Bobby Hamilton Racing
Encyclopedia
Bobby Hamilton Racing-Virginia was a former NASCAR
racing team. It was owned by four-time NEXTEL Cup
winner and 2004 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series champion Bobby Hamilton
until his death on January 7, 2007. Bobby Hamilton, Jr.
was given ownership after the death of his fatherhttp://www.bobbyhamiltonracing.com/cgi-script/kmgArticles/articles/000009/000974.htm, but the younger Hamilton has disavowed his relationship with the company.http://www.allheadlinenews.com/articles/7006229244. The company was last run by Bobby Hamilton, Sr's widow, Lori Hamilton.
The company, formerly based in Mt. Juliet, Tennessee
made plans to move to Martinsville, Virginia after announcing a partnership with Arrington Manufacturing in December 2007 as its new owners were based in the Virginia area, with Mac Bailey, Stacy Compton, Clay Campbell, and Joey Arrington all being Virginians.
, as the #1 Chevrolet
sponsored by Southern Pride Trucking. He qualified sixteenth and finished sixth. He ran another race that year at Martinsville Speedway
, as the #51. He finished fifth in that race. Hamilton ran three races the next year, but suffered mechanical failures in each of them. Meanwhile, Bobby Hamilton Jr., whom the team was originally designed for, was building up a successful career in the ARCA series, then signed on to drive for Sadler Bros. Racing in the Busch Series
.
. Bobby Hamilton, Jr. was the driver and won the pole at Nashville Superspeedway
. With sponsorship from Hyde Park Electronics, Hamilton Jr. won the pole and finished 4th. Hamilton Sr. was the full-time driver in 2005 and won two races total that season and finished 6th in points. Hamilton moved to the #18 in 2006
, and rookie Scott Lagasse, Jr. took over with Dodge Hemi as the sponsor. Lagasse made a total of ten starts and did not finish higher than 18th. Sammy Sanders
, David Stremme
, and Timothy Peters drove the truck in one race in addition. The team did not run the first half of the 2007
schedule, and ran two races with Joe Ruttman
driving, with a best finish of 33rd. Patrick Carpentier
drove at Bristol in 2008 for one race. He finished 26th after a late crash.
and had a best finish of fourth. Olivier Beretta
drove the truck in one race at Heartland Park Topeka
, finishing seventeenth. Hamilton drove another five races in 2000, winning at Martinsville Speedway
. Donny Morelock made an additional four starts that year, his best finish 19th at Michigan International Speedway
. In 2001, Hamilton picked up another win at Darlington Raceway
, while Hamilton Jr. made his Truck Series debut at The Milwaukee Mile, finishing 33rd.
In 2002, the #4 team began running full-time with Brian Rose
as the driver. He began the season with four top-tens in the Perry Construction truck, but was released midway through the season. Hamilton, Hamilton Jr., Joe Ruttman, Rick Bogart, and Ryan Hemphill
finished the season in the truck, allowing the team to finish seventeenth in the standings. In 2003, Hamilton Sr. left his Andy Petree Racing
Winston Cup ride to drive the #4 full-time with sponsorship Square D
. He picked up two wins and finished sixth in points. The following season, he won an additional four races (including one at his "home track", Nashville Superspeedway
) and was named the Craftsman Truck Series champion.
Hamilton moved to the #04 team in 2005. Casey Atwood
signed to drive the #4 Baileys truck for three races, finishing 11th at Atlanta Motor Speedway
. Development driver Timothy Peters
took over and drove for seventeen races, finishing in the top-ten twice and was runner-up to Todd Kluever
for Rookie of the Year. Chris Fontaine
, Erin Crocker
, and John Mickel
in other races towards the end of the season. Peters was named the team's full-time driver in 2006 and competed in sixteen races in the truck (driving the #04 at Michigan when Bobby Labonte
drove the #4) with a sixth-place finish at The Milwaukee Mile. When he signed a contract with Richard Childress Racing
, Peters was removed from the ride and replaced with Dodge driver Chase Miller. He had a best finish of tenth but was released before the 2007 Quaker Steak and Lube 200
. 2002 Truck Series Champion Mike Bliss
drove the #4 in 11 out of the final 14 races of the 2007 season, with Kevin Hamlin supplementing the rest of the schedule. Ruttman raced the 4 at Texas, finishing 27th after a crash. New co-owner Stacy Compton will drive the #4 full-time in 2008 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series
with sponsorship from various Dodge dealerships across America. After the fall Bristol race, the #4 team closed due to a lack of funding.
as the driver. In his rookie season, Ribbs drove in 23 races and had three top-twenty finishes, finishing 16th in points, but was replaced by Bill Lester
in 2002. He finished seventeenth in points and ended the season with three consecutive top-ten qualifying runs. The following season, Lester won his first career pole at Lowe's Motor Speedway
and scored his first top-ten finish at Kansas Speedway
. Lester left for Bill Davis Racing
at the end of the year.
