#10 Valvoline Pontiac driver Johnny
Benson liked that he was fourth on the sheet at the end of
Tuesday’s practice at Daytona, but he really liked the fact
that he missed a multi-car wreck on the backstretch with
less than five minutes left in practice.
Benson’s Valvoline Pontiac drove
through the backstretch grass avoiding the spinning cars of
Bobby Hamilton, Todd Bodine, and Jeff Burton. The cars of
Tony Stewart and Jimmy Spencer also suffered damage in the
accident. Benson made it back to the Winston Cup garage with
the car not damaged.
Benson is practicing for Thursday’s
125-mile qualifying race that will determine the starting
positions for Sunday’s Daytona 500. Benson’s string of
success on superspeedway races is impressive since joining
crew chief James Ince’s #10 Pontiac in 2000.
Johnny Benson On The Wreck:
"It was pretty close for us but I'd
rather something like that be close than what happened to
four or five other guys. I saw it starting to happen and
laid on the brakes as hard as I could without locking them
up. I started going down through the grass. I was thinking
if they are going to get me down here they are going to have
to go a long way to get me.”
Benson On Tuesday’s Practice:
“We didn't learn anything new. We just
spent the day trying to get better. We made some changes
that worked and changes that didn’t work. Our goal is to be
the best for the 500 but right now we are concentrating on
the 125s. Tomorrow we will probably do the same thing. I
hope we don’t have as much excitement tomorrow. Maybe what
happened today will calm everyone down and we will be fine.”
Benson On Winning At Daytona:
“Man, winning Daytona would be a dream
come true. I don't think I can put into words what winning
on Sunday would do for this team and everyone connected with
our operation. If the New England Patriots can win the
Superbowl then the Valvoline Pontiac can win Daytona. Sure,
I think we have a shot. We have had some really close calls
down here since I came over here and hooked up with James
and these guys. I don’t know why but we just run well here
and I don’t expect it to be different on Sunday. They say
these rules are like 2000 when we almost won. I hope that is
true. But we will just have to see. I’d love to get another
shot at this race.”
Johnny Benson’s Superspeedway
History
Since Joining #10 Team In 2000
2000 Daytona 500 – Johnny
Benson led 38 laps in an unsponsored Pontiac before race
winner Dale Jarrett, leading a draft of several Fords,
passed him with 3 laps to go in the race. Benson finished
12th.
2000 Talladega (Spring) –
Benson survived big wreck involving Robbie Gordon and Scott
Pruett midway through the race then climbed into the top ten
in the closing laps before finishing 13th.
2000 Pepsi 400 -- The sponsor’s
decals came off the car on Friday, but on Saturday night
Benson led 11 laps setting himself up for a last lap
showdown that went away when a lapped car ran him high in
turn one on a restart shuffling Benson to the back of the
field. He climbed back to 13th.
2000 Talladega (Fall) – Benson
was 7th when he pitted for a tire vibration with 28 laps to
go. But, the race’s only yellow fell after the pit stop
dropping Benson down a lap leaving him with a 33rd place
finish.
2001 Daytona 500 – Blew an
engine and finished 28th
2001 Talladega Spring – Benson
was running in third place when the white flag fell and was
shuffled back to 7th in the last lap. Rode most of the race
at the back of the field before making his move late.
2001 Pepsi 400 – Driving on old
tires, Benson led Dale Earnhardt Jr. with less than five
laps to go before Earnhardt used four new tires and a huge
speed advantage to pass Benson who led 10 laps. Benson
fought valiantly to hang on, but others used the Earnhardt
draft to shuffle him back to 13th place.
2001 Talladega – Benson was
running third on the final lap before he was clipped and
turned into the backstretch wall slamming nose first.
Credited HANS with avoiding serious injury in the 12-car
accident. Finished 23rd
