AUGUST 2005 NEWS

Inside Nextel Cup 
Tonight (08/29/05) will be Johnny's last appearance as one of the "expert panel" for Inside Nextel Cup show.  A new format will take place on Monday, September 12th with Dave Despain as the new host replacing Allen Bestwick.  Brian Vickers will replace Johnny.  A racing commitment in Canada will keep Johnny from appearing on the Labor Day show.  (08-29-05)


NASCAR Nation
Johnny is going to appear on NASCAR Nation today at 7:00 p.m. on the SPEED Channel.  (08-29-05)

Testing in Richmond
The Craftsman Truck teams will be participating in test sessions at Richmond International Raceway which are free to the public. Fans can enter the track through gate 70 on the frontstretch.  The scheduled list of dates and drivers:

Tuesday, August 30
#50-Todd Kluever; #88-Matt Crafton; #75-David Starr; #23-Johnny Benson; #16-Jack Sprague; #14-Rick Crawford; #10-Terry Cook

Wednesday, August 31:
#23-Johnny Benson; #5-Mike Skinner; #22-Bill Lester; #30-Todd Bodine

Berlin Photos:  By:  Doug Dubois

Bobby Labonte arrived at Berlin Raceway after participating in Ernie Irvan's walk around MIS to raise money for Head Injuries.  Johnny and Bobby are checking  out the driver's seat in the #110.	Johnny lead Bobby around Berlin Raceway during the  practice session.  Interstate Batteries was prominently displayed on  the hood of the #110.
Oops!  Bobby got sideways coming out of turn two.	Cool picture of Johnny and Bobby  practicing  side by side.  Johnny built both of these cars to race at Berlin.

Night Ends Short at Bristol
Who would have thought that Johnny would start in the same row as his car owner?  Quite a coincidence.  Johnny was glad to be back behind the wheel of a Nextel Cup car at Bristol Motor Speedway.  Unfortunately, by lap 78, Johnny was behind the wall and out of the race as the team inspected the car to address the electrical issue.  Matt Kenseth won followed by Jeff Burton, Greg Biffle, Ricky Rudd and Rusty Wallace.  (08-28-05)

Johnny to start 21st in Nextel Cup Race
The Michael Waltrip Racing Team #00 gave Johnny just what he needed to put down a solid qualifying lap for the Sharpie 500 race at Bristol Motor Speedway.
(08-26-05)
 

MIS Photos:  By Phil Cavali
Special thanks to Phil for sharing photos of Johnny and the
State Fair Corn Dog Dodge at Michigan!

The colors of the State Fair  Corn Dog Dodge could be seen around the MIS track.	The Busch crew of Michael Waltrip Racing went over the wall to service Johnny on his pit stop.
Johnny found himself on the high side of the track.  The #00 Dodge ran well in that lane.	It got a little crowded in parts of the race!  Good thing MIS is known for its 3 wide racing.

Bristol Nextel Cup
Johnny is entered in the Sharpie 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway.  There are 49 car entered to attempt qualifying for one of the 43 spots in the race.  Johnny will be driving for Michael Waltrip Racing in the #00 Chevrolet sponsored by Bryan Foods.  (08-24-05)

Johnny Finishes 4th in Bristol Truck Race
Good job to the entire #23 Toyota Tundra Racing team for their top 5 finish at Bristol Motor Speedway!  A top ten qualifying start put Johnny in position to remain in the top five throughout the entire race.  Congratulations to team mate Mike Skinner and the entire #5 Toyota Tundra Racing Team for their 1st win!  Todd Bodine was 2nd followed by Jack Sprague, JOHNNY and Kyle Busch.   Complete PR to follow.  (08-24-05)

MIS Photo:  By:  Brian Conway

Win Chicagoland Speedway Tickets
JB Fan Club members have a chance to win 2 tickets to Chicagoland Speedway for the ARCA Re/Max Series scheduled for Saturday, September 10, 2005.  You must be a fan club member to win.  To enter:  Email us at support@johnnybenson.com with your name, address and phone number.  Deadline:  August 31st.  Special thanks to JB fan Howard Anderson for donating his tickets to JB fans!    (08-23-05)

