Skinner wins Truck series race
Saturday, Sep. 12, 2009
MADISON, Ill. - Mike Skinner didn't start on the pole this week, but the result was the same.
Skinner started ninth Saturday and won the Copart 200 in a Camping World Trucks Series race at Gateway International Raceway that was marred by late crashes in back-to-back restarts with 10 laps remaining.
On the first restart, Todd Bodine bumped Matt Crafton, positioned to his inside, and went across the track, hit the wall and collected Colin Braun and Rick Crawford, prompting the race to be red flagged.
With just four laps to go, Crafton sent race leader and points leader Ron Hornaday spinning out after the two bumped on the first turn. Crafton was black-flagged and had to restart at the end of the lead line.
"I've won a couple like this, and I've probably lost 20 like this," Skinner said. "I've said it I don't know how many times: How are we going to ever police, how are we ever going to stop it being OK just to go out there in the first turn on a restart with five to go and wreck the leader to win races?
A week ago, Skinner won the first Trucks race at the Iowa Speedway, dominating the field from the pole for his second victory of the year and 27th overall.
Johnny Sauter finished second Saturday, 0.285 seconds behind Skinner, followed by Brian Scott. Aric Almirola finished fourth, and Tayler Malsam was fifth.
Crafton climbed back to finish sixth, and Sauter, who was upset that he didn't race Skinner harder, defended Crafton's driving.
"First of all, Matt Crafton won today," Sauter said. "I don't think Matt dumped anybody."
The 51-year-old Hornaday still leads the points race with 2,875, followed by Crafton (2,678) and Skinner (2,662).
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