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mrsmopar12 · #4 (**permalink**) 05-26-2007, 03:35 PM

Charles Krall
Associate Editor
truckseries.com

The NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series moves into Ohio for some good old-fashioned short track racing this weekend, and with the shortest track of them all waiting for them. We should see plenty of bent sheet metal and bruised feelings as a result.

The Ohio 250 has been a pit strategy race the past couple of seasons, but a change in the tire compound should alleviate that and put some of the competition back on the track.

Here is who to look for once they open the gates at Mansfield Motorsports Park this weekend:

Ken Butler III, No. 00 Aaron's Lucky Dog Toyota: Butler is fresh of his first ARCA RE/MAX Series win, but he didn't make many friends with how he accomplished it. Making your series debut on the shortest track we go to all season long is tough enough, but doing so after knocking someone out of the lead with a couple laps to go in your last race might make those yellow rookie stripes big bulls-eyes.

Aaron Fike, No. 1 RFMS/Red Horse Racing Toyota: Fike was seventh at Martinsville, and with a strong team behind him he could be tough here at Mansfield too. The key, as with all rookies, is to stay out of trouble and to get on and off pit road cleanly. Getting in position for the final 50 laps is important, but those yellow stripes may make him a target.

Daniel Pope, No. 2 Dollar General/Music City Motorplex Chevrolet: Pope will make his series debut after winning a chance at the ride with Kevin Harvick Inc. Another driver making his series debut, he'll need to make sure he can stay out of trouble and log laps.

Kevin Hamlin, No. 4 Open Joist Dodge: Hamlin has made sporadic starts in the NASCAR Busch Series over the past two seasons, but this will be his first short track race in a Truck. He has plenty of short track experience, picking up two NASCAR Elite Division championships in the Northwest. He'll need all that experience to pick up a top ten.

Mike Skinner, No. 5 Toyota Tundra Toyota: Skinner has been on a roll in qualifying, picking up four consecutive Bud Pole awards. He's no slouch in race conditions either, racking up three wins and a worst finish - if you can call it that - of eighth all season. Skinner will be one of the favorites to win.

Travis Kvapil, No. 6 K&N Filters Ford: Kvapil's only Mansfield start ended with a busted radiator after getting caught in someone else's mess. That could happen to anyone at any time, but he's hoping for some good luck at Mansfield this season after a slow start in 2007. Look for Kvapil to qualify up front, and if they can get on and off pit road smoothly he should be near the front at the end.

Jason White, No. 7 Hooter's Energy Drink Chevrolet: White will make his first attempt at Mansfield. He has several short track runs under his belt, but not having any laps at Mansfield will make it an uphill climb. He will have new crew chief Barry Dodson assisting this weekend so maybe the learning curve will be shortened. After failing to make the field last week in Charlotte, qualifying will be the biggest part of this team's weekend.

Tim Sauter, No. 07 Lester Buildings Chevrolet: Sauter scored an top 20 finish at Charlotte, and the short track at Mansfield will suit the former ASA champion just fine. Green Light Racing racked up two top-10 finishes here in 2005, and could repeat that feat again this week. Sauter will need a clean stop and no rough stuff on the track to make it happen.

Blake Bjorklund, No. 8 MRD Motorsports Chevrolet: After scoring his best finish of the season at Martinsville, Bjorklund comes to Mansfield ready for some short track action. He excelled on the short tracks in ARCA competition last year, winning at Salem. He should be right at home this weekend.

Chad McCumbee, No. 08 TheGPSStore.com/Garmin Chevrolet: McCumbee ran up front at Martinsville before getting shoved into the fence late in the going. His team can get him up front, he just needs a little luck to stay up there.

Ted Musgrave, No. 9 Team ASE Toyota: Musgrave is no fan of the Mansfield track, but loves coming to Ohio and racing for the Ohio fans. He was up front last year until pit strategy bit him and he finished mid-pack. This truck has been strong on the short tracks the past two years, but they are still looking for that first win. Mansfield could be the place.

