECAP:
· Qualifying for the Rattlesnake 150 was canceled Thursday afternoon due to a brief rain shower that soaked the Texas Motor Speedway (TMS) racing surface. The starting lineup was set by the 2009 ARCA Racing Series owner points. Carmichael started the fourth race of the season in the 33rd starting position.
· At the drop of the green flag Carmichael jumped to the outside line and drove the Monster Energy Chevrolet up to the 22nd position before the first caution waved on lap two for oil on the track. “I can’t really tell just yet, but the car is not bad,” said Carmichael under caution. He restarted in 22nd on lap five.
· “It is tight on entry and exit,” radioed Carmichael to Crew Chief Mike Fritts on lap 10 as he moved into the 16th spot. The Florida native continued to pull away from his competitors despite the tight condition.
· The No. 4 Monster Energy Chevrolet was running 13th when the second caution waved for an accident on the track. “It is still tight,” said Carmichael. “I need a little more side bite.” The team elected to not pit under the caution despite the tight condition. He restarted 12th on lap 18.
· Over the next 15 laps Carmichael held his own in the 11th position despite his Hoosier Tires losing grip as the green flag laps continued. “My tires are worn out,” he said just as the fourth caution waved.
· The No. 4 Monster Energy Racing Team jumped into action changed all four tires, added two cans of fuel and made an air pressure and track bar adjustment to aid the tight condition before sending Carmichael out in 10th position.
· Over the next 25 laps Carmichael ran inside the top-10. He hit pit road for the last time while under the sixth caution on lap 69. The Monster Energy Racing Team changed all four tires and added fuel. He restarted in the 13th position on lap 71.
· On lap 82 Carmichael had worked his way into the ninth position when disaster struck. Carmichael was running the outside line passing a fellow competitor for the eight position when the Monster Energy Chevrolet pushed high in turn four brushing the outside wall causing the right front tire to give away.
· The damage sustained was detrimental to the Monster Energy Chevrolet and Carmichael retired from the event in 25th position.
Steve Arpin won the The Rattlesnake 150. Craig Goess, Grant Enfinger, Justin Marks and Robb Brent rounded out the top five finishers.
FAST FACTS:
· The caution flag flew eight times for 43 laps during the 100 lap event.
· Next up for the No. 4 Monster Energy team is the ARCA Racing Series race next week at Talladega Superspeedway on Friday, April 23rd.
· Carmichael will return to the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series the following week at Kansas Speedway. The sixth Truck Series event of the season will take place Sunday, May 2nd.
RICKY CARMICHAEL: “It was disappointing weekend for the Monster Energy crew. Ever since we unloaded on Thursday we were a tick off where we needed to be. All race long the high line worked better for me than the low line did. I had a run on eighth position and I got high coming off the corner and into the wall causing the tire to blow. Not how I wanted to end this weekend, but days like today will make you stronger as a team. Thankful we have next week to redeem ourselves.”
-TMS-
CARMICHAEL: TEXAS ARCA RECAP
