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TrackSideLive!
| Chevy Silverado HD 250
Daytona International Speedway | February 16, 2007
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 Daytona!
02-14-2007 9:46 am
It's time to kick off the 2007 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series season! We are here at Daytona International Speedway as we count down to the first official practice session of the season. The tough Trucks take to the track later this afternoon at 4:30 pm ET for a one-hour session. The weather here in Daytona is partly cloudy, with a slight chance of a stray shower sometime throughout the day. High temps are expected to reach into the 60s, and it will be quite cool once the sun goes down. There was a pretty good gully-washer yesterday afternoon, with high winds and heavy rain, but anything that develops today is not expected to be that strong.
We'll keep you informed of everything that's going on here at the track, so stick with us throughout the day. We'll have exclusive TruckShots! posted throughout the day, and we'll start posting up the first of our exclusive TrackSideLive! audio throughout the day as well.
Entry List Updates
02-14-2007 9:54 am
There are many changes to the entry list for the Silverado HD 250 from what we had at the conclusion of the 2006 season.
AJ Allmendinger is in the No. 00 Toyota for Michael Waltrip Racing, renumbered from No. 17.
Aaron Fike takes over the No. 1 Toyota for Red Horse Racing.
Cale Gale is at the controls of the No. 2 Chevrolet for Kevin Harvick Racing, a new team for 2007.
Chase Miller returns to the No. 4 Dodge for BHR, a ride he took over with a handful of races remaining in 2006.
Mike Skinner again takes the reins of the No. 5 Toyota.
Travis Kvapil returns to the NCTS at the wheel of the No. 6 Ford for Roush Racing.
Derrike Cope is driving the No. 7 Chevrolet this week, while Casey Kingsland is scheduled for that ride for the remainder of the 2007 season.
Blake Bjorklund is in the No. 8 Chevrolet for MRD Motorsports in conjunction with Haas/CNC Racing.
Ted Musgrave is back in the No. 9 Toyota for the second season.
The No. 10 Ford is now a part of Circle Bar Racing and Texan David Starr is now behind the wheel.
Willie Allen will make a run for rookie of the year in the No. 13 Chevrolet.
Rick Crawford is at the wheel of the No. 14 Ford.
Bill Lester moves over to the No. 15 Chevrolet for Billy Ballew Motorsports.
Stacy Compton is here this week with Xpress Motorsports, and this week the No. 16 is a Ford.
Ken Schrader is in the No. 18 Dodge, which still carries Bobby Hamilton's name over the driver's window.
Rookie Kelly Bires moves into the No. 21 Ford for Wood/jtg Racing.
Johnny Benson is in the No. 23 Toyota.
ARCA regular Brandon Knupp takes the wheel of the No. 28 FDNY Racing Chevrolet, his first attempt at an NCTS race.
Todd Bodine returns to defend his championship with Germain Racing the No. 30 Toyota.
Ron Hornaday is back with Kevin Harvick Racing in the No. 33 Chevrolet.
Tyler Walker joins Bill Davis Racing's three-truck operation in the No. 36 Toyota.
Mike Bliss reunites with crew chief Barry Dodson, wheeling the Key Motorsports No. 40 Chevrolet.
Larry Foyt returns to the NASCAR world after several years in the No. 44 Chevrolet for Key Motorsports.
Inaugural Daytona NCTS winner Mike Wallace takes control of the No. 46 Chevrolet for Morgan-Dollar Motorsports.
Kraig Kinser in in the No. 47 Chevrolet with MDM in conjunction with Ginn Racing.
Carl Edwards returns to Daytona in a Truck for the first time since winning in 2004 driving the No. 50 Ford for Roush Racing.
Terry Cook makes his first start in a Toyota, taking over the No. 59 for HT Motorsports.
Jack Sprague is back in the No. 60 Toyota.
Jason White returns after several years away from the NCTS in the No. 63 MB Motorsports Ford.
Dennis Setzer moves over to the No.75 Chevrolet.
Brendan Gaughan is again in the No. 77, but has made the switch to Chevrolet.
Matt Crafton stays in the No. 88 Chevrolet for ThorSport Racing.
Wayne Edwards is back behind the wheel, taking control of the No. 95 Ford.
Erik Darnell is back for his second tour of duty in the No. 99 Ford.
Tim Sauter is slated for a full season with the No. 07 Chevrolet out of the Green Light Racing stable.
Chad McCumbee is back behind the wheel of the No. 08 Chevrolet for Green Light Racing.
Former ASA champion Joey Clanton takes over the second Wood/jtg Ford, renumbered from No. 20 to No. 09.
There are 37 trucks entered, meaning one driver will miss the field after qualifying tomorrow evening.
Off to the garage...
02-14-2007 10:43 am
We're going to head out to the garage to start getting to scoop on what's happening here at Daytona. Stick with us for more updates, pics, and audio once we return shortly.
Back from the garage...
02-14-2007 12:33 pm
We spend a good couple of hours wandering around the garage, talking to some familiar faces and some not-so-familiar faces. There's a slew of new images that are being uploaded now and will be available shortly, and some new audio to listen to as well. We chatted with Erik Darnell, Willie Allen, Kelly Bires along with crew chief John Monsam, and Chad McCumbee. We'll have that audio posted up shortly as well. Stick with us...
