Todd Gilliland concluded the Phoenix race with a solid 12th-place finish on the track, even after encountering difficulties late in the event. Despite a pit road error near the end, Gilliland earned valuable stage points and showed resilience, positioning himself positively ahead of the upcoming race in Las Vegas.
Summary of Gilliland’s Performance Throughout the Race
Gilliland’s day included finishing 21st in Stage One and improving to 10th in Stage Two before crossing the finish line in 12th overall. This consistent effort following recent struggles was a notable step forward.
“It’s nice to leave a racetrack with a stage point and strong result after how the last three weeks have gone,”
Gilliland said.
“Even after the mishap on pit road late in the race, we still managed to score a top-15. It’s really encouraging heading into Vegas.”
Zane Smith’s Resilient Effort Amid Setbacks
Zane Smith faced difficulties at Phoenix, starting with a penalty that put him a lap down early in the race. Despite these setbacks, Smith worked diligently to recover and positioned himself well for the final laps, though an incident beyond his control impacted his finishing position.
Smith’s results showed improvement from Stage One, where he placed 35th, to 16th in Stage Two, ultimately finishing 27th in the race.
“Really proud of the way we fought all day,”
Smith commented.
“Obviously we got put behind with the penalty and going a lap down first stage with the pass through, but we made strides to eventually get ourselves in a good spot for the last stint and just got caught up in someone else’s mess again. Really frustrating but thankfully it’s a long a season.”
Noah Gragson’s Early Exit Due to Mechanical Failure
Noah Gragson’s race was cut short after he experienced a right-front rotor failure that resulted in a tire blowout and a severe hit. He noticed the issue developing just moments prior and tried to manage it, but the damage forced him out early.
Gragson finished 36th overall, after placing 36th in both Stages One and Two.
“We blew a right-front rotor and then it blew the tire out,”
Gragson explained.
“I started getting a long pedal a couple of laps prior to that and I made a comment about it after about a half lap saying, ‘Hey, my pedal is starting to get really long.’ So, I started lifting early and then it blew into one and then blew the tire wheel in half and all the air-pressure left the tire. It was a hard hit, but it is what it is. It definitely sucks having to go early next week in qualifying and try to put this behind us at Vegas, but, at the same time, this is the most amount of points I’ve had coming into Phoenix in my career into Vegas. Two years ago, we were in the negatives and climbed back up into the top 24 in points, so we’ll just go on and work hard. It’s just a bummer that we didn’t get to the end today.”
What This Means Moving Forward
Todd Gilliland’s ability to secure a strong finish while recovering from late-race trouble highlights his team’s determination heading into the next race at Las Vegas. Both Zane Smith and Noah Gragson faced difficulties that impacted their finishes, yet their reflections show a readiness to bounce back as the season progresses. The outcomes at Phoenix Raceway set a foundation for these drivers to build on, aiming for improved results in upcoming events.
