Richard Childress Racing

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March 12, 2012

Paul Menard and the No. 27 Schrock/Menards Team Finish Seventh in Las Vegas

"This No. 27 Schrock/Menards team was on it today. They all worked really hard all weekend and never let up."

RCR/HHP RCR/HHP

Start – 26         

Finish – 7        

Laps Led – 0       

Points – 11

Sunday afternoon at Las Vegas Motor Speedway was a roller coaster for the Schrock/Menards team, but the 267-lap affair concluded on a high note with Richard Childress Racing’s Paul Menard driving the No. 27 Chevrolet Impala to a seventh-place finish in the Kobalt Tools 400. Starting from the 26th position, Menard reported that he was battling a free-off condition. A lap-46 visit to pit road under caution permitted the Slugger Labbe-led team to make necessary chassis adjustments to assist with the Chevrolet Impala’s handling. Labbe instructed his team to make additional changes to the No. 27 machine over the course of the next three pit stops. With improved turning capabilities, Menard drove into the top 10 by lap 130 and 50 laps later, was running in the top five. When the yellow flag was displayed on lap 204, Labbe called the Eau Claire, Wis., native to pit road for four fresh Goodyear tires, Sunoco E15 fuel and an air pressure adjustment, a decision that would put him in the ninth position when green-flag racing resumed as other teams opted to take only two tires. The neon yellow machine was set further back in the field after the team gambled and changed only left-side tires while under caution at lap 228, resulting in ill-handling conditions on Menard’s car. Labbe called Menard to pit road during the ensuing caution on lap 246 and the Schrock/Menards pit crew changed the right-side tires. Menard restarted from the 17th position and passed 10 cars in the closing laps to bring home a seventh-place result, moving him up to 11th in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver championship point standings.

PAUL MENARD QUOTE:
“This No. 27 Schrock/Menards team was on it today. They all worked really hard all weekend and never let up. The pit crew was on their ‘A’ game as well. After that left-side tire stop, I would have never thought we’d get back into the top 10. We were so up and down during the practice sessions. I’m really proud of these guys.”
 

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