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NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Champions Feted In Season-Ending Festivities

HOLLYWOOD, Fla. (Nov. 17, 2008) – In a season of firsts – and the final one for longtime series sponsor Craftsman – Johnny Benson and his Bill Davis Racing team celebrated the 2008 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series championship Monday night during the series’ awards banquet at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino.

Benson, 45, became the series’ 10th different champion by finishing seventh in Sunday night’s Ford 200 at Homestead-Miami Speedway. He also became only the second competitor to win the truck series title and the NASCAR Nationwide title, having captured the latter in 1995. Greg Biffle is the other driver to have won both

BELOW..NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series champion Johnny Benson stands with (left to right) daughter Mikayla, wife Debbie and daughter Katelyn in the Seminole Paradise Courtyard at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Fla.

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The 13 years between championships is the longest in NASCAR national series history.

Owners Bill and Gail Davis and crew chief Trip Bruce also became NASCAR Craftsman Truck champions for the first time as Benson edged Ron Hornaday Jr. by seven points in the third-closest title race since the organization adopted its current national series points structure in 1975.

There has been a different champion each year since 2000 as the series concluded its 14th season.

Benson joined Bill Davis Racing in mid-2004 on a race-to-race basis and became a fulltime driver in 2005. He finished third in the standings a year ago after placing runnerup to Todd Bodine in 2006.

Over the course of the three seasons, Benson has won 14 races.

“Winning the championship for Bill and Gail Davis and BDR has been great. When I got the call from Bill (in 2004), we had two main goals. To win races and win a championship,” said Benson, from Grand Rapids, Mich.

“We have accomplished those goals. I am excited about being Craftsman's last champion and being the ambassador for (news series sponsor) Camping World. We are going to enjoy this off season.”

The championship was the first for the Davises, who have operated a NASCAR team for more than two decades and won the 2002 Daytona 500 with driver Ward Burton.

“Winning a championship is what NASCAR is all about; the ultimate goal,” said Bill Davis in his banquet remarks. “For Gail and me, we have been lucky enough to be in the championship hunt for the last three seasons.  We have been so close so many times.”

BELOW..(Left to right) NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series champion owners Bill and Gail Davis, Debbie Benson and husband, NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series champion Johnny Benson, Tanya Hall and No. 23 crew chief Trip Bruce celebrate their 2008 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series title in the Seminole Paradise Courtyard at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Fla.

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Bruce, a 31-year-old Chester, Va., native, teamed with Benson for the past two seasons. Their nine victories rank No. 2 in the series over the two-year period.

During 2008, Benson and the team collected awards of $1,181,997 – most in series history.

Benson was also named the series’ Most Popular Driver for the third consecutive season. It marked the first time that fans could vote for the award.

Craftsman, the series’ presenting sponsor in 1995 and full entitlement sponsor since the following season, will be succeeded by Camping World under a seven-year agreement beginning in 2009. The series will be known as the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series.

BELOW..While accepting the Top Chevrolet Award at the 2008 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Awards Banquet Monday at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Fla., owner Kevin Harvick salutes Johnny Benson and the No. 23 team for beating Harvick's own No. 33 truck, driven by Ron Hornaday Jr., for the title.

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“Over our 14-year span we’ve crowned 10 different champions in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series and have been proud to watch many of our series stars go on to become great heroes of NASCAR,” said Mike Cassar, Craftsman brand manager. “While our role will change going forward, Craftsman will remain as the Official Tools of NASCAR.”

The 2009 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series season will begin Feb. 13 at Daytona International Speedway.

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Johnny Benson celebrates winning the 2008 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series championship after beating Ron Hornaday Jr. by seven points. Benson finished the Ford 200 seventh, one position ahead of Hornaday.

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Todd Bodine finishes season where it started... In Victory Lane

Todd Bodine may have won Friday night's Ford 200 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway, but a pair of calls in the pits earned Johnny Benson a seventh-place finish—exactly what he needed to secure the series championship.

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After pitting for four tires under caution on Lap 126, Ron Hornaday Jr. chased Benson to the stripe during a green-white-checkered-flag finish that took the race three laps beyond its scheduled 134-lap distance. Hornaday came home eighth, one position behind Benson and one position short of his fourth series championship.

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Benson's team changed plans at the last second and kept the No. 23 Toyota on the track during that caution, and that decision proved to be the winning move.

Benson won the championship by seven points over his Chevy-driving rival and is the only driver other than Greg Biffle to win titles in both the Craftsman Truck and Nationwide Series.

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Benson restarted sixth and Hornaday 13th on Lap 130, and Hornaday gained four spots to ninth before Tayler Malsam and Jack Sprague wrecked on the backstretch to set up the two-lap sprint to the finish.

Bodine beat rookie Brian Scott to the finish line by .232 seconds, with Kevin Harvick running third, Kyle Busch fourth and Dennis Setzer fifth.

"It was only fun at the end -- not at the beginning or the middle," said a delighted Benson, who fought handling problems early in the race. "If those guys didn't come in, I might have come in, but when they came in, I knew what he (crew chief Trip Bruce) wanted to do, so I stayed out. . .

"All these guys behind me that worked on this thing are great friends. We've worked very hard to make this happen. Tonight was about Trip Bruce making the right calls.

Hornaday had radio problems late in the race and couldn't communicate to crew chief Rick Ren that he preferred not to pit under the caution on Lap 126.

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"It was an awesome day for us until that last call," Hornaday said. "We didn't know all those guys (trucks that came out of the pits ahead of Hornaday) were going to take two tires and get out in front of us. But Johnny Benson and those guys had a great year, and we came up one position short."

Benson's two-tire call under caution on his final pit stop gave him the lead with 43 laps left and transformed the race from ho-hum to humdinger. Benson held the lead for a restart on Lap 95 with Hornaday in tow. Less than one lap later, Busch stormed into the mix from sixth position and kept Hornaday occupied until he took the lead for himself.

On old left-side tires, Benson began to fade and had dropped to seventh by Lap 117. Hornaday surrendered the second spot to Scott but appeared headed for the championship before polesitter Mike Skinner's blown right front tire bought out the fourth caution of the race on Lap 124.

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Homestead-Miami Speedway was the first track of more than a mile in length to be added to the NASCAR Craftsman Truck schedule and hosted the 1996 season-opening race won by Dave Rezendes. The South Florida facility has hosted the season finale since the 2002 season with each race deciding the championship.

Up Next: ‘08 Awards Banquet

Competitors barely have an opportunity to catch their breath as the 2008 season officially comes to a close on Monday, Nov. 17, with the annual Awards Banquet.

For the second year, the festivities will be held at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel in Hollywood, Fla., a few miles north of Miami.

The event marks the eighth time that South Florida has hosted the salute to the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series champion and other award winners.

Comedian Tom Papa, a regular contributor to “The Tonight Show With Jay Leno” and other late night television programs, is the featured entertainment. Island Records artist Jon McLaughlin also will perform.

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Harvick Captures Lucas Oil 150

Kevin Harvick held off hard-charging Kyle Busch to win Friday night's Lucas Oil 150 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race at Phoenix International Raceway, as title contenders Ron Hornaday and Johnny Benson struggled to wreck-plagued finishes that left them three points apart with one race left.

Benson takes a three-point lead to the season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway, the smallest margin with one race left in series history. The previous low margin was Hornaday's 13-point advantage over Jack Sprague in 1998; when Hornaday went on to win the title.

Harvick, who owns the No. 33 Chevrolet that Hornaday drives, finished .941 seconds ahead of Busch, who had stopped for tires on Lap 130 and charged through the field to the second position. Todd Bodine was third, followed by rookie Brian Scott and Mike Skinner.

A succession of troubles dropped Hornaday to 25th and Benson to 26th at the finish and allowed Hornaday to trim three points from Benson's lead entering the race.

From Hornaday's perspective, the championship battle took a turn for the worse on the first lap. Starting from the pole, Hornaday raced side-by-side with Busch into Turn 3, and as the trucks rolled through the corner, the rear of Hornaday's Chevrolet slid out, starting a spin that would see the defending series champion slam nose-first into the outside wall.

Hornaday's truck slid down across the track, only to be broadsided by J.R. Fitzpatrick's Chevy. Benson's Toyota sustained damage on the right side as it clipped Hornaday's crippled truck on the way past.

