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NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series
Race #3 |
John Deere 200
Atlanta Motor Speedway
Atlanta, Georgia
Friday, March 17, 2006
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John Deere 200 - Atlanta Motor Speedway
NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Event Schedule
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Atlanta Motor Speedway officials announced today that John Deere, the world's leading manufacturer of agricultural, consumer and commercial turf care and forestry equipment, will sponsor the speedway's Friday night March 17 Craftsman Truck Series race. The race, which will be held during the March 17-19 Golden Corral 500 weekend, will be officially known as the John Deere 200.
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…Mike Mittler, co-founder and president of Mittler Bros. Machine & Tool and owner of MB Motorsports, Inc. (J.R. Patton, No. 63 Dave Porter Truck Sales Ford), was recently installed as chairman of the board of the National Tooling & Machining Association (NTMA). The NTMA is a 1,700-member trade association representing the precision and machining industry. (
MittlerBros.com Photo
)
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Dennis Setzer will carry the Shell Rotella T paint scheme for the first of seven races starting this weekend in Atlanta. "Atlanta is a very tricky and fast race track. The track layout gives you lots of corners to have to deal with in your set up. Usually there is plenty of space off of turn four, and everyone can get a handle off that turn, but turn two is very difficult to nail."
-Dennis Setzer
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An historic event will take place on March 17, 2006 in Atlanta, GA. Curry Racing, Inc. owned and founded by Julius Curry, will take over as owner of a NASCAR race team at the Atlanta Motor Speedway Craftsman's Truck Series. This will mark the first time in NASCAR history that an African-American owned company, Curry Racing, Inc. will be the sole owners of a NASCAR race team. Driving the Curry Racing, Inc truck will be Chase Montgomery.
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The No. 59 HT Motorsports team announced two changes that affect its status heading into the third event of the 2006 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, the John Deere 200 at Atlanta Motor Speedway on March 17th. Steve Park will take over driving duties for the team and the race shop is busy putting the finishing touches on a Ford F-150, rather than the Dodge Ram they have entered in events since their inception. (High Sierra Photo)
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Steve May has assumed interim crew chief duties for the No. 13 ThorSport Racing Chevrolet Silverado driven by Kerry Earnhardt. May has been involved in NASCAR'S upper echelon for over thirty years, and has worked with Cale Yarborough, Bill Elliott and Geoff Bodine's Craftsman Truck Series operation, among others. He was recently named Director of Competition at ThorSport Racing. (Ronda Greer Photo)
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Robert Richardson and his R3 race team have endured ups and downs within only the first two races of the 2006 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series season. This weekend, Richardson will once again tackle a race track that he has not yet competed on as the series rolls into the Atlanta Motor Speedway for the John Deere 200 on Friday evening. "These first two races have really handed our team highs and lows," said Richardson. (Team PR Photo)
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Scott Lagasse Jr. will make his second career NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series start this Friday in the John Deere 200 on the 1.54 mile quad-oval at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Lagasse Jr. started 34th and finished 30th in his first foray into NCTS competition at California Speedway. "I have always heard you are only as good as your last race. I sure am glad California is behind us."
-Scott Lagasse Jr.
(BobbyHamiltonRacing.com Photo)
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Timothy Peters will make his second NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series start on the ultra fast 1.54 mile quad-oval at Atlanta Motor Speedway this Friday in the John Deere 200. Peters will pilot the No. 4 Dodge Motorsports Dodge Ram prepared by Bobby Hamilton Racing. "I learned a whole lot the first time out at Atlanta. The biggest thing was that Atlanta is not just a one groove track, it is definitely a multiple groove racetrack." (BobbyHamiltonRacing.com Photo)
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Terry Cook makes his fourth NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series (NCTS) start at Atlanta Motor Speedway (AMS), only this time with his brother-in-law, Bobby East. East, a Team Ford Racing driver, is brother to Amy, Cook's wife of five years. Bobby East will drive the No. 21 Ford F-150 for Wood Brothers / JTG Racing Friday night. "It's a pretty neat deal to be able to race against a family member."
-Terry Cook
(High Sierra Photo)
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Erik Darnell was the Raybestos Rookie of the Race in the February 24 racetickets.com 200 at California Speedway. Darnell finished 11th and took top rookie honors for the second consecutive race. Darnell holds a 12-point lead (27-15) over Kyle Krisiloff in the Raybestos Rookie standings entering the March 17 John Deere 200 at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Sean Murphy was the Raybestos Rookie of the Race in the 2005 John Deere 200, claiming a 13th-place finish on the lead lap.
