A 17th-place finish hardly is reason to celebrate, but for Robert Huffman (No. 12 Toyota Tundra Toyota) its a step in the right direction. Huffman, one of 17 Raybestos Rookie of the Year contenders on the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, was just happy to be racing at Lowes Motor Speedway last Friday night. His lead lap finish, after an early spin, had to be a bonus. And it certainly beat Huffmans previous weekend in which he and 10 others failed to qualify for the race at Mansfield Motorsports Speedway when inclement weather forced NASCAR officials to set the field via the rule book. Although a 17th-place finish may not sound that great, its actually the first race weve finished this season, said Huffman, a three-time Dash winner at the 1.5-mile facility. I think we actually had a top-10 truck at the end of the race but, unfortunately, we werent in a position to finish (there). Still, the 36-year-old Claremont, N.C., competitor picked up Raybestos Rookie of the Race honors as the top finisher among first-year drivers. He is the third different top rookie in the seasons first five races. Huffman, driving for the first-year Innovative Motorsports, Inc. team owned by George and Vicky deBidart, hasnt exactly been silent in 2004 even if his finishes say otherwise. Entering the Charlotte event, Huffmans best effort had been 29th at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Huffman, who qualified second at Atlanta, shared history with fellow Raybestos Rookie contender David Reutimann (No. 17 NTN Bearings Toyota) as the first rookie drivers to win front row starting positions in a NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race. Huffman ran consistently among the top 10 until sidelined by a frontstretch accident with seven laps remaining in the event. We were among the leaders all day when I made a mistake at the end, Huffman said. Weve been qualifying well all season and now we finally have a good finish and that will surely give us some more confidence as we head into Dover. Dover International Speedway, a one-mile banked concrete speedway, hosts the June 4 MBNA America 200, the next event on a 25-race schedule. Like most Raybestos candidates, Huffman has no experience at the Monster Mile. Ive never raced at Dover. In fact, Ive never even seen the track in person, he said. From what people tell me, it sounds similar to Bristol. I do have some (Dash) experience racing at Bristol and Ive always enjoyed that track. Hopefully, that will help me. Reutimann, despite finishing 36th at Lowes due to early engine failure, continues to lead Raybestos Rookie of the Year standings by a 56 to 42 point margin over Brandon Whitt (No. 38 Cure Autism Now/McMillin Homes Ford). Huffman ranks eighth in a points chase that ultimately will be based upon a candidates 14 best finishes and bonus considerations.
NEWS & NOTES, PART II
Series has been golden for Setzer Dennis Setzer (No. 46 Chevrolet Silverado Chevrolet), winner of last weeks Infineon 200 at Lowes Motor Speedway, is closing in on the $3 million mark in career winnings. He needs slightly more than $63,000 to join a current elite list of Jack Sprague (No. 16 Chevy Trucks Chevrolet), Ron Hornaday Jr. and Joe Ruttman, who have also broken the $3 million barrier. Noting that Hornaday and Ruttman are inactive, Setzer figures to rank second by mid-summer. Sprague remains the only $4 million winner. His Charlotte victory gives Setzer another spot in the series record book as the only driver to have won in seven consecutive seasons. Etc. David Starr (No. 75 Spears Manufacturing Chevrolet) led a group of 15 competitors who broke the existing one-lap record at Lowes Motor Speedway. The Bud Pole was Starrs third but first since 2002. Starr wound up third. Fourteen of the 36 who took the green flag for the Infineon 200 have won NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series races. Thats 32% of the starting field. Bill Lester (No. 22 Toyota Tundra Toyota) led at Lowes Motor Speedway; it was the defending Bud Pole winners first time at the head of the pack since last August. Bobby Hamilton (No. 4 Square D Dodge) failed to lead a lap for the first time in 2004 in that race. He was the only driver to have led all four races heading into the Infineon 200. The Lowes Motor Speedway event had 22 finishers on the lead lap, a figure above the 19.2 average for the first four races. Setzers winning margin – .869 second is the widest thus far in 2004. Ford leads series manufacturer standings by a single point over Chevrolet. Chevrolet is the only truck manufacturer to post a top-five finish in each of the seasons first five races.
String of 2004 winners matches series record Setzers recent victory at Lowes Motor Speedway equaled the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series record for most consecutive different winners to start a season. Thats the fourth time in nine seasons the number has been reached, most recently in 2002. Ted Musgrave (No. 1 Mopar Dodge), the 2002 winner of the MBNA America 200, is among the more obvious candidates to increase the string to six. Musgrave is the only former winner expected to compete in this weeks race. Etc. Fridays race kicks off the seasons second tripleheader show that also features the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series and NASCAR Busch Series. The event is the fifth (of 13) in which NASCAR NEXTEL Cup and NASCAR Craftsman Trucks compete in the same city during the same week. Just four entered drivers Crawford, Setzer, Terry Cook (No. 10 Power Stroke Diesel Ford) and Ken Schrader (No. 52 Federated Auto Parts Chevrolet) have competed in all four previous series races at Dover. Schrader leads the field in consistency with three top-10 finishes including a fifth place in 2000. There have been four different second place finishers in the MBNA America 200. Two Jack Sprague (No. 16 Chevy Trucks Chevrolet) and Bobby Hamilton (No. 4 Square D Dodge) are slated to compete this year. Dovers inaugural event saw the most lead changes 10 while the 2003 race recorded the fewest four. Mike Skinner (No. 42 Toyota Tundra Toyota), the series1995 champion and Raybestos Rookie leader David Reutimann (No. 17 NTN Bearings Toyota) have one thing in common this week: neither has competed at Dover in a truck. ppc Racing has announced the hiring of Jamie Jones as crew chief for Cook. Gene Nead, formerly crew chief for Crawford, returns to lead the Musgrave effort. The combination finished third in last years championship. A group of NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series drivers will visit Dover Air Force Base Thursday evening for a tour and visit with military personnel and family members. Brandon Whitt (No. 38 Cure Autism Now Ford) will be the prize in the June 30 installment of SPEED Channels I Wanna Date A Race Car Driver. The show pits a handful of women vying for the privilege to date a race car driver, in this case, the 21-year old NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Raybestos Rookie from El Cajon, Calif.
ON THE RIGHT TRACK
Top 10s again for Crafton, Hamilton and Harvick Teammates Kevin Harvick (No. 92 Snap-On Tools Chevrolet) and Matt Crafton (No. 6 GM Goodwrench Chevrolet) along with Hamilton reprised last years top-10 finishes at Lowes Motor Speedway. Craftons current fifth-place ranking in the championship standings is a personal best.
FAST FACTS
What: MBNA America 200 (Race No. 6 of 25).
Where: Dover International Speedway, Dover, Del.
When: 4 p.m. ET, Friday, June 4.
Track layout: 1.0-mile banked concrete oval.
Race length: 200 miles/200 laps.
Posted awards: $603,594.
TV: SPEED Channel, 4 p.m. ET.
Radio: MRN, XM Satellite.
2003 winner: Jason Leffler.
2003 polesitter: Bobby Hamilton.
Pre-race schedule (all times local): Thursday Practice 11:30 a.m. 12:45 p.m. and 1:15 1:45 p.m. Qualifying 3:15 p.m. Final practice following qualifying, time permitting.(NASCAR PR)(6-2-2004)
