June 2003 Truck Series News Archive

 

  • Gaughan wins at Milwaukee: #62-Brendan Gaughan won the GNC 200 at The Milwaukee Mile, his 2nd of the season and 4th of his career and first at a track other then Texas and takes over the points lead by 1 point. Rounding out the top five were: #2-Jason Leffler; #14-Rick Crawford; #1-Ted Musgrave; and #46-Dennis Setzer. Pole sitter #29-Terry Cook finished 7th and points leader coming into the race, #4-Bobby Hamilton, lost and engine mid way thru the race and finished 29th and dropped to 2nd in points.
    For race results see ThatsRacin.com, Truckseries.com, MotorsportsOne, or NASCAR.com.(6-28-2003)
  • 2003 Truck Series Points Fund Announced: NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series teams will receive more than $1.68 million in season-end awards following the 2003 season. The figure includes a $1.5 million-plus NASCAR/Craftsman points fund, paid to the top-20 drivers and owners in final series standings. The number will surpass last year’s fund. Also scheduled for payment at year-end is $180,000 in series manufacturer awards, well in excess of the $167,500 paid at the conclusion of the 2002 season. That amount is part of the nearly $2.2 million paid by manufacturers to series competitors this season, up dramatically from the $1.9 million disbursed last year. The funds will be disbursed following the ninth annual champion™s awards banquet on Nov. 15, being held for the second year at the Sheraton Bal Harbour Resort in Bal Harbour, Fla. The banquet follows by one day the season-ending Ford 200 at Homestead-Miami Speedway.(NASCAR PR)(6-27-2003)
  • Cook on the pole at Milwaukee: Defending race champion #29-Terry Cook won the pole Friday for Saturday’s GNC Live Well 200 Truck series race at The Milwaukee Mile. Cook took the top starting position with a lap of 119.996mph. #62-Brendan Gaughan qualified second at 119.868, followed by #99-Carl Edwards at 119.848, #46-Dennis Setzer at 119.788 and #50-Jon Wood at 119.693. Series points leader Bobby Hamilton, who has led in all eight races this year, qualified 15th for an event won by eight different drivers in eight years. Cook and Musgrave are the only former winners among 36 racers in the $469,150 event. Missing the race were #36-Trevor Boys; #65-Nathan Wulff; and #87-Conrad Burr.(ThatsRacin.com/AP)
    For starting lineup/qualifying results, see ThatsRacin.com, Truckseries.com or NASCAR.com.(6-27-2003)
  • Sauter to run Milwaukee? UPDATE hearing Busch Series driver, Johnny Sauter, may run in the Milwaukee Truck Series race in the #9 Ballew Motorsports Ford if sponsorship can be found.(6-18-2003)
    UPDATE: Sauter will not run the Truck Series race, Steadman Marlin is in the #9 Ford at Milwaukee.(6-27-2003)
  • Gordon back for Milwaukee: After an unexpected weekend off due to a lack of sponsorship, Tina Gordon and the #31 Brevak Racing Dodge team team will be back in action this weekend in Milwaukee for the GNC Live Well 200. This race is special for team owners Bob and Shelly Brevak, who live in Ashland, Wisc. Many of their friends and family members who don’t usually get to attend the races will be on hand. This weekend also marks the 31st year since the Brevaks entered their first USAC blacktop race at the Milwaukee Mile. They ran the #34 1972 Dodge Charger with a 426 Hemi engine at Milwaukee. “We’re looking forward to a great weekend and are hoping for a solid top 10 finish,” said Shelly Brevak. This will be the first trip to Milwaukee for Gordon, who is 21st in overall points and fourth in rookie points in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series.(Gadsden Times)(6-27-2003)
  • Marlin to run the #9 Truck: Steadman Marlin has never driven in a Truck Series race and he has never even seen the Milwaukee Mile, but this weekend the 22 year old Columbia, TN native gets the chance to do both. Marlin will pilot the #9 VOKAL/FASSCORE Marketing Ford for Billy Ballew Motorsports in the GNC 200. Marlin is the son of NASCAR Winston Cup competitor Sterling Marlin and shares the same down-home demeanor that his famous father is known for, a character trait that will make him right at home with his truck owner Billy Ballew. “Running in the truck series will be a good deal for me,” Marlin said. “The horsepower is similar to a Winston Cup car and every time I have driven my dad’s Cup car I have had a pretty decent run in it. The competition