Bradberry stalls at Kentucky
Published 12:00 am Tuesday, July 13, 2004
Racing in his third NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race of the year, Chelsea native Charlie Bradberry’s night ended Saturday night almost as soon as it began.
On the 29th lap of the 153-lap Built Ford Tough 225 at Kentucky Speedway, Bradberry’s family-owned Chevrolet gave way to some handling problems, ending his hopes of his first Top 20 of the year.
Bradberry started the night from the 34th starting spot, after the Friday night qualifying session was rained out.
After quickly finding his way into the Top 25, Bradberry’s night soon ended.
Former Nextel Cup driver Bobby Hamilton won Saturday night’s race, marking his third win of the year and placing him only six points behind leader Dennis Setzer in the championship race.
Bradberry’s failure to finish the race Saturday was his first DNF of the year in the Craftsman Series.
Through two years as a part-time driver in the Craftsman Series, Bradberry has posted two Top 20 finishes.
Saturday’s 35th place finish was Bradberry’s worst finish of the year, however, it yielded his highest payday since he began running the Truck Series.
Bradberry will now look to several late-model races in the up-coming weeks.
Rained out races in Opp and Huntsville will be made up, along with the rained out July 4 race at Birmingham International Raceway, which has been rescheduled for July 31.
Bradberry’s next attempt in the Truck Series will be in the Power Stroke Diesel 200 at Indianapolis Raceway Park August 6.
Bradberry’s crew chief, Philip Hamilton, remains optimistic about the race at IRP.
Hamilton said races, like the ones at short tracks like IRP, tends to have less of a disparity between those teams with lots of money and those with little funding.
&uot;The money factor is not as big at a short track,&uot; Hamilton said.
&uot;Drivers, like Charlie, who get up on the wheel, are going to do well.&uot;
Hamilton also said, not only is a Top 10 not impossible at IRP, but he has &uot;a lot of confidence&uot; in his driver at IRP.
Speed TV will televise the August 6 IRP race at 7 p.m