Roush Trio Grind Out Efforts in Martinsville
OCT. 29, 2012
MARTINSVILLE, Va. – Aric Almirola felt as if he had gone from darkness to light over the course of Sunday’s Tums Fast Relief 500 at Martinsville Speedway.
Almirola started the race 10th but struggled early and dropped back almost to 30th position before his team righted the ship. He then surged through the field and finished a sturdy fourth, his best run of the season. The finish matched his career best.
A key to the top-five run, Almirola said, was a two-tire pit stop near the end of the race.
“That was a good run for us,” Almirola said. “Todd Parrott made a gutsy call there. We were horrible at the beginning of this race – and I mean horrible. I don’t know how we didn’t go several laps down, but we fought hard all day. We fought for every position.
“We made all kinds of adjustments on this Ford Fusion all day, and Todd Parrott made a great call there to take two tires at the end to get us some track position, and it took off. I was really surprised at how fast it went on two tires, so I’m proud of everybody on this Gwaltney Ford Fusion. They worked really hard, and we deserved this one.”
Martinsville Speedway has produced two of Almirola’s three best finishes of the year. He was eighth in the track’s spring race.
“I grew up short track racing, and I’ve raced in Late Models here, but I don’t know,” Almirola said. “I love this place, but I didn’t feel like I belonged on the race track the first 200 laps of the race, but these guys worked their guts out. They never give up.
“This just goes to prove that we can do this. Five weeks ago, they switched crew chiefs and gave me Todd Parrott, and, from that point forward, I’ve been having the most fun I’ve ever had at a race track. We’ve been running so good. Today we made chicken salad out of you know what, and that’s the kind of stuff that Todd Parrott can do and all these guys on his team.”
Ford Chasers Show Sparks – Greg Biffle and Matt Kenseth, Ford Racing’s two drivers in the Chase lineup, made substantial gains Sunday.
Biffle finished 10th and gained two positions in the Chase standings to ninth. Kenseth was 14th in the race and picked up one Chase spot to eighth.
Both drivers are in position to finish in the Chase top five with strong runs in the season’s final three races. Biffle bounced back Sunday from the 30th starting spot.
“In Happy Hour I thought we had a pretty good car,” Biffle said. “We were sixth and 13th in the two practices, so I though we’d be OK, and it turned out we were. I think we’re gaining on it. We’re not quite there, but I think we’re definitely gaining on it.”
Edwards Saves It To Finish 18th – Carl Edwards pushed into the top 10 midway through the race and had a shot for a high finish, but he was involved in an accident with nine laps to go and finished 18th. Considering what could have happened, however, Edwards did a nice job.
He was bumped from behind by Sam Hornish Jr. in turn one, and that push sent him into the rear of Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s car. Both Edwards and Earnhardt Jr. lost control as their cars moved toward turn two, with Edwards going over the inside curbing.
Edwards righted his car quickly, however, and stayed on the lead lap.
“I’m not going to worry about the end too much,” Edwards said. “We just got wrecked, but the race was fun. I had more fun than I’ve had here in a long time, and I credit our guys because they’ve worked very hard. We still have a long ways to go, but that was more fun than normal.”
Almirola started the race 10th but struggled early and dropped back almost to 30th position before his team righted the ship. He then surged through the field and finished a sturdy fourth, his best run of the season. The finish matched his career best.
A key to the top-five run, Almirola said, was a two-tire pit stop near the end of the race.
“That was a good run for us,” Almirola said. “Todd Parrott made a gutsy call there. We were horrible at the beginning of this race – and I mean horrible. I don’t know how we didn’t go several laps down, but we fought hard all day. We fought for every position.
“We made all kinds of adjustments on this Ford Fusion all day, and Todd Parrott made a great call there to take two tires at the end to get us some track position, and it took off. I was really surprised at how fast it went on two tires, so I’m proud of everybody on this Gwaltney Ford Fusion. They worked really hard, and we deserved this one.”
Martinsville Speedway has produced two of Almirola’s three best finishes of the year. He was eighth in the track’s spring race.
“I grew up short track racing, and I’ve raced in Late Models here, but I don’t know,” Almirola said. “I love this place, but I didn’t feel like I belonged on the race track the first 200 laps of the race, but these guys worked their guts out. They never give up.
“This just goes to prove that we can do this. Five weeks ago, they switched crew chiefs and gave me Todd Parrott, and, from that point forward, I’ve been having the most fun I’ve ever had at a race track. We’ve been running so good. Today we made chicken salad out of you know what, and that’s the kind of stuff that Todd Parrott can do and all these guys on his team.”
Ford Chasers Show Sparks – Greg Biffle and Matt Kenseth, Ford Racing’s two drivers in the Chase lineup, made substantial gains Sunday.
Biffle finished 10th and gained two positions in the Chase standings to ninth. Kenseth was 14th in the race and picked up one Chase spot to eighth.
Both drivers are in position to finish in the Chase top five with strong runs in the season’s final three races. Biffle bounced back Sunday from the 30th starting spot.
“In Happy Hour I thought we had a pretty good car,” Biffle said. “We were sixth and 13th in the two practices, so I though we’d be OK, and it turned out we were. I think we’re gaining on it. We’re not quite there, but I think we’re definitely gaining on it.”
Edwards Saves It To Finish 18th – Carl Edwards pushed into the top 10 midway through the race and had a shot for a high finish, but he was involved in an accident with nine laps to go and finished 18th. Considering what could have happened, however, Edwards did a nice job.
He was bumped from behind by Sam Hornish Jr. in turn one, and that push sent him into the rear of Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s car. Both Edwards and Earnhardt Jr. lost control as their cars moved toward turn two, with Edwards going over the inside curbing.
Edwards righted his car quickly, however, and stayed on the lead lap.
“I’m not going to worry about the end too much,” Edwards said. “We just got wrecked, but the race was fun. I had more fun than I’ve had here in a long time, and I credit our guys because they’ve worked very hard. We still have a long ways to go, but that was more fun than normal.”
