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Sports Connection

Race Reports - Craftsman Truck

Bodine Wins Rain-Delayed Race, While Musgrave Wins Championship

Homestead, Fla., November 19, 2005 - Todd Bodine won the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Ford 200 at Homestead-Miami Speedway this morning as Ted Musgrave claimed the 2005 championship. The race had been scheduled for Friday night, but scattered showers prevented a green-flag start and after 12 laps run under caution, NASCAR officials elected to postpone the contest until today.

Bodine started in ninth and took his first lead on lap 38 of the 134-lap race. He stayed on the point until lap 93 when Johnny Benson took over. Twenty-five laps later, Bodine retook first when then-leader Brendan Gaughan pitted for fuel. Bodine set the pace the rest of the way until the race ended under caution following a multitruck wreck on the last lap.

The win was Bodine's fifth of the year - high for the series. He also led the most laps in this morning's race - 74 - and picked up $57,800. He averaged 119.920 mph on the 1.5-mile track in a race bogged down by seven cautions that took up 24 laps and saw nine lead changes between nine drivers.

GM Goodwrench Service-sponsored Ron Hornaday came in ninth after starting in the 13th slot. It was his 13th top-10 finish in 25 starts this season. He won $16,525.

Musgrave started the race with a 58-point margin over his closest competitor, Dennis Setzer. Musgrave finished in the middle of the field in 19th. Setzer ended up in 18th and could cut only three points off of Musgrave's lead giving the 49-year-old veteran the championship by 55 points.

Winning the title ended several years of frustration for Musgrave. He had finished third the last three seasons and was second in 2001. Setzer's runner-up finish was his second in two years.

Bodine's victory cemented his standings position in third, 73 points out. Hornaday ended the year fourth while Mike Skinner was fifth.

Reigning champion Bobby Hamilton wound up in 31st after an accident ended his day after 95 laps. He ended the season sixth in the standings.

That closes the 2005 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. A review of the year will soon be posted here. Check it out. And come back next spring when we'll be back with another year of racing reports. See you then.

Top Finishers

  1. Todd Bodine, Toyota (9)
  2. Jack Sprague, Toyota (3)
  3. Johnny Benson, Toyota (7)
  4. Mike Bliss, Chevrolet (25)
  5. Bill Lester, Toyota (2)
Driver Standings (As of November 19, 2005)
Driver Points
1. Ted Musgrave 3535
2. Dennis Setzer 3480
3. Todd Bodine 3462
4. Ron Hornaday 3369
5. Mike Skinner 3273

Bodine Wins Second in a Row

Avondale, Ariz., November 11, 2005 - Todd Bodine beat GM Goodwrench-sponsored Ron Hornaday to the checkers to take the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Chevy Silverado 150 at Phoenix International Raceway tonight.

The victory was Bodine's second straight, sixth of his career and fourth of the season. Dennis Setzer is the only other driver to score four wins in 2005. It was also Bodine's 10th top-three finish in 24 starts this year.

Bodine led twice for 57 laps (third-place finisher Johnny Benson was high with 61 laps) in the 150-lap race. He was in the lead on lap 132 when Deborah Renshaw and Bobby East crashed and spewed debris on the track. That brought out a red flag and delayed the race 15 minutes. When the race restarted on lap 135, Bodine was first with Hornaday right behind. It was all Bodine from then on. He crossed the start/finish line on the one-mile track 1.963 seconds ahead of Hornaday.

Bodine received $50,850 after averaging 96.515 mph in a race that had seven caution flags for 28 laps and five lead changes between four drivers.

Hornaday collected $31,175. It was his seventh top-five finish of the year.

The championship race tightened up slightly. Points leader Ted Musgrave came in sixth while Setzer, his closest competitor - and the only other driver still mathematically able to take the lead - wound up fifth. That allowed Setzer to pick up a few points and move within 58 points of the top spot. However, with just one race to go, catching Musgrave may be an impossible task.

Defending champion Bobby Hamilton finished 17th and remained sixth in the standings.

The season ends next week at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Join us to see if Musgrave hangs on or Setzer comes through.

Top Finishers

  1. Todd Bodine, Toyota (6)
  2. Ron Hornaday, Chevrolet (15)
  3. Johnny Benson, Toyota (2)
  4. Rick Crawford, Ford (16)
  5. Dennis Setzer, Chevrolet (18)
Driver Standings (As of November 11, 2005)
Driver Points
1. Ted Musgrave 3429
2. Dennis Setzer 3371
3. Todd Bodine 3272
4. Ron Hornaday 3231
5. Mike Skinner 3141

Bodine Picks Up Third "W" Of 2005

Fort Worth, Texas, November 4, 2005 - Todd Bodine snagged the checkered flag tonight in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Silverado 350 at the Texas Motor Speedway.

The win was Bodine's third of the season and fifth of his career. It was also the second time he has won at the Texas track. His other two victories this season were at Kansas and Las Vegas.

Bodine took his only lead in the 147-lap race with 23 laps to go when he zipped below then-leader Mike Skinner. Skinner, the polesitter, had led 80 laps - a race high - when Bodine got by him.

A few laps later, Brad Kesolowski's truck began smoking and the sixth (and last) yellow flag waved. (A total of 26 laps were slowed by the caution flags.) That tightened the field, but when green-flag racing restarted with 10 laps remaining, Bodine took off and no one got close the rest of the way. He crossed the start/finish line 1.162 seconds in front of runner-up Skinner and made his way to Victory Lane where he received a check for $66,580. Bodine averaged 128.259 mph on the 1.5-mile track.

Ron Hornaday, sponsored by GM Goodwrench Service, began the race in 18th place. He ended up seventh, his 11th top-10 finish in 23 starts.

Points-leader Ted Musgrave wound up 14th but still came out ahead, as his closest points competitor, Dennis Setzer, finished 18th. That combination increased Musgrave's lead in the standings from 51 to 63 with two races left on the schedule. Bodine's victory pushed him up a spot to third, displacing Hornaday, who fell to fourth. Skinner moved to fifth, knocking out reigning champion Bobby Hamilton, whose ninth-place performance dropped him to sixth.

The championship battle continues next week at Phoenix International Raceway. Join us for a report on the action.

Top Finishers

  1. Todd Bodine, Toyota (8)
  2. Mike Skinner, Toyota (1)
  3. Kyle Busch, Chevrolet (4)
  4. David Starr, Chevrolet (9)
  5. David Reutimann, Chevrolet (18)
Driver Standings (As of November 4, 2005)
Driver Points
1. Ted Musgrave 3279
2. Dennis Setzer 3216
3. Todd Bodine 3087
4. Ron Hornaday 3061
5. Mike Skinner 3003

Busch Takes Dramatic Win

Hampton, Ga., October 29, 2005 - Kyle Busch came from ninth place with just three laps to go to win the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series EasyCare Vehicle Service Contracts 200 today at Atlanta Motor Speedway.

