SETZER: Overcomes Obstacles to Finish 12th at Memphis
07-01-2008 12:09 pm
After receiving an extra boost earlier in the week by adding Tahoe Smokeless Tobacco to his No. 18 Dodge for the rest of the season, Dodge Driver Dennis Setzer was itching to get to the birthplace of Rock and Roll. He qualified 11th on Saturday afternoon for the O'Reilly 200 at Memphis Motorspors Park and then Setzer poised himself for the fight ahead of him. A tight Dodge Ram that turned loose, a spin on lap 78, a loose camber shim, falling a lap down to the leader and receiving the lucky dog pass are just a few of the obstacles Setzer overcame to score an impressive 12th place finish. Setzer qualified in the 15th position on Saturday afternoon after posting the 11th fastest time in the final practice on Friday night. Once the race got underway Setzer radioed in on lap four, "The truck is much better than it was in practice." The second caution waved on lap 36 for debris. "I am tight in the middle, but loose in and off the corners," said Setzer while running in the eighth position. Crew Chief Marcus Richmond elected not to pit under the caution to maintain track position. An accident in turn two brought out the third caution just 14 laps later. Setzer, running in seventh spot, hit pit road for service. The Tahoe Racing Team jumped into action changing all four tires, adding fuel and making an air pressure adjustment. He restarted 23rd on lap 57. On lap 75 Setzer was battling for 18th position with fellow competitor Mike Skinner, the two bumped knocking Setzer up out of the racing groove. After falling back a couple of spots he tangled with another competitor sending the No. 18 Tahoe Dodge spinning. Setzer used his veteran driving skills to keep the Dodge Ram from hitting any other competitors and off the wall. "I don't think I hit anything," said a frustrated Setzer. "I just flat spotted the tires." Richmond agreed and brought the No. 18 Tahoe Dodge down pit road for fresh rubber. Setzer restarted 28th. By lap 117 the North Carolina native had worked his way into 15th position, but felt a problem was brewing for the team. "Something is flopping around up front," said Setzer. "I can hear it." Another caution came out on lap 132 playing in the Tahoe Racing Team's favor. This time Setzer hit pit road three separate times to fix the problem trying to keep from going a lap down to the race leader. He restarted 26th. 30 laps later Setzer had worked his way into the 22nd position, but was unable to hold off a charging Ron Hornaday Jr. and went a lap down to the leader on lap 165. Just as the team thought a good finish was out of reach another caution waved for an accident in turn four. Setzer received the lucky dog award and returned to the lead lap. Before the restart Setzer hit pit road for four fresh tires and two cans of fuel. It didn't the Setzer very long to start picking off the competitors in front of him. He made up seven positions in just 20 laps. He was running 14th with 10 laps remaining in the event. A multi-truck accident in turn four with two laps to go brought out the red flag momentarily. Once the red flag was lifted Setzer was poised to make the most out of the green-white checkered flag restart as he scrubbed the tires on the No. 18 Tahoe Dodge to build up heat. He restarted in the 12th spot. Hornaday Jr. won the O'Reilly 200. Erik Darnell finished second, Matt Crafton, Rick Crawford, and David Starr followed in the top five.
Thankfully a caution waved on lap 123 for an accident in turn four allowing the Tahoe Racing Team to take a look under the hood of the No. 18 Dodge Ram. "We think it is a camber shim," radioed Richmond. "We will fix it on the next stop." Setzer restarted 24th on lap 126.
He restarted 21st.
In the final two laps Setzer keep his nose clean and brought home a hard earned 12th place finish.