Bobby Hamilton (04) was able to hold off Jack Sprague on the final restart. Credit: Nate Mecha/HSP

Hamilton wins in Ohio after Hornaday penalty

MANSFIELD, Ohio -- Bobby Hamilton edged defending race winner Jack Sprague in a two-lap shootout Sunday in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series' UAW/GM Ohio 250 at Mansfield Motorsports Speedway.

UAW-GM Ohio 250 Results Standings

Hamilton, the defending series champion, became the first two-time winner this season and recaptured the points lead.

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The 47-year-old Hamilton's Dodge beat Sprague's Chevrolet by 0.169 seconds after the 13th caution extended the scheduled 250-lap distance by four laps. Hamilton averaged a track record 65.907 mph.

Shane Hmiel finished third in a Chevy, a few feet behind Sprague, with rookie Todd Kleuver fourth in a Ford and Rich Bickle fifth in another Chevrolet. Rick Crawford was sixth, followed by Dennis Setzer, Ricky Craven, David Starr and Butch Miller.

Top finishersHornaday, Sprague and Hmiel on their Mansfield finishes Final lapsBobby Hamilton takes the checkered flag at Mansfield Tough breakPoints leader Ted Musgrave has his day take a turn for the worse Sign up for TrackPass now BUY YOUR NEXTEL DRIVER PHONE

Hamilton, who started 26th in the 36-truck field, took the lead on the 184th lap after leader Ron Hornaday Jr. was black-flagged for jumping a restart. Hornaday, who led 119 laps, finished 11th.

"I wasn't even paying attention to him," Hamilton said about Hornaday's penalty. "I felt like I was a little better than him, but you hate to see that happen to anyone.

Hornaday also lost a race at Watkins Glen in 1998 after a similar infraction.

"I thought that we had done everything just like we always had but they (NASCAR officials) must have seen something different," Hornaday said.

Hamilton took a 45-point lead over Ted Musgrave, who entered the race with a 13-point advantage. Musgrave finished 12th after his Dodge caromed off Kelly Sutton's spinning Chevrolet. Craven is third, 73 points behind Hamilton.