Bill Davis Racing Event Preview
Race/Date:
Michigan 200 – June 16, 2007
Location:
Michigan International Speedway – Brooklyn, M.I.
Driver Johnny Benson and his No. 23 TCUV team headed to
Benson’s home track with hopes of turning the season
around. Benson wanted to repeat last year’s victory at
Michigan in front of his family and friends.
The team struggled somewhat during the first practice
session and made several adjustments to the truck. The
crew changed springs and shocks several times before
returning to last year’s setup. The changes enabled
Benson to run much quicker in the final practice
session, and he had the sixth fastest truck in what is
called “happy hour.”
Benson posted a fast time of 40.660 seconds during
Saturday morning’s qualifying session, placing the TCUV
Tundra in the 10th position for the start of that
afternoon’s race.
When the green flagged waved to start the 100-lap event,
Benson immediately began his charge to the front.
However, the handling of the truck became looser by the
lap, and Benson knew he would need a change soon.
After the first caution flag of the day waved on lap 30,
Benson came to the pits for four tires, fuel and some
adjustments. Unfortunately, the gas man tripped over a
tire and fell down during the stop. Benson left pit
road without nearly enough fuel, therefore he had to pit
again to top off the tank. Benson restarted 29th on lap
34.
Despite picking off positions one by one, Benson
reported to his crew that his truck was really bad off
the corners. He needed some major adjustments and was
relieved to see the caution flag wave again on lap 58.
The crew closed the left front shock during the four
tire stop, and Benson restarted 27th on lap 61.
Benson began his charge forwards once again, and by lap
70, he was within the top 15. With his truck not
running well off the corners and feeling as if his tires
were smoking, Benson buckled down and did what he does
best. He vaulted his way through the field and finished
in the ninth position.
Benson and the rest of the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series
teams will head to The Milwaukee Mile this weekend. The
race will be televised on SPEED Friday, June 22.
Toyota Race Report - Michigan
Mike Skinner finished in the fourth position driving the No.
5 Toyota Tundra. Ted Musgrave brought the No. 9 Team ASE
Tundra to the finish line in the fifth position. Last
week's winner, Todd Bodine, finished seventh in the No. 30
Lumber Liquidators Tundra. Defending race winner, Johnny
Benson, finished ninth in the No. 23 Toyota Certified Used
Vehicles Tundra.
Johnny Benson, No. 23 Toyota
Certified Used Vehicles Toyota Tundra, Bill Davis Racing:
Finished: 9th
What happened that put you at the
back of the field on one of the last restarts? "We
had a couple issues today and we just couldn't overcome
them. We came to pit road and then we had to come back in
because we didn't get the truck full of fuel. And running
this many green flag laps at a track this big, you have to
make sure you have enough fuel. We had to come from the back
and it was late in the race when we did it and that just
made for a long day. We were able to come back up to ninth
and I don't think we had enough to get to a top-five so
we'll take that and head to the next one."
How was your truck handling
today? "I was very loose and I was wearing my
right-rear tire out. It was blistering and coming apart a
little bit and I was probably running it a little harder
than I needed to, but I was trying to come from the back at
the time. There were some pretty hard-fought battles back
there with a lot of guys and it just seemed like I never
picked the right lane. It just wasn't our day."
