Mike Skinner Hoping To Extend Martinsville Record In 200th Start

This Saturday's Kroger 200 at Martinsville Speedway will mark Mike Skinner's (#5 PC*MILER Navigator Toyota) 200th series start. Chances are pretty good the veteran driver could end that milestone start in a place he knows quite well: Victory Lane.

Skinner has three wins at Martinsville,tying him with Dennis Setzer (#8 Chevy) for the most victories at the track. Skinner's first win came back in 1996. In 2007, he swept both races.

"I love Martinsville. It's very, very unique and just an awesome place. I love the fans up there and the whole setting," said Skinner. "Short-track racing is like drag racing with two hard, sharp corners, so I always enjoy going to Martinsville."

For the 1995 series champion, three appears to be his magic number these days. In addition to his three wins, in 13 starts at the .526-mile track Skinner has collected three top-five and three top-10 finishes.

With three wins so far this season, Skinner sits third in points as the trucks return to action this weekend.

"I really look forward to going back this weekend with Eric (Phillips, crew chief)," said Skinner. "We went there for the first time together in the spring race and finished third. I feel like we're a better team now than we were then."

As for his third spot in the standings, Skinner knows his team is capable of contending but it'll be a fight to the end. "Martinsville and Talladega can be wildcards here in these final five races. Every track we go to you can be victim of circumstance, but these two definitely open up the opportunity. We're fighting to stay in the top three. If Matt Crafton (#88 Menards Chevy) has a hiccup or two, then we can feasibly get second. We're going to try to protect where we are right now."

Ron Hornaday Jr. Hoping To Finally Grab A Win At Martinsville

Ron Hornaday Jr. (#33 VFW Chevy) has been the driver to beat this season. He has six wins so far and if trouble doesn't strike his team, Hornaday could very well be on his way to claiming a record fourth series championship.

But he's taking it one race at a time. If you ask him right now what he really wants, his answer would be a win at Martinsville Speedway.

In 14 starts at the historic short track which has hosted the series in all 15 seasons since 1995, Hornaday has never made it to Victory Lane. The current points leader has five top-five and three top-10 finishes. He had to settle for second in March in the Kroger 250, his best finish out of the 14 starts. The race winner, by the way, was his boss, Kevin Harvick (#4 Bounty Chevy).

"I've been coming here for a while now and for some reason, we just can't seem to break through," said Hornaday. "It would mean a lot to win at Martinsville. It's one of those tracks we've been coming to since the truck series started in 1995, and to finally add my name to the list of legends who have won there would mean a lot to me."

A repeat of this race a year ago is something the driver and his crew chief, Rick Ren, are definitely looking to avoid. After starting from the pole, Hornaday led 154 laps before he ran out of fuel. It was a tough break for the driver and his team who were left with a 29th-place finish.

Hornaday's misfortune also played a factor in the championship battle. He entered the race 39 points ahead of Johnny Benson. On Lap 155, Benson passed Hornaday's sputtering Chevy and went on to win the race. That win also gave the eventual champion the points lead.

Loop Data: Momentum Swinging Both Ways For Johnny Sauter

This weekend at Martinsville Speedway should be an interesting case study of in-season momentum vs. track-history momentum.

Johnny Sauter (#13 Fun Sand/Rodney Atkins/Curb Records Chevy) will be the test subject.

Sauter comes into Martinsville as one of the hottest drivers in the series, winning his first series race, at Las Vegas, and finishing in the top five in each of the last five races. Over that that span, he has an Average Running Position of 6.4, a Driver Rating of 112.3, 97 Fastest Laps Run and a Laps in the Top 15 percentage of 96.9%.

Those numbers lie on the complete opposite side of the statistical spectrum as Sauter's numbers at Martinsville.

Martinsville, in terms of Driver Rating, is Sauter's worst track. He has a rating of just 51.0, and has yet to crack the top 20 in any of his three previous Martinsville starts in the series.

