Take it from 'The King;" winning five NASCAR races in a row is very, very
special. Richard Petty has been there, done that — twice, in fact.
"It's hard enough to run five races in a row without any trouble," said Petty,
whose 1971 streak of five consecutive victories was matched Aug. 1 by NASCAR
Camping World Truck Series points leader Ron Hornaday Jr. (No. 33 Georgia Boot
Chevrolet). Petty won a phenomenal 10 straight races five years earlier en route
to his second of seven NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championships.
Hornaday goes for a sixth straight win Wednesday night at Bristol Motor
Speedway. A victory in the O'Reilly 200 presented by Valvoline would give the
51-year-old Californian second alone in national win streaks, moving ahead of
Petty and 1983 NASCAR Sprint Cup champion Bobby Allison, who also won five
straight in 1971.
Petty sees similarity between what Hornaday is accomplishing and Petty
Enterprises in its prime. Hornaday is on top of his game but so is Kevin Harvick
Inc.
"Right now, their equipment is one notch better than anybody else," he said.
Tom Higgins, the retired motorsports columnist for the Charlotte Observer, calls
Hornaday's streak "almost an equal accomplishment to Richard's five-race winning
stretch. Petty competed against hard-driving rivals such as the Allison
brothers, Bobby and Donnie, Buddy Baker and Chargin' Charlie Glotzbach," said
Higgins. "Also in the fields were several colorful, fun-loving characters
including James Hylton, Elmo Langley and Neil 'Soapy' Castles.
"Hornaday would have fit right in with this crowd."
Hylton, still active as he turns 75 later this month, finished second to Petty
at the Nashville Fairgrounds in win No. 4 of Petty's 1971 streak. "He's a
manhandler; if the (truck's) off, he makes the difference," said Hylton of
Hornaday. "He's one tough racer."
"I've had streaks and success before in my career but never anything like this,"
said Hornaday, a two-time Bristol winner but not since 1998. "Kevin and DeLana
give me the best equipment and have allowed (crew chief) Rick Ren to put
together the best team. These guys have been together, for the most part, for
two solid years and we have a good combination. We have been blessed with lots
of success and I hope it continues."
He added, "The competition in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series has gotten
tougher. It gets harder and harder every year to go out and compete with these
guys."
Petty gets the last word on Hornaday's streak. "You have to have everything
working your way, have faith on your side and you've got to do everything
perfect," he said. "I don't think (Ron) will know what it means until it's over;
four races, five or 10, whatever. You just go along and do it."
