May 2005 Truck Series News Archive

 

  • Rambo hired to crew chief Gaughan: Orleans Racing announced the addition of Tony “Rambo” Liberati to the Orleans Racing family. Liberati, with his nearly two decades of NASCAR experience, will lead the crew of the #77 Jasper Engines Dodge for the remainder of the year. The acquisition comes after a two-race period where Liberati served as interim crew chief for the #77 Jasper Engine Dodge, helping the team to its best two finishes of the year. “When the deal with Rambo came together originally he was going to be visiting family in Ohio. We were racing at Mansfield, Ohio and since he was going to be around for two races I said ‘Hey Rambo, come help me out’,” said the driver of the #77 Jasper Engines Dodge, Brendan Gaughan on the initial steps of what turned out to be a great marriage of personalities. “After the chemistry came together so quickly with the guys and with how his attitude matches mine it was an easy decision to look into it further.” After a pair of strong runs with Liberati on the toolbox Gaughan decided to take his feelings to the team to see what they thought of the possibilities of adding Rambo to the team on a fulltime basis. Explaining the behind the scenes hiring approach Gaughan said, “After the Charlotte race I went and asked the entire Orleans Racing crew. I said ‘Guys I’m having a lot of fun with Rambo. Anybody else want to keep him?’ Everyone raised their hands and said they wanted him. It’s all about the team; and the guys on the team love him. Him and I on the radio, well it’s just been a lot of fun having him around. I’m excited to have him.” With the team’s blessing Brendan Gaughan brought the consensus to the man who writes the checks, team owner, Michael Gaughan. It didn’t take long for the senior Gaughan and Liberati hammer out a deal. “[Rambo] met with my father, the real team owner, and they came to an agreement,” said Brendan. Then with a laugh he added, “My dad doesn’t let me in on those financial things but I do know he’s getting paid more than the driver.” Asked what was single issue that made him decide to make Las Vegas and Orleans Racing his new home Liberati replied, “I think it had to do with the chemistry — not just with Brendan but with the guys. We got on the same page right from the start. That meant more to me than anything else going into this. The parts and pieces are all the same but it’s the people that make this sport go, and Orleans Racing has a great group of guys to back up first class equipment.” Liberati added, “I’m looking forward to it. Brendan and I have been friends together a long time. We went to Iraq together and got to be pretty good friends then. We had some good runs together and I want to continue the streak.”(Orleans Racing PR)(5-31-2005)
  • Toyota to sponsor Milwaukee Truck race: The Milwaukee Mile and Toyota’s Chicago Region announced that the upcoming NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race at the tradition-rich speedway on Friday, June 24, will be called the ‘Toyota Tundra Milwaukee 200.’ The ‘Toyota Tundra Milwaukee 200,’ which will be broadcast live on SPEED Channel, will begin at 9:00pm/et and will be the culmination of a complete day of NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series action at the track. Race day will also include practice and qualifying sessions — a format that was initially introduced to the series at The Milwaukee Mile in 2004. There will be a pair of practice sessions in the afternoon, followed by pole position qualifying at 6:30pm/et. In addition to serving as the title sponsor for the Milwaukee event, Toyota will furnish vehicles for on-track activities and have a visible presence at the oldest, continuously-operated speedway in the world. Currently, Jack Safro Toyota in Brookfield, WI is the official vehicle-provider to The Milwaukee Mile, including all of the speedway’s Toyota Tundra Quad Cab safety units. This marks the second NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race that will have Toyota as the title sponsor. Toyota is also the primary sponsor of the ‘Toyota Tundra 200’ at Nashville Superspeedway, a relationship that began in 2004. Ticket information for the ‘Toyota Tundra Milwaukee 200’ NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race is available by calling 414-453-8277, or visiting www.milwaukeemile.com.(5-31-2005)
  • Crawford holds off on Cup deal: NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series racer #14-Rick Crawford said Ford officials talked to him about running a few Nextel Cup races later this season, but Crawford decided against it. “It takes about $125,000 to build just one of those cars, not including the engine,” Crawford said at TMS Tuesday. “But that car is going to be obsolete in a year. I didn’t think the timing was right to do it.” Crawford is talking about NASCAR’s plans for the so-called “Car of Tommorow.” It’s a redesigned body that all the Cup teams will use by 2007.(Dallas Morning News)(5-27-2000)
  • Craftsman re-ups as title sponsor of the Truck Series: NASCAR announced today that Sears, Roebuck and Co., through its proprietary Craftsman tool brand, has renewed its title sponsorship of the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. The NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series is one of America’s fastest growing major sports properties and now the #3 motorsports property on cable television. “Sears’ outstanding support during the past decade has helped the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series become one of the hottest motorsports properties in America, which continues to draw new fans and provide tremendous value for sponsors and media partners,” said George Pyne, NASCAR chief operating officer. “Craftsman’s commitment, coupled with additional marketing support and in-store exposure from the Sears-Kmart merger, will help take the series to new heights.”
    In 2004, 19 of 25 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series events experienced increases in the average number of households tuned in. The 2005 season-opening Florida Dodge Dealers 250 at Daytona International Speedway earned a 2.1 rating on SPEED Channel, up +31% vs. 2004 – the highest rated program in SPEED Channel’s broadcast history. The most recent event, the Quaker Steak and Lube 200 presented by Click It or Ticket at Lowe’s Motor Speedway on May 20, was the most-watched Series event outside of Daytona on SPEED Channel. Thus far this season, an average of 680,000 households (+16%) and 954,000 viewers (+21%) have tuned in to each NASCAR Craftsman Truck series event.
    Under the five-year agreement, Sears will increase its support of the series in national and local advertising, sales promotions, in-store point-of-sale materials and public relations. The Craftsman brand also renews its status as “Official Tools of NASCAR.” Highlights of Craftsman’s enhanced support include:
    Additional advertising to promote the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series
    Local in-store sales promotions supporting series events
    Support of NASCAR’s diversity programs
    More prominent store signage and presence on product packaging in stores.
