Dennis Setzer
No. 18 Fastenal Dodge Ram Race Recap
The Silverado 350K - Texas Motor Speedway

Dennis Setzer and the No. 18 Fastenal Racing Team couldn’t quite lasso the right combination for the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series event at Texas Motor Speedway this weekend. Setzer’s Dodge Ram struggled with the grip in the tires, but as the laps ticked away in the Silverado 350 K the team was making late race gains in the right direction. Despite a miscue in the pits and the struggles with the tires, Setzer was able to pull off a 15th place finish. It was his fifth straight top-15 finish since joining the Bobby Hamilton Racing stable.

After qualifying in the 24th position on Thursday night, Setzer immediately went to work during the race to find the fastest line around the track. The low lane worked to his advantage as Setzer was running in the 16th position by lap 13. “It is pretty neutral right now,” he said a few laps later.

About 10 laps later the Fastenal Dodge was no longer neutral. “The tires are losing their grip,” said Setzer. “It is very loose in the middle and tight on exit.” Crew Chief Jeff White agreed and called for a track bar adjustment on the next pit stop.

The timing couldn’t have been better when the third caution of the day waved on lap 40 for a spin. Setzer drove down pit road to the attention of the Fastenal Racing Team. As Setzer made his way into the pit box he over shot the pit box and stopped nosing his front bumper on the mandated line. The Fastenal Racing Team jumped into action pushing the Fastenal Dodge back inside the pit box before performing the stop. They then changed all four tires, added fuel and then made a track bar adjustment to help the handling of the truck.  He restarted in the 20th spot.

By lap 56 Setzer had worked his way back into the 16th position. “It is a little better, but still loose” he said. Another caution waved on lap 70 for a wreck in turn two. White called Setzer back down pit road for service. The Fastenal Racing team went to work adding fuel and making another track bar adjustment. Just to be safe and make sure the team could go the distance on fuel Setzer came down one more time before the restart to receive more fuel.

After restarting in the 17th position Setzer began to drop back in the field. “I think I may have a tire going down,” said Setzer. White encouraged Setzer to keep the team informed of how the truck was feeling, but that he thought it was really just rubber build up on the tire. Eventually the tire problem went away and Setzer was able to work his way back through he field. He was running in the 16th position when the leaders were right behind him and gaining ground. Setzer went one lap down to the leaders on lap 103.

Several laps later a cycle of green flag pit stops started to take place.  Setzer stayed out on the track as long as he could, but was forced to pit for fuel on lap 129. The Fastenal Racing Team went to work changing all four tires, adding fuel and making a variety of adjustments to fix the loose condition. Unfortunately, a lug nut fell off during the stop and cost the team several seconds. Setzer returned to the track in the 19th position two laps down with 19 laps remaining in the event.

The never give up attitude of the team proved its worth when the fifth caution waved for an accident in turn four. Setzer moved up one position into 18th right before the restart. As soon as the race was restarted a multi-truck crash happened off of turn four collecting five trucks and Setzer squeaked by. The race was then red flagged due to so much debris for 15 minutes.  Following the red flag Setzer prepared for what he thought would be a green -white- checkered flag finish.

Once again trouble transpired on the restart and resulted in another multi-truck crash. Setzer with the help of his spotter went low and was able to dodge the spinning trucks and debris. Despite the crazy night turn of events Setzer came home in the 15th position. It was his fifth straight top-15 finish for Bobby Hamilton Racing.

Ted Musgrave won The Silverado 350K before an estimated crowd of 72,000. Brendan Gaughan, Mike Skinner, Mike Bliss and Rick Crawford. The next event for the NCTS will be at Phoenix International Raceway next Friday.