OReilly 200 News and Notes

Kansas: NASCAR Truck Series Loop

As the days since the race at Martinsville clicked off Mike Skinner’s calendar, the race at Kansas Speedway got closer and closer. And all of a sudden, Skinner’s outlook got brighter and brighter.

A former series champion, Skinner has encountered uncharacteristic troubles. After four NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series races, he’s just 14th in the standings. Two poor finishes of 29th sandwich two strong results of eighth and third.

But Kansas acts as an opportunity for Skinner to vault back into the top 10 and get his season back on track.

In four Kansas races, Skinner’s worst finish is 12th, and he’s finished inside the top five in each of the last three races.

Over that three-race span, Skinner has series-best numbers in Driver Rating (122.9), Average Running Position (5.5) and Laps in the Top 15 (468), and is second only to Todd Bodine in Fastest Laps Run with 65.

One other stat Skinner has going for him – he has yet to win at Kansas.

Oddly, that might help his cause. No driver has repeated at Kansas.

Another driver who has yet to visit Kansas’ Victory Lane is Jack Sprague, who finished third there last season. Over his past three Kansas races, Sprague has a Driver Rating of 102.7 and an Average Running Position of 13.5.

Last season, Erik Darnell was not only a first- time Kansas winner, he was a first-time winner – period. Watch for another strong performance. Darnell has a Kansas Driver Rating of 105.0, an Average Running Position of 11.1 and 50 Fastest Laps Run.

O'Reilly Auto Parts 250 Preview
Date: Saturday, April 26th

Start Time: 6:16 p.m. (et)

Site: Kansas Speedway, Kansas City, Kansas

Track: 1.5-mile tri-oval

Laps: 167

Miles: 250.5

Race record: 125.094 m.p.h. (Ricky Hendrick, 2001)

Qualifying record: 173.833 m.p.h. (Bill Lester, 2005)

2007 Finish
Defending champion: Erik Darnell

Runner up: Rick Crawford

Pole winner: Mike Skinner (170.729 m.p.h.)

Top 10:

1. Erik Darnell (Start: 10)

2. Rick Crawford (19)

3. Jack Sprague (14)

4. Johnny Benson (20)

5. Mike Skinner (1)

6. Ron Hornaday Jr (8)

7. Todd Bodine (23)

8. Aaron Fike (12)

9. Terry Cook (11)

10. Matt Crafton (33)

Average speed: 124.403 m.p.h.

Time of race: 2 hours, 49 seconds

Margin of victory: 10.440 seconds

Caution flags: 5 for 25 laps

Lead changes: 7 among 5 drivers

Past winners
2007 Erik Darnell, Ford, 124.403 m.p.h.

2006 Terry Cook, Ford, 111.581 m.p.h.

2005 Todd Bodine, Toyota, 117.346 m.p.h.

2004 Carl Edwards, Ford, 105.994 m.p.h.

2003 Jon Wood, Ford, 114.253 m.p.h.

2002 Mike Bliss, Chevrolet, 121.487 m.p.h.

2001 Ricky Hendrick, Chevrolet, 125.094 m.p.h. (race record)

Last race
Race: Kroger 250 (March 29th)

Site: Martinsville Speedway, Martinsville, Virginia

Miles: 131.5

Laps: 250

Finish line order: Dennis Setzer, Matt Crafton, Rick Crawford, Ken Schrader, Erik Darnell

Time of Race: 2 hours, 10 minutes, 14 seconds

Average speed: 61.311 m.p.h.

Margin of victory: under caution

Caution flags: 16 for 83 laps

Lead changes: 8 among 5 drivers

Lap leaders: J. Sprague 1-4; R. Hornaday 5; J. Sprague 6-29; R. HornadayJ. Sprague 1-4; R. Hornaday 5; J. Sprague 6-29; R. Hornaday30-31; D. Hamlin 32-92; K. Busch 93; D. Hamlin 94-96; K. Busch97-127; D. Setzer 128-253.

