Kobyluck Disappointed With 23rd Place Finish At NHMS

 

            Loudon, N.H. (September 18, 2010): Matt Kobyluck's best statistics don't typically show up at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, but the Mohegan Sun Casino team had hoped to improve their numbers in Friday night's New Hampshire 125. Prior to the race, Kobyluck was more confident than ever, but Lady Luck had other plans for them.

            After running as high as 11th place, Kobyluck got caught up in a melee on a lap 79 restart that broke the track bar bracket on his No. 40 Mohegan Sun Chevrolet and forced the team to fix it in the pits. Kobyluck went six laps down and was relegated to a 23rd place finish at the end of the night.

            "We ended up getting hit in the right rear on that restart and that pushed us into the inside wall right at the start/finish line," explained Kobyluck.

            Kobyluck qualified 13th fastest for the race, and felt "racey" heading into the NASCAR K&N Pro Series event. He ran a conservative race trying to save whatever he had for the second half of the night when it would count.

            "We had an okay car - we didn't have a great car," said Kobyluck. "But we had a top-10 car anyway. We were better than some of the guys that finished in the top seven or eight. We just never had a chance to get there."

            Kobyluck had already made a fuel and tire stop by the time the lap 79 accident sent him to the pits. The guys thrashed getting the track bar bracket changed, but inevitably lost laps while doing it. More determined than ever, Kobyluck decided to stick it out and hope to gain a little ground in the point standings.

            "There was no way we were going to make up six laps so we were just waiting for other people to fall out. We did gain a couple of spots by staying out there so we did make the best out of a bad situation," he said.

            Kobyluck entered the New Hampshire 125 sixth in points and maintained that position despite the 23rd place finish. He currently sits 17 points out of fifth place.

            The New Hampshire 125 will air on SPEED on Thursday, September 23rd at 6 p.m. ET.

            For more information on Matt Kobyluck, Mohegan Sun Casino and Resort, or the Mohegan Sun race team, visit www.mattkobyluck.com.

 

Albarracin Fulfills Goals In NHMS Debut, Finishes 22nd

 

            Loudon, N.H. (September 18, 2010): Sixteen-year-old Julian Albarracin has never raced on a one-mile oval like New Hampshire Motor Speedway. The Colombian-born driver has been using the 2010 NASCAR K&N Pro Series East season as a practice run at a full season next year. His goal coming into this race was simply to get some experience and stay out of trouble. Those goals were met, and he even had his eye on a top-15 finish. After the race was extended to 136 laps to allow for a green-white-checker finish, Albarracin ran out of fuel two laps before its conclusion and secured a 22nd place finish.

            "The car was really good," said Albarracin. "It was pretty comfortable at the beginning and then it got a little tight. The guys did a really good job with the car. We wanted to finish the race and I was really careful out there. I'm really happy because we met the goals we set for today, and competing on this track was very exciting for me."

            Albarracin started the No. 54 AAIC Chevrolet in the 28th position and maintained his position in the early laps of the race. Albarracin moved up to second position when he did not pit with the leaders at lap 34. Albarracin did come down pit road on the following circuit, however, and restarted the race at the tail end of the field. Albarracin came down pit road again on the next caution period and took on tires.

            The race resumed at lap 51 with Albarracin in the 22nd position. At halfway, Albarracin was maintaining his position and remained on the lead lap. As the green flag laps ticked off, Albarracin fell a lap down to the leaders and was running in 26th place. Caution flew and tightened the field back up again, and the 16-year-old driver received the free pass to gain his lap back.

            The race resumed at lap 85 and Albarracin moved up to 21st place before caution again slowed the pace at lap 105. The final laps of the event were caution filled and NASCAR was forced to extend the originally scheduled distance of 125 laps to 136 laps to allow for a green-white-checker finish. Two laps before the race conclusion, Albarracin ran out of fuel.

            Albarracin was credited with a 22nd place finish.

            "I've progressed a lot since my first test at White Mountain several months ago," said Albarracin. "These cars are very different, and running on ovals is a big challenge over the road courses. I'm happy with how things are moving along though. We're getting there."

            The New Hampshire 125 will air on SPEED on Thursday, September 23 at 6 p.m. ET.

 

Shaw Rallies For 15th Place Finish At NHMS

 

            Loudon, N.H. (September 18, 2010): DJ Shaw had gone into the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East's New Hampshire 125 with high expectations. The Conway, N.H.-based driver wanted a top-five finish at his homestate track, but instead, battled a transmission problem that cost him valuable positions on the track. The Precision JLM sponsored team, however, remained determined and Shaw was able to salvage a 15th place finish from the night, despite his mid-race struggles.

            " It's like the fourth race in a row that we've said 'we could've had a top-five if..'. It just didn't happen. Eventually something will happen and we'll get a top-five, a top-three or even a win. We're going to keep trying," he said.

            Shaw started 21st and maintained his position in the early laps of the race.

            " We were just kind of stuck in track and maintained really. We weren't going forward and we weren't going backwards. The car wasn't horrible it just wasn't maneuverable. We had speed but when I got them I just couldn't get by," explained Shaw.

            A caution at lap 31 saw DJ bring his No. 60 Precision JLM Chevrolet down pit road for fuel and, then, a second pit stop under caution, for tires. Shaw would have to start from the tail of the lead lap cars, but they knew their strategy was on point.

            The first green flag, which only lasted a few laps, yielded promising results. The 20-year-old driver reported to his crew chief that the car was tight in and free off. It was something he could work with. While other teams opted to come in for a pit stop at lap 47, Shaw stayed out - a move that proved very beneficial to the team. The No. 60 Precision JLM Chevrolet went from 20th to 6th for the restart at lap 51.

            At the drop of the green flag, Shaw maneuvered his way to fourth place, but dropped back to ninth by the halfway mark where he settled in until the caution flew at lap 74.

            Again, a few cars opted to pit and Shaw remained where he was. On the restart at lap 79, Shaw was in sixth place. But, it was also the point where everything took a dramatic turn for Shaw. When the green dropped, Shaw did not come up to speed, and havoc ensued around him.

            " It went into third and it flew out. I couldn't get it into fourth and it caused a huge mess. I feel terrible about it, but it certainly wasn't anything I did intentionally," Shaw said.

            NASCAR reverted to the last completed lap for the restart so Shaw was lined back up in sixth as the green flag came down again at lap 85. Shaw reported back to his crew that the car spun it's tires and popped out of gear. Shaw was relegated to the tail end of the lead lap cars again.

            A caution flew at lap 106 and Shaw made his way to pit road. The car was stuck in gear, and it couldn't be fixed. He was going to start 20th when the race got back underway.

            "It wouldn't stay in third and I kept trying different combinations - second to fourth and things like that. Anything that I could. Eventually I had to just lock it into fourth. I lost seven spots every restart, but it was better than going to the back and losing 15," he said.

            The race was extended to allow for a green-white-checker finish and Shaw was able to move up to the 15th spot before the checkers dropped. Shaw is now ninth in the points with one race remaining in the 2010 season.

            The New Hampshire 125 will air on SPEED on Thursday, September 23 at 6 p.m. ET.