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TrackSideLive!
| Power Stroke Diesel 200
Indianapolis Raceway Park | Friday August 4, 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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Good Morning from ORP!
08-04-2006 9:02 am
Good morning from a sunny O'Reilly Raceway Park at Indianapolis, formerly known as Indianapolis Raceway Park. The name may have changed, but the track sure hasn't as we expect some good hard short track racing here with the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series in tonight's Power Stroke Diesel 200. The teams are busy prepping for practice, which is scheduled to start at the top of the hour. We'll have all the updates for you throughout practice and throughout the day right here at TrackSideLive!, exclusively on TruckSeries.com.
Weather Not a Factor
08-04-2006 9:06 am
Today's weather should not be a factor at all as we run the fifteenth race of the 2006 season. After a week of exteme heat and humidity, a front rolled through last night and brought some thunder and lighting, but with it some cooler temperatures. The humidity has dissipated as well, so the threat of afternoon showers as the heat builds has gone as well. We should reach a high of around 85 degrees this afternoon, and we should be very comfortable once we go racing this evening.
Infield Soggy
08-04-2006 9:08 am
While the weather will not be a factor as far as racing is concerned, it has impacted pre-race preparations in one major way. After the rains last night, the infield grass at ORP is now extremely wet and the ground is very soft. In fact, there are several major puddles throughout the infield, one of which in turn one rivals in size the actual pond in turn four.
Since the ground is so soft, track officials and NASCAR have had the team transporters, which are usually parked along the infield wall along the backstretch, have been parked out on the racetrack as the teams set up their pit stalls for practice. Usually, those stalls are assigned by points, but due to the extenuating circumstances, teams have chosen their stalls on a first-come basis.
The rigs are now moving out of the track and to the staging area outside turns one and two. Should a team need anything out of their rig during the day, a team member will have to cross through the tunnel in turn four and walk outside the racetrack to make it to the transporters.
Last year, thanks to a mid-afternoon thunderstorm, several of the rigs were trapped in the infield and needed to get a tow to get out. Also, with all of the mud that was tracked across the track, the Clermont fire department had to bring a pumper out to wash the asphalt at the crossover gate on the backstretch. None of that will be a problem here this afternoon.
Keselowski to Practice for Sutton
08-04-2006 9:16 am
We talked to Brad Keselowski this morning as he oversaw preparations on the No. 02 Chevrolet. When asked if he was back to spotting for Kelly Sutton this weekend, Keselowski said: "I think I am going to run some during practice, and then we'll see what we do for the race. If Kelly's feeling better, she'll race tonight."
While he may not get to drive in tonight's race, he does have a ride lined up for the next short track race at Bristol at the end of the month.
"I am going to run the 63 truck at Bristol," he said. "We're going to take one of our trucks out of the K-Automotive shop. We've spent 8 months working on it. It is probably the best truck to ever come out of K-Auto."
Brad's father, former NCTS winning driver and crew chief Bob Keselowski, has been working with Mittler Bros. Racing throughout the summer.
Hines to Spot for Jourdain
08-04-2006 9:21 am
Former ORP USAC winner Tracy Hines, who recently tendered his resignation as driver for FitzBradshaw Racing in the Busch Series, is here this weekend prowling the garage looking for a driving opportunity in either the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series or the Busch Series. While not in the seat, he will be working here this afternoon lending his experience here at ORP to rookie Michel Jourdain.
"I'm good friends with Matt Puccia (crew chief for the No. 50)," he said. "He asked me if I would come out and help Michel learn this track. I'd much rather be out there driving something, but there's just no opportunities out there right now."
ORP Track Facts
08-04-2006 9:30 am
O'Reilly Raceway Park at Indianapolis is a 0.686-mile true oval. The straightaways are short, just 699 feet long which lead to long, sweeping turns. The turns are flat, just 7.5 degrees of banking, but the quick way around is at the top of the track with the right side almost scraping along the wall. In order to make a pass, a driver will need to have a truck that can cut to the bottom and get good bite off the corners.
The 200-lap race distance is 137.2 miles. Teams should be able to make that distance on one stop for fuel, but may want to make two stops for tires. There should be ample opportunity for pit stops and pit strategy to come into play depending on how the cautions fall tonight.
Entry List Updates
08-04-2006 9:42 am
There are some changes to the normal weekly entry list here this weekend. Most notably, the No. 12 Toyota and driver Joey Miller are absent this weekend. We've yet to hear any definitive word on that team's future, but by missing this race this weekend, the team does forfeit a guaranteed starting position not only this week but in the remaining 10 races of the season.
Kelly Sutton returns to the seat of the No. 02 Chevrolet (she will share that truck with Brad Keselowski for practice). David Ragan stays in the No. 6 Scott's Ford, while Michel Jourdain hops back into the No. 50 Roush Ford. Robert Turner takes over the No. 07 Green Light Racing Chevrolet with sponsorship from The Money Station and ASI Ltd. Chad McCumbee welcomes a new sponsor to the No. 08 Green Light Racing Chevrolet as the GPSStore.com and Garmin join the team for the rest of the season. David Starr's No. 11 Toyota will carry backing from Toyota Forklifts this week, and Bill Lester's No. 22 Toyota is flying Allstate Insurance colors. Boston Reid has Rain Out Roofing as the backer of the No. 25 Dodge this week, and Chad Chaffin's No. 59 Ford is now wearing Eaton/Aeroquip colors. Brendan Gaughan's Orleans Racing No. 77 is showing Huttig Building Products logos, and Erik Darnell's No. 99 Ford is carrying FinishMaster Auto & Industrial signage this weekend.
Three other new faces are on the entry list this weekend. Cameron Dodson, the 2005 Auto Value Super Sprint Series champion, is making his series debut in the Mittler Bros. No. 63 Dave Porter Truck Sales Ford, while Chuck Maitlen is scheduled to attempt in the No. 89 Lafferty Racing Chevrolet, while Todd Shafer makes his third attempt of 2006 in the No. 91 Wasserman Ford.
We're Green
08-04-2006 9:54 am
The green lights have just flickered on and practice for the Power Stroke 200 is underway. Ron Hornaday led the charge followed by Erin Crocker, Mike Skinner, Brendan Gaughan, and Bobby East. We'll keep you updated throughout practice with timing and scoring updates and of course update you if there is any action on the track.
