Richard Childress Racing

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August 20, 2012

Paul Menard, Pittsburgh Paints/Menards Team Finish Ninth at Michigan International Speedway

"It was a pretty good day for the Pittsburgh Paints/Menards team at Michigan (International Speedway)."

RCR/HHP RCR/HHP

Start – 10           

Finish – 9       

Laps Led – 8        

Points Position – 15

Paul Menard started from the 10th position and drove the Pittsburgh Paints/Menards Chevrolet to a ninth-place finish in Sunday's Pure Michigan 400 at Michigan International Speedway. When the green flag dropped on the 201-lap NASCAR Sprint Cup Series affair Menard powered into the top five by lap 10. Battling a tight-handling machine in the center of the turns, the No. 27 Chevrolet team lost track position but remained in the top 10. Crew chief Slugger Labbe called for air pressure and chassis adjustments during scheduled caution-period and green-flag pit stops throughout the race to help alleviate the challenges that Menard was facing on the No. 27 Chevrolet. A lap-137 pit stop under yellow-flag conditions and a subsequent visit to pit road under caution seven laps later, armed the neon yellow racer with fresh tires and a full tank of fuel. As teams began to make green-flag pit stops, Menard assumed the lead on lap 175. The Eau Claire, Wis., native made his final pit stop under caution on lap 182, forfeiting the point position for new tires, Sunoco Green E15 fuel and one last set of adjustments to improve the car's handling. Menard survived two final restarts, including a green-white-checkered finish, advancing from the 12th spot to cross the finish line in the ninth position.
 
PAUL MENARD QUOTE:
"It was a pretty good day for the Pittsburgh Paints/Menards team. We adjusted on the car's handling throughout the race and the pit crew was solid in the pits as always. We took a gamble at the end and thought we had more cars a lap down when they cycled through their green-flag pit stops and the caution came out. Still, we're happy with a top 10 and are looking forward to heading to Bristol (Motor Speedway) next weekend."
 

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