    Sears’ Craftsman brand has been title sponsor of the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series since the racing series began in 1995. The sponsorship, which gives Craftsman a broad position and array of rights in NASCAR, is one of three NASCAR national series entitlements in the sport, along with the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series and the NASCAR Busch Series. With 25 points events airing live exclusively on SPEED Channel, the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series has evolved from being primarily a short track, “super regional” series to a national series with races at 22 tracks in 18 states across the U.S.
    The series trademark tough, side-by-side racing has been steadfast throughout the first 10 seasons:
    The championship has been decided in the final race nine of ten seasons.
    The championship was won by fewer than 100 points in seven of ten seasons.
    143 of 242 total races (59%) had a margin of victory of less than one second.
    Ten or more different winners over six of the past seven seasons.
    The NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series is also an important and strategic platform for vehicle manufacturers Chevrolet, Dodge, Ford, and Toyota.(NASCAR PR)(5-26-2005)
  • Mansfield for sale: Mansfield Motorsports Speedway is for sale. Michael Dzurilla, who once saved the track from sheriff’s auction, has owned the half-mile oval on Crall Road for three years. But the Cleveland-area businessman who relocated to Ashland cannot continue in his role. “I lost too much money,” he said. Dzurilla, 47, invested more than $17 million in upgrades, while maintaining Bullet Motorsports, a high-profile yet unsponsored NHRA Pro Stock drag racing team. MMS took a financial hit on both UAW-GM Ohio 250 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series races the last two springs. While both races were sold out, they didn’t take in enough to offset the cost for NASCAR’s sanctioning, the costs to bring in temporary bleachers, and the costs to bring in personnel to run the race. Dzurilla wouldn’t divulge figures, saying only each of those expenses were in the hundreds of thousands of dollars. This year, temporary bleachers in Turn 1 were wiped out by the weather, which canceled Friday’s concerts and fireworks show. MMS crew and volunteers worked through the night to clear the debris and get the track race ready, but cold weather and on-and-off rain delayed qualifying and made Saturday’s attendance less than a typical weekly show. The May 15 race drew 25,000 fans, but cool temperatures hurt concessions. Dzurilla said they made just $30,000 on Sunday sales, far from what was expected. Last year’s qualifying was completely wiped out by rain and the race, while attended by 20,000 fans, was also on a cool day. Dzurilla said he doesn’t want to file for bankruptcy, so he’s putting the track up for sale and shutting down Bullet Motorsports, despite the team sitting third in the championship with 22-year-old Dave Connolly in their Chevrolet. It costs about $1.5 million to run a full season in NHRA’s Pro Stock division.(Mansfield News Journal)(5-25-2005)
  • Roush Racing’s ‘Gong Show’ gets a sponsor and goes on TV: Roush Racing is teaming up with Discovery Channel to find a driver to join their team, to star in an energy-jammed reality show, and ultimately to compete for the 2006 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Championship. Discovery Channel will bring the excitement, drama, and rush of this exclusive search for NASCAR’s next superstar in a new series premiering this fall. Twenty-five young racers, sharing one dream, will compete on and off the track for one of the most sought after jobs in racing – a fully sponsored ride with legendary racer and team owner Jack Roush. Discovery Channel will go behind-the-scenes of the driver selection process as the candidates are put through a barrage of tests – challenging their physical and mental strengths, not to mention evaluating their media savvy and general fan appeal. Anyone who thinks they’ve got what it takes is encouraged to submit their applications immediately online at RoushRacing.com. Applications will be accepted through June 15, 2005.(Roush Racing)(5-25-2005)
  • Paramount Health Care to sponsor the the MIS truck race: Paramount Health Care, the largest health provider based in northwest Ohio, will sponsor the Paramount Health Insurance 200 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race at Michigan International Speedway. The Paramount Health Insurance 200 will take place on June 18, a day prior to the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Batman Begins 400 race on June 19. It is the second straight year MIS and Paramount Health Care have partnered to sponsor a race. In 2004, Paramount Health Care sponsored the Paramount Health Insurance 100 IRL Infiniti Pro Series race in August. Two health care facilities that are in close proximity to MIS, Adrian’s Bixby Medical Center and Tecumseh’s Herrick Memorial Hospital, are both members of ProMedica Health System. For more information, please visit www.paramounthealthcare.com.
    Tickets are still available for all June 17-19 activities at MIS, with children 12 and under admitted free to Friday’s ARCA RE/MAX Hantz 200 and the Paramount Health Insurance 200 on Saturday. Tickets are $40 for the Paramount Health Insurance 200. In addition, tickets are still available for the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Batman Begins 400 on Sunday, June 19. All tickets can be purchased now by visiting www.MISpeedway.com, or by calling the MIS ticket hotline at 1-800-354-1010.(MIS PR)(5-24-2005)
  • Team plans to run in 2006: White Lightning Racing is an organization that is comprised of both youth and experience. The team prides itself as being an open-minded group that wishes to blend the old traditions of racing with the modern thoughts of today. For more about White Lightning Racing, including contact information, please visit MotorSportsNews.Net. There’s one other team member that has come onboard. Her name is Michelle Dyer and she is covering the Public Relations end of the organization. Michelle Dyer is not your typical girl, she is special. What makes this P.R. person stand out isn’t what she does, it’s who she is. See Michelle Dyer is totally blind despite her blindness, Michelle Dyer presses on to pursue her dreams. You might know her best for her column writing. She has written for arcaracing.com, catchfence.com and motorsportsnews.net. Michelle Dyer states, “I’m really excited to be here. This is a dream come true for me. I hope to be an inspiration to all those with disabilities.” White Lightning Racing has partnered up with many smaller companies and organizations. Some of these supporters include Kool Mat Insolation and motorsportsnews.net.(5-23-2005)
  • Kyle Busch wins at Lowe’s: #15-Kyle Busch won the Quaker Steak & Lube 200 at Lowe’s Motor Speedway for his first career Truck Series race in eight starts. Busch led 77 of 136 laps and beat 2nd place finisher #10-Terry Cook by 0.149 seconds for the win on a green-white checkered finish. Busch becomes the youngest driver ever to win a Truck Series race at 20, Ricky Hendrick was 21 when he won. The rest of the top five were #1-Ted Musgrave, #23-Johnny Benson and #62-Steve Park. With #1-Musgrave’s 3rd and #04-Hamilton finishing 28th, Musgrave takes over the points lead from Hamilton by 41 points. #02-Kelly Sutton finished 15th and #22-Bill Lester finished 6th, both career bests. Pole sitter #5-Mike Skinner finished 26th, while leading late in the race when he tangled with #29-Brad Keselowski and ended up out of the race.