Berlin Photos:  By Tom Devette

Johnny, Bobby Labonte and Chris Bristol	Johnny leads Bobby around Berlin Raceway during the  practice session

Defending champion Bush wins "The Chet"
Benson finishes third; Labonte suffers damage early
The fifth annual “The Chet” brought out the stars Wednesday night at Berlin Raceway, with a 42-car Coors Light Late Model field looking to make their mark in one of the two big mid-week races of 2005. On hand were hometown hero and NASCAR Craftsman Truck driver Johnny Benson and NASCAR Nextel Cup driver Bobby Labonte; Joe Gibbs/Reggie White Racing driver Chris Bristol from North Carolina; part-time NASCAR Busch Series drivers Chad Blount and Andy Ponstein; several visitors from area tracks; and the very talented regular Berlin field of Coors Light Late Model drivers. But in the end it was defending track champion #101 Joe Bush who outclassed the field and came home with the victory.

In the main event, “The Chet” presented by Comerica, #18 Keith Herp held the pole position for the 100-lap Coors Light Late Model race and proved surprisingly strong early, holding a healthy lead over #57 Alan Marcott. On lap 23, Marcott caught Herp and the two rode up on the back of #1 Randy Sweet, who had spun earlier in the race and was racing at the back of the field. Sweet refused to relinquish the lead lap and the three cars raced tight for seven laps, flirting with 3-wide several times, before Herp and Marcott put a lap on Sweet. One lap later, caution came out for a spin by #94 Greg Usher. Then on the restart, Marcott was clearly faster than Herp and got into the leader, spinning him on the backstretch. Herp’s car was already running hot, so the stop in action forced him into the pits before he overheated.

Meanwhile, checking in with the special NASCAR guest drivers, the #110 of Bobby Labonte was one of the fastest cars on the track, steadily advancing from his 23rd starting position up to 18th by lap 7, 14th by lap 22 and 10th by lap 33. #10 Johnny Benson started 10th and was running in 8th by lap 19 and sixth by lap 32. And #92 Chris Bristol, the Joe Gibbs/Reggie White Racing driver up from North Carolina for his first race at Berlin, started dead last in 30th position and, after lagging in the back for the first third of the race, started a move and was up to 16th by lap 40.

After inheriting the front position when Herp spun on lap 31, Marcott opened up a straightaway lead over the bottleneck led by the lapped car of Sweet, who led a tight group including seven lead-lap cars. On lap 40, Sweet brought out the caution flag with a spin on the backstretch, with several other cars also spinning in an attempt to avoid a crash. Labonte got caught up in the debris and suffered front end damage, ending his night after an impressive run into the top 10.

On lap 43, Bush took over the lead from Marcott. Then on lap 49, a spectacular crash stopped the action as #82 Tom Thomas, running in 6th position, slipped off the edge of the backstretch going into turn 3 and hit the tractor-tire barrier. The car went airborne vertically with the nose reaching about 15 feet in the air, hitting the catchfence by the scoreboard and coming down upside down. Thomas was okay and was pulled out of the passenger side window by the safety crew. Moments later during clean-up, when asked what happened, Thomas said over the public address system, “Got a little high I guess...I shut my eyes after that.” A 20-minute red flag condition for clean-up delayed the restart.

Past the mid-way point, Bush was driving away from the field, with Marcott and #32 Ross Meeuwsen trying to keep up. Benson and rookie #21 Terry Van Haitsma raced side-by-side for fourth position, and on lap 60 the two cars touch in turn 4. Van Haitsma saved a spin to continue on, but fell back to 11th position. The top four positions remained unchanged for the next 20 laps, then on lap 82 Benson passed Meeuwsen to move into third position. The seventh and final caution flag came out on lap 97, when #37 Terry Senneker, #33 Dave Stehouwer and #74 Paul Namey crashed in turn 2. That allowed the field to catch up to leader Bush, but on the restart he once again raced away with the lead, leaving the rest of the field in his dust. Bush went on to claim the checkered flag by a 1.205-second margin over Marcott, Benson, Meeuwsen and #161 Brian Campbell. Bristol finished 14th and Labonte, unable to return after the early damage, finished 22nd.  (08-18-05)
 

