|
|
|
NASCAR Camping World Truck Series
Race #22 |
Kroger 200
Martinsville Speedway
Saturday
October 23, 2004
Tony Raines Slated for Martinsville Truck Event
The Noland Company and Fold-A-Cover have joined forces to sponsor veteran NASCAR driver Tony Raines and the Key Motorsports #40 Chevrolet Silverado in Martinsville Speedway’s Kroger 200 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race. The 22nd race on the 2004 NCTS schedule will be run on Saturday, October 23rd at 1 p.m.
Event Schedule: Martinsville
Rookie Notes: Martinsville
Brandon Whitt was the Raybestos® Rookie of the Race at the Silverado 350K at Texas Motor Speedway. Whitt finished 15th and took top rookie honors for the second time this season.
Brandon Whitt Martinsville Advance: 'Like Returning to Your Roots'
Brandon Whitt and the #38 Werner Ladder/Cure Autism Now Ford F-150 team head to the .526-mile oval in southern Virginia, Martinsville Speedway, for Saturday’s Kroger 200 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race.
Travis Kvapil Martinsville Preview
Some of my worst runs over the past couple of years have been at Martinsville, but I’m still optimistic about our chances there because our short track program has excelled this year at places like IRP, Milwaukee and Loudon. I think we definitely know what we missed last time we were at Martinsville. The track’s been repaved since the last time our series was there which is going to add a bit of a twist to our strategy and setup. But I think we’ve got a good shot at winning the race.
Labonte Truckin' On Into Martinsville
Bobby Labonte is going truck racing at Martinsville in the Kroger 200. For only the second time in his NASCAR career, the 2000 Cup champion will compete in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. Labonte has been tapped as one of the elite seven Chevy Silverado All Star drivers. He will be behind the wheel of the No. 47 Acxiom Celebrity Silverado with a special paint scheme showcasing country music star Josh Turner. Labonte’s only previous NCTS start was in 1996 at Phoenix International Raceway in October 1996 where he finished 34th after engine problems brought an early end to his day.
McMurray Returns To Martinsville in No. 2 Team ASE/CARQUST Dodge
NASCAR Nextel Cup star Jamie McMurray will climb behind the wheel of the No. 2 Team ASE/CARQUEST Dodge for the Kroger 200 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race at Martinsville Speedway this weekend. The Kroger 200 will mark the third time this season that McMurray has graced the cockpit of the Ultra Motorsports prepared Dodge Ram. McMurray has proven to be a contender every time he drives the No. 2. He won the pole and finished second to teammate Ted Musgrave at Richmond, and he dominated parts of the New Hampshire race before running low on fuel in the closing laps.
Edwards No.99 Ford Pre-Race Review: Martinsville
"I really like racing at Martinsville. It is probably one of the toughest tracks out there. I didn't make a lot of friends during my first race there last year. I ran into a few people and spent some time apologizing on pit road after the race."
Wood No. 50 Ford Pre-Game Review: Martinsville
"I've been looking forward to this race for quite a while. I love racing there since I consider it my home track and I won there last year. Our only top-five finish of the season came at Martinsville this year so hopefully we can get another one this weekend.
Strong Texas Finish Catalyst for Crawford
Rick Crawford (No. 14 Circle Bar Motel & RV Park Ford) holds strong opinions about what it takes to excel at Martinsville Speedway, which hosts Saturday’s NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Kroger 200. And as winner of April’s Kroger 250, he’s entitled to make a point or two about the flat, .526-mile track that received a new coat of asphalt since the series’ last visit. “Martinsville is a place where you can make things happen and the driver has a lot to do with control,” said Crawford. “You’d better be on top of your game, especially in the right mind set. (Ronda Greer Photo)
Hmiel Ready for Return to Short Track Action
The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series has just completed a run of four races, all on tracks in excess of one-mile in length. Driver Shane Hmiel in the No. 15 TRIMSPA Chevrolet is ready for return to the close proximity side by side action that short tracks provide. Hmiel, with great past success on short tracks, will head to Martinsville Speedway this weekend for the running of the Kroger 200.
