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NASCAR Camping World Trucks Series
TRUCKS: Ron Hornaday Driver Diary - My Atlanta
Atlanta Motor Speedway is where I got my first NASCAR Camping World Truck Series win for KHI back in 2005...
Ron Hornaday Jr.  | http://www.kevinharvickinc.com/  |  Posted March 05, 2010   Hampton, GA
Ron Hornaday Jr. is the reigning four-time NASCAR Camping World Truck Series champion and driver of the No. 33 Longhorn/Georgia Boot Chevrolet for Kevin Harvick Inc. (Photo: LAT Photographic)
One down and 24 more to go! Now that Daytona is behind us, our team can begin to focus on a different kind of track as we head to Atlanta. When people ask what my favorite track is and I always say “the ones I win at,” which is true, but Atlanta ranks number one among the tracks where I’ve won.

Atlanta is where I got my first win for Kevin and DeLana back in 2005. I’ve been fortunate to have 18 more since that March day and add a few championships along the way. I always tell everyone how lucky I am to drive for Kevin and DeLana, who give me the best equipment and team so I can go out and have fun.

I remember our first win like it was yesterday. What a really cool celebration. For some reason, someone had spilled some liquid in Victory Lane, and when my hot tires hit it, they started smoking and I spun the back wheels. I became infamous for doing the “burnout” in victory lane. It is still an awesome memory that I will never forget.

A lot of people say Atlanta is just one of the cookie cutter tracks. I couldn’t disagree more. The track has character. It has aged really well and the wide racing groove lets you run anywhere on the track. The atmosphere at Atlanta is unlike any other track on the schedule and I love seeing the fans in the grandstands when I’m coming off turn 4. Last year my teammate, Ricky Carmichael, went to Atlanta scared to death because Rick Carelli, my spotter at the time, told him how fast it was.

It is true Atlanta is one of the fastest tracks the trucks tackle, but I told Carmichael that the place is fun. You can get into trouble quickly but just go with the line that works best for your truck. The No. 33 team has run really well there in the past and I’m excited to work with our new crew chief, Doug George, this weekend.

Doug and I have known each other for what seems like forever. We raced hard against each other in our Southwest Tour days and we’re both champions of that series. Doug is a smart guy with a lot of confidence. He’s a people person and I think that is what I like best about him. He can relate to the team and keep them motivated. Our No. 33 team is a championship-caliber team because they never give up and they proved that in Daytona. We didn’t plan on getting involved in an early-race accident, but they worked hard to get me back on the track to finish the race. I really couldn’t be more proud to go to the race track knowing I have such a dedicated group of guys behind the wall.

Since Daytona, the team has been working non-stop and so have I. I’m working on restoring a 1966 El Camino at home, but I also traveled down to Atlanta twice during the Truck Series two-week break. First, I met with Georgia Governor Sonny Perdue and was deputized for a day. It was really cool! We set up a police checkpoint in Henry County and gave out race tickets. It was so much fun to spend the day with the officers who keep our streets safe, but also to see the startled faces of race fans who thought they were getting a real ticket, but instead received a ticket to the race this weekend. We gave out 30 pairs of tickets plus a bunch of kids’ tickets. All kids get in free with the purchase of an adult ticket.

After we spent the day with the Governor and his police force, I headed home briefly before returning to Atlanta to hang out with my buddy Carmichael. He was commentating for the Supercross motorcycle race at the Georgia Dome. He wanted me to hang out, watch the race and check out this young guy Ryan Dungey. Dungey won the event, which was cool, and I got to hang out in the pits with Carmichael. He is so knowledgeable about everything motocross and is such a superstar in that world. It was an experience to see him in his element. I had a lot of fun being at a racetrack and not having to actually race.

Following the Supercross race, the team and I headed to Nashville for a tire test. However, the Southeast was hit by yet another round of winter weather that same day. It rained and snowed on and off all day, so we were stuck for an unexpected overnight stay. When I finally landed in Charlotte, I jumped in my motor home to head down to spend the weekend at Atlanta Motor Speedway for the E-Z-GO 200. I think we should have a really good weekend. It will be fun to race with the boss again after his big Nationwide win in Las Vegas last week. I know our trucks are pretty similar so I’m excited to see what will happen if the race comes down to the last lap. I hope it’s him and me fighting for the win. I would really like to go back to victory lane at Atlanta so I can make some more smoke.

The opinions reflected herein are solely those of the above commentator and are not necessarily those of SPEEDtv.com, FOX, NewsCorp, or Speed Channel

Ron Hornaday Jr., reigning four-time NASCAR Camping World Truck Series champion, returns to the seat of the No. 33 Longhorn/Georgia Boot Chevrolet for Kevin Harvick Inc. Hornaday is the all-time winningest driver in series history and in 2009 became the first NASCAR driver in 38 years to win five consecutive races, joining Richard Petty and Bobby Allison in a tie for second on the consecutive wins list. Additionally, he was voted Truck Series Driver of the Decade by the NASCAR media at the conclusion of the 2009 season. The California native claimed the pole position for the inaugural NCWTS race at Phoenix International Raceway in 1995 and went on to win six races that season en route to a third-place points finish. His storied NASCAR career also includes three full seasons and four victories in the Nationwide Series, as well as a stint in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. Hornaday also became the first driver to claim back-to-back championships in the NASCAR Southwest Tour Series in 1992-’93. For more information on Hornaday, please visit www.kevinharvickinc.com, www.ronhornaday.com, www.georgiaboot.com and www.longhornmoistsnuff.com.

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Ron Hornaday Jr.

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