Petree runs up front, but crash ends day

MARTINSVILLE, Va. -- Andy Petree and Darrell Waltrip both had bad luck in the the Advance Auto Parts 250 at Martinsville Speedway.

After qualifying his self-owned No. 33 Preen Chevrolet third in his first NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race, Petree ended up with a DNF after crashing on lap 176 of the Advance Auto Parts 250 at Martinsville Speedway.

Petree, a crew chief-turned-owner in Winston Cup, had his day cut short when he cut a tire after making contact on the previous lap with another truck.

"I really wanted to finish this race," Petree said. "I don't know what happened there, we got into somebody and cut the left-rear tire down. I didn't realize it coming down the straightaway.

"We got into Turn 1 and I couldn't do anything with a flat tire. We looped around there and I guess Schrader hit me in the front. We were done."

When Petree spun around, he got into the No. 51 of Michael Dokken and then got hit head on by the No. 52 Chevrolet of Ken Schrader. Schrader, who drove for Petree in Winston Cup, was trying to go low to avoid the other two trucks when he hit Petree.

Schrader stayed in the race, while Petree walked away unhurt.

One of Petree's goals was to see what he could learn during the Craftsman Truck Series race to convey to his Winston Cup team. His driver, Bobby Hamilton, will start second in the Virginia 500 here tomorrow from the second spot.

"I'm going to tell Bobby to be real, real careful," Petree said.