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TruckSeries.com
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08/06/2008 - 03:40 PM
Harrisburg, N.C.
Out of the three drivers sitting atop the point standings, Johnny Benson has the best record at Nashville Superspeedway. (Photo by Jerry Markland/Getty Images for NASCAR) ยป More Photos
Article written by veteran motorsports Author and Journalist Tom Jensen - Senior NASCAR Editor for SPEEDtv.com and a contributing Editor for TruckSeries.com
After a one-week break, the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series gets back in action this weekend at Nashville Superspeedway, site of Saturday night’s Toyota Tundra 200, race No. 15 of 25 on the 2008 schedule.
Johnny Benson, driver of the No. 23 Toyota Certified Used Vehicles Tundra, comes into the event on a roll, having won the last two races of the season. But Benson’s points lead is anything but secure, as defending NCTS Champion Ron Hornaday Jr. is just 15 points behind and Matt Crafton only 31 points back in third. And with a wide-open title race, none of the leaders can afford any kind of slip-up under the lights on Saturday night.
Of three drivers atop the points, Benson has had the most success on the 1.33-mile, D-shaped concrete Nashville oval, winning here in 2006 and posting three top-10 finished in four NCTS starts. Interestingly, Benson is the only previous Nashville winner entered in Saturday night’s race. None of the other six drivers who’ve captured this race will be in the field this time around.
“The track is pretty neat, although it’s tough place to pass,” said Benson. “It’s a finesse-type of race track, where you have to really concentrate to hold it down
Hornaday, who pilots the No. 33 Camping World Chevrolet Silverado, was second here last year, his best finish in three tries in a truck at Nashville. He and his Kevin Harvick Inc. teammate, Jack Sprague, will each be trying to complete the “Tennessee Triple” on Saturday night, having previously both scored victories at Bristol and Memphis.
Sprague, driver of the No. 2 American Commercial Lines Chevy, has a Nationwide Series win here and a best NCTS finish of second in 2006.
“I have not had the best of luck at Nashville in the past, but I was really pleased with the information we learned from the Chicago test, plus we had a rocket ship of a truck in Kentucky and we are bringing that same truck to Nashville,” said Sprague. “Had we not broken a motor in Kentucky, we would have been hard to beat.”
Crafton comes into Nashville on an impressive streak, having driven his No. 88 Menards Chevrolet to a finish of fourth or better in each of the last four NCTS races, with a best of second at the Milwaukee Mile. But he hasn’t had much success in Music City, with a best finish of seventh in seven starts.
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