Kroger 225 - Official Report
Mike Bliss in Victory Lane

Mike Bliss in Victory Lane
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Mike Bliss Makes It Two In A Row 

Mike Bliss became the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series first three time and back-to-back winner of the 2002 season with a record victory in the Kroger 225 at Kentucky Speedway. Bliss, a winner at Kansas Speedway on July 6, led 94 of 150 laps from an outside front row start to beat Dennis Setzer by 18.197 seconds. The margin was the widest in series history, eclipsing Jack Sprague's 13.186 second victory over Joe Ruttman on April 20, 1997. Bliss's 10th series victory was worth $75,800. His No. 16 IWX Motor Freight/Knights Inn Chevrolet averaged 143.515 mph - second fastest in series history - for the 225-mile distance as the caution flag waved just three times for 12 laps. Bliss, who led four times, took over on the 140th of 150 laps when Setzer -- of sequence -- pitted for a splash of fuel in his No. 46 ACXIOM/Computer Associates Chevrolet. Robert Pressley finished third in the Bobby Hamilton Racing Dodge, followed by Rick Crawford and Bud Pole winner Jason Leffler. Seven drivers traded the lead 11 times.
02-21-2005 | Race 11 - Kentucky Speedway - July 13, 2002

F S # Driver Sponsor / Owner Truck Laps Money Status
1 2 16 Mike Bliss IWX Motor Freight / Knights Inn Chevrolet 150 $75,800 Running
2 11 46 Dennis Setzer Acxiom / Computer Associates Chevrolet 150 $52,500 Running
3 13 18 Robert Pressley Hamilton Racing Dodge 150 $37,875 Running
4 12 14 Rick Crawford Circle Bar Motel & RV Park Ford 150 $26,950 Running
5 1 2 Jason Leffler Team ASE / Carquest Dodge 150 $23,450 Running
6 4 29 Terry Cook Power Stroke Diesel Ford 150 $19,300 Running
7 7 20 Coy Gibbs MBNA Chevrolet 150 $17,825 Running
8 6 75 David Starr Spears Manufacturing Chevrolet 150 $16,825 Running
9 14 1 Ted Musgrave Mopar Performance Dodge 149 $15,825 Running
10 18 39 Steve Portenga Roto-Rooter Chevrolet 149 $16,525 Running
11 9 62 Brendan Gaughan NAPA Auto Parts Dodge 149 $16,125 Running
12 15 90 Lance Norick Express Personnel Services Chevrolet 149 $14,940 Running
13 23 50 Jon Wood Navy Racing Ford 149 $14,840 Running
14 3 8 Bill Lester Dodge Motorsports Dodge 149 $14,740 Running
15 22 15 Rich Bickle Dickies Ford 148 $14,940 Running
16 16 60 Travis Kvapil CAT Rental Stores Chevrolet 148 $14,440 Running
17 10 88 Matt Crafton Menards / Sealmaster Chevrolet 148 $14,340 Running
18 8 63 Carl Edwards Mittler Brothers / Blazin' Pits Ford 147 $13,240 Running
19 21 5 Lance Hooper Diamond Cut Jeans / Blair5.com Dodge 147 $12,890 Running
20 31 79 Jerry Hill RDS Racing Engines Dodge 147 $14,340 Running
21 28 27 Doug Keller Keller Motorsports Chevrolet 146 $11,790 Running
22 20 43 Carlos Contreras Hot Wheels Dodge 145 $12,990 Running
23 33 72 Randy MacDonald U.S. Security Chevrolet 145 $11,690 Running
24 19 4 Brian Rose Perry Connection Dodge 144 $11,640 Running
25 29 11 Aaron Daniel Jensen Enterprises Ford 143 $11,590 Running
26 35 93 Randy Briggs Clear Mountain Natural Spring Water Ford 141 $11,540 Running
27 24 08 Bobby Dotter People Against Drugs Chevrolet 89 $11,490 Steering
28 27 89 Stan Boyd Engineered Victories Chevrolet 80 $11,390 Vibration
29 26 07 Jason Small Sunbelt Rentals Chevrolet 74 $11,290 Steering
30 25 34 Eric Jones Safelite Auto Glass Chevrolet 47 $11,190 Trans
31 17 7 Bryan Reffner Dusty's Collision Chevrolet 43 $11,090 Engine
32 30 23 Phil Bonifield Red Line Synthetic Oil Chevrolet 25 $10,990 Engine
33 5 58 Chris Horn HornEngines.com Chevrolet 24 $10,890 Engine
34 36 81 Jason White Ware Racing Enterprises Dodge 9 $10,790 Elec
35 34 51 Donny Morelock OOIDA Dodge 9 $10,690 Engine
36 32 25 Michael Dokken Red Line Synthetic Oil Chevrolet 9 $10,590 Ignition

Failed to Qualify: (9) Morgan Shepherd (#21), Rodney Sawyers (#68), Vince Whitmire (#40), Dana White (#86), Lonnie Cox (#66), Ricky Sanders (#19), Tom Powers (#55), David Hall (#73), Loni Richardson (#0).