in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series is similar in my eyes to the Busch Series so I think I can compete with these guys. It is going to be fun, I am sure of that.” Marlin has 22 Busch Series starts over the past four seasons. Marlin’s best NBS finish was earlier this year at California when he came home in15th place. To his credit Marlin places none of the blame on the equipment he drove. “To be honest the equipment I had to drive has been pretty good,” Marlin stated. “The situations haven’t always been the best and the chemistry has not been what it should. That’s why I am really looking forward to working with Billy, he is a great guy and he shoots it to you straight and expects the same back. We see eye to eye and that is the way this business should be.” Even though Marlin has not set foot upon the hallowed ground of the Milwaukee Mile, America’s oldest racetrack, he will have some help from some experienced sources. NASCAR Busch Series veteran crew chief Tommy Morgan will be Marlin’s main mechanic and Marlin is calling in advice from old friends to help figure out Milwaukee’s one-mile layout. “Casey Atwood has given me a scouting report,” Marin said. “He told me about those wide sweeping corners and the fast straight-aways. I have only seen the place on television but I like those flat type tracks. My goal this weekend is to get some seat time and prove to everybody that I can run in this series. If I can do that then maybe Billy will run me in some additional NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series events.”(Billy Ballew Motorsports PR)(6-24-2003)
  • Series Milestone: The NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series celebrated its 200th event at Memphis Motorsports Park
  • Musgrave wins at Memphis: #1-Ted Musgrave passed #50-Jon Wood with 14 laps remaining to win the O’Reilly 200 Truck Series race Saturday at Memphis Motorsports Park. Musgrave averaged a race record 86.087 mph and won $46,875. The victory was his second this season and 12th in his Truck Series career. The win was a record-tying 28th for Ultra Motorsports team owner Jim Smith, matching the mark of Roush Racing – Wood’s team owner. Smith is the only owner to have fielded a truck in each of the series’ 200 races. #16-Travis Kvapil was second followed by #46-Dennis Setzer, #50-JonWood and #99-Carl Edwards. Points leader, #4-Bobby Hamilton finished 7th, his 8th stright top-10 finishe, and has an 84-point lead over Kvapil in the series standings. Six drivers swapped the lead 10 times. Seven caution flags slowed the field for 37 laps. #02-Kelly ‘Girl’ Sutton finished 27th in her Truck Series debut after starting 34th.(ThatsRacin.com/AP)
    See results at ThatsRacin.com, MotorsportsOne, Truckseries.com or NASCAR.com.(6-21-2003)
  • Congrats: to Joe Ruttman and his family, welcoming Alexa Renee Almond born on June 6, 2003 at 8 pounds, 9 Oz. 21 inches to Shawn Almond (Joe’s oldest daughter) and Jeff Almond, Gear and Transmission specialist at Robert Yates Racing.(6-18-2003)
  • Wood wins the pole at Memphis: #50-Jon Wood won his first career pole Friday for the O’Reilly 200 Truck series race at Memphis Motorsports Park. The best previous qualifying result for Wood was a fourth-place start last month at Lowe’s Motor Speedway. He’s competing on a race-to-race basis, and hopes the performance will help his team find a sponsor for remainder of the season. Wood’s fast lap on the three-quarter-mile oval was 117.407mph. On the outside pole is #18-Chad Chaffin, whose best previous qualifying effort in the Truck series was sixth. Chaffin ran a lap of 117.223. #1-Ted Musgrave qualified third, followed by #16-Travis Kvapil and #99-Carl Edwards. The pole was the first for Roush Racing since Oct. 28, 2000, when Kurt Busch was the fastest qualifier at California Speedway. #14-Rick Crawford, #2-Jason Leffler, series points leader #4-Bobby Hamilton, 2001 Memphis winner #46-Dennis Setzer and #29-Terry Cook rounded out the top 10 among the 36 qualifiers for the series’ 200th race.(Thatsracin.com/AP)
    Lineups at: ThatsRacin.com, Truckseries.com or NASCAR.com.(6-20-2003)
