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THE RACE: MARTINSVILLE SPEEDWAY - Kroger 250

Truck Series Race #4 of 25 for the 2008 season

Next Race - Kansas Speedway
Last Race - Atlanta Motor Speedway

Race: Saturday, March 29, 2008 at Martinsville Speedway

Track Layout: .526-Mile Oval

Length: 250 Laps, 131.5 Miles

2007 Winner: Mike Skinner

2007 Pole: Mike Skinner

TV: Fox 3:00pm/et [Live]

Radio: MRN

Announcers: Rick Allen, Phil Parsons, Darrell Waltrip

Pit Reporters: Ray Dunlap, Adam Alexander

Pre-race Host: Krista Voda

Practice Dates/Times

Practice: Friday, March 28, 2008; 11:00 - 11:50am/et and 1:45 - 3:30pm/et

Qualifying Info

Qualifying: Saturday March 29, 2008; 10:10am/et

Entry, Practice, Qualifying and Race Information

Setzer wins at Martinsville: #18-Dennis Setzer brings home the win for BHR-Virginia in the Kroger 250 at Martinsville. This was Setzer's 18th career series win; his third win in 17 starts at Martinsville. Rounding out the top ten were; #88-Matt Crafton in second [a series best for Crafton], #14-Rick Crawford third, #52-Ken Schrader fourth, #99-Erik Darnell fifth, #11-David Starr sixth, #09-Travis Kvapil seventh, #33-Ron Hornaday eighth, #71-Donny Lia ninth, #46-Scott Speed tenth. On the last lap, then third place #51-Kyle Busch got into the back of #23-Johnny Benson who was running second causing them both to spin [Benson finished 25th; Busch finished 26th]. #03-Chrissy Wallace finished a respectable 17th in her series debut. There were 8 lead changes among 5 drivers and 10 caution flags for 128 laps.(3-29-2008)
Race Awards:
Featherlite Most Improved Driver Award : David Starr, #11 (15 Places)
Keystone Light Pole Award: Jack Sprague, #2 (96.327 mph)(Track Record)
Mahle Clevite Engine Builder of the Race: Dennis Setzer, #18
Mobil 1 Command Performance: Dennis Setzer, #18
Raybestos Rookie of the Race Award: Donny Lia, #71
Sunoco Diamond Performance: Dennis Setzer, #18
Wix Filters Lap Leader Award: Dennis Setzer, #18 (126 Laps)
(NASCAR Media)(3-29-2008)

NASCAR Race Number 4
Official Race Results for the Kroger "250" - Saturday, March 29, 2008
Martinsville Speedway - Martinsville, VA - .53 Mile Paved
Total Race Length - 253 Laps - 133.08 Miles - Purse: $520,137

Finish	Start	Trk #	Driver	Team	Laps	Points	Bonus	Award	Status	Times	#Led
1	10	18	Dennis Setzer	Duck Head Footwear/Aquadock	253	195	10	$55,025	Running	1	126
2	24	88	Matt Crafton	Menards/Ideal Door Chevy	253	170		$32,550	Running
3	5	14	Rick Crawford	Power Stroke Diesel by Int'l Ford	253	165		$22,320	Running
4	28	52	Ken Schrader	Federated Auto Parts Toyota	253	160		$12,910	Running
5	18	99	Erik Darnell	Northern Tool + Equipment Ford	253	155		$13,085	Running
6	9	11	David Starr	Red Horse Racing Toyota	253	150		$13,385	Running
7	14	09	Travis Kvapil	Zaxby's Ford	253	146		$11,435	Running
8	3	33	Ron Hornaday	VFW Chevy	253	147	5	$12,385	Running	2	3
9	25	71	Donny Lia #	AutismSpeaks.org Chevy	253	138		$10,085	Running
10	17	46	Scott Speed	Red Bull Chevy	253	134		$11,835	Running
11	16	10	Brendan Gaughan	Int'l MAXXFORCE Diesel	253	130		$12,135	Running
12	15	30	Todd Bodine	Lumber Liquidators Toyota	253	127		$11,110	Running
13	13	60	Terry Cook	Wyler.com Toyota	253	124		$11,060	Running
14	7	6	Colin Braun #	Con-way Freight Ford	253	121		$11,010	Running
15	21	59	Ted Musgrave	Team ASE/Harris Trucking Toyota	253	118		$11,685	Running
16	12	22	Phillip McGilton #	Three Wide Life Toyota	253	115		$11,260	Running
17	19	07	Ryan Lawler	Deals Auto Auction of Dallas	253	112		$11,010	Running
18	35	03	Chrissy Wallace	GEICO/Mobil Delvac Toyota	253	109		$8,510	Running
19	6	47	Timothy Peters	Tahoe Chevy	253	106		$8,460	Running
20	23	9	Justin Marks #	Construct Corps/Crocs Toyota	253	103		$11,335	Running
21	2	15	Denny Hamlin	Miccosukee Resorts Toyota	253	105	5	$8,360	Running	2	64
22	29	40	Chad Chaffin	Key Motorsports Chevy	253	97		$10,585	Running
23	33	20	Scott Lagasse Jr	Nicholson Group Development Ford	253	94		$10,560	Running
24	1	2	Jack Sprague	Camping World/RVs.Com Chevy	253	96	5	$10,160	Running	2	28
25	22	23	Johnny Benson	Toyota Certified Used Vehicles Toyota	253	88		$9,185	Running
26	11	51	Kyle Busch	Miccosukee Resorts Toyota	253	90	5	$8,135	Running	2	32
27	31	08	Jason White	GunBroker.com Dodge	252	82		$9,110	Running
28	34	21	Jon Wood	The Barnhill Group Ford	252	79		$8,085	Running
29	20	5	Mike Skinner	Toyota Tundra Toyota	251	76		$8,035	Running
30	4	16	Brian Scott #	Shark Energy Drink/Albertsons	250	73		$8,010	Running
31	32	85	Brent Raymer	A& J Concrete/Cars,Trucks & RVs	250	70		$7,565	Running
32	30	8	Chad McCumbee	Malcolmson Construction Chevy	249	67		$7,535	Running
33	36	42	Tim Cowen	Cowen Truck Lines Ford	247	64		$7,510	Running
34	8	13	Shelby Howard	ThorSport Racing Chevy	237	61		$7,485	Accident
35	26	4	Stacy Compton	Shelor.com/Dodge Dealers Dodge	219	58		$7,460	Running
36	27	7	Andy Lally #	TRG Motorsports/Adobe Road Winery	77	55		$7,405	Accident

