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TrackSideLive!
| RaceTickets.com 250
California Speedway |
February
23-24
2006
TrackSideLive! Presented by
Team ASE with TrackSide Editor Charles Krall...
Exclusive online coverage - from start to
finish - of the tough trucks and even tougher drivers of the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series
including Practice Times, Notes, Quotes, Photos, Audio interviews and more!
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Coverage Begins Thursday!
02-22-2006 9:30 pm
Keep it here for complete coverage of the RaceTickets.com 200 from California Speedway, the second race of the 2006 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series season. From the first practice session on Thurdsay to the end of the race Friday night catch Driver audio interviews, practice times, garage notes, TruckShots and much more!
California Track Facts
02-23-2006 12:56 am
California Speedway is a 2-mile D-shaped oval with 14 degrees of banking in the corners. The front stretch is banked 11 degrees and is 3,100 feet long. The backstretch is 2,500 feet in length and is tilted at just 3 degrees. The track is located just miles away from the site of the former Ontario Motor Speedway, which hosted NASCAR and Indy car races in the 1970s. The site of the speedway is a remediated brownfield, purchased by Roger Penske in the early 1990s, and was the site of the Kaiser Steel plant, which built Liberty ships throughout World War II. The plant was used in the filming of The Terminator 2 before being knocked down to make way for the speedway.
Good Morning from California Speedway
02-23-2006 11:49 am
Good morning everyone, and welcome to TrackSideLive! coverage of the Racetickets.com 200, round number two of the 2006 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series season. It is an incredible day here in the Inland Empire with crystal clear skies and temperatures expected to top out in the mid 70s. There is a very gentle breeze crossing from the frontstretch to the backstretch of the 2-mile D-shaped oval, and it should be a spectacular day as we get ready for this afternoon's practice sessions. We'll have all the news and notes from the garage leading up to practice, and we'll have all of the action from the two and a half hours of on-track action later on, so keep it locked right here at TrackSideLive!
California Track Records
02-23-2006 1:05 pm
Qualifying -
Travis Kvapil, 40.298 seconds/178.669 mph, October 2, 2004
Race (200 miles) -
Ted Musgrave, 1 hour, 22 minutes, 14 seconds/145.926 moh, September 20, 2003
California Races Summary
02-23-2006 1:10 pm
1997 - Pole, Mike Bliss, 173.198 mph; Race, Mike Bliss, 137.195 mph
1998 - Pole, Andy Houston, 172.022 mph; Race, Jack Sprague, 141.844 mph
1999 - Pole, Andy Houston, 173.561 mph; Race, Jack Sprague, 128.091 mph
2000 - Pole, Kurt Busch, 177.388 mph; Race, Kurt Busch, 144.260 mph
2001 - Pole, Scott Riggs, 173.678 mph; Race, Ted Musgrave, 113.330 mph
2002 - Pole, David Starr, 175.850 mph; Race, Ted Musgrave, 140.296 mph
2003 - Pole, Brendan Gaughan, 173.716 mph; Race, Ted Musgrave, 145.926 mph
2004 - Pole, Travis Kvapil, 178.669 mph; Race, Todd Bodine, 127.141 mph
2005 - Pole, Mike Skinner, 178.218 mph; Race, Steve Park, 128.000 mph
California Top-5 Finishers
02-23-2006 1:24 pm
Here are the drivers that have registered a top-5 NCTS finish at California Speedway:
Mike Bliss (2)
Mike Wallace
Kenny Irwin
Ernie Irvan (2)
Randy Tolsma
Jack Sprague (4)
Ron Hornaday
Andy Houston (2)
Mike Skinner
Joe Ruttman (2)
Stacy Compton
Bobby Hamilton (3)
Kurt Busch
Greg Biffle
Ted Musgrave (5)
Rick Crawford (3)
Jon Wood
Dennis Setzer (2)
David Starr (3)
Jason Leffler
Brendan Gaughan (2)
Travis Kvapil
Todd Bodine
Steve Park
Ricky Craven
Todd Kluever
Manufacturer Wins
02-23-2006 1:30 pm
California Speedway is one of the few tracks that has seen all four manufacturers go to victory lane at least once. Here are the win totals:
Dodge: 4
Chevrolet: 2
Ford: 2
Toyota: 1
California Pics
02-23-2006 1:33 pm
Look to the right side of the TrackSideLive! page for the Sights and Sounds box and keep an eye out for our exclusive TruckShots! images and, later in the day, our exclusive TrackSideLive! audio clips. We have just posted the first batch of 55 shots from this morning, with many more to come throughout the next two days.
