NASCAR NCTS (DAYTONA) - SERIES NOTES

Battle At The Top: Hornaday Holds Four-Point Lead

Titles Help, But Don’t Guarantee, NHIS Success

By A Nose: New Hampshire Known For Close Finishes

In The Loop: Hornaday Excels At New Hampshire

NCTS Etc.: Skinner Ready For Annual Charity Event

Skinner Hopes To Rally; Benson Goes For Third Consecutive Win

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Sept. 10, 2007) – Eight, and four.

Those are the numbers to remember this week as the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series embarks on its 2007 stretch run.

Eight races remain; only four points separate standings leader Ron Hornaday Jr. (No. 33 Camping World Chevrolet), from second-place Mike Skinner (No. 5 XM/Toyota Tundra Toyota).

And if that weren’t drama enough, Johnny Benson (No. 23 Toyota Certified Used Vehicles Toyota) – currently fifth in the series standings – is aiming for his third consecutive victory.

He’ll attempt the feat in Saturday’s New Hampshire 200 at New Hampshire International Speedway, and if successful, will duplicate Skinner’s trio of consecutive wins posted earlier this season at California Speedway, Atlanta Motor Speedway and Martinsville Speedway.

Back to the standings battle: It’s the series’ second-closest margin after 17 events. Hornaday leads the standings for the first time since 1999 – the third leader of ’07 – following Jack Sprague (No. 60 Con-way Freight Toyota) and Skinner.

And with Skinner seeking to re-gain the series lead he lost last week at Gateway International Raceway, and Benson’s bid for three consective victories, consider that Skinner finished second in this event last September – to Benson. The two also started last year’s event one-two: Skinner with the pole, Benson with the outside pole.

The “Champions” May Have It At New Hampshire

A NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series title isn’t necessary for success at New Hampshire International Speedway, but statistics show it certainly doesn’t hurt.

Nor is it a lucky charm.

Seven former series champions are scheduled to compete in Saturday’s New Hampshire 200. They are Mike Skinner, Ron Hornaday Jr., Jack Sprague, Mike Bliss (No. 4 Open Joist Dodge), Travis Kvapil (No. 6 K&N Filters Ford), Ted Musgrave (No. 9 Team ASE Toyota) and Todd Bodine (No. 30 Lumber Liquidators Toyota).

Hornaday, Kvapil and Sprague are the only former champions with New Hampshire victories.

However, former series champions have won 12 of 17 events thus far in 2007, and they rank first through fourth in the current standings – Hornaday, Skinner, Kvapil and Bodine.

Hornaday’s New Hampshire victory came in 1996. Skinner’s best finish there was his runner-up effort last September. Kvapil won at New Hampshire in 2004. Bodine’s top New Hampshire finish was fourth place last September.

Johnny Benson, who’s fifth in the current standings, is the defending champion of Saturday’s New Hampshire 200.

Close Calls: Down-To-Wire Finishes A New Hampshire Norm

If history holds, expect a tight finish in Saturday’s New Hampshire 200.

Also expect the possibility of a fresh face in Victory Lane.

Saturday’s event is the 12th NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race at New Hampshire, where two statistics deserve a second look.

First, no driver has repeated as a New Hampshire winner.

Second, the largest margin of victory in a NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series event there is 0.691 seconds, in 2006.

That was the distance between Johnny Benson, last year’s New Hampshire winner, and second-place finisher Mike Skinner.

The total margin of victory in 10 races is 4.633 seconds, an average of 0.463 seconds (the 2004 event ended under caution).

The tightest New Hampshire finish? The 2002 event – only 0.189 seconds separated winner Terry Cook (No. 59 Harris Trucking Toyota) from second-place finisher Dennis Setzer (No. 08 People Against Drugs Chevrolet).

Twice, this race has been won from the pole – Jack Sprague in 2001 ; Jimmy Spencer in 2003

Five Closest New Hampshire Finishes

Margin Year Winner Second 0.189 2002 Terry Cook Dennis Setzer 0.221 2005 Rick Crawford Dennis Setzer 0.322 1996 R. Hornaday Jr. Jack Sprague 0.333 2000 Kurt Busch Mike Wallace 0.355 1999 Dennis Setzer Mke Wallace

NCTS Etc: Mike Skinner To Host Second Annual Charity Event

* “Rounding Up” For A Good Cause … Mike Skinner and his wife Angie are set for the second annual “Toyota Tundra Skinner Round Up” on Sept. 27-28 in Daytona Beach, Fla. It’s a charity fundraiser the Skinners co-host with Toyota, and newly expanded to two days this year, thanks to the success of last year’s inaugural event. The schedule begins Thursday, Sept. 27 with the “Hoe Down Bash” at Daytona International Speedway’s Boardwalk Pavilion, which includes displays, live and silent autions and live music. On Friday, Sept. 28, expect star-studded golf and poker tournaments hosted by Spruce Creek Country Club. Participants include recording artists Edwin McCain, Stacy Mitchart, Eddie Money and Bo Bice; drivers Ron Hornaday Jr., Rick Crawford and Steve Park; NHRA drivers Matt Smith and Scott Kelley; NASCAR Assistant Secretary & International Community Relations Director Betty Jane France and World Series of Poker champion Brian Wilson. Last year’s Round Up raised more than $104,000 for myriad Daytona Beach-area charities; this year’s goal is $125,000. * Chaffin Replaces Miller … Key Motorsports team owner Curtis W. Key Sr. announced Monday that Chad Chaffin will replace rookie Brandon Miller in the No. 40 Chevrolet for the final eight races on the 2007 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series schedule. Chaffin drove the first six races of the 2006 season for Key Motorsports, in the team’s first attempt to run the full 25-race schedule. He remained in contact with Key and returns for a second tenure. “This team has come a long way since I last drove for it,” said Chaffin, 39, a two-tiime series winner. “And has now qualified for and competed in the last 35 races run over the last two seasons, so I know that I am coming back to a much different situation.” Key said Miller has the opportunity to remain with the team. “Brandon can learn a lot by watching and listening to a veteran like Chad,” Key said, “and if he believes that this can help his own driving career, then he will be with us at the next few races.” * Green Going For The Double … David Green (No. 1 RFMS/Red Horse Racing Toyota) has a unique opportunity Saturday at New Hampshire. The former NASCAR Busch Series champion has one Hew Hampshire victory in that series (2003) and is expected to be the only entrant in Saturday’s event with such a distinction. Which means Green could become the first driver to win both a NASCAR Busch Series and NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series event at New Hampshire. Kurt Busch and Kyle Busch are the only competitors who have won NASCAR NEXTEL Cup and NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series events at New Hampshire. * Lia To Attempt To Qualify … Whelen Modified Tour standings leader Donny Lia will attempt to qualify a fourth truck for Bill Davis Racing this weekend at New Hampshire.

