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.

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

Florida Dodge Dealers 400
The inaugural Florida Dodge Dealers 400 was held March 17 at Homestead Motorsports Complex. 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 Jr.
 * 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 Jr.
 * 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 Jr.
 * 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 supposed to air on CBS; however, after a 3 hour rain delay, CBS left the speedway, and therefore the race was not broadcast. This was the only Truck Series start for Rusty Wallace. The race was shortened to 152 laps due to rain.

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 crashed 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. 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) 98-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 Fran. 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 5 at Sears Point 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 13 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) 24-Jack Sprague
 * 6) 19-Butch Miller
 * 7) 21-Doug George
 * 8) 43-Rich Bickle
 * 9) 20-Walker Evans -1
 * 10) 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) 87-Joe 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.

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.