NASCAR Trucks: Dodge Ram finish one-two at Nazareth; Setzer wins first of 2000
16 July 2000
Posted By Terry
Callahan
Motorsports Editor, The Auto Channel
Nazareth, Penn., - After spending much of the race last
weekend at the
hospital in New Hampshire, Dennis Setzer was able to back that up with his
first win of the 2000 season today at Nazareth Speedway. Setzer led 28
laps
of the 200-lap race to break two different records: the first NCTS driver
to
win a race while injured and the first driver in 2000 to win after
starting
outside the top-five. Setzer started in the 19th position. Setzer
sustained a fracture to his right scapula last week, but never complained
of
any pain on his way to the checkered flag this afternoon. Joe Ruttman
finished behind Setzer after starting from the pole position. This marks
Setzers fifth career NCTS win and first of the 2000 season.
Dennis Setzer, driver, #1 Mopar Dodge, finished first:
"Team Mopar and Dodge put a perfect truck under me for the race today and made me look pretty good. The team put some extra padding in the truck and bent the seat apart right where my scapula and my rib cage would rub in order to make it a little more comfortable for me to drive. It worked out pretty good for us, but Im pretty happy that it wasnt a 500-mile race."
(No other winner has started outside of the fifth position this season, Setzer started in the 19th position)
"We knew that we had a pretty good truck all through practice, but then when it came time to qualify, I just couldnt put the type of lap together that I needed to in order to start in the top ten. In all of the practice sessions when we would mount tires to try to make the big run, we just couldnt produce it and we just couldnt figure out why. But all day I told the guys that I thought we had a pretty good race truck."
(Talking through the race and how it unfolded) "Right out of the box, we moved up to tenth early in the race, then we pitted for left-side tires under caution, then pitting for right-side tires under the green flag. Some other trucks pitted with 28 to go and this is a tough track to pass on and we wanted to stay out for the track position.
(About Ruttman being fast all day) "Joe definitely had the fastest truck all day and he proved that, but just like weve experienced enough times, the fastest truck doesnt always win the race. I owe it to my crew chief who made the call to stay out on that last caution, this is a team effort and my team put me in the position to win this race today.
(About the injury) "I probably couldnt reach up and scratch the top of my head right now, but it felt pretty good throughout the whole race and it was just a lucky day for Team Mopar."
Joe Ruttman, driver, #18 Dana Dodge, finished second: "Were pretty disappointed and Im sure thats hard to understand, but the Dana Dodge was such a fast truck it just seemed like we should have been the Dodge in victory lane."
Steve Grissom, driver, #43 Dodge By Petty, finished fifth: "We really thought that we had something for Dennis at the end, but we developed a right rear tire rub there at the end from damage that we sustained early in the race. But after a pretty tough day to come back with a top five finish is pretty good and well take it."
Carlos Contreras, driver, #12 Hot Wheels Dodge, finished 18th: "After the first 25 laps of the race, we had a fast truck. I tried to take care of the truck all day. Its very hard to pass at this track. Im very proud for my crew. They worked very hard and had a good pit strategy, and my first pit stop was very fast. I was very comfortable during most of the race and thinking that I might get my first top 10 on an oval. Then the #99 and #75 crashed in front of me and went to the inside. I tried to go on the outside, but a truck came up the track and I couldnt avoid hitting the wall. Im very sorry for my crew, but they still worked hard to keep me in the race and still get a top 20 finish. Thats racing. But after today, I have more confidence in my truck and my crew than ever." (regarding post-race visitor) "After the race, Kyle Petty came to my hauler and told me I did a good job today. That made me very happy."
Scott Riggs, driver, #86 RC Cola Dodge, finished 27th: "I just hate this for Dodge, RC Cola and especially the guys on this team. They definitely gave me a great truck and we were on our way to the front, but the first caution was definitely my fault when I tried to overdrive the truck into the corner and it just came around. I was trying to get around the #2 truck and that put me up in the loose stuff and once you get up there its pretty easy to get the truck turned around. I tried to catch the truck, but I couldnt and when it spun around it got into the guard rail and knocked the tow in out. We were just trying to ride around and make laps but that put us in the rear of the field and when you are in the rear, you have to run with the guys that are in the rear and that is what happened to take the RC Cola Dodge out of the race. And sometimes the guys in the rear do things that arent necessarily the best moves. But I guess we were due a week like this, but it still hurts in the heart and in the head when it happens. I hate it for the guys, but well be ready to go back after them at Michigan."
Randy Tolsma, driver, #25 Citgo Supergard Motor Oil Dodge, finished 31st: "I really didnt think that I was putting myself in any position of jeopardy, but I know that I gave Marty enough room on the inside and he gave me plenty of room on the outside then the next thing I knew the truck was coming around on me. I really dont know what happened and that is pretty frustrating. It just wasnt the day that we wanted and Im pretty disappointed.
Text provided by Lisa Hughes
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