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TrackSideLive!
| John Deere 250
Talladega Superspeedway | October 7, 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 Camping World Truck Series
including Practice Times, Notes, Quotes, Photos, Audio interviews and more!
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Good Morning from Talladega
10-05-2006 10:05 am
Good morning from the Talladega Superspeedway as we kick off coverage of the first ever NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race at the mammoth 2.66-mile Alabama tri-oval. It is a beautiful morning with clear skies above and some light mist rolling through the hills around the track. It should be a warm day here as high temperatures are expected to break into the mid 80s and a nice gentle breeze to help keep everyone cool. TSS track workers have already taken a couple spins around the new asphalt with the jet dryers to blow off the morning dew and the ARCA RE/MAX Series has just started its two and a half hour practice session.
TSS Thursday Schedule
10-05-2006 10:09 am
Here is today's track schedule:
10:00 am - 12:30 pm ET: ARCA Practice
1:10 - 2:10 pm ET: NCTS Practice 1
2:50 - 3:20 pm ET: NCTS Rookie Practice
3:20 - 4:20 pm ET: NCTS Final Practice
4:30 pm ET: ARCA Qualifying
8 pm ET: NCTS Garage Closes
Entry List Updates
10-05-2006 10:12 am
Here are the updates to the normal weekly entry list:
Wayne Edwards is again entered in the No. 03 Engine Parts Plus Chevrolet.
Scott Lagasse, Jr. is entered in the No. 04 Dodge Hemi Dodge.
Mark Martin is back in the No. 6 Scott's Ford.
Sean Murphy makes his return to the series in the No. 07 AKZO-Nobel/ASI Ltd./Spectrum Chevrolet.
Inaugural Daytona NCTS winner Mike Wallace is here in the No. 15 GEICO Chevrolet.
A.J. Allmendinger is entered in the No. 24 Bill Davis Racing Toyota.
Former Daytona 500 winner Derrike Cope is entered in the No. 40 Key Motorsports Chevrolet.
Joe Nemechek is taking a turn behind the wheel of the No. 46 US Army Chevrolet.
David Ragan moves back over to the No. 50 Roush Racing Ford.
Talladega Track Facts
10-05-2006 10:17 am
Talladega Superspeedway is 2.66 miles in length. The newly paves track features 33 degree banking in all four corners, 18 degree banking through the frontstretch tri-oval, and 3 degrees of banking down the backstretch. The frontstretch is 4,300 feet in length, while the backstretch is 4,000 feet long.
Since this is the inaugural event here at TSS, there are no previous track qualifying or race records.
Headed to the Garage for Pics
10-05-2006 10:33 am
The TruckSeries.com cameras are going to head to the garage for the first batch of TruckShots! and while we are there we dig for any news in the garage as well. We shall return!
Inspection Line Busy
10-05-2006 11:59 am
The teams are all hard at work getting their trucks in ship shape to please the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series inspectors here at Talladega Superspeedway. With aerodynamics such an issue on the drafting tracks, the teams try to make their trucks as slick as possible, but they still need to meet the templates in the "Room of Doom". Many teams are busy shaving off extra height on the spoilers or their valences, while some are working on massaging specific areas of the body to make the inspectors happy.
Roush Announcement Tomorrow
10-05-2006 12:10 pm
We are expecting an announcement here at the track by Roush Racing tomorrow morning. No word yet on what will be announced, but TruckSeries.com will be there to cover it and we will have all of the news posted here on TrackSideLive! and on the main page as soon as the announcements are made.
Daytona vs. Talladega
10-05-2006 12:15 pm
What makes a Daytona truck different from a Talladega truck? Terry Cook explains: "We are running the truck we tested at Daytona and then took back as our backup truck for the race. We cut the Daytona body off of it. Daytona is more of a handling track so you build a little more downforce into it. Talladega is more about horsepower so you want your body to get through the air a little more efficiently."
Talladega Inaugural; Not First Time for Most
10-05-2006 12:32 am
While it is the very first NCTS race here at Talladega Superspeedway, a majority of the drivers entered here do have previous experience here.
Aric Almirola ran the ARCA race last fall, although his race ended after just 2 laps due to an accident. Bobby East was also involved in the same crash, while Chad McCumbee retired on the same lap due to engine failure. Robert Richardson retired after 68 laps with engine failure to finish 30th. Erik Darnell also ran the ARCA race last year, finishing one lap off the pace in 13th. His teammate David Ragan was eighth, while Erin Crocker scored an impressive fourth-place finish. Former NCTS Raybestos Rookie of the Year contenders Kraig Kinser and Kyle Krisiloff finished first and second, but neither driver is entered here this weekend. Boston Reid ran the 2004 ARCA race here, retiring within sight of the checkered flag due to an accident.
Johnny Benson has 20 starts here, 17 in the Cup Series and three in the Busch Series. His best finish was a fifth-place in the Busch Series in 1995.
Mike Bliss has six starts here, four cup and two Busch. His best finish is also fifth in the Busch Series in 2003.
Todd Bodine has 17 starts, eight in the Cup Series and nine in the Busch Series. His best finish is third in the Busch Series in 1992.
Chad Chaffin has three starts, one Cup and two Busch. His best finish is 12th in the Busch Series in 2002.
Kerry Earnhardt has raced seven NASCAR races here, four Cup and three Busch. His best result is a fifth-place in the Busch Series in 2005.
Brendan Gaughan has raced here twice before, both in the Cup Series in 2004. He racked up a strong fourth-place in the fall race in 2004.
Bobby Hamilton, Jr. has 10 NASCAR races under his belt here, four Cup and six Busch. His best finish is a fourth-place run in the Busch car in 2000.
Ron Hornaday has seven starts, three Cup and four Busch. He finished third in the Busch race in 2004.
Mark Martin has 48 career NASCAR starts here, 41 in the Cup Series and seven in the Busch Series. He's scored three wins, two Cup and one Busch win. Martin also won the Truck race at Daytona earlier this season.
Ted Musgrave has run 21 races here, 20 in the Cup Series and one run in the Busch Series. His best finish is eighth in the Cup Series in 1996.
Dennis Setzer has run three races here, one Cup and two Busch. His best finish is 19th in the Cup Series in 1998.
Mike Skinner has run 16 races here, 15 in the Cup Series and one Busch race. His best finish was second in the Cup Series in 2000.
