A rough stop by his team in the third and final segment probably cost Alex Labbé a place in the top ten this Saturday, during the NASCAR Xfinity Series event contested on the Indianapolis road circuit.
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It was finally in 12th place that the Quebec driver reached the finish, some 30 seconds behind the winner, the American A.J. Allmendinger.
“We made too many mistakes which turned out to be harmful in the end, said Labbé, in an interview with the Journal. It’s a shame, because a top 10 was accessible.
“We would have liked a yellow flag before the end of the race, but it did not come. Nevertheless, it is a good result for our team,” he added.
A nice climb
After starting from 14th place on the starting grid, Labbé chained overtaking to occupy 8th position on the third lap.
On the fifth lap, in a burst of combativeness too hasty, he tried to pass Josh Berry, but the maneuver damaged a tire and he had no choice but to return to the pit to have it replaced.
“From then on, underlined Labbé, we were in catch-up mode for the rest of the race. »
Finding himself out of sequence, the 29-year-old driver finished the second segment in second place, which earned him (and also his sponsor Can-Am) good visibility on the airwaves of the NBC network.
Refueling hesitation
Fast at the end of the course, Labbé wanted to improve his lot before the conclusion of the race.
“At our last pit stop, the fuel tanker thought I wouldn’t have enough gas to finish the race,” explained Labbé. There was a hesitation in the supply pit and we lost at least five positions.
“Then, we hoped for a last interruption to gain a few places, but in vain”, he added.
“We had a very competitive car, as is often the case on the road circuit, but we are still waiting for a big result. »
A satisfied owner
Owner of the DGM stable, which runs Labbé, Quebecer Mario Gosselin had another good reason to be happy.
Recruited for the Indianapolis race, the colorful driver Ross Chastain finished fourth after conceding third place to Justin Allgaier on the very last lap.
Chastain equals DGM’s best ever performance in the Xfinity Series. In 2020, Labbé had done the same at the Charlotte circuit.
♦ Alex Labbé’s next race will take place on Saturday at the Michigan oval. Any participation on his part in the NASCAR Pinty’s Series at the Grand Prix de Trois-Rivières is therefore excluded.