Inspection Almost Over
02-14-2007 12:51 pm
The teams have had all day yesterday and the early part of today to get their inspection stickers to be cleared to practice this afternoon. Yesterday the front half of the field had fuel cell and template inspection while the back half of the field (by 2006 owner's points) went through engine inspection. Today was the opposite, as the front half had engine inspection and the back half went through fuel cell and template inspection.
Unlike the controversy brewing in the Cup garage, there hasn't been much trouble with the teams making it through tech in the NCTS garage. The table of confiscated parts has some parts that are "unapproved" and most teams have had to file and sand some of the bodywork down, but inspection has been very routine to this point.
What to look for in practice
02-14-2007 1:04 pm
While practice prior to qualifying for the Daytona 500 had cars running out on the track one at a time looking to simulate qualifying runs, practice for the Chevy Silverado HD 250 could be very different. With just 37 trucks entered for 36 available startinfg positions, the bulk of the field will be focusing on race setups. Those not locked in face the daunting task of finding speed to qualify in and then at the same time finding a setup that will be comfortable in race trim.
Daytona Track Facts
02-14-2007 1:53 pm
Daytona International Speedway is a 2.5-mile tri-oval. The banking in the four corners is 31 degrees, while the banking through the dogleg on the frontstretch is 18 degrees. The 3,000-foot backstretch is banked at a flat 3 degrees, enough to allow the rain to run off.
There are 158,000 permanent grandstand seats at DIS, and room for nearly 50,000 more people in the massive infield.
DIS Track Records
02-14-2007 2:03 pm
Qualifying (1 lap/2.5 miles) - Joe Ruttman, February 2000; 47.984 seconds/187.563 miles per hour
Race (100 laps/250 miles) - Mark Martin, February 2006; 1 hour, 44 mins, 21 seconds/146.622 miles per hour
DIS NCTS Race History
02-14-2007 2:06 pm
2000 - Pole Winner, Joe Ruttman, 187.563 mph; Race Winner, Mike Wallace, 130.152 mph; 31 lead changes
2001 - Pole Winner, Joe Ruttman, 186.123 mph; Race Winner, Joe Ruttman, 129.407 mph; 28 lead changes
2002 - Pole Winner, Ted Musgrave, 187.215 mph; Race Winner, Robert Pressley, 140.121 mph; 26 lead changes
2003 - Pole Winner, Jason Leffler, 182.994 mph; Race Winner, Rick Crawford, 127.642 mph, 13 lead changes
2004 - Pole Winner, Terry Cook, 183.643 mph; Race Winner, Carl Edwards, 112.570 mph, 22 lead changes
2005 - Pole Winner, Kerry Earnhardt, 182.478 mph, Race Winner, Bobby Hamilton, 124.931 mph, 26 lead changes
2006 - Pole Winner, Mark Martin, 178.628 mph; Race Winner, Mark Martin, 146.622 mph, 21 lead changes
TruckShots!
02-14-2007 3:00 pm
Cliclk here to check out our enormous TruckShots! photo gallery!
We've been all over the garage for the past day and a half collecting images of the new paint, teams working on getting through tech, and catching some of the atmosphere that is brewing in the garage area leading up to the first official practice of the 2007 season. As of now, there are already 174 pictures for you to check out, with many more to be taken and added throughout the week.
Who's in and who's not
02-14-2007 3:04 pm
Per NASCAR rules, the top 30 eligible truck owners that have entered by the deadline are locked into the starting field for the Chevy Silverado HD 250. Two teams, Evernham Motorsports and Woodard Racing, finished among the top 30 in final points in 2006 and would have been locked in for this event but are not present. That means the Key Motorsports No. 40, which was the next eligible team in the final 2006 owners points, is now safely assured a starting position for Friday's race. No other team meets the criteria to be eligible for a guaranteed start, meaning only 29 teams are locked in and there are now 8 teams going for 7 positions on speed in tomorrow's Live! Bud Pole Qualifying. Here are those teams: No. 2 Kevin Harvick, Inc Chevrolet, No. 7 Pennington Motorsports, No. 8 MRD Motorsports/Haas CNC Racing Chevrolet, No. 28 FDNY Racing Chevrolet, No. 44 Key Motorsports Chevrolet, No. 50 Roush Racing Ford, No. 63 Mittler Bros. Ford, No. 195 NRG Ford.
Counting down...
02-14-2007 3:17 pm
The clock is ticking down as we inch closer and closer to the start of practice for the Chevy Silverado HD 250. There's about an hour left before we go on track for the first official practice of the season. We're going to take another quick spin to the garage and see what's happening there, and then be back in time for all of the action during this afternoon's one-hour session.
The time is now
02-14-2007 4:27 pm
The final sands are slowly sliding from the top to the bottom of the hourglass, and the time is now for the first practice for the Chevy Silverado HD 250. We'll keep you abreast of the situation from here at the track, update you of any interesting on-track action, and try to keep you updated with lap times and speeds throughout. Stick with us...
