Brendan Gaughan Finishes 22nd in the Thunder Valley of Bristol Motor Speedway
Brendan Gaughan and the No. 33 South Point Hotel & Casino Chevrolet team earned a 22nd-place finish at Bristol Motor Speedway on Sunday afternoon. Starting from the 32nd position, Gaughan moved up to the 25th position when the first caution flag of the day came out for a multicar incident on lap 23.
The extended clean up lasted until the NASCAR-mandated competition caution on lap 40, but crew chief Gil Martin made the call for the No. 33 Chevrolet to stay out to gain track position.The Las Vegas-native held strong in the top-15 for much of the first 150 laps, but fell back to 23rd on lap 196 and went one lap down to the leaders as he reported a concern with the throttle spring. Gaughan continued to battle his way around the track, posting times that rivaled the times of the top-15 positions. As the laps ticked down, Gaughan reported he lost his front brakes, and on lap 476, he made contact with the No. 14 car, bringing out the yellow flag. Martin called the driver to come down pit road during the caution on lap 480 to take a look at the brakes, changing four tires and fuel. As the field restarted for the final laps, Gaughan competed in the 22nd position and remained there to take the checkered flag. Gaughan returns to the No. 33 South Point Hotel & Casino Chevrolet next week at Auto Club Speedway for his final of four races in the RCR Sprint Cup Series entry.
BRENDAN GAUGHAN QUOTE
:”I hate that our day ended that way. We lost our front brakes there toward the end of the race and got into the No. 14 car, which I hate for their team. We had a good day on track and in the pits. Thanks to Gil (Martin), Richard Childress and the entire No. 33 team. I’m looking forward to heading to Fontana next week for our last race on the schedule in the No. 33 South Point Hotel & Casino Chevrolet.”