Entry list
#2 Jack Sprague (Spring Lake, MI) Chevrolet/TBA

#4 Stacy Compton (Grit, VA) Dodge/Dodge Dealers

#5 Mike Skinner (Susanville, CA) Toyota/Toyota Tundra

#6 Colin Braun (Ovalo, TX) Ford/Con-way Freight

#07 Ryan Lawler (Colleyville, TX) Chevrolet/Deals Auction of Dallas

#7 Andy Lally (Dacula, GA) Chevrolet/TRG Motorsports

#08 Jason White (Powhatan, VA) Dodge/Gunbroker.com

#8 Chad McCumbee (Supply, NC) Chevrolet/Malcolmson Construction

#09 Travis Kvapil (Janesville, WI) Ford/Zaxby's

#9 Justin Marks (St. Louis, MO) Toyota/Crocs

#10 Brendan Gaughan (Las Vegas, NV) Ford/International MaxxForce Diesel

#11 David Starr (Houston, TX) Ford/Red Horse Racing

#12 Mario Gosselin (St. Marie, CA) Chevrolet/TBA

#13 Shelby Howard (Greenwood, IN) Chevrolet/Thorsport Racing

#14 Rick Crawford (Mobile, AL) Ford/Power Stroke Diesel

#15 Marc Mitchell (Tallahasse, FL) Chevrolet/Ergon Inc.

#16 Brian Scott (Boise, ID) Chevrolet/Shark Energy Drink

#18 Dennis Setzer (Newton, NC) Dodge/Journey-Melling

#20 Scott Lagasse Jr (St.Augustine, FL) Ford/TBA

#21 Jon Wood (Stuart, VA) Ford/The Barnhill Group LLC

#22 Scott Speed (Manteca, CA) Toyota/Bill Davis Racing

#23 Johnny Benson (Grand Rapids, MI) Toyota/Certified Used Vehicles

#30 Todd Bodine (Chemung, NY) Toyota/Lumber Liquidators

#33 Ron Hornaday Jr (Palmdale, CA) Chevrolet/Camping World

#40 Chad Chaffin (Smyrna, GA) Chevrolet/Wrap It Up/JMI Signs

#46 TBA Chevrolet/TBA

#51 Shane Sieg (Tucker, GA) Toyota/TBA

#59 Ted Musgrave (Franklin, WI) Toyota/Team ASE/Harris Trucking

#60 Terry Cook (Sylvania, OH) Toyota/wyler.com

#63 Jack Smith (Medina, OH) Ford/Dave Porter Truck Sales

#71 Donny Lia (Jericho, NY) Chevrolet/Autismspeaks.org

#73 Michelle Theriault (Bristol, CT) Dodge/DCI/RMR

#88 Matt Crafton (Tulare, CA) Chevrolet/Menards

#99 * Erik Darnell (Beach Park, IL) Ford/Northern Tool + Equipment

Notes

Last season, Erik Darnell recorded his first career Craftsman TruckSeries title, as he cruised to victory over Rick Crawford. Starting 10th onthe grid, Darnell led three times for a total of 92 laps, including the final56, as he finished over 10 seconds clear of Crawford, who finished runner-upfor the second consecutive year. Pole sitter Mike Skinner led the first 58laps, but finished fifth. The margin of victory, 10.440 seconds, is the fifthlargest margin of victory in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series.When Terry Cook raced to victory in 2006, he clipped Rick Crawford for hissixth career Craftsman Truck Series title. Starting fifth on the grid, Cookclaimed the lead on lap 127 and held on the rest of the way to post a 2.040seconds win before a crowd of 81,687. Cook led for a total of 41 laps, whilepole sitter Mike Skinner, who placed fifth, led for a race-high 59.In 2005, Todd Bodine recorded his third career Craftsman Truck title, as heedged Todd Kluever for the win. Bodine, who started in the 10th position onthe grid, took the lead for the first time on lap 59, but held it just ninelaps. Mike Skinner, who led for the first 30 laps, reclaimed the lead on lap68, but that was his last lap led, as he finished fourth. Bodine, who's winingmargin was just 0.387 of a second, took over on lap 145 and held on the restof the way for his first win of the 2005 season. Overall, Bodine led threetimes for 81 laps, while Skinner led four times for 57 laps.There have been seven different winners at Kansas Speedway. The pole sitterhas never won this race, however the front row has captured the checkered flagtwice.Points leader Kyle Busch will skip this week's race. Busch, who leads ToddBodine by 35 points and has three other drivers within 69, will be replaced byShane Sieg. Busch is expected to return for the May 16th race at Lowe's MotorSpeedway. Sieg has competed in 27 races since 2003 with a best finish ofeighth at The Milwaukee Mile.The next race in the Craftsman Truck Series championship, the North CarolinaLottery 200 at the Lowe's Motor Speedway, is scheduled for Friday, May 16th,as Ron Hornaday Jr defends his title.04/22 17:01:03 ET

