1996 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series

The **1996 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series** was the second season of the Craftsman Truck Series, the third highest stock car racing series sanctioned by NASCAR in the United States. Ron Hornaday, Jr. of Dale Earnhardt, Inc. won the championship.

ESPN and TNN broadcast eight races each. CBS carried five races while TBS aired three races.

## Teams and drivers

### Full-time schedule

List of full-time teams at the start of 1996.

## Races

### Florida Dodge Dealers 400

The inaugural Florida Dodge Dealers 400 was held March 17 at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Geoff Bodine won the pole. The race was broadcast on TNN.

**Top ten results**

1. 7-Dave Rezendes
2. 24-Jack Sprague
3. 16-Ron Hornaday, Jr.
4. 94-Ron Barfield
5. 44-Bryan Reffner
6. 27-Terry McCarthy
7. 8-John Nemechek
8. 42-Jay Sauter -1
9. 00-Frank Kimmel -1
10. 21-Doug George -1

### Chevrolet Desert Star 300

The Chevrolet Desert Star 300 was held April 21 at Phoenix International Raceway. Mike Skinner won the pole. The race was broadcast on TNN.

**Top ten results**

1. 24-Jack Sprague
2. 3-Mike Skinner
3. 98-Butch Miller
4. 44-Bryan Reffner
5. 16-Ron Hornaday, Jr.
6. 6-Rick Carelli
7. 80-Joe Ruttman
8. 94-Ron Barfield
9. 75-Bobby Gill
10. 64-Michael Dokken -1

### Craftsman 200

The Craftsman 200 was held May 4 at Portland Speedway. Rich Bickle won the pole. The race was broadcast by TBS.

**Top ten results**

1. 16-Ron Hornaday, Jr.
2. 2-Mike Bliss
3. 3-Mike Skinner
4. 17-Bill Sedgwick
5. 98-Butch Miller
6. 6-Rick Carelli
7. 44-Bryan Reffner
8. 24-Jack Sprague
9. 80-Joe Ruttman
10. 30-Jimmy Hensley

### Jerr-Dan/Nelson Truck 200

The Jerr-Dan/Nelson Truck 200 was held May 11 at Evergreen Speedway. Tobey Butler won the pole. The race was broadcast on TBS.

**Top ten results**

1. 2-Mike Bliss
2. 16-Ron Hornaday, Jr.
3. 53-Dan Press
4. 43-Rich Bickle
5. 3-Mike Skinner
6. 52-Tobey Butler
7. 30-Jimmy Hensley
8. 80-Joe Ruttman
9. 94-Ron Barfield
10. 17-Bill Sedgwick -1

### NAPA 200

The NAPA 200 was held May 25 at Tucson Raceway Park. Bryan Reffner won the pole. The race was broadcast on ESPN.

**Top ten results**

1. 3-Mike Skinner
2. 43-Rich Bickle
3. 16-Ron Hornaday, Jr.
4. 30-Jimmy Hensley
5. 24-Jack Sprague
6. 17-Bill Sedgwick
7. 75-Bobby Gill
8. 7-Dave Rezendes
9. 64-Michael Dokken
10. 29-Bob Keselowski

### Colorado 250

The Colorado 250 was held June 1 at Colorado National Speedway. Rich Bickle won the pole. The race was broadcast on CBS.

**Top ten results**

1. 3-Mike Skinner
2. 98-Butch Miller
3. 30-Jimmy Hensley
4. 24-Jack Sprague
5. 7-Dave Rezendes
6. 80-Joe Ruttman
7. 17-Bill Sedgwick
8. 16-Ron Hornaday, Jr.
9. 42-Jay Sauter
10. 21-Doug George

### Lund Look 225

The Lund Look 225 was held June 9 at Heartland Park Topeka. Ron Hornaday, Jr. won the pole. The race was broadcast on TNN.

**Top ten results**

1. 3-Mike Skinner
2. 24-Jack Sprague
3. 16-Ron Hornaday, Jr.
4. 2-Mike Bliss
5. 42-Jay Sauter
6. 18-Johnny Benson
7. 52-Ken Schrader
8. 99-Jeff Burton
9. 7-Dave Rezendes
10. 17-Bill Sedgwick

### Coca-Cola 200

The Coca-Cola 200 was held June 22 at Bristol Motor Speedway. Mike Skinner won the pole. On lap 162 Mike Bliss crashed on the front stretch where he hit and rode up the wall and tore down a part of the catch fencing. The race was broadcast on ESPN.

**Top ten results**

1. 6-Rick Carelli
2. 7-Dave Rezendes
3. 42-Jay Sauter
4. 3-Mike Skinner
5. 24-Jack Sprague
6. 80-Joe Ruttman
7. 75-Bobby Gill
8. 16-Ron Hornaday, Jr.
9. 19-Lance Norick -1
10. 20-Walker Evans -1

### DeVilbiss Superfinish 200

The inaugural DeVilibiss Superfinish 200 was held June 30 at Nazareth Speedway. Jimmy Hensley won the pole. The race was broadcast on CBS.

