For Brandon Whitt (No. 38 Werner Ladder/Cure Autism Now Ford), the final three races of the season cant come soon enough. Not because he wants to see his rookie season end, but because hes finally seeing some tracks that hes been to before.
“Over 90% of the tracks that Ive gone to have all been tracks that Ive never seen, never been to before, said Whitt, who finished a career-best 12th at Martinsville. Thats definitely the biggest obstacle Ive had to overcome this year.
Now that the series is returning to tracks that Whitt is familiar with, his bid to be in the top 20 appears to be strengthening. In addition, the team announced Monday that Jamie Jones has been named their new crew chief.
Were running pretty good, said Whitt, who had his career-best start (sixth) at Homestead-Miami Speedway last year. It seems every time we go out, we get better and better. Weve built up a little momentum and hopefully we can keep it up the rest of the year.
Whitt spent the 2000 season in Europe preparing for a career in open-wheel racing, possibly Formula One. Id come back (to the United States) and run stock cars every now and then, said Whitt. Then Id go back to Europe and run open-wheel cars when I had to. I just wasnt having as much fun running the open-wheel cars as I was the stock cars.
That was when Whitt decided to make the move back home to California and start running late models again. Racing in the NASCAR AutoZone Elite Division, Southwest Series in 2002, he was named Rookie of the Year and finished ninth in the point standings. In 2003, Whitt made the move to the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, running seven races.
“The racing in NASCAR is just so much better, Whitt said. Its a lot tighter, the fields not getting spread out as much as in open wheel. I just enjoy stock car racing more.
While he hasnt finished in the top 10 yet this season, one of Whitts goals for the final three races is to erase that statistic. I think this is probably our best shot all year of getting that elusive top 10, he said.
NEWS & NOTES, PART II
Points shake-up puts Setzer in the lead With a second-place finish at Martinsville, Dennis Setzer (No. 46 AXCIOM Chevrolet) now leads Bobby Hamilton (No. 4 Square D Dodge) by one point in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series championship standings with only three races remaining. Because of Hamiltons 26th-place finish, Ted Musgrave (No. 1 Mopar Dodge) and Carl Edwards (No. 99 Superchips Ford) remain in the hunt for the title as well.
Renshaw posts best career finish Deborah Renshaw (No. 29 K Automotive Ford) finished 15th at Martinsville, her best career finish in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. The Kentucky native is the first female driver to record a top-15 finish this season. That effort marks the best finish since Tina Gordon placed 13th a year ago at Lowes Motor Speedway. Tammy Jo Kirk remains the top finishing female competitor with an 11th-place performance at Portland Speedway in 1997. This was exactly the type of day we needed, Renshaw said. To earn my career-best NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series finish at the short track in Martinsville is really an accomplishment. This is the first time that I have raced at this track and I had to learn my way around in the practice sessions.
Etc. With three races remaining, this years championship battle between Setzer and Hamilton is the closest in series history. In 1999, Greg Biffle led Jack Sprague (No. 16 Chevy Trucks Chevrolet) by 10 points at this same stage. Sprague was the eventual champion. With Jamie McMurrays (No. 2 ASE/Carquest Dodge) win on Saturday, twelve different drivers have won in 2004, two short of the record set in 1998. Bobby Labontes third-place finish matched Tony Stewarts Richmond run as tops by the Morgan-Dollar Motorsports All-Star Chevrolet. Todd Bodine (No. 30 Germain-Arnold Racing Toyota) finished seventh at Martinsville, after winning the past two events.
Fast Facts:
What: Chevy Silverado 150 (Race No. 23 of 25).
Where: Phoenix International Raceway, Phoenix, Ariz.
When: 5:30 p.m. ET, Friday, Nov. 4.
Track layout: 1-mile paved.
Race length: 150 laps/150 miles.
Posted awards: $463,344.
TV: SPEED Channel, 5:30 p.m. ET.
Radio: MRN, XM Satellite.
2003 winner: Kevin Harvick.
2003 polesitter: Ted Musgrave.
Pre-race schedule (all times local): Wednesday Practice 11 a.m. 1 p.m. Qualifying 3 p.m. Thursday Practice 8:45 a.m. 9:45 a.m.(NASCAR PR)(10-27-2004)