Chase Montgomery
was hired to drive the #8 in 2004, which now ran under the moniker BHR2 as Montgomery's father Ray had purchased an ownership stake in the team. Montgomery failed to finish in the top-ten that season and finished 21st in points. He was moved to the #18 truck and Deborah Renshaw
took his place, bringing sponsorship from Easy Care. She had a best finish of twelfth and earned a 24th place points finish. A lack of sponsorship would cost her the ride. Montgomery returned to run the 8 at Daytona, and finished 19th. The team was then sold to Julius Curry
, and attempted the spring race at Atlanta with Montgomery, but failed to qualify. The team has not attempted a race since, and Montgomery has departed the operation.
was hired to drive the entry full-time with sponsorship from the Dana Corporation. Miller had posted four top-tens when he was hired to drive in the Busch Series. Joe Ruttman took over and had nine top-tens in the remaining sixteen races of the season. He opened the 2000 season with three straight poles and a win, and finished sixth in points. In 2001, he won an additional two races and ended the season sixth in points.
Ruttman left with Dana at the end of 2001, and Robert Pressley
took over and won in his debut at Daytona. He followed it up with another win at Michigan and a seventh-place points finish. He left for HT Motorsports
, and was replaced by Chad Chaffin
. With Dickies
sponsorship, Chaffin won two poles and finished tenth in points. He followed that up in 2004
with wins at Dover International Speedway
and Indianapolis Raceway Park and another tenth-place points finish. Chase Montgomery took over the #18 in 2005, but did not post a top-ten and fell to 23rd in the standings. For 2006, Fastenal became the team's primary sponsor and Hamilton was slated to drive it. After three races, Hamilton was diagnosed with neck cancer
and was forced to exit the ride. His son Bobby Hamilton, Jr.
took over for him. Hamilton Jr. won the pole at Martinsville in his first start in the truck and had a total of five top-ten finishes, finishing sixteenth in points. Ken Schrader was announced as the driver of the truck for the 2007 season, and has posted two top-five finishes. Ruttman drove the 18 in one race while filling in for Schrader, before Dennis Setzer took over the truck late in the season. Dennis drive the #18 full time in 2008, with sponsorship from Dodge and Tahoe Smokeless
. Setzer scored BHR-VA's final victory that year at the Kroger 250
and finished eighth in points with five top-fives and eight top tens.
pit reporter Ray Dunlap reported that Setzer was looking for a ride for 2009. Lori Hamilton confirmed on November 24 that BHR-VA would cease all operations at the end of the week.
NASCAR
The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing is a family-owned and -operated business venture that sanctions and governs multiple auto racing sports events. It was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1947–48. As of 2009, the CEO for the company is Brian France, grandson of the late Bill France Sr...
racing team. It was owned by four-time NEXTEL Cup
NEXTEL Cup
The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series is the top racing series of the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing . The series was originally known as the Strictly Stock Series and Grand National Series . While leasing its naming rights to R. J...
winner and 2004 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series champion Bobby Hamilton
Bobby Hamilton
Charles Robert Hamilton, Sr. was a driver and owner in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series circuit and the winner of the 2004 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series championship. Hamilton owned Bobby Hamilton Racing, which fielded three entries in each NCWTS event...
until his death on January 7, 2007. Bobby Hamilton, Jr.
Bobby Hamilton, Jr.
Charles Robert Hamilton, Jr. is a NASCAR driver and owner, and current track promoter. He is currently a free agent...
was given ownership after the death of his fatherhttp://www.bobbyhamiltonracing.com/cgi-script/kmgArticles/articles/000009/000974.htm, but the younger Hamilton has disavowed his relationship with the company.http://www.allheadlinenews.com/articles/7006229244. The company was last run by Bobby Hamilton, Sr's widow, Lori Hamilton.
