Round 16 - Martinsville

Round 16 of the series took place on the tight 'paper clip' 0,5 mile oval that is Martinsville.

I was quckest over the 10 lap practise session with a time of 21.466.

I couldn't match that time in qualifying but I still managed pole with a time of 21.725.

In the race, I led for the first few laps but at no time did I feel comfortable as I was continually attacked by the cars behind. Being a half mile oval it wasn't long before I was into the back markers.

Whilst lapping the slower cars I was adjudged to have been too reckless and so I got the black flag.

There was plenty of time left in the race and when I finally caught up with the pack I made good progress through it until I got to 15th when yet again I got the black flag. After serving the penalty I still had enough time to make way up to 17th before the end.

Not only did I finish 17th but I was also 17th in the standings.

Round 15 - Talledega

The penultimate round of the championship took place on the high banking of the fastest superspeedway of them all, Talledega.

My record on the superspeedways is not good so I was pleased with my 22nd fastest practise time of 54.840.

As usual for a super speedway I qualified a lowly 34th with a slightly slower time of 54.994. 

I ran 34th all race until 5 laps from the end when I decided to try and pass a few cars (I hadn't lost the draft). Unfortunately the plan didn't come off as I received the dreaded  black flag 3 laps from the end. It wasn't worth pitting as there were so few laps left. I of course finsihed last in 36th place.

I was still in the top twenty (in 17th) which is the best I could hope for as I was now 810 points behind.

Round 14 - Las Vegas

I was on good form and feeling confident of a good result at the very fast Las Vegas Motor Speedway when the trucks arrived for round 14 of the series.

The 10 laps practise session went very well as I was fastest after the 10 laps with a time of 32.824.

Qualifying was slightly disappointing as I could only manage a time of 32.897 which gave me a 7th place starting position.

The race start was a nightmare - I had a mare - I forgot that you can't overtake before you cross the start line! I passed 5 cars on the inside and then realised too late what I'd done, black flag came out!

I obversed the black flag the following lap but was adjudged to have speeded in the pit lane so had to serve a second before I could start racing.

I ended up 2 laps down - all was not lost though if I could get one back and then catch a yellow I would, being the 'lucky dog' get a lap back which would put me back on the lead lap.

By lap 14 I had got myself a lap down and by lap 15 the caution flag came out and I was back on the lead lap albeit in 30th place.

Round 13 - New Hampshire

The Nascar Craftsman truck series rolled into New Hampshire on May 31st.

This one mile flat oval would prove quite a challenge or so I thought. Practise went really well as I set the fastest time of 32.693 after only 3 of the scheduled 10 laps.

In the qualifying session I was 16th after the first lap but recovered to take a position on the front row with a time of 32.502.

I took the lead early on in the race to get the 5 bonus points for leading a lap. Holding on to the lead proved hazardous as there were 3 yellow flag periods in the first 15 laps which got me a warning. I decided therefore to hang back in second and just reel off the laps. With 5 to go I closed on the leader and got the lead going into the final lap. Another win!