Jarrett Kendall's Drive to Stardom

[Careless Whisper]

Ragan Captures First Truck Win at Michigan
David Ragan led the most laps from his fourth starting position and held off Ron Hornaday at the end

BROOKLYN, Mich. -- David Ragan withstood a late push from Ron Hornaday, who was searching for his third straight win, to capture the first NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series victory of his career at the Michigan 200.

Ragan earned the extra five bonus points for leading the most laps, but nearly watched his first win slip through his grasps with the hard-charging Hornaday at his bumper. The Roush Racing driver held off the series legend by 0.413 seconds and moved up to fourth place in the point standings, jumping over Jarrett Kendall.

Kendall had an up-and-down afternoon, falling back to ninth after starting third. The rookie made his way back up to fourth, but picked up a race-altering speeding penalty in the pits, and slipped to 23rd after the final round of stops. He could only get back to 16th at the end.

“I have to stop shooting myself in the foot,” said Kendall. “We’re so desperate for a win, I really thought we’d have one by now. Our truck struggled at the start but we had something for the end if I didn’t mess up. I’m so frustrated – not at my team, but at myself.”

Marvin Sheth, J.J. Shipps, and Kris Parker completed the top five. Bobby Hamilton Jr. placed ninth for his eighth top-10 finish of the season.

The series crosses Lake Michigan next week when it heads to The Milwaukee Mile.

--------------------

Michigan 200
Michigan International Speedway | Race 10 of 25
June 16, 2007 | $26,305 Winner's Purse

F | S | ### | Driver (Points)
1 | 4 | 6 | David Ragan (190)
2 | 7 | 33 | Ron Hornaday (175)
3 | 10 | 192 | Marvin Sheth (165)
4 | 6 | 151 | J.J. Shipps (160)
5 | 15 | 116 | Kris Parker (155)
6 | 1 | 4 | Timothy Peters (155)
7 | 2 | 99 | Erik Darnell (146)
8 | 11 | 110 | Rusty Cleveland (142)
9 | 5 | 18 | Bobby Hamilton Jr. (138)
10 | 21 | 152 | Wes Tucker (134)
16 | 3 | 191 | Jarrett Kendall (115)

NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Standings & Winners
P | ### | Driver (Points, Difference)
1 | 18 | Bobby Hamilton Jr. (1,513 / 2 wins)
T-2 | 33 | Ron Hornaday (1,355, -158 / 3 wins)
T-2 | 4 | Timothy Peters (1,355, -158 / 2 wins)
4 | 6 | David Ragan (1,332, -181 / 1 win)
5 | 191 | Jarrett Kendall (1,287, -226)
6 | 117 | Ted Jones (1,216, -297)
7 | 30 | Todd Bodine (1,198, -315)
8 | 99 | Erik Darnell (1,177, -336)
9 | 151 | J.J. Shipps (1,116, -397)
10 | 178 | Harold Jackson (1,069, -444)

GM Flex Fuel 250 (Daytona): #18, Bobby Hamilton Jr. (1)
racetickets.com 200 (California): #33, Ron Hornaday (1)
John Deere 200 (Atlanta): #4, Timothy Peters (1)
Kroger 250 (Martinsville): #130, Wilson Eubanks (1)
Cheese Wheel 200 (Old Spice): #108, George Teague (1)
Quaker Steak & Lube 200 (Lowe’s): #18, Bobby Hamilton Jr. (2)
Treasure Lake 200 (Meadow Creek): #4, Timothy Peters (2)
AAA Insurance 200 (Dover): #33, Ron Hornaday (2)
Fort Worth 400 (Texas): #33, Ron Hornaday (3)
Michigan 200 (Michigan): #6, David Ragan (1)

[Careless Whisper]

Hamilton Jr. Extends Points Lead with Milwaukee Triumph
Bobby Hamilton Jr. won from the pole for the second time this season to give himself a 173-point cushion over Ron Hornaday

WEST ALLIS, Wisc. -- Bobby Hamilton Jr. started first and ended first for the second time in 2007, registering his third win of the season at the Milwaukee 200.

