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Ted Musgrave in Victory Lane View High Sierra Gallery for this Race |
Ted Musgrave, his truck rejuvenated by a major suspension change at mid-race, ran down Bud Pole starter Brendan Gaughan with nine laps remaining to win Saturday's NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series American Racing Wheels 200 at California Speedway. Musgrave, who also won the race in 2001-2002, became the third driver in series history to win three consecutive times at the same track. The driver of the Mopar Performance Dodge, winless since June 21 at Memphis Motorsports Park, recorded his third victory of the season and 13th of his NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series career. The winning average speed, 145.926 mph, was a California Speedway race record, bettering the 144.260 posted in 2000 by Kurt Busch. The speed also was second fastest in series history. Musgrave, who qualified 10th, went to the rear of the field at the start. His Gene Nead-headed crew made a major suspension adjustment - moving the rear end assembly - under the race's second caution at lap 65. The move turned out to be the race winner. "He (Nead) knew by the tone of my voice that if I was demanding something big, he knew we were in trouble," said Musgrave. He came from 11th place on lap 69 and took over second place on the 85th lap, 1.6 seconds behind Gaughan. The winning pass came at the start finish stripe on lap 92. Musgrave, who led 18 laps, failed to gain ground in the standings to Gaughan - who got the 10 bonus points for heading 66 of 100 times around the 2.0-mile superspeedway. Gaughan holds a 42 point lead over Travis Kvapil, who finished eighth, and 62 on Musgrave. There are six races remaining in the 2003 season. Gaughan, who led three times, finished 2.158 seconds behind Musgrave in the American Racing Wheels Dodge. Dennis Setzer finished third in the ACXIOM/Computer Associates Chevrolet. Outside pole starter Rick Crawford was fourth, followed by David Starr. There were 10 lead changes among seven drivers. The race's two cautions consumed just eight laps.
F
S
#
Driver
Sponsor / Owner
Truck
Laps
Money
Status
1
10
1
Ted Musgrave
Mopar Performance
Dodge
100
$53,935
Running
2
1
62
Brendan Gaughan
The Orleans Hotel
Dodge
100
$36,500
Running
3
5
46
Dennis Setzer
Acxiom / Computer Assoc
Chevrolet
100
$26,565
Running
4
2
14
Rick Crawford
Circle Bar Motel & RV Park
Ford
100
$19,475
Running
5
4
75
David Starr
Spears Manufacturing
Chevrolet
100
$16,025
Running
6
8
2
Andy Houston
Team ASE / Carquest
Dodge
100
$14,525
Running
7
3
99
Carl Edwards
Superchips
Ford
100
$15,200
Running
8
12
16
Travis Kvapil
IWX Motor Freight
Chevrolet
100
$14,000
Running
9
6
50
Jon Wood
Graham for President
Ford
100
$13,700
Running
10
22
39
Jason Small
JRS Motorsports
Chevrolet
99
$14,400
Running
11
9
59
Robert Pressley
Harris Trucking/Melling Parts
Dodge
99
$13,350
Running
12
13
29
Terry Cook
Power Stroke Diesel / Oil Mate
Ford
99
$13,015
Running
13
16
38
Brandon Whitt
McMillin Homes-Realty / GS3
Chevrolet
99
$10,715
Running
