Chevy Silverado 250

The Chevy Silverado 250 is the first race of the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series at Daytona International Speedway, as of 2004, held under the lights. Past winners include Mike Wallace, Joe Ruttman, Robert Pressley, Rick Crawford, Carl Edwards Bobby Hamilton, and in 2006 Mark Martin.

The inaugural running of the race in 2000 featured one of the most horrific wrecks in NASCAR history. Just past the halfway point of the race, Kurt Busch's truck made contact with Rob Morgan, turning him into Geoff Bodine's truck, sending Bodine careening airborne into the wall & catch fence just past the start-finish line. Bodine's truck burst into flames and flipped at least 10 times before coming to a stop toward Turn 1, causing a major wreck involving 14 trucks. [http://youtube.com/watch?v=CWg_-NKRscQ YouTube video of Bodine's crash] Despite serious injuries, Bodine survived & raced again later that year in May at Richmond. Although this race is largely overshadowed by this wreck, it was truly exciting as Mike Wallace made the last lap pass on Joe Ruttman for the inaugural victory.

The 2003 race featured an exciting 3 wide finish on the final lap between Rick Crawford, defending Daytona winner Robert Pressley, and that year's eventual champion Travis Kvapil. [http://www.truckseries.com/photog/albums/hsp_03r01/normal_DAY12-5929.jpgPhoyo of three wide finish]

In 2007, another 3 wide finish between Travis Kvapil, Johnny Benson, and Jack Sprague Sprague won the race.

The Craftsman Truck Series does not run restrictor plates, devices used by the Busch Series & Nextel Cup cars to reduce horsepower & slow the cars down at Daytona International Speedway and Talladega Superspeedway. However, a restrictor in the space, a "spacer plate", and aerodynamic disadvantages in the trucks compensate for the lack of a restrictor plate.

Despite the 2006 General Motors sponsorship of the race, a Chevrolet has never won at Daytona; in 2006, the best finish for a Silverado was 13th.

Past Winners

*2008: Todd Bodine
*2007: Jack Sprague
*2006: Mark Martin
*2005: Bobby Hamilton
*2004: Carl Edwards
*2003: Rick Crawford
*2002: Robert Pressley
*2001: Joe Ruttman
*2000: Mike Wallace

References

NASCAR next race
Series = Craftsman Truck Series
Previous_race = Ford 200 (previous season)
Next_race = San Bernardino County 200