Notes: Hamilton's widow runs race team in his honor

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- The late Bobby Hamilton, the 2004 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series champion, took pride in the fact his team -- no matter the odds -- never gave up.

The 14 months since his January 2007 death provided challenges that well would have sunk lesser groups.

Lori Hamilton

Driver changes, lost sponsorship and a move from the Nashville area to Martinsville, Va., proved daunting, but ultimately led to redemption.

Dennis Setzer drove the team's No. 18 Dodge to a convincing win this past Saturday in the Kroger 250 at Martinsville Speedway (watch video). Setzer's third Martinsville victory came in the team's 73rd start since Hamilton's last victory at Mansfield Motorsports Park in May 2005 (read more).

"Obviously, the emotions are running high right now.," said Hamilton's widow, Lori. "We all said after Bobby passed away if we couldn't do it with him, then we would do it in honor of him.

"So to win at Martinsville, which is now our new home track in the fashion that Dennis did, is an amazing accomplishment for us and our new-found partners and family."

She added, "This win is about all those race fans, Bobby's friends and the employees that not only stood behind us last year and worked through a lot of hardships, but those who continued to stick behind us this year and our new-found employees doing it for one man -- Bobby Hamilton."

Setzer, who joined the team this past September, said, "Lori brought this team through some really hard times last season and did a tremendous job of holding everyone together. This year, she partnered with another group of smart businessmen and racers to help her and it's working."

Setzer snaps Dodge's long winless streak

Dodge's record-NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series winless streak reached 72 races in early March at Atlanta Motor Speedway.

Thanks to Martinsville master Setzer, the drought is over.

Kyle Busch's (No. 51 Toyota) victory at Lowe's Motor Speedway on May 20, 2005 signaled the beginning of the streak for -- ironically -- the previous season's manufacturer champion.

Ford's 27-race non-winning streak between September 2004 and September 2005 stands as the second-longest in Craftsman Truck history. The truck maker's 10-race drought, dating to Talladega this past October, is the series' current longest.

Toyota, which entered the series in 2004, required just 13 races to capture its first win but in October of the same season, ran into a 15-race dry spell that lasted until Todd Bodine's (No. 30 Toyota) July 2 victory at Kansas Speedway.

Chevrolet, winner of six manufacturers' championships, has the fewest consecutive losses between wins -- 12 -- in 2000. (Continued)