1998 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series

Race #3 - Chevy Trucks NASCAR 150

The NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series made their third stop of 1998 at the Phoenix International Raceway, in Avondale, Arizona, for the Chevy Trucks NASCAR 150.

Ron Hornaday Jr. led the field to the green flag but it would be Andy Houston who would lead the first lap. Unlike previous Phoenix races, this one was a very exciting one for the fans in attendance as no one would truly dominate the day as battles for the lead happened much of the day as well as cautions flying to keep things close. Jack Sprague, the 1997 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Champion and known as "Mile and a Half Jack" would make his way into the lead late and led much of the event but after the final round of pit stops and a late caution set the field up for a forty lap run for the win.

Jack would get a great jump when the green came back out but within four laps Andy Houston would take the lead back. Driving a Chevrolet owned by Mike Addington, Houston would surprise several people and would go on to score his first ever win.

Other Noticeables:
Andy Houston won his 1st race of the year,
Houston led 3 times for 48 laps, including the final 25 laps,
It was the 1st career of his career in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series win in his 7th start,
Dominic Dobson(20th), Jay Stewart(21st) and David Starr(28th) made their NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series debuts,
Ron Barfield Jr., who finished 11th, kept his points lead, leading Joe Ruttman by 19 points

1.60-Andy Houston (48 laps led)
2.24-Jack Sprague (45 laps led)
3.14-Rick Crawford (12 laps led)
4.52-Mike Wallace
5.66-Bryan Reffner (18 laps led)
6.61-Randy Tolsma (15 laps led)
7.88-Terry Cook (5 laps led)
8.99-Joe Ruttman-1 lap (1 lap led)
9.19-Tony Raines-1 lap (3 laps led)
10.44-Boris Said-1 lap
11.35-Ron Barfield Jr.-1 lap
12.6-Rick Carelli-2 laps
13.15-Rob Morgan-2 laps
14.43-Jimmy Hensley-2 laps
15.84-Wayne Anderson-2 laps
16.31-Tony Roper-2 laps
17.37-Scot Walters-2 laps
18.75-Kevin Harvick-2 laps
19.81-Randy Nelson-2 laps
20.78-Dominic Dobson-2 laps
21.33-Jay Stewart-2 laps
22.55-Dave Rezendes-2 laps
23.16-Ron Hornaday Jr.-3 laps (3 laps led)
24.10-Lonnie Rush Jr.-3 laps
25.86-Stacy Compton-3 laps
26.57-Chuck Bown-3 laps
27.3-Jay Sauter-3 laps
28.9-David Starr-3 laps
29.32-Curtis Markham-3 laps
30.18-Butch Miller-3 laps
31.26-Doug George-4 laps
32.29-Bob Keselowski-5 laps
33.50-Greg Biffle-5 laps
34.2-Mike Bliss-6 laps
35.42-Rick McCray-99 laps (Camshaft)
36.90-Lance Norick-125 laps (Accident)

Ron Hornaday Jr.-Pole
Andy Houston-1-19
Jack Sprague-20
Andy Houston-21-24
Ron Hornaday Jr.-25-26
Tony Raines-27-29
Terry Cook-30-32
Jack Sprague-33-35
Randy Tolsma-36-45
Joe Ruttman-46
Randy Tolsma-47-51
Bryan Reffner-52-66
Jack Sprague-67-88
Rick Crawford-89
Jack Sprague-90-103
Bryan Reffner-104-106
Ron Hornaday Jr.-107
Terry Cook-108-109
Rick Crawford-110-120
Jack Sprague-121-125
Andy Houston-126-150

19 Lead Changes among 9 drivers

Caution Flags: 4 for 16 laps
Lap 25 (Trucks #78, 18, 66, 57, 75, 90, 3 and 86 Accident Turn 3),
Lap 31 (Truck #15 Spin Turn 1),
Lap 37 (Trucks #43, 55, 6, 32, 33, 26 and 2 Accident Turn 3),
Lap 115 (Truck #55 Spin Frontstretch)

Margin of Victory: 3.285 Seconds

Time of Race: 1 Hour, 47 Minutes and 21 Seconds

The field has finished qualifying for the 4th race of the season the Craftsman 200 Presented by NAPA Auto Parts at the Portland Speedway.

Stacy Compton won the pole, with a time of 22.836 seconds, beating Rick Carelli by 0.152 seconds.

