Stacy Compton
No. 4 Gladstone Dodge
 The O’Reilly Auto Parts 250

Kansas City, KS. (April 26, 2008) – Stacy Compton went to Kansas with the intention of getting rid of the monkey on his back that has been plaguing the Dodge Racing Team since their sixth-place finish in Daytona Beach.  Compton started out qualifying 15th for the O’Reilly Auto Parts 250 at Kansas Speedway, but struggled with a tight race truck in the opening laps of the event. Then on lap 37, bad luck once again struck the driver. As Compton was holding his line though the corner, a competitor jumped to his outside which took the air off his spoiler causing it to jump loose.  As the No. 4 Dodge slid sideways Compton showed his veteran driving skills by keeping the truck off the outside retaining wall, but as he slid down the race track to slow the truck down he went directly into the path of another truck thus causing major rear end damage. Despite the mangled truck, Compton was able to salvage a 20th place finish. 

The No. 4 Dodge Ram Race Recap

• Compton qualified in the 15th position Saturday morning by posting a speed of 168.135 mph.  It was his fourth top-15 qualifying effort this season.
• In the opening laps Compton battled a tight race truck that prevented him from being able to pass and lose five spots.
• Thankfully, the first caution came on lap 27 and allowed Compton to bring the No. 4 Gladstone Dodge down pit road for a few adjustments. The Dodge Racing team jumped into action changing all four tires, adding fuel, removing tape from the front grill and going up four rounds on the track bar. He restarted in the 20th spot.
• Just as Compton was getting the No. 4 Dodge Ram up to speed after the restart disaster struck. He was heading into turn four when a truck jumped to his outside which immediately took the air off of the rear spoiler and sent the No. 4 Dodge spinning to the left. Compton did an amazing job keeping the Dodge truck off the outside wall. As the truck slowed down it slid down the banking of the track and directly into the path of another truck.  The two vehicles collided resulting in substantial damage to the rear of the No. 4 Dodge. 
• “I had it saved and he just ran right into us,” said a frustrated Compton. He was able to drive the truck down pit road to the attention of his Dodge Racing Team. The team jumped into action using a combination of a baseball bat, duct tape and bearbond to hold the damaged sheet metal down.  After multiple trips down pit lane to repair the damage Compton returned to the track in 28th position.
• “It keeps wanting to snap around,” said Compton a couple of laps after the restart. “I am doing everything I can to keep from wrecking again.” Crew Chief Bryant Frazier assured Compton they would adjust on the truck under the next caution.
• The fourth of 12 cautions waved on lap 67 for a spin in turn four. Compton hit pit road for service. The Dodge Racing Team made more repairs to the No. 4 Dodge and sent Compton on his way.
• Slowly, but surely he was able to gain positions on the track. “It feels like I am pulling a parachute behind me,” radioed Compton on lap 84. Frazier encouraged Compton to hang in there.
• The eight caution came out on lap 108 for an accident in turn four while Compton was running 24th. Frazier called Compton down pit road for the last stop of the day. The Dodge Racing team changed all four tires, added fuel and made a wedge adjustment to help the loose condition.
• The last adjustments proved to aid the loose condition as Compton was able to gain five spots in the final laps of the event. He finished the event in 20th position.
Ron Hornaday Jr. won the O’Reilly Auto Parts 250. Jack Sprague finished second, Colin Braun, Johnny Benson and Mike Skinner followed in the top five.