WEST ALLIS, Wisc. (June 21, 2009) — Ricky Carmichael and the No. 4 Kevin Harvick Inc. (KHI) Monster Energy truck team started the rain-delayed Copart 200 from the 17th position. With a fast truck, Carmichael used the majority of the race to learn the track and work his way through the field, but an untimely caution during a round of green-flag pit stops caught the No. 4 a few laps down. The Monster Energy team finished the race in the 21st position.
“I want to thank the guys for all they do and their hard work,” said Carmichael. “We didn’t get the finish we wanted, but the truck was really good, especially on that last set of tires.”
After spending the majority of practice on Friday focusing on finding the right lines around the famous mile track, heavy rain in the area forced NASCAR to cancel qualifying and postpone the race from Friday night until Saturday. With the race under way Saturday, Carmichael started from the 17th position and fell to 21st by lap two, reporting the truck was too free and needed to cut better through the center of the corners.
Continuing to search for a line for his loose truck, Carmichael was running 20th when the truck immediately in front of him blew up on lap 37, bringing out the first caution of the race. Under the caution, crew chief John Monsam made the call to come down pit road for four tires and an air-pressure adjustment on lap 40. On lap 41, Carmichael brought the No. 4 truck back down pit road for fuel and a track-bar adjustment. With fast stops by the crew, Carmichael restarted the race on lap 43 in the 10th position.
Taking pointers from veteran spotter Andy Houston, Carmichael continued to search for the right line around The Milwaukee Mile, but a loose-handling truck continued to plague the team’s progress. Slowly slipping back through the field, Carmichael ran in the 19th position when his KHI teammate and eventual winner Ron Hornaday passed the No. 4 truck on lap 95, putting the team one lap down.
Teams were forced to begin making scheduled green-flag pit stops after a long caution-free run. Carmichael brought the No. 4 Monster Energy truck down pit road on lap 121 for fuel and a track bar adjustment. Returning to the track, Monsam made the call to bring Carmichael back down pit road for four tires and a wedge adjustment. Unfortunately, as teams worked various pit strategies, Carmichael fell three laps down to the leaders. Hoping to cycle through the green-flag stops, an untimely caution waved on lap 128, pinning the No. 4 down three laps to the leaders.
With the truck handling much better on the new set of tires and running laps comparable to the leaders, Carmichael focused on saving the truck and finishing the race, taking the checkered flag in the 21st position. KHI teammate Ron Hornaday won the race, followed by Dennis Setzer, Brain Scott, Todd Bodine and James Buescher.
STATS RECAP
June 20, 2009
The Milwaukee (Wisc.) Mile
Copart 200
Race: 10 of 25
Driver: Ricky Carmichael
Started: 17th
Finished: 21st
Owner’s Point Standings: 18th (- 1 spot)
Race length: 200 Laps/ 200 Miles
Banking/Turns: 9.25-degrees in turns,
2.5-degree straight-a-ways
Track layout: 1.0-mile
Shape: Oval
Number of Race Cautions: 5 for 23 Laps
First Practice: 22nd (31.012 seconds; 116.084 mph)
Final Practice: 21st (30.911 seconds; 116.463 mph)
Qualifying: Owner Points: Rain in the area forced NASCAR to set the field by the Owner Points Standings and use the scheduled qualifying time for a practice session.
Next on the Truck Series Schedule:
Date: June 27, 2009
Track: Memphis (Tenn.) Motorsports Park
Event Name: MemphisTravel.com 200 presented by O’Reilly Auto Parts
Driver: Ricky Carmichael
Sponsor: Monster Energy
Broadcast Time: 5:30 p.m., ET on SPEED and MRN Radio