7/2/2007
Bill Lester
Lester Leaves Memphis With Best Start and Finish
NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series driver Bill Lester left the Memphis Motorsports Park Saturday night after the running of the O’Reilly 200 with his best start and finish at the short track in Middleton, TN.
Lester, known more as a speedway driver, turned some heads after he qualified in the fifth place and finished in the 12th place position. He was one of only five drivers who never dropped out of the top-15 for the entire 200-lap NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race.
Lester struggled to get grip off of the corners early in the O’Reilly 200 and lost a few positions on the racetrack until the first set of adjustments were made in the pits on the No. 15 Christian Debt Consolidation Billy Ballew Motorsports Silverado. Crew chief, Doug George made the right calls on the stop and the truck improved.
According to NASCAR Loop Statistics, Lester was second fastest to only race winner Travis Kvapil in both sets of turns on the 3/4 mile track. Lester carried an average speed of 104.701 mph in turns one and two and a speed of 103.348 mph in turns three and four pulling away from any competition closing in. Lester maintained an average position of 10th in the race posting two of the fastest laps of the Craftsman Truck Series event.
“The truck handled really well for me, Lester said. “I found a good line and held it. This is the same truck we had in Milwaukee and we were really good there until the unfortunate battery problem. We’ll take it. I really would like to have brought home our first top-10 of the season but I gave it all we had. This No. 15 Christian Debt Consolidation Chevy Silverado was quick. Our pit stops were pretty good and since track position is vital at a short track, we really lucked out both on the track and in the pits. I’m not known as a short track racer but these Billy Ballew Motorsports Silverado’s are so good and we’ve been working on our short track program. Doug George (crew chief) made some great calls in the pits on the adjustments. This Billy Ballew Motorsports team works very hard every week and it feels good to start to see some of this hard work coming to fruition.
The NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series takes its first break after seven weeks of racing but will be back on track for the running of the Built Ford Tough 225 at the Kentucky Speedway July 14, 2007.
For more information on Billy Ballew Motorsports, their drivers and sponsors please visit www.BillyBallewMotorsports.com.
Submitted By: Philip Hampton