With eight laps remaining in the 130-lap race, a caution flag came out when Ted Musgrave's tires shredded. Busch ducked into the pits for fresh tires, but then-leader Jack Sprague took the chance of finishing out the race on old tires.

When the race restarted on lap 128, Busch was in ninth. He then turned on the juice. Entering the last lap, he'd made it all the way to third behind Sprague and Bobby Labonte. Then, in dramatic fashion, he pulled even with Sprague, but the two trucks made contact. Sprague's old tires compromised his control and he went into Labonte, causing a multi-truck crash that took out any challengers and left Busch unscathed and zooming to the start/finish line. Busch caught the checkered flag 0.582 seconds ahead of runner-up Todd Bodine and collected $52,400 for the victory - his third in eight truck starts. (He's been in the top 10 in seven of those starts, the top five in six).

Busch averaged 132.99 mph on the 1.54-mile track and shared high-lap honors with Sprague. Each led 45 laps.

The race saw a record-setting 18 lead changes between eight drivers. The previous high was 13 changes. There were also five yellow caution flags which slowed 18 laps.

Ron Hornaday, sponsored by GM Goodwrench Service, started the race in 16th and finished 21st. Hornaday picked up 100 points in the race, solidifying his hold on third in the driver standings.

Defending series champion Bobby Hamilton came in seventh. He stayed in fifth place in the standings, but at 314 points out, chances of repeating appear dim.

Points-leader Musgrave ended the day 14th, one spot behind his closest points competitor, Dennis Setzer. Musgrave now holds a 51-point lead over Setzer with three races left on the schedule.

Top Finishers

  1. Kyle Busch, Chevrolet (5)
  2. Todd Bodine, Toyota (19)
  3. Johnny Benson, Toyota (14)
  4. Jack Sprague, Toyota (12)
  5. Bobby Labonte, Chevrolet (10)
Driver Standings (As of October 29, 2005)
Driver Points
1. Ted Musgrave 3158
2. Dennis Setzer 3107
3. Ron Hornaday 2915
4. Todd Bodine 2902
5. Bobby Hamilton 2844

Craven Gets First Truck Win

Martinsville, Va., October 22, 2005 - Ricky Craven picked up the first truck victory of his career today taking the NASCAR Craftsman Series Kroger 200 at Martinsville Speedway. With career victories in Nextel Cup and Busch racing, he also became the 15th NASCAR driver to win in each of its three major series.

Craven started the 200-lap race in ninth, made a pit stop for fuel and tires on lap 55 and never stopped again. He led the most laps of any driver, taking the point on lap 106 and holding it until he captured the checkered flag 95 laps later.

Once in front, Craven was not seriously challenged. He finished a comfortable 1.013 seconds in front of runner-up Todd Kluever, averaged 64.332 mph on the short, .526-mile track and was rewarded with $46,725.

The race had just five lead changes between five drivers and nine cautions that slowed 50 laps. There was also a red-flag delay with about 40 laps to go after a three-truck wreck left one truck wedged against the wall.

GM Goodwrench-sponsored Ron Hornaday started in 16th and ended up ninth. It was the 10th top-10 finish in 21 starts for Hornaday this season.

Dennis Setzer, standings leader by a slim five points coming into the race, got caught in a late wreck and was relegated to 19th place. That performance, combined with Ted Musgrave's fourth-place finish today, pushed Musgrave to the top of the standing by 54 points. Hornaday held steady in third, ending the day 222 points out. Defending champion Bobby Hamilton came in 14th, good enough to move him up two spots into fifth.

The series has four more races on the schedule and the championship has yet to be clinched. Stay with us the rest of the way as we watch the top drivers make their moves for the title.

Top Finishers

  1. Ricky Craven, Ford (9)
  2. Todd Kluever, Ford (13)
  3. Brandon Whitt, Toyota (4)
  4. Ted Musgrave, Dodge (7)
  5. Kyle Busch, Chevrolet (2)
Driver Standings (As of October 22, 2005)
Driver Points
1. Ted Musgrave 3037
2. Dennis Setzer 2983
3. Ron Hornaday 2815
4. Todd Bodine 2727
5. Bobby Hamilton 2698

Bodine Wins on Last Lap

Las Vegas, Nev., September 24, 2005 - Todd Bodine lost the lead then got it back on the last lap to win the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Las Vegas 350 tonight at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. It was his second win this season and the fourth of his career.

Bodine started in third and took his first lead on lap 23. He led three more times for a race-high 114 of 152 laps. He was in front when Ted Musgrave passed him with two laps to go. It looked like it was over for Bodine at that point, however, Steve Park went into the wall and a caution flag came out setting up a green-white-checkered two-extra-lap "overtime" finish.

When the race restarted, Bodine initially trailed Musgrave. But he made his move coming out of the second turn, going high to retake the point and shooting across the finish line 0.297 seconds in front of Musgrave.

The win gave Bodine $52,700. He averaged 119.557 mph on the 1.5-mile track in a race that saw six drivers trade the lead 10 times and five caution flags wave for 22 laps.

ACDelco-sponsored Ron Hornaday Jr. finished 13th after starting 11th on the grid. Hornaday held his No. 3 spot in the driver standings. However, points-leader Dennis Setzer came in 14th and that, combined with Musgrave's runner-up finish, tightened up the championship race considerably. Setzer had started the day with a 59-point margin over Musgrave. At the end of the race the gap stood at a mere five points with five races remaining on the season. Anything can still happen and it probably will.

Top Finishers

  1. Todd Bodine, Toyota (3)
  2. Ted Musgrave, Dodge (5)
  3. David Starr, Chevrolet (8)
  4. Jack Sprague, Chevrolet (20)
  5. Bobby Hamilton, Dodge (9)
Driver Standings (As of September 24, 2005)
Driver Points
1. Dennis Setzer 2877
2. Ted Musgrave 2872
3. Ron Hornaday 2677
4. Mike Skinner 2627
5. Todd Bodine 2593

Crawford Beats Points Leaders to Checkers

Loudon, N.H., September 17, 2005 - Rick Crawford may be 16th in the standings, but he was the big winner tonight beating points leaders Dennis Setzer and Ted Musgrave to the checkers in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Sylvania 200 at New Hampshire International Speedway.

It was Crawford's first victory in almost two full seasons (his last win was in April, 2004) and the fourth of his career.

Crawford took the lead in the 200-lap race on the 100th lap, but had a short stay of only two laps on the point. With the race about two-thirds complete, Setzer was in front with a big, two-second lead over Crawford. However, a caution erased that margin, and on the restart, Crawford was behind by just a truck length. He moved into first on lap 175, gave way to Setzer on lap 185 and moved back - permanently - into the lead on lap 186. A late caution (the ninth of the race; there were 31 caution laps in all) set up a four-lap shootout and gave Setzer and Musgrave one last chance at the checkers. Crawford got away quickly, however, when the racing went green and reached the checkered flag 0.221 seconds in front of Setzer with Musgrave a close third.

Crawford won $58,910 while averaging 101.244 mph on the 1.058-mile oval. He also led 26 laps in a race that had 17 lead changes between eight drivers.

