Shaw Rallies For 15th Place Finish At NHMS
Loudon, N.H. (September 18, 2010): DJ Shaw had gone into the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East’s New Hampshire 125 with high expectations. The Conway, N.H.-based driver wanted a top-five finish at his homestate track, but instead, battled a transmission problem that cost him valuable positions on the track. The Precision JLM sponsored team, however, remained determined and Shaw was able to salvage a 15th place finish from the night, despite his mid-race struggles.
” It’s like the fourth race in a row that we’ve said ‘we could’ve had a top-five if..’. It just didn’t happen. Eventually something will happen and we’ll get a top-five, a top-three or even a win. We’re going to keep trying,” he said.
Shaw started 21st and maintained his position in the early laps of the race.
” We were just kind of stuck in track and maintained really. We weren’t going forward and we weren’t going backwards. The car wasn’t horrible it just wasn’t maneuverable. We had speed but when I got them I just couldn’t get by,” explained Shaw.
A caution at lap 31 saw DJ bring his No. 60 Precision JLM Chevrolet down pit road for fuel and, then, a second pit stop under caution, for tires. Shaw would have to start from the tail of the lead lap cars, but they knew their strategy was on point.
The first green flag, which only lasted a few laps, yielded promising results. The 20-year-old driver reported to his crew chief that the car was tight in and free off. It was something he could work with. While other teams opted to come in for a pit stop at lap 47, Shaw stayed out – a move that proved very beneficial to the team. The No. 60 Precision JLM Chevrolet went from 20th to 6th for the restart at lap 51.
At the drop of the green flag, Shaw maneuvered his way to fourth place, but dropped back to ninth by the halfway mark where he settled in until the caution flew at lap 74.
Again, a few cars opted to pit and Shaw remained where he was. On the restart at lap 79, Shaw was in sixth place. But, it was also the point where everything took a dramatic turn for Shaw. When the green dropped, Shaw did not come up to speed, and havoc ensued around him.
” It went into third and it flew out. I couldn’t get it into fourth and it caused a huge mess. I feel terrible about it, but it certainly wasn’t anything I did intentionally,” Shaw said.
NASCAR reverted to the last completed lap for the restart so Shaw was lined back up in sixth as the green flag came down again at lap 85. Shaw reported back to his crew that the car spun it’s tires and popped out of gear. Shaw was relegated to the tail end of the lead lap cars again.
A caution flew at lap 106 and Shaw made his way to pit road. The car was stuck in gear, and it couldn’t be fixed. He was going to start 20th when the race got back underway.
“It wouldn’t stay in third and I kept trying different combinations – second to fourth and things like that. Anything that I could. Eventually I had to just lock it into fourth. I lost seven spots every restart, but it was better than going to the back and losing 15,” he said.
The race was extended to allow for a green-white-checker finish and Shaw was able to move up to the 15th spot before the checkers dropped. Shaw is now ninth in the points with one race remaining in the 2010 season.
The New Hampshire 125 will air on SPEED on Thursday, September 23 at 6 p.m. ET.