No. 1 RFMS/Red Horse Racing Toyota Tundra driver Aaron Fike. (David M. Vaughn Photo)

Aaron Fike and the Red Horse Racing team scored their first top-10 of the season and the Raybestos Rookie of the Race honors at Martinsville Speedway on Saturday after qualifying as top-rookie, rebounding from two mid-race spins, working through the field twice, and finishing seventh in the Kroger 250 at the Virginia short-track.

Since Fike had never raced at Martinsville Speedway, the 24-year-old Galesburg, Illinois native may have been a little nervous heading into the short "paper clip" of Martinsville Speedway, but his uneasiness went unnoticed after he qualified the No. 1 RFMS/Red Horse Racing Toyota Tundra 11th. Fike laid down an impressive lap of 19.990 seconds at a speed of 94.727 miles per hour which was less than three-tenths of a second off the pole speed set by fellow Toyota driver, Mike Skinner.

When the green flag waved for the start of the Kroger 250, Fike quickly worked into 8th position. At the event's first caution on lap 9, Fike's RFMS/Red Horse Racing Toyota needed more "side bite". Over the next forty laps, Fike held on strong in the top-10 before the handling went away on his Toyota and he slid to 13th. "It feels like I can't turn it underneath someone," Fike explained to Crew Chief Jamie Jones, under caution, on lap 74.

Jones took the opportunity to bring his driver to pit road on lap 76 for four tires, fuel, track bar and air pressure adjustments. With some teams electing to stay out and others on different pit strategies, Fike lined up 17th on the restart on lap 81. As is typical with short-track racing, "cautions breed cautions" and the caution flag was quickly displayed on lap 86 for a wreck in turn four. The race restarted on lap 91 and just four laps later Fike dodged a two-truck wreck. On the restart on lap 100, Fike was battling side-by-side when he became the victim of another driver's impatience. Fike was spun by another competitor but managed to whip his Toyota around and remain on the lead lap in 29th position.

"It will be alright buddy," said Jones to calm his driver. "If the caution comes out, we'll fix you up again." Jones got his wish and the caution came out on lap 104. Fike hit pit road for two right side tires and fuel on lap 105 and returned for left side tires on his next circuit around the .526-mile oval, restarting in 28th position.

"Listen Aaron," said Jones. "That's our last stop. Just drive it like you stole it."

Fike listened to his Crew Chief's words and worked his way into 23rd by lap 117. On lap 149, Fike keyed the radio to tell the crew that his RFMS/Red Horse Racing Toyota was just a "touch tight off exit". When the caution was displayed on lap 153, Fike hit pit road for a track bar adjustment and fuel, returning to the track 14th on the restart.

Fike held his own until he was spun on lap 173, slid to 20th position, and fell one lap down to the leader. The Red Horse Racing team didn't let the spin get them down and they received the "Lucky Dog" on lap 182 after the caution was displayed for a wreck in turn four. The team pitted for two right side tires on lap 185 and restarted the race 17th on lap 188. Shortly thereafter, a multi-car pileup ensued and Spotter Jeff Dickerson helped navigate Fike through the wreck.

Fike moved into 11th at the restart on lap 201 and avoided the last five cautions like a pro to finish the Kroger 250 in seventh position, his best finish in four starts while driving the No. 1 RFMS/ Red Horse Racing Toyota in the 2007 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series season.

"I've got to thank my Crew Chief Jamie Jones and everybody at Red Horse Racing for giving me a good truck," said Fike. "It's easy to come back from a deficit when you've got a good truck. I mean, that's the only way you can come back is if you have a good truck. It seemed like we were good enough to run with the top-five but I ended up spinning twice. We battled back and ended up seventh. We had a top-five truck but we just had some bad luck."

Fike picked up three spots and moved from thirteenth to tenth in the Championship Point Standings but sits only 32 points out of ninth place. Fike also continues to lead the 2007 Raybestos Rookie of the Year standings.

Fike and the Red Horse Racing team will return to action at Kansas Speedway on April 28th for the O'Reilly Auto Parts 250.