Truck Series News & Notes - Kentucky Speedway
Roush Fenway Racing To Start Milestone 316th Race
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (July 14, 2008) — Jack Roush's entry into the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series began with Todd Bodine's (#30 Lumber Liquidators Toyota) fourth-place finish at Heartland Park Topeka in August 1995.
This week, 314 races later — 311 consecutive — Roush Fenway Racing will eclipse Spears Motorsports as the team with the most series starts.
It's been quite a ride to the eve of start #316.
Greg Biffle presented Roush with the team's first NASCAR championship in 2000.
The team's 49 victories, two coming at Kentucky Speedway in 2000 and 2003, is a series record.
Twenty-eight different drivers have competed in a Roush Fenway truck; 10 count at least one win.
Early on, Roush recognized the series as being a proving ground for young talent. Biffle, Kurt Busch, Carl Edwards and David Ragan each used the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series as a gateway into the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series.
The Craftsman Truck Series has been a tremendous place for us to find and groom the next generation of drivers,” Roush said. “The series not only provides great, competitive racing for the fans every week, but it also gives young drivers the chance to shine and prove themselves to make their way up the ranks."
Roush's Colin Braun leads series rookie points.
Kentucky Boasts Star-Studded Roster of Winners
As Darrell Waltrip is fond of saying, it takes ‘sperience to win, especially at Kentucky Speedway.
Look at the list of winners since the inaugural race in 2000:
Three NASCAR Craftsman Truck champions;
Two NASCAR Nationwide Series champions;
Two NASCAR Sprint Cup Series competitors — Carl Edwards and Greg Biffle — currently holding spots that would qualify them for the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup.
And here's another fact:
Each of the eight winners has at least one NASCAR Nationwide Series trophy to share shelf space with his Built Ford Tough 225 hardware.
Just one driver — Edwards — has won in both series at Kentucky Speedway. Unlike the track's other winners, Edwards posted his first truck win.
Kentucky Speedway's Winners: A Tale of Two National Series
NCTS NNS
Year, Winner Wins Wins
2000 Greg Biffle* 16 18
2001 Scott Riggs 5 4
2002 Mike Bliss 13 1
2003 Carl Edwards 6 14
2004 Bobby Hamilton 10 1
2005 Dennis Setzer 18 2
2006 Ron Hornaday Jr. 36 4
2007 Mike Skinner 24 1
* Championships in both NASCAR Craftsman Truck and Nationwide series.
Intermediate Master Bodine Eyes 'Missing' Track
Todd Bodine has won a series-high eight times on five of the seven 1.5-mile intermediate tracks on the 2008 schedule.
Kentucky Speedway isn't one of them.
Bodine does have a victory at the Sparta facility, host to Saturday's Built Ford Tough 225 Presented by the Greater Cincinnati Ford Dealers.
He won the track's 2002 NASCAR Nationwide Series event.
Bodine says the team has to bring the right package to the track.
Luck, however, is the one factor no driver and crew can control.
We've shown up with great race trucks and just haven't had the luck we needed to get the win,” he said of his 11th-place finish in 2007.
Last year at Kentucky we had a flat tire at the beginning of the race, then later lost the air off our spoiler and spun at a point where we couldn't get more tires. The Lumber Liquidators Tundra was probably the truck to beat last year, but you have to have the whole package. We missed out on the luck part last year.”
Bodine's most recent intermediate-track win came in June 2007 at Texas Motor Speedway. He's 0-for-9 over the past 13 months.
Or put another way, he's probably due.
Etc: Busch Is Back
- No Off-Week For Busch. … Kyle Busch will be back in the seat of the #51 Miccosukee Resort Toyota as the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series takes a break. Busch last drove the truck last month in Michigan where he finished seventh. Busch bids to win in three different national series in consecutive starts following his Chicagoland sweep over the past weekend.
- Hensley Joins BHR-VA. … Jeff Hensley has joined BHR-VA as director of competition. The team fields a pair of Dodges for Stacy Compton and Dennis Setzer. Hensley formerly was crew chief for Mike Skinner (#5 Toyota Tundra Toyota) and succeeds Charlie Wilson, who moves to Dodge Engineering.
- More Kentucky Events. … Brendan Gaughan (#10 MAXX Force Diesel Ford) will throw out the first pitch at Thursday's Louisville Bats-Charlotte Knights baseball game in Louisville. American Commercial Lines, sponsor of Jack Sprague's #2 Chevy, is hosting its Second Annual ACL Fan Fest In Jeffersonville, Ind. — also on Thursday. Sprague, teammate Ron Hornaday Jr. and others will attend and sign autographs.