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Roush Racing announced today that it will field a third NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series team at the Atlanta Motor Speedway on March 17 for driver David Ragan. A Georgia native, Ragan will drive the No. 50 Ford F-150 in the John Deere 200 on Friday night, March 17. "Fielding a third truck in Atlanta will enable David to run in front of his hometown crowd, friends and family," said team owner Jack Roush. (Rusty Jarrett/Getty Images)
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The official entry list for the
John Deere 200
at Atlanta Motor Speedway, the third race of the 2006 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series season.
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Bobby Hamilton Jr. will make his first NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series start on the 1.54 mile quad-oval at Atlanta Motor Speedway this Friday in the John Deere 200. "Atlanta is one of my favorite race tracks. I have always run well there. I qualified on the outside pole last year for the cup race and thought we were going to finish in the top 10, but had tire problems. As a driver, you love Atlanta because you can race the high line, the low line and even in the middle."
-Bobby Hamilton Jr.
(BobbyHamiltonRacing.com Photo)
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Veteran Kelly Sutton (No. 02 Team Copaxone Chevrolet) and Raybestos Rookie of the Year contender Erin Crocker (No. 98 Cheerios Betty Crocker Dodge) will push the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series to a very special century mark this week. Friday's John Deere 200 at Atlanta Motor Speedway, in which both will participate, marks the 100th time - and 55th consecutive race - in which one or more female drivers have competed. Only one other series has had greater female participation. The NASCAR Busch Series has logged 237 races with a female driver in its 24-plus seasons of 737 races. Sutton, who'll start her 42nd event, is in her third full season with the series. Her October 2003 start at Phoenix International Raceway marked the beginning of the series' current, 54-race female driver streak. (Rusty Jarrett/Getty Images)
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Friday’s race marks the 200th consecutive start for Terry Cook (No. 10 Ford Power Stroke Diesel by International Ford). He’s the second competitor to reach that milestone and is on track to break Rick Crawford’s (No. 14 Circle Bar Truck Corral Ford) 209-race record on July 8 at Kentucky Speedway. Ironically, last year’s Kentucky race ended Crawford’s streak due to injuries he incurred in a qualifying accident.
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Defending 2005 AMS spring race winner, Ron Hornaday visited victory lane for a NCTS career record 27th time. Hornaday will return to AMS in the No. 33 KHI Chevrolet with a new number and a new crew behind him. The margin of victory is the third closest in the history of the NCTS; with 0.008 second separating Hornaday and Labonte to the checkered flag finish. (High Sierra Photo)
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The following is a non-paid political announcement by Rick Crawford driver of the Circle Bar Truck Corral Ford F-150. "My fellow Americans, it is with great pride that I place forward the name of Rick Allen for Vice President of the United States... Considering he is the only member of the entire Speed broadcast team to pick the Circle Bar Team to finish in the top 5 in points this season, proves he has what it takes to be second in line to the President."
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Chad Chaffin believes that he will have a top ten race truck for the John Deere 200, NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race on March 17 at Atlanta Motor Speedway. There is a chance, however, that he and his Key Motorsports contingent may not have the opportunity to prove it. “It’s gonna be tough”, Chaffin said. “We will have a race truck that is going to be very competitive in the race, that we know! But there is no guarantee that we will be there to prove that."
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This will be Jack Sprague’s 8th career start at the track in Atlanta. Sprague garnered his best finish in Atlanta last fall where he entered the last turn leading the Craftsman Truck Series race but contact with the second place truck relegated him to a fourth place finish in a race that he dominated.
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Bobby East is used to going fast. That's why the wait to drive the No. 21 Wood Brothers/jtg racing Ford has been frustrating. After watching the first two Craftsman Truck Series races from the sidelines while earning NASCAR's approval, East finally will get back in the fast lane for this Friday's John Deere 200 at the Atlanta Motor Speedway. (Rusty Jarrett/Getty Images)
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Bobby Hamilton is hoping his next NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series start at Atlanta Motor Speedway is as good as his first one. Hamilton won the series inaugural race at AMS and has high hopes for this Friday's John Deere 200 at the ultra-fast high banked quad-oval. Overall Hamilton has one win, two top-fives and three top-10's in just three AMS NCTS starts.