    For race results see:
    ESPN.com
    Truckseries.com
    NASCAR.com.(5-20-2005)
  • Skinner wins pole, breaks track record at Lowe’s: #5-Mike Skinner won the pole with a new Truck qualifying record for the Friday night Quaker Steak & Lube 200 at Lowe’s Motor Speedway with a lap of 183.051mph and will be joined on the front row by #14-Rick Crawford, followed by #15-Kyle Busch, #12-Robert Huffman and #22-Bill Lester. 29 of the 36 starters beat the track record which stood at 178.577mph set in 2003 by David Starr. Points leader, #04-Bobby Hamilton will start 23rd. #47-Tony Stewart will start 19th. Missing the race were: 06-Jimmy Kite; 8-Deborah Renshaw; #31-Nicholas Tucker; #28-David Ragan; #24-Wayne Edwards; and #21-Mike Harmon.
    See qualifying results/starting lineup at:
    ESPN.com
    Truckseries.com – Starting Lineup
    Truckseries.com – Qualifying Results
    NASCAR.com.(5-19-2005)
  • New Look for Setzer at Lowe’s: #46-Dennis Setzer is carrying a red pearl paint scheme with the trademark Chevrolet Z71 logo on the rear quarter panels for the May 20 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series event at Lowe’s Motor Speedway. Z71 is the factory designation for the Off-Road Preferred Equipment Group 4 X 4 option package for the Chevrolet Silverado K-1500 line as well as other Chevrolet and GMC truck and SUV model lines. The Z71 Suspension optional off-road package includes an impressive list of add-ons that create superb off-road capability and ride control. Some key components of the package include skid plate package, 1.81″ (46 mm) shocks, off-road jounce bumpers and stabilizer bars. “We’ve got a special look on our Silverado this weekend,” said Setzer. “Our truck has a Silverado Z71 paint scheme on it and it’s really sharp. We are honored that the Chevrolet Silverado division chose the #46 to showcase their Z71 off-road package.”(GM Racing)(5-20-2005)
  • Kite to double, CTS and Indy: Four-time Indianapolis 500-starter Jimmy Kite has been signed to drive the Ethanol Hemelgarn Racing ##91 Dallara-Toyota in the 89th Running of the Indianapolis 500 on May 29th. With that announcement today by team officials, the Stockbridge, Ga. resident will now attempt to qualify and race in both the Indianapolis 500 and the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race at Lowe’s Motor Speedway. Kite was approached by the 1996 Indianapolis 500 winning team owned by Ron Hemelgarn (Toledo, Oh.) following the injuries of the team’s regular Indy Racing IndyCar Series driver Paul Dana (St. Louis) in practice on Friday, May 13. Kite will put in his first laps behind the wheel of the Toyota-powered Dallara when practice resumed for the “Greatest Spectacle In Racing” today. It will be Kite’s first time with the Toyota V8 powering him but the 1998 “Fastest Rookie Qualifier” has two previous starts in the Italian-built Dallara chassis and all but one of his “500” starts on Firestone tires.(Jimmy Kite Motorsports PR)(5-19-2005)
  • Kyle Busch to run the #15 at Lowe’s Motor Speedway: Kyle Busch has been named to drive the #15 ditech.com Chevy for Billy Ballew Motorsports in the Quaker Steak and Lube 200 this Friday night at Lowe’s Motor Speedway. Busch made his series debut at Indianapolis Raceway Park in 2001, and made one start in the Morgan-Dollar Motorsports #47 Chevrolet last season, also coming at Indianapolis. Busch will take a break from his duties as the driver of the #5 Kellogg’s Chevrolet in the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series to make his first NCTS start of 2005.(Truckseries.com)(5-19-2005)
  • Stewart in the #47 at LMS: Morgan-Dollar Motorsports is pleased to announce they have increased their partnership with SCA Tissue North America to brand the #47 Chevrolet All Star Silverado with their Tork line of Away-From-Home tissue products at the Charlotte NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series (NCTS) race. 2002 NASCAR Cup Series champion Tony Stewart will drive the Tork Silverado at the May 20, 2005 race. In addition, Stewart’s long-time friends, country music superstar group, Diamond Rio, will be featured on the hood and sides of the #47. This will mark the ninth Chevrolet Silverado All Star race pairing Chevrolet NASCAR NEXTEL Cup drivers with music stars on the Morgan-Dollar Motorsports truck entry. The primary sponsorship for the Charlotte event is an extension of a long-term marketing partnership Morgan-Dollar Motorsports has enjoyed with SCA Tissue and Tork. Morgan-Dollar Motorsports fields the #46 Chevrolet Silverado driven by Dennis Setzer full-time in the NCTS where Tork has been a sponsor for four years. SCA Tissue, headquartered in Neenah, WI, is the largest division within SCA North America, with 2,400 employees in 10 locations. SCA Tissue is among the top three manufacturers of Away-From-Home tissue products in the United States. More information on SCA Tissue can be found at www.scatissue.com. Stewart has an impressive record at the Concord, NC, speedway scoring one victory, six top-five finishes and nine top-10 runs in his 12 NASCAR Cup career starts. In four previous NCTS starts, the Indiana native has never finished out of the top-10 including two wins at Richmond. His first start was in 1996 at his home track, Indianapolis Raceway Park where he scored a 10th place finish. Stewart’s teammate, Bobby Labonte, has piloted the #47 Chevrolet All Star Silverado twice thus far in 2005, scoring the team’s first win on April 9th at Martinsville Speedway with Trick Pony on the hood. Labonte’s first race at Atlanta Motor Speedway in March saw the 2000 NASCAR Cup champion finish second in a photo finish, by a mere eight thousandths of a second to fellow Silverado driver Ron Hornaday, in his Phil Vassar branded truck.(GM Racing)(5-19-2005)