- Closest Top 10 In History. … After 12 races, the 74 and 212-point margins between first, fifth and 10th are closest ever. They were 385 and 612 in 2007. Still, the title went down to the final race as in 12 of 13 previous seasons.
- Double-Dippers. … Justin Allgaier (#63 Dave Porter Truck Sales Ford), Brian Scott (#16 Albertsons Chevy) and John Wes Townley (#09 Zaxby's Ford) also will compete in Friday's ARCA RE/MAX event.
Marks Looks For Another Gear In Second Half
It's been a series of peaks and valleys for Justin Marks (#9 Construct Corps/crocs Toyota) during the first half of the season.
But that's to be expected when you're a rookie in a NASCAR national series.
Marks sits second in Raybestos Rookie of the Year standings but knows he'll have to do better than the single top-10 finish he posted during the season's first 12 races.
The potential is there; Marks knows he must find another gear to reach it.
My focus is improving our finishes,” said the 27-year-old from Rocklin, Calif. We've made a lot of gains in our mile-and-a-half program. Our qualifying has shown it and we're looking to put together finishes that reflect all the work that (crew chief) Jason Overstreet and the crew have put into our Tundras.”
Joey Clanton's seventh place was last years top finish by a Raybestos Rookie of the Year candidate in the Built Ford Tough 225.
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
Coming-Home Time For Several In Kentucky
This week is homecoming for several NASCAR Craftsman Truck competitors including Jeff Wyler, owner of the #60 Wyler.com Toyota driven by Terry Cook. Wyler also owns 27 new car and truck franchises in Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana and participates in many civic activities.
His 2006 and 2007 Jeff Wyler Charity Golf Outings raised over $100,000 to benefit the Cincinnati Reds' Community Fund for Kids.
Funds from this year's tournament will help underwrite the joint cancer program between area medical centers. Wyler is chairman of the Board of Trustees of the University of Cincinnati.
Cook, a Sylvania, Ohio native will be the Reds' honorary captain during their Thursday night game with the New York Mets.
I think the biggest part of my job is going to be presenting the starting lineup to the umpires before the game,” Cook said.
The weekend will be a homecoming also for series veteran Wayne Edwards of Shepherdsville, Ky., south of Louisville. Edwards will drive the #28 Rosenblum Racing Chevy.
Thomas Bard of Greenville is the tire specialist on the #15 Toyota driven by Marc Mitchell.
Finally, ThorSport Racing's team manager, David Pepper, will be near his Owensboro, Ky., hometown. ThorSport fields the #13 Bobcat Chevy of Shelby Howard and #88 Menards Chevy of Matt Crafton.
I don't think I'm any different than any other person in this sport,” Pepper said. “We all want to be part of a winning team or run as well as possible every week, but yes, it would mean a lot to be on a winning team with all your friends and family looking on.”
In The Loop:
Since the inception of Loop Data at the start of 2005, one driver ranks above all other full-time NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series competitors in the all-encompassing Driver Rating statistic: Mike Skinner.
In the 87 races from 2005 to the present, Skinner has an average Driver Rating of 107.0, which narrowly leads Ron Hornaday Jr.'s 105.6.
Skinner's strength makes his thus-far winless 2008 all the more perplexing. But if he has a Kentucky race like last season, his drought of 16 races will end this weekend.
Last year, Skinner down-right dominated. He earned a perfect Driver Rating of 150.0, an Average Running Position of 1.3, 63 Fastest Laps Run and led a race-high 135 laps.
Only one driver in Saturday's field ranks ahead of Skinner in Driver Rating since 2005: Kyle Busch. In 37 races since 2005, Busch has a Driver Rating of 111.7 (Mark Martin leads all drivers with a 118.2 in 21 races since 2005).
Fifth on the Driver Rating list since 2005 is Todd Bodine, with 101.7. Bodine is still looking for his first Kentucky win, though he did finish second in 2005 and has a Driver Rating of 90.7 over the last three Kentucky races.
Seven of the top 10 in career Driver Rating will compete in this week's race. Hornaday and Skinner are the only ones to win a truck race at Kentucky Speedway.
NCTS Driver Ratings: The Career Top 10*
Driver Rating
Mark Martin 118.2
Kyle Busch 111.7
Mike Skinner 107.0
R. Hornaday 105.6
Todd Bodine 101.7
J. Benson 99.1
Travis Kvapil 98.5
D. Reutimann 96.6
Jack Sprague 93.9
Rick Crawford 91.4
* 10 or more starts 2005-08
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 12
Quotable:
“We just have to stay out of trouble and as (crew chief) Mike (Beam) says, ‘not beat ourselves. We've had a rough time the last few races.” - Colin Braun, #6 Con-way Freight Ford, who's finished outside the top 20 in three of his past four starts.