Wood Excited about Shot at Defending Kroger 200 Crown
Jon Wood is happy to be coming home, home to the site of the biggest win of his racing career. A year ago Wood raced to victory in the Kroger 200 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race at Martinsville Speedway. He'll be gunning for a repeat Saturday in the Kroger 200 at the track his family has called home for more than 50 years.
Hamilton Will Not Change His Program
“The biggest mistake that people make is changing their program at the end of the season. We just can’t do that. If I could have raced with the other two front runners in Texas for the win, I would have done it. But I wouldn’t do something crazy like go three wide for victory. The points battle comes down to this, when you get to Homestead and you have to finish in a certain position, then you finish there. However right now I have four or five teams I have to try to finish in front of these last few races.
Toyota Preview: Martinsville
The Kroger 200 will be the 12th race at Martinsville Speedway for the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCTS). There will be nine Toyota Tundras in the field, including one for Darrell Waltrip. Toyota earned its fourth NCTS victory when Todd Bodine captured the checkered flag in the most recent race at Texas Motor Speedway (Oct. 16) in his No. 30 Germain/Arnold Racing Tundra. Bodine qualified 22nd, ran among the leaders throughout the race, and led 71 laps: including the final 38 circuits: en route to the checkered flag.
GM Racing/Team Silverado Martinsville Preview
Setzer heads to Martinsville second in points, just 79 points out of first. Setzer finished second in the spring, 2004 race. Sprague won the pole and finished third in the spring, 2004 Martinsville race. Starr moved to seventh in the series standings following his fourth place finish at Texas. Setzer on Martinsville Speedway: “Martinsville is a very special place for me. This is by far my favorite track on the circuit. I have been racing here for a long time and have had some success in almost every thing that I have driven here. "
Davin Scites Pumped About Martinsville NASCAR Debut
It's been a quiet year for racecar driver Davin Scites, but that's all about to change, as the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series will storm into their final short track event of the 2004 season from the legendary Martinsville Speedway. Joining the stout entry list includes the No. 20 ASILIMITED Chevrolet Silverado of Scites.
Park No. 62 Dodge, Pre Race Review: Martinsville
“We weren’t that good when we raced at Martinsville in April. I’m looking forward to going back and improving on that 29th-place finish. The team has grown since then. In April we were still searching for a lot of people and searching for the combination we needed to run up front. If we unload off the truck with the truck decent, then we should be able to tune on it a little in practice and run well. Martinsville has changed."
Reutimann Released and Ready to Compete at Martinsville
Recovering rapidly from a fierce accident at Texas Motor Speedway last Saturday, David Reutimann is ready to get back into the No. 17 NTN Bearings Toyota Tundra to give Team Owner Darrell Waltrip a run for his money as he returns to the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series in his No. 11 Toyota Tundra at Martinsville Speedway.
Crafton Nothing to Lose, Everything to Gain at Martinsville
The last five weeks of Matt Crafton's racing career have been anything but enjoyable. He is coming off his fifth disappointing race in a row and just learned he will not be back at Kevin Harvick, Inc., (KHI) for the 2005 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCTS) season. That means the Tulare, Calif., native is heading into this Saturday's Kroger 200 at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway with a nothing to lose, everything to gain, mentality as he looks to overcome his string of bad luck and secure his first NCTS win.
Chaffin Ready to Race on Martinsville's New Surface
“Things are a little different as we head back to Martinsville to race again. They have resurfaced the track since we were last there because it came apart during the Nextel Cup race. I really liked the track before they did the resurfacing. It was kind of rough and challenging to drive. I had some solid finishes on the old surface, but according to people who have tested there, they said it was the right decision to resurface the track. Everyone has had positive things to say about it."
Setzer, No. 4 Chevrolet Pre-Race Review: Martinsville
“Martinsville is a very special place for me. This is by far my favorite track on the circuit. I have been racing here for a long time and have had some success in almost every thing that I have driven here. The track takes a lot out of the equation and when you boil it down, a lot of what makes you fast here is in the driver’s hands. You have to have a good motor and gear selection, but the driver’s ability to finesse in the corners will make or break you."