Tearing Apart the Trucks : Cobb and Theriault Debut
Beth Lunkenheimer

After a four week break, the Craftsman Truck Series returns to the track at Kansas Speedway. Along with the seasoned veterans and rookie of the year contenders, Jennifer Jo Cobb and Michelle Theriault will make their Craftsman Truck Series debuts. Driving for Derrike Cope’s newly founded team, Theriault will pilot the No. 73 Derrike Cope Inc. / RMR Dodge Ram, and Cobb will be behind the wheel of the No. 74 Providence Medical Center Dodge Ram.

“I couldn’t be more excited. I love racing at Kansas Speedway and am looking forward to climbing behind the wheel in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series and kicking off Derrike’s new race team,” said Cobb. “I remember when Kansas Speedway was merely the dream of a few, and now look at the magnitude of the support from the community and the corporations both here in Kansas City and nationally.”

Jennifer Jo Cobb got her start racing in the NASCAR Weekly Racing Series at Lakeside Speedway and I-70 Speedway and finished in the Top 10 each season she ran full-time. In 2002, Jennifer made her ARCA / ReMax Series debut at Kansas Speedway, a race she finished 16th. She scored a 9th place finish 2 years later. Cobb has also raced in in the Nationwide Series twice, but each outing ended in a crash.

When she isn’t racing, the 34 year old has plenty to keep her busy. She is a public speaker and currently has an Associates Degree in pre-journalism. Cobb is also striving to earn her broadcasting degree, and on weekends she works at the Richard Petty Driving Experience.

In 2006, Cobb launched a clothing line tailored to female race fans called “Driver Boutique.” She plans to use the profits to fund her own efforts in racing, and to help others striving for a career in racing who face funding issues.

Jennifer Jo Cobb has hopes of running full time in the NASCAR Nationwide Series and eventually in the Sprint Cup Series. Starting out in the Craftsman Truck Series is key. Though her days working at the Richard Petty Driving Experience have allowed her to gain crucial experience on tracks the NASCAR circuit visits, nothing beats race experience.

Michelle Theriault got her start in racing at a young age. Theriault spent seven years racing Quarter Midgets, scoring 200 wins in 13 different states. The 22 year old became the first female to win a Legends Car Championship at Atlanta Motor Speedway.

In March of 2007, Theriault made her ARCA ReMax debut in style when she qualified in the Top 10 in Lakeland, FL. She made six starts and scored a career best finish of 11th at Toledo Speedway in Ohio. Theriault continues to dream of becoming a NASCAR champion and considers herself a racer rather than a woman when she’s on the track.

“My theory is,” said Theriault, “when the helmet goes on, we’re all equal. It doesn’t matter whether you’re a boy or a girl, 13 years old or 30. I’m a race car driver and that’s it.”

Team owner Derrike Cope plans to run at least a few more races this season including Charlotte, Dover and Mansfield.

“I plan on taking the trucks to Charlotte, Mansfield, and Dover after [Kansas]. The twins [nieces Amber and Angela Cope] are approved to drive at Mansfield so that is the plan right now,” Cope said. “I will drive one of the trucks at Charlotte and Dover and we will make a decision on the other driver in the weeks to come. The seat can be rented by some other drivers that can bring some sponsorship. We will be doing some testing with my nieces in the next few weeks as well prior to the Mansfield Truck races.”

It’s never easy for a new team to make it in NASCAR. Derrike Cope is headed in the right direction by picking a couple of drivers with strong backgrounds in racing. Look for Jennifer Jo Cobb and Michelle Theriault to run competitively in the Top 15 most of the day, provided they can stay out of trouble on the track. Check out Cobb, Theriault and all of the Craftsman Truck Series drivers Saturday afternoon at 5:30 pm on SPEED.

