Competitors, officials and fans will remember one of the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series’ most popular champions at Memphis Motorsports Park on Saturday – an occasion Tennessee Gov. Phil Bredesen has proclaimed “Bobby Hamilton Day. ”
Pre-race ceremonies will be carried live on SPEED.
Hamilton, who succumbed earlier this year to cancer, won the 2004 O’Reilly 200. The Nashville area native was the Bud Pole winner in 2000.
“We are very honored that people want to pay their respects to Bobby in such a way, ” said Lori Hamilton, the late driver’s widow. “Going to the tracks for the first time without him is hard but paying tribute to Bobby helps us remember the good times we had as a team. ”
Longtime friend and fellow competitor Ken Schrader is driving Hamilton’s No. 18 Fastenal Dodge. He’ll be making his first appearance at Memphis Motorsports Park. Schrader has one goal in mind – win.
“It would be a great tribute to him to win this year, ” he said. “I’m going to do my best to make sure that happens. ”
