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NASCAR Camping World Truck Series
Race #4 |
Kroger 250
Martinsville Speedway
Martinsville, Virginia
Saturday, April 1, 2006
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Kroger 250 - Martinsville Speedway
NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Event Schedule
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There aren’t many “firsts” left in Darrell Waltrip’s racing career. On Saturday, July 22, he’ll celebrate two, though. The three-time NASCAR NEXTEL Cup champion will make his first NASCAR Busch Series start at Martinsville Speedway on that night. And in a long-awaited move, the elder Waltrip will take the wheel of the No. 99 Aaron’s Dream Machine from his brother Michael for the 250-lap Busch Series event.
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A four-wide pass in heavy traffic gave Bodine his first victory of 2006 and effectively ended Martin’s bid for three consecutive victories. Loop data showed Bodine to be the fastest driver of the night in traffic with a lap speed of 176.284 mph. Forty-five percent of Bodine’s passes came in turns two or three. Joey Miller and Mike Skinner bowed out in the same accident finishing 36th and 35th. The irony is the pair ranked one-two in fastest laps recorded at 182.183 and 182.009.
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The Mittler Bros. Motorsports team will carry sponsorship from Superchips on its No. 63 Ford for the upcoming Kroger 250 at Martinsville Speedway on Saturday April 1. "Right now it is just a one-race sponsorship, but you never know how these things go," team owner Mike Mittler said. "Hopefully we'll do them a good job in Martinsville and they'll want to continue on. We shook hands on it over the phone today at lunch and the guys here are already working on ordering graphics to go on the truck." (High Sierra Photo)
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Robert Richardson has embarked on a season full of firsts for the McKinney, Texas native. Specifically the first time for racing on many of the race tracks on the 2006 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series circuit. While Richardson has been able to use previous speedway experience to adapt to the larger speedways we have already raced on this season, there is little that will prepare him for the tight half-mile at Martinsville Speedway in close quarters with 35 fierce competitors. (Team PR Photo)
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Chad Chaffin and his Key Motorsports team have not had a whole lot to celebrate over the course of the first three races on the 2006 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series circuit. However, the Murfreesboro, Tennessee veteran sees next weekend's Kroger 250 at the Martinsville Speedway as the race that could turn everyone's fortunes around. (Rusty Jarrett/Getty Images)
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Martinsville High School’s basketball team recently captured the Virginia Group AA state basketball championship. Now that their 13th state basketball championship is in the books, the Bulldogs will get to try their hand at racing. The Bulldogs will serve as grand marshals for the Kroger 250 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race at Martinsville Speedway on April 1. “We think this is a great way to shine the spotlight on Martinsville High School’s basketball program and our entire community,” said Martinsville Speedway president Clay Campbell.
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Bobby East knew it would take some time to get used to his Ford 150 truck and the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. But Saturday's Kroger 250 at the Martinsville Speedway won't be a learning experience. It will be like old times. "Short-track racing is something you never forget," East said as he prepared to drive the State Fair Corn Dogs Ford for Wood Brothers/JTG Racing at the half-mile short track. (Charles Krall/TruckSeries.com Photo)
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There are billboards in Australia emblazoned with Marcos Ambrose's face. Television cameras can't get enough of his bubbly personality; fans can't get enough of his flashy style. And now, Wood Brothers/JTG Racing hope to transform all of that into a successful NASCAR career. "I don't know if this sport is ready for Marcos Ambrose," said Eddie Wood, co-owner of Ambrose's Ford F150 in Saturday's Kroger 250 at the Martinsville Speedway.
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The official entry list for the
Kroger 250
at Martinsville Speedway, the fourth race of the 2006 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series season.
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After two consecutive fifth-place finishes to start the 2006 season, Jack Sprague and the No. 60 Wyler Racing Con-Way Toyota finished in 17th place at Atlanta. But one disappointing finish doesn't dampen Sprague's spirits and confidence in his Wyler Racing team. "We've ran extremely well this year with the exception of Atlanta, and we're not sure what went wrong there." Sprague said. (Ronda Greer Photo)
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SS Racing President, Ken Smith announced today that three time ASA Champion, Butch Miller, will again pilot the #08 ASILIMITED/Spectrum Metal Finishing/CBO Glass Craftsman Truck for the April 1st Kroger 250 race at Martinsville Speedway in an alliance with Bobby Dotter and Green Light Racing. Butch will be getting back into the drivers seat after spending most of the off-season and start of this year supporting SS Racing's Driver Development Program. (SSR PR Photo)
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Ron Hornaday has made seven NASCAR Truck Series starts at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway since the Series debut in 1995, earning three top-five and four top-10 finishes. Hornaday holds an average starting position of seventh. Hornaday also holds the record for the most short track (a track less than one mile in length) wins; Hornaday won seven times in a single season (1997) and has 15 career wins. (Ronda Greer Photo)
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"This is a very tricky place to race. Your setup and track position are going to determine the outcome. You have to have a lot of adjustability built into the chassis to help you out throughout the race and you may have to gamble on pit strategy to get the track position you're looking for-especially late in the race. I know this team has a great truck and great notes from last fall's event, so we'll see what we can get accomplished on Saturday."
