Backstretch Motorsports

By Tim Tuttle

WEST ALLIS, Wis. (June 20, 2008) — Johnny Benson won the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race at The Milwaukee Mile for the third straight year Friday night, taking the Camping World RV Sales 200.

Benson’s victory from the pole position in the Bill Davis Racing Toyota was his first of the season and 10th of his NCTS career — all coming in the past three seasons. He entered the race leading the points and expanded his advantage to 50 over Todd Bodine.

“It feels great,” Benson said. “I could do almost anything I wanted. That last set of tires was awesome. This is way cool. I can’t believe we won three in a row.”

Benson led the final 53 laps and won by 2.5 seconds over Matt Crafton’s ThorSport Racing Chevrolet. Landon Cassill, making his fifth start in the series, finished third in the Morgan-Dollar Motorsports Chevrolet. Erik Darnell’s Roush Fenway Racing Ford was fourth and Bodine’s Germain Racing Toyota fifth. Michael Annett, making his first start in the series, was sixth in a Bill Davis Racing Toyota.

Rick Crawford rallied from 16th, the tail end of the longest line, to eighth in the final 56 laps. Crawford’s Circle Bar Racing Ford led when the caution came out for light rain on Lap 146. On radar, it didn’t appear more precipitation was coming, and so the lead lap trucks pitted.

Benson entered in third, took four tires and fuel, and exited in first. Crafton, also taking four tires and fuel, maintained second and Crawford fell to third, followed by Cassill and Darnell. However, Crawford’s truck was detected speeding and had to go to the tail end of the longest line for the next restart.

Shortly thereafter, NASCAR red-flagged the race for lightning, but there was no rain. The grandstands were cleared with 50 of the 200 scheduled laps remaining.

The race restarted 26 minutes later on Lap 155 and Benson went unchallenged to the checkered flag in a run that was interrupted by one caution.

Benson started from pole with Crawford on the outside of the front row. Crawford jumped into the lead for the opening three laps before Benson passed him and began pulling away during an extended green flag run. He had a 3.3-second advantage over Crawford after 70 laps.

Most of the field had made it through pit stops under green when the caution came out on Lap 78. Benson had just made his stop and was pulling out. Because of the timing of the caution, only seven trucks remained on the lead lap.

Benson was the leader, but was in the middle of the pack with many trucks in front on the lead lap. Crawford managed to stay in front of Benson and regained track position when the caution came out on Lap 96.

NASCAR Race Number 11
Unofficial Race Results for the Camping World Rv Sales 200 - Friday, June 20, 2008
Milwaukee Mile - West Allis, WI - 1 Mile Paved
Total Race Length - 200 Laps - 200 Miles - Purse: $556,112

