Ncts 2007 Sam's Town 400k Part 1 of 8

>>> WELCOME TO THE DALLAS-FORT WORTH AREA, HOMES OF TEXAS RANGERS AND MAVERICKS AND TEXAS MOTORSPORTS WAY. WELCOME TO SAM'S TOWN 400. >>> I'M RICK ALONGSIDE FILL PARSONS AND HERE AT TEXAS MOTOR SPEEDWAY. TELL ME ABOUT WHAT MAKES THE TRACK SO FAST, PHIL? >> RICK, INITIALLY BUILT THE TRACK THE TRANSITION FROM STRAIGHTAWAYS TO CORNERS WERE VERY ABRUPT AND IMMEDIATELY CAME BACK AFTER THE FIRST RACE AND CHANGED THAT, SOFTEN THE TRANSITIONS FROM SOFT STRAIGHTAWAY TO BANK CORNERS AND MADE IT NOR RACABLE. -- MORE RACABLE. RUN WIDE OPEN AS WE HEARD RICK WRENN TALK ABOUT AND RUN SIDE BY SIDE AND GREAT RACETRACK AND GREAT SIDE BY SIDE RACING AT TEXAS. >> SIDE BY SIDE TO START OFF, MIKE SKINNER ANDED TO BODDINE. WHO DO YOU THINK WOULD BE THE FAVORITE? >> WE HEARD FROM MIKE BODDINE. SAID THE TRUCK WAS GOOD ON OLD TIRES; GOOD ON NEW TIRES. ALL OF THE TALK IN THE GARAGE AIA HE MAY BE IN A PLAS -- AREA, HE MAY BE A CLASS BY HIMSELF. HE KNOWS HOW TO GET IT DONE AND WILL TONIGHT. >> ERIC DARNELL WINS AND FAST TRUCKS. CAN WE SEE A NEW WINNER AT THE ARE THE TONIGHT? >> COULD. A LOT OF GUYS, AARON FIKE IS IMPRESSIVE IN THE FIRST ATTEMPT. OTHER GUYS TO REALLY KNOCK ON THE DOOR AT THE FIRST WIN AND FIRST WIN IS LIKELY TO COME HERE AT A PLACE LIKE TEXAS. >> GO TRACKSIDE AS THE PRE-RAE ACTIVITIES TOOK PLACE. >>> LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, WILL YOU PLEASE RISE AND REMOVE YOUR HATS AS THE WHITE SETTLEMENT POLICE DEPARTMENT PRESENT OUR NATION'S COLORS. PLEASE PAUSE FOR A MOMENT OF SILENCE AS WE REMEMBER BILL FRANCES, JR., THAT PASSEDD BIL FRANTZ THAT PASSED AWAY ON MONDAY, INSTRUMENTAL IN MAKING NASCAR THE GREAT SPORT IT IS TODAY. WELCOME FATHER JAY ATWOOD TO OFFER TONIGHT'S INVOCATION. >> LET US PRAYER, ETERNAL GOD AND HEAVENLY WE GIVE YOU THANKS FOR THE DAY FOR THE MANY THANKS YOU BESTOW UPON US AND FREEPDS WE CELEBRATE AND MEN AND WOMEN THAT DEFEND THE FREEDOM AROUND THE WORLD AND THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY AND THANKS FOR THE INDUSTRY, OWNERS, DRIVERS, SPONSORS AND CREWS AND ASK TO YOU SEND FORTH YOUR SPECIAL PROTECTION AND GOODS AND AND SAFETY THIS NIGHT AND ENCOURAGEMENT AND ALLOW THEM TO DO EVERYTHING THEY DO TO THE BEST OF THEIR ABLE AND REMIND US ALL, WHAT WE DO WE DO TO YOUR HONOR AND GLORY, THROUGH JESUS CHRIST, OUR LORD, AMEAN. AT MEN. >>> THIS TIME, REBECCA CAROL AND PERFORMS OUR NATIONAL ANTHEM. ♪ O' SAY CAN YOU SEE ♪ ♪ BY THE DAWN'S EARLY LIGHT ♪ ♪ WHAT