Click here to go directly to our TruckShots! gallery.
Entry List Updates
02-23-2006 1:41 pm
NASCAR is still clarifying some issues with a couple of trucks in the paddock, so while we wait for an official updated entry list we'll give you a quick breakdown of who is here and who isn't...
Bobby Hamilton, Jr. is here with the No. 08 Corky's BBQ Dodge, while the No. 8 Dodge is the focus of some attention, mainly due to the fact it isn't actually on the grounds. Johnny Chapman is apparently going to be replaced in the No. 08 ride, and the situation with the two numbers is the cause of some discussion among NASCAR officials.
Brad Keselowski is here in the No. 29 Samson Stone Ford. After narrowly making it to Daytona, and some question as to whether or not the team would make it here, they have shown up here and with their status in the top-30 in 2005 owner points they are locked into the field.
Bill Lester's No. 22 Toyota is white and carrying Bill Davis Trucking as the primary sponsor this week.
All of the usual cast of characters are here, with the notable exception of the No. 8 BHR2 team.
Inspection Easier this Week
02-23-2006 3:22 pm
The inspectors and teams are still hard at work getting the 39 NCTS teams through the inspection line, but there is a lot less stress and much less grinding going on this week than there was last week in Daytona. Just a few teams were making some body modifications. Ted Musgrave's No. 9 Team ASE Toyota was having the right side A-post adjusted with a rubber mallet, while Brad Keselowski had the sander out himself and was buffing down a spot in the right side of the No. 29 Samson Stone Ford as well. Other than a few minor modifications, inspection as been smooth sailing here today.
Ruttman has Longtime CA Connections
02-23-2006 3:38 pm
Joe Ruttman may not be entered to compete here this weekend, but he is still a fixture on the Truck Series scene and he has deep connections to the Fontana area. He is from nearby Upland, California, and started his first NASCAR race in 1962 at the now closed Riverside International Raceway which was 15 miles from here. To top it off, his father was employed by Kaiser Steel, and the factory was right here where the California Speedway now stands.
Track Inspection Underway
02-23-2006 3:56 pm
Track safety crew is out walking the speedway looking for miniscule pieces of debris as we are closing in on start of practice We have two one-hour sessions for the entire entry list, which sandwich a 30-minute session which is open just to NCTS rookies.
Who Needs to Race In?
02-23-2006 3:59 pm
The following drivers and teams need to race their way into the field during qualifying tomorrow:
Chad McCumbee, MRD Motorsports
Ted Musgrave, Germain Racing
Jon Wood, Wood/JTG Racing
Stacy Compton, Wood/JTG Racing
Wayne Edwards, Mighty Motorsports
Chad Chaffin, Key Motorsports
Kraig Kinser, Morgan-Dollar Motorsports
Jack Sprague, Wyler Racing
Trucks on Track
02-23-2006 4:44 pm
The engines have roared to life and the first drivers have made their way around the speedway for the very first time. Mike Bliss led the charge, followed in fast succession by Mike Skinner and Erin Crocker. We'll have all the action from the first one-hour practice, including timing updates, throughout.
Paddock Tight, Teams Being Careful
02-23-2006 5:00 pm
With the tight confines of the NCTS paddock, many teams are warning their drivers to take it easy coming in and out of their stalls. Kevin Starland, crew chief for Rick Crawford, just came over the team radio and said this:
"It's really tight in here guys. Let's be very careful and not take anything for granted."
Last fall in Texas, in another extremely tight paddock, Crawford's truck was damaged when another backed out of its stall directly in his path.