High-lap honors went to ACDelco-sponsored Ron Hornaday. He led five times for 56 laps and was in front as late as lap 147. Hornaday started in sixth and wound up fifth - his sixth top-five finish of the season. He picked up $15,175.

Defending champion Bobby Hamilton came in 30th while last week's winner, Mike Skinner, led 47 laps early in the race, and ended up 24th.

The driver standings saw only one change: Jimmy Spencer went up a slot to fourth while Skinner dropped one to fifth. Setzer widened his lead over second-place Musgrave by 10 points to 59. Hornaday fell 10 to 20 behind in third.

There are six races left in the season, and we'll report on every one of them. Stay with us.

Top Finishers

  1. Rick Crawford, Ford (5)
  2. Dennis Setzer, Chevrolet (6)
  3. Ted Musgrave, Dodge (22)
  4. Clay Rogers, Dodge (21)
  5. Ron Hornaday, Chevrolet (17)
Driver Standings (As of September 17, 2005)
Driver Points
1. Dennis Setzer 2756
2. Ted Musgrave 2697
3. Ron Hornaday 2553
4. Jimmy Spencer 2523
5. Mike Skinner 2472

Skinner the Winner Again

Richmond, Va., September 8, 2005 - Former truck champ Mike Skinner won his second race in a row and second of the season taking the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Cheerios Betty Crocker 200 tonight at Richmond International Raceway. He previously won at Bristol in the O'Reilly 200.

Skinner started in second, quickly moved into the lead on the first lap and stayed there until lap 58. In all, he led three times for 120 laps taking his last lead on lap 188 and remaining there until he took the checkered flag. Four other drivers swapped the point eight times.

The race was scheduled for 200 laps on the .75-mile track, but a late caution (the 12th of the night - 57 laps were slowed by the cautions) took the drivers to a two-lap sprint for a green-white-checkered flag finish which stretched the event an extra lap. When the race restarted, Skinner got the jump on Todd Bodine and Kevin Harvick and flew to the checkers 0.483 seconds ahead of runner-up Bodine. He averaged 82.540 mph and was rewarded with $45,200.

Harvick, a GM Goodwrench Service-sponsored regular in the Nextel Cup series, had a strong truck and led 24 laps. He finished third - his second top-five finish in three truck starts.

Ron Hornaday, sponsored by ACDelco, came in 10th. He collected $10,575 in his eighth top-10 finish in 18 starts.

Skinner was the series champion in 1995 and 1996; however, he had been away from Victory Lane since then. His return to winning form shook up the driver standings. Skinner's win pushed him up three spots in the standings to fourth, 205 points behind the leader, Dennis Setzer. Setzer had a disastrous night, finishing 34th. He had a 143-point lead over second-place Ted Musgrave coming into the race, but his low finish, combined with Musgrave ending up fourth, slashed that lead to just 49 points with seven races to go. Hornaday also moved up a notch to third. Defending champion Bobby Hamilton dropped out of the top five to sixth after ending up 24th.

Top Finishers

  1. Mike Skinner, Toyota (2)
  2. Tod Bodine, Toyota (11)
  3. Kevin Harvick, Chevrolet (5)
  4. Ted Musgrave, Dodge (3)
  5. Tracy Hines, Chevrolet (30)
Driver Standings (As of September 8, 2005)
Driver Points
1. Dennis Setzer 2581
2. Ted Musgrave 2532
3. Ron Hornaday 2388
4. Mike Skinner 2376
5. Jimmy Spencer 2373

Skinner Rules Bristol Trucks

Bristol, Tenn., August 24, 2005 - Mike Skinner dominated the O'Reilly 200 at Bristol Motor Speedway tonight to claim his first NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series win since 1996.

A two-time truck champion, Skinner started in second, slipped ahead of polesitter David Reutimann on the first lap and led 190 of the race's 200 laps on his way to Victory Lane. Skinner won 16 truck races during the 1995 and 1996 seasons, but a nine-year drought - 53 races without a win - was getting tiresome and his 17th career victory tonight was something to savor.

Even though Skinner was clearly in control, a late caution brought on when points-leader Dennis Setzer crashed on lap 186 threatened to take away his shot at a victory. Todd Bodine, running in second, was coming on strong when the yellow flag waved. He was poised to challenge Skinner on the restart. But when the green flag waved with just four laps left, Skinner got away quickly to seal the win by reaching the checkered flag 1.667 seconds in front of Bodine.

Skinner pocketed $47,640. He averaged 83.390 mph on the short, 0.533-mile oval. The race had 34 laps slowed by six cautions and there were only three lead changes between Skinner and Chad Chaffin - the only other driver who managed to make his way to the front.

GM Goodwrench Service-sponsored Ron Hornaday started 17th and moved up to finish in 14th place. He won $10,040. Polesitter Reutimann ended up 29th and Setzer, despite the crash, came in 16th, running all 200 laps. Defending champion Bobby Hamilton got tangled up in a five-truck melee mid-race and finished 31st after completing just 113 laps.

The top four positions in the driver standings went unchanged, but with Setzer's relatively low finish and second-place Ted Musgrave coming in sixth, Setzer's lead was cut from 178 to 143 points. Hamilton held on to third - but just barely - as Hornaday crept up to within four points of him. Jimmy Spencer climbed into fifth with his seventh-place race finish.

Top Finishers

  1. Mike Skinner, Toyota (2)
  2. Tod Bodine, Toyota (32)
  3. Jack Sprague, Chevrolet (6)
  4. Johnny Benson, Toyota (8)
  5. Kyle Busch, Chevrolet (9)
Driver Standings (As of August 24, 2005)
Driver Points
1. Dennis Setzer 2400
2. Ted Musgrave 2222
3. Bobby Hamilton 2188
4. Ron Hornaday 2133
5. David Reutimann 2114

Reutimann Scores First Truck Victory

Nashville, Tenn., August 13, 2005 - David Reutimann out-dueled Mike Skinner today in the Toyota Tundra 200 at Nashville Superspeedway to earn his first career win in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. The victory was worth $52,110 and pushed Reutimann into the top five in the driver standings.

Reutimann started in sixth and took his first lead on lap 86 of the 150-lap event. Although he spent most of the day chasing Skinner, who led a race-high 98 laps, Reutimann led two more times including the last two laps of the race to pace a total of 41 circuits. He edged past Skinner on lap 144 and then withstood a determined challenge from eventual runner-up Ted Musgrave before he cleared the start/finish line 0.850 seconds ahead of him. Skinner wound up fourth as Todd Bodine also got past him late to finish third - his fifth top-five finish of the season.

Skinner covered the 1.333-mile track with an average speed of 109.246 mph. The race saw five drivers trade the lead nine times while 35 laps were compromised by nine caution flags.

ACDelco-sponsored Ron Hornaday began the day in the 20th position and moved up to finish 12th.

