Backstretch Motorsports

Craftsman Truck Series finish was the closest in MIS track history among all series

BROOKLYN, Mich. (June 14, 2008) — Popular local driver Johnny Benson, from nearby Grand Rapids, has one consolation. At lease he can say he was a close second today in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Cool City Customs 200 at Michigan International Speedway.

How close? How about five one-thousandths of a second (or 0.005). In inches that’s about three, maybe two. It was also the closest finish under electronic timing and the second closest in NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series history. It is the closest finish in MIS track history since electronic timing has been instituted at the speedway for NASCAR events in 1993.

And, yes, it was a photo finish as Erik Darnell edged Benson to give local team owner Jack Roush his 17th victory at MIS, including 10 in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, four in the Craftsman Truck Series and three in the NASCAR Nationwide series.

“That just hurts, it hurts bad,” said a smiling Benson, who won the Craftsman Truck Series race here in June of 2006. “I was a little concerned at the start and everything was kind of falling apart and then all of a sudden it was going pretty good again. The win was in my grasp and I just got beat at the line, but the fans couldn’t have seen a better race. I was able to get along side of him but I couldn’t clear him. It was just a drag race to the line. He started to do a little side drafting off me and I knew I was in trouble.

“The 99 was really, really strong. I knew I had one shot at them and I kept trying down in turns one and two but I couldn’t do anything down there. I tried that last little bit and thought I had a pretty good enough run on him but he just got back by me.”

Darnell, like Benson, wasn‘t sure who won the race.

“It’s so hard to tell from inside the truck,” he said. “I thought we might have had him by a little bit, but I knew it wasn’t by much. I’d like to say I beat him by 20 truck lengths but we didn’t. It was close and when you’re done you really don’t know whether to come back and grab that checkered flag. You’re just in a state of confusion for a little bit. Once you get that figured out you’re all right.

“The finish was a little more exciting than I wanted it to be. The way you can side draft with these trucks I knew he was going to suck up next to me and pull off and try to get a run so I had to do the same thing to him.”

The race for third place was close to another photo opportunity with Scott Speed edging Todd Bodine and Brendan Gaughan, who crossed the finish line three abreast.

Benson continues to lead the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series point standings, with Todd Bodine a close second, just 15 points behind.

NASCAR Race Number 10
Unofficial Race Results for the Cool City Customs 200 - Saturday, June 14, 2008
Michigan International Speedway - Brooklyn, MI - 2 Mile Paved
Total Race Length - 100 Laps - 200 Miles - Purse: $625,826