  • #87 Gets Sponsor for Memphis: Burr Motorsports announced a partnership with Wendy’s for the upcoming Truck Series race in Memphis on June 21. Dennis Sumler, owner of three Wendy’s restaurants in West TN (Milan, Lexington and Savannah) is a big fan of racing and has been very involved at local tracks in the Sprint Car Series. “It’s time to branch out and take advantage of the exposure offered in NASCAR and I’m excited about this venture”, reported Mr. Sumler. “At this time, Sponsorships are very difficult to obtain, we’re excited about the opportunity to partner with Wendy’s for the race at Memphis Motorsports Park and very appreciative to Mr. Sumler for his support”, said Joanne Hughes, Marketing and PR with BMS. Conrad Burr, driver of the #87 Chevy, is looking forward to his third race of the season. His last race was at Dover where he started 30th and finished 15th. After Memphis, the next race planned for Burr Motorsports is the Kentucky 225 on July 12 at Kentucky Speedway. More info on the team at www.burrmotorsports.com.(Burr Motorsports PR)(6-19-2003)
  • Changes Set For Circle Bar Racing in Memphis: #14 Circle Bar Racing crew chief Ray Stonkus has been placed on medical leave and will not attend the O’Reilly 200 at the Memphis Motorsports Park and subsequent events in the following weeks. Substituting for Stonkus at the track will be veteran Truck Series crew chief Fred Wanke. Stonkus has developed a medical condition that has prohibited him from flying resulting in the reduction of events out of driving distance. While Stonkus recuperates, he will remain at the teams headquarters in Concord, NC, maintaining the current stable of trucks for the series summer stretch. Stonkus will remain as the team’s crew chief with Wanke only taking over at-track responsibilities. Wanke was a logical choice to assist the team because of his relationship with Stonkus that developed in the mid 70’s and early 80’s. The two have a tremendous amount of knowledge to draw from which will help Crawford remain a consistent competitor at the track. “I am not coming in to take over as crew chief,” stated Wanke from the teams shop Wednesday afternoon. “Rick and Ray called me and asked me if I was interested in helping them out. I responded by saying I would help this team any way I could, as long as everyone knows that this is still Ray’s team and as soon as he is well enough to resume his regular duties he’ll return to calling the shots at the track.” This weekend’s event at the Memphis Motorsports Park will be the first event since Dover of 2000 that Stonkus has missed. Stonkus has led a resurgence of Circle Bar Racing since joining the team collecting 1 win, 2 poles, 25 top-five and 41 top-ten finishes in 56 events.(Circle Bar Racing PR)(6-19-2003)
  • Driver to debut in the #63 at Memphis: The #63 MB Motorsports Truck Series team announced that rookie driver David Stover will make his NASCAR debut driving the #63 Dave Porter Truck Sales / Summer Bay Resort.com Ford in the O’Reilly 200 at Memphis Motorsports Park on June 21, 2003. Stover has been racing for 15 of his 23 years and has accumulated 9 national go-kart championships competing in the IKF, WKA, KART, & SKUSA. More recently, Stover has successfully driven SCCA Formula Madza open-wheeled cars and earned rookie-of-the-year in late model stock cars at the high-banked challenging I-70 Speedway in Odessa, Missouri. Mixed with his racing career, David attended the University of Oklahoma and graduated with honors, earning his Bachelor of Business Administration degree in 2002.(MB Motorsports PR)(6-19-2003)
  • #15 Switches to Dodge: Billy Ballew Motorsports is making a switch from the Ford, which they have raced since entering the Truck Series in 1996, to the Dodge Ram for the #15 VOKAL sponsored team starting this weekend at Memphis Motorsports Park. The team will continue to field Fords for their second entry, the #9 team. Ballew and Rich Bickle return to Memphis Motorsports Park site of their best finish in 2002. Bickle finished sixth in that event, running with the leaders all day. This time he will wage war with a brand new truck, a new Dodge body and a new motor combination from Wegner Automotive.(Billy Ballew Motorsports PR)(6-17-2003)
