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March 19, 2012

Paul Menard and the No. 27 Moen/Menards Team Earn a Top-10 Finish in Thunder Valley

Paul Menard and the No. 27 Moen/Menards team emerged unscathed from Bristol Motor Speedway to earn their third top-10 finish of the 2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season.

RCR/HHP RCR/HHP

Start – 11         

Finish – 10        

Laps Led – 0       

Points Position – 10

Paul Menard and the No. 27 Moen/Menards team emerged unscathed from Sunday’s Food City 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway to earn their third top-10 finish of the 2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season. Starting from the 11th position, Menard raced in the top 15 for the majority of the 500-lap affair. Utilizing visits to pit road while under caution, the Slugger Labbe-led crew applied adjustments to help the No. 27 Chevrolet’s tight-center handling and drive off of the corners. Just past the halfway point of the event, Menard reported the drive off was much improved but the car’s balance was now hindered with the splitter hitting the track. Despite additional adjustments, the splitter issue persisted. However, the Eau Claire, Wis., native remained in the top 15. Labbe called Menard to pit road during the last caution period of the afternoon and the Moen/Menards pit crew serviced the Chevrolet with right-side Goodyear tires. Restarting in the top 10, Menard drove as high as sixth in the final 27 laps, but finished 10th as he continued to struggle with a tight-handling condition at the end of the race. Menard moved up one position to 10th in the Sprint Cup Series driver championship point standings.

PAUL MENARD QUOTE:
“Track position was everything today. We stayed out of trouble for 500 laps, but struggled to make it out of the top 15. The Moen/Menards team did a great job in the pits today, too. The last pit stop moved us into the top 10 and I thought we had enough to get into the top five, but the car tightened up a lot at the very end. Still, a top 10 is a solid finish, especially in the points.”

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