Goodyear Tire Notes: Teams in both the NASCAR Nextel Cup and Craftsman Truck Series will be running the same tire codes this weekend, though the Cup tires will be branded "Goodyear Eagle," while the Truck tires will be branded "Goodyear Wrangler" -- this is the fourth major NASCAR track to which Goodyear has brought this specific combination of left- and right-side tires this season -- Nextel Cup and Craftsman Truck teams have previously run this tire setup at California and Dover during earlier companion weekends -- truck series teams have also run this combination at Kansas -- in addition, this left-side code (D-4078) has been run with a different right-side code by Cup teams at Texas in April -- while this left-side code is new to the Goodyear tire lineup for 2007, this right-side code (D-4062) was run at Michigan, Dover and Kansas in 2006 -- as on all NASCAR ovals greater than one mile in length, teams are required to run inner liners in all four tire positions at Michigan -- air pressure in those inner liners should be 12-25 psi greater than that of the outer tire.

Weekend Event Schedule

Thursday, June 14..Not Open to the Public 

10:00 a.m. - 12:00 noon ARCA RE/MAX Series Practice 
 3:00 p.m.              ARCA RE/MAX Qualifying (2 Laps) 
  
Friday, June 15

 9:00 a.m.              Gates Open to the Public
10:00 a.m.  11:25 a.m.  Craftsman Truck Series Practice
11:30 a.m.  1:00 p.m.   NEXTEL Cup Series Practice
 1:10 p.m.  1:40 p.m.   Craftsman Truck Series Rookie Practice
 1:50 p.m.  3:00 p.m.   Craftsman Truck Series Final Practice
 3:10 p.m.              NEXTEL Cup Series Qualifying (2 Laps)
 5:00 p.m.              PreRace Activities & Driver Introductions
 5:15 p.m.              Start of ARCA RE/MAX Series 200 Race
 
Saturday, June 16
 
 9:00 a.m.             Gates Open to the Public
10:00 a.m.  10:50 a.m. NEXTEL Cup Series Practice
11:05 a.m.             Craftsman Truck Series Qualifying (2 Laps) Impound
 1:20 p.m.  2:20 p.m.  NEXTEL Cup Series Final Practice
 2:45 p.m.             PreRace Activities & Driver Introductions
 3:00 p.m.             Start of Craftsman Truck Series 200 Race 
 
Sunday, June 18 

 8:00 a.m.             Gates Open to the Public
 1:30 p.m.             PreRace Activities & Driver Introductions
 2:00 p.m.             Start of Citizens Bank 400 NEXTEL Series Cup Race 

All Times Eastern * Subject to change

Kvapil Wins Michigan 200

Kvapil Wins Over Busch * Getty Images

Mark Martin had the truck to beat early, and most of the drivers acknowedged it, but Martin's engine blew up early and his day was done. Travis Kvapil inherited the lead when Martin dropped out, then battled drivers like Kyle Busch, Ted Musgrave, Mike Skinner and Brendan Gaughan through-out the Michigan 200 Craftsman Truck race at Michigan International Speedway on Saturday. But Kvapil only took the lead for the final time -- on the last lap. Kyle Busch was leading Kvapil with 16 laps to go. Kvapil tried his best to pass Busch, who was driving a very loose race car, and with one lap to go, Kvapil made the pass stick and then drove away from Busch.

"I was all over the place, the middle the bottom the top," said Busch. "I just could never find a place that would let me get a good run off the corner. I was just too loose. Our truck was good enough, solid enough to win the race, but just not quite good enough to get where I needed to be off the corner. Too loose to control it. These guys on this team work so hard on these trucks and do such a great job, I wanted to win the race for them."

It was Kvapil's sixth career victory in 106 races, his first at this track since September 2004 and Kvapil is the seventh different winner in ten races this season. It is the 45th Truck Series win for owner Jack Roush.

Kvapil was confident that he could pass Busch at will but said. "I knew I had enough (motor) but I didn't want to go too soon."

With a strong run Gaughan finished third, Skinner fourth and Musgrave was fifth. Rounding out the top ten were Rick Crawford, Todd Bodine, Kevin Harvick, Johnny Benson and Ron Hornaday Jr.

Travis Kvapil On Truck Pole
Travis Kvapil put his K&N Engineering Ford on the pole for Saturday's Michigan 200 Craftsman Truck Series race at Michigan International Speedway. It was Kvapil's second career Truck Series pole in 106 races. Kvapil has five wins in the series. Mark Martin, driving the No. 21 truck for the Wood Brothers, will start on the outside pole, Kyle Busch rolls off in third place and points leader Mike Skinner qualified fourth. Bill Lester holds the fifth spot followed by Todd Bodine, Jack Sprague, Chad McCumbee, Ted Musgrave and Johnny Benson. Only one driver, Bryan Silias, failed to qualify.The race is scheduled for 3 p.m. Eastern time, Saturday, June 16, 2007, on Speed Channel.

Benson Looks To Repeat In Front Of Home Crowd
Last year at Michigan International Speedway, Johnny Benson (No. 23 Toyota Certified Used Vehicles Toyota) was able to deliver his first series win for his hometown fans. The win helped jump-start his season and propelled him to a second-place finish in the standings. Benson is currently eighth in the standings and could use a similar bump this weekend.

“I am very excited about Michigan. It is my home track on the NASCAR side, and it is a great place to race,” Benson said. “This is where we turned things around last year and I am hoping to do it again. We have had some unfortunate luck the last few weeks, even though our truck has been incredibly fast. Hopefully we can come out of Michigan with another win.”

