After 4 races, Gragson and his No. 10 Ford staff are SHR’s most constant performers, and it’s a lot welcomed by the driving force and staff.
Gragson’s Twenty sixth-place place within the sequence standings is misleading, because it features a 35-point penalty the staff incurred from NASCAR for unapproved roof air deflectors discovered on his automobile on the Atlanta race.
On the monitor, Gragson has a pair of top-10 finishes and ran within the prime 10 most of Sunday’s race at Phoenix earlier than fading to Twelfth on the ultimate lengthy green-flag run. With out the penalty, the 25-year-old Las Vegas native would sit a good fifteenth within the standings.
The robust runs have executed wonders for Gragson’s confidence – he misplaced his experience at Legacy Motor Membership in his rookie season final 12 months after he was suspended by NASCAR for a violation of its code of conduct – but in addition for SHR, which has battled its personal efficiency points the previous two seasons.
Noah Gragson, Stewart Haas Racing, Black Rifle Espresso / Ranger Boats Ford Mustang
Picture by: Rusty Jarrett / NKP / Motorsport Photos
Whereas teammates Ryan Preece and Josh Berry have struggled to begin the 12 months, Gragson and Chase Briscoe have proven the group has made strides.
“We are going to hold going and continue learning. Each race. Each weekend. It’s nonetheless early. It’s the fourth race,” Gragson stated. “We ran inside the highest 10 for many of the day and it’s type of a bummer, however it’s thrilling to be good and to be disillusioned with an Twelfth-place end.
“That’s thrilling for our staff. We need to hold it going.”
Discovering confidence
Gragson was already extraordinarily upbeat about his offseason transfer to SHR however simply 4 races in, he appears to have bonded effectively together with his new staff and crew chief Drew Blickensderfer.
“I’ve a number of religion in Drew and the remainder of these guys. They’ve been actually good for me in constructing my confidence,” Gragson stated. “We’re a good group and I’ve these guys’ backs.
“It’s all the time a number of enjoyable when your stuff has pace, and you may present up and commit your fingers and drive into the nook arduous. Briscoe was good all day and had cost there on the finish.
“It’s a number of confidence coming to the race monitor in comparison with what I had final 12 months at the moment.”
Despite the fact that it was simply his second profession sequence begin at Phoenix, Gragson was one of many few drivers who believed the brand new quick monitor aero guidelines which debuted in Sunday’s race made a optimistic distinction.
“For me, this factor drove tremendous good in comparison with what I’ve had up to now right here. I don’t know if it was the package deal final 12 months or what. You in all probability should ask some extra skilled guys, some guys that ran up entrance in each races,” he stated.
“I felt good with it. I felt like we might transfer round rather a lot and the tire was good. It was a enjoyable day.”
