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Camping World Trucks
TRUCKS: Ron Hornaday Driver Diary - Indy/ORP
The No. 33 team came into last year’s race with three wins in a row and an opportunity to make Truck Series history if we could win four in a row...
Ron Hornaday is the defending NASCAR Camping World Truck Series champion. (Photo: Getty Images)
Ron Hornaday : History Maker
I’ve been really lucky throughout my racing career. I’ve worked really hard, but I’ve also been in the right place at the right time -- a lot. I have made a lot of history, but I’m not really sure how it happened. As far as I’m concerned, I was just doing my job and that is how I became the Truck Series’ winningest driver with 45 wins. I get asked quite a bit which win meant the most to me. They were all very special in their own way, but I have to say last year’s win at O’Reilly Raceway Park (ORP) might stick out just a little more than the rest.
The No. 33 team came into last year’s race with three wins in a row and an opportunity to make Truck Series history if we could win four in a row. I knew we had a great truck and I love the race track, so I felt pretty good about our chances. It’s so similar to all of the short-tracks I grew up racing at on the West Coast. After about the halfway point in the race, it was pretty evident that it was going to come down to either me or Mike Skinner. We made the call to stay out under the last caution and Skinner came down pit road for four fresh tires. I think at that point we were pretty sure our bid at making history was shot, and we were going to be the second-place truck. Tires were pretty important. Skinner began mowing down the field, but when he got to me, I think I made my truck as wide as the track. We battled back and forth and somehow I beat him by 0.202 seconds. I remember seeing the entire No. 33 team leap off the pit wall and run out to greet me. Kevin and DeLana Harvick were there and it was the only win they had been at since Charlotte earlier in the year. I was so happy. I think after I climbed out of the truck they asked me what I thought and I said ‘I can’t believe it.’
Fast forward to a year later and things have changed some. The No. 33 team has not been to victory lane in 2010 and we have had our share of bad luck. I remember Kevin telling the team in victory lane at ORP last year, “You guys need to take a minute and enjoy this, you just made history.” At the time, we were all just so happy that we had won. It really didn’t sink in that we had won not one race, but FOUR races in a row. Now that I really think about what an accomplishment it was, it gives me chills. We were that lucky and everything just fell our way. It just goes to show how much preparation, perspiration and dedication means in this sport, but really when you have the racing luck on your side, you have it on your side.
As I look back over my career, I really never thought about how many wins I would have at a particular point. When I first started racing for Dale Earnhardt in 1995 when the Truck Series first started, I never dreamed that I would be the all-time Truck Series win leader or have four championships. I just wanted to win one race. I am just so fortunate to have met and worked with so many great people. I have competed against the best in the business and won, but I’ve also competed with the best in the business and lost. I do think about being in the history books, because when racing is over for me, the only things I have are my trophies and the statistics. I can tell my grandkids this is what I worked my whole life for, these trophies and these moments. I have tons of photos at my house and I love going back and remembering what was happening in each of them. Yes, we have a lot of victory lane photos and those are always fun to show off, but some of my other favorites are moments I shared with other people.
There is a great picture hanging in Rick Carelli’s office (KHI’s General Manager) of me, Carelli and Jay Sauter all in victory lane at Gateway when Carelli won his first Truck Series race. I finished second that day, but it was a great battle and Carelli deserved that win. The truth is the records are awesome and I could not be more proud of what I have accomplished over the years, but I am also very proud of all the people that I have met and have the privilege to still call my friends.
After making history at ORP last year, the No. 33 team went on to win our fifth straight race at Nashville, which was also a big win for me since I had never won there. After tying the consecutive win record with NASCAR legends Richard Petty and Bobby Allison, I asked myself ‘Wow, what else is there to do?’ For me, I really want to win a back-to-back Truck Series championship. I was asked just the other day when I was going to retire; I don’t know the answer to that. I still have the desire to win more than I ever did and I enjoy being at the race track now as much as ever. Even though I’m the all-time Truck Series win leader and the all-time Truck Series championship leader, I still have goals and the No. 33 team is still setting records.
In Kansas this year we passed Jack Sprague to move into second on the Truck Series all-time pole winner list. That is something I NEVER thought would happen. We still trail Skinner by a few, but he’s older than I am so I still have time to make that happen.
