Joe Ruttman (#18 Fastenal Dodge) feels the shoe is on the other foot when it comes to proving his ability to compete. “That’s for the other guys to do,” said Ruttman, 62, who’ll rejoin the series April 28 at Kansas Speedway after an absence of nearly five years. “I think it will be just as important for them to prove as it is to me,” said Ruttman, a 13-time series winner whose last victory came in May 2001 at the age of 56. Ruttman is no stranger to his former rivals – three-time champion Jack Sprague (#60 Con-way Freight Toyota), Mike Skinner (#5 Toyota Tundra Toyota) and Ron Hornaday Jr. (#33 AES HR Solutions Chevy). Not so with those drivers under the age of 30. “I compare myself to the young guns in the sport,” he said. “When you first come into racing, you are very eager to prove yourself to so many people. “Well, even though I’m not young, I still have that high for racing and proving myself. There are a lot of people out there who don’t know who Joe Ruttman is and I have to show them. The only difference between being a young gun in the sport and me is they probably have better eyesight.” Ruttman’s return may spark some old rivalries and the California native is fine with that. “I think returning to the series allows for those rivalries to be rekindled, but I don’t think they will be any bigger than what they were,” said Ruttman. “I’m looking forward to racing against them (but) they have to prove to me they can beat me again.”
Joe Ruttman’s Victory Log: (Season/Owner/Wins)
1995, Mark Simo, 2
1997, Jack Roush, 5
1998, Jack Roush, 1
2000, Bobby Hamilton, 3
2001, Bobby Hamilton, 2
Total: 13
First Win: Bristol Motor Speedway
Last Win: Pikes Peak International Raceway
Rewind – Winners Of All Ages, Experience Win At Kansas:
At many tracks, experience wins. Not necessarily so at Kansas Speedway, where drivers in their 20s, 30s and 40s have grabbed the checkered flag in the Craftsman Truck Series’ six trips to the 1.5-mile speedway. One of the series’ biggest surprises occurred in 2001’s inaugural race when the late Ricky Hendrick became the then-youngest winner at age 21 years three months. Hendrick’s victory might have been considered an aberration except that two years later Jon Wood, 21 years nine months, captured the O’Reilly Auto Parts 250. Now-NASCAR Nextel Cup Series star Carl Edwards was the third 20-something to visit Kansas’ Victory Lane. Edwards was less than two months shy of his 25th birthday in 2004. Youth, however, doesn’t have a lock on the track. Todd Bodine, 41 and Terry Cook, 38, are its most recent winners.
Youth Vs. Experience At Kansas Speedway: (Year/Winning Driver/Age)
2001, Ricky Hendrick, 21
2002, Mike Bliss, 37
2003, Jon Wood, 21
2004, Carl Edwards, 24
2005, Todd Bodine, 41
2006, Terry Cook, 38
News & Notes – Part II:
Two weeks hence, at Kansas Speedway, Brendan Gaughan (#77 South Point Hotel Chevy) could make a huge jump in the point standings. He finished fourth there last year and has placed in the top 10 in each of the last three races at the track. How he closes a race might be the most impressive stat Gaughan owns. In the last two Kansas races, Gaughan has improved seven positions over the last 10 percent of the race for an average of 3.5 positions improved. That finishing power is tied for the most positions improved and has led to eighth and fourth-place finishes. Gaughan also leads all drivers at Kansas in Green Flag Passes with 99.
Rollins hopes to duplicate championship success. Danny Rollins knows what it’s like to be a Craftsman Truck Series race and championship-winning crew chief, having captured the 2004 title with the late Bobby Hamilton. Now working with HT Motorsports and driver Terry Cook, Rollins wants to repeat that success. HT Motorsports has yet to win a series race but Rollins believes the potential is there – and more. “I think we can get it done here. Jim (Harris) is committed to success (and) there isn’t a single thing I don’t like about Terry. It might take a little time but we’re going to get there.”
This Week’s Craftsman Truck Series Leaders: (through 4 races of the 25-race season)
Points leader – Mike Skinner (745)
Driver Rating – Mike Skinner (134.4)
Winnings – Mike Skinner ($209,850)
Laps led – Mike Skinner (365)
Victories – Mike Skinner (3)
Budweiser Poles – Mike Skinner (2)
Top-five finishes – Mike Skinner (4)
Top-10 finishes – 4 drivers with 4
Raybestos Rookie Leader – Aaron Fike (10 over Joey Clanton)
Races led – Mike Skinner (4)
Weeks in Top 10 – 9 drivers tied with 4
Raybestos Rookie Of The Year Standings:
1) Aaron Fike, 45
2) Joey Clanton, 35
3) Aaron Fike, 32
4) Willy Allen, 32
5) Kelly Bires, 31
6) Blake Bjorklund, 31
7) Tim Sauter, 28
8) Casey Kingsland, 5
9) Josh White, 4
10) Brian Sockwell, 1
Manufacturers’ Championship Standings:
Toyota, 36
Chevy, 20
Ford, 20
Dodge, 12
Etc:
McCumbee Wins In NashvilleChad McCumbee (#08 Garmin/The GPS Store Chevy) won his first ARCA RE/MAX Challenge race on April 7 at Nashville Superspeedway, passing Cale Gale (#2 Camping World Chevy) with three laps remaining. Wise To Make Series DebutOpen-wheel star Josh Wise will be behind the wheel of Darrell Waltrip Motorsports’ #00 Toyota at Kansas Speedway. Wise won U.S. Auto Club midget and sprint titles driving for Tony Stewart. Skinner Tops ‘Pros’Skinner was fourth – and the highest finishing Pro driver – in Saturday’s Toyota Long Beach Grand Prix Pro/Celebrity race.(NASCAR Media)(4-16-2007)