In Sauter's three starts there (2006, 2008 and in March of this season), Sauter has an average finish of 24.0, an Average Running Position of 28.8 and has run only one lap in the top 15.

Kevin Harvick (#4 Bounty Chevy), on the other hand, has been strong at Martinsville (and in the three series races he has run this season, for that matter). In his four Martinsville races since the inception of Loop Data in 2005, Harvick has a Driver Rating of 112.0, an Average Running Position of 6.0 and a Laps in the Top 15 percentage of 93.1.

This will be Harvick's fourth series race of the season. In the first three events, he finished second (at Atlanta), first (at Martinsville) and third (at New Hampshire). Not surprisingly, he notched a stellar Driver Rating of 131.8 and an Average Running position of 3.7 in those events.

Atop The Pit Box With Red Horse Racing's Chad Kendrick

This weekend's trip to Martinsville Speedway will be a little different for crew chief Chad Kendrick. In March, Kendrick and his driver, Timothy Peters (#17 Strutmasters/Red Horse Racing Toyota), were with Danville-based Premier Racing. Working with fewer resources, they were doing a lot with a little, sitting in the top 10 in points three races into the season.

Fast forward to June. Peters makes the move on the opportunity to run with Red Horse Racing, taking Kendrick with him.

Since their move to Red Horse Racing just before the Michigan race, the team has collected three top-five and six top-10 finishes. Peters also grabbed his first career pole at Nashville.

Kendrick discusses the season and what they expect heading back to Martinsville:

Q: What do you expect at Martinsville?
"Earning a top 10 at Martinsville in the spring would have felt like a win for us. Now we feel like a trip to Victory Lane is not only possible, we feel like it's imminent for this team. At this point we should be earning top-10s each and every week so our goals have changed. Now our goals are to lead laps and win races and we feel like that is just as realistic for us now as those early goals were."

Q: What is the biggest change from March to October?
"Timothy's confidence level has changed dramatically since the last Martinsville race. We've earned three top fives since then and we both feel like a win is more possible than ever. I also feel more confident with myself. I trust my decisions and my own judgment more than I did back then."

Q: What would a win mean to both of you?
"When I came to Red Horse Racing, I walked in my office and took out a calendar and wrote down all the rest of the races for the year. I put a big circle around Martinsville because that is the race Timothy and I want to win the most. We both really want this win and we both think we should win at Martinsville. At this point I think we would be disappointed with anything other than a win. It would be an amazing feeling to be in Victory Lane at our home track."

Q: Your team has climbed from 17th to ninth in the standings. What is it like to make that move?
"At the start of the year we felt like with the combination of me and Timothy, that we would have no problem earning a top-10 points position. After the season started, we realized that wasn't going to be possible with our resources.
"When we came to Red Horse I was hopeful that we could make up the ground we lost, but wasn't sure it would really happen. I am thrilled that we climbed all those positions but that means the goal has changed again. Now we don't want to just finish in the top 10 in points, we want to finish in the top five in points. Timothy and I both know that means we need to finish in the top five each of the last five races, but we are committed to the goal."

Q: What has helped your team progress?
"Our communication gets better the longer we are together and that obviously helps performance. Probably the biggest thing that propels us to do well is the support we have behind us. Rick Gay and Tom DeLoach give us both a ton of support that only helps build our confidence. If we are struggling, I can count on Rick to help us. If we need something to better our program, Tom will give it to us. Everyone in the shop is counting on us and that gives us even more motivation to do well."

HT Motorsports Still Looking For That First Win

Martinsville-based HT Motorsports has proven it's competitive. Throughout this season, the team's veteran drivers, David Starr (#24 Zachry Toyota) and Terry Cook (#25 Harris Trucking/Cajun Industries Toyota), have been in and out of the top 10 not only at the end of races, but in the standings as well.

Competing in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series since 2001, the team is still looking for that first win. As a former winner at Martinsville, Starr thinks he can be the one to deliver that victory for owner Jim Harris and his team.

