Dakoda Armstrong and the No. 43 WinField Ford team came to Chicagoland Speedway in hopes of continuing to climb the points standing. Unfortunately, a late wreck cost the team a potential Top-15 finish and positions in the standings. Armstrong finishes 28th position and dropped to 14th in the NASCAR XFINITY Series championship run.
Armstrong started the race from the 12th position. Early in the race, the car was loose center off, thus making passing difficult. But, the caution flag flew on Lap 25 for the competition caution. Crew Chief Frankie Kerr called for four tires, fuel and a wedge adjustment. The race restarted on Lap 31 with Armstrong in 14th position.
Armstrong reported the track was changing rapidly and the team dropped to the 22nd position. As the race went deeper into the green flag run, the track tightened up and Armstrong lost a lap on Lap 70. Kerr called Armstrong to pit under the green flag on Lap 75. The Winfield crew changed four tires, added fuel and made a track bar adjustment.
During the green flag stops, a team lost track of a tire on pit road. The caution came out on Lap 80 for the safety crews to pick up the tire. Kerr told Armstrong to stay out. The race restarted on Lap 86 with Armstrong in 20th position, one lap down. Armstrong reported back the adjustments were helping but the car still needed more side bite. Armstrong was racing in 21st position on Lap 97 when the caution flag waved for a spin in Turn 2.
Armstrong stayed on during the caution to take the wave around to get back on the lead lap. The race restarted on Lap 103 with Armstrong in 21st position. The track changed to Armstrong's favor. Ten laps after the restart, the No. 43 WinField Ford began to move up through the field. Armstrong climbed to 18th position on Lap 127. The caution flag came out on Lap 129 for a stalled car on the backstretch. Armstrong pit under caution on Lap 130. The WinField crew made an air pressure adjustment, changed all four tires and topped off the fuel tank.
The race restarted on Lap 133 with Armstrong in 17th position. The adjustments were immediately effective. Armstrong climbed to 16th position and reported back the stability had greatly improved. Armstrong maintained the 16th position until the caution flag flew on Lap 151 for a wreck in Turn 2. Armstrong pit under caution. The crew changed four tires, added fuel and made a track bar adjustment to help the car rotate better.
Armstrong restarted in 17th position as the race went back to green on Lap 159. A group of cars directly in front of Armstrong checked up during the restart, halting his momentum. Armstrong quickly dropped to 23rd position. By Lap 177, Armstrong fought his way back into the Top 20.
The caution came out on Lap 179 for a spin in Turn 2. Kerr called Armstrong down for four tires and fuel. The race restarted on Lap 182 with Armstrong in 21st position. Armstrong had a strong restart and began progressing through the field. Three laps later on Lap 185, Armstrong had a run coming down the front stretch when he was clipped from behind sending him into the outside wall. The car sustained significant damage to the splitter, fender and rear suspension. Armstrong was able to limp the car back to the pits under the caution flag. The repairs required two stops, with Armstrong losing two laps in the process. The No. 43 WinField Ford rejoined the field and was able to maintain the minimum speed to finish the race. Armstrong finished in 28th position.
"This weekend was a roller coaster," said Armstrong. "We unloaded off the truck and just did not have the speed or stability we needed. The crew worked hard, made the right adjustments, and we were fast in qualifying. We were all excited and ready to get the race in but the rain had other plans. Then on Sunday we continued to make the right adjustments and eventually got the car where we wanted it, only to get wrecked late in the race. We had a fast Ford Mustang and were on the verge of a great finish. We found some speed and took good notes. We'll put this one behind us and move onto Daytona. We're hungry for a win and I think we can get it there."
About Richard Petty Motorsports
A performance and marketing driven company, Richard Petty Motorsports, co-owned by NASCAR Hall of Famer Richard Petty and successful business entrepreneur Andrew Murstein, is one of the most recognized brands in all of motorsports. With a history of over 200 wins and business partnerships with national and global leaders, today the race operation fields two teams in competition in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. Aric Almirola pilots the famous No. 43 Ford Fusion with primary partners Smithfield Foods, U.S. Air Force, STP, and Fresh From Florida, and Sam Hornish Jr. drives the No. 9 machine with primary partners Medallion Bank and Twisted Tea. In addition, Dakoda Armstrong wheels the No. 43 WinField Ford Mustang full-time in the NASCAR XFINITY Series. The team is headquartered in Mooresville, N.C.