Race Comments:	Before an estimated crowd of 20,000 - Dennis Setzer won the Kroger 250 - his 18th NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series victory. No one dropped to the rear.
Failed to Qualify:	N/A
Time of Race:	02 Hrs, 10 Mins
Average Speed:	61.311 MPH
Margin of Victory:	Caution
Caution Flags:	16 for 83 laps: Laps: 42-45 (#22 accident turn 4); 51-55 (Debris); 64-67 (#85 accident turn 4); 80-91 (#08,7,9 accident turn 3); 103-107 (#22 spun turn 1); 129-134 (#85 spun turn 4); 137-148 (#2,4,21,47 accident turn 3 [Red - Lap 144 - 5:35]); 164-168 (#22 spun turn 4); 178-181 (#30,40 accident turn 4); 185-190 (#16 accident turn 3); 205-208 (#6 spun turn 4); 219-222 (#59 spun turn 2); 233-236 (#20 spun turn 3); 239-242 (#2,13 accident backstretch [Red - Lap 239 - 4-42]); 249-251 (#5 spun turn 4); 253-253 (#23,51 accident turn 4)
Lead Changes:	8 among 5 drivers: J. Sprague 1-4; R. Hornaday 5; J. Sprague 6-29; R. Hornaday 30-31; D. Hamlin 32-92; K. Busch 93; D. Hamlin 94-96; K. Busch 97-127; D. Setzer 128-253.

Busch leads driver point standings: #51-Kyle Busch holds onto the lead in the driver point standings following Martinsville with 645; 35 points ahead of #30-Todd Bodine in second. Rounding out the top ten are; #33-Ron Hornaday third, #18-Dennis Setzer fourth, #14-Rick Crawford fifth, #88-Matt Crafton sixth, #11-David Starr seventh, #99-Erik Darnell eighth, #23-Johnny Benson ninth, #60-Terry Cook tenth.(3-29-2008)

Points Report
Martinsville Speedway
KROGER 250
Provided by NASCAR Statistics - Saturday, 3/29/2008 @ 6:01 PM Eastern OFFICIAL

Pos	Driver	BPts	Pts	Ldr	Starts
1	Kyle Busch	20	645	0	4
2	Todd Bodine	15	610	-35	4
3	Ron Hornaday	25	580	-65	4
4	Dennis Setzer	20	578	-67	4
5	Rick Crawford	5	576	-69	4
6	Matt Crafton	0	539	-106	4
7	David Starr	0	534	-111	4
8	Erik Darnell	15	527	-118	4
9	Johnny Benson	10	501	-144	4
10	Terry Cook	0	499	-146	4
11	Ted Musgrave	0	493	-152	4
12	Phillip McGilton #	0	491	-154	4
13	Chad McCumbee	5	482	-163	4
14	Mike Skinner	10	469	-176	4
15	Jack Sprague	10	454	-191	4
16	Brendan Gaughan	0	436	-209	4
17	Justin Marks #	0	430	-215	4
18	Brian Scott #	0	417	-228	4
19	Stacy Compton	0	414	-231	4
20	Colin Braun #	0	408	-237	4
21	Travis Kvapil	5	406	-239	3
22	Jon Wood	0	362	-283	4
23	Scott Lagasse Jr	0	361	-284	4
24	Andy Lally #	0	358	-287	4
25	Shelby Howard	0	352	-293	4
26	Jason White	5	348	-297	4
27	Donny Lia #	0	326	-319	3
28	Marc Mitchell	0	321	-324	3
29	Chad Chaffin	0	319	-326	4
30	Scott Speed	0	216	-429	2
31	Erin Crocker	0	203	-442	2
32	Scott Lynch	0	185	-460	2
33	Shane Sieg	0	164	-481	2
34	Ken Schrader	0	160	-485	1
35	Mike Bliss	0	155	-490	2
36	Wayne Edwards	0	112	-533	1
37	Ryan Lawler	0	112	-533	1
38	Larry Foyt	0	109	-536	1
39	Chrissy Wallace	0	109	-536	1
40	Timothy Peters	0	106	-539	1
41	Denny Hamlin	5	105	-540	1
42	Justin Hobgood	0	103	-542	1
43	Brent Raymer	0	70	-575	1
44	Butch Miller	0	67	-578	2
45	Joey Clanton	0	67	-578	1
46	Tim Cowen	0	64	-581	1
47	P J Jones	0	58	-587	1
48	A J Allmendinger	0	0	-645	1
49	Morgan Shepherd	0	0	-645	1

Owner Points Following Race # 4
Martinsville Speedway
KROGER 250
Provided by NASCAR Statistics - Saturday, 3/29/2008 @ 6:24 PM Eastern OFFICIAL

Pos	Owner	Trk#	Pts	Ldr	Starts
1	Billy Ballew	51	645		4
2	Steve Germain	30	610	-35	4
3	Delana Harvick	33	580	-65	4
4	Lori Hamilton	18	578	-67	4
5	Tom Mitchell	14	576	-69	4
6	Rhonda Thorson	88	539	-106	4
7	Tom Deloach	11	534	-111	4
8	Jack Roush	99	527	-118	4
9	Gail Davis	23	501	-144	4
10	Jeffrey Wyler	60	499	-146	4
11	James Harris, Jr	59	493	-152	4
12	Bill Davis	22	491	-154	4
13	Dave Malcolmson	8	482	-163	4
14	Jack Roush	09	473	-172	4
15	Bill Davis	5	469	-176	4
16	Delana Harvick	2	454	-191	4
17	Tom Mitchell	10	436	-209	4
18	Bob Germain	9	430	-215	4
19	Billy Ballew	15	426	-219	4
20	David Dollar	46	419	-226	4
21	Joe Scott	16	417	-228	4
22	Lori Hamilton	4	414	-231	4
23	Jack Roush	6	408	-237	4
24	Kevin Buckler	71	390	-255	4
25	Ken Smith	07	367	-2787	4
26	Eddie Wood	21	362	-283	4
27	Tad Geschickter	20	361	-284	4
28	Kevin Buckler	7	358	-287	4
29	Duke Thorson	13	352	-293	4
30	Bobby Dotter	08	348	-297	4
31	Curtis Key	40	319	-326	4
32	James Lynch	29	185	-460	2
33	Ken Schrader	52	160	-485	1
34	Jim Rosenblum	28	112	-533	1
35	Richard Germain	03	109	-536	1
36	Shelly Brevak	31	109	-536	1
37	David Dollar	47	106	-539	2
38	William Bishop	53	103	-542	1
39	Chrissie Raymer	85	70	-575	1
40	Gene Christensen	0	67	-578	2
41	Bob Cowen	42	64	-581	1
42	Michael Mittler	63	58	-587	1
43	Curtis Key	44	52	-593	1

