FEBRUARY NEWS

JB Fans Enjoy Daytona Race

We wanted to tell you how excited we were to be at Daytona last week for the truck race and to watch Johnny’s return to racing.  After being disappointed with the rainout on Friday night – we stayed after the Nationwide to watch the postponed truck race.  We settled into seats near turn 4 across from the entrance to the pits. 

We were so excited during the driver introductions, and when Johnny heard us hooting and hollering he actually smiled and waved to us.  We know he really couldn’t know who/where we were – but we felt like celebrities because he actually acknowledged us!

What a class act Johnny is and we so enjoyed watching him race.  He made the last 10 laps of the race so exciting.  We so look forward to seeing him race and keep hoping that he gets his permanent ride.

Dan & Barb Conner (fan club members),

Kim & Mike Hughes

Dave Brown
(02/25/10)

Race Hub Appearance
Johnny and Dennis Setzer stopped by the television studio of "Race Hub" tonight.  This show is shown on SPEED at 7:30 p.m. Monday - Thursday. 

Rick Allen led the discussion ...  They talked about Johnny and Dennis being teammates in Daytona.  (They started out their NASCAR careers competing for Rookie of the Year honors in the Busch Series in 1994).   Discussed the wreck in practice that took time away from their Happy Hour practice and going on to place their trucks in the top 10 at Daytona. 

Then it was on to racing plans for Atlanta ...  Johnny will not be driving the #95 in Atlanta.  However, Johnny is trying to work on a couple deals with Toyota teams and Danny Gill racing - especially since he is 8th in points.  Still working on KBM sponsorship, which has become harder since they lost their primary sponsor.   Dennis is in the same boat - the Danny Gill Racing team needs sponsor.  Dennis plans to be behind the wheel of the #46 in Atlanta, but unsure if they will have what it takes to run the race. 

Phil Parsons joined the discussion and they talked about Johnny's highs and lows in 2009 and showed footage of his super modified wreck.  Johnny talked about his recovery and was glad to have the opportunity to get behind the wheel at Daytona and run as well as he did. 

Johnny and Dennis were asked - what defines the Truck series?  they both agreed that there is room for the Veterans and the Rookies.  The veterans have a lot to offer to the rookies - who in turn can learn from the veterans.   There is room for both.

The discussion turned to the tough economic times.  Is it tough to sit on the sidelines when rookies are buying their rides?  Johnny said it's part of the sport and yes it's tough.  You need to be in the right place at the right time. 

They ended the conversation ...  Why is the racing so good in Atlanta?  Johnny felt that Atlanta is a unique place, tough to get around and there are three grooves for racing.  You can race at the top or the bottom.  Dennis felt tire conservation was a key factor.   
(02/25/10)

February 21, 1948 - NASCAR born
Six days after its first race was held, NASCAR was officially incorporated as the National Association for Stock Car Racing, with race promoter Bill France as president. From the beginning, stock car racing had a widespread appeal with its fan base. As the legend goes, the sport evolved from Southern liquor smugglers who souped up their pre-war Fords to outrun the police. NASCAR brought the sport organization and legitimacy.

It was Bill France who realized that product identification would increase enthusiasm for the sport. He wanted the fans to see the cars they drove to the track win the races on the track. By 1949, all the postwar car models had been released, so NASCAR held a 150-mile race at the Charlotte Speedway to introduce its Grand National Division. The race was restricted to late-model strictly stock automobiles. NASCAR held nine Grand National events that year. By the end of the year, it was apparent that the strictly stock cars could not withstand the pounding of the Grand Nationals, so NASCAR drafted rules to govern the changes drivers could make to their cars. Modified stock car racing was born.

Starting in 1953, the major auto makers invested heavily in stock car racing teams, believing that good results on the track would translate into better sales in the showroom. In 1957, rising production costs and tightened NASCAR rules forced the factories out of the sport. Today NASCAR racing is the fastest growing spectator sport in America.    (02/24/10)

Johnny Finishes 8th in Daytona
By Steve Kaminski - Mlive

Grand Rapids driver Johnny Benson Jr. finished eighth in Saturday night’s season-opening NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race at Daytona International Speedway.

What was most impressive about Saturday’s top-10 finish was that it was Benson’s first race in eight months.  

Benson has been out of action since crashing out in the June 13 Supermodified race at Berlin Raceway in Marne. The accident left him in serious condition and kept him in the hospital for three nights.

Benson, who started ninth, led twice and ran as high as second with 21 laps to go. Benson was third with eight laps remaining when disaster nearly struck.

