|| *Comments on the 1998 NAPA Autocare 200:* View the most recent comment <#8> | Post a comment <#post> Tweet 1. nascarman posted: 02.17.2007 - 5:22 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Last Nascar race for 1988 rookie of the year Ken Bouchard. 2. Matt posted: 03.13.2013 - 4:55 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Correction: Lap led totals for this race should be as follows: Ron Hornaday, Jr. - 151 Mike Bliss - 42 Kevin Harvick - 7 3. Dave posted: 10.06.2018 - 9:01 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) The race date is incorrectly listed. This was actually run on Sunday July 12th, 1998. 4. Z posted: 04.24.2020 - 10:19 am Rate this comment: (1) (0) More To Come... Ron Fellows Makes A Trip Out East That Isn't Watkins Glen, But Exits Less Than Halfway Through; This Would Be One Of x3 Such East Coast Forays For Fellows (Loudon/Cup & Charlotte/ARCA) Hornaday Scores What Would Wind Up A Crucial Victory In This One, As Hornaday Became '98 Champion By A Mere x3 Points Over 10th Place Finisher Sprague Kevin Harvick, w/ x7 Laps, Leads For The 2nd Time In His Young Truck Career; Combined w/ The First x3 @ Texas Earlier In The Season, Harvick Would Have Exactly x10 To This Point Nazareth 96/01: Joe Ruttman Jimmy Hensley Lance Norick Jack Sprague Rick Crawford (X96) Terry Cook (X96) Bryan Reffner (X01) -5th Of x46 Starts, Kevin Cywinski- x22 Cup Drivers OTF (x25 Attempts), x21 Truck Winners OTF FR: Ryan McGlynn OR: Wayne Anderson (@ Nazareth) -13th Of x23 Starts- Barry Bodine (@ Nazareth) -15th Of x29 Starts- Scot Walters (@ Nazareth) Dominic Dobson (@ Nazareth, 2LR) WF: Rob Morgan (Tied) -8th Of x61 Starts- 5. Z posted: 04.24.2020 - 11:09 am Rate this comment: (1) (0) CBS Broadcast, Mike Joy/Ned Jarrett Rick Crawford's 1st front row start, 1st race of '98 w/ a Lazano (that's what it sounded like, anyway) Engine vs. the Superior Engines Crawford had been running; Lazano was what Crawford ran all of '97, changed for hoped reversal of luck (or the lack of luck thereof) Pre-Race Interviews: Mike Bliss, Rick Crawford, Dominic Dobson Asphalt issue, removed & cement added (Either T1 or T2, became a major focus) Barry Bodine 5th fastest on 1st lap of qualifying, but slapped wall on L2 Bryan Reffner spun 180 in qualifying, outside T3 & hit inside wall (33rd) Stacy Compton hit outside exiting T3, went to backup (32nd) Terry Cook's best starting position TTP Andy Houston leading ROTY TTP Ryan McGlynn described as having "several practice crashes" - Really just a bad week in general for the debuting McGlynn CBS Race Analysis: Trucks 35, Length 200 mi, Seg I 1/101, Seg II 102-200, Purse: $373,305, Race Record: 99.252 ('96, Sprague) Weather Conditions: Temp 85°, Humidity 41%, Forecast: Partly Cloudy, Track Temp: 108°, In Truck: 132° In-Truck Cam: Bliss, Dobson, Hensley, Raines, Setzer, Reffner GF: Bliss jumps ahead, Sprague runs Hornaday nearly into wall for pass - immediately apologized, said ran too deep & tight into corner entry, Hornaday displeased nonetheless (Didn't look too good, L1) Setzer 11th -> 9th, L1 Hornaday 7th -> 10th, L1 x14 Nazareth Debuts Of Entrants Concern heading in over All-Pro Series running before this one, different tire compounds (& resulting track rubber) vs. Trucks L7: Dobson 123.094, running in same '97 I-70 truck Raines propelled to victory; McGlynn 10+ mph off pace, lapped L11 Gary Showalter (Cook CC): "I know we gotta good truck, my job's to calm Cook down" [in reference to Cook liking to run up front as quickly as possible - funny looking back @ now, as once Cook ran further he had a reputation of sitting back as his strategy] L13: Bliss, Hensley, Crawford, Dobson, Cook, Raines, Sprague, Hornaday, Carelli, Setzer, Miller, Said, Wallace, Biffle, Norick, Tolsma, Sauter, Barfield, Harvick, MacDonald, Houston, Ruttman, Walters, Bodine, Fellows, Roper, Reffner, Cywinski, Bouchard, Rush, Compton, Anderson, Kirk, Morgan, McGlynn Common Setup Amongst The Field Was Low Gear Ratios = Greater Passing C1: Morgan being lapped, got high into wall - significant (notable) front end damage; Mandatory in this