Sprague wins pole; sets new track record: #2-Jack Sprague set a new track record with a speed of 96.327 to win the Keystone Light Pole for the Kroger 250 at Martinsville Speedway. This was Spragues 32nd pole in 276 career Truck Series races. Rounding out the top ten were #15-Denny Hamlin second, #33-Ron Hornaday third, #16-Brian Scott fourth, #14-Rick Crawford fifth, #47-Timothy Peters sixth, #6-Colin Braun seventh, #13-Shelby Howard eighth, #11-David Starr ninth, #18-Dennis Setzer tenth.(3-29-2008)

Pit Stall Selections

Starting Line Up
Martinsville Speedway
KROGER 250
Provided by NASCAR Statistics - Sat, March 29, 2008 @ 11:17 AM Eastern

Pos	Trk#	Driver	Team	Time	Speed
1	2	Jack Sprague	Camping World/RVs.Com Chevy	19.658	96.327
2	15	Denny Hamlin	Miccosukee Resorts Toyota	19.818	95.550
3	33	Ron Hornaday	VFW Chevy	19.886	95.223
4	16	Brian Scott #	Shark Energy Drink/Albertsons Chevy	19.910	95.108
5	14	Rick Crawford	Power Stroke Diesel by Int'l Ford	19.962	94.860
6	47	Timothy Peters	Tahoe Chevy	19.972	94.813
7	6	Colin Braun #	Con-way Freight Ford	19.993	94.713
8	13	Shelby Howard	ThorSport Racing Chevy	19.997	94.694
9	11	David Starr	Red Horse Racing Toyota	20.015	94.609
10	18	Dennis Setzer	Duck Head Footwear/Aquadock Dodge	20.019	94.590
11	51	Kyle Busch	Miccosukee Resorts Toyota	20.038	94.500
12	22	Phillip McGilton #	Three Wide Life Toyota	20.054	94.425
13	60	Terry Cook	Wyler.com Toyota	20.091	94.251
14	09	Travis Kvapil	Zaxby's Ford	20.100	94.209
15	30	Todd Bodine	Lumber Liquidators Toyota	20.103	94.195
16	10	Brendan Gaughan	Int'l MAXXFORCE Diesel Ford	20.131	94.064
17	46	Scott Speed	Red Bull Chevy	20.162	93.919
18	99	Erik Darnell	Northern Tool + Equipment Ford	20.176	93.854
19	07	Ryan Lawler	Deals Auto Auction of Dallas Chevy	20.185	93.812
20	5	Mike Skinner	Toyota Tundra Toyota	20.186	93.808
21	59	Ted Musgrave	Team ASE/Harris Trucking Toyota	20.198	93.752
22	23	Johnny Benson	Toyota Certified Used Vehicles Toyota	20.220	93.650
23	9	Justin Marks #	Construct Corps/Crocs Toyota	20.230	93.604
24	88	Matt Crafton	Menards/Ideal Door Chevy	20.239	93.562
25	71	Donny Lia #	AutismSpeaks.org Chevy	20.267	93.433
26	4	Stacy Compton	Shelor.com/Dodge Dealers Dodge	20.270	93.419
27	7	Andy Lally #	TRG Motorsports/Adobe Road Winery	20.321	93.184
28	52	Ken Schrader	Federated Auto Parts Toyota	20.370	92.960
29	40	Chad Chaffin	Key Motorsports Chevy	20.399	92.828
30	8	Chad McCumbee	Malcolmson Construction Chevy	20.439	92.646
31	08	Jason White	GunBroker.com Dodge	20.547	92.159
32	85	Brent Raymer	A&J Concrete/Cars,Trucks & RVs Ford	20.577	92.025
33	20	Scott Lagasse Jr	Nicholson Group Development Ford	20.631	91.784
34	21	Jon Wood	The Barnhill Group Ford	20.639	91.749
35	03	Chrissy Wallace	GEICO/Mobil Delvac Toyota	20.663	91.642
36	42	Tim Cowen	Cowen Truck Lines Ford	21.129	89.621
DNQ - None

Braun fastest in Happy Hour: #6-Colin Braun led the final practice session at Martinsville with a speed of 94.870 followed by #60-Terry Cook second, #5-Mike Skinner third, #33-Ron Hornaday fourth, #2-Jack Sprague fifth, #21-Jon Wood sixth, #22-Phillip McGilton seventh, #52-Ken Schrader eighth, #51-Kyle Busch ninth, #18-Dennis Setzer tenth.(3-28-2008)

NCTS Final Practice
Martinsville Speedway
KROGER 250
Provided by NASCAR Statistics - Fri, March 28, 2008 @ 03:30 PM Eastern

Pos	#	Driver	Team	Time	Speed	# Laps
1	6	Colin Braun #	Con-way Freight Ford	19.960	94.870	97
2	60	Terry Cook	Wyler.com Toyota	19.983	94.761	52
3	5	Mike Skinner	Toyota Tundra Toyota	19.993	94.713	87
4	33	Ron Hornaday	VFW Chevy	20.012	94.623	69
5	*2	Jack Sprague	Camping World/RVs.Com Chevy	20.018	94.595	42
6	21	Jon Wood	The Barnhill Group Ford	20.052	94.435	75
7	22	Phillip McGilton #	Three Wide Life Toyota	20.059	94.402	70
8	*52	Ken Schrader	Federated Auto Parts Toyota	20.070	94.350	53
9	51	Kyle Busch	Miccosukee Resorts Toyota	20.075	94.326	46
10	18	Dennis Setzer	Duck Head Footwear/Aquadock Dodge	20.076	94.322	86
11	13	Shelby Howard	ThorSport Racing Chevy	20.080	94.303	66
12	16	Brian Scott #	Shark Energy Drink/Albertsons Chevy	20.082	94.293	89
13	*15	Denny Hamlin	Miccosukee Resorts Chevy	20.085	94.279	51
14	46	Scott Speed	Red Bull Chevy	20.088	94.265	75
15	11	David Starr	Red Horse Racing Toyota	20.106	94.181	72
16	88	Matt Crafton	Menards/Ideal Door Chevy	20.125	94.092	53
17	*47	Timothy Peters	Tahoe Chevy	20.132	94.059	77
18	99	Erik Darnell	Northern Tool + Equipment Ford	20.164	93.910	72
19	09	Travis Kvapil	Zaxby's Ford	20.169	93.887	69
20	7	Andy Lally #	TRGMotorsports/Adobe Road Winery	20.177	93.849	82
21	14	Rick Crawford	Power Stroke Diesel by Int'l Ford	20.181	93.831	65
22	8	Chad McCumbee	Malcolmson Construction Chevy	20.182	93.826	37
23	*71	Donny Lia #	AutismSpeaks.org Chevy	20.193	93.775	99
24	59	Ted Musgrave	Team ASE/Harris Trucking Toyota	20.211	93.692	79
25	10	Brendan Gaughan	Int'l MAXXFORCE Diesel Ford	20.222	93.641	77
26	30	Todd Bodine	Lumber Liquidators Toyota	20.244	93.539	82
27	08	Jason White	GunBroker.com Dodge	20.282	93.364	84
28	40	Chad Chaffin	Key Motorsports Chevy	20.317	93.203	40
29	23	Johnny Benson	Toyota Certified Used Vehicles Toyota	20.322	93.180	85
30	20	Scott Lagasse Jr	Nicholson Group Development Ford	20.339	93.102	67
31	*85	Brent Raymer	A&J Concrete/Cars,Trucks & RVs Ford	20.355	93.029	81
32	4	Stacy Compton	Shelor.com/Dodge Dealers Dodge	20.358	93.015	29
33	9	Justin Marks #	Construct Corps/Crocs Toyota	20.394	92.851	82
34	07	Ryan Lawler	Deals Auto Auction of Dallas Chevy	20.442	92.633	43
35	*03	Chrissy Wallace	GEICO/Mobil Delvac Toyota	20.480	92.461	91
36	*42	Tim Cowen	Cowen Truck Lines Ford	20.817	90.964	85
*Required to qualify on time

