A year ago today, we lost Bobby Hamilton. The show goes on but it's never been the same without Bobby Hamilton. A champion on and off the track. A friend that is missed this and everyday. As a small tribute to his life and dedication to racing, we offer this story, penned nearly a year ago by John Close. - Steve Keller, Editor - Truckseries.com
I was just reminded we lost Bobby Hamilton a year ago today. Is it ironic that we lost Cindi today as welll? Or is it Divine Providence? Now, when we are reminded of Bobby Hamilton's date of passing we can remember Cindi's also.
Ken Schrader drove the No. 18 Fastenal Dodge Ram to a top-five finish in the rain-delayed Power Stroke Diesel 200 at O'Reilly Raceway Park, Indianapolis, Ind., last Friday night, July 27. Next up in NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series racing: a 200-mile race at Nashville Superspeedway, in Lebanon, Tenn., on Saturday, August 11, 2007.
Schrader did it in style too. He started 18th and moved up steadily through the field all night on a track where the winner has always started in the top five. Not bad for an old man. He ended the night picking up two spots on the last lap. There was also this tidbit.
TruckSeries.com Report
Fifth-finishing Ken Schrader drove the No. 18 Fastenal Dodge to its first lead lap posting since May’s race in Mansfield where he took third – the veteran’s best of the season.
Ken Schrader knew Mansfield Motorsports Park was his type of race track the moment he laid eyes on it Friday morning. He consistently proved that during the rain drenched weekend. Schrader unloaded as the fastest truck in practice and qualified the No. 18 Fastenal Dodge in the 14th position. Once the race began he didn't stay there long. By lap 79 of the Ohio 250 lap the short track guru cracked the top 10 and never looked back. After two red flags for thunderstorms, 13 caution flags and 250 laps of bumper to bumper action Schrader drove the No. 18 Fastenal Dodge home in third place. It was the team's best finish of the season. The top-five finish moved the team up four spots into 13th place in the NCTS Owner Points.
"This is a team building day," said Schrader after the event. "We have been getting better and better each week. This week it really paid off for us. This was big for this team. They really needed a boost of confidence and I think today we did that. I love driving this truck and I am really looking forward to what is ahead for all of us."
Dennis Setzer won the The Ohio 250 before an estimated crowd of 15,000. Jack Sprague, Schrader, Mike Skinner and Johnny Benson rounded out the top five finishers. The next event for the NCTS will be at Dover International Speedway on June 1, 2007 with Schrader driving the Fastenal Dodge.
Matt Crafton raced to a 7th place finish in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Quaker Steak & Lube 200 at Lowe's Motor Speedway on Friday, his 4th top-10 finish this season and fifth consecutive at Lowe's.
Note: Readers have requested more stories about people other than Dale Earnhardt Jr. , Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson, Tony Stewart, et al. Well if you want that, then you have to let me know you are reading these stories about other lesser known drivers. Comment please. LET ME HEAR YOU! LOUDER!
"On the last restart, I had a good run on Mark (Martin), but he blocked me on the bottom," Crafton said. "Both of us had to roll out of the gas a little bit so we didn't wreck, and it cost me a couple of spots. If we'd have been racing for the win, it would've been a different story, but it wasn't worth wrecking for a couple of spots. We're a little disappointed, because we definitely felt we had a top-5 truck, but that's the way this sport is. Sometimes, you have an awesome truck and maybe don't have a strong finish to show for it, and other times you're fortunate to finish well when you don't have your best truck. All in all, we'll take another top-10 finish and run with it."
Bobby Hamilton Racing (BHR) and Dodge Motorsports are redirecting their focus in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series from driver development in the No. 4 Open Joist Dodge. Evernham Motorsports driver Kasey Khane will test the Open Joist Dodge later this week at Lowes Motor Speedway. BHR has a 56,000 sq. ft. facility based in Mt. Juliet, Tenn. and fields two entries, the No. 18 Fastenal Dodge and the No. 4 Open Joist Dodge, in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. In just nine years, the team has earned one series championship, 10 wins, 21 pole positions, 78 top five and 144 top-10 finishes.
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