July 28, 2003

Chad Chaffin Has Career Day at Michigan International Speedway

Chad Chaffin, driving the No. 18 BHR Dickies Dodge, tied his career-best finish of third place on Saturday afternoon at the Michigan International Speedway. Chaffin, who started from the second position, raced among the leaders for much of the day, before making a charge in the final ten laps to capture the team’s second top five finish of the season. It was also the third time in six weeks that the No. 18 truck had started on the front row.

“Man, I’m excited,” said Chaffin. “This is the best truck I’ve ever had for one of these races. I finished third in my first NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race, and it took me 20 more races to get back to that spot. We’ve had a lot of trouble this year with the Dickies Dodge, but we proved that if we can just avoid the misfortunes, we can contend for a win. I’m so proud of the guys on the team. They gave me a great truck, and the pit stops were fantastic today. I just don’t know what to say about those guys for never giving up this year.”

Chaffin’s day began from the second position, and at the drop of the green flag, he began dicing it up in the top five. But as the fuel load began to burn off, the truck began to get a little tight in the corners. So Chaffin settled into the running order and waited to make a stop to adjust the truck.

On lap 29, during the first caution of the day, Chaffin and the team did just that. Chaffin brought the No. 18 truck to pit road for four tires, fuel, and a chassis adjustment. When Chaffin returned to the track for the restart, he was in the eighth position. Over the next 40 laps or so, Chaffin steadily moved up to the fourth position when the team had to make its final pit stop of the day on lap 74. Chaffin roared down pit lane to the crew. They jumped over the wall, gave him four tires and fuel, and sent him back into the fight in the sixth position with 20 laps to go in the event.
That is when Chaffin began his run to the front. One by one he picked off the trucks in front of him. But with each move up through the field, it became increasingly harder to pass, and the laps it took to get by the trucks in front of him left little time to catch the leader. When the checkered flag flew, Chaffin flashed across the start finish line in the third position.

“This should give us a little momentum going into the second half of the season,” said Chaffin. “We’ve got a lot of ground to make up, but if we can start knocking off top five finishes, then we’ll get back in the points race.”

The finish helped the No. 18 Team move up one position to 11th place in the year long points standings. They are now 79 points out of the top ten with the second half of the season starting next week at Indianapolis Raceway Park.

Driver: Chad Chaffin, No. 18 Dickies Dodge Team
Starts Pole Wins Top Fives Top Tens Earnings Points Position
13 1 0 2 5 $ 153,520 11th

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 (Next Event)

Totals 1999 of 2238 (89.3%) $ 153,520

NEXT EVENT: The Power Stroke Diesel 200 at Indianapolis Raceway Park in Claremont, Indiana on August 1, 2003. The event will be televised live on SPEED Channel at 9:00 PM Eastern Time and also live on MRN radio at 9:00 PM Eastern Time.