-Steve Park
(Ronda Greer Photo)
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Erik Darnell was the Raybestos Rookie of the Race in the March 17 John Deere 200 at Atlanta (Ga.) Motor Speedway. Darnell finished eighth, his second top-10 finish in three career Craftsman Truck Series starts. He has claimed top rookie honors in all three races this season and is the only Raybestos Rookie to score a top-10 finish. Darnell enjoys a 16-point lead (41-25) over Kyle Krisiloff in the Raybestos Rookie standings entering the April 1 Kroger 250 at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway.
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Most competitors would be pleased to count a quartet of third-place finishes at any racetrack. Not that Jack Sprague (No. 60 Con-Way Toyota) is complaining about his NASCAR Camping World Truck Series record at Martinsville Speedway. But what's missing from those third-place finishes is a victory. And that represents a big blank for a driver whose 25 wins rank No. 2 on the series' all-time list. Sprague obviously knows his way around the .526-mile track, which hosts Saturday's Kroger 250. He's won a Bud Pole (2004) and led 118 laps. Last October, making his first start with the Wyler Racing team, Sprague seemed headed to Victory Lane before a pit exit accident and a broken oil line ended his afternoon. He isn't ambivalent about his feelings for the track. "I don't know what it is about that track," Sprague said. "It's not one of my favorite places to race. I think it is just an extremely tough place to win a race." (High Sierra Photo)
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MB2 Motorsports announced that Ginn Clubs & Resorts has agreed to be a primary sponsor on Sterling Marlin's Chevrolet for three Nextel Cup races and Kraig Kinser's Silverado for one Craftsman Truck race.
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After Saturday's race, the teams ranked in the top 30 of the current 2006 truck owner standings will be guaranteed starting positions each week. Heading into Martinsville, the No. 13 ThorSport Racing Chevrolet owned by Duke Thorson and driven by Raybestos Rookie of the Year contender Kerry Earnhardt is ranked 30th in truck owner point standings. Saturday's Kroger 250 marks the 15th time the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series has competed at the historic, .526-mile paved oval, which equals the record for the most events at a single track
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Timothy Peters will make his third Martinsville Speedway NASCAR Camping World Truck Series start in the Kroger 250 on Saturday April 1st piloting the No. 4 Dodge Motorsports Dodge Ram prepared by Bobby Hamilton Racing. Peters made his first ever NCTS start at Martinsville in the spring event one year ago, starting 25th and finishing 18th.
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Bobby Hamilton Jr. will be taking over the No. 18 Fastenal Dodge in the Martinsville Kroger 250. He is racing one of his father's favorite trucks from the 2005 NCTS season, Slim Shady. In 2004 Hamilton Jr. drove the No. 59 Dodge in Martinsville qualifying it in the 26th position and finished the event in the 9th spot. Hamilton Jr. will be heading to Lowe's Motor Speedway this Tuesday for a Goodyear Tire test on the track. (Ronda Greer Photo)
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Scott Lagasse Jr. will be making his first start at Martinsville Speedway in the Kroger 250 on Saturday. Lagasse Jr. will be behind of the wheel of chassis "Butthead" at Martinsville. This particular chassis has made numerous starts for Bobby Hamilton Racing and went to victory lane at Indianapolis Raceway Park in 2004.
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"Martinsville is a tough place to race. It's fun and exciting for the drivers and the fans - it's really just great racing. Although my finishes may not show it, Martinsville really fits my driving style because I grew up racing on short tracks. Over the years, the teams I've been with have run well at Martinsville, but something has happened to knock us out of a good finish. And that's just how it is in short track racing."
