However, Hornaday’s recovery from two on-track incidents at Mansfield that sent him to the back of that pack and his subsequent charge through the field – not once but twice – to finish sixth merits a mention. Mansfield is often criticized by drivers as a track that is difficult to pass on, and had Hornaday finished as the last truck on the lead lap he would have crossed the line in 23rd. That’s a 59 point difference. He won the title by 54 points.
As for Skinner, his 2007 season was one of the best in the history of the series. He won three consecutive races in the early part of the season and five overall. He was among the top-five 17 times and top-10 20 times, and won a series record 11 poles throughout the course of the season. His qualifying prowess was so stout that he averaged a 2.5 starting position, best in series history. Most incredibly, he led 1,105 laps during the year in 24 of the series’ 25 races. The only race he did not lead was the event at Bristol in August.
Yet somehow Skinner still finished second in the championship.
It might be easy to look at his 35th-place finish at Homestead as his downfall, but the other race that cost Skinner dearly was the Gateway race in September. Skinner was running a strong third when a right front tire went down and he slapped the wall. Had Skinner finished where he was running when the incident happened he would have earned 81 more points than he did, more than enough to make up the gap after his disappointing night in Homestead.
The race win was overshadowed by the series championship fight.
Benson, truly one of the sport’s most genuine and likeable people, got off to a slow start in 2007 but by midseason was clicking with crew chief Trip Bruce like a well-oiled machine. If this combination stays intact for 2008, and indications are it will, Bill Davis Racing could have teammates fighting for the championship coming into Homestead next November.
News, notes, and random thoughts…
The news that Wayne and Connie Spears have closed the doors on the No. 75 team was a surprise. The Spears family has been involved in NASCAR racing since joining the old Southwest Tour in the mid-1980s and has been a part of the Truck Series since the last demonstration race in 1994. Business and personal demands have kept the Spearses away from the track more than they would have liked in recent years, and with those obligations increasing the time seemed right to step away. Through the years the No. 75 appeared in every race – although in two of those races in 1997 another team ran the number – and collected four wins. Dennis Setzer earned the team its final win in 2007 at Mansfield in May.
Another long-time team has gone by the wayside after the failed South Point/Wyler merger. After six years of competition, South Point Racing has closed its doors and Brendan Gaughan is now searching for a ride with an established team. Comments made following the failed merger were vague, but there is definitely more to the story.
The news that Craftsman is leaving the series after 13 years also comes as a surprise. Sears will exercise an option to leave two years early on its contract, which was originally slated to run through 2010. It’s way too early to discuss potential replacements but whoever steps in to replace Craftsman will have big shoes to fill.
Series Ironman Terry Cook is still looking for a ride as Preseason Thunder at Daytona is approaching. Cook has made 247 consecutive starts in the Truck Series and has scored six wins in his eleven years of competition, including one at Kansas in 2006. It is a sign of the changing times when a proven winner of Cook’s stature and longevity is having a difficult time finding a ride. The search for a job would no doubt be easier if Cook was touting some sponsorship funds, which seems to be what owners are looking for now. Long gone are the days when someone was hired solely because of their record on the track, and that’s a shame.
The annual ARCA RE/MAX Series Awards Banquet was held Saturday night at the Northern Kentucky Convention Center in Covington, Kentucky. Former Truck Series driver Kevin Cywinski was honored with the H.G.Adcox Sportsman of the Year Award. Cywinski has turned to mentoring young drivers since leaving the driver’s seat several years ago. Among the drivers he has worked with include Joey Miller and 17-year-old James Buescher, who became ARCA’s youngest winner ever when he won at Lakeland in March.
It’s not Truck related, but championship winning car owner Larry Clement made an interesting comment during his acceptance speech at the ARCA banquet. Clement honored the drivers, owners, and crew members in attendance who were involved in the sport for “all the right reasons.” There are many now involved in the sport now, he said, who race to live – that is they race for the big paychecks to live a lavish lifestyle. In ARCA – and in this writer’s opinion, in the Truck Series as well – there are men and women involved who live to race.
Drivers, owners, and crew members may work 60-hour weeks and then spend another 60 hours working on a race car. Even NASCAR team owner Ray Evernham, who was in attendance to accept honors for being the winning car owner for ARCA’s Superspeedway Challenge, commented on Clement’s remarks. “We can all remember when we raced like that, back when it was fun,” Evernham said.
Racing of all types, from Sprint Cup on down through the Truck Series and ARCA and even down the line to local short track racing, is all contingent upon the racers finding enough money to put their racecars on the track. Let’s all hope that more of that “live to race” attitude returns to the sport’s big leagues, and stays for many years to come in series like ARCA and the Truck Series.
Happy holidays to all, and best wishes for a safe and prosperous 2008!
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