"I was a little bit frustrated on that first lap, seeing that 33 turned around, but it worked out for us," said Harvick, who picked up the third truck series win of his career and his first since 2003. "In one sense, you think you've lost the championship, but it's never over till it's over."

After hasty repairs in the garage, Hornaday returned to the track 29 laps down and worked his way back to 29th before an accident involving Benson and T.J. Bell sent the points leader to the garage on Lap 87 for extensive repairs.

By the time Benson returned to the track, Hornaday had passed him for the 25th position, and neither could improve the rest of the way.

"I don't know what to really think," Benson said." It seemed like everyone was gunning for me and Ron. It was a bad night for both of us."

• Six Points Separate Title Contenders Benson, Hornaday
• Nothing Decided Among Many Top-10 Battlers
• Busch’s Texas Finish Gives Toyota Manufacturers’ Crown

The 2008 Championship: With Two To Go, It’s Never Been Closer

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Nov. 3, 2008) – Forgive Ron Hornaday Jr. (No. 33 VFW Chevrolet) for experiencing déjà vu — again.

Hornaday captured Friday’s Chevy Silverado 350K at Texas Motor Speedway to draw to within six points of championship leader Johnny Benson (No. 23 Toyota Certified Used Vehicles Toyota) with two races remaining in the 2008 season.

A year ago, Hornaday left Texas trailing Benson’s teammate, Mike Skinner (No. 5 Toyota Tundra Toyota), by 57 points but staged the second-largest comeback in series history to claim his third title.

Benson’s lead, which was 65 points after his Oct. 18 victory at Martinsville Speedway, is the narrowest in the series’ 14 years with two races remaining.

The previous closest contest at this stage of the season was 2004 when Bobby Hamilton led Dennis Setzer (No. 18 Dodge Dealers Dodge) by seven points. Hamilton went on to win the title.

Benson hasn’t exactly rolled over, finishing third in Texas after his Martinsville victory and a seventh-place finish at Atlanta Motor Speedway on Oct. 25.

Hornaday has won six times in 2008 to Benson’s five. Each has 14 top-five and 17 top-10 finishes.

“This is unbelievable; I just can’t seem to shake him,” said Hornaday looking forward to this Friday’s Lucas 150 at Phoenix International Raceway.

“This is fun. This is what racing is all about.”

Benson Vs. Hornaday At Phoenix: Pick ’Em

Don’t expect any quick knockout when the 2008 NASCAR Craftsman Truck championship battle arrives in the Valley of the Sun this week.

Statistically speaking, the top contenders mirror one another at Phoenix International Raceway.

Both have victories at the one-mile speedway.

Benson’s victory, in 2006, is most recent. Hornaday, a two-time winner in 1998 and 1999, finished second in 2005 and a year ago.

Hornaday’s team, Kevin Harvick Inc., boasts two Phoenix victories; Benson’s Bill Davis Racing, one.

Benson has finished among the top 10 in 85.6% of his seven starts. Hornaday’s top-10 percentage over 13 appearances is 84.6.

Over the past three seasons, Benson’s Driver Rating is 118.7 vs. Hornaday’s 112.0.

Tale Of The Tape

Here’s a head-to-head look at how Benson and Hornaday have performed at Phoenix.
                         Benson       Hornaday
Races                    7                   13 
Wins                      1                    2
Top 5s                    4                    8
Top 10s                  6                   11
Worst Finish          17                   13 (2 times)
DNFs                      0                    0
Laps Led               134                152
Driver Rating*        118.7              112.0
*2005-07 seasons

Director’s Take: Wayne’s Words

“Returning to Phoenix International Raceway is always special. Although it’s doubtful anyone will clinch this year’s championship here, we’ll always remember 1995 and Mike Skinner’s inaugural championship victory.

“The 20th race capped off a great first year for the series which also began at Phoenix where Mike edged Terry Labonte by the nose of his truck to win the inaugural event.

“If you look at the track layout, Phoenix really is five race tracks in one. Every turn is different. The frontstretch is long and the dogleg is the backstretch.

“Entry into the final turn, then getting the truck to accelerate, is what it’s all about. There have been some great passes there  — not the least of which was Mike catching Terry.

“The track’s pit road is unique, not only running the length of the frontstretch but actually curving alongside Turn 1. It’s a long way to the last speed line; drivers have to carefully watch their rpms so as not to get a speeding penalty.

“The last 10 races have produced nine different winners. Even though Johnny Benson and Ron Hornaday have great records including victories at Phoenix, that’s no guarantee that either will wind up in Victory Lane.

“One thing is certain. This week’s race will be a great setup for the 2008 finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway on Nov. 14.”
   — Wayne Auton, NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Director

This Week’s NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Leaders
(Through 23 races of the 25-race season)
Points leader – Johnny Benson
Driver Rating – Ron Hornaday Jr. (117.7)
Laps led – Ron Hornaday Jr. (1,289)
Victories – Ron Hornaday, Jr. (6)
Keystone Light Poles – Ron Hornaday Jr. with five
Top-five finishes – Johnny Benson, Ron Hornaday Jr. with 14
Top-10 finishes – 3 drivers with 17
Raybestos Rookie Leader – Colin Braun
Races led – Ron Hornaday Jr. (19)
Weeks in Top 10 – Three drivers with 23

Phoenix International Raceway is where it all began on Feb. 5, 1995. The track hosted two races a year through 1998 then moved to a single date in the fall in 1999. Phoenix is one of four one-mile tracks on the current schedule. Ron Hornaday Jr. is the only series competitor to have won at all four.

In The Loop:

The tightest championship battle with two races remaining is about to get a little tighter. At least that is what the statistics suggest.

Points leader Johnny Benson and second-place Ron Hornaday Jr. are neck-and-neck in the standings, separated by only six points. Statistically at Phoenix, they mirror each other in practically every key Loop Data category.

Since the inception of Loop Data in 2005, Benson has an average finish of 3.7, which includes a win in 2006. Over the last three Phoenix races, Benson has a Driver Rating of 118.7, an Average Running Position of 6.8, 54 Fastest Laps Run and 400 Laps in the Top 15 (88.9%).

Over that span, Hornaday has a Driver Rating of 112.0, an Average Running Position of 6.5, 19 Fastest Laps Run and 446 Laps in the Top 15 (99.1%). Hornaday has two Phoenix wins in his career, and two runner-up finishes in the last three Phoenix races.

Todd Bodine, though 223 points out, is still mathematically in title contention. Phoenix seems like the perfect track to start the improbable climb. He has finished in the top 10 in each of the last three races, winning in 2005. In that span, Bodine has a Driver Rating of 117.2, an Average Running Position of 6.6, 47 Fastest Laps Run and 403 Laps in the Top 15 (89.6%).

Manufacturers’ Battle Ends: Toyota Clinches Title In Texas

For the third consecutive season, Toyota has won the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series’ Manufacturers’ championship. Kyle Busch’s second-place finish last Friday at Texas Motor Speedway was enough to eliminate Chevrolet.

Toyota previously captured the NASCAR Nationwide Series title.

“When we entered the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series in 2004, we knew that our success would be a product of the teams and people we aligned ourselves with to carry the Toyota banner,” said Lee White, president and general manager of TRD, U.S.A. “To win a third straight manufacturers’ championship in this highly-competitive series is a testament to the hard work and dedication of all our race teams and everyone at TRD and Triad.

Toyota has won 12 of the year’s 23 races.

NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series 2008 Manufacturers' Championship Standings Following Race 23 of 25 at Texas Motor Speedway:

Toyota     163
Chevrolet 151
Ford        108
Dodge       84

Top 10 Positions Up For Grabs In Season’s Deciding Events

Todd Bodine (No. 30 Lumber Liquidators Toyota) no doubt feels a bit lonesome as he occupies a reasonably safe third place in the championship standings.

Bodine is 223 points behind leader Benson  and has a cushion of 130 over fourth-place driver Erik Darnell (No. 99 Northern Tool + Equipment Ford).

Not mathematically out of the championship hunt, realistically about all Bodine can do is watch and try to win the final two races.

That’s hardly the case for Darnell and his trio of pursuers. To say that the fourth position is in flux would be an understatement.

Just 23 points are the difference between Darnell and Rick Crawford (No. 14 Circle Bar/Power Stroke Diesel by International Ford).

Matt Crafton (No. 88 Menard’s Chevrolet) and Skinner are sandwiched in between. Crafton is three points out of fourth; Skinner is 10 behind Crafton.

