S.M.'s Craftsman Update, Issue No. 4

Rumors

Chad McCumbee, will reportly driving in the Oct. 11th, Bank Of America 500 at Lowes for Kyle Petty. He more than likely will race in most of the final five races in the No. 45, according to Petty.

McCumbee, raced last week at Pocono in the No. 45, started thirty-fifth and finished up seventeenth on the lead lap and looked good.

Jeff Green, a former Nationwide Series Champion will be racing for Key Motorsports in the No. 40 Chevrolet truck at upcoming CTS races at Nashville and Bristol.

Taylor Malsam, will be racing for Cunningham Motorsports, in a No. 41 truck with sponsorship from Firedown Graphics. They are a new team, will run a few races this season and will run full-time in 2009 with Malsam. He's a rookie candidate in the ARCA Re/Max series.

To update, Randy Moss Motorsports who's driving their, No. 81 truck. As I'm typing my update they still have to announce who's driving in Nashville. Now Jimmy Johnson will be making his CTS debut at Bristol for the team, with sponsorship from Kobalt Tools and Knaus will be in the pits.

Rob Brent, a regular on the ARCA Re/Max series. Will be racing in the CTS race at Nashville, for Brad Keselowski Racing his ARCA team. In a No. 19 Chevrolet truck, plans to run a couple of more races later in season. Will have Bob Brent'z Orchard Chrysler Dodge Jeep as sponsor for now.

Seems like Billy Ballew Motorsports has a bunch of driver shifting and have them all here together.

It's official, David Stremme will be race the No.15 Hyprene Toyota tundra at CTS races in Nashville on the 9th and Bristol on the 20th. Stremme will also mentor regular rookie driver Marc Mitchell.

Appears Ted Christopher is negotiating with Billy Ballew Motorsports. To run a couple of CTS races in the No. 15 truck, at New Hampshire and Martinsville and would have to come up with funding for the deal to happen. The team will make a announcement shortly. Christopher's a racer from New England, a good one and a legend in open wheel modified's. It's great to see him running in NASCAR again.

Shane Sieg, will be driving the No. 51 truck at Nashville for BBM. Sieg raced the truck in Memphis and got his career best finish in Ninth.

Scott Speed's next start in CTS will be the Bristol race on the 20th. He'll drive the BDRNo. 22 truck, with Red Bull sponsorship. Speed, currently is running full-time in ARCA Re/Max and after the Pocono he's the new points leader.

2009 Team Updates

Colin Braun and Con-way freight, will keep on truckin' together in 2009 with Roush Fenway Racing's No. 6 truck.

Germain Racing will be moving Todd Bodine, to the Nationwide Series in one of their cars in 2009. While nothing official yet, looks like Sean Caisse will be replacing him in the No. 30 Toyota Tundra truck.

Driver Profile

This week it's Johnny Benson's turn to shine in my update. Benson always seems to run his best races mid-season, usually after June 16th to be more exact. All twelve of his career wins, have come when it's hot out and he's won three of the last four races.

Benson has quietly succeeded in CTS, always up front doesn't matter where he starts and does it without all the glitz and glamour.

Benson's team, like Hornaday's, just seem to make no mistakes on pit-road, even gain positions on pit-stops and that's important when you are looking to win a series Championship.

Benson always has been known for racing his competitors clean and respected by his fellow drivers for that. But with that said, he does owe one to the Shrub, for those of you keeping score and my guess he'll collect at the right moment.

In 2008, Benson has been having his best season. Had the shrub not spun him in Martinsville or been penalized for jumping a restart at Charlotte while running second. He would easily have a huge points lead. Have the luxury of just cruising through the races, driving for the best points finish and staying out of trouble.

But like you always hear from the drivers say, both situations where not in his control and why beat yourself up over it.

In fourteen starts, won three poles, has three wins, eight-Top Fives, ten-Top Tens and one-DNF. Should he win in Nashville will accomplish a feat that's rare in CTS. Winning three races in a row, it's been done only five times by: Mike Skinner twice, once by Ron Hornaday, Todd Bodine and Greg Biffle.

Benson after finshing second an third in the last two years in the final points standings. He could be poised to win this years Championship.

Should he do it, Benson would become the third driver to win titles in two out of the three NASCAR National Series's. Bobby Labonte did it first in 2000, followed by Greg Biffle in 2002.

With the Craftsman Truck Series due to it's competitiveness, leaves very little room for error for it's drivers and with nine different winners in the first eleven races. Proves just that, plus also had three races in a row with first-time winners.

We the fans, should be treated with a great points battle between Benson, Hornaday and Crafton. With eleven races left, one bobble or mistake. Could mean both Rick Crawford and Mike Skinner could make it even better. With the Top five, battling each race for the title going into the season finale at Homestead.

Don't be surprised, although Benson will be in Truck's for BDR in 2009. He would move up to Nationwide or Sprint Cup, if the team asked him.

Shrub Sighting

The Shrub will be doing double duty in Watkins Glen. Racing in both Nationwide and Sprint Cup road races and won't be in Nashville. He would have to clone himself to pull it off.

Shrub will race the Nationwide race in the No. 92, for D'hondt racing sponsored by Zippo and associate sponsor Dietz & Watson.

Hornaday's Corner

L.J. made me aware of this one. Hornaday has had 10 DNF's/5 accidents in 11 yrs/214 starts. That's an amazing stat, not many drivers could accomplish that one.

Hornaday, should he win in Nashville Saturday night. He will accomplish the "Concrete Sweep". Becoming the first driver in the NASCAR Truck series to win at all three of the series concrete tracks. They are Bristol, Dover and Nashville.

Hornaday, has built quite a unique collection of trophies, over his twenty-eight year racing career. Early this year, he won the Elvis Trophy and now wants a Gibson guitar for his trophy room. While he's come close, he hasn't won one yet but wants one in the worst way. All the NASCAR racing events at Nashville Speedway. The speedway awards a custom Gibson Guitar as a Trophy. Can you see Hornaday winning, then playing it for Elvis in victory lane. For the King, could very well be their in the stands at Nashville Speedway.

Hornaday, finished fourth, started twelfth at the rain shortened Nationwide race at the Circuit Gillies Villeneuve last Saturday.

Upcoming Races

August 9th - Toyota Tundra 200 at Nashville Speedway, on Speed at 7PM (Saturday)

August 20th - O'Reilly 200 at Bristol Motorspeedway, on Speed at 7:30PM (Wednesday, it's not a typo, remember to take the night off of work. I already did.)

Sept. 6th - Gateway 200 at Gateway International Raceway, on Speed at 2PM (Saturday)

NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Point Standings

1. Johnny Benson                2071

2. Ron Hornaday                   -15

3. Matt Crafton                    -31

4. Rick crawford                  -155

5. Mike Skinner                   -157

6. Todd Bodine                   -204

7. Erik Darnell                     -225

8. Terry Cook                     -246

9. Jack Sprague                  -284

10. Davis Starr                   -322