14
11
88
Matt Crafton
Menards / Enzyme Magic
Chevrolet
99
$12,715
Running
15
23
20
Ken Weaver
1-800-4-A-Phone
Chevrolet
98
$10,815
Out of Gas
16
15
4
Bobby Hamilton
Square D
Dodge
98
$12,340
Running
17
17
18
Chad Chaffin
Dickies
Dodge
98
$12,215
Running
18
21
04
Shane Wallace
Wallace Motorsports
Ford
97
$9,940
Running
19
19
07
Johnny Chapman
Green Light Racing
Chevrolet
97
$12,165
Running
20
25
89
Stan Boyd
Engineered Victories
Chevrolet
97
$9,990
Running
21
34
72
Randy MacDonald
Bone Suckin' Sauce
Chevrolet
97
$12,115
Running
22
29
08
Bobby Dotter
Albertsons
Chevrolet
97
$12,090
Running
23
36
51
Randy Briggs
Amerisuites
Dodge
97
$11,065
Running
24
20
95
Wayne Edwards
NRG Cases / HiTech Engines
Ford
97
$9,790
Running
25
33
15
Robby Benton
Vokal Clothing / Fasscore
Dodge
96
$9,765
Running
26
14
68
Brandon Miller
Lucas Oil Products
Chevrolet
96
$9,740
Running
27
28
5
Jerry Hill
Ware Racing / La Quinta Inn
Dodge
90
$10,715
Running
28
7
8
Bill Lester
Strauss Auto Parts / The Club
Dodge
85
$10,690
Susp
29
31
36
Trevor Boys
James Western Star Sterling
Dodge
70
$9,665
Engine
30
24
53
T.J. Bell
Freedom Cycle / Defiant Clothing
Chevrolet
50
$10,645
Running
31
30
86
Phil Bonifield
Lane Automotive / Motor State
Chevrolet
47
$9,635
Ignition
32
18
01
Lance Hooper
Sunrise
Ford
38
$9,625
Vibration
33
35
23
Dana White
Red Line Synthetic Oil
Chevrolet
32
$9,615
Vibration
34
26
70
Rick Bogart
Bogart Racing Wheels
Dodge
23
$9,605
Trans
35
32
9
Kenny Hendrick
Fasscore / Vokal Clothing
Ford
9
$9,570
Brakes
36
27
0
Loni Richardson
Fire Spec / Toyota of Paris
Chevrolet
6
$9,535
Engine
Failed to Qualify: (4) Doug Keller (#77), Blake Mallory
(#27), Ricky Sanders (#19), Aaron Daniel (#93).
Time of Race: 1 hour, 22 minutes, 14 seconds
Average Speed: 145.926 mph (RACE RECORD)
Margin of Victory: 2.158 second
Bud Pole Award:
Brendan Gaughan, #62 American Racing Wheels Dodge, 41.447
seconds, 173.716 mph
Clevite Engine Parts Award:
Joey Arrington, #1 Mopar Performance Dodge
Featherlite Long Haul Award:
Ted Musgrave, #1 Mopar Performance Dodge
Mobil 1 Command Performance Driver of the Race Award:
Ted Musgrave, #1 Mopar Performance Dodge
Raybestos Rookie of the Race Award:
Carl Edwards, #99 Superchips Ford
Waste Management Picking Up Places Award:
Randy MacDonald, #72 Bone-Suckin' Sauce Chevrolet and Randy
Briggs, #51 Ware Racing Enterprises/Amerisuites Dodge (13
places)
Caution Flags:
Laps 11-14 (Debris, Turn 1); 65-68 (Truck #4 stall, Turn
4). 2 for 8 laps.
Lap Leaders: Brendan Gaughan 1-44, David Starr 45-46,
Ted Musgrave 47-55, Andy Houston 56, Travis Kvapil 57, Carl
Edwards 58-60, Bobby Hamilton 61, Gaughan 62-65, Houston 66-73,
Gaughan 74-91, Musgrave 92-100.
Total Laps Led: Brendan Gaughan 66, Ted Musgrave 18,
Andy Houston 9, Carl Edwards 3, David Starr 2, Travis Kvapil 1,
Bobby Hamilton 1. 10 lead changes involving 7 drivers.
Points following this race:
Rank
Driver
Points
-Back
1
Brendan Gaughan
2966
2
Travis Kvapil
2924
-42
3
Ted Musgrave
2904
-62
4
Dennis Setzer
2850
-116
5
Jon Wood
2760
-206
6
Rick Crawford
2760
-206
7
Bobby Hamilton
2722
-244
8
Carl Edwards
2596
-370