Sprague, No. 16 Chevrolet Pre Race Review: Martinsville
“We had a great run at Martinsville in the spring. No one was more surprised that I to get the pole there. It just never seemed to be a track that I had a real handle on for a pole. That is a testimony to how capable the guys on this Chevy Trucks Team are at setting up fast trucks. We raced good all day and were very happy with our third place finish."
Martinsville Brings Terry Cook Back to Short-Track Roots
Like many race car drivers, Terry Cook began his career on the short tracks near his hometown. The Sylvania, Ohio native began winning heat races, then features and track championships at Flat Rock and Toledo Speedways. Today, Cook finds himself as a veteran driver in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, driving the No. 10 International Trucks and Engines Ford.
Crawford Looking for Supermarket Sweep in Martinsville
Rick Crawford returns to the Martinsville Speedway this weekend looking to become the first driver in NASCAR Camping World Truck Series history to sweep both victories in a single season. Crawford won the Kroger 250 in the spring event with a broken foot that he sustained in Atlanta a month earlier. Coming off a seventh place finish last weekend at the Texas Motor Speedway, Crawford is determined to get his #14 Circle Bar Motel & RV Park Ford F-150 back into victory lane.
NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Preview: Martinsville
Last week’s Silverado 350K at Texas Motor Speedway earned a 0.6 average rating on SPEED Channel, a 100 percent increase over the same event’s 0.3 rating on SPEED one year ago, according to Nielsen Media Research. Households were up 78 percent (350,000 vs. 199,000) and viewers increased 44 percent (427,000 vs. 297,000). The broadcast drew a higher rating than the PGA Tour Chrysler Classic, which aired in the same time slot. Through the season’s first 20 races, the series has earned a 0.7 average rating on SPEED Channel, up 17 percent over 2003.
Local Driver Gets Last-Minute Shot To Make Martinsville Truck Race
Jimmy Mullins normally gets to race one weekend a year at Martinsville Speedway. He found out midday Thursday he'll double that total this year. Mullins, the veteran Late Model Stock driver from Bassett, received an invitation Thursday afternoon to drive a truck in Saturday's Kroger 200 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race at Martinsville Speedway.
Patton Makes First Short-Track Start in Martinsville
The starting point of every NASCAR racer is the short track. Whether it’s the asphalt late-model tracks of Wisconsin, or the quarter-mile dirt tracks of the Southeast, Saturday night short-track racing is the foundation of a successful driver. J.R. Patton is no different. After three races at big tracks for Fiddle Back Racing, Patton will make his short-track debut in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Saturday at Martinsville for the Kroger 250.
Bodine Tries To Make It Three In A Row At Martinsville
Already proven to be fast and extremely competitive on the speedways, Todd Bodine and the No. 30 Germain / Arnold Racing Toyota Tundra will try to make it three wins in a row at Martinsville, this weekend. The team claimed victory at last weekend's event at the Texas Motor Speedway, becoming the first team this year to win two consecutive races.
Renshaw Prepared for Tenth Career NCTS Start at Martinsville Speedway
Deborah Renshaw will make her tenth career start in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series this weekend at the short track of Martinsville Speedway in Virginia. As a rookie driver in the competitive NCTS, Renshaw has been very critical of her performance in her first nine events and is looking forward to better finishes in the final four events of this 2004 season.
David Starr Eager For Martinsville
Eager to put their No. 75 Spears Chevy Silverado on the newly surfaced Martinsville Speedway, David Starr and the Spears Motorsports crew head to Virginia and the Kroger 200, Round 22 of the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, Saturday, October 23.
Montgomery, No.8 Dodge Preview: Martinsville
Chase is coming off another solid run at Texas last week where he came home with a 17th place finish for the second time this year at the 1.5 mile speed plant of the Texas Motor Speedway. “What a change of pace to come off one of the fastest tracks on the circuit and go to probably our slowest here at Martinsville. This will be my second visit to the paper-clip shaped track but it already ranks high on my list of favorites.