Hamilton Jr. extended his gap in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series standings to 173 points over Ron Hornaday, who continued his blistering summer stretch with a second-place finish. Timothy Peters, B.J. Fisher, and Tommie Bell made up the remainder of the top five.

Jarrett Kendall complained of a tight truck throughout the week, but made up 11 positions from his 19th-place starting spot in what he described as a steady grind.

“I’m indifferent,” said Kendall of the eighth-place finish. “Looking at the schedule this seemed like a place we could definitely win at, so I’m upset that we struggled these last couple days. But we battled and battled, made adjustments, and ended up with a solid finish. Can’t complain about that I guess, but I really want to win.”

The series finishes up the month of June at Kansas Speedway for the O’Reilly Auto Parts 250.

--------------------

Milwaukee 200
The Milwaukee Mile | Race 11 of 25
June 22, 2007 | $60,000 Winner's Purse

F | S | ### | Driver (Points)
1 | 1 | 18 | Bobby Hamilton Jr. (190)
2 | 9 | 33 | Ron Hornaday (175)
3 | 5 | 4 | Timothy Peters (165)
4 | 10 | 105 | B.J. Fisher (165)
5 | 22 | 187 | Tommie Bell (155)
6 | 14 | 22 | Bill Lester (150)
7 | 4 | 106 | Jed Thomas (146)
8 | 19 | 191 | Jarrett Kendall (142)
9 | 20 | 99 | Erik Darnell (138)
10 | 32 | 107 | Ryan Clement (134)

NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Standings & Winners
P | ### | Driver (Points, Difference)
1 | 18 | Bobby Hamilton Jr. (1,703 / 3 wins)
2 | 33 | Ron Hornaday (1,530, -173 / 3 wins)
3 | 4 | Timothy Peters (1,520, -183 / 2 wins)
4 | 6 | David Ragan (1,453, -250 / 1 win)
5 | 191 | Jarrett Kendall (1,429, -274)
6 | 117 | Ted Jones (1,322, -381)
7 | 99 | Erik Darnell (1,315, -388)
8 | 30 | Todd Bodine (1,256, -447)
9 | 151 | J.J. Shipps (1,240, -463)
10 | 22 | Bill Lester (1,191, -512)

GM Flex Fuel 250 (Daytona): #18, Bobby Hamilton Jr. (1)
racetickets.com 200 (California): #33, Ron Hornaday (1)
John Deere 200 (Atlanta): #4, Timothy Peters (1)
Kroger 250 (Martinsville): #130, Wilson Eubanks (1)
Cheese Wheel 200 (Old Spice): #108, George Teague (1)
Quaker Steak & Lube 200 (Lowe’s): #18, Bobby Hamilton Jr. (2)
Treasure Lake 200 (Meadow Creek): #4, Timothy Peters (2)
AAA Insurance 200 (Dover): #33, Ron Hornaday (2)
Fort Worth 400 (Texas): #33, Ron Hornaday (3)
Michigan 200 (Michigan): #6, David Ragan (1)
Milwaukee 200 (Milwaukee): #18, Bobby Hamilton Jr. (3)

[Careless Whisper]

Hamilton Jr. Continues Dominant 2007, Goes Back-to-Back at Kansas
Bobby Hamilton Jr. grabbed his fourth win of the season with another impressive run

KANSAS CITY, Kan. -- Bobby Hamilton Jr. ended up in the winner’s circle for the fourth time this season and the second time in as many weeks with a triumph at the O’Reilly Auto Parts 250.

Hamilton Jr. quickly raced through the first two rows, knocking pole-sitter Tommie Bell out of the lead in three laps. His teammate Scott Lagasse Jr. finished second, followed by Ron Hornaday, Montgomery Davis, and Bell.