Time of Race: 1 hours, 34 minutes, 4 seconds
Average Speed: 143.515 mph (RACE RECORD)
Margin of Victory: 18.197 seconds

Bud Pole Award:
Jason Leffler, #2 Team ASE/Carquest Racing Dodge, 32.085 seconds, 168.303 mph

Clevite Engine Builders Award:
Mark Smith, Mike Bliss, #16 IWX Motor Freight/Knights Inn Chevrolet

Featherlite Long Haul Award:
Mike Bliss, #16 IWX Motor Freight/Knights Inn Chevrolet

Gatorade Front Runner Award:
Mike Bliss, #16 IWX Motor Freight/Knights Inn Chevrolet

Raybestos Rookie of the Race Award:
Brendan Gaughan, #62 NAPA Auto Parts Dodge

Waste Management Picking Up Places Award:
Jerry Hill, #79 RDS Racing Engines Dodge (11 places)

Caution Flags: Laps 45-49 (Fluid, Turn 2); 52-54 (Trucks #11, 34 spin, Turn 2); 71-74 (Debris, Turn 3). 3 for 12 laps.

Lap Leaders: Jason Leffler 1-9, Mike Bliss 10-45, Leffler 46-55, Bliss 56-74, Rick Crawford 75-80, Bliss 81-108, Leffler 109, Terry Cook 110, Robert Pressley 111, Dennis Setzer 112-129, Coy Gibbs 130-139, Bliss 140-150.

Total Laps Led: Mike Bliss 94, Jason Leffler 20, Dennis Setzer 18, Coy Gibbs 10, Rick Crawford 6, Robert Pressley 1, Terry Cook 1. 11 changes involving 7 drivers.

Points following this race:
Rank Driver Points -Back
1 Ted Musgrave 1676  
2 Mike Bliss 1662 -14
3 Rick Crawford 1627 -49
4 Jason Leffler 1618 -58
5 David Starr 1607 -69
6 Terry Cook 1554 -122
7 Dennis Setzer 1551 -125
8 Robert Pressley 1543 -133
9 Travis Kvapil 1437 -239
10 Coy Gibbs 1428 -248
11 Brendan Gaughan 1412 -264
12 Jon Wood 1394 -282
13 Lance Norick 1311 -365
14 Brian Rose 1242 -434
15 Bobby Dotter 1229 -447
16 Carlos Contreras 1207 -469
17 Bill Lester 1181 -495
18 Matt Crafton 1178 -498
19 Lance Hooper 1153 -523
20 Randy MacDonald 1076 -600

Manufacturers Championship
Points Wins
Chevrolet 75 (5)
Dodge 74 (4)
Ford 60 (2)

Gatorade Front Runner
Ted Musgrave 14
Jason Leffler 13
Terry Cook 9
Mike Bliss 9
Rick Crawford 8
Robert Pressley 7
Travis Kvapil 6
Dennis Setzer 5
Brendan Gaughan 4
Brian Rose 3
Stan Boyd 1
Rick Carelli 1
Carlos Contreras 1
Lance Hooper 1
Joe Ruttman 1
David Starr 1
Mike Wallace 1
Jon Wood 1

Waste Management Picking Up Places
Randy MacDonald 2
Steve Portenga 2
Aaron Daniel 1
Bobby Dotter 1
Ryan Hemphill 1
Bill Lester 1
Brian Rose 1
Dennis Setzer 1
Jerry Hill 1

Bud Pole Award Standings
Jason Leffler 6
Ted Musgrave 2
Mike Bliss 1
Terry Cook 1
Rick Crawford 1

Raybestos Rookie of the Year
Brendan Gaughan 146
Bill Lester 109
Jason Small 102
Trent Owens 61
Rodney Sawyers 56
Randy Briggs 33
Dana White 28
Loni Richardson 24
Aaron Daniel 19

Clevite Engine Builder
Joey Arrington #1 142
Joey Arrington #2 137
Mark Smith #16 123

NEXT EVENT:
NEW ENGLAND 200, NEW HAMPSHIRE INT’L. SPEEDWAY, LOUDON, N.H., 7/20/02,
1.058 Mile Paved, 211.6 Miles, 200 Laps