Prac 1 Rundown 1
08-04-2006 10:06 am
1. Hornaday 107.928
2. Musgrave 107.688
3. Starr, 107.295
4. Hamilton, Jr. 107.081
5. Crafton 106.946
6. Darnell 106.840
7. Sprague 106.747
8. Cook 106.706
9. Earnhardt 106.393
10. Skinner 106.384
11. Benson 106.343
12. Peters 106.224
13. Setzer 106.197
14. Crawford 106.005
15. Ragan 105.901
16. Grubb 105.891
17. Moore 105.832
18. Lester 105.629
19. Almirola 105.606
20. Crocker 105.457
21. Reutimann 105.215
22. Bliss 104.987
23. Ambrose 104.978
24. Kinser 104.741
25. Jourdain 104.388
26. Sutton/Keselowski 104.009
27. East 103.891
28. Reid 103.240
29. Richardson 101.359
Tight Word of the Day So Far
08-04-2006 10:19 am
Early on in practice, the word most frequently hear - and this is no surprise - is tight. Most drivers have reported their trucks to be tight through the corners, which is typical here for ORP. Some drivers have also reported that their trucks want to snap loose coming off the corners, which is often a by-product of a tight chassis.
Practice 1 Rundown 2
08-04-2006 10:22 am
1. Musgrave 108.330
2. Benson 108.145
3. Crafton 108.107
4. Hornaday 107.928
5. Almirola 107.923
6. Chaffin 107.805
7. Sprague 107.777
8. Cook 107.622
9.Earnhardt 107.575
10. Hamilton Jr. 107.411
11. Bodine 107.332
12. Starr 107.295
13. Peters 107.267
14. Setzer 107.215
15. Reutimann 107.011
16. Gaughan 106.923
17. Bliss 106.909
18. Darnell 106.840
19. Crawford 106.724
20. Ragan 106.637
21. Grubb 106.425
22. Skinner 106.384
23. Lester 106.165
24. Moore 105.887
25. Crocker 105.873
26. Ambrose 105.767
27. Jourdain 105.507
28. Sutton/Keselowski 105.471
29. Kinser 105.170
30. East 105.107
31. McCumbee 104.520
32. Reid 103.240
33. Richardson 103.007
35 of 37 on Track
08-04-2006 10:35 am
Thirty-five of the thirty-seven teams entered have made it on to the track in the first 45 minutes of practice. Neither Todd Shafer nor Chuck Maitlen have been on the track yet.
Jourdain No Stranger to Indy
08-04-2006 10:38 am
While he is making his first ever attempt in a stock car (or truck, as it were) here in Indianapolis, Michel Jourdain has had some success in the past racing in the Circle City. As a rookie in 1996, Jourdain finished an impressive third behind Buddy Lazier and Davy Jones in the Indianapolis 500.
Practice 1 Rundown 3
08-04-2006 10:41 am
1. Musgrave108.330
2. Sprague 108.145
3. Benson 108.145
4. Crafton 108.107
5. Almirola 108.088
6. Hornaday 107.928
7. Chaffin 107.805
8. Cook 107.622
9. Earnhardt 107.575
10. Peters 107.533
11. Reutimann 107.500
12. Bodine 107.444
13. Hamilton Jr. 107.411
14. Starr 107.295
15. Setzer 107.295
16. Crawford 107.234
17. Bliss 107.229
18. Gaughan 107.067
19. Ragan 106.960
20. Lester 106.881
21. Darnell 106.840
22. Grubb 106.425
23. Skinner 106.416
24. Ambrose 106.114
25. Kinser 105.964
26. Moore 105.887
27. Crocker 105.873
28. Sutton/Keselowski 105.842
29. McCumbee 105.742
30. Jourdain 105.507
31. Reid 105.327
32. East 105.300
33. Dodson 105.152
34. Turner 103.699
35. Richardson 103.007
Practice 1 Done
08-04-2006 10:55 am
The first practice has just ended, with an hour of action uninterrupted by any incidents. A complete results sheet shall be posted to the event box momentarily.
Ted Musgrave led the session at 108.903 mph, with Johnny Benson second (108.145), Jack Sprague third (108.145), Matt Crafton fourth (108.107) and Aric Almirola fifth (108.088).
ORP Race History
08-04-2006 10:58 am
O'Reilly Raceway Park at Indianapolis is a charter member of the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series and has been on the schedule every year since the inception in 1995. In the eleven previous races, only two drivers have won more than one race here, that being Mike Skinner who went to victory lane in back-to-back fashion in 1995 and 1996, and Jack Sprague who won in 1998 and 2001.
Here is the race history at ORP (starting position for the winner in parenthesis):
1995 - Pole: Mike Skinner, 108.387 mph; Race: Mike Skinner, 78.767 mph
1996 - Pole: Mike Skinner, 108.855 mph; Race: Mike Skinner, 85.720 mph
1997 - Pole: Jimmy Hensley, 109.750 mph; Race: Ron Hornaday (2), 81.753 mph
1998 - Pole: Randy Tolsma, 110.829 mph; Race: Jack Sprague (3), 77.235 mph
1999 - Pole: Dennis Setzer, 111.133 mph; Race: Greg Biffle (3), 88.704
2000 - Pole: Joe Ruttman, 111.843 mph; Race: Joe Ruttman, 75.065
2001 - Pole: Joe Ruttman, 109.043 mph; Race, Jack Sprague (2), 80.745 mph
2002 - Pole: Terry Cook, 108.549 mph; Race, Terry Cook, 74.018 mph
2003 - Pole: Terry Cook, 107.777 mph; Race, Carl Edwards (5), 88.121 mph
2004 - Pole: Jack Sprague, 110.275 mph; Race, Chad Chaffin (5), 77.007 mph
2005 - Pole: N/A (Rain); Race, Dennis Sezter, 84.910 mph
The driver starting from the pole has won five of eleven races.
