|
NASCAR Preseason Thunder Day 5: Bobby Hamilton Racing-VA Look For More Daytona Wins
Craftsman Truck Series testing wraps up on Sunday. |
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Jan. 12, 2008) – While the Chevy Silverado 250 has produced eight different winners in its eight-year history, one team – Bobby Hamilton Racing-VA – has managed to win it a record three times. Bobby Hamilton Racing-VA has captured the season-opening NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series event with Joe Ruttman (2001), Robert Pressley (2002) and the late Bobby Hamilton (2005). The only other team to win the Chevy Silverado 250 multiple times is Roush Fenway Racing with Carl Edwards (2004) and Mark Martin (2006) Entering the ninth annual Chevy Silverado 250 on Friday night, Feb. 15, Bobby Hamilton Racing-VA, which has recently relocated from Mount Juliet, Tenn. to Martinsville, Va., will have Dennis Setzer in the No. 18 Dodge and Stacy Compton in the No. 4 Dodge. Compton will actually be behind the wheel of the same Dodge that propelled Hamilton to his 2005 Chevy Silverado 250 win. “We made a few changes on the truck before we came down and we unloaded and it’s good and it’s fast,” Compton said. “It’s fast on its own. We went out in drafting practice and I told the guys, ‘I see why Bobby won with this truck, it drives so good.’ “The 18 truck is actually a new truck, brand new configuration, something we’re trying just a little bit different. But that 4 is the same truck that Bobby won in. It is several years old and it doesn’t have but six races on it and I think it’s won three speedway races. It’s a good truck and drove awesome yesterday in the draft. I’m pretty pumped. The way it drove as fast as it is on its own, we’re looking forward to coming back.” Compton, who is part of a new partnership formed at Bobby Hamilton Racing-VA that also includes Joey Arrington, Clay Campbell, Mark Melling, Lori Hamilton and Mac Bailey, has always been a stronger restrictor-plate racer at Daytona International Speedway and sat on the outside pole for the 2001 Daytona 500. “I love these places,” Compton said. “It’s fun to get out there and play the chess game and do all the parts of what it takes to go fast at a speedway race and stay out of trouble.” Hornaday ready for attempt at repeat: Ron Hornaday Jr., who wheels the No. 33 Chevrolet for Kevin Harvick Inc., visited the media during Saturday’s lunch break and talked about trying to win his second straight NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series championship and his fourth overall. Hornaday has quickly closed the book on last year’s title. “It’s over with, it’s a new year,” Hornaday said about his 2007 championship. “The coolest thing (about the championship) was going to New York. I never got to do that, the NEXTEL Cup banquet. Boy, they do drink a lot of beer.” Hornaday will attempt a repeat with a new teammate – his old rival and friend Jack Sprague, a fellow three-time NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series champion. “When Harvick hired me, he hired two new fabricators. When he hired Jack, he hired four more,” Hornaday quipped. Hornaday believes that having a two-truck effort at KHI with Sprague as a teammate is going to be a boost for the team. “Thinking about Jack Sprague as a teammate is pretty weird,” Hornaday said. “I told Kevin (Harvick) that I am going out and spin Sprague out the first time to just let him know who is the boss of KHI. “We have got three championships apiece and a lot of wins. It is definitely going to help the team out with what we learn down here at Daytona, how good Ernie (Cope, Sprague’s crew chief) and Rick Ren (Hornaday’s crew chief) are working together and Jack and I.” Fastest of the day: Erik Darnell in the No. 99 Roush Fenway Racing Ford was the fastest in the morning session with a lap of 178.547 mph followed by Scott Lynch in the No. 29A Dodge (178.327), Mike Skinner (177.792), Justin Marks (177.134) and Stacy Compton (176.828). In the afternoon session where drafting sessions were permitted, Jon Wood was fastest with a lap of 184.332 mph followed by Todd Bodine (183.763), Rick Crawford (183.703), Justin Marks (183.610) and Ron Hornaday Jr. (183.266). The auction started Monday, Jan. 7 and will run through Sunday, Jan. 20 at 5 p.m. Available to bid on are many autograph items from drivers and stars such as Nicolas Cage, Kelly Clarkson, Jeff Gordon, Michael Waltrip, Buddy Baker, Pete Hamilton and Jimmie Johnson. Quotable: Stacy Compton on his strategy for the Chevy Silverado 250: “There are two philosophies, you can go to back and ride around or you can stay up front and I think to stay out of the wrecks, you’re going to have to be top five or top seven. If you’re not there, you’re probably going to get caught up in something. We saw it yesterday. It was crazy out there. We’re out there practicing and people are bump drafting and