September 1, 2003

Square D Racing Preview: RICHMOND

Event: Virginia is for Lovers 200
Location: Richmond International Raceway
Qualifying: Sept. 4th 2:00 PM EDT
Race Start: Sept. 4th 8:00 PM EDT Live on Speed

19 Teams Can Mathematically Win Championship: “There is a bunch of if this, then that for whoever said 19 teams can mathematically win the championship. There are nine races left and really the top three are so close they can switch around for the first place position at any time. Positions fourth through seventh have their work cut out for them, but could possibly do it if the cards all fall the right way. I said when I came into the Craftsman Truck Series this year that I wanted to concentrate on a championship for Dodge. If that means that I cannot win it this year, then I just hope who ever is sitting at the head table for the banquet is a Dodge team. They deserve it and have put a lot of effort into the race program all these years.”

Testing AGAIN? “Yes we tested again. After Bristol we went to Atlanta for a two-day test session with Dodge. We had help from several of Dodge’s engineers. That track is fast and tough. It’s different driving the trucks there because they are so rough. A Winston Cup car drives smooth around that track, and really fast. A truck will bounce around and drive really rough every track we race on, so Atlanta is challenging in a truck because of the speed we go. If they ever got a race there it would be a good one to watch. The trucks put on a good show in Charlotte, so Atlanta would be similar. It’s fast, furious and requires a lot from the drivers. After Atlanta we went to Pikes Peak again. We wanted another chance to try our trucks at a track like that. I think we learned a lot from that test. It was cooler there, so temperature will affect some of our notes we took, but overall it should help us in Richmond this week.”

Review of the Truck Series: “I’ve had fun this year. The competition out there in all three series is tougher this year than any other one. The trucks have become such a feeding ground for the Winston Cup Series that it’s finally getting more recognition and it deserves it. Every race has been switching leaders, tight among teammates, or battling for the top five spots. That says a lot for the Craftsman Truck Series.”

Notes:  This week’s truck is Scarface. Hamilton raced it in Bakersfield, Martinsville, Milwaukee, Indianapolis and Nashville. Hamilton posted three top-fives in those events.

Team Information (25 Busch Series crew):
• Front Tire Changer Michael Hinson Hamilton’s Career Statistics
• Front Tire Carrier Tim Enderle Starts Wins Poles Top 5’s Top 10’s
• Rear Tire Changer Kyle Power 40 3 5 11 18
• Rear Tire Carrier Eric Yost Career Money Won: $497,930
• Jackman Allen Mincey
• Gasman Art Harris Crew Chief: Newt Moore`
• Catch Can Chuck Hoelzel Spotter: Andy Dunlap
• Engine Builder Arrington Manufacturing

Richmond Woes: “The last time I raced a truck in Richmond, it ended on a bad note for me. The wreck (that caused Hamilton to miss five races in his Winston Cup Series ride) is something a driver has to learn to look beyond. I can’t go out for this race and think what if that happens again or I would never touch the gas. I have to think, ‘OK here is another track that is a good one for me and whatever happened in the past is behind me.’ It’s tough for a driver to get in that mindset sometimes, but you have to. Who would have thought that I would be racing in this series full time after that wreck? I said I wouldn’t do it again and look at me now. But it could have happened to me in any race in any series. Drivers have that mentality and it’s a good thing we think that way. I don’t know if that is the smartest way to think, but it is the only way we continue to race.”

Starts: 16 Laps Led: 251 DNF’s: 1
Wins: 1 Top-Five Finishes: 6 Average Start: 7.25
Poles: 2 Top-10 Finishes: 10 Average Finish: 9.3
Points: 7 Top-20 Finishes: 14