September 30, 2003

Engine Problem Hampers Chad Chaffin All Night at Las Vegas Speedway

Chad Chaffin and the whole No. 18 Dickies Dodge Team were hoping for a solid run after qualifying in the fifth position for the Las Vegas 350. But as their luck this year would prove, an engine miss-fire about 20 laps into the race would spell disaster for the team’s hopes.

Chaffin and the No. 18 Team spent much of the night on an off of pit road with the hood up trying to fix the engine, but none of their efforts paid off in the end. Chaffin soldiered on to finish the race and recorded an 18th place finish.

“It’s the same old thing all year,” said Chaffin. “Last week I would have paid money to have the thing blow up so we could get the run over because of the handling problems. This week we’re running well again and what happens, an engine failure. It’s just really disappointing. The guys on the this No. 18 Team work their hearts out trying to get a fast truck under me, and when things like this happen, it makes it hard to keep your head up.”

Chaffin began the race from the fifth position and right from the start, he looked fast. He tucked in behind the lead trucks and was just getting ready to make his move when the first caution of the day came out. Shortly after the restart, Chaffin radioed into the crew and said he had a miss in the engine. Crew Chief Danny Rollins told him to change electrical boxes and see if that helped. It did not. After riding the problem out until the next caution, Chaffin came down pit road for service around lap 40.

Over the next 20 laps, Chaffin made several pit stops so the team could raise the hood and work on the engine. Nothing seemed to help, and the team finally told Chaffin that he was going to have to ride it out.

During the final few laps of the race, Chaffin managed to move up a few positions due to attrition. When the checkered flag flew, he was in the 18th position.
“The boys did all they could tonight,” said Chaffin. “They gave me a fast truck, and if the engine would not have had its problem, we felt like we would have had a shot at a top ten finish. We’ll just have to get them in South Boston next week.”

With five races remaining in the 2003 season, there are 11 drivers that can still mathematically win the 2003 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Championship.
“It’s a morale boost for the guys to know that even though the season has been a tough one, we still haven’t been eliminated from the mathematical race for the title,” said Chaffin. “Realistically, we are racing for the ninth or tenth position, but it is good for the guys to know they have still managed to hang on in the championship battle.”

Driver: Chad Chaffin, No. 18 Dickies Dodge Team
Starts Pole Wins Top Fives Top Tens Earnings Points Position
20 2 0 2 8 $ 232,865 10th

Race-by-Race Run Down:
Location Start Finish Laps Status Money Won
Daytona 6 17 103 of 106 Running $ 13,015
Darlington 7 5 147 of 147 Running 9,175
Bakersfield 27 20 253 of 255 Running 5,665
Martinsville 23 26 245 of 250 Out of Gas 6,865
Charlotte 10 8 136 of 136 Running 11,075
Dover 12 7 200 of 200 Running 15,375
Texas 10 8 167 of 167 Running 13,900
Memphis 2 28 76 of 200 Engine 8,940
Milwaukee 7 13 196 of 200 Running 10,115
Kansas 1 14 166 of 167 Running 13,640
Kentucky 3 26 50 of 150 Engine 11,540
St. Louis 13 13 160 of 160 Running 11,240
Michigan 2 3 100 of 100 Running 22,975
Indy 3 12 199 of 200 Running 10,515
Nashville 1 6 150 of 150 Running 11,950
Bristol 7 7 200 of 200 Running 13,050
Richmond 12 11 200 of 200 Running 8,800
Loudon 7 6 200 of 200 Running 12,875
California 17 17 98 of 100 Running 12,215
Las Vegas 5 18 144 of 146 Running 9,940

South Boston (Next Event)

Totals 3192 of 3434 (92.9%) $ 232,865

NEXT EVENT: The John Boy and Billy Craftsman Truck 250 at South Boston Speedway in South Boston, Virginia on October 4, 2003. The event will be televised live on SPEED Channel at 4:30 PM Eastern Time and also live on MRN radio at 4:30 PM Eastern Time.