Mike Skinner held off three-time series champion Jack Sprague over the final 60 laps and captured Saturday’s Kroger 200 Craftsman Truck Series race at the Martinsville Speedway. The No. 5 Toyota crossed the finish line two lengths ahead of Sprague.
With 60 laps to go it was Skinner, Sprague, Rick Crawford and Matt Crafton. The restart came with 44 laps to go and off went Skinner, at least until Jacques Villeneuve was sent into the wall, hard, by Clint Bowyer and Jason Leffler to bring out another yellow flag. More caution flags slowed the race, one involving Kyle Busch and Cook. KansasCity.com
The victory was Skinner’s fifth of the season and 24th of his truck career.
“For us to get the sweep at Martinsville is pretty awesome, ” said Skinner.
Sprague brought the 36-truck field to the green flag for 200 laps of short track racing. Sprague quickly built his lead to five lengths after just 10 laps. By lap 24 the margin was up to 1.118 seconds and still climbing, at least until the first caution flag.
Sprague elected to pit on the first caution flag and came out third behind two drivers who didn’t come in for fuel. Terry Cook and Scott Lynch took the restart in first and second, respectively. Sun Herald
As the leaders grew increasingly aggressive, the final 10 laps of the race were marked by two large crashes on the frontstretch.
The final one developed throughout the final three laps, as Ron Hornaday and Matt Crafton battled for third position. Crafton conceded the position coming off Turn 4 heading to the checkered flag, then was caught up in the final crash. Officially 11 trucks, including those of Denny Hamlin and Clint Bowyer, ended crashed in the final turn.
Tempers flared as drivers rehashed the final laps, with Hornaday questioning Terry Cook, Sprague criticizing Crafton and comments flying about the difficult nature of the race. REA WHITE, Scenedaily
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