NASCAR Camping World Truck Series
Race #12 | Missouri-Illinois Dodge Dealers Ram Tough 200
Gateway International Raceway Saturday July 17, 2004

Missouri/Illinois Dodge Dealers Ram Tough 200 NASCAR Truck Series 4-Pack Ticket Offer Still Available
Post-race Fireworks and Travis Tritt Concert to Conclude Great Evening Of Racing - Gateway International Raceway announced today that tickets for the Missouri/Illinois Dodge Dealers Ram Tough 200 NASCAR Truck Series Race on Saturday night, July 17 at 7 pm are still available.

Brandon Whitt Notes, Quotes: St. Louis


Carl Edwards No. 99 Ford Preview: St. Louis


Jon Wood No. 50 Preview St. Louis


Event Schedule: Gateway, St. Louis


Raybestos® Rookie Notes: Gateway


Houston Looking For Giddyup at Gateway


Dennis Setzer, No. 46 Chevy Preview: St. Louis


Jack Sprague, No.16 Chevy Fast Facts: St. Louis


Starr Looking for Gateway Gold
With his second Podium finish of the season safely notched on his belt, David Starr and the Spears Motorsports crew are geared up for another top three as they head for St. Louis and the Missouri-Illinois Dodge Dealers Ram Tough 200 at Gateway International Speedway, July 17.

Brad Keselowski Preparing for Challenges of Gateway Int’l Raceway


Reutimann, Glad To Be Back At Gateway For Second Time This Season


Travis Kvapil No. 24 Toyota Preview: St. Louis


Shane Hmiel Needs To Rub The Buddha Doll for Luck at Gateway


Steve Park Notes & Quotes: St. Louis


Toyota Notes & Quotes: Gateway International Raceway
This will be the seventh visit to Gateway International Raceway for the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCTS).  Six Toyota Tundras are entered in the race at the St. Louis-area track.  In the most recent NCTS race at the Kentucky Speedway (July 10), rookies David Reutimann and Robert Huffman were the first Toyota drivers to the checkered flag.  Reutimann was ninth in his No. 17 NTN Bearings Tundra and Huffman finished 10th in his No. 12 Innovative Motorsports Tundra.  Bang Racing teammates Travis Kvapil and Mike Skinner finished behind the Toyota rookies at Kentucky.  Kvapil was 15th in his No. 24 Line-X Tundra and Skinner ended up 18th in his No. 42 Bang Racing Tundra.

Mike Skinner, No. 42 Toyota Preview: St. Louis


NASCAR Race Preview: GATEWAY
Musgrave, Sprague know their way around Gateway … Jack Sprague and Ted Musgrave have led every race in which they’ve competed at Gateway – four and three respectively. Sprague has led the most laps/miles – 252 and 315 – while the pair’s combined total miles led of 560 is 46.7% of 1,200 miles run.

Truck Series Perfect Fit for Hamilton, Setzer
Used to sharing the spotlight with their NASCAR brethren, veterans Dennis Setzer and Bobby Hamilton hit center stage when the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series gathers under the wattage Saturday night at Gateway International Raceway.  The series’ current dynamic duo, Setzer and Hamilton enter the St. Louis area event separated by a slim six points, Setzer with a series-leading six top-five finishes (including two victories) and Hamilton fresh off a triumph – his third this season – last week at Sparta, Ky.

GM Racing/Team Silverado Pre-Event Notes and Quotes: St. Louis


Sutton Races in America’s Heartland


Robert Huffman, No. 12 Toyota Gateway Preview


Hank Parker Jr., No. 21 Toyota Gateway Preview


Terry Cook News and Notes: St. Louis


Solid Performance makes Crafton a Gateway Favorite
You might say Matt Crafton (No. 6 GM Goodwrench Chevrolet) flew under the radar for much of the early season despite building a foundation for his current fifth-place ranking in NASCAR Camping World Truck Series championship standings. Back-to-back performances at Kansas and Kentucky speedways – where Crafton contended for victory in each race – make the Californian a stealth contender no longer. And that’s how Crafton wants it to be entering Saturday’s Missouri-Illinois Dodge Dealers Ram Tough 200 at Gateway International Raceway.  Having gone three-plus seasons without a win has been more than frustrating for the 28-year-old Crafton, whose four victories and 2000 championship on the NASCAR AutoZone Elite Division, Southwest Series were instrumental on his elevation to the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. (High Sierra Photo)

Entry List: Missouri-Illinois Dodge Dealers Ram Tough 200


Chase Montgomery, No. 8 Dodge Preview: St. Louis


Wimmer Looking for Good Finish at MB Motorsports’ Home Track
In recent weeks, NASCAR Camping World Truck Series driver Chris Wimmer, has moved up several spots in the points standings on the strength of strong finishes, despite qualifying being washed out two weeks in a row and having to start from the rear.

