Hamilton paces NCTS hopefuls at Daytona

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- Bobby Hamilton, whose trucks have won the last two editions of the Florida Dodge Dealers 250, posted the fastest lap as the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series took center stage in NASCAR Preseason Thunder on Saturday at Daytona International Speedway.

	Bobby Hamilton

Hamilton, in the No. 4 Square D Dodge, paced both "regular" sessions of the test, his quick speed of 182.419 mph recorded in the morning round. There also was a one-hour "drafting" session during which trucks were permitted to run in packs if they desired -- although only Rick Crawford and Matt Crafton took advantage of the opportunity.

Hamilton, a former NASCAR Winston Cup Series star, will kick off his first full season in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series on Feb. 14 when the circuit's ninth campaign gets underway at the 2.5-mile superspeedway.

Hamilton owns three teams on the series -- including the No. 18 Dickies Ram that carried Robert Pressley to victory at Daytona in 2002 and Joe Ruttman to Victory Lane the previous year.

The defending winner -- this time with Chad Chaffin at the wheel -- posted the day's third fastest speed (182.054) while sophomore Bill Lester gave Bobby Hamilton Racing bragging rights to three of the top four speeds at 181.906 -- as Dodge trucks dominated with the six fastest laps.

Only Jason Leffler was able to crack the Mt. Juliet, Tenn.-based Hamilton team's order. Leffler was second fastest overall at 182.338.

Hamilton takes over the truck that finished third here a year ago, driven by rookie Brian Rose.

"They say the third time is the charm," Hamilton said. "I'm looking for another win for BHR. We've done it with different drivers so the equipment is good. Not only is this the Super Bowl for Winston Cup racing (the Daytona 500) but it is for the trucks, too."

In stepping back from the NASCAR Winston Cup circuit, Hamilton has served notice he hopes to win a title that to date has eluded him on the national stage.

"Dodge has been in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series since the very start (and) they've won a manufacturer championship once and never won a driver championship," he said. "Me being a factory-backed owner, I thought it was just good for the company if I was going to come back and just focus my time on trying to win and championship and try to bring my other teams up to the next level, too."

Preseason Thunder continues Sunday at DIS, with the second of three test days for the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. The NASCAR Winston Cup teams return Jan. 14-16, with the second round reserved for teams with owners that had even-numbered finishes in the 2002 owners' point standings. Last week's three-day test run was for the "odds".