Jarrett Kendall finished 16th after another rough afternoon. The rookie qualified third, but again struggled with handling and never could get back to the front.

“I’m so sick of how poorly we start every week,” said Kendall. “Our truck was great in qualifying but impossible to turn at green, and we just couldn’t get it right. I could say it’s frustrating, but you guys hear me say I’m frustrated every week it seems. We’re better than this.”

The NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series returns on July 7 at Rockingham.

--------------------

O’Reilly Auto Parts 250
Kansas Speedway | Race 12 of 25
June 30, 2007 | $50,000 Winner's Purse

F | S | ### | Driver (Points)
1 | 5 | 18 | Bobby Hamilton Jr. (190)
2 | 4 | 04 | Scott Lagasse Jr. (170)
3 | 7 | 33 | Ron Hornaday (165)
4 | 17 | 164 | Montgomery Davis (165)
5 | 1 | 187 | Tommie Bell (160)
6 | 2 | 6 | David Ragan (150)
7 | 11 | 103 | Stewart Claiborne (146)
8 | 23 | 140 | Billy Chapman (142)
9 | 6 | 108 | George Teague (138)
10 | 14 | 180 | Hans Goode (134)
16 | 3 | 191 | Jarrett Kendall (115)

GM Flex Fuel 250 (Daytona): #18, Bobby Hamilton Jr. (1)
racetickets.com 200 (California): #33, Ron Hornaday (1)
John Deere 200 (Atlanta): #4, Timothy Peters (1)
Kroger 250 (Martinsville): #130, Wilson Eubanks (1)
Cheese Wheel 200 (Old Spice): #108, George Teague (1)
Quaker Steak & Lube 200 (Lowe’s): #18, Bobby Hamilton Jr. (2)
Treasure Lake 200 (Meadow Creek): #4, Timothy Peters (2)
AAA Insurance 200 (Dover): #33, Ron Hornaday (2)
Fort Worth 400 (Texas): #33, Ron Hornaday (3)
Michigan 200 (Michigan): #6, David Ragan (1)
Milwaukee 200 (Milwaukee): #18, Bobby Hamilton Jr. (3)
O’Reilly Auto Parts 250 (Kansas): #18, Bobby Hamilton Jr. (4)

--------------------

No point standings after this race since I forgot to record them.

[Careless Whisper]

Hamilton Jr. Denies Kendall of First Win, Makes it Three Straight
Bobby Hamilton Jr. continued his ridiculous tear with his third straight win, beating pole sitter Jarrett Kendall by 0.684 seconds

ROCKINGHAM, N.C. -- Bobby Hamilton Jr.’s scorching form continued this afternoon at Rockingham Speedway, as the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series points leader made it three consecutive wins with a triumph at the Rockingham 200.

Hamilton Jr. moved quickly from his seventh starting position, ultimately topping pole-sitter Jarrett Kendall by 0.684 seconds. His lead over Ron Hornaday grows to 223 points with the win, and his five victories this season top the circuit by two.

Kendall netted his first series pole with a quick lap of 23.301 seconds, and hung around the top five all race. The second-place finish is his highest this season.

“Thought we would’ve won this one,” said Kendall. “Especially with how qualifying went, felt like today was finally going to be our day. It’s unbelievable what kind of tear Bobby (Hamilton Jr.) is on right now, I can’t help but be in awe. But we definitely made progress this weekend with our first pole and another top five.”

Marvin Sheth, Hornaday, and Stewart Claiborne made up the rest of the top five.

Next weekend the Craftsman Truck Series visits Red Ball Raceway for the Red Ball 200.