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The last time the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series competed at the Atlanta Motor Speedway, the No. 15 Chevrolet of Billy Ballew Motorsports rolled into victory lane with 20-year-old Kyle Busch behind the wheel. When the series heads to AMS for this Friday night’s John Deere 200, there’s still a 20-year-old Kyle piloting the No. 15 ditech.com/Krud Kutter Chevrolet.
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Jon Wood didn't know what to expect when he agreed to drive the No. 20 Ford F-150 for Wood Brothers/JTG Racing in the first three races of the Craftsman Truck Series. Now that he knows, he's not sure he wants to give it up. Wood will make his final appearance in the team truck during this Friday's John Deere 200 at the Atlanta Motor Speedway before turning over the driving duties to Aussie sensation Marcos Ambrose.
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Gaughan will drive Orleans Racing’s T1 truck, aka Lonestar, for the Atlanta event. Lonestar has undergone a complete overhaul since its last outing last year, including new Hopkins clip, and will be making its first appearance after a top to bottom restoration.
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Atlanta Motor Speedway has been the site of three thrilling finishes for the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series the past two seasons, including a sweep by Chevrolet Silverado Drivers in 2005. Through three total series races at the 1.54-mile, high-banked speedway, there were two finishes that ended with top contenders crashing across the finish line and one photo finish. In last year's spring event, Ron Hornaday, Jr. (#33 KHI Silverado) passed Bobby Labonte (#47 Silverado) at the finish line by .008 seconds in the fifth closest NCTS finish ever.
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"We have been working really hard on the trucks since we struggled at California. Ray has put a lot of the Cup resources into the truck. I think with a combination of going to Atlanta, a track that suits my driving style a little better, and the truck having so much work done to it, I think we will be a lot better this weekend going to Atlanta. I have never been to Atlanta, so I have been playing the NASCAR 2006 video game on Play Station 2." (High Sierra Photo)
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David Starr will be competing for the fifth time in his career at the Atlanta Motor Speedway when he takes the green flag for the John Deere 200 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race Friday, March 17th in the No. 11 Red Horse Racing Toyota Tundra. Starr will be making his first appearance at the Atlanta Motor Speedway driving a Toyota Tundra.
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The U.S. Army will be the primary sponsor on Kraig Kinser's No. 47 Silverado for Friday's John Deere 200 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series event at Atlanta Motor Speedway. It will be the third truck event for the rookie Kinser, who starred as a sprint car racer the past two seasons in the World of Outlaw Series.
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Shell ROTELLA T will begin their new relationship with Morgan-Dollar Motorsports by kicking-off their seven race primary sponsorship of the No. 85 Chevrolet Silverado, driven by Dennis Setzer this Friday night in the John Deere 200. Atlanta Motor Speeway was the site of Setzer's first top-five of the season in 2005 and he hopes to make it his first trip to victory lane in 2006. "We are very proud to be representing Shell Rotella T on the race track this year," said Setzer. (Team PR Photo)
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Bobby East, driver of the No. 21 Ford F-150, is scheduled to make his 2006 Craftsman Truck Series debut this weekend at Atlanta Motor Speedway. East, the son of legendary car builder Bob East, will take over the Wood Brothers/JTG Racing entry that was driven by Stacy Compton in the first two events of the season. East spoke about making his season debut at Atlanta and adapting to the trucks given his open-wheel background.
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There will be nine Toyota Tundras in the field at Atlanta. In last year's Spring NCTS race at Atlanta, Tundra drivers Chad Chaffin and Robert Huffman were the first Toyota racers to cross the finish line. Mike Skinner, driver of the No. 5 Bill Davis Racing Tundra, qualified third at Atlanta and led the field for 29 laps (9-37) before brushing the wall. In 2004 at Atlanta, Rookie David Reutimann, driver of the No. 17 Darrell Waltrip Motorsports Tundra, earned his first career NCTS pole position. (Ronda Greer Photo)
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Bill Lester hopes to make his first NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series start this weekend at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Ricky Viers, who handles research and development at Bill Davis Racing, will serve as Lester's crew chief for the weekend. Waste Management will sponsor Lester and the No. 23 team this weekend, then return to sponsor the team in the NEXTEL Cup race at Michigan International Speedway in June and the September event at California Speedway. (Charles Krall/TruckSeries.com Photo)
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Logansport, Indiana native Boston Reid has had a rough start to the 2006 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series season. After two races with finishes of 30th or worse, Reid finds himself 33rd in the points heading into this weekends race in Atlanta. Reid’s unfortunate luck put him in the middle of someone else’s mess two weeks in a row.