The company, formerly based in Mt. Juliet, Tennessee
Mt. Juliet, Tennessee
Mt. Juliet is a city located in the western portion of Wilson County, Tennessee, U.S.A. It is a suburb of Nashville, and is approximately east of downtown. It is located roughly between two major national east-west routes, Interstate 40 and U.S. Route 70. As of the 2010 census, the city had a...
made plans to move to Martinsville, Virginia after announcing a partnership with Arrington Manufacturing in December 2007 as its new owners were based in the Virginia area, with Mac Bailey, Stacy Compton, Clay Campbell, and Joey Arrington all being Virginians.
History
BHR was originally started by Hamilton and a friend in 1996 in the fledging Truck Series as an after hours project for Hamilton as well as to serve as development program for Bobby Hamilton, Jr.. The elder Hamilton debuted the team in 1997 at Heartland Park TopekaHeartland Park Topeka
Heartland Park Topeka is a multi-purpose motorsports facility located south of Topeka, Kansas.When it opened in 1989, it was the first brand-new auto racing facility to be built in the United States for 20 years. Its facilities include a road-race course with 4 possible configurations , a ⅜ mile...
, as the #1 Chevrolet
Chevrolet
Chevrolet , also known as Chevy , is a brand of vehicle produced by General Motors Company . Founded by Louis Chevrolet and ousted GM founder William C. Durant on November 3, 1911, General Motors acquired Chevrolet in 1918...
sponsored by Southern Pride Trucking. He qualified sixteenth and finished sixth. He ran another race that year at Martinsville Speedway
Martinsville Speedway
Martinsville Speedway is an International Speedway Corporation-owned NASCAR stock car racing track located in Henry County, near Ridgeway, Virginia, just to the south of Martinsville. At in length, it is the shortest track in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. The track was also one of the first paved...
, as the #51. He finished fifth in that race. Hamilton ran three races the next year, but suffered mechanical failures in each of them. Meanwhile, Bobby Hamilton Jr., whom the team was originally designed for, was building up a successful career in the ARCA series, then signed on to drive for Sadler Bros. Racing in the Busch Series
Busch Series
The NASCAR Nationwide Series is a stock car racing series owned and operated by the National Association of Stock Car Auto Racing. It is promoted as NASCAR's "minor league" circuit, and is a proving ground for drivers who wish to step up to the organization's "big leagues"; the Sprint Cup circuit...
.
Cup Series
The team made its first start in the Cup Series at the 2000 Pennzoil 400 as the #57 Chevrolet. Bobby Hamilton, Jr. started thirtieth and finished thirty-third, six laps down. BHR did not run the Cup Series again until 2005, when the #04 Dodge ran for two races. Hamilton Sr. had a best finish of 27th at the Allstate 400.Truck #04 history
The #04 truck made its debut as a brand new team in 20042004 in NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series
The 2004 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series season began on February 13 and ended on November 19. Bobby Hamilton of Bobby Hamilton Racing won the championship.See also: 2004 NASCAR Nextel Cup Series, 2004 NASCAR Busch Series- Full-time 2004 teams :...
. Bobby Hamilton, Jr. was the driver and won the pole at Nashville Superspeedway
Nashville Superspeedway
Nashville Superspeedway is a motor racing complex located in Gladeville, Tennessee , United States, about 30 miles southeast of Nashville. On August 2, 2011, it was announced that Nashville Superspeedway will not host any NASCAR events in 2012. It is a concrete oval track 1 1/3 miles in...
. With sponsorship from Hyde Park Electronics, Hamilton Jr. won the pole and finished 4th. Hamilton Sr. was the full-time driver in 2005 and won two races total that season and finished 6th in points. Hamilton moved to the #18 in 2006
2006 in NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series
The 2006 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series season began on February 17, 2006 at Daytona International Speedway with the GM Flex Fuel 250, and ended on November 17, 2006 with the Ford 200 at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Todd Bodine of Germain Racing was declared champion...
, and rookie Scott Lagasse, Jr. took over with Dodge Hemi as the sponsor. Lagasse made a total of ten starts and did not finish higher than 18th. Sammy Sanders
Sammy Sanders
Sammy Sanders is a part-time NASCAR driver from Mount Juliet, Tennessee. He drives the #04 Camp Courageous Dodge for Bobby Hamilton Racing on occasion in the Craftsman Truck Series. He has a couple of Busch Series starts in his career as well.-Busch Series:...
