Texas Speedzone - Roper Battles to Take USRA Truck Series Win at San Antonio Speedway, 6/3/06

For Immediate Release – June 4, 2006
Contact: Nick Holt, USRA Media Director
(210) 415-1251
(210) 690-8564
cnholt@sbcglobal.net
nick@texasspeedzone.com

Roper Battles to Take USRA Truck Series Win at San Antonio Speedway

San Antonio, TX (June 4, 2006) – United States Racing Association (USRA) Truck Series driver Craig Roper had to work for it, but superior handling at the end helped him take the checkered flag at the USRA Magnum Trailers 50 presented by TexasSpeedZone.Com Saturday night at San Antonio (TX) Speedway.

Roper, who started sixth in the strong 14-truck field, systematically worked his way past the leaders and with 10 laps remaining was finally able to squeeze by race leader Bryan Meredith who had held the point since the drop of the green flag.

Once by Meredith, Roper began to pull away by a few car lengths and it appeared that he was on his way to victory circle. But a caution flag that waved for a stalled truck on the front straight with only three laps remaining evaporated Roper’s hard-earned lead.

On the restart Meredith, who had been battling Steve Green for several laps to keep the second spot, got a great jump and poked his truck between Roper and Green going into turn one, making it a three-wide battle for the lead. Unfortunately, Meredith’s truck lost its grip in the middle of the turn and as they exited turn two it was Roper who prevailed. Meredith recovered and fell into place behind Green.

Roper then was able to pull away and won by a comfortable half-straightaway over Green, Meredith, Jody Buzbee and defending USRA Truck Series Champion Shawn Paul Lehman.

“We’ve really focused on the handling on the truck this year,” Roper said after the race. “We’ve been fast all day, but we had a little problem in qualifying. We found the problem right away and the truck was just awesome after that. It’s all coming together for us right now. We made some contact with a few of the trucks on my way to the front and that may have looked bad, but the front end of our truck is really soft so we can use it and not spin somebody. It looks bad, but it’s not that bad.”

Meredith, who led for most of the race, experienced some handing issues towards the end.

“Towards the end there it started getting loose there,” Meredith explained. “But I tried to stay with it. It tried to do what I could do on that restart, but I just couldn’t make it stick. I have been driving for four years, so I’ve got a little bit of experience out there. We almost pulled it off.”

Green, who started in the third spot, complimented his fellow USRA Truck Series drivers after the race.

“I was just about content to ride in third place there on the last three laps,” Green said. “But when we came off turn four I saw Bryan’s truck get loose and I took the opportunity and was able to stick it in and it stuck and I was able to get around him. I was on the inside when Bryan (Meredith) made it three wide and was able to motor on when he slid up the track a little bit. There was quite a bit of bumping going on but everybody gave a little bit tonight. You’d get touched, but not knocked sideways. I know I did it myself and the 28 truck (Shawn Paul Lehman) did it to me a few times and I know the 40 truck (Craig Roper) Bryan (Meredith) did it too. It was a really clean race and everyone gave each other some respect out there.”

The race was slowed by two caution periods, one for the stalled truck and the other for a major accident involving Bud Carroll. Something went awry on his truck as he sped into the third turn and he slammed full force into the retaining wall. His truck momentarily caught fire but extinguished itself shortly after the truck ground to a stop up against the wall. Carroll was able to walk away from the wreck, but his truck was demolished.

The USRA Truck Series returns to San Antonio Speedway along with the USRA Modified Series on June 24 for a 50-lap feature event.

USRA Truck Series Results at San Antonio Speedway, 6/3/06

1. (40) Craig Roper, Vernon, TX, 50 Laps
2. (54) Steve Green, Marble Falls, TX, 50
3. (30) Bryan Meredith, Austin, TX, 50
4. (1) Jody Buzbee, Waco, TX, 50
5. (28) Shawn Paul Lehman, Manchaca, TX, 50
6. (07) Rusty Mirth, Austin, TX, 50
7. (88) Chad Wheeler, Muskogee, OK, 50
8. (31) Jim Albert, Lockhart, TX, 50
9. (38) Cameron Moore, Jr., Buda, TX, 50
10. (32) Neal Rogers, Luling, TX, 50
11. (42) Jason Marshall, TX, 47
12. (72) Brent Bell, Katy, TX, 46
13. (18) Bud Carroll, Streetman, TX, 23
14. (64) Terry McCoul, Brookshire, TX, 21

Qualifying Times:
1. (31) 20.934 Albert
2. (54) 20.951 Green
3. (30) 21.047 Meredith
4. (28) 21. 062 Lehman
5. (1) 21.107 Buzbee
6. (40) 21.143 Roper
7. (42) 21.225 Marshall
8. (18) 21.394 Carroll
9. (07) 21.803 Mirth
10. (88) 21.872 Wheeler
11. (72) 22.286 Bell
12. (38) 22.297 Moore
13. (64) 22.518 McCoul
14. (32) No Time Rogers

Margin of Victory 2.5 seconds
Lap Leaders: (30) Meredith led 1 - 38, (40) Roper led 39 – 50

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