Menard Back in Victory Lane at Michigan

Paul Menard sharing a joke at the 2014 Media Tour

(BROOKLYN, MICH - JUNE 14, 2014 - RIS) Paul Menard returned to Victory Lane after a 98-race absence dating back to Milwaukee in 2006. Joey Logano, leading for 43 of the 125 lap race, suffered a cut tire late and faded to 16th at the finish after a stop to replace the flat. Sam Hornish Jr led three laps and rookie Chase Elliott headed the field twice for a total of six laps.

Dylan Kwasniewski, running to the inside of Trevor Bayne, got loose in the side draft and spun them both out, wiping out both cars. Kwasniewski later admited that the fault was totally his.

"Hate to wish bad luck on Joey," Menard said in Victory Lane, "but we'll take it."

Menard led 18 laps and won the only series race he's entered this season and claimed the second Nationwide victory of his career. His first came at Milwaukee, his hometown track, in June 2006.
 
Logano was in front after the front-runners pitted with 44 laps to go and pulled away after the restart. He led Menard's Chevy by more than a second late but pulled onto pit road on Lap 121 to replace a right-rear tire. Menard had smooth sailing from there and led Sam Hornish Jr., Dale Earnhadt Jr., Kyle Busch and Brian Scott to the checkered flag.
 
Menard thought he missed his shot on the final restart, when he was the third car into Turn 1 and lost several positions trying to take the lead.
 
"The last restart, I kind of thought I gave the race away getting three-wide," he said. "This is a brand-new car, a brand-new motor we're trying out and it proved itself, I think."
 
Logano, seeking his 22nd Nationwide series win and first of the season, was the final car on the lead lap and ended the day a hard-luck 16th.
 
"I ran over something at some point. It pretty much sucks," he said after leading 43 laps. "I could tell it was going down on the back straightaway and had to take it in.
 
"I hate giving it away like that. The silver lining is we had a fast race car and should've won the race. You win some like that, you lose some like that."

Kyle Larson and Elliott were strong in the early two-thirds of the race but were forced farther behind the lead pack after they opted to pit later in the final caution period. Elliott, the top rookie in the series points standings, ended the day sixth, two spots ahead of Larson, who led a race-best 46 laps.
 
"I felt really solid about our car all day," said Elliott, who remained third in the standings with the finish. "We put ourselves in a tight box and didn't have much of a choice (after following Larson into the pits instead the rest of the leaders)."

The series heads to Road America at Elkhart Lake, Wis., next weekend. Saturday’s race kicked off a stretch of 18 straight weekends for Nationwide teams, which won't get a break until they complete the Oct. 10 race at Charlotte.
  

Unofficial Race Results: Michigan International Speedway: 23rd Annual Ollie's Bargain Outlet 250
Fin, Str, Driver, Car, Lap, Pts, BPts, Status, TLd, LLd
1) 5, Paul Menard(i), No. 33 Nibco/Menards Chevrolet, 125, 0, , Running, 3, 18
2) 13, Sam Hornish Jr., No. 20 Sun Energy 1 Toyota, 125, 43, 1, Running, 1, 3
3) 11, Dale Earnhardt Jr.(i), No. 88 eBay Chevrolet, 125, 0, , Running, ,
4) 1, Kyle Busch(i), No. 54 Monster Energy Toyota, 125, 0, , Running, ,
5) 6, Brian Scott, No. 2 Shore Lodge Chevrolet, 125, 39, , Running, ,
6) 2, Chase Elliott#, No. 9 NAPA Auto Parts Chevrolet, 125, 39, 1, Running, 2, 6
7) 8, Regan Smith, No. 7 TaxSlayer.com Chevrolet, 125, 37, , Running, ,
8) 4, Kyle Larson(i), No. 42 Cartwheel Chevrolet, 125, 0, , Running, 3, 46
9) 3, Ty Dillon#, No. 3 Wesco Chevrolet, 125, 36, 1, Running, 2, 9
10) 10, Chris Buescher#, No. 60 Roush Performance Parts Ford, 125, 34, , Running, ,
11) 24, Ryan Reed#, No. 16 ADA Pathway To Stop Diabetes Ford, 125, 33, , Running, ,
12) 17, Ross Chastain(i), No. 80 Aisin Toyota, 125, 0, , Running, ,
13) 15, Ryan Sieg#, No. 39 RSS Racing Chevrolet, 125, 31, , Running, ,
14) 26, Landon Cassill, No. 01 Flex Seal Chevrolet, 125, 30, , Running, ,
15) 21, James Buescher, No. 99 Rheem Toyota, 125, 29, , Running, ,
16) 9, Joey Logano(i), No. 22 Discount Tire Ford, 125, 0, , Running, 3, 43
17) 12, Elliott Sadler, No. 11 OneMain Financial Toyota, 124, 27, , Running, ,
18) 19, Mike Bliss, No. 19 Supportmilitary.org Toyota, 124, 26, , Running, ,
19) 18, Dakoda Armstrong#, No. 43 WinField Ford, 124, 25, , Running, ,
20) 28, Jeremy Clements, No. 51 Diamond Pistons/RepairableVehicles.com Chevrolet, 124, 24, , Running, ,
21) 20, JJ Yeley, No. 28 Texas 28 Spirits Stage Dodge, 124, 23, , Running, ,
22) 16, Brendan Gaughan, No. 62 South Point Chevrolet, 124, 22, , Running, ,
23) 27, Jeff Green, No. 14 Hefty Ultimate/Reynolds Wrap Toyota, 124, 21, , Running, ,
24) 22, Blake Koch, No. 44 CompassionRacing.com Toyota, 123, 20, , Running, ,
25) 29, Jeffrey Earnhardt, No. 4 teamjdmotorsports.com Chevrolet, 121, 19, , Running, ,
26) 25, Josh Wise(i), No. 40 Curtis Key Plumbing Chevrolet, 121, 0, , Running, ,
27) 39, Joey Gase, No. 52 Donate Life Chevrolet, 105, 17, , Engine, ,
28) 30, Mike Harmon, No. 74 Dodge, 90, 16, , Vibration, ,
29) 36, Ryan Ellis, No. 23 Lilly Trucking Chevrolet, 88, 15, , Rear Gear, ,
30) 14, Trevor Bayne, No. 6 AdvoCare Ford, 82, 14, , Accident, ,
31) 7, Dylan Kwasniewski#, No. 31 Rockstar/AccuDoc Solutions Chevrolet, 78, 13, , Accident, ,
32) 37, Harrison Rhodes, No. 93 JGL Racing Dodge, 66, 12, , Fuel Pump, ,
33) 23, Jamie Dick, No. 55 Viva Auto Group Chevrolet, 60, 11, , Clutch, ,
34) 31, Carl Long, No. 13 Headrush Toyota, 16, 10, , Electrical, ,
35) 35, Derrike Cope, No. 70 Youtheory Chevrolet, 13, 9, , Engine, ,
36) 34, Tanner Berryhill#, No. 17 NationalCashLenders.com Dodge, 10, 8, , Vibration, ,
37) 33, Matthew Carter, No. 72 CrashClaimsR.US Chevrolet, 8, 7, , Brakes, ,
38) 40, Tommy Joe Martins#, No. 67 Cross Concrete Construction Ford, 5, 6, , Engine, ,
39) 32, Kevin Lepage, No. 10 Supportmilitary.org Toyota, 3, 5, , Vibration, ,
40) 38, Tim Schendel, No. 87 JD Motorsports Chevrolet, 0, 4, , Engine, ,

