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THE RACE: LOWE'S MOTOR SPEEDWAY - NC Education Lottery 200

Truck Series Race #6 of 25 for the 2008 Season

Last Race - Kansas Speedway
Next Race - Mansfield Motorsports Park

Race: Friday, May 16, 2008 at Lowe's Motor Speedway

Length: 134 Laps, 201 Miles

2007 Winner: Ron Hornaday Jr

2007 Pole: Mike Skinner

TV: SPEED: Prerace 7:30pm; Race 8:00pm

Radio: MRN

Announcers: Rick Allen, Phil Parsons, Michael Waltrip

Pit Reporters: Ray Dunlap, Adam Alexander

Prerace Host: Krista Voda

Practice Dates/Times

Practice: Friday, May 16, 2008; 9:00 - 10:00am and 10:20am - 11:50am

Qualifying Info

Qualifying: Friday, May 16, 2008; 3:35pm

Goodyear Tire Notes

Number of Tires:
Left-side - 400
Right-side - 400

Tire Codes:
Left-side -- D-4128
Right-side -- D-4130

Tire Circumference:
Left-side -- 87.4 in.
Right-side -- 88.7 in.
Technical Inspection Inflation:
Left Front -- 30 psi; Left Rear -- 30 psi
Right Front -- 55 psi; Right Rear -- 50 psi

Minimum Recommended Inflation:
Left Front -- 30 psi; Left Rear -- 30 psi;
Right Front -- 54 psi; Right Rear -- 50 psi

Notes:
Teams in all three NASCAR series will run the same tire codes throughout Charlotte Speedweeks . . . this is the first time NASCAR teams will race on these tire codes at Charlotte . . . teams in both the Sprint Cup and Nationwide Series successfully tested on this tire set-up at Charlotte over the past several weeks . . . compared to the tire codes run at Charlotte in 2007, this left-side code (D-4128) has more grip, while this right side code (D-4130) contains incremental changes to enhance durability . . . Charlotte is the only track at which NASCAR teams are scheduled to run this specific combination of left- and right-side tires this season, though teams in the Sprint Cup and Nationwide Series raced on this right-side code with a different left-side at Darlington . . . as on all NASCAR ovals greater than one mile in length, teams are required to run inner liners in all four tire positions at Charlotte . . . air pressure in those inner liners should be 12-25 psi greater than that of the outer tire.(Goodyear PR)(5-16-2008)

Entry, Practice, Qualifying and Race Information

Crafton picks up his first win! After 178 races, #88-Matt Crafton was able hang on to the lead on a restart with two laps to go to win the NC Education Lottery 200. Crafton's 177-race winless streak is the longest ever on the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. Bryan Reffner held the previous mark of 111 races before his first win. Chad McCumbee (second) posted his fourth-10 finish in 2008 and his first at Lowe's Motor Speedway. It is also his career-best finish, eclipsing his fifth-place finish at Atlanta in March. Rounding out the top ten were #8-Chad McCumbee, #10-Brendan Gaughan, #99-Erik Darnell, #14-Rick Crawford, #60-Terry Cook, #18-Dennis Setzer, #51-Kyle Busch, #46-Landon Cassill, #5-Mike Skinner. #51-Kyle Busch led the most laps, but got into the wall when #33-Ron Hornaday got loose underneath Busch and slid up into him.. Late in the race, leader Erik Darnell had trouble getting up to speed on a restart; #23-Johnny Benson passed him and was subsequently black-flagged for jumping the restart. A few laps later, #30-Todd Bodine got into the back of #33-Ron Hornaday causing him to spin across the grass. Bodine was sent to the tail end of the lead lap for aggressive driving finishing 12th; Hornaday finished 23rd. There were 14 lead changes among 11 drivers and 7 caution flags for 33 laps.(Unofficial)(5-16-2008)
Race Awards:
Featherlite Most Improved Driver Award: Erik Darnell, #99 (24 Places)
Keystone Light Pole Award: Kyle Busch, #51 (179.045 mph)
Mahle Clevite Engine Builder of the Race: Kyle Busch #51
Mobil 1 Command Performance Driver of the Race: Matt Crafton, #88
Raybestos Rookie of the Race Award: Colin Braun, #6
Sunoco Diamond Performance: Matt Crafton, #88
Wix Filters Lap Leader Award: Matt Crafton, #88 (10 Laps)(NASCAR PR)(5-16-2008)

NASCAR Race Number 6
Race Results for the North Carolina Education Lottery 200 - Friday, May 16, 2008
Lowe's Motor Speedway - Concord, NC - 1.5 Mile Paved
Total Race Length - 138 Laps - 207 Miles - Purse: $560,747(Official)(5-19-2008)

Finish	Start	Trk #	Driver	Team	Laps	Points	Bonus	Award	Status
1	18	88	Matt Crafton	Menards/McGuire-Nicholas Chevy	138	190	5	$61,800	Running
2	7	8	Chad McCumbee	Malcolmson Construction Chevy	138	175	5	$35,675	Running
3	29	10	Brendan Gaughan	Int'l MAXXFORCE Diesel	138	165		$25,870	Running
4	5	99	Erik Darnell	Northern Tool + Equipment Ford	138	165	5	$19,235	Running
5	15	14	Rick Crawford	Power Stroke Diesel by Int'l Ford	138	155		$16,085	Running
6	25	60	Terry Cook	Wyler.com Toyota	138	155	5	$13,010	Running
7	28	18	Dennis Setzer	Tahoe Smokeless Dodge	138	151	5	$12,510	Running
8	1	51	Kyle Busch	Miccosukee/NOS Energy Drink	138	152	10	$13,760	Running
9	8	46	Landon Cassill	GoDaddy.com Chevy	138	138		$12,285	Running
10	4	5	Mike Skinner	Toyota Banner Sales Event Toyota	138	134		$13,635	Running
11	14	23	Johnny Benson	Exide Batteries Toyota	138	130		$11,760	Running
12	21	30	Todd Bodine	Lumber Liquidators Toyota	138	132	5	$11,585	Running
13	22	52	Ken Schrader	Federated Auto Parts Toyota	138	124		$9,210	Running
14	3	2	Jack Sprague	American Commercial Lines Chevy	138	121		$11,360	Running
15	6	6	Colin Braun #	Con-way Freight Ford	138	123	5	$13,210	Running
16	9	7	Andy Lally #	TRG/Adobe Road Winery Chevy	138	115		$11,560	Running
17	19	11	David Starr	Pit Corporate Training Toyota	137	112		$11,110	Running
18	12	09	Travis Kvapil	Zaxby's Ford	137	109		$8,810	Running
19	27	21	Jon Wood	Air Force Ford	137	106		$11,010	Running
20	10	13	Shelby Howard	ThorSport Racing Chevy	137	103		$11,660	Running
21	20	40	Chad Chaffin	Curtis Key Plmbg/Mays Meats	137	105	5	$8,640	Running
22	23	59	Ted Musgrave	Team ASE/Harris Trucking Toyota	137	102	5	$10,835	Running
23	2	33	Ron Hornaday	Camping World Chevy	137	99	5	$10,560	Running
24	11	15	Marc Mitchell #	Hyprene Ergon Toyota	136	91		$8,535	Running
25	16	17	Timothy Peters	Hayes Iron & Metal/Tahoe Dodge	136	88		$8,485	Running
26	33	08	Jason White	GunBroker.com Dodge	136	85		$8,460	Running
27	30	20	Scott Lagasse, Jr	Nicholson Group Real Estate Ford	136	82		$8,435	Running
28	17	4	Stacy Compton	Crown Dodge of Fayetteville Dodge	135	79		$8,410	Running
29	36	54	Brian Sockwell	Sculley Boatbuilders Chevy	134	76		$8,360	Running
30	24	91	J.C. Stout	Hart's Insurance Agency Chevy	124	73		$8,335	Running
31	26	07	John Mickel	Dudman Grp/Contac Svc/RSCapp	113	70		$8,310	Accident
32	32	9	Justin Marks #	crocs Toyota	113	67		$8,285	Accident
33	13	22	Scott Speed #	Red Bull Toyota	107	64		$8,260	Transmission
34	34	71	Donny Lia #	Nationrides.com Chevy	9	61		$8,235	Accident
35	35	16	Brian Scott #	Albertsons Chevy	8	58		$8,210	Accident
36	31	74	Derrike Cope	Dodge	4	55		$8,198	Vibration

