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TrackSideLive!
| Built Ford Tough 225
Kentucky Speedway | July 9, 2005
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Good Afternoon from Kentucky Speedway
07-08-2005 1:42 pm
Good afternoon everyone, and welcome to TrackSideLive! coverage of the Built Ford Tough 225 from the Kentucky Speedway. It is a gorgeous afternoon with just a few white puffy clouds floating overhead, a gentle breeze blowing across the track, and temperatures unseasonably mild in the low to mid 80s. The teams are just finishing up getting their equipment unloaded and set up in the spacious garage area as we start working towards the 90-minute practice session later this evening. We'll have all the news and notes from the garage leading up to the practice, so keep it locked on to TruckSeries.com.
Friday Schedule
07-08-2005 1:47 pm
Here is the competition schedule for today at the Kentucky Speedway:
12 n ET: NCTS Transporters Enter
1 pm ET: NCTS Garage Opens
5 pm ET: NCTS Rookie and Spotters Meeting/Draw for Qualifying
6 - 7:30 pm ET: NCTS Practice (Time Permitting, following ARCA Qualifying)
8 pm ET: NCTS Garage Closes
Kentucky Speedway Track Facts
07-08-2005 2:36 pm
Kentucky Speedway is a 1.5-mile tri-oval, with 14 degrees of banking in the corners and 8 degrees of banking on the straightaways. The fronstretch is D-shaped, while the backstretch is straight as an arrow and measures 1,600 feet in length. The 150-lap race distance is 225 miles.
Kentucky Speedway Track Records
07-08-2005 2:39 pm
Qualifying: Jon Wood, 169.614 mph/31.882 seconds, July 11, 2003
Race: Mike Bliss, 143.515 mph/1 hour, 34 minutes, 4 seconds, July 13, 2002
Five Races, Five Faces
07-08-2005 2:41 pm
There have been five previous winners in the five previous NCTS races held at the Kentucky Speedway. Only one former winner is entered here this weekend, so there is a decent chance we could make it 6-for-6 when the checkered flag waves tomorrow night. Here are the previous pole and race winners at Kentucky:
2000-Pole: Bryan Reffner, 168.460 mph; Race: Greg Biffle, 98.385 mph (2nd)
2001-Pole: Jack Sprague, 167.115 mph; Race: Scott Riggs, 113.525 mph (3rd)
2002-Pole: Jason Leffler, 168.303 mph; Race: Mike Bliss, 143.515 mph (2nd)
2003-Pole: Jon Wood, 169.641 mph; Race: Carl Edwards, 122.393 mph (5th)
2004-Pole: Qualifying Not Held; Race: Bobby Hamilton, 122.600 mph, (3rd)
Hard to Repeat in the Top-5 at Kentucky
07-08-2005 2:48 pm
There have been five previous NCTS races at Kentucky Speedway, meaning in those five races there have been 25 available top-5 finishes. In those five races, 20 drivers have scored top-5 finishes here, and only two drivers have been able to rack up three top-5 finishes.
Here are the drivers that have ended up with a top-5 run at Kentucky Speedway:
Greg Biffle (1st)
Scott Riggs (1st)
Mike Bliss (1st)
Carl Edwards (1st)
Bobby Hamilton (1st)
Jack Sprague (2nd twice, 3rd)
Joe Ruttman (2nd)
Dennis Setzer (2nd, 3rd, 5th)
Ted Musgrave, (2nd)
Mike Wallace (3rd)
Robert Pressley (3rd)
David Starr (3rd)
Marty Houston (4th)
Travis Kvapil (4th)
Rick Crawford (4th)
Jon Wood (4th)
Matt Crafton (4th)
Bryan Reffner (5th)
Jason Leffler (5th twice)
Chad Chaffin (5th)
Entry List Updates
07-08-2005 3:22 pm
Here are the changes to the normal weekly NCTS entry list here this weekend:
Timothy Peters is back in the No. 04 Dodge, and both he and boss Bobby Hamilton will carry the Bailey's colors here this weekend.
Eric Norris is in the No. 07 Pavestone Chevrolet again this weekend. His last start produced a 12th-place run at Texas in June.
Nick Tucker is entered in the No. 31 Brevak Racing Dodge.
Blake Mallory is here this weekend with the No. 76 Chevrolet.
Justin Allgaier is here attempting double duty this weekend. He will run tonight's ARCA race, then climb aboard Mike Mittler's No. 63 Dave Porter Truck Sales Ford for the NCTS race tomorrow.
Bill Lester is again carrying the Waste Management colors on the No. 22 Toyota.
Wayne Edwards is again listed as the driver of the No. 24 Mighty Motorsports Chevrolet.
Shige Hattori is back with us this week after taking the weekend off last week in Kansas.
T.J. Bell has taken the control of the No. 65 Glynn Motorsports Dodge this weekend. He too will attempt to do double duty in the ARCA and NCTS races here.
UPDATE: Also, Blake Feese is scheduled to drive the No. 15 Billy Ballew Motorsports Chevy this weekend, with sponsor support from ditech.com.
TruckShots posted
07-08-2005 4:25 pm
We wandered through a very busy NCTS garage area earlier this afternoon and snapped a bunch of pictures. Log on to the TruckShots gallery to check them out...look to the right side of the TrackSideLive! page to the Sights and Sounds box and click on the TruckShots link.
Craven addresses Cup rumors
07-08-2005 4:27 pm
Ricky Craven addressed the growing rumors swirling around the No. 6 Roush Racing Nextel Cup Series team. Yesterday, Roush Racing tabbed former NCTS regular Jamie McMurray to take the reins of Mark Martin's ride, but he won't make the change until after the 2006 season. That means with Martin's retirement at the end of this season, that ride is still open for 2006 and Craven's name is continuously mentioned as a possibility.
"I think hiring Jamie for that ride is great," Craven said. "He will fit in quite well with the drivers they have lined up and it's a really good move."
As far as what 2006 holds for Craven, he is focused only on winning and getting back into championship form in the No. 99 Ford in the NCTS.
"I wake up every day with a list of things I want to accomplish, and 90 percent of them concern getting this No. 99 Superchips Ford to victory lane here in the Truck Series," Craven said. "As far as the rumors are concerned, I try not to pay any attention to them. When I know something for sure, that's when I will start listening to what they are saying. Until then, we're working on getting this team to victory lane."
**Complete Craven interview to be posted to the Sights and Sounds box shortly
In on Time...
