Setzer Richmond preview

Setzer Hopes Experience Pays Off at Richmond

Richmond, VA. - Dennis Setzer, driver of the No. 46 Acxiom/Computer Associates Chevrolet, has driven in all three of NASCAR's major divisions at the Richmond International Raceway. He is hoping that experience results in his second win of the 2001 season Thursday during the running of the Kroger 200.

"I have always enjoyed coming to the Richmond International Raceway," said Setzer. "I have raced there in Winston Cup cars, Busch cars and Trucks so I feel like I know how to get around the place."

Setzer has 10 NASCAR division starts to his credit at the Richmond oval, driving in a Winston Cup race for Bill Elliott and Dan Marino and running in six Busch Grand National events. Setzer has competed in three Craftsman Truck Series races at the three-quarter mile track with a career-high third-place finish in 1999.

"I have a lot of laps around Richmond in cars and trucks, but I have had my best results in the Truck Series," claimed Setzer. "Richmond is a very fast two-groove racetrack that offers plenty of room for passing. It's a D-shaped short track, which generates a great deal of speed coming out of turn 4. It's going to be a very fast race with lots of action, I don't think anyone will be disappointed with the show the trucks are going to put on under-the-lights."

Setzer and his Morgan/Dollar Motorsports team are hoping that their Richmond run produces better results than the series last event at the Nazareth Speedway. The team turned in a 15th place finish after suffering a broken wheel seven laps into the race.

"Nazareth was an unfortunate deal for the whole team," stated Setzer. "The truck was handling well, Danny Gill put together a great setup for the unique Nazareth layout. On lap seven heading into one of the corners the truck began to vibrate very badly and I knew we would have to make a green flag stop. Once we got the problem fixed we had one of the fastest trucks on the track. I honestly felt like we had a top-5 truck, but we did all we could and came home 15th."

The 2001 season has proved to be a roller coaster ride for the Morgan/Dollar Motorsports crew. They have had their best career year in the Craftsman Truck Series amassing 5 top-5s and 10 top-10 finishes in 18 races. The teams first win of the season came at another three-quarter mile oval in Memphis and Setzer is hoping to repeat that performance this weekend in Richmond.

"The only other similar sized track to Richmond we have raced this season we won, so I feel confident heading into Thursday nights race," Setzer quoted. "We had a great truck in Memphis and are bringing "Kenny" the same truck we used that day. I'm really looking forward to the Richmond race, because it marks the first of some great tracks remaining on the schedule. I think the last six races are going to mark some of the best racing this year in the Craftsman Truck Series."

The Kroger 200 under-the-lights at the Richmond International Raceway is set to get underway Thursday, September 6th beginning at 8 p.m. EST on ESPN2. A live radio broadcast can be found on MRN Radio affiliates beginning at 7:30 p.m. EST.

-MDM-