The win was Reutimann's fourth top-five finish in the last five races. His performance has him 286 points out of first in the driver standings. The top spot still belongs to Dennis Setzer, the 14th finisher today, although his lead over second-place Musgrave was chopped from 227 points to 178. Nine races remain on the schedule as the series moves to Bristol Motor Speedway next week for a short-track contest.

Top Finishers

  1. David Reutimann, Toyota (6)
  2. Ted Musgrave, Dodge (12)
  3. Todd Bodine, Toyota (15)
  4. Mike Skinner, Toyota (1)
  5. Todd Kluever, Ford (5)
Driver Standings (As of August 13, 2005)
Driver Points
1. Dennis Setzer 2400
2. Ted Musgrave 2222
3. Bobby Hamilton 2188
4. Ron Hornaday 2133
5. David Reutimann 2114

Setzer Sets the Pace in Indiana

Indianapolis, Ind., August 5, 2005 - Dennis Setzer won his fourth race of the year taking the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Power Stroke Diesel 200 tonight at Indianapolis Raceway Park, beating rookie driver Todd Kluever to the checkered flag by 0.418 seconds. It was the 16th victory of his career and it came in a clear and convincing form.

With rain preventing qualification runs, the starting lineup was based on owner points and that put Setzer on the pole. When the green flag waved, he took off and led the first 135 laps before electing to pit. Once returning to the track, he regained the point on lap 148 and stayed there until a caution on lap 171 gave him a chance to get back to the pits again for fuel and tires. When that yellow flag flew, he had built up a lead of almost nine seconds, but coming back on track this time, he had to battle a feisty Jimmy Spencer, who had taken over first place. Spencer did not go down easy and it took Setzer about eight laps to recapture the top spot.

In the end it was Setzer snagging the victory on the .686-mile track after leading 177 of the race's 200 laps and averaging 84.910 mph. He won $56,160 and firmed up his position at the top of the driver standings, increasing his lead over second-place Ted Musgrave from 156 to 227 points.

GM Goodwrench-sponsored Ron Hornaday started in fifth and came in third, collecting $22,765. It was Hornaday's fifth top-five and seventh top-10 finish of the year. Hornaday stayed fourth in the standings, trailing by 273 points.

Defending series champion Bobby Hamilton completed the race in 13th and stayed third in the standings. Spencer wound up the race in fifth and stayed one spot behind Hamilton in points.

The race had five lead changes between four drivers and five cautions for 35 laps. Only six trucks of the 32 running at the end of the race finished on the lead lap. Thirty-six trucks started the race.

Top Finishers

  1. Dennis Setzer, Chevrolet (1)
  2. Todd Kluever, Ford (16)
  3. Ron Hornaday, Chevrolet (5)
  4. Matt Crafton, Chevrolet (10)
  5. Jimmy Spencer, Dodge (6)
Driver Standings (As of August 5, 2005)
Driver Points
1. Dennis Setzer 2279
2. Ted Musgrave 2052
3. Bobby Hamilton 2050
4. Ron Hornaday 2006
5. Jimmy Spencer 1974

Hornaday Spins, Whitt Wins

Memphis, Tenn., July 23, 2005 - Brandon Whitt grabbed the first win of his 46-race career tonight, taking the honors at Memphis Motorsports Park in the NASCAR Craftsman Series O'Reilly 200.

The race, scheduled for 200 laps on the short .75-mile track, was extended two laps in a green-white-checkered flag finish when a late caution flag came out after an accident involving Deborah Renshaw. On the restart, Ron Hornaday, sponsored by GM Goodwrench Service, was in the lead with Whitt second. Up to that point, Hornaday had led a race-high 79 laps, and it looked a if a trip to Victory Lane was in his immediate future. But Jimmy Spencer spun out, and the smoke created from that played havoc with Hornaday's vision. He couldn't see the track in front of him and consequently let up slightly on the final turn of the race, which got him hit by Whitt which, in turn, sent him whirled out of contention. Whitt zoomed past while Hornaday fell back.

Whitt crossed the start/finish line 1.442 seconds ahead of David Reutimann. He averaged 71.182 mph and took home $54,275. Brendan Gaughan, Dennis Setzer - winner of three of the last four races - and David Starr completed the top-five finishers. Hornaday, with 27 career wins, dropped to 21st. Reigning champion, Bobby Hamilton, came in sixth. Fifty-five laps were slowed by a track record 13 cautions, and seven lead changes were made by four drivers.

The top-four spots in the driver standings were unchanged - Setzer, Ted Musgrave, Hamilton and Hornaday holding tight. Ricky Craven, fifth coming into the race, however, finished 27th, allowing Spencer - the 22nd finisher - to move up a spot to fourth.

Top Finishers

  1. Brandon Whitt, Toyota (1)
  2. David Reutimann, Toyota (2)
  3. Brendan Gaughan, Dodge (23)
  4. Dennis Setzer, Chevrolet (13)
  5. David Starr, Chevrolet (18)
Driver Standings (As of July 23, 2005)
Driver Points
1. Dennis Setzer 2089
2. Ted Musgrave 1931
3. Bobby Hamilton 1926
4. Ron Hornaday 1841
5. Jimmy Spencer 1814

Another Win for Setzer

Sparta, Ky., July 9, 2005 - Dennis Setzer took his third victory in four races, winning the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Built Ford Tough 225 at Kentucky Speedway tonight.

The race was scheduled for 150 laps on the 1.5-mile oval, but a late caution (one of seven that ate up 33 laps) took the event to a green-white-checkered flag finish. Since all series race must end with at least two laps of green-flag racing, the event was extended to 151 laps. The caution was brought on with four laps to go when then-leader Terry Cook blew a tire. Setzer assumed the lead and held on during a two-lap shootout to beat eventual runner-up Todd Bodine by 0.249 seconds.

Setzer led only the last six laps in a race that had seven drivers change leads 11 times, but that was good enough for the win and $83,000. The victory was his sixth top-five and ninth top-10 finish in 13 starts this season. Cook led the most laps - 78 - but his late misfortune knocked him all the way down to a 25th-place finish.

GM-Goodwrench-sponsored Ron Hornaday started in seventh. He ended up 14th after completing the entire race and collected $14,740.

Setzer's win solidified his hold on first in the driver standings. He expanded his lead from 38 points over defending champion Bobby Hamilton to 83 over now-second-place Ted Musgrave. Musgrave came in fourth tonight to move up a notch while Hamilton finished 31st and dropped to third in the standings. Hornaday and Ricky Craven retained their position in fourth and fifth place, respectively.

Top Finishers

  1. Dennis Setzer, Chevrolet (18)
  2. Todd Bodine, Toyota (11)
  3. David Reutimann, Toyota (3)
  4. Mike Skinner, Toyota (5)
  5. Ted Musgrave, Dodge (10)
Driver Standings (As of July 9, 2005)
Driver Points
1. Dennis Setzer 1929
2. Ted Musgrave 1846
3. Bobby Hamilton 1776
4. Ron Hornaday 1731
5. Ricky Craven 1721

Bodine Takes Shootout in Kansas

Kansas City, Kan., July 2, 2005 - Todd Bodine won the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series O'Reilly Auto Parts 250 this afternoon at Kansas Speedway. The victory came in a green-white-checkered flag finish, and gave the veteran driver his first series win of the season and third of his career.