  • Parker Jr. in for Starr: Due to recent injuries to Truck Series driver, David Starr, Spears Motorsports has opted to put another driver in the #75 Chevy until Starr makes a full recovery. Starr suffered a broken collarbone as well as broken bones in his left hand and foot following an incident during a recent test at The Milwaukee Mile. Spears Motorsports has fielded a truck in all but two Truck Series races since the inception of the series in 1995, recording their most successful season in 2002 with Starr behind the wheel. Starr is expected to make a full recovery in four to six weeks. Hank Parker Jr. of the Busch Series has agreed to take the take the wheel for the team as long as necessary. Parker has been a Busch Series regular since 1999, accumulating two wins, nine top-fives, 29 top-10’s and one pole.. He has been unable to secure a ride for the full season this year but has three starts in 2003; two with the #27 TrimSpa car and one with the #8 Chance 2 Motorsports Chevy. In those three starts, Parker was able to turn in two top-10 performances. This, however, will not be the first time Parker will drive for Spears Manufactuing.. In 1998, Parker ran a Winston West race for Spears Motorsports and had a top-10 finish for the team that day at Las Vegas. He will also find a familiar face in crew chief, Dave McCarty as the two worked together as driver and crew chief for Parker’s Busch team from 1998 through 2000. “We’re fortunate to be able to get someone with Hank’s talent,” said crew chief, Dave McCarty. “We’ve worked together before and I know what he likes, which makes him the logical driver choice for us.. Our focus is still on getting David healthy and we’re anxious for his return. In the meantime, Hank should do an excellent job for us.. With the talent he has, I’m glad we have the opportunity to get him back in a competitive ride.” Parker is looking forward to the challenge of taking on the tough competition in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. “It is unfortunate to have to fill in under these circumstances,” said Parker. “I certainly wish David a speedy recovery. I am excited to work with Dave McCarty again, I know him well and we work well together. I drove for Spears once before and I look forward to getting behind the wheel of a truck for them. I have never raced a truck before but I am really excited about making my first start in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. I’ve watched a lot of their races and they’ve got some tough competitors.. I just want to get out there and run with them and hopefully turn in some good finishes for the Spears Motorsports team.” Starr, meanwhile, is doing everything he can to speed along his recovery back in Texas.
    “I’m resting at home here in Texas and I’m trying to do what the doctors are telling me plus I’m taking vitamins, I’m taking calcium pills and I’m drinking a lot of milk so my bones will heal up quicker,” said Starr.. “I just want to recover as quickly as possible because can’t wait to go back to racing.. We have a great team, we were starting to jump back up in the points and it was looking like we had gotten our bad luck out of the way.. I’m beat up a little bit but I’ve been beat up in the past.. I just want to come back as soon as possible so I can finish out the season with my team and put some wins on the board for Spears Motorsports. I think putting Hank Parker Jr. in the truck is a great decision.. I’ve got a great raceteam and I don’t think they need to stop racing.. Hank has worked with Dave McCarty before and he’ll fit right in with ‘Chief’.. Hopefully they’ll keep rolling and put that Spears Chevrolet in victory lane and then when I get well, I’ll come back and try to do the same thing.”(Spears Motorsports PR)(6-13-2003)
  • Starr Injured: David Starr, driver of Spears Motorsports’ #75 Chevy in the Craftsman Truck Series, suffered a broken collarbone and injuries to his left hand and foot in a single-truck crash Wednesday while testing at the Milwaukee Mile. Starr was treated at an area hospital and released early this morning.(Winston Cup Scene Daily Newsletter)(6-12-2003)
    ADDRESS: For those who have requested an address to send get well wishes to David made do so at the following address:
    15468 HWY 156
    Justin, TX 76247