- “Kentucky is all about being able to negotiate turn three. The driver that can get into Turn Three and then get back to the gas is going to win the race. Besides that, you just need to run the bottom of the track.” - Rick Ren, crew chief for 2006 Kentucky winner Ron Hornaday Jr.
- “It's not exhausting. I am a racer and I enjoy doing it. We have a lot of fun in the late models and having the weekend off just gives us an opportunity to go to a couple local tracks and have some fun.” - Kyle Busch, who'll compete in late model stock car races this week at Slinger (Wis.) Speedway and Iowa Speedway in addition to the Built Ford Tough 225 in Kentucky. Busch won the track's Nationwide Series race in 2004.
Toyota Defends
Toyota scored its first Kentucky victory a year ago en route to its second Manufacturers' Championship.
The champion truck maker has won in six out of eight seasons at Kentucky Speedway.
NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series 2008 Manufacturers' Championship Point Standings following race 12 of 25 at Memphis Motorsports Park:
Chevy 82
Toyota 78
Ford 60
Dodge 44
Director's Take: Wayne's Words
Fans who travel to many races will probably recognize there's some of Las Vegas Motor Speedway in Kentucky Speedway.
Both were built with the fan in mind — especially those who walk back and forth from grandstand to infield. The escalators are a nice touch; it's quite a climb from tunnel to ground level.
The garages also are unique. They're ‘drive-through' in the sense a truck can enter from one side and exit on the other.
Plus there are amenities for crew members such as lounges on both ends of the garages that really make a difference on a hot, humid July day.
If there's a word to describe this week's races it has to be ‘challenging.'
We practice in the afternoon and evening, qualify in the afternoon and race at twilight.
It takes a very savvy crew chief to find the right set-up that will make his driver comfortable.
But that said, Kentucky Speedway has multiple grooves so it's not a case of one set-up fitting all.
“Fans have seen some memorable races including Carl Edwards' first post-victory back flip in 2003. “
— Wayne Auton, NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Director.
Up Next:
Short track action returns when series competitors return to O'Reilly Raceway Park at Indianapolis for the July 25 Power Stroke Diesel 200 Presented by AAA Hoosier Insurance. The opening act of a truck and NASCAR Nationwide Series two-night bill marks the 14th time the series has visited the .686-mile track. Ron Hornaday Jr. is the defending winner.(NASCAR PR)(7-14-2008)
Truck Series News & Notes - July 7, 2008
Moss Motorsports Readies For Kentucky Speedway Debut
What has been discussed and rumored from early on this season is now reality. Teaming with David Dollar and Morgan-Dollar Motorsports, NFL All-Pro wide receiver Randy Moss now is an owner in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series.
In the heat at Daytona International Speedway, the new team was unveiled. The newly-formed Randy Moss Motorsports will make its debut at Kentucky Speedway with series’ 2007 Rookie of the Year Willie Allen behind the wheel of the #81 truck.
Both Moss and Dollar are excited about the new partnership. “It’s been a long time coming,” Moss said. “It’s something I’ve wanted to do for a long time. It’s really a dream come true because maybe the last five or six years I have been really interested in joining NASCAR, but didn’t know what steps to take. It’s going to be a lot of fun to see that truck out on the track and know that I own it.”
“I was so taken away after visiting with Randy and his passion for winning and understanding of competition and most importantly the dedication that it takes to be successful,” Dollar said. “It’s going to be a great partnership.”
When it came down to how he would get involved in the series, the NFL star did his homework. “We looked at a lot of different options and we decided to align with David Dollar’s team rather than build an operation from scratch,” added Moss.
Moss has aligned himself with a proven operation. The team, as Morgan-Dollar Motorsports, is fourth among active owners with 237 starts, 232 of them consecutive .
The team has brought home 13 wins with drivers Dennis Setzer, Bobby Labonte and Clint Bowyer. With Setzer, the team finished second in the series standings from 2003 through 2005.
Colin Braun, You Can Only Turn Left Here
Rookie Colin Braun (#6 Con-way Freight Ford) isn’t new just to the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. He’s new only to turning left.
The young driver, who cut his racing teeth traveling around the world in karting and on the road courses driving Daytona Prototypes in the Grand-Am Rolex Series, says he’s had a lot to learn this year.
“It’s quite a bit different, I’m not going to lie,” he said. “A lot of the race tracks that we’ve raced at in the prototype car we’ll use the oval part, and then we’ll use the sports car infield road course. It’s weird coming back to some of these race tracks and going straight and not turning down the road course. It took a bit to get used to.”