Leader
Fin Str Trk Driver Team Laps Pts Bns Total Award Status Times Laps
1 11 99 Erik Darnell Northern Tool + Equipment Ford 100 190 5 $58,375 Running 1 25
2 8 23 Johnny Benson Exide Batteries Toyota 100 175 5 $39,375 Running 2 8
3 5 22 Scott Speed # Red Bull Toyota 100 170 5 $26,670 Running 2 17
4 3 30 Todd Bodine Lumber Liquidators Toyota 100 170 10 $21,260 Running 5 39
5 25 10 Brendan Gaughan Int’l MAXXFORCE Diesel Ford 100 155 $15,810 Running
6 19 6 Colin Braun # Con-way Freight Ford 100 150 $14,210 Running
7 6 51 Kyle Busch Miccosukee/NOS Toyota 100 146 $11,510 Running
8 1 5 Mike Skinner Toyota Tundra Toyota 100 147 5 $15,585 Running 1 1
9 4 8 Chad McCumbee Malcolmson Construction Chevrolet 100 138 $13,635 Running
10 14 60 Terry Cook Wyler.com Toyota 100 139 5 $15,060 Running 1 1
11 21 14 Rick Crawford Circle Bar/Power Stroke Diesel Ford 100 130 $13,560 Running
12 26 71 Donny Lia # Nationrides.com Chevrolet 100 127 $13,410 Running
13 7 9 Justin Marks # crocs Toyota 100 124 $13,335 Running
14 15 21 Jon Wood Air Force Ford 100 121 $13,285 Running
15 20 88 Matt Crafton Menards/Ideal Door Chevrolet 100 118 $14,385 Running
16 17 18 Dennis Setzer Melling Performance Dodge 100 115 $13,210 Running
17 23 46 Regan Smith Chevrolet 100 112 $10,860 Running
18 10 09 Bobby East Zaxby’s Ford 100 109 $13,285 Running
19 22 13 Shelby Howard Bobcat Chevrolet 100 106 $13,035 Running
20 18 7 T.J. Bell Jr. TRG Motorsports Chevrolet 100 103 $13,510 Running
21 16 4 Stacy Compton Suburban CJD Dodge 100 100 $11,935 Running
22 12 15 Marc Mitchell # Hyprene Ergon Toyota 100 97 $11,685 Running
23 9 33 Ron Hornaday Jr. Camping World Chevrolet 100 99 5 $10,660 Running 2 8
24 13 59 Ted Musgrave Team ASE/Harris Trucking Toyota 99 91 $10,635 Running
25 27 16 Brian Scott # Albertsons Chevrolet 99 88 $10,610 Running
26 24 11 David Starr Red Horse Racing Toyota 99 85 $10,585 Running
27 28 40 Chad Chaffin Westerman Companies Chevrolet 99 82 $10,560 Running
28 30 08 Jason White GunBroker.com Dodge 99 79 $10,535 Running
29 29 12 Mario Gosselin Crashedtoys.com Chevrolet 99 81 5 $10,510 Running 1 1
30 2 2 Jack Sprague RVs.com Chevrolet 92 73 $10,485 Running
31 31 74 Nick Tucker Dodge 16 70 $10,460 Valve Springs
32 33 07 J.C. Stout ASI Limited Chevrolet 15 67 $10,435 Brakes
33 34 73 Rick Markle Dodge 7 64 $10,410 Engine
34 32 0 Chris Jones ASI Limited Chevrolet 6 0 $10,360 Driveshaft
Race Comments: Before an estimated crowd of 63,000, Erik Darnell won the Cool City Customs 200, his second NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series victory. Prior to the green flag the following driver(s) dropped to the rear for the reason(s) indicated: #33 Hornaday (engine change).
Failed to Qualify: N/A
Time of Race: 1 Hrs, 25 Mins, 27 Secs. Average Speed: 140.433 MPH Margin of Victory: 0.005 Seconds
Caution Flags: 4 for 14 laps: Laps: 3-5 (Debris); 46-50 (Debris); 60-62 (#9 spun turn 2); 95-97 (#15 accident turn 3).
Lead Changes: 15 among 8 drivers: M. Skinner (Pole); T. Bodine 1-22; S. Speed # 23-34; T. Bodine 35-36; J. Benson 37; T. Cook 38; R. Hornaday Jr. 39-40; M. Gosselin 41; S. Speed # 42-46; T. Bodine 47; J. Benson 48-54; T. Bodine 55-62; M. Skinner 63; T. Bodine 64-69; R. Hornaday Jr. 70-75; E. Darnell 76-100.
Top 10 Driver Points: (1) J. Benson 1,422;(2) T. Bodine 1,407;(3) R. Hornaday Jr. 1,401;(4) M. Crafton 1,375;(5) R. Crawford 1,361;(6) M. Skinner 1,349;(7) C. Mccumbee 1,314;(8) J. Sprague 1,304;(9) T. Cook 1,303;(10) E. Darnell 1,270.
Featherlite Most Improved Driver Award : Erik Darnell, #99 (23 Places) Keystone Light Pole Award : Mike Skinner, #5 (174.944 mph)
Mahle Clevite Engine Builder of the Race : Todd Bodine, #30 Mobil1 Command Performance Driver of the Race : Johnny Benson, #23
Raybestos Rookie of the Race Award : Scott Speed, #22 Sunoco Diamond Performance : Erik Darnell, #99
Wix Filters Lap Leader Award : Todd Bodine, #30 (39 Laps)
Next Race: Jun. 20, 2008 - The Milwaukee Mile