Mike Skinner celebrates his second trip to Victory Lane for 07 after winning the American Commercial Lines 200. More event pictures in the Photo Gallery at the end of this page.

Skinner Gets Truck Win in Atlanta

HAMPTON, GA (March 16, 2007) - Under the lights at Atlanta Motor Speedway the American Commercial Lines 200 did not disappoint. The NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series drivers showed their superb skills on this chilly Georgia night. Mike Skinner’s No. 5 Toyota Tundra Toyota crossed the finish line first after taking the lead on the last restart on lap 122. He came into the race with the fastest truck and he dominated most of the race bringing Bill Davis Racing back into Victory Lane.

Mike Skinner started the race on the pole for the third time, and since the start of the race the action never stopped.

On the first lap the trucks got bunched up and Tyler Walker in the No. 36 360 OTC Toyota got collected in the “accordion effect” and came out with a smashed grill. The field continued to race the first lap until Chase Miller in the No. 4 Open Joist Dodge ran over the bumper bar debris left behind by Walker. Skinner led the field back to the restart after the caution. The drivers tonight were capable of using the several different grooves that the Atlanta Motor Speedway provides making great side-by-side racing throughout the event.

Todd Bodine in the No. 30 Lumber Liquidators Toyota started the race under the weather but once the race started Bodine was all business driving to the front on lap 18.

On lap 25 NASCAR issued a competition caution due to the lack of practice time the teams had on the tires. Atlanta is a very fast and competitive track and tire wear is a concern for these NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series officials and crew chiefs. Mike Skinner and Jack Sprague got their two Toyota’s off pit road first after the competition caution and led the pack back to the restart. Johnny Benson in the No. 23 Exide Toyota entered the race third in the series standings but didn’t have the luck he was hoping for when he had to pull down pit road on lap 33 for engine problems. Not long after Bodine grabbed the lead from Skinner on lap 43. Benson made a second attempt at finishing the race after his crew did all they could to get him back out, now several laps down.

On lap 56, Terry Cook in the No. 59 Harris Trucking Toyota, got into the wall after cutting down a right front tire sending out the third caution of the night. Bodine brought the pack back to the start/finish line for the restart. The drivers started to jockey for position as soon as the green flag dropped getting three and four wide. It was short lived though, when David Starr in the No. 10 International/Maxx Force Diesel Ford got into Chad McCumbee driving the No. 08 GPS Store/Garmin Chevrolet sending him into the outside wall bringing out the fourth caution of the evening on lap 67.

Bodine again leads the field back to green flag racing but not long after Skinner passes Bodine on the inside to take the lead. On lap 75 the fifth caution came out caused by Joey Clanton which collected Bill Lester and Travis Kvapil, after trying to avoid the accident. Skinner then led the field to the restart and ran a few laps in the lead but Bill Lester got into another truck sending him into the wall bringing out the sixth caution.

The restart was action packed with Brendan Gaughan leading the way but AJ Allmendinger quickly stole the lead. Clint Bowyer followed and soon there after he went by and took the lead. Mike Skinner was lurking the whole time and quickly passed Bowyer for the lead then the seventh caution came out when Craig Kinser got into the wall on lap 100. Skinner led the field back to the restart but Bowyer jumped him and took the lead quickly. Then Bill Lester spins again and ends his night bringing out the eighth caution on lap 106.

Clint Bowyer in the No. 2 Camping World Chevrolet led the pack to the restart and held off Rick Crawford and Mike Skinner to lead several laps until the No. 00 driven by AJ Allmendinger spins and brings out the ninth caution – a record for the Atlanta Motor Speedway with the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series.

With eight laps to go Bowyer brings the field back to the restart but Skinner bumped Bowyer and got him sideways as they crossed the start/finish line. Skinner then jumps to the outside and takes the lead from there on he was home free. Driving his way to victory.

