AAA Auto Insurance 200 News and Notes

Craftsman Truck Series News And Notes – Dover

Rookie Won First Dover Race

It didn’t take long for Dover to be crossed off the list of tracks on which a Raybestos Rookie of the Year candidate had not won.

Kurt Busch, in a come-from-the-back performance, edged Mike Wallace in the series’ 2000 debut at The Monster Mile.

With Lia’s Mansfield win, rookie candidates have scored victories at 10 of the 22 tracks comprising the current schedule.

While Colin Braun (No. 6 Con-way Freight Ford) retained the rookie lead, Lia made a huge jump in the standings — from fifth to second, just eight behind the pacesetter.

Scoring a perfect 21 points at Mansfield, Lia has overcome the handicap of not starting the opening race at Daytona.

Final tabulations are based on a driver’s best 14 finishes.

NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Raybestos Rookie of the Year Standings after seven races of the 2008 season:

1. Colin Braun 72
2. Donny Lia 64
3. Justin Marks 63
4. Brian Scott 55
5. Andy Lally 55
6. Marc Mitchell 42
7. Phillip McGilton 38
8. Scott Speed 16

up Next:

The June 6 Sam’s Town 400, first of two stops at Texas Motor Speedway in 2008, is next on the schedule. Todd Bodine won for the fourth time at TMS last June. He shares the track win mark with Brendan Gaughan (No. 10 International MAXX Force Diesel Ford).

In The Loop:

In eight races at Dover, no driver has captured repeat checkered flags. Two drivers – both past champions – hope that trend continues this weekend.

Two past NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series champions have come oh-so-close to winning at Dover – only be to be shut out of Victory Lane.

Todd Bodine and Mike Skinner have run well, especially over the past three seasons, but couldn’t crack the win column.

Skinner started from the pole last season and led 23 laps – but finished only seventh. He also nabbed a 10th-place result in 2005. Over the last three seasons, Skinner has a Driver Rating of 99.3 (sixth-best), an Average Running Position of 8.0 (sixth-best), 27 Fastest Laps Run (tied for fifth) and has spent 98.2% of the laps – all but 11 – in the top 15 (second only to Ron Hornaday Jr.’s 99.3 percent).

Bodine has come a bit closer, finishing third in 2006. But, that was his only top-10 finish in his three Dover starts. He finished 11th last season.

In his Dover career, Bodine has a Driver Rating of 102.5 (fifth), an Average Running Position of 7.4 (fifth), 27 Fastest Lap Run (tied for fifth) and has run 95 percent of the laps in the top 15 (third).

He also has won three times in NASCAR Nationwide Series competition including a season sweep in 1993.

One driver who has won at Dover – and seemingly everywhere else lately – is Kyle Busch. Busch won there in 2005, and has led laps in all three of his Dover starts. In his three Dover starts, Busch owns series-highs in Driver Rating (125.7), Average Running Position (4.2) and Fastest Laps Run (80).

This Week’s NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Leaders
(Through seven races of the 25-race season)
Points leader – Todd Bodine (1,001)
Driver Rating – Kyle Busch (124.9)
Laps led – Ron Hornaday Jr. (238)
Victories – Kyle Busch (2)
Keystone Light Poles – Ron Hornaday Jr. (2)
Top-five finishes – Seven drivers with three
Top-10 finishes – Mike Skinner with five
Raybestos Rookie Leader – Colin Braun
Races led – Ron Hornaday Jr. (7)
Weeks in Top 10 – Three drivers with seven

Director’s Take: Wayne’s Words

“One word describes Dover International Speedway — fast. It’s right up there with Daytona and Talladega as far as speed in the turns go.

“But it’s deceptively fast, particularly for the first-time driver.

“No one had to think too hard to label Dover as ‘The Monster Mile.’

“The monster has bitten plenty of drivers — rookie and veteran alike. And it can happen anywhere: turns and straightaways.

“You just never know when.

“And one more thing. The track is self-cleaning. If a driver gets into trouble, it’s 100 percent guaranteed the truck will wind up on the apron.

“No NASCAR Craftsman Truck driver has been able to conquer Dover more than once. Maybe, like Darlington, the Monster will give you one free pass — but not two.

“There’s no time to be patient. Those 200 laps go by in a hurry and if there’s a long green flag run, you’re going to be lapped if you (and your truck) don’t hustle.

