Cravens Martinsville win ties the record With his first series victory, Ricky Craven (#99 Superchips Ford) became the record-matching 14th different winner of the 2005 season. Craven, the eighth different Roush Racing driver to win on the series, gave Jack Roush his 37th career victory and undisputed possession of the top spot among series owners. With Raybestos Rookie leader Todd Kluever (#50 World Financial Group Ford) finishing second, Roush Racing nabbed its first one-two placing since October 2003 when Jon Wood and Carl Edwards swept Martinsvilles Kroger 200. Craven is the 15th different driver to win in all three of NASCARs national series. ETC. Raybestos Rookie Timothy Peters (#4 Baileys Dodge) at Martinsville became the record, 36th different driver to lead a series race. The old mark was set last season. How competitive is the series in 2005? Consider that nine of the top 10 championship positions changed at Martinsville and that after 21 races in the books. Englands John Mickel will make his NASCAR debut at Atlanta on Saturday behind the wheel of the #05 dsi nexdox/Dodman Group/RS Capp Dodge prepared by Bobby Hamilton Racing. Mickel, from Cambridge, is a former World Legends Car champion and European stock car competitor. A victory or second-place finish at Atlanta if a Toyota does not win will give Chevrolet its sixth NASCAR Craftsman Truck manufacturer title. The 27 lead lap finishers in Saturdays Kroger 200 matched the series record. 2002 series champion Mike Bliss will be back in the #16 Chevy Trucks Chevrolet at Atlanta. He won the title for the same Xpress Motorsports team.
FROM THE ARCHIVES
Among drivers entered in this weeks Easycare Vehicle Service Contracts 200, Bobby Labonte is the King of Atlanta with six NASCAR NEXTEL Cup victories the most recent in 2003. Bill Davis Racing teammates Mike Skinner and Johnny Benson (#23 Toyota Certified Used Vehicles Toyota) are winners of NASCAR Busch Series races at Atlanta Motor Speedway in 1999 and 1991, respectively.
FAST FACTS
Next Event: EasyCare Vehicle Service Contracts 200. (Race #22 of 25).
Where: Atlanta Motor Speedway (Hampton, Ga.).
When: 3:15pm/et Saturday, Oct. 29.
Track layout: 1.54-mile banked paved oval.
Race length: 200.2 miles/130 laps.
Posted awards: $506,529.
TV: SPEED Channel, 3pm/et
Radio: MRN, XM Satellite.
2004 winner: Bobby Hamilton.
2004 polesitter: David Reutimann.
Pre-race schedule (all times local): Friday Practice 2:35 p.m. 3:35 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. 5:00 p.m. Saturday – Qualifying 11:30 a.m. Trucks impounded after qualifying.(NASCAR PR)(10-26-2005)