After last year’s win at Michigan, Benson went on to capture four more victories. Benson is hoping to earn his first of this year at home.

“We have a ton of family and friends here, so that always pumps you up when you are racing,” Benson said.

Wayne And Connie Spears Reach 300 Races
Wayne and Connie Spears, owners of Spears Motorsports, will become the first owners to reach 300 races this weekend. The Spears are the only owners to field a team in each of the series’ 13 seasons, including the inaugural race at Phoenix International Raceway in 1995.

The Spears gave Kevin Harvick (No. 2 Camping World Chevrolet) his first permanent ride in a NASCAR national series in 1997, when he ran 13 of the season’s 26 events. The following year, Harvick competed full-time for Spears Motorsports in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series and the NASCAR Grand National Division, West Series. He won the West Series championship that year, clinching the title in the final race of the year at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. It was during Harvick’s title run that the Spears missed two NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series races to attend the West Series races.

Spears Motorsports has four wins, three by David Starr (No. 10 International MAXX Force Diesel Ford) between 2002 and 2004. Current driver Dennis Setzer (No. 75 Spears Manufacturing Chevrolet) won the Ohio 250 last month at Mansfield Motorsports Park.

Cook Will Be Third Driver To Compete in 250 Races
Terry Cook (No. 59 Harris Trucking Toyota) will hit a major milestone this weekend when he becomes the third driver in series history to compete in 250 races. Rick Crawford (No. 14 Power Stroke Diesel by International Ford) and Jack Sprague (No. 60 Con-way Freight Toyota) share the series record with 256 starts.

“I hope to be here for another 250 races,” Cook said. “I feel like I haven’t reached my prime yet as a driver and that I have a lot of racing ahead of me. To be affiliated with Jim Harris and the HT Motorsports Toyota Tundra team is one of the best opportunities I’ve had in racing and I think we have a bright future together. I’m proud to have competed in 250 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series races and I’m equally excited about the next 250 on the schedule.”

Adding to the excitement of his 250th race is the fact that it comes at Michigan International Speedway. He hails from Sylvania, Ohio, a mere 50 miles from the track.

“To have my 250th career start at what I consider my true, hometown track is a very big deal to me,” Cook said. “I never thought I’d compete in 250 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series races, and it’s not a goal where I looked at the calendar and said ‘I want to do that at Michigan.’ It’s just something that’s worked out that way. To do both is more than I ever dreamed of.”

In his 12-year career, Cook has racked up six wins, 26 top fives and 92 top 10s. He has experienced success at Michigan, where he has five top-10 finishes in seven starts. Cook has competed in 231 consecutive races, a series record. He has started every race since the beginning of 1998.

Skinner’s Pole Streak Ends
Mike Skinner (No. 5 Toyota Tundra Toyota) saw his streak of consecutive Budweiser Poles end at six last Friday, two short of the series record he set in 1995. Skinner was knocked off the pole by Todd Bodine (No. 30 Lumber Liquidators Toyota) by 0.081 of-a-second. Skinner is the most proficient qualifier in series history. He has 38 career poles in 138 starts, leading 2nd place Jack Sprague by eight poles.

Skinner set the series record with eight consecutive poles in 1995, the series’ inaugural season. He went on to win four of those races. Skinner won two of the six races he started on the pole this season. He has won seven races from the pole in his career, one short of Sprague’s series record.

Team Owner Hits Political Road
Gene Christensen, owner of Green Light Racing, announced his candidacy to run for U.S. Congress on Friday. The Colin County resident is seeking to represent Texas’ 4th Congressional District. Green Light Racing fields two trucks in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series – the No. 07 Lester Buildings Chevrolet driven by Tim Sauter and the No. 08 GPSStore.com Chevrolet driven by Chad McCumbee.

In addition to his duties as owner and president of Green Light Racing, Christensen is a businessman and philanthropist. He is the Executive Director of People Against Drugs and the Affordable Public Housing Agency.

NEXTEL Cup Stars Go Truckin’
At least six NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series stars will trade in their cars for trucks this weekend to compete in the Michigan 200. A.J. Allmendinger (No. 00 Aaron’s Lucky Dog Toyota), Kevin Harvick, Bobby Labonte (No. 4 Open Joist Dodge), Ken Schrader (No. 18 Fastenal Dodge), Mark Martin (No. 21 Ford), and Kyle Busch (No. 51 Chevrolet) are all expected to compete in Saturday’s race. Martin and Labonte finished two-three to Johnny Benson at Michigan last year.

Toyota Leads Manufacturers’ Standings
Todd Bodine became the first Toyota driver to go to Victory Lane since Mike Skinner won at Martinsville in March. With the win, Toyota was able to stretch its lead in the Manufacturers’ Standings to 12 points over Chevrolet. Chevrolet had closed the gap to seven points after reeling off three straight victories – two by Ron Hornaday Jr. (No. 33 Camping World Chevrolet). Hornaday Jr. was the top finishing Chevrolet on Friday, but the manufacturer lost points after finishing behind a Toyota and a Ford. Rick Crawford finished third in Friday’s race, the highest finish for a Ford. Ken Schrader finished eighth, the highest for a Dodge.

Michigan Truck Notebook Items

Craftsman Truck Series Rookie News

Craftsman Truck Series Rookie Point Standings

DRIVER              POINTS

Aaron Fike              101
Tim Sauter               71
Willie Allen             70   
Blake Bjorklund          65
Joey Clanton             59
Tyler Walker             51 
Kelly Bires              44
Jason White              33 
Kevin Hamlin             18
Casey Kingsland           5
Brian Sockwell            1

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