Prac 1 Rundown 1
02-23-2006 5:16 pm
1. Bodine, 174.978
2. Hornaday, 174.711
3. Martin, 173.938
4. Reutimann, 173.615
5. Crawford, 173.277
6. Setzer, 173.269
7. Bliss, 173.264
8. Skinner, 173.027
9. Almirola, 172.459
10. Miller, 172.352
11. Musgrave, 172.307
12. Cook, 172.191
13. Krisiloff, 171.588
14. Hamilton, 171.580
15. Benson, 171.409
16. Gaughan, 169.496
17. Edwards, 166.864
18. Earnhardt, 166.374
19. Crocker, 165.532
They Said It, Prac 1 No 1
02-23-2006 5:23 pm
Jack Sprague, No. 60 Toyota: "I am fine until I get back in the gas, and then it is a little twitchy. I need a little more rear grip."
Ted Musgrave, No. 9 Toyota: "It feels like it is bouncing on the right front."
Prac 1 Rundown 2
02-23-2006 5:34 pm
1. Martin, 175.511
2. Sprague, 175.050
3. Bodine, 174.978
4. Reutimann, 174.774
5. Hornaday, 174.711
6. Setzer, 174.149
7. Darnell, 173.310
8. Crawford, 173.277
9. Bliss, 173.264
10. Miller, 173.169
11. Starr, 173.106
12. Skinner, 173.0127
13. Crafton, 172.741
14. Cook, 172.736
15. Almirola, 172.459
16. Musgrave, 172.307
17. Krisiloff, 171.723
18. Hamilton, 171.580
19. Compton, 171.486
20. Wood, 171.253
21. Benson, 171.213
22. Gaughan, 169.496
23. Sutton, 168.681
24. Norris, 168.508
25. Lester, 168.378
26. Edwards, 167.774
27. Earnhardt, 166.374
28. Crocker, 165.532
29. Reid, 165.054
30. Richardson, 150.981
Woolrich Announces Extension with Roush
02-23-2006 5:45 pm
After a strong showing in Daytona that resulted in a 6th-place finish for rookie Eric Darnell, Woolrich The Original Outdoor Clothing Company, has announced an extension of their sponsorship to include the Racetickets.com 200 here at California Speedway.
"Roush Racing and Erik Darnell delivered on their promises last week, and in light of the fan response, we wanted to take advantage of the opportunity presented by Friday night's race in Southern California to build on the success in Daytona." said Tim Joseph, Woolrich's Director of Marketing and Media.
Prac 1 Rundown 3
02-23-2006 5:53 pm
Just a few minutes left in the session.
1. Martin, 175.820
2. Wood, 175.481
3. Skinner, 175.251
4. Sprague, 175.050
5. Bodine, 174.978
6. Reutimann, 174.774
7. Hornaday, 174.711
8. Bliss, 174.516
9. Setzer, 174.149
10. Miller, 173.707
11. Darnell, 173.310
12. Crawford, 173.277
13. Crafton, 173.148
14. Starr, 173.106
15. Lester, 172.807
16. Cook, 172.736
17. Almirola, 172.459
18. Musgrave, 172.307
19. Krisiloff, 171.723
20. Compton, 171.694
21. Hamilton, 171.580
22. Keselowski, 171.563
23. Benson, 170.213
24. Norris, 170.189
25. Wallace, 170.132
26. Sutton, 169.679
27. Gaughan, 169.496
28. Reid, 169.352
29. McCumbee, 169.352
30. Earnhardt, 169.173
31. Edwards, 168.390
32. Crocker, 167.660
33. Richardson, 166.821
34. Kinser, 166.255
Red and Black in the Air
02-23-2006 5:58 pm
The red and black flags are in the air, ending the first of two full practices for the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series as preparations are now underway for the Racetickets.com 200 at California Speedway. We now have a 30 minute break leading up to the rookie practice and 6:30 pm ET, and we'll have another hour of practice for the full field from 7 to 8 pm ET.
Sutton Locked In
02-23-2006 6:00 pm
With the No. 8 BHR2 team officially absent this weekend, they now give up their exempt status from the "locked in" group that finished among the top-30 in 2005 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series owner points. Next on the eligibility list is the No. 02 Sutton Motorsports team, which now means that Kelly Sutton is now locked into the field for this weekend's Racetickets.com 200.
Who's Fast that Needs to be Fast
02-23-2006 6:15 pm
2. Wood, 175.481
4. Sprague, 175.050
18. Musgrave, 172.307
20. Compton, 171.694
29. McCumbee, 169.352
31. Edwards, 168.390
35. Kinser, 166.255
Green means that driver would have been good to go, if Practice 1 were actually qualifying. Red indicates the driver would have loaded and headed for home if Practice 1 times were used to set the field.