SO PROUDLY WE HAIL ♪ ♪ AT THE TWILIGHT'S LAST GLEAMING ♪ ♪♪ WHOSE BROAD STRIPES AND BRIGHT STARS ♪ ♪ THROUGH THE PERILOUS FIGHT ♪♪ ♪ OER' THE RAMPARTS WE WATCHED ♪ ♪ WERE SO GALLANTLY STREAMING ♪ ♪ AND THE ROCKETS RED GLARE ♪ ♪ THE BOMBS BURSTING IN AIR ♪ ♪ GAVE PROOF THROUGH THE NIGHT ♪ ♪ THAT OUR FLAG WAS STILL THERE ♪ ♪ O' SAY DOES THAT STAR ♪ SPANGLED BANNER YET WAVE ♪ ♪ OER' THE LAND OF THE FREE ♪ ♪ AND THE HOME ♪ ♪ OF THE ♪ ♪ BRAVE ♪♪ >>> LET'S HEAR IT FROM REBECCA CAROL AND HELP FROM A-10 FROM THE 47th FIGHTER SQUAD RON OUT OF BARKSDALE AIR FORCE BASE. >>> WE'RE GOING TO RACIN' NEXT. >>> NASCAR CRAFTSMAN TRUCK SERIES ON "SPEED" IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY -- >>> UNDER THE LIGHTS, ONCE AGAIN AT TEXAS MOTOR SPEEDWAY. THIS IS THE 9th RACE OF THE SEASON. BEAUTIFUL EVENING, ACTUALLY, A FRONT PASSED THROUGH EARLIER TODAY. COOLED IT OFF A BIT. HAD BEEN IN THE UPPER 90s IN THE TEXAS-FORT WORTH AREA HERE. A BEAUTIFUL EVENING FOR RACING AND THE DRIVERS ARE GETTING STRAPPED INTO THEIR TRUCKS AS WE TAKE A LOOK AT THE POINT STANDINGS AFTER EIGHT OF THE 25 SCHEDULED RACES. THIS IS THE FULL POINT STANDINGS MIKE SKINNER AND RON HORNADAY CLOSED THE GAP, PHIL, TO 77-POINTS. >> SURE DID. TWO WINS IN THE LAST THREE RACES. ALLOWED RON HORNADAY TO CLOSE UP WITHIN 77 OF MIKE SKINNER. >> PHIL, TALKED ABOUT THE DIFFICULT RACETRACK, THIS MILE AND A HALF AND EXTREMELY FAST. >> IS. AS YOU CAN SEE THE FRONT STRETCHES 2200 FEET AND BACK STRETCH SHORTER. 24 DEGREES BANKING IN THE TURNS. TODD BODINE HERE AND WENT BY THE START/FINISH SPEEDS UPWARDS 180-MILES-AN-HOUR. STAYING AT THE BOMB THE TRUCK DOWN THERE AND BY YOURSELF AND BARELY OUT OF THROTTLE, 173, 174-MILES-AN-HOUR, IN THE CENTER OF THE CORNER. BACK DOWN THE FLAT STRAIGHTAWY TURN 3 AND FLAT INTO TURN NUMBER 3 AND HEAR HIM OFF THE THROT ALLITTLE BIT. OFF THE THROTTLE HARD AND EXITS TURN NUMBER 4 AND SWING OUT TO THE WALL, AS IF NOT TO PASS THE LAP UP, BACK TO THE START/FINISH AND THE LAP TO SET THE MOTOR SPEEDWAY. >> TALKED ABOUT THE FACT IT'S FLAT. STRAIGHTAWAYS, FIVE DEGREES IN THE BACK STRETCH AND FRONT STRETCH. 35 TRUCKS STARTING TODAY. 