Kentucky
Finished 9th

The Toyota Tundra team is getting the truck ready  for qualifying in their garage area	Joel is the car chief for the #23 team and is behind the wheel of the truck to warm it up
The team has the #23 Toyota Tundra lined up for qualifying. It was pretty hot on pit road as the wind died down.	Toyota Certified Used Vehicles  jumped on board as the main sponsor of the #23 for this race.  Representatives sat on the pit box with crew chief, Greg Ely.
Johnny is looking for his truck. Of course, he knows that I'm trying to take his picture so he is looking past me!	Joel and Johnny talk about last minute changes.  Since Joel sat behind the wheel  during pre qualifying preparation, I'm sure he is asking Johnny  if he can drive the truck!

Race Review 
Johnny Benson and the No. 23 Toyota Certified Used Vehicles (TCUV) Tundra team knew they needed a strong run in Kentucky to keep them in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Championship hunt.  In the last three races, Benson’s best finish was 24th, and the team fell out of the top 10 in points for the first time this season.   The team was at small disadvantage because Benson had never competed at Kentucky Speedway in a truck. 

The TCUV team worked on race set up during both practice sessions.  Benson told his crew his Tundra was comfortable, but he needed just a little bit more bite in order to compete for the win.  The TCUV team tried a number of different combinations trying to get a feel that Benson liked.  The truck handled a little loose entering the corner, but because the race was to be run under the lights, crew chief Greg Ely felt that being a little loose would play to their advantage. 

Benson did not make a mock qualifying run during practice, so the team did not know what to expect during the time trials.  Benson ran a time of 30.794 seconds, which was good enough to lock him into the 13th spot for the start of the race.  The team felt that it had a truck worthy enough to race in the top 10. 

When the green flag was displayed to the field, Benson held his own.  He moved to 10th within the first 10 laps and told his crew the truck handled a little tight, but he felt it would improve as the race progressed.   

On lap 20, Benson said that his truck was getting sluggish through the middle and off the corner.  Ely worried the team had another motor problem, which would end its chances for a top-10 performance.  He told Benson to switch ignition boxes, hoping it would solve the problem.  Benson said it helped, but there were still traces of the problem off the corner. 

The team made a four-tire pit stop under caution on lap 46.  The No. 23 team also made air pressure and chassis adjustments to try and correct the loose condition.   

The race was restarted on lap 49 with Benson in the 11th position.  Benson fought to stay in the top 10 for the next 50 laps.  He told his crew that the truck was good but still a little loose getting in the corners.  He also mentioned the problem with the ignition was still evident. 

The team made its last pit stop of the evening under caution on lap 105.  The team gave the truck four tires, a slight air pressure adjustment and enough fuel to finish the race. Benson restarted 12th on lap 108. 

With less than 10 laps to go in the event, Benson said the truck had picked up a vibration.  Ely told him to do what he could to get the truck to the finish.  Benson gave it all he had and managed to gain three spots in the final three laps. Benson finished ninth, bringing the team its first top-10 finish in more than three weeks.  

The team has a well-deserved week off before returning to action next Saturday night at Memphis Motorsports Park.

BDR Preview

• This week’s race truck for Kentucky Speedway is Chassis No. 23-37.  Johnny Benson drove this truck to a season-best second-place finish at Texas Motor Speedway.

• Rookie Stripe… Benson will make his first start in a NASCAR Craftsman Truck at Kentucky Speedway on Saturday.  Benson has tested a NASCAR Nextel Cup Series car at the track and raced a NASCAR Busch Series car there last year.

• Holding Strong… Benson and the No. 23 Toyota Certified Used Vehicles team remains in the top 15 in the Craftsman Truck Series point standings.  Benson stands 15th, only 105 points out of the top 10.

• What a Stat… Benson has finished in the top 10 in 54 percent of the Craftsman Truck Series races he has entered.

Johnny Benson on racing at Kentucky Speedway:
“Kentucky is going to be interesting because I have not been there with the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series.  I ran in the Busch Series race there last year for Matt Kenseth and ran pretty well, so I am excited to go back with Bill Davis Racing and the No. 23 Toyota Certified Used Vehicles Tundra.  It should be good.  The track is great.  You can run two-wide, and it is very raceable.  I have seen a lot of great races there even though I have only participated in one.  I think the fans will definitely see a great race under the lights Saturday night.

“I prefer the night races.  I think, just like everyone else, we grew up running night races, so the atmosphere is pretty neat.  I love racing during the afternoon during the heat, so it does not matter to me when we run, but if I had to pick between the two, night racing is where it’s at.”

Crew chief Greg Ely on racing at Kentucky Speedway:
”I have tested at Kentucky Speedway in the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series numerous times, so I hope the information I have gathered over the years will help make the Toyota Certified Used Vehicles Tundra the best it can be.  We have had a rough five weeks and really need a strong finish to get us back on track.  We have not had bad trucks, but everything that could go wrong did.  I am hoping this weekend will be the race to turn around our season.”