Race Comments:	Before an estimated crowd of 40,000 - Matt Crafton won the North Carolina Education Lottery 200 - his first NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series victory. No one dropped to the rear.
Failed to Qualify:	(2) 73 Nick Tucker, 28 Wayne Edwards
Time of Race:	01 Hrs, 51 Mins, 24 Secs.
Average Speed:	111.490 MPH
Margin of Victory:	0.184 Seconds
Caution Flags:	7 for 33 laps: Laps: 9-16 (#16,71 accident frontstretch); 22-28 (Debris); 100-103 (Debris); 106-108 (#2,6,22,33,51 accident turn 4); 116-118 (#07,9.18,59 accident turn 2); 125-127 (Debris); 132-136 (#30,33 accident turn 1).
Lead Changes:	14 among 11 drivers: K. Busch 1-21; C. McCumbee 22; C. Chaffin 23; T. Musgrave 24-28; K. Busch 29-77; C. Braun # 78-80; D. Setzer 81; T. Cook 82-83; K. Busch 84-99; R. Hornaday 100; T. Bodine 101-104; E. Darnell 105-127; M. Crafton 128; T. Bodine 129; M. Crafton 130-138.

Hornaday maintains points lead: #33-Ron Hornaday Jr. managed to hang on to the points lead with 874; just 5 points ahead of second place #14-Rick Crawford. Rounding out the top ten in points are; ##30-Todd Bodine, #88-Matt Crafton, #18-Dennis Setzer, #8-Chad McCumbee, #23-Johnny Benson, #51-Kyle Busch, #99-Erik Darnell, #60-Terry Cook.(Unofficial)(5-16-2008)

Points Report
Lowe's Motor Speedway at Charlotte
North Carolina Education Lottery 200
Provided by NASCAR Statistics - Friday, 5/16/2008 @ 10:55 PM Eastern OFFICIAL 5/19/2008

Pos	Driver	BPts	Pts	Ldr	Starts
1	Ron Hornaday	40	874	0	6
2	Rick Crawford	5	869	-5	6
3	Todd Bodine	20	836	-38	6
4	Matt Crafton	5	829	-45	6
5	Dennis Setzer	25	817	-57	6
6	Chad McCumbee	15	808	-66	6
7	Kyle Busch	30	797	-77	5
8	Johnny Benson	15	796	-78	6
9	Erik Darnell	20	771	-103	6
10	Terry Cook	5	760	-114	6
11	Mike Skinner	10	758	-116	6
12	Brendan Gaughan	0	751	-123	6
13	Jack Sprague	15	750	-124	6
14	David Starr	5	733	-141	6
15	Ted Musgrave	5	729	-145	6
16	Colin Braun #	5	696	-178	6
17	Justin Marks #	0	627	-247	6
18	Stacy Compton	0	596	-278	6
19	Brian Scott #	0	596	-278	6
20	Shelby Howard	0	570	-304	6
21	Jason White	10	556	-318	6
22	Jon Wood	0	553	-321	6
23	Andy Lally #	0	549	-325	6
24	Chad Chaffin	5	536	-338	6
25	Scott Lagasse, Jr	0	516	-358	6
26	Travis Kvapil	5	515	-359	4
27	Donny Lia #	0	514	-360	5
28	Phillip McGilton	0	491	-383	4
29	Marc Mitchell #	0	482	-392	5
30	Scott Speed #	0	422	-452	4
31	Ken Schrader	0	284	-590	2
32	Shane Sieg	0	273	-601	3
33	Landon Cassill	0	262	-612	2
34	Erin Crocker	0	203	-671	2
35	Timothy Peters	0	194	-680	2
36	Scott Lynch	0	185	-689	2
37	Ryan Lawler	0	179	-695	2
38	Mike Bliss	0	155	-719	2
39	Wayne Edwards	0	112	-762	2
40	Larry Foyt	0	109	-765	1
41	Chrissy Wallace	0	109	-765	1
42	Denny Hamlin	5	105	-769	1
43	Justin Hobgood	0	103	-771	1
44	Jack Smith	5	102	-772	1
45	Bobby East	0	91	-783	1
46	Brian Sockwell	0	76	-798	1
47	J.C. Stout	0	73	-801	1
48	Brent Raymer	0	70	-804	1
49	John Mickel	0	70	-804	1
50	Butch Miller	0	67	-807	2
51	Joey Clanton	0	67	-807	1
52	Tim Cowen	0	64	-810	1
53	Mario Gosselin	0	61	-813	1
54	P J Jones	0	58	-816	1
55	Michelle Theriault	0	58	-816	1
56	Derrike Cope	0	55	-819	1
57	A J Allmendinger	0	0	-874	1
58	Jennifer Cobb	0	0	-874	1
59	Morgan Shepherd	0	0	-874	1

Owner Points Following Race # 6
Lowe's Motor Speedway at Charlotte
North Carolina Education Lottery 200
Provided by NASCAR Statistics - Friday, 5/16/2008 @ 11:33 PM Eastern OFFICIAL 5/19/2008