Braun leads first practice session: #6-Colin Braun was the fastest during the first practice session at Martinsville with a speed of 94.23 followed by #23-Johnny Benson second, #88-Matt Crafton third, #21-Jon Wood fourth, #71-Donny Lia fifth, #2-Jack Sprague sixth, #18-Dennis Setzer seventh, #5-Mike Skinner eighth, #15-Denny Hamlin ninth, #59-Ted Musgrave tenth. There were three incidents during the first session; two in Turn 2; #14-Rick Crawford , #60-Terry Cook; one in Turn 4-#20-Scott Lagasse Jr. [so significant damage to any of the trucks].(3-28-2008)

NCTS Practice 1
Martinsville Speedway
KROGER 250
Provided by NASCAR Statistics - Fri, March 28, 2008 @ 11:56 AM Eastern

Pos	#	Driver	Team	Time	Speed	# Laps
1	6	Colin Braun #	Con-way Freight Ford	20.096	94.228	39
2	23	Johnny Benson	Toyota Certified Used Vehicles Toyota	20.112	94.153	23
3	88	Matt Crafton	Menards/Ideal Door Chevy	20.114	94.143	32
4	21	Jon Wood	The Barnhill Group Ford	20.136	94.041	12
5	*71	Donny Lia #	AutismSpeaks.org Chevy	20.140	94.022	15
6	*2	Jack Sprague	Camping World/RVs.Com Chevy	20.169	93.887	23
7	18	Dennis Setzer	Duck Head Footwear/Aquadock Dodge	20.171	93.877	24
8	5	Mike Skinner	Toyota Tundra Toyota	20.198	93.752	42
9	*15	Denny Hamlin	Miccosukee Resorts Chevy	20.232	93.594	39
10	59	Ted Musgrave	Team ASE/Harris Trucking Toyota	20.279	93.377	34
11	30	Todd Bodine	Lumber Liquidators Toyota	20.294	93.308	35
12	*52	Ken Schrader	Federated Auto Parts Toyota	20.303	93.267	23
13	10	Brendan Gaughan	Int'l MAXXFORCE Diesel Ford	20.309	93.240	49
14	14	Rick Crawford	Power Stroke Diesel by Int'l Ford	20.330	93.143	33
15	46	Scott Speed	Red Bull Chevy	20.332	93.134	25
16	11	David Starr	Red Horse Racing Toyota	20.332	93.134	17
17	*47	Timothy Peters	Tahoe Chevy	20.347	93.065	41
18	60	Terry Cook	Wyler.com Toyota	20.349	93.056	27
19	13	Shelby Howard	ThorSport Racing Chevy	20.385	92.892	36
20	99	Erik Darnell	Northern Tool + Equipment Ford	20.397	92.837	42
21	8	Chad McCumbee	Malcolmson Construction Chevy	20.417	92.746	17
22	22	Phillip McGilton #	Three Wide Life Toyota	20.422	92.724	40
23	7	Andy Lally #	TRG Motorsports/Adobe Road Winery	20.424	92.715	43
24	33	Ron Hornaday	VFW Chevy	20.428	92.696	35
25	16	Brian Scott #	Shark Energy Drink/Albertsons Chevy	20.435	92.665	40
26	4	Stacy Compton	Shelor.com/Dodge Dealers Dodge	20.472	92.497	23
27	51	Kyle Busch	Miccosukee Resorts Toyota	20.500	92.371	20
28	09	Travis Kvapil	Zaxby's Ford	20.524	92.263	32
29	08	Jason White	GunBroker.com Dodge	20.536	92.209	45
30	9	Justin Marks #	Construct Corps/Crocs Toyota	20.545	92.168	46
31	*03	Chrissy Wallace	GEICO/Mobil Delvac Toyota	20.545	92.168	51
32	20	Scott Lagasse Jr	Nicholson Group Development Ford	20.554	92.128	36
33	40	Chad Chaffin	Key Motorsports Chevy	20.570	92.056	34
34	*85	Brent Raymer	A&J Concrete/Cars,Trucks & RVs Ford	20.606	91.896	46
35	07	Ryan Lawler	Deals Auto Auction of Dallas Chevy	20.609	91.882	27
36	*42	Tim Cowen	Cowen Truck Lines Ford	20.831	90.903	44
*Required to qualify on time

Entry List
Martinsville Speedway
KROGER 250
Provided by NASCAR Statistics - Fri, March 28, 2008 @ 08:29 AM Eastern

