Bobby Hamilton Square D Preview

     Event:           EasyCare Vehicle Service Contracts 200
     Location:      Atlanta Motor Speedway
     Qualifying:   March 12th 1:30 PM EDT
     Race Start:   March 13th 1:00 PM EDT Live on Speed

New Venue: “My favorite type of track is one like Atlanta. I like the fast race tracks, driver’s type of tracks. Atlanta speaks for itself in that, even when we ran Cup cars here. This is just a racy race track. I hope the fans are looking forward to the trucks coming to Atlanta. It’s going to be a great change of pace. If we get the proper amount of trucks in there, with the guys that we have behind the wheels and the caliber of manufacturers, we will put on a great show.”

Mixed Up Drivers: “Truck racing is so exciting because there is a mix of drivers. You’ve got kids that come in that don’t know their tails from a hole in the ground and they have fast trucks, so they feel like they have to bounce off everything. Then you have older guys who know you don’t need to do that. Then you have the flamboyant type like Carl Edwards that does the cheerleader deal, and then you have the older guys that don’t say anything and just try to put a good show on. So it is just a big mix there. The manufacturers are big too. We now have Toyota in the sport and Dodge, who spends a ton of money on its truck program. So I think we are starting to see a big manufacturer race going on now. We are getting bigger sponsors such as Square D. I wouldn’t be surprised if in a couple more years you will see other manufacturers getting involved.”

Media’s Help Needed: “The drivers are doing what they need to do to get more fans in the stands for truck races. Now it is up to the media to promote it. The show is there. It is little things like last year when we went into Dover, inside the race track it had a sign that said, “NASCAR parking left, Truck Series parking right.” They don’t even connect it to NASCAR at most tracks. You have the Truck Series separated like a different entity and then Nextel Cup and Busch Grand National is considered to be part of NASCAR. I think the more we connect the three and market it around NASCAR it will draw people’s eyes. NASCAR has a huge following. Why don’t we take what we have and promote it? Look at Jack Sprague and Mike Skinner coming back into the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, and Toyota coming in, that is big, so use it. That is what we need to do to get people in the stands.”

Notes:

  • The truck Bobby is racing is called Beavis. Hamilton won Darlington with this particular truck last year.
     

  • Hamilton will be appearing at the Speedway Children’s Charity event signing autographs from 6:30-7:30 pm at the Tara building on Atlanta Motor Speedway’s race track property.

Team Information:

  • Front Tire Changer     Danny Rollins

  • Front Tire Carrier          Tony Pinkelton
  • Rear Tire Changer      Dale Newcomb
  • Rear Tire Carrier           Dana Ebersole
  • Jackman                     Stephen Douglass
  • Gasman                         Mike Goins
  • Catch Can                      David Short
  • Engine Builder              Arrington Manufacturing
  Bobby Hamilton’s BHR Statistics
Starts Wins Poles Top 5’s Top 10’s
   50       4        4        15          27

Career Money Won: $795,170

Crew Chief:  Danny Rollins
Spotter:        Andy Dunlap		  

Right Amount of Laps: “Racing in the Craftsman Truck Series is perfect. It is just the right amount of laps that makes you race hard from lap one to lap 200. In Nextel Cup you have 500 miles of racing. Those guys go 200 laps, rest for 100 laps and then race hard again for 200 laps. I think the Truck Series has the perfect amount of time good racing. If I were a race fan in the stands, I would be at those truck races watching on the edge of my seat. That is the type of racing I came from and still love to be a part of.”

Clowning Around: “We had a real busy winter and got pumped up after a good run in Daytona, so our momentum has us going for Atlanta this weekend. We did a two-day media deal there last week to help promote the race and it snowed while we were there. It was pretty fun. The town was shut down practically and we were going around in parking lots pulling up the hand brake and spinning the rental car around.”

Bobby Hamilton’s 2004 Craftsman Truck Series Results

 

Date

 

 

 

Start

 

Finish

 

Laps

 

Status

 

Points

 

Winnings

2/13

Daytona

10

11

100/100

Running

135

$17,400

3/13

Atlanta

 

 

 

 

 

 

4/17

Martinsville

 

 

 

 

 

 

5/16

Ohio

 

 

 

 

 

 

5/21

Charlotte

 

 

 

 

 

 

6/4

Dover

 

 

 

 

 

 

6/11

Fort Worth

 

 

 

 

 

 

6/19

Memphis

 

 

 

 

 

 

6/25

Milwaukee

 

 

 

 

 

 

7/3

Kansas

 

 

 

 

 

 

7/10

Kentucky

 

 

 

 

 

 

7/17

Gateway

 

 

 

 

 

 

7/31

Michigan

 

 

 

 

 

 

8/6

Indianapolis

 

 

 

 

 

 

8/14

Nashville

 

 

 

 

 

 

8/25

Bristol

 

 

 

 

 

 

9/9

Richmond

 

 

 

 

 

 

9/18

Loudon

 

 

 

 

 

 

9/25

Las Vegas

 

 

 

 

 

 

10/2

Fontana

 

 

 

 

 

 

10/16

Fort Worth

 

 

 

 

 

 

10/23

Martinsville

 

 

 

 

 

 

11/5

Phoenix

 

 

 

 

 

 

11/12

Darlington

 

 

 

 

 

 

11/19

Homestead

 

 

 

 

 

 
 

Total

 

10

 11

100/100

- - -

135

$17,400


          Starts: 1           Top-Five    Finishes: 0
          Wins:  0            Top-10       Finishes: 0       Average Start: 10
          Poles:  0           Top-20       Finishes: 1       Average Finish: 11
          Points: 10th     DNF’s: 0