Jeff Green matched his season-best finish with a sixth-place result in Sunday’s Lenox 300 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series race at New Hampshire International Speedway.
Green, who began the 300-lap race in the 15th starting spot, used a decisive pit strategy to earn the top-10 finish. Green’s No. 66 HAAS CNC Machine Tool/Best Buy Chevrolet team elected to take only two fresh tires during the final pit stop with 46 laps remaining. The speedy pit work placed Green in the fourth position when the race restarted and Green kept his car near the front of the field while Denny Hamlin drove to victory ahead of Jeff Gordon and Martin Truex Jr.
“We were as good as the leaders, we just needed track position, ” said Green. “Two tires was the way to go for us.
“This gets us back where we need to be, ” said Green. “You’re only as good as today. We’ve got to make sure we’re that good next week and the week after. I think we can. It was a good day for us. “
It was the best finish for Green since he placed sixth at Phoenix International Raceway Speedway in April. He also finished sixth at Bristol Motor Speedway in March.
Green’s ‘good day’ didn’t begin well, as he was shuffled back from the 15th starting spot to 24th during the first 10 laps. After a brief caution period, however, Green restarted and climbed back to the 18th position over the next 20 laps.
On the team’s second pit stop, on lap 95, the race strategy began to play out. The team took two tires on its second stop, as crew chief Harold Holly told Green and the crew: “It’s all about track position today. “
Green received four tires in each of his next two stops and raced in the top 20 until the final stop with 46 laps remaining. The two-tire stop vaulted Green into the fourth position for the race’s final restart and he held off all but two drivers to finish sixth.
Green returns to action Saturday, July 7 in the Pepsi 400 at Daytona International Speedway.
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