Here's is the team's post-race release on JR's run at Martinsville
Ridgeway, Va. (October 21, 2008) – The highly anticipated debut for J.R. Fitzpatrick in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series came on Saturday afternoon at 0.526-mile short track of Martinsville Speedway as the youngest ever CASCAR Super Series Champion qualified on time and finished on the lead lap in his first visit to the Martinsville oval. Fitzpatrick qualified 19th in the Mammoet Chevrolet fielded by DGM Racing and crossed the finish line in 21st position in the Kroger 200.
“It wasn’t all that bad,” said Fitzpatrick of his first start behind the wheel of a Chevrolet Silverado. “I’m a little disappointed that the weather wasn’t cooperating because I needed as much practice as I could get,” he said of Friday’s two practice sessions that were cancelled due to rain. “Friday was a complete washout,” said Crew Chief Bond Suss. “It rained all day and the garage closed early.” Fortunately, the team tested at Tri County Speedway (TCS) on Wednesday and Fitzpatrick was able to get familiar with the truck in preparation for the Kroger 200. “It was a good choice to test at TCS,” explained Suss.
With practice washed away on Friday, NASCAR allowed the teams to practice first thing on Saturday morning. The team turned the truck around for qualifying in record time and felt confident that they could make it in on time. “I felt we could run a 20.20 in qualifying and that time would be good enough to put J.R. in the race,” said Suss. “He ran two great laps in qualifying and his time put him 19th on the grid. “Our Mammoet Chevrolet was really good in qualifying and pretty good in practice, so I thought we were good to go.” The NASCAR Sprint Cup cars took to the track following qualifying though, and changed the whole attitude of Fitzpatrick’s Chevrolet.
“After the Cup cars went out, it changed my truck a whole bunch,” said Fitzpatrick of the extra rubber laid down around the half-mile paperclip. The change in conditions caused his truck to be way “too tight” which was a condition the team battled throughout the race. “This was probably a result of the Cup cars’ ‘Happy Hour’ practice,” explained Suss who was calling the shots. “J.R. did a great job. To come home with a lead lap finish in his first truck race is a great accomplishment especially at Martinsville. He only got 40 minutes of practice because of the rain and adapted very quickly. J.R. had to make it in on time and qualified 19th. We were too tight at the beginning of the race and worked to free the truck up on our pit stops. Once we did we just couldn't get track position to get the finish where we wanted. In the end J.R. finished with all the fenders on it and earned the respect of the other drivers.”
“In the race, I think I was just being too nice because I was getting pushed around quite a bit,” said Fitzpatrick of his debut. “I guess I had it in the back of my mind that I had to get my licenses for the rest of the year so if we get something put together for next year I’ll actually be able to go to Daytona.”
From TRG_motorsports / Jamie Maynard
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