, David Stremme
David Stremme
David Andrew Stremme is an American stock car driver. He is most notable as the 2003 NASCAR Nationwide Series Rookie of the Year, winning the award while running a part time for several different teams. He currently drives the #30 Chevrolet Impala for Inception Motorsports.-Early life:Stremme was...
, and Timothy Peters drove the truck in one race in addition. The team did not run the first half of the 2007
2007 in NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series
The 12th season of the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series season set off on February 16, 2007 at Daytona International Speedway with the Chevy Silverado HD 250, and ended on November 16, 2007 with the Ford 200 at Homestead-Miami Speedway...
schedule, and ran two races with Joe Ruttman
Joe Ruttman
Joe Ruttman , is an American former racecar driver. He currently lives in Franklin, Tenn. He actively competed in NASCAR's Sprint Cup Series, Nationwide Series, and Camping World Truck Series and is a 13 time winner in the Truck Series, the seventh most wins by any driver in the Truck...
driving, with a best finish of 33rd. Patrick Carpentier
Patrick Carpentier
Patrick Carpentier is a retired Canadian race car driver. He is best known for his career in the Champ Car World Series and the IndyCar Series. In 2009, Patrick shared the #36 of Tommy Baldwin Racing with Mike Skinner and ran Michael Waltrip's #55 Toyota Camry in the road course races in the...
drove at Bristol in 2008 for one race. He finished 26th after a late crash.
Truck #4 history
Hamilton began racing the #4 in 1999 with sponsorship from Dana Corporation. Driving in five races, Hamilton won the pole at Richmond International RacewayRichmond International Raceway
Richmond International Raceway is a 3/4-mile , D-shaped, asphalt race track located just outside Richmond, Virginia in Henrico County. It hosts the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series and Nationwide Series...
and had a best finish of fourth. Olivier Beretta
Olivier Beretta
Olivier Beretta is a racing driver from Monaco who raced in Formula One in 1994 for the Larrousse team, partnering Érik Comas. He participated in 10 grands prix, debuting on March 27, 1994. He scored no championship points, and was replaced when his sponsorship money ran out...
drove the truck in one race at Heartland Park Topeka
Heartland Park Topeka
Heartland Park Topeka is a multi-purpose motorsports facility located south of Topeka, Kansas.When it opened in 1989, it was the first brand-new auto racing facility to be built in the United States for 20 years. Its facilities include a road-race course with 4 possible configurations , a ⅜ mile...
, finishing seventeenth. Hamilton drove another five races in 2000, winning at Martinsville Speedway
Martinsville Speedway
Martinsville Speedway is an International Speedway Corporation-owned NASCAR stock car racing track located in Henry County, near Ridgeway, Virginia, just to the south of Martinsville. At in length, it is the shortest track in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. The track was also one of the first paved...
. Donny Morelock made an additional four starts that year, his best finish 19th at Michigan International Speedway
Michigan International Speedway
Michigan International Speedway is a two-mile moderate-banked D-shaped superspeedway located off U.S. Highway 12 on more than in Brooklyn, in the scenic Irish Hills area of southeastern Michigan. The track is used primarily for NASCAR events. It is sometimes known as a "sister track" to Texas...
. In 2001, Hamilton picked up another win at Darlington Raceway
Darlington Raceway
Darlington Raceway is a race track built for NASCAR racing located near Darlington, South Carolina. It is nicknamed the "Lady in Black" and "The Track Too Tough to Tame" by many NASCAR fans and drivers and advertised as "A NASCAR Tradition"...
, while Hamilton Jr. made his Truck Series debut at The Milwaukee Mile, finishing 33rd.
In 2002, the #4 team began running full-time with Brian Rose
Brian Rose (racing driver)
Brian Rose is an American race car driver.Rose began his NASCAR career in 2001 in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. He ran 15 races for Rick Ware in the #51, scoring a best finish of 12th....
as the driver. He began the season with four top-tens in the Perry Construction truck, but was released midway through the season. Hamilton, Hamilton Jr., Joe Ruttman, Rick Bogart, and Ryan Hemphill
Ryan Hemphill
Ryan Hemphill is a NASCAR driver from Apollo, Pennsylvania.Ryan, a second generation racer, started his racing career at the age of 12, when his father put him behind the wheel of a go-kart. He went on to race in go-carts both locally and nationally for a period of 3 years...
finished the season in the truck, allowing the team to finish seventeenth in the standings. In 2003, Hamilton Sr. left his Andy Petree Racing
Andy Petree Racing
Andy Petree Racing is a former NASCAR team. Its ownership changed hands several times over the years, with three different owners from its beginning to its close in 2004. The team was based out of North Carolina and was always a steady competitor for the win despite never winning a championship.-...