Testing at Talladega
The Craftsman Trucks will be at Talladega this week for a NASCAR test session.  This session will include all makes of Trucks.  Johnny and Mike Skinner will be testing for Toyota.  (08-14-05)


JB - Toyota Souvenir
The Toyota Souvenir Trailer track side at the Craftsman Truck events now has a Johnny Benson T-shirt available.  This t-shirt is white - 100% cotton.  The truck design is on the back with Johnny's Name and #23 on the front.  (08-14-05)

Double Duty at MIS
We are pleased to let you know that Johnny will be racing at MIS next weekend, August 20th - 21st.  He will be competing in the #67 Dodge for the Smith Brothers Motorsports team in the Busch Series and the #00 Michael Waltrip Racing team in the Nextel Cup Series.  (08-10-05)

NASCAR Nation coming to Berlin Raceway Wednesday
NASCAR Nation, a half-hour show that takes fans behind the scenes and inside the lifestyles of the drivers, is filming a segment on NASCAR stars Bobby Labonte and Johnny Benson at Berlin Raceway this Wednesday, August 17, during "The Chet" presented by Comerica. The show airs on SpeedTV Mondays through Thursdays at 7 p.m. with replays at 10 p.m. and 1 a.m. An air date for the segment from Berlin has not been set, although it should air next week. http://speedtv.com/nascarnation/

A side note for reality TV fans: John Willenborg, the on-air talent coming to Berlin for the piece, was selected from over a million applicants to compete on The Apprentice 2 last fall. He was "fired" by Donald Trump in the sixth episode. For more on The Apprentice, visit http://www.nbc.com/nbc/The_Apprentice_2/candidates/index.shtml.  Willenborg's bio on NASCAR Nation: http://www.speedtv.com/speed/bio/475/

Tickets to "The Chet" are $25 in advance and $27 at the door. Children 3-12 are half price and 2 and under are free. Pit passes are $30. Tickets can be purchased at the Berlin Raceway administrative office (2060 Berlin Fair Drive, Marne, MI) til 5 p.m. today and at the Box Office tomorrow. Tickets are also available online at www.berlinraceway.com and at www.ticketmaster.com. Gates open at 11 a.m. and the first race begins at 7 p.m.  (08-16-05)

JB Finishes 8th in Nashville
A good qualifying run positioned Johnny at the head of the pack in the Toyota Tundra 200.  Thanks to a good running Tundra and the excellent pit stops the crew performed - Johnny stayed in the top 10 all throughout the race.  The first segment of the race was the best as Johnny made his way up to second.  The handling went away towards the middle of the race.  One issue - for some reason there was oil dumped on the track in the groove Johnny ran in the first part of the race.  As much as he tried, Johnny was not as good in the high groove.  The #23 kept talking to NASCAR about the oil issue, but the green flags kept clicking on.  They finally brought the blowers out within the 10 lap to go range!  After the race, Rick Ren reported to Johnny that the #91 truck left the plug out of the rear end so they assume that was were the oil came from.  Complete PR to follow.  (08-14-05)

Johnny to drive in Atlanta Cup Race
"A Winning Combination"
Challenger, Caterpillar and NASCAR Put Racing and Agriculture Into High Gear
The Challenger® brand, which already graces a full line of quality tractors, combines and hay tools, made an appearance in a whole new venue this past weekend—on the NASCAR NEXTEL CUP racing circuit.

Through an agreement with Bill Davis Racing, the Challenger brand is a new associate sponsor on the No. 22 Caterpillar® NASCAR race car, driven by Scott Wimmer, through the end of the 2006 racing season – and, in addition, is the primary sponsor on the No. 23 NASCAR NEXTEL CUP entry, driven by Johnny Benson, in the Bass Pro Shops MBNA 500 at the Atlanta Motor Speedway this October.