Entry	Trk#	Driver	Team	Owner	Crew Chief
1	*2	Jack Sprague	Camping World/RVs.Com Chevy	Delana Harvick	Ernie Cope
2	*03	Chrissy Wallace	GEICO/Mobil Delvac Toyota	Richard Germain	Mike Abner
3	4	Stacy Compton	Shelor.com/Dodge Dealers Dodge	Lori Hamilton	Bryant Frazier
4	5	Mike Skinner	Toyota Tundra Toyota	Bill Davis	Jeff Hensley
5	6	Colin Braun #	Con-way Freight Ford	Jack Roush	MIke Beam
6	07	Ryan Lawler	Deals Auto Auction of Dallas Chevy	Ken Smith	Bobby Dotter
7	7	Andy Lally #	TRG Motorsports/Adobe Road Winery	Kevin Buckler	Butch Hylton
8	08	Jason White	GunBroker.com Dodge	Bobby Dotter	Doug Howe
9	8	Chad McCumbee	Malcolmson Construction Chevy	David Malcolmson	Randy Dean
10	09	Travis Kvapil	Zaxby's Ford	Jack Roush	Chad Norris
11	9	Justin Marks #	Construct Corps/Crocs Toyota	Bob Germain	Jason Overstreet
12	10	Brendan Gaughan	Int'l MAXXFORCE Diesel Ford	Tom Mitchell	Bryan Berry
13	11	David Starr	Red Horse Racing Toyota	Tom DeLoach	Jamie Jones
14	13	Shelby Howard	ThorSport Racing Chevy	Duke Thorson	Chris Rice
15	14	Rick Crawford	Power Stroke Diesel by Int'l Ford	Tom Mitchell	Kevin Starland
16	*15	Denny Hamlin	Miccosukee Resorts Chevy	Billy Ballew	Doug George
17	16	Brian Scott #	Shark Energy Drink/Albertsons Chevy	Joe Scott	David Fuge
18	18	Dennis Setzer	Duck Head Footwear/Aquadock Dodge	Lori Hamilton	Marcus Richmond
19	20	Scott Lagasse Jr	Nicholson Group Development Ford	Tad Geschickter	Gary Cogswell
20	21	Jon Wood	The Barnhill Group Ford	Eddie Wood	John Monsam
21	22	Phillip McGilton #	Three Wide Life Toyota	Bill Davis	Doug Wolcott
22	23	Johnny Benson	Toyota Certified Used Vehicles Toyota	Gail Davis	Trip Bruce
23	30	Todd Bodine	Lumber Liquidators Toyota	Steven Germain	Mike Hillman Jr.
24	33	Ron Hornaday	VFW Chevy	Delana Harvick	Rick Ren
25	40	Chad Chaffin	Key Motorsports Chevy	Curtis Key	Gary Showalter
26	*42	Tim Cowen	Cowen Truck Lines Ford	Cowen Robert	Stan Hover
27	46	Scott Speed	Red Bull Chevy	David Dollar	Eric Phillips
28	*47	Timothy Peters	Tahoe Chevy	David Dollar	Danny Gill
29	51	Kyle Busch	Miccosukee Resorts Toyota	Billy Ballew	Richie Wauters
30	*52	Ken Schrader	Federated Auto Parts Toyota	Ken Schrader	Donnie Richeson
31	59	Ted Musgrave	Team ASE/Harris Trucking Toyota	James Harris	Danny Rollins
32	60	Terry Cook	Wyler.com Toyota	Jeff Wyler	George Church
33	*71	Donny Lia #	AutismSpeaks.org Chevy	Kevin Buckler	Jason Miller
34	*85	Brent Raymer	A&J Concrete/Cars,Trucks & RVs Ford	Christina Raymer	Pete Raymer
35	88	Matt Crafton	Menards/Ideal Door Chevy	Rhonda Thorson	Bud Haefele
36	99	Eric Darnell	Northern Tool + Equipment Ford	Jack Roush	Matt Puccia
*Required to qualify on time

Note: Two trucks have withdrawn; #0-Butch Miller & #54-Brian Sockwell. There are now 36 trucks entered.(3-28-2008)

Truck Series News & Notes - Martinsville Speedway

First Female Driver From Wallace Clan Debuts At Martinsville:

Chrissy Wallace (#03 Toyota) hopes to follow her father Mike's footsteps into NASCAR national series competition. If she's successful in qualifying for Saturday's Kroger 250, both father and 19-year-old daughter will have made their debuts at Martinsville Speedway.

Mike Wallace, a four-time NASCAR Craftsman Truck winner, finished second in his maiden NASCAR Nationwide Series race at Martinsville on Oct. 28, 1990. He'll also spot for his daughter, who in 2007 became the first female driver to win a late model stock car race at historic Hickory Motor Speedway.

The younger Wallace would become the ninth female to compete in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. Rookies don't always benefit from having top equipment. Not Chrissy, whose team has 14 wins and the 2006 championship with Todd Bodine (#30 Lumber Liquidators Toyota).

Skinner Looks For Yet Another Record:

Three have tried; none succeeded. This week, Mike Skinner (#5 Toyota Tundra Toyota) looks for a way to win an elusive, third consecutive short track race at the same track. Skinner has been in this position once before at O'Reilly Raceway Park at Indianapolis in 1997. A broken oil line at mid-race ended the streak. Martinsville's only three-time series winner, Skinner, isn't getting ahead of himself. "Well, the first thing we have to do is win," said Skinner, who'll be aboard the BDR Chassis 5-76 that carried him to both Martinsville wins in 2007. "Our goal this weekend is to definitely win, but we will take what we can get," he said. Skinner, ranked seventh in points following top 10s in California and Atlanta, adds it's too early for an "all in" strategy.

Dennis Setzer (#18 Dodge) was the last before Skinner to score back-to-back victories at a short track. Setzer won at Martinsville in 2002-03 and came tantalizingly close to a third victory the following April, finishing second to Rick Crawford (#14 Power Stroke Diesel by Int'l Ford).

Ron Hornaday Jr. (#33 VFW Chevy) had two shots at win #3 in 1998 and 1999, but failed both times to even crack the top 10.

Consecutive Victories On NCTS Short Tracks:
Mike Skinner, Martinsville - 2007
Dennis Setzer, Martinsville - 2002-03
Ron Hornaday, Bristol - 1997-98
Tony Raines, I-70 - 1997-98*
Ron Hornaday, Louisville - 1996-97
Mike Skinner, Mesa Marin - 1995-96*
Mike Skinner, Indianapolis - 1995-96
*Did Not Compete In Following Season's Event

A Different Kind Of Martinsville For NASCAR Whelen Modified Champion Lia:

Donny Lia (#71 TRG Chevy) seemingly has an advantage this week over his Raybestos Rookie of the Year classmates. Lia has won at Martinsville Speedway before. The question is whether winning last September's NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour race provides Lia with insights beyond knowing the location of Victory Lane. The New York native, following two days of testing at Martinsville last week, isn't sure driving a 3,400-pound truck will be markedly different from guiding his lighter modified around the track's paperclip layout. It was surprising to me just how hard you drive the trucks into the corners, pretty much as hard and deep as I would drive a modified there," said Lia, the modified tour's 2007 champion. "However, you do tend to pick the throttle up a little bit later in the corner and smoother than you would a modified."

Lia and his fellow Raybestos Rookie of the Year candidates obviously benefited from testing - something that hasn't previously happened. His speed topped out at 94.941 mph, slightly more than a tenth-of-a-second slower than Jack Sprague's (#2 American Commercial Lines Chevy) top speed of 95.675. Lia, who got a late start and has ground to make up in the rookie derby, thinks the Kroger 250 is a great opportunity to score points. "If we can qualify in the top 10 and play the strategy game just right, I think we have a shot to win this race," he said.

Etc:

Six Winners In Kroger 250 Field … Six drivers with a combined nine of the track's 18 wins will compete in Saturday's race. They include Skinner, Setzer, Sprague, Crawford, David Starr (#11 Red Horse Racing Toyota) and Jon Wood (#21 Barnhill Ford).

