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Mike Skinner gives a double thumbs up after winning the Smith's Las Vegas 350 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. (David M. Vaughn Photo) |
Mike Skinner, driver of the No. 5 Bill Davis Racing Tundra, dominated Saturday evening's NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway to register his first victory of the season.
Skinner, who started from the pole position, led 114 of 146 laps to record his third Craftsman Truck Series win in a Tundra, as well as the 19th NCTS win of his career. The Daytona Beach, Fla.-driver passed fellow Tundra pilot Ted Musgrave on lap 125 and led the final 20 circuits on his way to the victory.
When Skinner crossed the finish line, it was Toyota's tenth win of the season, one more win than the nine Toyota recorded a year ago, and was Toyota's 22nd win since joining the Craftsman Truck Series at the beginning of the 2004 season.
Following Skinner to the Las Vegas finish line, and also registering top-five finishes, were Toyota drivers Ted Musgrave (second) and Johnny Benson (fourth).
"Tonight's results were pretty awesome," said Skinner, following the race. "We had a really good truck, in fact we were so good here we quit practice early yesterday and then quit practice early again today because I wanted to save laps for the race. I knew if the race stayed green at the end, and we didn't have a caution, we had a truck that was going to be hard to beat."
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Bud Pole winner Mike Skinner leads the field into the first corner. (Nate Mecha/High Sierra Photo) |
After several close calls this earlier this season, Skinner was happy to finally get to 'Victory Lane.' "It's about time we won a race," added Skinner. "This team has been strong enough to win races all year. Unfortunately, it's been either the driver messing up, or a mechanical problem, or a pit stop going wrong or that caution flag. And, I was praying that a caution wouldn't come out those last five laps tonight. We've dominated so many races this season and have come up short. This easily could have been our fifth win this year. We've doiminated four or five of these races and just come up short for one reason or another."
Musgrave's second-place finish in the No. 9 Team ASE Tundra equaled his best result of the year. "I was able to get close to Mike (Skinner) but I was never able to pass him," said Musgrave, following the race. "Whenever, I would get close - I would get an 'aero-push' and could never get around him."
Tundra drivers David Reutimann (sixth), Todd Bodine (12th) and Jack Sprague (13th) also recorded top-15 finishes at Las Vegas. Other Tundra drivers in the field at Las Vegas were Bill Lester (19th), David Starr (20th) and Chad Chaffin (25th).
Skinner captured the pole position in his No. 5 Tundra, his sixth pole position of the season and his 15th pole in a Tundra. It was also the veteran's 30th career Craftsman Truck Series pole.