Today's Schedule
08-04-2006 11:18 am
Here is the schedule for today's action at ORP:
7:30a - NCTS Garage Opens
10 - 11:00 a: NCTS Practice
11:30a - 12:00n: NCTS Rookie Practice
12:00n - 1:00p: NCTS Final Practice
5:30p: NCTS Bud Pole Qualifying (All Positions, 2 Laps)
7:00p: NCTS Driver/Crew Chief Meeting
8:15p: NCTS Driver Introductions
8:45p: Start, Power Stroke 200 (200 Laps, 137.2 Miles)
Rookies on Track
08-04-2006 11:22 am
Boston Reid and Erin Crocker were first on track for the 30-minute rookie practice. As soon as this session concludes we will move directly into final practice for the full field.
Rookie Rundown 1
08-04-2006 11:35 am
1. Almirola 107.477
2. East 106.174
3. Darnell 106.114
4. Crocker 105.724
5. Reid 105.291
6. Richardson 104.684
7. Jourdain 104.640
8. Moore 104.547
9. McCumbee 104.308
10. Dodson 104.014
11. Maitlen 99.850
12. Shafer 97.041
Crocker Spins in Four
08-04-2006 11:38 am
The red flag has waved for the first time this morning as Erin Crocker got loose coming off turn four. Crocker spun off the corner to the inside of the frontstretch, but did not make any contact. She drove back to the garage as track officials made a quick check of the surface. The green flag is back out.
Red Back Out
08-04-2006 11:41 am
Just as quick as we went green, the red is back out. Robert Richardson scuffed the wall between turns one and two, doing very slight damage to the right rear of the No. 1 Chevrolet. Just to be on the safe side, track officials are checking the racing surface in turns one and two. We should be back to green momentarily.
Rookies Done
08-04-2006 11:48 am
Aric Almirola led the rookie practice at 107.477 mph. Erik Darnell is second at 106.412 mph, with Marcos Ambrose third at 106.302 mph, Bobby East fourth at 106.174, and Erin Crocker fifth at 105.724 mph. A full results sheet will be posted to the event box shortly.
We have already started final practice with Dodson, Bodine, Ragan, Hornaday, Crocker, Ambrose, Hamilton, Lester, and East leading the charge on the track.
Lester Up Close and Personal with Wall
08-04-2006 12:09 am
Bill Lester got up a little close close to the wall in turns three and four just moments ago. The No. 22 Allstate Toyota made light contact with the right rear, and he gathered it up and continued on. No red on the track, and Musgrave, Hornaday, Almirola, Hamilton, and Reutimann are the top-five.
Final Practice Rundown 1
08-04-2006 12:14 pm
1. Musgrave, 108.971
2. Almirola 107.439
3. Hornaday 107.276
4. Hamilton 107.122
5. Reutimann 107.081
6. Benson 106.997
7. Crafton 106.895
8. Starr 106.891
9. Sprague 106.854
10. Setzer 106.821
11. Bodine 106.784
12. Crawford 106.775
13. Cook 106.752
14. Peters 106.660
15. Gaughan 106.476
16. Ragan 106.462
17. Lester 106.439
18. Moore 106.338
19. Chaffin 106.315
20. Darnell 106.014
21. Skinner 106.014
22. Bliss 106.005
23. Reid 105.832
24. Kinser 105.814
25. Ambrose 105.724
26. Grubb 105.579
27. East 105.570
28. Crocker 105.475
29. Earnhardt 105.457
30. Jourdain 105.094
31. Turner 105.045
32. Dodson 104.831
33. Sutton/Keselowski 104.128
34. McCumbee 104.123
35. Shafer 101.010
36. Maitlen 95.373
Earnmhardt in Wall in T-1
08-04-2006 12:27 pm
Kerry Earnharst smacked the fence in turn one, bringing out the red flag for the first time in the final practice. Track officials are making a quick check down in turn one, and we should be back to green momentarily.
Final Practice Rundown 2
08-04-2006 12:29 pm
1. Musgrave 108.971
2. Almirola 107.439
3. Bodine 107.351
4. Hornaday 107.276
5. Hamilton 107.122
6. Reutimann 107.081
7. Benson 106.997
8. Crafton 106.895
9. Starr 106.891
10. Sprague 106.854
11. Setzer 106.821
12. Crawford 106.775
13. Cook 106.752
14. Peters 106.660
15. Reid 106.618
16. Chaffin 106.499
17. Gaughan 106.476
18. Ragan 106.462
19. Lester 106.439
20. Moore 106.338
21. Darnell 106.014
22. Skinner 106.014
23. Bliss 106.0005
24. Kinser 105.814
25. Ambrose 105.724
26. Grubb 105.579
27. East 105.570
28. Crocker 105.475
29. Earnhardt 105.457
30. Richardson 105.121
31. Jourdain 105.094
32. Turner 105.045
33. Dodson 104.831
34. Sutton/Keselowski 104.591
35. McCumbee 104.124
36. Shafer 101.010
37. Maitlen 95.932
Final Practice Rundown 3
08-04-2006 12:43 pm
As the teams now start to make their mock qualifying runs, here is the lineup as it stands:
1. Sprague, 109.555
2. Crawford 109.202
3. Musgrave 108.971
4. Starr 108.793
5. Setzer 108.673
6. Gaughan 108.311
7. Reid 107.857
8. Kinser 107.561
9. Almirola 107.439
10. Bodine 107.351
11. Hornaday 107.276
12. Hamilton 107.122
13. Reutimann 107.081
14. Benson 106.997
15. Crafton 106.895
16. Earnhardt 106.817
17. Cook 106.752
18. Grubb 106.747
19. Sutton/Keselowski 106.720
20. Peters 106.660
21. Chaffin 106.499
22. Ragan 106.462
23. Lester 106.439
24. Moore 106.338
25. Darnell 106.014
26. Skinner 106.014
27. Bliss 106.005
28. McCumbee 105.946
29. Dodson 105.774
30. Ambrose 105.724
31. East 105.570
32. Crocker 105.475
33. Turner 105.421
34. Richardson 105.121
35. Jourdain 105.094
36. Shafer 101.010
37. Maitlen 96.386
Grubb Pancakes in Turn One
08-04-2006 12:49 pm
Kevin Grubb smacked the wall and pancaked the side of the No. 15 Chevrolet just moments before the end of the session. It was not enough to stop the practice when it happened, but the red and black flags are in the air, bringing practice to an end for the afternoon.