-David Starr
(Ronda Greer Photo)
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It's no secret that Brendan Gaughan is a fan of the round ball, and that March is one of his favored times of year due to the NCAA tourneys. Gaughan will have a chance to share his passions when he's named an honorary member of the winningest High School team in Virginia prior to the start of this Saturday's Kroger 250. Gaughan will share the pre-race spotlight with Martinsville High School "Bulldogs" basketball team, who just clinched their 13th state championship. (Ronda Greer Photo)
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With Adam Crawford making his first Late Model start at Mobile International Speedway, the Circle Bar Race Team is doing double duty this weekend. Part of the team is in Martinsville with the truck, while another group led by former crew chief Ray Stonkus is in Mobile, Alabama. Adam Crawford, a fixture on the Circle Bar truck team during the summer has been testing his Circle Bar late model for months in anticipation of the season opener in Mobile. (Circle Bar PR Photo)
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The Kroger 250 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCTS) race at Martinsville Speedway will be the 15th Craftsman Truck Series event at the Virginia half-mile track. There will be nine Toyota Tundras in the field at Martinsville. In the most recent race of the 2006 NCTS season at Atlanta Motor Speedway (March 17), Toyota picked up its first NCTS win of the season, and four Tundra drivers finished among the top-five in the final results. (High Sierra Photo)
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Team Chevy Silverado will take on the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series competition at Martinsville Speedway for the running of the Kroger 250. The historic Virginia race track has been a fixture on the NCTS schedule since the series' inaugural 1995 season. Many fans and competitors alike consider the flat one-half mile flat paperclip-like oval the essence of NASCAR racing. (Ronda Greer Photo)
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Dennis Setzer is the only two-time winner at Martinsville Speedway in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. Setzer took the checkered flag in the spring events in 2002 and 2003. Dennis Setzer owns two of the three fastest laps turned at Martinsville Speedway in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series in 2005. His 94.686 mph lap was the fastest of all drivers in 2005. (High Sierra Photo)
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Justin Martz will take to the track in his first NASCAR Craftsman Series Truck Race this weekend at Martinsville, Virginia. Martz, a Montana native, will be driving the No. 63 Superchips truck which is owned by MB Motorsports, Inc. Last week Mike Mittler officially announced that Martz would become part of the same MB Motorsports team that has been instrumental in launching the careers of a number of top drivers including Carl Edwards and Jamie McMurray. (Team PR Photo)
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Superspeedways dominate the NASCAR landscape and schedule nowadays, making those select stops at fabled short-tracks like Martinsville even more special for drivers. Matt Crafton, for one, is eager to return to racing’s roots in the Kroger 250 at Martinsville Speedway on Saturday.
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Sutton Motorsports today announced that NASCAR Busch Series driver Johnny Sauter will drive the No. 02 Team COPAXONE® Chevrolet Silverado at Saturday's Kroger 250 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series event in Martinsville, Va., as a replacement for Kelly "Girl" Sutton, who underwent arthroscopic knee surgery Tuesday.
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Todd Bodine will be making his fifth NASCAR Camping World Truck Series start at Martinsville Speedway. His first race at Martinsville Speedway in the NCTS came in 1995, driving the No. 61 Roush Performance Products Ford. He started in the 26th spot and finished sixth.
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David Reutimann never looked forward to racing short tracks on the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series schedule until this year. Reutimann used to foresee Martinsville Speedway as being one of his biggest challenges, but his viewpoint has changed.
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I guess you could call the 2005 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Champion, Ted Musgrave, Mr. Consistency. So far this season, he has earned two third place finishes and a fourth. He currently sits third in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series championship point's standings. There is one thing that Musgrave would like to do this weekend, put an end to his winless streak by taking his No. 9 Team ASE Germain Toyota Tundra to victory lane at the Kroger 250.
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“Coming off of the strong test we had recently at Caraway, I'm confident that my crew chief, Doug Wolcott, and the guys on the No. 22 team are going to field a strong Toyota Tundra for me. We ran competitive times at the test, and it felt good to get in the rhythm of running around a short track again. With every lap I got, I felt more at home there and the guys made changes to the truck that made it better throughout the day.
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“I am looking forward to Martinsville. It is historically not one of my favorite race tracks, not because of the track, but how people race up there. They think that it is OK to knock you out of the way. But I enjoy racing in Martinsville. I have had some success there, but I have also had some bad luck as well."
-Johnny Benson
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“I am really excited about our truck. We are taking a short track truck. It is the first time we have ever built one that we have designated for short track racing. It came out so good, I wanted to take it to Atlanta. We went to Caraway Speedway and ran it a day. We did not have the best truck at the test but definitely not the worst. I think this truck has a lot of potential."
-Mike Skinner
(Ronda Greer Photo)
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Logansport, Indiana native Boston Reid will make his way to Martinsville Speedway on Thursday for the first time in his stock car racing career. In preparation for his Martinsville debut, crew chief Patrick Donahue took his driver to the half-mile oval at Hickory Motor Speedway. The team tested brakes, and worked on getting Reid comfortable on feathering the throttle and brake for his short track debut on Saturday.
