Mike Skinner
<a href="http://www.stlracingphotos.com/Gateway-Raceway/Cobalt-200/9609600_oBtAp#647363672_MahAx" target="_blank">CLICK HERE FOR MORE PHOTOS FROM COPART 200 AT GATEWAY INT'L RACEWAY!</a>
Mike Skinner won the Copart 200 at Gateway International Raceway.
It was a warm day at GIR but the tempers were at a boiling point. The race was marred by eleven cautions mostly caused by accidents and then there was the late race dramatics with the center of attention, Matt Crafton, who currently sits in second in the points.
On a restart on lap 153, Crafton trailed Brett Bodine going into to turn one. Crafton went low Bodine cut him off, the cars touched, and the contact sent Bodine spinning off the track and then back into traffic. This brought out the red flag as the wrecked tracks were cleared off the track.
Bodine was furious after exiting the infield care center and blaming Crafton for deliberately wreck.
“That was very aggressive driving,” said a very frustrated Bodine. “You can’t fix stupid.”
An almost carbon copy happened on the very next restart with 2 laps remaining. Ron Hornaday was leading the race with Crafton in second. Adding to the the intesity is the fact that Crafton trailed Hornaday by 225 points for the overall season points.
Once again in turn one, Crafton tried to squeeze by low but Hornaday went down to block him. The two trucks touch and this time Hornaday went up into the wall ending his day.
“We know how to race him in future,” responded a dejected Hornaday after the race.
NASCAR also did not take Crafton’s action lightly and black flagged him for aggressive driving. Crafton had to come into the pits and then went to the end of the leaders on the lead lap. He ended up finishing in 6th place.
“I knew this was going to happen,” said eventual third place winner Brian Scott.
“I have seen it before and I drove cautiously and went to outside [to avoid the wreck]," added Scott.
The Crafton penalty opened the door for Mike Skinner who inherited the lead with Johnny Sauter right behind.
The fans who were already on their feet and cheered loudly it was announced about the Crafton penalty and anxously waited for the final restart of the race. This time Skinner had enough lead going int0 turn one to keep Sauter from touching his car and he held on for the last couple of laps to win the race.
“I knew the guy [Sauter] behind me really wanted to win,” said Skinner. “But I knew were really good going into the corner.”
The controversy was not over by a long shot. Sauter came in second and his finish was the highest for a rookie at Gateway in the NASCAR Camping series, but he too was furious.
“The number 5 [Skinner] passed me on the caution,” accused Sauter. “I didn’t know they [NASCAR officials] allow that to happen.”
Sauter was referring to the last caution when he thought Skinner had passed after the yellow flag came out. But NASCAR official refer to the last racing loop based on computer data and Skinner actually had the position.
“I have been on the short end of that call many times,” said a smiling Skinner. “If we got one today, then we got one back. I don’t want to give it back.”
Story & photos by:
Kevin Proot
Larry Vancil
St. Louis Motor Racing News
