Annett earns career-best Nationwide finish at Kentucky

The Bluegrass State agrees with Michael Annett. The Richard Petty Motorsports driver attained his career-best finish – 4th place – in Friday’s Feed the Children 300 Nationwide race at Kentucky Speedway.

After starting in the ninth position, the driver of the No. 43 Ford broke into the top 5 before Lap 50. He led twice for three laps and ran in the top 5 for the majority of the 200-lap event.

Annett’s Kentucky finish is his best in 120 Nationwide starts and his first top 5 in the series. The 26-year-old Iowa native has collected four top 10s in 2012, his first year driving for Richard Petty Motorsports.

Annett was one of 10 cars to finish on the lead lap at Kentucky after Austin Dillon walloped the field in his first series victory.

“The car was just really good from last night, this afternoon to tonight,” Annett said. “This Pilot Flying J Ford Mustang was fast off the truck, and didn’t do anything stupid all weekend so you could keep making adjustments and be confident in them.

“These guys, they deserve top 5s and it’s a shame it took this long to get one.”

Annett sits seventh in the series standings, 99 markers behind points leader Austin Dillon.

“The summer stretch are my favorite racetracks. We know what it’s like to run in the top 10, top 5 all night and we just need to keep doing it,” Annett said.