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Kerry Earnhardt will make his first visit to Martinsville Speedway as a NASCAR Camping World Truck Series competitor in the Kroger 250 on Saturday, but the Raybestos Rookie of the Year candidate speaks of the tough half-mile track with the savvy of a veteran. "Martinsville will test you in a number of ways, but the most important factor there is brakes," Earnhardt said. Ronda Greer Photo)
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BAM Racing announced today that NASCAR Nextel Cup veteran Jimmy Spencer will drive the No. 49 Dodge Charger at Martinsville Speedway this weekend.
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Marcos Ambrose, who drove a Ford Falcon to back-to-back V8 Supercar championships in Australia in 2003-’04, has moved halfway across the world, to North Carolina, in order to compete in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. Ambrose will drive the No. 20 Wood Brothers/JTG Racing F-150 starting this weekend at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway, which is not too far from where the famed Wood Brothers ran their racing operation for more than 50 years before moving to North Carolina a few years ago.
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"Martinsville is your typical short track. It's got action all the way around that place all night long. The spring race is 50 laps longer than the fall race so it takes a little bit different strategy to race there. The fall race you can actually do it on one pit stop. The spring is going to require a minimum of two. With that said, you just have to have a good truck. The No. 1 key ingredient at Martinsville is you have to qualify well because track position is very hard to come by."
-Terry Cook
(Ronda Greer Photo)
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“We took our short track truck to Caraway last week. We did not get too many laps because the test was shortened by rain. But at least I got a feel for what it is going to be like having to use the brakes a lot, managing the tight turns and just short track racing in a truck. The test went well, but I didn’t get a lot of laps so it is hard to get a real feel for it."
-Erin Crocker
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Kyle Krisiloff on Martinsville: "I'm looking forward to getting back to a short track. It's been since October of last year when I competed at Memphis in the Busch car. We tested a Greenville-Pickens last week and got a lot done to the No. 15 ditech.com/Krud Kutter Chevrolet. It really showed.
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"We have been working hard getting me and our Silverado ready for Martinsville. We ran as many laps as we could at Caraway. Randy (Goss, crew chief) and the guys kept working with me to run smooth, consistent laps and the truck to get more comfortable."
-Kraig Kinser
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Ask Dennis Setzer what his favorite track is on the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series circuit and you'll quickly get an answer. Martinsville. Yes, Martinsville, which for many drivers is not anywhere near the top of their wish list. However, it's a true driver assessment to the only repeat winner at the .526-mile short track. "It's really great to get back to some short track racing, and what better place than my favorite track - Martinsville Speedway," said Setzer. (MDM PR Photo)
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Todd Bodine and his No. 30 Lumber Liquidators Toyota Tundra Team are looking to make it two wins in a row, as they head to the .526-mile oval of Martinsville Speedway in Martinsville , VA for the Kroger 250. "Everyone thinks we only win at mile and a half tracks, but last year we won at Phoenix," said Bodine. "We are not just a mile and a half team. We are capable of getting wins at these shorter tracks too." (David Vaughn Photo)
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Joey Miller mastered short tracks last year in the ARCA RE/MAX Series with wins at both Berlin Raceway and Salem Speedway as well as a runner-up finish at Lanier National Speedway. This weekend Miller competes at his first short-track on the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series schedule in his No. 12 Curb Records Toyota Tundra during the Kroger 250 at Martinsville Speedway. (Ronda Greer Photo)
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Today Parts Pro joined Superchips as a sponsor on the MB Motorsports No. 63 being driven by Justin Martz in this weekend’s NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Race in Martinsville, Virginia. Parts Pro is a marketing division of AAM, USA, Inc. one of the world’s largest distribution groups in high performance parts and aftermarket vehicle accessories for the race, street performance, sport compact and sport truck/SUV markets.
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With victory still fresh in their minds, the Virginia High School League AA Boys' Basketball State Champions, the Martinsville Bulldogs, will be at the Martinsville Speedway this weekend helping to make NASCAR Day a success. The team will be taking donations and handing out NASCAR Day pins to race fans at this weekend's NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race on Saturday at Martinsville Speedway.
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When Marcos Ambrose makes his debut Saturday in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, it will come with the Animal Adoption League, Petfinder.com and Fresh Step cat litter as sponsors. Wood Brothers/JTG Racing has long been a supporter of animal rescue and adoption. They decided to mark that passion with Ambrose’s first NASCAR race, the Kroger 250 at the Martinsville Speedway.