Pos	Owner	Trk#	Pts	Ldr	Starts
1	Billy Ballew	51	906	0	6
2	Delana Harvick	33	874	-32	6
3	Tom Mitchell	14	869	-37	6
4	Steve Germain	30	836	-70	6
5	Rhonda Thorson	88	829	-77	6
6	Clay Campbell	18	817	-89	6
7	Dave Malcolmson	8	808	-98	6
8	Gail Davis	23	796	-110	6
9	Jack Roush	99	771	-135	6
10	Jeffrey Wyler	60	760	-146	6
11	Bill Davis	5	758	-148	6
12	Tom Mitchell	10	751	-155	6
13	Delana Harvick	2	750	-156	6
14	Tom Deloach	11	733	-173	6
15	Jim Harris	59	729	-177	6
16	Bill Davis	22	697	-209	6
17	Jack Roush	6	696	-210	6
18	David Dollar	46	681	-225	6
19	Jack Roush	09	673	-233	6
20	Bob Germain	9	627	-279	6
21	Lori Hamilton	4	596	-310	6
22	Joe Scott	16	596	-310	6
23	Billy Ballew	15	587	-319	6
24	Kevin Buckler	71	578	-328	6
25	Duke Thorson	13	570	-336	6
26	Bobby Dotter	08	556	-350	6
27	Eddie Wood	21	553	-353	6
28	Kevin Buckler	7	549	-357	6
29	Curtis Key	40	536	-370	6
30	Tad Geschickter	20	516	-390	6
31	Ken Smith	07	504	-402	6
32	Ken Schrader	52	284	-622	2
33	James Lynch	29	185	-721	2
34	Jim Rosenblum	28	161	-745	1
35	Michael Mittler	63	160	-746	2
36	Jerry Reary	54	128	-778	1
37	Kevin Payne	73	110	-796	1
38	Shelly Brevak	31	109	-797	1
39	Rick Germain	3	109	-797	1
40	David Dollar	47	106	-800	2
41	William Bishop	53	103	-803	1
42	Steve Stallings	17	88	-818	1
43	Donald Stout	91	73	-833	1
44	Chrissie Raymer	85	70	-836	1
45	Gene Christensen	0	67	-839	3
46	Bob Cowen	42	64	-842	1
47	Michelle Gosselin	12	61	-845	1
48	Derrike Cope	74	55	-851	2

Pit Stall Selections

Busch wins the pole at Lowe's: #51-Kyle Busch posted a speed of 179.045 to win the pole for the NC Education Lottery 200 at Lowes. Rounding out the top ten were; #33-Ron Hornaday, #2-Jack Sprague, #5-Mike Skinner, #99-Erik Darnell, #6-Colin Braun, #8-Chad McCumbee, #46-Landon Cassill, #7-Andy Lally, #13-Shelby Howard.(5-16-2008)

Starting Lineup
Lowe's Motor Speedway at Charlotte
North Carolina Education Lottery 200
Provided by NASCAR Statistics - Fri, May 16, 2008 @ 04:55 PM Eastern

Pos	Trk#	Driver	Team	Time	Speed
1	51	Kyle Busch	Miccosukee Resorts/NOS Energy Drink	30.160	179.045
2	33	Ron Hornaday	Camping World Chevy	30.525	176.904
3	2	Jack Sprague	American Commercial Lines Chevy	30.560	176.702
4	5	Mike Skinner	Toyota Tundra/Banner Sales Event Toyota	30.717	175.798
5	99	Erik Darnell	Northern Tool + Equipment Ford	30.808	175.279
6	6	Colin Braun #	Con-way Freight Ford	30.811	175.262
7	8	Chad McCumbee	Malcolmson Construction Chevy	30.907	174.718
8	46	Landon Cassill	GoDaddy.com Chevy	30.942	174.520
9	7	Andy Lally #	TRG Motorsports/Adobe Road Winery	30.947	174.492
10	13	Shelby Howard	ThorSport Racing Chevy	30.998	174.205
11	15	Marc Mitchell #	Hyprene Ergon Toyota	31.010	174.137
12	09	Travis Kvapil	Zaxby's Ford	31.036	173.991
13	22	Scott Speed #	Red Bull Toyota	31.055	173.885
14	23	Johnny Benson	Exide Batteries Toyota	31.090	173.689
15	14	Rick Crawford	Power Stroke Diesel by Int'l Ford	31.124	173.500
16	17	Timothy Peters	Hayes Iron & Metal/Tahoe Smokeless Dodge	31.151	173.349
17	4	Stacy Compton	Crown Dodge of Fayetteville Dodge	31.171	173.238
18	88	Matt Crafton	Menards/McGuire-Nicholas Workwear	31.195	173.105
19	11	David Starr	Pit CorporateTraining/Pit-Now.com Toyota	31.287	172.596
20	40	Chad Chaffin	Curtis Key Plumbing/Mays Meats Chevy	31.312	172.458
21	30	Todd Bodine	Lumber Liquidators Toyota	31.314	172.447
22	52	Ken Schrader	Federated Auto Parts Toyota	31.322	172.403
23	59	Ted Musgrave	Team ASE/Harris Trucking Toyota	31.437	171.772
24	91	J.C. Stout	Hart's Insurance Agency Chevy	31.444	171.734
25	60	Terry Cook	Wyler.com Toyota	31.530	171.265
26	07	John Mickel	Dudman Grp/Contac Svc/RSCapp Chevy	31.550	171.157
27	21	Jon Wood	Air Force Ford	31.575	171.021
28	18	Dennis Setzer	Tahoe Smokeless Dodge	31.596	170.908
29	10	Brendan Gaughan	Int'l MAXXFORCE Diesel Ford	31.611	170.827
30	20	Scott Lagasse, Jr	Nicholson Group Real Estate Ford	31.658	170.573
31	74	Derrike Cope	Dodge	31.683	170.438
32	9	Justin Marks #	crocs Toyota	31.697	170.363
33	08	Jason White	GunBroker.com Dodge	31.766	169.993
34	71	Donny Lia #	Nationrides.com Chevy	31.805	169.785
35	16	Brian Scott #	Albertsons Chevy	Owner Points
36	54	Brian Sockwell	Sculley Boatbuilders Chevy	32.226	167.567
DNQ - #73-Nick Tucker; # 28-Wayne Edwards.