Other Noticeables:
Stacy Compton won his 1st pole of the year,
Compton won the 3rd pole of his career in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series and his first since 1997 at Heartland Park Topeka; 15 races ago,
Rich Bickle, the winner of this race one year ago, is not entered in this event,
Ron Barfield Jr., who will start 10th, has a 19 point lead over Joe Ruttman

1.86-Stacy Compton
2.6-Rick Carelli
3.61-Randy Tolsma
4.18-Butch Miller
5.24-Jack Sprague
6.78-Dominic Dobson
7.19-Tony Raines
8.43-Jimmy Hensley
9.29-Bob Keselowski
10.35-Ron Barfield Jr.
11.2-Mike Bliss
12.57-Chuck Bown
13.16-Ron Hornaday Jr.
14.31-Tony Roper
15.55-Dave Rezendes
16.99-Joe Ruttman
17.3-Jay Sauter
18.52-Mike Wallace
19.90-Lance Norick
20.26-Doug George
21.66-Bryan Reffner
22.60-Andy Houston
23.75-Kevin Harvick
24.82-Randy Nelson
25.14-Rick Crawford
26.37-Scot Walters
27.84-Wayne Anderson
28.10-Lonnie Rush Jr.
29.42-Rick McCray
30.44-Boris Said
31.88-Terry Cook
32.50-Greg Biffle

Did Not Qualify
33.21-Jason Roche

Race #4 - Craftsman 200 Presented by NAPA Auto Parts

The NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series made their fourth stop of 1998 at the Portland Speedway, in Portland, Oregon, for the Craftsman 200 Presented by NAPA Auto Parts.

Stacy Compton led the field to the green flag and would quickly began to pull away from the field as for the third time in series history, drivers raced at the half mile in Portland. Compton, who had several good runs previously, was able to use the power his Ford had and kept all challengers behind him aside from losing the lead during a pit stop to Ron Hornaday Jr., as Compton would go on to score his first career win in a dominating fashion by leading all but two laps.

Other Noticeables:
Stacy Compton won his 1st race of the year,
Compton led 2 times for 198 laps, including the final 81 laps,
It was the 1st win of his career in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series in his 30th start,
Jay Sauter, who finished 3rd, became the new points leader, leading Joe Ruttman by 13 points

1.86-Stacy Compton (198 laps led)
2.61-Randy Tolsma
3.3-Jay Sauter
4.6-Rick Carelli
5.19-Tony Raines
6.99-Joe Ruttman
7.43-Jimmy Hensley
8.24-Jack Sprague
9.18-Butch Miller
10.16-Ron Hornaday Jr.-1 lap (2 laps led)
11.29-Bob Keselowski-1 lap
12.57-Chuck Bown-1 lap
13.35-Ron Barfield Jr.-1 lap
14.52-Mike Wallace-1 lap
15.75-Kevin Harvick-1 lap
16.60-Andy Houston-1 lap
17.55-Dave Rezendes-1 lap
18.31-Tony Roper-1 lap
19.37-Scot Walters-1 lap
20.50-Greg Biffle-2 laps
21.2-Mike Bliss-2 laps
22.44-Boris Said-2 laps
23.90-Lance Norick-2 laps
24.84-Wayne Anderson-3 laps
25.14-Rick Crawford-3 laps
26.78-Dominic Dobson-3 laps
27.66-Bryan Reffner-3 laps
28.88-Terry Cook-4 laps
29.42-Rick McCray-4 laps
30.26-Doug George-5 laps
31.82-Randy Nelson-5 laps
32.10-Lonnie Rush Jr.-73 laps (Piston)

Stacy Compton-1-117
Ron Hornaday Jr.-118-119
Stacy Compton-120-200

2 Lead Changes among 2 drivers

Caution Flags: 3 for 15 laps
Lap 14 (Truck #16 Stalled Frontstretch),
Lap 128 (Truck #10 Stalled Turn 4),
Lap 167 (Truck #42 Spin Turn 3)

Margin of Victory: 5.538 Seconds

Time of Race: 1 Hour, 33 Minutes and 52 Seconds

The field has finished qualifying for the 5th race of the season the NAPACARD 200 at the Evergreen Speedway.

Jack Sprague won the pole, with a time of 27.428 seconds, beating Stacy Compton by 0.037 seconds.

Other Noticeables:
Jack Sprague won his 1st pole of the year,
Sprague won the 4th pole of his career in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series and his first since 1996 at Milwaukee Mile; 45 races ago,
Tobey Butler, the winner of this race one year ago, is not entered in this event,
Jay Sauter, who will start 10th, has a 13 point lead over Joe Ruttman

1.24-Jack Sprague
2.86-Stacy Compton
3.66-Bryan Reffner
4.52-Mike Wallace
5.6-Rick Carelli
6.35-Ron Barfield Jr.
7.31-Tony Roper
8.61-Randy Tolsma
9.16-Ron Hornaday Jr.
10.3-Jay Sauter
11.29-Bob Keselowski
12.10-Lonnie Rush Jr.
13.99-Joe Ruttman
14.84-Wayne Anderson
15.50-Greg Biffle
16.18-Butch Miller
17.57-Chuck Bown
18.19-Tony Raines
19.37-Scot Walters
20.82-Randy Nelson
21.60-Andy Houston
22.90-Lance Norick
23.75-Kevin Harvick
24.44-Boris Said
25.2-Mike Bliss
26.78-Dominic Dobson
27.42-Rick McCray
28.43-Jimmy Hensley
29.14-Rick Crawford
30.88-Terry Cook
31.26-Doug George
32.55-Ernie Cope