BRAKE PROBLEMS STOP A TOP 10 RUN FOR REED AT POCONO

Reed Sorenson and the Target team battled back from two laps down early in the Pocono 500 and cracked into the top 10 at one point, only to have a potential solid run impeded by brake problems. Sorenson took the Target Dodge into the garage for brake repairs and returned 16 laps down in 36th position, which is where he would finish the 200-lap event. It was determined that a blown seal on the right front brake caliper was the culprit.

Sorenson started the race in 35th but quickly moved up to 30th during the initial laps. On lap 11, however, Sorenson made heavy contact with the Turn 2 wall and later cut a tire down as a result. He brought the Target Dodge onto pit road for repairs and returned to competition 41st, one lap down to the leader.

Approximately 20 laps after the next green flag on lap 24, Sorenson lost another lap fighting an extremely tight race car. It appeared as though the No. 41 team’s chances of recording a solid finish diminished at that point, but on lap 50 they were given new life. The leader wrecked and Sorenson passed him to gain one of his laps back. Being the first car a lap down, he also received the “Lucky Dog” pass, rewarding the Target team with a two-lap swing and position back on the lead lap. With a new outlook, the team readied to bring home a respectable finish.

The No. 41 Dodge lined up 39th for the next green flag on lap 57. A caution ensued shortly thereafter, but in order to gain track position crew chief Jimmy Elledge told Sorenson to remain on track while many of the other teams pitted. The call moved Sorenson up to 14th for the next restart on lap 66.

Another caution flag flew on lap 69 and again Elledge told Sorenson to remain on track. This time he moved up to eighth place. The plan was to maintain position in the top 15 until the next caution, but Sorenson began to fade rapidly as the race drew the halfway point.

“The brake pedal is going to the floor,” Sorenson radioed to crew chief Jimmy Elledge.

Sorenson eventually had to make a trip to the garage for brake system repairs and once returning to the track used the remaining laps as a test session to prepare for the next event at Pocono Raceway on July 23.

“The early laps of the race were pretty rough after I hit the wall coming out of (turn) two, but we overcame that and were in good shape. All of a sudden the brakes stopped working properly and it was hard to me to hit all of my marks on the track. It was a problem that is not very common, so we’ll have to go back to the shop and try and figure out exactly what caused that to happen.

“The rest of the race we just made note of the changes and how they affected the car. Towards the end the car was really good in Turn One, but pretty loose in two and three. That will give us something to work with when we come back in about a month. I was hoping to get a better finish here today, but we’ll move on to Michigan and try for another top 10 with the Target Dodge.”

Sorenson and the Target team slipped to 24th in the overall standings at the conclusion of the Pocono 500, and are 57 points out of 20th and 160 out of 15th heading into the next event at Michigan International Speedway on June 18. Sorenson currently sits fourth in the Raybestos Rookie of the Year standings and he trails leader Denny Hamlin by 45 points. Sorenson’s Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates teammates David Stremme and Casey Mears finished 26th and 43rd respectively.