Brendan Gaughan and the No. 33 South Point Hotel & Casino team were relegated to a 26th-place finish in the NASCAR Nationwide Series race at Phoenix International Raceway on Saturday after being involved in an on-track incident during the final scheduled lap of the Great Clips 200.

The Richard Childress Racing driver started the scheduled 200-lap event from the 11th position and settled into the top 10 during the early laps. Gaughan informed crew chief Ernie Cope that the handling on the black and gold machine was loose as he raced around the one-mile track, but that it tightened up as the run progressed. Cope called Gaughan to pit road on lap 33 under yellow-flag conditions for left-side tires and fuel. Back on track, the Las Vegas native continued to run within the top 10 until coming to pit road under caution for four tires, fuel and chassis adjustments on lap 91. With varying pit strategies, Gaughan was scored in the 17th position for the ensuing restart and worked his way into the top 15 where he continued to run until being caught up in a multi-car incident on the final scheduled lap of the event, relegating the South Point Hotel & Casino team to a 26th-place result.

Start – 11                   Finish – 26               Laps Led – 0               Owner Points – 5

BRENDAN GAUGHAN QUOTE:

“What a disappointing way to end the race. Ernie (Cope, crew chief) and the South Point Hotel & Casino team gave me a solid Chevrolet this weekend and we had a shot at a top-10 finish until we were caught up in the accident at the end. I have one more race with the team this season, so I’m looking forward to Homestead next weekend.”