race was at least 1 GF pit stop per half (fuel, chassis adjustments - NO TIRES, penalty of x5 laps per tire) Ruttman: raised trackbar 1/2 inch, took wedge away - running tight Majority pit, except Harvick & Anderson; Bliss first out pits, restarts 3rd; Reffner restarts 23rd; Restart Cook smacks high, hook towed - gravel & lacked traction; L24: Harvick, Bliss, Anderson, Hensley, Crawford, Hornaday, Sprague, Carelli, Wallace, Raines 2R: single file, Bouchard nearly same thing as Cook - high but no contact L29: Hensley, Hornaday pass Anderson inside; Hornaday 120.285; Bliss 117.670 (CC: Barry Dodson) -Dodson borrowed a 500 gear from Jimmy Cahoon (CC: Mike Wallace), to which Cahoon then had to borrow a gear once he asked himself "Wait, what does Dodson need one of those for?"- L30: Hornaday -> 2nd, past Hensley; McGlynn -2, Cook -6, Morgan -11 L32: Setzer bumps Ruttman for 14th, nothing becomes of it L32: Bliss, Hornaday, Hensley, Harvick, Carelli, Sprague, Crawford, Raines, Anderson, Wallace, Said, Sauter, Tolsma, Ruttman, Setzer, Biffle, Houston, Reffner, Barfield, Cywinski, Roper, Miller, Compton, Walters, Norick, Rush, MacDonald, Bodine, Fellows, Bouchard, Kirk, Dobson, McGlynn -2, Cook -9, Morgan -14 [Jack Sprague] Ned: "He drives like each & every lap is the last lap. He gets everything out of the truck he can get out of it" Joy: (after mentioning Ruttman's "One Tap Jack" moniker) - "many other... less broadcastable nicknames" Carelli was T5 in practice, "couldn't catch a cloud" in qualifying (9th) Race Summary: Laps 37, Leaders 2, Changes 2, Avg Sp 94.909, Caution 2, Off X 6. Z posted: 04.24.2020 - 1:08 pm Rate this comment: (1) (0) Lotta Marbles - Biffle heard banging inside fenders, Crawford: "Feels more like a dirt track than an asphalt track" L38: Setzer 120.911 #78 off backstretch wall, caution Joy: "...Moving Chicane McGlynn. A lot of drivers were having trouble getting around Him last couple of laps on both inside & outside - & finally there just wadn't enough room" (L43) -Dobson changed tire earlier b/c of Broken Valve Stem; Dobson hit McGlynn's bumper, spun high, McGlynn low - 51 passes through middle; Joy softens on replay, points out McGlynn signalling for Dobson to pass high, Dobson too much momentum L45R: Hornaday foot cam - Hornaday concerned w/ RF Tire, crew telling Hornaday "take it easy"; Hornaday best 2nd (L31), worst 11th (L20) L49: [1/7 +2 sec from 8th/on] Bliss, Hornaday, Hensley, Sprague, Carelli, Raines, Crawford, Sauter, Ruttman, Said, Setzer, Wallace, Tolsma, Barfield, Biffle, Houston, Miller, Compton, Roper, Rettner, Norick, MacDonald, Cywinski, Bodine, Bouchard, Walters, Fellows, Harvick, Anderson, Kirk, Rush, McGlynn -4, Dobson -7, Cook -26, Morgan (OUT) L50: Bliss 121.004, Hornaday 120.385, Hensley 120.564, Sprague 120.588, Carelli 120.385, Raines 120.293, Crawford 120.868 Sauter running Skinner's '95 finale truck in this race Raines' Inspiration? M&Ms - buys big bag pre-race, eats amount depending on run Joy: "Strangest diet plan I've heard in a while; Ned: "Yeah, seriously" (Ned's delivered very deadpan) Race Summary: Laps 52, Leaders 2, Changes 2, Avg Sp 90.346, Caution 3, Off 2 L54: Int, 1/2 .391; L56: Bliss hits traffic, Hornaday captures, puts lefts in grass to pass - SOARS away; Carelli struggling; Bliss CC: truck running 7/8 of capability, perfect - only concern: Marbles, want to get to end of race, THEN compete for win, until then stay w/in eyesight of leader L64: Caution, Kevin Cywinski exit T5, hit No Man's Land (middle of turn) & got high L65: Hornaday, Bliss, Raines, Sprague, Hensley, Carelli - Reffner 20th; Scot Walters, Mike Wallace pit Pre-Race, driver/CC (req, others optional) meeting held outside T5 grandstand; "Driver 99 are you here" (as about to start, Ruttman among fans signing autographs) Ruttman: "Is that an age or a number?" CC Roland Wylanaka (Crawford): [struggles] not enough gear in truck Ryan McGlynn pits, extended flag b/c of cleaners for marbles; Hornaday's good omen: lost wallet @ Chicago Airport (money, NASCAR credentials, everything), returned a week later fully intact [& In a