David Starr, No. 10 International/MaxxForce Diesel Ford: Starr has had a nightmare season to this point. But his best finish was an 11th at Martinsville, giving his team an added boost knowing they can get it done on the short tracks. He needs a good run to get momentum turned around for the summer stretch. Look for Starr to get up and race in the top ten this weekend.

Willie Allen, No. 13 ThorSport Racing Chevrolet: Allen finished sixth in his first NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series short track race at Martinsville in 2005. The ThorSport team is from nearby Sandusky, and has run well here in the past. Danny Gill will step in and call the shots for Allen this weekend, so look for the green machine near the front of the field. He could score his first top ten of the season.

Rick Crawford, No. 14 Power Stroke Diesel Ford: Crawford is fresh off his 125th top ten series finish last time out at Charlotte. He is always strong on short tracks, so look for the No. 14 to be a factor. Crawford always has to be considered a favorite, and this week is no different.

Bill Lester, No. 15 Billy Ballew Motorsports Chevrolet: Lester really shows his stuff on the intermediate tracks, but has struggled on the short tracks. He has short track wizard Richie Wauters on the pit box setting up the truck and making the calls, so Lester could be due for his best career short track run.

Chris Fontaine, No. 16 Xpress Motorsports Ford: Fontaine looks to make his fourth series start. He's been running the ASA Late Model Series so far in 2007, and they run many tracks similar to Mansfield along the way. Fontaine will have a good truck, but a lack of experience will put those bulls-eyes on his rear bumper too.

Ken Schrader, No. 18 Fastenal Dodge: Schrader is a short track master, and has previous experience at Mansfield. Unfortunately, that experience was decades ago when it was still a dusty dirt track. Schrader's team has shown some signs of life recently, and nearly pulled off a top ten at Charlotte. Look for them to get their first top ten together this weekend.

Kelly Bires, No. 21 Bush's Beans/Air Force Ford: Bires is a short track ace, but has little experience with racing heavy vehicles on the bullrings. He's a quick learner, so he should adapt in no time. But those yellow rookie stripes won't disappear, and that won't help him get any breaks. A solid top 15 run from this team would be a nice follow-up to a fourth last time out at Charlotte with Mark Martin at the wheel.

Johnny Benson, No. 23 Toyota Certified Used Vehicles Toyota: Benson is another short track master with an ASA championship in his pocket. The trials and tribulations at Charlotte were a rude awakening for last year's championship runner-up. Good teams don't stay down for long; look for Benson to rebound in style at Mansfield.

Todd Bodine, No. 30 Lumber Liquidators Toyota: Bodine led much of the first half of this race last year before pitting well after the bulk of the field. He was never able to regain track position although he had one of the fastest trucks in the field. This was the one that got away for this team last year. If they qualify up front, look for an early stop out of this bunch before they charge to the finish. Bodine could redeem himself with a win at MMP.

Ron Hornaday, No. 33 Camping World Chevrolet: Hornaday is the defending winner, and is fresh off a dominant win at Charlotte. He also looked like a winner in 2005 before getting pegged for an improper restart. He could become the first two-time Mansfield winner.

Ryan Matthews, No. 36 360 OTC Toyota: Matthews gets his break to run in the big leagues, stepping into the No. 36 he'll share with Tyler Walker this season. Matthews ran solidly in limited ARCA races last year and has a wealth of short track experience the past several years. He's in a good truck, but in the unenviable position of making his series debut this weekend. If he can handle what the veterans throw his way, he'll have a solid finish.

Clay Rogers, No. 40 Curtis Key Plumbing Chevrolet: Rogers has a lot of laps at Mansfield in the Hooters Pro Cup Series, including a victory or two. Of all the rookies this weekend, he has more experience here than all of them and probably as many or more laps on the track as 90 percent of the field. If they can run all day, look for a good finish out of this combination.

Tim Cowen, No. 42 Cowen Truck Line Ford: A local racer, Cowen attempted to make the Martinsville race earlier in the season. He'll need to make sure all the nuts and bolts are tight, and hope he can get a good lap in qualifying just to make the race.