No matter what happens, I have accomplished a lot that I can look back on and be very proud of. I am looking forward to getting back to ORP and finding some luck to make some more history! This week I can become the first driver to have four wins at the bull ring!
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.
I’ve been really lucky throughout my racing career. I’ve worked really hard, but I’ve also been in the right place at the right time -- a lot. I have made a lot of history, but I’m not really sure how it happened. As far as I’m concerned, I was just doing my job and that is how I became the Truck Series’ winningest driver with 45 wins. I get asked quite a bit which win meant the most to me. They were all very special in their own way, but I have to say last year’s win at O’Reilly Raceway Park (ORP) might stick out just a little more than the rest.
The No. 33 team came into last year’s race with three wins in a row and an opportunity to make Truck Series history if we could win four in a row. I knew we had a great truck and I love the race track, so I felt pretty good about our chances. It’s so similar to all of the short-tracks I grew up racing at on the West Coast. After about the halfway point in the race, it was pretty evident that it was going to come down to either me or Mike Skinner. We made the call to stay out under the last caution and Skinner came down pit road for four fresh tires. I think at that point we were pretty sure our bid at making history was shot, and we were going to be the second-place truck. Tires were pretty important. Skinner began mowing down the field, but when he got to me, I think I made my truck as wide as the track. We battled back and forth and somehow I beat him by 0.202 seconds. I remember seeing the entire No. 33 team leap off the pit wall and run out to greet me. Kevin and DeLana Harvick were there and it was the only win they had been at since Charlotte earlier in the year. I was so happy. I think after I climbed out of the truck they asked me what I thought and I said ‘I can’t believe it.’
VIDEO: O'Reilly Raceway Park Last Lap-Hornaday Wins Ron Hornaday wins at ORP. (Photo: Getty Images)
Fast forward to a year later and things have changed some. The No. 33 team has not been to victory lane in 2010 and we have had our share of bad luck. I remember Kevin telling the team in victory lane at ORP last year, “You guys need to take a minute and enjoy this, you just made history.” At the time, we were all just so happy that we had won. It really didn’t sink in that we had won not one race, but FOUR races in a row. Now that I really think about what an accomplishment it was, it gives me chills. We were that lucky and everything just fell our way. It just goes to show how much preparation, perspiration and dedication means in this sport, but really when you have the racing luck on your side, you have it on your side.
As I look back over my career, I really never thought about how many wins I would have at a particular point. When I first started racing for Dale Earnhardt in 1995 when the Truck Series first started, I never dreamed that I would be the all-time Truck Series win leader or have four championships. I just wanted to win one race. I am just so fortunate to have met and worked with so many great people. I have competed against the best in the business and won, but I’ve also competed with the best in the business and lost. I do think about being in the history books, because when racing is over for me, the only things I have are my trophies and the statistics. I can tell my grandkids this is what I worked my whole life for, these trophies and these moments. I have tons of photos at my house and I love going back and remembering what was happening in each of them. Yes, we have a lot of victory lane photos and those are always fun to show off, but some of my other favorites are moments I shared with other people.
There is a great picture hanging in Rick Carelli’s office (KHI’s General Manager) of me, Carelli and Jay Sauter all in victory lane at Gateway when Carelli won his first Truck Series race. I finished second that day, but it was a great battle and Carelli deserved that win. The truth is the records are awesome and I could not be more proud of what I have accomplished over the years, but I am also very proud of all the people that I have met and have the privilege to still call my friends.
After making history at ORP last year, the No. 33 team went on to win our fifth straight race at Nashville, which was also a big win for me since I had never won there. After tying the consecutive win record with NASCAR legends Richard Petty and Bobby Allison, I asked myself ‘Wow, what else is there to do?’ For me, I really want to win a back-to-back Truck Series championship. I was asked just the other day when I was going to retire; I don’t know the answer to that. I still have the desire to win more than I ever did and I enjoy being at the race track now as much as ever. Even though I’m the all-time Truck Series win leader and the all-time Truck Series championship leader, I still have goals and the No. 33 team is still setting records.
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In Kansas this year we passed Jack Sprague to move into second on the Truck Series all-time pole winner list. That is something I NEVER thought would happen. We still trail Skinner by a few, but he’s older than I am so I still have time to make that happen.
No matter what happens, I have accomplished a lot that I can look back on and be very proud of. I am looking forward to getting back to ORP and finding some luck to make some more history! This week I can become the first driver to have four wins at the bull ring!
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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