sense of foreshadowing, it would oddly payoff; Hornaday joked he'd have to start from scratch, not about the money but in NASCAR given his credentials] #43 tight off T2, oil gauge 230, W 210; R3: 30/35 on Lead Lap; single file except Bodine high T1, "gathered back up" L77: Sprague passes Bliss, forces Bliss near wall (4th -> 3rd); L78: Raines gaining on Hornaday; 1/2 gap > 3/4(&5/6), then 7/12, 13/18, 19/20, 21, 22/25, 26 L84: Caution, Fellows T2 wall (basically was the only untouched wall @ this point), towed out L84: Hornaday, Raines, Sprague, Setzer, Hensley, Bliss, Ruttman, Sauter, Carelli, Barfield Richard Petty attending @ Nazareth; Winston Cup race @ Loudon running during this one wrapped about this point, Petty scoring a 6th in that one Tony Raines happy w/ Truck, not w/ track - picking & choosing lanes not necessarily going fastest, but safest: "Don't mind finishing 2nd... In the 1st half" [How Many Turns @ Nazareth] Hensley: "3 turns"; Bliss: "4 corners" Hornaday: "3 turns"; Ruttman: "I guess you could say any amount" Sprague: "I don't have any idea in the world how many turns are here" (Sprague won '96 & '97 @ Nazareth) AFLAC Trivia Question "Which x5 drivers have ran all 81 NCTS races since the series began in 1995? 7. Z posted: 04.24.2020 - 3:32 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) *In-Truck Cam: Hornaday Caution Biffle T1, Hard crash into wall, was running 16th - Biffle throws hands up, looks like @ #44, as in "what's up" Inside lane to outside, left notable skids; Said ahead, Roper behind - difficult to tell, best I can guess is Said checked up in front of Biffle? Biffle's car caught fire briefly, went away when engine shut off L94R: Sauter great start, +3 (& passed on the less predominant, but still possible high line, past Ruttman & Hensley) L94: Hornaday, Raines, Sprague, Setzer, Hensley, Sauter, Ruttman, Bliss, Barfield, Carelli, Miller, Tolsma, Compton, Crawford, Houston, Said, Roper, Reffner, MacDonald, Anderson, Wallace, Bouchard, Bodine, Harvick, Kirk, Norick, Walters, Rush -1, Biffle -3, Fellows (OUT), McGlynn -11, Cywinski (OUT), Dobson -52, Cook (OUT), Morgan (OUT) L95: Bliss handling "absolutely gone away; L98: Setzer -> Raines (3rd -> 2nd); L99: Crawford T1 RF Flat, Caution; tries limping on apron, stalled in grass T2 [NASCAR was going to let 'em race to Half otherwise] *Crawford REALLY smacked that wall, nearly head-on; steering locked up when the tire shattered* HALF: Hornaday, Setzer, Raines, Sprague, Sauter, Hensley, Barfield, Ruttman, Carelli, Miller, Compton, Tolsma, Bliss, Houston, Reffner, Said, MacDonald, Roper, Wallace, Anderson, Harvick, Bodine, Kirk, Norick, Bouchard (1-26 LL), Walters, Rush, Crawford, Biffle, McGlynn, Fellows, Cywinski, Dodson, Cook, Morgan Race Summary: Leaders 3, Lead Change 3, Avg Sp 84.674, Caution 7/26, Off 4, Big Mover: Stacy Compton (32nd -> 11th) Hornaday: "It's pretty tough out there, there's one groove & it's just hang on - it's gonna be lots of [chaos?] out there" Raines: [conditions] "It's unfortunate but everybody's got the same thinh to deal with... We're just tryna stay on the track, stay in the groove, & just be there @ the checker - we should be able to get a good finish out of it" Sprague: Truck awfully loose, being tightened; [concerning Hornaday] "Well the track's in pieces, got in the marbles & got loose - but He got me back & we're both good to go Bliss: [what went wrong w/ Truck] "Oyr Right Front wore out, went down to its cords, we had a little too much camber in it & it just got real real tight off corner Setzer: "The truck's really gpod on the long runs, we need to get 100 laps green, short stops right there" Joy: [Sprague/Hornaday] "They exchanged high fives w/ sheet metal & got on & got with it & got racing" Restart: single file, nothing, Setzer did attempt a too early pass, lost additional ground being held up by McGlynn in turn (Setzer low, McGlynn *Middle) - did make up ground T3/5, strongest T1/2 but not an ideal passing segment (good for making up ground, but not much turn to straightaway room); L105: Bodine spins frontstretch, into grass, fires