--------------------

Rockingham 200
Rockingham Speedway | Race 13 of 25
July 7, 2007 | $11,000 Winner's Purse

F | S | ### | Driver (Points)
1 | 7 | 18 | Bobby Hamilton Jr. (190)
2 | 1 | 191 | Jarrett Kendall (175)
3 | 10 | 192 | Marvin Sheth (170)
4 | 9 | 33 | Ron Hornaday (170)
5 | 17 | 103 | Stewart Claiborne (155)
6 | 4 | 151 | J.J. Shipps (155)
7 | 22 | 116 | Kris Parker (146)
8 | 8 | 139 | Zach Van **** (142)
9 | 21 | 106 | Jed Thomas (138)
10 | 5 | 4 | Timothy Peters (134)

NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Standings & Winners
P | ### | Driver (Points, Difference)
1 | 18 | Bobby Hamilton Jr. (2,083 / 5 wins)
2 | 33 | Ron Hornaday (1,860, -223 / 3 wins)
3 | 6 | David Ragan (1,740, -343 / 1 win)
4 | 4 | Timothy Peters (1,733, -350 / 2 wins)
5 | 191 | Jarrett Kendall (1,719, -364)
6 | 99 | Erik Darnell (1,556, -527)
7 | 151 | J.J. Shipps (1,525, -558)
8 | 117 | Ted Jones (1,453, -630)
9 | 30 | Todd Bodine (1,441, -642)
10 | 187 | Tommie Bell (1,433, -650)

GM Flex Fuel 250 (Daytona): #18, Bobby Hamilton Jr. (1)
racetickets.com 200 (California): #33, Ron Hornaday (1)
John Deere 200 (Atlanta): #4, Timothy Peters (1)
Kroger 250 (Martinsville): #130, Wilson Eubanks (1)
Cheese Wheel 200 (Old Spice): #108, George Teague (1)
Quaker Steak & Lube 200 (Lowe’s): #18, Bobby Hamilton Jr. (2)
Treasure Lake 200 (Meadow Creek): #4, Timothy Peters (2)
AAA Insurance 200 (Dover): #33, Ron Hornaday (2)
Fort Worth 400 (Texas): #33, Ron Hornaday (3)
Michigan 200 (Michigan): #6, David Ragan (1)
Milwaukee 200 (Milwaukee): #18, Bobby Hamilton Jr. (3)
O’Reilly Auto Parts 250 (Kansas): #18, Bobby Hamilton Jr. (4)
Rockingham 200 (Rockingham): #18, Bobby Hamilton Jr. (5)

[Careless Whisper]

Kendall Dominates at Red Ball to Nab First Truck Triumph
Jarrett Kendall started at pole for the second straight race and never wavered, collecting his first truck win by 7.403 seconds

MUNCIE, Ind. -- It might have been just 16 races, but it felt like forever for Jarrett Kendall.

After failing to reach the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series winner’s circle in his first 16 tries, Kendall made his debut appearance at Red Ball Raceway, dominating from the pole to win the Red Ball 200. Kendall put down an untouchable lap of 14.999 seconds for his second consecutive pole and never let off the gas, topping the field by 7.403 seconds.

“Finally!” Kendall shouted in victory lane. “I’m just relieved. It’s silly to say that it’s been a trying and frustrating season when we sit fifth in the points (entering tonight), but that’s because I haven’t met the expectations that I have for myself. We were hoping to be winning more races by now, and I hope that a smackdown like this is what we needed to start stringing together more of these.”

Only 12 drivers remained on the lead lap at the end, including the top five of Timothy Peters, Bobby Hamilton Jr., Jake Mitchell, and Tommie Bell. Kendall moved from fifth to third in the standings, 344 points behind Hamilton Jr.

“There’s something about Red Ball that I love,” added Kendall. “It’s slick and fast, and I really feel like I can grip the lower line with the banking. I’m pumped for this next stretch of races with IRP, Dodge, Bristol, and New Hampshire upcoming – we could definitely go on a little run here.”

The series returns on August 3 at Indianapolis Raceway Park for the Power Stroke Diesel 200.

