September 8, 2003

Crash Ends Bill Lester’s Night at Richmond International Raceway

After fighting a tight condition and then a loose condition with the race truck all night at Richmond International Raceway, Bill Lester and the No. 8 Team’s race ended in turns three and four after contact with the wall. The team tried to fix the damaged truck while pitting several times for repairs, but the front suspension and the front clip of the truck were badly damaged in the impact. The crew members threw everything they could at the truck, but after several attempts to return to the race, the team took the truck behind the wall. The accident relegated the team to a 30th place finish after 143 laps of competition.

“We fought a truck that was free on entry and tight off,” said Lester. “We just never could get that thing corrected. I ran a line where I was just trying to hook the corners to try and turn me. I was encouraged to try and widen my line out a little bit, and all that did was take away exit. That wound up biting us in the end. We just ran out of road. I kept turning the wheel, and the thing just kept going straight. I'm frustrated because this team deserves better. I'm doing all I can behind the wheel. Believe me, I'm asking for change. I'm asking for what it needs, but so far we just haven't hit the nail on the head. We’ll just get to Loudon next week and see what we have for them there. We’ve had a string of bad luck the last few weeks, and we need to get that turned around so we can have a strong end to the 2003 season.”

From the moment the green flag fell to start the Virginia is for Lovers 200, Lester and the Team struggled, running in the 15th to 18th position and fighting an ill-handling truck. The No. 8 Team made several pit stops during the evening to help the truck, but nothing seemed to make a big difference.

The finish did not affect the Team’s position in the points, but they are slowly slipping back into the clutches of the No. 59 truck for 13th and 14th positions in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series points standings.

Although the No. 8 Team has not had the best season here of late, they are still one of 17 teams that can still mathematically win the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Championship, with eight races remaining in the 2003 season.

Driver: Bill Lester, No. 8 Strauss Auto Parts/The Club Dodge Team
Starts Pole Wins Top Fives Top Tens Earnings Points Position
17 1 0 0 1 $ 181,960 13th

Race-by-Race Run Down:
Location Start Finish Laps Status Money Won
Daytona 8 18 97 of 106 Accident $ 15,165
Darlington 15 12 144 of 147 Running 9,465
Bakersfield 23 13 255 of 255 Running 8,190
Martinsville 17 19 250 of 250 Running 9,315
Charlotte 1 15 135 of 136 Running 11,890
Dover 15 11 198 of 200 Running 13,750
Texas 13 12 167 of 167 Running 13,165
Memphis 14 26 128 of 200 Running 8,990
Milwaukee 23 12 198 of 200 Running 10,215
Kansas 2 10 167 of 167 Running 14,000
Kentucky 9 12 150 of 150 Running 14,940
St. Louis 14 22 141 of 160 Accident 9,190
Michigan 5 11 100 of 100 Running 12,275
Indy 23 28 191 of 200 Running 7,090
Nashville 7 16 148 of 150 Running 8,640
Bristol 18 19 195 of 200 Running 9,315
Richmond 14 30 143 of 200 Accident 6,365

Loudon (Next Event)

Totals 2866 of 2988 (95.9%) $ 181,960

NEXT EVENT: The New Hampshire 200 at New Hampshire International Speedway in Loudon, New Hampshire on September 13, 2003. The event will be televised live on SPEED Channel at 1:00 PM Eastern Time and also live on MRN radio at 1:00 PM Eastern Time.