Speed polishes toes and competition on way to first NASCAR victory
By Jeff Gluck – Associate Editor
Saturday, May 31, 2008
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David Griffin / NASCAR Scene
Scott Speed celebrates in his own unique way following his first NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series win Friday at Dover International Speedway.
DOVER, Del. – Scott Speed is eccentric, wild, hilarious and entirely unique.
He is also now a winner in the Craftsman Truck Series.
The former Formula One driver captured the AAA Insurance 200 at Dover International Speedway on Friday, becoming the third consecutive first-time winner in the series.
Speed, a 25-year-old American with European flair, won in just his sixth career start, pulling away to an easy win in his Red Bull-sponsored Bill Davis Racing ride. He finished 3.4 seconds ahead of Kevin Harvick Inc. teammates Jack Sprague and Ron Hornaday.
And how did it happen?
Blame it on the toenails. Just before the plane ride to Dover, Speed received a pedicure and had the tips of his toenails painted a dark blue.
"I think that's going to become kind of a tradition," Speed said.
Calling his driver "Toenail" on the radio, crew chief Doug Wolcott got Speed into the top five by taking just two tires on the final pit stop.
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The tires lasted long enough to win the race, aided greatly by Hornaday's engine troubles. A header problem left Hornaday running on seven cylinders, which thwarted his attempt to pass Speed on the last restart with 32 laps to go.
As a result, Speed was never challenged in the end as Hornaday and Sprague fought for second.
Roush Fenway Racing's Travis Kvapil finished fourth, followed by ThorSport Racing's Matt Crafton.
David Starr (Red Horse Racing), Mike Skinner (Bill Davis), Colin Braun (Roush Fenway), Rick Crawford (Circle Bar Racing) and Johnny Benson (Bill Davis) rounded out the top 10.
Kyle Busch had by far the best truck, leading the first 96 laps, but had transmission trouble on lap 97 and was forced to pit. Though he still had perhaps the fastest truck upon his return to the race, he finished 27th, 17 laps down.
Speed, whose style is quite different than most NASCAR drivers, celebrated by motioning to the crowd and then climbing atop his truck, where he posed with the checkered flag. He then held the monster-statue trophy and made faces with it in victory lane.
"You might dress funny, but you can drive the hell out of a race car," Wolcott told Speed on the team radio.
Speed then asked the team how exactly he was supposed to celebrate. The team told him he could do anything he wanted – including a burnout.
"This baby's been good to me all day – you think I'm gonna treat it like that?" Speed said. "That's ridiculous."
Crawford took the points lead by 20 over Crafton, 24 over Hornaday and 49 over previous points leader Todd Bodine (Germain Racing).
- Mentioned Drivers:
- Jack Sprague
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