NCTS Final Practice
Lowe's Motor Speedway at Charlotte
North Carolina Education Lottery 200
Provided by NASCAR Statistics - Fri, May 16, 2008 @ 11:49 AM Eastern

Pos	#	Driver	Team	Time	Speed	# Laps
1	51	Kyle Busch	Miccosukee Resorts/NOS Energy Drink	30.245	178.542	43
2	6	Colin Braun #	Con-way Freight Ford	30.489	177.113	66
3	5	Mike Skinner	Toyota Tundra/Banner Sales Event Toyota	30.617	176.373	45
4	8	Chad McCumbee	Malcolmson Construction Chevy	30.649	176.188	28
5	2	Jack Sprague	American Commercial Lines Chevy	30.667	176.085	39
6	33	Ron Hornaday	Camping World Chevy	30.696	175.919	39
7	09	Travis Kvapil	Zaxby's Ford	30.747	175.627	30
8	16	Brian Scott #	Albertsons Chevy	30.770	175.496	39
9	22	Scott Speed #	Red Bull Toyota	30.816	175.234	36
10	21	Jon Wood	Air Force Ford	30.911	174.695	49
11	11	David Starr	Pit CorporateTraining/Pit-Now.com Toyota	30.936	174.554	44
12	46	Landon Cassill	GoDaddy.com Chevy	30.960	174.419	63
13	88	Matt Crafton	Menards/McGuire-Nicholas Workwear	30.981	174.300	41
14	99	Erik Darnell	Northern Tool + Equipment Ford	30.993	174.233	45
15	23	Johnny Benson	Exide Batteries Toyota	31.005	174.165	39
16	71	Donny Lia #	Nationrides.com Chevy	31.006	174.160	37
17	59	Ted Musgrave	Team ASE/Harris Trucking Toyota	31.007	174.154	37
18	15	Marc Mitchell	Hyprene Ergon Toyota	31.011	174.132	51
19	30	Todd Bodine	Lumber Liquidators Toyota	31.015	174.109	43
20	7	Andy Lally #	TRG Motorsports/Adobe Road Winery	31.069	173.807	23
21	13	Shelby Howard	ThorSport Racing Chevy	31.090	173.689	47
22	20	Scott Lagasse, Jr	Nicholson Group Real Estate Ford	31.121	173.516	26
23	*52	Ken Schrader	Federated Auto Parts Toyota	31.206	173.044	27
24	4	Stacy Compton	Crown Dodge of Fayetteville Dodge	31.206	173.044	27
25	10	Brendan Gaughan	Int'l MAXXFORCE Diesel Ford	31.253	172.783	33
26	14	Rick Crawford	Power Stroke Diesel by Int'l Ford	31.278	172.645	42
27	60	Terry Cook	Wyler.com Toyota	31.293	172.563	20
28	*91	J.C. Stout	Hart's Insurance Agency Chevy	31.321	172.408	34
29	*40	Chad Chaffin	Curtis Key Plumbing/Mays Meats	31.372	172.128	34
30	18	Dennis Setzer	Tahoe Smokeless Dodge	31.408	171.931	37
31	9	Justin Marks #	crocs Toyota	31.487	171.499	40
32	08	Jason White	GunBroker.com Dodge	31.596	170.908	39
33	*17	Timothy Peters	Hayes Iron & Metal/Tahoe Smokeless	31.647	170.632	26
34	07	John Mickel	Dudman Grp/Contac Svc/RSCapp	31.846	169.566	48
35	*54	Brian Sockwell	Sculley Boatbuilders Chevy	31.996	168.771	22
36	*74	Derrike Cope	Dodge	32.127	168.083	13
37	*73	Nick Tucker	Dodge	33.266	162.328	39
38	*28	Wayne Edwards	Kissin' Kuzzins Chevy	33.361	161.866	23
*Required to qualify on time

Entry List
Lowe's Motor Speedway at Charlotte
North Carolina Education Lottery 200
Provided by NASCAR Statistics - Thu, May 15, 2008 @ 04:35 PM Eastern

Entry	Trk#	Driver	Team	Owner	Crew Chief
1	2	Jack Sprague	American Commercial Lines Chevy	Delana Harvick	Ernie Cope
2	4	Stacy Compton	Crown Dodge of Fayetteville Dodge	Lori Hamilton	Bryant Frazier
3	5	Mike Skinner	Toyota Tundra/Banner Sales Event Toyota	Bill Davis	Jeff Hensley
4	6	Colin Braun #	Con-way Freight Ford	Jack Roush	MIke Beam
5	07	John Mickel	Dudman Grp/Contac Svc/RSCapp Chevy	Ken Smith	Bobby Dotter
6	7	Andy Lally #	TRG Motorsports/Adobe Road Winery	Kevin Buckler	Butch Hylton
7	08	Jason White	GunBroker.com Dodge	Bobby Dotter	Doug Howe
8	8	Chad McCumbee	Malcolmson Construction Chevy	David Malcolmson	Randy Dean
9	09	Travis Kvapil	Zaxby's Ford	Jack Roush	Chad Norris
10	9	Justin Marks #	crocs Toyota	Bob Germain	Jason Overstreet
11	10	Brendan Gaughan	Int'l MAXXFORCE Diesel Ford	Tom Mitchell	Bryan Berry
12	11	David Starr	Pit CorporateTraining/Pit-Now.com Toyota	Tom DeLoach	Jamie Jones
13	13	Shelby Howard	ThorSport Racing Chevy	Duke Thorson	Chris Rice
14	14	Rick Crawford	Power Stroke Diesel by Int'l Ford	Tom Mitchell	Kevin Starland
15	15	Marc Mitchell	Hyprene Ergon Toyota	Billy Ballew	Doug George
16	16	Brian Scott #	Albertsons Chevy	Joe Scott	David Fuge
17	*17	Timothy Peters	Hayes Iron & Metal/Tahoe Smokeless Dodge	Steve Stallings	Chad Hendrick
18	18	Dennis Setzer	Tahoe Smokeless Dodge	Clay Campbell	Marcus Richmond
19	20	Scott Lagasse, Jr	Nicholson Group Real Estate Ford	Tad Geschickter	Greg Conner
20	21	Jon Wood	Air Force Ford	Eddie Wood	John Monsam
21	22	Scott Speed #	Red Bull Toyota	Bill Davis	Doug Wolcott
22	23	Johnny Benson	Exide Batteries Toyota	Gail Davis	Trip Bruce
23	*28	Wayne Edwards	NYPD Racing Chevy	Jim Rosenblum	Dick Rahilly
24	30	Todd Bodine	Lumber Liquidators Toyota	Steven Germain	Mike Hillman Jr.
25	33	Ron Hornaday	Camping World Chevy	Delana Harvick	Rick Ren
26	*40	Chad Chaffin	Curtis Key Plumbing/Mays Meats Chevy	Curtis Key	Lance Hooper
27	46	Landon Cassill	GoDaddy.com Chevy	David Dollar	Eric Phillips
28	51	Kyle Busch	Miccosukee Resorts/NOS Energy Drink	Billy Ballew	Richie Wauters
29	*52	Ken Schrader	Federated Auto Parts Toyota	Ken Schrader	Donnie Richeson
30	*54	Brian Sockwell	Sculley Boatbuilders Chevy	Jerry Reary	Jerry Reary
31	59	Ted Musgrave	Team ASE/Harris Trucking Toyota	James Harris	Danny Rollins
32	60	Terry Cook	Wyler.com Toyota	Jeff Wyler	John Quinn
33	71	Donny Lia #	Nationrides.com Chevy	Kevin Buckler	Jason Miller
34	*73	Nick Tucker	Dodge	Kevin Payne	Rich Markle
35	*74	Derrike Cope	Dodge	Derrike Cope	Del Markle
36	88	Matt Crafton	Menards/McGuire-Nicholas Workwear	Rhonda Thorson	Bud Haefele
37	*91	J.C. Stout	Hart's Insurance Agency Chevy	Donald Stout	Steve Mollrow
38	99	Erik Darnell	Northern Tool + Equipment Ford	Jack Roush	Matt Puccia
*Required to qualify on time