“We are pleased that Challenger has decided to join us as one of our sponsors for the 2005-2006 racing season,” says Bill Davis, team owner and president of Bill Davis Racing. “We approached them because we believe they have the same drive and ambition toward their goals as Bill Davis Racing has towards winning on the track.”

Doug Griffin, director of Challenger sales and marketing for North America, says he’s particularly excited about seeing the No. 23 Challenger car race in front of the “home” crowd at the Atlanta Motor Speedway. However, he believes the partnership with Caterpillar on the No. 22 car will be just as fulfilling to Challenger customers and NASCAR fans.

“Since 2002, when AGCO Corporation acquired the highly respected Challenger line of track tractors from Caterpillar, there has been a strong partnership between the two brands,” he explains. “We’re proud to continue this synergy as an associate sponsor on the No. 22 Caterpillar car and are excited at the opportunity to expose the Challenger brand to millions of NASCAR fans.”

Ironically, this won’t be the first association between NASCAR and Challenger. For the past two years, HOLT CAT in Dallas, Texas, has supplied the Texas Motor Speedway with several Challenger wheel tractors that are used for year-round maintenance of the 1,500-acre complex.  “In many ways, the history of NASCAR parallels that of our own company,” Griffin adds. “During its 57-year history, NASCAR has been transformed from road-going ‘stock’ cars to the sleek, high-tech machines you see today. It also has strong roots in the rural community, but has since grown to appeal to a full cross-section of America. So, we’re looking forward to an exciting and prosperous relationship in the months ahead,” Griffin concludes.  The No. 22 Caterpillar Dodge carried the Challenger® brand on board for the first time in this past Sunday’s Allstate 400 at the Brickyard.  (08-09-05) 

Track Review - New Hampshire   
This week's track review is New Hampshire Speedway.  If you would like to share your race track or traveling tips with other JB fans, you may send an email to support@johnnybenson.com or post your response on the JBFC message board.   To check out the comments from JB fans on other tracks - click here.  Thank you for your participation!  (07-31-05) 

August 17 Race Preview
Fifth Annual "The Chet" presented by Comerica
to include Bobby Labonte and Johnny Benson

In just two weeks, Berlin Raceway will host its second of two Wednesday specials this season, the fifth annual "The Chet" race, presented by Comerica. The star-studded event is scheduled for Wednesday, August 17 at 7 p.m. Held in memory of track founder Chet Mysliwiec, the $5,000-to-win, 100-lap Coors Light Late Model race will include NASCAR stars Bobby Labonte and Johnny Benson as well as the talented Berlin Raceway regulars, known as some of the most competitive short track drivers in the nation.

Labonte is one of a growing list of current and future NASCAR stars to visit Berlin Raceway in the last five years. In addition to Labonte (twice), the list includes Michael Waltrip, Tony Stewart (twice), Kenny Schrader (twice), Dick Trickle, Rusty Wallace and up-and-coming 17-year-old sensation Steve Wallace. Benson is returning to Berlin Raceway for the fourth time this season and 18th time since 2001. He has four wins and 11 top five finishes in that span. With word getting out around the NASCAR garage areas of the great racing at Berlin, Benson spent this past off-season building a second Coors Light Late Model car to facilitate securing his NASCAR peers to compete here. Benson spent nine years on the NASCAR Nextel Cup circuit and is currently racing in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck series.

Labonte, the 2000 NASCAR Cup champion, is making his second visit to Berlin Raceway in as many years. He experienced car problems in last year's “The Chet” race and finished 14th, one lap down, while watching Benson win the race. The disappointing finish makes him all the more determined to come back and show the fans what he can do on the famed short track. Labonte, who drives for Joe Gibbs Racing on the NEXTEL Cup circuit, will drive Benson’s second Aaron’s Rents Coors Light Late Model car, the same one that was Steve Wallace, son of Rusty Wallace, drove the doors off of on his way to a second-place finish at The Berlin 100 in June.

