Bus Trip to MIS
The JBFC is arranging a bus trip to Michigan International Speedway for the Craftsman Truck Race on June 16th.  One bus is sold out.  At this time, we have received some interest in reserving a 2nd bus.  So, we are placing names on a waiting list to see if there is enough interest.   

This event includes a motorcoach rides from Grand Rapids, MI to the MIS track along with a grandstand ticket.  We will leave from a location off the I-96 /  Cascade Exit.  Cost:  $79 per person.  To place your name on a waiting list, please contact the JBFC at support@johnnybenson.com
We will make a decision on a 2nd bus by April 14th.

 

 

In Memory
 

Uncle Buz and Aunt Shirli

It's with great sadness to share the news that "Uncle Buz" has passed away.  Uncle Buz supported Johnny 100% from when he started racing at the local tracks and throughout NASCAR racing career.  He always helped out at the fan club events ...  We will miss him!

Mr. Donald “Buz” Buzalski, age 78, passed away on Thursday, March 22, 2007.  He is survived by his wife of nearly 57 years and life-long friend and sweetheart until the end, the former Shirley Flora; children, Jakie and Michael Lewicki of Yorkville, IL, Dona and Ralph VerBurg of Marne, Patricia and Timm Constanti of Grand Rapids, Michael Buzalski of Walker, Steven and Stephanie Buzalski of Wyoming, Mollie and Jerry Vodry of Pierson and Jennifer and Greg Vos of Pierson; 17 grandchildren who Buz worshiped and adored; 3 great-grandchildren; brother, David and Bonnie Buzalski of Elkhart, IN; sister, Mrs. Virginia Aungst of Rockford; mother-in-law, Mrs. Alma Flora of Grand Rapids; sisters-in-law, Mrs. Jacqueline Bradley and Judy and John Benson, all of Grand Rapids; and many nieces and nephews.  Those planning an expression of sympathy are asked to consider Hospice of MI, 400 Perry, Big Rapids, MI 49307.
Complete Obituary

 

In Memory
The JBFC would like to send their condolences to the family of Skip Wetzel who passed away on Friday.  Skip was a member of the JBFC and the brother of Barb Kurtz who has spent endless hours helping with the JBFC fan events.  Skip was also know as the Hooiser Tire Man at many local tracks where he sold tires. 

Mr. Harry L. “Skip” Wetzel, age 80 of Morley, passed away on Friday, March 23, 2007, and will be greatly missed by his family and friends.Skip is survived by his wife, the former Lois Hunt whom he married more than 62 years ago; children, Judy Houdek of Grand Rapids, Clifford and Judy Wetzel of Rockford, Wendy and Frank Savickas of Rockford, Sandra Soares of Grand Rapids, and Tammy Brew of Constantine; 13 grandchildren; and 12 great-grandchildren; his sisters and their husbands, Betty and Don Morgan of Rockford; Joyce and Neil Houk of Durham, NC; and Barbara and Jim Kurtz of Rockford; and many nieces and nephews.
Complete Obituary

 

Why Trucks Rock the House
By:  Tim Packman - truckseries.com

From the very time I saw a Truck Series race, I thought it was going to be a great addition to the NASCAR series.  My only hope was it wasn't going to be shuffled out of the sanctioning body's main stream of promotion. And, more than a decade later, it still shares race weekends with the Nextel and Busch Series ranks, has it's own network and fan following.

People have been tuning in and turning on to the Craftsman Truck Series in droves. Not just the 2-5% increase like a Nextel race might draw, which is (oddly) promoted and heralded as a successful weekend. But for the NCTS, we're talking about a 97% increase in viewers on SPEED TV in the 18-34 age group. That's just 3% shy of doubling viewers and interest. Now THAT should be heralded.

Some say the lower division has turned into a mobile retirement home for Cup and Busch drivers. Yes, there is a contingent of former Cup drivers who have hammered out a career in Trucks.  While the reigning champ, Todd Bodine, has dabbled in Cup on a regular basis and was a Busch regular for years, it's safe to say he's found a successful home now. Johnny Benson was a Busch champion (1995) and Cup Rookie of the Year (1996) he's turned a Truck career into a winning one

Ron Hornaday, Mike Skinner and Jack Sprague are NCTS champs who moved up to Cup, but returned to their racing roots in Trucks. Not only did they return; they did so by doing what they did best before leaving - winning.  Each week, those three are a threat to win at any track.  Rick Crawford started in Trucks and has never wavered making his 250th start in Atlanta.