"We go into this race just like we would the rest of the year. We are going for the win. At this point for us we don't have anything to lose championship-wise, so we don't have to watch our points; we can just go for it," said Starr.

"The only difference in Martinsville for us to win there is the hometown correlation between Jim (Harris) and our team calling this track our home base.  It would just be really great to get Jim his first win there."

"The last three weeks off have been beneficial for us to do some testing, and get our trucks prepared for the final five races this year," said Starr. "We can win; I have confidence in this team."

In addition to his 2006 win, Starr has two top-five and four top-10 finishes. He is currently 10th in the standings.

Cook has two top-five and five top-10 finishes at the .526-mile track and has led 190 laps. He sits 13th in the standings, 107 points of his teammate.

Director's Take: Wayne's Words

"I think I can speak for everyone in the garage when I say we're looking forward to heading to Martinsville Speedway this weekend. Not only do we get back to racing, but it's short-track racing. This series was founded on short tracks and always seems to showcase just what it's known for – tough racing.

"Martinsville Speedway is special to the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series because it's one of four tracks on our current schedule to have hosted this series since its inaugural 1995 season. It's also only one of two tracks to host the trucks twice in the same season.

"It's pretty fitting we pick back up racing at Martinsville after a three-week break. Martinsville was the first short-track race this season back in March, and it will mark the last as it kicks off the final five-race stretch to the season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

"Martinsville will present the teams with different factors from the other four tracks that we will go to finish out the year. One of the biggest things teams will have to focus on will be brakes. A team may have a great-running truck but if you don't have the right brake set-up, it could spoil your day.

"I like to say this track is like two drag strips with two corners. Drivers will have their hands full trying to keep their fenders on.

"Fans will need to keep an eye on Ron Hornaday Jr. For whatever reason, it's a track he has yet to win at. Last year, he ran out of fuel which opened the way for Johnny Benson to make the pass and grab the win. It might have had an impact on the championship. Hornaday had the lead going into the race and Benson left with it.

"So grab a hot dog and get ready. I think we're in for some good short-track racing."
- Wayne Auton, NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Director

NASCAR Raybestos Rookie Of The Year Standings:

Rk Driver                   Points
1.  Johnny Sauter        210
2.  Tayler Malsam       175
3.  James Buescher    156
4.  Ricky Carmichael   127
5.  Brian Ickler              95 
6.  J.R. Fitzpatrick        88
7.  Chris Jones             66
8.  Brent Raymer          65

NASCAR Camping World Truck Series 2009 Manufacturers' Standings following Race 20 of 25 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway:

Toyota holds the lead as the series returns to action at Martinsville Speedway this weekend. Mike Skinner has delivered three of Toyota's five wins at the short track. Chevy has the most wins, with six.

Be sure to cast your vote for the 2009 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Most Popular Driver. Polls will close Oct. 31. Since opening July 6, more than 25,000 votes have been cast.

Toyota:     151
Chevy: 138
Ford:         87
Dodge:      64

Two Weeks Left To Cast Your Vote

Visit NASCAR.com to vote or to write in your favorite driver. If they're not among the nominees, write to fanfeedback@nascar.com.

Up Next: Talladega Superspeedway

The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series will go from short-track racing at Martinsville to the high banks of Talladega Superspeedway for the Mountain Dew 250 fueled by Fred's on Saturday, Oct. 31.

The race will mark the series' fourth visit to the famed 2.66-mile track. Todd Bodine (#30 Lumber Liquidators Toyota) will be gunning for a third win in-a-row. Mark Martin won the series' inaugural race in 2006.

Chances are good Bodine could wind up in Talladega's Gatorade Victory Lane. The 2006 series champion kicked off this season in Daytona International Speedway's Victory Lane. The win was his second in-a-row at Daytona.
(NASCAR PR)(10-19-2009)

Rick Crawford Ready To Pick Back Up At Martinsville

When the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series returns to action next week at Martinsville Speedway, Rick Crawford (#14 Circle Bar/International Truck Engine Ford) will be ready to pick back up right where he left off at the track.

