This driver got off to a sluggish start in his 2005 NASCAR season, but when he got back on track, he went right to the top.

He earned three wins in four starts and is now in prime position to capture the series championship.

Another story on Tony Stewart? Nope.

Try Newton, N.C., native Dennis Setzer, who has rocketed to the points lead in the NASCAR Truck Series behind just one finish worse than fourth in his past six races.

Setzer, known as a short-track ace in the series, has found his success this season on the series’ speedways with wins at Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn, Mich.; The Milwaukee Mile in West Allis, Wis.; and Kentucky Speedway in Sparta, Ky. – all 1-mile or longer in length.

With visions of a their first championship floating around Setzer’s No. 46 Morgan-Dollar Motorsports team, the driver remains committed to not looking beyond the next race.

“If we focus on our performance for the next race on the schedule, our consistency and strong finishes will continue. We would like to get a couple more wins this season but the competition is so tough every race, winning is quite an accomplishment for any team and driver,” said Setzer, 45.

Dennis Setzer leads the field during a race in 2004 at Michigan International Speedway.

“To win races and championships, you have to stay focused on each race and not jump ahead. Having been in the championship hunt the past two seasons helps to understand how to keep a good balance as the season unfolds.”

The 2005 season didn’t start off as championship-caliber.

Setzer finished 10th or lower in three of the season’s first four races and had dropped to 14th in points following his 33rd-place finish at Martinsville, Va., typically one of his stronger tracks.

The next week he finished second at St. Louis, and since he’s finished no lower than 13th, including his stretch of three wins in four races.

Some good fortune has also come Setzer’s way during his run.

At Kentucky, he was running second to Terry Cook when Cook had a flat tire three laps from the scheduled finish. Setzer inherited the lead then held off Todd Bodine to win in a green-white-checkered finish.

“Winning races is what wins championships,” Setzer said. “We are focused on winning races right now. These are sweet wins for our team.”

Setzer is no stranger to success – he has been in position to win Truck championships in the past. But never has he made so many visits to Victory Lane so early in one season. In 1999 and 2003, Setzer earned three wins total in each season, with four of the six on short tracks.

Setzer has been racing for more than 20 years. He raced up and down the East Coast racking up seven track championships at four different tracks – mostly in the Late Model and Sportsman divisions.

He won two Busch Series races in 1994 – on the short tracks of Hickory, N.C., and South Boston, Va. He also has seven Cup series starts to his credit.

While a steady performer in the Truck series, this season Setzer and his No. 46 Chevrolet appear to have diversified their success, a key to any championship hopes.

With 11 races remaining, Setzer enjoys a 158-point advantage over his nearest rival, Ted Musgrave. Last year’s champion, Bobby Hamilton, is third, 163 points back.

“There are several other guys who have competed as long in the series but haven’t been able to have consistent equipment throughout their career to be able to (win consistently),” Setzer said.

“It is getting harder and harder to keep up. The level of competition has grown so much in the years I have been in it. It is going to be tougher and tougher to get top fives and top 10s on a consistent basis.”