|| *Comments on the 1995 Skoal Bandit Copper World Classic:* View the most recent comment <#50> | Post a comment <#post> Tweet 1. tquievryn posted: 01.05.2005 - 8:05 pm Rate this comment: (3) (0) THE FIRST EVER OFFICIAL CTS RACE showed why the CTS would become a popular series. Terry Labonte and Mike Skinner raced side by side for the last 10 laps, and made contact as they crossed the checkers. Skinner won by .09 seconds. It was his first victory of any major series. Cup and Busch drivers who participated: Labonte, Ken Schrader, Joe Bessey, Geoffery Bodine, Johnny Benson, 2. Person posted: 11.04.2005 - 8:15 pm Rate this comment: (1) (0) Yes, the first race ever. Teh series has changed so much, but it's still my favorite. Time flys by so fast, looking back it has been an awesome history. 3. Darrell posted: 01.01.2006 - 12:22 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) I think it really said a lot about of the future of the series when the likes of Walker Evans, Jerry Glanville, and Harry Gant all raced in the Trucks. 4. Scott posted: 04.17.2006 - 8:18 pm Rate this comment: (1) (0) I was pitting for a USAC Midget that weekend at PIR and was standing in the Mike Skinner's pits with Richard Childress when he won. Needless to say, it was a very exciting weekend! By the way, our driver flipped the midget on to pit road as he took the checker flag. Luckly, he wasn't hurt, but the midget was destroyed. 5. J. Kircher posted: 04.19.2006 - 12:23 am Rate this comment: (1) (0) Scott, who's team were you pitting? 6. MegaRacer posted: 10.08.2006 - 12:05 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) Wasn't the series called the NASCAR SuperTruck Series at first? Before Craftsman signed up to sponsor the series? 7. Brian posted: 10.12.2006 - 11:06 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) to MegaRacer: yeah i believe for the first season there was no Craftsman sponsor...it was called the Sportsman Truck Series...or something along the lines of that...and then in '96 Craftsman started sponsoring the series 8. Anonymous posted: 12.23.2006 - 12:29 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) Does anybody know what Jack Sprague was doing in 1994? He had no Busch or Cup starts that year (his Cup debut was in 1996), and the Supertruck Series by Craftsman (I think that was the name of the series in 1995) didn't officially start until 1995. 9. SK posted: 12.29.2006 - 3:02 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) I think Sprague went back to the Winston Racing Series, where he had won a track championship a few years earlier. 10. BurtonRuddFan posted: 04.28.2007 - 1:45 am Rate this comment: (1) (0) First ever truck race! It also showed that how some of the people that participated in this race such as Hornaday, Sprague, and Skinner would rule the truck series for the rest of the years up even until current times. 11. Billy Kingsley posted: 11.13.2007 - 4:15 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) I would really like to find a copy of this and other early Truck races on tape...I have a collection of over 200 tapes I could provide in return, dating from 1984-2007, although the concentration is 87-94 and 05-07. (I purchased the ones pre-2005, and have taped the rest myself) Thanks! Billy 12. RaceFanX posted: 02.15.2008 - 12:51 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) To verify a previous comment, the series was called the NASCAR SuperTruck Series in its first year. SuperTruck was a really catchy name and it's a shame they didn't keep it. Oh well. 13. UltFan posted: 07.29.2008 - 5:30 pm Rate this comment: (1) (0) Mike Skinner gets the win for Richard Childress! 14. WallaceFan posted: 08.20.2008 - 9:51 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Nascar SuperTruck Series. Craftsman signed in 1996...id love to see a video of this race, or really any truck race from 95-97. 15. david posted: 11.10.2008 - 4:43 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) if anyone would like to see this video on the web its on youtube. just type in 1995 copper world class{it has the whole race} 16. Matt posted: 11.13.2008 - 9:25 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Truck Owners for the entire season: 1. P.J. Jones and Mike Chase (Scoop Vessels) 5. Roger Mears (Rick Hendrick) 15. Tim Nooner (Tim Nooner) 18. Wally Dallenbach and Davy Jones (Kurt Roehrig) 26. Ron Esau (Walker Evans) 26. Andy Brass (Mike Mittler) 28. Ron Esau (Walker Evans) 30. Joe Bessey and Mark Gibson (Grier Lackey) 31. Bill Cooper (Richard Childress) 34. Bob Brevak (Bob Brevak) 34. Ray Daniels (Larry Carnes) 35. Bill Venturini (Bill Venturini) 40. Carlos Serrano (Carlos Serrano) 41. A.J. Foyt (A.J. Foyt) 52. Ron Esau and Darrell Waltrip (Ken Schrader) 54. Steve McEachern (Steve McEachern) 58. Wayne Jacks (Wayne Jacks) 65. Frank Kimmel and Kirk Shelmerdine (Kenny Allen) 76. Dennis Dyer and David Green (Dale Earnhardt, Inc.) 79. Jimmy Dick (Jimmy Dick) 87. John Nemechek (Joe Nemechek) 01. Gary Lloyd (Thee Dixon) 01. Rick Johnson and Andy Hillenburg (Skip Vessels) 03. Tommy Archer (Tommy Archer) 17. Matt posted: 11.14.2008 - 12:46 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) One more addition: The 77 of Gary St. Amant was owned by Kevin Doran. 