250.5 MILES, IT IS 400K, 167 LAPS. THE PIT WINDOW 60 TO 65 LAPS. >> IT WILL. NASCAR GIVEN THE TEAMS AN EXTRA SET OF TIRES BECAUSE OF THE LENGTH OF THE RACE, ONE OF THE LONGEST RACES IN THE SERIES OF 250 MILES. >> MS D-RAYS ANALYSIS. ABOUT -- MSD RACE ANALYSIS BUT TIME FOR THE COMMAND. >>> MOST FAMOUS WORDS IN MOTORSPORTS. HERE TO GIVE THE COMMAND, KIM ENTLIN GENERAL MANAGER SAM'S TOWN SHREEVESPORT. >> ON BE HALF OF BOYD GAMING AND SHREEVESPORT, GAMBLERS, START YOUR ENGINE! >>> WHAT ARE THE ODDS TONIGHT, THE GAMBLERS FIRE THEIR ENGINES AND GETTING READY FOR THE SAM'S TOWN 400 FROM TEXAS MOTOR >>> EVERYTHING IS BIGGER IN TEXAS. AT LEAST WHAT THE LOCALS SAY AROUND HERE. WE'RE UNDER THE LIGHTS FOR THE MILE AND A HALF TEXAS MOTOR SPEEDWAY. SAM'S TOWN 400. TAKE A LOOK AT OUR STARTING GRID FOR TONIGHT'S RACE. TODD BODINE, GRABBED A SECOND CAREER POLL. MIKE SKINNER OUTSIDE AND COULD HAVE BEEN SEVEN POLLS IN A ROW FOR HIM, SEVEN CONSECUTIVE POLLS, BUT 9/100th SECONDS OFF TODD SET AND START ON THE OUTSIDE. >> GOOD CALLFYING EFFORT FOR FIKE IN THE 5th POSITION. >> FEW DIFFERENT DRIVERS IN SPEED SPOTLIGHT. RAY DUNLAP? >> Reporter: FIRST SEVEN OR EIGHT RACES NUMBER 8 TRACK IS BLANK WITH A RED PAINT SCHEME AND NUMBER 8 ON IT, THAT'S IT. TONIGHT, THEY GOT STICKERS ON THERE. THAT'S REALLY GOOD NEWS. NEW SPONSORSHIP TONIGHT. FROM SWEET BABY RAY'S BARBECUE SAUCE AND I'LL TELLIN' YOU, THIS STUFF IS REALLY, REALLY GOOD AND USED IT AT HOME AND PERSONALLY I LIKE THE SWEET AND SPICEY, MY FAVORITE. THE SAUCE IS THE BOSS. FURYK NUMBER 8 TRUCK AND THIS EVENING IN TEXAS 26 OF THE. ADAM? >> NORMALLY O8 TALKING ABOUT CHAD BUT THIS WEEKEND DRIVING IN POCONO AND ERIC NORRIS THE O8 TRUCK AND FIRST START 200 SON, THE SON OF ACTOR CHUCK NORRIS AND SPENDS TIME IN THE DALLAS AREA. STUNT COORDINATOR FOR "PRISON BREAK" THE SHOW ON FOX, THEY BECOME FILMING ONCE AGAIN IN JULY. ERIC HOPING THE FILM RUNS EARLY ON HIM TONIGHT TO HAVE A GOOD RUN AT THE TEXAS MOTOR SPEEDWAY PHIL? >> ADAM I WANT TO LOOK AT RYAN MATTHEWS THRIVING A 36 TOYOTA OUT OF BILL DAVIS' TABLE AND MECHANICAL ENGINEERING DEGREE FROM KITERRING UNIVERSITY IN FLINT, MICHIGAN, AND WORKED FOR -- R &DAVIDSON R & DVD D DEPARTMENT FOR THREE YEARS. HE HOPES TO RUN SEVERAL MORE RACES WITH BILL DAVIS RACING. RICK? >> PHIL. I WANT TO SHINE THE SPOTLIGHT ON NUMBER 13 OF WILLY ALLEN. OUT OF TENNESSEE. THE FIRST MILE AND A HALF TRACK OF THE SEASON IN ATLANTA, FINISHED 13th IN THAT NUMBER 13, WELL, NEXT FRIDAY, HE WILL TURN 27. SO WILIE ALLEN LOOKING FOR A CAREER BEST, WE'RE GOING TO RIDE ALONG WITH DIFFERENT DRIVERS TONIGHT. FIRST BEING JOE RUTTMAN NUMBER 4, STARTS 28th SPOT. SEE IF HE CAN MAKE IT THROUGH THE FIELD. ALSO GOING TO RIDE ALONG WITH THE 2005 SERIES CHAMPION TED MUSGRAVE TEAM ASE GERMAINE TOYOTA AND START FROM THE 24th POSITION. BRENDAN GAUGHAN A CAMERA