--------------------

Red Ball 200
Red Ball Raceway | Race 14 of 25
July 14, 2007 | $50,000 Winner's Purse

F | S | ### | Driver (Points)
1 | 1 | 191 | Jarrett Kendall (190)
2 | 3 | 4 | Timothy Peters (170)
3 | 9 | 18 | Bobby Hamilton Jr. (170)
4 | 11 | 128 | Jake Mitchell (160)
5 | 5 | 187 | Tommie Bell (155)
6 | 4 | 33 | Ron Hornaday (155)
7 | 35 | 121 | Casey Fletcher (146)
8 | 17 | 163 | Chip Simpson (142)
9 | 23 | 123 | Tyson Golston (138)
10 | 19 | 98 | Erin Crocker (134)

NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Standings & Winners
P | ### | Driver (Points, Difference)
1 | 18 | Bobby Hamilton Jr. (2,253 / 5 wins)
2 | 33 | Ron Hornaday (2,015, -238 / 3 wins)
3 | 191 | Jarrett Kendall (1,909, -344 / 1 win)
4 | 4 | Timothy Peters (1,903, -350 / 2 wins)
5 | 6 | David Ragan (1,861, -392 / 1 win)
6 | 99 | Erik Darnell (1,686, -567)
7 | 151 | J.J. Shipps (1,649, -604)
8 | 187 | Tommie Bell (1,588, -665)
9 | 117 | Ted Jones (1,562, -691)
10 | 30 | Todd Bodine (1,559, -694)

GM Flex Fuel 250 (Daytona): #18, Bobby Hamilton Jr. (1)
racetickets.com 200 (California): #33, Ron Hornaday (1)
John Deere 200 (Atlanta): #4, Timothy Peters (1)
Kroger 250 (Martinsville): #130, Wilson Eubanks (1)
Cheese Wheel 200 (Old Spice): #108, George Teague (1)
Quaker Steak & Lube 200 (Lowe’s): #18, Bobby Hamilton Jr. (2)
Treasure Lake 200 (Meadow Creek): #4, Timothy Peters (2)
AAA Insurance 200 (Dover): #33, Ron Hornaday (2)
Fort Worth 400 (Texas): #33, Ron Hornaday (3)
Michigan 200 (Michigan): #6, David Ragan (1)
Milwaukee 200 (Milwaukee): #18, Bobby Hamilton Jr. (3)
O’Reilly Auto Parts 250 (Kansas): #18, Bobby Hamilton Jr. (4)
Rockingham 200 (Rockingham): #18, Bobby Hamilton Jr. (5)
Red Ball 200 (Red Ball): #191, Jarrett Kendall (1)

[Careless Whisper]

Last Lap Pass Gives Kendall Second Straight Win at IRP
Jarrett Kendall slipped by Team Bullseye teammate Ted Jones on the final lap to win his second straight race

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. -- After making it three straight poles on Wednesday night, Jarrett Kendall made it two straight victories this evening, passing his Team Bullseye teammate Ted Jones on the final lap to win the Power Stroke Diesel 200.

Kendall topped the leaderboard in qualifying by laying a lap down of 19.832 seconds, and carried that momentum into race day by leading the most laps. The last cycle of green flag pit stops put him behind Jones, but he quickly ran him down and slipped underneath in the third turn to make it back-to-back wins.

“We were so good tonight, it would’ve been a shame if we didn’t end up winning,” said Kendall. “Team Bullseye brought some rockets this week, and I hate that I had to deny Ted (Jones) of a win, but that’s racing. It’s amazing what a win (last week at Red Ball) can do for our momentum – we knew without any hiccups that we’d be sitting (in victory lane) tonight.”

Jones came home second, followed by Jed Thomas, Bobby Hamilton Jr., and Tyson Golston rounding out the top five.

Kendall moved to second in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series standings with the win, and trails Hamilton Jr. by 314 points.