Truck Series News & Notes - Lowes Motor Speedway

Setzer Lone North Carolina Truck Winner At Lowe's Motor Speedway:

Friday's North Carolina Lottery Education 200 is a hometown race for all but one fulltime NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series team. History, however, shows Dennis Setzer (#18 Dodge) as the only North Carolina-born driver to win the 201-mile race. Setzer, from Newton, N.C., won in 2004 and is the only Tar Heel winner in NASCAR national series points competition at Lowe's Motor Speedway since Dale Jarrett's UAW-GM Quality 500 victory in 1997. That's a far cry from earlier eras when names like Petty, Baker, Parsons and Earnhardt dominated. "In the beginning, NASCAR was a southern sport but due to corporate sponsors and bigger television packages, it has now grown into a world-wide sport," said Setzer, one of six North Carolina-born winners of series races. Setzer owns 18 of the 30 victories.

The birth of the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series in 1995 aided the rush of non-southern and off-oval competitors into the sport. Only one champion - the late Bobby Hamilton - was born south of the Mason-Dixon line. Series graduates include Kurt Busch (Nevada), Kevin Harvick (California) and Greg Biffle (Washington). "As a driver, I don't have anything against it at all," said Setzer. "I think the growth of our sport is pretty impressive and something we should be proud of."

Kyle Busch Is Back: Crawford Says Give Him His Due:

Kyle Busch (#51 Miccosukee Resorts/NOS Energy Drink Toyota) forfeited his point lead last month when conflicts prevented him from competing at Kansas Speedway. This week the two-time 2008 winner is back. The North Carolina Education Lottery 200 is the first leg of a busy 10 days at Lowe's Motor Speedway. Busch anticipates competing in every NASCAR event - five races, 814 laps and 1,221 miles. "Hopefully, I can go to Charlotte (and) either win a truck race or All-Star Race or both," said Busch, who comes into Friday's race as the track's only double series winner. "That would be awesome."

Rick Crawford (#14 Power Stroke Diesel by International Ford) has moved into the runner-up position - #2 for the first time since June 2003. He trails leader Ron Hornaday Jr. (#33 Camping World Chevy) by 61 points. Crawford agrees Busch, now sixth in the standings, will continue to impact the series although he's not likely to contend for the title. "He's probably taken himself out of the points picture because there's a lot of good trucks out there," said Crawford. Yet, having Busch in the series on a limited basis has caused everyone to elevate their game. "Hand it to the man; it fits his style right now," said Crawford. "He's on top of his game.

NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series - Best Winning Percentage: (25 or more starts)

Driver	Percentage	Wins	Races
Kyle Busch	20.00	8	40
Greg Biffle	19.75	16	481
Ron Hornaday Jr.	16.59	34	205
Kurt Busch	16.00	4	25
Mike Skinner	15.09	4	159

Scott Speed - We're Not In Monte Carlo Anymore:

You'll never mistake Turn 1 at Martinsville for Monte Carlo's Casino Square. Scott Speed (#22 Red Bull Toyota), however, has proved himself in Formula One. And, in just his second NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race, he finished 10th at Martinsville Speedway. Cars, trucks, fenders and no fenders; it really makes no difference to Speed, a Californian who adapted to life in Europe and has reappeared square in the heart of NASCAR racing. "A lot has happened to me in the last nine months," said Speed, 25, a Raybestos Rookie of the Year candidate. "I lived in Europe for five years and the culture is completely different over there. "It's actually been an easy transition. It's nice to be closer to my family. It's been a cool homecoming but … I definitely miss everything about Austria. I'd love to live there again someday."

Facing off with two-time world champion Fernando Alonso and Bill Davis Racing teammate Mike Skinner isn't all that dissimilar. Both are among the toughest competitors in their respective environments. "The drivers in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series are really tough racers and the level of competition is so high," said Speed, who'll get his first taste of competition at Lowe's Motor Speedway on Friday night. Speed, like other road racers, is having to "unlearn." "The biggest difficulty for me has been running around the outside of someone on the track and actually being faster," he said. Unlike F1, where real-time data is fed to a battery of engineers, information flows from driver to crew chief and back again. "I do feel that I'm adapting to that change pretty well," said Speed, winner of last month's ARCA RE/MAX race in Kansas. "I learn something new every time I race. One of my goals this year is to just be a sponge and absorb everything I can."

Andy Houston Trades Helmet For A Headset:

This is a story of one decade and two garages. In 1998, a furious, final-laps battle between then rookies Greg Biffle and Andy Houston ended with a bump on the backstretch and Houston in New Hampshire Motor Speedway's Victory Lane. Both will be busy at Lowe's Motor Speedway Friday - in different garages with different duties. Biffle went on to win NASCAR Craftsman Truck and Nationwide Series titles and counts 12 NASCAR Sprint Cup victories. Houston, who had a brief NASCAR Sprint Cup career, left the driver's seat for jobs on the other side of the pit wall. He now works for Kevin Harvick Inc. as Jack Sprague's spotter. "When I'm up in the spotter's stand there are a lot of guys just like me up there - David Green, Tim Fedewa and Rick Carelli, just to name a few," said Houston. "I think that by being former drivers, we know what is going through the guys' minds sitting in the seats. You also have the distinct advantage knowing when to speak and when to shut up."

Houston, son of NASCAR Nationwide Series legend Tommy Houston, won three times in NASCAR Craftsman Truck competition. He frequently competed alongside his brother Marty. Houston is one of just six North Carolina-born competitors to win a series race. "I am very proud to have grown up in the racing center of the world," he said. "Since my dad was involved in racing, I have never known anything different. I now feel privileged to be a part of such an elite group. "The best years that I've had in my entire racing career were while I was involved with the series. I feel like I played a small part in where it is today."

Etc:

Hornaday Holding The Cards. ... You'll see a bounce in Ron Hornaday's step this week heading into the North Carolina Education Lottery 200 as the defending race winner, current standings leader and defending series champion. A year ago, the 49-year-old Californian wasn't sure he'd ever win a race at Lowe's Motor Speedway.