Bodine led a race-high 81 of 170 laps (the race was scheduled for 167 laps on the 1.5-mile tri-oval track). He took his first lead 59 laps into the race and dominated the action from that point on. That didn't mean the victory came easy, however.

Two late cautions (there were a total of nine for 35 laps) threw a scare into Bodine's seemingly easy cruise to Victory Lane. With 13 laps to go, Kelly Sutton smashed into Chris Fontaine's truck after he bounced off the wall. Then with three laps remaining, Matt Crafton, running in front of Bodine and trying to avoid being lapped, also went into the wall. Bodine had comfortable leads in both situations, but with the field tightened up for restarts, it gave the other drivers - especially rookie Todd Kluever running in second - opportunities to pass Bodine. Bodine, however, got great jumps on the restarts. On the last one, he ran away from the field and left Kluever behind to fight it out with David Reutimann for the runner-up position.

Bodine ended up finishing 0.387 seconds ahead of Kluever. He averaged 117.346 mph and drove away with $58,350.

GM Goodwrench Service-sponsored Ron Hornaday finished 17th. He led 23 laps and pocketed $12,390.

Mike Skinner led 57 laps and ended up fourth. Polesitter Bill Lester had a career-best fifth-place finish, but was not able to lead a single lap as Skinner, starting in the second position, quickly stepped in front at the start to take the point. In all, eight drivers swapped the lead 13 times.

The top five spots in the driver standings were unchanged with none of the drivers finishing in the first five slots in today's race. Points-leader Dennis Setzer had the best finish of the top drivers, coming in 11th. Bobby Hamilton ended up 12th and Ted Musgrave was 14th. None of the three led any laps.

Top Finishers

  1. Todd Bodine, Toyota (10)
  2. Todd Kluever, Ford (3)
  3. David Reutimann, Toyota (4)
  4. Mike Skinner, Toyota (2)
  5. Bill Lester, Toyota (1)
Driver Standings (As of July 2, 2005)
Driver Points
1. Dennis Setzer 1744
2. Bobby Hamilton 1706
3. Ted Musgrave 1691
4. Ron Hornaday 1610
5. Ricky Craven 1597

It's Two Straight for Setzer

West Allis, Wis., June 24, 2005 - Dennis Setzer won his second straight NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race, taking the checkers in the Toyota Tundra Milwaukee 200 tonight at the famed Milwaukee Mile track.

Setzer was coming off a win last week at Michigan International Speedway. Tonight's victory was his second of the season and 14th of his career.

Polesitter Jack Sprague led the first 43 laps of the 200-lap race before Setzer took over. Once in front, Setzer ran away from the field and dominated the race by leading 152 laps and reaching the checkered flag a whopping 3.993 seconds ahead of runner-up Sprague. Setzer gave up the point just twice for brief intervals during pit stops, once to David Reutimann for four laps and another time to GM Goodwrench-sponsored Ron Hornaday for one lap. In all, four drivers swapped the point five times. The race was surprisingly free of delays with just one caution taking up four laps.

Setzer collected $56,960. He averaged a track-record 109.907 mph on the slightly banked, one-mile, oval track. Only the top four finishers - Setzer, Sprague, Ted Musgrave and Hornaday - were on the lead lap when the race ended.

Hornaday started the race in eighth and came in fourth for his fourth top-five finish of the season. He was the winner here in 1997.

The win vaulted Setzer into the lead in the driver standings. He had come into the race trailing reigning champion Bobby Hamilton by five points. The victory, combined with Hamilton's sixth-place finish, put Setzer on top by 35 points with 11 of the season's 25 races completed. Musgrave held on to third, but Hornaday and Ricky Craven swapped positions, with Hornaday moving up to fourth and Craven falling to fifth.

Top Finishers

  1. Dennis Setzer, Chevrolet (3)
  2. Jack Sprague, Chevrolet (1)
  3. Ted Musgrave, Dodge (5)
  4. Ron Hornaday, Chevrolet (8)
  5. Brendan Gaughan, Dodge (4)
Driver Standings (As of June 24, 2005)
Driver Points
1. Dennis Setzer 1614
2. Bobby Hamilton 1579
3. Ted Musgrave 1570
4. Ron Hornaday 1493
5. Ricky Craven 1473

Setzer Back in Victory Lane

Brooklyn, Mich., June 18, 2005 - Dennis Setzer took the checkers in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Paramount Health Insurance 200 this afternoon at Michigan International Speedway.

Setzer started in 10th place and in a race that saw 13 drivers trade the lead 17 times, he took his first - and only - lead on lap 82. He stayed there until the end of the 100-lap event, holding the point for a race-high 17 laps. However, Setzer faced a close call at the end of the race. With just two laps to go, Ted Musgrave was coming on strong to challenge Setzer with Nextel Cup-regular Kyle Busch close behind. But Musgrave's truck blew an engine just after Setzer got the white flag indicating one lap remaining. The yellow flag then came out taking the race to its conclusion under caution and giving the victory to Setzer.

It was Setzer's first win of the season, the 13th of his career and his first since June, 2004. He collected $56,325.

Speeds were high on the wide, two-mile track. Busch, the second-place finisher, set a qualifying speed record of 181.612 mph earlier in the day. However, eight caution flags took up 26 laps and slowed the trucks' speeds. Setzer averaged 122.387 mph for the day.

GM Goodwrench Service-sponsored Ron Hornaday finished 30th after being knocked out of the race because of a wreck with Bobby Labonte and Steve Park on lap 96.

Kevin Harvick, a Nextel Cup regular sponsored in that series by GM Goodwrench Service, finished fourth after starting in back in 24th. He led 11 laps. It was his second truck start of the year.

Musgrave had led the driver standings coming into the race, but he ended up 28th in the race and that dropped him to third in the standings. Bobby Hamilton, the reigning series champion, came in third and racked up enough points to shoot to the top of the standings with Setzer climbing right behind him. Just five points separate the two. Hornaday fell one spot to fifth, 101 points behind, with fifteen races remaining on the schedule.

Top Finishers

  1. Dennis Setzer, Chevrolet (10)
  2. Kyle Busch, Chevrolet (1)
  3. Bobby Hamilton, Dodge (31)
  4. Kevin Harvick, Chevrolet (24)
  5. Mike Skinner, Toyota (2)
Driver Standings (As of June 18, 2005)
Driver Points
1. Bobby Hamilton 1429
2. Dennis Setzer 1424
3. Ted Musgrave 1405
4. Ricky Craven 1373
5. Ron Hornaday 1328

Sprague ends victory drought

Fort Worth, Texas, June 10, 2005 - Veteran driver Jack Sprague won his first NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race in more than a year, taking the Chex 400K at Texas Motor Speedway tonight. It was his first trip to Victory Lane since May 2004. It was also his 25th career win and puts him second to GM Goodwrench Service-sponsored Ron Hornaday Jr., who holds the record with 27 wins.