  • Lowe’s Motor Speedway News and Notes:
    Todd Bodine (# 66 Fiddle Back Racing Toyota) is skeptical that the grinding of the race surface has significantly altered the personality of Lowe’s Motor Speedway. “It’s definitely different, but it’s the same old Lowe’s; just a lot faster and a lot smoother,” said Bodine, seventh in NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series championship standings entering Friday’s Quaker Steak & Lube 200 presented by Click It or Ticket at the Charlotte-area facility. And that’s just fine with Bodine, who finished 20th as a stand-in driver for the Tom Eldredge-owned team in 2004. Bodine has been a big fan of Lowe’s Motor Speedway from the first time he saw the 1.5-mile track, one of the oldest and most historic of NASCAR’s superspeedways. “I like them all but Lowe’s definitely is among my favorites,” said the 41-year-old native of Chemung, N.Y., who has a combined 37 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup and NASCAR Busch Series starts at the track. “It’s awesome. From the first time I was there as a crew member, it was obvious that the track had its own style and feel.”
    Bodine, who didn’t participate in the recent open test at the facility, believes that fans are in for some interesting competition as the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series joins the NASCAR NEXTEL All-Star Challenge for the first of two weekends of May racing at Lowe’s Motor Speedway. The track can’t be compared to other 1.5-mile tracks on the schedule; it’s neither Texas Motor Speedway nor Atlanta Motor Speedway. It’s, well, Lowe’s – but with a twist. “There’s definitely a second groove,” said Bodine. “It’s still unique but with better racing than before.” Bodine was a double winner on the series in 2004 with Germain-Arnold Motorsports. He moved to Eldredge’s operation when the Wyoming native switched to Toyota and tapped veteran crew chief Tony Furr to direct what’s become one of the series’ strongest teams. Bodine finished third at Daytona and added a fourth at Martinsville and seventh in St. Louis. He’s led three of the year’s first six races. “This is really a totally different team,” said Bodine. “Bringing in Tony was a big key with his experience and knowledge. That’s what’s allowed us to come out of the box so strong.” Bodine has been around the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series from the beginning. His first race, at Heartland Park Topeka in July 1995, resulted in a 20th-place finish. He’s amazed at how far the series has come – not only in 10 years but from 2004 to the present. “I compare it to [NASCAR NEXTEL] Cup racing,” said Bodine. “There are no gimmes here; you’ve got to earn everything. You’ve got 15 teams that can win.” Bodine believes he can add Fiddle Back Racing to that list of winners – possible at Lowe’s. All it takes is the right strategy since, according to Bodine; most of the series’ drivers are equal in terms of skill. “Track position is going to be everything,” he predicted.
    NEWS & NOTES, PART II
    Urban Youth Racing comes to Charlotte … Four students of Philadelphia’s Urban Youth Racing School, a component of NASCAR’s Diversity Initiative, will intern in various capacities during the week leading up to Friday’s event at Lowe’s Motor Speedway. The annual event is sponsored and coordinated by Craftsman. Carnell Roberts, 18, will intern with Goodyear; Stephanie Hartfield, 18, with NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series inspectors; Taj Muhammad, 16, with SPEED Channel and Jason Simmons, 17, with NASCAR Scene. Short-track streak ends at Mansfield … UAW/GM Ohio 250 winner Bobby Hamilton (# 04 TECH-NET/Torch Run Dodge) ended the series’ string of 13 different short-track winners with a close victory over defending race winner Jack Sprague (# 16 Chevy Trucks Chevrolet). Hamilton’s previous victory during the streak came at Memphis Motorsports Park on June 19, 2004. Hamilton is the 2005 season’s first repeat winner.
    Hamilton regains the top spot … The championship standings again have swung back into Hamilton’s favor with last year’s titleholder 45 points ahead of Ted Musgrave (# 1 Mopar Dodge) entering Friday’s Quaker Steak & Lube 200 presented by Click It or Ticket. Ricky Craven (# 99 Superchips Ford) maintains the third position 71 points back. Hamilton is the first to crack $200,000 in season winnings with a $218,815 total.
    ETC. … Sprague’s second-place finish at Mansfield marked the three-time series champion’s 150th top 10, a continuing record. … Country super group Diamond Rio will perform the national anthem prior to Friday’s Quaker Steak & Lube 200 presented by Click It or Ticket. Diamond Rio also will be associate sponsor of Tony Stewart’s # 47 Chevrolet Tork Silverado Chevrolet. The team, led by crew chief Randy Goss, won in its last outing at Martinsville Speedway with Bobby Labonte behind the wheel. … Last year’s race saw 22 of 36 starters finish on the lead lap. … There has been an average of 12.5 lead changes in each of the two series races at Lowe’s Motor Speedway. … Jimmy Spencer (# 2 Team ASE Dodge) recorded the highest unofficial speed – 178.879 mph during an abbreviated open test on April 26. David Starr’s (# 75 Spears Manufacturing Chevrolet) qualifying record is 178.577 mph recorded last year. … Friday’s race will be the 249th in series history. Milestone race # 250 is the June 3 MBNA NASCAR Points 200 at Dover International Speedway.
