FIRST TIMER: Ricky Carmicheal finds himself on an equal playing field
Heading into the Truck Series inaugural event at Chicagoland Speedway. Carmichael turned some laps in a truck at the 1.5-mile oval with Kevin Harvick Inc. (KHI) teammate Ron Hornaday last season during a test session.
"My biggest frustration this season has been the fact that I have never seen most of these places," Carmichael said. "Going into Chicago this week, I feel like I am on the same page as all the other guys. I have tested a truck there and do have some laps on the track. My team has continued to improve all year, I had a top five going at O'Reilly Raceway Park the last time I was in this truck, so I'm pretty excited to get back behind the wheel and see what we can get out of it."
PRIZE PROMOTER: What do NASCAR Camping World Truck Series drivers do when they are not behind the wheel of a Truck? If your Carmichael and KHI teammate Hornaday, you travel to the Iowa State Fair to promote another inaugural event on the Truck Series' schedule at Iowa Speedway on September 5th. Carmichael met with local media members, signed autographs and was able to view Iowa's pride Buddy the Boar weighing in at an incredible 1,117 pounds!
X-GAMES 3D: The Movie: Carmichael is one six featured extreme athletes that star in X Games 3D: The Movie, which was released in theaters on August 21st and will run through Friday August 28th only. You can download the trailer at: www.xgames3dmovie.com or check your local listings for theaters and air times.
BEFORE THE RACE: QUOTES WITH DRIVER RICKY CARMICHAEL:
WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON THE INAGURAL RACE AT CHICAGOLAND SPEEDWAY? "I talked with Kevin (Harvick) a little bit and asked about the track. I have tested there before which makes me more comfortable going into this weekend. I feel like I will adapt better because I do have some track time. We get an extra practice this weekend and next week in Iowa since they are inaugural events. I think the extra practice will definitely help me get the truck tuned in to where I need it to be. I think Chicago is a key race market, there are a lot of Motocross and Truck Series fans in that area and I'm excited to go there and put on a show for them."
WHAT HAVE YOU DONE WITH YOUR TIME AWAY FROM THE TRUCK SERIES? "I competed in the X-Games the weekend of Nashville, it was fun. I received a co-gold medal in the step-up competition, but I also took a pretty wicked fall. I have been riding my motorcycle some, but I have really just been focusing on this race in Chicago and getting back in the truck for a few weeks straight. After my near top-five miss at ORP, I was really bummed I didn't get to race at Nashville. I am really happy with the progress were making and I hope we can keep it up this weekend. The team has a lot of good people to take notes from for a set-up and we have run well at a few 1.5 mile track this year. I'm ready to get going."
CHASSIS HISTORY: The No. 4 Monster Energy team will unload truck chassis No. 028 at Chicagoland Speedway. Chassis 028 last competed at Kentucky Speedway, where Carmichael drove to his best-career finish of seventh.
PREVIOUS RACE RECAP: Last week at Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway KHI rookie J.R. Fitzpatrick drove the No. 4 truck to an 11th-place finish. Fitzpatrick began the race deep in the field but the team used pit strategy to gain track position opting to take fuel only on the first round of pit stops on lap 36. Fitzpatrick gave up the eighth position late in the race to put on four fresh tires to make a charge toward the front. However, with few laps left he was able to pass two trucks and finish the race in 11th position. Fitzpatrick recorded his first Raybestos Rookie of the Race award by begin the top finishing rookie of the event.