Jack Sprague was fastest at 109.55 mph, followed by Rick Crawford at 109.202. Dennis Setzer was third at 109.023, Ted Musgrave was fourth at 108.971, and Terry Cook moved to fifth at 108.942. A full rundown will be posted to the event box shortly.
Bodine's Cheering Section Active in Practice
08-04-2006 12:55 pm
There is perhaps a couple hundred die-hard race fans in the stands to watch NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series practice this morning and into the afternoon. While most were here to check out the action, one family was proud to show their allegiance every time their favorite driver went down the frontstretch at speed.
Without fail, each time Todd Bodine came down the frontstretch, either at speed or on pit road, this entire family stood, waved, and pumped their fists in the air in support of their man.
Tech Line Busy
08-04-2006 3:39 pm
The teams are busy making their way through the pre-qualifying tech line. Some trucks have already made it through and are gridded on pit road prior to qualifying. Erin Crocker's team was the first to clear the height sticks, templates, and scales and the No. 98 Dodge has been sitting for almost 30 minutes. There is just over 90 minutes before qualifying, which you can of course follow live right here on TruckSeries.com.
Grubb to a Backup
08-04-2006 3:41 pm
The Billy Ballew Motorsports team is busy putting on the finishing touches to theit backup truck after an incident in practice left their primary beyond repair. Kevin Grubb pushed up out of the groove going into turn one, pancaking the side of the No. 15 Chevrolet. "I'm not worried about getting in without any practice," Grubb said. "All of our trucks are good, I'm sure we'll have a good run in qualifying and get set for a good run in the race."
Earnhardt's Truck Repaired
08-04-2006 3:51 pm
Kerry Earnhardt also had a scrape with the turn one wall, damaging the right rear of his No. 13 Chevrolet. The crew spent considerable time repairing the right rear quarter panel.
"I just ran up on someone and jumped on the brakes and the back end got out from under me," Earnhardt said. "It's just cosmetic, we should be just as good as we were in practice."
Crew chief Lance Hooper summed up the extent of the damage: "It's nothing a couple rolls of duct tape couldn't fix."
Pics Posted in TruckShots! Gallery
08-04-2006 3:53 pm
We have a ton of images in our TruckShots! gallery from here at O'Reilly Raceway Park. Look to the right side of the TrackSideLive! page and click on the TruckShots! link to check them out.
A Little Fishing Anyone?
08-04-2006 4:00 pm
There is a small pond inside turn four here at ORP, and passers-by can easily see some rather large fish - including at least one catfish that appears to easily be well over a foot long. Some teams would lure the fish to the surface by tossing in crackers, which were quickly decimated by the frenzied fish. It was just a matter of time before a couple of intrepid crewman whose truck has already cleared tech to rig makeshift fishing poles and try to drag a couple of those bigger fish out. Just a word to the wise guys, work on the catch and release program down there.
O'Reilly Raceway Park Best Finishes
08-04-2006 4:04 pm
Here is each driver entered here this afternoon and their previous best finish, if any, here at ORP:
Aric Almirola, 10th 2005
Johnny Benson, 2nd, 1995
Mike Bliss, 3rd 1996
Todd Bodine, 15th 2005
Chad Chaffin, 1st 2004
Terry Cook, 1st 2002
Matt Crafton, 4th 2005
Rick Crawford, 6th 2005
Brendan Gaughan, 4th 2003
Ron Hornaday, 1st 1997
Bill Lester, 18th 2005
Ted Musgrave, 6th 2003
Timothy Peters, 28th 2005
David Ragan, 35th 2004
David Reutimann, 11th 2005
Dennis Setzer, 1st 2005
Mike Skinner, 1st 1995
Jack Sprague, 1st 1998
David Starr, 11th 2003
Kelly Sutton, 31st 2005
Here are the drivers making their first NCTS attempt at ORP today: Robert Richardson, Robert Turner, Chad McCumbee, Kerry Earnhardt, Kevin Grubb, Bobby Hamilton, Jr., Marcos Ambrose, Bobby East, Boston Reid, Ryan Moore, Kraig Kinser, Michel Jourdain, Cameron Dodson, Chuck Maitlen, Todd Shafer, Erin Crocker, and Erik Darnell.
NCTS Races Summary at ORP
08-04-2006 4:12 pm
Here is a quick glance at the statistical summary of the previous eleven races here at O'Reilly Raceway Park at Indianapolis:
The average start position of the winner is a low 2.27, meaning qualifying this afternoon will be critical. The pole starter has gone on to win five times here (1995, 1996, 2000, 2002, and 2005), and no winner has started outside the top-five.
There are an average of 13 drivers on the lead lap at the end. The low was six last season when Dennis Setzer dominated the field with a long stretch of green flag racing. The most lead lap finishers was 19 in 1998.
The lead changes hands an average of 4.36 times per race. In the first three races here at ORP, there was a total of 1 lead change as Mike Skinner led the first two races from start to finish from the pole, and in 1997 Jimmy Hensley led until the last lap when he was passed by Ron Hornaday coming to the checkered. There was a record 11 lead changes in 1998.
There are an average of 3.73 lead drivers per race. The fewest of course is just one leader in 1995 and 1996, while the most was 8 in 1999.
The caution flag waves an average of 7.55 times per race. The most ever was 10 in 2000 and 2002. The fewest was five, coming in 1999 and last year.
The pace truck leads the field for an average of 38 laps per event. The most caution laps in a Truck Series race at ORP was 53 in 2000, while the fewest was 23 in the inaugural race here (keep in mind the 1995 race was only 150 laps).
The cumulative average speed is 81.094 miles per hour.
