Homestead: Chase Mattioli race report

MATTIOLI FINISHES 33RD IN SECOND CAREER NATIONWIDE SERIES START

HOMESTEAD, Fla. (November 21, 2010) -- In just his second career NASCAR Nationwide Series start, 21-year old Chase Mattioli spent the early stages of the Ford 300 at Homestead-Miami Speedway getting comfortable behind the wheel of the No. 27 CollegeComplete.com/GreenTreeProfit.com Ford Fusion. With each passing lap, the young driver became more and more comfortable behind the wheel. By lap 65, the junior at Fordham University had made his way into the top 25. After running several laps in the top 25, Mattioli made contact with the wall on lap 173, bringing out the final caution of the race and ending a promising run for the 21-year old. With Mattioli's 33rd-place finish, the Baker Curb Racing No. 27 ends the season 15th in the NASCAR Nationwide Series owner points.

In qualifying Mattioli was on the verge of a top-20 qualifying spot when his No. 27 CollegeComplete.com/GreenTreeProfit.com Ford Fusion broke loose off Turn 4 and made contact with the wall. Mattioli was able to drive the car back to the garage, where the Baker Curb Racing crew went to work repairing the damage to the right side and rear of the car. The crew was able to repair the damage, keeping Mattioli in the primary car for the race.

Mattioli started the race from the 42nd position. In the early stages of the race, he communicated to crew chief John Reese that the No. 27 CollegeComplete.com/GreenTreeProfit.com Ford Fusion was extremely loose in both corners. When the first caution of the race occurred on lap 11, Mattioli brought his No. 27 down pit road for a full tank of fuel and a wedge adjustment.

When the race restarted on lap 15, Mattioli was scored in the 39th position. The second caution of the race occurred on lap 22 and once again Mattioli brought his No. 27 CollegeComplete.com/GreenTreeProfit.com Ford Fusion down pit road, where the Baker Curb Racing crew put four fresh tires on, filled it with fuel and returned him to the track scored in the 27th position.

The Pennsylvania native was running in the 33rd position when the fifth caution of the race occurred on lap 60. When pit road opened, he brought the No. 27 CollegeComplete.com/GreenTreeProfit.com Ford Fusion down pit road for four fresh tires and fuel and returned to the track scored in the 23rd position.

As the race progressed, Mattioli remained in the top 25 but communicated to Reese that the car was pushing up the race track in the center of the turns. On lap 90, Mattioli was scored in 25th when race leader Kyle Busch made his way around the No. 27 CollegeComplete.com/GreenTreeProfit.com Ford Fusion him one lap down. Mattioli fought hard for the "Lucky Dog" for several laps until he surrendered another lap to Busch on lap 125.

As the race continued, Mattioli continue to show improve lap times but remained two laps down. He was running in the 30th position on lap 173 when he made contact with another competitor on the backstretch. The No. 27 CollegeComplete.com/GreenTreeProfit.com Ford Fusion slid across the backstretch before coming to rest with the driver's side resting against the inside wall. Mattioli climbed out of the car and into the safety vehicle where he was taken to the infield care center. He was treated and released with no injuries.

"For just his second career Nationwide Series start and first on a mile-and-a-half track, Chase did a nice job," said crew chief John Reese. "Throughout the weekend, he showed a lot of improvement and gained valuable seat time. There was a lot of Sprint Cup Series regulars in the field today and in the middle stages of the race Chase was holding his own racing side-by-side with some of the best drivers in the world."

"I'd like to thank CollegeComplete.com, GreenTree Environmental Consultants, Advance Payment Services, WHUR 96.3 FM, Toe 2 Toe and Z Award Online Study Programs for their support," said Mattioli. "I learned a lot this weekend and I'm looking forward to getting back on the track in 2011!"

-source: baker curb racing