Just because Atlanta Motor Speedway isn’t on their 2003 schedule doesn’t mean teams from NASCAR’s Craftsman Truck Series aren’t interested in testing out its 24-degree banking. That’s just what they’ll be doing this Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday [August 26-28], as eight NASCAR truck teams visit Atlanta. Bobby Hamilton Racing, Orleans Racing, Ultra Motorsports and Ware Racing Enterprises will all hit the track Tuesday and Wednesday during a Dodge test. The session will be open to the media but closed to the public. On Thursday, driver Rick Crawford will help Ford Racing test the 2004 model. The session is closed to both the media and the public. Of the eight Craftsman Truck Series drivers who will be on-track at Atlanta Motor Speedway this week, three are in the top 5 in points, and more than half of the top 15 will be making laps. Drivers expected to attend the Dodge test Tuesday and Wednesday are #4-Bobby Hamilton, #18-Chad Chaffin, #62-Brendan Gaughan, #5-Jerry Hill, #2-Jason Leffler and #1-Ted Musgrave. Alabama driver Rick Crawford drives the #14 Circle Bar Motel/RV Park Ford. Crawford, 45, is fifth in points will make the first test runs of the 2004 Ford truck on Thursday. The Craftsman Truck Series does not currently race at Atlanta Motor Speedway, but testing at Atlanta helps teams prepare for races at similar tracks including Lowe’s Motor Speedway and Texas Motor Speedway.(Atlanta Motor Speedway PR)(8-25-2003)
Tuesday Testing: #4-Bobby Hamilton was the fastest at 175.277mph, also testing were #18-Chad Chaffin and Ultra Motorsports driver #1-Ted Musgrave.(AMS PR), Bill Lester didn’t test, but was there to support the team and help out.
Wednesday Testing: Ultra Motorsports racer #1-Ted Musgrave and Bobby Hamilton Racing driver #18-Chad Chaffin took turns making laps at Atlanta Motor Speedway on Wednesday, despite the high temperatures that kept speeds down. Chaffin tested Bobby Hamilton’s #4 machine while his boss watched from the sidelines. “Even with the heat, both teams are running around 31.90 seconds (173.793 mph),” Hamilton said. “We’ve come a long way working with these set-ups, and we’ve learned a lot.”(AMS PR)
FORD TEST: NASCAR Craftsman Truck driver #14-Rick Crawford and the folks at Ford Racing planned to use all of Thursday to learn the ins and outs of the new 2004 Ford F-150. Instead, they lost an engine only 2 hours into the test and had to pack up and head home. “We didn’t get nearly as much on-track time as we’d hoped for on our maiden voyage, but I think we still learned a lot,” Crawford said. “This truck has a lot of promise and potential. We were creeping up on it; every run was faster and faster. This truck has surely not reached its peak.” Still, in the 25 or so laps Crawford was able to run, he managed a top speed of around 170 mph. “Today was just about getting ready for 2004, trying to get a leg up,” said Robert Brooks, NASCAR truck program manager for Ford Racing. “We’ll give all of the information we gathered today and give it to the whole Ford family for next year. It wasn’t as much as we’d hoped for, but it’s still a great start.”(AMS PR)(8-28-2003)