The 10th position — last to be introduced on stage at the Nov. 17 Champions Awards — has been traded several times in recent races.

Chad McCumbee (No. 8 Malcolmson Construction Chevrolet) held the spot after last week’s Atlanta race. Early troubles at Texas, however, relegated him to a 23rd-place finish and opened the door for veteran Terry Cook (No. 59 Team ASE/Harris Trucking Toyota).

Cook finished sixth, his best performance since May, to bump back into the top 10 where he leads McCumbee by 56 points.

Etc. & Quotable:

• Sprague-Phoenix Go Hand In Glove … The numbers tell the tale: Jack Sprague (No. 60 Wyler.com Toyota) owns a very large piece of Phoenix International Raceway’s record book. Sprague tops all competitors in wins (three), poles (five), top fives (nine), top 10s (13), laps run (2,157) and laps led (739).
  
  That said, the Lucas 150 represents a great opportunity for Sprague to finish off a largely forgettable 2008 with a flourish. Sprague is winless for only the second time in 11 full seasons.
  
  “This has been a very difficult season for me and I am back with Wyler Racing where we earned top-10 finishes at Phoenix the last two years,” said Sprague. “So coming to my favorite race track this week is a recipe that we need right now.”
  
  Sprague is ninth in the standings but 14 points out of eighth.
  
  
  
• Harvick Adds Phoenix Expertise To Hornaday’s Title Bid … Kevin Harvick will be back in the No. 2 American Commercial Lines Chevrolet at Phoenix on a two-fold mission. He looks for a third series victory and to assist driver Hornaday’s championship bid.
  
  “These guys don’t need a lot of advice,” he said of Hornaday and crew chief Rick Ren following the team’s Texas victory. “Every once in awhile, I put in my two cents of what I think about a situation. The advice level is low.”
  
  
  
• Busch, Wallace, Keselowski In Lucas Oil 150 … Kyle Busch (No. 51 Miccosukee Resort/NOS Energy Drink Toyota) won the 2007 edition of the event and returns to defend. Kenny Wallace will partner Busch in Billy Ballew Motorsports’ No. 15 Ergon Hyprene Tundra. Brad Keselowski, meanwhile, brings his own No. 19 Chevrolet to Phoenix. The race marks Keselowski’s first series start since Memphis 2007.
  
  
  
• Eight Phoenix Winners Compete … Eight winners of 13 races have entered the Lucas Oil 150. A Phoenix fall race — there have been 13 of them — has produced 11 different winners.
  
  
  
• Texas Pole No Help For Crawford …  Rick Crawford became the 12th different Keystone Light Pole winner at Texas Motor Speedway. Crawford won his last pole in October 2005 at Martinsville. The No. 1 starting position didn’t help Crawford end a 57-race winless streak. He failed to lead a lap and finished 11th. 
  
  
  
• Accident Ends Bell’s Top-10 Streak … T.J. Bell (No. 7 Home4theHolidays.org Chevrolet) was caught up in an accident on the second lap of the Chevy Silverado 350K, ending his personal best top-10 finishing streak at five.
  
  
  
• Faces The Same In The Lone Star State … The season and the distance may have been different but the top three finishers of June’s Sam’s Town 400 — Hornaday, Busch and Bodine — wound up one-two-three in last week’s Chevy Silverado 350K.

Rookies Learn By Doing

This year’s class of Raybestos rookie candidates are doing just fine, thank you, as judged by  their finishes in the Chevy Silverado 350K vs. June’s first race at Texas Motor Speedway.

Three freshmen, led by sixth-place Colin Braun (No. 6 Con-way Freight Ford), finished among the top 10. In the spring, the highest-finishing rookie was 12th.

Brian Scott (No. 16 Albertsons Toyota) moved into the No. 2 position behind Braun. Scott  collected his third top 10 in four races.

NASCAR Raybestos Rookie of the Year Standings after 23 races of the 2008 season:

1. Colin Braun    194
2. Brian Scott    158
3. Donny Lia     156
4. Scott Speed  139
5. Justin Marks  131
6. Marc Mitchell 108
7. Andy Lally       71

Most Popular Driver

The polls have closed. All that remains is tabulation of the ballots to determine the 2008 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series’ Most Popular Driver. The inaugural fan balloting via NASCAR.com drew 63,466 votes. The winner will be announced during the Nov. 17 Champions Awards ceremonies.

Up Next: The 2008 Season Finale

Homestead-Miami Speedway is set to host the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series finale for the seventh consecutive season. The Nov. 14 Ford 200 kicks off a tripleheader weekend that closes out the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series and NASCAR Nationwide Series as well. The NASCAR Craftsman Truck championship has been decided in South Florida in each of the seven seasons. The 1.5-mile speedway also claims the longest streak of different race winners: 12 and counting.

Fast Facts

The Race: Lucas Oil 150     
The Place: Phoenix International Raceway
The Date: Nov. 7, 2008
The Time: 8 p.m. ET
Race Distance: 150 miles/150 laps              
TV: SPEED, 7:30 p.m. ET
Radio: MRN, Sirius. Listen locally on KGME-AM 910
Track Layout: 1-Mile Oval
2007 Winner: Kyle Busch
2007 Pole: Mike Skinner
2008 Standings:
     Driver               Points
1   J. Benson         3,489
2   R. Hornaday Jr. 3,483
3   T. Bodine          3,266
4   E. Darnell          3,136
5   M. Crafton         3,133
6   M. Skinner        3,123
7   R. Crawford       3,113
8   D. Setzer          2,924
9   J. Sprague        2,910
10 T. Cook            2,804

Schedule: Thursday: Practice, 3:45-5 p.m. and 5:30-6:45 p.m. Friday: Qualifying, 2:30 p.m.

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Johnny Bensen Wins Second Straight Race at O'Reilly Raceway Park

First-time pole sitter Bobby East lead the Craftsman Truck Series field to the green flag to start the Power Stroke Diesel 200 at O'Reilly Raceway Park.

Ron Hornaday Jr. made the move to pass Bobby East on Lap 5 of the Power Stroke Diesel 200 at O'Reilly Raceway Park. Hornaday kept the lead until Lap 86.

Johnny Benson spent the first half of the Power Stroke Diesel 200 battling Jack Sprague for second. Sprague was involved in a late-race accident and finished 17th.

Johnny Benson trailed Ron Hornaday from laps 91 to 161 before taking the lead for good.

Randy Moss (right), owner of the No. 81 Rascal Flatts Chevrolet truck receives a racing jacket from Mark Cassis, Vice President and General Manager of Kentucky Speedway during a press conference before the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Built Ford Tough 225 at the Kentucky Speedway on Saturday

Randy Moss poses with David Dollar as they unveil their new NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series truck.

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• No Post-50 Let-Down For O’Reilly 200 Winner Ron Hornaday Jr.
• Points Lead Continues To Be Proverbial ‘Hot Potato’
• Chevrolet, Toyota Waging See-Saw Battle For Manufacturers’ Crown

Three-Peat For Hornaday In Memphis And 2008 Season

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (June 30, 2008) – Ron Hornaday Jr. (No. 33 Camping World Chevrolet) celebrated his  50th birthday June 20 but reaching that milestone didn’t slow down the three-time NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series champion in the least.

Hornaday needed two starts to reach Victory Lane and join Mike Skinner (No. 5 Toyota Tundra Toyota) as drivers with  wins in their 30s, 40s and 50s.

There are four members of the winners 50 and over club: Joe Ruttman, Ted Musgrave (No. 59 Team ASE/Harris Trucking Toyota), Hornaday and Skinner.

Hornaday was the dominant driver last week at Memphis Motorsports Park leading 139 of 204 laps around the 3/4-mile oval to win for the third time in the Home of Blues.

In fact, Hornaday is no less dominant now than he ever was — even when he collected three titles for Dale Earnhardt Inc. and 19 wins.

He’s led 11 of 12 races this year and tops the table in both miles (731.068) and laps (561) led.

Hornaday’s third victory of the year matches the series record of most seasons with three or more wins — six — set a year ago by now-Kevin Harvick Inc. teammate Jack Sprague (No. 2 American Commercial Lines Chevrolet).

Fact: Age No Barrier For These Drivers

Drivers age 50 and over have won 17 times in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series.

