Photo by Steve Langley
Craftsman should be happy to end its sponsorship of the NASCAR Truck Series with the tight points race down to the wire at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Year after year, the trucks produce the most exciting points race of all the NASCAR series.
And leading the points again this week is Johnny Benson, but only by a mere six points over Ron Hornaday Jr. These two have been trading the lead back and forth all season. With only two races to go, it’s just too close to call.
This week’s race in Phoenix will either show who will go to Homestead-Miami as the one to beat or will come right down to the last lap to determine the 2008 champion. Ron Hornaday Jr. is a fighter and a true veteran driver of the series with three championships under his belt. His current year has him credited with six wins, fourteen top fives, and seventeen top ten finishes compared to Bensons five wins, fourteen top fives, and seventeen top tens.
These two veteran drivers have stayed neck and neck all year, but both have had their troubles at various tracks. Hornaday has run six races where he finished twenty-third or worst where Benson had four at twenty-fifth or worse. Trouble can show its ugly head at any time… that, and having the Cup drivers coming over to this series. Hopefully the Cup drivers’ finishes will not have an impact on the final tally.
The last time these drivers were at Phoenix Benson started seventh and finished seventh where Hornaday started ninth and finished in the second place. If history was to repeat itself Hornaday would go into Homestead-Miami with the lead where Benson won the race last year and Hornaday finishing in the seventh position. That scenario would give the championship to Benson for the 2008 season.
“If” is a very big word and history doesn’t always repeat itself. That’s what makes this sport so much fun, you just never know until the ‘fat lady sings’ to know for sure. This championship will not be determined until the last lap has ended, along with the Craftsman Truck Series sponsorship.
Thanks, Craftsman.
