May 2006 Truck Series News Archive
- Winners of a race in Cup, Busch and Truck Series races: see my Misc Stats page for this and many others.
1) #6-Mark Martin, Scotts Ford
2) #50-Carl Edwards, Scotts/Ortho Ford
3) #30-Todd Bodine, Lumber Liquidators Toyota< BR> 4) #16-Mike Bliss, IWX Chevy
5) #17-David Reutimann, Team Tundra ToyotaBR> 1st Dodge (13th) Bobby Hamilton Jr., Fastenal Dodge
1st Rookie (12th) Aric Almirola, Spears Mfg. Chevy
Budweiser Pole Award: David Reutimann, #17, 153.905 mph, 23.391 seconds
Checkers/Rally’s Double-Drive Thru Challenge Award: David Reutimann, #17
Featherlite Most Improved Driver Award: Aric Almirola, #75 (18 places)
Mobil 1 Command Performance Driver of the Race Award: Todd Bodine, #30
Raybestos Rookie of the Race Award: Aric Almirola, #75
Sunoco Diamond Performance Award:Mark Martin, #6
WIX Filters Lap Leader Award: David Reutimann, #17 (18 Laps)
For complete results:
espn.com
motorsportsone.com
truckseries.com
nascar.com(official)(6-5-2006)
Only three competitors have competed in 200 or more NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series races. Dennis Setzer (# 85 FlexFuel E85 Chevrolet) will join the exclusive club when the Newton, N.C. veteran starts Friday’s AAA Insurance 200 at Dover International Raceway.
Sprague moves up with third solid run at Mansfield … Three-time series champion Jack Sprague (#60 Con-way Freight Toyota) jumped three spots in the standings – ninth to sixth – with his third consecutive top-five finish at Mansfield Motorsports Speedway last Saturday. Sprague chased home Ron Hornaday Jr. (#33 Kevin Harvick Inc. Chevy), who fashioned his record-extending 28th series victory and became just the third driver to win a race in eight different seasons. Hornaday and Sprague together count 53 wins and five series titles. Hornaday’s last win came in March at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Germain teams finally falter but Bodine, Musgrave still lead … Despite finishes of 15th and 16th – their worst performances of the season – Todd Bodine (#30 Lumber Liquidators Toyota) and Ted Musgrave (#9 Team ASE Toyota) remain the standings leaders. Bodine gained three points on his teammate to lead by 20, but David Reutimann (#17 Team Tundra Toyota) is beginning to loom in their mirrors. Reutimann logged his sixth top-10 finish of the season to trail Bodine by 106 points entering this week’s Dover event. Last year, owner Darrell Waltrip gave an inspirational speech to his teams at Dover and put index card in the trucks that said ‘Don’t Beat Yourself’.’ Reutimann went on to finish fifth. Two in, two out in top 30 owner race … Bobby Hamilton Racing received good and bad news following owner point tabulations, which guarantee starting spots for each week’s race. The #4 Dodge Motorsports Dodge of Timothy Peters moved into the top 30 (24th) but the #04 Dodge Hemi Dodge of Scott Lagasse Jr. dropped to 31st. The #25 Woodard Racing Dodge of Boston Reid went from 31st to 25th displacing the #46 Centrix Auto Finance Chevy driven by Kraig Kinser, which fell to 32nd. Only 35 points separate teams from 23rd to 33rd place.
Truck Series News & Notes Part II
This Week’s NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Leaders … Through seven races of the 25-race season:
Points leader – Todd Bodine (1,140)
Money won – Todd Bodine ($270,730)
Laps led – Todd Bodine (238)
Miles led – Mark Martin (380.46)
Victories – Todd Bodine, Mark Martin (2)
Budweiser Poles – 5 drivers (1)
Top-five finishes – Ted Musgrave (6)
Top-10 finishes -Ted Musgrave, David Reutimann (6)
Raybestos Rookie Leader – Erik Darnell (18 over Aric Almirola)
Races led – Todd Bodine (5)
Weeks in Top 10 – 4 drivers (7)
Etc.