Driver                Wins      Age Last Win
Joe Ruttman         13         56 years 6 months
Ted Musgrave         1         51 years 10 months
Mike Skinner          2         50 years 3 months
Ron Hornaday Jr.    1         50 years 0 months

Revolving Door For Championship Contenders

The 2008 season is fast approaching its mid-point and the championship picture is just as hazy as on Feb. 15 before the first green flag of the year flew at Daytona International Speedway.

Hornaday, in search of title No. 4, is on top — but just barely. After winning at Kansas Speedway in April, Hornaday carried a 61-point lead into seven consecutive weeks of racing.

That segment is over and Hornaday is up by  27 over the season’s most surprising driver, Matt Crafton (No. 88 Menards Chevrolet).

During those seven races, four different drivers took turns atop the standings.

How tough has it been to hold the top spot? Very.

Leads of 45 and 50 points vanished twice.

Hornaday dropped from first to third after a finish of 23rd at Michigan.

Benson had a 50-point cushion entering last week’s O’Reilly 200. Engine failure left Keystone Light pole winner Benson 33rd in the final rundown, dropping the Grand Rapids, Mich., driver to fourth.

Charting The Seven-Race Leaders

Post-Event          Lead      Driver
Lowe’s, 5-16             5        R. Hornaday Jr.
Mansfield, 5/24         8        T. Bodine
Dover, 5/30             20         R. Crawford
Texas, 6/6              45         R. Hornaday Jr.
Michigan, 6/14        15         J. Benson
Milwaukee, 6/20      50        J. Benson
Memphis, 6/28        27        R. Hornaday Jr.

Etc.:

Moss Motorsports Unveils Plans. … NFL All-Pro wide receiver Randy Moss has scheduled a 2 p.m. ET Thursday press conference at Daytona International Speedway to announce plans to campaign his No. 81 truck in this season’s remaining 13 races.

Germain Patriarch Passes. … Robert L. Germain Sr. died June 27 in Naples, Fla., at the age of 85. He was the founder of the Germain Motor Co. and father of Bob, Rick and Steve Germain, owners of Germain Racing in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. The team won the 2006 title with Todd Bodine.

Former Series Crew Member Dies. … Both Memphis winner Hornaday and second-place finisher Erik Darnell (No. 99 Northern Tool + Equipment Ford) paid emotional tributes to John Arden, who was killed in a Charlotte-area traffic accident May 25. Arden, an Illinois native, shared a house with Darnell and  had worked for the series’ Green Light Racing.

Crew Chief Change At BDR. … Joe Lax was atop the pit box in Memphis directing the No. 5 Toyota Tundra Toyota and driver Mike Skinner. Lax held a similar position with Bill Davis Racing’s ARCA RE/MAX team that was folded when Michael Arnett (No. 22 Pilot Travel Centers Toyota) moved into the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. Jeff Hensley, who guided Skinner to eight wins, remains a BDR employee.

Speaking Of Skinner. … No driver has been more consistent this year than the 1995 series champion. In any other year, his title hopes would literally have been nil after two finishes of 29th in the season’s first four races. Skinner came alive after failing to defend his Martinsville victory and hasn’t finished outside the top 10 since — a run of eight races. Four races in, he ranked 14th in points, facing a deficit of 176. He’s now sixth, 113 points back, after finishing seventh at Memphis Motorsports Park.

Johnny Benson: Season Winner No. 9 And Counting

Chevrolet Regains Lead

All indicators show the 2008 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Manufacturers’ Championship going down to the wire.

Chevrolet’s fifth victory matched the total of rival Toyota and gives the GM Silverado brand a four-point lead as the season reaches its mid-point July 19 at Kentucky Speedway.

Each truck maker has held the lead six times in the season’s first 12 races.

NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series 2008 Manufacturers' Championship Point Standings after Race 12 of 25 at Memphis Motorsports Park

Chevrolet 82
Toyota    78
Ford        60
Dodge     44

This Week’s NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Leaders
(Through 12 races of the 25-race season)

Points leader – Ron Hornaday Jr. (1,742)
Driver Rating – Ron Hornaday Jr. (113.9)
Laps led – Ron Hornaday Jr. (561)
Victories – Ron Hornaday Jr. (3)
Keystone Light Poles – Johnny Benson (3)
Top-five finishes – Four drivers with six
Top-10 finishes – Mike Skinner (10)
Raybestos Rookie Leader – Colin Braun
Races led – Ron Hornaday Jr. (11)
Weeks in Top 10 – Three drivers with 11

In The Loop

Ron Hornaday Jr. makes his wins count.

The defending series champion and current points leader has won three races this season, and according to the statistics, has left little to chance.

In his first two wins (Kansas and Texas), Hornaday scored a perfect Driver Rating of 150.0, and in his victory at Memphis this past weekend, he earned a near-perfect 149.8.

During his three wins, Hornaday has an Average Running Position of 1.5, 159 Fastest Laps Run and has run all 543 Laps in the Top 15.

Those numbers have propelled him to the top of most of the season-to-date statistical rankings.

Hornaday ranks first in Average Running Position (7.7), Driver Rating (113.9), Fastest Laps Run (255) and Laps Led (561). He has  been passed fewer times than any other driver – 222 times. Second-best in that category among  drivers who have competed in every race is Jack Sprague with 255.

Also noteworthy this season is the gradual climb by Mike Skinner. Though without a win this season, Skinner has chipped away at his points deficit since falling to 14th after Martinsville, the fourth race of the season.

Skinner is now in sixth, 113 points out of first. His stats this season have likewise improved as the season wore on. He has Driver Rating of 98.0 (fourth-best), an Average Running Position of 9.5 (third) and a series-high Laps in the Top 15 percentage of 87.7 percent.

Memphis Takes Its Toll — Again

After 12 races of the 2008 season:
1. Colin Braun 123
2. Justin Marks 108
3. Donny Lia 108
4. Brian Scott 95
5. Marc Mitchell 78
6. Andy Lally 62
7. Scott Speed 61
8. Phillip McGilton 38

Raybestos Rookie of the Year candidates had an “off” night at Memphis Motorsports Park.

After placing candidates among the top five in the past two editions of the O’Reilly 200, the freshman class was shut out of the top 10.

Brian Scott (No. 16 Albertsons Chevrolet) was the Raybestos rookie leader. His 13th-place finish came within a position of matching his career best.

Up Next:

Teams take the next two weeks off before heading to Kentucky Speedway for the July 19 Built Ford Tough 225.

FAST FACTS

The Race: Built Ford Tough 225 by Greater Cincinnati Ford Dealers

The Place: Kentucky Speedway

The Date: July 19, 2008

The Time: 7 p.m. ET

Race Distance: 225 miles / 150 laps

TV: SPEED, 6:30 p.m. ET

Track Layout: 1.5-Mile Oval

2007 Winner: Mike Skinner

2007 Pole: Ryan Mathews

2008 Standings:

Rank Driver                Points
1       R. Hornaday Jr.   1742
2       M. Crafton           1715
3       T. Bodine            1688
4       J. Benson            1686
5       R. Crawford          1668
6       M. Skinner           1629
7       E. Darnell             1605
8       J. Sprague           1578
9       T. Cook                1553
10     C. McCumbee       1514

Schedule: Friday: Practice, 2:45 –4:20 p.m. and 6:30-7:30 p.m.. Saturday: Qualifying, 3:30 p.m.

:

It’s Early But Atlanta Motor Speedway Could Prove Pivotal To Title Race
The Racer’s Group May Be New To NASCAR But Not To Top Competition
Raybestos Rookie of the Year Class Holding Its Own In 2008

Hot Racing In Hotlanta

Two races into the season, Atlanta Motor Speedway, a 1.54 mile “intermediate” track, could be pivotal for one’s championship run.

The NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series champion has won at least one race on an intermediate track in six of the last eight seasons (including 2006-07). 

Todd Bodine (No. 30 Lumber Liquidators Toyota) is off to a strong start after winning the season opener at Daytona International Speedway and a runner-up finish at Auto Club Speedway.

“First place one week, second the next – that’s how you win championships,” he said.

Bodine has visited Victory Lane at AMS, the same year he won the series championship in 2006.

Reigning series champion Ron Hornaday Jr. (No. 30 Camping World/VFW Chevrolet) and former series champion Mike Skinner (No. 5 Toyota Tundra Toyota) have both snagged the checkered flag at Atlanta. 

Skinner, with an average starting position of second in seven starts at Atlanta, is looking to end his current six-race winless streak and add another series title to his resume.