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With two NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series races in the books, David Reutimann is fifth in the points standings following a ninth-place finish at Daytona International Speedway and a fourth-place finish at California Speedway. Reutimann looks to continue his momentum in the No. 17 Team Tundra Racing Toyota at Atlanta Motor Speedway this Friday.
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Matt Crafton surged into the ’06 season on the strength of back-to-back top-ten finishes in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series championship standings. That momentum has been stifled following finishes of 26th at Daytona, where Crafton’s No. 88 Menards Chevrolet Silverado was involved in a late-race crash, and 20th in a disappointing return to his native California.
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As Kerry Earnhardt heads into the John Deere 200 at Atlanta Motor Speedway on Friday, the driver of ThorSport Racing’s No. 13 Chevrolet Silverado is confident that a strong finish in the race would provide the spark needed to ignite his first full season in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series.
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As the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series schedule resumes with the John Deere 200 at Atlanta Motor Speedway this week, Joey Miller's focus is to improve on a top-10 finish he registered at the 1.54-mile quad-oval last October.
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Germain Racing and Lumber Liquidators announced its partnership this week. Lumber Liquidators will be the primary sponsor on the No. 30 Germain Racing Toyota Tundra driven by Todd Bodine for the remainder of the 2006 season. Bodine will be making his third NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series start at Atlanta Motor Speedway.
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This Friday night, the John Deere 200 will be Ted Musgrave's fourth NCTS career start at Atlanta Motor Speedway. In the spring Atlanta race in 2005 Musgrave started 21st and had a career best finish of sixth. "I am looking forward to racing at Atlanta," said Musgrave. "We are taking the same truck we ran in California. It makes me feel good since I know this truck." (Ronda Greer Photo)
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Johnny Benson has two top-15 starts at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Last fall, Benson was battling for the win and came across the finish line in the grass to finish in the third position. “I am looking forward to going to Atlanta. We have had some success there in the NASCAR Cup car, and I have won a race there in the NASCAR Busch Series. [Crew chief] Rick Ren and the boys have been giving me great equipment and are bringing a great truck to Atlanta."
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Lester and his family reside in Atlanta, giving Lester a chance to sleep in his own home this weekend. Lester will have a full schedule this weekend. Not only will he compete in Friday’s 200 mile event, but he will also attempt to qualify for his first NASCAR Nextel Cup Series race. Lester will be the first African-American driver to attempt to qualify for a NASCAR Cup series race since Willy T Ribbs. Ribbs’ last start was on June 15, 1986 at Michigan International Speedway.
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Mike Skinner's and Bobby Hamilton's trucks touched coming to the checkered flag at Atlanta in 2004, sending Skinner into a spin in the infield grass. Skinner led more laps than any other competitor (68) that day. Last fall, Skinner and the No. 5 Toyota Tundra team captured the pole position at Atlanta Motor Speedway. "Atlanta is the fastest track that we go to" said Skinner. "The truck race is really going to be exciting."
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Bobby Hamilton has announced this afternoon that effective after the John Deere 200, he will step out of the No. 18 Fastenal Dodge to make way for his son Bobby Hamilton, Jr. The elder Hamilton has been diagnosed with cancer in his neck, and will immediately start taking treatment. "Please don't list me as a victim," Hamilton said. "I appreciate everything everyone has done for my career. There is nothing more than I care for than my racing team. And I will be back." (Team PR Photo)
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Todd Bodine qualified the Lumber Liquidators Toyota on the pole for the John Deere 200 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race at Atlanta Motor Speedway on Friday afternoon, narrowly edging out fellow Toyota driver and former Atlanta pole-winner Mike Skinner's Toyota Tundra Toyota by just 0.042 seconds. It is Bodine's first Bud Pole of 2006, and his first NCTS pole here at Atlanta. Bodine used an early draw to knock off Raybestos Rookie of the Year contender Bobby East from the top of the pylon, and dodged the bullet as 29 drivers attempted to steal away the inside front row spot for tonight's 130-lap event. (High Sierra Photo)
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Chad Chaffin has enjoyed a reasonable amount of success at Atlanta Motor Speedway in NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series competition over the years. Unfortunately, that past success was unable to get the 37-year-old Tennessean and his No. 40 Key Motorsports Chevrolet Silverado into the field for Friday night's John Deere 200. "That's all the speed she had", a disappointed Chaffin. (Rusty Jarrett/Getty Images)
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You guys picked up a lot from practice, what did you do?
