Palmdale, California native Ron Hornaday will make his eighth career start this weekend at the Auto Club Speedway. Hornaday has never won at his home state track, one of only nine tracks on the current NASCAR Camping World Truck Series schedule where the three-time Truck Series champion has yet to score a victory. The others are: Daytona, Martinsville, Michigan, Nashville, Chicagoland, Iowa, Las Vegas, and Talladega.

DID YOU KNOW? Hornaday, dubbed by many in the Truck Series garage area as the "restart king"  ranks first in passes made in turn one at the Auto Club Speedway. 

 Notes from the Professor: Quotes from Ron Hornaday:

WHAT WOULD SCORING A WIN IN FRONT OF YOUR HOME STATE CROWD MEAN TO YOU?

"It would mean a lot to me. To compete in front of a lot of people I grew up racing with is cool. I always like coming back to California.  When people ask me what my favorite track is I tell them the ones I win at.  I would like to add California to my list of favorite race tracks."

WHAT DO YOU THINK WE WILL SEE IN THE NCWTS THIS SEASON?

"I think we showed in Daytona that the Truck Series still has some of the most exciting racing in all of NASCAR.  From what I saw it looks like the same people who have always been strong competitors still are and that some of the new kids are going to race well and be tough to beat this year too."

 CHASSIS HISTORY: The No. 33 Camping World team will bring truck 024 to Auto Club Speedway. Truck 024 last competed at Texas Motor Speedway in October, where Hornaday drove the truck to his 39th career victory.  Chassis 024 went to victory lane three times in 2008 sweeping both Texas races and winning at Kansas. 

PREVIOUS RACE RECAP: Last week at the high banks of Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway, Hornaday and the No. 33 team scored their first top-five finish of 2009.  Hornaday recorded his personal career best at the speedway crossing the finish line in the fifth position.