An ailing alternator led to a bad battery which in turn resulted in a faulty finish for Bobby Hamilton Jr. in the Toyota Tundra 200 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series skirmish at the famed Milwaukee Mile on Saturday night.  Hamilton Jr. made a mad charge from the rear, passing nearly half the field in the first 40 laps of competition. Unfortunately electrical woes forced Hamilton Jr. to make an unscheduled green flag pit stop to change the battery on his Fastenal Dodge. Hamilton Jr. lost four laps during the lengthy pit stop, which dashed any hopes for a successful run and relegated him to a 31st place finish.

No. 18 Fastenal Dodge Milwaukee Race Recap

„« Despite having one of the fastest trucks in practice, Hamilton Jr. was forced to start at the rear of the field due to an inspection snafu. The team was unable to make a NASCAR mandated technical change within the five minute allotted time.

„« Hamilton Jr.¡¦s Fastenal Dodge proved to be extremely stout in the first green flag segment, picking up 14 positions in the first 36 laps.

„« On lap 38 Hamilton Jr. dashed down pit road behind the leaders for four fresh tires, fuel and a chassis adjustment designed to help loosen up his Dodge.

„« The first signs of trouble appeared on lap 46. Hamilton Jr. radioed his crew that his battery was losing voltage. By lap 61 Hamilton Jr. was losing valuable real estate on the racetrack. He was forced to make an unscheduled green flag pit stop to change the battery on his Fastenal Dodge on lap 73.

„« Hamilton Jr. exited the pits four laps down to the leaders and spun his truck as he came back up to speed in turn four. His crew immediately brought him back down pit road on lap 77. He pitted again on lap 78 for four fresh tires and the opportunity for his Fastenal crew to diagnose his electrical gremlins.

„« The crew determined that his Dodge was suffering from a poorly functioning alternator that was only intermittently operating correctly.

„« Despite numerous pit stops throughout the remainder of the course of the event, Hamilton Jr. could not recover his four lost laps and he finished in the 31st position.

Johnny Benson won the Toyota Tundra 200, his second NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race in a row. For the sixth time in series history, a driver won his first two races as consecutive wins. Mike Bliss, Ron Hornaday Jr., Jack Sprague and David Reutimann rounded out the top five finishers.