NASCAR CWTS Recap: Todd Bodine wins for fifth time at Texas

Todd Bodine became the first driver in the history of the series to have five victories at one track, Texas Motor Speedway. They’ve all been accomplished in a Toyota for Germain Racing. It was Bodine’s 17th career victory in trucks, also all with Germain.

By Tim Tuttle
Special for the Sporting News NASCAR Wire Service

FORT WORTH, Texas — Todd Bodine won his fifth NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race Friday at Texas Motor Speedway, finishing 1.321 seconds in front of runner-up Matt Crafton in the WinStar World Casino 400.

Bodine became the first driver in the history of the series to have five victories at one track. They’ve all been accomplished in a Toyota for Germain Racing. It was Bodine’s 17th career victory in trucks, also all with Germain.

“It’s incredible to win five races at one track,” Bodine said. “It’s hard to win anywhere.”

Bodine took the lead on the 125th of 167 laps on the 1.5-mile superspeedway and was never threatened. He had a 2.5-second lead over Crafton’s ThorSport Racing Chevrolet with 25 laps to go and 2.1 with five remaining. Making sure he had enough fuel to reach the checkered flag, Bodine backed off the throttle on the final lap.

Bodine had been running third behind Ron Hornaday Jr.’s Kevin Harvick Inc. Chevrolet and Crafton when a sequence of green-flag pit stops began on lap 98.

Hornaday was penalized for a right-side tire violation and given a drive-through penalty, which put him a lap down. He never regained it. Hornaday had more trouble four laps from the end when he lost oil pressure and finished 19th.

With the series rule that limits trucks to taking only fuel or tires on a pit stop, Rick Crawford’s Circle Bar Racing Ford took the lead by making one stop for fuel as most of the rest of the trucks made two stops. It allowed Crawford to lead for 17 laps before the race’s second caution came out. Crawford pitted, along with all but two trucks: Bodine and Colin Braun’s Roush Fenway Racing Ford.

Bodine had made his last stop for fuel on lap 103. Crew chief Mike Hillman Jr. believed he could go the distance.

“We needed clean air,” Bodine said. “To get out front was key. Junior made a great call. I had to stretch the fuel at the end.”

Second was Crafton’s best finish of the season and moved him into the points lead for the first time in his nine seasons as a full-time driver in the series. He’s 30 points in front of Hornaday.

Crafton stopped during the final caution with 45 laps to go for four tires because of concerns of wear from a previous run that showed cords. Crafton restarted sixth and moved up to second with 30 laps remaining.

“Without a doubt, that’s the most disappointing second place I’ve ever had,” Crafton said.

Braun finished a season-best third. Johnny Benson’s Red Horse Racing Toyota was fourth and Crawford finished fifth.

Bodine averaged 152.282 mph in one of the fastest truck races in history. There were two cautions for 10 laps.