May 16, 2003

Square D Racing Report | Hardees 200

CONCORD, N.C. (May 16, 2003) – Square D driver Bobby Hamilton showcased his talents at Lowe’s Motor Speedway in the final 22 laps of the Hardee’s 200 to finish the race in seventh position. Hamilton still retains the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series points lead over driver Rick Crawford.

Hamilton qualified fifth for the inaugural event at Lowe’s Motor Speedway and by lap 20 had taken over the race lead from driver Kevin Harvick. Then NASCAR threw a mandatory caution on lap 38 because the final practice was rained out yesterday. Hamilton pitted for tires and fuel asking his crew chief to help his tight condition by making an adjustment to the track bar and air pressures. The Square D Racing Team cranked out a quick pit stop with adjustments and Hamilton went back on the track in third position.

In the next few laps the Nashville, Tenn., native held his own on the race track fighting off trucks to stay in the top 10 despite his tight condition. Hamilton had only fallen three spots to sixth position by lap 78 when his lap times started to improve significantly. The team had projected the truck could make it until lap 100 on fuel and were praying for a caution. Finally on lap 99, crew chief Newt Moore called Hamilton into the pits next time by.

Unfortunately as Hamilton was exiting pit road, a caution flag came out on lap 102 when Jon Wood spun. This placed teams, such as Hamilton, Kevin Harvick, Jason Leffler and Jeremy Mayfield, who previously pitted under the green-flag conditions all on the tail end of the lead lap at the restart on lap 107. Luckily for the Square D Racing Team another caution came out on lap 110 allowing Hamilton to retain his spot on the lead lap.

On lap 112 Hamilton stopped on pit road so the rear tire changer could take one-half of a rubber out of the left rear tire and make a track bar adjustment for the final laps of the Hardee’s 200. The race restarted on lap 114 and Hamilton was in 15th position. By lap 124 he was already in ninth place.

The final caution of the night came out on lap 131, and Moore said, “Here it is bud, put some mojo in it and get up front as best as you can.” NASCAR mandated the green (flag)-white (flag)-checkered (flag) finish rule for the final laps of the race. Hamilton went on to pick up two more positions to finish the race in seventh place.

"We were pretty good there at the end,” Hamilton said. “We had to play catch up after that caution came out and put us down a lap. I don’t think we pulled enough gear, but we elected to do that. We didn't know how many rpm's we'd turn since this was a new race track, so we thought it was best to play it safe on the engine and use a high gear on the truck. That's the first time we haven't finished in the top five this year, but we finished in the top 10. My goal was to finish in the top five in every race, and it was possible tonight if the caution hadn't caught us. We were faster than three or four trucks in front of us, but simply ran out of laps."

Ted Musgrave won the Hardee’s 200. Brendan Gaughan, Rick Crawford, Travis Kvapil and Kevin Harvick followed in the top five.

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