PHOENIX - Landon Cassill, the No. 5 National Guard car driver, finished 22nd in his eighth career Nationwide Series start Friday at the Phoenix International Raceway, Bashas' Supermarkets 200. Cassill, who made his debut at the one-mile track back in November, started 18th.
In the beginning:
Twenty laps into the event, Cassill reported to his team that he was battling a tight-handling No. 5 Chevrolet. This caused the car to slide around up on the corner of the turns. By Lap 32, Cassill was running 25th.
Life in the pits:
Under the first caution of the evening, Cassill came in on Lap 34 for his first pit stop and received four tires, fuel and air pressure and track bar adjustments in an attempt to alleviate the car's tight-handling conditions. At the restart on Lap 38, Cassill was running 25th.
The National Guard Chevrolet's handling continued to be tight in the center of the race car entering and exiting the turns, but Cassill improved to take the 22nd position. On Lap 64 and under a caution, Cassill entered the pits for four tires, fuel and air pressure and wedge adjustments. He rejoined the field in the 24th position on the restart at Lap 68. By Lap 77, Cassill reported that the previous adjustments significantly improved the No. 5 National Guard Chevrolet.
When the race's fifth caution came out on Lap 104, Cassill had worked his way up to 16th. Two laps later, he came down pit road for four tires, fuel and an air pressure adjustment. At the restart on Lap 109, Cassill was running 17th. By Lap 117, Cassill was in the 14th position and was clocking in one of the top-five best lap times.
Cassill made his way up to as high as 13th by Lap 124 and ran there for an additional 17 laps. However, the National Guard Chevrolet's handling became tight again in the center. When the sixth caution came out on Lap 176, Cassill came in for his final stop of the night. He took four tires, fuel and an air pressure adjustment. Entering the pits in 16th place, Cassill held his position and rejoined the field for the restart at Lap 183.
How it ended:
On Lap 183, Cassill received contact from behind from the No. 59 car driven by Marcos Ambrose causing him to spin out. This brought out the eighth caution of the night. In an impressive fashion, Cassill saved the National Guard Chevrolet from receiving any damage and continued on his way with the rest of the field. Cassill dropped just four positions and was running 20th during the restart on Lap 188. Two more cautions came out before the race ended on Lap 202. Cassill finished the event 22nd.