Backstretch Motorsports

DAYTONA BEACH, FLA. – They might have to rename the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race at Daytona International Speedway.

Todd Bodine drives this event like he owns it.

Bodine held off a last-lap bid by Kyle Busch to capture his second truck race in as many years Friday night.

The former series champion had to charge back through the field after being shuffled to the back of the pack for passing under the yellow line. He also had to dodge a series of multi-truck accidents that sidelined several front-running contenders before the race had reached the halfway point, including defending NASCAR Camping World Truck champion Johnny Benson.

Trailing Bodine and Busch were Terry Cook, who also suffered an early-race penalty, J. R. Fitzpatrick, a 20-year-old rookie who performed like a veteran, and another veteran and former series champion, Ron Hornaday.

Rounding out the top ten were Tim Peters in sixth, Mike Skinner seventh in a Toyota owned by NFL star Randy Moss, Matt Crafton eighth, Colin Braun ninth and Taylor Malsam 10th.

A massive pileup on Lap 47 was triggered by Bodine when he slipped into the rear bumper of James Buescher and sent Buescher sliding across the track in front of the entire field. Benson was a victim, as was motocross champion Ricky Carmichael, Johnny Sauter and Skinner, who returned to the race after repairs.

Brent Raymer brought out another caution at Lap 67 when his car slammed hard into the outside retaining wall, careened across the track before reversing its direction and bashing the outside wall again. Raymer, fortunately, was uninjured.

Only five laps into the race, Brian Scott and Mike Bliss ran out of racing room in Turn 2 and spun off the 31-degree banking to the apron, bringing out the first caution flag of the night.

Pole-sitter Colin Braun had led every lap to that point with Todd Bodine and Mike Skinner in tow. When racing resumed on the 10th lap, Braun was still out front but Bodine passed him near the first turn for the lead. NASCAR, however, penalized Bodine, saying he went below the yellow line, which is illegal when making a pass. Bodine paid the necessary “pass through” penalty and dropped all the way back to 27th position.

While all that was taking place, the front of the field filled up with new faces, most notably Kyle Busch, who started the race 19th. Braun held on to the second spot but T. J. Bell, Jr., moved into third.

On Lap 21, Terry Cook was also penalized for passing under the yellow line as Busch and James Buescher put a little space between them and the third-place machine of Skinner.

While the leaders diced it up around the track, Bodine and Cook did a little dicing of their own, hooked together in a two-car draft way back in the field – chopping away at the lead, gaining three-quarters-of-a-second per lap.

At Lap 30 of the 100-lap race, Busch led with Buescher second but the evening’s second caution slowed the field on Lap 31.

Scott was out front on the restart at Lap 37 but Braun went back to the front before they got back to the start-finish line with Hornaday on his bumper.

Race Fast Facts
Daytona International Speedway
NextEra Energy Resources 250
Race Winner: Todd Bodine

Todd Bodine won the NextEra Energy Resources 250, his 16th victory in 116 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series races.
This is his second victory and fifth top-10 finish in five races at Daytona International Speedway.
Kyle Busch (second) posted his second top-10 finish in two races at Daytona.
Terry Cook (third) posted his seventh top-10 finish in ten races at Daytona.
J.R. Fitzpatrick (fourth) was the highest finishing rookie.
Todd Bodine leads the point standings by 20 points over Kyle Busch.

NASCAR Race Number 1
Unofficial Race Results for the Nextera Energy Resources 250 - Friday, February 13, 2009
Daytona International Speedway - Daytona Beach, FL - 2.5 Mile Paved
Total Race Length - 100 Laps - 250 Miles - Purse: $853,329