Manufacturers’ Standings: Chevrolet Has The Statistical Edge

Manufacturers' Championship 2007 Point Standings Toyota 123 Chevrolet 102 Ford 97 Dodge 52

Anyone looking for clues for the winning manufacturer this weekend should glance at Chevrolet, which won the series’ first three races there in 1996, ’97 and ‘98 – and is the top winning manufacturer with four New Hampshire victories.

Chevrolet’s last win there came in 2001, with Jack Sprague.

Meanwhile, Toyota has won two of the past three races at New Hampshire. Travis Kvapil's 2004 win was the manufacturer's second and final victory of its inaugural season.

Toyota also is the defending champion of Saturday’s event, thanks to Johnny Benson’s triumph last September.

In The Loop: Hornaday Jr. Excels At New Hampshire

Mike Skinner’s standings lead disappeared two weeks ago at Gateway, and now the 1995 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series champion finds himself in unfamiliar territory this season – second place.

Skinner took the standings lead after the second race of the season, and saw his point total grow to a maximum of 164 after his win in Kentucky. Now, after a 28th-place finish at Gateway, Skinner trails new leader Ron Hornaday Jr. by four points.

And this weekend at New Hampshire International Speedway might be where the fun starts for Hornaday.

If Skinner’s not careful, Hornaday’s lead could balloon. Hornaday has a win there, and recently, he’s been more consistent at New Hampshire than Skinner.

Over the last two New Hampshire races, Hornday has the top Average Running Position (5.3), the second-best Driver Rating (114.7) and has spent all but one of the 400 Laps in the Top 15. He has finishes of fifth and sixth over that span.

Skinner, with finishes of 24th and second over the past two years, has a Driver Rating of 106.6 (sixth-best), an Average Running Position of 7.7 (fifth-best) and 38 Fastest Laps Run (second-most).

Also watch for NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series mainstay Rick Crawford (No. 14 Power Stroke by International Ford). He won there in 2005, and over the past two years has accumulated some of the best stats on the series.

Crawford has the top Driver Rating at 117.8, the third-best Average Running Position (5.8) and has spent all but three of his laps over the past two years in the top 15.

Raybestos Rookie of the Year Standings

Driver Points 1. Tim Sauter 129 2. Willie Allen 127 3. Blake Bjorklund 110 4. Joey Clanton 109 5. Jason White 95

This Week’s NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Leaders (Through 17 races of the 25-race season)

* Points leader – Ron Hornaday Jr. (2,769) * Driver Rating – Mike Skinner (122.2) * Winnings – Mike Skinner ($552,700) * Laps led – Mike Skinner (9943) * Victories – Mike Skinner (4) * Bud Poles – Mike Skinner (9) * Top-five finishes – Mike Skinner (12) * Top-10 finishes – Ron Hornaday Jr. (15) * Raybestos Rookie Leader – Tim Sauter (2 points over Willie Allen) * Races led – Mike Skinner (16) * Weeks in Top 10 – Nine drivers tied with 17

On Deck: Las Vegas Motor Speedway

Next stop for the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series: The annual pilgrimage to Las Vegas Motor Speedway and the Smith’s Las Vegas 350 on Sept. 22.

Mike Skinner beat Ted Musgrave by 0.309 seconds to secure his first victory of 2006 and the 19th of his NASAR Craftsman Truck Series career.

It was the first NASCAR event held on Las Vegas’ newly-recontructed track – a 1.5-mile venue that also received a complete infield reconstruction with new garage, fan and media facilities.

Todd Bodine, then en route to his first NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series title, finished 12th at Las Vegas and remained the standings leader, by 91 points over Johnny Benson.

FAST FACTS

Next Race: New Hampshire 200 The Place: New Hampshire International Speedway The Date: Sept. 151 The Time: 3:00 p.m. (ET) TV: SPEED 2:30 p.m. (ET) Track Layout: 1.058-mile oval Race Purse: $558,210 2006 Winner: Johnny Benson 2006 Pole: Mike Skinner 2007 Standings

No. Driver Points 1 Hornaday Jr. 2,769 2 Skinner 2,765 3 Kvapil 2,575 4 Bodine 2,506 5 Benson 2,349 6 Crawford 2,326 7 Musgrave 2,122 8 Sprague 2,094 9 Crafton 2,087 10 Darnell 2,021

Schedule: Friday – Practice 9:40–10:50 a.m.; Rookie practice 11:20-11:50; Final practice 1:45 p.m.-3 p.m. Saturday – Qualifying 10:05 a.m.