November 17, 2003

Dodge Racing Recap: Ford 200
 
Dodge driver Bill Lester posted the fastest lap time of the day in the Ford 200 at Homestead-Miami Speedway in the final race of the 2003 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series season. The seasoned veteran finished the race in 18th position after a lugnut fell off the left front tire ending the BHR team’s hopes of capturing its first victory. Lester finished the season 14th in the truck series championship battle.

Lester started the race in the eighth spot. He quickly moved up to fourth position by lap eight. Then Lester’s truck got very loose as he entered the corners. Crew Chief and Spotter Kip McCord told his driver, “Hang with it, we’ll get you some help as soon as we can.” By lap 31 Lester had fallen back to 15th position, but radioed to his Dodge Racing Team that his truck was coming around.

Lester was forced to pit under green-flag conditions on lap 59 before his truck ran out of fuel. He came on to pit road in the eighth spot and his Dodge pit crew performed a routine pit stop and sent Lester back on the track.

Unfortunately the NASCAR official in the No. 8 pit area noticed that one of the lugnuts on the left front tire was not put on the wheel during the stop. Lester was told to come in immediately so his team could replace the lost lugnut. The Dodge driver did as he was told and came back on pit road. One of the crew members jumped over the wall very quickly and put the lugnut back on the tire while the gasman took advantage of the stop and added a splash of fuel to the truck.

As Lester was exiting pit road the lugnut fell off again. He was forced to pit a third time to replace the costly mistake. Lester returned three laps down in 28th position. He and his team soldiered on despite the mishap. In the final laps of the Ford 200 McCord encouraged his driver to show the others what Trix, as the No. 8 Dodge was nicknamed, was made of. Lester posted the fastest lap time of the day before he went on to finish the race in 18th position.

“I want to remember the feeling that I had behind the wheel of that truck because they had that thing just perfect at the end of the race,” Lester said with a smile. “It was so fast it was unbelievable. After I let the leaders go to settle it amongst themselves at the end of the race, I dropped back with three laps to go. Then I charged up and was right on their tails in no time. We had the fastest lap at the end. I told the guys if you all every destroy Trix, you are making a mistake. That is a darn good truck.”

Bobby Hamilton won the Ford 200. Following Hamilton in the top five was Rick Crawford, David Starr, Andy Houston and Jack Sprague. Travis Kvapil was crowned the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Champion.