Parker, Jr., No. 21 Toyota Martinsville Preview
“I’m looking forward to going back to Martinsville,” Parker, Jr. said. “It’s always been a fun track to race on and I think the new racing surface will definitely make it even better. We finished 12th there in the spring race and we are looking to have a better finish this time around.”
Huffman, No. 12 Toyota Martinsville Preview
“I’m real excited about coming back here,” Huffman said. “The new surface looks real smooth and judging by the lap times of the Nextel Cup teams, it’s definitely faster.” He continued, “The fans are great at Martinsville and we’re looking forward to putting on another good show for them.”
Setzer Can't Wait To Get Back 'Home' for Martinsville
A trip to Martinsville Speedway is almost like a vacation to Dennis Setzer. That's how confident and comfortable he is on the historic half-mile racing surface. And while the Kroger 200 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race at Martinsville won't be a vacation, it will certainly be a welcome sight for Setzer. The veteran Craftsman Truck Series driver is locked in a tight battle for the series championship with Bobby Hamilton, and he knows a Martinsville homecoming has to boost his title run. "It's an important race for us," Setzer said of the Kroger 200. "Usually we run pretty good there. We weren't quite as good in the spring, but we think we've made some gains on our equipment since then. We feel like we'll be good there this fall." (High Sierra Photo)
Rain Washes Out Qualifying Again
For the fifth time in the 2004 season, the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series has been forced to set a race lineup due to the rule book after rain forced cancellation of qualifying Saturday’s Kroger 200 at Martinsville Speedway. With the field now set, that puts current NCTS points leader Bobby Hamilton on the pole with Dennis Setzer outside the front row.
(TrackSideLive! Photo)
Bad Weather Puts Truck Series Championship Contenders In Spotlight At Martinsville
Bad weather on Friday morning helped put the spotlight directly on the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series points chase in Saturday's Kroger 200 at Martinsville Speedway. Rain wiped out qualifying for the Kroger 200, which forced NASCAR to set the field for Saturday's race by points, which means points' leaders Bobby Hamilton and Dennis Setzer will start one-two.
McMurray Wins His First Truck Race at Martinsville Speedway
Jamie McMurray capitalized on a late race crash involving the leaders and raced to victory in the Kroger 200 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race at Martinsville Speedway on Saturday. McMurray took over the top spot when leader Travis Kvapil and second place Jack Sprague came together coming out of turn two on lap 173 and crashed. McMurray’s win is his first ever in the NCTS and the first of the season for Jim Smith’s No. 2 Team ASE/CARQUEST Dodge.
(High Sierra Photo)
McMurray Masters Martinsville
Jamie McMurray held off Dennis Setzer over the last ten laps of the Kroger 200 at Martinsville Speedway on Saturday to win his first career NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race. McMurray's Ultra Motorsports prepared Team ASE/CARQUEST Dodge was nearly flawless all afternoon on Martinsville Speedway's newly resurfaced .526 mile oval. "We had a really good truck here," McMurray said after the race. "We've been good every time we've been in the Team ASE/CARQUEST Dodge. We just haven't been able to put that win together. It's real cool to get it here at Martinsville. This is probably one of my favorite racetracks. I love to come here. It's different than the typical mile and a half racetracks we go to every week. They did a great job repaving the track. It's really special to get the win here. It's harder to pass here than in the past. Every time they repave a racetrack it seems to take awhile." (High Sierra Photo)
Patton Scores Solid Top-20 at Martinsville
In a field filled with current and former NASCAR Nextel Cup stars, J.R. Patton was able to avoid the wrecks that plagued the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCTS) Kroger 200 at Martinsville Saturday to bring home an 18th-place finish. “That was intense!” said a weary Patton. “I had gotten so used to driving the big tracks, I had forgotten what the short tracks could be like. But that was a lot of fun. Fortunately, I was able to stay out of the accidents and, for the most part, keep the fenders on it.”
Silverado All Star Bobby Labonte Marches Home Third at Martinsville
Despite starting 35th due to qualifying being rained out, Bobby Labonte finished third in the Kroger 200 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series event Oct. 23at Martinsville Speedway. Jamie McMurray won the event, while Labonte's teammate, Dennis Setzer, finished second. We didn't get to qualify, so we had to start 35th, but we had a good Silverado all weekend, Labonte said. Wish we could have gotten by Jamie (McMurray) there at the end, but he had a fast truck. I had a great time out there today.