Sprague qualified seventh for the 167-lap race. He led three laps early in the race during a caution (there were a total of four for 15 laps), but dropped back behind Mike Skinner and didn't move in front again until lap 159 when then-leader David Reutimann pitted. Sprague inherited the lead and held the point the rest of the way, snagging the checkered flag 1.286 seconds ahead of runner-up Johnny Benson.

Sprague set himself up for the win when he pitted for four fresh tires with 30 laps to go. That gave him the rubber he needed for the final stage of the race. He averaged a quick 144.844 mph on the 1.5-mile oval and pocketed $72,850 for a night's work.

Seven racers swapped the lead seven times. Polesitter Skinner led the most laps - 116 - but finished fourth. Most of his lead was in the first two-thirds of the race. He was challenged by Hornaday on a caution restart on lap 99. Skinner managed to fend him off at that point, but the persistent Hornaday stayed at it and went low to take the lead on lap 121. Hornaday gave way to Matt Crafton 15 laps later. Hornaday finished sixth. It was his fifth top-10 finish in nine starts.

Points-leader Ted Musgrave came in 14th and defending champion Bobby Hamilton ended up 17th. Their mid-pack finishes and good performances by Hornaday and Dennis Setzer (third place) jogged the driver standings. Musgrave maintained his top position, but his 20-point lead over second-place Ricky Craven was cut to 17. Hornaday moved up a spot to third just 66 points behind, and Setzer bounced up two to fourth. Hamilton fell five notches to eighth, 174 points off the pace.

Top Finishers

  1. Jack Sprague, Chevrolet (7)
  2. Johnny Benson, Toyota (4)
  3. Dennis Setzer, Chevrolet (13)
  4. Mike Skinner, Toyota (1)
  5. Matt Crafton, Chevrolet (20)
Driver Standings (As of June 10, 2005)
Driver Points
1. Ted Musgrove 1321
2. Ricky Craven 1304
3. Ron Hornaday 1255
4. Dennis Setzer 1234
5. Jimmy Spencer 1184

Busch Takes Second Straight

Dover, Del., June 4, 2005 - Kyle Busch, the youngest driver ever to win a NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, won his second consecutive race taking the MBNA RacePoints 200 at Dover International Speedway tonight - (the race was re-scheduled for today after being rained out Friday night.) Two weeks ago, the 20-year-old driver earned his first series victory - and the youngest driver claim - at Lowe's Motor Speedway.

Today, Busch started in fifth and didn't take the lead until lap 182 of the 200-lap race. Once he grabbed the point, he easily stayed there the rest of the way. A restart with five laps remaining gave Tony Stewart a chance to move in front, but that never happened and Busch went on to take the checkered flag, finishing 0.745 seconds ahead of Stewart. Busch picked up $56,235 and averaged 96.735 mph on the high-banked, one-mile oval track.

Ron Hornaday, sponsored by GM Goodwrench Service, led a race-high 134 laps. He was well in front and seemingly on the way to his second victory of the year when a caution flag waved because of debris on the track. Hornaday pitted for fuel and tires and came out in second, ready to retake the lead, but NASCAR officials called him back because of a missing lug nut. Hornaday fell behind and was unable to recapture the top spot. Nevertheless, he wound up fourth for his third top-five finish in eight starts this season.

Five drivers traded the lead six times and 49 laps were taken up by a track-record 11 cautions.

Polesitter David Starr came in eighth, and points leader Ted Musgrave wound up 17th.

In the driver standings, Musgrave came in with a 41-point lead over second-place Bobby Hamilton, who ended up in 21st place today. But with their midpack finishes, the standings got shuffled and tightened up. Musgrave now leads Ricky Craven (the seventh-place finisher in this race) by just 20 points and Hamilton fell to third, 53 points off the pace. Hornaday's strong performance moved him up two notches to fourth knocking Jimmy Spencer down a spot to fifth.

Top Finishers

  1. Kyle Busch, Chevrolet (5)
  2. Tony Stewart, Chevrolet (11)
  3. Terry Cook, Ford (2)
  4. Ron Hornaday, Chevrolet (3)
  5. David Reutimann, Toyota (8)
Driver Standings (As of June 4, 2005)
Driver Points
1. Ted Musgrove 1200
2. Ricky Craven 1180
3. Bobby Hamilton 1147
4. Ron Hornaday 1100
5. Jimmy Spencer 1084

Kyle Busch Becomes Youngest Truck Winner

Concord, N.C., May 20, 2005 - Twenty-year-old Kyle Busch won his first NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series event taking the Quaker Steak & Lube 200 at Lowe's Motor Speedway tonight. It made him the youngest driver to ever win a series race. Prior to Busch's victory, Ricky Hendrick held the mark for youngest winner taking a checkered flag in 2001 at the age of 21.

Busch, the 2004 Busch Series Rookie of the Year, led a race-high 77 laps. The event was scheduled for 133 laps on the 1.5-mile track, but an accident on lap 131 brought out the 10th caution of the night and sent the race into an "overtime" green-white-checkered flag finish for an extra three laps. Busch was leading at the time and held on to take the victory by 0.149 seconds in front of second-place Terry Cook.

Earlier in the race Busch had been running in second far behind polesitter Mike Skinner. But on lap 114, Skinner tried to lap Brad Keselowski and instead slid into him, spun into the wall, damaged his truck, and put himself out of the race. Busch then inherited the lead and took off to claim the win and $53,150. Busch averaged 104.571 mph. Skinner wound up 26th.

GM Goodwrench-sponsored Ron Hornaday finished 11th, completing the race and pocketing $10,825. In seven starts, it was only the fourth time Hornaday had not finished in the top 10.

Bobby Hamilton, the points-leader coming into the race, finished 28th. He smacked into Jack Sprague as both drivers tried to avoid a spinning, out-of-control Tony Stewart on lap 26. Hamilton, as well as Sprague - the no. 27 finisher - lost dozens of laps while their trucks were being repaired in the garage. They both got back into the race, but too late to stay in contention. Stewart's truck suffered no damage in the fiasco; however, he had to leave the race a few laps later because of drivetrain trouble.

With Hamilton coming in low, Ted Musgrave's third-place finish moved him into the lead in the driver standings. Before the race Hamilton had topped the standings 45 points in front of Musgrave. After the race, Musgrave held a 41-point lead over Hamilton. Ricky Craven and Jimmy Spencer remained in fourth and fifth and Dennis Setzer, the seventh-place finisher, climbed a notch to fifth knocking Hornaday down to sixth.

There were five lead changes between four drivers and 10 cautions that took up 46 laps.