Did You Know

* Kansas Speedway has produced three first time winners? Most recently, Erik Darnell scored his first career win in this race last season.

* Only five active drivers have raced in all Craftsman Truck Series races at Kansas Speedway Terry Cook, Matt Crafton, Rick Crawford, Ted Musgrave and Dennis Setzer each have seven starts at the 1.5 miles track; Cook is the only one that has visited victory lane.

* None of this year’s rookie class has run a truck series race at Kansas Speedway? Justin Marks, Phillip McGilton and Marc Mitchell each have some ARCA / ReMax experience at the track.

* Hendrick Motorsports driver Landon Cassill will run the No. 46 Chevrolet for Morgan-Dollar Motorsports this weekend at Kansas Speedway?

* Marc Mitchell returns to the No. 15 after giving the seat up to Denny Hamlin a few weeks ago at Martinsville Speedway? This will be Mitchell’s first race in the No. 15 since the team made the switch from Chevy to Toyota.

* Jamie Little, pit reporter for ESPN, beat Mike Skinner by 0.324 seconds to win the 32nd Annual Toyota Pro / Celebrity Race last Saturday? Little plans to give the $5,000 from Toyota to UCI Reeve / Irvine Center in California for spinal cord injury research.

Around the Series

Chrissy Wallace Full-Time in 09

Chrissy Wallace has signed a contract with Germain Racing to race full time in the Craftsman Truck Series. The 19 year old plans to run for Rookie of the Year in 2009 if the team can secure full sponsorship. She currently plans to run six more races this season, including Milwaukee, Kentucky, Nashville, Gateway, Atlanta and Homestead-Miami.

Germain Racing General Manager Mike Hillman Sr. said “We are looking at building some ARCA / ReMax Series races into that schedule, if funding becomes available. We’re very excited about working with Chrissy and I think we’re all looking forward to Milwaukee.”

“I’m extremely excited,” Wallace said. “This is a big deal for us. When I saw my name on that contract, I almost couldn’t believe it. But I’m thrilled about this opportunity.”

Busch Out, Sieg In

Kyle Busch will finally give up the Craftsman Truck Series points lead this weekend at Kansas Speedway. The driver of the No. 51 Miccosukee Resorts Toyota Tundra will step down, allowing Shane Sieg a chance behind the wheel. Sieg drove in three races for Billy Ballew Motorsports in 2007 and has run two races in the No. 07 this season.

frontstretch.com

Wildcard Action Heats Up Kansas
Truckseries.com

After a season-high four-week break, the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series returns to action this weekend at Kansas Speedway for the O'Reilly Auto Parts 250, race No. 5 in the 25-race 2008 schedule.

For the first time all season, NCTS points leader and two-time race winner Kyle Busch is skipping this weekend's Truck race to concentrate on the NASCAR Sprint Cup and Nationwide Series festivities at Talladega Superspeedway.

Busch's seat in the all-conquering Billy Ballew Racing Toyota Tundra will be filled this weekend by 25-year-old Georgia native Shane Sieg. And while the Truck regulars will still have to deal with what so far has been the most successful vehicle in the series, at least they won't have to deal with the winningest driver in NASCAR.

Sieg has competed in 27 races since 2003 with a best finish of eighth at The Milwaukee Mile. He drove Ballew's No. 15 truck three times last season, finishing 10th at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.

"With Kyle's schedule at Joe Gibbs Racing this weekend, there was no way he could make the race in Kansas," Ballew said. "We looked at all the scenarios but it just wasn't feasible. Shane has driven for us before and is familiar with the equipment."

Busch's absence should open things up on Saturday.

At a fast 1.5-mile track, the favorites naturally include 2006 series champion Todd Bodine, driver of the No. 30 Lumber Liquidators Toyota Tundra, and Mike Skinner, who wheels the No. 5 Toyota for Bill Davis Racing. Bodine is a past winner here and Skinner has three top fives in four NCTS Kansas starts.

"I like Kansas a lot and I am looking forward to running there," said Skinner, who last year started on the pole and finished fifth at Kansas. "We have got to get back on track here and I think Kansas is the place to do it. Jeff (Hensley, crew chief) and the guys have worked real hard to get things up to par, so hopefully we can capitalize on that this weekend. We normally run rather well here, and I would love nothing more than to get this No. 5 Toyota Tundra back in victory lane."