Why, because the Truck Series not only offers the best racing, but the best people. It's a throwback to the short tracks many of us in the sport started our careers. No pressure cooker atmosphere in the garage, no "what can you do for me" attitude and people are, for lack of a better word - people.

Whether it's writing an article for this site or conducting pit reporter duties for MRN Radio, I look forward to the opportunity to work with the NCTS. It's a place you can still have fun, be yourself and get real results/answers.  Races are short enough to keep your attention throughout. I don't think I've ever taken a nap during a Truck race, but I've certainly missed large segments of Cup racing "resting my eyes."

The other reason is because of the season. It's short enough that you start to miss the races between scheduled events. There are enough breaks in the schedule that you start to anticipate the return of Truck competition.  Another reason is they have enough Friday night races to keep you motivated to stick around after Happy Hour. And I'm not talking about the final Cup practice when I say that, either.

While I pay attention to NASCAR as a whole, I pay particular attention to the NCTS. From sponsorships, to drivers coming up and veterans still showing the Young Guns how it's done. (For the record, that will be THE last time you ever read that grade school term in any of my writings.    I look forward to writing more for this site and sharing news about the up and coming drivers. And, the veterans still showing everyone they have what it takes to win, too. The NCTS doesn't need a Chase for the Championship to stimulate interest.

Their's begins from the first green flag in Daytona and continues right up until the checkered at Homestead. Need proof? The top-10 drivers all changed positions in points after Atlanta. Look for that to continue for a few more races, too.  So, tune in, turn on, pick a favorite and enjoy racing the way it's supposed to be each time.  Plain and simple - Trucks Rock the House every time.

 

Bristol Picks for CUP 
As a MSNBC contributor, Johnny favors the Hendrick Motorsports drivers to have the advantage in Bristol. To view the complete article - Click Here

 

Petty Ride sets 2007 schedule
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (March 16, 2007) - The Chick-fil-A Kyle Petty Charity Ride Across America announced today the ride route for its 2007 motorcycle ride. NASCAR driver Kyle Petty will be joined by Chick-fil-A President and Chief Operating Officer Dan Cathy, as more than 250 participants, including NASCAR celebrities, ride sponsors and motorcycle enthusiasts, travel more than 2,800 miles in eight days. The group will travel the East Coast from the woodlands of New England to the Blue Ridge Mountains as it heads towards its final destination, the beaches of Florida.

Now in its 13th year, the Charity Ride has included more than 5,350 riders who have logged more than 45,000 miles and donated more than $9 million to charity. In 2006, the Ride donated $1.2 million to the Victory Junction Gang Camp and other children’s charities. Petty and his wife, Pattie, founded the Victory Junction Gang Camp, which is dedicated to enriching the lives of children with chronic medical conditions or serious illnesses by providing life-changing camping experiences that are exciting, fun and empowering, in a safe and medically sound environment.

“The Charity Ride gets bigger and better every year thanks to the unbelievable support of our faithful riders, sponsors and fans,” said Petty. “Pattie and I deeply appreciate the individuals across the nation whose generosity touches the lives of deserving children and their families. We are excited to shake things up a bit this year and travel the East Coast – and to see our fans, who give us the energy and motivation to keep going.”

The 2007 Chick-fil-A Kyle Petty Charity Ride kicks off in Bar Harbor, Maine, on July 14 and will make overnight stops in Woodstock, Vt.; Saratoga Springs, N.Y.; Gettysburg, Pa.; Hot Springs, Va.; Augusta, Ga.; St. Augustine, Fla.; and concludes on July 20 when riders will relax at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Fla. Fuel and overnight stops throughout the Ride will be marked by events and activities for fans, supporters and riders. On July 18, riders will stop at the Victory Junction Gang Camp in Randleman, N.C., to meet campers and tour the grounds. This week, designed for children with burn, skin or craniofacial disorders, is funded by proceeds from the 2006 Charity Ride. As a result of The Ride’s efforts, 80 children will attend the 5-day camp session free of charge.

“We at Chick-fil-A are thrilled to continue supporting a worthy program such as the Kyle Petty Charity Ride,” said Chick-fil-A President and Chief Operating Officer Dan Cathy. “Children with chronic and life-threatening illnesses have the opportunity to create special memories and develop new friendships at the Victory Junction Gang Camp; these experiences create a positive impact that’s hard to match.”

