SHORT-TRACK ACE: Over the course of Ron Hornaday's 12 year NASCAR Truck
Series career, he has visited victory lane 19 out of the 43 times at short
tracks (less that 1-mile in length). Thus far in 2009, Hornaday has recorded one
short-track victory, his second career win at Memphis Motorsports Park in June.
LUCKY NUMBER "2" FOR THE No. "33": Hornaday has picked up two victories at
O'Reilly Raceway Park (ORP) in his NASCAR Truck Series career; the first in
1997, followed by another victory 10 years later in 2007. Coincidently, both
wins have come when Hornaday started the race from the second position. In 1997,
he took the lead with two laps to go and held on for his first ORP win. Ten
years later in 2007, Hornaday notched his second ORP victory after he led 90
laps. Hornaday has finished third or better in each start at ORP while driving a
Kevin Harvick Inc. (KHI) vehicle.
LOOP LEADER: According to NASCAR's Loop Data Statistics over the last four races
held at ORP, Hornaday leads 10 statistical categories, including highest average
finish of 2.3, laps led with 243 and the highest driver rating of 130.5.
RESTART KING: Two weeks ago while in Chicago en route to his fourth win of the
2009 season, NASCAR Sprint Cup Series veteran Mark Martin gave credit for his
race-winning restart to Truck Series champion Ron Hornaday from victory lane.
Statistics back Martin up as Hornaday currently leads all drivers with the
fastest restart time at ORP by almost one mile per hour (MPH) over Rick
Crawford.
WHY DO YOU THINK YOU ARE SO GOOD AT SHORT TRACKS?
"I really like racing at ORP and tracks like it. I grew up racing on tracks very
similar to it. I think knowing how to race guys and knowing when to pass on
short tracks has been the key to my success. Luck has had a lot to do with it
too."
HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT THE TITLE "RESTART KING"?
"I don't know that I would say I'm the king at anything. I appreciate that
people like Mark Martin watch me to gain pointers. Restarts have always been
something that I worked on. I think I have a pretty good system right now. As
competitive as the Truck Series is, you have to have something up your sleeve to
get an advantage. I guess restarts are my thing."
CHASSIS HISTORY: The No. 33 VFW team will bring a brand new chassis to ORP.
Chassis No. 33 makes its competition debut this weekend. Two weeks ago, the team
took this truck to a Goodyear tire test session at Bristol (Tenn.) Motor
Speedway for the only laps this chassis has participated in on track.
PREVIOUS RACE RECAP: Last week at Kentucky Speedway Hornaday and the No. 33 team
recorded their fourth win of the 2009 season. Hornaday became the first repeat
winner at Kentucky Speedway. The win also marked the second time in Hornaday's
12 year Truck Series career that he has won three races in a row. In 1997,
Hornaday recorded wins at The Milwaukee Mile, Louisville Motor Speedway, and
Colorado National Speedway. Thus far this season Hornaday and the No. 33 team
have tallied wins at The Milwaukee Mile, Memphis Motorsports Park and Kentucky
Speedway. Hornaday continues to lead the Truck Series point standings for the
third consecutive week.