Trucks on Track
02-14-2007 4:33 pm
The first drafting pack of 2007 has formed out on the highbanks of Daytona International Speedway with Ted Musgrave, Jack Sprague, Todd Bodine, Carl Edwards, Erik Darnell, Johnny Benson, and AJ Allmendinger out running in tight formation. There's already been some bump drafting and close quarters racing and we're just 2 minutes into the session! Stick with us for the next hour and we'll keep you updated on all the action.
Practice 1 Rundown 1
02-14-2007 4:47 pm
1. Skinner 187.188
2. Walker 187.064
3. Edwards 186.405
4. Schrader 186.382
5. Bodine 185.418
6. Darnell 185.322
7. Kvapil 185.044
8. Sprague 184.449
9. Clanton 194.347
10. Bliss 184.094
11. Allmendinger 183.801
12. Wallace 183.775
13. Benson 183.718
14. Crawford 183.561
15. Kinser 183.299
16. Musgrave 182.471
17. Fike 182.286
18. Hornaday 181.532
19. Gaughan 180.908
20. Setzer 180.632
21. Compton 180.542
22. Starr 180.451
23. Allen 180.328
24. Bjorklund 179.476
25. Cope 179.412
26. Cook 178.345
27. Miller 178.073
28. Foyt 177.718
29. Bires 176.118
30. Crafton 175.946
31. White 171.327
Lester Stalls on Track, Red Out
02-14-2007 4:55 pm
Bill Lester coasted to a stop in turns three and four to bring out the red flag for the first time in the session. Safety crews have pushed the No. 15 back into the garage and we're already back to green flag action.
Practice 1 Rundown 2
02-14-2007 4:59 pm
1. Skinner 187.188
2. Walker 187.064
3.Edwards 186.405
4. Schrader 186.382
5. Bodine 185.418
6. Darnell 185.322
7. Kvapil 185.044
8. Sprague 184.449
9. Bires 184.347
10. Bliss 184.094
11. Allmendinger 183.801
12. Wallace 183.775
13. Cope 183.726
14. Benson 183.718
15. Crawford 183.561
16. Kinser 183.299
17. Lester 183.076
18. Bires 182.493
19. Musgrave 182.471
20. Fike 182.286
21. Crafton 182.275
22. Lester 182.146
23. Hornaday 181.532
24. Gaughan 181.404
25. Setzer 181.305
26. Foyt 181.280
27. Allen 181.145
28. Compton 180.542
29. Starr 180.451
30. Bjorklund 179.476
31. Cook 178.345
32. Miller 178.073
33. White 173.501
34. Knupp 171.730
35. Edwards 168.334
BLown engine for Lester; smoke from the 63
02-14-2007 5:16 pm
Billy Ballew Motorsports reports the engine went south in the No. 15 Chevrolet causing Bill Lester to slow and stop on track earlier. Now, the No. 63 Ford driven by Jason White is showing some smoke and the red flag is out for a quick track inspection. We should be green for a final 10 minute burst to the end of the session shortly.
Practice 1 Rundown 3
02-14-2007 5:26 pm
1. Skinner 187.188
2. Walker 187.064
3. Edwards 186.405
4. Schrader 186.382
5. Bodine 185.418
6. Darnell 185.322
7. Benson 185.197
8. Kvapil 185.044
9. Sprague 184.449
10. Clanton 184.347
11. Miller 184.336
12. Starr 184.211
13. Hornaday 184.181
14. Kinser 184.177
15. Bliss 184.094
16. Cope 184.042
17. Allmendinger 183.801
18. Wallace 183.775
19. Crawford 183.561
20. Gaughan 183.501
21. Lester 183.076
22. Setzer 182.511
23. Bires 182.493
24. Musgrave 182.471
25. Fike 182.286
26. Crafton 182.275
27. Lester 182.146
28. Allen 181.962
29. Foyt 181.280
30. Cook 181.123
31. Compton 180.542
32. Bjorklund 179.426
33. Knupp 178.438
34. Gale 175.726
35. White 173.601
36. Edwards 169.507
McCumbee has not practiced yet in the first session.
Practice over; look for results soon
02-14-2007 5:39 pm
The first practice is over, look for a full results sheet posted to the Event Bot on the front page shortly. We're off to the garage to try to gather some post-session audio, be back soon!
See You Tomorrow!
02-14-2007 6:50 pm
We're back from the garage and have sent the final audio clips of the evening. We talked to Bill Lester about the engine problem he had in the session, and we tracked down Mike Skinner to talk about the fast lap he turned. We also met up with Tyler Walker and talked about how quick he was in the drafting session and the new attitude he's brought to the racetrack. We're going to wrap it up for the evening, we'll be back with you from DIS tomorrow. Good night everybody!
Good Morning from Daytona
02-15-2007 9:12 am
Good Thursday morning! The buzz here at the track today is all about the Twin 150s for the Cup Series, but for the Truck Series teams, the focus is on practice and tonight's Live! Bud Pole Qualifying. It's the last chance for the teams to test their setups in the draft, and then they race against the clock to set the 36-truck starting lineup tonight at 7 pm ET. We're going to head to the garage prior to the start of practice this morning at 11 am ET, and we'll be back to update things leading up to this morning's Bobby Hamilton Racing press conference at 10 am ET.