“If you’re not moving forward, you definitely are going backwards. There’s no riding at Dover.

“Some of our most aggressive drivers have won at Dover: Kurt and Kyle Busch, Scott Riggs, Ted Musgrave and Jason Leffler.

“And, of course, Ron Hornaday Jr., last year’s AAA Insurance 200 winner.

“That’s why fans love watching us compete at ‘The Monster Mile.” There’s usually plenty of action, drama and sometimes a surprise winner.” Wayne Auton, NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Director.

Chevrolet’s Third Win Ahead Of ‘07 Pace

Chevrolet is ahead of its 2007 pace as the truck maker attempts to dethrone defending manufacturers’ champion Toyota.

The Silverado brand captured its third victory of the year at Mansfield Motorsports Park — one race earlier than a year ago when Toyota and Ford snagged the season’s first five checkered flags.

Chevrolet heads to Dover International Speedway with a four-point lead over its chief rival. It’s also the defending AAA Insurance 200 winner .

Ford remains the only manufacturer still looking for win No. 1 in 2008. Mansfield wasn’t kind to Ford; its top finisher, Erik Darnell (No. 99 Northern Tool + Equipment Ford) finished 11th.

Ford last won in September 2007 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, a drought of 13 races.

NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series 2008 Manufacturers’ Championship Point Standings

Chevrolet 48
Toyota 44
Ford 34
Dodge 28

By The Numbers: 740

Number of laps run in this year’s points paying races at Lowe’s Motor Speedway.

Kyle Busch is the only driver to complete all 740.

FAST FACTS

The Race: AAA Insurance 200
The Place: Dover International Speedway
The Date: May 30, 2008
The Time: 5 p.m. ET
Race Distance: 200 miles / 200 laps
TV: SPEED, 8:30 p.m. ET (Delay)
Track Layout: 1-Mile concrete oval
2007 Winner: Ron Hornaday Jr.
2007 Pole: Mike Skinner
2008 Standings:
Rk Driver Points
1 T. Bodine 1001
2 R. Crawford 993
3 M. Crafton 956
4 J. Benson 943
5 R. Hornaday Jr. 937
6 T. Cook 920
7 M. Skinner 918
8 D. Starr 913
9 E. Darnell 901
10 C. McCumbee 899

autoracingdaily.com

Skinner wins top spot for truck race
Fri 30th, May 2008

Dover, DE (Sports Network) - Mike Skinner captured the pole for Friday's AAA Insurance 200 Craftsman Truck Series race at the Dover International Speedway. The No.5 Toyota Tundra circled the "Monster Mile" in 23.165 seconds (155.407 m.p.h.).

The pole victory was Skinner's first of the season and series-record 44th of his truck career. Last season, Skinner broke the single-season mark for pole wins with 11, but his best start in 2008 was a pair of second-places at California and last week at Mansfield.

"Anything can happen here at Dover, I just hope we're at the right place at the right time today," said Skinner.

Starting on the front row with Skinner will be teammate Johnny Benson who posted a time of 23.195 seconds.

Sprint Cup points leader Kyle "Rowdy" Busch (23.201) and former Formula One driver Scott Speed (23.247) will make up row two. Busch has made five starts in the series collecting two wins and a second place.

Defending series champion Ron Hornaday Jr. (23.451) will start fifth.

When we last left the Craftsman Truck Series at the tiny Mansfield Motorsports Park in Ohio, we saw a first-time winner, Donny Lia, head to Victory Lane despite leading just one lap.

David Starr dominated the 250-lap event leading 170 circuits, but Lia led the most important lap - the final one. In just his eighth truck series start, Lia out-drove 2006 series champion Todd Bodine and veteran David Starr for the win. Lia won the 2007 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour championship and with the victory climbed to 20th in the Craftsman standings.

"We're just riding with a little momentum," said Lia, who qualified eighth.

Lia was the second straight "first-time winner" as Matt Crafton won the previous week at the Lowe's Motor Speedway.

When Hornaday Jr. got involved in an early race incident which resulted in a 35th-place finish, Bodine inherited the lead in the standings, by just eight markers over Rick Crawford, 45 over Crafton, 58 over Benson and 64 over Hornaday Jr. in the best of NASCAR's championship races.

Today's event is set to drop the green flag at 5 p.m. (et).