Dover International Speedway is the first of three concrete tracks on which the series will compete in 2006. Teams will compete at Nashville Superspeedway on Aug. 12 and Bristol Motor Speedway on Aug. 23…Kyle Busch (# 51 Billy Ballew Motorsports Chevrolet) heads this week’s field that includes 2002 Dover winner Musgrave. Mark Martin (# 6 Scotts Ford) will make his first series start at the track on which he has won a combined five Nextel Cup and Busch Series events… Dodge has won four times at Dover and is the only one of four series manufacturers without a victory though the season’s first seven races…Dover’s inaugural race in September 2000 produced the track’s greatest number of lead changes – 10. That race also saw the closest finish as Kurt Busch edged Roush Racing teammate Greg Biffle by .210 second…Each of Dover’s six winners is a current or former Nextel Cup competitor. Two, Kurt Busch and Tony Stewart, are series champions….Point leader Bodine counts three NASCAR Busch Series wins the most recent 1993 – a season he swept both spring and fall races…Last year, 27 drivers finished on the lead lap to gain a share of the series record…Joey Miller’s (#12 Curb Records Toyota) fifth-place finish at Mansfield was a career best (10th, 2005, Atlanta) and marked the first time a Raybestos Rookie of the Year contender has finished among the top five this season. Miller’s finish also is the best by a driver in a Darrell Waltrip-owned truck. Mike Wallace guided the team to a sixth-place performance last September in Richmond…Mansfield’s rookie practice was a busy affair with 20 of 38 entrants eligible to participate….Former Boston Red Sox outfielder Mike Greenwell (# 08 North Trail Travel Centers Chevrolet) finished 26th in the City of Mansfield 250. He was the final driver to complete all 250 laps…Inclement weather canceled qualifying at Mansfield for the second time in three trips to the Ohio track…Ryan Moore, who made his series debut at Mansfield, replaces Chad Chaffin in the #40 2FatGuys American Grill Chevy.
On the right track
Everything but a win for Crawford at Dover … Maybe this will be the week that Rick Crawford (# 14 Circle Bar Truck Corral Ford) gets his first win of the season. Dover would seem fertile ground. Crawford won the Budweiser Pole in 2002 and counts a trio of top-three finishes, including a second in 2004. He leads all drivers with three top-five finishes and shares the top-10 mark of four with David Starr (#11 Red Horse Racing Toyota) and Ken Schrader.
In the Loop
Six drivers – including the first four finishers – ran every one of 200 laps in the top 15 during last year’s AAA Insurance 200. By leading 134 laps en route to a fourth-place finish, Hornaday posted the best Driver Rating of 139.2, more than six points higher than the Driver Rating of winner Kyle Busch.
From the archives
Mile tracks have been a part of Truck Series history since the beginning. Mike Skinner won the inaugural race at Phoenix International Raceway, where he also won the season finale and wrapped up the 1995 title. At mid-season, he was victorious at The Milwaukee Mile. Hornaday and Sprague, however, are the series’ top winners on mile tracks with seven each. Hornaday has won on six different mile tracks; Sprague on four.
Fast Facts
What: AAA Insurance 200 (Race 8 of 25)
Where: Dover International Speedway, Dover, Del
When: 4:45 p.m. ET, June 2
Track layout: 1-mile banked concrete speedway
Race length: 200 miles/200 laps
Posted awards: $643,503
TV: SPEED Channel, 8 p.m. (ET), tape delay
Radio: MRN, XM Satellite
2005 winner: Kyle Busch
2005 polesitter: David Starr
Top 10 drivers: 1.Todd Bodine 1,140. 2. Ted Musgrave 1,120. 3. David Reutimann 1,034. 4. David Starr 948. 5. Johnny Benson 948. 6. Jack Sprague 935. 7. Dennis Setzer 922. 8. Matt Crafton 910. 9. Terry Cook 905. 10. Mike Bliss 888.
