Kroger 250

After three weeks off the trucks will race at Martinsville on March 29th on FOX at 3pm. Ted has raced 12 times at Martinsville in the truck series. He has 8 top-10's and 5 top-5's and 2 poles. Terry Cook led a bunch of laps in the Harris Trucking #59 last year, so hopes are high. Also Ted had a very good test at Martinsville two weeks ago. More good news is that the "Magic Man" is back on the roof to help Ted through the field. I will be at the race this week so no live updates during the race. Update #1 from Martinsville: We followed the haulers to the track today. Then we headed over to HT Motorsports. Thanks to Don for taking time to show Maskat and I around the shop. Don is healing up quite well. Picked up a few things for future "Game" prizes. If I drove my own car I could have scored some real good stuff! The pics below are from the shop.

It was a long day.....I think this was the Atlanta truck.

I think this will be the Kansas truck.

Dwight McCrory applying a second coat?

The Daytona truck courtesy of Kyle Busch.

"Snappy" Sorber, Hauler Driver.

Update #2: Spent the day in the pits. The crew worked hard all day as the pictures will show. Ted was 10th quick in the first practice with a speed of 93.377mph. He would then go on to be 24th quick in final practice with a speed of 93.692. Ted had a few minor issues during practice with his truck. Team ASE solved the problems and got Ted right back up to speed! Ted has a great truck on long runs. Let's hope the drivers are more careful than last year and the race can stay green for awhile.

On to Race Day! It was COLD!! Ted would qualify the Team ASE/Harris Trucking Toyota 21st for the race. He would start the race on the inside with #23 Johnny Benson along side. GREEN FLAG! By lap 10 Ted is up to 19th after a good battle with #99 Erik Darnell. Lap 15 and Ted is 18th. Lap 30 and Ted is 20th and reporting a loose truck in the center and tight off the corner. Caution #1 for a spinner. Ted pits and gets four tires/fuel/and adjustments on lap 42. Restart on lap 45 and Ted is 29th. Caution #2 for debris I think. Restart on lap 54. Caution #3 for a spinner on lap 62. Restart on lap 67. Ted moves #71 Donny Lia out of the way. Ted makes a move past two truck after they tried to go 3-wide in a turn. Caution #4 as Ted spins #7 Andy Lally in turn 3. Andy said Ted had the right to spin him because he came down into Ted's line. Ted's nose gets pushed in. Ted pits for Fuel/adjustments/tape to the nose. Possibly the last pit of the day is the talk on the scanner. Ted reminded to try to save fuel. Restart on lap 91 of 250 and Ted is 16th. We see Ted's tape on the nose flapping in the wind. Caution #5 for a spinner. Restart on lap 107 and Ted is 10th. On lap 126 Ted gets steam trained by 3 trucks and is now 14th. Caution #6 as #51 Kyle Busch spins a lap truck. (more of this to come) Ted pits for 4 tires/fuel/adjustments. This is the final stop. Restart on lap 134 and Ted is 25th. Caution #7 for a big wreck in the middle of turns 3-4. There is oil on the track. NASCAR has to fly the Red Flag because the track looks like a dirt track from all the speedy dry. Restart on lap 148 and Ted is now 19th. Lap 152 and Ted is 17th. Lap 153 and Ted is 16th. Caution #8 for a spinner. Restart on lap 168 and Ted is 15th. Lap 171 and Ted is 14th. Caution #9 as #30 Todd Bodine spins by himself. Restart on lap 181 and Ted is 14th. Caution #10 for yet another spin. Restart on lap 90 and Ted is now 13th. 60 laps to go. Ted told the crew that all the adjustments helped the handling. Lap 192 and Ted follows #52 Ken Schrader up to 12th. Ted loses a spot and Caution #11 comes. Restart on lap 208 and Ted is 13th. By lap 213 Ted is now 11th. After losing a spot, #08 Jason White spins Ted in turn 2 bringing out caution #12. Restart on lap 222 and Ted is 24th. Three laps later and Ted is 22nd. Caution #13 for a spinner. Restart with 14 to go and Ted is 22nd. Caution #14 as #2 Jack Sprague spins right in front of Ted. Red flag #2 comes out. Restart with 8 to go and Ted is 17th. Caution #15 comes as Kyle Busch spins #5 Mike Skinner. Mike may have been out of gas. Green-white-checkered! Kyle Busch(3rd) spins Johnny Benson (2nd) on the last turn. #88 Matt Crafton then spins Kyle! Ted finished the race in 15th. Ted should of had a top-10 if not for the spin. Short track racing gets pretty wild. Next race is 4 weeks away at Kansas.

Ted's battle worn truck after the race.