Event News

3/14: Entry List (PDF)

3/16: Practice (PDF)

3/16: Qualifying order (PDF)

3/16: Qualifying Results (PDF)

3/16: Starting Lineup (PDF)

3/16: Race Results (PDF)

3/16: Point Standings (PDF)

Fast Facts
The Race: American Commercial Lines 200
The Place: Atlanta Motor Speedway
The Date: March 16, 2007
The Time: 10 p.m. (AT), 9 p.m. (ET)
TV: SPEED, 9:30 p.m. (AT), 8:30 p.m. (ET)
Track Layout: 1.54-mile oval
Race Purse: $536,410
2006 Winner: Todd Bodine
2006 Pole: Todd Bodine
Schedule (Local Times): Thursday, March 15— Practice 9:30 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.; 11:50:1.m. – 12:20 p.m. and 12:30 p.m. – 1:30 p.m. Qualifying 5:15 p.m. (live on SPEED)
Pre-Race Point Standings: click here (PDF)

Television

• Practice: Friday, March 16 (SPEED at 1:30 p.m. AT, 12:30 p.m. ET)
• Pre-Race: Friday, March 16 (SPEED at 9:30 p.m. AT, 8:30 p.m. ET)
• Race: Friday, March 16 (SPEED at 10 p.m. AT, 9 p.m. ET)

Pre-Race Notes

• Sprague & Crawford Stats Similar...Statistical similarities abound between Jack Sprague and Rick Crawford, who will make their 250th NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series starts Friday at Atlanta: Both drivers have held the consecutive starts record – Sprague at 170 (from 1995-2001) and Crawford at 210 (from 1997 until 2005). Both drivers also have won the season-opener at Daytona in three-wide, side-by-side finishes; Sprague did it this February. Both drivers also have won at .526-mile Martinsville Speedway, considered the series’ most difficult short track. Crawford has spent his entire series career with owner Tom Mitchell, a Texas truck-stop operator who’s never seen him race in person. In contrast, Sprague has competed for Bruce “Pee Wee” Griffin (starts 1-13), Rick Hendrick (starts 14-170), Steve Coulter/Dave Fuge (starts 171-217) and Jeff Wyler (starts 218 to 249). Lastly, Sprague can claim the most unusual sponsor. St. John’s Catholic Church in Princeton, Wis., sponsored his truck for two 1995 races to raise money for a new boiler. Industry connections led the church to Sprague’s team, which prompted over $2,500 in contributions, according to the pastor, Father Dale Grubba.
• Unique Training For Morgan-Dollar ... The crew for Morgan-Dollar Motorsports’ No. 47 Ginn Resorts Chevrolet didn’t sit idle last week. Several, including driver Kraig Kinser, visited the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center in Brunswick, Ga., bringing along a show truck and pit-stop practice truck. Team members toured the facility, which includes an indoor firing range, simulators, a driving course and a physical training facility. They also did a pit-stop demonstration, and even coached FLETC employees through a pit stop.
• Double Duty At Atlanta ... Two NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series drivers will participate in Friday’s NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series event at Atlanta. They are Clint Bowyer (No. 2 Camping World Chevrolet) and Ken Schrader (No. 18 Fastenal Dodge).
• No Atlanta Winning Streak ... Of the five events held at Atlanta Motor Speedway, none has spawned a repeat winner. Former winners who try to erase that fact this week are Ron Hornaday Jr. (No. 33 AES HR Solutions Chevrolet), who won the spring 2005 event; reigning series champion Todd Bodine (No. 30 Germain Racing Toyota), who won the spring 2006 event and Mike Bliss (No. 40 Key Motorsports Chevrolet), who won the fall 2006 event. Kyle Busch, who won the fall 2005 event, won’t compete this weekend. The late Bobby Hamilton, the 2004 series champion, won the spring 2004 event.
• Driver Change ... Brad Keselowski will drive the No. 7 Hooters Energy Driver Chevrolet this weekend for Pennington Racing. He replaces Casey Kingsland, who remains with the team in a testing mode. Keselowski’s top Atlanta finish was a 23rd in the 2005 spring event.

Photo Gallery - Friday, March 16


Mike Skinner leads Jack Sprague en route to victory in the American Commercial Lines 200.


Skinner does a celebratory burnout after winning.

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