18. Matt posted: 11.16.2008 - 12:35 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) Also, Jim Smith is the truck owner for the #06. 19. Matt posted: 11.29.2008 - 2:36 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) Full name for the owner listed as J. Redding is John Redding. 20. Jory posted: 11.30.2008 - 6:13 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ub_FjVHsVCI 21. SK posted: 10.27.2009 - 4:03 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) I'm pretty sure Geoff ran truck #7 in this one. 22. Unser1 posted: 01.02.2010 - 8:30 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) SK you are correct. Geoff did have a #7 Ford in this one. 23. JamieMcmurrayFan posted: 06.27.2010 - 3:16 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Many of these drivers had sons who also raced in NASCAR. Mike Skinner (Jamie and Dustin Skinner) Terry Labonte (Justin Labonte) Geoffrey Bodine (Barry Bodine) Ron Hornaday, Jr. (Ronnie Hornaday) Scott Lagasse (Scott Lagasse, Jr.) Sammy Swindell (Kevin Swindell) Roger Mears (Casey Mears) Butch Gilliland (David Gilliland) John Borneman (Johnny Borneman) There may be others. 24. JamieMcmurrayFan posted: 06.27.2010 - 3:16 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Bob Keselowski (Brad and Brian Keselowski) 25. lvracer8 posted: 02.19.2011 - 3:12 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) It was the NASCAR SuperTruck Series Presented by Craftsman, however I believe NASCAR had to stop using the name because there was already a tour using the name. 26. 10andJoe posted: 03.01.2012 - 9:34 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) CORRECTION: Geoff Bodine was in the #7. 27. 10andJoe posted: 03.01.2012 - 9:59 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Screenshot of Bodine's truck in the race: http://img259.imageshack.us/img259/5277/77125333.png 28. 10andJoe posted: 03.01.2012 - 10:07 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) #8 status: crash 29. 10andJoe posted: 03.01.2012 - 10:48 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) #18 sponsor: Hella Lights/Performance Friction #51 sponsor: Pro Cal #29 sponsor: Galeana's/Mopar Performance/Winnebago 30. 10andJoe posted: 03.01.2012 - 10:48 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) First caution: #10 spin turn 2 Second caution: #74 spin turn 4 Third caution: #21, 8, 29, 54, 75, 81, 23 accident turn 4 Fourth caution: debris backstretch Fifth caution: #37, 75, 29 spin dogleg Sixth caution: #24, 1, 51, 81 accident turn 4 31. 83andJoe posted: 06.24.2013 - 10:23 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) #98 crew chief: Gary Showalter (same for all 1995 races) 32. 83andJoe posted: 07.06.2013 - 4:59 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) #38 crew chief: Roland Wlodyka (same for all 1995 races) 33. 83andJoe posted: 07.06.2013 - 5:09 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) #7 crew chief: Dave Rezendes 34. 83andJoe posted: 07.06.2013 - 5:10 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) #3 crew chief: Rich Burgess (same for all 1995 races) 35. CBASS posted: 07.13.2013 - 10:31 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Sponsor updates #5/24 Dupont Automotive Finishes #16 Chevrolet/ Action Collectibles/ RCCA #23 ASE Certified/ MTX #98 Raybestos Brakes #84 Coca-Cola Classic #75 Spears Plastic Pipe, Fittings, & Valves #06 Ultra Wheels #11 Lawson/ Jim's Tires 36. 83andJoe posted: 09.17.2013 - 3:09 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) #30 crew chief: Fred Graves (same for all races this year) 37. 83andJoe posted: 09.30.2013 - 9:27 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) #1 crew chief: Leon Ruther (same for all races this year) 38. Tide1732 posted: 08.22.2016 - 7:54 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Only Mike Bliss,Ken Schrader and Kevin Harvick is a active NASCAR Drivers since first CWTS Season. 39. Tide1732 posted: 08.22.2016 - 7:54 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Mike Bliss and Ken Schrader is a only remanning since this first race (Ken Schrader is a near-retired in trucks) 40. Maverick19 posted: 04.11.2017 - 11:34 pm Rate this comment: (1) (0) Something interesting, of all of the tracks in the 1995 schedule, only 3 (Bristol, Martinsville, Phoenix) are still on the schedule today. 