"Well, we never got to make a mock qualifying run in practice. We knew we could be faster and knew the truck was pretty quick. The truck was a little free, but pretty good overall."
How different will it be tonight?
"Well, we knew we'd be a little loose on sticker tires, so I think we'll be even better on long runs tonight. The truck will gain a lot of grip under the lights. I think we'll be good."
-Dennis Setzer
(High Sierra Photo)
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"I'm glad not to be meeting you in the infield care center and it feels good to finish 100 percent of the laps here at Atlanta. I love this place. I came here with my grandfather back when the old configuration was here. It was the first big race track I ever came to. I sure would like to win here, but a solid top-10 keeps this team in contention and we'll be fine."
-Rick Crawford
(High Sierra Photo)
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With 10 laps remaining in the John Deere 200 at Atlanta Motor Speedway, Mark Martin had a comfortable lead and appeared to be on his way to his record-tying third consecutive NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series victory. But an ill-timed pack of traffic and a hard charging Todd Bodine put the brakes on Martin's victory charge. That pack of traffic split the leaders on lap 126 - just four laps remaining in the scheduled distance - gave Bodine the opening he needed. Bodine split the middle between the two lapped trucks, while Martin dipped to the inside. Both of the leaders' trucks pitched sideways, with contact made between all four drivers as they raced down the backstretch. Bodine did a herculean job to keep his truck under control, while Martin escaped with some damage to the right side. (Joe Wieland/High Sierra Photo)
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This is Toyota's third season, and 53rdnd race, - in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series (NCTS). Toyota Tundras have now won 14 NCTS races since the beginning of the 2004 Craftsman Truck Series. Drivers who have registered wins driving Tundras include Todd Bodine (8 wins), Mike Skinner (2 wins), Travis Kvapil (2 wins), David Reutimann (1 win) and Brandon Whitt (1 win). (High Sierra Photo)
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As the field thundered through turns three and four headed for the checkered flag of the John Deere 200 at Atlanta Motor Speedway, the third green-white-checkered finish in as many 2006 races, Team Chevy Silverado drivers held four of the top-10 finishing positions. But the typical close, tough racing of the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series saw the checkered flag waved for the first five trucks and the remainder of the field scattering to miss spinning and colliding trucks. (High Sierra Photo)
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David Reutimann finished fifth in his No. 17 Team Tundra Racing Toyota during the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series event at Atlanta Motor Speedway Friday night. “We came up a little short at the end, but had another good finish,” said Reutimann. “Overall, I’m very happy with how every is going. We’re in the top-five in points and it’s our goal to stay there all year.”
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Craftsman Truck Series racing at Atlanta Motor Speedway provides some of the most exciting competition on the circuit and Friday's John Deere 200 was no exception. For Brendan Gaughan it was a night of vindication mixed with a touch of frustration after he got just a little too close to the excitement on the final lap. (Rusty Jarrett/Getty Images for NASCAR Photo)
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The third time proved to be the charm Friday night as Todd Bodine finally edged nemesis Mark Martin to win the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series John Deere 200 at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Bodine, the Bud Pole winner in his Lumber Liquidators Toyota, took the lead for the final time on the 126th lap as he and Martin split the lapped Dodge of Boston Reid entering the 1.54-mile track’s tri-oval.