Jack Sprague has run four races here, one Cup and three Busch Series races. His best run was a 13th-place finish in the Busch Series in 2002.
David Starr has made two Busch Series starts here, his best finish being 38th in 2001.
Mike Wallace has one ARCA win here, in 1995, in addition to his 24 NASCAR starts. He's run 14 Cup races and ten Busch races with a best finish of 6th in the Busch Series in 1995.
Trucks Heading to Pit Road
10-05-2006 1:04 pm
The NCTS teams are busy finishing their preparations to begin practice, which is just moments away. Mark Martin will be the first one out on the track when the lights turn green. We will have all the news and notes from practice as it happens, with periodic timing updates as well so stick with us for the next few hours for all the action from here in Talladega.
Practice Underway
10-05-2006 1:18 pm
NCTS practice is underway with Mark Martin leading the charge onto the track. While ARCA practice featured mostly single-car runs, right of the bat the Truck drivers hooked up in a draft to get the feel of their machines in race conditions. And there is no more spectacular sight in all of motorsports than a pack of trucks at full speed drafting on the highbanks. It should make for an exciting day today, and that excitement will ramp up 100-fold come Saturday.
Practice 1 Rundown 1
10-05-2006 1:24 pm
Remember, this is a mix of drafting speeds and single-truck speeds. Drafting speeds will be significantly higher than a single-truck run speed.
1. Skinner 192.649
2. Crawford 192.123
3. Musgrave 192.042
4. Martin 192.004
5. Sprague 189.823
6. Starr 189.534
7. Nemechek 189.530
8. Earnhardt 189.137
9. Gaughan 189.044
10. Setzer 188.270
11. Bodine 187.879
12. Cope 186.776
13. Almirola 186.630
14. Hornaday 185.599
15. Bliss 185.133
16. Darnell 184.765
17. Reutimann 183.297
18. Ragan 182.926
19. Lester 182.133
20. Hamilton 181.981
21. Benson 181.505
22. Crafton 181.154
23. Cook 180.891
24. Miller 180.176
25. Crocker 179.888
26. East 179.172
27. Allmendinger 178.590
28. McCumbee 178.311
29. Wallace 178.307
30. Ambrose 177.415
31. Chaffin 158.628
Practice 1 Rundown 2
10-05-2006 1:45 pm
1. Skinner 192.649
2. Crawford 192.123
3. Musgrave 192.042
4. Martin 192.004
5. Sprague 189.823
6. Starr 189.534
7. Nemechek 189.530
8. Ambrose 189.178
9. Earnhardt 189.137
10. Gaughan 189.044
11. East 189.032
12. Darnell 188.693
13. Crafton 188.578
14. Wallace 188.563
15. Hornaday 188.396
16. Setzer 188.270
17. Bodine 187.879
18. Benson 187.673
19. Bliss 187.489
20. Cope 186.776
21. Cook 186.721
22. Almirola 186.630
23. Allmendinger 186.485
24. McCumbee 184.012
25. Reutimann 183.297
26. Ragan 182.926
27. Lester 182.133
28. Hamilton, Jr. 181.981
29. Crocker 180.632
30. Miller 180.176
31. Chaffin 178.710
32. Richardson 173.255
33. Lagasse 172.971
Practice 1 Rundown 3
10-05-2006 2:06 pm
1. Skinner 192.649
2. Gaughan 192.189
3. Crawford 192.123
4. Musgrave 192.042
5. Hornaday 192.012
6. Martin 192.004
7. Earnhardt 191.088
8. Lester 190.898
9. Ragan 190.742
10. Reutimann 190.488
11. Sprague 189.823
12. Bodine 189.733
13. Starr 189.534
14. Nemechek 189.530
15. Hamilton, Jr. 189.455
16. Ambrose 189.178
17. East 189.032
18. Allmendinger 188.723
19. Darnell 188.693
20. Crafton 188.578
21. Wallace 188.563
22. Setzer 188.270
23. Benson 187.673
24. Bliss 187.489
25. Almirola 187.423
26. Crocker 187.379
27. McCumbee 187.358
28. Murphy 186.944
29. Cope 186.776
30. Cook 186.721
31. Reid 180.203
32. Miller 180.176
33. Chaffin 178.710
34. Richardson 173.255
35. Lagasse 172.971
Rookies on Track
10-05-2006 3:07 pm
The NCTS rookies are on track for their 30-minute practice session. We'll have updates throughout. Erik Darnell leads early with David Ragan and Sean Murphy following.
Congrats to The Hamiltons and Hoopers
10-05-2006 3:13 pm
TruckSeries.com would like to pass along our congratulations to two newly married couples. Former series champion Bobby Hamilton wed Lori Shuler this week in Gatlinburg, Tennessee and the happy couple are celebrating here in Talladega. Congrats also to Lance Hooper and Deanne McKinney, who tied the knot September 1 at Walt Disney World in Orlando. Hooper is the crew chief on Kerry Earnhardt's No. 13 Chevrolet.
Rookie Practice Over
10-05-2006 3:21 pm
Chad McCumbee led the rookie session at 183.772 mph as the first year drivers concentrated on single truck runs. Bobby East was second at 183.709, Erik Darnell third at 183.164 and Sean Murphy fourth at 183.094. David Ragan rounded out the top five at 182.996 mph.
Boston Reid was sixth, Kerry Earnhardt seventh, Chase Miller eighth, Aric Almirola ninth, and Erin Crocker rounded out the top ten. Scott Lagasse, Robert Richardson, and Wayne Edwards rounded out the 13 drivers that turned laps.
Final practice is just underway now. We'll keep you abreast of everything going on during final practice so stick with us.
Drafting the Rule of the Day
10-05-2006 3:29 pm
There is a big 12-14 truck draft on the speedway now, and several other smaller packs out on the track as well as the teams concentrate on gettung their trucks set for race conditions on Saturday. Listening to the spotters on the scanner it sounds like they definitely have their work cut out for them.
