Michael Annett Picks Up 12th Place Finish in 100th Career Nationwide Series Start
Dover, Del. (October 2, 2011) - In his 100th career NASCAR Nationwide Series start, 25-year-old Michael Annett brought home a 12th place finish on Dover International Speedway's Monster Mile.
After starting 18th in Saturday afternoon's 200 lap event, Annett quickly reported an extremely loose handling race car with no rear grip. The No. 62 RaceWithRusty.com team made their first stop of the day on lap 42 after a competition yellow came out on lap 40. Crew chief Rick Viers called for four new Goodyears, adjustments to air pressure, track bar adjustments and fuel. Annett restarted in the 18th position on lap 47.
The Rusty Wallace Racing driver reported that the changes made during the first stop didn't help at all, so after caution number three on lap 78, Viers made a bigger swing at improving the No. 62 car's free handling condition. The green flag was back out on lap 84 with Annett in 19th.
Throughout the next 30 green flag laps at Dover International Speedway, the handling issue got better, but then went downhill again. Still struggling with a loose handling Camry with no rear grip, Annett hoped for more help on the team's next stop. Cars began making green flag stops around lap 150, and Viers was planning on bringing the No. 62 RaceWithRusty.com Toyota in on lap 166 under green until the fourth and final caution of the race came out on lap 158.
Annett visited pit road under yellow for four tires, fuel, wedge and air pressure adjustments before restarting in the ninth position and back on the lead lap with 33 laps to go. Despite changes made on pit road, Annett continued to fight an ill-handling car throughout the remainder of the race. The No. 62 RaceWithRusty.com Camry finished 12th in the OneMain Financial 200, the third highest finishing Toyota in the 43 car pack.
Annett is still seated 10th in the Nationwide Series championship point standings, just seven markers behind ninth place Brian Scott and 11 points back from his teammate Steve Wallace in eighth with five races remaining in the 2011 season. The Nationwide Series circuit now travels to Kansas Speedway for the Kansas Lottery 300 on October 8. Tune to ESPN2 and MRN Radio at 3:30 p
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