For the Kroger 250 in March, the veteran driver grabbed the pole - his second at Martinsville - then went on to lead 78 laps before finishing fifth. Crawford has a strong record at the .526-mile track. In 19 starts, he has one win (2004), eight top-five and three top-ten finishes.

"I've said it for years, Martinsville is like a box of chocolates because you never know what you're going to get," said Crawford. "The fans are sure to get a great show, but how the race plays out is always anyone's guess."

"We're taking a proven race truck and it's finished in the top five every time we've raced it at Martinsville. Besides the pole in the spring, we've had a string of five straight top-five finishes. Looking at the stats, Martinsville is probably one of our strongest tracks currently on the schedule for my Circle Bar Racing team."

After 20 races this season, Crawford is holding on to eighth in the standings. In the 12 previous seasons, he's finished among the top 10 six times, including a runner-up championship finish to Mike Bliss in 2002.

"We made up ground in the points during the six-week stretch of consecutive races that ended with Las Vegas, and I think those kinds of stretches show which teams are capable of winning on a consistent basis and contending for the championship," he said. "You have to be able to turn around your equipment in a short time period and maintain your focus and composure no matter what happened the week prior. We were able to do that."

Crawford has five career NCWTS wins. His last trip to Victory Lane was at ORP in 2006. "There's not one race in the last five that I'm not looking forward to and thinking that we have a chance to win. It just takes a perfect race to win one of these NASCAR Camping World Truck Series races."

Brian Scott Has His Eyes Set On A Short-Track Victory

Sophomore driver Brian Scott (#16 Albertson's Toyota) has proven this season that he has what it takes to compete with some of NASCAR's toughest veterans. The 21-year-old grabbed his first career win at Dover in May and has been in position to win races since then. With five to go, Scott finds himself sitting fourth in the championship standings and is eager to continue to show what he's made of.

"We can't have a good race here or a good race there. We need to be a factor each week. We need to show how consistently strong we can be over these next five races," said Scott.

With ever an eye on getting back to Victory Lane, the young driver is ready for Martinsville. In March, his team posted an eighth-place finish, his best in four starts. "It would be huge for us to win at Martinsville," he said. "With Jeff Hensley (crew chief) being from that area and with all the guys having friends and family attending the race, it is a really big deal. This is almost a home-track race for this whole team."

Not only does Scott want to win for his team, but he feels a win at the historic track would be an impressive addition to his resume. "There are some tracks that really put a stamp on your resume if you can win there and to me, Martinsville is one of those places. You gain a lot of respect if you can win there. It is such a storied track not only for the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, but some of the greatest names in NASCAR history have had great success there. It makes it a very prestigious accomplishment to get to Victory Lane at Martinsville."

Loop Data: Hornaday Tops Short-Track Stats

The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series will run its sixth and final short-track race of the season next week at Martinsville Speedway.

The statistics from the first five are particularly telling. The top three drivers in short-track statistics also sit in the top three of the series points standings.

Tops among the short-track drivers is points leader Ron Hornaday Jr. (#33 VFW Chevy). At those tracks under one mile in length (which include Martinsville, Iowa, O'Reilly Raceway Park, Bristol and Memphis), Hornaday leads the series with a Driver Rating of 130.3, an Average Running Position of 3.8 and 150 Fastest Laps Run. Along with two short-track wins (at ORP and Memphis), he is the only driver to finish in the top five in all five short-track races this season.

Ranking statistically second at the short tracks is Mike Skinner (#5 PC*MILER Toyota), who nabbed a victory at Iowa. In the five short-track races, Skinner has a Driver Rating of 117.1, an Average Running Position of 6.9, 144 Fastest Laps Run and a series-high 272 Laps Led.

Matt Crafton (#88 Menards Chevy) has compiled the third-best short track Driver Rating, with a 104.2. He also has four top 10s, an Average Running Position of 6.6 and 52 Fastest Laps Run.

