The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series (NSCS) made a weekend stop in “Sin City” for the third race of the 2016 season at Las Vegas Motor Speedway (LVMS). Jamie McMurray and the No.1 Cessna Chevrolet looked to rebound after qualifying and a damaged car that forced the team to a backup car for Sunday’s race. McMurray started from the tail-end of the 39-car field and gained 23 positions from start to finish and would ultimately finish with a 16th-place result.
NSCS teams had one extra day on-track at LVMS with an open test on Thursday afternoon, prior to the scheduled weekend activities getting started. The No. 1 Cessna team worked hard to try and find speed along with a good balance on the No. 1 machine in both the test and Friday’s practice. On McMurray’s final run in qualifying Friday afternoon, he made slight contact with the turn four wall, causing enough damage to require the use of the team’s backup car.
From the start of Sunday’s race McMurray quickly gained positions from the rear of the field and communicated with his crew to work on making adjustments. Crew chief Matt McCall took a few gambles on pit strategy to help McMurray regain position on the lead lap, following long green-flag runs and be in position for a strong result. The Cessna Chevy was able to close out the Kobalt 400 with a 16th-place finish.
With his finish in the Kobalt 400, McMurray moved up three positions and is currently 16th place in the NSCS point standings.
NOTES OF INTEREST:
· The start of the race was delayed nearly an hour as strong winds and rain passed over the track
· The race was slowed by caution six times for a total of 36 laps
CGR QUOTEBOARD
Jamie McMurray – No. 1 Cessna Chevrolet SS – “We didn’t have a very fast car, but Matt (McCall) did a great job making adjustments and working our strategy to get track position. I don’t know that I have ever been too excited about a 16th-place finish before, but I am glad that we were able to overcome starting from the back of the field in a backup car and get a top-20 finish.”
NSCS teams will run the Good Sam 500 at Phoenix International Raceway next Sunday, Mar. 13, 2016. FOX, Sirius XM NASCAR Channel 90 and MRN Radio will have live coverage beginning at 3:30pm EST.
About Chip Ganassi Racing Teams
Chip Ganassi has been a fixture in the auto racing industry for over 25 years and is considered one of the most successful as well as innovative owners the sport has anywhere in the world. Today his teams include four cars in the Verizon IndyCar Series, two cars in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, two cars in the NASCAR XFINITY Series, two factory Ford GT’s in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, two factory Ford GT’s in the FIA World Endurance Championship and two Supercars in Red Bull Global Rallycross. Overall his teams have 18 championships and 170 victories, including four Indianapolis 500s, a Daytona 500, a Brickyard 400 and six Rolex 24 At Daytonas and the 12 Hours of Sebring. Ganassi boasts state-of-the-art race shop facilities in Indianapolis and Concord, N.C., with a corporate office in Pittsburgh, Penn.
For more information log onto: www.chipganassiracing.com
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