    ON THE RIGHT TRACK
    Veteran trio bears watching … Three competitors expected to compete at Lowe’s Motor Speedway have average finishes below 10 in their two previous starts. Rick Crawford (# 14 Circle Bar Truck Corral Ford) has the best average – 5.0. He’s followed by Hamilton at 8.5 and Matt Crafton (# 88 Menard’s Chevrolet) with 9.0. Spencer a NASCAR Busch winner at Lowe’s … Spencer won the 1997 All Pro 300. He started fourth. Spencer’s best NASCAR NEXTEL Cup finish in 31 starts is fourth, two times, most recently in the 2003 Coca-Cola 600. Craven finished third in the 2002 Coca-Cola 600.
    10 YEARS TOUGH
    The month of May has been a good one for Dodge. Bickle, driving for Richard Petty, gave the manufacturer its first series pole on May 3, 1996 at the old Portland Speedway. On May 24, 1997 Tony Raines won at I-70 Speedway east of Kansas City. The win was the first by Dodge in a NASCAR national touring series since Neil Bonnett’s Nov. 20, 1977 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series victory at the old Ontario Motor Speedway near Los Angeles.
    FROM THE ARCHIVES
    Last year’s Quaker Steak & Lube 200 featured 13 lead changes, three of which came in the final 13 laps. Three different drivers – Michael Waltrip, Carl Edwards and Dennis Setzer – swapped the lead before Setzer edged Edwards by .869 of a second. There have been six consecutive different winners on 1.5-mile speedways. Setzer was the last back-to-back winner at Lowe’s and Texas Motor Speedway on June 11, 2004.
    Fast Facts
    Next Event: Quaker Steak & Lube presented by Click It or Ticket 200 (Race 7 of 25).
    Where: Lowe’s Motor Speedway.
    When: 8:45 p.m. Friday, May 20, 2005.
    Track layout: 1.5 -mile banked oval.
    Race length: 201 Miles/134 Laps.
    Posted awards: $502,682.
    TV: SPEED Channel, 8:45pm/et.
    Radio: MRN, XM Satellite.
    2005 winner: Dennis Setzer.
    2004 polesitter: David Starr
    Pre-race schedule (all times local): Thursday – Practice 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. & 2:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. Qualifying 7:00 p.m. Trucks impounded after qualifying.(NASCAR PR)(5-19-2005)
  • Hamilton wins at Mansfield: #04-Bobby Hamilton won the UAW-GM Ohio 250 at Mansfield Motorsports Speedway after #6-Ron Hornaday was black flagged for jumping the restart and penalized. Hornaday finished 11th. The race ended with a geen-white-checkered finish, extending to 254 laps when #13-Hines and #18-Montgomery wrecked in turn 4 on lap 245. #16-Sprague finished 2nd after making a run at Hamilton on the G-W-C, followed by #15-Hmiel, #50-Kluever and #08-Rich Bickle. The points leader going into the event, #1-Ted Musgrave, finished 12th, and lost the points lead to Hamilton.
    For race results, see:
    ESPN.com
    MotorsportsOne
    Truckseries.com
    NASCAR.com.(5-15-2005)
  • Hornaday wins pole at Mansfield: #6-Ron Hornaday won the pole for the UAW-GM Ohio 250 at Mansfield Motorsports Speedway with a speed of 110.585mph. The rest of the top five are #99-Ricky Craven, #1-Ted Musgrave, #14-Rick Crawford and #15-Shane Hmiel. Six trucks failed to qualify: #48-Mike Osgar; #31-Frank Wilson; #64-Sam Beam; #21-Blake Mallory; #74-Jim Walker; and #68-Kelly Thacker.
    See qualifying results/starting lineup at:
    Truckseries.com
    NASCAR.com.(5-14-2005)
  • Storm takes out 5000 seats at Mansfield: That wind came through the Mansfield Motorsports Speedway about 7:15 p.m. Friday and collapsed two sections of 5,000 temporary bleacher seats in turn one. They were unoccupied at the time. “The wind got under them and flipped them onto the catch fencing. They’re probably a total loss,” said MMS vice president Tim Stephens. Crews were expected to work through the night putting in new bleachers. “We have spare parts and plenty of good people. That’s part and parcel of running this kind of race,” Stephens said. Stephens was on his way back to the track from downtown when the winds hit. “We saw the storm coming and let people (at the track) know it was on the way,” he said. When the wind had passed and it was established there was no danger, all activities were canceled and spectators were asked to leave. Stephens estimated about 2,000 people were at the track at the time. Pole qualifing begins today [Saturday] at 5:30 p.m.(Mansfield News Journal)(5-14-2005)
  • Temp Crew Chief for Gaughan: Handling crew chief duties for at least the next two races for #77 Brendan Gaughan is Tony “Rambo” Liberati. Liberati has a number of years of NASCAR experience, with jobs with some of the high-flying teams in stock car racing highlighting his resume [he recently left the #1 Busch Series team]. “I met Rambo several years ago, when he was at Herzog Motorsports with Jimmie Johnson,” said Gaughan of his interim crew chief. “He’s very knowledgeable and I think he’ll do a great job with the great equipment Charlie Wilson is preparing for Orleans Racing.”(Orleans Racing)(5-13-2005)