Rookies Out
02-23-2006 6:35 pm
The track is now open for 30 minutes of rookie practice.
Erik Darnell leads with a 174.111 mph lap. Kyle Krisiloff is second, 172.936; Joey Miller third, 172.728; Aric Almirola fourth, 170.750; and Chad McCumbee fifth, 170.588. Erin Crocker improved her speed dramatically over the first session and is sixth with a 170.362 mph lap; Kraig Kinser is seventh, 169.936; Timothy Peters is eighth, 169.456, and Scott Lagasse is ninth, 168.378.
Chaffin Brushes Wall; Red Out
02-23-2006 7:14 pm
Chad Chaffin brushed the wall in turn two to bring out the red flag in Practice 3. Chaffin drove the No. 40 Curtis Key Plumbing Chevy back to the paddock, and was not required by NASCAR to make a trip to the care center. We should be green shortly.
Prac 2 Rundown 1
02-23-2006 7:16 pm
As of the red flag:
1. Martin, 176.298
2. Sprague, 175.807
3. Krisiloff, 174.953
4. Benson, 174.889
5. Lester, 174.613
6. Reutimann, 174.022
7. Crafton, 173.892
8. Wood, 173.875
9. Hornaday, 173.699
10. Setzer, 173.632
11. Bodine, 173.381
12. Compton, 172.616
13. Skinner, 172.377
14. Cook, 172.109
15. Hamilton, Jr., 172.101
16. Chaffin, 171.920
17. Lagasse, 171.050
18. Darnell, 170.969
19. Wallace, 170.944
20. Gaughan, 169.883
21. Richardson, 168.923
22. Sutton, 167.559
23. Edwards, 167.181
24. Starr, 166.289
Prac 3 Rundown 2
02-23-2006 7:27 pm
1. Martin, 176.298
2. Sprague, 175.807
3. Benson, 175.511
4. Bodine, 175.473
5. Bliss, 174.953
6. Reutimann, 174.829
7. Lester, 174.613
8. Starr, 174.461
9. Skinner, 174.153
10. Crafton, 173.892
11. Wood, 173.875
12. Hornaday, 173.699
13. Setzer, 173.632
14. Crawford, 173.553
15. Hamilton, 173.273
16. Musgrave, 172.832
17. Darnell, 172.683
18. Compton, 172.616
19. Cook, 172.109
20. Hamilton, Jr., 172.101
21. Richardson, 172.018
22. Keselowski, 171.969
23. Chaffin, 171.920
24. Lagasse, 171.0050
25. Wallace, 170.944
26. McCumbee, 170.843
27. Gaughan, 170.600
28. Miller, 170.555
29. Peters, 170.515
Pics and Audio
02-23-2006 8:49 pm
Look to the Sights and Sounds box to the right side of the TrackSideLive! page for exclusive TruckShots! images and our exclusive garage interviews with the drivers of the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. So far, we've posted upwards of 140 pictures from the garage area here at California Speedway, and we've tracked down a quarter of the field for tomorrow's RaceTickets.com 200.
We have Erin Crocker talking about her first time at California Speedway and discussing her goals for the weekend, as does fellow Raybestos rookie Kyle Krisiloff. We met up with Kraig Kinser and talked about adjusting to new tracks and seeing his dad, sprint car legend Steve Kinser, on his head last week in Daytona. Ted Musgrave talks about the differences in his old ride and the new Germain Racing Toyota, while teammate Todd Bodine talks about his chances to make it a double win weekend here with his extra curricular activities in the Busch Series. Matt Crafton talks about racing at home here in California, and Terry Cook talks about racing on a track that is virtually to his home track back in Michigan. Finally, Mike Bliss reminisces about a dominating win here in Fontana in 1997, and talks about the familiar feelings he's got in 2006 from his championship season in 2002.
Lester Happy to be Up Front
02-23-2006 9:02 pm
How does it feel be the fastest in practice?