BHR Press Conference
02-15-2007 10:05 am
BHR is conducting a press conference right now detailing the new management structure after the passing of owner at 2004 series champion Bobby Hamilton. We will have a recap of the announcement shortly.
NCTS Rookies on Track Next
02-15-2007 11:01 am
Look for a feature on the BHR announcement on the front page TruckSeries.com shortly. But the next order of business is a 30 minute session for the NCTS rookies, followed by the final full-field practice for the Chevy Silverado HD 250. We'll have all the updates throughout, so stick with us.
Final Practice on Track
02-15-2007 11:04 am
The Trucks have just taken the track for the final practice for the Chevy Silverado HD 250. The drafting pack is already forming and positions are being swapped back and forth as the drivers look for the dance partner they think will take them to the front tomorrow night. We'll have speed updates throughout and report on any incidents if there are any.
Benson and Starr swap paint
02-15-2007 11:51 am
David Starr and Johnny Benson came off turn four in a three-wide formation and ran out of racing room just moments ago, swapping a little paint. Benson nearly scrubbed the wall, and moved down to avoid contact with the barrier. He nudged into the side of Starr's truck, and both bobbled back and forth momentarily before gathering it back together and mvoing on. The action is already as intense as it will be tomorrow during the race.
Few Laps Forecast for Some
02-15-2007 11:54 am
Many teams will not run a lot of laps during this session. "There's no use in tearing it up in practice," said Chris Showalter, truck chief for the No. 46 Chevrolet. "We ran 35 laps yesterday, basically a fuel run. You don't have to make a lot of changes here. We'll do a handful of laps and call it a day."
Final Practice Rundown 1
02-15-2007 12:01 pm
1. Gaughan 189.422
2. Darnell 189.410
3. Lester 189.036
4. McCumbee 187.289
5. Crawford 187.083
6. Miller 186.081
7. C. Edwards 185.997
8. Cook 185.820
9. Benson 185.770
10. Kvapil 185.751
11. Starr 185.709
12. Crafton 185.663
13. Bliss 185.364
14. Hornaday 185.105
15. Bjorklund 184.441
16. Skinner 184.385
17. Bliss 184.113
18. Wallace 183.854
19. Bodine 182.786
20. Setzer 182.338
21. Kinser 182.013
22. Allen 181.210
23. Fike 180.926
24. Foyt 180.061
25. Clanton 180.032
26. Bires 179.986
27. Sprague 179.644
28. Musgrave 179.365
29. Walker 178.838
30. Allmendinger 176.897
31. Schrader 175.795
32. Gale 174.635
33. Cope 173.307
34. W. Edwards 167.264
Final Practice Rundown 2
02-15-2007 12:11 pm
A power failure limits this rundown to the top 20:
1. Gaughan 189.422
2. Darnell 189.410
3. Lester 189.036
4. McCumbee 187.289
5. Crawford 187.083
6. Miller 186.081
7. C. Edwards 185.997
8. Cook 185.820
9. Benson 185.770
10. Kvapil 185.751
11. Starr 185.709
12. Crafton 185.663
13. Clanton 185.636
14. Bliss 185.364
15. Allmendinger 185.307
16. Hornaday 185.105
17. Skinner 184.995
18. Bodine 184.942
19. Bjorklund 184.411
20. Compton 184.113
Power is still down on the monitors. We will update speeds again when they are available.
Final Practice Rundown 3
02-15-2007 12:41 pm
Monitors are back on, here is a full-field rundown:
1. Gaughan 189.422
2. Darnell 189.410
3. Lester 189.036
4. McCumbee 187.289
5. Crawford 187.083
6. Miller 186.081
7. C. Edwards 185.997
8. Cook 185.820
9. Benson 185.770
10. Kvapil 185.751
11. Starr 185.709
12. Crafton 185.663
13. Clanton 185.636
14. Bliss 185.364
15. Allmendinger 185.307
16. Hornaday 185.105
17. Skinner 184.995
18. Bodine 184.942
19. Bjorklund 184.411
20. Compton 184.113
21. M. Wallace 183.854
22. Setzer 183.659
23. Sprague 183.606
24. Bires 183.542
25. Walker 182.938
26. Cope 182.474
27. Kinser 182.013
28. Fike 181.995
29. Allen 181.536
30. White 181.280
31. Musgrave 180.621
32. Sauter 180.581
33. Foyt 180.061
34. Gale 175.836
35. Schrader 175.798
36. W. Edwards 167.263
Brandon Knupp has not practiced in this session.