Surprisingly, Aric Almirola (#15 Graceway Pharmaceuticals Toyota) ranks fourth in short track Driver Rating, and will likely be a factor next week at Martinsville. Almirola has a Driver Rating of 101.5, an Average Running Position of 9.0 and 30 Fastest Laps Run in four short track starts this season -- all of which resulted in top-10 finishes.

NASCAR Raybestos Rookie Of The Year Standings:

Rk  Driver              Points
1. Johnny Sauter      210
2. Tayler Malsam      175
3. James Buescher   156
4. Ricky Carmichael  127
5. Brian Ickler          95
6. J.R. Fitzpatrick     88
7. Chris Jones          66
8. Brent Raymer       65

Eye On Owners' Battle

Ron Hornaday Jr.'s incredible season has his owner, DeLana Harvick, in the lead 168 points over Billy Ballew and the #51 Toyota for the owner's title. With five races to go, Hornaday and his #33 Chevy team won't be able to rest easy.

In the final four races of the season, Kyle Busch will be behind the wheel of the #51 Toyota. In his last three starts in the series, Busch has ended each in Victory Lane. Denny Hamlin will pilot the truck at Martinsville.

It could easily become a neck-and-neck battle. Hornaday has wins at Texas (swept both races in 2008), Phoenix (1998, 1999), and Homestead (2002). Busch has one win at Phoenix in 2007.

Better Hurry & Cast Your Vote

Be sure to cast your vote for the 2009 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Most Popular Driver. Polls will close Oct. 31. Since opening July 6, more than 20,000 votes have been cast.

Visit NASCAR.com to vote or to write in your favorite driver. If they're not among the nominees write to fanfeedback@nascar.com.

Manufacturers' Standings:

Only five races remain in the 2009 season. Toyota maintains its lead over Chevy. Looking to Martinsville though, it's Chevy that dominates with the most wins (6).

Up Next: Martinsville

Only one week remains before the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series returns to action at the final short-track race of the season. The series will head to Martinsville Speedway for the Kroger 200 on Saturday, Oct. 24.

Martinsville is one of two tracks on the current schedule which hosts the series twice in the same season. The .526-mile track is also one of four tracks to host the series in all 15 seasons since 1995.

Only two drivers have managed to visit Martinsville's Victory Lane more than once: Mike Skinner and Dennis Setzer. The two veterans are tied for the most wins with three.(NASCAR PR)(10-12-2009)

Aric Almirola Gaining Ground, Proving He Has What It Takes

As the season winds down, better keep an eye on Aric Almirola in the #15 Toyota. The Florida native might just be the next to wind up in Victory Lane.

Almirola has made 11 starts since teaming up with Billy Ballew Motorsports at Texas in June. In those 11 races, he's collected five top-five and three top-10 finishes. His best finish was runner-up to veteran Mike Skinner (#5 PC*MILER Toyota) in the series' inaugural race at Iowa Speedway.

"I'm very thankful for Billy Ballew and the opportunity he's provided me to get back on the race track and continue to prove myself in the sport," said Almirola. "I truly look forward to every weekend I go to the track in one of these trucks because I really feel every time we have a chance to win."

While considered one of the series' "younger" competitors, Almirola is no rookie when it comes to racing in the NCWTS and NASCAR. He made his series debut in 2005 at Memphis and ran the full 2006 season in the #75 Spears Manufacturing Chevy for Spears Motorsports with a best finish of ninth at Lowe's. He has 44 total series starts. At Las Vegas, Almirola notched his 100th career NASCAR start.

"I'm by no means a rookie anymore in this series, but still feel I learn every weekend from the veterans. At tracks that I have a few hundred laps at, guys like Ron Hornaday Jr. (#33 Copart Chevy), Todd Bodine (#30 Lumber Liquidators Toyota) and Mike Skinner, they have a few thousand laps. I have a lot of respect for the veterans in the truck series, and I hope that when I'm pushing 50 years old, I'm still racing hard week-in and week-out and going to Victory Lane."

"I've had a lot of fun racing in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series and racing with these guys. It's extremely competitive and you can't take anything for granted."