"Obviously, we’re happy about it -- that’s what we’ve come here to do, be up front. We’re a little disappointed with what happened at Daytona, but we’re moving forward and looking ahead. The guys gave me a good Bill Davis Racing Toyota Tundra this weekend. I hope to think -- when it matters in qualifying and tomorrow night in the race, we’ll be able to get Bill and Gail Davis something to be excited about. The truck was good from the word ‘go.’ All we did was make some minor adjustments -- it was pretty much shocks. The feedback that I gave Doug (Wolcott, crew chief) allowed him to do what I needed to make this thing fast. I’m very optimistic about tomorrow.”
What did you work on in the practice sessions?
“The first practice was totally devoted to ‘race-run’ stuff. Even then, I think we were in the top-10, or right outside it. Then, the first part of the second practice we worked on some more ‘long-run’ stuff. I think we were fifth or seventh. Then we ‘taped-up’ for some qualifying runs and we put it right up top. I don’t see any reason why we can’t do the same thing tomorrow.”
What would it mean to start up front and have a good finish?
“I just want to start up front. I really want to ‘seal the deal’ here with a good result that this team deserves.”
“It would be great to start up front. I have a lot of fan support here, and a lot of family will be at the track So, I’m going to do all I can, and the guys at Bill Davis Racing are doing all they can, to put something underneath me that will be right there at the front for the checkered flag.”
What will you do between qualifying and the race?
“Relax. Once qualifying is done, it’s just a matter of taking it easy.”
Good Night Everybody
02-23-2006 9:37 pm
We're going to call it a night from California Speedway. We'll be back at it bright and early tomorrow as we get ready for Live! Bud Pole Qualifying, coming your way at 1 pm ET. Until tomorrow, good night everybody!
Good Morning from California Speedway
02-24-2006 11:48 am
Good morning everybody! We're here at Callifornia Speedway as we prepare for tonight's Racetickets.com 200, round number two of the 2006 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. We have a glorious day again here in Fontana, with crystal clear skies and temperatures expected to reach into the middle 70s once again. The flags are not moving and there is virtually no breeze moving across the speedway. We'll have Live! Bud Pole Qualifying coming your way at 1 pm ET, and we'll have a comprehensive preview of tonight's 100-lap clash. Stick around!
California Much Different than Daytona
02-24-2006 12:31 pm
We heard from Ted Musgrave yesterday saying how different the setups he used last year are from what he is using this year here at California Speedway. This is Musgrave's first ride in the No. 9 Team ASE Toyota at a non-"plate" track, which means the teams have much more freedom in how they set up their chassis. At Daytona, NASCAR mandates much of the settings, such as springs and shocks, going so far to even give you those parts in inspection to ensure everyone is using the same basic setup. Here at Fontana, while tolerances are still very tight, the teams have much more freedom over the way they set their trucks up, which would explain the difference from one manufacturer to another. In addition, although speeds are in the same general area area as they were in Daytona, the racetracks do not drive similar at all. Handling comes in to play much more here in California, and with the lower banking here the drivers need to roll off the throttle entering the turns. In Daytona, the draft pulls each truck around the track for the entire 2.5-mile distance, whereas here in Fontana you may be able to use the draft to pull a slingshot pass on the straightaways but the draft will have little effect in the turns.
Track Conditions Might Determine Qualifying
02-24-2006 12:37 pm
The track conditions are going to be key during NCTS
Live! Bud Pole Qualifying
, coming your way at 1 pm ET this afternoon. With a late morning start locally, the track is still relatively cool and drivers in the early part of the draw will have more grip than drivers who go out later in the draw. It's still in the low 60s, and by the time qualifying ends it should be nearing 70 degrees. That difference in ambient temperature will equate to a big difference in track temperature as well. With Mark Martin an early draw, and drivers like Jack Sprague and Todd Bodine late in the draw, we could see a very jumbled starting grid later this evening.
