FANTASY NASCAR Racin

an American NASCAR driver and the son of former Michigan modified driver John Benson, Sr. His career highlights include the 1993 American Speed Association AC-Delco Challenge series championship, the 1995 Xfinity Series championship, the 1996 NASCAR Cup Rookie of the Year award, and the 2008 NASCAR Truck Series championship. Benson was born in Grand Rapids, Michigan. He was late model champion at Berlin Raceway in Marne, Michigan before joining the American Speed Association (ASA) in 1990. During Benson's rookie season in the ASA he captured one pole position, led 174 laps and scored eight top 10 finishes to blitz the competition for the ASA's Pat Schauer Rookie of the Year award. In 1993, Benson made his Xfinity Series debut at Michigan International Speedway, driving the No. 41 Delco Remy Chevrolet for Ernie Irvan. He started 20th, but finished 40th after an early crash when he had flipped in the race. Benson was

hired to drive full-time for BACE in 1994. He won his first career race at the SplitFire 200 and finished sixth in points, winning Rookie of the Year honors. The following season, Benson won early in the season at Atlanta and Hickory and had nineteen top-tens, winning the championship. In 1996, he moved up to the Cup Series. A series Benson's father John Benson, Sr competed in for one race back in 1973. He joined the No. 30 Pennzoil team owned by Bahari Racing. He failed to qualify for one race at the Food City 500, but won the 1996 NASCAR Cup Rookie of the Year title. He won one pole at Atlanta Motor

Speedway. In August he dominated the Brickyard 400 before a problem on the last pit stop ended his chances for victory. In 1997, Benson had eight top-tens, but did not finish in the top-five once. At the end of the season he announced he would be joining Roush Racing to run the brand-new #26 General Mills/Cheerios Ford Taurus. He missed the season opening Daytona 500, then finished 30th at the following race. He then had a streak of no finishes worse than ninth over the next five races and rose as high as tenth in points. For the rest of the season, his best finish was ninth and he qualified no higher than

second. He finished 20th in points. Benson had numerous crew chiefs in 1999. He had two top 10 finishes and finished 28th in the final standings. After a long negotiation, he was able to buy out his contract and announced he would leave Roush. At the start of the 2000 Winston Cup Series Season Johnny found himself without a sponsor when he signed on to join Tyler Jet Motorsports to run the No. 10 car. The team showed up at Daytona Speed weeks with a white unsponsored Pontiac Grand Prix. Lycos.com signed on to be the team's sponsor for the year on the morning of the Daytona 500. During the race Johnny and crew chief James Ince gambled on a late pitstop when they took only 2 right side tires and fuel, to come out with the lead with 43 laps to go. He held off

thefield until a multi-car crash brought out the caution in the final 10 laps. On the restart with 4 laps to go Benson was leading with Dale Jarrett and Jeff Burton right behind. Jarrett bumped Benson, sending him up the track going into turn one, then passed him for the win while Benson slid back in 12th. At the July Pepsi 400, the Tyler Jet Motorsports car showed up at Daytona again with a white car. During the weekend before the race the team removed the Lycos.com decals. Reports said that it was because Lycos never paid. Tyler Jet went sponsorless for the next 4 races before Aaron's came aboard right before the team shut down. During the sponsorless run the team was sold to MB2 Motorsports. In August, Valvoline

announced they would not only sponsor the team but become part owner. Benson finished in thirteenth place in the final points. Benson started 2002 with a 10th-place finish in the Daytona 500 despite a crash early in the race. In May, Benson agreed to race in the Richmond Busch Series race for Marsh Racing in the No. 31 Whelen Engineering Chevrolet. Benson was involved in a wreck in the early stages of the races and ended up with broken ribs and he missed three Cup races. At the Pepsi 400 in Daytona he started sixth, and on the eighth lap he got together with Michael Waltrip. Benson ended up re-breaking his ribs which put him out of action for two more races. As 2002 come to a conclusion; Benson would find himself winning at Rockingham driving the #10 Valvoline Pontiac; he beat out Mark Martin by .2 seconds. Benson would start 26th and have a good run all day. The last 100

laps were run under green; and with 28 laps to go Benson would bypass Kurt Busch to take the lead for the first time. He would go on to lead the final 28 laps to get the win. 2003 would be the final season Benson ran full time in the Cup series; he would have two top five finishes and finish 24th in points. He would run 10 more Cup races over the next four years with a 27th place finish being his best effort. His final Cup start was in Homestead. He would start 20th, but see his engine expire after only 73 laps and finish last. As little success as Benson had in the Cup series; he did have success in the Xfinity and Truck series. He ran 11 years in the Xfinity series winning three times. Once in 1994 and twice in 1995; all whiledriving

the #74 owned by Bill Baumgardner. Benson would also run 10 season in the NASCAR Truck series. He posted 14 wins in his 138 starts. From 2006-2008 he would finish in the top three in points; winning the Championship in 2008. He won all 14 of his Truck wins during this period; driving the #23 truck for owner Bill Davis. On June 13, 2009 Benson was burned in a fiery crash in an ISMA Supermodifieds race at Berlin Raceway. (photo above). He was transported to Spectrum Health Butterworth Hospital with where he was hospitalized suffering from a broken collarbone, separated shoulder, three broken ribs, bruised lungs, a fractured wrist and third-degree burns on one elbow. After undergoing two surgeries for the burns and a separated shoulder, Benson fully recovered. However; he would only attempt five more starts in the NASCAR series. All would come in the Truck series. Benson showed he still had the abilities to be competitive as all five finishes were inside the top 10; with a best being fifth at Martinsville and Kansas. For his Cup career Benson made 274 starts over a 12 year span with the one win; he also had 18 top five finishes. He ran in 91 Xfinity races winning three times and claimed the Championship in 1995. He raced in the Trucks 138 times and claimed 14 victories and the Championship in 2008. Some info from WikiPedia

Fantasy NASCAR Racing

JOHNNY BENSON - 06/27/1963