Final Practice Rundown 4
02-15-2007 1:10 pm
1. Gaughan 189.422
2. Darnell 189.410
3. Lester 189.036
4. McCumbee 187.289
5. Crawford 187.083
6. Miller 186.081
7. C. Edwards 185.997
8. Cook 185.820
9. Benson 185.770
10. Kvapil 185.751
11. Starr 185.709
12. Crafton 185.663
13. Clanton 185.636
14. Bliss 185.364
15. Allmendinger 185.307
16. Hornaday 185.105
17. Skinner 184.995
18. Bodine 184.942
19. Bjorklund 184.411
20. Compton 184.113
21. M. Wallace 183.854
22. Setzer 183.659
23. Sprague 183.606
24. Bires 183.542
25. Walker 182.938
26.Allen 182.882
27. White 182.508
28. Cope 182.474
29. Kinser 182.013
30. Fike 181.995
31. Musgrave 180.621
32. Sauter 180.581
33. Foyt 180.061
34. Gale 175.836
35. Schrader 175.798
36. W. Edwards 167.263
Practice Audio
02-15-2007 5:15 pm
More audio from here in Daytona is on the way towards you. We met up with Johnny Benson, Blake Bjorklund, Stacy Compton, Derrike Cope, Travis Kvapil, and Wayne Edwards this afternoon and each told us about their time on track in practice. Some had some close calls and some saw some close calls, so click on the audio link to the right side of the TrackSideLive! page to listen.
More Audio Coming
02-15-2007 6:36 pm
Three more exclusive interviews are being prepped for your listening enjoyment...we met up with Terry Cook, Chase Miller and Ted Musgrave and talked about practice, what to expect tonight, and even some racing history dating back 20 years here at Daytona. Again, click on the link to the right side of the TrackSideLive! page to listen.
FDNY Racing out? UPDATE
02-15-2007 6:38 pm
An unconfirmed rumor in the garage has the No. 28 FDNY Racing Chevrolet withdrawing from the competition here at Daytona. If that rumor is correct, that means we will have 36 trucks competing for the 36 available starting positions. We will speak with NASCAR and get the definitive answer to this rumor prior to our Live! Bud Pole Qualifying coverage, which comes your way at 7 pm ET.
UPDATE: NASCAR spokesman Josh Hamilton: "We have not heard anything saying the No. 28 truck has withdrawn from the event. As of now, we expect he (Brandon Knupp) will make a qualifying attempt."
No Issues in Tech
02-15-2007 6:40 pm
Contrary to what happened in the Cup garage earlier this week, there hasn't been any issues in the tech line here through qualifying. Again, there have been the usual parts confiscated and set on display at the NASCAR trailer, but most have all been minor. All trucks were either through tech and ready to qualify or were in the final stages of tech as we walked out of the garage area just moments ago.
Good Afternoon from Daytona
02-16-2007 3:59 pm
Good afternoon from Datyona International Speedway! It's raceday, and we're closing in on the 8 pm ET start of the season opening Chevy Silverado HD 250. We're just getting settled in here at the track, and about to make our first spin through the garage. It's a nice day here with the sun shining, but the temps are a little on the cool side. It might reach as high as 60 today but it will drop into the 40s come racetime. We'll be here to cover all the action all day long so stick with us.
Want some food?
02-16-2007 4:03 pm
Angie Skinner is passing out her new cookbook here at the speedway. Race Day Food has over 140 pages with dozens of recipes from people in the racing community. The book is hot off the presses and is currently available on Amazon.com and at BarnesandNoble.com, and you can also check your local bookseller for availability. Search "Angie Skinner" and/or "Race Day Food" on either site.
Final Adjustments Done
02-16-2007 5:46 pm
After being locked down in impound last evening, the teams have just wrapped up making the final adjustments to their trucks and are moving them to the staging area before gridding them. Next up for the NCTS drivers in the driver and crew chief meeting at 6 pm ET. We will have the news and notes from the drivers meeting shortly after it concludes.
Chevy Silverado HD 250 Pit Assignments
02-16-2007 5:48 pm
Here is the pit road map for the Chevy Silverado HD 250, starting with the first pit stall at the exit of pit road and ending with the last pit stall at the entrance to pit road:
Sprague
Musgrave
Foyt
Hornaday
Schrader
Bjorklund
Setzer
Kinser
White
Wallace
Bliss
Knupp
Gaughan
Cope
Crawford
McCumbee
Starr
Darnell
Break in pit wall
Bodine
Lester
Benson
Sauter
Edwards
Scoring camera
Kvapil
Miller
Allmendinger
Compton
Fike
Crafton
Cook
Break in pit wall
Walker
Allen
Gale
Bires
Clanton
Skinner
Daytona NCTS Best Finishes
02-16-2007 5:58 pm
Here is the best previous NCTS finish at Daytona for each driver in tonight's starting field:
Rick Crawford, 1st
Carl Edwards, 1st
Mike Wallace, 1st
Todd Bodine, 2nd
Travis Kvapil, 2nd
Ted Musgrave, 2nd
Terry Cook, 4th
Mike Skinner, 4th
Jack Sprague, 5th
Erik Darnell, 6th
Dennis Setzer, 6th
David Starr, 7th
Johnny Benson, 10th
Brendan Gaughan, 10th
Matt Crafton, 11th
Ron Hornaday, 12th
Derrike Cope, 16th
Bill Lester, 16th
Mike Bliss, 22nd
Stacy Compton, 25th
Kraig Kinser, 30th
One for the Underdog
02-16-2007 6:21 pm
There is always an underdog story at Daytona, and there is a very good one here in the Truck Series this year. Brandon Knupp qualified the No. 28 FDNY Racing Chevrolet to make his series debut.