07-08-2005 4:35 pm
Here are the drivers that must race their way into the field on speed when we qualify tomorrow afternoon:
Kelly Sutton
Shige Hattori
Wayne Edwards
Nick Tucker
Chad Chaffin
Justin Allgaier
T.J. Bell
Blake Mallory
Trucks up Next
07-08-2005 5:52 pm
ARCA qualifying has concluded and the NCTS teams are rolling their trucks out of the garage stalls and up to pit road. Keep it here for all the news and updates from the first 90-minute practice for the Built Ford Tough 225.
We are Green!
07-08-2005 5:57 pm
Ricky Craven has led Blake Feese, Jack Sprague, and Todd Bodine on to the Kentucky Speedway and we are hard at it for the next 90 minutes. Keep it locked on to TruckSeries.com for all the news and notes throughout practice.
Taking Their Time...
07-08-2005 6:07 pm
Unlike some weeks where it is a mad rush to get out on to the speedway, several drivers are taking their time making on to the track. Many of the trucks are still on jackstands in the stalls.
Several of the teams that have made it to the track are already many laps in to a long race run.
Practice 1 Rundown 1
07-08-2005 6:16 pm
1. Kluever, 31.021
2. Sprague, 31.145
3. Peters, 31.149
4. Hamilton, 31.164
5. Craven, 31.169
6. Musgrave, 31.221
7. Bodine, 31.330
8. Reutimann, 31.441
9. Spencer, 31.457
10. Skinner, 31.543
11. Huffman, 31.591
12. Cook, 31.643
13. Crafton, 31.689
14. Hines, 31.691
15. Crawford, 31.723
16. Starr, 31.723
17. Park, 31.731
18. Hornaday, 31.760
19. Setzer, 31.794
20. Montgomery, 31.799
21. Keselowski, 31.809
22. Whitt, 31.821
23. Lester, 31.832
24. Chaffin, 31.832
25. Benson, 31.943
26. Bell, 32.234
27. Feese, 32.358
28. Gaughan, 32.441
29. Sutton, 32.462
30. Norris, 32.479
31. Hattori, 32.815
32. Allgaier, 32.903
33. Chapman, 32.963
34. Edwards, 33.906
Clean and Green; No Incidents
07-08-2005 6:22 pm
We've run clean and green so far the first 30 minutes of practice. No incidents to report on the track, and no slowdowns for debris yet as well. The sun is still pounding down on the speedway, which is slick again due to the differences in rubber compounds between the ARCA cars and the Trucks.
Well...Not Any More
07-08-2005 6:26 pm
We should have knocked on wood...as soon as we report no slowdowns in practice, NASCAR officials call for the red flag to check turn four for possible fluid on the speedway. The track crews are out, and we should be back to green very soon.
Back to Green; Practice 1 Rundown 2
07-08-2005 6:30 pm
We are back on track following a quick red flag for a track inspection.
Here is the rundown as of the red flag:
1. Kluever, 31.021
2. Bodine, 31.066
3. Peters, 31.110
4. Sprague, 31.145
5. Hamilton, 31.162
6. Craven, 31.169
7. Musgave, 31.172
8. Whitt, 31.226
9. Spencer, 31.249
10. Setzer, 31.295
11. Reutimann, 31.346
12. Starr, 31.365
13. Crafton, 31.376
14. Skinner, 31.412
15. Huffman, 31.556
16. Crawford, 31.580
17. Gaughan, 31.591
18. Benson, 31.627
19. Lester, 31.633
20. Cook, 31.643
21. Hines, 31.662
22. Park, 31.731
23. Hornaday, 31.760
24. Montgomery, 31.799
25. Keselowski, 31.809
26. Chaffin, 31.831
27. Feese, 31.914
28. Hattori, 32.053
29. Renshaw, 32.063
30. Pressley, 32.180
31. Bell, 32.184
32. Sutton, 32.192
33. Chapman, 32.243
34. Norris, 32.291
35. Allgaier, 32.605
36. Tucker, 32.662
37. Edwards, 33.906
They Said It, Prac 1 No 1
07-08-2005 6:38 pm
Dennis Setzer, No. 46 Chevrolet: "There is a lot we can gain now. Side grip. It is a little snug off."
Jimmy Spencer, No. 2 Dodge: "It is still too tight. It feels like it needs a right front spring to help get the rear end down on the track.:
Shige Hattori, No. 9 Toyota: "It is right in and tight off. The front end is chattering."
They Said It, Prac 1 No 2
07-08-2005 6:43 pm
Tracy Hines, No. 13 Chevrolet: "It's neutral on entry, tight off."
Chad Chaffin, No. 60 Toyota: "We're making some headway. We just need to keep working at it to catch up with some of those other guys."
Practice 1 Rundown 3
07-08-2005 6:51 pm
1. Sprague, 30.927
2. Kluever, 31.021
3. Bodine, 31.066
4. Peters, 31.110
5. Hamilton, 31.134
6. Skinner, 31.148
7. Craven, 31.169
8. Musgrave, 31.172
9. Reutimann, 31.184
10. Whitt, 31.226
11. Spencer, 31.249
12. Huffman, 31.259
13. Park, 31.260
14. Setzer, 31.295
15. Crawford, 31.332
16. Starr, 31.765
17. Crafton, 31.376
18. Hornaday, 31.406
19. Cook, 31.441
20. Chaffin, 31.447
21. Lester, 31.480
22. Hines, 31.523
23. Gaughan, 31.547
24. Benson, 31.627
25. Montgomery, 31.669
26. Keselowski, 31.728
27. Feese, 31.731
28. Chapman, 31.924
29. Hattori, 31.938
30. Pressley, 32.039
31. Renshaw, 32.063
32. Bell, 32.184
33. Sutton, 32.192
34. Norris, 32.291
35. Tucker, 32.356
36. Allgaier, 32.605
37. Edwards, 33.559
38. Mallory, No Time
Red Flag for Loose Romeo Window
07-08-2005 6:57 pm
The second red flag of the session is out for a track inspection. One of the teams reported losing a Romeo window off their truck somewhere around the speedway. What is a Romeo window? It is a piece of triangular plexiglas that runs alongside the downtubes from the roof to the bed of the truck. Teams must run one on the left side, and often times will run a second one on the right side. Track inspection is complete and we are back to green.
They Said It, Prac 1 No 3
07-08-2005 7:06 pm
Todd Kluever, No. 50 Ford: "It's really good on entry, but it gets tighter as we roll through the center. I have to work my line to make sure it doesn't bottom out."
Blake Feese, No. 15 Chevrolet: "It starts getting loose when I get back on the gas. The initial 30 percent when I get on the throttle."
