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The 2008 Championship: With Two To Go, It’s Never Been Closer
Forgive Ron Hornaday Jr. (No. 33 VFW Chevrolet) for experiencing déjà vu — again.
Hornaday captured Friday’s Chevy Silverado 350K at Texas Motor Speedway to draw to within six points of championship leader Johnny Benson (No. 23 Toyota Certified Used Vehicles Toyota) with two races remaining in the 2008 season.
A year ago, Hornaday left Texas trailing Benson’s teammate, Mike Skinner (No. 5 Toyota Tundra Toyota), by 57 points but staged the second-largest comeback in series history to claim his third title.
Benson’s lead, which was 65 points after his Oct. 18 victory at Martinsville Speedway, is the narrowest in the series’ 14 years with two races remaining.
The previous closest contest at this stage of the season was 2004 when Bobby Hamilton led Dennis Setzer (No. 18 Dodge Dealers Dodge) by seven points. Hamilton went on to win the title.
Benson hasn’t exactly rolled over, finishing third in Texas after his Martinsville victory and a seventh-place finish at Atlanta Motor Speedway on Oct. 25.
Hornaday has won six times in 2008 to Benson’s five. Each has 14 top-five and 17 top-10 finishes.
“This is unbelievable; I just can’t seem to shake him,” said Hornaday looking forward to this Friday’s Lucas 150 at Phoenix International Raceway.
“This is fun. This is what racing is all about.”
Benson Vs. Hornaday At Phoenix: Pick ’Em
Don’t expect any quick knockout when the 2008 NASCAR Craftsman Truck championship battle arrives in the Valley of the Sun this week.
Statistically speaking, the top contenders mirror one another at Phoenix International Raceway.
Both have victories at the one-mile speedway.
Benson’s victory, in 2006, is most recent. Hornaday, a two-time winner in 1998 and 1999, finished second in 2005 and a year ago.
Hornaday’s team, Kevin Harvick Inc., boasts two Phoenix victories; Benson’s Bill Davis Racing, one.
Benson has finished among the top 10 in 85.6% of his seven starts. Hornaday’s top-10 percentage over 13 appearances is 84.6.
Over the past three seasons, Benson’s Driver Rating is 118.7 vs. Hornaday’s 112.0.
Tale Of The Tape
Here’s a head-to-head look at how Benson and Hornaday have performed at Phoenix.
Benson Hornaday
Races 7 13
Wins 1 2
Top 5s 4 8
Top 10s 6 11
Worst Finish 17 13 (2 times)
DNFs 0 0
Laps Led 134 152
Driver Rating* 118.7 112.0
*2005-07 seasons
Director’s Take: Wayne’s Words
“Returning to Phoenix International Raceway is always special. Although it’s doubtful anyone will clinch this year’s championship here, we’ll always remember 1995 and Mike Skinner’s inaugural championship victory.
“The 20th race capped off a great first year for the series which also began at Phoenix where Mike edged Terry Labonte by the nose of his truck to win the inaugural event.
“If you look at the track layout, Phoenix really is five race tracks in one. Every turn is different. The frontstretch is long and the dogleg is the backstretch.
“Entry into the final turn, then getting the truck to accelerate, is what it’s all about. There have been some great passes there — not the least of which was Mike catching Terry.
“The track’s pit road is unique, not only running the length of the frontstretch but actually curving alongside Turn 1. It’s a long way to the last speed line; drivers have to carefully watch their rpms so as not to get a speeding penalty.
“The last 10 races have produced nine different winners. Even though Johnny Benson and Ron Hornaday have great records including victories at Phoenix, that’s no guarantee that either will wind up in Victory Lane.
“One thing is certain. This week’s race will be a great setup for the 2008 finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway on Nov. 14.”
— Wayne Auton, NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Director
This Week’s NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Leaders
(Through 23 races of the 25-race season)
Points leader – Johnny Benson
Driver Rating – Ron Hornaday Jr. (117.7)
Laps led – Ron Hornaday Jr. (1,289)
Victories – Ron Hornaday, Jr. (6)
Keystone Light Poles – Ron Hornaday Jr. with five
Top-five finishes – Johnny Benson, Ron Hornaday Jr. with 14
Top-10 finishes – 3 drivers with 17
Raybestos Rookie Leader – Colin Braun
Races led – Ron Hornaday Jr. (19)
Weeks in Top 10 – Three drivers with 23
Phoenix International Raceway is where it all began on Feb. 5, 1995. The track hosted two races a year through 1998 then moved to a single date in the fall in 1999. Phoenix is one of four one-mile tracks on the current schedule. Ron Hornaday Jr. is the only series competitor to have won at all four.
In The Loop:
The tightest championship battle with two races remaining is about to get a little tighter. At least that is what the statistics suggest.
Points leader Johnny Benson and second-place Ron Hornaday Jr. are neck-and-neck in the standings, separated by only six points. Statistically at Phoenix, they mirror each other in practically every key Loop Data category.
Since the inception of Loop Data in 2005, Benson has an average finish of 3.7, which includes a win in 2006. Over the last three Phoenix races, Benson has a Driver Rating of 118.7, an Average Running Position of 6.8, 54 Fastest Laps Run and 400 Laps in the Top 15 (88.9%).
Over that span, Hornaday has a Driver Rating of 112.0, an Average Running Position of 6.5, 19 Fastest Laps Run and 446 Laps in the Top 15 (99.1%). Hornaday has two Phoenix wins in his career, and two runner-up finishes in the last three Phoenix races.
Todd Bodine, though 223 points out, is still mathematically in title contention. Phoenix seems like the perfect track to start the improbable climb. He has finished in the top 10 in each of the last three races, winning in 2005. In that span, Bodine has a Driver Rating of 117.2, an Average Running Position of 6.6, 47 Fastest Laps Run and 403 Laps in the Top 15 (89.6%).