Pre-race schedule (all times local): Thursday -Practice 2:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. Rookie Practice 4 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. Final Practice 4:30 p.m. – 5:30 p.m. Friday – Qualifying 10:15 a.m. Trucks impounded after qualifying.
1) #30-Todd Bodine, 1140
2) #9-Ted Musgrave, 1120
3) #17-David Reutimann, 1034
4) #11-David Starr, 948
5) #23-Johnny Benson, 948
For complete standings:
truckseries.com
motorsportsone.com
nascar.com(official)(5-29-2006)
1) #33-Ron Hornaday, Kevin Harvick Inc. Chevy
2) #60-Jack Sprague, Con-way Freight Toyota
3) #11-David Starr, Red Horse Racing Toyota
4) #23-Johnny Benson, Toyota Certified Used Vehicles Toyota
5) #12-Joey Miller, Curb Records Toyota
1st Ford (12th) #14-Rick Crawford, Circle Bar Ford
1st Dodge (10th) #59-Steve Park, Harris Trucking Dodge
Race Awards:
Budweiser Pole Award: None due to inclement weather.
Checkers/Rally’s Double-Drive Thru Challenge Award: Joey Miller, #12
Featherlite Most Improved Driver Award: Jack Sprague, #60 (32 places)
Mobil 1 Command Performance Driver of the Race Award: Ron Hornaday Jr., #33
Raybestos Rookie of the Race Award: Joey Miller, #12
Sunoco Diamond Performance Award: Ron Hornaday Jr., #33
WIX Filters Lap Leader Award: Ron Hornaday Jr., #33 (131 Laps)
For complete results:
espn.com
truckseries.com
motorsportsone.com
nascar.com(official)(5-29-2006)
1) #30 Todd Bodine, Lumber Liquidators Toyota
2) #9 Ted Musgrave,Team ASE Toyota
3) #6 Auggie Vidovich, Scotts Ford
4) #17 David Reutimann, Toyota Tundra Toyota
5) #10 Terry Cook, Power Stroke Diesel by Int’l Ford
For complete lineup:
nascar.com(5-26-2006)
truck series.com(5-26-2006)
1) #16-Mike Bliss 110.409
2) #5-Mike Skinner 110.112
3) #11-David Starr 109.589
4) #23-Johnny Benson 109.416
>5) #75-Aric Almirola 109.117
1st Dodge (6th) #18-Bobby Hamilton Jr.
1st Ford (19th) #14 Rick Crawford
1st Rookie (5th) #75-Aric Almirola
For complete results: truckseries.com(5-26-2006)
1) #16-Mike Bliss 109.743
2) #18-Bobby Hamilton Jr. 109.489
3) #11-David Starr 109.290
4) #33-Ron Hornaday Jr. 109.250
5) #-04-Scott Lagasse Jr. 109.111 1st Ford – (17th) #99-Eric Darnell 108.043
1st Rookie – (5th) #04-Scott Lagasse Jr.
For complete results:truckseries.com(5-26-2006)
Truck Series News & Notes
Mansfield Motorsports Speedway, host to Saturday’s City of Mansfield 250, might be termed a “throwback” half-mile track. And that would be a compliment. More than 11 years ago, when the Truck Series debuted, more than half the schedule – 14 of 20 races – was contested on tracks measuring .375-mile to .686-mile in length. Saturday’s 250-lap, 125-mile race likely will play to a packed house thanks to constant action on the half-mile track.
Two well-known figures will makeTruck Series debuts at Mansfield – one from racing and the other a former Major League Baseball all-star. Michel Jourdain Jr., a multiple Champ Car World Series winner and Busch Series competitor, climbs into Roush Racing’s #50 Ford while Mike Greenwell (#08 Yankee Candle Co. Chevy), the retired Boston Red Sox outfielder with a career batting average over .300, moves up from the Florida late model circuit. Greenwell, a 37-time late model winner in his native Florida, will drive the Chevy that Rich Bickle guided to a fifth-place finish in last year’s Mansfield 250. Jourdain has yet to visit Mansfield Motorsports Speedway; however, he is familiar with the area having competed at nearby Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, a road course.