41. Bramblegrunt posted: 05.25.2017 - 12:35 pm Rate this comment: (3) (0) A highly anticipated race lives up to expectation. The series had an amalgamation of various talents all across motorsports to debut the series. The series in its infancy definitely showed how competitive the trucks would be for wins. Joe Bessey who clearly loved being in the race stated that Busch and Cup were his goals but he was solid all day and gives Dodge its first top 5 since I believe their heydays in NASCAR in the 1970s There were a number of incidents in the back with several accidents where there were incredible near misses which included a lat race spin by Bob Strait where the entire field misses him stranded in the dogleg. Earlier in the race where the big accident happened in turn 3-4, Walker Evans spins right in the middle of the carnage and miraculously doesnt hit anything. NASCAR also has its first live experience of the Green-White-Checkers right from the get go which set up the great battle between Skinner and Labonte to take the win, back and forth they went with Skinner just getting the advantage in turn 4. Labonte tries one cross over move, Skinner gets loose but holds on coming off the turn to take the checkers. It was 80 laps of enjoyment 42. Jimnsimforever posted: 02.26.2019 - 4:29 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) @41 On Joe Bessey. In his interview right before the race started he was asked how many races he was going to run in that truck. He said he had an offer to run the full series schedule but his heart was with trying to break through in the Busch Series. He said they were working on the Busch car he was going to drive for the first 4 or 5 races of the season (#97 car unsponsored) and he was hopeful they'd do well enough in those races, maybe even win one, where they could run the full schedule (they only started 4 of the first 5). If he'd only have known what running this series did for other drivers careers at the time he made this choice. He had to have regretted not taking the offer to run the full truck series. But, at this time, the Busch Series was a proven springboard to Cup while the Truck Series was new and an unknown commodity. 43. Jimnsimforever posted: 02.26.2019 - 5:29 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) Terry Labonte crew chief- Gary DeHart 44. RaceFanX posted: 02.28.2019 - 9:27 am Rate this comment: (1) (0) TNN got the honors of covering the first-ever NASCAR SuperTruck Series race, likely because it televised most Phoenix races across all series. The Nashville Network opened up the broadcast by playing some highlights from the earlier Winter Heat exhibition races while playing the county song "Pickup Man" by Joe Diffie, the recently-released song about how everyone loves a guy a pickup truck having just spent four weeks atop the County Music Singles chart. 45. PucciMan posted: 02.05.2020 - 10:09 pm Rate this comment: (1) (0) I can't believe it's been 25 years since the 1st ever race in the truck series. I find it crazy I'm older then the series but not by much. 46. SweetRich posted: 02.13.2020 - 10:02 pm Rate this comment: (1) (0) The Commentators For The First Ever NASCAR Truck Event: Mike Joy, Ernie Irvan And Buddy Baker With Glenn Jarrett Being The Pit Reporter. 47. Anonymous posted: 05.07.2020 - 6:51 pm Rate this comment: (4) (0) The very first truck series race will get a 1 hour treatment on May 16th On fs1 a they'll reair this race. 48. RaceFanX posted: 06.13.2020 - 7:38 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) The Copper World Classic included five races in one day at Phoenix with two of them being won by drivers who also ran in this race. Ron Hornaday, Jr. won the NASCAR Southwest Tour stock car race before sitting on the pole for this one. Mike Bliss also won the USAC Silver Crown race, beating Champ Car racer George Snider to do it, before he hoppe din the #08 F-150 for a top-15 in this one. Butch Miller's Liberty Motorsports team changed the entire front suspension on the #98 Raybestos Brakes Ford right before this race. The new setup worked well as the reigning ASA champion raced up to score a top-10 finish in the Truck opener, kicking off a great season for Miller in the new series. 49. RaceFanX posted: 12.01.2020 - 8:01 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) In 2020 a fan asked Mike Skinner about what these trucks were like to drive when the series started compared to the later models he also raced on this tour. He said on Twitter "It was a lot of fun back then (because) the aerodynamics was terrible(,) and they drove terrible compared to the newer trucks with a lot of downforce(,) but all trucks are fun to drive." 50. jensenators posted: 12.08.2020 - 9:11 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) Info updates: Crew Chief: #8- Craig Huartson. (When the truck crashed, they mentioned Craig Huartson as CC had a long weekend after crashing in practice). Unconfirmed: Mike Joy said twice that Will Lind was CC for the #3, however each interview in the pits was with Richard Childress. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ *Post a comment:* Your comment may not appear immediately - all comments must be approved by the moderator. Name: Comment: