Dennis Setzer Ends Bobby Hamilton Racing's Nearly 3-Year Absence From Victory Lane

[PressRoom-GFN]

By Deb Williams

MARTINSVILLE, Va. (March 29, 2008) – Dennis Setzer led the final 126 laps in Saturday's Kroger 250 at Martinsville Speedway to return the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series team founded by the late Bobby Hamilton to victory lane for the first time in nearly three years.

It also was Dodge's first victory since Hamilton's last win at Mansfield, Ohio, in May 2005.

“This is about Bobby Hamilton Racing, the guy that started this deal and still carrying this deal on,” an excited Setzer said. “This is a Bobby Hamilton chassis, something he designed and built. I'm really proud of that.”

The win was an emotional one for the team, which Hamilton's wife Lori, moved to Virginia from Tennessee during the off-season and acquired ownership involvement from Clay Campbell, Mark Melling and Joey Arrington. Campbell is the grandson of Martinsville Speedway founder Clay Earles and the short track's president. Melling is the son of the late Harry Melling, who rescued the Elliott brothers' – Bill, Ernie and Dan -- racing careers in the early 1980s when their father, George, was at the end of his financial rope with the family-owned race team. Arrington, a longtime engine builder, is the son of retired NASCAR driver Buddy Arrington.

“This is for Bobby. This carries on his legacy,” Setzer said. “I ran second to Bobby Hamilton the year he won the championship [2004]. We raced really hard against each other, but off the track, we were the best of friends. I don't think we ever had a harsh word for one another. I respected him a lot."

In addition to the series championship, Hamilton posted 10 wins in the truck series before his death from cancer on Jan. 7, 2007.

Setzer said that when yellow fever struck the race, which totaled 16 caution flags, his crew chief told him “to stay consistent and don't do anything stupid.”

“He's seen me do that before, so I guess he was worried about that,” Setzer added.

Saturday's green-white-checker finish was setup by Mike Skinner's spin in turn four on lap 248 of the scheduled 250-lap race.

When the race restarted, Setzer easily drove to his 18th career truck victory and his third at the 0.526-mile track, while Johnny Benson and Kyle Busch were spinning behind him in the final turn. On the final lap of the 253-lap race, Busch attempted to take second from Benson as they headed into turn three. Busch's Toyota tagged Benson's Toyota and sent him spinning to the outside. At the same time, Matt Crafton's Chevrolet smacked Busch and sent him spinning to the inside. Crafton then threaded his way through the two spinning trucks to claim second for his best career finish.

“I got a good run off of (turn) two and thought I could make a good hole there in (turn) three,” Busch said in describing the final lap. “I got in there, got a little bit of wheel hop and got into him [Benson] and we both spun out. I probably was going to make it through there, but then I got hit from behind, so I got spun out, too.

“It started with me, obviously, but it's pretty pathetic the pit crew guys want to fight when what happens on the race track is between the drivers. It's unacceptable and it's stupid.

“People may call my move stupid, but, hey, I'm a racer; I'm going after another spot. I'm not out there for a third-place finish, I'm going to go for second if I've got a spot I think I can get for second. Obviously, stuff happens on the race track.”

In recounting the final lap of the green-white-checker finish, Crafton said, “I knew there was going to be something exciting with Kyle (Busch) driving it in there like that. I saw him drive it down hard into turn three and he wheel hopped it. I don't know if he didn't mean to do what he did, getting into the No. 23 [Benson], but he wheel hopped it and got loose.”

“I was trying to be patient, because last year we were running third on the last lap and wrecked and finished 17th,” Crafton added. “So I was going to finish fourth if I had to."

The race was a heart-breaker for Brendan Gaughan, who was running second when his crew chief told him to pit during the 12th caution period. Gaughan wanted to remain on the track and gamble there would be enough yellow flags for him to squeeze the fuel mileage needed from his truck to claim the runner-up position. However, his crew chief told him they would look like “yo-yos” if they didn't pit. Gaughan grudgingly came down pit road and had to settle for an 11th-place finish.

The Kroger 250 also provided an historical day for the Wallace family. Chrissy Wallace, the daughter of Mike and Carla Wallace, piloted her Toyota to an 18th-place finish in her NASCAR debut. She became the first female to win a Late Model race at Hickory Motor Speedway in June 2007. The 19-year-old Wallace began racing at age 9 in Lowe's Motor Speedway's Summer Shootout series.

“I'm satisfied,” said Wallace, who also thanked her Germain Racing crew. “We came home with a top-20 finish, and I'm really happy.”

Donny Lia was the top performing rookie with a ninth-place finish, while pole winner Jack Sprague had to settle for 24th after being involved in a multi-truck accident on lap 137.

Four races into the season, Busch possesses a 35-point lead over Todd Bodine in the point standings.

The truck series next outing is April 26 at Kansas Speedway.

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