Chaffin gets first career Truck Series victory

DOVER, Del. (AP) -- Chad Chaffin took the lead during a caution period and held on over the last 52 laps Friday at Dover International Speedway for his first victory in the NASCAR truck series.

Chaffin is the sixth different winner in the first six races -- a series record.

	Chaffin led the final 51 laps Friday. Credit: Autostock

"It's been a long time coming," Chaffin said. "There were people at the top level who said Chad Chaffin couldn't win."

Team owner and fellow racer Bobby Hamilton wasn't among them.

"He believed in me," Chaffin said. "I still didn't know if this day would ever come."

It almost didn't. A tire problem early in race forced Chaffin to pit, enabling him to have plenty of gas and avoid a late stop that took dominant Mike Skinner out of contention.

MBNA AMERICA 200 Chad Chaffin celebrates his first career NCTS victory Play video Brad Keselowski's engine blows in dramatic fashion Play video Parker and Crawford review their performances Play video  •  Unofficial Results  •  Unofficial Standings

"That was a blessing at the time," Chaffin said of the caution that gave him the lead. "It's about time we got some good luck."

The caution, which came out when Kevin Love spun on the frontstretch at The Monster Mile, was a bad break for former Craftsman Series champion Skinner.

Skinner, back in the series as a regular for the first time since 1996, was on the verge of giving upstart Toyota its first win in one of NASCAR's top three series. Instead, Chaffin won in a Dodge.

"What a hot rod. This thing was awesome," said Skinner, who led a race-high 85 laps. "The yellow flag has been the biggest enemy of the 42 Tundra all year."

Chaffin led only once and wound up beating Rick Crawford by .382 seconds. The victory came in the former Busch Series driver's 38th Truck Series start.

	Rick Crawford finished second on Friday. Credit: Autostock

Chaffin was rolling toward an easy win when Kevin Weaver hit the wall on the frontstretch on Lap 190. Chaffin held off a determined bid from Crawford after the race went green for the final four laps and won by three truck-lengths.

After Crawford's Ford came the Toyotas of Hank Parker Jr. and Skinner, then Ken Schrader's Chevrolet.

Series leader Dennis Setzer finished 18th, and is 20 points ahead of Carl Edwards. He started on the pole and finished 14th.

Chaffin averaged 98.996 mph in a race slowed for 42 laps by six cautions. There were four lead changes among four drivers.