Chad Chaffin: "I go in (Bristol) a little apprehensive wondering what can and will happen." Credit: Autostock

Chaffin in prime position as series hits Bristol

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Before you can say NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, the trucks will be clearing out of Bristol Motor Speedway.

O'REILLY 200 •   Practice Speeds •   Qualifying Order •   Entry List •   Recap: Last year's race •   Complete Race Coverage

That's because Wednesday's O'Reilly 200 is a one-day show. Practice, qualifying and the race are all held on the same day, allowing the Craftsman Truck Series to clear out before the Nextel Cup and Busch Series transporters cram into Bristol.

A one-day show can present all kinds of problems, especially if your truck is slow. You could always use more time to make it better.

But if you're fast, one day is plenty of time, said Chad Chaffin.

"If you unload and the truck is really fast, then you like the one-day shows because it doesn't give everybody else a chance to catch up," Chaffin said.

And that would be fine with Chaffin. He could use another race where everyone is chasing him. Actually, he could use a few more.

After 15 races, Chaffin is third in the Craftsman Truck Series points standings, 196 behind leader and teammate Bobby Hamilton. Winner of two races in 2004, Chaffin is 112 points behind second-place Dennis Setzer.

One of his victories came at Indianapolis Raceway Park, which held a one-day show. And he was second at Milwaukee at another one-day event.

Credit: Autostock

"We've done pretty well," Chaffin said. "At Nashville, even though it was a two-day show, it was run like a one-day show. We didn't have a Happy Hour, and we struggled a little bit there. It just depends on how you're running. I think it's harder on the crews than it is the driver doing everything in one day, but it really is fair for everybody. I don't have a real preference."

Maybe his opinion will change after Wednesday night's race, which will start at 9 p.m. (ET). The one-day event is really a tribute to the teams and their preparation, for that is when the race will be won. If you get to Bristol and aren't at the top of the speed chart, chances are good you won't have time to catch up.

But if your work at the shop has helped a team bring a fast truck to Bristol, you'll be seeing a lot of that truck out front.

And the work Bobby Hamilton Racing has done this year bodes well for one-day shows. Hamilton has won four times this season, and between he and Chaffin, they have 14 top-five finishes.

"That's what we qualify as success," Chaffin said. "If we go and run the top five in the race, we feel like we've done our job. If we can't run in the top five, we want to do the best we can.

"We have two trucks at BHR that are winning races, and Dodge has another program it can count on to perform well. For me personally, it was so long before I could get a top-notch ride in the sport, and now I feel like I'm validating the opportunity I was given to drive this truck."

Hamilton has been happy with the job Chaffin has done, but should he lose to his driver in the race for the championship, Hamilton might change his mind.

2004 CRAFTSMAN TRUCK SERIES •   Results •   Standings •   Schedule •   Best 25 Over Last Six Races •   Best Starts •   Best Finishes

That's a longshot, Chaffin said. "As far as catching the boss, it's going to be hard," Chaffin said. "He's almost 200 points ahead, and that means he has to have two bad races more than us. You look at the law of averages, and you have a bad race every one in eight or 10. That's if you're lucky. He's going to have to have two or three bad races for us to catch him.

"I don't think we can outrun him enough to pick up 200 points, nor do I think Dennis Setzer can, either. I think everyone is hoping Bobby has some bad luck. I'm not hoping, but that's what it's going to take. Right now, I've got my sights set on Dennis Setzer. I'm not worried about Bobby. I'm not out there to race him. I want to beat everybody else.

"Then if it works out that he does have bad luck, I want to be in position to bring the championship home for our team and Dodge. Right now, my goal is not to try to beat the boss. He's out there doing his thing, and I'm doing mine." A 1-2 finish for Bobby Hamilton Racing would be nice.

"Right now I'm real proud we're first and third," Chaffin said. "My third place is not as solid as his first place is. I could lose 40 or 50 points, and my position could swing three or four spots in any given week. We're not here by accident. I don't feel like we're a fluke. I think we can stay up there and maybe move into second, but I think we have to just keep doing the things we're doing, finishing races and doing the best we can."

Chaffin and his No. 18 team will certainly do their best at Bristol, but that's often not enough. The unique nature of the high-banked half-mile means too many trucks are jammed into too small of a track going too fast. Accidents are bound to happen.

"It's a ton of fun. I love it," Chaffin said. "It's one of the most fun places to race if the truck is working good. It's a lot of fun, but you can get taken out there so fast. Things happen so fast, and you can't avoid a wreck or you get spun out or something. You're kinda at the mercy of your competitor up there.

"I go in that race a little apprehensive wondering what can and will happen. A lot of other tracks are more wide open and it seems like you can get away from your competitors if that's what you want to do. You can't get away from your competitors at Bristol. You're all thrown in there together, and it's dog eat dog."

Chaffin, though, hopes to be the top dog at this one-day show.