2006 Laps Led
08-04-2006 4:19 pm
Here is the 2006 Lap Leader standings entering tonight's Power Stroke 200:
Mark Martin 321
Mike Skinner 300
Ron Hornaday 280
Todd Bodine 260
Kyle Busch 181
Jack Sprague 157
David Starr 124
David Reutimann 111
Johnny Benson 86
Clint Bowyer 84
Dennis Setzer 81
Rick Crawford 67
Terry Cook 62
Marcos Ambrose 50
Ted Musgave 36
Bobby Hamilton, Jr. 28
David Ragan 18
Kyle Krisiloff 16
Erik Darnell 11
Bobby Labonte 10
Mike Bliss 10
Jon Wood 8
Kerry Earnhardt 5
Bill Lester 3
Boston Reid 3
Brad Keselowski 2
Brendan Gaughan 2
Chad McCumbee 2
Matt Crafton 2
Kevin Hamlin 1
Chad Chaffin 1
Kelly Sutton 1
Live! Bud Pole Qualifying ONLINE and TV Coverage
08-04-2006 5:29 pm
ONLINE!
Live! Bud Pole Qualifying Presented by FASTENAL© up next at 5:30 pm ET [
Click Here
]
TELEVISION!
Live! Bud Pole Qualifying is on SPEED Channel starting at 5:30 pm ET - Catch NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Qualifying on Friday at 5:30 pm ET and find out which driver has the power to get the pole position for the Power Stroke Diesel 200. [
More Info
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Chuck On Trucks
08-04-2006 6:07 pm
Send a note to Chuck!
TruckSeries.com TrackSide Editor Charles Krall
keeps you updated with all the latest news as it happens from the Power Stroke Diesel 200 at O'Reilly Raceway Park at Indianapolis, the 15th race of the 2006 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series season. [
Click Here for Chuck's Message Board Discussion Thread from O'Reilly Raceway Park at Indianapolis
]
New Hot Topics in Discussion Boards!
Ragan Takes Pole at ORP
08-04-2006 6:32 pm
Ragan Scores First Truck Series Pole in Indianapolis
David Ragan picked up his first career NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Bud Pole Award in qualifying for tonight's Power Stroke Diesel 200 at O'Reilly Raceway Park at Indianapolis. Ragan nipped rookie Aric Almirola for the top spot with a lap of 22.484 seconds/109.838 miles per hour in the No. 6 Scotts Ford. Almirola will go from outside the front row after turning a lap of 22.578/109.381 in the No. 75 Spears Manufacturing Chevrolet.
Rick Crawford qualified third in the No. 14 Circle Bar Truck Corral Ford at 22.625/109.154, David Starr was fourth in the No. 11 Red Horse Racing Toyota with a lap of 22.626 seconds/109.149 miles per hour, and Brendan Gaughan was fifth in the No. 77 Huttig Building Supply Dodge with a lap of 22.652 seconds/109.023 miles per hour.
Two previous winners share the third row as Terry Cook qualified sixth in the No. 10 Ford Power Stroke Diesel by International Ford and Dennis Setzer was seventh in the No. 85 GM FlexFuel Chevrolet. Two-time ORP winner Mike Skinner was eighth in the No. 5 Toyota Tundra Toyota, with fellow two-time ORP winner Jack Sprague behind in ninth in the No. 60 Con-way Freight Toyota. Ron Hornaday rounded out the top ten qualifiers in the No. 33 Kevin Harvick Inc. Chevrolet.
Ted Musgrave qualified the No. 9 Team ASE Toyota 16th, Johnny Benson was 17th in the No. 23 Toyota Certified Used Vehicles Toyota, Bobby East was 24th in the No. 21 Edy's Dibs Ford, and point leader Todd Bodine was 29th in the No. 30 Lumber Liquidators Toyota.
Only one driver failed to make the starting field: Chuck Maitlen was not fast enough to break into the 36-truck starting field.
The Power Stroke 200 is scheduled for an 8:45 P.M. Eastern green flag. TruckSeries.com will have continuing TrackSideLive! coverage leading up to the green flag.
Headed to the Infield for Audio
08-04-2006 6:33 pm
We're going to take the TrackSideLive! microphones down to the infield to try to talk to some of tonight's storymakers leading up to the start of the Power Stroke 200. We'll be back shortly!
Power Stroke Diesel 200 Qualifying Fast Facts
08-04-2006 8:13 pm
This is David Ragan's first ever Bud Pole in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series; his previous best qualifying effort was at Kansas in July...Ragan also started first at Gateway when the field was set per the NASCAR rulebook after qualifying was canceled due to rain; overall, when combined with Mark Martin's pole at Daytona and his outside front row start at Martinsville, it is the fourth front row start for the No. 6 Ford...Ragan's best finish is fifth at Kentucky...Aric Almirola's second-place start is his best in the Truck Series; his previous best was fifth at Milwaukee...Almirola earned the Busch Pole in qualifying for the Busch Series race at Milwaukee, but turned the driving chores over to Denny Hamlin for the race...every winner in the Truck Series' history at ORP has started fifth or better...
Power Stroke 200 Pit Assignments
08-04-2006 8:18 pm
Here are the pit assignements for tonight's Power Stroke 200, starting with the first pit stall at the exit of pit road and ending with the final pit stall at the entrance to the pits in turn three:
Sprague
Skinner
East
Chaffin
Reutimann
Sutton
Gaughan
Cook
Benson
Starr
Darnell
Start/Finish Line & Scoring Camera
Setzer
Peters
Richardson
Grubb
Ambrose
Hornaday
Hamilton, Jr.
Break in pit wall
Crafton
Almirola
Lester
Jourdain
Earnhardt
Ragan
Empty Stall
Bliss
Turner
Dodson
Moore
Reid
Bodine
Empty Stall
Musgrave
Crocker
Kinser
Shafer
McCumbee
Crawford
2006 Key Race Stats
08-04-2006 8:27 pm
Avg start of winner: 8.6
Lead changes per race: 10.1
Lead drivers per race: 5.6
Caution flags per race: 8.6
Caution laps per race: 37.6
Avg running at finish: 32.1
Avg did not finish: 3.9
Avg lead lap finishers: 21.2
Cumulative lead changes: 142
Total laps under caution: 526
MFR YTD
08-04-2006 8:30 pm
Chevrolet: 3 wins, 1 pole, 13 top-5, 37 top-10, 668 laps led
Dodge: 0 wins, 1 pole, 3 top-5, 9 top-10, 44 laps led
Ford: 4 wins, 2 poles, 15 top-5, 35 top-10, 537 laps led
Toyota: 7 wins, 8 poles, 39 top-5, 59 top-10, 1077 laps led
Power Stroke 200 Race Updates 1-10
08-04-2006 8:33 pm
10. Lap 25 - Ragan lays a fender to Crocker as he laps past her in one. She bounces off the fence and brings out the caution for the first time as debris is on the track in turn one.
