October 15, 2003

Hamilton is Relieved to Race in Martinsville

Ahhh, Martinsville: “I always look forward to racing in Martinsville. I have no idea why I’ve been labeled as a good driver here or how I know the way to get around this place so well. Last time Chad (Chaffin, teammate) and I had a lot of fun rubbing fenders and racing hard around this small track. This is a track where you have to keep your equipment, like every gauge in the truck, cool. It’s better that we don’t run as many laps as I did in a Winston Cup car, but we still have to watch our brakes in such a short event. Martinsville is fun, and provides a lot of action for the fans.”

Points Action: “I think we’ll see a couple of scraps this weekend in Martinsville. It will happen at a short track for sure. The points race is so close right now, it will shake things up among the leaders if something happens. I mean I’m not wishing anything bad on any of them, it’s just short-track racing. I know the drivers won’t like it if indeed it does happen, but it will definitely keep the fans tuned in for next week’s race. In Phoenix and Homestead everything will all settle down. We have more room to race there. Hopefully Brendan (Gaughan) or (Ted) Musgrave will be the one leading the points race at the end.”

Third Place Chances: “When you look at a driver such as Ted Musgrave, you have to step back and see what he has done in his career before you even count him out of the championship battle. He’s been pretty dominant in this series, either leading races or winning them. He has several top-five finishes this year. The next two races that we go to he is very strong at also. Then we go to Homestead where everyone is going to have a disadvantage because none of us have been on the new track surface. I wouldn’t count him out yet.”

Notes:

· This weekend’s truck is Scarface. In nine starts this year in this particular truck, Hamilton averages a ninth-place finish.

· Hamilton has lead over 1500 laps in Martinsville in Craftsman trucks and Winston Cup cars combined.

· If two of Hamilton’s three teams finish in the top ten this weekend, BHR will have 100 top-10 finishes under its belt.

· Hamilton and his Square D Racing Team tests Tuesday and Wednesday in Greenville, S.C. to get ready for this weekend’s race in Martinsville.

Dodge Advantage: “People ask me a lot if Dodge has an advantage at certain tracks. They think that since Brendan (Gaughan) has won four times in Texas that the Dodges have an advantage there. I didn’t see any of my three trucks in victory lane, did you? I just think that Dodge has great teams. There isn’t really a difference in Texas or any other place we go to. The Dodges run strong everywhere we go. I think next year we will see what really happens. It will tell the true story when everyone has common templates. We will all have the same stuff and if a Dodge wins next year say in Texas, I’d say it was not an advantage. We’ll see for sure then.”

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