ACS Relay Noted … Wood's truck will carry the logo of the American Cancer Society in honor of his mother, Carol Wood, participating in the May 17 Relay for Life being held in Stuart, Va.

VFW To Ride With Hornaday … The Kroger 250 marks the first of four races the #33 VFW Chevy of Ron Hornaday Jr. will honor the Veterans of Foreign Wars. His crew has been wearing "Support Our Troops" wristbands.

Schrader Returns … Ken Schrader will run his own #52 for the first time since 2005. The Federated Auto Parts Toyota finished second at Texas Motor Speedway in June 2007 driven by Skinner.

Rookies At Martinsville: 0-For-18:

The list of Martinsville winners is a NASCAR Hall of Fame-worthy roster and includes Jimmy Hensley, the late Bobby Hamilton and Bobby Labonte. Conspicuously absent is any Raybestos Rookie of the Year candidate. Yet it would be wrong to suggest it can't happen in 2008 because a rookie nearly broke through on three previous occasions.

Travis Kvapil finished second in 2001; likewise Carl Edwards in 2003 and Todd Kluever in 2005. The trio shares one common distinction. Each won Raybestos Rookie of the Year honors. So while the .526-mile layout hasn't produced any freshman winners, Martinsville Speedway definitely identifies the best in class.

A top five or top-10 finish under the circumstances will go a long way toward establishing a favorite in this year's rookie competition.

Raybestos Rookie of the Year Point Standings After 3 Races:
Justin Marks, 30
Phillip McGilton, 29
Brian Scott, 29
Colin Braun, 24
Marc Mitchell, 22
Andy Lally, 22
Donny Lia, 15

In The Loop:

The NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series regulars make it known they hold their own quite nicely against the double-duty drivers when racing at Martinsville Speedway. The regulars are the clear class at Martinsville, often trumping the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series regulars. It should be interesting to see if the trend continues this Saturday. The NASCAR Sprint Cup regulars in the field: Kyle Busch (#51 Toyota), Denny Hamlin (#15 Toyota) and Schrader. And all three have had struggles in the NASCAR Craftsman Trucks at Martinsville.

In two starts there, Hamlin has finishes of eighth (October 2006) and 19th (October 2007). In the two starts combined, he has an Average Running Position of 11.6, a Driver Rating of 90.0, 76.8 percent of the laps in the top 15 and seven Fastest Laps Run. His stats are solid, but not near the top of the charts.

The same can be said for Busch. In three Martinsville starts, he's finished fifth (October 2005), sixth (October 2006) and 31st (October 2007). In the three races, Busch has an Average Running Position of 10.6, a Driver Rating of 95.5, 81.0 percent of the laps in the top 15 and 19 Fastest Laps Run. Again, solid, but un-Busch like.

Schrader, though failing to crack the top 10 in any of his last five Martinsville races, has been consistent over the last three. Since 2005, Schrader has a Driver Rating of 78.5 and an Average Running Position of 15.6. His last three finishes were 14th (April, 2005), 11th (October 2005) and 13th (March 2007). Schrader's best Martinsville finish - eighth in October 2004 - is the Missourian's only top 10.

This Week's NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Leaders: (through three races of the 25-race season)
Points leader - Kyle Busch (555)
Driver Rating - Kyle Busch (126.7)
Winnings - Kyle Busch ($175,800)
Laps led - Ron Hornaday Jr. (97)
Victories - Kyle Busch (2)
Keystone Light Poles - Erik Darnell, Ron Hornaday Jr. (1)
Top-five finishes - Kyle Busch (3)
Top-10 finishes - Kyle Busch, Todd Bodine (3)
Raybestos Rookie Leader - Brian Scott (1 point over 3 drivers)
Races led - Erik Darnell, Ron Hornaday Jr. (18)
Weeks in Top 10 - Seven drivers (3)

Director's Take: Wayne's Words:

Fans love Martinsville Speedway for a number of reasons, not the least of which is the bumper-to-bumper, fender-to-fender rubbing that makes for some of the most exciting races of the season. And the competitors enjoy the racing as well. Aerodynamics isn't an issue; it's all about driving the truck. That's easier said than done - especially with 36 trucks on a tight track.

Drivers who can make his or her truck roll through the turns, stay off the curb and keep the brakes working from start to finish are going to have a very good chance of winning at Martinsville. That said, it's not all in the driver's hands. The crew chief is very much a part of the equation from the time the truck is unloaded through the running of the race. Strategy plays a big part in winning at any NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series short track race, but especially at Martinsville. Having the right setup is one thing. A crew chief also has to know when to call the driver to pit road to protect or gain track position. That may not be quite as easy to call as in the past. There may be additional stops required due to the smaller, 17.75-gallon fuel cell that should shorten the fuel window.

Our teams had a great, two-day test last week to acquaint themselves with our 2008 engine package requiring a tapered spacer mounted between carburetor and intake manifold. The Kroger 250 marks its introduction to short track racing where a power reduction (around 70 horsepower) should help competitors with wheel spin and allow them to drive off the corners earlier and quicker. - [Wayne Auton, NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Director]

Martinsville Becoming NASCAR Hub:

It's not yet Charlotte, N.C., but with two teams, a top engine builder and a junior college motorsports program, Martinsville, Va., is becoming a hub of NASCAR in southern Virginia. Jim Harris' HT Motorsports and Joey Arrington Engines set up shop near Martinsville Speedway several years back. Bobby Hamilton Racing VA relocated from the Nashville area a few months ago. Patrick Henry Community College has sent several students to BHR VA including Darin Goins, tire specialist for Stacy Compton (#4 Dodge Dealers Dodge); John Sowder, a general mechanic and tire carrier in training and Chad Martin, tire specialist on the #18 Dodge of Dennis Setzer.

2008 Manufacturers' Championship Point Standings:
Toyota, 27
Chevy, 15
Ford, 14
Dodge, 10

Did You Know?

NASCAR is celebrating its 60th anniversary in 2008 but Martinsville Speedway's first race pre-dated the organization by a year.

Martinsville is one of four tracks to host a NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series in all 14 seasons beginning in 1995.

Up Next:

Erik Darnell (#99 Northern Tool + Equipment Ford) will defend his 2007 Kansas Speedway victory on April 26. The O'Reilly Auto Parts 250 will be the eighth held at the 1.5-mile facility in Kansas City, Kansas.