The series continues its run of short tracks on August 11 at Dodge Raceway Stadium.

--------------------

Power Stroke Diesel 200
Indianapolis Raceway Park | Race 15 of 25
August 3, 2007 | $50,000 Winner's Purse

F | S | ### | Driver (Points)
1 | 1 | 191 | Jarrett Kendall (190)
2 | 16 | 117 | Ted Jones (175)
3 | 5 | 103 | Jed Thomas (165)
4 | 9 | 18 | Bobby Hamilton Jr. (160)
5 | 13 | 123 | Tyson Golston (155)
6 | 3 | 4 | Timothy Peters (150)
7 | 21 | 139 | Zach Van **** (146)
8 | 17 | 9 | Ted Musgrave (142)
9 | 2 | 6 | David Ragan (138)
10 | 20 | 107 | Ryan Clement (134)

NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Standings & Winners
P | ### | Driver (Points, Difference)
1 | 18 | Bobby Hamilton Jr. (2,413 / 5 wins)
2 | 191 | Jarrett Kendall (2,099, -314 / 2 wins)
3 | 33 | Ron Hornaday (2,085, -328 / 3 wins)
4 | 4 | Timothy Peters (2,053, -360 / 2 wins)
5 | 6 | David Ragan (1,999, -414 / 1 win)
6 | 99 | Erik Darnell (1,762, -651)
7 | 117 | Ted Jones (1,737, -676)
8 | 30 | Todd Bodine (1,653, -760)
9 | 151 | J.J. Shipps (1,649, -764)
10 | 187 | Tommie Bell (1,643, -770)

GM Flex Fuel 250 (Daytona): #18, Bobby Hamilton Jr. (1)
racetickets.com 200 (California): #33, Ron Hornaday (1)
John Deere 200 (Atlanta): #4, Timothy Peters (1)
Kroger 250 (Martinsville): #130, Wilson Eubanks (1)
Cheese Wheel 200 (Old Spice): #108, George Teague (1)
Quaker Steak & Lube 200 (Lowe’s): #18, Bobby Hamilton Jr. (2)
Treasure Lake 200 (Meadow Creek): #4, Timothy Peters (2)
AAA Insurance 200 (Dover): #33, Ron Hornaday (2)
Fort Worth 400 (Texas): #33, Ron Hornaday (3)
Michigan 200 (Michigan): #6, David Ragan (1)
Milwaukee 200 (Milwaukee): #18, Bobby Hamilton Jr. (3)
O’Reilly Auto Parts 250 (Kansas): #18, Bobby Hamilton Jr. (4)
Rockingham 200 (Rockingham): #18, Bobby Hamilton Jr. (5)
Red Ball 200 (Red Ball): #191, Jarrett Kendall (1)
Power Stroke Diesel 200 (IRP): #191, Jarrett Kendall (2)

[Careless Whisper]

Lagasse Jr. Benefits from Late Caution, Wins at Dodge
Scott Lagasse Jr. was scored as the leader after a late caution, and held on to win his first NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race

MAITLAND, Fla. -- A Ted Musgrave spin in the middle of green flag pit stops shuffled the running order, and it was Scott Lagasse Jr. who would benefit as he restarted in first and finished there to win the Dodge Performance 250.

Musgrave’s spin when entering the pits at Dodge Raceway Stadium completely flipped the narrative, which was originally going to be about Jarrett Kendall winning his third consecutive race. The caution put numerous drivers who qualified outside the top 20 inside the top 10, with Lagasse Jr. holding off all incomers at the very end.

Kendall started in pole position for the fourth straight race after posting a time of 12.867 seconds, and kept position at the front of the field for most of the race. He hadn’t entered the pits for his final stop when Musgrave’s spin brought the yellow out, which shuffled him back to 20th at the restart. The rookie could only make it up to ninth before the checkered flag waved, giving him his 10th top-10 finish of the season.