Leader
Fin Str Trk Driver Team Laps Pts Bns Winnings Status Times Laps
1 3 30 Todd Bodine Germain.com Toyota 100 195 10 $93,750 Running 2 25
2 19 51 Kyle Busch Miccosukee Resort Toyota 100 175 5 $56,495 Running 1 18
3 7 25 Terry Cook Cajun Industries Toyota 100 165 $38,490 Running
4 14 7 J.R. Fitzpatrick # Mammoet Chevrolet 100 165 5 $34,980 Running 1 17
5 4 33 Ron Hornaday Jr Longhorn Chevrolet 100 160 5 $26,880 Running 1 8
6 18 17 Tim Peters Strutmasters.com/Hayes Iron & Metal Toyota 100 150 $20,855 Running
7 5 5 Mike Skinner Exide Toyota 100 151 5 $19,805 Running 2 4
8 2 88 Matt Crafton Menards/Ideal Door Chevrolet 100 147 5 $20,055 Running 1 1
9 1 6 Colin Braun Con-way Freight Ford 100 143 5 $21,055 Running 3 15
10 11 81 Tayler Malsam # One Eighty Toyota 100 134 $19,405 Running
11 17 11 T.J. Bell Jr Home4theHolidays.org Toyota 100 130 $17,955 Running
12 12 16 Brian Scott Albertsons Toyota 100 132 5 $17,780 Running 1 4
13 22 32 Chase Austin # Griffin Masonry Chevrolet 100 124 $15,430 Running
14 10 60 Stacy Compton Wyler.com/Melling Engine Parts Toyota 100 121 $17,580 Running
15 16 15 Shane Sieg Phoenix Construciton/Redtop Auto Auctions Toyota 100 118 $18,630 Running
16 30 48 Bryan Silas D.R. Horton-Americas Home Builder Chevrolet 100 120 5 $15,230 Running 1 1
17 26 24 David Starr Zachry Toyota 100 112 $17,175 Running
18 32 21 Dennis Setzer GunBroker.com Dodge 100 109 $14,805 Running
19 24 07 Chad McCumbee ASI Limited Chevrolet 98 106 $16,955 Running
20 34 74 Larry Foyt Blu Frog Energy Drink Dodge 85 103 $15,305 Running
21 15 14 Rick Crawford Circle Bar Truck Corral/International Ford 79 100 $16,755 Accident
22 8 23 Jason White GunBroker.com Dodge 79 97 $14,405 Accident
23 20 85 Brent Raymer Ford 67 99 5 $14,280 Accident 1 3
24 6 4 Ricky Carmichael # Monster Energy Chevrolet 48 91 $16,405 Accident
25 13 10 James Buescher # International MAXXFORCE Diesel Ford 47 88 $16,305 Accident
26 21 1 Johnny Benson K&N Toyota 47 90 5 $14,955 Accident 1 1
27 9 13 Johnny Sauter # Fun Sand/Rodney Atkins/Curb Records Chevrolet 47 87 5 $16,080 Accident 1 3
28 28 53 Justin Hobgood Georgia Beef Board Chevrolet 47 79 $13,730 Engine
29 31 12 Mario Gosselin crashedtoys.com-James Carter Attorney Chevrolet 14 76 $13,630 Vibration
30 35 08 Butch Miller ASI Limited Chevrolet 13 73 $16,280 Clutch
31 25 47 Brandon Knupp FT-11 Multi-Purpose Degreaser Chevrolet 12 70 $13,480 Powersteering
32 23 06 Johnny Chapman Toyota 9 67 $13,430 Overheating
33 27 40 Mike Bliss Chevrolet 6 64 $15,630 Transmission
34 36 77 J C Stout Strutmasters.com Toyota 2 61 $13,330 Vibration
35 29 44 Lance Hooper Chevrolet 2 58 $13,280 Vibration
36 33 22 Wayne Edwards GunBroker.com Dodge 1 55 $13,195 Overheating
Race Comments: Before an estimated crowd of 55,000 - Todd Bodine won the NEXTERA ENERGY RESOURCES 250, his 16th NASCAR Camping World Truck Series victory and second at Daytona International Speedway. Prior to the green flag the following driver(s) dropped to the rear: #22 W. Edwards, #48 B. Silas , #74 L. Foyt (unapproved adjustments during impound).
Failed to Qualify: N/A
Time of Race: 2 Hrs, 02 Mins, 11 Secs. Average Speed: 122.766 MPH Margin of Victory: 0.249 Seconds
Caution Flags: 6 for 29 laps: Laps: 7-10 (#16, 40 accident turn 2 [None]); 32-37 (debris. [07]); 49-55 (#1, 4, 10, 13, 15, 21, 23, 60, 74 accident frontstretch [07]); 69-74 (#85 accident backstretch [07]); 81-84 (#14, 23, 24 accident turn 4. [07]); 93-94 (debris [None]).
Lead Changes: 15 among 12 drivers: C. Braun 1-10; M. Skinner 11-13; M. Crafton 14; K. Busch 15-32; M. Skinner 33; B. Scott 34-37; J. Benson 38; C. Braun 39-41; J. Sauter # 42-44; R. Hornaday Jr 45-52; B. Raymer 53-55; T. Bodine 56-69; B. Silas 70; J. Fitzpatrick # 71-87; C. Braun 88-89; T. Bodine 90-100.
Top 10 Driver Points: (1) T. Bodine 195;(2) K. Busch 175;(3) J. Fitzpatrick # 165;(4) T. Cook 165;(5) R. Hornaday Jr 160;(6) . Skinner 151;(7) T. Peters 150;(8) M. Crafton 147;(9) C. Braun 143;(10) T. Malsam # 134.
Featherlite “Most Improved Driver” Award : J.R. Fitzpatrick, #7 (28 Places) Keystone Light Pole Award : Colin Braun, #6 (177.441 mph)
Mahle Clevite Engine Builder of the Race : Todd Bodine, #30 Mobil1 Command Performance Driver of the Race : Todd Bodine, #30
O’Reilly People, Service and Performance Award : Mike Skinner, #5 Raybestos Rookie of the Race Award : J.R. Fitzpatrick, #7
Sunoco Diamond Performance : Todd Bodine, #30 Wix Filters Lap Leader Award : J.R. Fitzpatrick, #7 (17 Laps)
Next Race: Feb. 21, 2009 - Auto Club Speedway