Final Practice Rundown 1
10-05-2006 3:38 pm
1. Hamilton 193.980
2. East 193.791
3. Starr 193.494
4. Sprague 193.314
5. Ambrose 193.123
6. Cope 193.065
7. Martin 193.037
8. Crawford 192.959
9. Wallace 192.928
10. Allmendinger 192.812
11. Gaughan 192.723
12. Lester 192.637
13. Setzer 192.571
14. Hornaday 192.448
15. Crafton 192.042
16. Darnell 192.042
17. Reutimann 191.911
18. Nemechek 191.643
19. Earnhardt 191.581
20. Bliss 191.386
21. Ragan 190.966
22. Richardson 190.711
23. Bodine 190.438
24. Almirola 190.438
25. Musgrave 190.438
26. Cook 190.211
27. Benson 189.981
28. McCumbee 189.717
29. Chaffin 187.401
30. Reid 181.949
31. Edwards 181.932
32. Miller 180.112
33. Crocker 178.994
34. Skinner 178.115
35. Lagasse 142.252
TruckShots!
10-05-2006 3:44 pm
Click on the image above to visit our TruckShots! gallery! There are already nearly 120 images, and we'll have many more throughout the weekend so be sure to check back regularly.
Cope and Nemechek Audio
10-05-2006 3:48 pm
In the short break between sessions we had a chance to sit down with two-time Talladega Busch winner Joe Nemechek and 1990 Daytona 500 champion Derrike Cope. Nemechek talks about how the Trucks have changed since he last raced one in 1998 and how smooth the new surface is here in Talladega. Cope talks about what, if any, tire issues we will have this weekend and how the draft plays an equalizer for the smaller independent teams. Click on each driver's name in the Sights and Sounds box to the right side of the page to listen.
Final Practice Rundown 2
10-05-2006 3:55 pm
1. Hamilton Jr. 193.980
2. East 193.791
3. Starr 193.491
4. Sprague 193.314
5. Ambrose 193.123
6. Cope 193.065
7. Martin 193.037
8. Crawford 192.959
9. Wallace 192.928
10. Earnhardt 192.886
11. Allmendinger 192.812
12. Gaughan 192.723
13. Lester 192.637
14. Crafton 192.583
15. Setzer 192.571
16. Hornaday 192.448
17. Darnell 192.065
18. Reutimann 191.911
19. Benson 191.858
20. Cook 191.704
21. Nemechek 191.643
22. Bliss 191.551
23. Musgrave 191.371
24. Chaffin 191.290
25. Ragan 190.966
26. Richardson 190.711
27. Bodine 190.438
28. Almirola 190.438
29. Crocker 189.616
30. McCumbee 187.717
31. Miller 185.495
32. Reid 183.164
33. Edwards 181.932
34. Skinner 180.003
35. Lagasse 161.484
Final Practice Rundown 3
10-05-2006 4:15 pm
1. Hamilton, Jr. 193.980
2. East 193.791
3. Starr 193.494
4. Sprague 193.314
5. Ambrose 193.123
6. Cope 193.065
7. Martin 193.037
8. Crawford 192.959
9. Wallace 192.928
10. Earnhardt 192.886
11. Allmendinger 192.812
12. Gaughan 192.723
13. Lester 192.637
14. Crafton 192.583
15. Setzer 192.571
16. Hornaday 192.448
17. Darnell 192.065
18. Reutimann 191.911
19. Benson 191.858
20. Cook 191.704
21. Nemechek 191.643
22. Bliss 191.551
23. Musgrave 191.371
24. Chaffin 191.290
25. Ragan 190.966
26. Richardson 190.711
27. Bodine 190.438
28. Almirola 190.438
29. Murphy 189.740
30. Crocker 189.616
31. Miller 188.883
32. McCumbee 187.717
33. Lagasse 187.009
34. Reid 183.164
35. Edwards 181.932
36. Skinner 180.003
Practice Over
10-05-2006 4:28 pm
An incident-free day at Talladega Superspeedway has come to an end. We are going to head to the garage for some end of the day thoughts and we will be back with some driver audio, more pics, and more TrackSideLive! updates before we call it a day. Be back soon!
Audio on the Way
10-05-2006 5:41 pm
Stick around for some great driver interviews from the garage following the conclusion of practice here at Talladega Superspeedway. We spoke to Aric Almirola, Todd Bodine, Rick Crawford, Erin Crocker, Terry Cook, Bobby East, and Bobby Hamilton Jr.
Almirola talks about the sensation of speed at 195+ mph entering the turns at Talladega, while Crocker talks about the level of trust you have in your fellow competitors. Cook tells us whether his Daytona success will carry over to Talladega and Bodine talks about how he plans to race here on Saturday. Hamilton Jr. speaks about the success BHR has had at Daytona and tells us he's driving the truck than won the inaugural Truck race at Daytona. East talks about the yellow stripe on the bumper and how that will affect his chances of getting to the front, and Crawford talks about finally getting the chance to race in his home state of Alabama.
Click on each driver's name in the Sights and Sounds box to the right side of the page to listen.
Crawford Running Talladega Short Track
10-05-2006 6:19 pm
Rick Crawford will team up with long-time friend,stock car racing legend, and Alabama Gang member Red Farmer to run the Southern All-Stars race tomorrow night next door at the Talladega Short Track. Crawford originally teamed up with Farmer at the end-of-season Snowball Derby for late model stock cars when Crawford brought a car for Farmer to race. Farmer is a regular at Talladega Short Track and this time it is his turn to provide a car for Crawford to run. We will be in attendance tomorrow night when all the action goes down and fill you in on how he does.
Good Night from Talladega
10-05-2006 5:48 pm
That's going to do it for TrackSideLive! on a quiet day here at Talladega Superspeedway. We'll be back bright and early tomorrow for the Roush Racing announcement and of course we'll have Live! Bud Pole Qualifying for you as well. Good night for now, see you all tomorrow.
Good Morning from Talladega
10-06-2006 10:12 am
Good Friday morning from a very busy Talladega Superspeedway media center. It has cooled considerably since yesterday and there is a cloud cover overhead, but we should stay dry all day - and all weekend for that matter - as we prepare for Live! Bud Pole Qualifying coming your way at 12:15 pm ET. There is a lot going here this morning as the world prepares for the Roush Racing announcements. We will have all of that information for you as it is released.
Northern Tool and Equipment to Sponsor Darnell
10-06-2006 10:15 am
Roush Racing has announced that Northern Tool and Equipment will sponsor Erik Darnell's No. 99 Ford for the remainder of 2006 and 2007. "We've been fortunate to have Woolrich on board with us for nine or ten races this season, but we've been to some races with a white truck," Darnell said. "Having a full time primary sponsor has really been the missing link in our program and we are happy to have Northern Tool and Equipment on board with us."