  • New team to debut at Mansfield: Regan Smith will drive the #65 Dodge Truck in the UAW/GM 250 on Sunday. Two names familiar to the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series will reappear in the UAW/GM 250 this Sunday at Mansfield Motorsports Speedway. Raybestos Rookie contender Regan Smith will drive the #65 Dodge in his debut with a brand new NCTS team, Glynn Motorsports. Veteran NCTS crew chief Lance Hooper will be turning the wrenches for Smith. Hooper is also making his first NCTS appearance since Daytona where he was the crew chief for the #13 truck driven by Tracy Hines. “Scott Glynn approached me with the idea of starting a new truck team, and we’ve grown from an idea to a full-time operation in a very short time,” said Hooper. “Scott has certainly made the commitment financially, and has spared no expense in getting the truck team or the Busch team, up to speed.” Glynn Motorsports is currently operates two teams out of the Mooresville, NC complex. In addition to the truck team, Glynn Motorsports fields the #58 Serta NASCAR Busch Series car driven by Brent Sherman. Competition Director Steve Plattenberger, former crew chief for the #12 Fitz-Bradshaw Racing Busch car, will oversee both operations. Smith had started the season driving the Xpress Motorsports #19 truck, leading several laps at Daytona. “I want to thank Dave Fuge and the Xpress Motorsports organization for letting me drive their truck at Daytona and California,” said Smith. “Unfortunately, circumstances did not work out on sponsorship that would have allowed the program to continue.”(PR)(5-13-2005)
  • Hmiel to run at Mansfield: Shane Hmiel will return to Mansfield, Ohio for the second time in his NASCAR Craftsman Truck career and this time hopes to bring the #15 Montgomery Speedway Chevrolet Silverado to victory lane. In a one time race deal the #15 Billy Ballew Motorsports Chevy will display Montgomery Motor Speedway and associate sponsors Ohio CAT and D&D Aviation. This is Hmiel’s fourth appearance in the #15 Billy Ballew Motorsports Chevy in 2005.(Billy Ballew Motorsports)(5-13-2005)
  • Osgar to Attempt Mansfield Truck Race: Mike Osgar, a weekly series competitor at Mansfield Motorsports Speedway, has teamed up with stock car legend James Hilton to pilot the #48 Dodge in the UAW-GM Ohio 250 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race at Mansfield Motorsports Speedway. Osgar, who is from Mansfield, has won numerous feature races in the Modified division at MMS including two in 2005, will be looking to make his NCTS debut in the event. Osgar will appear at the Mansfield Motorsports Fesitval on Friday May 13 from 4 to 8 P.M. Eastern in downtown Mansfield before moving to MMS for practice and qualifying on Saturday.(Liberty Sports Management PR)(5-13-2005)
  • Mansfield News and Notes:
    Mansfield hosts downtown festival … Mansfield, Ohio, delighted with the thousands that lined streets for last year’s hauler parade, will close city streets Friday evening to showcase participants in the UAW/GM Ohio 250. Hauler display and driver autograph opportunities are the centerpiece of festival events.
    ETC. … Mansfield Motorsports Speedway management announced last week that all 25,000 tickets have been sold marking the second consecutive full house for the UAW/GM Ohio 250. The speedway added 5,000 seats for this year’s race. … Sunday’s race will be a home state affair for many competitors including the Germain-Arnold Motorsports trucks of Chad Chaffin (No. 9 Germain-Arnold Toyota) and Shige Hattori (No. 9 AISIN/AISIN AW Toyota). Team co-owner Stephen Germain’s auto dealership group is located in Columbus, about an hour west of Mansfield Motorsports Speedway … Terra Marckese has joined Kevin Harvick Inc. as the engineer for Hornaday’s team. She is a graduate of the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. … TECH-NET Professional Auto Service has inked one-race sponsorship of Bobby Hamilton’s No. 04 Dodge. … Toyota Certified Used Cars becomes an associate sponsor of Johnny Benson’s No. 23 Bill Davis Racing Toyota for the remainder of the season. Xtreme Outdoor Camo will sponsor the team at Mansfield. … More than 65 Ohio companies will participate in NASCAR Day on May 20. For a $5 donation to any one of three charities – Victory Junction Gang Camp, Speedway Children’s Charities and Speediatrics pediatrics units at hospitals in Daytona Beach and Miami, Fla. – employees receive a commemorative lapel pin and may wear NASCAR-themed apparel to work.
    ON THE RIGHT TRACK
    Experience counted for this rookie … Tracy Hines (No. 13 ThorSport/Dave Zoriki Chevrolet) finished a career-best fifth as the leading Raybestos Rookie of the Year contender in last year’s UAW/GM Ohio 250. Hines, unlike most of the field, had prior experience in open-wheel competition at Mansfield Motorsports Speedway. He was one of seven freshman drivers to complete all 252 laps.
    10 YEARS TOUGH
    There were 15 short-track events on the 1995 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series schedule – most ever in a single season. Mike Skinner won six of those races; Ron Hornaday Jr. won four. Joe Ruttman (two), Mike Bliss, Terry Labonte and Butch Miller split the remaining short-track stops of the inaugural campaign.
    FROM THE ARCHIVES
    Mansfield Motorsports Speedway, at a half-mile, is the smallest track on the 2005 schedule, but not the shortest short track on which the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series has competed. The old Saugus Speedway northeast of Los Angeles measured a third-mile with both Colorado National Speedway and Tucson Raceway Park checking in at .375-mile. South Boston Speedway, at a quarter-mile and the old Louisville Motor Speedway at .438-mile complete the roster of facilities under a half-mile.
    Fast Facts
    Next Event: GM/UAW Ohio 250 (Race 6 of 25).
    Where: Mansfield Motorsports Speedway.
    When: 2:15 p.m. ET, Sunday, May 15.
    Track layout: .5 -mile paved oval.
    Race length: 250 laps/125 miles.
    Posted awards: $452,500.
    TV: SPEED Channel, 2:15 p.m. ET.
    Radio: MRN, XM Satellite.
    2004 winner: Jack Sprague.
    2004 polesitter: Jack Sprague.