Like Sand Through the Hour Glass
07-08-2005 7:12 pm
Well, the hour and a half glass anyhow...we are quickly running out of time in the first practice session for the Built Ford Tough 225. Here is the rundown with just a few minutes to go:
1. Kluever, 30.827
2. Skinner, 30.829
3. Sprague, 30.927
4. Hamilton, 31.059
5. Bodine, 31.066
6. Spencer, 31.094
7. Crawford, 31.105
8. Peters, 31.110
9. Craven, 31.169
10. Musgrave, 31.172
11. Reutimann, 31.184
12. Park, 31.223
13. Whitt, 31.226
14. Huffman, 31.259
15. Chaffin, 31.281
16. Hornaday, 31.284
17. Setzer, 31.295
18. Lester, 31.301
19. Crafton, 31.359
20. Starr, 31.365
21. Montgomery, 31.428
22. Cook, 31.441
23. Gaughan, 31.488
24. Hines, 31.523
25. Norris, 31.570
26. Benson, 31.590
27. Keselowski, 31.728
28. Feese, 31.731
29. Chapman, 31.765
30. Renshaw, 31.784
31. Bell, 31.899
32. Hattori, 31.938
33. Pressley, 32.039
34. Sutton, 32.192
35. Tucker, 32.356
36. Allgaier, 32.605
37. W. Edwards, 33.107
38. Mallory, No Time
Practice 1 Times
07-08-2005 7:51 pm
Click here for practice 1 times
Garage is closed
07-08-2005 8:06 pm
NASCAR officials have shoed everyone out of the garage, the ARCA cars are circulating on their pace laps, and it's time to call it a night from the Kentucky Speedway. Check out the Sights and Sounds section to your right as we were able to track down Kelly Sutton to ask her about her wild ride last week, we got the scoop from Todd Kluever on why he's running so well here this weekend, and found out that while Mike Skinner was fast in today's practice, he's not necessarily happy about it. We also chatted with last week's winner Todd Bodine, caught up with Rick Crawford, and wound down the evening with a quick conversation with series newcomer Blake Feese. With that, we're calling it a night...good night everybody!
Good Morning from Kentucky
07-09-2005 10:27 am
Good morning from Kentucky Speedway! It is a glorious day with bright sunny skies, a gentle breeze, and warm temps. It is a picture-postcard day, and it should be quite condusive to high speeds in practice and qualifying, and when it cools off later this evening it should make for a great race. There is no real chance to rain here today, but we'll keep you abreast of the weather throughout the day. Keep it here for more exclusive coverage of the Built Ford Tough 225 from Kentucky Speedway.
A New Record in Qualifying?
07-09-2005 10:32 am
It's looking pretty good that we will see a new qualifying record established in Bud Pole Qualifying later this afternoon. Thirty-one drivers eclipsed the old record, set by Jon Wood in 2003 at 31.882 seconds/169.641 mph. Bill Lester led the charge at 30.749 seconds/175.615 mph.
Number of Laps
07-09-2005 10:37 am
Who turned the most number of laps in yesterday's practice?
Nick Tucker ran 46 laps, with Blake Feese one behind him with 45 laps. Third on the board was Tracy Hines at 39 laps, Rck Crawford with 38 laps, and Steve Park and Brandon Whitt at 37 laps.
Who ran the fewest?
Mike Skinner and Terry Cook both ran fewer than 20 laps, with Skinner at 16 and Cook at 19. Kelly Sutton only ran 20 laps, while Ron Hornaday only turned 21 laps. Ricky Craven, Johnny Chapman, and Timothy Peters ran 22 laps while Robert Pressley made 23 trips around.
Today's Competition Schedule
07-09-2005 10:44 am
Here is the plan for Saturday at Kentucky Speedway:
10 am ET: NCTS Garage Opened
12 n - 1 pm ET: NCTS Final Practice
1:30 - 4 pm ET: USAC Ford Focus Midgets (Infield Quarter-mile)
5 pm ET: NCTS Bud Pole Qualifying
6:30 - 7:30 pm ET: Billy Ray Cyrus Concert
6:45 pm ET: NCTS Driver/Crew Chief Meeting
8 pm ET: NCTS Driver Introductions
8:15 pm ET: NCTS Built Ford Tough 225 (150 Laps, 225 Miles)
Practice getting nearer...
07-09-2005 11:21 am
Teams are busy working on their final preparations for this morning's 60-minute practice. Some teams are hard at work making major changes to their trucks, while others did very little preparation after last night's session.
Look for teams that ran well last night not to put a lot of laps on their trucks this afternoon.
"It doesn't make any sense to put a lot of laps on it in the heat of the day," said Todd Kluever, second fastest in last night's practice. "We'll make a mock qualifying run and then put it away until qualifying."
Track temperatures are much warmer than they were last night, and the trucks should respond very different in the heat of the day. With qualifying scheduled for 5 pm ET, look for teams with an early draw not to get the grip than teams with a later draw.
Trucks Heading to Pit Road
07-09-2005 11:43 am
One by one, the teams have sent their trucks to pit road to stage for the upcoming practice. As soon as they roll to the speedway, you'll be the first to know. Keep it locked on to TruckSeries.com for all the updates from the garage and the track as we run the final practice for the Built Ford Tough 225.
We're Rolling!
07-09-2005 11:52 am
The trucks have been released and they are hard on the hammer on their first laps on the speedway. Todd Kluever, Ron Hornaday, Kelly Sutton, Jimmy Spencer and Robert Huffman were the first five on the speedway. We expect most teams to run mock qualifying runs and not make long race runs. We'll keep you informed of all the action as it happens, so stick with us!
Two Quick Reds Have Slowed Us Right Off the Bat
07-09-2005 12:00 pm
We've had a couple of quick red flags within the first few moments of practice. Drivers are reporting fluid on the speedway, and NASCAR would rather be safe than sorry. In the first incident, Justin Allgaier got loose coming off turn two and made a quick spin down the backstretch. The second red came out when Chad Chaffin and Ricky Craven ran across the fluid in turn one and almost found the concrete. The track crew is out taking a close look at the surface, particularly in turns one and two.
NASCAR Being Very Cautious
07-09-2005 12:05 pm
After two quick incidents in the same area of the speedway, NASCAR race control is carefully orchestrating the clean-up process around the speedway. Track crews have indicated there is a 12-inch wide strip of fluid around parts of the speedway, and while that is being attended to, NASCAR is also sending clean up crew members to various places on the speedway to check for additional fluid. The trucks are staged on the pit road and ready to get going as soon as we get the all-clear signal.
Back on Track
07-09-2005 12:09 pm
We are back on track...but we expect the drivers to be a little cautious their first few trips around the speedway.
