Top-10 Run Cut Short at Homestead-Miami Speedway for the Target Team

Results (start) Homestead-Miami Speedway

1. (10) Tony Stewart, No. 14 Chevrolet

14. (26) Jamie McMurray, No. 1 Bass Pro Shops/Tracker Boats Chevrolet

31. (27) Juan Pablo Montoya, No. 42 Target Chevrolet

 

HOMESTEAD, Fla. (November 20, 2011)– The season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway marked the fifth year since Juan Pablo Montoya’s first career start in the NASCAR Sprint Series. The Target team looked to finish out the season on a high note and ended up falling short as a brush with the wall at the midway point of the race halted the forward momentum. The Target team closed out the evening in the 31^stposition.

 

The Ford 400 got underway Sunday afternoon as 43 cars battled it out for 267 laps at the south Florida race track. Montoya started in the 27^thposition and quickly made his move to the front. The Target Chevrolet played on pit strategy and was displayed as the leader on lap 36. By lap 106, rain moved into the area and forced a red flag to dry the track. The No. 42 Target Chevrolet restarted in the 10^thposition and soon after found itself sliding into the wall in turn four. The team worked feverishly on pit road to make repairs and was displayed four laps down when the work was complete. Montoya spent the remainder of the race trying to regain laps out on the race track. When the checkered flag waved, the Target Chevrolet was credited with a 31^st-place finish.

 

“It wasn’t the way we had hoped to end the season,” Montoya remarked. “The car got snappy coming into turn 4 and a brushed the wall unfortunately. It messed up the handling and caused damage to the rear quarter panel. I hate it for Target and the guys. It was a fast car.”

 

NOTES

- Montoya had two poles, two top-five and eight top-10 finishes this season

- Montoya had the highest number of laps run this season out of any driver with 10593 including all 12 of the Chase contenders

- Montoya had no DNF’s in 2011

 

The 2012 season kicks off in Daytona Beach, Fla for Speedweeks in February.

 

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