Former NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series driving champion Mike Bliss and long-time veteran crew chief Barry Dodson will reunite to run the first four NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series races for Key Motorsports in 2007. The announcement was made by team owner Curtis W. Key, Sr.

Bliss will first drive the #40 Curtis Key Plumbing Chevrolet Silverado in the season opening Chevy Silverado HD 250 at the Daytona International Speedway on February 16. He’ll continue the limited opportunity at the races in California on February 23, Atlanta on March 16 and Martinsville on March 31. All are combination race weekends with the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series in which Bliss has a full-time ride in 2007.

Bliss and Dodson first teamed together in 1995 when as a rookie, Bliss earned his first career victory in the Craftsman Truck Series at the North Wilkesboro Speedway. It was Dodson’s very first outing as crew chief for owner Jim Smith’s Team ASE/Ultra Wheels Ford, and the Bliss/Dodson duo would visit Victory Lane five more times through the 1998 campaign when Dodson left the Series.

During their 81 NCTS races together, Bliss and Dodson earned 28 top 5 and 41 top 10 finishes, captured 13 pole positions, finished in the top 10 in the championship standings every year and earned nearly $1,500,000 in race winnings and point fund money. Bliss, who went on to capture the NCTS title in 2002, had a best point standing finish under Dodson’s rule of fourth in 1997.

“I have always felt that Mike (Bliss) was one of the best racers in the business,” said Dodson, who actually helped save Bliss’ first job in NASCAR with Smith’s team in 1995 when he joined the team on the Thursday preceding the North Wilkesboro race. “Jimmy was ready to fire Mike, but I told Jimmy (Smith) what I felt about Bliss’ ability. Winning that race at North Wilkesboro with the likes of Darrell Waltrip, Jeff Burton and Ernie Irvan in the field I guess made me out to be a prophet, “Dodson added.

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