This is a track where young drivers have made a huge impact. Four of Kansas Speedway's previous seven winners were under the age of 25: Darnell, Wood, Carl Edwards and the late Ricky Hendrick.
(NASCAR Media)(3-24-2008)

Truck Series News & Notes - Off Week; March 17, 2008

Martinsville Test Brings Confidence To Teams:

The NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series held their final NASCAR-scheduled test for the season last week at Martinsville Speedway. The test at the .526-mile oval is the only NASCAR-scheduled test done on a short track. Two of the next four races on the series' schedule will take place on short tracks beginning with a return to Martinsville on March 29. Testing at the track also provided teams the opportunity to gather information beneficial for not only short tracks, but some of the flat tracks on the 25-race schedule. Drivers and teams left the test satisfied with the results.

Veteran driver Terry Cook (#60 Wyler.com Toyota) is looking forward to coming back for the Kroger 250. Cook wrapped up testing with the fastest truck Thursday, posting best time and speed of 20.113 seconds/94.148 mph. The driver and team believe they have found the right set-up to be competitive come race day. "Instead of coming back and racing for a top 10, I think we can come back and race for the win," said Cook.

With all three of their trucks running fast, the Roush Fenway Racing camp is also confident about returning to the speedway. Erik Darnell, driver of the #99 Northern Tool + Equipment Ford, was pleased with the test and knows it was a productive two days. "This test gave us a chance to try a lot of different things that will help our short track program all year," he said. "Matt (Puccia, crew chief) and the guys gave me a good truck which I think will be very competitive when we come back for the race," he added. Darnell, who brought home his first win at Kansas Speedway last April, is looking to add another victory to his record.

Next Generation Drivers Spotted At Testing:

During Martinsville's two-day test, some new faces were spotted in the garage. Among those newcomers were a couple drivers with familiar last names. Chrissy Wallace, middle daughter of NASCAR Nationwide Series driver and four time NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series winner Mike Wallace, tested the #03 Toyota for Germain Racing. The driver, who started racing at the age of 12, is looking to take her success in late models to the next level. "Once I turned 14 or 15, I became more serious about racing and realized last year that racing was what I wanted to do," she said. "I want to come to trucks because this is the next step."

Adam Crawford, son of veteran driver Rick Crawford (#14 Power Stroke Diesel by Int'l Ford), tested a Circle Bar Racing-prepared truck. The younger Crawford found his way to the top of the speed charts. He closed out day two with the third-fastest truck, posting a fast lap time of 20.142 seconds - a time faster than dad, a former Martinsville race winner.

The series has a history of fathers racing sons occurring on 16 different occasions. In fact, the first race for the series at Martinsville in 1995 featured a father/son duo, Geoffrey and Barry Bodine. The race, eventually rained out, was postponed to a Monday where the younger Bodine had to "skip" high school class to participate in the race. Father, Geoffrey, who led the race until he was involved in a next-to-last lap tangle with race winner Joe Ruttman, finished 15th. Barry finished 30th.

Etc:

New Development … Key Motorsports has created a development program for Dustin Skinner, the youngest son of former series champion Mike Skinner. The main goal is testing and seat time with the hopes of fielding the 22-year-old driver in a possible six races in 2008. The younger Skinner tested recently at New Smyrna Speedway, the driver's home track in Florida.

No "Off Weekend" … Colin Braun, driver of the #6 Conway Freight Ford for Roush Fenway Racing will head to Tennessee this week to join the NASCAR Nationwide Series. Braun, who has one start in the series, will race the #16 CitiFinancial Ford in the Pepsi 300 at Nashville Superspeedway on March 22.

The trucks head to the superspeedway for the Toyota Tundra 250 on Aug. 9. The Volunteer State hosts three series races - most of any state.

In The Loop:

Kyle Busch's stellar performance in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series has made afterthoughts of last year's two front-runners, Mike Skinner and Ron Hornaday Jr. The two champions dueled the entire season, and were the only drivers still mathematically eligible for the title going into the season-ending race at Homestead. Hornaday eventually took the crown.

But this year, the buzz surrounds Busch. Still, Skinner and Hornaday are within eyeshot of Busch and because the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series regular will race only a part-time schedule this season, will likely focus their energy on second-place Todd Bodine.

Statistically, both Skinner and Hornaday have fared well despite not being at the very top of the standings (although Hornaday is close, in third).

Hornaday has a season Driver Rating of 112.9 (third-best), an Average Running Position of 7.5 (third), 25 Fastest Laps Run (second) and 272 Laps in the Top 15 (fourth). He trails Bodine in all those categories, and by 50 points in the series standings. Hornaday is 122 points behind Busch.

Skinner has slowly crept up the standings after a 29th-place finish at Daytona. A third-place finish at Atlanta has Skinner in seventh place in the standings, 162 points behind Busch and 90 points behind Bodine. In the three races this season, Skinner has a Driver Rating of 94.5 (fifth-best) and an Average Running Position of 14.1 (10th).

This Week's NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Leaders: (through three races of the 25-race season)
Points leader - Kyle Busch (555)
Driver Rating - Kyle Busch (126.7)
Winnings - Kyle Busch ($175,800)
Laps led - Ron Hornaday Jr. (97)
Victories - Kyle Busch (2)
Keystone Light Poles - Erik Darnell and Ron Hornaday Jr. (1)
Top-five finishes - Kyle Busch (3)
Top-10 finishes - Kyle Busch and Todd Bodine (3)
Raybestos Rookie Leader - Justin Marks (1 point over 2 drivers)
Races led - Erik Darnell and Ron Hornaday Jr. (3)
Weeks in Top 10 - Seven drivers with three

Rookies Make Most of Test:

Raybestos Rookies who have held their own on the track so far this season made the most out of the two-day test at Martinsville. Colin Braun kept his Ford near the top, finishing the test with a best speed 95.041 mph, the third fastest on the track. Donny Lia (#71 TRG Motorsports Chevy) ran right behind Braun. Lia consistently stayed on top of the speed charts for both days of the test.

Toyota Strong:
Toyota remains on top three races into the 2008 season. With six wins, Chevy, however, holds the record for most wins by a manufacturer at Martinsville Speedway.

2008 Manufacturers' Championship Point Standings:
Toyota, 27
Chevy, 15
Ford, 14
Dodge, 10

Up Next:

The Kroger 250 is next on the schedule at Martinsville Speedway March 28-29. This will be the series' first race of the season on a short track.

Mike Skinner, the series' defending Kroger 250 winner in addition to winner of last October's race, is gunning for an unprecedented "three-peat."
(NASCAR Media)(3-17-2008)

Truck Series News & Notes - Off Week; March 10, 2008

Series Veterans Always A Threat:

Kyle Bush (#51 Toyota) might be celebrating back-to-back wins and a lead in points, but hot on his tailgate are series veterans holding their own.