Northern Tool will sponsor the No. 99 for five of the remaining six races, and will be an associate sponsor on the other two Roush Racing trucks for the remainder of the season. Roush Racing vp of business development Robin Johnson terms the contract with Northern Tool and Equipment to be "multi year" in nature.
Martin Departs Roush Racing's Cup Program
10-06-2006 10:35 am
In an announcement posted on the team's website, Roush Racing has announced that Mark Martin will leave the organization to drive a 20-race schedule in the Cup Series in 2007. After 19 years of driving the team's No. 6 Ford in the Cup Series, Martin will move to the MB2 organization to share a ride with Regan Smith.
“I consider Mark Martin a personal friend and over the last 20 years we have had a fantastic relationship professionally and personally,” Roush said. “Mark will always hold a special place in my heart and a special place in Roush Racing, and I truly wish him all the best in his future plans.”
“Jack Roush and I have enjoyed a very special relationship for the past 20 years,” said Martin. “Jack afforded me the opportunity to chase my dreams, and there is no way to put in words what he has meant to me, my life and my career.
“The deal to come back with Roush in the No. 6 with AAA really worked out great and gave me one of the best and most rewarding years of my career,” Martin added. “AAA has been great to work with and it’s really been awesome to work on such important issues. I’m really glad I was able to come back a year and help those guys and Jack out, and we are going to do everything we can to keep chasing after that Nextel Cup for the next seven races.”
"When Mark finally reconciled his somewhat conflicting desires, he settled on staying in Cup and running a 20-race schedule. We had no way of accommodating that desire since all of our Cup programs were previously committed," said Roush Racing president Geoff Smith.
"And, NASCAR team limits prevented Roush Racing from putting together an additional team for Mark, so in the end Mark had to move on - in order to stay in the Cup series. He's meant a great deal to this organization and we certainly wish him the best in whatever he chooses to do down the road."
Press Conferences Complete; Off to Garage
10-06-2006 11:03 am
The Roush Racing press conferences are complete so we are going to grab the TruckSeries.com microphones and cameras and head to the garage for some pre-qualifying updates. We are getting closer to the 12:15 P.M. Eastern start of Live! Bud Pole Qualifying so stick around with us as we get ready to roll for the pole and we'll bring you all the news from the garage as well.
Martin Not Done with Trucks?
10-06-2006 11:23 am
While the question of what Mark Martin's Cup plans was asked and answered with his morning press conference, the question of his Truck Series plans still remains a question mark.
"I still love Truck racing," Martin said. "I am a Ford dealer and I still have business with (Ford Racing president) Dan Davis. I don't plan on doing any personal services for Chevrolet. If the right opportunity came along, I would seriously consider doing a partial Truck Series schedule in a Ford truck."
Live! Bud Pole Qualifying on Now
10-06-2006 12:25 am
Don't forget to log onto our
Live! Bud Pole Qualifying
coverage which is on now. We will rejoin TrackSideLive! once we set the field for the John Deere 250.
Martin Scores John Deere 250 Pole at Talladega
10-06-2006 3:13 pm
Mark Martin turned the fastest lap in Friday's Bud Pole Qualifying for the John Deere 250 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race at Talladega Superspeedway. Martin, who earned his third pole of the season in the No. 6 Scott's Ford, was the only driver to eclipse the 182 mile per hour barrier, turning a lap of 52.523 seconds/182.320 miles per hour. Martin also started from the pole position in the season opener at Daytona, Talladega's sister track.
In the two previous races in which Martin started from the pole position he followed up with a win. He won both at Daytona to start the season and backed it up with a win from the pole at Bristol in August. Martin, who announced earlier in the day that he is leaving the Roush organization after 19 years, will shoot for his fifth win of the season on Saturday.
Martin's Roush teammate David Ragan will line up alongside outside the front row. Ragan's No. 50 Roush Racing Ford ran 52.682 seconds/181.770 miles per hour to start on the front row for the third time in 2006. Ragan started on the pole due to points at Gateway, then earned the pole through qualifying and Indianapolis.
Bobby Hamilton, Jr. qualified third in the No. 18 Fastenal Dodge. Hamilton ran a lap of 52.762 seconds/181.494 miles per hour to earn his second top-five starting position in the last three Truck Series races. He started fourth at Loudon, which until today was his best qualifying effort since earning the Bud Pole at Martinsville in April.
Series championship contenders Todd Bodine and Johnny Benson round out the top five starters. Bodine's No. 30 Lumber Liquidators Toyota will line up fourth after a 52.956 second/180.829 mph lap, while his points pursuer Benson will go from fifth after turning a 53.070/180.441 lap in the No. 23 Exide Batteries Toyota.
Leading Raybestos Rookie of the Year candidate Erik Darnell qualified sixth in the No. 99 Northern Tool and Equipment Ford, three-time series champion Jack Sprague was seventh in the No. 60 Con-way Freight Toyota, Bill Lester was eighth in the No. 22 Bill Davis Racing Toyota, David Starr was ninth in the No. 11 Red Horse Racing Toyota, and home state favorite Rick Crawford rounded out the top ten in the No. 14 Circle Bar Truck Corral Ford.
There were four Fords, one Dodge, and five Toyotas among the top ten starters. Mike Wallace was the highest qualified Chevrolet driver and will go from 15th in the No. 15 GEICO Chevrolet.
Two-time NASCAR Busch Series winner at Talladega Joe Nemechek will line up 23rd, A.J. Allmendinger will start 25th, Dennis Setzer 26th, and 1990 Daytona 500 winner Derrike Cope will roll off from 32nd.
The John Deere 250 is scheduled for a 3:15 P.M. Eastern green flag. Stay locked to TruckSeries.com for continuing coverage from the track, including TrackSideLive! updates leading up to, during, and following the race.
Talladega Bud Pole Fast Facts
10-06-2006 3:13 pm
Mark Martin picks up his third pole of the season; in previous starts from the pole at Daytona and Bristol, Martin went on to score the victory...Martin has five career victories, four of which have come this season...Martin's pole gives the Roush team five for the 2006 season; Martin has earned three and David Ragan and Erik Darnell have both earned one each...Martin has two other poles at Talladega, both coming in Cup competition in 1989.
Teams Calling It a Day
10-06-2006 3:19 pm
With the only thing on the docket today their two-lap qualifying runs, the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series teams are calling it a day early and headed off for a night of rest and relaxation before tomorrow's white-knuckle John Deere 250. The garage closes at 4 pm ET, but the teams have been steadily filtering out the gates after locking their trucks in their garage stalls. Many are looking for the best vantage point to watch Cup practice and the ARCA race this evening and others will be headed to the Talladega Short Track for some time in the dirt.