WITH HIM AND 18th POSITION. WE'LL RIDE ALONG WITH BRENDAN GAUGHAN. GAUGHAN DOMINANT AT TEXAS MOTOR SPEEDWAY IN 2003-'04. FOUR CONSECUTIVE WINS NEVER DONE BEFORE AT A RACETRACK. A LOCAL FAVORITE, TOM MITCHELL, OZONO, TEXAS, OWNS THE STRUCK, DREFN BY RICK CRAWFORD, A SECOND PLACE RUN IN 2001 AND START FROM THE 14th TRUCK, 14th. >> JUST IN FRONT OF HIM, THE DODGE, KEN SCHRADER AND START IN THE 12th POSITION. KEN SCHRADER LOOKING FOR A SEASON-BEST. SO FAR THIS SEASON, HAS FINISHED THIRD AT MANSFIELD. >> JOSH WEISS AND THE DREAM MACHINE LOOKS FOR THE SECOND CAREER START, SEVENTH POSITION AND GREAT -- JOSH WISE -- AND NOT AND JET TO POCON, LIVE TOMORROW NIGHT ON "SPEED." >> RIGHT BACK DOWN TO PIT ROAD AND GET THE THOUGHTS BEFORE GREEN FROM THE PIT REPORTERS. >> REPORTER: RICK, I'M START IT OFF TONIGHT HERE IN TEXAS. I THINK THE MAGIC NUMBER IS GOING TO BE 51. THAT'S NOT HOW MANY LAPS CAN YOU GO ON GAS, THAT'S THE NUMBER OF THE CHASSIS THAT TODD BODINE WILL BE DRIVING TONIGHT. OLD NUMBER 51 HAS BEEN ONE OF HIS FAVORITES; AS A MATTER OF FACT, THIS PARTICULAR TRUCK HAS WON FOUR DIFFERENT TIMES AND IT'S BEEN QUITE A WHILE SINCE IT'S GONE TO VICTORY LANE. TODD BODINE DRIVE 51 TONIGHT AND AS YOU SAID EARLIER, PHIL, EVERYBODY THINKS IT IS THE CLASS OF THE FIELD TONIGHT AT TEXAS. ADAM? >> ANOTHER DRIVER TO WATCH HERE TONIGHT, RAY, WILL BE ERIC DARNELL. STARTS 15th POSITION. 2006 WAS MAGICAL FOR DARNELL. 12 TOP 10 FINISHES, IN ROUTE TO ROOKIE OF THE YEAR HONORS. 2007, SOMEWHAT OF A DIFFERENT STORY. WRONG PLACE, WRONG TIME THE SITUATION FOR DARNELL AT THIS CAMPAIGN. A BRIGHT SPOT IN KANSAS A FEW WEEKS AGO, A FIRST-EVER WIN IN TRUCK SERIES. SAY ERIC YESTERDAY BEFORE QUALIFYING, HE HAD A BIG SMILE ON HIS FACE. I SAID, WHY ARE YOU SMILING? HE SAID I GOT THE KANSAS TRUCK HERE AND HOPE TO WIN AGAIN, IF HE DOES, HE'LL DO IT FROM THE 15th POSITION, RICK, PHIL? >> THANKS, ADAM. THERETHERE'S BRENDAN GAUGHAN DG DANCIN' INSIDE OF HIS TRUCK. >> NOT ACTUALLY ROLLING RIGHT THERE, THE WAK GROUND, THAT WS BEFORE. I TELL YOU WHAT, THAT TEAM RIGHT THERE, HAD BAD LUCK. THEY'VE FIGURED SOME THINGS OUT, THEY'VE BEEN RUNNING WELL. THE TRANSITION FROM DODGE TO CHEVROLET, I THINK HAS BEEN PRETTY SEAMLESS, PRETTY SMOOTH. HAVEN'T HAD THE FINISH THEY'VE BEEN LOOKING FOR BECAUSE OF BAD LUCK THEY'VE BEEN INVOLVED WITH. BUT THEY THINK THEY'RE GOING TO TRY A NEW ATTITUDE. I GUESS WOULD YOU SAY THAT. THIS WEEK COMING INTO IT REAL RELAXED. YOUHE SAID WE'LL GO OUT AND SEE WHAT WE GET.