    Pre-race schedule (all times local): Saturday – Practice 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. and 1 p.m. – 2 p.m. Qualifying 5:30 p.m. Trucks impounded after qualifying.(NASCAR PR)(5-12-2005)
  • Fontane to make CTS debut in BHR #4 at Mansfield: NASCAR Newcomer Chris Fontaine will make his NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series debut in the UAW-GM/Ohio 250 at Mansfield Motorsports Speedway on Sunday May 15th. The 23 year-old Lakeland, Florida native will pilot the #4 Bobby Hamilton Racing Dodge driven previously this year by Casey Atwood and Timothy Peters. Peters will return to the driver’s seat for the Charlotte Tailgate 200 at Lowe’s Motor Speedway on May 20th. Fontaine brings a variety of Late Model stock car experience to the BHR stables. Fontaine has competed in the NASCAR All-Pro Series, the Hooter’s Pro Cup Series and the All American Challenge Series.(BHR)(5-10-2005)
  • Spitzer Dodge to sponsor the #18 at Mansfield: Spitzer Dodge of Mansfield, OH will sponsor the #18 Dodge that Chase Montgomery driver at Manfield. Spitzer Dodge is a member of Spitzer AutoWorld which is a mega-automotive retail company that operates over 30 franchise dealerships at over 20 locations in Ohio, Pennsylvania and Florida.(BHR)(5-10-2005)
  • Xtreme Outdoor Camouflage to sponsor Benson: Bill Davis Racing announced Xtreme Outdoor Camouflage, Inc. (XOC), an Arkansas-based outdoor apparel company, is joining its 2005 sponsorship lineup, starting this weekend. Xtreme Outdoor Camouflage will sponsor Johnny Benson and his No. 23 Toyota Tundra truck team at Mansfield (Ohio) Motorsports Park. “Xtreme Outdoor Camo is a revolutionary product,” said Bill Davis, president and owner of Bill Davis Racing. “When people see this product they are going to be amazed with its innovative design. It’s going to change how the outdoorsman looks at camouflage products. I am really delighted and honored to have them join the Bill Davis Racing family.”
    With its unique styling and state-of-the-art design, Xtreme Outdoor Camo, out of Jacksonville, Ark., is becoming the leader in outdoor apparel. It offers a whole new generation of camouflage unmatched by any in the industry. With its PreyBlind Technology, XOC brings realistic photo technologies to hunters, fishermen and many other outdoorsmen.
    “I am really excited about this partnership with Bill Davis Racing,” said James Riley, founder and owner of XOC. “I think this is going to definitely help increase awareness of the brand. NASCAR has such an overwhelming fan base. It is a great way for us to show what Xtreme Outdoor Camo is all about. BDR is a proven winner, and I’m looking forward to seeing the XOC truck on the track.”
    Riley is also the CEO and host of the nationally televised hunting and fishing show “American Xtreme Outdoor Adventures.” Riley continually strives to bring great quality programming to every viewer through his show. Expect more Xtreme Outdoor Camo paint schemes on other BDR entries throughout the 2005 season and beyond. To learn more about XOC, go to www.xocamo.com.(Bill Davis Racing)(5-9-2005)
  • Mansfield News and Notes:
    Musgrave didn’t lead ‘em all but he came close … Musgrave led 158 of 160 laps at Gateway to set a series record for domination by a winner in a live pit stop era race. There have been five occasions in which the winner led every lap – most recently by Ron Hornaday Jr. (No. 6 GM Goodwrench Chevrolet) at the old Louisville Motor Speedway in June 1997 – when pit service took place during a mid-race break. The following chart shows the top five most dominant winning performances in pit stop events.
    Year, Track, Winner, Laps Led/ Laps %, Laps Led
    2005 Gateway Int’l Raceway, Ted Musgrave, 158 of 160, 98.75
    2001 Richmond Int’l Raceway, Jack Sprague, 196 of 200, 98.00
    2001 Darlington Raceway, Bobby Hamilton, 125 of 135, 92.60
    2001 Gateway Int’l Raceway, Ted Musgrave, 145 of 160, 90.60
    1999 Michigan Int’l Speedway, Greg Biffle, 90 of 100, 90.00
    Championship lead changes hands … Musgrave, who became the series’ sixth $3 million winner with a career total of $3,020,791, displaced Hamilton as the 2005 championship leader, occupying the top spot for the first time since the 12th race of the 2002 season. It’s the fifth time that Musgrave has headed the points. Nine competitors among the current top 10 have started more than 100 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup and/or NASCAR Craftsman Truck events.
    ETC. … At age 49 years 4 months, Musgrave is the tour’s oldest winner since Joe Ruttman, 56 years six months, won in May 2001 at Pikes Peak International Raceway. … Sprague and his crew chief Chris Showalter, the latter the only competitor to have performed in all 247 series races, will guest on Wednesday’s NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Teleconference at 3 p.m. ET. Members of the media may call 1-800-946-0706. Sprague is the defending winner of the May 15 GM/UAW Ohio 250 at Mansfield Motorsports Speedway. … Carolina Panthers Mike Minter, Mike Rucker and Stephen Davis will serve as Grand Marshals for the Quaker Steak & Lube 200 presented by Click It or Ticket on May 20 at Lowe’s Motor Speedway. Diamond Rio will perform the National Anthem as well as appear on the truck of Tony Stewart (No. 47 Nashville Music All-Star Chevrolet).
    10 YEARS TOUGH
    Mike Bliss and Mark Martin scored first victories for Ultra Motorsports and Roush Racing respectively. Ironically, both wins came at the old North Wilkesboro Speedway in North Carolina. Bliss won on Sept. 30, 1995 and Martin on Sept. 28, 1996.
    Fast Facts
    Next Event: GM/UAW Ohio 250 (Race 6 of 25).
    Where: Mansfield Motorsports Speedway.
    When: 2:15 p.m. ET, Sunday, May 15.
    Track layout: .5 -mile paved oval.
    Race length: 250 laps/125 miles.
    Posted awards: $452,500.