Three-time series champion Jack Sprague (No. 2 American Commercial Lines/RVs.com Chevrolet) is chasing his first win at AMS, one of eight tracks on the series schedule where the driver has yet to take the checkered flag.

NASCAR Preseason Thunder testing at Atlanta gave the team confidence going into this weekend. Sprague posted top-five speeds both days.

“I think we are going back to Atlanta even better than we tested,” he said.

The driver added, “We need to begin to get the ball rolling in the right direction this season and I think this weekend is the perfect place for us to do that.”

Experienced Newcomers

TRG Motorsports may be new the new kid on the NASCAR block, but experience is something the team has. Since its inception in 1993, TRG (The Racer’s Group) has competed in and dominated the top level of sports car racing.

In the spring of 2007, owner and CEO Kevin Buckler made the decision to enter the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series.

On the decision to enter the series, Buckler said, “The NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series is extremely competitive. The guys are like gladiators out there.”

With the rookie duo of Andy Lally (No. 7 TRG Chevrolet) and Donny Lia (No. 71 TRG Chevrolet, Buckler and crew feel they have put together two teams that will hold their own in the series.

The first three-time Grand Am Rolex Series champion, Lally is competing in his first full NASCAR season and is on a mission to win in the series.

Lia joins TRG following an impressive 2007 season in the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour, which culminated with the series championship.

“I’m excited to be racing for TRG Motorsports. I know that we have good equipment and good people so I am confident heading into the season,” he said. 

Etc. & Quotable

• All Eyes On Busch … Kyle Busch will pilot the No. 51 Toyota again for Atlanta businessman Billy Ballew. Busch is the only driver expected to compete in the trucks, NASCAR Nationwide Series, and the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races at Atlanta.
  
  Busch, winner of the 2005 and 2007 fall races at the track, looks to extend his winning streak this weekend and stay atop the drivers’ point standings.
  
  Busch looks forward to running again with the series. “It is great racing and it is fun to be able to go out there and run with these guys in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series,” he said.
  
  The driver added, “Anytime I can race with Billy Ballew, it is a lot of fun. We race to try to win, of course, every time we come out so to be able to go out there and have fun and race for points and for wins, it’s great. “
  
  
• Top Of The Winning Chart … The five drivers with the most victories in the series’ five most recent seasons (2004—2008) will compete in the American Commercial Lines 200.
  Of the five drivers, all but Johnny Benson have won five of the seven races at Atlanta.

NCTS Top Five Winners:
Todd Bodine  13, one win each season
Johnny Benson  9
Mike Skinner  8
Ron Hornaday Jr.  7
Kyle Busch  7

• Competitive Track … Atlanta Motor Speedway holds the record for the closest finish on a superspeedway. Ron Hornaday, Jr. edged Bobby Labonte back in March 2005 by .008 second to take the win. 
  
  On the flip side, Hornaday finished second to Kyle Busch last October by a margin of .971 second – the widest margin in the track’s seven series races.
  
  The race’s final lead change has taken place with 12 or fewer laps to go in all seven races held in Atlanta. There were last lap passes for the win on two occasions: Bobby Hamilton and Mike Skinner (2004) and Kyle Busch and Jack Sprague (fall 2005).
  
  
• Home Again … Tucker, Ga., native Shane Sieg (No. 07 Chevrolet) will make his third start at Atlanta Motor Speedway this weekend where his best finish is 13th (2004).
  
  The No. 13 ThorSport Racing Chevrolet team of driver Shelby Howard has a fellow Georgia native on its crew as well. Kevin Gravitte, who hails from Conyers, is the team’s jackman.
  
  Gravitte played basketball for Mount Vernon Christian School in two state championship seasons and was named team and title game’s Most Valuable Player.
  
  Championship team Kevin Harvick Inc. will have crew members making a homecoming as well. Austin Walker, the rear tire carrier and mechanic for the No. 2 ACL/RVs.com Chevrolet team, hails from Lawrenceville.
  
  Jeffrey Roth, rear tire carrier for Hornaday’s team, calls Washington, Ga., home.
  
  Roth will be pulling double duty for the weekend performing his duties for both the truck team and the No. 33 Camping World/RoadLoans.com/Rheem Chevrolet NASCAR Nationwide Series entry driven by Kevin Harvick.
  
  
• Speed On Track … F1 driver Scott Speed is slated to race for Morgan-Dollar Motorsports at Atlanta and Martinsville speedways. Speed made his ARCA stock car debut last October with a seventh-place finish at Talladega Superspeedway.
  
  Speed will drive the No. 46 Red Bull Chevrolet in Atlanta.
  
  Scott is not the first Speed in NASCAR.  Former NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver Lake Speed (no relation) made his mark in the sport with 402 series starts (1980-1998) and one win at Darlington in 1988. Both are former karting champions.
  
  
• Double Duty … Bill Davis Racing drivers Skinner and Benson have stepped in to help pilot the No. 27 Toyota entry into the top 35 owners points of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series.
  
  Skinner ran the car last weekend at Las Vegas Motor Speedway where he had a strong qualifying run, placing the car fifth.
  
  Benson, winner of AMS’ NASCAR Nationwide race in 1995, will take over this weekend.

Rookies Holding Their Own

The seven Raybestos Rookie of the Year candidates are eager to take the green flag at Atlanta. And for good reason. Right out of the gate, the class is showing strength.

Colin Braun (No. 6 Con-way Freight Ford) and Phillip McGilton (No. 22 3Wide Life Toyota) held steady in the top 10 at Auto Club Speedway.

Fellow rookie classmates Justin Marks (No. 9 Crocs Toyota) and Brian Scott (No. 16 Shark Energy Drink/Albertsons Chevrolet) rounded out the top 10 the previous week in Daytona.

The 20-year-old Scott took the rookie points lead after California. But the competition is tight with only a single point separating he, Braun, Marks and McGilton. 

The driver sits 13th in the series point standings and is a mere 18 points out of 10th.

This weekend will not be his first time to race at Atlanta.

He made his fourth series start last fall at the track where he finished on the lead lap in the 19th position, three spots higher than McGilton.

“It will be good to go back to a track where I have raced a truck,” he said. “I know that’s going to be a big advantage not to have to learn the track for a change,” he added.

Marc Mitchell (No. 15 Hyprene Ergon Chevrolet) competed in an American Speedway Association race at AMS several years ago.

Up Next

Testing at Martinsville Speedway is scheduled for March 12-13, with March 14 as a rain date if necessary.   The season will continue with the Kroger 250 at Martinsville March 28-29.

Mike Skinner is the defending winner of last year’s  Kroger 250.  Skinner, who won from the pole, captured the coveted starting position, setting a track record qualifying run of 19.728 seconds, 95.985 mph. Skinner also won last October’s race at the track, becoming the first driver to sweep both races in the same season.

In The Loop: Kyle Busch Leads The Pack

Kyle Busch likely won’t relinquish his stranglehold on the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series points lead this weekend.

Not if he keeps up his startling numbers at Atlanta. Busch is 2-for-2 there, checking into Victory Lane in both 2005 and last season. And he did it in dominating fashion.

His stats are incredible. In the two wins, Busch has a Driver Rating of 141.2, an Average Running Position of 2.3, an average Green Flag Speed of 176.067 mph (which is almost a full mph faster than second-fastest Jon Wood, No. 21 The Barnhill Group Ford), and spent all but one of the 260 laps in the top 15.

Two drivers – one a youngster and one a veteran champion – could steal Busch’s glory. Wood, 26, had a strong sixth-place run the last time he raced at Atlanta (2006). In that top-10 finish, Wood scored a Driver Rating of 107.9, an Average Running Position of 7.4, had 13 Fastest Laps Run and spent 126 of the 130 laps in the top 15.

Also watch for 2006 series champion Todd Bodine, winner of this year’s opener at Daytona, to contend for the Atlanta win. Bodine won there in 2006 and has two runner-up finishes at the 1.54-mile track. In his six Atlanta appearances, Bodine has a Driver Rating of 109.5, an Average Running Position of 8.6, a series-high 80 Fastest Laps Run and 663 Laps in the Top 15 (83.9 percent).

