Bobby Hamilton will have to beat Dennis Setzer head-to-head at a pair of intermediate speedways to close the season.

Hamilton takes slim lead with two races left

AVONDALE, Ariz. -- Friday wasn't a perfect day for Bobby Hamilton, but he'll certainly take the result with a smile.

Hamilton finished seventh behind race winner David Starr in the Chevy Silverado 150 at Phoenix International Raceway and he leaves the Arizona desert with the Craftsman Truck Series points lead back in his grasp.

Chevy Silverado 150 •   Results •   Standings

Dennis Setzer had the lead coming into Friday's action by just one point over Hamilton, but Setzer finished ninth Friday.

Neither driver led a lap.

When all was said and done, Hamilton was on top of the heap by seven points with two races to go.

"We had a heating problem," Hamilton said. "A bunch of the guys had to keep taking tape off the grill and we did, too. I just had to take care of the motor.

"We had one bad pit stop where we lost a lugnut, but overall, I feel good."

For Hamilton, it's his 14th top-10 finish in 23 Craftsman Truck Series starts this season.

Perhaps more importantly, it comes after a disappointing 26th-place finish at Martinsville where he finished 18 laps down.

It sets up the closest points race in the history of the Craftsman Truck Series with two races to go.

Hamilton says strange things can happen when championships are decided.

"It seems like you can have the best of everything and when it gets down to the last few races, you hear things in the motor and it seems like you pick up on everything."

Even though the lead is small, confidence for the No. 4 team is high heading into the final two races of the season. He won at Darlington in March of 2003 and he's the defending winner at Homestead.

"It's kind of sad that we have to go to these races and points race because we really want to win this championship for Dodge."