Defending winner absent but team returns … With Hamilton sidelined while undergoing therapy for head and neck cancer, the race will be without last year’s winner. Hamilton, however, is sending a formidable replacement in the #18 Fastenal Dodge – son Bobby Hamilton Jr.
Best finish in a year boosts Cook in standings … Terry Cook’s (#10 Ford Power Stroke Diesel by International Ford) second consecutive runne-rup finish at Lowe’s Motor Speedway – and to the same winner, Kyle Busch (# 51 National Land Liquidation Chevy) – isn’t a bad rut in which to find one’s self, especially when Cook’s last top-five finish had been recorded in June 2005 at Dover International Speedway. Cook moved up five spots in the championship standings from 10th to fifth. on.
News & Notes Part II
This Week’s NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Leaders … Through six races of the 25-race season:
Points leader – Todd Bodine (1,017)
Money won – Todd Bodine ($260,265)
Laps led – Mark Martin (202)
Miles led – Mark Martin (380.46)
Victories – Todd Bodine, Mark Martin (2)
Budweiser Poles – 5 drivers (1)
Top-five finishes – Ted Musgrave (6)
Top-10 finishes -Ted Musgrave (6)
Raybestos Rookie Leader – Erik Darnell (11 over Aric Almirola)
Races led – Todd Bodine (4)
Weeks in Top 10 – 5 drivers (6)
Etc.
Todd Bodine (#30 Lumber Liquidators Toyota) added five points to his championship with a third-place finish at Lowe’s Motor Speedway last week. He finished third one position ahead of Germain Racing teammate Ted Musgrave (#9 Team ASE/Germain Toyota), who trails by 17 points entering the City of Mansfield 250…Fewer than half of last year’s starters – 17 of 36 – have entered this year’s City of Mansfield 250…The series’ next short track event is nearly two months away on July 15 at Memphis Motorsports Park…Bill Lester (#22 SunTrust Toyota) saw his run of 102 consecutive starts end at Lowe’s Motor Speedway after a qualifying accident cost him a spot in the Quaker Steak & Lube 200 field. The streak was fifth-longest among current drivers…. Wayne Spears will match Jim Smith’s series leading starts by an owner – 272 races – when Aric Almirola (#75 Spears Manufacturing Chevrolet) starts the City of Mansfield 250. The Spears team has failed to start just two races – at Richmond and Martinsville in 1997.
On the right track
Sprague and Mansfield are good fit…With a win in 2004 and second-place finish a year ago, Jack Sprague (#60 Con-way Freight) obviously can’t wait for the green flag to drop on this year’s City of Mansfield 250. Sprague led 139 laps in winning the Mansfield inaugural. That’s 27.5 percent of all 506 laps contested at the track.
In the loop
With four of last year’s top-five finishers including winner Bobby Hamilton not competing this week, you’ll have to look further into the field to pick a favorite – at least based upon Driver Rating. Ron Hornaday Jr. (# 3 Kevin Harvick Inc. Chevy) led current competitors at 123.2 followed by Rick Crawford (#14 Circle Bar Truck Corral Ford) at 114.7 and Sprague at 102.5. Sprague finished second, Crawford sixth and Hornaday 11th. Each completed all 254 laps. Mansfield’s Loop Data proves that Mansfield Motorsports Speedway wasn’t kind to current championship hopefuls. Leader Bodine rated at 77.3, defending champion and present runner-up Musgrave at 84.4 and this year’s #3 David Reutimann at 73.5.