  • BHR Does the Crew Chief Shuffle: Effective immediately, the #18 and the #8 Bobby Hamilton Racing Dodge Teams will switch crew chiefs.. Danny Rollins, who has been with the #8 Dodge Motorsports Team and driver, Bill Lester, will move over to the #18 Dickies Dodge driven by Chad Chaffin. In turn, Randy Seals will subsequently take over as the crew chief of the #8 Dodge Motorsports Team. “What I’m looking for with this move is for Randy (Seals) to help Bill (Lester) in the race setup area,” said team owner, Bobby Hamilton.. “We don’t have a problem with Bill’s qualifying, but what I’m hoping for is that this change will help him along in running in the second half of the race. In moving Rollins back to the #18, it’s like sending him back home. He’s been there and worked with several of those guys, so it’s not that big of a change.” This will make the third time Rollins has served as crew chief on the #18 team. In 2001, he was crew chief for Joe Ruttman, who finished 3rd in the NASCAR Truck Series points standings.. In 2002, Rollins moved back over to the #18 truck at the Milwaukee event, after starting the year with BHR’s #4 truck. Seals assumed the #18 crew chief job at the beginning of the 2003 season after heading up the No. 4 team late last season. Along with the crew chief shuffle, BHR also made a few other changes in the line ups of each of its three teams, in order to better utilize crew members’ over-the-wall skills.(BHR PR)(6-12-2003)
  • #29 Crew Chief Fined: NASCAR officials announced today that Richard A. Ren II, crew chief of the #29 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series team, has been fined $500 due to a rule infraction discovered last week at Texas Motor Speedway, prior to the O’Reilly 400K. During the event’s initial inspection process, the #29 Ford was found to have unapproved lug nuts. That was a violation of Section 12-4-Q of the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series rulebook (parts and/or equipment used that do not conform to NASCAR rules) and Section 12-4-A (actions detrimental to stock car racing).(NASCAR PR)(6-11-2003)
  • Andy Houston back to PPI: Driver Andy Houston is exploring new racing options. Houston began the 2003 season as the driver of the #15 Billy Ballew Motorsports truck in the Truck Series. He posted the team’s best-ever finish in the season opener at Daytona International Speedway, bringing the truck home in the fifth position. Houston and Ballew decided to part ways recently due to the lack of sponsorship for the team. “Since I can’t be in a good quality ride right now, I want to stay on top of things with the latest technology,” explained Houston. “I want to stay sharp in the driver’s seat so I am prepared when a good ride opens up.” While Houston is currently assisting PPI Motorsports in their testing efforts, he continues to look for a successful team to drive for. “I love being back with Cal Wells and the PPI crew, however, I want everyone to know that I am available if a ride opens up. I have agreed to help Cal and Ricky [Craven, driver of the #32 Tide Ford] until I can find a more permanent position within the racing community.” Houston made his Cup debut with Wells in 2001, running 17 races in the #96 McDonald’s Ford before McDonald’s reduced their primary sponsor efforts.(globalPERFORMANCE Company PR)(6-8-2003)
  • Toyota plans six trucks for its inaugural season: Les Unger, Toyota’s national motor sports manager, said the manufacturer plans to have six trucks in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series when Toyota enters the series next year. “That’s basically our capacity right now,” Unger said. “Maybe down the road we’ll have more, but we feel like that’s our limit for 2004.”(Dallas Morning News)(6-7-2003)
  • Common Templates in 2004: The NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series will follow the lead of the Winston Cup Series and switch to a common-template body for all four manufacturers, starting next season. Toyota officials confirmed the plans for the rule change. Toyota is entering the series next year with the Tundra. The truck bodies will be identical from the firewall back. Each manufacturer will be allowed to have minor variations on the nose of the trucks to ensure brand identity, but the idea is to make the trucks aerodynamically equal and eliminate changes to the body specifications.(Dallas Morning News)(6-7-2003)
