On to the race....... Well kinda. Nascar would try to get the race started on friday night. The weather had other ideas. After numerous attempts and even starting the race under the yellow flag, the race would get postponed until the following morning at 8:30.
Before calling the race Michael Waltrip talked to Ted in his truck during pace laps. Mike mentioned Ted was going to start the race along side the Aaron's dream machine truck. Ted replied that he had a dream machine of his own. Then later said he was going to give the Aaron's truck a nice doughnut. Ray Dunlap would also report that Ted said Nascar should paint numbers on the eight jet blowers and he and Setzer would battle it out for themselves.
The next day would finally get here and the race would restart with all the required 134 laps. And you guessed it a quickie caution. Caution #1 would be for the #9 Justin Hobgood getting sideways on the track.
Restart on lap 5 and Ted is in 9th. A few laps later with #30 Todd Bodine on Ted's rear bumper, Ted would get real loose and chase the truck up the track. Ted would drop back 3 positions and be 12th, Dennis is in 18th.
Caution #2 would come out on lap 33 as #05 Erin Crocker gets into the wall. Ted was in 13th at the time with Dennis in 17th. All the trucks pit. Ted would get four tires, fuel and some adjustments.
Restart on lap 38 and Ted would be 16th and Dennis would be in 14th. Once again a quickie caution this one Caution #3 as the #9 spins again. They would restart and once again another caution this one Caution #4 as #38 Brandon Whitt spins out. Ted is now right behind Dennis.
During the caution Mikey talks to Ted and Ted says he is where he wants to be, he has Dennis in his windshield now and will have him in his mirror later.
Restart on lap 50. This time we get a few laps in before Caution #5. This time #07 Chris Wimmer and #35 Robert Richardson both spin and hit each other. The race would restart seven laps later with Dennis in 13th and Ted in 14th. Lap 65 and Dennis would be 12th and Ted would be 14th. By lap 77 Ted would catch up to Dennis again and give him a mirror full of his Mopar grill. Ted would pull up along side of Dennis a few times and then others would join the party. Ted would then back off and let them battle it out. Ted's truck was still loose and he would not push the issue.
However with 49 laps to go in the race Ted would once again find himself right behind Dennis fighting for the 17th spot. With 48 laps to go the green flag pit stops begin. First Dennis would pit then Ted. When all the trucks pit Dennis would be in 23rd and Ted would be in 24th both one lap down with 28 laps to go.
With 18 laps to go Dennis is in 20th and Ted is in 23rd. With 12 laps to go Dennis would be in 16th and Ted would be in 19th. Then Caution #6 comes as #08 Jack Bailey spins. Ted would do whatever Dennis does on the caution and then they both pit.
Just after the restart the #8 Debra Renshaw spins and Ted has to take evasive action! Tragedy adverted and the race would restart with just 5 laps to go with Dennis in 20th and Ted in 23rd. The racing up front would be fierce and on the last lap there would be a huge wreck on the back stretch. Both Ted and Dennis avoid it and the race would end.
Ted would finish the race in 20th!
Dennis would finish in 18th!
Ted would win the Points championship by 52 points!
A truck/car with a #1 has finally won a major championship!
Ted would be the oldest champion!
Toyota would win again (Bodine's 3rd in a row.)
Ted raced the race he had to. The truck was not good enough to win. He laid back and took his lumps for the day but won the spoils of the year! What a great job by ALL the Mopar crew!
It was a long time coming and both Ted and Jimmy Smith deserve this day in the sun. After the race they both said they wanted to win this champioship for the other. It was truly a great year and we all can look forward to Ted driving next year.
Thanks Ted!
Thanks Jimmy!
Thanks Mopar!
Sometimes just sometimes, Nice guys do finish 1st!