| Kroger 225 - Official Report |
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.
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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
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