Ron Hornaday and the No. 2 Hollywood Casino Chevrolet Team End Their Night in Victory Lane at Kentucky
Four-Time Champion Extends All-Time Record With 50th Truck Series Win
SPARTA, Ky. (October 3, 2011) — The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series record books were updated on Saturday night at Kentucky Speedway after four-time series champion Ron Hornaday and the No. 2 Hollywood Casino Chevrolet Silverado team captured their fifth victory of the season, and Hornaday’s 50th career win. The trip to victory lane marked Hornaday’s third win of the season and gained the driver five points in the championship battle, now 42 points behind the leader with five races left in the season.
The Kevin Harvick Inc. (KHI) team qualified for the 150-lap event in the second position, falling only two-tenths of a second short of capturing the pole. When the green flag waved, Hornaday maintained his starting position until the first caution flag of the night waved on lap five for an accident in turn two.
The Hollywood Casino Chevrolet remained on track during the caution, and restarted with the field on lap 12 in second. Hornaday powered his way to the lead on lap 13 and was in the top position when the caution flag waved for a second time on lap 22 for an accident in turn three. With fuel mileage strategy already in mind, crew chief Bruce Cook brought the No. 2 Chevrolet down pit road for a fuel-only stop. After hitting traffic on pit road, Hornaday lined up in the fourth position for the lap 25 restart.
By the time the field had reached the back straightaway, Hornaday had taken over the second spot and was quickly gaining ground on then race leader and KHI teammate Nelson Piquet Jr. The veteran driver relayed to his team on lap 32 that his Hollywood Casino Chevrolet was a little too loose getting into the corners but was able to maintain his position as the field raced around the 1.5-mile track. Opportunity for adjustments came with the night’s third caution on lap 42 for an accident which occurred in turn two. Hornaday made his way to pit road for two right-side tires, an air-pressure adjustment and to top the Chevrolet off with fuel.
Green-flag racing resumed on lap 46 with Hornaday in the third position. Just as quickly as the field returned to full speed, the driver took over the second spot and held the position before the fourth caution flag of the event slowed the field on lap 51 for a multi-truck accident in turn four. The No. 2 elected to stay on track during the caution, holding the second position for the lap 58 restart.
The four-time champion jumped back into the lead on lap 59, and pulled away from the rest of the field. On lap 67, Hornaday’s momentum was slowed after NASCAR brought out the yellow flag for a fifth time for a truck spinning down the track in turn four. Keeping fuel mileage in mind, Hornaday and the KHI team opted to give up the lead position during the caution and come to pit road for a fuel-only stop. Other teams elected to remain on track and Hornaday rejoined the field in the sixth position for the lap 70 restart.
Before the trucks could complete a full lap back under green, Hornaday had the No. 2 Hollywood Casino Chevrolet up to the fourth spot. The driver was working to further advance his way forward when a truck spun on lap 80 to bring out the caution flag for the sixth time. As the field slowed, Hornaday reported to Cook that his Chevrolet was again a little too loose. Cook brought the No. 2 Chevrolet to pit road for four tires and fuel and the team restarted on lap 83 in the 18th position. The veteran driver quickly picked up eight spots after the restart but his momentum was halted for the seventh and final caution on lap 87 for a truck which spun in turn two.
The field restarted on lap 89 and Hornaday continued to work his way forward. With less than 50 laps to go, the driver moved into the second position. With fuel strategy in play, then race leader Austin Dillon took his No. 3 Chevrolet to pit road on lap 121, leaving Hornaday with the lead. The No. 2 would have to visit pit road in order to make it to the end on fuel but the team elected to remain on track with the lead for 13 more laps before the driver brought the Hollywood Casino Chevrolet to pit road for two right-side tires and fuel on lap 134.
With 14 laps to go, Hornaday was scored in the fourth place. Patiently, he picked off positions one by one and with 10 laps remaining, the No. 2 took over the lead. Hornaday held off a hard charging No. 3 truck to extend his record for the most wins in the Truck Series to 50. The driver led four different times for 42 laps on his way to victory lane for the third time in his career at Kentucky Speedway.
The No. 2 KHI team remains first in the Owner’s Point standings, 41 points ahead of second, with five events remaining in the season. The team will carry the action out west to Las Vegas Motor Speedway on Saturday, October 15. Watch the action live on SPEED at 12 p.m. ET.
Comments from driver Ron Hornaday:
“Unbelievable. I really appreciate all the hard work from everyone on this No. 2 truck this weekend. Bruce Cook made great calls on pit road and gave me the truck to beat. This is one of those memorable moments that I am going to be a sitting on my porch in my rocking chair with my grandchildren talking about. Thank you to the fans who bared the cold weather to be here and see me capture my 50th win and my third here at Kentucky Speedway. That was pretty cool.”
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