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Video: Benson Wins Trucks Series Title Despite Bodine’s Ford 200 Victory
After 11 weeks trading places atop the Craftsman Truck Series, Johnny Benson got the final word on Ron Hornaday.
It was fittingly close as Benson’s Toyota withstood a late charge from Hornaday’s Chevrolet for a seventh-place finish that was just one spot and 0.417 seconds ahead in Friday night’s Ford 200 at Homestead-Miami Speedway. That provided a seven point edge in the second-closest finish ever for the series, which inherits Camping World as title sponsor next season.
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“Tonight was tough,” Benson said. “Tonight was about (crew chief) Trip Bruce and making the calls he did. ... Trip said early on we might not be the fastest, but it was going to be the smartest one that won it. And that’s what it came down to — Trip’s calls.”
Bruce said it was obvious Hornaday had a better truck most of the night.
Hornaday reacted with class and heartfelt congratulations for Benson, a good friend.
But he took a couple mild shots at other Toyota drivers who impeded his final bid.
‘‘Those Toyotas got big rear-view mirrors,’’ he said, ‘‘because they did a lot of blocking.’‘
Bodine, a winner for the 15th time in the series, said both his victory and Benson’s championship reflected ‘‘the old adage that the fastest truck doesn’t always win.’‘
The 50-year-old Hornaday, he said, has been ‘‘the guy to beat every week.’‘
1. Todd Bodine, No. 30 Germain Racing Toyota, 137, running
2. Brian Scott, No. 16 Xpress Motorsports Toyota, 137, running
3. Kevin Harvick, No. 2 Kevin Harvick Inc. Chevrolet, 137, running
4. Kyle Busch, No. 51 Billy Ballew Motorsports Toyota, 137, running
5. Dennis Setzer, No. 18 Bobby Hamilton Racing-Virginia Dodge, 137, running
6. Travis Kvapil, No. 09 Roush Fenway Racing Ford, 137, running
7. Johnny Benson, No. 23 Bill Davis Racing Toyota, 137, running
8. Ron Hornaday Jr., No. 33 Kevin Harvick Inc. Chevrolet, 137, running
9. Terry Cook, No. 59 HT Motorsports Toyota, 137, running
10. Scott Speed, No. 22 Bill Davis Racing Toyota, 137, running
11. Erik Darnell, No, 99 Roush Fenway Racing Ford, 137, running
12. T.J. Bell, No. 7 TRG Motorsports Chevrolet, 137, running
13. Chad McCumbee, No. 8 MRD Motorsports Chevrolet, 137, running
14. Colin Braun, No. 6 Roush Fenway Racing Ford, 137, running
15. Timothy Peters, No. 17 Premier Racing Toyota, 137, running
16. Donny Lia, No. 81 Randy Moss Motorsports Chevrolet, 137, running
17. Matt Crafton, No. 88 ThorSport Racing Chevrolet, 137, running
18. Brendan Gaughan, No. 10 Circle Bar Racing Ford, 137, running
19. James Buescher, No. 15 Billy Ballew Motorsports Toyota, 137, running
20. Jack Sprague, No. 60 Wyler Racing Toyota, 137, running
21. Tayler Malsam, No. 24 Bill Davis Racing Toyota, 137, running
22. David Starr, No. 11 Red Horse Racing Toyota, 136, running
23. Jason White, No. 08 SS-Green Light Racing Dodge, 136, running
24. Mario Gosselin, No. 12 DGM Racing Chevrolet, 136, running
25. Shelby Howard, No. 13 ThorSport Racing Chevrolet, 136, running
26. Mike Skinner, No. 5 Bill Davis Racing Toyota, 136, running
27. Max Papis, No. 07 Germain Racing Toyota, 135, running
28. Chad Chaffin, No. 40 Key Motorsports Chevrolet, 134, running
29. Keven Wood, No. 21 Wood Brothers Racing Ford, 134, running
30. Brent Raymer, No. 85 Brent Raymer Racing Ford, 133, running
31. Chrissy Wallace, No. 9 Germain Racing Toyota, 130, running
32. J.R. Fitzpatrick, No. 71 TRG Motorsports Chevrolet, 128, running
33. Rick Crawford, No. 14 Circle Bar Racing Ford, 64, engine
34. Ryan Hackett, No. 76 RHR Motorsports Ford, 27, engine
35. Norm Benning, No. 57 Norm Benning Racing Chevrolet, 15, oil leak
36. Kevin Lepage, No. 0 SS-Green Light Racing Chevrolet, 2, clutch
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