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Roush Racing announced today that Simply Wow, a division of Source Direct Holdings, has signed on to sponsor Roush Racing's No. 99 Ford F-150 driven by Erik Darnell in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series races at Martinsville Speedway and Gateway International Raceway.
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As a contender for the Rookie of the Year title in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, Kraig Kinser knows each event brings new challenges to meet and conquer. This weekend, the Kroger 250 at Martinsville Speedway will introduce the 21-year old Indiana native to NCTS short track racing. "We have been working hard getting me and our Silverado ready for Martinsville," said Kinser. (Ronda Greer Photo)
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Aric Almirola is excited to get behind the wheel of his No. 75 Spears Manufacturing Silverado at Martinsville Speedway for the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Kroger 250. Last fall the 21-year old Tampa, FL native took a real liking to the place after finishing sixth in the annual 300-lap race for late model stock cars the drew over 150 entries.
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"We had a broken locker in the early part of the practice in one of our gears. Fortunately we found it and fixed it, but we lost a bit of practice time. Overall we aren't bad, especially on the longer runs. But the truck still wants to unhook itself in the exit of the corner. We'll make some adjustments tomorrow and hope to get a good qualifying spot. There is rain in the forcast and the track could really change a lot from now till then, but I think we've got a pretty good baseline right now." (Ronda Greer Photo)
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Bobby Hamilton Jr. took the reigns of his father's No. 18 Fastenal Dodge under difficult circumstances, but so far has made the best of a bad situation by taking the pole in his first attempt for this afternoon's Kroger 250 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race. Hamilton turned a track record lap of 19.895 seconds/95.180 miles per hour en route to second career NCTS pole. "We were talking about it on the way over here, and we were going to give up on the second lap," he said. "I gave it away on the first lap so we had to go hard on the second one. We were a little free on the throttle which is what you need here, so I think we'll be good in the race. That makes it two poles in the last two Martinsville spring races, so that's pretty cool. Dad is here and he came over and gave me a big hug as soon as it was over." (High Sierra Photo)
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In his first-ever appearance in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series and at Martinsville Speedway, Clint Bowyer put the No. 07 Jack Daniel's Silverado in the third starting position for the today's Kroger 250. Clint Bowyer, No. 07 Jack Daniels Silverado, Starting 3rd: "Not too bad. Just having fun with it. Just looking forward to the race and learning as much as we can to put forth a good effort on Sunday in the Cup car. Sunday is what it is all about, we have to get our Cup car running a little bit better. I am hoping to learn a lot, racing with these guys and put it to good use."
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Like a hitter in baseball being in a semi slump, Chad Chaffin and his Key Motorsports contingent saw their NASCAR Camping World Truck Series batting average dip to .250 Saturday at Martinsville Speedway.
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AUDIO!
With the first three events of the 2006 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series schedule all on tracks 1.5-miles in length or longer, the first short track event of the season at Martinsville brings some wholesale changes in the way the teams set up their chassis. In order to get a better understanding of what goes in to finding a good short track setup, TruckSeries.com sat down with one of the best in the business Rick Ren. (Charles Krall/TruckSeries.com Photo)
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David Starr pitted with 175 laps to go, and didn't come back to pit road the rest of the way to pick up his first career NASCAR Camping World Truck Series short track victory in the No. 11 Red Horse Racing Toyota. Starr endured a record 16 caution flags and 87 caution laps on his way to his fourth career series victory. Starr, who started from 15th, had a dominant truck in the closing stages but faced a stiff challenge from 2004 series champion Ted Musgrave on a restart on lap 163. Musgrave stuck the nose of his No. 9 Team ASE Toyota inside Starr's truck going into turn one, sending Starr's truck sideways momentarily. Starr was able to keep control and hold Musgrave at bay the rest of the way. (Shawn Mahoney/HSP Photo)
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What happened on the final restart?
"We should have run 10th or 11th, or somewhere along there and had a decent finish, and probably would have moved up to fourth in the points. With that restart with seven laps to go we had a flat right-rear tire. This team is built Ford tough and I'm driving the Ford F-150, but the Circle Bar Truck Corral team didn't deserve this one. This one here is hard to swallow today."
-Rick Crawford
(High Sierra Photo)
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This is a good finish for you.
"Not terrible. It was a tough weekend all around. I've never been to this track before and it's hard out there, it's a tough little racetrack. I tell you right now, even after those 250 laps, I still don't have the hang of it. I have to thank my guys because we didn't have a good truck all day long and they never gave up on me. They kept adjusting on the thing and to come out of here where we did, I can't complain about that."