Huffman, No. 12 Post Race Report: Martinsville
Robert Huffman was relegated to a 25th starting position due to qualifying being rained out and the field set according to owner’s points. However, Huffman would not take long to move up to 18th position by the time the first caution flag flew at lap seven.
Parker Jr., No. 21 Post Race Report: Martinsville
Hank Parker, Jr. would start the Kroger 200 in the 16th starting position due to qualifying being rained out on the day before the race, and the field being set according to team owner’s points.
Martinsville Speedway Statement On Hendrick Plane Crash
Following is a statement from Martinsville Speedway President Clay Campbell regarding the crash of a Hendrick Motorsports plane Sunday:
Reutimann Derailed by Accident at Martinsville
A commendable effort on David Reutimann’s part was interrupted by an unavoidable accident relegating the No. 17 NTN Bearings Toyota Tundra to a 27th-place finish in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series event at Martinsville Speedway Saturday afternoon.
McMurray Wins, Setzer Takes Back Points Lead
Jamie McMurray reached a personal milestone Saturday afternoon and Dennis Setzer made a gigantic step toward the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series championship in the Kroger 200 at Martinsville Speedway. McMurray, a regular in the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series, led the final 27 laps of the Kroger 200 to pick up his first NASCAR Camping World Truck Series victory. He became the eighth driver in NASCAR history to post victories in all three national series - NEXTEL Cup, Busch Series and Craftsman Truck. "It's real cool to get it (first truck win) here at Martinsville," said McMurray, who picked up the win in a Dodge. "This is probably one of my favorite racetracks. I love to come here. It's different than the typical mile and a halves we go to every week." (Ronda Greer Photo)
Chaffin Drops to 7th in Points Standings after Accident at Martinsville
Dickies Driver Chad Chaffin was climbing his way through the field when his No. 18 Dodge was involved in an accident on the front straightaway at Martinsville Speedway. As a result, Chaffin finished 30th in the Kroger 200. The accident caused the driver to fall to seventh position in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series point standings.
NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Review: Martinsville
Short tracks have a way of turning things upside down and Bobby Hamilton, who went from a moderately safe 79-point championship lead to second place in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series title race after Saturday's Kroger 200, won't look forward to returning to Martinsville Speedway any time soon.
Hamilton Finishes 26th in Demolition Derby at Martinsville
Typical of short-track style racing, Square D driver Bobby Hamilton and his competitors did not give up any real estate in the Kroger 200 at Martinsville Speedway without a fight. Hamilton and the drivers were bumping in turns and rubbing fenders on the .526-mile oval until halfway through the race when traffic stopped abruptly in front of him causing him to rear end a truck, bust his radiator and finish the race in 26th position.
Whitt has Career Best Finish at Martinsville
Brandon Whitt and the Werner Ladder/Cure Autism Now team enjoy a career day at Martinsville Speedway finishing 12th, the best finish of the rookie’s young career. The Kroger 200 at Martinsville Speedway quickly became another wild Saturday afternoon in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. At the end of the day, there were 10 cautions, several among the leaders, and a new series points leader.
Crawford Survives at the Martinsville Speedway
Martinsville Speedways new surface didn’t slow the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Saturday afternoon during the Kroger 200. Rick Crawford, driver of the #14 Circle Bar Motel & RV Park Ford F-150, was slowed briefly after an early altercation, but stayed focused rallying for a 16th place finish.
Renshaw Earns Career Best Finish of 15th at Martinsville
Deborah Renshaw earned her career-best NASCAR Camping World Truck Series finish on Saturday when she took the green flag in the 15th position in the Kroger 200 at the Martinsville Speedway in Martinsville, Virginia. Renshaw, who started the race from the 28th position when the field was lined-up based on current owner points due to rain throughout the day, knew that she was going to have to show more aggression in the course of the event if she was going to improve upon her existing career-best finish in the series of 22nd position.