Race For Manufacturers' Title Drawing Close To A Winner

Toyota holds the lead in the hunt for the manufacturers' title as the season nears the final five races. The manufacturer has made it to Victory Lane 11 times so far this season compliments of drivers Todd Bodine (#30 Lumber Liquidators Toyota), Mike Skinner and Kyle Busch (#51 Miccosukee Resorts Toyota). Two more trips to the winner's circle and Toyota will clinch the 2009 honors.

Toyota teams will have to watch out for Chevy, second in the running and only 13 points behind. Of the five remaining tracks on the schedule, Chevy has the most wins at three: Martinsville (6), Texas (8) and Phoenix (12). Ron Hornaday Jr. has delivered six of the manufacture's eight wins this season. Kevin Harvick at Martinsville in March and most recently Johnny Sauter (#13 Fun Sand/Rodney Atkins/Curb Records Chevy) at Vegas account for the other two victories.

Colin Braun (#6 Con-Way Freight Ford) brought Ford a noteworthy win at Michigan in June. Not only was it Braun's first career win but Roush Fenway Racing's 50th victory in the series, which extended Roush's lead for the most wins by an owner in the series.

Jason White (#23 GunBroker.com Dodge) handed Dodge its best finish of the season at Las Vegas with a third-place result. Dodge and White's previous best finish so far this year was fourth at Dover.

If luck falls Toyota's way, it would mark its fourth consecutive manufacturers' championship in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series.

NASCAR Camping World Truck Series 2009 Manufacturers' Championship Standings after Race 20 of 25 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

Toyota    151
Chevy 138
Ford         87
Dodge      64

Sauter Takes Charge Of Rookie Class, Five Chances Remain To Catch Him

Now with a mark in the win column, Johnny Sauter has started to pull away with the lead in what has been a close battle for the series' top rookie honors. While the contest is not quite over, little time remains for the rest of the class to get caught up.

Tayler Malsam (#81 One-Eighty Toyota), the driver sitting second in the freshman class, has proven to be Sauter's most likely threat.

With one top-five and nine top-10s, consistency has kept Malsam and his Randy Moss Motorsports team in the mix. Currently 11th in overall standings (Malsam and veteran Stacy Compton (#60 SafeAuto Insurance/Melling Toyota) have scored an identical 2,526), he is only 26 points out of being back in the top 10.

Sauter became the first rookie this season to make the trip to Victory Lane. Could Tayler Malsam, second in rookie points, be the next?

His crew chief, Doug Wolcott, thinks it's within the realm of possibility and a win would definitely help close the point gap and keep his driver in contention for rookie of the year.

Coaching a rookie is nothing new to Wolcott, who took rookie of the year contender Scott Speed to his first career win last season at Dover International Speedway.

"I think for Tayler and this team, a win could probably come Texas or Homestead because our mile-and-a-half program is really good and he's been able to pick it up so quickly, running on the different lines," said Wolcott.

"Tayler has done an excellent job adapting to these trucks and the tracks that he's never seen before. I think he's a very talented driver."

Raybestos Rookie Of The Year Standings
Rk  Drive               Points
1.  Johnny Sauter     210
2.  Tayler Malsam     175
3.  James Buescher  156
4.  Ricky Carmichael 127
5.  Brian Ickler          95
6.  J.R. Fitzpatrick    88
7.  Chris Jones         66
8.  Brent Raymer      65

Loop Data: Johnny Sauter Makes Climb Up Statistical Ranks

Clearly – and statistically – Johnny Sauter needed some adaptation time to get used to the uniqueness of NASCAR Camping World Truck Series competition.

Sauter, a rookie in the series, nabbed his first series win in the last race at Las Vegas – an unlikely feat given the start to his season.

In the first six races of 2009, Sauter struggled, to say the least. He had one top 10 (a ninth-place run at Kansas) and an average finish of 18.5. His Loop Data statistics were, likewise, average. He had a Driver Rating of 70.4, an Average Running Position of 17.6, three Laps Led, 27 Fastest Laps Run, a Laps in the Top 15 percentage of 48.4% and a Pass Differential of plus 35 (passes minus times passed).