Five Down; Two To Go. … Todd Bodine (#30 Lumber Liquidators Toyota) needs two more wins for an unprecedented sweep of the seven "intermediate" tracks on the current schedule. He lacks victories at Lowe's Motor Speedway and Kentucky Speedway. Hornaday also is five-for-seven. His targets are Texas Motor Speedway and Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

Toyota Looks For 50th Pole. … This might be a good week to reach the milestone. Mike Skinner (#5 Toyota Tundra Toyota) has won three consecutive poles at Lowe's Motor Speedway. Toyota has run just 105 races.

Raybestos Rookies Haven't Fared Well At Lowe's:

Lowe's Motor Speedway proclaims itself "The Beast of the Southeast." Raybestos Rookie of the Year candidates aren't about to argue the point. Aric Almirola's ninth-place finish in 2006 stands as the best performance.

Here is how each season's Raybestos Rookie of the Year fared at LMS:
Carl Edwards, 12th, 2003
David Reutimann, 36th, 2004
Todd Kluever, 20th, 2005
Erik Darnell, 10th, 2006
Willie Allen, 21st, 2007

Edwards, however, went to school on his initial brush with LMS. He finished second the following year. Darnell, conversely, finished 30th last year. Regardless, all the candidates will be on equal footing. None has competed in a series race at LMS.

Standings After Five Races Of The 2008 Season:
1. Colin Braun, 53
2. Justin Marks, 48
3. Brian Scott, 44
4. Phillip McGilton, 38
5. Donny Lia, 37
6. Andy Lally, 35
7. Marc Mitchell, 28

In The Loop:

Ron Hornaday Jr. put on a racing clinic during the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race at Lowe's Motor Speedway last season. It was something to behold. Hornaday, starting seventh, needed only 19 laps to grab the lead. He led a race-high 98 of 136 laps and scored a perfect Driver Rating of 150.0. Some of his other race highlights: He had an Average Running Position of 1.7 and 49 Fastest Laps Run. He was passed during a green flag run only three times and spent all 136 laps running in the top 15.

Few challenged Hornaday. Mike Skinner was among them. Skinner, who's had surprising difficulties at LMS, finished eighth last season. It was his only top-10 finish in four series races there. A lot of Skinner's poor finishes were a result of bad luck. In 2005, he led 40 laps and scored a Driver Rating of 113.9, but finished 26th because of an accident. In 2006, he led 38 laps and had a Driver Rating of 106.8, but finished 31st thanks to engine problems.

Todd Bodine has followed a similar LMS path - strong runs but zero wins. Bodine has consecutive third-place finishes at LMS, and over the past three years has a Driver Rating of 98.4 and an Average Running Position of 12.0.

Kyle Busch will be a story whenever he's running in the series. He'll be back this weekend, and carries two wins and series-high marks at LMS in Driver Rating (122.6) and Fastest Laps Run (81) into this race.

More Etc:

Rosenblum Recovering. … Jim Rosenblum, whose #28 Chevy will be driven at Lowe's by Wayne Edwards, underwent a successful cardiac procedure last week at Columbia Presbyterian Hospital in New York. He expects to be with the team in Charlotte.

Top 30 Battle Boils. … Having a truck among the top 30 in owner points is a ticket into the race regardless of qualifying speed. Sixteen points is the difference between the 27th and 31st positions.

Special Colors For Red Horse. … Red Horse Racing will fly the colors of PIT Corporate Training on the #11 Toyota Tundra this week As part of the corporate partnership with the team, David Starr's truck will be adorned in a special blue and black paint scheme.

2008 Manufacturers' Championship Point Standings:
Toyota, 34
Chevy, 30
Ford, 24
Dodge, 22

Director's Take: Wayne's Words:

"My memories of Lowe's - well, it was then Charlotte Motor Speedway - go back nearly four decades. "I was 12 years old when my dad took me to my first race there. He ran the fire crew but just because he got me in didn't mean I could go into the garage. I was too young. "The first race I actually worked was in 1974. I was a spotter in the tower down in Turn 1. David Pearson won with only one caution and it definitely was the longest day I ever had working a race. "Chances are good that a veteran driver will be celebrating in Victory Lane at the end of the evening. "Lowe's Motor Speedway seems to have way too much for a rookie driver to absorb in one night. "Of course, that's not always the case. Kyle Busch became the series' youngest winner in 2005 at the age of 20. "A driver has to finesse his way around this track and understand what it takes to both keep up but still be around at the end. "It takes a very good crew chief to understand how the track changes and make the adjustments to keep his driver in the game.

"Bottom line: A veteran driver is best able to provide the feedback to help his crew chief make those critical adjustments." (Wayne Auton, NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Director)

This Week's NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Leaders: (through five races of the 25-race season)
Points leader - Ron Hornaday Jr. (775)
Driver Rating - Kyle Busch (122.0)
Laps led - Ron Hornaday Jr. (236)
Victories - Kyle Busch (2)
Keystone Light Poles - Ron Hornaday Jr. (2)
Top-five finishes - Three drivers with three
Top-10 finishes - Ron Hornaday Jr. (4)
Raybestos Rookie Leader - Colin Braun
Races led - Ron Hornaday Jr. (5)
Weeks in Top 10 - Five drivers with five

Up Next:

Competitors go from one of the series' larger speedways to its smallest when the fifth edition of the Ohio 250 is held May 24 at the .5-mile Mansfield Motorsports Park.

Four races have produced four different winners. Jack Sprague (#2 American Commercial Lines Chevy) won the inaugural race in 2004 and has finished second in each of the past three seasons.
(NASCAR Media)(5-12-2008)

Truck Series News & Notes - May 5, 2008

Multiple Entries Breed Success In NASCAR Craftsman Trucks:

Multiple truck teams were unheard of in 1995 when the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series debuted. Fact is, having one raceable truck was tantamount to victory for many entrants. That is ancient history, to say the least. Three different organizations - Kevin Harvick Inc., Bill Davis Racing and Circle Bar Racing - placed seven trucks among the top 10 of the recent O'Reilly Auto Parts 250 at Kansas Speedway. BDR did it for the third time; the other organizations also put each of their entries in the top 10.

Off-road champion Walker Evans was first to field two fulltime teams in 1996. Now, it's common practice.

The last owner to win a title with a single-truck entry was Dave Fuge's Xpress Motorsports in 2003. KHI fielded one fulltime team for 2007 champion Ron Hornaday Jr. (#33 Camping World Chevy) but backed it with a second truck in 16 races.

Why is more better? "The benefits can leverage off each other," said Mark Chambers, truck team and general manager for Bill Davis Racing. "The ability to share information and data across the board is invaluable. "They become sounding boards for each other." The trick, of course, is to keep everyone on the same page. BDR has succeeded despite employing drivers with strikingly different styles and personalities. Mike Skinner (#5 Toyota Tundra Toyota) and Johnny Benson (#23 Toyota Certified Used Vehicles Toyota) finished two-three in 2007 points with a combined nine victories. "You'll never make anyone happy all the time," said Chambers. "You do the best to ensure all three teams have the resources, equipment and manpower they need to be competitive. "At the end of the day it comes down to communication with everyone involved."