We talked to David Ragan and Bobby Hamilton following their qualifying runs, so click on their name in the Sights and Sounds box to the right to listen. Of course, the TruckShots! gallery is bursting at the seams with well over 200 images from Talldega so check that out as well.
We're going to call it a day from Talldega, we'll resume TrackSideLive! coverage from Talladega tomorrow morning. Until then, so long everyone!
Good Raceday Morning from Talladega
10-07-2006 10:47 am
Hello and good morning from the Talladega Superspeedway. The clouds we had yesterday during qualifying rolled out of the area just before the ARCA race last night, and should stay away throughout the day today. High temperatures are expected to be in the mid to upper 70s and a nice breeze will blow through to keep everyone cool in the warm Alabama sun.
The gates to the NCTS garage area opened just a short while ago and the teams are very busy preparing their trucks for the final trip through the Room of Doom and the NASCAR officials. We will have the updates all throughout the day so stick with us!
Back from the Garage...
10-07-2006 12:21 pm
We took the chance to wander through the garage and talk to a handful of drivers leading up to the driver and crew chief meeting and we have updates from now leading you up to the drop of the green flag. We'll upload the audio as quickly as we can, and we'll update you on the drivers meeting and some pre-race stats as well so stick with us!
Driver's Meeting Notes
10-07-2006 12:33 pm
Here is the scoop from the pre-race driver and crew chief meeting:
NASCAR Camping World Truck Series director Wayne Auton cautioned the drivers that three words will play a key role in today's race: patience, respect, and room. He wants the drivers to be patient, give each other a lot of respect, and use all of the room the Talladega Superspeedway offers to prevent what some have considered the inevitable "big one" in the John Deere 250.
Pit road speed will be 55 miles per hour and the caution truck will run 70 miles per hour on the track. Pit road speed begins 175 feet before the first pit box and ends 75 feet after the last pit box.
The restart point is the double red line on the outside wall coming through the tri-oval.
The minimum lap time to stay in competition is 55.54 seconds.
Drivers must keep all four tires below the yellow line when exiting the pits until they exit turn two. That means rather than keeping the left side tires in contact as is the custom at most superspeedway events, the drivers will have to run the apron until they exit turn two.
If a team has a problem and needs to change a shock absorber, NASCAR officials have placed replacements for the mandated shocks in stalls 11, 21, and 31. NASCAR mandates the shocks and rear springs that teams must run here, and assigns them to the teams through a random draw.
Ambrose to the Back
10-07-2006 12:42 pm
He's scheduled to start 30th, but Marcos Ambrose will have to drop to the back of the field at the drop of the green flag due to being late for the driver's meeting. Ambrose will roll off in the 30th position, but will drop to the tail on the final pace lap before the green flag.
Pre-race Audio
10-07-2006 12:45 pm
We met up with six drivers as we prowled the garage area this morning. We met up with Ted Musgrave and talked about what kind of race we expect to see here this afternoon, and how it will differ from what we've seen in the past at Daytona. Sean Murphy talks about his previous experience at Daytona and says he's planning on running just as well today as he did in the past at Daytona. Boston Reid talks about putting himself in a position not to be caught up in someone else's mistake, and David Reutimann speaks about that snazzy new paint job on his truck and the excitement that is in the air here at Talladega. Robert Richardson laid out his plan for today and tell us a good run today will reverse the momentum of what has at times been a frustrating season. Finally, we talked to the inaugural Daytona NCTS winner Mike Wallace and relived the last lap of the first Daytona Truck race.
Keep looking to the right side of the TrackSideLive! page for the Sights and Sounds box, and click on each driver's name to listen to their interview.
John Deere 250 Pit Road Assignments
10-07-2006 12:54 am
Here are the pit stall assignments for the John Deere 250, starting with the first pit box at the exit of pit road and ending with the last pit stall at the entrance to pit road:
Martin
Ragan
Skinner
Cope
Darnell
Almirola
Starr
Bliss
Chaffin
Nemechek
Wallace
Benson
Break in pit wall
Hamilton, Jr.
Miller
Crocker
Reutimann
Lagasse, Jr.
Hornaday
Murphy
McCumbee
Gaughan
Ambrose
Edwards
Sprague
Break in pit wall
Bodine
Richardson
Musgrave
Reid
Crafton
Allmendinger
Setzer
East
Earnhardt
Crawford
Break in pit wall
Cook
Lester
2006 Key Race Stats
10-07-2006 12:59 pm
The average start of the winner is 7.8. (Jack Sprague lines up seventh and Bill Lester lines up eighth.) The lowest anyone has started and gone on to win in 2006 is 22nd, twice, at Kentucky (Hornaday) and Nashville (Benson). The pole winner has won five times (Martin - Daytona, Bristol; Bodine - Atlanta; Sprague - Memphis; and Skinner - Vegas).
The lead changes hands an average of 9.2 times per race. The most lead changes was 21 at Daytona (and that mark - and the absolute series record of 31 set in the 2000 Daytona race for that matter- are in serious jeopardy here today). The fewest lead changes was 2 at Mansfield and Bristol.
There are an average of 5.4 lead drivers per race. The most lead drivers was 9 at Daytona and the fewest was 2 at Atlanta, Charlotte, and Bristol.
The caution flag waves an average of 8.9 times per race. The most was 18 at Mansfield, and the fewest was 4, twice, at Atlanta and Dover.
The pace truck leads the field for an average of 39.4 laps per race. The fewest was just 17 laps at Daytona, while the most was 87 at Martinsville.
An average of 31.6 drivers are still racing at the finish, with a low of 27 drivers running at Daytona and Gateway and a high of 35 at Dover, Kansas, and Memphis. There is an average of 4.4 drivers not running at the finish.
There are an average of 21.2 drivers on the lead lap. There were 30 lead laop finishers at Michigan and a low of 13 at Texas.