Top Finishers

  1. Kyle Busch, Chevrolet (3)
  2. Terry Cook, Ford (29)
  3. Ted Musgrave, Dodge (12)
  4. Johnny Benson, Toyota (27)
  5. Steve Park, Dodge (20)
Driver Standings (As of May 15, 2005)
Driver Points
1. Ted Musgrove 1088
2. Bobby Hamiliton 1047
3. Ricky Craven 1029
4. Jimmy Spencer 993
5. Dennis Setzer 940

Hamilton Wins Shootout for Second Victory

Mansfield, Ohio, May 15, 2005 - Bobby Hamilton came from the back of the pack and then won a two-lap shootout to take the checkered flag in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series UAW/GM Ohio 250 at Mansfield Motorsports Speedway this afternoon. It was his second victory, of the year making him the only driver to win two events so far.

Hamilton, the defending series champion, started 26th in the 36-truck field and didn't take the lead until the 184th lap of the scheduled 250-lap race. He was in front when a late caution (there were 13 that took up 86 laps) set up a green-white-checkered flag and extended the race four laps. Hamilton was first with Jack Sprague in second. When racing restarted, Hamilton managed to keep Sprague - the winner here last year - from passing him. Hamilton edged him to the finish by 0.169 seconds. The win came with an average speed of 65.907 mph, a track record for the short, .5-mile oval. A check for $46,700 also came with the victory.

Ron Hornaday, sponsored by GM Goodwrench Service, had the pole and led a race-high 119 laps. Unfortunately, the two-time series champion jumped a restart and was black-flagged by NASCAR officials, penalizing him for the infraction. The error cost Hornaday the lead and allowed Hamilton to take over and ultimately win. Hornaday finished 11th. Four other drivers traded the lead five times.

Late restarts - the race saw seven cautions, none serious, eat up 29 laps - gave runner-up Dennis Setzer a few chances to try to take the lead, but the 49-year-old Musgrave held him off every time and eventually took the checkered flag by a comfortable margin of 0.935 seconds. Musgrave's teammate, Jimmy Spencer, was in fifth in the late stages of the race but ended up third as Mike Skinner and Ricky Craven battled each other and Spencer snuck through.

With his victory, Hamilton popped back into first place in the driver standings, displacing Ted Musgrave, who finished 12th. Musgrave is now 45 points behind Hamilton. Ricky Craven and Jimmy Spencer finished eighth and 14th respectively to hold their third- and fourth-place slots. And although Hornaday's finish was disappointing, it allowed him to climb a notch into fifth.

Top Finishers

  1. Bobby Hamilton, Dodge (26)
  2. Jack Sprague, Chevrolet (25)
  3. Shane Hmiel, Chevrolet (5)
  4. Todd Kluever, Ford (20)
  5. Rich Bickle, Chevrolet (22)
Driver Standings (As of May 15, 2005)
Driver Points
1. Bobby Hamilton 968
2. Ted Musgrove 923
3. Ricky Craven 895
4. Jimmy Spencer 866
5. Ron Hornaday 800

Musgrave Rules at Gateway

Madison, Ill., April 30, 2005 - Veteran driver Ted Musgrave completely dominated tonight's NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Dodge Ram Tough 200 at Gateway International Raceway on the way to his 16th career victory in 104 starts.

In a race that had only four lead changes between three drivers, Musgrave led 158 of 160 laps and gave up the point only while making two pit stops during caution periods. Brad Kesolowski and Rich Bickle each got to lead a lap while Musgrave was off the track. Prior to tonight's race, Musgrave hadn't led a lap all year.

After setting a track record during qualifying time, Musgrave started on the pole - his best starting position all season. In four previous races he began no higher than 16th.

Late restarts - the race saw seven cautions, none serious, eat up 29 laps - gave runner-up Dennis Setzer a few chances to try to take the lead, but the 49-year-old Musgrave held him off every time and eventually took the checkered flag by a comfortable margin of 0.935 seconds. Musgrave's teammate, Jimmy Spencer, was in fifth in the late stages of the race but ended up third as Mike Skinner and Ricky Craven battled each other and Spencer snuck through.

Musgrave averaged 100.854 mph on the 1.25-mile track and collected $62,035 to give him a career total of over $3 million in winnings, making him only the sixth driver in series history to reach that mark.

GM Goodwrench-sponsored Ron Hornaday started in third, but mechanical problems knocked him out after 144 laps and he ended up 30th.

Musgrave's victory bumped him two notches into the lead in the driver standings. Bobby Hamilton, who held the top spot coming into the race, wound up sixth. With his first-place finish and lots of laps led, Musgrave moved 13 points ahead of Hamilton. Craven and Spencer took fourth and fifth, three points apart. Just 51 points separate the top four drivers. Despite his low finish, Hornaday dropped only two slots to sixth, 18 points out of the top five.

Top Finishers

  1. Ted Musgrave, Dodge (1)
  2. Dennis Setzer, Chevrolet (17)
  3. Jimmy Spencer, Dodge (20)
  4. Mike Skinner, Toyota (8)
  5. Rick Crawford, Ford (19)
Driver Standings (As of April 9, 2005)
Driver Points
1. Ted Musgrave 796
2. Bobby Hamilton 783
3. Ricky Craven 748
4. Jimmy Spencer 745
5. Todd Bodine 678

Labonte trucks into Victory Lane

Martinsville, Va., April 9, 2005 - Bobby Labonte captured his first-ever NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series victory today winning the Kroger 250 at Martinsville Speedway. The victory made him only the 12th driver to win a race in each of NASCAR's major series - the Nextel Cup, Busch and truck - and the first driver to win in each of those series at Martinsville. The victory was the 31st of his career including 21 Nextel Cup wins and nine in Busch racing.

A former Nextel Cup and Busch series champion, Labonte was making his fifth career Craftsman start. He led twice to pace 64 of the race's 250 laps (Todd Bodine was high with 74). He took his second lead with 30 laps remaining and had to fight off Ricky Craven and GM Goodwrench-sponsored Ron Hornaday on a restart with just five laps left before he could claim the checkered flag. On that restart, Hornaday tried to get past Craven to move into second. The two got busy with each other allowing Labonte to pull away. By the time Craven shook off Hornaday's challenge, Labonte was on his way to victory. He edged out Craven by 0.257 seconds while averaging 66.639 mph on the short, 0.526-mile oval. He won $41,535.

The race had six lead changes between six drivers and 60 laps were taken up by 11 caution periods.

Kevin Harvick, sponsored by GM Goodwrench Service in the Nextel Cup Series, was also going for the win and a victory in each of the NASCAR series. But, having won a Busch and Nextel race last weekend, in his case it would've been victories in three consecutive starts. However, the fates weren't siding with Harvick. He finished 12th.

Runner-up Craven was also looking for a win to round out the series hat trick. That didn't happen, but he did score enough points to move up a spot to second in the driver standings just 19 points behind Bobby Hamilton. Hamilton came in 20th today after starting on the pole. It was Hamilton's spin-out with 10 laps to go that set up the restart that cemented Labonte's win. Hornaday's third-place finish also bumped him up a notch - to fourth - just 47 points out. The top five spots are only 53 points apart.

