Bill Davis Racing driver and reigning Kentucky Speedway “Built Ford Tough 225 Presented by the Greater Cincinnati Ford Dealers” champion Johnny Benson will hold the lead in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series standings when drivers take the green flag at Gateway International Speedway. Benson will attempt to lay claim to his second straight Gateway win.
Mike Skinner started last year’s race from the pole position. Benson gained 74 valuable championship points on second-place title contender Ron Hornaday, Jr., by racing to a fourth-place finish at Bristol Motor Speedway in the series’ last event Aug. 20.
Billy Ballew Racing powerhouse Kyle Busch rolled to his third NCTS win of the season in his 11th series start in that race after leading 145 of 203 race laps.
The top 10 drivers in the series standings going into the Gateway race are: Benson (Leader: 2,426 points, Toyota, Bill Davis Racing); Hornaday, Jr. (Second: -119 points, Chevrolet, Kevin Harvick, Inc.); Matt Crafton (Third: -156 points, Chevrolet, ThorSport Racing); Todd Bodine (Fourth: -239, Toyota, Germain Racing); Skinner (Fifth: -254, Toyota, Bill Davis Racing); Rick Crawford (Sixth: -261 points, Ford, Circle Bar Racing); Erik Darnell (Seventh: -287, Ford, Roush Fenway Racing); Jack Sprague (Eighth: -353, Chevrolet, Kevin Harvick, Inc.); Terry Cook (Ninth: -380, Toyota, Wyler Racing); and Dennis Setzer (10th: -436, Dodge, Bobby Hamilton Racing).
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