Final Practice Rundown 1
07-09-2005 12:13 pm
1. Sprague, 31.067
2. Kluever, 31.291
3. Crawford, 31.305
4. Spencer, 31.312
5. Whitt, 31.322
6. Musgrave, 31.349
7. Reutimann, 31.379
8. Chaffin, 31.394
9. Bodine, 31.420
10. Cook, 31.421
11. Craven, 31.476
12. Peters, 31.508
13. Park, 31.545
14. Hornaday, 31.586
15. Benson, 31.606
16. Crafton, 31.687
17. Huffman, 31.702
18. Hines, 31.735
19. Setzer, 31.757
20. Montgomery, 31.775
21. Starr, 31.781
22. Hamilton, 31.864
23. Norris, 31.937
24. Chapman, 32.007
25. Feese, 32.043
26. Hattori, 32.322
27. Bell, 32.355
28. Pressley, 32.477
29. Sutton, 32.716
30. Tucker, 33.096
31. Edwards, 33.390
They Said It, Final Practice No 1
07-09-2005 12:23 pm
Terry Cook, No. 10 Ford: "It's tightened it up off the corner. We may not even need to go to that bar."
Dave McCarty, crew chief, No. 75 Chevrolet: "We are making such major changes here that we are going from one side of the fence to the other."
They Said It Final Practice No 2
07-09-2005 12:27 pm
Johnny Benson, No. 23 Toyota: "It doesn't pick up unless I am drafting someone. That is about the RPM it was running all day yesterday."
Matt Crafton, No. 88 Chevrolet: "It's low on fuel, we're running out. It felt better."
Final Practice Rundown 2
07-09-2005 12:37 pm
Just a few minutes left in this practice...
1. Crawford, 30.873
2. Musgrave, 30.909
3. Kluever, 30.952
4. Renshaw, 31.057
5. Sprague, 31.067
6. Gaughan, 31.252
7. Reutimann, 31.290
8. Spencer, 31.312
9. Whitt, 31.322
10. Bodine, 31.359
11. Chaffin, 31.394
12. Hamilton, 31.403
13. Cook, 31.421
14. Crafton, 31.468
15. Craven, 31.476
16. Peters, 31.508
17. Setzer, 31.520
18. Park, 31.545
19. Hornaday, 31.586
20. Benson, 31.606
21. Lester, 31.640
22. Huffman, 31.702
23. Hines, 31.735
24. Starr, 31.781
25. Tucker, 31.805
26. Chapman, 31.917
27. Hattori, 31.925
28. Norris, 31.937
29. Bell, 31.995
30. Feese, 32.043
31. Pressley, 32.212
32. Sutton, 32.716
33. Allgaier, 32.856
34. Edwards, 33.186
Mallory Makes it Out, But...
07-09-2005 12:48 pm
Blake Mallory's team has been working hard to get his truck through tech and on to the speedway for the first time this weekend. Finally, they made it through and on to the track but before they could get up to speed, the truck erupted in smoke. NASCAR has brought out the red flag to check for fluid on the speedway through turns three and four and down the frontstretch. NASCAR may extend the practice by a couple of minutes as a result.
Three laps and we're done...
07-09-2005 12:54 pm
NASCAR officials have released the trucks for three laps of practice and then we're done. If the trucks were not in line on pit road, they were not going to be allowed to go.
Red and Black Flags Waving
07-09-2005 12:57 pm
The starter has waved the red and black flags, signifying the end of the final practice for the Built Ford Tough 225. We will have a full result report in just a couple of minutes.
Final Practice
07-09-2005 1:18 pm
The results of the final practice can be seen by
clicking here
Will Be Busy Later...Let's Break it Down By the Numbers Now
07-09-2005 2:17 pm
When we get done with qualifying, we will be in a serious hurry up mode to get ready for the green flag of the Built Ford Tough 225, so why don't we take the time to look at some of the stats of previous Kentucky Speedway races now...
Best Finishes
07-09-2005 2:20 pm
Here is each driver entered in the Built Ford Tough 225 and his or her best previous finish here:
Bobby Hamilton, 1st
Ted Musgrave, 2nd
Dennis Setzer, 2nd
Jack Sprague, 2nd
Robert Pressley, 3rd
David Starr, 3rd
Matt Crafton, 4th
Rick Crawford, 4th
Chad Chaffin, 5th
Terry Cook, 6th
Steve Park, 6th
David Reutimann, 9th
Robert Huffman, 10th
Brendan Gaughan, 11th
Bill Lester, 12th
Mike Skinner, 13th
Brandon Whitt, 14th
Tracy Hines, 17th
Chase Montgomery, 20th
Kelly Sutton, 23rd
Deborah Renshaw, 25th
Johnny Chapman, 27th
Wayne Edwards, 32nd
Here are the drivers attempting to make their first NCTS start at Kentucky Speedway: Eric Norris, Jimmy Spencer, Timothy Peters, Ron Hornaday, Shige Hattori, Blake Feese, Johnny Benson, Brad Keselowski, Todd Bodine, Nick Tucker, Todd Kluever, Justin Allgaier, T.J. Bell, Blake Mallory, Ricky Craven
Kentucky Speedway NCTS Races Summary
07-09-2005 2:29 pm
There has been five previous NCTS races at Kentucky Speedway. Here are the averages from the previous races, which might give us an idea what to expect later on this evening:
The average start of the winner has been 3.0. Two drivers have won from second (Greg Biffle, Mike Bliss), two from third (Scott Riggs, Mike Bliss), and one from fifth (Carl Edwards).
There are an average of 13 lead lap finishers, with a high of 18 in the first race in 2000 and a low of 8 in 2002.
There are an average of 9.8 lead changes. The highest number of lead changes is 12 in 2001, and the low is 6 in 2004.
There are an average of 6.4 lead drivers, with a high of 9 in 2003 and a low of 5 in 2000 and 2004.
The caution flag waves an average of 6.4 times, with a high of 9 in 2000 and a low of 3 in 2002.
The average number of laps run under the caution flag is 31.2, with a record of 49 caution laps in 2000. The fewest number of caution laps was 12 in 2002.
The cumulative average speed is 120.083 miles per hour.
YTD Point Spread
07-09-2005 2:41 pm
Looking at the Year-to-Date comparisons the past few weeks, it seems we are at that time of year when the points from first to fifth and from first to tenth really start to expand. Even as the gap from the leader on back starts to grow, we also see that this year is a little closer than it was last year. Here is what it looks like this week:
Point spread, 1-5: 2004, 187; 2005, 147
Point spread, 1-10: 2004, 310; 2005, 278
Who Has Made the Biggest Jump in the Points?
07-09-2005 2:45 pm
Who are the biggest movers in the points from 2004 to 2005?
