09-04-2007 | TruckSeries.com Report
After starting the Missouri-Illinois Dodge Dealers Ram Tough 200 in the 20th position, Dodge Driver Mike Bliss was fighting his way through the top 10 when disaster in turn three ended his day. Bliss and T.J. Bell were battling side by side for the ninth spot when Jason Wise drove his No. 00 truck by them and the trio was three wide going into turn three. Almost immediately Wise drifted up into the side of the Bliss causing him to turn into Bell. In only seconds the multi-truck wreck transpired. Bliss's Open Joist machine had extensive front and rear end damage, so much that NASCAR red flagged the race for extensive debris. Bliss was unable to return to competition and was credited with a 25th place finish. Bliss qualified the No. 4 Open Joist Dodge in the 20th position for the 17th race of the season. The first caution waved on lap 16 for a wreck in turn three. "I'm a little loose" said Bliss under the caution. He restarted in the 18th position on lap 19. On lap 30 he was still running 18th. "It is starting to come to me," said Bliss. He moved into 17th position 10 laps later. The second caution waved on lap 58 for debris on the back stretch. Bliss came down pit road to the attention of the Open Joist Racing Team. They changed all four Goodyear tires, added Sunoco fuel and pulled two spring rubbers out to help the loose condition. He restarted in the 16th position. On lap 65 Bliss moved into the 15th place. On lap 70 he moved into the 13th place and by lap 80 he was running 12th. Then the third caution waved for debris in turn one. "It is much better now," said Bliss under the caution. Another caution waved on lap 120 for a stalled truck on the track. Bliss restarted in the 10th position. Following the restart Bliss and T.J. Bell were battling for the ninth position. While the two trucks were racing side by side Jason Wise went three wide into turn three. Wise drifted up into the side of the Bliss causing him to turn into Bell thus causing a multi-truck wreck and extensive damage to the Open Joist Dodge. The race was red flagged while NASCAR cleaned up the extensive debris. The damage was too much for the Open Joist Dodge to return to competition. Bliss was credited with a 25th place finish. Johnny Benson won the Ram Tough 200 before an estimated crowd of 20,000. Ron Hornaday Jr., Ted Musgrave, Todd Bodine and Regan Smith rounded out the top five finishers. The next event for the NCTS will be at New Hampshire International Raceway.