The Coors Light Late Model division will race a 100-lap points feature with a field of 28 cars that make the show from the afternoon’s qualifying time trials. Berlin's Standale Lumber Pro Stock and Standale Interiors Sportsman divisions will also compete for points in the 3-in-1 show.

For the second straight year, the race will benefit St. John's Home, Michigan's premiere residential treatment program for emotionally troubled children and adolescents. Berlin Raceway and Comerica will donate one dollar from every ticket sold for the August 17 race to St. John's Home. All funding for the home comes from charitable contributions from the community, such as the Berlin Raceway-Comerica fundraiser. Berlin and Comerica have been teaming up for five years to present this race and the community support program in conjunction with it.

Tickets to "The Chet" are $25 in advance and $27 at the door. Children 3-12 are half price and 2 and under are free. Pit passes are $30. Tickets can be purchased at the Berlin Raceway administrative office (2060 Berlin Fair Drive, Marne, MI) from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday as well as at the Box Office on racedays. Tickets are also available online at www.berlinraceway.com and at www.ticketmaster.com. Gates open at 11 a.m. and the first race begins at 7 p.m.   (08-06-05)
 

Joe Gibbs/Reggie White Racing Driver Chris Bristol
to race in "The Chet" Wednesday, August 17
Chris Bristol, an up-an-coming young driver from North Carolina who races for legendary Joe Gibbs/Reggie White Racing, has committed to race at Berlin Raceway on Wednesday, August 17. The $5,000-to-win 100-lap Coors Light Late Model main event, known as “The Chet,” is presented by Comerica and will also include NASCAR drivers Johnny Benson and Bobby Labonte.

Bristol joined with Joe Gibbs and NFL Hall-of-Famer Reggie White when they created a driver development program in 2003 to identify and assist minorities with the desire and talent to make a career in motorsports. He races regularly at Hickory Motor Speedway in Hickory, N.C., and will race outside the Southeast for the first time when he comes to Berlin.

Automotive Promotions Inc., of Holland, is coordinating with Joe Gibbs/Reggie White Racing for the visit to Berlin Raceway, where Bristol will drive a car rented from the Mike Blackmer stable with Bill McGowan as crew chief and Rusty Parker as crew member. Bristol will drive with the number 92 on his doors in honor of the late Reggie White.

Also included as part of Bristol’s visit is a trip to Grand Rapids Creston High School, where he will speak to pre-engineering students on Tuesday, August 16. Bristol, who earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering at North Carolina A&T State University, works as a development engineer at Roehrig Engineering Inc. Several other speaking engagements are in the works for the days leading up to the August 17 race.

Joining with Joe Gibbs/Reggie White Racing before the 2004 season, Bristol finished that season fourth in points with one race win in the NASCAR Late Model Series at Caraway Speedway in Ashboro, N.C. (where Bobby Labonte won the 1987 track championship). In 2005, Bristol is racing in the NASCAR Late Model Series at Hickory Motor Speedway in Hickory, N.C., and has scored two wins (the second was last Saturday, July 30). He is the first African-American driver to win a race at Hickory in the historic track’s 55-year history.

The 28-year-old Columbus, OH, native said his involvement with Joe Gibbs/Reggie White Racing is a blessing that came about at the right time.

“The diversity program has been a blessing for me, because I had pretty much reached the end of what I was able to do on my own,” Bristol said. “To go further, you need financial support and more people on your support team, and the Joe Gibbs/Reggie White Racing Team enabled me to keep going. My goal is to compete in one of NASCAR’s premiere series, either Busch Grand National, Craftsman Trucks or NEXTEL Cup; and I understand that there are a lot of levels to prove yourself at before you make it to those circuits.”

Bristol already had his roots firmly planted in the racing business before joining with Joe Gibbs/Reggie White Racing. He began his stock car racing career in 1998 when he was selected for a collegiate racing series. He spent the next few years racing in NASCAR Weekly Racing Series at various tracks around North Carolina while dabbling in several touring series. In 2003 Bristol drove the #48 NEXTEL Cup car for NASCAR IMax 3-D movie footage filming at Talladega Super Speedway.