Terry Cook has climbed 9 spots from 16th at this point in 2004 to seventh in 2005. Mike Skinner and Ted Musgrave are up three spots; Skinner up from 12th to ninth, while Musgrave is up from sixth to third.
Who has dropped back?
Matt Crafton was fourth at this point last year, and sits 10th now. Rick Crawford was seventh at this point last year and sits 13th now. Chad Chaffin was fifth last year, but after some turmoil this season, has dropped 14 spots to sit 19th now. Steve Park has dropped four positions, from 14th last season to 18th in 2005.
YTD Winning Makes
07-09-2005 2:54 pm
2004:
Chevrolet: 4 wins
Dodge: 5 wins
Ford: 3 wins
Toyota: 0 wins
2005:
Chevrolet: 7 wins
Dodge: 4 wins
Ford: 0 wins
Toyota: 1 win
More YTD...
07-09-2005 2:56 pm
More Year-to-Date comparisons...
Number of race winners: 2004, 8; 2005, 9
Average start of winner: 2004, 5.58; 2005, 12.4
Number of pole winners: 2004, 6; 2005, 10
Cumulative lead changes: 2004, 120; 2005, 117
Average lead changes per race: 2004, 10.0; 2005, 9.75
Average leaders per race: 2004, 5.92; 2005, 7.17
Total laps under caution: 2004, 543; 2005, 420
Average caution flags per race: 2004, 7.92; 2005, 7.58
2005 Key Race Stats
07-09-2005 2:59 pm
Here is a statistical breakdown of the 12 previous races of 2005:
Average start of winner: 12.4
Lead changes: 9.8
Leaders: 7.2
Cautions: 7.6
Caution laps: 35.0
Running at finish: 28.1
Did not finish: 7.9
Lead lap finishers: 16.9
MFR last win
07-09-2005 3:02 pm
Where did each of the four manufacturers pick up their last checkered flag?
Chevrolet - Dennis Setzer, 6/24/05, Milwaukee
Dodge - Bobby Hamilton, 5/15/05, Mansfield
Ford - Carl Edwards, 8/25/04, Bristol
Toyota - Todd Bodine, 7/2/05, Kansas
MFR Current Year Performance
07-09-2005 3:04 pm
Chevrolet: 7 wins, 4 poles, 23 top-5, 42 top-10, 992 laps led
Dodge: 4 wins, 2 poles, 15 top-5, 28 top-10, 343 laps led
Ford: 0 wins, 1 pole, 9 top-5, 24 top-10, 123 laps led
Toyota: 1 win, 4 poles, 13 top-5, 26 top-10, 514 laps led
Trucks through inspection
07-09-2005 3:13 pm
Several trucks have been through inspection and are sitting in the staging area just at the exit of the garage area. The USAC Ford Focus Midget Series has just concluded their events for the afternoon on the infield quarter-mile, and the next item on the agenda is Bud Pole Qualifying, coming your way Live! right here at TruckSeries.com at 5 pm ET.
Lots and Lots of People During the Consecutive Week Streak
07-09-2005 3:36 pm
The NCTS has been in action for the last six weeks, ending their streak with a weekend off following tonight's Built Ford Tough 225. How many people have seen the NCTS in action during the past month and a half?
There was an estimated 45,000 at Dover, with an additional 70,000 people through the turnstyles at Texas. The following week in Michigan there was a record 70,000 in the house. Milwaukee packed in 25,000 into the Wisconsin State Fair Park, and another record crowd of 75,000 showed up last week in Kansas.
The past five races have seen 285,000 people in the stands, and the Kentucky Speedway expects between 50 and 60,000 to show up here this evening.
Trucks Moving to Pit Road
07-09-2005 4:26 pm
The trucks are being pushed to the qualifying grid on pit road, and we are closing in on Bud Pole Qualifying, which you can catch Live! right here at TruckSeries.com. Stick around, that is coming your way at the top of the hour.
Qualifying Draw...Good or Bad?
07-09-2005 4:36 pm
The qualifying draw could help or hurt several guys here this afternoon. As we approach 5 pm ET, the ambient temperatures are still fairly warm and we have had uninterrupted sunshine on the track for the entire afternoon, so track temperatures are going to be as high as they have been all day long.
Drivers like Steve Park, Mike Skinner, and Todd Kluever have early draws and will run when the heat is still a major issue. As qualifying goes on, the sun will go down and temperatures will cool slightly, allowing drivers later in the draw to benefit. Bill Lester goes out around the midpoint of the draw, with guys like Ricky Craven and Todd Bodine also in the middle of the draw. The lucky guys are the ones at the bottom of the sheet. Temps should have cooled as much as they are going to, giving maximum grip, which means higher speeds.
Drivers that need to race their way into the field also have to worry about the draw. Shige Hattori, Chad Chaffin, and Kelly Sutton all must race their way in and have a very early qualifying draw. Meanwhile, cooler temps could be a big benefit for drivers Nick Tucker, Wayne Edwards, and T.J. Bell, all of whom go out late in the draw.
Crawford Crashes Hard on Qualifying Lap
07-09-2005 5:50 pm
Rick Crawford spun coming off turn two and made hard impact with the inside barrier on the backstretch on his qualifying lap. His truck impacted the wall at an opening used by the safety vehicles with the left rear, just behind the driver's seat. Crawford climbed from the wrecked truck and is now being transported to the infield care center for evaluation.
Crawford Transported
07-09-2005 7:07 pm
Rick Crawford has been transported to a local hospital following his crash in qualifying for precautionary CT scans.
His crew is busy preparing the backup truck, with the help of several members of the Rouch Racing and ppc Racing crews, and Crawford has given them the word that he intends to start the race here this evening. We will update you on his condition as soon as we have any information.
Said to Wheel No. 14 Ford
07-09-2005 7:52 pm
Circle Bar Racing has announced that Boris Said will take the wheel of Rick Crawford's No. 14 Ford for tonight's Built Ford Tough 225. Crawford was injured in qualifying and transported to a local hospital, and has not been released to return to the speedway. Said was on site to assist with the Speed Channel TV broadcast, and was asked to replace the injured Crawford. By not taking the green, it will mark the end of a 210 race consecutive start streak that dates back to the Homestead race at the open of the 1997 season. Said has not started an NCTS race since April 2000 at Phoenix.
