High Sierra Photo

"Domination" is the only word that could accurately describe the No. 23 Toyota Certified Used Vehicles Tundra team's performance Saturday in the New Hampshire 200 at the "Magic Mile". The team led 145 of 200 laps en route to its fourth victory of the 2006 campaign. With seven events remaining in the season, Johnny Benson sits only 124 points out of first place in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Championship standings.

Benson was happy with his No. 23 Toyota Certified Used Vehicles Tundra in both of Friday's practice sessions. Crew chief Rick Ren prescribed a couple of small adjustments to the truck, hoping it would help Benson turn better in the center of the corners. The team also made a couple of small wedge and trackbar adjustments to the truck to see how it would react during the race. At the end of the final practice session, the No. 23 team believed it was capable of winning Saturday afternoon.

Benson started the 200-lap event on the outside of the front row next to his Bill Davis Racing teammate Mike Skinner. It only took three corners for Benson to take the lead and begin pulling away from the field. On lap three, he reported to his crew that the handling of his truck was a little free, but he felt like it would improve as the race progressed. Benson led the first 43 laps of the event, posting lap times that were consistently .2 seconds faster than that of the rest of the field.

When the caution flag was displayed to the field on lap 43, the team prepared for its first pit stop of the day. Benson brought his Tundra down pit road on lap 45. The team made a slight air pressure during the four-tire stop and returned Benson to the track in second place.

It only took one lap for Benson to reclaim the lead, which he held for the next 70 circuits. He communicated to his crew on lap 113 that the handling was getting a little tight in the corners, and he would need a small adjustment during the final pit stop of the day. Benson made that final stop under caution on lap 119. After a four-tire stop, he restarted third on lap 123.

After the restart, Benson and points leader Todd Bodine spent 15 laps engaged in a dramatic side-by-side battle for the runner-up spot. The No. 23 Tundra prevailed, and Benson set his sights on regaining the lead.

Benson took the lead for the final time on lap 166 and never looked back. He took the checkered flag in front of Skinner, who finished in second. It marked the first one-two finish in Bill Davis Racing history.

Benson and the No. 23 Toyota Certified Used Vehicles Tundra head to "Sin City" this weekend to compete at Las Vegas Motor Speedway Saturday, Sept. 23. The race can be seen live on the Speed Channel.