From the archives
Tracks measuring less than .6-mile were a staple in the early years of the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. The first two champions, Mike Skinner (# 5 Toyota Tundra Toyota) and Ron Hornaday Jr., fattened their victory totals on these “bullrings” – each winning nine times. Dennis Setzer (#85 E85 FlexFuel Chevy) counts five wins with Jack Sprague, the 2004 Mansfield Motorsports Speedway winner, notching four.(NASCAR PR)(5-22-2006)
UPDATE: When David Ragan crashed the #6 Roush Racing truck in practice Thursday at Mansfield Motorsports Speedway, his weekend was over. While he was unhurt in the incident, team owner Jack Roush has opted to put Auggie Vidovich in the truck for the City of Mansfield 250 Truck Series race Saturday. Roush would not say whether Ragan would race June 2 at Dover International Speedway. Ragan has competed in four races this season, failing to finish twice because of accidents and failing to finish on the lead lap in any of the four. Vidovich won the Toyota All-Star Showdown featuring the top drivers from NASCAR touring series at Iriwndale Speedway last November. He is scheduled to drive the #4 Biagi-DenBeste Dodge in the Busch Series for the rest of the season beginning next week in Dover.(scenedaily.com)(5-27-2006)
UPDATE: The Germain Motor Co. is on the fast track in NASCAR, and not all of it deals with drivers Todd Bodine and Ted Musgrave ranking first and second in the Truck Series point standings. Steve Germain, who owns the Columbus teams with brothers Rick and Bob, yesterday [Friday] said plans are under way to attempt to qualify for as many as five or six Nextel Cup races this season. The family’s first race probably would be the Brickyard 400 on Aug. 6 at Indianapolis. There also are tentative plans to enter races at Michigan, Atlanta, California and Texas in an attempt to gauge whether a team with Bodine as driver would be ready to run as many as 15 or 16 races in 2007. “We’re interested in the Cup series, and it looks like we might do a limited schedule,” Steve Germain said. “At this point, we’ll be at Indianapolis. We’d like to be in five or six races to help us understand the scope of Nextel Cup. We have a pretty good understanding of Cup, but we want firsthand experience so we can be confident before committing the resources for next year. We’re taking this one step at a time.” The Germains own Toyota and Lexus dealerships in Columbus and Florida and got into NASCAR to promote their dealerships and help Toyota get a foothold in truck and stock car racing. Both truck teams are based in Concord, N.C., which is considered the heart of NASCAR country.(Columbus Dispatch)(5-21-2006)
UPDATE: hearing Craven will end up in a ppc Racing Truck, not sure if in the #10 Ford or a second team truck.(5-16-2006)
UPDATE 2: ppc Racing driver Terry Cook told Sirius Speedway (MRN/Sirius Satellite Radio) that there is no truth to rumors that Ricky Craven will join the team in a second Ford F-150. “We are not set-up with the equipment or personnel to make that happen right now,” he said. “There has been talk of possibly adding a second team at some point in the future, but somebody definitely jumped the gun on this one. I can absolutely, 100-percent squash that rumor. Maybe somewhere down the line, but not now.” (MRN/Sirius Satellite Radio)(5-19-2006)
UPDATE: Fans can buy tickets by calling 866-227-3264 starting April 17th for one of several unique opportunities to spend time with some of NASCAR’s top drivers. Drivers scheduled to attend include event host Bobby Hamilton, former Cup champion and FOX analyst Darrell Waltrip, former champion crew chiefs and FOX analysts Larry McReynolds and Jeff Hammond, Nextel Cup standouts Michael Waltrip, Ryan Newman, Kenny Schrader and Kyle Petty, and numerous Truck Series drivers including Todd Bodine, Ted Musgrave, Jack Sprague, David Starr, Dennis Setzer, Ron Hornaday and more.(bobbyhamiltonracing.com)(4-17-2006)
