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BENSON DEBUT MARRED BY
NINE-CAR CRASH AT DAYTONA
Daytona, Fla. (February 16,
2004)
It certainly wasn't the debut
with Team Yellow that Johnny Benson had envisioned.
On lap 11 of the
season-opening Hershey's Kisses 300 at Daytona
International Speedway, Benson got caught up in a nine-car
melee that ended his day. "I saw the 20 car (Mike Bliss)
get sideways, and I dove low to try and miss him," said
Benson. "But he must have gotten hit by another car, the
next thing I know he is coming down the track and into me.
I thought I was going to miss it (the multi-car
accident)."
The car was severely
damaged, and Benson had trouble seeing where he was going.
Yet he kept his wits about him as he asked spotter Mark
Reno "help me get to the start-finish line. There are a
lot of cars involved (in the wreck). If we get credited
with another lap, we'll be able to gain some spots."
With Reno acting as his eyes, Benson was able to drive the
battered Dodge across the start-finish line. This
quick-thinking move under duress allowed Benson to finish
41st. "We probably picked up a couple of spots
(positions) by doing that," said Reno. "That could prove
to be big in the race for the (NASCAR Busch Series)
championship. That shows you what a smart race driver
Johnny is. "Last year, the title was won by 14 points. So
every point is important."
Benson said he really
thought he was going to have a "good day. I know it was
still real early in the race, but the car felt real
sporty. I was really hoping to get the season off to a
good start with Team Yellow. "I know this was the first
race for the people from Fleet Pride to be part of Yellow
Racing, and with some of their people here, it would have
been nice to have run a lot longer and better for them,"
added Benson.
Despite the short afternoon
for Team Yellow, Fleet Pride CEO Gordon
Ulsh was still "thrilled to be
working with the Yellow team. We see a lot of value in
this program, both from an exposure standpoint as well as
a business standpoint. "We see a real value in being a
business partner with Yellow Transportation," added
Ulsh, "and we are positive
this partnership will be well received in the
marketplace."
Wally
Dallenbach goes spinning into the infield after making
contact with Mike Bliss (left) and Johnny Benson (center).
 Credit: AP
High expectations for a good finish in the
Hershey's Kisses 300 ended on lap 11 when Mike Bliss lost
control of his Chevrolet exiting turn two collecting Johnny
and the Yellow Transportation Dodge. Other drivers
involved in the wreck included Joe
Nemechek, Jason Leffler, Paul Menard, Kasey
Kahne, Wally Dallenbach and C.W. Smith.
The next race for Team
Yellow is the Rockingham 200 at North Carolina Speedway on
Feb. 21. "With the success Team Yellow has had at
Rockingham, I can't wait to get there,"
says Benson.
Yellow Racing was in
victory lane for both races at North Carolina Speedway
last year with driver Jamie McMurray
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