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.
Part-Time schedule
Schedule
Races
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
7-Dave Rezendes
24-Jack Sprague
16-Ron Hornaday Jr. 94-Ron Barfield Jr. 44-Bryan Reffner 27-Terry McCarthy 8-John Nemechek 42-Jay Sauter -1 00-Frank Kimmel -1 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
24-Jack Sprague
3-Mike Skinner
98-Butch Miller
44-Bryan Reffner
16-Ron Hornaday Jr. 6-Rick Carelli 80-Joe Ruttman 94-Ron Barfield Jr. 75-Bobby Gill 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
16-Ron Hornaday Jr. 2-Mike Bliss 3-Mike Skinner 17-Bill Sedgwick 98-Butch Miller 6-Rick Carelli 44-Bryan Reffner 24-Jack Sprague 80-Joe Ruttman 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
2-Mike Bliss
16-Ron Hornaday Jr. 53-Dan Press 43-Rich Bickle 3-Mike Skinner 52-Tobey Butler 30-Jimmy Hensley 80-Joe Ruttman 94-Ron Barfield Jr. 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
3-Mike Skinner
43-Rich Bickle
16-Ron Hornaday Jr. 30-Jimmy Hensley 24-Jack Sprague 17-Bill Sedgwick 75-Bobby Gill 7-Dave Rezendes 64-Michael Dokken 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
3-Mike Skinner
98-Butch Miller
30-Jimmy Hensley
24-Jack Sprague
7-Dave Rezendes
80-Joe Ruttman
17-Bill Sedgwick
16-Ron Hornaday Jr. 42-Jay Sauter 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
3-Mike Skinner
24-Jack Sprague
16-Ron Hornaday Jr. 2-Mike Bliss 42-Jay Sauter 18-Johnny Benson 52-Ken Schrader 99-Jeff Burton 7-Dave Rezendes 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
6-Rick Carelli
7-Dave Rezendes
42-Jay Sauter
3-Mike Skinner
24-Jack Sprague
80-Joe Ruttman
75-Bobby Gill
16-Ron Hornaday Jr. 19-Lance Norick -1 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
24-Jack Sprague
30-Jimmy Hensley
98-Butch Miller
99-Jeff Burton
16-Ron Hornaday Jr. 18-Johnny Benson 80-Joe Ruttman 07-Geoff Bodine 22-Rusty Wallace 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
24-Jack Sprague
17-Bill Sedgwick
16-Ron Hornaday Jr. 30-Jimmy Hensley 2-Mike Bliss 75-Bobby Gill 3-Mike Skinner 7-Dave Rezendes -1 15-Mark Gibson -2 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.