Texas II: Reed Sorenson race report

REED SORENSON AND THE DOLLAR GENERAL TEAM LEAVE TEXAS WITH THEIR 20TH TOP-10 FINISH OF THE SEASON

FORT WORTH, Texas (November 8, 2010) -- This weekend the NASCAR Nationwide Series traveled to Forth Worth, Texas for their second annual visit to the 1.5-mile Texas Motor Speedway. With a solid performance in the spring event, the Dollar General team was confident as they unloaded for Friday's practice sessions. After qualifying 23rd and battling a tight-handling car throughout the Saturday afternoon race, Sorenson took the checkered flag in the seventh position and brought home his 20th top-10 finish in only 26 Nationwide Series starts this season! The No. 32 Dollar General team has recorded a total of 11 top-five and 27 top-10 finishes in 2010.

During Friday evening's Nationwide Series qualifying, Sorenson turned in a 29.064-second lap that secured the No. 32 team a 23rd-place start in Saturday's race. Sorenson and crew chief, Trent Owens, were confident that they had a strong car set up for the 200-lap O'Reilly Auto Parts Challenge. As soon as the green flag fell, Sorenson went to work, moving the No. 32 forward. Running in the 18th spot on lap 22, Sorenson took the opportunity to report on the car's handling to Owens.

"It's a little tight in the center and snappy-loose off," Sorenson updated Owens.

The first caution of the day came on lap 42, when Turner Motorsports teammate, James Buescher, blew a right front tire. As the field slowed behind the pace car, Sorenson, running in the 18th spot, updated Owens on the Dollar General Toyota.

"The loose-off stays about the same throughout the run but the tightness gets worse," Sorenson said.

Owens called his driver to pit road on lap 44 and ordered a number of adjustments by the Dollar General crew. The team quickly changed four tires, made air pressure adjustments, went one round down on the track bar and removed two spring rubbers from the left rear spring. Sorenson returned to the track to restart from the 17th position on lap 49.

In only a few short laps, he drove the Dollar General Toyota inside the top-15 and by lap 62, was running in the 10th position. The second yellow flag of the afternoon was displayed for an accident in turn two on lap 81.

"That was a little better," Sorenson told the team. "We're still battling the same two issues as the first run. Same thing again; the looseness stays the same throughout and the tightness gets worse."

"10-4," replied Owens. "We'll get some more air out of your right front."

Sorenson brought the No. 32 Toyota to pit road for service on lap 82. The Dollar General crew quickly changed four tires with air pressure adjustments and packed the car with fuel.

As he drove the car back to the race track, Sorenson exclaimed over the radio, "Wow! That was hectic! We were sandwiched pretty good there. I was afraid we were going to get the fenders caved in."

The quick service of the No. 32 crew put the Dollar General Toyota in the 10th spot for the restart; however, NASCAR cited the team with exiting pit road too fast. The penalty forced Sorenson to restart from the 22nd position when green-flag racing resumed on lap 86.

Working his way through traffic, Sorenson was driving in the 17th spot by lap 95. As he battled his way back up inside the top-15, he radioed Owens that the car's handling had become very tight.

"We're really, really tight now," he said. "I would say we are an eight out of 10 tight here. I'm trying to be careful not to blow the right front [tire]."

"Ok, just hang on as best you can," replied Owens. "We'll get that adjustment out of there."

As Sorenson circled the track, he continued to speculate on the changed condition of his car. "I think the fenders are ok. I didn't make contact with anyone. It's just odd because it is just a lot tighter."

Driving in the 15th position on lap 118, Sorenson asked about the timing of their next pit stop.

"In about 20 laps," Owens told him.

As Sorenson battled to take over the 14th spot, Owens reassured his driver. "You're getting off of turn two really good. You found about three tenths up there."

As the leaders began to come to pit road for green-flag stops, Owens called his driver in on lap 138 for service. The Dollar General team quickly changed the four tires, added fuel, made a track bar adjustment and put in another spring rubber. As the field cycled through the green-flag stops, the Dollar General Toyota was running in the 16th position on lap 147 when the caution flag was displayed for debris.

"That was a lot better," Sorenson told Owens. "The adjustments definitely freed the car up a little. I would say we were back to where we were in the second run; tight in the center and snappy-loose off."

"10-4," Owens replied. "Let's come in for fuel only. That will loosen you up a little more."

On lap 149, Sorenson drove the Dollar General Camry to pit road. Owens instructed the crew to make track bar and wedge adjustments and top the car off with fuel. The No. 32 Toyota restarted from the 15th position on lap 153.

Sorenson powered inside the top-10 by lap 167 and was running in the ninth position when the yellow flag was displayed once again on lap 185. He took the break in racing to update the team on the last set of adjustments.

"The car is good. It just continues to get tighter as the run goes on," Sorenson reported.

While under caution, Sorenson drove to pit road for four sticker tires and a splash of fuel. He restarted the Dollar General Toyota from the 11th position on lap 191. When the No. 21 blew a motor on lap 198, the caution flag was displayed to the field, setting the stage for a green-white-checkered finish. Restarting from the eighth position, Sorenson fought forward, taking over the seventh spot in the final two laps. The seventh-place finish marks his 20th top-10 in 26 Nationwide Series starts this season.

"The Dollar General Toyota was good today," said Sorenson following the race. "We started out tight in the center and snappy-loose off. After our second pit stop, the car's handling was very tight. Trent and the guys did a good job with the adjustments and we got ourselves another solid finish. We lost some track position with the speeding penalty but I think we passed more cars than anyone today! It was a good seventh-place finish for this Dollar General team. Thank you to all of the guys for a great effort this weekend."

Next Stop: The NASCAR Nationwide Series teams heads to Phoenix International Raceway next weekend for the WYPALL 200 powered by Kimberly-Clark Professional.

-source: braun racing