MARTINSVILLE, VA (October 23, 2004)-Dickies Driver Chad Chaffin was climbing his way through the field when his No. 18 Dodge was involved in an accident on the front straightaway at Martinsville Speedway.  As a result, Chaffin finished 30th in the Kroger 200. The accident caused the driver to fall to seventh position in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series point standings.  

Due to rain on Friday, qualifying was canceled and according to the NASCAR rule book the field was set by points. The teams were allowed two practice sessions in which Chaffin ranked among the top 10 in both.

Chaffin started the race in the sixth position and battled in the top 10 for the opening laps. Then the third of ten cautions waved on lap 34 for an accident in turn two in front of the No. 18 Dodge. Chaffin went low to miss the wreck and sustained minor sheet metal damage. “I got hit, but I don’t think it is too bad,” said Chaffin. “It’s too early to pit now. The truck is tight and I need some major adjustments.”     

Then under the sixth caution on lap 71 Crew Chief Kip McCord called for Chaffin to bring the Dickies Dodge down pit road to fix the tight condition and repair the sheet metal damage. The Dickies Racing Team made major air pressure adjustments and a track bar adjustment to aid the condition.  Chaffin restarted in 23rd.

Over the next 25 laps Chaffin raced in the top 25. He continued to battle the tight condition making it difficult to gain back the lost track position. The seventh caution came out on lap 111 for an accident in turn two. McCord called Chaffin down pit road to make more adjustments. The Dickies Racing Team went down on air pressure, adjusted the track bar and pulled a rubber out of the right rear to loosen up the tight condition.  He restarted in 20th position.

The adjustments finally helped the driver. Chaffin was gaining track position when Kelly Sutton crashed on the front straightaway collecting Chaffin and several other competitors. “Sorry guys, I had no where to go, “said Chaffin. “There is a lot of damage on the front, but I think we can get it back out there.” He brought the Dodge behind the wall. The Dickies Racing Team immediately went to work replacing the radiator, the battery and cut off extensive amounts of damaged sheet metal.  Finally they got the truck running again and sent Chaffin back out on lap 152. Chaffin completed the final 48 laps and finished in the 30th position.

“It was a rough day for the Dickies Dodge and Bobby Hamilton Racing,” said Chaffin. “I was coming off turn four and the front straightaway was blocked from an accident.  I went to the inside to miss it and about the time I got there it closed up and I had nowhere to go.  We received major damage. My guys did an awesome job repairing the truck and getting me back out there. I hate it for my team, but everyone around us in the points also had trouble, so we got lucky. We just have to keep after it and get them in Phoenix.”

Jamie McMurray won the Kroger 200 at Martinsville Speedway. Dennis Setzer, Bobby Labonte, Jon Wood and Ted Musgrave followed in the top five.