Pit assignments
07-09-2005 8:09 pm
1 Bill Lester Bill Davis Racing Toyota
2 Steve Park Orleans Racing Dodge
3 Shige Hattori # Germain-Arnold Racing Toyota
4 Ricky Craven Roush Racing Ford
5 Wayne Edwards Mighty Motorsports Chevrolet
6 David Starr Spears Motorsports Chevrolet
7 Rick Crawford Circle Bar Racing Ford
8 Ron Hornaday Jr. Kevin Harvick, Inc. Chevrolet
Break in pit wall
9 Jack Sprague Xpress Motorsports Chevrolet
10 Nicholas Tucker # Brevak Racing Dodge
11 Brendan Gaughan Orleans Racing Dodge
12 Johnny Chapman Green Light Racing Chevrolet
13 Dennis Setzer Morgan-Dollar Motorsports
14 Eric Norris Green Light Racing Chevrolet
15 Chad Chaffin Wyler Racing Toyota
16 Brad Keselowski K-Automotive Ford
17 Terry Cook ppc Racing Ford
Break in pit wall
18 Jimmy Spencer Ultra Motorsports Dodge
19 Todd Kluever # Roush Racing Ford
Empty Stall
Start-Finish/Scoring
Empty Stall
20 David Reutimann Darrell Waltrip Motorsports Toyota
21 Brandon Whitt Red Horse Racing Toyota
Break in pit wall
22 Mike Skinner Bill Davis Racing Toyota
23 Deborah Renshaw BHR2 Dodge
24 Bobby Hamilton BHR Dodge
25 Robert Pressley HT Motorsports Dodge
26 Timothy Peters # BHR Dodge
27 Kelly Sutton Sutton Motorsports Chevrolet
28 Tracy Hines ThorSport Racing Chevrolet
29 Chase Montgomery BHR Dodge
30 Matt Crafton ThorSport Racing Chevrolet
Break in pit wall
31 Ted Musgrave Ultra Motorsports Dodge
32 Johnny Benson Bill Davis Racing Toyota
33 T.J. Bell Glynn Motorsports Dodge
34 Robert Huffman Darrell Waltrip Motorsports Toyota
35 Blake Feese Billy Ballew Motorsports Chevrolet
36 Todd Bodine Germain-Arnold Racing Toyota
Built Ford Tough 225 Race Updates 1-10
07-09-2005 8:12 pm
10. Lap 21 - Edwards, who was flagged at the start for jumping the green, has been called to the pits for being too slow.
9. Lap 16 - The field is now strung out all across the speedway. Lester leads Reutimann, Hornaday, Kluever, Sprague, Cook, Bodine, Crafton, Spencer, Setzer, Whitt, Musgrave, Park, Gaughan, Starr, Huffman, Craven, Hamilton, and Norris.
8. Lap 13 - Said runs 35th, the last truck on the lead lap. Crawford has been evaluated and released from a local hospital and has returned to the track.
7. Lap 10 - Lester has fallen back from the pole to 23rd. "It's way free guys," Lester reported to his crew.
6. Lap 6 - Cook and Sprague have a Lester sandwich and pass three wide down the backstetch.
5. Lap 3 - Cook, Sprague, Bodine, Crafton, Spencer, Whitt and Musgrave fight for sixth through tenth. Kluever passes Lester in turn three for fourth.
4. Lester gets a jump on the start as Kluever spins the tires and falls to fifth. Lester leads lap one over Reutimann and Skinner. Skinner makes it three wide for the lead down the backstretch to take the lead. Hornaday moves to fourth as Lester fights back on the outside.
3. One to go. Pace truck has lights off. No other trucks besides the 14 of Said need to drop to the back. Said was already there so it doesn't matter.
2. All trucks have cleared the grid. Said is in for Crawford in a backup truck.
1. There has been a massive power failure here at Kentucky Speedway as the trucks roll off the grid. There is a question on whether they can get it back up and running at 100 percent before we lose the sunlight. There is plenty of light as we get rolling, but once we lose the light we may not have enough power to run the lighting system. The trucks are on the first of four pace laps.
Built Ford Tough 225 Race Updates 11-20
07-09-2005 8:32 pm
20. Lap 50 - Big mess in turn two. Montgomery spins and collects Gaughan, Said, Hamilton and Chaffin. Said and Hamilton got together and spun, collecting Montgomery who spun down and collect Gaughan. Chaffin spun to the inside to avoid. The red flag will come out to clean debris down the backsteetch.
19. Lap 49 - Restart, Skinner leads Setzer and the field spreads out three and four wide down the backstretch.
18. Lap 46 - Sprague goes behind the wall. Reutimann is credited with leading lap 45, with Cook leading across the line on lap 46 on pit road. Skinner wins the race off pit road, with Setzer, Reutimann, Cook, Park, Hornaday, Crafton, Bodine, Kluever, Whitt, Benson, Musgrave, Huffman, Craven, Spencer, Hamilton, Feese, Gaughan, Montgomery, Chaffin, Hines, Keselowski, and Norris the rest of the lead lap drivers. Bell rejoins the lead la and will restart 24th.
17. Lap 44 - Sprague blows a right front and makes contact with the wall in turn two while running in the lead. The caution is out. Bell will receive the free pass to rejoin the lead lap.
16. Lap 40 - Lester to the pits to correct a vibration. Sprague leads Reutimann, Skinner, Bodine, and Cook, with Setzer, Crafton, Whitt, Kluever and Park the rest of the top-10.
15. Lap 36 - Sprague dives low off turn four to take the lead at lap 36. Starr, Pressley, Peters, Renshaw, Tucker, Lester, Hattori, Sutton, Said, and Edwards are lapped trucks.
14. Lap 34 - Kluever lost three positions the last lap to fall to 10th. Reutimann is again closing in on Skinner and take the lead at the line to lead lap 35.
13. Lap 32 Setzer dives under Crafton in turn 1 to take over 8th. Whitt closes on Crafton to race for ninth.
12. Lap 27 - Reutimann runs Skinner for the lead off turn four but is trapped behind the slower truck of Peters. Skinner pulls out to a 15 length lead as he passes pole sitter Lester to put him a lap down.
11. Lap 23 - Sprague is up to third as Cook and Bodine close in on Kluever for fifth.
Built Ford Tough 225 Race Updates 21-30
07-09-2005 9:00 pm
30. Lap 68 - Skinner tries to make the pass on the restart, but Cook uses the lap traffic to his advantage and keeps the lead. The two front runners have pulled away to a 20 length lead on third and fourth, who have half a straightaway on fifth.
29. Lap 67 - Musgrave comes to the pits. Chaffin also pits, but takes his machine to the garage.
28. Lap 64 - Lester and Hines get together coming off turn two, sending Hines down through the grass on the backstretch. Bell is also involved and makes contact with the nose of his machine. Hines does not appear to have significant damage.
27. Lap 63 - Restart. Cook dusts off Skinner coming out of turn two to take the lead on lap 64. Setzer, Reutimann and Park are the top-5.