Winston Cup ride to drive the #4 full-time with sponsorship Square D
Square D
Square D is an American manufacturer of equipment used to control and distribute electric power headquartered in Palatine, Illinois.Square D was founded in 1903 in Detroit, Michigan by Bryson Dexter Horton who is credited with the invention of the safety switch which encased high voltage switches...
. He picked up two wins and finished sixth in points. The following season, he won an additional four races (including one at his "home track", Nashville Superspeedway
Nashville Superspeedway
Nashville Superspeedway is a motor racing complex located in Gladeville, Tennessee , United States, about 30 miles southeast of Nashville. On August 2, 2011, it was announced that Nashville Superspeedway will not host any NASCAR events in 2012. It is a concrete oval track 1 1/3 miles in...
) and was named the Craftsman Truck Series champion.
Casey Atwood
Casey Lee Atwood is an American race car driver. Atwood is currently a free agent in NASCAR. He married his longtime girlfriend, Laura, in 2005. Atwood and Laura have two daughters, Kaylee and Emma...
signed to drive the #4 Baileys truck for three races, finishing 11th at Atlanta Motor Speedway
Atlanta Motor Speedway
Atlanta Motor Speedway is a track just outside Hampton, Georgia, twenty miles south of Atlanta. It is a quad-oval track with a seating capacity of over 125,000. It opened in 1960 as a standard oval. In 1994, 46 condominiums were built over the northeastern side of the track...
. Development driver Timothy Peters
Timothy Peters
Timothy Peters is an American NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race car driver. He currently drives the No. 17 K&N Engineering, Inc. Toyota for Red Horse Racing. He is a former member of the Bobby Hamilton Racing and Richard Childress Racing driver development programs.-Racing career:He began his...
took over and drove for seventeen races, finishing in the top-ten twice and was runner-up to Todd Kluever
Todd Kluever
Todd Alan Kluever is a NASCAR driver. He currently is a free agent.-Early career:Kluever began his career by racing motorcycles for over nine years before he moved into full-bodied stock cars at a local track. He raced stock cars in the summer and snowmobiles during the Wisconsin winters...
for Rookie of the Year. Chris Fontaine
Chris Fontaine
Chris Fontaine is an American race car driver. He currently drives the #84 Glenden Enterprises Chevrolet Silverado in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series.-Beginnings:...
, Erin Crocker
Erin Crocker
Erin Mary Crocker Evernham is an American race car driver. She drove the #98 Gillett Evernham Motorsports owned Dodge Charger in the ARCA RE/MAX Series. In the past, she played soccer, tennis, and varsity lacrosse on both her high school and college teams...
, and John Mickel
John Mickel
John Mickel , is a stock car racer and commentator. He has raced in NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series and Pickup Truck Racing with TorqueSpeed...
in other races towards the end of the season. Peters was named the team's full-time driver in 2006 and competed in sixteen races in the truck (driving the #04 at Michigan when Bobby Labonte
Bobby Labonte
Robert Alan "Bobby" Labonte is an American race car driver in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. He currently drives the #47 Kroger/Clorox/Kimberly-Clark/Kingsford/Reese Towpower Hitches Toyota Camry for JTG Daugherty Racing. He currently resides in Trinity, North Carolina. He is married to his wife...
drove the #4) with a sixth-place finish at The Milwaukee Mile. When he signed a contract with Richard Childress Racing
Richard Childress Racing
RCR Enterprises, LLC, doing business as Richard Childress Racing, is a NASCAR team based in Welcome, North Carolina, and is owned and operated by former driver Richard Childress...
, Peters was removed from the ride and replaced with Dodge driver Chase Miller. He had a best finish of tenth but was released before the 2007 Quaker Steak and Lube 200
Quaker Steak and Lube 200
The North Carolina Education Lottery 200 is a NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race held in mid-May at Charlotte Motor Speedway in Concord, North Carolina. The race is currently held as a companion event to the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race in late May....
