Before Saturday’s Kroger 200 Dodge Motorsports Driver Chase Miller had only seen Martinsville Speedway once in his life and had never raced a 3400lb truck against 35 other competitors on one of the NASCAR circuit’s toughest short tracks . Miller proved once again he was up for the challenge scoring his first top-10 finish in only his fourth NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series start. The weekend started off rough on Friday when Miller over drove the No. 4 Dodge in qualifying, resulting in a 29th place starting position. Miller showed extreme patience and great driving ability in the 200 lap event and came home in 10th place. It was the Dodge Motorsports team’s third top-10 finish of the 2006 season.  

No. 4 Dodge Motorsports Dodge Talladega Race Recap

• Miller qualified 29th for the Kroger 200 on Friday afternoon.
• He had worked his way up to the 23rd position when the second caution of the event waved on lap 33. Crew Chief Marcus Richmond made the decision for Miller to come down pit road. The No. 4 Dodge Pit Crew performed a lighting fast pit stop changing all four tires, added fuel and made a track bar adjustment. It was the team’s only pit stop of the day. He restarted in the 27th position.
• The fourth caution waved on lap 65 while Miller was running in the 18th position. “I am just trying to patient,” said Miller under caution. “It is very hard to pass here.” 
• Miller continued to ride in the top-15 for the next 50 laps. “She is really starting to come to life,” Miller said under green flag conditions.
• By the 11th caution on lap 167 Miller had worked his way into the 10th position and never looked back.
• Miller finished 10th in only his fourth NCTS start with Bobby Hamilton Racing.

“I am extremely happy with how today went,” said Miller after the race. “After qualifying in the back I was worried about getting caught up in a wreck, but everything worked out in our advantage. This track is a lot of fun. It is difficult, but a lot of fun. You cannot pass here at all. It takes a lot of patience to make it through 200 laps. I am just glad to come out of here with all four fenders on her and a top-10 finish is like icing on the cake.” 

Jack Sprague won the Kroger 200 at Martinsville Speedway. David Starr, Erik Darnell, Mark Martin and Johnny Benson rounded out the top five. The next NCTS event is scheduled for next Saturday at Atlanta Motor Speedway.