26. Lap 62 - Craven comes to the pits for several stops to make aero adjustments to the valence and rear spoiler. "We have plenty of time guys, we're going to get the finish we deserve," Craven said to his team.
25. Lap 59 - Huffman backs it hard into the turn three wall. He spins to the inside before driving away from the scene. All of the drivers involved in accidents so far tonight have been uninjured. Starr will receive the free pass.
24. Lap 57 - Restart; Cook blasts past Setzer to make the pass for second. He is pressuring Skinner for the lead in three and four.
23. Lap 55 - Hamilton's team is busy working on the left front of his machine. Said is expected to rejoin the Speed Channel crew in the broadcast booth. Feese makes another stop. The one to go signal is given on lap 56 with the restart expected on lap 57.
22. Lap 53 - Red Flag Rundown: Skinner, Setzer, Cook, Reutimann, Park, Bodine, Whitt, Hornaday, Crafton and Benson the top-10. Kluever, Huffman, Musgrave, Spencer, Feese, Hines, Norris, Craven, Bell, and Keselowski are 11-20. Pressley, Starr, Renshaw, Peters, Chapman, Tucker, Hattori, Chaffin, Sutton and Hamilton are 21-30. Gaughan, Montgomery, Lester, Said, Edwards, and Sprague and Setzer hold down the final six positions. The caution flag is back out. Chaffin goes behind the wall. Said and Gaughan drove their trucks straight to the garage. Norris, Craven, Hattori, Keselowski, Bell, and Feese come to pit road. The red flag was out for 8 minutes and 57 seconds.
21. Red flag still out, but it looks like the cleanup process is just about wrapped up. It appears that Said had a soft right front tire and he pushed up into Hamilton to start off the wreck.
Built Ford Tough 225 Race Updates 31-40
07-09-2005 9:27 pm
40. Lap 104 - Huffman pushes up in front of leader Cook coming off turn two and gets a nudge. Huffman fights it before losing control at the entrance to turn three. "I didn't know he was on the outside until it was too late," Huffman said.
39. Lap 97 - Reutimann is on the move, past Skinner for second and on the hunt for the lead as he is chasing down Cook.
38. Lap 94 - Skinner dives into one inside of Cook, but loses the air and has a big wiggle. Cook powers off to a fifteen length lead as Reutimann moves in to pressure Skinner for second.
37. Lap 90 - Kluever looked to sneak inside of Crafton for the seventh position, but lost the air on the nose and pushed up, letting Whitt sneak to the inside and take over 8th.
36. Lap 86 - Skinner tries to get the lead on the restart and passes going into turn one in the inside, but Cook powers past on the outside to retake the lead. Reutimann moves to third, with Setzer and Bodine the rest of the top-5.
35. Lap 83 - Cook tells the Speed Channel audience from his truck that he wants to wish Rick Crawford the best following his accident in qualifying. Cook is ready to lead the field to the green followed by Skinner, Setzer, Reutimann, Bodine, Park, Whitt, Crafton, Benson, and Hornaday. Keselowski comes to the pits to pack it full of fuel hoping it goes the rest of the way on gas.
34. - Lap 81 - Hamilton goes back to the garage. The track crew is cleaning up a considerable fluid spill from Norris' machine.
33. Lap 79 - Hamilton is back on the track, 28 laps down. Kentucky Speedway announces a crowd of 40,196 as the official attendance this evening.
32. Lap 77 - Norris makes contact with the turn 2 wall while running 13th. He makes slight contact with the right rear of his truck and drives it on to the pits. Peters receives the free pass. Pressley, Hines, and Feese pit.
31. Lap 75 - Halfway. Cook leads Skinner, Setzer, Reutimann, Bodine, Park, Whitt, Crafton, Benson, and Hornaday.
Built Ford Tough 225 Race Updates 41-50
07-09-2005 9:55 pm
47. Lap 146 - Cook loses the right front and pounds the turn two wall within sight of the checkered flag. Setzer leads Bodine and Skinner.
46. Lap 145 - Setzer is just 1.5 seconds back in second as Bodine races Skinner for third.
45. Lap 140 - Setzer is up to second. Cook leads by 2.07 seconds with 10 laps to go.
44. Lap 129 - Cook gets sideways underneath Hattori and loses most of his 2-second lead over Skinner. He has already stretched it back to 1.2 seconds.
43. Lap 114 - Cook opens it up to a five length lead on Skinner. Bodine is two seconds back in third.
42. Lap 107 - Restart. Keselowski is pushed out of the groove as Skinner and Cook fight side by side. Cook throws sparks down on the low side as he makes the pass going into turn one to take the lead from Skinner. Skinner credited with leading lap 108, Cook leads lap 110.
41. Lap 105 - Reutimann has a long stop with a loose lugnut. Keselowski leads under caution. Skinner wins the race off pit road, with Cook, Setzer, Bodine, Whitt, Kluever, Musgrave, Hornaday, Starr, Park, Benson, Crafton, Reutimann, Craven, Bell, Feese, Spencer, Renshaw, Pressley, Hines, and Peters the rest of the lead lap trucks.
Unofficial Results: Built Ford Tough 225
07-09-2005 10:02 pm
1. Setrzer
2. Bodine
3.Reutimann
4.Skinner
5. Musgrave
6. Whitt
7. Crafton
8. Park
9. Benson
10. Starr
11. Spencer
12. Kluever
13. Craven
14. Hornaday
15. Feese
16. Bell
17. Pressley
18. Keselowski
19. Renshaw
20. Hines
21. Chapman
22. Lester
23. Tucker
24. Hattori
25. Cook
26. Sutton
27. Edwards
28. Peters
29. Gaughan
30. Huffman
31. Hamilton
32. Norris
33. Chaffin
34. Montgomery
35. Said
36. Sprague
Built Ford Tough 225 Fast Facts
07-09-2005 11:07 pm
Ø
Dennis Setzer captured his third win of the season and 15
th
of his career after starting 18
th
. His other wins this season came at Michigan International Speedway and The Milwaukee Mile. Setzer has now won three out of the last four NASCAR Camping World Truck Series races.
Ø
Setzer has 9 top-10 finishes in 13 races this season, including six top fives. With the win, Setzer extended his lead in the point standings to 83 over Ted Musgrave. That point margin is the largest of the season by any points leader.
Ø
This is Setzer’s first win at Kentucky Speedway in six attempts. He now has four top fives at the track. His lowest finishing position at Kentucky is 12
th
in 2000.
Ø
Eric Phillips, Setzer’s crew chief, has won five races since last July’s Michigan race (three this year with Setzer and two last year with Travis Kvapil). That is the most wins by any crew chief in that period.
