Top Ad
I DIG Radio
www.idigradio.com
Listen live to the best music from around the world!
I DIG Style
www.idigstyle.com
Learn about the latest fashion styles and more...

One Hit Wonder: Johnny Benson Jr.

Written by 
Published in Racing
Monday, 27 April 2020 08:04

One hundred ninety-three drivers have won races in the NASCAR Cup Series. Of those drivers, 61 won only one race.

We’re diving into the National Speed Sport News archives to look back at some of these one-hit wonders and the races they won.

Johnny Benson Jr. had a long and successful career that included championships in the NASCAR Xfinity Series and NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series, but success often eluded him at NASCAR’s top level.

However, on Nov. 3, 2002, Benson found victory lane in the NASCAR Cup Series at North Carolina Speedway in Rockingham, N.C.

Driving for Nelson Bowers in the No. 10 Valvoline Pontiac, Benson started 26th in the 393-lap event. He worked his way toward the front and by the end of the day was in contention for the victory.

He did so by pitting for fuel on lap 292 and not hitting pit road again, putting him in a position where he would have to save fuel if he hoped to make it to the checkered flag. However, he had one of NASCAR’s best chasing him.

After taking the lead from Kurt Busch on lap 366, Benson found Mark Martin in close pursuit. Martin, driving the same No. 6 Ford that had been sponsored for years by Benson’s sponsor Valvoline, took second from Busch on lap 370 and began chasing Benson.

Martin couldn’t quite catch Benson in the final dash to the checkered flag. Benson beat Martin to the checkered flag by .261 seconds, earning his only NASCAR Cup Series victory.

Benson celebrated the victory with a burnout on the frontstretch and promptly ran out of fuel.

“James (Ince, crew chief) said before it went green: ‘It’s within a half a lap, I just don’t know what side of the start-finish line it’s going to be on. We’ll just have to deal with it’,” Benson told National Speed Sport News at the time. “I knew the way he was calculating it was based on what we were doing earlier. The track got so slow at the end, I knew gas mileage would come to us in the end.”

Benson led 520 laps during his career and finished second three additional times in Cup Series competition, but the victory at North Carolina Speedway was his only series triumph in 274 starts.

Read 868 times

Soccer

Napoli honor Maradona on anniversary of passing

Napoli honor Maradona on anniversary of passing

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsNapoli fans and club officials paid tribute to Diego Maradona on th...

Ronaldo double bolsters Al Nassr's ACL place

Ronaldo double bolsters Al Nassr's ACL place

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsCristiano Ronaldo netted a pair of goals in Al Nassr's Asian Champi...

Raya warns Arsenal of 'in-form' Gyökeres' threat

Raya warns Arsenal of 'in-form' Gyökeres' threat

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsDavid Raya has warned his Arsenal teammates that Sporting CP forwar...

2026 FIFA


2028 LOS ANGELES OLYMPIC

UEFA

2024 PARIS OLYMPIC


Basketball

Morant back for Grizzlies after missing 8 games

Morant back for Grizzlies after missing 8 games

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsMEMPHIS, Tenn. -- Ja Morant was in the lineup Monday night for the...

Rockets' VanVleet hit with $50K fine for tirade

Rockets' VanVleet hit with $50K fine for tirade

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsRockets guard Fred VanVleet was fined $50,000 by the NBA on Monday...

Baseball

Ex-big leaguer Chirinos joins O's as bench coach

Ex-big leaguer Chirinos joins O's as bench coach

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsBALTIMORE -- Robinson Chirinos replaced Fredi González on Monday as...

MLB alters Rays' schedule; 69 of last 103 on road

MLB alters Rays' schedule; 69 of last 103 on road

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsNEW YORK -- Major League Baseball switched a pair of series involvi...

Sports Leagues

  • FIFA

    Fédération Internationale de Football Association
  • NBA

    National Basketball Association
  • ATP

    Association of Tennis Professionals
  • MLB

    Major League Baseball
  • ITTF

    International Table Tennis Federation
  • NFL

    Nactional Football Leagues
  • FISB

    Federation Internationale de Speedball

About Us

I Dig® is a leading global brand that makes it more enjoyable to surf the internet, conduct transactions and access, share, and create information.  Today I Dig® attracts millions of users every month.r

 

Phone: (800) 737. 6040
Fax: (800) 825 5558
Website: www.idig.com
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Affiliated