MILLINGTON, Tenn. (AP) – Bobby Hamilton took the lead with eight laps left and held off Shane Hmiel by 0.423 seconds Saturday to win the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series’ O’Reilly 200.
Hmiel, a first-time series starter on the 0.75-mile Memphis Motorsports Park track, lost a half-second lead when Rick Crawford’s 187th-lap spin brought out a caution flag.
The 47-year-old Hamilton took the lead with an outside pass on the second lap after the restart en route to his second victory of the season and sixth overall on the truck series.
“He (Hmiel) got loose coming off Turn 2 a little bit and halfway down the straightaway it looked like he thought the caution came out or something,” Hamilton said. “I had made my up my mind to work on the outside on the last lap anyhow.”
The Tennessee driver’s son, Bobby Jr., won Memphis Motorsports Park’s Busch Series race last October.
Hamilton started third in his Dodge.
Defending race winner Ted Musgrave finished third, followed by series points leader Dennis Setzer, Carl Edwards, Matt Crafton, pole-starter Jack Sprague, Jon Wood and Chad Chaffin.
There were six lead changes among four drivers Hamilton, Hmiel, Musgrave and Sprague.
Comments are no longer available on this story