Ø
Todd Bodine finished second after winning last week’s race at Kansas Speedway. This was Bodine’s third race with the No. 30 truck and Germain Racing.
Ø
Brandon Whitt finished sixth, his first top-10 finish in 45 career starts. His best previous career finish was 12
th
at Martinsville in 2004.
Points Report
07-09-2005 11:36 pm
Here is a quick look at the top-10 in points following the Built Ford Tough 225:
1. Setzer
2. Musgave, -83
3. Hamilton, -153
4. Hornaday, -198
5. Craven, -208
6. Spencer, -212
7. Cook, -269
8. Skinner, -285
9. Reutimann, -305
10. Crafton, -317
Best Finish for Whitt
07-09-2005 11:39 pm
With his sixth-place finish, Brandon Whitt picks up his career best finish in the NCTS.
“We started off pretty good and really didn’t make that many adjustments tonight," Whitt said. "We made one track bar adjustment and a little bit of air pressure adjustement. My truck was real consistent all night. The cooler it got -- it got more grip and that’s what we needed during the race. The guys did a great in the pits, and we were finally able to get our first top-10 in a Tundra.”
Cook Now Leads Active Consecutive Starts Category
07-09-2005 11:43 pm
With Rick Crawford's consecutive start streak coming to an end here this evening, Terry Cook now takes over the lead in the lead in the active consecutive starts category. Cook now has 185 consecutive starts in the NCTS dating back to the season opener in 1998 at the Walt Disney World Speedway in Orlando.
Tough Day for Sprague
07-09-2005 11:49 pm
Not only did Jack Sprague have a miserable day on the track, it resulted in a bad day in the championship standings as well. Sprague had a strong truck tonight, shooting to the lead on lap 36 and holding it through lap 44 when he had a right front tire go down, sending him hard into the outside wall. Sprague fell from 8th going in to 13th after the race. He now sits 368 points out of the lead and 51 points out of the top-10.
Crawford Speaks About Qualifying Accident
07-10-2005 12:05 am
Rick Crawford, No. 14 Ford:
You returned to the track right after your trip to the hospital following your accident in qualifying. What happened?
"The whole Circle Bar race team gave me a total package to run tonight and we were trying to get it done for the Built Ford Tough 225. I was on the edge for qualifying, where you need to be to have a great lap, and like Kevin Starland (crew chief) said, 'If we would have made it through one and two we would have had a great lap.' But, I kept it off the outside wall and the truck bit and ran across the race track and I ran out of room on the inside. I messed it up pretty good, and NASCAR procedures now needed me to go to the hospital and get a scan, and I did and
it showed negative, but there was not enough time to get back in the truck."
How do you feel mentally and physically?
"I'm disappointed for my race team. The guys worked real hard to get us back in the points picture and to put good pieces on the race track. I feel like I let them down because I should have been able to hold on to it because it was a really good piece and I was trying to better what we practiced. Like I said, I laid down a good lap, and we had a good truck to do that with, but it didn't make it. That's how I feel mentally, but physically I'm OK and I survived. Thank goodness NASCAR has all of the safety rules and regulations and everything that they put in these vehicles to be able to take a hit like that, and I'll race again."
Who's In? Who's Out?
07-10-2005 12:06 am
A quick look at the teams that have been locked in to the starting field for the next NCTS race at Memphis, and the teams that are on the outside looking in...
Here's who's in:
26. Darrell Waltrip Motorsports No. 12 - 1201
27. ThorSport Racing No. 13 - 1188
28. Green Light Racing No. 08 - 1180
30. BHR2 No. 8 - 1141
31. BHR No. 18 - 1129
Here is on the outside looking in, needing to make the field based upon the team's qualifying speed at Memphis:
32. Sutton Motorsports No. 02 - 1033
33. Mighty Motorsports No. 24 - 776
The Fiddleback Racing No. 66 truck is still among the top-30 on owner points, sitting 29th, but is ineligible due to not attempting all the races. It is moot anyhow, as the team has disbanded. That locks in the next eligible team, which is the No 18 BHR team currently 31st in points.
The only other eligible teams are the Sutton Motorsports No. 02 and the Mighty Motorsports No. 24. No other team has attempted all the races.
Gaughan OK but Unable to Speak After Breathing Fire Extinguisher Chemical
07-10-2005 12:22 am
Brendan Gaughan was involved in the Said-Hamilton-Montgomery incident coming off turn two early in the race and spent many laps in the garage as his team was making repairs to his No. 77 Dodge. Unfortunately for Gaughan, the safety crew had blasted a fire extinguisher off in his truck, and when he got back in he spent the rest of the race breathing in the fire suppressant. It may be one of the only things that can silence the exhuberant Gaughan, who goes everywhere with a huge grin and always has something to say to everyone, making him a favorite of the fans and media alike.
Birthday wishes from everyone at TruckSeries.com to Brendan as well...we understand there were 30 candles on the cake today for the driver of the No. 77.
That's a wrap folks...or is it?
07-10-2005 12:14 am
Podcast
with Charles Krall
That's going to do it for tonight from the Kentucky Speedway as we conclude TrackSideLive! coverage of the Built Ford Tough 225. But, that's not all! Come back tomorrow as we will have a full audio recap of one of the most dramatic races of the 2005 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series season. It was a heartbreaker today for a number of drivers. Thankfully Rick Crawford was able to make it back to the track this evening to watch, but it must have been heart wrenching for him to watch his No. 14 Ford out on the track with someone else at the wheel. Unfortunately for Boris Said, the same fate befell him as Jack Sprague before him and Terry Cook after him: a soft right front tire sent all three drivers darting up the speedway. Sprague was leading when his tire went down and he pounded the wall, ending his night early. Said had a tire go down in traffic, sending him into defending race winner Bobby Hamilton and keying a multi-truck tangle in turn two that sent several contenders to the garage area. Cook's incident was a virtual carbon copy of Sprague's, with hard contact in the turn two wall ending his night just five laps away from his first NCTS victory since August 2002. On the opposite side of the spectrum, Dennis Setzer was the biggest beneficiary, driving to his third win of the 2005 season. With the win, Setzer stretches out his point lead on second-place Ted Musgrave, while defending series champion Hamilton now slips to third. We'd like to thank Tim Bray and all of the staff at the Kentucky Speedway for their wonderful hospitality throughout the weekend, as well as all of the NASCAR PR and Statistical Services people for their help this weekend. Thanks to all of our loyal readers for sticking with us late into the evening! We'll pick up coverage from the Memphis Motorsports Park in two weeks. Good night everybody!
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