Terry Cook and Ford Power Stroke Diesel by International A Top-10 Threat at Gateway International Raceway
Terry Cook heads to Gateway International Raceway for this weekend's NASCAR Camping World Truck Series event looking to continue his streak of top-10 finishes. The nine-year series veteran won in confident fashion in 2002, leading the last 44 laps. With four consecutive top-10 finishes the last four years, one can bet Cook will be a threat to again earn another top-10 finish, only this time with ppc Racing.

Sprague Snares Top Spot in Gateway Qualifying
Jack Sprague derailed the Bobby Hamilton express during Bud Pole Qualifying for the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Dodge Ram Tough 200 at Gateway International Raceway on Friday. Sprague’s fast lap of 33.777 seconds/133.227 miles per hour was nearly two-tenths of a second quicker than Hamilton’s second-place run, and under the Gateway track record which was set in 1999. (High Sierra Photo)

Freelance Crew To Assist Orleans Racing At Gateway
Orleans Racing has hired a pit crew from 5 Off 5 On, a professional pit-crew training program in North Carolina, to assist with Steve Park’s No. 62 Orleans Dodge in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race at Gateway International Raceway July 17.

Starr Bumps His Way to Victory Lane
David Starr used the old-fashioned chrome horn to move past Chad Chaffin on the last lap to take his second-career NASCAR Camping World Truck Series victory in the Dodge Ram Tough 200 at Gateway International Raceway on Saturday night. Starr was forced to endure four attempts at a green-white-checkered finish at 14 additional laps before he could pull into victory lane. On the start, Jack Sprague jumped out from the pole to the lead, which he held for the first three laps, however, Bobby Hamilton out-dragged him down the backstretch to take the point coming to complete lap four. Hamilton kept his Dodge up front, but Sprague and Shane Hmiel kept the pressure on for the first 20 laps. (High Sierra Photo)

Houston Survives Saturday Night Shootout In St. Louis
Team ASE/CARQUEST Driver Involved In Late Race Crash
 Saturday night's Dodge Dealers Ram Tough 200 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race ended up with a wild finish, or to be more precise it ended up with several wild finishes. The event was forced into NASCAR's version of overtime, a green-white-checker run to the finish, on four separate occasions. Andy Houston was able to keep his Team ASE/CARQUEST Dodge out of the ensuing fracas during the first three extended runs but was squarely involved in the fourth overtime incident.

Crawford Takes Wild Ride at Gateway
Sparks were flying Saturday night as the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series took over the Gateway International Raceway for the Dodge Dealers Ram Tough 200, giving the fans a total of four wild sprints to the finish. Rick Crawford, driver of the #14 Circle Bar Motel & RV Park Ford created some sparks of his own, just not the type he was hoping for as he slid on his door down the Gateway backstretch.

Third Place Gateway Finish Jumps Musgrave Up In Point Standings
Ted Musgrave finished third in a wild race at Gateway International Raceway near St. Louis, Mo., on Saturday in the Missouri-Illinois Dodge Dealers Ram Tough 200. The wily veteran Musgrave hung around in his No. 1 Mopar Dodge Ram as the race went into four "overtime" sessions that were attempts to get the race to finish green-white-checker.

Chaffin Survives to Finish Fourth at Gateway
Dickies driver Chad Chaffin survived an excitement-filled Dodge Ram Tough 200 at Gateway International Raceway bringing the No. 18 Dodge home in fourth position. Chaffin’s fifth top-five finish of the season enabled him to close the gap in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series point standings. He now sits fifth, 187 out of first.

David Starr Triumphant At Gateway
"Wow, what a night," said an obviously elated Starr.  "This feels so good.  Dave McCarty and the entire crew put their heart and soul in giving me good trucks.  My guys are great and I sure wouldn't be here today, if it weren't for them.  We weren't the best or the fastest truck this weekend, but McCarty and the crew never gave up.  They kept making me better and better as the race went on.  I really didn't expect to win tonight.  I figured we would come out with a top five, so this is really awesome."

Brandon Whitt One Caution Flag from Tremendous Finish at Gateway


Reutimann Soldiers On to Ninth Finish at Gateway


Hamilton Still Finishes On Lead Lap After Unfortunate Wreck for Lead


Official Results: Missouri-Illinois Dodge Dealers Ram Tough 200


Terry Cook Loses Top Ten Finish in Overtime Incident at Gateway


High Sierra Photo: Bonus Gallery
Saturday's Ram Tough 200 at Gateway was memorable, inspiring Nate & Michelle Mecha at High Sierra Photo to provide an bonus gallery from Gateway International Raceway.

