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03-18-2005
Hornaday Snatches Victory in Thrilling Atlanta Finish
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In victory lane, Ron Hornaday lights 'em up
High Sierra Photo | Ron Hornaday claimed his 27th career NASCAR Camping World Truck Series victory in the World Financial Group 200 at Atlanta Motor Speedway on Friday night, holding off a furious charge from 6-time Nextel Cup Series Atlanta winner Bobby Labonte on the final lap. Hornaday took the win by a nose, driving to victory for the first time since the 2002 season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway.
Hornaday and Bobby Hamilton swapped the lead several times in the late stages before Hornaday took the lead for good on lap 124. His drive to victory was interrupted by a late race crash by pole sitter Rick Crawford, which extended the race by five laps. Labonte made a hard charge after taking the white flag and powered to the outside of Hornaday down the backstretch, very reminiscent of the finish in this race last season. The two bumped coming to the line, which stopped Labonte's momentum and allowed Hornaday to win by a nose.
Hamilton, who started dead last in the 36-truck field, had fallen a lap off the pace with a flat tire when Mike Skinner crashed out of the lead to bring out the first caution of the night. Hamilton regained the lost lap and drove to the front late in the race, and was in position to win before settling for third.Dennis Setzer and David Starr rounded out the top-5.
Ted Musgrave finished sixth, with early leader Chad Chaffin seventh, Jack Sprague eighth, Terry Cook ninth, and Robert Huffman tenth.
Raybestos Rookie of the Year leader Todd Kluever had a windshield tearoff land on the grille early in the race, which overheated his No. 50 Ford, sending him to the pits and eventually the garage early on. Steve Park, winner in California, went from the penthouse to the outhouse here this week, joining Kluever behind the wall early and taking a 35th-place finish.
Outside front row starter Shane Hmiel was strong in the early going, leading laps 1 through 8, but tire problems sent him to pit road repeatedly before retiring within sight of the checkered flag.
Skinner led laps 9 through 37 before crashing into the turn four wall. Runner-up Labonte brought out the second caution with a slide through the infield grass on the frontstretch on lap 71, while Kelly Sutton spun off turn two on lap 105 to bring out the third caution. Crawford's hard crash on lap 129 brought out the fourth and final caution of the night, although Jimmy Kite and Casey Atwood came together at the finish line to conclude the race. All drivers were examined in the infield care center and released.
The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series continues on April 9. TruckSeries.com will have live coverage of practice, qualifying, pre- and post-race coverage, all starting on Friday April 8, including exclusive Live! Bud Pole Qualifying.
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