Reed Sorenson piloted the No. 41 Discount Tire Dodge to a ninth-place finish at Darlington Raceway in the NASCAR Busch Series race. The top-10 finish is a career best for the 18-year-old driver in just his fourth start in the Busch Series. Sorenson and the team had to earn the top 10 the hard way. After starting 36th for the 147-lap race, he ran over debris that cut down a tire on lap 58 while running 10th.
Rain cancelled qualifying for the event and the lineup was set by NASCAR. There is starting spot in the NASCAR rule book for recent race winners, so thanks to Jamie McMurray and the Discount Tire team’s win in the No. 41 Dodge last weekend Sorenson lined up 36th.
Sorenson picked up six spots during the first lap of the BI-LO 200. When the caution flag waved for the first time on lap 13, the No. 41 Dodge was up to 24th. Sorenson broke into the top 10 by lap 40 and was still mounting a charge toward the front. The caution flag waved again on lap 50 and crew chief Brian Pattie called Sorenson down pit road. The Discount Tire team
made an air pressure adjustment, changed four tires and added fuel during the pit stop.
The team’s day hit a bump in the road when Sorenson ran over some debris that punctured the right-rear tire. The No. 41 Dodge spun bringing out the caution on lap 59. Sorenson was able to get control of the car and drive it to pit road without falling a lap down. The crew put on four fresh tires, added fuel and sent Sorenson back onto the track. When racing resumed on lap 62, the Discount Tire car was back in 31st.
Sorenson and the Discount Tire team were determined to finish well despite their trouble. Sorenson seemed unfazed by the set back and immediately began driving up through the field when racing resumed. When the caution flag waved on lap 99, he was back up to 12th in the Discount Tire Dodge. He brought the car down pit road for four tires, an air pressure adjustment and fuel. The team’s quick stop put Sorenson back into the top 10.
Sorenson began to have handling issues with the car in the closing laps, but was able to gain one more spot before the race ended on lap 147. Throughout the day, the No. 41 Dodge passed more than 50 cars en route to the ninth-place finish.
“It was a good day overall,” said Sorenson. “This track is tough, but it’s also fun. We were coming up through the field and I must have run over some debris from the last caution and the tire just cut down. I was able to keep it off the wall and keep going. The Discount Tire team gave me a great race car today, to come back and finish where we did says a lot about this team.”
Sorenson will drive the No. 41 Discount Tire Dodge in the final NASCAR Busch Series race of the season at Homestead-Miami Speedway on November 20.