Sweeping The Board: There Only Can Be One Winner:

When a team finishes first and second, the news is both good and bad. Good for the winner; bad for the runner-up. As Jack Sprague (#2 American Commercial Lines Chevy) noted, after finishing second to his Kevin Harvick Inc. teammate Hornaday last month at Kansas Speedway, "We both had good trucks and we finished one-two but I really wanted to win this race real bad. "But who better to lose to than your teammate?" KHI is the latest of five teams to nail down the top two spots in a NASCAR Craftsman Truck race.

It's happened 19 times, starting with Roush Fenway Racing at Phoenix International Raceway in 1997. Joe Ruttman was chased to the checkered flag by Chuck Bown. With Jack Roush fielding multiple, fulltime entries in each season since 1997, it's not surprising that the organization is the all-time leader in top-two sweeps. Roush drivers have been one-two 11 times, most recently in 2006 at Dover International Speedway.

Noteworthy was 2000 in which Roush claimed his first NASCAR title. The team's drivers went one-two on six occasions - champion Greg Biffle on top five times; Kurt Busch once. The pair also was first and second in final points.

One-Two Finishes By NASCAR Craftsman Truck Teams:
Roush Fenway Racing, 11
Ultra Motorsports, 5
Bill Davis Racing, 1
Germain Racing, 1
Kevin Harvick Motorsports, 1

Quest for 2008 Manufacturers' Crown Sizzles:

Toyota is looking for a hat trick.

Chevy wants a record-extending seventh title.

Dodge broke a long drought earlier this year and Ford hopes to do likewise at Lowe's Motor Speedway.

Put another way, the battle for the 2008 Manufacturers' title is already at a boil. And it's only May. Chevy's Kansas victory cut significantly into Toyota's early edge built on three wins to open the season. Four points separate the pair. "There has been an incredible amount of parity this year between brands," said Dane Pierantoni, GM Racing Silverado program manager. "We have narrowed the gap … but it's still early and we will have our work cut out for us." Chevy was champion from 1995-98 and again in 2002 and 2005. Toyota entered the series in 2004 and took the last two titles. "Toyota's Tundra teams did, in fact, get off to a strong start with three wins early in the season but we knew, once again, it will be hard-fought through the entire, 25-race season," said Les Unger, national motorsports manager, Toyota Motorsports. "There are too many strong competitors, both young and veteran in stature, to expect any sort of cakewalk to a championship of any kind."

2008 Manufacturers' Championship Point Standings:
Toyota, 34
Chevy, 30
Ford, 24
Dodge, 22

Etc:

Before Moss There Was Daugherty … The announcement that NFL star Randy Moss will field a NASCAR Craftsman Truck team recalls the series' early years when Cleveland Cavalier (and now ESPN NASCAR analyst) Brad Daugherty co-owned Liberty Racing. The team's driver, Kenny Irwin, won Raybestos Rookie of the Year honors in 1997.

Hamilton Featured on CNN … Lori Hamilton, co-owner of Bobby Hamilton Racing VA, was interviewed Monday on CNN discussing head and neck cancer, the illness that claimed husband Bobby Hamilton. A story about Lori and Bobby is also featured on www.cnn.com/health.

In The Loop:

The statistics make sense in some ways, but go against conventional wisdom in others. Chad McCumbee (#8 MRD Chevy), learning with every race run, has improved statistically since last season. Sounds about right.

But so has 13-year veteran Terry Cook (#60 Wyler.com Toyota). Though 14th in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series points standings this season compared to 16th last season at this time, Cook is far ahead statistically over the same span. Take a look at the tale of the tape between Cook's 2007 and 2008 stats: Driver Rating: Cook has an 88.5 compared to a 60.9 last season. Average Running Position: This year he has a 12.2; last year he had a 20.1. Fastest Laps Run: He has had 10 this season, three last season. Laps in the Top 15: Cook spent 36.8 percent of the total laps through five races in the top 15 in 2007. This year, he's run 73.5 percent of them in the top 15. Quality Passes: Cook has 133 Quality Passes this season (passes of cars in the top 15 under green). Last season, he had 61 at this point.

McCumbee has also made a big leap this season, in both the standings and the stats. After five races last season, McCumbee was a respectable 18th in the series standings. This season, he's eighth. He has a Driver Rating of 82.3 and an Average Running Position of 12.8. Last year at the same juncture, McCumbee had a Driver Rating of 55.7 and an Average Running Position of 20.8.

This Week's NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Leaders: (through five races of the 25-race season)
Points leader - Ron Hornaday Jr. (775)
Driver Rating - Kyle Busch (122.0)
Laps led - Ron Hornaday Jr. (236)
Victories - Kyle Busch (2)
Keystone Light Poles - Ron Hornaday Jr. (2)
Top-five finishes - Three drivers with three
Top-10 finishes - Ron Hornaday Jr. (4)
Raybestos Rookie Leader - Colin Braun
Races led - Ron Hornaday Jr. (5)
Weeks in Top 10 - Five drivers with five

Rookies: (after five races of the 2008 season)
1. Colin Braun 53
2. Justin Marks 48
3. Brian Scott 44
4. Phillip McGilton 38
5. Donny Lia 37
6. Andy Lally 35
7. Marc Mitchell 28

Up Next:

The May 16 North Carolina Lottery Education 200 may be a home game but just one native of the Tar Heel State has been able to win the race.

Dennis Setzer (#18 Dodge) won the series' second Lowe's race in 2004. Setzer, a native of Newton - near Hickory - would like nothing better than to become the track's second two-time winner. The 48-year-old already has one victory in 2008 in March at Martinsville Speedway.
(NASCAR Media)(5-5-2008)

Truck Series News & Notes - April 28, 2008

Reigning Champ Back In Victory Lane:

It's pretty easy to say Ron Hornaday Jr. had a good weekend. The reigning series champion kicked things off at Kansas Speedway with one of the fastest trucks in practice. He took qualifying, capturing his second Keystone Light Pole of the season. The driver of the #33 Camping World Chevy then dominated the race. After leading 136 of 167 laps - most by a Kansas winner - Hornaday won the O'Reilly Auto Parts 250. He's the first driver in eight editions of the race to win from the pole position.

