Johnny Benson
Bill Davis Racing Event Preview
Race/Date:
Sam’s Town 400 – June 8, 2007
Location:
Texas Motorsports Speedway – Ft. Worth, T.X.
Johnny Benson and the No. 23 Toyota Certified Used
Vehicles Tundra headed to Texas Motor Speedway this
weekend with hopes of redeeming itself after a blown
engine in last year’s Texas which event resulted in a
DNF (Did Not Finish).
Benson and his TCUV team experienced some problems
during both practice sessions Thursday. With power
steering fluid leaking from the truck during the first
session, Benson and his crew only ran a few laps before
taking their truck to the garage for repairs. After
fixing the power steering, Benson headed returned to the
track during the “happy hour” final practice session.
However, practice ended much the same for the No. 23
team, as a driveshaft issue sent the team to the garage
yet again.
Benson and his team were ready to get their truck back
on track for qualifying. Benson posted a time of 29.867
seconds early in the session, which enabled him to start
fourth in Friday night’s event.
Benson was ready to charge forward once the race began
Friday night. Benson reported to his crew that the
handling of his truck was tight in and loose out. He
pitted under caution on lap 18 for four tires, fuel and
a spring rubber removal from the left rear. With the
many trucks from the back of the field not pitting,
Benson restarted 16th on lap 24.
Benson began moving to the front, which was not
difficult to do with his incredibly fast truck. Benson
made his way into the top five by lap 40. However,
Benson soon communicated to the crew that the motor felt
like it was missing when he ran wide open.
He continued to drive hard into the corners and fought
for the lead by lap 60. Benson’s No. 23 Tundra
immediately began to lose massive oil pressure. One lap
later, smoke began to roll out from under the hood. The
engine had finished, and so had Benson’s race. He was
credited with a 29th-place finish.
Benson and the rest of the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series
teams will head to [Brooklyn] Michigan International
Speedway next weekend. Benson will attempt to turn his
year around and win once again at Michigan, his home
track. The race will be televised on SPEED Saturday,
June 16.
NOTES:
-
This
week’s race truck
for the Texas Motor Speedway is
Chassis No. 23-73.
This is the same truck that Benson ran earlier in the
year at Kansas, Atlanta and California respectively.
-
Welcome Back Toyota
Certified Used Vehicles this weekend. Benson’s truck
will adorn these colors for the next three races.
-
Moving On Up… The No. 23
team moved up two spots in points this week into the
seventh position with a solid top-five finish at Dover
International Speedway this past weekend.
-
Texas Stat… In his two June
Texas starts, Benson has never finished outside the
top-five and overall in Texas, he has an average
starting position of 6.4 and a finishing position of
10.6.
-
Get your Autographs… Benson
will participate in a NCTS autograph session with many
other drivers Friday, June 8th from 4:30
p.m. to 5:30 p.m. at the Craftsman Mobile Marketing
Unit.
-
Listen and watch … The Sam’s
Town 400 is scheduled to start at 9 p.m. ET Friday,
June 8. It will broadcast on the Speed Channel (TV),
MRN (radio) and Sirius Satellite Radio (Ch. 128).
