Bobby Hamilton never has started a race he didn't believe he could win. He's not about to begin now.

Hamilton, the 2004 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series champion, announced to the Atlanta Motor Speedway media on Friday that he's beginning therapy for neck cancer diagnosed earlier this year.

That night's John Deere 200, in which the 48-year-old Nashville native finished 14th, will be Hamilton's last until at least the Nov. 17 season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Bobby Hamilton Jr. will complete the 2006 season in the No. 18 Fastenal Dodge with blessing of father, sponsor and manufacturer.

"Nobody wants to go through this and the word cancer is a stout word to hear," said Hamilton, who plans to battle the illness aggressively. "I have to take care of me for awhile. When I told Dodge and Fastenal that I had to do this, they were right on board with me.

"It says a lot for companies of this magnitude to stay with our program during such a difficult time."

Hamilton has no doubt about his son's success in one of three entries Bobby Hamilton Racing fields in 2006. "He'll win races," the elder Hamilton predicted. "I'm still the owner so I plan on being there to see it all happen." Said Hamilton Jr., who competed in the season's first three races aboard the No. 08 Corky's BBQ & Ribs Dodge owned by Bobby Dotter, "These are not the circumstances I wanted to race in my dad's truck but I will do it without hesitation."

Hamilton is the second NASCAR Craftsman Truck champion with a cancer diagnosis. Ted Musgrave, the defending titleholder, is in remission after surgery for bladder cancer in 2003.

Will he or won't he? Mark Martin's original schedule calls for him to compete in seven races, the next on May 19 at Lowe's Motor Speedway.

Garage rumors, however, were running rampant on Friday afternoon that the current point leader and two-time winner wouldn't be giving up his seat in the No. 6 Scotts Ford anytime soon. Speculation increased when team owner Jack Roush submitted a late entry for David Ragan, who's supposed to spell Martin 18 times beginning April 1 at Martinsville Speedway.

Martin, asked about his next start after finishing second in the John Deere 200, smiled and said, "I don't know."

Musgrave qualified for the final spot in the John Deere 200 lineup with a speed fast enough to avoid going into the race on a past champion's provisional. He didn't stay at the rear very long cracking the top 20 at lap 30 and held the No. 4 spot when the checkered flag fell.

For all of his success - top-three championship finishes in each of his five seasons - Musgrave hasn't really concentrated on qualifying. His only Bud Pole of 2005 came at Gateway International Raceway, 23 starts ago.

U.S. Auto Club national midget champion Bobby East made his first appearance for Wood Bros./JTG Racing and qualified a scintillating fifth. East, however, finished 23rd after mechanical problems - he figured a shock may have broken - slowed his State Fair Corndogs Ford. "We're pretty disappointed," he said.

Partner Jon Wood, who switched from the team's No. 20 to the No. 21 owned by father Eddie Wood, nabbed the team's best finish so far - a sixth. "To be three races in and a start-up team and not a Toyota in the series, I think we're doing everything we can," he said.

Erik Darnell was the top finishing Raybestos rookie for the third race in succession in eighth place - his second top-10 effort. Darnell is eighth in points and the first freshman to rank among the top 10 since September 2004 when rookie of the year David Reutimann stood ninth.

"It's been a strong start," Darnell agreed. The John Deere 200 saw an even dozen rookies go to the line with three - Darnell, Kyle Krisiloff and Aric Almirola - finishing among the top 20.

Former University of Michigan football player Julius Curry, who played briefly in the National Football League, has partnered with Ray Montgomery to field a Dodge for Chase Montgomery in 10 races this season with sponsorship from EQ, an energy supplement. Montgomery was among three drivers failing to qualify for the John Deere 200.

Chad Chaffin, whose Key Motorsports Chevrolet wasn't fast enough to make the race, drove the No. 02 Team Copaxone Chevrolet for Kelly Sutton. Sutton suffered a leg injury in a practice incident, triggered by a cut right-front tire and decided to withdraw. Chaffin finished 21st to keep Sutton Motorsports among the top 30 teams (27th) in current owner standings.

The 2006 owner points kick in for guaranteed starting positions following race No. 4 at Martinsville. Three teams from 2005 points - Darrell Waltrip's No. 12, Gene Christensen's No. 07 and Jim Harris' No. 59 - are 31st, 32nd and 33rd, respectively and on the outside looking in.

All three races in 2006 have finished with a green-white-checker finish to run the series total to 59. That's happened just once a year ago when successive races at Kansas, Kentucky and Memphis went OT.