This Week’s NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Leaders
(Through two races of the 25-race season)

• Points leader – Kyle Busch (365)
• Driver Rating – Todd Bodine (130.6)
• Winnings – Todd Bodine ($141,400)
• Laps led – Todd Bodine (74)
• Victories – Todd Bodine, Kyle Busch (1)
• Keystone Light Poles – Erik Darnell (1)
• Top-five finishes – Three drivers with two
• Top-10 finishes – Three drivers with two
• Raybestos Rookie Leader – Brian Scott (1 point over 3 drivers)
• Races led – Mike Skinner (18)
• Weeks in Top 10 – Nine drivers tied with 19

Director’s Take: Expect Competitive Racing

NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Director Wayne Auton is pleased. So far, so good he said. “The American Commercial Lines 200 should be another exciting race, as AMS always seems to have.”

“With a test earlier this year at AMS, teams are really geared up for this event. With the new rules packages in place for 2008 and a California race under their belts, teams are working on figuring out the aero along with the horsepower these engines are producing and how it will impact the racing. I expect, and people will agree, it will be a very competitive race.”

Auton also has compliments for the season’s Raybestos Rookie of the Year class. “With two races under our belt, the rookie class has proven why this year may be the best rookie class in years in the NCTS.”

He added, “With a small point difference separating the rookie class from top to bottom and a variety of teams all having a good start to the 2008 season, it is really anyone’s guess who will be the Raybestos Rookie of the Year in 2008.”

Toyota On A Roll, Chevy Tops For Atlanta

Toyota is off to a strong start in 2008. The manufacturer claimed not only the No. 1 spot at Auto Club Speedway but six of the remaining top-10 positions.

Toyota has won five consecutive races beginning with Ted Musgrave’s (No. 59 Team ASE Racing Toyota) victory at Texas Motor Speedway Nov. 2, 2007 but  only two of seven races at Atlanta.

Chevrolet holds the most wins by a manufacturer for Atlanta with four.

2008 Manufacturers' Championship Point Standings
Toyota    18
Ford       10
Chevrolet  9
Dodge      7

FAST FACTS

The Race: American Commercial Lines 200
The Place: Atlanta Motor Speedway
The Date: March 7, 2008
The Time: 9 p.m. ET
Race Distance: 200.2 miles/ 130 laps
TV: SPEED, 8:30 p.m. ET
Track Layout: 1.54-mile banked paved speedway
2007 Winner: Mike Skinner
2007 Pole: Mike Skinner

2007 Standings
Rank Driver                 Points
1       Ky. Busch            365
2       T. Bodine              345
3       J. Benson             340
4       D. Starr                284
5       R. Crawford           281
6       P. McGilton          261
7       C. McCumbee      255
8       D. Setzer             254
9       R. Hornaday Jr.    253
10     S. Compton          250

Gunning For The Repeat: Jack Sprague Wants To Start This Season Just Like The Last
Home Sweet Home: Joey Clanton In Familiar Territory

HAMPTON, Ga. (Jan. 23, 2008) – Under grey winter skies, 27 teams in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series took to the track Tuesday for Round Two of preseason testing at Atlanta Motor Speedway.

Ron Hornaday Jr. (No. 33 Camping World Chevrolet) finished a rain-shortened Day One atop the chart with a best speed of 171.271 mph.

Three Toyota drivers, former Atlanta race winner Todd Bodine (No. 30 Lumber Liquidators Toyota), Terry Cook (No. 60 Wyler Racing Toyota), and Mike Skinner (No. 5 Toyota Tundra Toyota) ended their first day not far behind the defending series champion.

At a media reception held Tuesday night in downtown Atlanta, Rick Crawford (No. 14 Circle Bar Racing Ford) discussed his thoughts on the day of testing. “We brought two trucks down here, each with a slightly different body style. We’ve been a little loose since we’ve been here, but we’re hearing that up and down the garage. Right now we’re trying to adjust to the harder tire compound and the new motor rule.”

Crawford also said, “With the new tapered spacer, the trucks run pretty much wide open around here, but in race conditions there will be some lifting and that will put the racing into the hands of the drivers a little more than in the past.

“I don’t think these changes will affect the style of racing we see around here. I’m sure in fact it will be just as exciting for the fans.”

Crawford’s crew chief, Kevin “Cowboy” Starland, echoed those comments during a brief break Wednesday afternoon. “We came to Atlanta to focus on two things. The first is a new tire compound that is slightly harder than what we ran here last year and the second is the effect of the tapered spacer that we’re running at all of the tracks this year,” he said.

“We’ve spent this second day, where we have actually had a decent amount of track time, working on the trucks and finding out what they need with the new tire and motor configuration. We are hoping what we learn here this week will carry over to some of the other faster tracks and intermediate tracks like California Speedway, Texas Motor Speedway, and Michigan International Speedway.”

Director Auton Satisfied … As the overcast skies opened to bright sun Wednesday afternoon, NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Director Wayne Auton said, “Now that the weather has changed, teams are really getting some good data on the new engine package which the trucks will run this season. With approximately 70 horsepower and 500 rpm (less), they are receiving good feedback from their drivers on how the truck compares to running here last season.

“The teams are having a chance to get a good fuel run in, which allows them to see what the new, reduced fuel cell size will do to their mileage, in addition to the aero underneath the truck.” Vehicles in all three NASCAR national series will carry roughly 17.75-gallon fuel cells in 2008 – a reduction of 4.25 gallons from a year ago in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series.

Auton expects this year’s racing to be just as competitive as in previous years. “It should be an exciting season if testing is any indication how the different makes have done with both the Daytona test and the testing here,” said Auton.

The NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series will return to Atlanta Motor Speedway March 7 for the American Commercial Lines 200.

Home Sweet Home … Atlanta testing was a trip home for Georgia native Joey Clanton, who will drive the Roush Fenway Racing No. 09 Zaxby’s Ford during the 2008 season. The track is familiar territory to Clanton who grew up in nearby Tyrone. He cut his racing teeth racing Super Late Models and Legends cars around Atlanta Motor Speedway and other prestigious tracks throughout Georgia and the Southeast.

“I’m glad to be back here at Atlanta Motor Speedway,” said Clanton. “I’ve got a great group of guys behind me who are committed and focused on winning. This is my home track. There have always been great opportunities here at Atlanta and I’m hoping to win one for the home crowd.”

This year marks Clanton’s first full season in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. He finished third in Raybestos Rookie of the Year standings in 2007.

Fellow Georgia native Andy Lally (No. 7 TRG Motorsports Chevrolet) will chase rookie of the year honors in 2008. Lally, who hails from Dacula, will head to Daytona Beach, Fla. this weekend to compete in the 46th Rolex 24 At Daytona for The Racer’s Group.

TRG has found tremendous success in the Rolex and Lally hopes this weekend his team can add some additional hardware to the collection.

Gunning for the Repeat … Jack Sprague (No. 2 American Commercial Lines Chevrolet) wants to start this season just as he did the last, and that’s in Victory Lane. In a three-wide dash to the checkered flag, Sprague won the 2007 Chevy Silverado 250 by 0.031 seconds over Johnny Benson (No. 23 Toyota Certified Used Vehicles/Exide Batteries Toyota).

The veteran driver knows the significance of a win at Daytona. “To win at Daytona is something that very few people get to do, something that I really thought I never would do. It was certainly a victory I never thought I would achieve just because it is so difficult to win (at Daytona). It is one of the hardest I think to win in anybody’s career,” said Sprague.

Now with a new team, Kevin Harvick Inc., the three-time series champion also would like to find himself atop the championship standings at the conclusion of this season. He finished ninth in 2007. “This series is getting more competitive and so hard to win,” said Sprague. “It seems though at the end of the year the older crowd prevails and wins the championships.”

“We are going to do whatever we have to do to get the best finishes this year and be the ones standing at the top in the end.”

 

   
Todd Bodine (No. 30 Lumber Liquidators Toyota)

2007 Milwaukee Mile Toyota Tundra 200

NOTE: Photos are not available for sale.

Johnny Benson wins for the second straight year!!

Photos Below by Joe Paolella

NASCAR Camping World Truck Series 2009 Logo Unveiled

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Nov. 14, 2008) – The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR) and Camping World today unveiled the logo for the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series.

The new look was revealed as the latest step for the series’ transition to Camping World as the new title sponsor beginning in 2009, after 14 years of sponsorship by Craftsman. NASCAR and Camping World announced a seven-year partnership agreement on Oct. 23.

NASCAR Photo

“We are excited to debut this logo and give the fans a glimpse of what the series will look like for 2009,” said Steve Phelps, NASCAR’s chief marketing officer. “While the logo and the sponsor will be new, the highly competitive nature of this series will continue as it has every year since 1995.”