Frank Kreyer, No. 44 Culver's Restaurants Chevrolet: Kreyer didn't get a lot of practice at Martinsville but pulled off an impressive qualifying lap to race his way into the show. He'll need to repeat that this weekend, but look for him to make it in safely. Once in, he needs to log laps and gain experience and respect.

Kraig Kinser, No. 47 Ginn Resorts Chevrolet: Kinser has a lot of racing experience in Ohio, most of it on dirt. He has a lot of fans, but he needs to make the race on speed after some disappointing finishes leave him out of a lock in position. He should qualify in on time, but he needs to a good finish at Mansfield to ensure he doesn't have to deal with qualifying on speed at Dover.

Bradley Reithmeyer, No. 49 All American Driver Challenge Dodge: Reithmeyer is young and hungry, and still wanting to make his first career start in the Truck Series. With just 38 trucks entered, this might prove to be his best chance yet. If he can qualify in on time, Reithmeyer just needs to log laps and gain experience with the Truck veterans.

T.J. Bell, No. 50 Heathcliff's Cat Litter Ford: After racking up his first career top ten run last week at Charlotte, Bell comes to Mansfield with some momentum behind him. Time spent running in ARCA the past couple of years have given him added experience on the short tracks which will come in handy this weekend.

Kelly Sutton, No. 51 Team Copaxone Chevrolet: Sutton is one of a dozen drivers that have been in each previous Truck Series race at Mansfield. She'll be one of the eight drivers that need to qualify on speed, but the Billy Ballew team should have her a stout ride for qualifying. If she can get in and mix it up come race day, she could rack up a top-20. The challenge will be keeping the fenders on it all day long.

Kerry Roseman, No. 53 MakeItBetter.net Dodge: Roseman is looking to make his series debut. His priority is making the race, which will be a tough challenge.

Terry Cook, No. 59 Harris Trucking Toyota: Cook is one of three Ohio drivers entered, and the only one locked in based on owner's points. He's had success in the Buckeye State, finishing third in the inaugural Mansfield race in 2004. His HT Motorsports team is starting to turn the corner and build momentum, and Cook could again challenge for a top-5.

Jack Sprague, No. 60 Con-way Freight Toyota: How's this for Sprague's three finishes at Mansfield: 2004 - first; 2005 - second; 2006 - second. Not too shabby. Sprague will be a favorite for the pole and the win.

Jack Smith, No. 63 Dave Porter Truck Sales Ford: "Short Track Jack" comes to the Trucks with a ton of ASA Late Model experience, and several wins at Mansfield in local late model competition in his back pocket. Smith has served as a fabricator for several teams and knows the trucks inside and out. He should be a lock to qualify on speed, and could be a top-20 runner once the race starts on Saturday.

Dennis Setzer, No. 75 Spears Manufacturing Chevrolet: Setzer was the runner-up behind Sprague in 2004, and has been seventh in 2005 and 2006. If someone told Setzer he'd finish seventh this year and continue the streak, he'd take it. A good top-10 run at Mansfield could be just what this team needs to get it's season turned around. Outside of a seventh at Atlanta, Setzer's other best finish is a 13th at Martinsville.

Brendan Gaughan, No. 77 South Point Hotel Chevrolet: Gaughan is no fan of short track racing, although at times he's done quite well on tracks less than a mile long. If he can position himself right after pit stops, Gaughan can do well here too. Getting off pit road in the front of the group will be key.

Matt Crafton, No. 88 Menards Chevrolet: Crafton used to use Mansfield as his short track test track before it was added to the series schedule in 2004, and has thousands more laps than anyone else here. ThorSport has always been competitive here, and this week should be no different. Look for Crafton in or near the top five at the end.

Erik Darnell, No. 99 Northern Tool + Equipment Ford: In seven short track starts, Darnell has two top-five finishes and three top-10 finishes. He ran 13th here last year. After a speed bump last week in Charlotte, look for Darnell back in the top ten this week at Mansfield.