# = Rookie, Fin = Finish, Str = Start, Pts = Total Points, BPs = Lap Leader Bns Pts, TLd = Times Led, LLd = Laps Led. (i) Ineligible for driver points in this series
Average Speed: 139.557 MPH; Time of Race: 1 Hrs, 47 Mins, 33 Secs.; Margin of Victory: 0.468 Seconds
Lead Changes: 14 among 6 drivers; Cautions: 4 for 22 laps

Race Fast Facts
Michigan International Speedway
23rd Annual Ollie's Bargain Outlet 250
Race Winner: Paul Menard
Age: 33
Team : No. 33 - Nibco/Menards Chevrolet
Owner: Richard Childress
Crew Chief: Nicholas Harrison
Paul Menard won the 23rd Annual Ollie's Bargain Outlet 250, his second victory in 184 NASCAR Nationwide Series races.
With the win, Menard ends a 98-start winless streak, dating back to June 24, 2006 (Milwaukee).
This is his first victory and eighth top-10 finish in nine races at Michigan International Speedway.
Sam Hornish Jr. (second) posted his second top-10 finish in five races at Michigan International Speedway.  It is his third top-10 finish in 2014.
Dale Earnhardt Jr. (third) posted his fifth top-10 finish in five races at Michigan International Speedway.
Chase Elliott (sixth) was the highest finishing rookie.
Regan Smith leads the point standings by 14 points over Elliott Sadler.

Cumulative Report - Lap 125

Lap   Running Order (1-20)   Speed   Rng   Out   OLL
 31   42    9   22   33   3  54   60   88   6   7   20   11   2   62  31   80   39   99   16   01   158.971   34   6   26
 62   42   54   22    9  60   3   33   88  11   2   31   20   6   62   7   16   99   39   01   80   152.342   33   7   18
 93   22   11   88   20  33   3   54   60   2   7   62   42   9   16  01   80   39   19   51   99   128.472   31   9   23
125   33   20   88   54   2   9    7   42   3  60   16   80  39   01  99   22   11   19   43   51   139.557   26  14   16

Lead Changes (14)   Leaders (6)
#   Car   From   To   Tot.   #   Car   From   To   Tot.   #   Car   Driver   Times   Laps
Pole   54   0   0   0   8   42   46   51   6   1   42   K. Larson(i)   3   46
1    3   1   1   1   9   9   52   56   5   2   22   J. Logano(i)   3   43
3   33   P. Menard(i)   3   18
2   33   2   7   6   10   42   57   72   16   4   3   T. Dillon #   2   9
3   22   8   8   1   11   33   73   79   7   5   9   C. Elliott #   2   6
4    3   9   16   8   12   9   80   80   1   6   20   S. Hornish Jr.   1   3
5   42  17   40   24   13   22   81   120   40
6   22  41   42   2   14   33   121   125   5
7   20  43   45   3

Cautions (4 for 22 Laps)
#   From   To   Tot.   Benef   Remarks
1    3    5   3  #20  spin turn 4
2   53   56   4   39  Debris turn 2
3   68   72   5   01  Debris turn 2
4   80   89  10   80  #6, 31 accident turn 2