  • Gordon’s team may close up? This year started out as a great one for Tina Gordon.  After several years running part-time in the ARCA RE/MAX Series, she had landed a ride with #31 Brevak Racing in the Truck Series, a team that has been in the series since its inception.  The team had enough funding to run several races and some good prospects for funding for the entire season.  Unfortunately in the racing business, a good prospect is nothing more until a check is in hand. The team has had a very good run so far with Gordon maintaining a spot in the Top 20 in the overall NCTS point standings and second place in the Raybestos Rookie of the Year race.  She even led the rookie points for one week early in the season.  All of these results are remarkable considering Gordon is a driver whose racing career began only eight years ago in a dirt-track powder puff race.  She has come a long way since that race, including a Top 10 finish in her first NASCAR Busch Series race at Talladega in April of this year.  Owners Bob and Shelly Brevak have been paying the difference between what it costs to run a race and what they have gotten from sponsors.  This is a fact Gordon does not take lightly and appreciates greatly.  “Bob and Shelly (Brevak) have really done so much for me this year,” said Gordon.  “They have personally funded a lot of the races and have gotten me to this point.”  Now, seven races into the 25-race season, the team finds itself faced with the reality of either finding funds quickly or sitting out the next few races.  For Gordon, this is a tough pill to swallow.  “I hate it because we have such a good team and such a good season going.  I hate to see it end,” said Gordon. While the future is uncertain for the #31 Dodge at this point, Gordon and her team members realize how fortunate they are to have been able to attempt every race up to this point, while many teams have had to sit home.  Gordon is thankful for the sponsorship she has gotten so far, but the reality is that it just isn’t enough to carry through the season.  “I’ve really appreciated all of the support we’re getting from Microtel Inns & Suites and from 3M, but at this point it’s still not enough to fund the team for the season,” said Gordon.  Both Microtel Inns & Suites and Scotch(R) Transparent Duct Tape have signed on for a few more races as co-primary sponsors, and Microtel is an associate sponsor for the entire season. Team owner Shelly Brevak feels like the team has much to offer a potential sponsor.  “We pride ourselves on going above and beyond the call of duty when it comes to making sure they (sponsors) are getting a good bang for their buck.”  Added Brevak, “Our team has 31 years of racing experience and a talented rookie driver that will be a tremendous asset to any company both on and off the track.”  Gordon agrees.  “I feel like our team would be a great team for a company looking for a way to promote their products or services,” Gordon said.(Victory Lane Motorsports Management PR)(6-7-2003)
  • Crawford Wooed by Toyota: #14-Rick Crawford has driven a Ford for seven seasons. He was asked Thursday if he was being wooed by Toyota, which is entering the series next year. “Yes, I’ve been asked,” he said. “Some people say I’m crazy [for not saying yes], but Ford has been good to me. So has my team owner, Tom Mitchell of Ozona, Texas. I’m going to do what he tells me, and I hope my last lap in a race is driving for him.”(Dallas Morning News)(6-6-2003)
  • Gaughan wins at Texas again: #62-Brendan Gaughan finally regained the lead with five laps left and went on to win his third straight NASCAR Truck series race at Texas Motor Speedway on Friday night. After getting blocked in the pits twice, dropping from the lead to 11th place during a caution on lap 101, Gaughan took the high line with his Dodge through the first and second turns on the 163rd lap to pass rookie #99-Carl Edwards for the lead in the O’Reilly 400. Gaughan stretched his lead from there, and went on to beat Edwards by 0.865 seconds for his third career win – all at Texas. Gaughan won with an average speed of 140.621 mph, a track record and the fifth-fastest in series history. #50-Jon Wood finished third, followed by #16-Travis Kvapil abd #46-Dennis Setzer. The only other driver to win three straight Craftsman Truck Series races at the same track was Jack Sprague at Phoenix from 1996-97. Gaughan, racing the same truck that won both previous races, finished second in his only other race at the 11/2-mile Texas track. Gaughan led four times, for just 16 laps. His third lead came four laps before a caution on the 101st lap when he got stuck in his pit for the second time. Series points leader #4-Bobby Hamilton started on the pole after qualifying was rained out. He kept his Dodge in front a race-high 71 laps and finished seventh, maintaining a 73-point lead over #14-Rick Crawford in the season standings. #49-Shawna Robinson and the all women pit crew finished 18th, five laps down.(AP/ThatsRacin.com)
    See results at ThatsRacin.com, MotorsportsOne, Truckseries.com or NASCAR.com.(6-6-2003)