**Top ten results**

1. 24-Jack Sprague
2. 30-Jimmy Hensley
3. 98-Butch Miller
4. 99-Jeff Burton
5. 16-Ron Hornaday, Jr.
6. 18-Johnny Benson
7. 80-Joe Ruttman
8. 07-Geoff Bodine
9. 22-Rusty Wallace
10. 44-Bryan Reffner

### Sears Auto Center 200

The Sears Auto Center 200 was held July 6 at The Milwaukee Mile. Mike Bliss won the pole. The race was broadcast on CBS.

**Top ten results**

1. 24-Jack Sprague
2. 17-Bill Sedgwick
3. 16-Ron Hornaday, Jr.
4. 30-Jimmy Hensley
5. 2-Mike Bliss
6. 75-Bobby Gill
7. 3-Mike Skinner
8. 7-Dave Rezendes -1
9. 15-Mark Gibson -2
10. 65-Kenny Allen -2

### Ford Dealers 225

The Ford Dealers 225 was held July 20 at Louisville Motor Speedway. Mike Bliss won the pole. The race was broadcast on CBS.

**Top ten results**

1. 16-Ron Hornaday, Jr.
2. 3-Mike Skinner
3. 30-Jimmy Hensley
4. 7-Dave Rezendes
5. 80-Joe Ruttman
6. 44-Bryan Reffner
7. 6-Rick Carelli
8. 24-Jack Sprague
9. 98-Butch Miller
10. 8-John Nemechek

### Western Auto 200

The Western Auto 200 was held July 27 at I-70 Speedway. Butch Miller won the pole. On lap 121 Bob Keselowski crash in turn 1 broke the wall and rolled down the banking 2 1/2 times. The race was broadcast on TNN.

**Top ten results**

1. 2-Mike Bliss
2. 3-Mike Skinner
3. 6-Rick Carelli
4. 16-Ron Hornaday, Jr.
5. 17-Bill Sedgwick
6. 21-Doug George
7. 75-Nathan Buttke -1
8. 30-Jimmy Hensley -1
9. 7-Dave Rezendes -1
10. 43-Rich Bickle -1

### Cummins 200

The Cummins 200 was held August 1 at Indianapolis Raceway Park. Mike Skinner won the pole. The race was broadcast on ESPN.

**Top ten results**

1. 3-Mike Skinner
2. 24-Jack Sprague
3. 2-Mike Bliss
4. 16-Ron Hornaday, Jr.
5. 43-Rich Bickle
6. 42-Jay Sauter
7. 22-Kenny Wallace
8. 75-Nathan Buttke
9. 66-Mike McLaughlin
10. 4-Tony Stewart

* Mike Skinner lead flag to flag (all 200 laps)

### Stevens Beil/Genuine Parts 200

The Stevens Beil/Genuine Parts 200 was held August 10 at Flemington Speedway. Bryan Reffner won the pole. The race was broadcast on TNN.

**Top ten results**

1. 3-Mike Skinner
2. 2-Mike Bliss
3. 43-Rich Bickle
4. 7-Dave Rezendes
5. 24-Jack Sprague
6. 16-Ron Hornaday, Jr.
7. 6-Rick Carelli
8. 33-Harry Gant
9. 30-Jimmy Hensley
10. 98-Butch Miller -1

### Parts America 150

The Parts America 150 was held August 25 at Watkins Glen International Raceway. Steve Park won the pole qualifying the truck driven by Joe Nemechek. The race was broadcast on ESPN.

**Top ten results**

1. 16-Ron Hornaday, Jr.
2. 87-Joe Nemechek
3. 3-Mike Skinner
4. 24-Jack Sprague
5. 43-Rich Bickle
6. 80-Joe Ruttman
7. 27-Rob Rizzo
8. 30-Jimmy Hensley
9. 21-Doug George
10. 20-Walker Evans

### Federated Auto Parts 250

The Federated Auto Parts 250 was held August 31 at Nashville Speedway USA. Jack Sprague won the pole. The race was broadcast on TNN.

**Top ten results**

1. 7-Dave Rezendes
2. 16-Ron Hornaday, Jr.
3. 24-Jack Sprague
4. 9-Butch Miller
5. 44-Bryan Reffner
6. 21-Doug George
7. 64-Michael Dokken
8. 30-Jimmy Hensley
9. 6-Rick Carelli
10. 2-Mike Bliss -1

### Fas Mart Truck Shootout

The Fas Mart Truck Shootout was held September 5 at Richmond International Raceway. Kenny Irwin, Jr. won the pole. The race was shortened to 124 laps due to rain from Hurricane Hortense. The race was broadcast on ESPN.

