Hamilton passes Hmiel for Memphis victory

MILLINGTON, Tenn. -- Bobby Hamilton took the lead with high-groove pass with eight laps remaining to win Saturday's NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series O'Reilly 200 race at Memphis Motorsports Park.

Hamilton victimized Shane Hmiel, a first-time series starter at the .75-mile track, who saw a half-second lead erased by caution on the 187th of 200 laps by Rick Crawford's spin in Turn 3.

	Hamilton celebrates his sixth career Craftsman Truck Series win. Credit: Nate Mecha/HSP

The 23-year-old Hmiel couldn't block Hamilton's late charge off Turn 4, which came a lap after the restart and a split-second ahead of the race's ninth and final yellow flag. Hmiel, driving a Chevrolet, wound up .423 second - about two truck lengths - off the bumper of the winner's Dodge.

The victory was the second of the season for the 47-year-old Hamilton, who started third in the 36-truck field. Hamilton, from Nashville, became the first Tennessee native to win in his home state. His son, Bobby Jr., won Memphis Motorsports Park's NASCAR Busch Series race last October.

"I don't know what it is, just the atmosphere around here," Hamilton Jr. said. "The race fans are reallt enthusiastic and all, maybe it was because they were fellow Tennesseans."

O'REILLY 200 Hamilton scores his second victory of the season Play video Hamilton and Hmiel battle in the closing laps Play video Sprague is black-flagged for racing to the yellow Play video Hines gets the worst of a three-car accident Play video Hmiel is disappointed with second place Play video  •  Results  •  Standings

Hamilton, who averaged 77.821 mph for the 150-mile distance, won $49,125 as the seventh consecutive different winner of the event. The victory was the second of the season for NASCAR Nextel Cup Series veteran Hamilton, who now has won six times in NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series competition.

Defending race winner Ted Musgrave, who led the most laps -- 68 -- finished third in a Dodge, followed by series points leader Dennis Setzer's Chevrolet and Carl Edwards, who duplicated his 2003 finish in a Ford.

Matt Crafton took sixth, followed by pole starter Jack Sprague, Jon Wood, Chad Chaffin and David Starr.

Twenty-six of the race's 31 finishers completed all 200 laps as nine cautions consumed 50 laps -- all but seven during the final 98 laps.

There were six lead changes among four drivers - Hamilton, Hmiel, Musgrave and Sprague.

Setzer, who hasn't finished lower than fifth in six starts at Memphis, added five points to his lead of 55 over Edwards following the season's eighth of 25 events. Hamilton moved into third, 138 behind Setzer.