Dakoda Armstrong came to Watkins Glen to find his road course rhythm and improve on last season's performance. Armstrong battled hard throughout the race, running in the Top-15 for the majority of the afternoon. However, with just two laps remaining the No. 43 WinField Ford was punted by a competitor sending Armstrong into a spin. Armstrong was able to avoid damage but lost his track position in the process. He finished 23rd and maintains the 12th spot in the championship run.
Armstrong started the race from the 24th position. The race went green for the first nine laps. Armstrong was racing for the 23rd position as the first caution flag of the day flew on Lap 10 for fluid on the track. Armstrong stayed out during the caution flag. The race restarted on Lap 12 with Armstrong in 22nd position.
With a stable race car, Armstrong began to move up through the field. Armstrong moved into the 19th position on Lap 23 just as the second caution flag flew for a loose gas can on pit road. Kerr called Armstrong to pit road for four tires and fuel. During the first round of pit stops, many cars had pit road violations. With so many serving penalties, Kerr played the fuel strategy card. Armstrong made one circuit around the track before Kerr called Armstrong back down to pit road again to top off the fuel tank again.
The race restarted on Lap 26 with Armstrong in 17th position. The field jammed up going into Turn One. Armstrong took advantage and was able to pass five cars advancing to 12th position, before the caution flag quickly flew again on Lap 28 for a car stalled on track. Armstrong stayed out during the caution. The cleanup crew quickly moved the stalled car and the race restarted on Lap 29. As the field dove into Turn One, one of the leaders spun after contact. Armstrong checked up to miss the spinning car and lost six positions, dropping to 18th. Armstrong regained momentum and was racing for 14th by Lap 35. On Lap 38, the caution flag flew for a stalled car on the backstretch. Armstrong stayed out during the caution for track position. The race restarted on Lap 39 with Armstrong in 11th position.
With a strong WinField Ford Mustang, Armstrong battled hard over the next 14 laps with the lead pack and maintained the 11th position until green flag stops began. Armstrong came in under the green flag on Lap 53 for four tires and fuel. Kerr held Armstrong until the fuel tank was full. With the No. 43 Ford good to go the distance, Kerr instructed Armstrong to "charge hard" and not be held up by lapped cars.
Armstrong rejoined the field on Lap 54 in 21st position. With the field strung out, Armstrong maintained the 21st position gaining each lap on the next position. The caution flag flew on Lap 62 for debris on the backstretch. Armstrong stayed out during the caution to gain track position. The move advanced Armstrong to 13th position. The race restarted on Lap 64.
The intensity ramped up at the laps counted down. Shortly after the race restarted, a multi-car wreck in Turn 5 brought the caution on Lap 67. Armstrong was able to maintain the 13th position. With so many cautions throughout the day, Kerr instructed Armstrong to save as much fuel under caution since a green-white-checker finish was probable. Armstrong stayed out during the caution, coasting with the engine off as much as possible. The race restarted on Lap 70 with Armstrong in 13th position.
The line checked up in front of Armstrong during the restart, costing two spots. Armstrong raced hard to get the positions back over the next six laps. On Lap 76, a hard multi-car wreck among the Top-Five in Turn Seven brought out the red flag. After a 10 minute clean up, the race restarted on Lap 78. Armstrong restarted in the 13th position. With a strong finish in sight, Armstrong charged hard attempting to gain as many positions as possible over the next four laps. With two laps to go, Armstrong was hit in the rear and spun coming through the inner loop. Armstrong was able to avoid damage and continue racing. He fell back to 23rd as the checkered flag fell on Lap 82. He maintains 12th position in the points standing.
"That was a heartbreaking race. We didn't practice or qualify well but I knew we would have a fast race car. I'm impressed with what the WinField team was able to do this weekend. We didn't have to adjust on the car throughout the race. I found pace that worked well with our setup and was able to continually move forward. We were in the Top-15 for most of the day. Frankie played great strategy throughout the day and kept us in the battle. I had my sights on a Top-10 finish and was catching the guys in front of me before we were dumped with two to go. That's how these races play out sometimes. The good news is we performed well today. I'm confident we can carry that level of performance to Mid-Ohio and Road America."
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.