Johnny Benson after winning the Toyota Tundra 200 at Nashville. (Ronda Greer Photo)

Bill Davis Racing NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series driver Johnny Benson has been on a roll the last seven races with three wins, taking his most recent this past Saturday. Currently second in series points behind Todd Bodine, Benson has eight top fives and 11 top 10's this year, and expects the momentum to continue as the series winds it way toward its first appearance at Talladega in the Oct. 7 Talladega 250.

"It's going to be interesting for sure, and it's going to definitely make a great race for the fans. Everybody is going to be jammed up tight, three-and four-wide racing, probably a little more so than the cars. I don't believe anybody will be able to pull away, so it will be a good race for the fans," Benson said.

Benson is one of several NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series drivers for whom racing at Talladega Superspeedway will not be an entirely new experience, having made starts here in other series in the past. Benson has 17 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series starts at Talladega, in which he posted three top 10's. He also has three NASCAR Busch Series starts here, in which he posted one top five. In addition, he ran the 1996 International Race of Champions race here, finishing 10th. Despite the numerous starts to his credit, Benson said it will still come down to the machines when the series makes its Talladega debut, and expects to see a lot of four-wide racing.

Ronda Greer Photo

"It's all going to be about the body, the handling and the horsepower you've got under the hood. That race is all about that, so I don't foresee me having a huge advantage (from having prior experience)," Benson said. "I don't think the surface will affect the racing, old or new. The new surface should give guys more opportunity to get even wider as far as that goes. And because the new surface will be smoother, that is going to be great, because before, you moved around a little bit more and you won't move around as much now. It will take a lot of the bobble out, which might make for more four-wide racing. Fans will enjoy that for sure."