
Daytona Beach, Fla. (February 13, 2010)—Eric McClure and the Team Rensi Motorsports (TRM) team headed to Daytona International Speedway for the 2010 Nationwide Series season opener with high hopes of beginning the season on a positive note. Starting the race in the 26th position McClure not only made abrasive maneuvers to avoid three multi-car accidents, but also ran strong throughout the event before bringing the No. 24 Hefty® Odor Block Ford Fusion home in the 17th position. This position marks the driver’s career-best finish at the 2.5-mile speedway.
“I am happy with how we ran today but it’s hard not to be disappointed because our finish could have been better, but we couldn’t get the help we needed when it counted. Our Ford Fusion was extremely fast today, especially in the high lane, and I really hated to see that caution come out near the end because we were coming and I wanted to see how far we could go. We lined up on the bottom for the last restart, got hung out to dry, and when people started racing in front of us that did us in. The water temperature gave us some problems and we had to pit on most cautions, but it could have been a lot worse. Today we had a chance to be really special and it just didn’t work out and that’s part of it. If we keep racing like that and it will come. I came in here saying if we finished in the top 20 I would be happy so 17th will work. The guys worked really hard this off-season and I am looking forward to what the rest of the year holds for us.”
Starting in the 26th position after rain had washed out qualifying McClure had advanced three positions when the event’s first caution flag was displayed at the conclusion of lap one. After narrowly avoiding a multi-car accident on lap nine, the call was made to bring the Hefty® Odor Block™ Ford to pit-road to receive fuel and a small track-bar adjustment. Restarting in the 26th position the next several laps saw side-by-side racing by the pack of cars with McClure fluctuating between several positions. As green flag pit-stops began on lap 43, the 31-year-old driver was able to remain on track until lap 49 to advance as high as the third position before coming to pit-road on lap 50 to receive four tires and fuel. As the Hefty® brand machine was exiting pit lane the third caution flag was displayed. McClure was scored in the 26th position when the race resumed on lap 55.
Continuing to utilize the high line around the speedway, the car’s speed was consistent with those in the top five by the halfway point of the race. On lap 68, after being shuffled back to the 26th position McClure was forced down to avoid a multi-car accident on the in the tri oval. After leading a lap under caution, the Hefty® brand Ford came to pit road to receive four tires, fuel, a wedge adjustment, and to remove tape from the front grille as the water temperature had climbed to 260 degrees. When the race resumed on lap 78, the TRM team was scored in the 20th position.
The team avoided disaster yet again on lap 92, just missing a multi-car accident. Following a red flag the team came to pit-road to receive tires, fuel, and a wedge adjustment. After racing his way into the top-10 following the restart, McClure was forced to pit-road once again during the event’s final caution to remove additional tape from the grille. On the restart McClure was stuck in line as cars around him began racing each other as the lead pack pulled away. In the end McClure was able to bring his Ford Fusion home in the 17th position, earning his career best finish at Daytona International Speedway.
The Hefty® Racing™ team currently sits 16th in NASCAR Owner Points and returns to action on Saturday, February 20 for the Stater Bros 300 at the Auto Club Speedway.