"I couldn't be happier about qualifying into my first NASCAR Craftsman Truck race here at Daytona, we've got about fifty percent of our goals met for this race just by making it in, the other fifty percent is the race itself," Knupp said. "We've got some good trucks starting in front of us and I'm hoping to hook up with them and learn about truck racing here at Daytona. I really think my main goal for this race is to take in all of the information that I can, run all of the laps and bring the FDNY Racing team to the checkered flag. I can't thank Jim (Rosenblum) and this team enough for giving me the opportunity to race their truck this week."
First NCTS Daytona Start
02-16-2007 6:40 pm
Here are the drivers making their first NCTS start at Daytona:
AJ Allmendinger
Aaron Fike
Cale Gale
Chase Miller
Tim Sauter
Blake Bjorklund
Chad McCumbee
Willie Allen
Ken Schrader
Kelly Bires
Brandon Knupp
Tyler Walker
Larry Foyt
Jason White
Drivers Meeting Notes
02-16-2007 6:41 pm
Pit road speed is 55 mph...caution truck speed is 70 mph...minimum lap time to stay in competition is 52.26 seconds...pit road speed starts 175 feet before the first pit box and ends 75 feet past the last pit box...drivers must keep their left side tires on the yellow line through turns one and two before blending into traffic on the backstretch...all passing must be done to between the wall and the yellow line; all passing below the yellow line will result in a penalty...any driver that forces another below the yellow line may incur a penalty as well.
Raceday Audio
02-16-2007 6:50 pm
We just posted some great pre-race audio with Rick Crawford, Brandon Knupp and SPEED's Ray Dunlap. Crawford talks about trying to become the first driver to win two Truck races here while Knupp talks about making his first ever series start here. Dunlap previews tonight's race and tells us what we should keep an eye on. Click on the Audio link to the right side of the TrackSideLive! page to listen.
Spotted
02-16-2007 6:53 pm
Here are some of the familiar faces spotted in the garage this week...
Boston Reid and Deborah Renshaw were both spotted walking the garage looking for driving opportunities...Ricky Sanders was also in the garage, and may be back in a Truck sometime this season...Phil Bonifield was here with Dana White talking about their limited Truck program that will launch later this season...former NASCAR executive Dennis Huth was also seen walking the Truck garage earlier this afternoon.
Headed Across the Track
02-16-2007 6:57 pm
It's time to pack up and head for the press box across the track. We'll rejoin TrackSideLive! in a few moments. In the meantime, don't forget to listen to all of the exclusive audio and check out all of the pictures in our over flowing images galleries! We'll be back shortly...
Trucks Gridded
02-16-2007 7:31 pm
The trucks are gridded on the pit road and the drivers are walking across the stage before taking a spin around the 2.5-mile tri-oval in the bed of a new Chevy Silverado HD. We are closing in on the command to start engines, which is slated for 8:11 pm ET.
Tonight's Storylines
02-16-2007 7:46 pm
Here are the storylines for tonight's race:
Toyota - there are nine Toyotas in the first dozen starting positions. Can they finish there?
Roush Fenway Racing - the only trucks to break the Toyota dominance up front are the Roush trucks. Can this three truck team break up the Toyota party?
Tires - the Goodyear tires here have proven to be durable, but they are harder than tires used here in the past. Will the cool temps cause issues with grip?
Weather - it's extremely cool here tonight with temps in the low 40s. The wind has been an issue this week but is relatively calm at the moment. Will the cool temps cause engine issues? Will the teams use too much tape and face overheating problems?
Two Minutes...
02-16-2007 8:08 pm
The command to start engines is just two minutes away. Our race updates are up next! Don't forget to stick with us for post-race coverage as well. Kick back, turn on SPEED, stay right there at your computer and follow all the action with us!
Chevy Silverado HD 250 Race Updates 1-10
02-16-2007 8:10 pm
10. Lap 3 - Sprague leads Bodine, Darnell, Kvapil, Skinner, Crawford, Miller, Gale, Allmendinger, Edwards, Walker, Musgrave, Kinser, Benson, and Fike the rest of the top 15.
9. Lap 2 - Wallace smacks the fence heading into turn one. Heavy damage to the nose. No other trucks involved. Wallace and Clanton made contact to start the incident.
8. Pace truck off and the green flag is waving. Sprague and Bodine lead off turn two.
7. Lights off on the pace truck. Green flag next time by.
6. First pace lap in the books. Field is broken into two groups setting pace truck speed.
5. McCumbee, Lester, and White to start at the back due to engine changes. Cook will drop to the back due to an unapproved adjustment.
4. Mike Bliss made a stop in his pit before rolling on to the speedway.
3. The trucks are rolling off the grid and forming 18 rows of two. Every truck has started and is rolling.
2. Carl Edwards team is reporting radio problems before the trucks have even rolled off the grid.
1. The engines have been cranked. After a few moments of warming the engines, the 36-truck field will roll off pit road for three pace laps.
