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THE RACE: LOWES MOTOR SPEEDWAY - NC Education Lottery 200

Truck Series Race #6 of 25 for the 2008 Season

Last Race - Kansas Speedway
Next Race - Mansfield Motorsports Park

Race: Friday, May 16, 2008 at Lowes Motor Speedway

Length: 134 Laps, 201 Miles

2007 Winner: Ron Hornaday Jr

2007 Pole: Mike Skinner

TV: SPEED: Prerace 7:30pm; Race 8:00pm

Radio: MRN

Announcers: Rick Allen, Phil Parsons, Michael Waltrip

Pit Reporters: Ray Dunlap, Adam Alexander

Prerace Host: Krista Voda

Practice Dates/Times

Practice: Friday, May 16, 2008; 9:00 - 10:00am and 10:20am - 11:50am

Qualifying Info

Qualifying: Friday, May 16, 2008; 3:35pm

Goodyear Tire Notes

Entry, Practice, Qualifying and Race Information

Truck Series News & Notes - May 5, 2008

Multiple Entries Breed Success In NASCAR Craftsman Trucks:

Multiple truck teams were unheard of in 1995 when the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series debuted. Fact is, having one raceable truck was tantamount to victory for many entrants. That is ancient history, to say the least. Three different organizations - Kevin Harvick Inc., Bill Davis Racing and Circle Bar Racing - placed seven trucks among the top 10 of the recent O'Reilly Auto Parts 250 at Kansas Speedway. BDR did it for the third time; the other organizations also put each of their entries in the top 10.

Off-road champion Walker Evans was first to field two fulltime teams in 1996. Now, it's common practice.

The last owner to win a title with a single-truck entry was Dave Fuge's Xpress Motorsports in 2003. KHI fielded one fulltime team for 2007 champion Ron Hornaday Jr. (#33 Camping World Chevy) but backed it with a second truck in 16 races.

Why is more better? "The benefits can leverage off each other," said Mark Chambers, truck team and general manager for Bill Davis Racing. "The ability to share information and data across the board is invaluable. "They become sounding boards for each other." The trick, of course, is to keep everyone on the same page. BDR has succeeded despite employing drivers with strikingly different styles and personalities. Mike Skinner (#5 Toyota Tundra Toyota) and Johnny Benson (#23 Toyota Certified Used Vehicles Toyota) finished two-three in 2007 points with a combined nine victories. "You'll never make anyone happy all the time," said Chambers. "You do the best to ensure all three teams have the resources, equipment and manpower they need to be competitive. "At the end of the day it comes down to communication with everyone involved."

Sweeping The Board: There Only Can Be One Winner:

When a team finishes first and second, the news is both good and bad. Good for the winner; bad for the runner-up. As Jack Sprague (#2 American Commercial Lines Chevy) noted, after finishing second to his Kevin Harvick Inc. teammate Hornaday last month at Kansas Speedway, "We both had good trucks and we finished one-two but I really wanted to win this race real bad. "But who better to lose to than your teammate?" KHI is the latest of five teams to nail down the top two spots in a NASCAR Craftsman Truck race.

It's happened 19 times, starting with Roush Fenway Racing at Phoenix International Raceway in 1997. Joe Ruttman was chased to the checkered flag by Chuck Bown. With Jack Roush fielding multiple, fulltime entries in each season since 1997, it's not surprising that the organization is the all-time leader in top-two sweeps. Roush drivers have been one-two 11 times, most recently in 2006 at Dover International Speedway.

Noteworthy was 2000 in which Roush claimed his first NASCAR title. The team's drivers went one-two on six occasions - champion Greg Biffle on top five times; Kurt Busch once. The pair also was first and second in final points.

One-Two Finishes By NASCAR Craftsman Truck Teams:
Roush Fenway Racing, 11
Ultra Motorsports, 5
Bill Davis Racing, 1
Germain Racing, 1
Kevin Harvick Motorsports, 1

Quest for 2008 Manufacturers' Crown Sizzles:

Toyota is looking for a hat trick.