Leader
Fin Str Trk Driver Team Laps Pts Bns Total Award Status Times Laps
1 1 23 Johnny Benson Toyota Certified Used Vehicles Toyota 200 195 10 $64,450 Running 3 130
2 10 88 Matt Crafton Menards/Super Clean Chevrolet 200 175 5 $35,650 Running 1 1
3 23 46 Landon Cassill GoDaddy.com Chevrolet 200 165 $25,095 Running
4 13 99 Erik Darnell Northern Tool + Equipment Ford 200 165 5 $17,035 Running 2 32
5 17 30 Todd Bodine Lumber Liquidators Toyota 200 160 5 $15,460 Running 1 2
6 14 22 Michael Annett Pilot Travel Centers Toyota 200 150 $13,010 Running
7 6 33 Ron Hornaday Jr. Camping World Chevrolet 200 146 $13,510 Running
8 2 14 Rick Crawford Circle Bar Corral/Pwr Strke Dsl Ford 200 147 5 $13,010 Running 2 33
9 12 60 Terry Cook Wyler.com Toyota 200 138 $12,285 Running
10 3 5 Mike Skinner Toyota Tundra Toyota 200 134 $13,610 Running
11 15 18 Dennis Setzer Dodge Dodge 200 130 $11,710 Running
12 19 51 Mike Bliss Miccosukee Rsrts/NOS Enrgy Drnk 200 127 $9,285 Running
13 5 2 Jack Sprague RVs.com Chevrolet 200 124 $13,235 Running
14 8 13 Shelby Howard Bobcat Chevrolet 200 121 $11,335 Running
15 9 15 Marc Mitchell # Hyprene Ergon, Inc Toyota 199 123 5 $13,385 Running 1 2
16 7 10 Brendan Gaughan Intrntnl MAXX-FRCE Dsl Ford 199 115 $11,435 Running
17 26 08 Jason White GunBroker.com Dodge 198 112 $11,285 Running
18 11 09 John Wes Townley Zaxby’s Ford 197 109 $10,960 Running
19 20 59 Ted Musgrave Team ASE/Harris Trckng Toyota 197 106 $10,910 Running
20 29 03 Chrissy Wallace Germain Toyota Toyota 197 103 $9,310 Running
21 28 21 Keven Wood Air Force Ford 197 100 $9,560 Running
22 30 71 Donny Lia # NationRides.com Chevrolet 197 97 $9,485 Running
23 22 11 David Starr Pit-Now.com Toyota 197 94 $8,435 Running
24 25 4 Stacy Compton Bryden Motors Dodge 197 91 $8,385 Running
25 24 9 Justin Marks # Construct Corps Toyota 196 88 $8,360 Running
26 27 07 Sean Murphy Baird Creek Outfitter Chevrolet 196 85 $8,335 Running
27 16 8 Chad McCumbee Malcolmson Construction Chevrolet 195 82 $8,310 Running
28 31 85 Brent Raymer Miller Electric Mfg. Co. Ford 195 79 $8,285 Running
29 18 7 T.J. Bell, Jr HomeForTheHldys/Hthcliffs Chev 193 76 $8,260 Running
30 35 40 Paul Poulter Key Motorsports Chevrolet 188 73 $8,235 Running
31 4 6 Colin Braun # Con-way Freight Ford 106 70 $8,210 Accident
32 21 16 Brian Scott # Albertsons Chevrolet 105 67 $8,185 Accident
33 32 74 Nick Tucker Dodge 74 64 $8,160 Brakes
34 36 73 Larry Gunselman Dodge 17 61 $8,135 Engine
35 34 89 Ryan Seaman Lafferty Performance Chevrolet 14 0 $8,110 Driveline
36 33 0 Johnny Chapman Chevrolet 6 0 $8,064 Vibration
Race Comments: Before an estimated crowd of 25,000, Johnny Benson won the Camping World RV Sales 200, his 10th career NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series victory. Before the green flag the the following drivers, under penalty, dropped to the rear of the field for the reasons indicated: #40 Paul Poulter (engine change), #71 Donny Lia (adjustments outside of impound).
Failed to Qualify: N/A
Time of Race: 2 Hrs, 13 Mins, 48 Secs. Average Speed: 89.686 MPH Margin of Victory: 2.530 Seconds
Caution Flags: 6 for 27 laps: Laps: 9-11 (#22 spun turn 4); 79-82 (#40 stall); 96-98 (Debris); 100-104 (#2, 5, 6, 10, 11, 16, 33, 59, 71 accident turn 4); 146-154 (Weather [Red Flag, Lap 150, 25:44]); 158-160 (#03, #8 accident turn 1).
Lead Changes: 10 among 6 drivers: J. Benson (Pole); R. Crawford 1-3; J. Benson 4-77; T. Bodine 78-79; J. Benson 80-82; E. Darnell 83-96; M. Mitchell # 97-98; E. Darnell 99-116; R. Crawford 117-146; M. Crafton 147; J. Benson 148-200.
Top 10 Driver Points: (1) J. Benson 1,617;(2) T. Bodine 1,567;(3) M. Crafton 1,550;(4) R. Hornaday Jr. 1,547;(5) R. Crawford 1,508;(6) M. Skinner 1,483;(7) T. Cook 1,441;(8) E. Darnell 1,435;(9) J. Sprague 1,428;(10) C. Mccumbee 1,396.
Featherlite Most Improved Driver Award : Jack Sprague, #2 (17 Places) Keystone Light Pole Award : Johnny Benson, #23 (121.082 mph)
Mahle Clevite Engine Builder of the Race : Johnny Benson, #23 Mobil1 Command Performance Driver of the Race : Johnny Benson, #23
Raybestos Rookie of the Race Award : Marc Mitchell, #15 Sunoco Diamond Performance : Johnny Benson, #23
Wix Filters Lap Leader Award : Johnny Benson, #23 (130 Laps)
Next Race: Jun. 28, 2008 - Memphis Motorsports Park