Crafton Overcomes Unfortunate Pit-Stop to Finish Sixth at Martinsville
Matt Crafton, driver of the No.6 GM Goodwrench Chevrolet Silverado, overcame a costly pit-stop mistake to finish sixth in Saturday’s Kroger 200 at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway. This is Crafton’s first top-10 finish out of his last six races and keeps him fifth in points, 277 markers back from leader Dennis Setzer.
Late Race Crash Wrecks Kvapil’s Hopes for Martinsville Victory
With less than 30 laps to go at the Kroger 200, it looked as though Travis Kvapil had finally conquered the demanding half-mile track overcoming previous lack luster Martinsville runs as his competition faded behind him. But objects were much closer than they appeared in his rear view mirror when second-place contender Jack Sprague made hard contact with Kvapil’s left rear on lap 174 sending the pair spinning out of control. Although his crew quickly repaired the damage, the driver of the No. 24 Toyota All-Star Showdown Tundra wound up a disappointing 21st, seven laps down to first-time truck race victor Jamie McMurray.
Setzer Retakes Point Lead at Martinsville
Dennis Setzer, driver of the #46 Chevrolet Silverado race truck, erased a seventy-nine point deficit that was held by Dodge driver Bobby Hamilton with his second-place finish at the Kroger 200 at Martinsville Speedway. Setzer scored his fifth straight top-three finish at Martinsville on Saturday and now takes a one-point lead over Bobby Hamilton with three races remaining in the 2004 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series season. Dennis ran inside the top-five for most of the day and looked as if he would score his third win in five races as he chased down Nextel Cup regular, Jaime McMurray in his #2 Dodge in the closing laps. Setzer pulled to within one truck length with just five laps to go, but could not pull close enough to McMurray to make the pass. (Ronda Greer Photo)
Cut Tire Hampers Strong Run for Montgomery
Back in the spring, Chase Montgomery left the Martinsville Speedway after his career debut at the track and stated that “he could not wait to come back and race at the track in the fall”. Despite bad luck this time around, the rookie driver echoed the same thought as he left the .526 speedway on Saturday afternoon. A cut tire early in the running of the Kroger 200 cut short a strong run for Montgomery and relegated him and his #8 Alpine Engineered Products DODGE to a 19th place finish.
Musgrave Takes a Top-Five in Martinsville
Ted Musgrave continued his charge to the front of the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series point standings over the weekend, posting a fifth-place finish at Martinsville Speedway. The No. 1 Ultra Motorsports team gained 165 placement points and 10 bonus points for its efforts on Saturday. Musgrave drove the No. 1 Mopar Dodge Ram to the front of the field early on and led a total of 101 laps during the race. Jamie McMurray drove the No. 2 Ultra Motorsports entry to the win, while Dennis Setzer took over first place in the point race.
NASCAR Camping World Truck Series News & Notes
With a second-place finish at Martinsville, Dennis Setzer (No. 46 AXCIOM Chevrolet) now leads Bobby Hamilton (No. 4 Square D Dodge) by one point in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series championship standings with only three races remaining. Because of Hamilton’s 26th-place finish, Ted Musgrave (No. 1 Mopar Dodge) and Carl Edwards (No. 99 Superchips Ford) remain in the hunt for the title as well.
Diary of a Champion: Close, But No Cigar
Going back to Martinsville, I was excited about getting on a short track again. My Bang Racing team had definitely had some struggles in the weeks before at Las Vegas, California and Texas. We had taken our Tundra to Caraway a few days before Martinsville and felt like we had really improved on our setup for the race. Over the summer, our short track program had been really good. My team had a chance to win at IRP and won at Loudon. Some of the team’s stronger runs had been at Milwaukee and St. Louis – some of the flat tracks or smaller tracks - so I had a lot of confidence going back to Martinsville this time around. (David Vaughn Photo)
Official Results: Kroger 200
Entry List: Kroger 200
Starting Lineup: Kroger 200
Practice 1 Times: Kroger 200
Practice 2 Times: Kroger 200
|
|
|
|
|
|
