Ricky Carmichael – No. 4 Monster Energy Chevrolet Race Recap
Venue: Martinsville Speedway (.526 Mile Oval)
Circuit: NASCAR Camping World Truck Series
RACE: Kroger 250 (Race 3 of 25)
Date: March 27, 2010 (250 Laps, 131.5 Miles)
Start: 12th – Finish: 10th
Points: 7th

RACE RECAP:

• Rain showers moved over Martinsville Speedway just as the second practice was beginning Friday afternoon. The drizzling rain never ceased and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) qualifying was canceled. The field for the Kroger 250 was set by the 2009 NCWTS Owner Points Standings according to the NASCAR rule book. The Monster Energy Chevrolet started in the 12th position.
• By lap five Carmichael had moved into the 11th position and radioed in to his crew “I need to turn a little better in the center, but the truck is really good.”
• The first of 11 cautions came on lap 28 for a spin in turn three while Carmichael was battling for 13th position. “Keep after it,” said Crew Chief Mike Fritts under caution. “We will make adjustments during our next pit stop.”
• Over the next 45 laps Carmichael drove the Monster Energy Chevrolet into the top-10. The second caution came out on lap 75 for a spin in turn one. During the caution Carmichael hit pit road for service. The Monster Energy Racing Team changed all four tires and added fuel before sending him on his way. He restarted in ninth on lap 79.
• “Truck is really good,” said Carmichael on lap 93 during the fourth caution. “I am just trying to be patient.” He restarted in the eighth position. Several laps later Carmichael ran his fastest lap of the race.
• A caution for debris on lap 135 brought out the sixth caution. Carmichael hit pit road for service from the Monster Energy Racing Team. They changed all four tires, added two cans of fuel and made an air pressure adjustment before sending Carmichael back out. He restarted in 12th position after several competitors chose not to pit under the caution.
• On lap 146 Carmichael, who was running the high line, was battling for position with rookie Austin Dillon when Dillion hit the inside curb in turn three sending his truck into the side of Carmichael. The No. 4 Monster Energy Chevrolet was sent spinning between turns three and four collecting damage on the front and rear of the truck before coming to a stop.
• Carmichael drove the damaged Monster Energy Chevrolet down pit road to the attention of his crew. They jumped into action repairing the damage on the left front and left rear of the truck with baseball bats, sawzalls and bare bond in hand. Carmichael returned to the track in 21st position, one lap down to the leader.
• Luckily, the next caution waved two laps later for a wreck on the back stretch awarding Carmichael with the lucky dog award. He returned to the lead lap on lap 156 still in the 21st position.
• Over the next 20 laps Carmichael beat and banged his way back to the 11th position. “I know it is not as good as it was before the wreck, but I have seen you race bikes with bent handlebars before,” encouraged Crew Chief Fritts. “You can get this truck back into the top-10.” Carmichael agreed while running under the ninth caution and restarted in the 11th position.
• During the final 50 laps Carmichael fell all the way back to the 15th position after being hung on the outside during a restart, but never gave up. On the final lap of the race he made the pass to secure the 10th place finishing position.
• It was the team’s second top-10 finish of the season and moved Carmichael up five spots to seventh in the Truck Series point standings.

Kevin Harvick won the Kroger 250. Ron Hornaday Jr., Brian Ickler, Timothy Peters and Johnny Benson rounded out the top five finishers.

FAST FACTS:

• Carmichael’s 10th place finish in the Truck Series race at Martinsville Speedway was second top-10 finish of the season. It was his fourth Top-10 finish of his young Truck Series career.
• The caution flag flew 11 times for 66 laps during the 250 lap event.
• Next up for the No. 4 Monster Energy team is the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series event at Nashville Superspeedway Friday, April 2nd.

RICKY CARMICHAEL: “That was a hard fought 10th place finish, but I am happy to just finish in Martinsville. I am so proud of this team for fixing the damage on the Monster Energy Chevrolet so quick after the wreck. It could have been a lot worse than it was, but they never missed a beat. We got lucky for the caution to come out as quickly as it did after that restart and get the lucky dog. It is not every day you can say you were lucky at a race track especially this one. I keep thinking what a difference a year makes. I came here last year and had a rough introduction to Martinsville. Today was a great finish and great points day for my Turner Motorsports crew.”
-TMS-

Media Contact:
Amanda Jones Ellis
Media Relations Account Manager
No. 4 Monster Energy /Ricky Carmichael
Cell: 731.697.0396
Amanda.ellis@turnermotorsportsllc.com