9. Lap 21 - Ragan starts to make his way through lapped traffic. Traffic allows Crawford to slip past Almirola for second. Starr now challenges for third and makes the pass in three and four.
8. Lap 19 - Shafer brings his truck to the pits for a quick adjustment.
7. Lap 16 - Crafton slips underneath Hamilton for 11th. Sprague is knocking on Skinner's back door for ninth. Ragan now has a full one-second advantage.
6. Lap 10 - The field has strung out and everyone is running single file. Ragan leads by 0.725 seconds over Almirola, Crawford, Starr, Gaughan, Setzer, Cook, Hornaday, Skinner, and Sprague.
5. Lap 7 - Crawford could not clear Almirola and now he has to deal with Starr for third. Reutimann, East, and Ambrose are hammering on each other just outside the top-20.
4. Lap 3 - Bodine has gained seven spots in three laps. He is using the bottom groove to pass trucks as he catches them. Crawford dips inside Almirola to battle for second.
3. Green flag is out. Ragan jumps to ther lead at the start as the field stacks up two wide behind. Ragan leads lap one.
2. Ragan will start on the outside as is the pole starter's option.
1. The field has just rolled away from the grid. Pace truck speed is 40 mph, pit road speed is 35 mph. Minimum speed to stay in competition is 25.92 seconds. Everyone is clear from the grid. No one has been reported to the back for the start.
Power Stroke 200 Race Updates 11-20
08-04-2006 8:49 pm
20. Lap 58 - Sutton goes around in turn four without making contact. Ragan leads the field down pit road.
19. Lap 56 - Bodine gets past Musgrave to crack the top 10 for the first time. Sprague and Hornaday are knocking on each other for eighth. Almirola, Gaughan, and Cook race for sixth.
18. Lap 53 - Setzer now battles Almirola for fourth. Cook closes in on Gaughan for sixth. The front three are now nose to tail.
17. Lap 49 - Setzer gets past Gaughan for fifth. Starr is still looking for a way past Crawford for second.
16. Lap 45 - Starr is knocking on Crawford's back door for second. Setzer clears Hornaday, who now has to deal with Cook for seventh.
15. Lap 40 - Ragan continues to lead on the restart. Skinner and Musgrave run side by side in traffic. Bodine is up to 12th after starting 29th. Setzer looks under Hornaday for sixth.
14. Lap 37 - Reutimann, Hamilton, Moore, Earnhardt, Richardson, Ambrose, and McCumbee pit. Crafton and Crocker have continued with minimal damage.
13. Lap 35 - Crafton gets a tap from Sprague in turn three and goes for a long smokey slide in turn three. As the field stacks up behind trying to avoid, Crocker gets crossed up and tags the wall in turn three.
12. Lap 32 - Crawford now puts pressure on Ragan for the lead.
11. Lap 28 - NASCAR says this is a caution for debris and Crocker is eligible for the free pass. Moore, McCumbeem Hamilton, Earnhardt and Turner come to pit road. Ragan leads Crawford, Starr, Almirola, Gaughan, Setzer, Cook, Hornaday, Skinner, Sprague, Crafton, Musgrave, Bliss, Darnell, Bodine, Grubb, Benson, Peters, Lester, Chaffin, Reutimann, East, Kinser, Ambrose, Reid, Jourdain, Sutton, Richardson, McCumbee, Hamilton, Earnhardt, Moore, Crocker, Turner, Dodson, and Shafer.
Power Stroke 200 Race Updates 21-30
08-04-2006 9:06 pm
30. Lap 100 - Crawford leads Setzer, Starr, Hornaday, Almirola, Crafton, Bodine, Reutimann, McCumbee, Gaughan, Ragan, Skinner, Sprague, Cook, Musgrave, Bliss, Benson, East, Darnell, Kinser, Lester, Moore, Jourdain, Grubb, Chaffin, Ambrose, Hamilton, Reid, Earnhardt, Peters, Turner, and Richardson.
29. Lap 97 - Sutton almost loses it on the backstretch but does a good job of maintaining control. No caution.
28. Lap 90 - Crawford, Setzer, and Starr pull out to a full straightaway lead over Hornaday and the rest of the pack.
27. lap 85 - Restart. Starr scoots past Reutimann to take third. Hornaday and Crafton are side by side for fifth.
26. Lap 82 - Crawford leads Setzer, Reutimann, Starr, McCumbee, Crafton, Almirola, Hornaday, Ragan, Skinner, Cook, Bodine, Sprague, Gaughan, Musgrave, Darnell, East, Kinser, Benson, Lester, Moore, Jourdain, Grubb, Bliss, Ambrose, Reid, Earnhardt, Chaffin, Turner, Hamiltoin, Dodson, Rochardson, Peters, and Sutton. Crocker is off the lead lap.
25. Lap 79 - Dodson spins on the frontstretch and the fourth caution comes out. Sutton recieves the free pass.
24. Lap 76 - Setzer and Reutimann are locked together for second. Crafton looks inside McCumbee for fifth.
23. Lap 70 - The lead duo have been caught by Crawford, Setzer and Crafton, who have swapped their positions in the top five. Starr is knocking on Crafton's door for fifth. Almirola dips under Ragan to take seventh and Hornaday follows through to eighth. Crawford takes the lead from Reutimann in turn two and leads at the stripe on lap 74.
22. Lap 65 - McCumbee is pressuring Reutimann for the lead. Crafton passes ragan for fourth with Crawford following through to fifth. Crafton also dispatches Richardson for third.
21. Lap 60 - Starr leads lap 60, but Reutimann stays out and leads lap 61. McCumbee and Richardson also stay out, with Ragan fourth. Crafton is fifth, with Crawford, Setzer, Starr, Almirola and Skinner are the top ten. Green is back out.
