Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images
Erik Darnell hopes his second at Memphis last year leads to his second career win.By the Numbers: Memphis
type size: + -
When Erik Darnell won his first career Craftsman Truck Series race at Kansas in April, the Roush Fenway Racing driver expected it to jump start his season. But a crash the next week in Charlotte forced him to a 30th-place finish and the next four races, his best finish was a 15th at Mansfield.
Until last week at The Milwaukee Mile, when Darnell brought his No. 99 Ford home in sixth and he finally found the momentum he was looking for.
"[Crew chief] John Quinn and everyone on this team have worked hard to get things turned around, and coming off our sixth place finish at Milwaukee, we've got some momentum on our side," Darnell said.
Now the 24-year-old returns to Memphis for the O'Reilly 200 on Saturday (8:30 p.m. ET, SPEED), a track where last year he recorded his first ever top-five in the Truck Series finishing second behind winner Jack Sprague.
"Memphis is a great racetrack, I really enjoy racing there," Darnell said. "We nearly won this race last year, so we feel like we'll be contenders again this time around."
Interesting Fact
3Tennessee hosts three Truck Series events this season, the most of any state. In all, Tennessee has hosted 29 NCTS events in Memphis, Bristol and Nashville. Jack Sprague is the only driver to win in all three cities yet no driver has won all three Tennessee races in the same year.
Fun Fact
1982The year Elvis Presley's Memphis home "Graceland" was opened to the public by Presley's wife Pricilla. With an average number of visitors around 700,000 a year, "Graceland" is the second most visited private residence in the country behind only the White House.
All the Facts
1Number of wins in a truck for Ford at Memphis. Greg Biffle is the only winner for the manufacturer when he took the checkered flag in 1999. Every other current manufacturer has won at least twice at the track.
1Jack Sprague is the only repeat winner at Memphis.
2Dennis Setzer and Brandon Whitt are the only two former winners at Memphis to not win a Craftsman Truck Series championship at some point in their career out of the eight drivers who have won at the track.
2Rick Crawford and Terry Cook are the only two drivers to compete in all nine Truck Series races held at Memphis, neither have won.
4.4Average finish of Dennis Setzer at Memphis. He has finished in the top 10 in all eight races he has participated in, seven of those eight were top-fives with a win in 2001.
5Number of drivers who spent every lap of last year's Memphis race in the top 15: Jack Sprague, Erik Darnell, Mike Skinner, David Ragan and Matt Crafton. Of those five, only Ragan will not participate in this year's race.
5Number of drivers who have an average running position inside the top 10 in the last two races at Memphis who are entered in this year's race: Erik Darnell (3.881), Dennis Setzer (4.918), Jack Sprague (7.465), Matt Crafton (7.527) and Ron Hornaday (7.563).
7.444Average number of lead changes in the nine races at Memphis.
9In all nine Truck Series races at Memphis Motorsports Park, the winner has started the race in the top five. Three winners have started from the pole.
21.3Average finish of points leader Mike Skinner at Memphis. In three races his best starting position is 10th and best finish is ninth, both coming last year.
32.9Percent of laps Jack Sprague led in the last two races at Memphis, tops among all drivers. All of them came last year when he led 133 laps en route to his victory.
35Number of trucks running at the end of last year's race at Memphis, tying a series record for most running at the finish.
36Number of laps Dennis Setzer had the fastest truck on the track at Memphis in the last two years, the most among drivers competing in the both races.
68Number of green flag passes for Terry Cook in the last two races at Memphis, the most among all drivers.
70Number of bonus points Mike Skinner has on the season thanks to leading at least one lap in all 11 races this season.
Also
- Bowyer hangs on for first Daytona win, boost for RCR
- Notes: Junior not ruling out N'wide team going to Cup
- Move to the booth a natural one for TNT's Sheheen
- Yet another rainout leaves Stewart on pole at Daytona
- Biffle moved to the rear after rain washes out quals
- McDowell, JTG unable to continue Nationwide car
| POPULAR ALERTS | ||||
|
Memphis Motorsports Park
NCTS Winners
| Year | Winner | Make | Speed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1998 | Ron Hornaday | Chevrolet | 94.204 |
| 1999 | Greg Biffle | Ford | 75.303 |
| 2000 | Jack Sprague | Chevrolet | 85.585 |
| 2001 | Dennis Setzer | Chevrolet | 82.279 |
| 2002 | Travis Kvapil | Chevrolet | 80.065 |
| 2003 | Ted Musgrave | Dodge | 86.097 |
| 2004 | Bobby Hamilton | Dodge | 77.821 |
| 2005 | Brandon Whitt | Toyota | 71.182 |
| 2006 | Jack Sprague | Toyota | 88.367 |
Official Standings
Craftsman Truck Series
| Pos. | +/- | Driver | Points | Behind |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | -- | Mike Skinner | 1878 | Leader |
| 2. | -- | Ron Hornaday | 1770 | -108 |
| 3. | -- | Todd Bodine | 1673 | -205 |
| 4. | -- | Travis Kvapil | 1585 | -293 |
| 5. | -- | Rick Crawford | 1579 | -299 |
| 6. | +1 | Johnny Benson | 1454 | -424 |
| 7. | -1 | Ted Musgrave | 1431 | -447 |
| 8. | +1 | Jack Sprague | 1335 | -543 |
| 9. | -1 | Aaron Fike | 1332 | -546 |
| 10. | -- | Matt Crafton | 1322 | -556 |
• Complete Standings click here
Truck Series News
- Hornaday dominant again for repeat win at Memphis
- Setzer closing in on MRD Motorsports' first victory
- Injured Benson hopes to race soon, looking for ride
- Hornaday dominates at Milwaukee for birthday win
- Young to make debut for SS Green Light at Memphis
- Rain forces postponement of Trucks at Milwaukee
Remember To Check Out
|
All External sites will open in a new browser window. NASCAR.COM does not endorse external sites. |
|
© 2001-2009 NASCAR | Turner Sports Interactive, Inc. All Rights Reserved. |
|
Turner Entertainment Digital Network NASCAR.COM is part of the Turner Sports and Entertainment Digital Network. |
