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2002 Media Release |
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Bobby Hamilton Racing |
No 4 Brian Rose Stats | |
| No. 8 Bill Lester Stats | ||
| No. 18 Robert Pressley Stats | ||
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Bobby Hamilton Racing Has Up and Down Day
at Darlington Bobby Hamilton Racing (BHR) put two trucks in the top ten for the second race in row, with Robert Pressley finishing in the second position, and Brian Rose coming home in the eighth position. Unfortunately, the team’s third truck, driven by Bill Lester, was involved in an accident early in the event and finished in the 28th position. Lester was, however, the highest qualifying rookie of the race, posting the 13th fastest time on Thursday afternoon. Pressley recorded his second top five finish, after leading with 12 laps to go when he was passed by Ted Musgrave for the lead and win. Pressley began the day from the third position and ran there until the first pit stop on lap 30. That is when a lug nut got hung in the pit gun and dropped him to 18th place in the running order. Over the next 70 laps, Pressley and the team moved steadily back up through the field. On lap 102, Pressley made his final pit stop of the day, and the crew got him out in record time to take the lead. Pressley held on to the lead for the next 32 laps, before getting held up in the turn third turn, while passing the No. 39 truck that was many laps down. Unfortunately, the No. 39 truck did not obey the move over flag from NASCAR, and in trying to make the pass, Pressley was forced to slow down, and Musgrave was able to take the led. “Looking at the big picture, I started to take the low line,” said Pressley. “If he (No. 39 truck) missed the corner, he could have got into us and knocked us out of the race. Ted (Musgrave) did what he needed to do, and he went to the outside. He went the opposite way that I did and knew the worst he was going to be was second. It was just the wrong move on the wrong lap for me. I’m pretty happy with this second place.” Pressley now sits in a tie with Musgrave on top of the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series points standing, with two races completed in the 2002 season. Rose had a very solid day for his first time out at Darlington Speedway, coming home with a respectable eighth place finish. Rose began the day in the 18th position and moved up steadily all day. Rose was also able to pick up five bonus points for leading two laps under caution, when crew chief, Danny Rollins, decided to stay out when everyone else pitted. Rose entered the weekend in the third position in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series points standings. After the finish, he maintained the third spot in the points standings, only 43 points out of the lead. Lester’s weekend began by posting an impressive 13th place-qualifying run. When the race began, it appeared that Lester was going to have another solid run, but on lap 29, the No. 81 truck got into the side of the Lester’s No. 8 Dodge Ram, sending him into the wall and ending any chance of a good finish. A lot of credit has to go to the crew, as they made several pit stops during the rest of the race to repair the damage and finish in the 28th position. “I just can’t believe the luck we have,” said Lester. “The guys give me a great truck, and it seems like we have a bulls eye on the side of the truck every week. I just hate it for the guys. They pour their hearts into getting these trucks perfect, and we just can’t get a break. But we’ll beat this luck and get up front. I know I’ve got the team behind me to get a victory, and that is what our goal is.”
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©2002 Bobby Hamilton Racing |
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