Benson keeps lead

Hornaday wins truck race

Ron Hornaday went to the front early and came back again late to win the Camping World 200 Truck Series race at Gateway International Raceway in Madison, Ill., on Saturday.

Hornaday, who led the most laps, came to Gateway trying to chip away at Johnny Benson's lead in the standings. But the victory took a minimal bite out of the points picture as Benson wound up third.

Benson's lead in the standings shrunk to 94 points with just eight races remaining in the season.

Pole-sitter Dennis Setzer finished second.

Seven cautions slowed the event, but they couldn't stop Hornaday. Few drivers in the field could run with the defending series champion and even Benson said on his radio that with 13 laps remaining he had nothing for the leader.

Todd Bodine finished fourth, and Jack Sprague was fifth.

It was Hornaday's fourth victory of the Truck Series season.

TOYOTA IS TICKED: Toyota officials are less than pleased about NASCAR's latest rule change to its motors, this one aimed at cutting back horsepower in the Truck Series engines.

NASCAR in July throttled the horsepower in Toyota's Nationwide Series engines, which also incensed the manufacturer.

Toyota Racing Development president Lee White said Friday both NASCAR moves were aimed at evening the competition in series' where Toyota dominates.

"Without a question, this latest one is a direct result of winning four straight races and finishing 1-2-3-4 at Bristol," White said. "I just don't swallow the technical argument."

Johnny Benson won Kentucky, Indianapolis and Nashville in a Toyota, and Kyle Busch, Todd Bodine, Scott Speed and Benson gave the Tundra the top four positions at Bristol.

NASCAR believes Toyota's engine program is so advanced over the other manufacturers, that it has built an unfair advantage over the competition. NASCAR has stressed that Toyota has played within the rules, but it's technology has given it an edge.

White is upset Toyota is being punished for working hard.

"In our opinion, there is no technical justification for this unjustly choke," he said.