The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series are setting up their garage stalls at the Michigan International Raceway preparing for Saturday’s Michigan 200. This always exciting series will be running 100 laps around the speedway’s spacious two mile, D shaped, oval. One of the big traditions of this series at this track is very exciting and extremely close finishes.
A HIGHLY NOTICEABLE ABSENCE
That would be defending series champion Johnny Benson. Last Monday Red Horse Racing announced plans to suspend operations of their #1 Toyota Truck, driven by Benson, for the remainder of the season due to lack of sponsorship.
This is of course due to the overall state of the nation’s economy. The Benson team reportedly had full time sponsorship prior to the start of the 2009 racing season but the deal fell through prior to the season opener at Daytona. Team owner Tom DeLoach noted that every effort was made to locate another sponsor for Benson but it was not successful. He also noted that Red Horse Racing could no longer afford to field the truck without financial support.
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THAT LED TO A RATHER INTERESTING ADDITION.
Approximately 24 hours after the Benson announcement, Red Horse Racing issued a statement that said they had signed Timothy Peters to drive their second truck effective immediately and their new driver would be entered for Saturday’s race in Michigan.
The big question that quickly emerged was: why would Red Horse Racing release a champion driver, due to financial constraints, and then sign a young driver with limited experience?
The answer is really quite simple: young Timothy Peters brought personal sponsorship, Stuntmasters.Com, to the negotiations table. That’s exactly what it takes for a young driver to get a ride in NASCAR’s upper levels these days.
A CHANGE IN COMMAND
The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series points standings now shows Matt Crafton as the new leader with a 30 point advantage over Ron Hornaday Jr. It took Hornaday six races to gain the series’ points lead. It took the seventh and eighth race of the season to hand that lead over to Crafton. Hornaday’s harsh racing luck at the Dover and Texas events were the reason. Look for Hornaday to run hard at Michigan and start working his way to the top of the standings again.
But he’ll also have to check his rear view mirror during that process and be on the look out for two other series’ champions. Mike Skinner is third in the standings 39 points away from Crafton but only nine points away from second. Also don’t count out a rejuvenated Todd Bodine. The momentum of new team sponsorship and a win at Texas has this Toyota team fired up.
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