Hamilton "Knocked" Out of a Solid Finish in Phoenix

Bobby Hamilton, Jr. and the McDonald’s Ford Fusion Racing Team traveled west for Friday Night action at the Phoenix International Raceway.  The flat one mile track produces tight racing and excitement under the lights for racing fans in the desert.

The action was a little too tight for Hamilton on lap 95 of 200.

While racing into turn three, the McDonald’s Ford was hit and slammed into the outside of the turn three wall.  The car suffered serious damage and required major repair work. Crew Chief Chris Wright led a 50 lap repair job on the car, allowing Hamilton to return to action for the finish of the event.  Instead of a top-20 finish, Hamilton was saddled with a 34th place finish after starting the even in 19th position.  With the setback, Hamilton dropped to ninth in the Busch Series Point’s Championship.

“This is a disappointing way to finish the race,” said Hamilton. “Our car wasn’t perfect tonight, but we should have been able to finish inside the top twenty and move on to Talladega.  We will rebound and do our best to take the McDonald’s Ford to the front of the pack next week.”

Next up for the series is the annual trip to Talladega Superspeedway.  Count on 185mph, side by side racing next Saturday afternoon.  Check your local listings for broadcast times on ESPN.