Chevy wants a record-extending seventh title.

Dodge broke a long drought earlier this year and Ford hopes to do likewise at Lowe's Motor Speedway.

Put another way, the battle for the 2008 Manufacturers' title is already at a boil. And it's only May. Chevy's Kansas victory cut significantly into Toyota's early edge built on three wins to open the season. Four points separate the pair. "There has been an incredible amount of parity this year between brands," said Dane Pierantoni, GM Racing Silverado program manager. "We have narrowed the gap … but it's still early and we will have our work cut out for us." Chevy was champion from 1995-98 and again in 2002 and 2005. Toyota entered the series in 2004 and took the last two titles. "Toyota's Tundra teams did, in fact, get off to a strong start with three wins early in the season but we knew, once again, it will be hard-fought through the entire, 25-race season," said Les Unger, national motorsports manager, Toyota Motorsports. "There are too many strong competitors, both young and veteran in stature, to expect any sort of cakewalk to a championship of any kind."

2008 Manufacturers' Championship Point Standings:
Toyota, 34
Chevy, 30
Ford, 24
Dodge, 22

Etc:

Before Moss There Was Daugherty … The announcement that NFL star Randy Moss will field a NASCAR Craftsman Truck team recalls the series' early years when Cleveland Cavalier (and now ESPN NASCAR analyst) Brad Daugherty co-owned Liberty Racing. The team's driver, Kenny Irwin, won Raybestos Rookie of the Year honors in 1997.

Hamilton Featured on CNN … Lori Hamilton, co-owner of Bobby Hamilton Racing VA, was interviewed Monday on CNN discussing head and neck cancer, the illness that claimed husband Bobby Hamilton. A story about Lori and Bobby is also featured on www.cnn.com/health.

In The Loop:

The statistics make sense in some ways, but go against conventional wisdom in others. Chad McCumbee (#8 MRD Chevy), learning with every race run, has improved statistically since last season. Sounds about right.

But so has 13-year veteran Terry Cook (#60 Wyler.com Toyota). Though 14th in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series points standings this season compared to 16th last season at this time, Cook is far ahead statistically over the same span. Take a look at the tale of the tape between Cook's 2007 and 2008 stats: Driver Rating: Cook has an 88.5 compared to a 60.9 last season. Average Running Position: This year he has a 12.2; last year he had a 20.1. Fastest Laps Run: He has had 10 this season, three last season. Laps in the Top 15: Cook spent 36.8 percent of the total laps through five races in the top 15 in 2007. This year, he's run 73.5 percent of them in the top 15. Quality Passes: Cook has 133 Quality Passes this season (passes of cars in the top 15 under green). Last season, he had 61 at this point.

McCumbee has also made a big leap this season, in both the standings and the stats. After five races last season, McCumbee was a respectable 18th in the series standings. This season, he's eighth. He has a Driver Rating of 82.3 and an Average Running Position of 12.8. Last year at the same juncture, McCumbee had a Driver Rating of 55.7 and an Average Running Position of 20.8.

This Week's NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Leaders: (through five races of the 25-race season)
Points leader - Ron Hornaday Jr. (775)
Driver Rating - Kyle Busch (122.0)
Laps led - Ron Hornaday Jr. (236)
Victories - Kyle Busch (2)
Keystone Light Poles - Ron Hornaday Jr. (2)
Top-five finishes - Three drivers with three
Top-10 finishes - Ron Hornaday Jr. (4)
Raybestos Rookie Leader - Colin Braun
Races led - Ron Hornaday Jr. (5)
Weeks in Top 10 - Five drivers with five

Rookies: (after five races of the 2008 season)
1. Colin Braun 53
2. Justin Marks 48
3. Brian Scott 44
4. Phillip McGilton 38
5. Donny Lia 37
6. Andy Lally 35
7. Marc Mitchell 28

Up Next:

The May 16 North Carolina Lottery Education 200 may be a home game but just one native of the Tar Heel State has been able to win the race.

Dennis Setzer (#18 Dodge) won the series' second Lowe's race in 2004. Setzer, a native of Newton - near Hickory - would like nothing better than to become the track's second two-time winner. The 48-year-old already has one victory in 2008 in March at Martinsville Speedway.
(NASCAR Media)(5-5-2008)

Truck Series News & Notes - April 28, 2008

Reigning Champ Back In Victory Lane:

It's pretty easy to say Ron Hornaday Jr. had a good weekend. The reigning series champion kicked things off at Kansas Speedway with one of the fastest trucks in practice. He took qualifying, capturing his second Keystone Light Pole of the season. The driver of the #33 Camping World Chevy then dominated the race. After leading 136 of 167 laps - most by a Kansas winner - Hornaday won the O'Reilly Auto Parts 250. He's the first driver in eight editions of the race to win from the pole position.

Add another first to the mix. The win was Hornaday and crew chief Rick Ren's first win at the 1.5-mile track. "I've got to thank Chevy, Camping World, the VFW, everybody at KHI and this whole Camping World team for giving me this awesome truck," he said. "I hadn't won at Kansas before so this is really cool." The driver added, "What Kevin and DeLana (Harvick) are doing at KHI, just putting the right people in the right places, it's an honor to race equipment like this. To sit on the pole and win this race was amazing. "Ren echoed his driver's comments. "We unloaded and were fast. We had a really awesome truck," he said. While the truck was good, it was a fuel gamble for the team as the cautions fell and the laps dwindled down. "I normally don't mention saving fuel to him (Ron), but I think he heard it more than ever this race," Ren said.

Hornaday has led laps in all five races so far this season. His Kansas win brings him to the top of the driver point standings, 61 points over Rick Crawford.

Series Veterans Meeting Challenge Of 'Young Guns':

It is clear there is up and coming talent in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series with young drivers like Roush Fenway Racing's Erik Darnell (#99 Northern Tool + Equipment Ford), Colin Braun (#6 Con-Way Freight Ford) and Germain Racing rookie Justin Marks (#9 crocs/Construct Corps Toyota) among them.

The almost 23-year-old Kyle Busch (#51 Toyota) is throwing his hat in the ring, too, throughout the season. Busch returns to the series at Lowe's Motor Speedway, where he's a double winner.

But don't count out the other competitors. A glance at the driver point standings and race finishes proves the veterans are holding their own. Defending series champion Hornaday, with a dominating win at Kansas, has taken the points lead from the absent Busch.

Not far behind, Crawford, driver of the #14 Power Stroke Diesel by Int'l Ford, has jumped to second. Strong performances over the weekend helped other seasoned drivers break into the top of the pack.

Three-time series champion Jack Sprague (#2 American Commercial Lines Chevy) weathered a rocky start to the season, but finished second to teammate Hornaday in the O'Reilly Auto Parts 250 and moved to ninth in the driver point standings. Sprague is hungry for a win. "I am really proud of this team," he said. "To be able in just five races to come together and run as strong as we have says a lot about KHI and this team. I know we will get a win soon."

Mike Skinner (#5 Toyota Tundra Toyota), just shy of the top-10, is a three-time pole sitter at Lowe's. He finished fifth at Kansas. The former series champion is definitely not out of contention.

Etc:

Speed Finding His Way … Scott Speed (#22 Red Bull Toyota) is finding his way toward Victory Lane. The driver, who made his debut with Bill Davis Racing in Kansas, won the previous day's Kansas Lottery $150 Grand ARCA RE/MAX race. The former Formula One driver started the race from the outside pole position but found himself a lap down after he had to make a pit stop to fix his window net which had fallen down. Awarded the Aaron's Lucky Dog, he fought his way back to contention and took the checkered flag. Speed continued his momentum in the O'Reilly Auto Parts 250 Saturday with an eighth-place finish.

