Quick pit action keeps Todd Bodine in the fight for the win. (High Sierra Photo)

Todd Bodine continued his torrid late season hot streak with his fifth victory of 2005 and third consecutive win by taking the checkered flag in the Ford 200 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race Saturday morning at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Bodine, in the Germain Racing Toyota, started ninth and quickly made his way to the front, taking the lead for the first time on lap 38 and then retaking the lead for the second and final time after the field cycled through green flag pit stops on lap 117. With the win, Bodine becomes the leading race winner in the series in 2005.

Bodine had the dominant truck throughout the 134-lap race, but was forced to hold off a stiff challenge from Jack Sprague and Johnny Benson on a five-lap dash to the checkered. Sprague ran second in the Jeff Wyler Toyota throughout the middle stages of the race, but did not seem to have enough steam to run with Bodine on the long run. The short dash to the checkered was just what he needed to make a run on the lead, but he never could pull alongside. Sprague held off a hard charging Johnny Benson to finish second.

Benson finished third in the Aarons Rents Toyota for the third time in the past four races. Benson also worked the bottom groove in the final laps, but could not maintain the momentum coming off the sweeping corners. With the finish, Benson was able to move into the top ten in final series point standings. His third-place run also gace Toyota a sweep of the top three positions.

Mike Bliss finished fourth in the Chevy Trucks Chevy, while Bill Lester capped his season with a great top five finish in the SunTrust Toyota.

Kyle Busch came on strong on the final restart to run up to sixth at the checkered, while Raybestos Rookie of the Year Todd Kluever finished seventh. Mark Martin made his return to the series after a nine-year layoff and finished eighth in the Stonebridge Life Insurance Ford, Ron Hornaday was ninth in the GM Goodwrench Chevy, and Matt Crafton rounded out the top ten in the Menards Chevy.

The race was delayed by just over 12 hours after rain postponed the event from Friday evening. It got off to a slow start after Justin Hobgood spun and crashed in turn four on the first lap. Hobgood repeated his performance with an identical spin on lap 40 and he was narrowly missed by Mike Skinner as he slid down the speedway. Chris Wimmer and Robert Richardson were also involved in an accident on lap 52.

The race officially ended under caution as Joey Miller, David Starr, Jimmy Spencer, and Terry Cook got together coming off turn two on the final lap. Cook slid out of control after getting tapped from behind and pounded the inside wall. None of the drivers involved in any of the accidents were injured.

There were 9 lead changes among 9 drivers. There were seven caution flags for 24 laps and Bodine averaged 119.940 miles per hour on the way to victory.

The 2005 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series season is now concluded and will resume next February in Daytona.