While he admits the racing is quite different, from the trucks to the tracks, the young driver is having fun learning it all.
“It’s a fantastic opportunity for me to have a chance to come and drive this truck and certainly something I’m really enjoying,” he said.
For his rookie year, Braun has shown success on the track. In 12 races he’s scored one top-five finish, a third at Kansas Speedway, and three top-10 finishes.
Braun credits his fast success to his team and those around him. “I think it just comes down to driving for a team like Roush Fenway Racing. They have so much experience there,” he said. “Luckily for me, I have a great crew chief in Mike Beam, who has a lot of experience himself.”
He realizes, too, the series is a good place to learn. “It’s great racing in this series,” said Braun. “There are so many good veteran drivers that have so much experience and you can learn a lot from those guys.”
At Halfway, Tight Points Race Harkens Back To 2003
In 13 of 14 seasons, the battle for the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Championship title has gone down to the wire. As the series heads towards the midpoint of the season, it looks like it’ll be no less than the same once again.
While the series can boast its share of close points battles, it’s never been quite this close at this point in the season.
Only 27 points separate points leader Ron Hornaday, Jr. (#33 Camping World Chevy) and second-place driver Matt Crafton (#88 Menard’s Chevy). From first to fifth place, the spread is 74 and from first to 10th it is a difference of 212.
At this point last season, the margins were 103 from first to second, 385 first to fifth and 612 from first the 10th.
This year’s title could be anyone’s at this point. Maybe a little déjà vu?
In 2003 after race 12, the points leader had a 34-point cushion over second. It was 86 points from first to fifth and 233 from first to 10th.
As the trucks entered Miami-Homestead Speedway to close out the season, four drivers were viable candidates for the trophy. Brendan Gaughan led the point standings but by only 26 over Ted Musgrave. Travis Kvapil sat in third and Dennis Setzer (#18 Dodge) in fourth, 34 and 39 points respectively behind Gaughan.
Each driver had the title in hand at one point of the race but in the end, Kvapil won the championship by a mere nine points over Setzer.
Talk about close. Yet, it’s shaping up to be even tighter in 2008.
Manufacturers’ Battle
Looks like the hunt for the distinguished manufacturers’ title is heating up. Chevy is back on top, but won’t rest easy in that spot. Toyota drivers like Johnny Benson (#23 Toyota Certified Used Vehicles Toyota) have been on a roll and are also the defending winner at Kentucky.
And don’t count out Ford and Dodge. Both count wins at Kentucky.
NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series 2008 Manufacturers' Championship Point Standings following race 17 of 25 at Memphis Motorsports Park:
Chevy, 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 12
Rookie Standings 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
In The Loop: Crafton Quietly Dominant
Matt Crafton is enjoying arguably his best season in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series – and he’s doing it very quietly.
Despite a career-first win (Lowe’s Motor Speedway) and a second-place points position, Crafton hasn’t drawn as much ink as the Ron Hornadays and Johnny Bensons of the world.
But if he keeps up this success, he’ll get what’s coming to him.
Crafton, who is only 27 points behind leader Hornaday, has already matched his career-high in top-five finishes with six. He had one all of last season.
Crafton ranks in the top 10 in practically all Loop Data statistics this season. He has a Driver Rating of 89.6 (sixth-best), an Average Running Position of 12.1 (seventh), 67 Fastest Laps Run (sixth) and a Laps in the Top 15 percentage of 74.1 percent (fifth).
But the key to Crafton’s success lies in his ability to make a pass, especially important ones. Crafton leads the series in Quality Passes (passes of cars in the top 15 under green) with 319, and ranks second in Green Flag Passes with 494.
He also owns one of the best Pass Differential numbers (passes minus times passed). Crafton has Pass Differential of 116, which is third-best of those who have raced in all 12 races this season.
Up Next:
The series will head to the Blue Grass State for the Built Ford Tough 225 presented by the Greater Cincinnati Ford Dealers on July 19.
Last year’s winner Mike Skinner is still chasing his first win of the 2008 season.
(NASCAR PR)(7-7-2008)
Truck Series News & Notes - June 30, 2008
Three-Peat For Hornaday In Memphis And 2008 Season
Ron Hornaday Jr. (#33 Camping World Chevy) 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 (#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 (#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 (#2 American Commercial Lines Chevy).
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 #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 (#88 Menards Chevy).
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 #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 (#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 #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 (#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.
Chevy Regains Lead
All indicators show the 2008 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Manufacturers’ Championship going down to the wire.
Chevy’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
Chevy, 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 (#16 Albertsons Chevy) was the Raybestos rookie leader. His 13th-place finish came within a position of matching his career best.
(NASCAR PR)(6-30-2008)