After that sixth race at Lowe's Motor Speedway, Sauter sat 18th in points.

But eventually Sauter acclimated, and is now one of the hottest drivers in the series. The last five races, starting with the event in Chicagoland, mark a distinct change in finishes, statistics and points standings position.

Sauter has finished in the top five in each of the last five races, notching an average finish of 3.6, a Driver Rating of 112.4, an Average Running Position of 6.4, 97 Fastest Laps Run, 62 Laps Led, a Laps in the Top 15 percentage of 96.9% and a Pass Differential of plus 70.

He now sits fifth in the points.

A real, and interesting, test lies ahead for Sauter at Martinsville Speedway.

The season's first race at Martinsville (which was race #4) was arguably Sauter's worst of the season. In that event, Sauter finished 27th with an Average Running Position of 30.6 and a Driver Rating of 58.4.

Cast Your Vote!

Be sure to cast your vote for the 2009 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Most Popular Driver. Polls will close Oct. 31. Since opening July 6, more than 20,000 votes have been cast.

Visit NASCAR.com to vote or to write in your favorite driver. If they're not among the nominees write to fanfeedback@nascar.com.

Up Next: Martinsville Speedway

The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series has a couple weeks to prepare for the final short-track race of the season. The series will head to Martinsville Speedway for the Kroger 200 on Saturday, Oct. 24.

Martinsville is one of two tracks on the current schedule which hosts the series twice in the same season. The .526-mile track is also one of four tracks to host the series in all 15 seasons since 1995.

Only two drivers have managed to visit Martinsville's Victory Lane more than once: Mike Skinner and Dennis Setzer. The two veterans are tied for the most wins with three.
(NASCAR PR)(10-5-2009)

Ron Hornaday Jr. Honored With Quarterly Award

Ron Hornaday Jr. (#33 Copart Chevy) was chosen last week as the third quarter Driver of the Year. In its 42nd year, Hornaday becomes the first NASCAR Camping World Truck Series driver to win the quarterly award. Given by the Driver of the Year Foundation, the award winners are determined by a panel consisting of 20 leading journalists from across the U.S. Hornaday beat Indy Car driver Ryan Briscoe for the honor, 99 to 82 votes.

"This is a very big honor. It's pretty cool to be the one chosen out of so many candidates," said Hornaday. "There are a lot of great race car drivers throughout all the series eligible for this award. This has been an amazing year in the Truck Series for myself and the #33 team. I have to thank Kevin and DeLana (Harvick) for always giving me the best equipment and an opportunity to win week-in and week-out."

His owners agree with what the award says about the veteran driver. "For Ron Hornaday, a full-time truck series competitor, to win third quarter Driver of the Year says a lot for what he and his team have accomplished this season," said Kevin Harvick.

Hornaday has proven all season that age is only a number. Six races in, the 51-year-old made the first of six trips to Victory Lane. The other five wins came in a consecutive streak beginning at Milwaukee and ending at Nashville. The impressive five-win streak landed Hornaday in the NASCAR record books alongside Richard Petty and Bobby Allison.

With five races to go, Hornaday holds on to a 197-point lead over Matt Crafton (#88 Menards Chevy). While anything can happen, it looks as though he is well on his way to making even more history. If Hornaday maintains his lead, he would become the series' first four-time champion.

Johnny Sauter Breaks Through To Victory Lane

Wisconsin native Johnny Sauter (#13 Fun Sand/Rodney Adkins/Curb Records Chevy) has been fighting his way through the field over the last four races, earning top-five finishes and leaving all eyes on him as a likely candidate for Victory Lane. Saturday night he finally broke through. In his 31st start in the series, Sauter grabbed his first NASCAR Camping World Truck Series win.

