July 14, 2003

Chad Chaffin Running Third When Engine Expires

Over the last four races, Chad Chaffin and the No. 18 BHR Dickies Dodge have not started a race worse than seventh place. Unfortunately, the black cloud that has followed the team since the season started has kept them from finishing any higher than 13th place in the last four events.

Saturday night at Kentucky Speedway, Chaffin once again looked poised to make a run at his first victory. He and the team started the event from the third position and quickly moved to second in the opening laps of the Kentucky 225. Then 29 laps into the contest, the team made their first pit stop under caution and returned to the race in the 16th position because several of the leaders did not pit. But not to worry, from the time the green flag came out on lap 33 to lap 49, Chaffin passed 13 trucks to assume the third position.

But as luck would have it, on the next lap as Chaffin entered turn three and let off the gas, a rod broke in the engine, sending parts and oil flying out of the bottom of the motor. Chaffin tried to slow down and make the hard turn into the garage, but he drove through the grass near the pit entrance and ended up spinning onto the pit lane. From there, Chaffin got the truck righted and pulled into the garage, where the team found a hole in the bottom of the engine.

“It seems like when we are running our best, we have something go wrong,” said Chaffin. “We have fallen out of three races this season and every time the Dickies Dodge was running in the top five. I just don’t know what to say. I’m disappointed and frustrated. This team is so competitive and to keep having this misfortune is just gut wrenching. It’s never good when you have a problem on the track, but when the truck is so good all weekend, it just makes it even tougher to handle. I’m just sorry for BHR, Dickies, and Dodge. We’re going to get this turned around, and we’re going to win one of these races. I’m just glad that everyone is keeping their head up about what is happening.”

Chaffin and the team fell one position in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series points standings to 12th place, following the engine failure and this 26th place finish.

Driver: Chad Chaffin, No. 18 Dickies Dodge Team
Starts Pole Wins Top Fives Top Tens Earnings Points Position
11 0 0 1 4 $ 119,305 12th

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 (Next Event)

Totals 1739 of 1978 (87.9%) $ 119,305