  • Qualifying Rained out at Texas, Hamilton starts first: Season points leader #4-Bobby Hamilton will start from the pole in the Truck Series race at Texas after qualifying was canceled Thursday because of rain. The lineup for Friday night’s O’Reilly 400K was determined by season points and other criteria. It’s the third time in seven races this season that qualifying has been rained out. #49-Shawna Robinson, who will be supported by NASCAR’s first all-female pit crew, will start her Chevrolet 32nd in the 36-truck field. It’s the first of three scheduled races for the team this year. #14-Rick Crawford also will start his Ford on the front row, and #16-Travis Kvapil and #1-Ted Musgrave will be on the second row. #62-Brendan Gaughan, whose only two series victories came in the two truck races on the 11/2-mile Texas track last year, starts fifth.(ThatsRacin.com/AP)
    For starting lineups, see ThatsRacin.com, Truckseries.com or NASCAR.com.(6-5-2003)
  • Hamiltion tests at Lakeland and Texas…..World Speedway: #4-Square D driver Bobby Hamilton has been very busy these days. Before he raced and finished second at Dover International Raceway, he tested his #4 Dodge in Lakeland, Florida. This week Hamilton spent one day in his Tennessee-based race shop before he flew to Texas World Speedway for another two-day test session. “It gets crazy sometimes, but we need to test as much we can for the practice. It only helps our entire program at BHR if one of our teams tests at a racetrack. We started out this season with a whole new team, including a driver and crew chief. Since that time we have come so far and we want it to keep moving in that same direction. Dodge and Square D provide us with so much support on our racing program and we want to show them the best results. It’s nice to go onto a race track where I have not ever raced a truck before and have a good finish. The best way to do that is to test, test, test.” Hamilton has the most top-five finishes so far this season, with five-out-of-six. finishes being top fives and has lead laps in all six races.(BHR PR)(6-4-2003)
  • Edwards back with Team Racing at Texas: Team Racing announced Wayne Edwards will drive the No. 25 Lane Automotive / Speed Motorsport Management Chevy at Texas Motor Speedway on Friday. Team Racing will bring three trucks to the event with Jamie Aube in the #23 Red Line Synthetic Oil Chevy and Phil Bonifield in the #86 Embassy Suites Hotel Chevy. This weekend at Texas Motor Speedway Team Racing will have Embassy Suites Hotel of Outdoor World at the Dallas/Fort Worth Airport as primary sponsor of the #86 Chevy with Landlock Marine Transport as an associate sponsor on all three of Team Racing’s trucks.(Team Racing PR)(6-4-2003)
  • Whatever happened to Rick Carelli: Rick Carelli is not about to call it quits in racing. But this will be his final year with Davy Lee Liniger and REMAX Racing. “We’re not going to contend for any series title because we are just picking and choosing our races this summer,” Carelli, 48, said Monday. “But Dave told us he would see us through this season. We’re going to run some ARCA, some Southwest Series events, race at Colorado National in Erie and down at (Pikes Peak International Raceway). Carelli has competed in three races this season. He finished fifth Sunday in an ARCA event at Kansas Speedway in Kansas. He ran up front most of the race, even leading for three laps late in the race. But failing tire pressure forced him to fall back. “We’re going to run for REMAX until Nov. 2, then I will be looking for a job,” said Carelli, who opened his season with a fifth-place finish at Daytona and has finished 10th at Nashville. “I’ve given a lot of my life to racing, and I still think I have a lot more to give.” Carelli said he would not mind getting back into NASCAR’s Craftsman Truck Series, which he competed in from the series’ inception in 1995 until a 1999 accident at Bristol. Carelli will race at Michigan International Speedway next week in an ARCA race that will serve as the support event for Winston Cup stop at the track. The real pressure, though, will come at PPIR on July 26, when he tries to win on the 40th birthday of his wife, Cathy. Even when Carelli calls it a career as a driver, he hopes to stay in the racing business, perhaps as a mentor to his son, Dominic, 12, or as an owner.(Rocky Mountain News)(6-3-2003)

 

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