AutoMotion, a new full-service auto body/paint/decal/wrapping outsourcing solution for race teams, has announced a one-race associate sponsorship with Key Motorsports and the #40 driven by Chad Chaffin for the Quaker Steak & Lube 200, Truck Series race Friday night at the Lowes Motor Speedway in Charlotte.(keymotorsports.com)(5-17-2006)
Truck Series News & Notes:
A veteran driver is likely to be standing in Victory Lane after the checkered flag concludes the sixth of 25 races comprising the 2006 Series schedule. All three LMS winners, who count a combined, 274 series appearances and 36 victories, are entered in the $524,098 race. Also, it has been nearly three years since a newcomer won a series race on a 1.5-mile superspeedway. Carl Edwards, the 2003 Raybestos Rookie of the Year, won at Kentucky Speedway in July of that season the last 1.5-mile winner who wasnt a Craftsman Truck, Busch Series veteran or current Nextel Cup Series competitor. A rookie driver has yet to lead a lap at LMS. Edwards 12th-place finish in 2003 stands as the high-water mark by a freshman competitor. Finally, a newly repaved track isnt going to make things any easier for the non-veterans, according to defending series champion and 2003 Quaker Steak & Lube 200 winner Ted Musgrave (#9 Team ASE/Germain Toyota). The 50-year-old Musgrave, whose last series victory came over a year and 25 races ago, enters the race ranked second in Craftsman Truck point standings. He trails Germain Racing partner Todd Bodine (#30 Lumber Liquidators Toyota) by 12 points following the pairs one-two finish at Gateway International Raceway. Bodine is the series leading performer on 1.5-mile tracks with six wins at five of the seven such venues on the current schedule. Bodine has won his last three starts on 1.5-mile tracks and finished first or second in the seven races dating to his July 2005 victory at Kansas Speedway. Dennis Setzer (#85 Shell RotellaT Chevy), the 2004 winner, agrees with Musgrave that experience for both driver and crew is essential to registering a solid performance on a 1.5-mile track. Mark Martin (#6 Scotts Ford) can make history this week by winning the Quaker Steak & Shake 200. The victory would give Martin a first ever sweep of major NASCAR events at Lowes Motor Speedway in May.
News & Notes Part II:
Kyle Busch returns to defend Lowes victory Kyle Busch (#51 Billy Ballew Motorsports Chevy) was a doubtful defender after team owner Billy Ballew hired Raybestos rookie contender Kyle Krisiloff (#15 Chevy) to drive last years winning truck. Crew chief Richie Wauters, however, will field a second truck for Busch, whose LMS victory made the Las Vegas native the series youngest winner at 20 years 18 days. Busch won three times and closed out the 2005 season with a victory among five top-10 finishes in his final six races.
Craftsman For a Cure one week away Although the Craftsman For a Cure charity event is still a week away, race fans will have the opportunity to donate to the cause by purchasing racing related items through an EBay auction that kicked off May 15. The charity auction will end May 22, a day before the event takes place at the NASCAR SpeedPark at Concord Mills in Concord, N.C. Tickets for dinners, races and autographs remain. Former Nextel Cup Series champion Bobby Labonte is the latest to confirm his participation in the event hosted by Craftsman Motorsports and Bobby Hamilton Racing. Proceeds from the auction and event will benefit the American Cancer Society Relay for Life and the Victory Junction Camp.
This weeksTruck Series Leaders Through five races of the 25-race season: points leader Todd Bodine (852), money won Todd Bodine ($236,215), Laps led Mark Martin (343), miles led Mark Martin (380.46), victories Todd Bodine, Mark Martin (2), Budweiser Poles 4 drivers (1), top-five finishes Ted Musgrave (5), top-10 finishes Ted Musgrave (5), Raybestos Rookie Leader Erik Darnell (13 over Aric Almirola), races led Todd Bodine (4).
Etc:
Ron Hornaday Jr.s #33 Chevy will carry the logo of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation during this weeks race at Lowes Motor Speedway. Fifteen Raybestos rookie of the year contenders are among 41 drivers entered in the Quaker Steak & Lube 200, including current leader Erik Darnell (#99 Woolrich Ford). Last years race featured the closest series finish at LMS with Busch edging Setzer by 0.149 second. Fridays race is the first of nine being run on consecutive weekends through the July 15 OReilly 200 at Memphis Motorsports Park.
On the right track:
No series driver with three appearances at Lowes Motor Speedway has qualified better than Bill Lester (#22 SunTrust Toyota). Lester won the Budweiser Pole in 2003 contributing to an average starting position of 4.7. Hes been a solid performer at race time with an average finish of 14.0 including last years sixth-place finish. David Starr (# 11 Red Horse Racing Toyota) is the next best three-time qualifier with an average start of 7.7. Starrs best finish third came in 2004.
In the loop:
LMS among Bill Lesters favorite tracks Kyle Busch rang up an impressive driver rating of 146.5 (of 150.0) when he took the checkered flag at Lowes Motor Speedway in 2005. Runner-up Terry Cook was a distant second with a Driver Rating of 119.9 while third-place Ted Musgraves Driver Rating of 113.5 ranked fourth in the field.
From the archives:
Only nine drivers who took the green flag in the Truck Series inaugural event at Lowes Motor Speedway in 2003 are expected to enter this weeks race. And just one of them Matt Crafton (#88 Menards/Energizer Chevy) has posted top 10 finishes in all three of his starts. Crafton has finished ninth three consecutive times.(NASCAR PR)(5-15-2006)
Fast Facts:
What: Quaker Steak & Lube 200 (Race 6 of 25)
Where: Lowe’s Motor Speedway, Concord, NC
When: 8:45 p.m. ET Friday, May 19
Track Layout: 1.5 -mile banked, paved
Race Length: 200 miles/134 laps
Posted Awards: $524,098
TV: SPEED Channel, 8:45 pm/et
Radio: MRN, XM Satellite
2005 winner: Kyle Busch
005 polesitter: Mike Skinner
Pre-race schedule (all times local): Friday – Practice 9:15 a.m. – 10:15 a.m. Rookie Practice 10:20 a.m. – 10:45 a.m. Final Practice 10:50 a.m. to 11:50 a.m. Qualifying 4:15 p.m. Trucks impounded after qualifying.(5-15-2006)
