Ryan Mathews
No. 4 Open Joist Dodge Race Recap
EasyCare 200
Atlanta Motor Speedway

In his first start with the Bobby Hamilton Racing team, Ryan Mathews and the No. 4 Open Joist Racing Crew did a great job to overcome a loose race truck, battling back from losing one lap to getting the lucky dog spot and finishing 16th in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race at Atlanta Motor Speedway.  

Mathews qualified the Open Joist Dodge in the 31st position on Saturday morning. Following the green flag Mathews realized he had his hands full with a very loose race truck. “It is extremely loose on entry,” he told Crew Chief Marcus Richmond early into the event. It was so loose that Mathews had a difficult time hanging onto it. By lap 30 he was already one lap down to the leader in the 29th position.

Two laps later NASCAR threw a mandatory caution so teams could look at tire wear. The caution provided a great opportunity for the Open Joist team to work on the Dodge Ram. Richmond made the call for a plethora of changes during the pit stop. The Open Joist Racing Team changed all four tires, added fuel, put two rounds of wedge into the right rear, added four more rounds of wedge into the left rear and went down on the track bar in a timely manner.  Mathews restarted in the 30th position.  

Slowly, Mathews began to pass the trucks in front of him. “It is starting to tighten up,” he told Richmond on lap 75 while running in the 23rd position, one lap down to the leader. The third caution waved on lap 81 for debris. Mathews came down pit road for service. The Open Joist Racing Team cranked out a fast pit stop changing all four tires, adding fuel and making an air pressure adjustment to help tighten up the truck.

Seven laps later another caution came out for an accident on the backstretch. Once again Richmond brought Mathews down pit road for four tires, fuel and another air pressure adjustment.

“We have something to work with now,” said Mathews as he restarted in 21st position.     

As luck would have it another caution waved on lap 119 for oil on the race track allowing Mathews to receive the lucky dog award and return to the lead lap in 20th position.

In the final eight laps Mathews, with his never give up attitude, picked up four spots to finish 16th after a very long day at Atlanta Motor Speedway.

Kyle Busch won The EasyCare 200 before an estimated crowd of 45,000. Ron Hornaday Jr., Johnny Benson, Mark Martin and Mike Skinner rounded out the top five finishers. The next event for the NCTS will be at Texas Motor Speedway next Friday.