The Truck Series is in its 12th season and no speedway has hosted more truck events than Texas Motor Speedway. The Sam’s Town 400 on Friday evening will be the 17th truck series race since “The Great American Speedway!” opened in 1997. The Sam’s Town 400 is the third race this season for the trucks on a 1.5-mile superspeedway. Bodine (March 17-Atlanta Motor Speedway) and Kyle Busch (May 19-Lowe’s Motor Speedway) are the two previous superspeedway winners this year. A year ago, Sprague led the final eight laps of the June race at Texas to claim the win and became the first series driver to win in eight different seasons.
Home track advantage:
David Starr, driver of the #11Red Horse Racing Toyota Tundra, is hoping the 16th time is the charm at Texas Motor Speedway. The Houston native has come close to winning at his home speedway with eight top-10 showings, including three third-place finishes. Four times Starr has started on the outside pole, but is still seeking his first win at Texas.
Texas Ties:
Three Truck Series drivers with Texas roots will attempt to make the field for the Sam’s Town 400. Robert Richardson driver of the #1 winyourmortgage.com Chevy, is from McKinney; David Starr, driver of the #11 Red Horse Racing Toyota, is from Houston; and Blake Mallory, driver of the #76 Automotive Fabrication Chevrolet, is from Joshua.
Fast & Furious:
Mike Skinner, driver of the #5 Toyota Tundra Toyota, knows how to get around Texas Motor Speedway – in a hurry. The veteran driver has qualified on the pole for the past three Truck Series races at “The Great American Speedway!” Last June, he set a speedway truck series qualifying record with his speed of 182.902 mph/29.524 sec. Skinner’s three poles have come in just four starts at Texas and he has finished 11th, 4th, and 2nd from the #1 position. (texasmotorspeedway.com)(6-5-2006)