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Bobby Hamilton shocked the nation Friday afternoon announcing that the John Deere 200 would be his last race for a while. Hamilton has been diagnosed with cancer in his neck and is reluctantly stepping out of his No. 18 Fastenal Dodge with fill-in driver named as his son Bobby Hamilton Jr. In his final attempt before his treatment the savvy driver managed to miss the final lap melee to finish the event in the 14th position. (Ronda Greer Photo)
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Todd Bodine's victory in Friday's John Deere 200 had nothing to do with the "luck of the Irish" but his St. Patrick's night performance at Atlanta Motor Speedway definitely proved the third time to be the charm. Bodine twice in 2006 had come up short in overtime to Mark Martin in NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series events. This time, the 42-year-old veteran found the winning touch - not that Martin rolled over. In fact, the series' fourth race at the 1.54-mile track was as equally dramatic as three previous events. Bodine snatched the lead with an improbable, four-wide pass at lap 126 but had to hold back Martin's side-by-side challenge in a green-white-checker decision. Bodine was able to pull away to a .354-second victory - some two truck lengths - as Martin and Johnny Benson went double-wide on the backstretch as the event concluded on lap 135. (Ronda Greer Photo)
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The John Deere 200 marked the third race of the 2006 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series season, and first for Shell ROTELLA® T as primary sponsor of the No. 85 Morgan-Dollar Motorsports Chevrolet Silverado. Atlanta Motor Speedway was the site of Setzer’s first top-five finish of the 2005 season, and first top-five qualifying effort of 2006. Setzer put the No. 85 Silverado solidly in the field with a fourth place qualifying effort. However, going from daytime practice and qualifying setups to nighttime race setups can be quite a gamble. (Ronda Greer Photo)
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Bobby Hamilton never has started a race he didn't believe he could win. He's not about to begin now. Hamilton, the 2004 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series champion, announced to the Atlanta Motor Speedway media on Friday that he's beginning therapy for neck cancer diagnosed earlier this year. That night's John Deere 200, in which the 48-year-old Nashville native finished 14th, will be Hamilton's last until at least the Nov. 17 season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway.
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A cut tire on lap 31 under green flag conditions and damage from a multi-truck wreck on lap 58 ended all hopes of a good run for No. 04 Hemi Dodge driver Scott Lagasse Jr. and team. The BHR team was able to repair the No. 04 Hemi Dodge in record time and Lagasse was able to salvage a 31st place finish in the John Deere 200 at Atlanta Motor Speedway.
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David Ragan made his debut with Roush Racing on Friday night in front of his hometown crowd, friends and family in the John Deere 200 at the Atlanta Motor Speedway, finishing 22nd in the No. 50 Roush Racing Ford F-150. "When you're down a lap you have to have respect for the leaders and to the lead-lap guys," said Ragan. "That hurt us at times. We learned a lot tonight and I'm sure we could have run a little bit better if we were a little more prepared, but it was still a good run." (Ronda Greer Photo)
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For the third time in as many Craftsman Truck Series events, Erik Darnell was the top-finishing Raybestos Rookie of the Year contender, bringing the No. 99 Woolrich Ford F-150 home in the eighth position. Backing up fast practice times, Darnell qualified the Woolrich Ford third for the John Deere 200 at the Atlanta Motor Speedway, his best qualifying effort of the 2006 season. (Rusty Jarrett/Getty Images)
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Truck Series racing at Atlanta (Ga.) Motor Speedway (AMS) proved again to be one of the most exciting races on the NASCAR circuit. Ron Hornaday was in the spot light one year ago from Friday night’s race; expecting to return to victory lane, his night was spoiled when he was involved in a multi-truck wreck that occurred on the last lap and posted a 20th-place finish.
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Jack Sprague returned this week to the track that snatched victory from him on the final turn of the race last year. His hopes for a repeat of the strong performance were plagued by an unknown handling issue which relegated his No. 60 Con-Way Toyota Tundra to a disappointing 17th place finish in the running of the John Deere 200 at the Atlanta Motor Speedway.
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In the closing stages of the John Deere 200 at Atlanta Motor Speedway on Friday night, Timothy Peters had high hopes of staying on the lead lap and posting another solid finish in his No. 4 Dodge Motorsports Dodge. All those thoughts came to an abrupt end on lap 126 of the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race when Todd Bodine made a desperate and ill advised four-wide move coming off of turn two and slammed into Peters' Dodge Ram. (Ronda Greer Photo)
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A late race caution set the stage for a last lap, last turn “crash fest” reminiscent of the final lap of last fall’s NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race at Atlanta Motor Speedway. With patience, David Starr drove his Red Horse Racing #11 Toyota Tundra cleanly home to a 15th place finish.
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With 10 laps remaining in the John Deere 200 at Atlanta Motor Speedway, Mark Martin had a comfortable lead and appeared to be on his way to his record-tying third consecutive NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series victory.
But an ill-timed pack of traffic and a hard charging Todd Bodine put the brakes on Martin's victory charge. That pack of traffic split the leaders on lap 126 - just four laps remaining in the scheduled distance - gave Bodine the opening he needed. Bodine split the middle between the two lapped trucks, while Martin dipped to the inside. Both of the leaders' trucks pitched sideways, with contact made between all four drivers as they raced down the backstretch.
Bodine did a Herculean job to keep his truck under control, while Martin escaped with some damage to the right side. A third driver invo | | | | | |
