Benson loses Busch wheels
By Steve Kaminski - The Grand Rapids Press

Johnny Benson Jr.'s run with Phoenix Racing in the NASCAR Busch Grand National Series came to an end Monday.  Why the split and what's next are two questions that have yet to be answered.

Team officials refused comment Monday, and Benson could not be reached for comment. Benson's sister, Barb Benson, who operates the Johnny Benson Fan Club, confirmed that Benson and the James Finch-owned team have parted ways. She said she and her family couldn't comment on the news at this time, adding only that Benson will no longer be driving Finch's Busch or Nextel Cup cars.

Benson did find himself back behind the wheel of a Cup car on Monday, however, since he was testing the No. 96 Cal Wells car at Lowe's Motor Speedway. Jayski.com reported that Wells, who already fields a car for Ricky Craven, is looking to secure sponsorship for a second car and hire Benson to pilot it later in the season.

Benson, a Grand Rapids native, returned to the Busch circuit this winter after spending the past eight seasons in Winston Cup. He is currently 17th in the Busch standings through 10 races.

Benson, 39, hosts the weekly Inside Nextel Cup hour-long program on the Speed Channel with fellow drivers Michael Waltrip and Kenny Schrader each Monday night. The subject of his departure with Phoenix was not discussed on the show, either. He is coming off a 29th place finish at last Saturday's race at Gateway International Raceway.

"We had problems with the gear shift coming loose, and we got that fixed," Benson said on the television show. "But halfway through, we had engine failure. It wasn't our day. It ran hot. We ran into the back of Mark Green, and it just ran a little warm, and it broke. It was nothing the engine guys did, it just ran warm and finally didn't make it."

Bgnracing.com reported that Nextel Cup regular Jamie McMurray will be racing Finch's No. 1 Yellow Transportation Dodge in this weekend's Busch race at Richmond. Benson currently trails front-running Martin Truex Jr. by 412 points.

Benson's Busch highlights this spring include winning the pole at Rockingham in February. However, he was forced to the rear of the field at the race's start when his right front coil failed to meet regulations during inspection. His best finish came at Texas on April 3 when he placed fourth overall for his only top five.

Benson also started four of the 10 Nextel Cup races with Finch. He was a full-timer in NASCAR's top level since earning the division's rookie of the year honors in 1996. Benson won his first and only Cup race to date at Rockingham in November of 2002 with MBV Motorsports.

Benson struggled through the 2003 season and was released at the end of the season. He signed up with Finch in mid-January, only a month prior to the start of the season.