His No. 95 Ford truck bobbled and got sideways, but Benson was able to maintain control. He dropped back to 11th, but he continued to run with the lead pack the remainder of the race.

Benson crossed the finish line, then slid through the grass to avoid a spinning Todd Bodine. It was Benson’s third top-10 Daytona finish in the past four years, having finished second in 2007 and third in 2008.

Timothy Peters recorded the victory with a last-lap pass, overtaking Bodine for the top spot. Benson’s teammate, Dennis Setzer, took third.

The Trucks are off until March 6 when the series returns to action at Atlanta Motor Speedway.   Benson signed up to race Daytona with car owner Danny Gill, but he said no plans have been made beyond this weekend.

Benson did have an opportunity to test Kyle Busch’s trucks during the offseason. He has recovered from a broken collarbone, separated shoulder, three broken ribs, bruised lungs and a fractured wrist.

Daytona Updates from Wednesday and Thursday

Peters Wins At Daytona
#17-Timothy Peters passed #30-Todd Bodine on the last lap to pick up the win for the NextEra Energy Resources 250 at Daytona International Speedway.

It was a wild finish to a wild night as #30-Todd Bodine got sideways just after crossing the finish line in second place collecting #95-Johnny Benson in the process.

It was a rough night for several trucks as there were two major incidents on the night beginning with a "big one" on lap one. #3-Austin Dillon got loose as he was passed by #51 Aric Almirola on the inside, and wound up in the outside wall, resulting in heavy damage to a number of trucks among them the #18 of Kyle Bush. Another major incident on lap 32, when #4-Ricky Carmichael attempted to bump draft the #33-Ron Hornaday, resulting in Hornaday hitting the wall and collecting several other trucks in the process; among them #2-Elliott Sadler & the #14-Rick Crawford.

Rounding out the top ten were; #46-Dennis Setzer, #23-Jason White, #88-Matt Crafton, #1-Nelson Piquet Jr., #60-Stacy Compton, #95-Johnny Benson, #6-Donnie Neuenberger, #01-JJ Yeley. There were 23 lead changes among 12 drivers, with 7 caution flags for 33 laps

Benson Glad to Be Back on Track
By: Bob Pockrass - SceneDaily.com

Prior to Wednesday afternoon, Johnny Benson had been in a truck for one test since his accident in a June 14 Super Modified race last June.

The 2008 Truck Series champion broke a “pretty good number” of bones, including his right wrist, both sides of his collarbone, three ribs and his left shoulder in the accident.

His first time back in the truck was last month at New Smyrna (Fla.) Speedway in a test for Kyle Busch Motorsports. He was in a truck again Wednesday, driving for Team Gill Racing.

“When I ran Kyle’s truck at New Smyrna, I felt fine,” Benson said Wednesday night. “I felt like nothing ever happened. They did a good job fixing me up.”

Benson had hoped to drive for Kyle Busch Motorsports this year but sponsorship could not be found for him. He said that they are still trying to do some races together, but the priority is getting the truck Busch is driving sponsorship for the rest of the season.

So Benson said he is doing at least the first four races for team owner Danny Gill and possibly more.

“The goal is to run some more, there’s no doubt,” said Benson, who also won the 1995 series title in what is now the Nationwide Series and has 274 career Cup starts. “But for right now, it’s the first couple.”

Benson needs to get his truck up to speed as he is not guaranteed a spot in the NextEra Energy Resources 250. He would get a past champion’s provisional as long as Ron Hornaday doesn’t have to use one.

“It’s great to be here and see all the people I raced with for a long time,” Benson said. “Other than a couple of TV races, I pretty much had the second half of the year off last year.

“If not, it’s going to be what it’s going to be. We’re working hard.”

NASCAR revises Green-White-Checkered Race Procedure
The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR) today announced a revision to one of its race procedures, allowing a maximum of three restart attempts prior to the White Flag under NASCAR's Green-White-Checkered flag finish. If the leader has taken the White Flag and the caution flag is displayed, the field is frozen and the race will not be restarted. Previously, there was only one restart attempt.

The new procedure will be implemented beginning with today's running of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series' Gatorade Duel at Daytona and will apply to all three national series. NASCAR officials met with drivers and teams Wednesday at Daytona International Speedway to discuss the change and get their input.

The announcement was made during the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series' drivers and crew chiefs meeting Thursday morning. "We want to do all we can to finish our races under green flag conditions - the fans want to see that and so do the competitors," said Robin Pemberton, NASCAR vice president of competition. "We felt that putting a cap at three attempts to finish the race under green is the way to go. It gives the fans what they want and it also gives the teams a better opportunity to prepare for their end of race strategy."