N’WIDE: Kevin Lepage Ends Green’s Streak, Scores 425th Nationwide Finish For Chevrolet

SOURCE: Rubbin's Racin'

Kevin Lepage picked up the 11th last-place finish of his NASCAR Nationwide Series career in Saturday’s Aaron’s 312 at the Talladega Superspeedway when his #52 TTTR Racing Engines Chevrolet fell out with clutch problems after completing 1 of the race’s 122 laps.

Qualifying for the race was rained-out, and Lepage secured the 37th starting spot. Although at least one of the four The Motorsports Group Chevrolets made an early pit stop, it was Lepage who was the first behind the wall. TMG’s Scott Speed followed one lap later, joined by teammates Chase Miller and Josh Wise.

Jeff Green came home 39th, ending a three-race streak of last-place finishes that propelled him to the all-time LASTCAR lead last Saturday.

Lepage’s Talladega car was owned by longtime owner-driver and 1988 LASTCAR Champion. Means, who campaigned the #52 during his own driving career, is making his return to the Cup Series as a team owner this season. Next week at Darlington, Hamilton Means Racing will make its second Cup Series attempt with Mike Skinner aboard. The team narrowly missed the show at Martinsville last month with Scott Speed aboard.

LASTCAR STATISTICS
*This was the first Nationwide last-place finish for Means Racing and the #52 since 2008, when Donnie Neunberger’s Plan B Technology Dodge fell out with handling woes after the opening lap of the Camping World RV Sales 200 at Dover.
*This was Lepage’s first last-place finish in the series since 2010, when his #56 Hyatt Place Richmond Airport Toyota fell out with fuel pump problems after 6 laps of the Virginia 529 College Savings 250 at Richmond.
*The last time a Nationwide Series driver finished last due to clutch problems was in 2004, when David Keith’s #95 Sadler Brothers Racing Ford fell out two laps into the Pepsi 300 at Nashville.
*Lepage’s finish marked the 425th for Chevrolet in the Nationwide Series.

THE BOTTOM FIVE
43) #52-Kevin Lepage / 1 lap / clutch
42) #47-Scott Speed / 2 laps / ignition
41) #46-Chase Miller / 8 laps / vibration
40) #42-Josh Wise / 9 laps / electrical
39) #10-Jeff Green / 9 laps / vibration

LASTCAR N'WIDE SERIES DRIVER'S CHAMPIONSHIP
1st) Jeff Green (5)
2nd) Mike Harmon, Kevin Lepage, Josh Wise (1)

LASTCAR N'WIDE SERIES OWNER'S CHAMPIONSHIP
1st) #10-TriStar Motorsports (5)
2nd) #42-The Motorsports Group, #52-Means Racing, #74-Mike Harmon (1)

LASTCAR N'WIDE SERIES MANUFACTURER'S CHAMPIONSHIP
1st) Toyota (5)
2nd) Chevrolet (3)