Race:
Ohio 250 (Race 7 of 25)
Track:
Mansfield Motorsports
Park
Date:
Saturday, May 24, 2008
Started:
First
Finish:
Eighth
Laps Completed:
250
Total
Laps:
250
NCTS Points:
Fifth
Johnny Benson and his No. 23 Brangus Breeders Toyota
Tundra headed into Mansfield, Ohio hoping to run
well. With a top-five finish the last two years,
Benson was looking to make it three in a row this past
weekend.
As the first practice session got underway on Friday,
Benson was quick to show his strength on the track and
by the end of the day Benson was fourth on the speed
charts.
Running an incredible 16.363 second lap in qualifying,
Benson would vault straight to the top and capture the
third pole of his career.
As the green flag waved over the 36-truck field,
Benson held his own as he kept the lead until lap 48
when the caution flag would wave forcing him to come
down pit road. With Benson’s Brangus Tundra running
well, but needing just a little bit of sidebite. The
team changed four tires and fuel, as well as one round
down on the trackbar when they came to pit road.
With the majority of the field not pitting under that
caution, Benson and many other leaders would fall back
in the field. Having to now work his way through the
field, Benson had no where to go when there was a
wreck directly infront of him on lap 69. Having to
now come back to pit road for four tires, fuel and
damage repair, Benson would restart the race in the 32nd
position, one lap down.
Driving deep into the corners, Benson would start
picking off positions one by one and when the caution
came out once again on lap 136, Benson had raced his
way to get his lap back.
Now being on the lead lap, Benson buckled down and
started moving his way forward through the tight
field. By lap 187, he found himself fighting to get
back in the top-10. Digging deep and cutting some of
the fastest laps on the track, Benson would keep his
cool and cross the line in the eighth position on lap
250.
Benson and the rest of the Craftsman Truck Series will
head to The Monster Mile in Dover, Del. next week.
The race will be televised live Friday, May 30 on
Speed Channel.
-
This week’s race truck for
the event at Mansfield Motorsports Park is Chassis
No. 23-121. This is the same truck Johnny Benson
drove at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway earlier this
year.
-
Brangus on Board… Benson’s
No. 23 Toyota Tundra will carry a new paint scheme
this weekend. The colors of the International Brangus
Breeders Association (IBBA) will adorn the sides of
Benson’s Tundra in Mansfield. Brangus is the No. 1
American breed. The unsurpassed combination of Angus
quality and Brahman hardiness sets Brangus apart. The
blend of selected cattle from the two parent breeds
results in a breed that better combines efficiency of
production and excellence of end product than any
other breed, new or old. The IBBA will be
highlighting their OptimaxX program this weekend.
-
Mansfield Stats… In three
NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series starts at the half-mile
Ohio track, Benson has an average starting position of
fifth. He has also finished in the top-five in his
previous two starts at the track.
-
Autographs Anyone? Benson
will join his BDR teammate Scott Speed and many other
NCTS drivers in an autograph session in downtown
Mansfield Thursday, May 22, from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m.
followed by a Q&A.
-
Going home… Matt Weber, who
is the second gas man for Benson’s No. 23 Toyota
Tundra, will return to his hometown this weekend.
Weber is from Galion, Ohio, which is about five miles
from Mansfield Motorsports Park.
-
Last Time Out… Benson
appeared to be in position to win his first race of
the year last weekend at Lowe’s Motor Speedway, as he
took the lead under caution with just a few laps to go
in the race. The race restarted with just seven laps
to go, but NASCAR ruled that Benson jumped the restart
and thus black flagged Benson. The penalty forced
Benson out of contention for the victory.
-
Listen and watch … The Ohio
250 is scheduled to start at 1 p.m. EST Saturday, May
24. It will broadcast live on SPEED (TV), MRN (radio)
and Sirius Satellite Radio (Ch. 128).
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