-Erik Darnell
(High Sierra Photo)
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Team Chevy driver Matt Crafton posted a NASCAR Camping World Truck Series career-best finish taking the checkered flag of the Kroger 250 in third behind the wheel of the No. 88 Menard's Silverado. Mike Bliss brought the No. 16 Xpress/IWX Silverado to the finish at Martinsville Speedway in fifth position. Clint Bowyer, No. 07 Jack Daniel's Silverado finished seventh and Dennis Setzer brought the No. 85 E85 FlexFuel Silverado home in ninth. (Charles Krall/TruckSeries.com Photo)
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Toyota Tundras have now won 15 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), Brandon Whitt (1 win) and David Starr. This is David Starr's fourth career NCTS win and his first win in a Tundra. He joined the Red Horse Racing Toyota team at the beginning of this season. (High Sierra Photo)
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"Anytime you can win in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series is a big deal. It is just so competitive these days. This is a dream come true for me because there is so much history at Martinsville. I remember watching races here as a kid, and I love Martinsville. It's just great short track racing. There's a lot of beating and paint trading and sometimes there are a lot of cautions."
-David Starr
(High Sierra Photo)
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It was a long afternoon on the short track of Martinsville Speedway on Saturday, as a record sixteen cautions wreaked havoc with patience and track position during the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Kroger 250. By the time it was over, Matt Crafton had surged thru traffic, sidestepped trouble and secured a 3rd place finish (and second consecutive top-10) for ThorSport Racing and the No. 88 Menards Chevrolet Silverado. (Charles Krall/TruckSeries.com Photo)
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What started as a strong weekend for the No. 50 Roush Racing Ford F-150 crew ended prematurely, but not before showing that the third Roush Craftsman Truck Series team will be one to contend with. David Ragan came to Martinsville with the memory and experience of Roush Racing: Driver X still fresh in his head. Having recently competed in his on-track test that would ultimately propel him to a job driving for Roush Racing, Ragan entered the weekend with expectations of expanding on his successes at the famed short track.
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Imagine being the ball in a ping-pong game. It is bounced back and forth, side to side in every direction. For Ford Power Stroke Diesel by International driver, Terry Cook, he felt like that ping pong ball in Saturday’s race at Martinsville Speedway.
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Saturday was Judgment Day so to speak as the Kroger 250 wrapped up the four races in which 2005 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series owner championship points awarded guaranteed starting positions. There were winners and losers as 25 teams among the top 30 from last season go to Gateway International Raceway knowing each retained a spot in the Dodge Ram Tough 200 field. (High Sierra Photo)
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Nextel Cup Rookie David Stremme climbed into the No. 04 Hemi Dodge NASCAR Camping World Truck Series entry to gain valuable experience at Martinsville Speedway. His learning experience was cut short in the Kroger 250 on lap 21 when he was tapped in the rear coming out of turn three causing him to be hit by another truck resulting in heavy damage to the front end of the Hemi Dodge.
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Hot tempers and hectic racing make Martinsville Speedway a tough place to compete under the best of circumstances. Add a NASCAR Camping World Truck Series record sixteen cautions to the mix, and even the most-experienced driver may be tempted to turn his frustration toward the nearest truck.
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Track position and a record number of caution periods helped David Starr claim his fourth NASCAR Camping World Truck Series victory and first at Martinsville Speedway on Saturday to snap a 30-race winless streak. Starr, who started 15th in the 36-truck field, cycled his way to the front after pitting just once at lap 65 and took the lead for good on the 130th lap. Musgrave, on a similar pit schedule, stayed on the tailgate of Starr's Red Horse Racing Toyota until the finish but couldn't outrun the Texas veteran. Musgrave, at the wheel of the Team ASE/Germain Toyota, got a final shot with seven laps to go following the record-breaking 16th caution for a Turn 4 tangle involving David Reutimann and Bill Lester but wound up .942 second - about two lengths - behind Starr at the checkered flag. (High Sierra Photo)
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After one of his strongest runs at Martinsville Speedway, David Reutimann was forced to settle for a 15th-place finish in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Kroger 250 Saturday afternoon. “We had a truck easily capable of finishing in the top-10,” said Reutimann, who is fourth in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series points standings. “We ran as high as second during the race. It’s so disappointing to finish 15th when you know you have a truck capable of finishing better."
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Timothy Peters had worked his way up to the fourth position in the Kroger 250 at Martinsville Speedway and was trying to take away the third spot when he ducked underneath Matt Crafton and both trucks got loose going into the corner. Peters No. 4 Dodge Motorsports Dodge spun around and stopped by hitting the inside retaining wall.
