Hamilton Moves to 11th in Point Standings Following Las Vegas Race

Bobby Hamilton, Jr., driver of the No. 35 McDonald’s NASCAR Busch Series Ford Fusion stands in 11th place following the Sam’s Town 300.  The Greenbrier, TN resident climbed four positions in the point’s championship after a strong 14th place run at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.  Contact in a mid-race collision prevented Hamilton from finishing inside the top-ten.

The weekend started on a positive note as Hamilton was among the fastest cars in practice. Crew Chief Chris Wright and the McDonald’s team worked hard to find a perfect chassis combination and were rewarded for their hard work.  The team was determined to improve the handling on the McDonalds’s Ford following the California Busch Series race two weeks ago.  In that race, Hamilton struggled with the chassis the entire afternoon and finished outside the top-twenty.

Saturday’s 200 lap race was held under sunny skies and in front of 110,000 race fans. Located just ten miles from the Las Vegas strip, the mile and a half superspeedway has become a favorite of race fans across the country. 

After qualifying in the 22nd position, Hamilton began to move towards the front of the pack.  The McDonald’s Ford was handling well and all eyes were focused on a top-ten finish.  The front end damage in the mid-race multi-car accident provided a small setback, but the team refused to give up.  Quick repairs were made and Hamilton returned to the race without losing a lap.

The checkered flag waved on lap 200 with Hamilton in 14th position.

“Today was a positive day for Team McDonald’s,” said Hamilton.  “We are running better each week and now we head to my favorite track next week, Atlanta.  Chris and all the guys on the team worked hard this weekend and I appreciate it.”

Jeff Burton captured the win by passing Kyle Busch just a few feet from the finish line.   The Busch Series will crank their engines again at The Atlanta Motor Speedway on Saturday afternoon, check your local listings for broadcast times in your area.