Clermont, IN. (August 5, 2006) - After running in the top-15 for most of the Kroger 200, a tight-handling condition forced Ted Musgrave and the No. 14 Family Dollar team to settle for a 25th place finish Saturday night at O'Reilly Raceway Park.
Making his first NASCAR Busch Series start in almost two years, this defending Craftsman Truck Series champion found a yellow stripe on the bumper of his racecar Saturday morning. Busch Series officials deemed Musgrave, a NASCAR veteran, a "rookie" for Saturday's event at ORP.
Lead by the team of Mike Hillman Sr. and Mike Hillman Jr. the No. 14 Family Dollar car was fast right off the truck posting the 10th quickest time in the mornings first practice session.
After qualifying 17th, Musgrave used both patience and experience to guide his path through the field picking off spots one by one.
"She's a little loose," radioed Musgrave. "It's not bad though, I'm just being patient; saving my stuff."
The night's fourth caution flag waved on lap 53 allowing crew chief, Mike Hillman Jr. to bring his driver down pit road for service. Hoping to alleviate the loose condition Musgrave battled, Hillman called for fuel, four tires and an air pressure adjustment to the No. 14 Family Dollar machine.
Despite the adjustments made on the first stop, Musgrave continued to battle his tight machine.
"No grip," Musgrave radioed. "It's tight in the center, loose off."
"Do all you can with it," replied Hillman Sr. "We'll work on it next caution, hang in there."
A lengthy green flag run would allow leader Kevin Harvick to lap almost half the entire 43-car field including the No. 14 Family Dollar car before the caution flag would wave on lap 130.
Hillman Jr. again called his driver to pit road to adjust on the Family Dollar machine. Four tires and an air pressure adjustment complete, and the No. 14 returned to the racing surface ready to return to the battle.
Some hard racing by Musgrave on a restart allowed the veteran to get by the leaders and regain his spot on the lead lap before the caution flag would again wave.
Restarting deep in the pack, the Family Dollar team watched as the veteran battled his way up through traffic picking off cars with each lap. As the war between man and machine wore on, the No. 14 Family Dollar machine received some front-end damage due to the fierce battle for position out on the track.
Battling an increasingly tight condition due to the front-end damage, Musgrave would bring the No. 14 down pit road twice more for tires and adjustments hoping to loosen up his racecar. Despite their efforts, Musgrave's machine remained tight hampering his efforts to climb back into the top-20.
A late-race caution would set up a 13-lap sprint to the finish. Musgrave would battle amidst two and three wide racing right up to the checkered flag before finishing 25th in the No. 14 Family Dollar entry.
The NASCAR Busch Series heads to the road course of Watkins Glen International this weekend. NBC and MRN Radio will broadcast the Zippo 200 live beginning at 2:00 p.m. ET.
Olympia Steel Buildings is a proud co-sponsor of the No.14 Dodge owned by FitzBradshaw Racing
# posted by Olympia Steel Buildings @ 5:55 AM