"Just a phenomenal night for us," said Sauter. "Especially coming off last week. We were so close but ran out of fuel. I can't say enough about Joe Shear (crew chief) and all these guys. It's been a long time since I've won a race in NASCAR so this feels pretty damn good."

With the win, Sauter moves from seventh to fifth in the standings. "I can't believe we're fifth in the points. If you had told me that at the first of the year, I would have called you a liar," he said.

Given the strength of his team, he most likely will finish the season among the top 10 which would mark a first for a rookie since Carl Edwards finished the 2003 season eighth.

Sauter's teammate, Matt Crafton, finished second. The 1-2 punch was a first for their team, ThorSport Racing.

"What an unbelievable night for ThorSport Racing as a whole," Sauter said. "My teammate finished second and we got the win. I hope a lot of people take notice that ThorSport is for real and can contend for wins week-in and week-out."

Johnny Sauter's win Saturday at Las Vegas extends his lead to 35 points over Tayler Malsam (#81 One-Eighty Toytoa) in the Rookie of the Year standings. The two entered the Vegas weekend 24 points apart.

Rookie Battle

Raybestos Rookie Of The Year Standings

Rk  Driver           Points
Johnny Sauter       210
Tayler Malsam      175
James Buescher   156
Ricky Carmichael  127
Brian Ickler            95
J.R. Fitzpatrick      88
Chris Jones           66
Brent Raymer        65

Manufacturers' Standings

Toyota kept the lead despite Chevy's win by Johnny Sauter at Las Vegas.

Jason White (#23 GunBroker.com Dodge) delivered Dodge its best finish of the season. White finished Saturday right where he started, in third. The finish surpasses his previous best finish of fourth earlier this season at Dover.

Of the five remaining tracks, Chevy has the most wins at three: Martinsville (6), Texas (8) and Phoenix (12).

Cast Your Vote!

Don't worry, there is still time to cast votes for the 2009 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Most Popular Driver title. But don't wait too long, polls close Oct. 31. Since opening July 6, more than 20,000 votes have been cast.

Last year, the first time fans had a hand in the selection process, Johnny Benson took home the honors. Visit NASCAR.com to vote or to write in your favorite driver. If they're not among the nominees write to fanfeedback@nascar.com.

Loop Data: Colin Braun Stacked With Strong Stats

Colin Braun (#6 Con-Way Freight Ford) dropped two positions after a 17th-place finish last Saturday night at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, falling out of the top five. But though his finishes may not always be strong, the performances usually are.

So say the statistics.

In the telling Driver Rating statistical category, Braun is ranked fourth with a 96.0 rating. The Driver Rating takes into account a number of performance-based stats. In other words, Braun is running better than his seventh-place points position would suggest.

Prior to Las Vegas, Braun had enjoyed a steady climb up the series standings, going from 12th to fifth in just seven races. During that time, he scored a Driver Rating over 100.0 in five races (a perfect rating is 150.0).

Additionally this season, Braun has an Average Running Position of 9.0 (fourth-best), 139 Fastest Laps Run (seventh) and a Laps in the Top 15 percentage of 8.5% (fourth).

Two statistics in particular may explain the problem. One is Pass Differential, which is passes minus times passed. Braun has a Pass Differential of negative 80, which is worst in the series. Braun also has a series-worst "Closer" statistic. The Closer stat measures positions gained and lost in the last 10% of each race. Braun's number is negative 78, which is 47 more positions lost than second-lowest Todd Bodine's negative 31.

Up Next: Martinsville Speedway

The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series has the opportunity for a quick break in the schedule before heading to the final short track of the season. The series will compete next in the Kroger 200 at Martinsville Speedway on Saturday, Oct. 24.

Martinsville is one of two tracks on the current schedule which hosts the series twice in the same season. Kevin Harvick drove his own KHI #2 Chevy to Victory Lane back in March. Harvick's win kept both Dennis Setzer and Mike Skinner from breaking the tie for most wins (3) at the track. Skinner, in 2007, became the only driver to sweep both races in the series.
(NASCAR PR)(9-28-2009)