Race 2 Win: Ford 300 - Bobby Hamilton, Jr. Notes

Busch Series

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Ford 300 - Bobby Hamilton, Jr. Notes

Hamilton, Jr. Chasing Fifth Win of Season in Homestead Season Finale
… Team Marines NASCAR Busch Series driver has raced into title hunt.

HOMESTEAD, FL --- With ten races left in the season, most observers considered Bobby Hamilton, Jr. out of the 2003 NASCAR Busch Series Championship. Standing over 300 points out of the lead and behind five other drivers, the championship talks all centered on drivers inside the top-five in points. With crew chief Harold Holly, Hamilton, Jr. focused all of his efforts on winning races and leading laps. With that strategy, the pair finds themselves just 89 points out of the lead with one race to go. Over the last nine races of the season, Hamilton, Jr. has been the hottest driver of the season, winning two races and averaging a 4.77 finishing position.

The strategy will stay the same for the Ford 300 at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

"We are going to keep our focus on winning the race and leading the most laps in Homestead," Hamilton, Jr. said. "If we do that, we will earn 185 points and then sit back and see where the point's end up. The Team Marines Racing team will have done it's best and have a lot to be proud of. If we win the title, that will be awesome, if not, I know we will have earned the right to be one of the leading contenders for the 2004 championship."

The Ford 300 will take the green flag Saturday afternoon at noon EST. NBC and Motor Racing Network will provide live coverage of the final event of the Busch Series season.

PIT NOTES

Happy 228th Birthday greetings to the United States Marine Corps on Tuesday November 10th.

Bobby Hamilton, Jr. leads the NASCAR Busch Series in 2003 winnings with $1,105,130

With four wins in 2003, Hamilton, Jr. is the leading winner on the NASCAR Busch Series.

Along with Brian Vickers, Hamilton, Jr. leads the NASCAR Busch Series with 21 top-ten finishes.

With wins in Memphis and Phoenix, Hamilton, Jr. has won two of the last four Busch Series races. Included in those four races are two third place finishes (Atlanta and Rockingham). Over the last four races, Hamilton, Jr. has averaged a second place finish.

Over the last five races, Hamilton, Jr. has averaged a third place finish.

Over the last nine races, Hamilton, Jr. has averaged a finish of 4.77.

Harold Holly joined the Team Marines Racing Team 20 races ago in Dover. Since that time, Hamilton, Jr. has four wins, 11 top-five finishes and 14 top-ten finishes. Hamilton. Jr. has averaged a starting position of 8.3 and a finishing position of 9.55.

Hamilton, Jr. has won all four of his races this season on tracks the Busch Series have visited on five or less occasions, (Kentucky, 3, Chicagoland, 3, Memphis, 5, Phoenix, 5) With the new configuration to Homestead-Miami Speedway, many are considering it a new racetrack.

Hamilton, Jr. won the Bud Pole Award at Homestead-Miami Speedway in 2000.

Crew chief Harold Holly led Jeff Green to a Bud Pole Award at Homestead-Miami Speedway in 2001.

Hamilton, Jr. and Team Rensi Motorsports will host a press conference at Homestead-Miami Speedway Friday morning to announce their plans for the 2004 racing season.

A press conference involving the six NASCAR Busch Series Championship contenders will be held Friday morning at 8:45am. Hamilton, Jr. will compete with a teammate this weekend. Robert Yates Racing Winston Cup driver Elliott Sadler will drive the # 35 Pioneer Services Ford in the Ford 300 on Saturday.

News and Results | Point Standings | 2003 Schedule | 2002 Schedule and Results | 2001 Schedule and Results