**Top ten results**

1. 3-Mike Skinner
2. 16-Ron Hornaday, Jr.
3. 99-Mark Martin
4. 80-Joe Ruttman
5. 62-Kenny Irwin, Jr.
6. 75-Nathan Buttke
7. 98-Butch Miller
8. 33-Harry Gant
9. 5-Darrell Waltrip
10. 52-Tobey Butler

### Pennzoil/VIP Tripleheader

The Pennzoil/VIP Tripleheader was held September 8 at New Hampshire International Speedway. Mike Skinner won the pole. The race was broadcast on TNN.

**Top ten results**

1. 16-Ron Hornaday, Jr.
2. 24-Jack Sprague
3. 2-Mike Bliss
4. 18-Steve Park
5. 28-Ernie Irvan
6. 9-Joe Bessey
7. 44-Bryan Reffner
8. 80-Joe Ruttman
9. 30-Jimmy Hensley -1
10. 17-Bill Sedgwick -1

### Hanes 250

The Hanes 250 was held September 21 at Martinsville Speedway. Bobby Hamilton won the pole. The race was broadcast on ESPN.

**Top ten results**

1. 3-Mike Skinner
2. 98-Butch Miller
3. 24-Jack Sprague
4. 16-Ron Hornaday, Jr.
5. 5-Darrell Waltrip
6. 80-Joe Ruttman
7. 43-Rich Bickle
8. 99-Jeff Burton
9. 30-Jimmy Hensley
10. 33-Harry Gant

### Lowe's 250

The final Lowe's 250 was held September 28 at North Wilkesboro Speedway. Johnny Benson won the pole. The race was broadcast on ESPN.

**Top ten results**

1. 99-Mark Martin
2. 24-Jack Sprague
3. 98-Butch Miller
4. 22-Kenny Wallace
5. 80-Joe Ruttman
6. 6-Rick Carelli
7. 18-Johnny Benson
8. 43-Rich Bickle
9. 3-Mike Skinner
10. 5-Darrell Waltrip

### Kragen 151

The Kragen 151 was held October 7 at Sears Point International Raceway. Mike Skinner won the pole. The race was broadcast on ESPN.

**Top ten results**

1. 7-Dave Rezendes
2. 16-Ron Hornaday, Jr.
3. 3-Mike Skinner
4. 80-Joe Ruttman
5. 21-Doug George
6. 24-Jack Sprague
7. 2-Mike Bliss
8. 44-Bryan Reffner
9. 6-Rick Carelli
10. 30-Jimmy Hensley

### Ford Dealers/Ford Credit 300

The Ford Dealers/Ford Credit 300 was held October 14 at Mesa Marin Raceway. Ron Hornaday, Jr. won the pole. The race was broadcast on TNN.

**Top ten results**

1. 3-Mike Skinner
2. 16-Ron Hornaday, Jr.
3. 80-Joe Ruttman
4. 2-Mike Bliss
5. 98-Butch Miller
6. 21-Doug George
7. 43-Rich Bickle
8. 20-Walker Evans -1
9. 7-Dave Rezendes -1

### GM Goodwrench/AC Delco 300

The GM Goodwrench/AC Delco 300 was held October 26 at Phoenix International Raceway. Jack Sprague won the pole. The race was broadcast on TBS.

**Top ten results**

1. 24-Jack Sprague
2. 18-Johnny Benson
3. 80-Joe Ruttman
4. 3-Mike Skinner
5. 99-Ted Musgrave
6. 52-Tobey Butler
7. 16-Ron Hornaday, Jr.
8. 87Joe Nemechek
9. 21-Doug George
10. 33-Harry Gant

### Carquest 420K

The Carquest 420K was held November 3 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Bryan Reffner won the pole. The race was broadcast on CBS.

**Top ten results**

1. 24-Jack Sprague
2. 4-Bill Elliott
3. 80-Joe Ruttman
4. 1-Michael Waltrip
5. 7-Dave Rezendes
6. 18-Robby Gordon
7. 3-Mike Skinner
8. 52-Ken Schrader
9. 44-Bryan Reffner
10. 16-Ron Hornaday, Jr.

## Final points standings

See also: List of NASCAR points scoring systems

## Rookie of the Year

Bryan Reffner was named the 1996 Craftsman Truck Series Rookie of the year, winning three poles and finishing ninth in points. He was followed by Doug George, who had eight top-tens over the course of the season, and Lance Norick, who split the season between two different teams. Bobby Gill began the year with Spears Motorsports, but was released. Jay Sauter and Lonnie Cox ran abbreviated schedules for their teams.

## See also

* 1996 NASCAR Winston Cup Series
* 1996 NASCAR Busch Series

## References

* Craftsman Truck Series standings and statistics for 1996