(AP Photo/Mike Silverwood)
Ron Hornaday Jr has never won at Las Vegas in eight starts. He does have a solid record of five top-5 finishes. Even though Hornaday has captured the headlines over the last couple of weeks, it is Mike Skinner who is the biggest threat in Vegas. Skinner won from the pole in 2006, which reflects the fact that the pole sitter has finished in the top-10 in every LVMS event.
Since 2004, Skinner has two wins with four top-10 finishes, making his average finish a 5.4. Hornaday holds an 11.25 average finish in his four LVMS starts, and Matt Crafton comes in with an 18.1 average with eight starts. Last year, Crafton had his first top-10 at LVMS, with a third place finish. This week, however, Crafton won’t have to deal with the antics of Kevin Harvick, which may fuel a drive to make a statement
In 2008, Skinner passed Erik Darnell with just two laps to go and held on for the win with a margin of only 0.020 of a second. Two years earlier, Skinner dominated, leading for 114 laps, including the final 21.
Others to keep an eye on include Brian Scott and Tayler Malsam. Though Scott has an average finish this season of 11th, and Ickler averages 13th, both could consider LVMS a home track. Todd Bodine is returning in the yellow and black Lumber Liquidators colors this week and may be looking to make up for poor showings in the last couple of races. Mechnical issues took Bodine out of the running before he got completely up to speed in New Hampshire, and the previous week’s encounter with Crafton at Gateway immediately ignited fireworks from Bodine.
Finally, the entry list includes 35 teams, which means everyone will qualify. Notables on the list include: Ricky Carmichael (4), Max Papis (9), Brian Ickler (15), and Aric Almirola (51).
For more information on NASCAR Truck Series racing, check out:
New Hampshire truck race at a glance
Hornaday can expect more forays into the red mist
Crafton punts his way around Gateway
Janelle is a native of Southern California who follows a variety of racing formats. She finds the competition between hard-driving veterans and rising stars in the NASCAR Truck Series some of the best in the top tiers of racing. Janelle has been published in print and online, covering topics in both sports and academics. She also serves as the Southern California Motorsports Examiner.
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