10-20-2008 | Martinsville, VA
Dennis Setzer
No.18 GreenBrier Dodge Ram
Kroger 200
Martinsville Speedway
Martinsville, VA. (October 20, 2008) – On a brisk autumn afternoon nestled among the hills of Virginia Dodge Driver Dennis Setzer was poised to add another trophy from Martinsville Speedway to his already stout collection. After qualifying sixth, his eighth straight top-10 starting spot, Setzer maneuvered the No. 18 Dodge Ram into the fourth position early in the event and maintained his position until four laps remained in the 200-lap event. At that moment in the race the cloudy skies opened up and shined a little bit of sunshine on Setzer as both the second and third place competitors ran out of fuel. Knowing fuel was not an issue for his Dodge Ram Setzer coasted to a second place finish. It was his fourth top-five finish of the season.
The No. 18 Dodge Ram Race Recap
After substantial rain fall canceled all on-track activities on Friday Setzer posted the second fastest time in an early morning practice held Saturday morning. He continued his top 10 qualifying streak that afternoon by posting a lap of 94.841 mph. It was the team’s eighth straight top-10 starting position.
"It is a tick tight," said Setzer once the race was underway. "I will wait and see how it does as the race goes on."
He was running fifth on by lap 30 despite struggling with the tight condition. The first caution waved on lap six for an accident in turn four. Setzer immediately hit pit road for service. The Dodge Racing Team jumped into action adding four seconds of fuel. As Crew Chief Marcus Richmond counted one Mississippi, two, three, four Mississippi the team made a wedge adjustment to help the tight condition. The lighting fast pit stop gained two spots for Setzer on the track. He restarted third.
The second caution waived several laps later on lap 45 for a spin in turn two. "It is still tight," said Setzer under caution. Richmond agreed, "I can see that," said the hometown native. "Go ahead and turn your right rear bead blower off under this next run."
Setzer remained in third position until lap 74 when eventual race winner Johnny Benson passed the No. 18 Dodge for third place. "I just cannot get it to turn through the center," Setzer said after the pass.
Even though the tight condition continued to plague the Dodge Ram team Setzer remained one of the fastest trucks on the track. "You were the fastest truck on the track during that last run," said Richmond while under the fourth caution on lap 94 for an accident in turn four.
Setzer remained untouched in fourth position until four laps to go in the event. The second place competitor bobbled due to loss of fuel pressure allowing Setzer to move to the outside of him and advance to the third spot. Then the same action transpired for the second place competitor who was forced to pit road for fuel with two laps remaining.
Knowing in the back of his mind fuel was not a problem for the No. 18 Dodge Setzer cruised to a second place finish.
Johnny Benson went on to win the Kroger 200. Setzer finished second, Rick Crawford, Kyle Busch and Todd Bodine followed in the top five.