In 2006, fans and spectators donated coins along the Charity Ride route through the “Small Change. Big Impact.” program. These donations totaled more than $53,000 – the equivalent of sending 21 additional campers to the Victory Junction Gang Camp at no cost to their families. “Small Change. Big Impact.” will collect contributions again in 2007 and also will extend its reach into communities along the Ride route. Led by Kyle Petty, riders will create acts of goodwill in communities along the Ride route, demonstrating that quarters add up to make dollars – hundreds and thousands of dollars – and even the smallest act of kindness can benefit children across the nation in big ways.

For the fourth year, Chick-fil-A will serve as the title sponsor of the Charity Ride and recently announced its extension of the sponsorship through 2009. Other 2007 sponsors include Victory Motorcycles/Polaris Industries, Pilot Travel Centers LLC, SunTrust Banks, Sunoco (the official fuel of NASCAR), Wells Fargo, Coca-Cola, Dodge Motorsports, Sprint Nextel and Wincraft Racing. To learn more about the 2007 Chick-fil-A Kyle Petty Charity Ride Across America, visit www.kylepettycharityride.com.

A Bird's Eye View
By:  Klaus and Paulette Price
 

Atlanta Pick for Nextel Cup Race
As a MSNBC contributor, Johnny has selected Jimmie Johnson to win the Atlanta Race. 

Johnny Comments on the keys to success at Atlanta
The pavement has gotten a little older and that's helped the racing, but the most important factor at this intermediate track is handling. The turns are banked at 24 degrees. How well a car grips the track through the corners is key.

Entertainment at the Track
Fan interaction at the NASCAR races can be big business for vendors and sponsors.  Fans like to get to the track early to avoid the traffic snarls that occur closer to race time.  The photos below are what we saw on our drive into the track.  The Toyota display at Daytona International Speedway. 

Johnny Finishes 28th in Atlanta

What a weekend for Johnny, Tripp Bruce and the #23 team!  They had to face numerous challenges throughout the day and into the race night.  Unfortunately, they were not rewarded with a good finishing position as Johnny finished 28th.  PR to follow.  Congratulations to Mike Skinner who won the event. 

Meet the Fans
Will Sills of Derwent, Ohio (aka jbfanohio)  has been a Johnny Benson since 1996 back in the Bahari racing days ...  He has been watching racing since 1990 when he was 8 years old .....  Currently single and works as a floor Covering Installer ....  Wills favorite racing moment was when Johnny won the Pop Secret 400!! and he was at the Martinsville race that same year year when he finished 2nd to Kurt Busch ....  Will was lucky to have met Johnny in person in the garage area in 2004 at Darlington Speedway ..... 
 

Mark V (aka PlungTwang) of Milford, MI works at the GM Proving Ground as a Safety Technician ....   He is single and has 3 daughters ...  The first races Mark attended was at the Speedrome in 1965.  He rooted for Johnny Benson Sr.  over  Bob Senneker.  Has two black white photos of JB Sr.'s '56 Chevy 327 ... When Mark learned that JB Jr. was driving the Pennzoil Pontiac, he regained interest in NASCAR .....  Favorite racing memory was Watching  Bob Senneker race a home-built Chevelle 1968 Daytona 500. 1st NASCAR race ever and he was in Hog Heaven .....  Favorite racing memory of Johnny is a tossup between JB's leading at Daytona in the 'plain white car' and his winning his first Winston Cup race ..... Hobbies include Texas Hold Em online; collecting guitars and amps.  New hobby is "treasure hunting" (White's DFX).
 

Las Vegas Pick for Nextel Cup Race
As a MSNBC contributor, Johnny has selected Tony Stewart to win the Auto Club 500 in Las Vegas, Nevada with competition from Kasey Kahne and Kyle Busch.  Johnny also comments on the challenges he faced when competing in the Craftsman Truck Race last September on the new surface.  To view the complete article -   Click Here.  

Their children, Katelyn and Mikayla, stayed behind to attend school thus giving the Bensons some couple time that's a rare commodity during the season.  "She doesn't get to come to the races because of the school hours," said Benson, whose pair of top-10 finishes at Daytona and California has planted last year's series runnerup a solid third.

Some might say that with the season only two races old, why would a driver need rest?  Racing, of course, is just the tip of the proverbial iceberg. Benson, his Bill Davis Racing teammates and the rest of the series competitors spent January testing non-stop. 

"I'm looking forward to the time off," said Benson, whose summer is filled with races and activity at Berlin Speedway, a Grand Rapids, Michigan.  Hopefully we can get some skiing in while we're there," he added, "but mostly we'll just enjoy each other's company.