Chevy Silverado HD 250 Race Updates 11-20
02-16-2007 8:28 pm
20. Lap 16 - Pace truck lights are off. Skinner will lead to the green flag.
19. Lap 13 - Due to an error with the pit road flag, NASCAR is allowing everyone to pit and will line up the field the way they were running at the caution. Everyone has pitted under this caution except leader Skinner.
18. Lap 12 - Skinner leads Crawford, Kvapil, Darnell, Bodine, Musgrave, Sprague, Miller, Fike, Gale, Crafton, Walker, Benson, Kinser, and Allmendinger.
17. Lap 10 - Skinner leads at the caution. Edwards take his truck behind the wall with a reported transmission problem. Foyt, McCumbee, Starr, Setzer, Bjorklund, Lester, and Clanton pit.
16. Lap 9 - Edwards showing smoke. Caution out for the second time after Cope gets loose in turn two and hits the apron. No damage to the truck but the caution is out. Edwards comes to the pits as does Cope.
15. Lap 8 - Wallace seen and released from the care center. Darnell drops back as the front four stay single file and pull away. Bodine goes to the lead off turn two.
14. Lap 7 - Darnell makes a move to the outside for second. Kvapil follows as they stack up two wide at the front.
13. Lap 6 - One to go again. Lester, Knupp, Cook, and Sauter come to the pits for a splash of fuel.
12. Lap 5 - Bjorklund, Setzer, and Lester come to the pits. One to go signal was given but the lights are now back on the pace truck.
11. Lap 4 - Cook, McCumbee, Lester, and Bliss come to pit road.
Chevy Silverado HD 250 Race Updates 21-30
02-16-2007 8:50 pm
30. Lap 28 - Bodine wins race off pit road with Sprague, Bires, Miller, Crafton, Kvapil, Crawford, Darnell, Skinner, Allmendinger, Hornaday, Gale, Gaughan, Lester, Musgrave, Bliss, Setzer, Cook, and Compton following,
29. Lap 27 - Benson leads at the line and stays out as the field comes to pit road. McCumbee, Fike, and Knupp also stay out.
28. Lap 25 - Schrader, Cope, Allen, White are all behind the wall with damage. Kvapil leads Crawford, Darnell, Miller, Benson, Bodine, Crafton, Sprague, Hornaday, Skinner, Gale, Bliss, Bires, McCumbee, Allmendinger as the field comes to pit road.
27. Lap 24 - Also involved: Cope, Allen, Foyt, and Fike.
26. Lap 24 - Major crash off turn four. Clanton checked up to pit and swept up several trucks including Kinser, Schrader, Walker, White and Clanton.
25. Lap 22 - The front six are single file. Clanton is black flagged for a loose hood pin.
24. Lap 20 - The field is again one big pack. Kvapil leads Crawford, Darnell, Miller, Crafton, Hornaday, Walker, Gale, Skinner and Sprague.
23. Lap 18 - Musgrave leads at the line. Kvapil back to second. Kvapil looks for the lead and takes it at the stripe.
22. Lap 17 - Kvapil leads at the stripe but Bodine powers by going into one. Kvapil is back to fifth by the backstretch. The front 17 are in a tight pack.
21. Lap 16 - Green flag. Crafton is the first driver to look out of line going into one.
Chevy Silverado HD 250 Race Updates 31-40
02-16-2007 9:07 pm
40. Lap 48 - Benson's team reporting debris on the backstretch. They need a caution to pit for fuel. Kinser to the garage.
39. Lap 44 - Bodine and Miller side by side for sixth. Bodine is making ground up on the top side.
38. Lap 42 - Smoke showing out of the Kinser truck at the back of the lead pack. He's again off the pace. The front seven are single file but they are stacked up behind.
37. Lap 40 - The field overwhelms Kinser but it allows Crawford to move in on Kvapil for the lead. Edwards is now mid pack and not able to help his teammates.
36. Lap 39 - There are 26 trucks in the lead pack. The only lead lap truck not in the pack is Knupp. The field is closing in on Kinser, who is also running by himself. Benson now swings outside of Edwards trying to run down Kvapil for the lead.
35. Lap 37 - Bliss and Gale make contact at the line but continue on without damage.
34. Lap 34 - Bodine and Miller race side by side for sixth, the first race for position.
33. Lap 33 - Bodine goes to the lead on the backstretch but Kvapil powers to the inside to take the lead with Edwards in tow. The field is three wide behind.
32. Lap 29 - Benson leads Bodine as Fike has dropped back into the pack. Sprague, Kvapil and Bires round out the top five.
31. Lap 28 - Benson takes the green with Fike on his tail. Edwards is lined up to the inside, 16 laps off the pace.
Chevy Silverado HD 250 Race Updates 41-50
02-16-2007 9:25 pm
50. Lap 66 - Musgrave, Crawford and Darnell go three wide into three. Edwards pulls Darnell to the lead past Sprague. Allen returns to the track after repairs.