“I’m disappointed because I feel like I can win any time I come here in any car,” said Kendall, who won last year’s NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour championship with a victory in the season finale at Dodge. “But it was still a good day even with the bad luck of that caution. A lot of the usual front-runners like Bobby (Hamilton Jr.), (Ron) Hornaday), and (Timothy) Peters had it worse with the yellow, so I can’t complain too much.”

Red Stuart, Chip Simpson, Tommie Bell, and Glenn Tingen completed the top five. Hamilton Jr. placed 29th after starting second, and is now 243 points ahead of Kendall in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series standings.

The series will take a week off before returning to action at Bristol Motor Speedway on August 22 for a NASCAR triple-header.

--------------------

Dodge Performance 250
Dodge Raceway Stadium | Race 16 of 25
August 11, 2007 | $50,000 Winner's Purse

F | S | ### | Driver (Points)
1 | 22 | 04 | Scott Lagasse Jr. (185)
2 | 24 | 124 | Red Stuart (170)
3 | 31 | 163 | Chip Simpson (165)
4 | 29 | 187 | Tommie Bell (160)
5 | 36 | 126 | Glenn Tingen (155)
6 | 33 | 164 | Montgomery Davis (150)
7 | 30 | 136 | Donte Johnson (146)
8 | 1 | 191 | Jarrett Kendall (152)
9 | 35 | 123 | Tyson Golston (138)
10 | 18 | 151 | J.J. Shipps (134)

NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Standings & Winners
P | ### | Driver (Points, Difference)
1 | 18 | Bobby Hamilton Jr. (2,489 / 5 wins)
2 | 191 | Jarrett Kendall (2,246, -243 / 2 wins)
3 | 33 | Ron Hornaday (2,181, -308 / 3 wins)
4 | 4 | Timothy Peters (2,174, -315 / 2 wins)
5 | 6 | David Ragan (2,060, -429 / 1 win)
6 | 99 | Erik Darnell (1,841, -648)
7 | 117 | Ted Johnson (1,825, -664)
8 | 04 | Scott Lagasse Jr. (1,809, -680 / 1 win)
9 | 187 | Tommie Bell (1,803, -686)
10 | 151 | J.J. Shipps (1,783, -706)

GM Flex Fuel 250 (Daytona): #18, Bobby Hamilton Jr. (1)
racetickets.com 200 (California): #33, Ron Hornaday (1)
John Deere 200 (Atlanta): #4, Timothy Peters (1)
Kroger 250 (Martinsville): #130, Wilson Eubanks (1)
Cheese Wheel 200 (Old Spice): #108, George Teague (1)
Quaker Steak & Lube 200 (Lowe’s): #18, Bobby Hamilton Jr. (2)
Treasure Lake 200 (Meadow Creek): #4, Timothy Peters (2)
AAA Insurance 200 (Dover): #33, Ron Hornaday (2)
Fort Worth 400 (Texas): #33, Ron Hornaday (3)
Michigan 200 (Michigan): #6, David Ragan (1)
Milwaukee 200 (Milwaukee): #18, Bobby Hamilton Jr. (3)
O’Reilly Auto Parts 250 (Kansas): #18, Bobby Hamilton Jr. (4)
Rockingham 200 (Rockingham): #18, Bobby Hamilton Jr. (5)
Red Ball 200 (Red Ball): #191, Jarrett Kendall (1)
Power Stroke Diesel 200 (IRP): #191, Jarrett Kendall (2)
Dodge Performance 250 (Dodge): #04, Scott Lagasse Jr. (1)

[Careless Whisper]

Darnell Captures Second Career Truck Win at Bristol
Erik Darnell led the most laps from his third starting position, picking up his second career win in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series

BRISTOL, Tenn. -- Erik Darnell became the ninth different winner in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series this season, taking home the O’Reilly 200 presented by Valvoline at Bristol Motor Speedway.