UPDATE 2: Three more Nextel Cup Series drivers have committed to be part of the Craftsman For a Cure on Tuesday, May 23 from 5 to 9 p.m. at NASCAR SpeedPark in Concord, NC. Tickets are on sale now. Brian Vickers, Kasey Kahne and Kurt Busch have been added to the driver lineup which already includes a variety of drivers from the Nextel Cup, Busch and Truck Series. Vickers will host a private dinner meeting with 20 fans, while Kahne and Busch will race with fans on some of the SpeedPark tracks. For complete details, call 1-866-227-3264 (or visit my Racing Charities Page).(Craftsman PR)(4-26-2006)
UPDATE 3: In addition to participating in a variety of activities with NASCAR drivers, the Craftsman For a Cure charity event also will feature an impressive array of items available in a silent auction that day. Items scheduled to be auctioned off include: a specially-designed Sam Bass Craftsman For a Cure Gibson guitar, autographed Tony Stewart Home Depot uniform, an autographed Mike Skinner Albertson’s uniform and photo, autographed Charlie Daniels fiddle and photo, Craftsman Patriotic American Eagle 26″ tool chest and roll-away autographed by Truck Series drivers, autographed Patrick Dempsey Grey’s Anatomy DVD, three two-night stays and dinner at the Stratosphere in Las Vegas, ticket packages to various races, autographed sheet metal, crew shirts, die casts and much more! Race fans will have the ability to bid on these items from 10 a.m. to 8 pm/et at the NASCAR SpeedPark at Concord Mills on Tuesday, May 23. Fans must be present at the close of the auction to claim their item. For more information call: 1-866-227-3264 (or visit my Racing Charities Page).(Craftsman PR)(5-8-2006)
1) #30 Todd Bodine, 1017
2) #9 Ted Musgrave, 1000
3) #17 David Reutimann, 896
4) #6 Mark Martin, 844
5) #10 Terry Cook, 808
For complete standings visit:
motorsportsone.com
truckseries.com
nascar.com(official)(5-19-2006)
LI>Busch wins the Quaker Steak & Lube 200 at Lowes: Kyle Busch, making his first Truck Series start of the 2006 defended his Quaker Steak & Lube 200 victory with a win Friday night at Lowe’s Motor Speedway. Busch, who came from a 20th-place start, passed Budweiser Pole winner Mike Skinner on lap 37. Skinner dropped out of the race with engine failure after 115 laps. Terry Cook posted his first top-five finish since last June. Bodine, who entered the sixth race of the year with a 12-point advantage over defending champion Musgrave, upped his lead to 17.(5-19-2006)
1) #51 Kyle Busch, Nat’l Land Liquidators Chevy
2) #10 Terry Cook, Power Stroke Diesel by Int’l Ford
3) #30 Todd Bodine, Lumber LiquidatorsToyota
4) # 9 Ted Musgrave, Team ASE/Germain Motor Co. Toyota
5) #33 Ron Hornaday, Cystic Fibrosis Foundation Chevy
1st Dodge; (14th) #77 Brendan Gaughan, The Orleans Dodge
1st Rookie; (9th) #75 Aric Almirola, Spears Manufacturing Chevy
Race Awards:
Bud Pole Award; #5 Mike Skinner
Raybestos Rookie of the Race; #75 Aric Almirola
Featherlite Most Improved Driver Award; #99 Erik Darnell
Mobil 1 Oil Command Performance Driver of the Race; #10 Terry Cook
WIX Filters Lap Leader Award; #5 Mike Skinner
Sunoco Diamond Performance Award; #51 Kyle Busch
Checkers/Ralley’s Double Drive-Thru Challenge; #17 David Reuitmann
For complete results visit:
espn.com
motorsportsone.com
truckseries.com
nascar.com(official)(5-19-2006)
1) #5 Mike Skinner 179.378
2) #98 Erin Crocker 178.986
3) #20 Marcos Ambrose 177.754
4) #33 Ron Hornaday 177.049
5) #14 Rick Crawford 177.020
1st Rookie -Erin Crocker 178.986
Going home: #1 Robert Richardson, #40 Chad Chaffin, #63 J.R. Patton, #31 Nicholas Tucker, #22 Bill Lester
For complete starting lineup:
nascar.com
truckseries.com(5-19-2006)
1) #5 Mike Skinner 181.543
2) #16 Mike Bliss 179.778
3) #75 Aric Almiroa 179.742
4) #60 Jack Sprague 179.384