Stat Summary 2005 vs. 2006
10-07-2006 1:13 pm
Avg start of winner: 2005, 9.68; 2006, 7.84
Cumulative lead changes: 2005, 177; 2006, 174
Avg lead changes per race: 2005, 9.32; 2006, 9.16
Avg lead drivers per race: 2005, 6.37; 2006, 5.37
Total laps under caution: 2005, 700; 2006, 748
Avg caution flags per race: 2005, 8.00; 2006, 8.89
MFR Year-to-Date Stats
10-07-2006 1:15 pm
Chevrolet: 3 wins, 1 pole, 19 top-5, 52 top-10, 800 laps led
Dodge: 0 wins, 1 pole, 4 top-5, 11 top-10, 44 laps led
Ford: 6 wins, 5 poles, 18 top-5, 46 top-10, 874 laps led
Toyota: 10 wins, 10 poles, 54 top-5, 81 top-10, 1505 laps led
There are 13 Chevrolets, 10 Toyotas, 7 Fords, and 6 Dodges in today's starting field.
Countdown to Green
10-07-2006 1:27 pm
The focus is on the remaining cars yet to run in Cup racing, but the anticipation is all due to the first ever NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race here at Talladega. Traffic is lined up for miles trying to get in to speedway, and the fans are pouring into the grandstands at a very rapid rate. There should be a massive crowd on hand for today's John Deere 250, and they are going to be treated to what could very possibly be the most intense and entertaining race in Truck Series history.
Many believe that since there was a massive crash at the series first race at Daytona that there will automatically be one here at Daytona as well. The crash at Daytona was a fluke, and while it could happen today, many veteran observers here today think we could also see a very clean and competitive race as well.
Look for Mark Martin to be strong, and the Fords and Toyotas to team up and run up towards the front. Also look for the Dodges and Chevrolets to work together in an intra-squad run towards the front. Teammates will work together, at least until the last handful of laps, and some may decide the action up front is too intense and drop to the back and let the race come to them later in the day. Todd Bodine and Ted Musgrave were strong in Daytona and there is no reason to believe they won't be just as strong here today. Darkhorses to look for include Erik Darnell, who had a very good truck in the draft on Thursday and Bill Lester who is always strong at Daytona. Lasy Luck will play the biggest role today because every truck will be capable of running in the top five or the bottom five, and it's all about where your track position puts you when it's time to lay the cards down at the end of the day.
Tires shouldn't be an issue. Expect two stops for fuel, and expect some teams to maybe try to run the entire 250 miles on just one change of Goodyear rubber.
We're gonna get ready for the drop of the green flag. We've updated you on everything we've heard and seen so far, and if anything breaks before the drop of the green we'll be back. We will start with John Deere 250 race updates shortly.
Talladega Pre-Race Thoughts
10-07-2006 2:50 pm
We've finally arrived in the press box in the middle of the tri-oval and it is truly exciting to be a part of the first ever NCTS race here at Talladega Superspeedway. The grandstands are very full, and we could be looking at a record crowd for the series as more people continue to file in from the parking lots and campgrounds.
For someone who's never been here before, everything about Talladega is impressive. The size of the facility, the amount of people, the campers that go on for what seems to be forever in the rolling hills, just everything is big and impressive.
The starting field is lined up on pit road, and looking at them lined up prior to go to war on the 2.66-mile tri-oval, it could be the deepest starting line up in history. Virtually every truck is a solid contender to run into the top ten and at least 25 of the 36 starters could potentially go to victory lane. It should be a great race, so kick back with the TV on SPEED, the radio on MRN, and your browser locked on to TrackSideLive! for complete coverage of the John Deere 250.
Condolences to the Bradberry Family
10-07-2006 3:19 pm
Condolences to the family of former part-time NCTS competitor Charlie Bradberry, who was fatally injured in an automobile accident last night. Bradberry ran a handful of races in his family-owned No. 78 Chevrolet with a best finish of 20th at Mansfield in 2004. He was a former winner of the famed Snowball Derby, taking the checkered flag first in 2003. Bradberry was close to many current drivers including Rick Crawford, who like Bradberry is a former Snowball Derby winner, and Robert Richardson. Richardson and the No. 1 WinYourMortgage.com Chevrolet team have dedicated their race today in memory of Charlie Bradberry.
John Deere 250 Race Updates 1-10
10-07-2006 3:32 pm
10. Lap 6 - Hamilton led the field off turn two on the opening lap but is currently 34th and has lost the draft. Thirty-three trucks run in the lead pack.
9. Lap 4 - Martin, Benson, Sprague and Starr are single file up front. Earnhardt's truck just puffed smoke across the start finish line as his engine gives up the ghost.
8. Martin takes the lead back off turn four and leads across the line. Benson rides second as the field is three wide eight rows deep behind.
7. Green flag. Track temp is 118 degrees. Hamilton dips inside Martin to take the lead into turn one. The field is stacking up three wide already.
6. The field has set their pit road speed and have now joined into 18 rows of 2 behind a single pace truck. The lights flash off the pace truck as they cross the start-finish line for the last time before they see the green flag.
5. Even at 70 mph, the pace laps prior to the race and the caution laps during the race will take nearly two and a half minutes. The field is rolling off turn four to complete the first pace lap, next time around we will get the one to go signal.
4. The field is rolling off pit road. We will have three pace laps before dropping the green flag.
3. Engines have been fired. Richardson, Lagasse, and Bliss will drop to the back due to adjustments in impound. Lester will go to the back due to a transmission change. Ambrose will drop to the back due to missing the drivers meeting.
2. Two F-16s just buzzed the infield and the 100,000+ fans on site here are pumped and ready to go. Drivers are buckling in and we should get the command momentarily.
1. Driver intros have been completed, albeit nearly an hour behind schedule due to a marathon Cup qualifying session. Pre-race ceremonies continue with the National Anthem and Invocation, and the command to start engines should ring through the Alabama countryside very soon.
John Deere 250 Race Updates 11-20
10-07-2006 4:02 pm
20. Lap 22 - Cope comes to pit road with a flat left rear tire. The debris he cast throughout turn three and four brings out the caution for the first time. Martin, who just dropped behind leader Benson, will receive the free pass.
19. Lap 21 - Cook now moves upstairs and tries to take the outside line to the front of the field. He has help from Hornaday, but Hornaday swings even higher and hangs Cook out to dry in the middle.
18. Lap 20 - Richardson and Crafton run in a two-truck draft the length of the frontstretch behind the main pack. Benson continues to lead Sprague, Cook, Bodine and now Bliss.
17. Lap 19 - Somehow Martin managed to latch on to the front of the line, but Skinner was inhaled by the pack and is now a lap down.