California Best Finishes
02-24-2006 3:26 pm
Here is the best previous Fontana finish for each of the drivers in the starting field tonight:
Johnny Benson, 7th
Mike Bliss, 1st
Todd Bodine, 1st
Chad Chaffin, 11th
Stacy Compton, 3rd
Terry Cook, 6th
Matt Crafton, 6th
Rick Crawford, 2nd
Kerry Earnhardt, 17th
Brendan Gaughan, 2nd
Bobby Hamilton, 2nd
Ron Hornaday, 3rd
Brad Keselowski, 31st
Bill Lester, 14th
Ted Musgrave, 1st
Eric Norris, 21st
David Reutimann, 6th
Dennis Setzer, 3rd
Mike Skinner, 5th
Jack Sprague, 1st
David Starr, 4th
Kelly Sutton, 25th
Mike Wallace, 2nd
Jon Wood, 3rd
Drivers making their first start at California Speedway: Aric Almirola, Erin Crocker, Erik Darnell, Kyle Krisiloff, Scott Lagasse, Jr., Mark Martin, Chad McCumbee, Joey Miller, Timothy Peters, Boston Reid, Robert Richardson
Qualifying Fast Facts
02-24-2006 3:33 pm
This is David Reutimann's fifth career Bud Pole in NCTS competition; his last pole came last November at Homestead...Reutimann's quick lap reset the California Speedway track record; Travis Kvapil held the previous mark, set in October 2004...Toyota now ties Ford in the manufacturer race with one pole each...Toyota teams qualified first, second, third, and fifth; last year's pole winner Mike Skinner was second and last year's champion Ted Musgrave was third followed by 2004 winner Todd Bodine in fifth...Musgrave has won three NCTS races here from 2001-2003, Bodine won here in 2004, 1997 winner Mike Bliss qualified sixth, and 1998-99 winner Jack Sprague will go from eighth...Daytona winner Mark Martin qualified seventh...Aric Almirola was the highest qualified Raybestos Rookie qualifier in tenth...only two drivers have won at California from the pole; Mike Bliss in 1997 and Kurt Busch in 2000.
California NCTS Races Summary
02-24-2006 5:34 pm
There have been nine previous NCTS races at California Speedway.
The average start of the winner is 9.33, with the pole sitter going on to win twice (1997 and 2000). The deepest anyone has come to win is 25th.
There are an average of 16 drivers on the lead lap at the finish. The record is 23 in 1998, with the low being just 9 in 2003.
The lead changes an average of 10.8 times per race. The most was 17 in 1998 and the fewest was 5 in 1997.
There are an average of 6.89 lead drivers per race, with a high of 11 in 1999 and a low of 4 in 1997.
The caution flag waves an average of 3.89 times per event, with a record of 8 in 2001 and a low of 2 in 2002 and 2003.
The pace truck leads the field for an average of 16.9 laps per race, with a high of 32 in 2001 and a low of 8 in 2003.
The cumulative average speed is 134.005 miles per hour.
Qualifying Audio
02-24-2006 5:34 pm
We caught up with a few of the drivers that factored prominently in qualifying for the Racetickets.com 200, and you can listen to what they had to say by clicking on their name in the Sights and Sounds Box to the right side of this page. We met up with David Reutimann and asked him how long he had to hold his breath around the California Speedway on his record setting lap. Ted Musgrave talked to us about overcoming some of the difficulties he and his team had yesterday to qualify in the top three and he also says he hopes starting so close to the front doesn't jinx him at one of his most successful tracks. Finally, Aric Almirola talks to us about his first time at California and how he hopes to recover from a rough week in Daytona. All you have to do click on the driver's name in the Sights and Sounds Box to hear their interview.
Starters at Fontana
02-24-2006 5:37 pm
In the nine previous NCTS races here at California Speedway, there have been 115 different drivers in the starting field. Of those, 37 have led laps, 26 have scored top-5 finishes, and 47 have scored top-10 finishes. Two drivers have been in all nine races, Terry Cook and Rick Crawford. Two others, Dennis Setzer and David Starr, have been in all but one.
Key Race Stats
02-24-2006 5:44 pm
Since we have just one race in the book, we will compare all of 2005 versus the race last week in Daytona.