up to warm up lane as leaders come by, no caution, directly @ S/F, -1 Lap [Into High, Marbles T5 - Really Loose, Did Good Keeping Out Of Wall]; Raines 123.085, Leaders LL 122.917 L108: Setzer slips T1, looses ground L109: Sprague & Sauter (4/5) battle, Int .13; L112: Moving Up (L50 laps) Bouchard (23rd) +8, Setzer (2nd) +6, Harvick (19th) +6 L113: Hornaday vibration, believed warped left brake rotor 8. Z posted: 04.24.2020 - 4:11 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) L115: Hornaday, Setzer, Raines, Sprague, Sauter, Hensley, Ruttman, Bliss, Barfield, Carelli, Miller, Compton, Houston, Tolsma, Said, Reffner, MacDonald, Wallace, Harvick, Roper, Anderson, Walters, Bouchard, Norick, Kirk, Rush -2, Bodine -4, McGlynn -11, Crawford (OUT), Biffle (OUT), Fellows (OUT), Cywinski (OUT), Dodson -73, Cook (OUT), Morgan (OUT) L123: Caution, Said loose & high in turn, stopped midtrack of turn - somehow didn't get hit; Hornaday splashn go, everybody pits; Sprague: clean windshield, loosen adjustment for tight corner running Setzer -10, stalls during pit CC Ron Keselowski: "5 seconds worth - you're done" [AFLAC ANSWER] Hornaday, Carelli, Miller, Ruttman, Sprague Compton 11th -> 6th (CC: Kevin Cram) Rodney (Hubben?), Houston Catch Can pit member, hit by Barfield on exit; taken to infield care center w/ leg injury L129R: single file, Hornday smokes the field *HUGE gap; Ruttman hits T5 first time after lurking T10 all-day; Dobson back on-track, doesn't wanna be in the way & pulls in L131 Joy: "Sprague's the kinda guy to say 'the place to pass is where I catch 'em'" (L132: Sprague attempts T1 pass on Sauter low; admittedly cool looking but no position - move allowed Raines to gain on Sprague but not passing distance) Sauter CC: Todd Berrier [Truck/Winston Similarities??] Sprague: HP similar, biggest difference aerodynamics; same weights, close wheelbase Bliss: Truck handling not as good (aerodynamics, lack of offset), Trucks slide more, everything else on Truck holds up to Winston Ruttman: Trucks closest to Winston - "So young guys, if you wanna go on to Winston Cup, come try us in Trucks, & if you can make it by us - which you probably won't - then you can go on to Winston" Joy: "Well put by Ruttman" Ned: "That's a lot of encouragement isn't it?" WC/Truck: 3500/3400 Weight 750/675 HP 12:1/9.5:1 Compression 110/112 Wheelbase L147: Caution, Bliss hit hard T5, & w/ a broken shoulder blade - slapped rear 1st then front after getting out of groove & into the marbles & cutting a RF tire L151R: Hornaday huge jump again Race Summary: Laps 152, Leaders 3, Changes 3, Avg Sp 76.685, Caution 9, Off 8 L154: Setzer & Carelli contact, Setzer finally makes a T1 pass inside but not enough room on exit - Carelli dropped hard, Setzer unaffected; no caution L156: MacDonald T1, slaps wall - tried getting going but too slow, did manage to stay on lead lap L160: Another restart, another Hornaday L163: Sauter/Sprague (Int .28) L168: Hornaday, Sauter -1.220, Sprague -1.653, Ruttman -2.829, Compton -3.618; Mike Wallace (21st) lapped; L171: Harvick brush backstretch, no caution; L173: Hornaday + 1.819; L175: Sprague inside T1, Sauter lifts (3rd -> 2nd; Sauter woulda wrecked otherwise), Lance Norick smacked wall, looked like RF tire down; L185: Wallace -9 L186: Sauter/Compton (3rd/4th) Int.12; Houston 15th LLL, Kirk F-1 16th L188: Compton completes pass on Setzer L194: Compton -> 2nd past Sprague, exit T5; L195: Hornaday +5.235; L198: Hornaday laps Setzer (11th) L200: The Best... For Last Compton finsihed 2nd despite hitting T3 wall, the car just making it past S/F before limping to pit road Ruttman hit T1 wall, spun across the grass for a 5th after tangling w/ Sprague (who was running 3rd but hit the outer wall & rested there, unable to cross & scoring 10th > 3rd) Lastly, Tolsma also hit the T3 wall on L200, x4 drivers (x3 in the T5) hitting an object short of the conclusion -END- ------------------------------------------------------------------------ *Post a comment:* Your comment may not appear immediately - all comments must be approved by the moderator. Name: Comment: