|| *Comments on the 1999 Dodge California Truck Stop 300:* View the most recent comment <#10> | Post a comment <#post> Tweet 1. Darrell posted: 12.07.2005 - 12:22 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) Rick Carelli's last race before his near-fatal crash at Memphis. 2. Matt posted: 11.23.2007 - 12:42 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) Final race for one of the original Truck Series drivers, Bill Sedgwick. 3. RaceFanX posted: 12.11.2007 - 8:59 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Last NASCAR race for Ernie Cope, Derrike Cope's cousin. 4. SK posted: 12.13.2007 - 2:42 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) This was Carelli's last WIN before his crash, though he made one more start after this before the ill-fated Memphis race. 5. Anonymous posted: 12.19.2009 - 11:04 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) DNQ #36 Larry Carnes 85.621 6. Anymous posted: 01.28.2016 - 1:28 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) its a fun race but memphis nearly ended it even tho he raced one more time this year we won next year way to make a comback 7. Luke posted: 05.05.2017 - 9:02 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) I assume this is the race in which Kevin Harvick caught the eye of Richard Childress, as before this Harvick was not much of a factor in the Trucks. 8. Bramblegrunt posted: 01.18.2018 - 2:03 pm Rate this comment: (1) (0) The last 20 laps of this race were phenomenal. It was all set up after Ryan McGlynn's spin with 35 to go. Carelli decided to pit to get new left side tires where everyone else stayed out. But not many people were focusing too much on Carelli at this time. The race was largely a battle between local hero Ron Hornaday Jr and local upstart Kevin Harvick. The 2 had a long going battle in first and 2nd and with 25 to go it looked like it was theirs to lose. Dennis Setzer and Stacy Compton appeared to be their nearest competitors but they were a grade below those two, but then people started seeing a new truck emerging in the top 5 and constantly bringing the fastest lap times. That was Carelli with his new tires. Harvick appeared to be faster than Hornaday but it was taking a Herculean effort to try to pass the 16 truck as every effort Harvick made to get under Ron, Ron was able to get off the corner just a little bit faster. Harvick was clearly showing frustration after making contact with his bumper a couple times, indicating he was the faster truck. Carelli, meanwhile was about 1.25 seconds behind, closing in on 15 to go. Thats when Harvick decided to make sure that Hornaday didnt get off the corner faster off turn 4, either that or Ron came down on the young rising star. The 2 made pretty significant contact and both trucks were taken off the racing line, allowing Carelli to eat up gobs of that 1.25 second lead. Before you knew it, he was right on their heels and was passing Harvick for 2nd. He was quick to dispatch him, which set up a great 5 lap battle between Hornaday and Carelli. Ron did the same thing to Carelli as he did to Harvick, Carelli would get underneath but Hornaday would accelerate off the turn a lot better. Carelli, too, had to lay a bit of bumper to Ron but this time he was able to clear him with 10 laps to go. Harvick was able to get by Hornaday as well after the battle. Auggie Vidovich would spin in turn 4 setting up a G-W-C On the restart, Carelli tried to get away but Hornaday, the restart king, would not be dispatched too easily. On the penultimate lap, Hornaday had a last gasp effort to pass Carelli and he drove it deep but his tires didnt hold and he fell to 4th. Harvick was too far away to get to Carelli and Carelli took a thrilling win. As far as this being the race people noticed Harvick, possibly. But his name was being mentioned a lot in the prior couple seasons. He originally drove for his dads team before getting the opportunity to drive for Wayne Spears where he'd win the 1998 West Title and put together a somewhat solid truck season driving the 75. I believe due to his youth and outspokenness, people were noticing him well before this race but this was the race he was able to put together a true full green-to-checkers effort 9. Anonymous posted: 07.24.2020 - 2:42 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) I think this was the first race in the top 3 series where Harvick was a factor the entire race. Today, it is very common. 10. Rich posted: 09.19.2020 - 11:08 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Marty Reid and Jeremy Dale were the commentators. Dave Burns and Amy East were the pit road reporters. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ *Post a comment:* Your comment may not appear immediately - all comments must be approved by the moderator. Name: Comment: