Ron Hornaday celebrates with the checkered flag after winning the AAA Insurance 200 at Dover International Speedway. (David M. Vaughn Photo)

Dover International Speedway - affectionately known to drivers and fans alike as the Monster Mile - has always been one of Ron Hornaday's favorite tracks. But prior to Friday's AAA Insurance 200, he had never driven into the hallowed grounds of the Winner's Circle at the concrete one-mile oval. But with a resurgent performance over the final 70 miles, Hornaday tamed the Monster and scored his 31st career NASCAR Camping World Truck Series win in the series' 300th race.

Hornaday's No. 33 Camping World Chevrolet was the class of the field over the final green flag run, with only Kyle Busch's No. 51 Flanders Beef Patties Chevrolet able to keep the leader's blue and yellow truck in his sights. But a cut right front tire with 20 laps to go, ending his chances for victory.

For Hornaday, it was his second major milestone series victory. He also won the series 100th race at Evergreen Speedway in 1999.

"They gave me $100,000 for winning the one hundredth race, so I wonder what this gets me," Hornaday mused as he celebrated his win. "I have always loved this place. I just can't believe we finally won at Dover, this is really cool."

Hornaday's victory celebration nearly didn't happen. His crew chief Rick Ren discovered a problem with the setup during pre-race preparations and had to make a major change just before qualifying.

"There was a problem with the shocks," Hornaday said. "Rick told me he was changing them and I was thinking 'well, I guess we'll just go out there and ride around.' But thankfully this Kevin Harvick team rallied around us, the Busch guys had one complete set of shocks they could give us. They know where we are in this points race and they wanted to do anything they could to help us. They came through for us and here we are the winner."

Ron Hornaday Jr. and the No. 33 Camping World Chevrolet Team celebrate in the winner's circle. (VPS Motorimages Photo)

While the celebration for Hornaday was rocking victory lane, Busch was left frustrated. The long green flag run in the middle stages of the race burned up Busch's tires, eventually leading to a flat right front that sent him to pit road.

"Frustrating end to what should have been a good day," Busch said. "We had the truck to pass Hornaday but I made a last minute call not to take tires on our second stop thinking surely that the race would have a caution. I still can't believe we ran that long on a green flag here in the Truck Series. I knew with 30 to go that had killed the right side tires and we saw when I came in that the right front had split. I just hate it for this Billy Ballew Motorsports team, we should have had the win but tires are key."

The fact that there even was a long green flag run was surprising in itself after two major crashes in the race's opening laps. The first accident occurred on the opening lap of the race when the two front row starters, Mike Skinner and Clint Bowyer, got together coming off turn two, stacking up the field behind.

Bowyer was less than pleased with his fellow front row starter.

The No. 2 Camping World Chevrolet had an early exit from the AAA Insurance 200 at Dover International Speedway. (Steve Keller/TruckSeries.com Photo)

"He (Mike Skinner) got loose and didn't lift, drove it in to me and took us out," Bowyer said. "I guess the old man didn't want the kid to get him."

Just moments after the restart, another hard crash put the field under a prolonged caution. T.J. Bell got loose off turn four and pounded the inside wall, destroying his truck and leaving the inside wall on the frontstretch bowed from the impact.

"I just got loose racing the 59 truck," Bell said. "He didn't do anything wrong. I just feel bad for the guys. That was a pretty hard hit. These trucks have come a long way. Years ago that would have been a big deal."

Behind Hornaday at the finish, 7.009 seconds behind to be exact, was Stacy Compton in the No. 09 Zaxby's Ford. It was his best finish since taking the checkered flag at Portland in 1998.

"That's what this team needed," Compton said. "I'm just a part time driver in this ride, so it's definitely an honor to get in this truck and run this well. We were right in the middle of that deal on the first lap. The spotter made the call to hold my line and for whatever reason we were able to sneak through it. Then we were two laps away from pitting when the caution came out. Luck finally went our way."

Travis Kvapil finished third in the No. 6 K&N Filters Ford, with Johnny Benson charging to fourth after restarting at the tail of the lead lap with 70 laps to go in the No. 23 Toyota Certified Used Vehicles Toyota, and Mike Bliss rounded out the top five in the No. 4 Open Joist/Dodge Motorsports Dodge.

Skinner continues to lead the championship standings heading into the next series event at Texas Motor Speedway on June 8. Skinner's advantage over Hornaday is 77 points after eight of 25 events.

TruckSeries.com will have complete coverage of the O'Reilly Auto Parts 400 at Texas Motor Speedway, with TrackSideLive! coverage of practice and qualifying on Thursday June 7, and complete race coverage on Friday June 8.