The driver to watch, though, might by Rick Crawford, who was runner-up in the last two Kansas truck races in the No. 14 Power Stroke Diesel by International Ford and finished third here in 2004. He'll certainly have the bit between his teeth on Saturday. "We've gotten to that point a few times, but we've just never had the perfect day that it takes to win a NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race (at Kansas)," said Crawford. "You never say a track owes you one, but it'd sure be nice to put our Ford F-150 in Victory Lane at Kansas and erase all those memories of finishing second there."

Another Ford driver with a solid shot at victory on Saturday will be Erik Darnell, the defending race winner and driver of the No. 99 Northern Tool + Equipment F-150. Darnell led 92 laps here last year to score his first NCTS victory, and he did so by a whopping 10.440 seconds.

There may be some wildcards up front as well.

Jon Wood, who will do double-duty this weekend, driving both The Barnhill Group LLC Ford F-150 at Kansas, and his family's Sprint Cup No. 21 at Talladega, has one Kansas Truck victory as well as the best average finish here of any driver in the field.

Chad McCumbee, driver of the No. 8 MRD Motorsports Chevrolet, has shown strength at intermediate tracks recently, including this year's stop at Atlanta Motor Speedway where the Supply, N.C., native qualified on the outside pole and finished a career-best fifth. "The intermediates always have been a strength of mine," said McCumbee, who is looking to become the fourth driver to win his first NCTS race at Kansas Speedway. "They suit my driving style."

NOTES: Jennifer Jo Cobb and Michelle Theriault will make their NCTS debuts this weekend at Kansas. Cobb has competed in the NASCAR Nationwide Series. Theriault was 13th in NASCAR Camping World Series East standings in 2007. Also new this week is former USAR Pro Cup champion Mario Gosselin, who will drive the No. 12 Chevrolet.

Scott Speed will drive the No. 27 Red Bull Tundra for Bill Davis Racing in Kansas, replacing Phillip McGilton, who has been released despite being tied for the rookie points lead. "This is a great opportunity for me to work closely with Mike (Skinner) while I get my feet wet in the truck series," said Speed. "He knows what it takes to run well and win races, and that's a hell of a mentor to have. The more I can learn from him, the quicker my learning process will be in these trucks."

John Quinn has succeeded George Church at Wyler Racing while Lance Hooper, formerly with Thorsport Racing, replaces Gary Showalter at Key Motorsports.

Hornaday Jr. on truck pole in Kansas

Kansas City, KS (Sports Network) - Defending series champion Ron Hornaday Jr. captured the pole for Saturday night's O'Reilly Auto Parts 250 Craftsman Truck Series race at the Kansas Speedway. The No.33 Kevin Harvick Inc. Chevrolet circled the 1.5-mile track of 31.679 seconds (170.460 m.p.h.).

The pole victory was Hornaday Jr.'s second of the season and 16th of his truck career.

Starting alongside Hornaday Jr. will be Chad McCumbee, who posted a time of 31.725 seconds.

Jack Sprague (31.802) and Bobby East (31.915) will make up row two.

With his scheduled filled to the brim, Craftsman Truck Series points leader Kyle Busch will be forced to skip this week's truck event at the Kansas Speedway.

"With Kyle's schedule at Joe Gibbs Racing this weekend, there was no way he could make the race in Kansas," owner Billy Ballew said. "We looked at all the scenarios but it just wasn't feasible."

Driving the No.51 Billy Ballew Toyota will be Shane Sieg, who has a high standard to maintain. Busch leads the series with 645 points in four races, two of which he won and he came in third in another.

"It's a great opportunity to get back behind the wheel," said Sieg, who will start 16th. "I know I have big shoes to fill but I just want to bring a good finish home to keep Billy as the team owner point leader."

Todd Bodine is ready to take advantage of Busch's absence and by earning just 36 points can take over sole possession of first place in the standings. Of course he must also stay ahead of defending series champion Ron Hornaday Jr., who is just 30 points behind Bodine, Dennis Setzer, who is just 32 points back and Rick Crawford who is 34 markers behind.

The race is set to drop the green flag to at 6 p.m. (et).