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Toyota Two-Race
Winning Streak
Ends at Virginia Short Track
After two consecutive
victories - at Texas Motor Speedway (Oct. 16) and
California Speedway (Oct. 16) - a Toyota Tundra failed to
capture the checkered flag in the Kroger 200 NASCAR
Craftsman Truck Series (NCTS) race at Martinsville
Speedway this afternoon.
Todd Bodine, driver of the No. 30 Germain/Arnold Racing
Tundra, was the top finishing Tundra driver at the
Virginia half-mile oval when he crossed the finish line
seventh. Bodine, who had a strung together two consecutive
victories in his Tundra, battled an ill handling truck to
record his fifth top-10 finish in six starts.
"We missed the set-up pretty good and really struggled all
day," said Bodine, following the race. "The good thing was
we got another top-10, and we were the top finishing
Toyota. We kept pitting because we aren't in the hunt for
the points championship and we really needed to keep
adjusting the truck. Fortunately, at the end of the race,
I had some good trucks to follow to the front of the field
and that made it easier to get into the top-10."
Following Bodine to the finish line at the Martinsville
were Tundra drivers Robert Huffman in the No. 12
Innovative Motorsports Tundra and Johnny Benson in the No.
22 Bill Davis Racing Tundra. Huffman, the top finishing
rookie in the race, crossed the finish line 10th, and
Benson ended the day in 11th -place. The other Tundra
driver in the top-15 was Bill Lester, who was 14th in the
No. 22 Bill Davis Racing Tundra.
Travis Kvapil, a two-time race-winner this season in his
No. 24 Bang Racing Tundra, started 8th and led 62 laps,
before being eliminated from the race in an accident.
Kvapil was leading the race with only 25 laps remaining,
when the second-place truck made contact and forced both
drivers to the garage.
"As the race played out we knew there would be a lot of
cautions at the end -- and we elected to stay out after
just one stop and ride it out," said Kvapil, following the
race. "We pulled out to a bit of a lead there and then the
16 (Jack Sprague) tried hard to pass me. I don't really
know what happened because we both drove into Turn One,
and next thing I know I was sideways."
After 22 2004 races, three Toyota drivers sit among the
top-15 in the NCTS championship point standings. Kvapil is
sixth in the point standings with 2,822 points, just 90
points behinds fifth-place Matt Crafton. Skinner is 12th
(2,681 points) in the standings and David Reutimann is
14th (2,565 points). Reutimann also continues to top the
Rookie-of-the-Year standings.
The next NCTS race is Friday, November 5, at Phoenix
International Raceway, beginning at 5:30 PM (EST).
Toyota Finishing Positions @ Martinsville Speedway
7th - Todd Bodine - Germain/Arnold Racing, No. 30 Tundra
10th - Robert Huffman - Innovative Motorsports, No. 12
Toyota Tundra
11th - Johnny Benson - Bill Davis Racing, No. 23 Toyota
Tundra
14th - Bill Lester - Bill Davis Racing, No. 22 Toyota
Tundra
21st - Travis Kvapil - Bang Racing, No. 24 Toyota All-Star
Showdown Tundra
27th - David Reutimann - Darrell Waltrip Motorsports, No.
17 NTN Bearings Tundra
31st - Hank Parker Jr. - Innovative Motorsports, No. 21
AirVest Tundra
33rd - Mike Skinner - Bill Davis Racing, No. 5 Toyota
Tundra
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