Bliss tops Leffler to claim win at Pikes Peak

FOUNTAIN, Colo. -- Mike Bliss, back in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series after a two-year absence, took the victory and the series point lead as he led Bud Pole winner Jason Leffler to the checkered flag in Sunday's Rocky Mountain 200 by Dodge at Pikes Peak International Raceway.

Bliss, who won $45,435, scored his eighth victory on the series and first since August 1999 at Heartland Park Topeka. He passed Travis Kvapil on the 165th of 200 laps then held off Leffler's final charge which closed to .330 second -- about four lengths of the winning IWX Motor Freight/Knights Inn Chevrolet.

Leffler led a race high 95 laps before his Team ASE Racing/Carquest Dodge lost some steam following the race's final pit stops on lap 112.

Ironically, Bliss drove for the second place owner, Ultra Motorsports, from 1995 through 1998.

Coupled with a fifth-place finish by former series point leader David Starr, Bliss assumed a one-point championship lead after five of 22 races. Bliss has 754 points to Starr's 753.

Five competitors exchanged the lead 10 times as Bliss averaged 103.004 mph for the 200-mile distance. He's the season's fifth different winner in as many races.

Kvapil finished third in his CAT Rental Stores Chevrolet, followed by Terry Cook's Power Stroke Diesel Ford and Starr. Rick Crawford, Dennis Setzer, Steve Portenga, Coy Gibbs and Brian Rose completed the top 10 finishers.