Top Finishers

  1. Bobby Labonte, Chevrolet (5)
  2. Ricky Craven, Ford (4)
  3. Ron Hornaday, Chevrolet (11)
  4. Todd Bodine, Toyota (2)
  5. Chad Chaffin, Toyota (12)
Driver Standings (As of April 9, 2005)
Driver Points
1. Bobby Hamilton 633
2. Ricky Craven 614
3. Ted Musgrave 606
4. Ron Hornaday 587
5. Jimmy Spencer 580

Hornaday Takes a Wild Win

Hampton, Ga., March 18, 2005 – It was one of the closest finishes ever in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series as Ron Hornaday beat Bobby Labonte to the checkered flag by only 0.008 seconds - less than a foot - to win the World Financial Group 200 tonight at Atlanta Motor Speedway.

Hornaday, sponsored by GM Goodwrench Service, started in 18th and took his first lead on lap 111 of the 135 lap race. He took over first place for good on lap 124 and led 19 laps in all. Once he was in the lead in the race's final stage, it appeared that he would cruise to the finish. But polesitter Rick Crawford smacked into the wall, bringing up a caution flag with just two laps to go and creating a green-white-checkered flag finish. On the restart it was Hornaday, Bobby Hamilton and Labonte in first, second and third. When the racing went green, Labonte got past Hamilton and started closing in on Hornaday. He pulled even with Hornaday and even passed him for an instant on the back straightaway of the 1.54-mile tri-oval track. But Hornaday came right back and they went side to side, making contact as they went for the checkered flag, Hornaday edging Labonte and giving fans one incredibly tight finish.

The win was the 27th of Hornaday's truck racing career. He was the series champion in 1996 and 1998. Tonight he averaged 142.424 mph and took $52,975 as the winner's share of the purse.

The race had just four caution flags that took up 19 laps and there were 13 lead changes between nine drivers. Crawford led 52 laps, the most of any driver.

Hornaday's win sent him up seven spots in the driver standings to fifth. Hamilton, coming in third, extended his lead to 45 points over the second-place driver, now Ted Musgrave who finished sixth. Ricky Craven ended up 18th, falling a notch to third.

Top Finishers

  1. Ron Hornaday, Chevrolet (18)
  2. Bobby Labonte, Chevrolet (19)
  3. Bobby Hamilton, Dodge (36)
  4. Dennis Setzer, Chevrolet (14)
  5. David Starr, Chevrolet (10)
Driver Standings (As of March 18, 2005)
Driver Points
1. Bobby Hamilton 525
2. Ted Musgrave 460
3. Ricky Craven 439
4. Jimmy Spencer 438
5. Ron Hornaday 422

Park Comes Back to Win

Fontana, Calif., February 25, 2005 – Steve Park won the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series American Racing Wheels 200 at California Speedway tonight. But it was more than simply a win for Park; it also marked his comeback from a serious head injury he suffered in a wreck at Darlington Raceway in September 2001. This was Park's first victory since taking a NASCAR cup series race in February 2001.

Park has now won a race in each of NASCAR's three top series, a feat only nine other drivers have accomplished. He has one truck, two cup and three Busch victories.

Today's trip to Victory Lane came at the expense of Mike Bliss. After leading 31 laps in a row, Bliss was cruising eight truck–lengths ahead of the second–place Park with less than six laps to go. Suddenly, Bliss pulled off the track. He had run out of fuel. Park moved in front and held the point the rest of the way, finishing with a gaping 20 truck–length lead – 1.229 seconds – in front of Bobby Hamilton. Park averaged 128 mph on the two–mile oval and picked up $57,035. Bliss, who had stepped in to replace an injured Jack Sprague early in the race, ended up 22nd.

The race had five caution flags that waved off 21 laps, and five drivers swapped the lead seven times. David Starr led the most laps, 57, but was eliminated on lap 78 after getting involved in a multi–truck wreck. Ron Hornaday, sponsored by GM Goodwrench, led five laps, finished eighth and jumped 14 spots in the standings to 12th. Hamilton retained the top position in the standings while Ricky Craven, the third–place finisher, moved into second.

Top Finishers

  1. Steve Park, Dodge (25)
  2. Bobby Hamilton, Dodge (18)
  3. Ricky Craven, Ford (22)
  4. Todd Kluever, Ford (7)
  5. Ted Musgrave, Dodge (16)
Driver Standings (As of February 25, 2005)
Driver Points
1. Bobby Hamilton 355
2. Ricky Craven 330
3. Jimmy Spencer 321
4. Ted Musgrave 310
5. Matt Crafton 280

Spencer Wins; No Wait, It's Hamilton!

Daytona Beach, Fla., February 18, 2005 - Jimmy Spencer felt like a winner tonight. Until NASCAR officials reviewed some video tape and gave the victory to Bobby Hamilton in the Craftsman Truck Series Florida Dodge Dealers 250 at Daytona International Speedway.

Spencer had been in the lead with seven laps remaining in the 100-lap event when a whole lot of wildness broke out behind him. Dennis Setzer clipped Chad Chaffin, rocketing him into the infield where his truck flipped but fortunately landed right-side up. The wreck also involved Terry Cook and Johnny Benson. On the restart, Spencer remained in the lead with defending series champion Hamilton coming up fast and challenging for the point.

With the checkered flag waving on the last lap and another multi-truck crash breaking out behind them, Spencer and Hamilton were duking it out for the win. The caution flag came out just before the two leaders crossed the finish line. At first it appeared Spencer had held on, and he made his way to Victory Lane, but a few minutes later, officials double-checked the tape and saw that Hamilton had passed Spencer by half a car length for the lead - and the win - a split-second prior to the yellow caution flag waving. Back to the pits for Spencer, out to Victory Lane for Hamilton.

It was the ninth truck win of Hamilton's career. It was also the first time a driver had started in last place - 36th - and taken a victory. Hamilton averaged 124.931 mph on the legendary 2.5-mile track and won $86,850.

The crash-filled race lost 30 laps to seven caution periods. Rick Crawford's truck also flipped after Todd Bodine sideswiped him in the race's early stages. There were 26 lead changes between 17 drivers and Todd Bodine led the most laps - 16. Kerry Earnhardt, half-brother of Dale Earnhardt Jr., won the first pole of his career in qualifying for the race but was taken out in a wreck midway through the event. Ron Hornaday, sponsored by GM Goodwrench, started in 27th and finished in 26th.

The series moves on to California next week for the American Racing Wheels 200. Make sure to join us.

Top Finishers

  1. Bobby Hamilton, Dodge (8)
  2. Jimmy Spencer, Dodge (22)
  3. Todd Bodine, Toyota (5)
  4. Ricky Craven, Ford (3)
  5. Ted Musgrave, Dodge (29)
Driver Standings (As of February 18, 2005)
Driver Points
1. Bobby Hamilton 185
2. Jimmy Spencer 175
3. Todd Bodine 175
4. Ricky Craven 165
5. Ted Musgrave 155