5) #51 Kyle Busch 179.235
1st Ford; (7th) #6 Mark Martin 178.743
1st Dodge; (8th) #98 Erin Crocker 178.465
1st Rookie; (3rd) #75 Aric Almirola 179.742
For complete results visit:
truckseries.com
nascar.com5-19-2006)
1) #60 Jack Sprague 179.724
2) #16 Mike Bliss 179.408
3) #5 Mike Skinner 179.176
4) #75 Aric Almirola 179.093
5) #51 Kyle Busch 178.560
1st Dodge (7th) Bobby Hamilton Jr. 178.239
1st Ford (9th) Mark Martin 178.036
1st Rookie (4th) Aric Almirola 179.093
For Complete results visit:
truckseries.com
nascar.com(5-19-2006)
UPDATE: Quaker Steak & Lube associate sponsor: Quaker Steak & Lube, title sponsor of the Quaker Steak & Lube 200 Truck Series race, and the “Official Wing of Lowe’s Motor Speedway”, has signed on as associate sponsor on the #51 truck driven by Kyle Busch, and will join co-primary sponsors National Land Liquidators/B & G General Store/Manheim Central Fla. Auto Auction/Manheim’s Orange Co. Auto Auctions Chevrolet on the #51 Ballew Motorsports Chevy.(billyballewmotorsports.com)(5-18-2006)
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 wasn’t 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 isn’t 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 pair’s 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 Lowe’s Motor Speedway in May.
News & Notes Part II:
Kyle Busch returns to defend Lowe’s 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 year’s 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 week’sTruck 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 week’s race at Lowe’s 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 year’s race featured the closest series finish at LMS with Busch edging Setzer by 0.149 second. … Friday’s race is the first of nine being run on consecutive weekends through the July 15 O’Reilly 200 at Memphis Motorsports Park.
On the right track:
No series driver with three appearances at Lowe’s 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. He’s been a solid performer at race time with an average finish of 14.0 including last year’s sixth-place finish. David Starr (# 11 Red Horse Racing Toyota) is the next best three-time qualifier with an average start of 7.7. Starr’s best finish – third – came in 2004.
In the loop:
LMS among Bill Lester’s favorite tracks …Kyle Busch rang up an impressive driver rating of 146.5 (of 150.0) when he took the checkered flag at Lowe’s Motor Speedway in 2005. Runner-up Terry Cook was a distant second with a Driver Rating of 119.9 while third-place Ted Musgrave’s 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 Lowe’s Motor Speedway in 2003 are expected to enter this week’s 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)
1) Todd Bodine 852
2) Ted Musgrave 840
3) David Reutimann 746
4) Mark Martin 720
5) Jack Sprague 704
For complete standings:
motorsportsone.com
truckseries.com
nascar.com(5-15-2006)
Con-way, Wyler Racing visit New York Stock Exchange … Con-way Freight’s President and CEO, Douglas W. Stotlar, will ring the NYSE Opening Bell at 9:30 a.m. ET Friday in celebration of the company’s recent name change to Con-way Inc. The company formerly was known as CNF, Inc. Con-way currently sponsors the #60 Toyota owned by Wyler Racing and driven by three-time NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series champion Jack Sprague. One of the team’s trucks will be on display outside the Exchange during the morning’s activities. “The Con-way Freight re-branding program is something very important and a big move for their corporate identity,” said team owner Jeff Wyler, “and we are happy to do our part by displaying the new company logo and colors on our # \60 Toyota Tundra. It is a privilege to be associated with Con-way Freight and their 20,000 plus employees – and it will be a huge thrill for me personally to have our truck be a part of their celebration at the New York Stock Exchange.”