Power Stroke 200 Race Updates 31-40
08-04-2006 9:30 pm
40. Lap 142 - Restart. Bliss clears Ambrose into one as Crawford now deals with the lapped traffic. Crawford clears the traffic but Setzer gets boxed. Reutimann get turned backwards hard into the turn one wall and collects Earnhardt and Gaughan get together trying to avoid.
38. Lap 139 - Chaffin was evaluated and released from the infield care center. Bliss leads Crawford, Setzer, Darnell, Starr, Hornaday, Bodine, Almirola, Skinner, Sprague, Reutimann, Musgrave, Crafton, Ragan, Gaughan, Cook, Benson, East, Kinser, Lester, and McCumbee on the lead lap.
37. Lap 137 - Moore gets turned backwards into the turn one wall bringing out the sixth caution of the night.
36. Lap 134 - Restart. Bliss pulls away from Darnell who is racing hard for second with Crawford.
35. Lap 127 - Pit stops. Bliss stays out. Starr leads at the stripe on pit road to lead lap 128. Bliss leads lap 129 with Darnell, Crawford, Setzer, Starr, Skinner, McCumbee, Hornaday, Bodine, Almirola, Sprague, Reutimann, Musgrave, Crafton, Ragam, Gaughan, Benson, Cook, East, Kinser, Lester, Jourdain, Ambrose, Moore, Reid, Turner, Peters, Richardson, Earnhardt, Grubb, Sutton, Crocker, and Dodson. McCumbee is the last lead lap truck, while Grubb is the final driver one lap down. Hamilton goes behind the wall after and extended stay on pit road. Chaffin's truck is on the hook. Cook comes back down pit road.
34. Lap 123 - Bliss is up to 6th and closing on the fifth place truck of Almirola. Chaffin gets turned head on into the wall going into turn three. Caution is out for the fifth time. Crawford gives up a 4.6 second lead.
33. Lap 118 - Hamilton comes to the pits and the team goes under the hood.
32. Lap 114 - Crawford leads Setzer, Starr, Hornaday, Almirola, Bodine, Crafton, Bliss, Gaughan, and Sprague.
31. Lap 110 - Ragan continues to slip back through the field. He's back to 12th with several trucks lined up ready to get by. Crawford leads by 2.4 seconds over Setzer.
Power Stroke 200 Race Updates 41-
08-04-2006 9:53 pm
53. Lap 200 - Crawford wins with Setzer, Hornaday, Starr, Bliss, Cook, Bodine, Musgrave, Ragan, and Darnell the top-10.
52. Lap 196 - Restart. Hornaday jumps Setzer and races side by side for second.
51. Lap 190 - Restart. Crawford jumps out into the lead. It is a mess from sixth on back as Cook, Bodine, Ragan, and Earnhardt swap paint. The caution is out for a record 11th time as debris is spotted in turn three.
50. Lap 187 - Crafton drops out of twelfth for the pits.
49. Lap 185 - Richardson and Ambrose tangle going into turn one with Richarson sliding the opposite way up the track with the driver's side door against the wall.
48. Lap 181 - Cook takes sixth from Bodine with an outside move in turn three, while East works the low side to take elventh from Crafton.
47. Lap 176 - Crawford opens up ten lengths on Setzer as Hornaday closes in to make it a battle for second. Starr is fourth, with Bliss in fifth. Bodine, Cook, Musgrave, Ragan, and Darnell round out the top-10.
46. Lap 171 - Restart. Crawford leads Setzer, Hornaday, Bliss, Starr, Bodine, Cook, Musgrave, Darnell, and Ragan.
45. Lap 165 - Bliss leads Crawford and Setzer with Hornaday quickly making up time in fourth. Starr is fifth with a big gap to sixth. The top three go side by side for the lead on the frontstretch, with Crawford coming out with the lead. Bliss brushes the wall and drops to sixth. Almirola and Sprague brush the wall in turn two and brings out the caution for the ninth time.
44. Lap 160 - Restart, Crawford makes a run on Bliss in turn three. Bodine dips under Darnell for sixth.
43. Lap 156 - Debris in turn three brings out the caution for the eighth time. Peters picks up the free pass.
42. Lap 148 - Restart. Bliss leads as Crawford and Setzer get through traffic much better on this restart. Grubb goes behind the wall. Setzer pressures Crawford for second.
41. Lap 146 - Reutimann takes his truck behind the wall with damage that appears to be terminal.
Power Stroke Diesel 200 Unofficial Results
08-04-2006 10:28 pm
1. Crawford
2. Setzer
3. Hornaday
4. Starr
5. Bliss
6. Cook
7. Bodine
8. Musgrave
9. Ragan
10. Darnell
11. East
12. Benson
13. Kinser
14. Lester
15. Peters
16. Gaughan
17. McCumbee
18. Skinner
19. Jourdain
20. Crafton
21. Almirola
22. Ambrose
23. Earnhardt
24. Reid
25. Sutton
26. Turner
27. Crocker
28. Sprague
29. Dodson
30. Richardson
31. Hamilton, Jr.
32. Chaffin
33. Grubb
34. Reutimann
35. Moore
36. Shafer
Crawford Takes Convincing Win at ORP
08-05-2006 12:00 am
Crawford Takes Convincing Win at ORP
Sometimes the fastest truck doesn't win in NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series racing, but that was not the case in the Power Stroke Diesel 200 at O'Reilly Raceway Park at Indianapolis. Rick Crawford methodically moved the No. 14 Circle Bar Truck Corral Ford to the front of the field and took the lead on lap 74, and after settling back into the top-five after the last round of pit stops, made a convincing three-wide move to take the lead on lap 168 to go on to his fifth career series victory.
"When we won at Daytona (with a three wide pass for the lead) I never heard the word 'clear' from the spotter," Crawford explained. "I was never happier to hear that word than I was here tonight. We had some great veterans at the front of the field with Hornaday , Setzer, and Bliss, and it was fixing to get messy there. It was good to be racing with those guys at the front, that's what this NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series is all about."
Crawford had to deal with Mike Bliss late in the going. Bliss, who last pitted the No. 16 Xpress Motorsports Chevrolet on lap 81, stayed at the front of the field on old tires looking to pull off an upset fueled by pit strategy. As the laps wound down, a spate of late-race cautions kept the field on Bliss's bumper, eventually allowing Crawford to make the winning move.