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David Starr led once for 121 laps to win the WIX Filters Lap Leader of the Race Award in the Kroger 250. Starr started 15th and won the race, his fourth win in 144 career starts. Starr claimed his first WIX Filters Lap Leader Award of the 2006 season.
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Joey Miller finished 16th in the No. 12 Curb Records Toyota Tundra at Martinsville Speedway Saturday afternoon. “I enjoyed racing at Martinsville and I had a lot of fun running up front,” said Miller. “We were able to run in the top-five and the top-10. We had a truck capable of finishing there. We went with a different pit strategy. We wished we could’ve had a better finish, but we ran well and we learned a lot.”
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For the fourth time in as many races, Erik Darnell took home top-rookie honors at Martinsville Speedway. With a strong 11th place finish in his first attempt at the famous half-mile speedway, Darnell now sits sixth in NASCAR Camping World Truck Series points, 168 points behind points leader and teammate, Mark Martin. "It was a tough weekend," said Darnell. I've never been to this track before and it's hard out there." (High Sierra Photo)
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Bobby Hamilton Jr. made the most out of his first start as the substitute driver of the No. 18 Fastenal Dodge by winning the pole for the Kroger 250 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race at Martinsville Speedway. Hamilton turned a track record lap of 19.895 seconds/95.180 miles per hour en route to his second career NCTS pole. Hamilton Jr. then followed that performance up with an impressive 10th place finish in the caution flag laden Kroger 250. (High Sierra Photo)
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David Starr and his No.11 Red Horse Racing Toyota Tundra led the final 121 laps of the Kroger 250 on Saturday afternoon at Martinsville Speedway to collect his first victory of the 2006 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series season. For Starr, the Martinsville victory is especially sweet. "To win this race today is extra special for me because we had a new baby born into my family today. My little sister, Melissa, had a baby boy this morning and gave my parents their first grandchild." (High Sierra Photo)
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Jack Sprague isn’t shy about telling people that Martinsville Speedway is not one of his favorite places on the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series circuit. Sprague’s opinion of the Virginia short track is not going to be changing any time soon following his 17th-place finish there this weekend in the No. 60 Con-Way Toyota Tundra.
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Nobody was fooling Kraig Kinser Saturday when he was told that Martinsville Speedway is one of the toughest tracks for a rookie. The first-year NASCAR Craftsman Truck driver took his learning lumps in the Kroger 250 as he finished 29th in the Ginn Clubs & Resorts Silverado.
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Aric Almirola started 16th and finished 18th in the Kroger 250 for the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series at Martinsville Speedway. A reasonable start and finish for the rookie in the No. 75 Spears Manufacturing Silverado at one of the toughest tracks on the circuit.
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Hornaday battled his way through the field at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway Saturday afternoon, but ended the day where he started on the grid, 14th. The No. 33 Chevrolet Silverado showed up to the speedway Friday afternoon ready for practice, dressed in black, instead of its regular pearl-white paint scheme, looking mean and ready for a short-track rumble at Martinsville Speedway.
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In a race that saw 16 caution periods, for one to manage to survive is a feat in itself. Kyle Krisiloff and the No. 15 ditech.com/Krud Kutter Chevrolet did just that in Saturday’s Kroger 250 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series event at Martinsville Speedway.
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Ted Musgrave drove the Germain Racing No. 9 Team ASE Toyota to a strong second-place finish in Saturday's Kroger 250 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series at Martinsville Speedway. Musgrave, who started 10th, used savvy pit strategy to gain track position and stay ahead of all the incidents that caused a record-breaking 16 caution flags on the day. The second place finish gives Musgrave four top-five finishes to start off the 2006 season. (Ronda Greer Photo)
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The Circle Bar Truck Corral hauler was loaded with past race winning trucks and the team was ready to bring home the groceries in the Kroger 250 at Martinsville. Off the hauler the Circle Bar F-150 was quick posting top 5 practice times in both practice sessions.
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The word of the weekend for the No. 22 Bill Davis Racing Tundra team was “survival.” The team knew it needed to survive all day to secure a solid finish in Saturday’s 250-lap event. A strong test at Caraway Speedway two weeks ago left the team looking forward to returning to the track.
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After a weekend off following the event in Atlanta, in which driver Johnny Benson and his Bill Davis Racing team raced to a third-place finish, the team was eager to get back to the track. Benson qualified his No. 23 Toyota Tundra in seventh place at Martinsville Speedway Saturday and finished the Kroger 250 in 30th, after an incident with 50 laps to go damaged the truck and forced the team to make time-consuming repairs on pit road.
