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As the transmission in his No. 84 Red Bull Toyota let go Sunday, Cole Whitt
let go of his stranglehold on the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East points lead.
Red Bull Racing Team’s development driver seemed destined for another
impressive showing in the season’s third race at Iowa Speedway, qualifying
second overall earlier in the day and leading 31 laps. That was until, on lap
139, Whitt’s car slowed in turn three to bring out the race’s fifth caution.
The problem proved to be terminal. Whitt and the No. 84 retreated to the
garage, where they stayed for the final 62 laps. He finished 38th overall in
the Iowa 200 — a combination race that pitted the best from the East and
West series against each other in the same event with championship points
being awarded to the respective divisions.
“We came to Iowa with such a great car and I really thought we had a chance
to win this race,” said Whitt, who competed at Iowa once before in a July
2009 USAC sprint car race, finishing seventh. “My team works so hard, so it’s
really disappointing for us not to be able to finish a race. All we can do now is
focus on bringing a great race car to Martinsville and hope to have more
success there.”
Based on finishes of third and second in the season’s first two events, Whitt
carried a 25-point lead into Iowa. But he left the .875-mile track outside of
Des Moines fourth in the East championship — 22 points behind leader and
race winner Max Gresham. Because he finished 22nd among the East drivers
at Iowa, Whitt was credited with 22nd-place points (102). He also was the
highest qualifier from the East, thus earning his second pole of the season.
+ UP NEXT
UNOH Performance 200, Sunday, June 6, Martinsville (Va.) Speedway
+ IMAGES
Photos for editorial purposes: http://editorial.gettyimages.com.
+ MEDIA CONTACT
Ashley Miller Wise,
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, 704.664.8612
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