With Hamilton, Chaffin has rebuilt stalled career

MT. JULIET, Tenn. -- If Chad Chaffin came into the 2003 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series with a label, he's quickly gone about replacing it.

In the rough and tumble short track environment of the Nashville Fairgrounds, Chaffin, 34, created a reputation as a winner in the mold of some other notable graduates, including Darrell Waltrip, Sterling Marlin and Chaffin's own truck owner, Bobby Hamilton.

	A fuel miscalculation twarted a possible victory for Chaffin at Martinsville. Credit: Autostock

But since leaving the comfort of the Fairgrounds at which he won two Late Model titles, Chaffin had hit more twists and turns, not to mention concrete walls, than he'd previously been used to.

In an attempt to build his career he risked being labeled, and to some degree that occurred for the driver that moved into the Hooters Pro Cup, where he was a championship contender and then to the Busch Series, where he made 79 starts, often in less-than-stellar equipment.

"You always have your critics, that think you can only win at Nashville or the Hooters Pro Cup level, and not at the higher levels," Chaffin said. "I don't think that's the case -- it's just the situations you're in.

Driver Pages  Chad Chaffin  Bobby Hamilton

"You get labeled very quickly in this sport and sometimes it's just a matter of perception. It's hard to look at a stat sheet and tell how good of a race a guy drove."

"Chad got labeled because he wanted to race so bad that he would drive just about anything," Hamilton said. "But in this business out of sight is out of mind, so I understand that."

Hamilton went to bat for Chaffin when he convinced Dickies that he was the driver they needed for Bobby Hamilton Racing's No. 18 Dodge Ram.

	Bobby Hamilton Credit: Autostock

"I don't feel like I stuck my neck out for Chad," Hamilton said. "I could talk about examples of how good I think he is all day but I think we've got a good race team and I think he can serve us justice.

"He gives good feedback and right off the bat we worked good as a team. We like our stuff identical -- he put the set-up I was using (at Darlington) up under his truck and just loved it. That will just be a benefit for Bobby Hamilton Racing."

Chaffin, of Smyrna, Tenn., had always been highly regarded by Hamilton as a driver in the owner's own mold: A hands-on athlete who learned how to win by building and repairing his own equipment.

"The biggest thing with Chad was he spent a lot of time at the shop and we knew how good he was," Hamilton said. "We talked about him driving for us since we've been in business, but we've never been able to put it together."

The feeling has definitely been mutual for Chaffin, who previously tested several times for Bobby Hamilton Racing and even drove a truck race for them, scoring a top-10 finish at Chicagoland Speedway.

Craftsman Truck Series  Tools of the Trade

"Bobby is my hero," Chaffin said. "I may be young in years, but I've been racing for more than 20 years and I guess I kind of came up the hard way, just like Bobby did.

"To see Bobby come from here and make it to the pinnacle of our sport -- Winston Cup racing -- is a real inspiration to me. I thought if Bobby Hamilton can do it, maybe I could do it, too."

After only four races in the seat -- and nine Truck Series starts in all -- Chaffin has proven he can get the job done.

At Martinsville he was second with less than six laps to go when a gamble on fuel ran out. Chaffin had to pit after leading the most laps in the race, 80, and when his truck couldn't restart he was left in 26th, and 13th in the standings.

Hamilton said the Fairgrounds pedigree has more than a little to do with Chaffin's good start.

	Hamilton has led the Craftsman Truck Series standings for three straight events. Credit: Autostock

"I raced against Chad there," Hamilton said, "and you can't doubt the fact that people like Sterling and Mike Alexander, Darrell -- there's so many champions that have come from the Nashville area that it is such a proving ground, and that was one thing.

"I just know Chad. I know his family morals, the way he personally works on his own race cars -- he can do it all, and that's important, at least in my organization.

"We felt like we needed somebody that would be an asset instead of just a talent."

"This is the ride in all of NASCAR racing that I would pick over any other," Chaffin said. "Obviously Winston Cup drivers are more well paid and get a lot more exposure, but this is a ride where I can show what I can do.

"I am given a chance to succeed here. I can say very honestly -- and I'm laughing when I say it -- there was not a top-five team in the Busch Series or Winston Cup that was looking to hire me so this is an ideal situation.

"For a driver and owner that knows me and what I'm about and has watched me race through the years and is willing to say 'This is my guy,' this is phenomenal for me. This is where I've wanted to be for a while."