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04-03-2007
Martinsville Not The Finish Miller Was Hoping For
Dodge Driver Chase Miller has had this weekend's Martinsville race circled on his schedule since his first visit to the track last October when he scored his first top-10 finish. Unfortunately, his second visit to the track was not what Miller or the No. 4 Open Joist Dodge Team had hoped for.
Miller qualified his No. 4 Open Joist Dodge in the 33rd position on Saturday morning. As the race began, Miller had worked his way into the 29th position before a nudge from the No. 13 Chevrolet sent him spinning in turn four. Miller, who received a note last week left by Bobby Hamilton Sr. telling him to always turn left in a spin, immediately turned to the left completing the spin and avoiding any damage from the wall or another competitor. The caution did not come out and Miller went one lap down.
The second caution waved a few laps later on lap 33. "Come on down pit road and we will change tires and make sure there is no other damage," said Crew Chief Marcus Richmond. The No. 4 Open Joist Racing Team changed all four tires, added fuel, made several adjustments and checked the truck over for any damage from the spin. Miller went another lap down on pit road and restarted in the 35th position.
By lap 40 Miller, while struggling with a tight truck, went another lap down to the leaders. "It just keeps getting tighter and tighter," Miller radioed in.
On lap 85 Miller spun again hitting the wall in turn four. He came down pit road under the fifth caution to repair the damage. The No. 4 Open Joist Racing Team changed all four tires, added fuel and went up a round on the track bar. Immediately after returning to the race track Miller realized something was wrong with the truck.
He came back down pit road and was forced to go behind the wall on lap 93 when it was discovered an upper control arm had broken when Miller hit the wall. The Open Joist Dodge Racing Team went to work repairing the damage in just 20 laps. Miller returned to the track on lap 119.
Once again Miller realized there was a problem with the Open Joist Dodge. "It is stuck in fourth gear," said Miller. He came down pit road to the attention of his crew. It was diagnosed as a broken transmission and the team went back behind pit wall to repair the damage.
Miller, now 71 laps down, returned to the track on lap 164 in the 34th position. "Just log some laps," said Richmond. "We can gain at least two spots."
"She is turning pretty good now," said Miller on lap 204 while under the 11th caution.
With only 25 laps to go Miller once again found trouble hitting the wall in turn two. "I have a flat right front tire," said Miller following the accident. Miller brought the Open Joist Dodge down pit road for two right side tires.
Despite all the troubles Miller found during the race he was able to gain two positions after returning to the track from the damage he sustained and finished in the 32nd position.
The next event for the NCTS will be the O'Reilly Auto Parts 250 at Kansas Speedway on April 28, 2007.
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