Hamlin Leads Happy Hour
Denny Hamlin, also a very good road racer, he won the Mexico Busch Series race in 2006, led Happy Hour practice at Infineon Raceway on Saturday with his teammate Tony Stewart in close pursuit. Listed below are the top ten times and speeds.

Gordon-Johnson Back On Track
Jimmie Johnson and Jeff Gordon wasted no time returning to the track after NASCAR inspectors approved their cars. Johnson, the reigning Nextel Cup champion, and Gordon, his Hendrick Motorsports teammate and four-time series champion, were the first cars on the 1.99-mile Infineon Raceway road course for practice Saturday.

The two had an unexpected day off Friday after their cars failed to pass inspection. NASCAR deemed the front fenders on the No. 24 and No. 48 Chevrolets illegal and banned the two drivers from the day’s practice and qualifying.

NASCAR did, however, allow the teams to alter the fenders and send the cars back through inspection. Both teams did that Friday, but waited until Saturday morning for official approval.

“Everything is fine,” said Doug Duchardt, vice president of development for Hendrick. “We’re way behind, but we’ll just go out there and prepare today the way we would on any Saturday and hope for the best.”

Johnson and Gordon will start 41st and 42nd in the 43-car lineup for Sunday’s Toyota/Save Mart 350...MORE..(That's Racin')

Bodine In For Blaney
Braun Racing is pleased to announce reigning NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Champion, Todd Bodine, will be filling in for Dave Blaney this weekend at The Milwaukee Mile. Bodine will practice, qualify, and race the No.10 Camping World Camry in tonight’s AT&T 250.

“I’m handling over the reigns this week to Todd and I’m confident he’ll do a good job for us,” Dave Blaney said Saturday morning. “We’ve done really well on the Busch side this year but my Cup Series program has struggled a little. Because of that, I’ve decided to stay in Sonoma this weekend and focus on the No.22 Caterpillar Camry and try to get us back in the top-35 in points. I’m thankful for Bill Davis and Caterpillar’s continued support as well as Todd Braun and my Busch team for understanding this difficult situation. I look forward to rejoining my Busch team in New Hampshire.”

Bodine was a natural replacement for Blaney. As a fellow Toyota driver, Bodine finished third in Friday night’s Truck Series Toyota Tundra Milwaukee 200. He has one NCTS win on the season at Texas Motor Speedway and eight top-10 finishes in 11 starts so far in 2007. Bodine’s last Busch Series start was at Dover International Speedway on June 3rd, 2006.

Dave Blaney will be back in the No. 10 at New Hampshire International Speedway next weekend. Plans are still in place for Blaney to run the remainder of the Busch Series season. He is currently second in series point standings.

Spec Engines Tests At Martinsville
Bill Davis Racing and Roush Fenway Racing each will test a truck at Martinsville Speedway for NASCAR on Monday. Davis said the teams will use a spec engine as NASCAR explores the possibility of making all the engines the same for the Craftsman Truck series at some point.

"On the surface, it really looks good because of the cost reduction," Davis said of a spec engine in the truck series. "The only thing that concerns me, not only my operation but a lot of truck operations are very manufactured-dependent for sponsorship. I'm afraid if the manufacturer doesn't have his engine in there, it's a spec motor, is the attraction still going to be there?"

Johnny Benson is scheduled to test for Bill Davis Racing. Travis Kvapil is scheduled to test for Roush Fenway Racing.(Roanoke Times)

Benson Holds Off Hornaday To Win Truck Race

Benson Wins In Milwaukee * CIA Stock Photo

On a restart with four laps to go, Johnny Benson held off a hard charging Ron Hornaday Jr., to win Friday night's Toyota Tundra 200 Craftsman Truck race. It was Benson's second straight victory at The Milwaukee Mile and the sixth of an 86 Truck Series career. Hornaday started 14th -- on a track difficult to pass on and he drove to second place -- pressuring Benson in the final laps. Todd Bodine, who started on the outside pole, finished third and pole sitter Mike Skinner, brought his truck home in the fourth spot.

Skinner, in the No. 5 Toyota Tundra Toyota out of the Bill Davis Racing stable, turned a fast lap of 29.463 seconds/122.187 miles per hour to earn his seventh pole of the 2007 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series season. Skinner's lap also broke the existing track record of 29.503 seconds/122.021 mph set by Ron Hornaday in 2006. Skinner led most laps on Friday, 103 of 200.