Eric McClure

Avondale, AZ (April 11, 2008)—For the first time this season, Eric McClure and the Hefty® brand race team competed under the lights at the one-mile Phoenix International Raceway. McClure battled a tight-handling race car in the center of the turns before losing his brakes with 50 laps remaining in the 200 lap event to bring the No. 24 Hefty® brand Chevrolet home in the 29th position.

The Abingdon, Virginia native began the Bashas’ Supermarkets 200 in the 31st position after posting a time of 28.24 seconds during time trials Friday afternoon. Once the race began, Eric McClure slid back to the 37th position before settling in and finding his rhythm. By the time the first caution flag flew on lap 33, McClure had worked his way back up to the 33rd position, while fighting a tight handling car in the center of the turns. The Hefty® brand team took this opportunity to come to pit road to receive tires, fuel, and a shock adjustment. McClure restarted the event in the 31st position, one lap down to the leaders.

Over the next 40 laps, the handling on the Hefty® brand Chevrolet saw slightly improvement over the course of a long run. However, on lap 62, McClure reported that his brakes were vibrating and he was “having a hard time slowing the car down.” McClure continued to race hard and finally received the “Lucky Dog” free pass award on the fourth caution at lap 77. McClure was running in the 30th position.

Throughout the remainder of event the brakes continued to fail forcing McClure to ease off the throttle at earlier points in order for the car to slow enough to make the turns. As a result, McClure would eventually lose three laps to the race leader over the final 75 laps of the event to finish the Bashas’ Supermarkets 200 in the 29th position.

With this finish, McClure sits 25th in NASCAR Nationwide Series driver points while FRM sits 31st in NASCAR owners points. Eric McClure and the Hefty® Racing™ team returns to action on Saturday, April 26th with the running of the Aaron’s 312 at McClure’s favorite track, Talladega Superspeedway. FRM will utilize a road course specialist next week at Mexico.

Eric McClure, driver of the Hefty® Chevrolet quotes:
“We really had a fair car, probably the best we’ve been at times all season. Our brakes went bad before halfway, which caused us some issues on one of the restarts, and it really affected the way we had to run, especially in traffic over the long runs. I couldn’t drive the car as deep into the corners as I needed and still get it slowed down, and it cost us. The guys worked on the brakes twice during practice and it still bit us, and we fought tight in the center, but all in all much better for us this week. The guys worked extremely hard and I’m proud of them and glad to have had a better night for them. We’ll keep at it and we’re looking for them to have a good run in Mexico and I’m excited to get to Talladega. That could be a big week for us.”