. 2002 Truck Series Champion Mike Bliss
Mike Bliss
Michael Bliss is a NASCAR driver who has run in all three major series. He currently drives the #19 Chevrolet Impala for TriStar Motorsports in the NASCAR Nationwide Series. He began racing at age 10...
drove the #4 in 11 out of the final 14 races of the 2007 season, with Kevin Hamlin supplementing the rest of the schedule. Ruttman raced the 4 at Texas, finishing 27th after a crash. New co-owner Stacy Compton will drive the #4 full-time in 2008 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series
2008 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series
The 2008 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series began on February 15, 2008 at Daytona International Speedway with the Chevy Silverado HD 250. The season concluded on November 14 of that year at Homestead-Miami Speedway with the Ford 200. Johnny Benson of Bill Davis Racing was crowned champion. The season...
with sponsorship from various Dodge dealerships across America. After the fall Bristol race, the #4 team closed due to a lack of funding.
Truck #8 history
The #8 truck debuted in 2001 with Willy T. RibbsWilly T. Ribbs
William "Willy" Theodore Ribbs, Jr. is a racecar driver who competed in many forms of auto racing. After retiring, he became a sport shooter in the National Sporting Clays Association....
as the driver. In his rookie season, Ribbs drove in 23 races and had three top-twenty finishes, finishing 16th in points, but was replaced by Bill Lester
Bill Lester
William Alexander Lester III is a racing driver who competes in the Grand Touring category in the Rolex Sports Car Series for Autohaus Motorsports. In 1984, he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in EECS from the University of California, Berkeley...
in 2002. He finished seventeenth in points and ended the season with three consecutive top-ten qualifying runs. The following season, Lester won his first career pole at Lowe's Motor Speedway
Lowe's Motor Speedway
Charlotte Motor Speedway is a motorsports complex located in Concord, North Carolina, United States 13 miles from Charlotte, North Carolina. The complex features a quad oval track that hosts NASCAR racing including the prestigious Coca-Cola 600 on Memorial Day weekend and the Sprint All-Star Race...
and scored his first top-ten finish at Kansas Speedway
Kansas Speedway
Kansas Speedway is a tri-oval race track in Kansas City, Kansas. The speedway was built in 2001 and currently hosts two annual NASCAR race weekends. The IndyCar Series also raced at the speedway until 2011...
. Lester left for Bill Davis Racing
Bill Davis Racing
Bill Davis Racing was a racing team that participated in all three of NASCAR's top divisions until 2009.The team had run Toyota-branded stock cars and trucks in both the Camping World Truck Series and Sprint Cup Series since 2007. Dodge, Ford, and Pontiac previously backed the team...
at the end of the year.
Chase Montgomery
Chase Montgomery
Chase Montgomery is a racecar driver. He currently owns a small business and continues to pursue a racing career. He lives in Wilson County, TN. He is now married and a father.-Career before NASCAR:...
was hired to drive the #8 in 2004, which now ran under the moniker BHR2 as Montgomery's father Ray had purchased an ownership stake in the team. Montgomery failed to finish in the top-ten that season and finished 21st in points. He was moved to the #18 truck and Deborah Renshaw
Deborah Renshaw
Deborah Renshaw-Parker is a former NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series driver. She currently does not have a ride.-Pre-CTS:...
took his place, bringing sponsorship from Easy Care. She had a best finish of twelfth and earned a 24th place points finish. A lack of sponsorship would cost her the ride. Montgomery returned to run the 8 at Daytona, and finished 19th. The team was then sold to Julius Curry
Julius Curry
Julius Justin Curry is a former American football player. He played college football as a strong safety and punt returner for the University of Michigan from 1999 to 2002. He also played professional football for the Detroit Lions during the 2003 NFL season...
, and attempted the spring race at Atlanta with Montgomery, but failed to qualify. The team has not attempted a race since, and Montgomery has departed the operation.
Truck #18 history
The 18 truck became the team's first full-time entry into the Truck series. In 1999, Butch MillerButch Miller (racing driver)
Butch Miller is a racecar driver. He drives the #07 Toyota Tundra part time in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series on a limited basis, and is also a crew chief for SS-Green Light Racing. He is a multiple champion in the now-defunct American Speed Association stock car series...
was hired to drive the entry full-time with sponsorship from the Dana Corporation. Miller had posted four top-tens when he was hired to drive in the Busch Series. Joe Ruttman took over and had nine top-tens in the remaining sixteen races of the season. He opened the 2000 season with three straight poles and a win, and finished sixth in points. In 2001, he won an additional two races and ended the season sixth in points.
