---

NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Hanes 250: Post Qual Quotes (Dodge Drivers)

27 September 1997

  
NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series
Dodge Post-Qualify Quotes
Hanes 250 
Martinsville Speedway
September 16, 1997
  

MARTINSVILLE, VA - The following provided by Chrylser Corporation, 
Motorsports Public Relations:
 
The Dodge boys faced fierce competition today with 51 teams trying to make 
the "show". The best qualifier among the Dodges was Tony Raines posting an 
11th starting position on the grid. Jimmy Hensley managed a solid 13th 
starting position at his home track. Winston Cup driver Johnny Benson 
qualified the #18 truck in 15th position. And the last race winner Bob 
Keselowski managed a disappointing 27th starting position. The #90 NHL Dodge 
driven by Lance Norick failed to qualify.

TONY RAINES (#19 Pennzoil Dodge) - Qualified 11th - "My qualifying laps were 
good. It's what I thought we could do, but you know we can always do better. 
I was smooth in the center and exit of the turns but not so good on the 
entrance. We got a little loose; it was an overall fair lap. This new engine 
we have is definitely better."

JIMMY HENSLEY (#43 Cummins Dodge) - Qualified 13th - "I'm not real pleased 
with the qualifying lap. That's about what we ran in practice, and honestly I 
thought we'd be able to pick it up. The truck is set up to race for 250 laps, 
and tomorrow I wanna go out and win in front of my hometown crowd."

JOHNNY BENSON (#18 Dana Dodge) - Qualified 15th - "I just made a terrible 
lap. It was mostly driver error. The truck was loose in the turn entrance, 
tight in the middle and loose on the exit. It has been a long time since I've 
been in a truck -- there's been a lot of changes since the last time I drove 
for Kurt (Roehrig)."

BOB KESELOWSKI (#29 Mopar Dodge) - Qualified 27th - We came down here about a 
week ago and did some testing, and we found that this truck won't run a good 
two laps. I need about five laps to get it going good. During testing, the 
longer we ran it the faster it went -- just like Richmond. Which that's not 
all bad. If we have a clean race with few cautions we'll be just right."


                                  ###