2005:
Avg. Start of Winner: 8.9
Cumulative Lead Changes: 232
Avg. Lead Changes per Race: 9.3
Avg. Lead Drivers per Race: 6.3
Total Laps Under Caution: 868
Avg. Caution Flags per Race: 7.6
YTD 2006:
Avg. Start of Winner: 1
Cumulative Lead Changes: 21
Avg. Lead Changes per Race: 21
Avg. Lead Drivers per Race: 9
Total Laps Under Caution: 17
Avg. Caution Flags per Race: 5
Wins by Manufacturer
02-24-2006 5:50 pm
There have been 268 races in the history of the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. Here are the wins by manufacturer:
Chevrolet: 120
Dodge: 64
Ford: 71
Toyota: 13
Last win by each:
Chevrolet: Kyle Busch, Atlanta, 10/05
Dodge: Bobby Hamilton, Mansfield, 5/05
Ford: Mark Martin, Daytona, 2/06
Toyota: Todd Bodine, Homestead, 11/05
Current Year Manufacturer Performance
02-24-2006 5:52 pm
Chevrolet: 0 wins, 0 poles, 0 top-5, 0 top-10, 0 laps led
Dodge: 0 wins, 0 poles, 0 top-5, 1 top-10, 2 laps led
Ford: 1 win, 1 pole, 1 top-5, 4 top-10, 50 laps led
Toyota: 0 wins, 0 poles, 4 top-5, 5 top-10, 50 laps led
Change in Filler Cans to Slow Pit Stops
02-24-2006 5:55 pm
NASCAR made an ammendment to the rules effective on February 22 that changes the fuel dump cans the teams use during pit stops. The change narrows the filler neck which will slow the rate the fuel flows into the fuel cell during pit stops. It is estimated that in a full fuel stop, the new cans will flow fuel into the cells at one second per can slower, therefore slowing a stop by up to two seconds. This also means that tire changers will not necessarily need to be just as fast to have a quick overall pitstop, lessening the need for many teams to hire Cup-level pit crews to change tires.
East In at Atlanta?
02-24-2006 6:06 pm
Bobby East may not have to wait until Martinsville to make his 2006 series debut. NASCAR has granted him the opportunity to practice at Atlanta next month, and if he is able to satisfy NASCAR officials with his performance he will be allowed to make his first start in the No. 21 Wood/JTG Racing Ford at the 1.5-mile quad oval. Teammate Marcus Ambrose, the Australian V-8 Supercar Series star, will still wait until Martinsville to make his debut with the team.
Pit Stall Assignments
02-24-2006 6:06 pm
Here are the pit road assignments for the Racetickets.com 200, starting with pit stall one at the exit of turn one and ending with pit stall 36 at the entrance to pit road:
Reutimann
Gaughan
Chaffin
Hornaday
Miller
Almirola
Starr
Skinner
Break in pit wall
Bodine
Norris
Sprague
Hamilton
Cook
Crawford
Crafton
Compton
Peters
Lester
Martin
Hamilton, Jr.
Wood
Break in pit wall/Start-Finish Line
Musgrave
Darnell
Wallace
Benson
Keselowski
Richardson
McCumbee
Setzer
Sutton
Reid
Lagasse
Crocker
Krisiloff
Earnhardt
Bliss
Drivers Meeting Up Next
02-24-2006 6:38 pm
The driver/crew chief meeting is up next at 7:15 pm ET. We'll walk on over to the meeting room and get the lowdown on tonight's race proceedures and see if we can't hook up and a driver or two to preview tonight's Racetickets.com 200.
Drivers Meeting Notes
02-24-2006 8:13 pm
The pace truck will run 60 mph here tonight, while pit road speed is 45 mph...pit road speed is in effect from the commitment line 170 feet before the first pit stall through the line at the end of pit road 75 feet past the last pit stall...minimum speed here tonight is 44.66 seconds...tonight will be the second race for the new light system at the end of pit road; green light means go, a flashing green means the pace truck is approaching, and a red light means to line up and wait for the field to pass before joining the field....
Pre-race Audio Coming
02-24-2006 8:17 pm
We have some pre-race audio on its way for you. We talked to Chad Chaffin and got the scoop on his weekend, which started off last night with a crash in practice and ended up with him racing into the field this afternoon. We got with Kerry Earnhardt, and while he's not feeling like a contender to win he says he is still going into tonight with a positive outlook. Another driver that has seen the field from the bottom up is Timothy Peters, who tells us he's had the new truck blues this weekend but he thinks they will be competitve once the green flag flies. Brendan Gaughan's Orleans Racing won this race last year and he thinks he has a shot to make it two in a row. Boston Reid had an exciting night in Daytona, but he's hoping for a calmer race tonight in California. And finally, we also met up with Jack Sprague and talked to him about starting off the season on a high note after avoiding Lady Luck in Daytona. Look to the Sights and Sounds box and click on each driver's name to hear their interview.
