Columnist Brian Hilderbrand: LV’s Kingsland just misses in truck qualifying

Tuesday, Aug. 5, 2003 | 9:45 a.m.

Brian Hilderbrand covers motor sports for the Las Vegas Sun. His motor sports notebook appears Friday. He can be reached at bh@lasvegassun.com or (702) 259-4089.

INDIANAPOLIS -- Casey Kingsland's first taste of the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series proved to be quite a learning experience.

Kingsland, an 18-year-old Eldorado High graduate, attempted to qualify for Friday's Truck Series race at Indianapolis Raceway Park but missed starting in the top 32 by half a second.

The remaining four spots in the 36-truck field were filled via provisionals based on owners' points. The team for which Kingsland was driving, MLB Motorsports, was fifth in line for a spot and Kingsland's Truck Series debut was over almost before it started.

"I just needed more track time," said Kingsland, who logged only 18 laps during pre-race practice due to a myriad of problems with the Dodge truck.

"The truck, coming here, wasn't ready. When they came here, they had to put on little minor things here and there and fix things. It didn't pass tech the first time, body-wise, so they had to shave that all down; that's all stuff that needs to be done at the shop."

When he finally did get on the track for practice, the handling was off and he had to make repeated stops in an attempt to correct that.

"Every time we went out there, we came back in and got better and better," Kingsland said. "Then, in qualifying, we went out and picked up two seconds because we made a huge change.

"I just needed two more seconds."

Friday's race was to be the first of five Truck Series events Kingsland was to attempt this season in the No. 66 Spring Air/Amerimist Dodge. Because he did not make the race, however, Kingsland said he wasn't sure if NASCAR would allow him to attempt the Sept. 5 race at Richmond International Raceway.

NASCAR typically requires inexperienced drivers to prove themselves at smaller tracks -- such as the .686-mile IRP -- before racing at bigger tracks. Because Richmond is a three-quarter-mile oval, and he had no problems in his limited time on the track at IRP, Kingsland said he was hopeful NASCAR would allow him to attempt the Richmond race.

Although his time on the track Friday was severely limited, Kingsland said he felt comfortable making the leap from the Mechanix Wear Speed Trucks to the more powerful NASCAR trucks.

"Actually, it really wasn't any different than the Speed Trucks," Kingsland said. "If you've got the handling down to where it's at least drivable, it's just about like driving every other racecar.

"I think, with the right equipment, we would have been right up there with (the veteran drivers)."

"I have a contract for next year but I'm exploring some options for 2004 and (Davis) is doing the same," Burton said. He cited philosophical differences as the reason for the discord with Davis.

Burton has won five races since joining Davis in 1995, including the 2002 Daytona 500. He is winless and 22nd in points this season.

Tracy, who is battling for the CART championship this season, has said in the past that he would like to move to NASCAR when his open-wheel racing days are over. That could come sooner rather than later as CART is having financial problems and Tracy's sponsor with Forsythe Racing, Player's brand cigarettes, is leaving the team at season's end.