LAS VEGAS, Nevada -- Nick Parmelee was anxiously looking forward to his first ASA Speed Truck Challenge event at his home track, The Bullring at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. And he didn't go home too frustrated Saturday night following the 101-lap contest on the 3/8-mile paved oval.
After qualifying fourth and starting on the outside of the second row, he quickly moved forward into second. Then he got around leader Lee Hatch on the 21st circuit. He led the field for the next 20 rounds before Hatch regained the point the 42nd circuit. He maintained his runner-up position until late in the race. But after a lap 95 restart, he was passed by both Darren Young and Scott Dodd and dropped to fourth. Parmelee worked his way back under Dodd in the final turn to come home third in just his second Speed Truck start. That finish moves Parmelee into fourth place in the season-long Speed Truck Challenge points chase.
"The motor got a little flat," the 21-year-old Nevada native said while he was awaiting the post race inspection of his Sunworld Landscape Masonry, Western Mailing Services, PSC Motorsports Inc, John Keller Racing Engines Dodge Dakota. "I think it was floating some valves. The motor definitely needs to be refreshed before the next race (at Irwindale on May 13)."
"Yes, I am little disappointed," Parmelee went on. "But the car was handling good even though it was a little tight in the center and bit loose off."
Parmelee got his start in oval track racing with the Legend car series around Carson City. Prior to that he raced go karts. A year ago he relocated to Las Vegas and drove a super late model at The Bullring for Clark Racing. For 2006 the promising youngster branched out. He picked the Speed Truck Challenge because of "the wide variety of tracks the series runs on."
Assisting Parmelee at The Bullring were crew chief Mike Miller, Mike Haslam, John Keller, Pinky White, Aaron McCorran, and Eloy Reza.
"I'd like to really thank Al Budd and Al Budd Racing, Chuck Trickle, the Clark family, and especially John Keller. All their hard work really paid off at The Bullring," Parmelee added after his run. "But I am still looking for a primary sponsor for the rest of the year."
This was the second race of the year for the Speed Trucks. Parmelee,
currently the top running rookie in the series, qualified third and finished
eighth at Orange Show Speedway on April 15 despite having to go to the back
of the pack twice when he got collected in incidents.
