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SCOTT MCLAUGHLIN No. 3 FREIGHTLINER CHEVROLET
START: 20TH
FINISH: 7TH
POINTS: 4TH (-88)
RACE RUNDOWN: Scott McLaughlin and the No. 3 Freightliner Chevrolet team brought one of the strongest cars to Portland International Raceway, but a slight mishap in qualifying – and a subsequent grid penalty – placed them in a deep track-position hole before rallying to finish seventh on Sunday afternoon. The New Zealander led both practice sessions before qualifying but did not leave himself enough of a gap on his flying lap during the first round of time trials, missing out on the second round and given credit for qualifying 14th. Prior to final practice, the decision was made to change the Chevrolet power plant in the No. 3 machine, which triggered a grid penalty of six additional positions. When the green flag flew, McLaughlin immediately began to improve his 20th place starting position and quickly moved into the top 15 within the first 40 laps. With the handling much to his liking, McLaughlin made it into the top 10 following his second pit stop of the day. In a race that featured minimal caution periods, McLaughlin was unable to make up the difference between he and the leaders without the assistance of a yellow flag, but he was named the series’ Hard Charger of the Race by improving 13 positions to finish seventh.
MCLAUGHLIN’S THOUGHTS: “I’m buggered. I’m tired. It was a hard charge but our Freightliner Chevy was good and the Thirsty Three’s were rapid on the pit stops. Really proud of the crew. I said to my wife who’s watching at home, hello Karly. I said top-seven today would be like a podium. I’m proud of that one and can’t wait to get home and then head to the final three races where on ovals we’ve proven we’ve been pretty good this year. We’ll see how we go.”
