Multi-truck teams have become popular in 2004 but it’s the Bobby Hamilton Racing duo of Hamilton and Chad Chaffin that is making the most noise on the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series.

Hamilton’s victory in Saturday night’s Built Ford Tough 225 marked the third victory in the past six races for the Mt. Juliet, Tenn.-based outfit. Since Chaffin’s June 1 win at Dover International Speedway, BHR counts six top five and 11 top 10 efforts.

Lead driver Hamilton has advanced to the No. 2 spot in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series championship hunt – six points behind Dennis Setzer – while Chaffin’s 10th-place finish at Kentucky Speedway solidified his hold on sixth in the standings.

Hamilton, however, isn’t surprised at what he considers the expected.

“I think we’ve turned the corner and we’re starting to figure some stuff out,” he said after posting season win No. 3 in the same truck Hamilton took to Victory Lane at Memphis Motorsports Park in mid-June.

Hamilton’s championship stock was high in 2003 when the former NASCAR NEXTEL Cup competitor decided to run a full NASCAR Craftsman Truck schedule. He was among the favorites – but not the favorite – when the current campaign began, perhaps due to last summer’s fall from a big, early points lead to a finish of sixth.

Of note, Hamilton’s No. 2 points ranking is his best in more than a year. He last held second place after The Milwaukee Mile race of June 28, 2003.

As for his dominance at Kentucky, Hamilton agreed that an old dog can learn new tricks – and from a young pup, his son Bobby Jr. “He told me a lot of good stuff tonight, something he told me about this race track about how to drive it (and) I never would have thought it,” said the elder Hamilton. “It was all about how I drove the truck.”

And that was?

“I never will tell that; I didn’t even tell my teammate,” said the winner. “I just don’t do that. I keep it to myself because somebody else will figure it out before long.”

***

Jack Sprague’s second place finish, worth $53,450, pushed the three-time NASCAR Craftsman Truck champion’s career winnings past the $4.9 million mark. Sprague is destined to become the tour’s first $5 million man – sooner most likely than later.

***

Carl Edwards’ 33rd-place finish proves that no one is going to go unscathed through this season’s 25-race schedule. The current top five of Dennis Setzer, Hamilton, Edwards, Rick Crawford and Matt Crafton count respective “worst” finishes of 25th, 31st, 33rd, 34th and 29th.

***

There now are two former U.S. Auto Club Silver Crown champions among 18 Raybestos Rookie of the Year contenders. Paul White joined Tracy Hines in competition for the $10,000 season prize prior to Saturday’s stop at Kentucky Speedway. The two are teammates at Thor Motorsports where White has taken over the No. 13 Sta-Max Chevrolet previously driven by Tina Gordon and Lance Hooper.

***

Orleans Racing’s turnaround continues with Steve Park’s sixth-place finish – the team’s fourth top 10 in the past five races. Park has improved dramatically on his average finish of 19.5 over the season’s first six races but pit road performance remains a concern for both driver and crew chief Charlie Wilson.

Pit stop troubles have deprived Park of even better finishes and possibly a first 2004 victory for the team that won six times a year ago with Brendan Gaughan.

“Everyone knows we have had a lot of personnel changes. Just like any sport it takes some time to develop the chemistry needed to be championship caliber,” said Wilson. “Steve has proven he can drive the wheels off the truck. He deserves the same from the team in the pits. We are going to work as hard as it takes to give him what he needs to win.”

***

Deborah Renshaw, who finished 25th in K Automotive’s Sitex/Par4Plastics Ford, is the seventh different female competitor to compete on the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series.

***

Larry McReynolds, former Vice President for Bang Motorsports, has left the team. FOX analyst and former NASCAR NEXTEL Cup crew chief McReynolds and owner Alex Meshkin said the split was based on differing philosophies of management. Bang Racing fields Toyota Tundra trucks for NASCAR Craftsman Truck champions Travis Kvapil and Mike Skinner.