Since the last time we talked, our team did a NASCAR official Truck Series test at Martinsville. The Ford Powerstroke Diesel ran well for two days, and the Maxx Force Diesel ran well for two days with Brendan Gaughan. Even Adam got a shot at driving the Ford Powerstroke Diesel for the first time, and handled it like a veteran. He put some speed up on the charts. I’m real proud of Adam, and I’d really like to thank everybody for having the confidence in him and the team for working behind him.
He had a couple of sponsors to mention for the race at Martinsville, but his Dad and the car owner, Mr. Mitchell, decided not to let him race because I think he needs a little more racing experience. But we have to appreciate the people at the South Point Casino in Las Vegas, Ford Motor Company and Roush Yates Engines, who were going to provide Adam with a chance to run in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. Maybe when Adam gets ready, they’ll have that chance again.
Adam also ran the KSJ 95 late model race in Mobile and he brought back, I think, an 11th-place finish there driving a car for Alabama Pipe and Supply – which was a really good car. It’s all about Adam [these days]!
I ran the Martinsville race and had a third-place finish there. It ended up rather interesting. I guess I owe Kyle Busch a tip. He made me a little money there on the last lap and I appreciate that. It was a good points day for us and it was a good top-five run for us anyway, even before that deal. We ended up third and my teammate Gaughan brought it home 12th after running second most of the day. They made a gamble on a gas-mileage stretch and while the Maxx Force Diesel is always performing, sometimes you have to burn fuel to make power.
So, it was burning fuel, but he was making good power and running up front.
Last week, I was in Las Vegas and entertained over 1,400 Ford dealers at a Ford dealership convention at the Bellagio. I had a nice time; went and visited the South Point Casino, and then I made a couple of strolls down the strip and had a really nice time introducing the new Ford Flex. Everyone needs to drive one or try out the new 2009 F-150 when they come out; it’s a really nice pickup. There are a lot of different changes that Ford Motor Company has made to make cars more efficient today in every aspect like drivability, fuel, and just all-around comfort. It also looked good; they’re very sporting vehicles.
We also had Twin 100 races this past weekend. I went to Five Flags Speedway in Pensacola and Mobile National Speedway in Mobile, Ala., for Adam to run the Maxx Force Fusion, the Alabama Pipes and Supply car that we own here. Circle Bar Truck Corral is also a sponsor on it. He ran both nights, had some good runs and got some good, valuable experience. One thing I can say positive about the weekend; Adam’s learning how to get a nice time out of qualifying, so we started up front in both races and it was pretty neat.
This weekend, we’ll be staying home in Charlotte for the late model series over at the dirt track. I’m going to go out and visit some of my friends there and be a dirt racing fan, which I am, and enjoy that this weekend. The next weekend, the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series is back in action at the Kansas Speedway, and after that we come back home to Charlotte before Mansfield takes us to Memorial Day weekend – but we’ll be back with another Driver Diary and go truckin’ in the middle of the week before then.
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