"The tires kept changing from run to run late in the going," said Bliss, who eventually finished fifth. "After each cycle they would get loose, and then the next run it would get tight. We have to deal with that sometimes in practice, but it got us tonight here in the race. But I am very happy to get out of here with a top-five finish for our team. We're looking for sponsorship, and you hope a run like that will get the phone ringing."
Once past Bliss, Crawford did not have clear sailing to the finish. He faced heavy pressure from defending race winner Dennis Setzer down the stretch. For Setzer, a second-place finish in the No. 85 GM FlexFuel Chevrolet marks his first top-five finish of 2006.
"There was absolutely nothing wrong with how this team was running the first part of this season," Setzer said. "But sometimes you need to stir the pot up and make some changes, and that's just what we did. We moved Randy Goss over and he called a great race from the pit box here tonight. It was nice to be up front and be a factor here tonight, and it's hopefully a sign of things to come the rest of the season."
Ron Hornaday never made it to the front of the field, but he was a factor much of the evening in the No. 33 Kevin Harvick, Inc. Chevrolet. Hornaday finished third, another strong short track run for the two-time series champion. Hornaday finished ahead of David Starr, who scored another strong finish in the No. 11 Red Horse Racing Toyota.
"I'm very happy with this team's run here tonight," Starr said. "I had my team owner Jeff Hammond come on the radio just as they were fixing to go three wide in front of me. There were a lot of close calls there tonight. But that's short track racing, especially in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. We've been very consistent this year, and I think it's got us in a good position to make a run for the championship. We're not out of it, that's for sure."
Behind Bliss in fifth was Terry Cook's No. 10 Ford Power Stroke Diesel by International Ford in sixth, Todd Bodine in seventh driving the No. 30 Lumber Liquidators Toyota, Germain Racing teammate Ted Bodine was eighth in the No. 9 Team ASE Toyota, pole starter David Ragan was ninth in the No. 6 Scott's Ford, and Erik Darnell was the highest finishing rookie in the No. 99 FinishMaster Auto & Industrial Paint Ford.
There were a track record 11 cautions on the evening for 51 laps. Most of the caution periods were caused by incidents on the track. Chad Chaffin, David Reutimann, Erin Crocker, Ryan Moore, and Robert Richardson all had contact with the wall to bring out at least one caution. Reutimann's crash in turn on lap 145 left his truck severely damaged, leaving him 34th on the night. Others involved in spins included Cameron Dodson, making his NASCAR debut in the No. 63 Mittler Bros. Ford, Kelly Sutton, and Matt Crafton. Crafton was tagged early in the going and did a smokey slide through turn three, but kept off the wall and was miraculously avoided by oncoming traffic. Crafton raced back up into the top five, but eventually settled for 20th at the checkered.
Todd Bodine retains the lead by 182 points over Johnny Benson, while Crawford moves into third with his victory. Reutimann drops to fourth in the standings with Hornaday, Musgrave, Starr, Cook, Setzer, and Bliss rounding out the unofficial top ten.
Next up for the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series is the Toyota Tundra 200 from Nashville Superspeedway on Saturday August 12. TruckSeries.com will have complete event coverage, including TrackSideLive! practice updates, Live! Bud Pole Qualifying, and complete pre- and post-race coverage.
Post-race Audio
08-05-2006 12:00 am
Want to hear from the newsmakers at ORP?? Look to the Sights and Sounds Box to the right side of the page!
Rick Crawford talks about a powerful win, and how cool it is to meet with the fans and sign some autographs in the stands after the race.
Dennis Setzer talks to us about the changes at Morgan-Dollar Motorsports and his first top-five finish of 2006.
David Starr shared his excitement of another top five run and says he thinks he and the Red Horse Racing team are not out of the hunt for the series championship.
Mike Bliss talked about his strategy that saw him run the last 119 laps on one set of tires, and Terry Cook talks about the perils of carrying an on-truck camera on a short track that's know for a lot of action.
Ted Musgrave tells us if the wheels are back on the Germain train or not, and David Ragan talks about lessons learned here tonight, while Bobby East talks about a career best finish at his home track.
Brendan Gaughan had a truck capable of running in the top five, but tells us why that didn't happen here tonight.
Click on each driver's name to listen!
Points Movers
08-05-2006 12:05 am
Who moved up and down in the points?
Bodine
Benson +1
Crawford +1
Reutimann -2
Hornaday +1
Musgrave -1
Starr +1
Cook +1
Setzer +1
Bliss +1
Sprague -4
Crafton
Darnell
Gaughan
Skinner
Hamilton, Jr.
Almirola
Peters
McCumbee
Reid +1
Owners Points, Who's In and Who's Out
08-05-2006 12:08 am
Here is who's in:
27. Green Light 07 1310
28. Evernham 98 1308
29. BDR 22 1286
30. Sutton 02 1277
31. ThorSport 13 1247
(Darrell Waltrip Motorsports 12 did not participate here, and although 26th in points is not eligible for a guaranteed spot from here on out in 2006.)
Who's out:
32. Morgan-Dollar 46 1235
33. Key 40 1061
34. R3 1 1023
No other team has competed/attempted each race in 2006.
Putting a Period on It
08-05-2006 12:13 am
That's going to do it from ORP! It's been a lot of fun here for round 15 of the 2006 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. Congratulations go out to Rick Crawford and the Circle Bar Racing Team on their first win of 2006. It was nice to see Crawford spend some time with the fans after winning, signing numerous autographs in the grandstands following the race. Nice to see Dennis Setzer back challenging for wins as it looks like the team swap at Morgan-Dollar had the desired effect as Setzer was second and teammate Kraig Kinser was a career-best 13th.
Special thanks to Scott Smith and the entire staff at ORP for all of their help and hospitality. We look forward to coming back to Indy next year for the first ever July race as the ORP date moves ahead one week on the schedule.
That's going to do it for now. Don't forget to check back regularly for updates throughout the week, including the Fastenal Race Report podcast wrapping up the Power Stroke 200. We'll see you in Nashville!
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