“This sponsorship is coming on the cusp of many good years partnering with NASCAR and the auto manufacturers and we are very excited at the opportunity to be the new title sponsor,” said Marcus Lemonis, Camping World chairman and CEO. “The new logo is just a start of great things to come in 2009.”

The inaugural NASCAR Camping World Truck Series season will kick off Feb. 13, 2009 at Daytona International Speedway. The series, which features 25 races at 23 tracks located across North America, is exclusively broadcast on SPEED and FOX.

About Camping World
Founded in 1966, Camping World is America’s largest direct marketer and specialty retailer of recreational vehicles and outdoor camping accessories and services. The company grew from a single point location in Bowling Green, Ky., to operating successful nationwide Supercenters.

Over the last five years, Camping World has progressively expanded its products and services offering customers with a vast selection, convenience and value. Camping World now operates under the department store model as a one stop shopping destination providing services to enhance and protect the RV lifestyle including: Recreational Vehicle Sales; RV Rentals; RV Service & Collision; over 8,000 RV & outdoor accessories, Performance & Tow centers; Details & Refurbishment centers known as RV Spa; President’s Club customer loyalty program; Campground reservations & directories; RV Finance and Insurance; RV Tours & Travel and a nationally distributed magazine called RV View.

The dynamic Camping World retail network headquartered in Lincolnshire, Ill., currently operates in 33 states and serves over four million RV enthusiasts.

Kyle "Rowdy" Busch and team owner Billy Ballew are all smiles before Saturday's race at Kentucky Speedway.

NASCAR Photo

• Points Battle Is As Hot As The Summer Heat
• Bill Davis Racing Dominates: One-Two Punch At Kentucky Speedway
• Championship Crew Chief Rick Ren Heads To Familiar Territory

Points Battle Is Hot

NASCAR Photo

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (July 21, 2008) – As the summer heats up, so does the Championship points battle. Just when you think a driver might pull away with any kind of lead, the competition proves otherwise.

Johnny Benson (No. 23 Toyota Certified Used Vehicles Toyota) returns to the top of the point standings this week after his win at Kentucky Speedway. Hot on his heels is Matt Crafton (No. 88 Menards Chevrolet), who is by far enjoying his best season in the series.

How close is Crafton? He only has one point separating him from Benson.

This is not the closest one-two spread, however, for the series after 13 races. Brendan Gaughan (No. 10 International MAXX-FORCE Diesel Ford) and Travis Kvapil were tied at this point in 2003. Kvapil went on to win the championship.

Making series history, though, is the spread between first and fifth (101 points) and first and 10th (227). The previous closest were 107 points (2002) and 233 points (2003), respectively. A year ago, the differences were 507 and 751.

What a difference a year can make.

Consistency could turn up the heat in the already hot points battle. Both Benson and Crafton are tied with seven for the most top-five finishes.

Three-time and reigning series champion Ron Hornaday Jr. (No. 33 Camping World Chevrolet) is sitting in third, only five points from first. He heads to O’Reilly Raceway Park as the defending race winner.

Also to consider, the field this Friday night will consist of seven previous ORP winners. Six of those previous winners are in the top 10 in points: Hornaday Jr., Rick Crawford (No. 14 Circle Bar Truck Corral/Power Stroke Diesel by International Ford), Mike Skinner (No. 5 Toyota Tundra Toyota), Terry Cook (No. 60 Wyler.com Toyota), Jack Sprague (No. 2 ACL Chevrolet) and Dennis Setzer (No. 18 BHR VA Dodge).

It’s fair to say any of these drivers could find their way to Victory Lane and once again shuffle the points.

BDR One-Two Punch At Kentucky

Bill Davis Racing maintains its status in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series as a force to reckon with.

After a slow start, Johnny Benson is stepping up the heat as the season crosses the halfway point. Benson claimed win number two for 2008 at Kentucky Speedway Saturday. The win, his first at the speedway, is the driver’s 11th in 113 series races. 

Right behind the veteran driver was teammate Michael Annett (No. 22 Pilot Travel Toyota), who finished second in just his third start.

BDR’s Mike Skinner (No. 5 Toyota Tundra Toyota) captured the pole for Saturday’s race, his 45th Keystone Light Pole Award in 167 career series races. After battling back and forth with Kyle Busch (No. 51 Miccosukee Resorts/NOS Energy Drink Toyota) for the lead, Skinner ended his night in seventh.

Benson’s victory was the 20th in the series for Bill Davis and Co. BDR is No. 2 in wins among active teams, one more than Bobby Hamilton Racing VA. Roush Fenway Racing has the most with 49 wins. Since joining the series in 2004, BDR’s 20 wins are the most by any team during the five-year period.

Atop The Pit Box With Rick Ren

Championship Crew Chief Rick Ren will be heading into familiar territory this weekend. The Danville, Ill., native grew up just across the Indiana state line, not far from what he calls his “home tracks.”

The experienced crew chief has 33 years of racing under his belt and plenty of success to show for it, including leading his driver Ron Hornaday Jr. (No. 33 Camping World Chevrolet) to a third NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series championship last season.

The two and their team look to defend their 2007 win at ORP this weekend.  

“Last year I won at ORP with Hornaday and that was big for me,” said Ren. “We had a great truck and Ron drove the wheels off of it.”

The win was even a little more special coming so close to home.

“Anytime you win at Indy, whether it be at the Brickyard or ORP, it’s a big deal,” said Ren. “There is so much history there and it’s a place that every driver, crew chief and crew member wants to win at; it’s a very prestigious win.”

Ren thinks his team has a good shot to wind up in Victory Lane this Friday night.

“ORP is one those tracks that fits Ron Hornaday’s driving style perfectly,” he said. “It’s almost all about the driver at this track, but the truck has to be set up so your driver can be aggressive. The drivers that are aggressive are able to make their way up to the front at ORP.”

Etc. & Quotable:

• Rowdy At ORP … Kyle Busch (No. 51 Miccosukee Resorts/NOS Energy Toyota) will make it back-to-back weekends in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. Busch is coming off a solid run at Kentucky, but one that only produced a top-10 finish and not a win. The driver would like to take the Billy Ballew truck back to Victory Lane, and soon.
  
  “It’s a great opportunity to run with Billy Ballew Motorsports,” said Busch. “I’m always excited to get back in this series, race with all the competitors out there, and hopefully come out with a victory.”
  
  The team has had fast trucks, but not producing the outcomes they’d like to see. After Kentucky, though, the driver thinks they’re back on track.
  
  “We do what we can on limited resources,” Busch said, “so we try go out there and win all the races so we can keep this going.”
  
  
• Most Popular Driver … For the first time in series history, voting for the honor of Most Popular Driver is in the hands of the fans. NASCAR.com is the polling place for the competition.  More than 22,000 votes have been cast since voting began July 5.

Kentucky Not So Nice To Rookies

The Blue Grass State proved a little tricky for this year’s rookie class.

Colin Braun (No. 6 Con-Way Freight Ford) started the evening rolling off in the third spot. However an incident on-track left the driver finishing 16th.

Marc Mitchell (No. 15 Hyprene Ergon Toyota) might have thought the track was out to get him. The driver had an eventful day starting with a spin on his second qualifying lap, causing the team to move to a back-up truck. Even though his first qualifying lap had him positioned to start the race in sixth, Mitchell made the move to the rear of the field.

The driver and team didn’t let the rough day get to them. He fought his way to a ninth-place finish, making him the highest-finishing rookie of the race.

Trouble also found Justin Marks (No. 9 Construct Corps Toyota) who started the night strong and ran among the top 10 for most of the first part of the race.

The Germain Racing rookie looks to put Kentucky behind him, though, as he heads to the short track in Indiana.

“After a testing session at the Motor Mile recently, and after how our team worked so well at Kentucky, I feel good about going into the O’Reilly Raceway Park weekend,” he said. “With the test I had an opportunity to open my eyes to short-track racing and I am anxious to take another shot at it.”

NASCAR Raybestos Rookie of the Year standings after 13 races of the 2008 season:

1. Colin Braun       133
2. Donny Lias       117
3. Justin Marks     116
4. Brian Scott       102
5. Marc Mitchell     91
6. Andy Lally          62
7. Scott Speed       61
8. Phillip McGilton  38

Up Next:

After what will surely be a tough battle at ORP, the series will take a week break before the trucks roll to Nashville Superspeedway.