A Return In Richmond … Key Motorsports for the first time in 10 NASCAR seasons hopes to qualify for this Friday's NASCAR Nationwide Series race at Richmond Int'l Raceway. The team, which has competed in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series since 2004, will field the #31 Key Motorsports Chevy with veteran driver and former NASCAR Nationwide Series champion Jeff Green behind the wheel.

Owner's Championship Battle Heats Up … Ron Hornaday's win at Kansas brought a lead change in the Owners' Championship point standings. DeLana Harvick and the #33 Camping World Chevy now lead the battle by 21 points over Billy Ballew and his #51 Toyota. Not far behind in third, 61 points out from the #33 is Tom Mitchell with his #14 Power Stroke Diesel by Int'l Ford team.

Kyle Busch is scheduled to return to the series at Lowe's Motor Speedway where he has two series wins to his credit. Points could swap again.

In The Loop:

It's hard to have a better day than the one Ron Hornaday Jr. had during Saturday's O'Reilly Auto Parts 250 at Kansas Speedway. Statistically speaking, it's impossible. Hornaday was perfect. The defending series champion won his first of 2008 in a truly dominating fashion, notching a perfect Driver Rating of 150.0. He held race-best figures in Laps Led (136), Average Running Position (1.6), Fastest Laps Run (55) and was the only driver to run all 167 laps in the top 15. With the win, Hornaday took the series points lead, and is now 61 points ahead of second-place Rick Crawford.

Also notable during Saturday's race was the strong performance by rookie Colin Braun. The Roush-Fenway upstart scored a third-place finish and ran up front throughout the 250-mile race. Braun had a Driver Rating of 118.5, an Average Running Position of 5.2, seven Fastest Laps Run and spent 164 of the 167 laps running in the top 15.

Jack Sprague also chimed in with a season-best run. Sprague, finishing second, scored a Driver Rating of 121.0, an Average Running Position of 5.7, 20 Fastest Laps Run and spent 152 of the laps among the top 15.

Chad McCumbee was the only other driver to break the 100.0-point Driver Rating barrier - he tallied a 103.1 Driver Rating in his seventh-place finish. He also earned a fourth-best Average Running Position of 7.4.

This Week's NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Leaders: (through five races of the 25-race season)
Points leader - Ron Hornaday Jr. (775)
Driver Rating - Kyle Busch (122.0)
Laps led - Ron Hornaday Jr. (236)
Victories - Kyle Busch (2)
Keystone Light Poles - Ron Hornaday Jr. (2)
Top-five finishes - Three drivers with three
Top-10 finishes - Ron Hornaday Jr. (4)
Raybestos Rookie Leader - Colin Braun
Races led - Ron Hornaday Jr. (5)
Weeks in Top 10 - Five drivers with five

Rookie Shake Up:

The rookie class has experienced a shake-up in points as Colin Braun moves from fourth to first in the Raybestos Rookie of the Year battle. The rookie's third-place finish gives him a five-point advantage over Justin Marks (#9 crocs/Construct Corps Toyota). Marks posted an 11th-place finish in the O'Reilly Auto Parts 250. Braun's performance is the best by a Raybestos rookie since Roush Fenway Racing teammate Erik Darnell ran third in the 2005 season finale.

Donny Lia (#71 Autism Speaks/TRG Chevy) and Brian Scott (#16 Albertsons Chevy), likewise, had strong finishes among the top 15.

Toyota Strong:

Toyota remains on top after five races of the 2008 season. Last Saturday's victory was the first of the year for Chevy. Ford is the only one of the four truck makers without a win in 2008.

2008 Manufacturers' Championship Point Standings:
Toyota, 34
Chevy, 30
Ford, 24
Dodge, 22

Up Next:

Coming off his performance at Kansas Speedway, Ron Hornaday Jr. looks to carry that momentum in defense of his 2007 win at Lowe's Motor Speedway.

Mike Skinner, who has started from the pole position in the last three races at the track, will aim to visit Victory Lane for the first time this season.
(NASCAR Media)(4-28-2008)

Additional Lowes Truck Series Race Info at:
lowesmotorspeedway.com
espn.go.com
NASCAR.com
truckseries.com

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