Racetickets.com 200 Race Updates
02-24-2006 9:10 pm
13. Lap 73 - Debris on the frontstretch as the caution comes out for the seventh time of the night. Mark Martin leads, Todd Bodine second, Jon Wood third, CHad Chaffin fourth, and David Reutimann fifth.
12. Lap 60 - Final round of stops for most of the field. Chaffin and Keselowski stay out. Martin leads the majority of the field to pit road.
11. Lap 57 - Sutton spins off turn two to bring out the sixth caution flag of the evening. Martin still leads Sprague, Reutimann, Musgrave, and Bodine.
10. Lap 47 - Eric Norris and Boston Reid get tangled up and make contact with the outside wall. Norris's truck has damage to the left side, while Reid has damage to the right front.
9. Lap 45 - Pit stops for some. Bodine, Setzer, Krisiloff, Bliss, Crafton, Wallace, Cook, Peters, Reid, Hamilton, McCumbee, Hamilton, Jr., and Earnhardt all come to pit road.
8. Lap 41 - Crocker spins in turn two to bring out the fourth caution of the night.
7. Lap 40 - Mark Martin leads Jack Sprague, Mike Bliss, David Reutimann, and Dennis Setzer. Ron Hornaday is 11 laps off the pace after an engine problem brought him to the pits. Brendan Gaughan has retired with a terminal engine problem. Todd Bodine was penalized for jumping the second restart and was dropped to the end of the longest line, but has raced his way to 13th.
6. Lap 22 - Richardson spins in turn four to bring out the third caution of the night.
5. lap 20 - Keselowski lead Richardson with Bodine, Sprague, Martin, Reutimann, Bliss, Darnell, Skinner, Setzer, Wood, Musgrave, Hamilton, Lester, Crawford, Chaffin, Krisiloff, Benson, Crafton, Starr, McCumbee, Reid, Lagasse, Almirola, Hamilton, Jr., Cook, Wallace, Hornaday, Sutton, Norris, Peters, and Miller.
4. Lap 17 - Gaughan has an engine erupt in turn one and slows on the track to bring out the second caution. Stacy Compton had to come to pit road to remove tape as that team fights overheating for the second week in a row. Bodine leads Sprague, Bliss, Martin, Skinner, Musgrave, Reutimann and Wood as the field comes to pit road.
3. Lap 7 - Robert Richardson spins off turn two to bring out the first caution flag of the night. He didn't make any contact, but he has a flat right rear tire and is idling around the track hoping it doesn't come apart. Mike Skinner leads after pole sitter David Reutimann led the first three laps. Hornaday, Hamilton, Jr., Sutton, Earnhardt, Gaughan, Almirola, Cook, Norris, and Peters come to pit road.
2. Drivers are buckled in. The command is just moments away. We don't have a great view of the speedway, so we are going to limit our race updates to the caution periods so we can get a clear view of the speedway. The command has been given and 36 trucks have roared to life. We'll have an update for you at the first caution.
1. The Anthem has been performed and we are watching as the 36 drivers in tonight's starting field buckle in. Next up is the command to start engines.
Good Night from Fontana
02-25-2006 12:38 am
Folks, I apologize for the lack of updates over the course of the final 90 minutes or so, but your intrepid reporter is increasingly feeling under the weather. Maybe it's the West coast time or a bug floating around or something, but I feel like the Racetickets.com 200 was run with all 36 trucks thundering around inside my head. Rather than sit and suffer and type incoherently, it's best to call it a night and regroup so we can get back to 100 percent for Atlanta in a couple of weeks. Come on back tomorrow, because we do have some post-race audio to add for you, as we tracked down David Reutimann, David Starr, Terry Cook, Rick Crawford, and Dennis Setzer. Of course, there are nearly 150 images to peruse at your leisure in the TruckShots gallery, and there are the High Sierra and Rhonda Greer galleries as well.
That's it from Fontana folks, until Atlanta in a few weeks, so long everybody!
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