Add another first to the mix. The win was Hornaday and crew chief Rick Ren's first win at the 1.5-mile track. "I've got to thank Chevy, Camping World, the VFW, everybody at KHI and this whole Camping World team for giving me this awesome truck," he said. "I hadn't won at Kansas before so this is really cool." The driver added, "What Kevin and DeLana (Harvick) are doing at KHI, just putting the right people in the right places, it's an honor to race equipment like this. To sit on the pole and win this race was amazing. "Ren echoed his driver's comments. "We unloaded and were fast. We had a really awesome truck," he said. While the truck was good, it was a fuel gamble for the team as the cautions fell and the laps dwindled down. "I normally don't mention saving fuel to him (Ron), but I think he heard it more than ever this race," Ren said.

Hornaday has led laps in all five races so far this season. His Kansas win brings him to the top of the driver point standings, 61 points over Rick Crawford.

Series Veterans Meeting Challenge Of 'Young Guns':

It is clear there is up and coming talent in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series with young drivers like Roush Fenway Racing's Erik Darnell (#99 Northern Tool + Equipment Ford), Colin Braun (#6 Con-Way Freight Ford) and Germain Racing rookie Justin Marks (#9 crocs/Construct Corps Toyota) among them.

The almost 23-year-old Kyle Busch (#51 Toyota) is throwing his hat in the ring, too, throughout the season. Busch returns to the series at Lowe's Motor Speedway, where he's a double winner.

But don't count out the other competitors. A glance at the driver point standings and race finishes proves the veterans are holding their own. Defending series champion Hornaday, with a dominating win at Kansas, has taken the points lead from the absent Busch.

Not far behind, Crawford, driver of the #14 Power Stroke Diesel by Int'l Ford, has jumped to second. Strong performances over the weekend helped other seasoned drivers break into the top of the pack.

Three-time series champion Jack Sprague (#2 American Commercial Lines Chevy) weathered a rocky start to the season, but finished second to teammate Hornaday in the O'Reilly Auto Parts 250 and moved to ninth in the driver point standings. Sprague is hungry for a win. "I am really proud of this team," he said. "To be able in just five races to come together and run as strong as we have says a lot about KHI and this team. I know we will get a win soon."

Mike Skinner (#5 Toyota Tundra Toyota), just shy of the top-10, is a three-time pole sitter at Lowe's. He finished fifth at Kansas. The former series champion is definitely not out of contention.

Etc:

Speed Finding His Way … Scott Speed (#22 Red Bull Toyota) is finding his way toward Victory Lane. The driver, who made his debut with Bill Davis Racing in Kansas, won the previous day's Kansas Lottery $150 Grand ARCA RE/MAX race. The former Formula One driver started the race from the outside pole position but found himself a lap down after he had to make a pit stop to fix his window net which had fallen down. Awarded the Aaron's Lucky Dog, he fought his way back to contention and took the checkered flag. Speed continued his momentum in the O'Reilly Auto Parts 250 Saturday with an eighth-place finish.

A Return In Richmond … Key Motorsports for the first time in 10 NASCAR seasons hopes to qualify for this Friday's NASCAR Nationwide Series race at Richmond Int'l Raceway. The team, which has competed in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series since 2004, will field the #31 Key Motorsports Chevy with veteran driver and former NASCAR Nationwide Series champion Jeff Green behind the wheel.

Owner's Championship Battle Heats Up … Ron Hornaday's win at Kansas brought a lead change in the Owners' Championship point standings. DeLana Harvick and the #33 Camping World Chevy now lead the battle by 21 points over Billy Ballew and his #51 Toyota. Not far behind in third, 61 points out from the #33 is Tom Mitchell with his #14 Power Stroke Diesel by Int'l Ford team.

Kyle Busch is scheduled to return to the series at Lowe's Motor Speedway where he has two series wins to his credit. Points could swap again.

In The Loop:

It's hard to have a better day than the one Ron Hornaday Jr. had during Saturday's O'Reilly Auto Parts 250 at Kansas Speedway. Statistically speaking, it's impossible. Hornaday was perfect. The defending series champion won his first of 2008 in a truly dominating fashion, notching a perfect Driver Rating of 150.0. He held race-best figures in Laps Led (136), Average Running Position (1.6), Fastest Laps Run (55) and was the only driver to run all 167 laps in the top 15. With the win, Hornaday took the series points lead, and is now 61 points ahead of second-place Rick Crawford.

Also notable during Saturday's race was the strong performance by rookie Colin Braun. The Roush-Fenway upstart scored a third-place finish and ran up front throughout the 250-mile race. Braun had a Driver Rating of 118.5, an Average Running Position of 5.2, seven Fastest Laps Run and spent 164 of the 167 laps running in the top 15.

Jack Sprague also chimed in with a season-best run. Sprague, finishing second, scored a Driver Rating of 121.0, an Average Running Position of 5.7, 20 Fastest Laps Run and spent 152 of the laps among the top 15.

Chad McCumbee was the only other driver to break the 100.0-point Driver Rating barrier - he tallied a 103.1 Driver Rating in his seventh-place finish. He also earned a fourth-best Average Running Position of 7.4.

This Week's NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Leaders: (through five races of the 25-race season)
Points leader - Ron Hornaday Jr. (775)
Driver Rating - Kyle Busch (122.0)
Laps led - Ron Hornaday Jr. (236)
Victories - Kyle Busch (2)
Keystone Light Poles - Ron Hornaday Jr. (2)
Top-five finishes - Three drivers with three
Top-10 finishes - Ron Hornaday Jr. (4)
Raybestos Rookie Leader - Colin Braun
Races led - Ron Hornaday Jr. (5)
Weeks in Top 10 - Five drivers with five

Rookie Shake Up:

The rookie class has experienced a shake-up in points as Colin Braun moves from fourth to first in the Raybestos Rookie of the Year battle. The rookie's third-place finish gives him a five-point advantage over Justin Marks (#9 crocs/Construct Corps Toyota). Marks posted an 11th-place finish in the O'Reilly Auto Parts 250. Braun's performance is the best by a Raybestos rookie since Roush Fenway Racing teammate Erik Darnell ran third in the 2005 season finale.

Donny Lia (#71 Autism Speaks/TRG Chevy) and Brian Scott (#16 Albertsons Chevy), likewise, had strong finishes among the top 15.

Toyota Strong:

Toyota remains on top after five races of the 2008 season. Last Saturday's victory was the first of the year for Chevy. Ford is the only one of the four truck makers without a win in 2008.

2008 Manufacturers' Championship Point Standings:
Toyota, 34
Chevy, 30
Ford, 24
Dodge, 22

Up Next:

Coming off his performance at Kansas Speedway, Ron Hornaday Jr. looks to carry that momentum in defense of his 2007 win at Lowe's Motor Speedway.

Mike Skinner, who has started from the pole position in the last three races at the track, will aim to visit Victory Lane for the first time this season.
(NASCAR Media)(4-28-2008)

Additional Lowes Truck Series Race Info at:
lowesmotorspeedway.com
espn.go.com
NASCAR.com
truckseries.com

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