49. Lap 65 - Cook has been released from the care center. Pace truck lights are off. Green flag this time by.
48. Lap 64 - Crafton and Gale have a close call leaving pit road. There are 37 laps to go. A full fuel run might see a team make 35 to 36 laps. Will they stop again before we go green? Bjorklund leads for the first time in his career with McCumbee behind. Sprague leads Crawford off pit road, with Darnell, Bliss, Musgrave, Setzer, Gaughan, Hornaday, Kvapil, Compton, Skinner, Miller, Bires, Bodine, Benson, Lester, Allmendinger, Crafton, Gale, Fike, Starr, and Setzer.
47. Lap 63 - Field comes to pit road. We'll update the order after the stops.
46. Lap 61 - Skinner moves to the lead with Benson in tow. Crash off turn four. Bliss taps Cook who goes hard head on into the wall. Flames erupt as Cook slides to a stop just past the start finish line. He climbs out unhurt but will ride to the care center.
45. Lap 60 - Kvapil leads Crawford, Skinner, Benson, Bires, Sprague, Bodine, Darnell, Allmendinger and Cook.
44. Lap 56 - Sauter brings his truck to the pits with smoke coming from the pipes. Fike tried to push to the lead but Kvapil and Sprague race side by side for the top spot.
43. Lap 53 - Kvapil goes to the inside on the restart and take the lead but Sprague goes to the outside with Cook pushing.Sprague dips low off the corner leaving Cook to dry but Benson tucks in and pushes Cook to race for the lead.
42. Lap 50 - The field pits. Benson and Edwards are the only trucks to stay out. Kvapil wins race off pit road with Crawford, Sprague, Cook, Fike, Bires, Miller, Skinner, Hornaday, Crafton, Gale, Musgrave, Darnell, Bodine, Clanton, Allmendinger, Gaughan, Lester, Starr, Compton, Bjorklund, Bliss, and Sauter.
41. Lap 49 - Benson comes to the pits for fuel and the caution comes out as he is on pit road. Knupp spun off turn two and down the backstretch. If the field pits, Benson could be the leader of the race.
Chevy Silverado HD 250 Race Updates 51-60
02-16-2007 9:51 pm
64. SPRAGUE WINS in a three wide finish!!! A full report to follow.
63. White flag. Kvapil leads Sprague, Bodine, Bensin and Hornaday.
62. Lap 95 - Restart. The front seven run single file on the bottom but now Benson looks inside Bodine. The front five now break away.
61. Lap 93 - Gaughan and Miller have been seen and released from the care center. One lap to go before we go green.
60. Lap 91 - Kvapil leads, Sprague, Darnell, Benson, Bodine, Skinner, Hornaday, Fike, Clanton, Musgrave, McCumbee, Crafton, Crawford, Comptin, Allmendinger, Lester, and Knupp on the lead lap.
59. Lap 89 - Miller gets crossed up off turn four and pounds the wall, getting some air and collecting Gaughan, Setzer, and Gale. Crafton narrowlu avoids the mess. The track is blocked in the trioval and the field rolls down pit road.
58. Lap 86 - Sprague leads at the stripe as they are stacked up two wide behind.
57. Lap 84 - Bodine leads to the green. Kvapil is the only Ford running at the front with three Toyotas.
56. Lap 82 - Half the field pits for fuel and tires. Hornaday leads off pit road with Fike, Musgrave, Crawford, Lester, Comption, McCumbee, Setzer, Starr, and Allmendinger. Bodine leads Sprague, Benson, Kvapil, Skinner, Darnell, Clanton, Miller, Crafton, Gaughan, and Gale.
55. Lap 79 - Kvapil won't come off Edwards bumper and that allows Bodine to go to the lead. Sprague makes a great save off four, but they field accordions and Bires goes head on into the wall. He bounces down into Bjorklund and Bliss, damaging all three trucks.
54. Lap 77 - McCumbee is off the pace. Engine sounds sour. Bodine looks outside Darnell for second. Sprague and Benson are there to help.
53. Lap 74 - The front ten trucks are single file. Gaughan is running the outside as the field starts to string out. Only Musgrave, Clanton, Compton and Bliss are out of line.
52. Lap 71 - Kvapil moves past Sprague through the middle. Darnell leads by a nose at the stripe but Kvapil inches ahead off turn two.
51. Lap 68 - Edwards leads the pack but Darnell leads the race. Hornaday tucked in behind Darnell in second. The field is stacked up two wide behind the front two.
Chevy Silverado HD 250 Unofficial Results
02-16-2007 10:38 pm
1. Sprague
2. Benson
3. Kvapil
4. Skinner
5. Bodine
6. Clanton
7. Hornaday
8. Crafton
9. Musgrave
10. Crawford
11. Lester
12. Darnell
13. McCumbee
14. Gale
15. Allmendinger
16. Fike
17. Compton
18. Knupp
19. Setzer
20. Starr
21. Gaughan
22. Miller
23. Bliss
24. Edwards
25. Bjorklund
26. Bires
27. Cook
28. Sauter
29. Allen
30. Kinser
31. Walker
32. Foyt
33. Cope
34. Schrader
35. White
36. Wallace
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