News

Track:  Kansas Speedway    
Race:   AdventHealth 400
Date:   May 15, 2022

No. 2 Menards/Monster Ford Mustang – Austin Cindric
Start: 4th
Race Finish: 11th
Stage 1 Finish: 24th
Stage 2 Finish: 4th
Laps Led: 0
Point Standings: 16th (-184)

Race Rundown: Austin Cindric started fourth and finished 11th in Sunday's AdventHealth 400 at Kansas Speedway. The NASCAR Cup Series Rookie battled a tight Menards/Monster Ford Mustang during the first stint of the race, running much of the first part of the race in the fifth position. The team was penalized after the first pit stop for an uncontrolled tire, forcing Cindric to restart tail end of the field on lap 40. During the run, Cindric made up a bunch of track position and finished 24th at the end of the 90-lap stage. The Mooresville N.C. native started the second stage 15th and fought forward throughout the run, eventually finding improved handling performance and finished the second stage fourth. Cindric consistency ran inside the top-15 throughout the final stage, continuing to improve the No. 2 Menards/Monster Ford Mustang and finishing 11th as the checkered flag flew. 

Cindric's Thoughts:  "I think the biggest thing I'm curious about is I felt like the track definitely changed.  We were really strong there at the end of Stage 2.  I don't know if it was due to some of the cleaning of the track or what, but we went from being really solid – maybe just a little bit free – to kind of back to where I was at the beginning of the race, really tight.  I wish we would have had a little more speed.  I think we had to be perfect to run inside the top five today for sure.  We had solid execution.  Our guys did a great job during the week and getting used to the changes on the team and had to come back from a few issues and, all in all, a solid day.  It's something we needed to get stage points.  I wish we could have gotten a top 10 out of it.  We just missed out on that, but, overall, a solid effort."

No. 12 Wabash Ford Mustang – Ryan Blaney
Start: 10th
Race Finish: 12th
Stage 1 Finish: 9th
Stage 2 Finish: 3rd
Laps Led: 1
Point Standings: 2nd (-52)

Race Rundown: Ryan Blaney started ninth and finished 12th in Sunday afternoon's AdventHealth 400 at Kansas Speedway in the No. 12 Wabash Ford Mustang. Blaney ran inside the top-10 the majority of the race while struggling with being too tight firing off. The No. 12 Wabash crew executed great pit stops throughout the event, steadily working to improve the handling of Blaney's Ford Mustang, while maintaining respectable track position. The team scored stage points in the first and second stages of the event, maximizing a day where the team struggled to find overall speed.  At the end of the event, Blaney and the No. 12 Wabash team just didn't have the speed to contend for the win and briefly bounced off the wall, just missing a top-10 finish.  

Blaney's Thoughts: "It was a challenging day for sure.  We got a lot better from where we started, so that was good.  I thought we were gonna be able to finish pretty decent, but then I got put into a couple of bad spots on that last restart and kind of fell back, and then I tried too hard and hit the wall and ended up 12th.  Overall, I appreciate the hard work.  We got a lot better from where we started, but we just need to be better overall."

No. 22 Verizon Ford Mustang – Joey Logano
Start: 34th
Race Finish: 17th
Stage 1 Finish: 17th
Stage 2 Finish: 9th
Laps Led: 0
Point Standings:  7th (-79)

Race Rundown: Joey Logano started 34th and finished 17th in Sunday afternoon's AdventHealth 400 at Kansas Speedway. The No. 22 Verizon Ford team started the race deep in the field after a left rear tire failure and accident in Saturday's practice session forced the team to a backup car. Team Penske mechanics spent over six hours preparing the car Saturday evening and Sunday morning in preparation for the race. At the beginning of the event, Logano struggled with the handle of the Verizon Ford Mustang.  However, steady adjustments during the race positioned the team inside the top-20 and eventually in the top-10, including a ninth-place finish in the second stage.  At the end of the race, Logano continued to struggle with overall speed, slipping back to 17th as the checkers flew.

Logano's Thoughts: "We lacked some overall speed today and just really fought handling issues during the race. Not the start we wanted to the weekend yesterday with the tire going down and having to go to a backup car. All the Team Penske crews pulled together and worked late last night to get our Verizon Ford Mustang ready for today. We'll take some of the learning here and get stronger when we come back in the fall."