(Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
Sitting 28th in points after a 29th place finish at Michigan International Raceway, it almost seems that 23-year-old Reed Sorenson is racing for his job. One week after a crew, crew chief and car switch between he and teammate A.J. Allmendinger, Sorenson was looking to turn his luck around.
"I'm still enjoying myself and doing the best I can," the Georgia native told The Canadian Press. "I've just got to keep digging."
The weekend for Sorenson and new crew chief Sammy Johns immediately got off to a strong start when the No. 43 Dodge ended the first practice sixth on the podium and ran in the top five for most of Happy Hour before ending the session 13th.
Their good times would keep rolling in qualifying, when Sorenson laid down a 123.610 mph lap to qualify 10th.
In an effort to grasp the often treacherous Bristol Motor Speedway, Sorenson would also pilot the No. 1 Miccosukee Resort & Gaming Chevrolet for James Finch in the Nationwide Series.
Sorenson, who started 12th, was led to the green flag of the Food City 250 by polesitter Brad Keselowski, and ran in the top 15 for most of the night
On lap 52 Sorenson was racing for ninth with Stephen Wallace when Kyle Busch made a pass for the lead and was subsequently wrecked by the lap car of Chase Austin, who suffered a flat tire.
“(I) Actually came off the corner and hadn't used much break in this car; seems like I touched the break and I was sideways. And I was going down the straightaway sideways and headed straight for the inside wall and was trying to hold on to it. The (No.) 07 (Austin)...it's pretty ridiculous what he did to the (No.) 18 there.
“It's fun, I enjoy running in the Nationwide Series and stuff like this happens here. I just hate it for these guys.”
The Finch team was unable to get the battered car back on track, and Sorenson finished 35th.
Polesitter Mark Martin led the field to the green flag after an absolutely electrifying pre-race show at 7:49 Easter time.
Sorenson started on the outside, the preferred line in the Nationwide event and raced side by side with Juan Pablo Montoya to keep his position. On lap four Dave Blaney nearly made contact with the No. 43 as he began to fall through the pack.
On lap 10 Sorenson tapped the No. 20 of rookie Joey Logano, sending him into the wall and bringing out the day's first caution. He had fallen back to 11th.
Green flag on lap 16. Two laps later Sorenson, complaining of a tight car, fell back to 13th. The tight condition would keep him falling, as he ran 19th and continued to slip back 27 laps in the race.
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