16. Lap 17 - The three BHR trucks have hooked up and formed a three-truck draft at the back of the pack. Skinner and Martin will hook up when Martin catches Skinner, but they both have their hands full as the lead group is bearing down on them quickly.
15. Lap 15 - Benson, Sprague, Cook, Bodine, Crawford, Darnell, Reutimann, East, Hornaday, and Wallace are the top ten as Skinner peels off to pit road.
14. Lap 13 - Skinner will come to pit road to replace the right side window, which has blown out somewhere around the speedway.
13. lap 11 - Cope gets hung out to dry and goes from fifth to 20th and continues to drop back.
12. Lap 10 - Martin comes to pit road with trash on the grille. He should be able to stay on the lead lap but without a drafting partner he should be in danger of falling a lap down.
11. Lap 7 - Benson leads as Martin is now 27th. Sprague is second with Cook, Bodine and Cope the top five.
John Deere 250 Race Updates 21-30
10-07-2006 4:17 pm
30. Lap 42 - Richardson has troubles off turn four and spins to the inside without making contact. Caution is out for the third time.
29. Lap 39 - Sprague goes up in smoke going into turn one but gets the truck down and out of the groove. Bodine takes the lead with Ragan and Darnell second and third.
28. Lap 36 - Restart. Single file off turns one and two.
27. Lap 34 - Bliss reports he's cutting Sprague a big break by getting off the gas to keep the front three signle file. Benson leads Sprague, Bliss, Reutimann, Bodine, Cook, Ragan, Darnell, Wallace, Setzer, Starr, Hornaday, Crocker, Gaughan, Martin, Setzer, Musgrave, Allmendinger, Chaffin, Murphy, Crawford, Lester, Crafton, Almirola, McCumbee, Ambrose, Hamilton, Cope, East, Richardson, and Skinner. Skinner reports a serious vibration.
26. Lap 32 - Bliss jumps up top as the field comes off turn four as they come off turn four. Just as it looks like we'll have a race for the lead, Lagasse erupts in smoke in the tri-oval to bring out the second caution of the day.
25. Lap 30 - Ragan steps upstairs as the field now starts to look like it's going to go two-wide . Ragan rides next to Cook racing for fifth.
24. Lap 29 - Martin shoots up the middle towards the back of the lead pack. The back of the lead draft is starting to get racey as the front stays single file.
23. Lap 27 - Benson continues to lead as the field remarkably stays single file up front.
22. Lap 24 - Benson leads Sprague, Bliss, Bodine, Reutimann, Cook, Darnell, Starr, Hornaday, Crawford, Crocker, Almirola, Gaughan, Wallace, Ragan, Setzer, Nemechek, Lester, Chaffin, Reid, Musgrave, Allmendinger, Ambrose, Crafton, McCumbee, Lagasse, Miller, East, Murphy, Richardson, Cope, and Martin.
21. Lap 23 - Murphy leads under caution as the field comes to pit road.
John Deere 250 Race Updates 31-40
10-07-2006 4:45 pm
40. Lap 63 - The field is one big pack running three and four wide. Things are heating up as we are now getting down to crunch time.
39. Lap 59 - Martin leads Wallace, Gaughan, Almirola, Bodine, Nemechek, Musgrave, Starr, Ragan, Benson, Cope, Chaffin, Setzer, Reutimann, Reid, Skinner, Allmendinger, Ambrose, Darnell, Richardson, Miller, Hamilton, Crafton, McCumbee, Cook, Crocker, Miller, Hamilton, Hornaday, East, Crawford, Lester, Murphy, Sprague, Lagasse, Edwards, and Earnhardt. Crawford is the first truck one lap down.
38. Lap 57 - Hornaday and Crocker get together on pit road and Crocker spins into her pit stall. No one is hit, and she turns around and gets service before rejoining the pack.
37. Lap 56 - East brushes the wall in turn three with a flat right rear and brings out the fourth caution of the day. Cook's brother-in-law's bad luck is his own good luck as he picks up the free pass and rejoins the lead lap.
36. Lap 53 - Crawford to pit toad with a flat right rear.
35. Lap 52 - Bodine swings outside Allmendinger in a race for the lead. Wallace goes three wide and dusts them both off to take the top spot.
34. Lap 49 - Allmendinger leads as the field is stacked up behind him. Murphy drops off the pace with smoke out of the pipes.
33. Lap 46 - Restart. Cook got up to speed quickly on the lap down lane and jumps to the front of the pack to rejoin the tail of the lead lap.
32. Lap 45 - Cook's chances suddenly are dimmed as he is hit with a one lap penalty for pitting outside the box. He will need a quick caution to pick up the free pass and rejoin the lead lap. He is the only drive currently running not on the lead lap. Sprague, Lagasse, Edwards, and Earnhardt are off the track and out of competition.
31. Lap 44 - Pit stops. Darnell leads with Allmendinger, Murphy, Ragan, Bodine, Reutimann, Martin, Wallace, Benson, Hornaday, East, Lester, Almirola, McCumbee, Musgrave, Starr, Skinner, Setzer, Chaffin, Nemechek, Ambrose, Crocker, Crawford, Bliss, Crafton, Gaughan, Reid, Miller, Richardson, Cope, Hamilton, and Cook.
Heading Back to Infield for Post-race
10-07-2006 5:12 pm
We're going to sign off and rejoin you ASAP from the infield so we can pick up post-race coverage.
John Deere 250 Race Updates 41-46
10-07-2006 5:31 pm
Unofficial Results
46. Lap 94 - Martin wins as Wallace and Cope crash hard on the final lap. Results to follow as we sort out the running order when the field was frozen.
45. Lap 91 - Bodine restarts 27th. Martin leads on the restart after Musgrave throws a block and it doesn't work.
44. Lap 88 - Bodine argues he was pushed below the yellow line by Martin and his crew is arguing the case to no avail.
43. Lap 86 - Bodine is going to be black flagged for passing below the yellow line. Bodine catches a good break as he will be able to serve that penalty under the caution as Reid crashes coming off turn four.
42. Lap 85 - Bodine looks inside and hangs Martin out to dry. Bodine and Musgrave to the front.
41. Lap 83 - Green flag out after a quick caution for a stalled truck. Martin leads Bodine, Musgrave, Allmendinger, and Benson.