He is not the first African-American to drive at Berlin; the popular Sam Ash raced here successfully back in the mid 1950’s and is now a member of the Michigan Motor Sports Hall of Fame.  Bristol is excited about coming to a track he’s heard so much about but only seen on television.

“I’ve known about Berlin Raceway from seeing it on TV,” said Bristol. “I’ve watched ARCA and ASA races that have run there, and I’ve always been impressed with the track. Also, my boss, Kurt Roehrig, used to own a Craftsman Truck Series team and knows Johnny Benson, so Kurt has told me a lot about the track. I’ve met Benson once and hung out with him at a race, so I’ll definitely be talking to both Benson and Labonte about how handle the track.”

Although teammates in the Joe Gibbs Racing stable, Bristol and Labonte have never competed in the same race. “The Chet” race will be the first time that the two have raced against each other. “Outside of some go-kart races, we’ve never raced against each other,” Bristol said. “So it oughta be fun!”

Labonte is making his second visit to Berlin Raceway for “The Chet.” Other NASCAR stars to race at Berlin Raceway in the last five years include Michael Waltrip, Tony Stewart (twice), Kenny Schrader (twice), Dick Trickle and of course Benson (17 times), a part-owner of the track who is originally from Grand Rapids and cut his racing teeth at Berlin. With a 55-year history of great racing plus a star-studded entry list over the years (Dale Earnhardt, Jeff Gordon, Mark Martin, Rusty Wallace, Darrell Waltrip, Mario Andretti and Bobby Allison are just some of the greats who have raced here), Berlin is now becoming known as a must-experience track (“one of the most difficult tracks in the country” says Benson) for up-and-coming talent. Kyle Busch, Chad Blount, Johnny Sauter, Joey Miller, Spring Lake’s Jack Sprague, and just this past June, 17-year-old sensation Steve Wallace, have raced at Berlin in recent years and are all poised to make the big leagues of racing (or have already made it, in Busch’s case).    (08-07-05)

New Crew Chief for #23 Toyota Tundra
Bill Davis Racing announced today Rick Ren is assuming the crew chief duties for the No. 23 Toyota Certified Used Vehicles (TCUV) Tundra in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, starting this weekend at Indianapolis Raceway Park. 

Ren has been a staple in Toyota’s success in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, bringing the manufacturer its first win in a NASCAR touring series at Michigan International Speedway in 2004.  Ren, a 31-year NASCAR veteran, will lead the TCUV team and driver Johnny Benson for the remainder of the 2005 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series season.

“I am pleased Ren has come on board as the crew chief of the TCUV team,” commented Bill Davis, team owner and president of Bill Davis Racing.  “He brings more than 30 years of experience to our program and has proven he knows how to win.  We have the best equipment in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series garage and Ren is a strong leader, hopefully this will be the combination we have been looking for to get our No. 23 team in victory lane.”

Ren was a founding member of the Bang Racing Organization and most recently worked at Robert Yates Racing as the crew chief of the No. 90 Busch Series team.  Ren takes over the duties of the No. 23  team’s former crew chief, Greg Ely.  (08-03-05)

Berlin Photos:  By:  Barb Benson

Johnny going out for his practice session.  Due to a rain out last week, the field  was locked in.  There were  4 spots remaining to make the field.	Vintage Race Cars were part of the action Saturday night.
The JBFC is well represented  on the #10 Berlin Late Model	The guys got their assignments from Johnny after making hot laps
This is the view from the  back of Johnny's hauler. It holds 2 cars.	Nick Fisher and Bill Byrne debate on the air pressures for the tires during the race.

Johnny Finishes 16th at IRP
Long green flag racing is just what the #23 Toyota Tundra needed to break into the top ten.  Dennis Setzer set a blazing pace and Johnny fought hard to remain on the lead lap.  When Setzer committed to making his green flag pit stop, Johnny also dove into the pits for service.  Unfortunately, Johnny was summoned back to the pit lane for a stop and go penalty for pit equipment leaving the area.  Johnny was unable regain his laps back and finished 16th.  Complete PR to follow.  (08-06-05)