Etc:
ppc Racing and Global Performance Group are sponsoring Friday night’s Lakeshore Elementary School – Parent Teacher Organization’s Spring Festival in Mooresville, N.C. The goal is to raise enough money to develop programs for the children, many have parents employed by ppc Racing and other teams in the Mooresville, N.C. area. Terry Cook (#10 Ford Power Stroke Diesel by International Ford) is scheduled to attend and sign autographs from 6-7 p.m. … Aric Almirola (#75 Spears Manufacturing Chevrolet) made his NASCAR Busch Series debut at Richmond International Raceway on May 5, finishing 32nd in the Circuit City 250 by Funai. … Roush Racing recently announced the addition of a third driver, Michel Jourdain Jr., to its Craftsman Truck stable. The NASCAR Busch Series veteran and open-wheel star will make his debut in the #50 Ford at Mansfield Motorsports Speedway on May 27. Jourdain is scheduled for nine races in 2006. The coming weekend is the last “vacation” drivers and teams will enjoy until mid-July. The May 19 Quaker Steak & Lube 200 opens the season’s longest and most arduous stretch of nine races in nine weeks.
In the Loop:
Todd Bodine (# 30 Lumber Liquidators Toyota) ranks at or near the top in four key categories through the first five races of the 2006 season. Bodine, who took over the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series points lead with his April 29 victory at Gateway International Raceway, ranks # 1 (tie) with a perfect percentage of laps run on the lead lap – all 753. He’s # 2 in Driver Rating at 120.9 (of 150.0), Miles Leader with 178.02 miles led, Fastest Early in Run with a 4.800 ranking and Consecutive Laps Without Being Passed at 16 (tie) during the California Speedway event. Bodine ranks # 3 in Average Running Position at 5.90. NASCAR PR)(5-8-2006)
UPDATE: Joe Gibbs Racing development driver Aric Almirola will make his NASCAR Busch Series debut at Richmond when he attempts to qualify for Friday night’s Circuit City 250. He will drive the #19 Husqvarna Chevrolet for Joe Gibbs Racing in the Busch Series race at Richmond.(Joe Gibbs Racing PR)(5-4-2006)
UPDATE 2: Aric Almirola had been fast all day at Richmond Int’l Raceway for his Busch Series debut. He qualified 12th, but his luck didn’t follow him to the race, and he finished 32nd.(aricalmirola.com)(5-6-2006)
UPDATE: From the Nextel Wake-Up Call Transcript: Waltrip: My plan is to have two NEXTEL Cup Series teams and two Busch teams. I haven’t hired a second driver yet for the Cup car. I would like to think that (David) Reutimann could drive one of my Busch cars. We do have sponsorship in place for the two Cup cars and one of the Busch cars. And we are working towards announcing who the second sponsor is and who that driver will be. We think we have put the right people in the right places so far. We just have to continue to build. If you can appreciate that it costs a lot of money to hire people, the Burger King program allowed us to ramp up a little bit sooner than we would probably have been able to afford to before because we have some sponsorship dollars coming in that will help pay those people as we race through 2006. It costs a whole lot of money to build a race team and not go race, because there is not a whole lot coming in. So we’re real thankful for the Burger King piece of it because it will help offset the tremendous costs that we’re faced with this year. Q.So you have hired David Reutimann to drive your Busch car? Waltrip: Yes.(MichaelWaltrip.com)(5-4-2006)
2006
May
April
March
Jayski Truck Series Silly Season Main Page
Jayski’s Silly Season Cup News Page
Jayski’s Silly Season Main Page
Born On Date: May 1, 2006
This page designed by Jayski LLC, 1996-2016©.. All Rights Reserved.
Jayski’s® is a registered trademark of Jayski LLC.
Do not duplicate or redistribute in any form without permission or credit.