After a slow start, the defending series champion Ron Hornaday Jr. (#33 Camping World/VFW Chevy) hasn't been quiet. He's been right up front. Hornaday, who finished 25th at Daytona, came back with a fifth-place finish at Auto Club Speedway. At Atlanta, the driver took the runner-up position after battling Busch for the lead throughout the night. Hornaday's strong finishes have taken him from ninth to third in the series driver points standings in two races.

Mike Skinner has shared a similar start to the 2008 season. Skinner rebounded from a finish of 29th in the season opener with an eighth-place effort in California. He followed with a strong third at Atlanta.

In addition to past series champions, there are other series veterans sitting in the top 10. Despite some hard luck, Johnny Benson (#23 Toyota Certified Used Vehicles/Exide Batteries Toyota) has bounced back from adversity to score two third-place finishes so far this season. Benson, who brought home four wins last season, plans to continue to climb the points ladder.

The sole Dodge driver in the top 10, Dennis Setzer (#18 Dodge) is enjoying his start to the year. "Anytime you can come out of the third race of the season and still be in the top 10 in points is a good thing," said Setzer. Setzer isn't satisfied, though. "I am excited about being in the top 10 but am more excited about making the drive to get inside the top five over the next few weeks," he said.

Testing: Round Three:

The NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series will test this week at Martinsville Speedway. This will be the third and final NASCAR-scheduled test for 2008. Testing at the .526-mile oval will be the only testing done on a short track. Teams will gather information that will help them with the short and flat tracks on the 25-race schedule.

Veteran NASCAR driver Stacy Compton (#4 Dodge), who joined the newly-relocated Bobby Hamilton Racing VA this season, is looking forward to the testing that literally is in the team's backyard. "The testing schedule in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series is very limited at the tracks we actually race at. So I think when they choose a track for us they try to make sure it is one a team can get a lot out of," he said. Compton believes this week's testing will prove beneficial not only for the two races at the speedway, but others on the schedule as well. Compton said, "Not only will you gain knowledge for races here, but you will be able to carry what you learned to Mansfield, Milwaukee, Memphis and even Phoenix late in the season." "When you are able to test at a track and apply the knowledge you learn to that many tracks, it makes it worthwhile."

Etc:

Truck Line-Up … The #09 Zaxby's Ford of Roush Fenway Racing will have three drivers share the seat. The 2003 Series Champion and NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver Travis Kvapil will take the lead for nine more races. Bobby East will pilot the truck for seven and John Wes Townley for six. East, who has 24 starts in the series, will make his appearance in the truck at Kansas in April. The driver has a series-best finish of 11th at ORP (2006). Townley will make his debut at Mansfield in May. The 18-year-old will also compete full-time in the ARCA RE/MAX Series where he hopes to capture the Rookie of the Year honors.

It's a Tie … Two series veterans share 11th in the points standings and sit one point outside the top-10. Terry Cook (#60 Wyler Racing Toyota), who made his 250th consecutive start at Atlanta, brought home an eighth place finish. The top 10 was his second of the season. Fellow veteran driver Ted Musgrave, who pilots the #59 Team ASE/Harris Trucking Toyota, battled a cold and an early race penalty to finish seventh.

Running Strong … Roush Fenway Racing driver Erik Darnell (#99 Northern Tool + Equipment Ford) is looking forward to a strong season. Darnell, who grabbed the first Keystone Light Pole of the season at Daytona, has battled back from a disappointing finish there to 11th- and 12th-place performances at Fontana and Atlanta. The driver, who sits 13th in the series points standings, looks forward to continuing the momentum at Martinsville.

In The Loop:

There's little to no argument - Kyle Busch has been the class of the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series this season. With wins in the last two races, and a second-place finish in the season-opener at Daytona, Busch has opened up a 72-point cushion over Todd Bodine. Busch's stats, not surprisingly, are likewise dominant. He leads the series in a number of categories, including Driver Rating (126.7), Fastest Laps Run (75), Quality Passes (121) and Pass Differential (+63). He's also second in the series in Average Running Position with a 4.7 and Laps in the Top 15 with 317 (97.6).

Another bright spot to the 2008 season has been the emergence of Roush Fenway Racing's Erik Darnell. After winning his first race last season (Kansas), many predicted a strong year from the youngster. He hasn't disappointed. Darnell has battled back from an accident at Daytona that put him in a points hole and now sits in 13th place. But his stats tell that he's been one of the top performers in the series. Darnell has a Driver Rating of 96.0 (fourth-best), an Average Running Position of 8.1 (fourth), 312 Laps in the Top 15 (94.5 percent, third-best) and 100 Quality Passes (passes of cars in the top 15 under green), which is second only to Busch.

Also, note the season Chad McCumbee is having. Fourth in the points, McCumbee owns a solid Driver Rating of 89.0 this season.

This Week's NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Leaders: (through three races of the 25-race season)
Points leader - Kyle Busch (555)
Driver Rating - Kyle Busch (126.7)
Winnings - Kyle Busch ($175,800)
Laps led - Ron Hornaday Jr. (97)
Victories - Kyle Busch (2)
Keystone Light Poles - Erik Darnell and Ron Hornaday Jr. (1)
Top-five finishes - Kyle Busch (3)
Top-10 finishes - Kyle Busch and Todd Bodine (3)
Raybestos Rookie Leader - Justin Marks (1 point over 2 drivers)
Races led - Erik Darnell and Ron Hornaday Jr. (3)
Weeks in Top 10 - Seven drivers with three

Rookie Points Shift, Keep The Battle Tight:

Justin Marks (#9 Crocs Toyota) takes over the Raybestos Rookie of the Year points lead after Atlanta. A single point separates Marks and Philip McGilton (#22 3Wide Life Toyota) and Brian Scott (#16 Shark Energy Drink/Albertson's Chevy). While McGilton trails Marks in the Rookie points battle, he sits 10th in the series point standings.

Competition is close. Colin Braun (#6 Con-way Freight Ford), holds a two-point lead over both Marc Mitchell (#15 Hyprene Ergon Chevy) and Andy Lally (#7 TRG Motorsports Chevy).

Donny Lia (#71 TRG Motorsports Chevy), who entered the series in California, rounds out the strong class of drivers.

Toyota Still On Top:

Toyota extends its lead with three wins in a row. The manufacturer is chasing Chevy's record at Martinsville Speedway. With six wins, Chevy holds the most wins by a manufacturer at the short track.

2008 Manufacturers' Championship Point Standings:
Toyota, 27
Chevy, 15
Ford, 14
Dodge, 10

Up Next:

The series will return to action with the Kroger 250 at Martinsville Speedway March 28-29. Mike Skinner, who not only is the defending winner of last year's Kroger 250 but also last October's race, looks for an unprecedented "three-peat."(NASCAR PR)(3-10-2008)

Additional Martinsville Truck Series Race Info at:
martinsvillespeedway.com
espn.go.com
NASCAR.com
truckseries.com

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