    TV: SPEED Channel, 2:15 p.m. ET.
    Radio: MRN, XM Satellite.
    2004 winner: Jack Sprague.
    2004 polesitter: Jack Sprague.
    Pre-race schedule (all times local): Saturday – Practice 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. and 1 p.m. – 2 p.m. Qualifying 5:30 p.m. Trucks impounded after qualifying.(NASCAR PR)(5-9-2005)
  • Benson gets assoc sponsor for season: Toyota Certified Used Vehicles (TCUV), a program of Toyota Motor Sales, USA, Inc., became the associate sponsor on the #23 Bill Davis Racing Toyota Tundra piloted by Johnny Benson in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race at Gateway International Raceway. The sponsorship will run for the remainder of the season. Toyota Certified is an industry leader selling more than 200,000 vehicles a year throughout the U.S. Certified Toyotas come with a six year/ 100,000 mile warranty, roadside assistance and all vehicles pass an extensive 160-point quality assurance inspection. To learn more about Toyota Certified visit www.toyota.com/certified.(Bill Davis Racing)(5-6-2005)
  • Orleans Racing Reorganization Underway: Following the fifth race of the 2005 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series campaign Orleans Racing has begun a reorganization of key personnel. The changes involved the crew chief and truck chief of the #77 Jasper Engines Dodge. Effective immediately Orleans Racing has announced the departure of crew chief, Billy Wilburn and truck chief, Travis Sharpe. No replacements for the two have been named. “Billy Wilburn is from the east coast,” said team co-owner and driver, Brendan Gaughan. “It was a long way away for him to go to come out here and he really wants to be a Nextel Cup crew chief. So we sat down right before the St. Louis race and it was an amicable decision. It wasn’t anything where I was mad at him for non-performance or he was made at me as a driver,” Gaughan added. “It was personal reasons and he wanted to get back home and take care of some things. So we left on great terms and we went out with a great race, too.” Thanking Wilburn for his contributions, Gaughan offered, “The Orleans Racing team has been working really hard since I came back and trying to get us better race trucks, brand new race trucks. We brought Billy Wilburn in to help clean our shop up and get things dialed in. It was fantastic having Billy Wilburn there because what happened was it let Charlie Wilson get back to the work of crew chiefing. Billy Wilburn came in and started basically cleaning all the pieces and parts up.” Managing Orleans Racing’s technical arm will be Charlie Wilson. Wilson, who has one win already in the 2005 season with driver, #62-Steve Park has the full confidence of Gaughan to continue the reformation of Orleans Racing. Wilson has already taken several steps that should help the performance of both the #62 The Orleans Dodge and the #77 Jasper Engines Dodge. “We just got some great results from the wind tunnel,” notes Gaughan on Wilson’s first assignment. “We found out some big, huge things that the Orleans team was missing. That’s thanks to Dodge for opening up their wind tunnel time. That’s why we’re part of their program. We found huge mistakes on our part that we’re fixing.”(Orleans Racing)(5-4-2005)
  • Owner, Two Crew Chiefs Fined for Infractions at Gateway: NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series owner Michael J. Gaughan has been fined $1,500 while crew chiefs Doug George and Doug Howe have been fined $500 for rule violations that occurred during last weekend’s NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series event at Gateway International Raceway, NASCAR officials announced today.
    Gaughan, owner of the #77 Dodge driven by Brendan Gaughan, violated Section 12-4-A (actions detrimental to stock car racing) and Section 12-4-Q, determination by NASCAR officials that the truck, truck parts, components and/or equipment used in the event don’t conform to NASCAR rules – unapproved carburetor booster stems.
    George, crew chief of the #20 Chevrolet driven by Ken Weaver, violated Section 12-4-A (actions detrimental to stock car racing) and Section 12-4-Q, determination by NASCAR officials that the truck, truck parts, components and/or equipment used in the event don’t conform to NASCAR rules – unapproved front jacking bolt assembly.
    Howe, crew chief of the #07 Chevrolet driven by Sean Murphy, violated Section 12-4-A (actions detrimental to stock car racing) and Section 12-4-Q, determination by NASCAR officials that the truck, truck parts, components and/or equipment used in the event don’t conform to NASCAR rules – unapproved front jacking bolt assembly. The infractions were discovered during opening day inspection.(NASCAR PR)(5-4-2005)
  • Lazier to run the #15 at Texas: Billy Ballew of Ballew Motorsports confirmed Monday afternoon that they have signed Buddy Lazier to their race team. Lazier, the former IRL regular and Indy 500 champion, will compete in at least one Craftsman Truck Series race later this year at the Texas Motor Speedway. The team’s current driver since last year is Shane Hmeil, who has moved on to the Busch Series, but still races for Ballew in the trucks. “We’re very excited to have Buddy aboard for the Texas race and hope to have a deal worked out soon to have him drive more races for us in the future,” Ballew said Monday. Lazier participated in a test at the Lowe’s Motor Speedway last week which was successful. ” We were really very pleased with Buddy’s performance at the test,” Ballew noted. ” For not having much experience in a stock car other than the IROC Series, I must say I was impressed”.(SpeedwayMedia.com)(5-4-2005)
  • Tech-Net joins forces with Hamilton: #04-Bobby Hamilton has joined forces with TECH-NET Professional Automotive Service (technetprofessional.com) and the Law Enforcement Torch Run for Special Olympics. Hamilton will drive a uniquely designed TECH-NET Professional Auto Service/Law Enforcement Torch Run #04 Dodge created to help raise awareness and funding for the Special Olympics in the UAW-GM Ohio 250 at Mansfield Motorsports Speedway on Sunday May 15th. A special collectors limited edition 1/24th scale die cast of Bobby Hamilton’s #04 TECH-NET/Law Enforcement Torch Run Dodge will be available at CARQUEST Auto Parts stores later this summer.(BHR)(5-4-2005)