turning people are sideways. It’s good hard short track racing at Daytona.” Quick hits: David Dollar, owner of Morgan-Dollar Motorsports, announced that Erin Crocker will drive the No. 46 Chevrolet Silverado in the first two NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race including the season-opening Chevy Silverado 250 at Daytona. NASCAR Sprint Cup Series returns for Round 2 of Preseason Thunder: Sunday will be the final day of NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series testing before the second wave of NASCAR Sprint Cup Series testing begins on Monday with drivers such as 2007 Daytona 500 winner Kevin Harvick, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Tony Stewart and Kasey Kahne. The next NASCAR Preseason Thunder Fan Fest is scheduled for Tuesday, Jan. 15 with the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. Sprint FANZONE opens at 9 a.m. Tickets to the event are $15. Tickets: Race tickets for all DIRECTV Speedweeks 2008 events at Daytona International Speedway are available online at www.racetickets.com or by calling 1-800-PITSHOP. Speeds: DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Saturday morning testing speeds from the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series testing in preparation for the ninth annual Chevy Silverado 250: 1. 99A, Erik Darnell, Ford, 50.407, 178.547 2. 29A, Scott Lynch, Dodge, 50.469, 178.327 3. 5A, Mike Skinner, Toyota, 50.621, 177.792 4. 9A, Justin Marks, Toyota, 50.809, 177.134 5. 4A, Stacy Compton, Dodge, 50.897, 176.828 6. 13A, Shelby Howard, Chevrolet, 51.125, 176.039 7. 30A, Todd Bodine, Toyota, 51.136, 176.001 8. 60A, Terry Cook, Toyota, 51.244, 175.630 9. 88A, Matt Crafton, Chevrolet, 51.264, 175.562 10. 8A, Chad McCumbee, Chevrolet, 51.275, 175.524 11. 30B, Todd Bodine, Toyota, 51.288, 175.480 12. 2A, Jack Sprague, Chevrolet, 51.304, 175.425 13. 33A, Ron Hornaday, Chevrolet, 51.340, 175.302 14. 18A, Stacy Compton, Dodge, 51.381, 175.162 15. 14A, Rick Crawford, Ford, 51.382, 175.159 16. 7A, Andy Lally, Chevrolet, 51.393, 175.121 17. 60B, Terry Cook, Toyota, 51.422, 175.022 18. 22A, Phillip McGilton, Tyt 51.435, 174.978 19. 21A, Jon Wood, Ford, 51.533, 174.645 20. 46A, Erin Crocker, Chevrolet, 51.586, 174.466 21. 23B, Johnny Benson, Toyota, 51.654, 174.236 22. 07A, Shane Sieg, Chevrolet, 51.711, 174.044 23. 19A, Brian Scott, Ford, 51.728, 173.987 24. 08A, Jason White, Dodge, 51.738, 173.953 25. 16A, Derrike Cope, Chevrolet, 51.747, 173.923 26. 51A, Kyle Busch, Toyota, 51.768, 173.853 27. 11B, David Starr, Toyota, 51.798, 173.752 28. 08B, Shane Sieg, Dodge 51.848, 173.584 29. 51B, Kyle Busch, Toyota, 51.922, 173.337 30. 20A, Scott Lagasse, Jr., Ford, 51.990, 173.110 31. 10A, Brendan Gaughan, Ford 52.139, 172.616 32. 20B, Scott Lagasse, Jr., Ford 52.171, 172.510 33. 28A, Wayne Edwards, Chevrolet, 52.608, 171.077 34. 53, Justin Hobgood, Chevrolet, 52.826, 170.371 DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Saturday afternoon testing speeds from the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series testing in preparation for the ninth annual Chevy Silverado 250: 1. 21A, Jon Wood, Ford, 48.825, 184.332 2. 30A, Todd Bodine, Toyota, 48.976, 183.763 3. 14A, Rick Crawford, Ford, 48.992, 183.703 4. 9A, Justin Marks, Toyota, 49.017, 183.610 5. 33A, Ron Hornaday, Chevrolet, 49.109, 183.266 6. 5A, Mike Skinner, Toyota, 49.113, 183.251 7. 4A, Stacy Compton, Dodge, 49.133, 183.176 8. 23B, Johnny Benson, Toyota, 49.134, 183.173 9. 07A, Shane Sieg, Chevrolet, 49.166, 183.053 10. 33B, Ron Hornaday, Chevrolet, 49.173, 183.027 11. 8A, Chad McCumbee, Chevrolet, 49.180, 183.001 12. 60A, Terry Cook, Toyota, 49.222, 182.845 13. 59A, Ted Musgrave, Toyota, 49.223, 182.841 14. 13A, Shelby Howard, Chevrolet, 49.226, 182.830 15. 99A, Erik Darnell, Ford, 49.234, 182.801 16. 2A, Jack Sprague, Chevrolet, 49.256, 182.719 17. 29A, Scott Lynch, Dodge, 49.301, 182.552 18. 88A, Matt Crafton, Chevrolet, 49.320, 182.482 19. 08A, Jason White, Chevrolet, 49.325, 182.463 20. 14B, Rick Crawford, Ford 49.388, 182.231 21. 10A, Brendan Gaughan, Ford, 49.421,, 182.109 22. 9B, Justin Marks, Toyota, 49.438, 182.046 23. 16A, Derrike Cope, Chevrolet, 49.461, 181.962 24. 51A, Kyle Busch, Toyota, 49.467, 181.939 25. 18A, Dennis Setzer, Dodge, 49.488, 181.862 26. 22A, Phillip McGilton, Toyota, 49.527, 181.719 27. 60B, Terry Cook, Toyota, 49.570, 181.561 28. 28A, Wayne Edwards, Chevrolet, 49.723, 181.003 29. 7A, Andy Lally, Chevrolet, 49.724, 180.999 30. 46B, Erin Crocker, Chevrolet, 49.732, 180.970 31. 11B, David Starr, Toyota, 49.804, 180.708 32. 46A, Erin Crocker, Chevrolet, 50.172, 179.383 33. 10B, Brendan Gaughan, Ford, 50.186, 179.333 34. 19A, Brian Scott, Chevrolet, 50.296, 178.941 35. 20A, Scott Lagasse, Jr., Ford, 50.425, 178.483 36. 2B, Jack Sprague, Chevrolet, 51.519, 174.693 37. 51B, Kyle Busch, Toyota, 51.523, 174.679 38. 53, Justin Hobgood, Chevrolet, 52.787, 170.497
|
|
