SPARTA, Ky. (July 8, 2011) — After collecting the most recent NASCAR Camping World Truck Series victory at Texas Motor Speedway, Ron Hornaday and the No. 33 Wisk Laundry Detergent Chevrolet Silverado entered the UNOH 225 at Kentucky Speedway with hopes to make it two in-a-row. Unfortunately, the Kevin Harvick Inc. (KHI) team was taken out of contention for the win after being caught up in an early-race incident in turn four leaving Hornaday with a 27th-place finish.
Hornaday qualified for the 150-lap event in the seventh position and put down great lap times when the first caution flag came out on lap seven. Too early in the pit sequence to come down for a stop, the No. 33 stayed out on the race track for the restart on lap 12.
After the restart, Hornaday maintained the seventh position as the field sailed around the 1.5-mile track until the second caution flag came on lap 19. As field slowed for the caution, Hornaday reported that his KHI truck was loose on entry and tight off of the turns. Crew chief Jeff Hensley brought the Wisk Laundry Detergent Chevrolet down pit road to fill the truck with fuel and make a chassis adjustment to help with the handling issues.
Restarting the race on lap 21, Hornaday sat in the ninth place. The radio was quiet as the driver settled back in the tenth position for the next 20 laps. On lap 42, Hornaday reported that his truck was too tight off the corners and needed to go back on the adjustments made on the prior pit stop.
The green-flag racing continued and the field started to make their way to pit road for green-flag pit stops on lap 52. In the midst of the traffic on pit road, the caution flag waved for the third time on lap 59. Hornaday was still battling the loose in and tight off conditions and headed to pit road for four tires, fuel and a chassis adjustment. The field went back to green flag racing on lap 63 with Hornaday sitting fourth.
The leaders took off into turn one, and Hornaday was able to settle in the third position before the fourth caution flag of the night waved on lap 72 for an accident in turn four. The team elected to stay out with hopes to make adjustments on their next cycled stop.
After the field went back racing on lap 75, the No. 33 Wisk Laundry Detergent Chevrolet was up front battling with the top-five contenders when an accident began in turn four involving Hornada7, bouncing him off multiple trucks. The damage was permanent on the Chevrolet, holding the team from returning to the event. Hornaday finished the race in the 27th position dropping three places to sixth in the Driver’s Point standings, 37 points out of the lead.
The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series will return to action at Iowa Speedway on July 16 for the Coca-Cola 200 presented by Hy-Vee. Watch the action live on SPEED at 8 p.m. ET.
Comments from driver Ron Hornaday:
“We didn’t have a winning truck but we were working on a top-five finish. My front tires were chattering and I slid up the track. We aren’t used to having the Sprint Cup series here and with all of their practice today you couldn’t run on the top side. There was a lack of grip up there from all the rubber they put down on the track. It’s unfortunate for this Wisk Laundry Detergent Chevrolet, we are happy to have them on board and was looking forward to a better finish.”
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