2002 Media Release

2002 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Championship Point Standings

Rookie Points Standings:
Brendan Gaughan 228
Bill Lester 155
Jason Small 154

Bill Lester - Personal Info:
Birthdate - February 6, 1961
Wife - Cheryl
Children - None
Residence - Atlanta, Georgia
Education - BS in E.E./C.S.
U.C. Berkeley

Bill Lester - Fast Facts….
NASCAR Career (1999-2002)
Busch Grand - one start

2002 Season
Starts - 17
Poles - 0
Wins - 0
Top fives - 0
Top tens - 0
Earnings - $ 176,265
Laps Led - 0 of 2948
Races Led - 0 of 17
DNF's - 4

Truck Series Career Statistics
Starts - 23
Poles - 0
Wins - 0
Top fives - 0
Top tens - 0
Earnings - $ 219,335

Truck Series Performance Record: South Boston Speedway
Date Start/Finish Laps Status Winnings
9-28-01 26 32 129 of 250 Accident $ 5,240
Total 129 of 250 (51.6%) $ 5,240

Topics of Interest

Last Short Track of the Season: Bill Lester has to be happy to see the last short track of the season this week. Lester and the No. 8 Dodge Motorsports Team have had some terrible luck at the short tracks this year. In the four short tracks the team has run thus far, they were involved in someone else's accident on three occasions. Memphis Motorsports Park is the only short track the team has been able to finish this season.

"I don't know what we have to do to have a little luck on these types of tracks," said Lester. "Every time I think we are going to have a solid run, I get caught up in someone else's mess. I just want to finish this race and stop this slide we have been on the last two weeks."

Past History: The No. 8 Dodge Motorsports team competed last year at South Boston Speedway with Willy T. Ribbs starting and finishing in the 28th position. Lester also raced at South Boston Speedway last year, starting in the 26th position and finishing in the 32nd position. Both drivers were involved in accidents not of their own making.

Career starts/BHR starts: Bill Lester will be making his 23rd start for Bobby Hamilton Racing at South Boston Speedway. It will move him into a tie for third place with Willy T. Ribbs in all-time starts for the organization. It would also mean that he was only one start away from tying Bobby Hamilton for second in all-time team starts. Lester has a long way to go if he is to catch Joe Ruttman for most starts for Bobby Hamilton Racing, as Ruttman has 65 starts after last week's event at Texas Motor Speedway.

"It just seems like I just got this ride," said Lester. "I don't keep up
with stats very much, but it is a neat deal in moving up the ladder of starts
within the organization. I'm just glad to be with this team and have a great
opportunity like this. It's pretty special."

Top Five All-time BHR Drivers by Starts
Joe Ruttman 65
Bobby Hamilton 24
Willy T. Ribbs 23
Bill Lester 22
Robert Pressley 17

Championship Hunt: With five races remaining in the 2002 season, there are still 15 teams that can win the Truck Series Championship.

This Week's Truck: This week, Lester will be driving "Curley" at South Boston Speedway. Curley has not been raced since Milwaukee earlier this year. Curley was built over the winter, and thus far, has never started or finished outside the top 20 in a race.

Performance Chart: Curley
DATE RACE START/FINISH DRIVER
5-5-02 St. Louis 12 17 Bill Lester
5-19-02 Pikes Peak 9 15 Bill Lester
6-29-02 Milwaukee 16 18 Bill Lester

Lester Quotes
"I just hope we don't have what happened last year happen again this time around. We lost three trucks at South Boston last year for Bobby's (Hamilton) team, and we did the same two weeks ago at Richmond. It would just be tough on everyone if that were to happen again, but this place is as tight as they come in short tracks. There is no room for a mistake. You move a foot the wrong way and you're in the wall."


Lester's 2002 Craftsman Truck Series Event Results
Location Start Finish Laps Status Money Won
Daytona 19 18 98 of 100 Running $ 15,165
Darlington 13 28 115 of 147 Running 7,090
Martinsville 13 25 230 of 250 Accident 7,865
St. Louis 12 17 158 of 160 Running 10,790
Pikes Peak 9 15 199 of 200 Running 11,690
Dover 22 12 197 of 200 Running 13,465
Texas 7 11 166 of 167 Running 13,350
Memphis 31 17 200 of 200 Running 12,065
Milwaukee 16 18 200 of 203 Running 9,665
Kansas 3 29 87 of 167 Vibration 9,295
Kentucky 3 14 149 of 150 Running 14,740
Loudon 20 14 205 of 207 Running 9,990
Michigan 19 15 100 of 100 Running 13,215
IRP 11 28 185 of 200 Accident 7,090
Nashville 12 16 148 of 151 Running 8,640
Richmond 18 36 5 of 200 Accident 5,215
 
Texas 6 28 49 of 146 Running 6,935

South Boston (Next Event)

Totals 2491 of 2948 (84.4%) $ 176,265

Best Start: 3rd twice, most recently @ Kentucky Speedway 7-13-02
Best Finish: 11th @ Texas Motor Speedway 6-7-02
Biggest Purse: $ 15,165 @ Daytona International Speedway 2-15-02


No. 8 Team's 2002 Craftsman Truck Series Event Results click here

For More Information see www.bobbyhamiltonracing.com
 

©2002 Bobby Hamilton Racing