Tenth place, spot on banquet stage up for grabs #18-Chad Chaffin and #98-Matt Crafton are separated by 43 points in the fight for the 10th and final spot on-stage at the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series awards banquet, being held Saturday, Nov. 15 at the Sheraton Bal Harbour Resort in Miami Beach. Chaffin has held the 10th position since mid-September, following the New Hampshire 200.
Contending teams add to arsenal at Homestead Up to a quarter of the 36-truck Ford 200 field could be filled by trucks fielded by the four championship-contending teams. Gaughans Orleans Racing partner will be Scott Lynch, the 2003 Grand National NASCAR Winston West champion. Ultra Motorsports two-truck lineup, Musgrave and Andy Houston, will be augmented by three drivers, among them Marty Houston, wholl make his first series start since October 2000. Three-time series champion Jack Sprague will be Kvapils teammate in a second IWX Motor Freight Chevrolet.. Spragues #11 entry won last years Homestead race in the hands of Ron Hornaday Jr.
Going for the record(s) Two longtime NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series records could fall at Homestead. With a lead lap finish, Kvapil will count the fewest uncompleted laps (one) and miles (.5) in a season. Joe Ruttmans mark (two/.666-mile) was set in 1995. And, Setzer needs a top-10 finish to reach a record 20 consecutive top-10 finishes. He matched Hornadays 1996 mark at Phoenix.
Some Notes: Andy Houston has been named the 2004 driver of the No. 2 Ultra Motorsports truck following his fifth consecutive top-10 finish last week at Phoenix International Raceway. Also renewed for next season is #75-David Starr, who will drive for Wayne Spears for the third consecutive season. #99-Carl Edwards will put the finishing touches on this years Raybestos Rookie of the Year award when the dust settles at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Edwards holds a 134-point lead in the competition one fewer than Kurt Buschs 2000 freshman mark. Homestead-Miami Speedway holds the series records for the fewest cautions (one) and caution laps (four). The mark was set a year ago as Hornaday averaged a race record 133.260 mph. Sprague has led the most laps (241) and miles (361.5) but has yet to win at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Hes twice finished second, in 1996 and 1998.
Spoilers Same as Daytona:Teams must run the same rear spoiler package as required at Daytona International Speedway and Lowes and Texas Motor Speedways. The 68-3/4 wide spoiler measures nine inches in height on 12-inch outer sections and eight inches in height on the center section of 44-3/4 inches.
Four Homestead winners saddle up for Ford 200 Musgrave and Andy Houston are joined this week by #14-Rick Crawford and #31-Mike Wallace in search of a second Homestead-Miami Speedway victory. The track counts seven winners in seven events.
The NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series championship will be decided for the eighth time in the final race of the season. The closest finish came in 1998 when Hornaday edged Sprague by three points. Spragues eight-point margin in 1999 marked the only time in series history that a leader entering the season finale has not won the title. Greg Biffle came to California Speedway with a 21-point advantage and lost to Sprague by eight.
Fast Facts
Next Race: Ford 200 (Race No. 25 of 25).
Where: Homestead-Miami Speedway, Homestead, FL
When: Friday, Nov. 14, 3:15pm/et
TV: SPEED Channel, 3:00pm/et
Radio: MRN, XM Satellite.
Posted awards: $573,650.
Race length: 134 laps/201 miles.
Track layout: 1.5-mile oval.
2002 winner: Ron Hornaday Jr.[not in race]
2002 polesitter: Mike Bliss.[not in race]
Pre-race schedule: Thursday Practice, 9:00 to 10:50am/et. Qualifying, 1:00pm/et. Final practice following NASCAR Busch Series qualifying, time permitting.(NASCAR PR)(11-12-2003)