Darnell paced the field for the majority of the evening, collecting his second career win in the series. The Roush Racing driver previously won last year at Old Spice Road Course in the Cheese Wheel 200.

Jarrett Kendall finished where he started in fifth place, and had an opportunity to win before being shuffled back on the final round of green flag pit stops. The rookie now has seven top-five finishes this season, with four of them coming in the last five races.

“We definitely had something for Erik (Darnell) but I never got the chance,” said Kendall. “We have to stop making these little mistakes in the pits. It’s been a problem all year, and it hurt us last time out at Dodge when we got shuffled back on the caution.”

Timothy Peters, Hans Goode, and Ron Hornaday split Darnell and Kendall in the top five. Points leader Bobby Hamilton Jr. again finished in the top 10, coming home in ninth.

Kendall returns to the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour next Wednesday at Meadow Creek, while the trucks return to the track on September 15 at New Hampshire for the Sylvania 200.

--------------------

O’Reilly 200 presented by Valvoline
Bristol Motor Speedway | Race 17 of 25
August 22, 2007 | $31,569 Winner's Purse

F | S | ### | Driver (Points)
1 | 3 | 99 | Erik Darnell (190)
2 | 6 | 4 | Timothy Peters (170)
3 | 7 | 180 | Hans Goode (165)
4 | 1 | 33 | Ron Hornaday (165)
5 | 5 | 191 | Jarrett Kendall (160)
6 | 2 | 6 | David Ragan (150)
7 | 11 | 139 | Zach Van **** (146)
8 | 8 | 47 | Kraig Kinser (142)
9 | 12 | 18 | Bobby Hamilton Jr. (138)
10 | 4 | 117 | Ted Jones (134)

NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Standings & Winners
P | ### | Driver (Points, Difference)
1 | 18 | Bobby Hamilton Jr. (2,627 / 5 wins)
2 | 191 | Jarrett Kendall (2,406, -221 / 2 wins)
3 | 33 | Ron Hornaday (2,346, -281 / 3 wins)
4 | 4 | Timothy Peters (2,344, -283 / 2 wins)
5 | 6 | David Ragan (2,210, -417 / 1 win)
6 | 99 | Erik Darnell (2,031, -596 / 1 win)
7 | 117 | Ted Jones (1,959, -668)
8 | 04 | Scott Lagasse Jr. (1,915, -712 / 1 win)
9 | 151 | J.J. Shipps (1,907, -720)
10 | 30 | Todd Bodine (1,853, -774)

GM Flex Fuel 250 (Daytona): #18, Bobby Hamilton Jr. (1)
racetickets.com 200 (California): #33, Ron Hornaday (1)
John Deere 200 (Atlanta): #4, Timothy Peters (1)
Kroger 250 (Martinsville): #130, Wilson Eubanks (1)
Cheese Wheel 200 (Old Spice): #108, George Teague (1)
Quaker Steak & Lube 200 (Lowe’s): #18, Bobby Hamilton Jr. (2)
Treasure Lake 200 (Meadow Creek): #4, Timothy Peters (2)
AAA Insurance 200 (Dover): #33, Ron Hornaday (2)
Fort Worth 400 (Texas): #33, Ron Hornaday (3)
Michigan 200 (Michigan): #6, David Ragan (1)
Milwaukee 200 (Milwaukee): #18, Bobby Hamilton Jr. (3)
O’Reilly Auto Parts 250 (Kansas): #18, Bobby Hamilton Jr. (4)
Rockingham 200 (Rockingham): #18, Bobby Hamilton Jr. (5)
Red Ball 200 (Red Ball): #191, Jarrett Kendall (1)
Power Stroke Diesel 200 (IRP): #191, Jarrett Kendall (2)
Dodge Performance 250 (Dodge): #04, Scott Lagasse Jr. (1)
O’Reilly 200 presented by Valvoline (Bristol): #99, Erik Darnell (1)