Box Score
10-07-2006 7:30 pm
NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Race
Number 20
Box Score for the John Deere 250 - Saturday, October 7, 2006
Talladega Superspeedway - Talladega, Ala. - 2.66 Mile Banked Paved
Total Race Length - 94 Laps - 250.040 Miles
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Winner
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Mark Martin
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Car
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6 - Scotts Ford
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Winner’s Purse
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$
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Average speed
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138.207 mph
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Margin of Victory
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Under caution
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Starting Position
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1
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Laps Led by Winner
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37
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Most Laps Led
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Mark Martin - 37 Laps
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Lead changes
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12 among 9 drivers
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Caution flags
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7 for 23 laps
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Kerry Earnhardt No. 13 Thorsport Chevrolet
10-07-2006 7:37 pm
“We just broke a valve. The valve spring give out on us and put us out of the race. Luckily, our truck is still in one piece. I guess it’s been old faithful for ThorSport racing for several years. It’s called Miss Piggy and it’s been a fast truck. Unfortunately, bad luck just follows us and we just fell out of the race. I think it’s going to be a good race. Everybody’s pretty calm out there and using their head quite a bit. I think it’s going to be an exciting race for the fans but it’s going to be a calm race, too.”
Erik Darnell No. 99 Northern Tool Ford
10-07-2006 7:38 pm
“We finished with the truck in one piece. Our Northern Tool + Equipment F-150 was really good at the beginning of the race there. When I can get behind my teammate David Ragan or Mark Martin there too, we were real good. We could just go where we wanted to. Unfortunately we had a little bit of a mishap on a pit stop and didn’t pit the first time out there. I think we had a lug nut get hung up and kind of got us put in the back there. Unless you had a ton of help, or unless you had somebody who was committed to going with you, it was hard to go anywhere in the back. We were just kind of riding around three-wide trying to make it back up there. All we could do is finish where we could.” WERE YOU CLOSE TO THE LAST LAP ACCIDENT? “They were spinning and wrecking up there in front of us. I saw a bunch of smoke and everything but that was about it. I was on the bottom and we were able to go right by it without a problem.”
Chad McCumbee No. 08 GPS Store/Garmin Chevrolet
10-07-2006 7:40 pm
“We had a fuel pump issue. I’m sure it was probably a five-dollar part. It’s just unfortunate, you know. We’ve had two DNFs and that’s not like us but we’ve been having great motors, great parts all year so that’s not our problem. We’ve got a string a bad luck and that’s what happens. We’ll regroup. We’ve got a truck to go back with. I was optimistic about our chances, not necessarily to win but we were going to come out I think with a top-10. I was real happy with the way we performed today. Let’s just get that monkey off our back and go next week.”
Robert Richardson No. 1 winyourmortgage.com Chevrolet
10-07-2006 7:54 pm
"I am just so proud of our R3 team gaining our best NCTS finish of the season here at Talladega. We knew we had a solid race truck in the draft and if we could just stay with the lead pack all day and keep our nose clean that we should be able to earn a top-20 finish. I had a cut left-rear tire on lap 43 and spun off the corner, but was able to keep it off the wall and get to pit road for fresh tires. I tried to stay out of the middle of some of the chaos and it paid off until the last lap. I was drafting with David Starr and we were working great together and gaining position in the closing laps. Then the trucks started wrecking in front of us and the 40 truck came just about right over my truck and from there I really had no where to go. I got into the back of David when he made contact with another truck and that tore up the front of our Chevrolet Silverado, but I was able to make it to the checkered flag. I am glad everyone was okay in that last wreck because it was pretty bad, but overall I think all the drivers did a great job today on the incredible new track surface here at Talladega. But I just can’t say enough about our team, we have overcome a lot of obstacles this season and this is really a huge boost for everyone involved with our R3 team."
Unofficial Results Change
10-07-2006 8:01 pm
In the first draft of the unofficial results, Johnny Benson was listed eleventh but in a revision just released by NASCAR he was moved to ninth position. With that change, Benson also picks up eight points in the chase for the series championship, and now unofficially sits 113 points behind Todd Bodine.
Ron Hornaday was moved to tenth and Dennis Setzer was dropped to eleventh in the latest revision.
Points Gain/Loss
10-07-2006 8:04 pm
1. Bodine 3076
2. Benson 2963 -113
3. Reutimann 2821 -255
4. Musgrave 2795 -281
5. Crawford 2708 -368
6. Hornaday 2665 -411 +1
7. Starr 2644 -432 -1
8. Cook 2584 -492 +2
9. Setzer 2584 -499 +2
10. Bliss -502 -2
11. Sprague -533 -2
12. Skinner -553 +1
13. Crafton -562 -1
14. Darnell -712
15. Gaughan -760
16. Hamilton Jr. -972
17. Almirola -1087
18. McCumbee -1123
19. Reid -1284 +1
20. Earnhardt -1305 -1
Post-Race Audio Posted
10-07-2006 8:10 pm
Ten post-race clips have been added to the Sights and Sounds Box for your listening pleasure. Mike Skinner talks about his day, coming from a lap down and getting tied up in the last lap incident before coming home second. Ted Musgrave speaks about the type of race we expected and received, and Todd Bodine talks about the controversial penalty and what he saw on a wild last lap. Johnny Benson talks about his say, the Bodine penalty, and his view through the windshield on the last lap. Terry Cook shares his disappointment with a 13th-place finish, as does Rick Crawford regarding his 15th-place finish. Marcos Ambrose shares his thoughts on his first ever Talladega race, then talks about the opportunity to go Busch racing in 2007. Erin Crocker talks about going to the front and then the back and then back to the front, and Bobby East tells us how he managed to finish even after bouncing off the wall here at Talladega. Finally, Derrike Cope came from the care center after that hard last lap crash to tell us what caused it and how he's feeling. Look to the right side of the page and click on each driver's name to listen.
That's a Wrap from Talladega
10-07-2006 8:19 pm
That's going to do it from Talladege Superspeedway. It was a remarkable race not only because of the wild finish and controversial call, but because of the clean racing that ruled for most of the day. The lack of lead changes may be somewhat disappointing, but when it comes down to it, the drivers lined up and logged laps to stay out of trouble and that's what set us up for that thrilling last lap.
There are 10 post race audio clips to listen to, and when it's all said and done there will be over 400 images in the TruckShots! gallery and many more from High Sierra, Rhonda Greer, and David M. Vaughan so check out all of our photo galleries.
We're going to call it a night and head for home. We'll talk to you all in a couple of weeks from Martinsville. Until then, so long every body!
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