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Mike Skinner and the No. 5 Toyota Tundra team headed north to Martinsville knowing they needed a solid finish to get back into the championship hunt. The team started the 2006 season strong with a fourth-place run at Daytona, but has since had two finishes outside the top 20. The half-mile paper clip-shaped oval has proven to be a strong track for the 1995 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Champion, and the team was confident it would have a strong showing. (High Sierra Photo)
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Although it was not the finish Todd Bodine was looking for, it was still a rather impressive finish. Considering that his power steering went out on lap-154, leaving him 96-laps to battle a truck with no power steering. The race logged a NASCAR Camping World Truck Series record of 16 caution flags.
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For the second straight week, NASCAR’s Car of Tomorrow tested on a short track as preparations continue for next season’s debut of a safer, more competitive and cost-efficient stock car. On Monday at Martinsville Speedway, Kevin Harvick (No. 29 GM Goodwrench Chevrolet) of the Richard Childress Racing team, along with NASCAR’s Brett Bodine, tested the new car. While early morning rain delayed the start of the test, the results were extremely positive.
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Last Saturday’s race at Martinsville Speedway closed out the season’s first four races in which top 35 guaranteed starting positions are based upon 2005 truck owner championship points. A number of drivers breathed a sigh of relief as they won’t have to qualify for the April 29 Dodge Dealers Ram Tough 200 on speed. Five unranked teams raced their way into the top 30. Among the first group are former NASCAR Camping World Truck Series champions Ted Musgrave (No. 9 Team ASE/Germain Motors Toyota) and Jack Sprague (No. 60 Con-Way Toyota).
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Ted Musgrave gave it all he had in the closing laps of the Kroger 250, but the No. 11 Red Horse Racing Toyota Tundra of David Starr showed to be too strong to catch in the closing laps. Musgrave brought his No. 9 Team ASE Germain Toyota Tundra home to a season best second place finish. It was typical short track racing at Martinsville, as the race ended with a NASCAR Camping World Truck Series record of 16 caution flags. (Ronda Greer Photo)
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The Kroger 250 at Martinsville Speedway gave Brendan Gaughan a chance to show off his short track skills and he took full advantage of the opportunity with a season best sixth place finish. For a guy that says he prefers to race on the superspeedways, Gaughan more than held his own as he charged from 32nd on the starting grid to beat his previous personal best Martinsville finish by three spots. (High Sierra Photo)
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Robert Richardson will be quick to agree with many veterans of the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series following his career-first start at the Martinsville Speedway on Saturday regarding just how challenging the half-mile short track can be for a rookie competitor.
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After qualifying 34th for the Kroger 250, Erin Crocker and the Cheerios/Betty Crocker Dodge Ram team finished a hard fought 25th in Saturday’s race at Martinsville Speedway. The weekend began with big changes for the No. 98 beginning with the departure of crew chief Dan Glauz. The Cheerios/Betty Crocker team adopted the leadership approach of Evernham’s NASCAR Nextel Cup teams, featuring a team director, truck director and engineer.
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Not only was the DirecTV 500 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series race at Martinsville Speedway a sellout last Sunday afternoon, it was a huge hit on television. The race scored a 6.2 final national rating on FOX, up 22 percent over the 5.1 final national rating a year ago. The 2006 DirecTV 500 was the highest rated, most viewed NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series event in the history of Martinsville Speedway, out-performing the previous record rating by 15 percent.
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Easter is a time for religious observances and family activities but not every NASCAR Camping World Truck Series competitor will be away from the track this week. The NASCAR Busch Series' first visit of the season to Nashville Superspeedway will draw at least two crossover drivers - David Reutimann (No. 17 Team Tundra Toyota) and Erin Crocker (No. 98 Cheerios/Betty Crocker Dodge). Reutimann hopes to become the second to win both the Pepsi 300 and NASCAR Craftsman Truck Toyota 200 at the 1.33-mile concrete-surfaced facility. Scott Riggs won the inaugural truck race in 2001 and captured back-to-back Pepsi 300 events in 2002-03. Crocker will get a double-dose of Nashville as she competes in both Pepsi 300 and supporting ARCA RE/MAX PFG 150. Crocker won the pole and finished third in the ARCA event a year ago. (Ronda Greer Photo)
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David Starr's April victory in the Kroger 250 made Toyota the fourth manufacturer to win a series race at Martinsville Speedway. Martin is the eighth series driver to win at least five times in a season and fifth in the last six seasons. The record is nine by Greg Biffle in 1999.
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