Starr Snaps Winless Streak In Record Overtime At Gateway
You had to see it to believe it. And you’ll never see it again. David Starr, winless in 35 starts since his October 2002 victory at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, nudged his way past Chad Chaffin on the final lap to capture Saturday night’s marathon Missouri-Illinois Dodge Dealers Ram Tough 200. But that’s just part of the story. Starr, driving the Spears Manufacturing Chevrolet, was fourth at lap 160 – the scheduled distance of Gateway International Raceway’s 200-mile event – when a record four attempted green-white-checkered finishes unfolded. By the time the Houston veteran arrived in Victory Lane there’d been a three-truck accident, leaders Shane Hmiel and Bobby Hamilton crashed each other out of contention and a red flag delay of eight minutes was required for pick up of debris from Rick Crawford’s driver-side-down slide down the 1.25-mile track’s backstretch. (Ronda Greer Photo)

Wimmer Avoids the Melee at Gateway, Finishes 24th
On a night that saw arguably the wildest finish in the history of the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, Chris Wimmer, driving the #63 Dave Porter Truck Sales Ford, was able to stay out of the wrecks leading to four consecutive green-white-checkered finishes to come home 24th.

NASCAR Race Notes: GATEWAY
Musgrave’s third-place finish marked his 45th time among the top five and 60th in the top 10. Travis Kvapil’s run to seventh was his 60th top 10 as well.  Former NASCAR Busch Series champion Randy LaJoie nabbed his first top 10 on the series – eighth – and second of the season for the Harris Trucking Dodge team. Bill Lester, in finishing 10th, broke a year-long top 10 drought. Lester matched his career best run that came in 2003 at Kansas Speedway.

Montgomery Claims Career Best 12th Place Finish at Gateway
For the second time in three weeks, Chase Montgomery earned his career best finish in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. Montgomery steered his #8 DODGE clear of late race trouble on his way to a 12th place finish in the running of the Dodge Dealers Ram Tough 200 at the Gateway International Raceway. (High Sierra Photo)

Keselowski Endures Handling Problems for 20th at Gateway


Victory Escapes Hmiel’S Grasp Once Again
Shane Hmiel once again appeared to be the victor in the Dodge Dealers Ram Tough 200 at Gateway International Raceway Saturday in the No. 15 Billy Ballew Motorsports NASCAR Craftsman Truck, but it was not to be. Ironically if it had been one race later Hmiel would have emerged the victor.

Kvapil Notches Another Top-10 at Gateway
Travis Kvapil narrowly missed a top-five at Gateway International Speedway’s Missouri-Illinois Dodge Dealers Ram Tough 200 on Saturday. Following a record-high four green-white-checkered finishes, Kvapil managed to dodge the late race melee and hold onto seventh place gaining two positions in the 2004 points race.

Hank Parker, Jr. Takes 5th At Gateway
Hank Parker, Jr. went to Gateway looking for a top-5 finish. On lap 172, the final lap of a fourth attempt at a green-white-checkered finish, Hank passed fellow Toyota driver Travis Kvapil to finish fifth, and earn the honor of being the highest finishing Toyota.

Robert Huffman, No. 12 Toyota Gateway Post Race


Misfortune Plagues Skinner Again at Gateway
Bad luck continued to plague Mike Skinner and the No. 42 Toyota Tundra team at the Missouri-Illinois Dodge Dealers Ram Tough 200. Qualifying in a back-up truck after wrecking in turn 4 during the morning's practice session, Skinner posted the 19th-quickest speed. But as Skinner climbed towards the top-five in the race's early laps, Carl Edwards' contact with the No. 42 as he jockeyed for position forced the team into the garage for repairs. Skinner finished the event in 28th position, 15 laps behind race winner David Starr.

First Time Four Tundras Among Top-10 Finishers
Toyota Tundra drivers Hank Parker, Jr., Travis Kvapil, David Reutimann and Bill Lester all recorded top-10 finishes in Saturday night's NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCTS) race at Gateway International Raceway -- the first time four Tundras have finished in the top-10 in one race this season. Twice this year, three Tundras have finished among the top-10 (Atlanta and Dover, Del.) in a race.

Parker Jr. leads strong Toyota contingent at GIR
Prior to the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race at Gateway International Raceway on July 17, the Toyota contingent had struggled somewhat with only four trucks finishing in the top 10 in the previous four races combined. At Gateway, however, Toyota’s luck changed with four drivers finishing in the top 10, led by Hank Parker Jr.’s (No. 21 Toyota Tundra Toyota) fifth-place effort. It was Parker’s second top five of the season; it also marked the first time this year that four Toyotas finished in the top 10 in the same event.

NASCAR Race Notes: Gateway
LaJoie rates another “10” … Randy LaJoie (No. 59 Harris Trucking Dodge) scored his first NASCAR Camping World Truck Series top-10 finish at Gateway on July 17 with an eighth-place finish, giving him at least one top 10 in each of NASCAR’s three national series. LaJoie, a two-time NASCAR Busch Series champion, has made five starts in his NASCAR Camping World Truck Series career. His previous best was 13th at Las Vegas in 2003. He has also participated in 38 premier series races, with two top-10 finishes during the 1998 season.

Final Practice Times: Missouri-Illinois Dodge Dealers Ram Tough 200


Starting Lineup: Missouri-Illinois Dodge Dealers Ram Tough 200


Practice 1 Times: Missouri-Illinois Dodge Dealers Ram Tough 200