Last year’s winner, Travis Kvapil, won’t be in the field to defend his win. Only one previous winner will be there in two weeks and that’s Johnny Benson.

On a hot streak, Benson could take home another guitar to add to his growing collection of hardware.

Director’s Take: Wayne’s Words

“You will find one of the most enthusiastic crowds on the circuit at O’Reilly Raceway Park. To have all three national series racing in one of the biggest racing towns in the country, it’s really cool to see all the fans come out to the track.

“They come early and stay late. Fans will start arriving at 7 a.m. to reserve their spots for the race that doesn’t even start until the evening.

“Not only are the fans great at ORP, but this short track has produced some of the most memorable races.

“The NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series has been racing at ORP since the series began in 1995. Right off the bat in the first race, on the last lap coming to the checkers, a truck going for second spun across the frontstretch, hit a light pole and knocked out the lights.

“In 1998 we had the “White Glove” incident. Sprague battled to win the race but not without taking out his now teammate, Ron Hornaday.

“Sprague was battling a loose truck. As he went to save his truck, he took out Hornaday. An in-car camera caught Sprague’s white-gloved hands as he jerked the wheel.

“He doesn’t wear white gloves any more.

“2004 gave the crowd a wild finish. Chad Chaffin made a three-wide pass on the last lap to win the race.

“With the awesome crowd, all the many great stories that go with this historic place and the tough racing we always have, Friday is go to be nothing less than exciting.” — Wayne Auton, NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Director.

This Week’s NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Leaders
(Through 13 races of the 25-race season)
Points leader – Johnny Benson (1,881)
Driver Rating – Ron Hornaday Jr. (112.7)
Laps led – Ron Hornaday Jr. (561)
Victories – Ron Hornaday Jr. (3)
Keystone Light Poles – Johnny Benson, Mike Skinner with three
Top-five finishes – Johnny Benson, Matt Crafton with seven
Top-10 finishes – Mike Sinner (11)
Raybestos Rookie Leader – Colin Braun
Races led – Ron Hornaday Jr. (11)
Weeks in Top 10 – Three drivers with 13

Most Consecutive Different Winners By Track
(Current Streak)
Homestead-Miami Speedway     12*
Daytona International Speedway  9*
Dover International Speedway      9*
Kentucky Speedway                   9*
Las Vegas Motor Speedway        9
O’Reilly Raceway Park             9
*Never had repeat winner

In The Loop: Who’s Your Pick?

Can the streak continue?

All signs point to yes.

There have been nine different winners in the last nine NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series races at O’Reilly Raceway Park. There’s an excellent chance that after this weekend’s race there, it’ll be 10-for-10.

The reason: Todd Bodine, Johnny Benson, Erik Darnell, Ted Musgrave and Matt Crafton.

None of those five drivers have visited ORP’s Victory Lane. The statistics suggest that might change this weekend.

Bodine has finished in the top 10 in the last two ORP races, and over the last three has a Driver Rating of 96.8 and an Average Running Position of 9.9.

Benson, winner of two out of the last three races this season, is arguably the hottest driver in the series. Over the past three years at ORP – which includes a runner-up finish last year – Benson has a Driver Rating of 93.5 and an Average Running Position of 12.4.

Darnell is two-for-two in top 10s at ORP, with a best finish of seventh (last season). In his ORP career, he has a Driver Rating of 94.5 and an Average Running Position of 10.1.

Crafton, one point out of the series lead, would take the points lead leap with a win at ORP. He finished fourth in 2005, but stumbled the last two seasons with finishes outside the top 10. Over that three-race span, he has a Driver Rating of 92.3 and an Average Running Position of 9.9.

Musgrave may be the dark horse of the bunch. He has finished inside the top 10 at ORP only twice in seven races. Over the past three years, he has a Driver Rating of 93.4 and an Average Running Position of 10.3.

Manufacturers' Battle

As the season moves past the halfway mark, Chevrolet holds on to its lead, but just like the drivers’ points battle, the manufacturers’ lead has been cut to a one point hold.

ORP has been proven battle ground for Chevy, holding the most wins with seven.

Dodge and Ford both have wins at the short track as well. Toyota is the odd man out with no wins to its name in the series.

NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series 2008 Manufacturers' Championship Point Standings
following Race 13 of 25 at Kentucky Speedway:

Chevrolet: 88
Toyota:     87
Ford:        63
Dodge:     48

FAST FACTS

The Race: Power Stroke Diesel 200 presented by AAA Hoosier Insurance                

The Place: O’Reilly Raceway Park at Indianapolis

The Date: July 25, 2008

The Time: 8 p.m. ET

Race Distance: 137.2 miles / 200 laps

TV: SPEED, 7:30 p.m. ET

Track Layout: .686-Mile Oval

2007 Winner: Ron Hornaday Jr.

2007 Pole: Mike Skinner

2008 Standings:
Rank Driver              Points
1       J. Benson          1881
2       M. Crafton         1880
3       R. Hornaday Jr.  1876
4       R. Crawford        1789
5       M. Skinner         1780
6       T. Bodine           1770
7       T. Cook             1695
8       E. Darnell          1681
9       J. Sprague         1675
10     D. Setzer           1654

Schedule: Friday: Practice, 10-11:15 a.m. and 11:45 a.m.-1 p.m.; Qualifying, 4:30 p.m

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“Three-Peat” For Benson.. Wins Third Straight Truck Race at Milwaukee

Photo By Joe Paolella

Friday was not your typical night at the Legendary Mile in Milwaukee. The day started under mostly sunny skies. As the race began under a setting sunset… storm clouds gathered on the horizon. But unlike other areas of Milwaukee, little if any rain fell at the track, it was the lightning and electrical storm that played havoc with tonight’s race.


As the race approached lap 150, a severe storm swept the track with dangerous lightning, forcing the track and NASCAR officials to red flag the race and evacuate the grandstands. Even the media was told to get indoors.

A scant 30 minutes later, the skies cleared and the race was on. Nothing it seams would stop Johnny Benson from claiming his third straight Milwaukee triumph under the lights.

Photo By Joe Paolella

Benson's victory from the pole position in the Bill Davis Racing Toyota was his first of the season and 10th of his CTS career -- all coming in the past three seasons. He entered the race leading the points and expanded his advantage to 50 over Todd Bodine.

"It feels great," Benson said. "I could do almost anything I wanted. That last set of tires was awesome. This is way cool. I can't believe we won three in a row."

Benson led the final 53 laps and won by 2.5 seconds over Matt Crafton, Rookie Landon Cassill, making his fifth start in the series, finished third, Erik Darnell’s Roush Fenway Racing Ford was fourth and Todd Bodine was fifth. Michael Annett, making his first start in the series, was sixth in a Bill Davis Racing Toyota

Rick Crawford rallied from 16th, the tail end of the longest line, to eighth in the final 56 laps. Crawford's Circle Bar Racing Ford led when the caution came out for light rain on Lap 146. On radar, it didn't appear more precipitation was coming, and so the lead-lap trucks pitted.

Benson entered in third, took four tires and fuel, and exited in first. Crafton, also taking four tires and fuel, maintained second and Crawford fell to third, followed by Cassill and Darnell. However, Crawford's truck was detected speeding and had to go to the tail end of the longest line for the next restart.

Benson started from pole with Crawford on the outside of the front row. Crawford jumped into the lead for the opening three laps before Benson passed him and began pulling away during an extended green-flag run. He had a 3.3-second advantage over Crawford after 70 laps.
Most of the field had made it through pit stops under green when the caution came out on Lap 78. Benson had just made his stop and was pulling out. Because of the timing of the caution, only seven trucks remained on the lead lap.

Benson was the leader, but was in the middle of the pack with many trucks in front on the lead lap. Crawford managed to stay in front of Benson and regained track position when the caution came out on Lap 96.
When the race resumed 26 minutes later on Lap 155 and Benson went unchallenged to the checkered flag in a run that was interrupted by one caution.

#03 Chrissy Wallace made another start at Milwaukee.. She made her debut earlier in the year at Martinsville Speedway in March.

Photo By Joe Paolella

 
"Really, everything I know about Milwaukee has come from my dad." (Mike Wallace) said Chrisy. "He's talked about how the track is and what you gotta do to get a good lap there."

Photo By Joe Paolella

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NASCAR at the Milwaukee Mile