Daytona, FL: A strong run in the #31 Dodge ended early for Joe Aramendia at Daytona when the "Big One' took place midway through the 250 mile event.
"We were just laying back and Joe said the truck had what it took to get up there so we gave him the go-ahead. He's a racer and when he felt the power to go he went. Unfortunately we got caught up in the wreck everyone looks to avoid," said Shelly Brevak. A loose oil line forced the #31 Aramendia Plumbing/RepairOne® Dodge to pit road shortly after the drop of the green flag. Finding themselves two laps down from the get-go the team knew it would have to keep plugging away to put themselves back in contention for a solid finish. Two fortunate cautions came about, allowing Aramendia to receive NASCAR's "Lucky Dog" pass not only once, but twice, putting the #31 Dodge back on the lead lap.
"We were fortunate to find ourselves with two opportunities to take advantage of the Lucky Dog pass. Our Dodge was just a humming from turn to turn and our driver was determined to make his way towards the front," said Brevak.
t wasn't until lap 50 that the luck of the #31 ran out when two trucks tangled coming out of turn four kicking off a frantic scence which would claim 17 trucks in the end.
"All Bob (Brevak, spotter) could tell Joe was to find a hole," said Shelly Brevak. "Smoke filled the air and Bob, nor Joe, could see anything. Joe did his best to find a hole, but was gathered up in the wreck. It was very unfortunate, but great to see that Joe was not injured," finished Brevak.
Brevak Racing found themselves in the thick of an action-packed NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series season opener. The team certainly had high hopes of being in contention when the checkered flag dropped, but found themselves to be a victim of circumstance. As an Japanese proverb states: "Fall seven times, stand up eight." And that is exactly what the #31 team will do, placing Daytona behind them, in an effort to move forward to a successful 2004 campaign.