Ruttman left with Dana at the end of 2001, and Robert Pressley
Robert Pressley
Robert Pressley is a former NASCAR driver who is now the promoter at Kingsport Speedway.-Beginnings:...
took over and won in his debut at Daytona. He followed it up with another win at Michigan and a seventh-place points finish. He left for HT Motorsports
HT Motorsports
HT Motorsports was an American truck racing team from Martinsville, Virginia owned by trucking company owner Jim Harris. It fielded entries for the nine years in the Camping World Truck Series before suspending operations early in 2010.-Truck #24 History:...
, and was replaced by Chad Chaffin
Chad Chaffin
Chad Chaffin is a NASCAR driver. He has raced in all three of NASCAR's major series and is currently a free agent. Chaffin was a two-time track champion at the historic Nashville Speedway USA, where he met his friend the late Andy Kirby.-Sprint Cup:Chad made his Sprint Cup debut in 2004 at...
. With Dickies
Dickies
Williamson-Dickie Manufacturing Company, more commonly referred to as the brand Dickies, is an American company headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas that manufactures and sells work-related clothing and other accessories, including back packs, steel-toe boots, and belts. Its major competitors are...
sponsorship, Chaffin won two poles and finished tenth in points. He followed that up in 2004
2004 in NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series
The 2004 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series season began on February 13 and ended on November 19. Bobby Hamilton of Bobby Hamilton Racing won the championship.See also: 2004 NASCAR Nextel Cup Series, 2004 NASCAR Busch Series- Full-time 2004 teams :...
with wins at Dover International Speedway
Dover International Speedway
Dover International Speedway is a NASCAR-sanctioned race track located in Dover, Delaware, owned by, and serving as the corporate headquarters of, Dover Motorsports, Inc. It is co-located with a harness racing track, Dover Downs, and shares the complex with Dover Downs Hotel & Casino...
and Indianapolis Raceway Park and another tenth-place points finish. Chase Montgomery took over the #18 in 2005, but did not post a top-ten and fell to 23rd in the standings. For 2006, Fastenal became the team's primary sponsor and Hamilton was slated to drive it. After three races, Hamilton was diagnosed with neck cancer
Head and neck cancer
Head and neck cancer refers to a group of biologically similar cancers that start in the upper aerodigestive tract, including the lip, oral cavity , nasal cavity , paranasal sinuses, pharynx, and larynx. 90% of head and neck cancers are squamous cell carcinomas , originating from the mucosal lining...
and was forced to exit the ride. His son Bobby Hamilton, Jr.
Bobby Hamilton, Jr.
Charles Robert Hamilton, Jr. is a NASCAR driver and owner, and current track promoter. He is currently a free agent...
took over for him. Hamilton Jr. won the pole at Martinsville in his first start in the truck and had a total of five top-ten finishes, finishing sixteenth in points. Ken Schrader was announced as the driver of the truck for the 2007 season, and has posted two top-five finishes. Ruttman drove the 18 in one race while filling in for Schrader, before Dennis Setzer took over the truck late in the season. Dennis drive the #18 full time in 2008, with sponsorship from Dodge and Tahoe Smokeless
Tahoe Smokeless
Tahoe Smokeless is a brand of smokeless tobacco. They are a product from the Bailey's Cigarettes and the Rock Ridge Tobacco Company. They are a predominate figure in the field of sports sponsorship, funding various fishing and angling tournaments, and formerly as the #18 Dodge Ram driven by Dennis...
. Setzer scored BHR-VA's final victory that year at the Kroger 250
Kroger 250
The Kroger 250 is a NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race that takes place at Martinsville Speedway in the spring.-Past winners:*1996, 1997, 2004, 2007, 2008, & 2009: Race extended due to a Green-white-checker finish....
and finished eighth in points with five top-fives and eight top tens.
Demise
At the close of the 2008 season, Dodge and Tahoe decided to no longer sponsor BHR-VA due to the struggling economy. During Speed's broadcast of the Ford 200Ford 200
The Ford 200 is a NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race that takes place at Homestead-Miami Speedway. The races of 1996-2001 were scheduled 250 miles.It has served as the final event of the season for the Truck Series since 2002.-Past winners:...
pit reporter Ray Dunlap reported that Setzer was looking for a ride for 2009. Lori Hamilton confirmed on November 24 that BHR-VA would cease all operations at the end of the week.