There has been a lot of talk recently about the phenomenon of older drivers winning races. Mark Martin won five Sprint Cup Series races in 2009 and I won six Truck Series races. Mark is 51 years old and I’m, well, that’s really not important other than the fact that I’m older than most of you reading this article.
Winning is great but what most people do not think about is the flip side of that: wrecking. Recently, I have been experiencing that more than I would like with my wrecks at Daytona and Atlanta to start the 2010 season and accidents definitely take a toll on the body. I commented after Atlanta that losing that tire and hitting the wall really hurt, but the fact that I continue to walk away unharmed after these impacts just speaks to NASCAR and all their safety innovations. I have had my share of crashes but I feel safer now than I ever have. After the wreck in Atlanta, I was a little sore and pretty disappointed, but I know that in racing you have your ups and downs. I do know one thing - when I get to Martinsville I’m going back to my old trusty, and perhaps lucky, shoes.
Most people don’t know but I’m pretty superstitious. When I first started driving for Dale Earnhardt back in 1995, he taught me a lot of things that I hold to this day. When I walk through one door of a building, I have to go back out that same door. I do not carry $50 bills ever nor will I shell peanuts and eat them at the race track. I’m not a huge fan of the color green, either, and I really believe in routine. During our five-race winning streak last season, I wore the same old worn-out pair of shoes that I’ve had for years, but at the end of the season I went and bought a new pair of sneakers. The new ones are staying in the closet until this streak ends. I’m going back to my old worn-out pair to drive my bus up to Martinsville.
I also have a weekly ritual with one of the head Truck Series officials, Dennis Adcock. I always give Dennis a “love punch” before the race. In Atlanta I didn’t get a chance to hit him and look where I ended up. So he is definitely in for it when we get to Martinsville. What can I say? I’m a creature of habit. Some people may think I’m strange, but everyone has their own routine and I like mine.
During the two weeks we had off between Atlanta and Martinsville, I flew down to Florida to join Mike Skinner for his annual Charity Round Up that he holds at the Spruce Creek country club. We go down and play poker, participate in an auction and he usually has a round of golf. I always go to the golf portion, but I’m not really a golfer. I go to watch everyone else. This year it rained so we had to move most of the deal inside, but all in all, it was a good time. I bought Lindy a cowboy hat that Bo Bice wore on “American Idol.” She really liked it. I always have fun going to his charity event every year. I’m really supportive of all of my fellow Truck Series drivers. Even though we have all had our run-ins on the track, when we’re away and doing things, I try to participate if I can.
After the round up I headed back to North Carolina. I’m still working on my El Camino which is almost finished. Once I get it done, I will be sure to post photos on my Facebook page and on SPEEDtv.com in my diary. I’m not too good with a computer, but my wife Lindy and my daughter Candice have done a really good job keeping my fans up-to-date with my Facebook page and they are planning on starting a Twitter page for me too. I tell them what to update most of the time and they post it for me. It’s hard being on the road and trying to get to a computer to give updates, so they help out a lot. It’s been pretty cool to get comments from fans and everyone on what we do outside of racing.
Now the team and I look to Martinsville. It is the first short-track race of the season and I’m looking forward to it. It’s sort of funny. We go from the fastest track on the schedule to maybe the slowest speed-wise. Martinsville is fast and tight for the length of the track, but we top out at about 100 mph down the straightaways, compared to Atlanta where we were going over 175 mph.
As many times as I have been to Martinsville, I have yet to get a win. I really love the track and I would seriously like to get a trophy there, but it’s going to take staying out of trouble and qualifying well to do it. We also are looking at the points. A lot of people say it is too early, maybe it is, but we are still looking at it. We have had two bad races and the bottom line is we need a few good runs to get ourselves back in the hunt.
Martinsville is not only a tough place just to keep the fenders on but it is also a track where pit strategy comes into play. That is where my crew chief, Doug George, comes in. He’s doing really well despite our bad luck in Atlanta and he once raced at Martinsville himself so he knows what he’s doing. He came really close to winning the race with Kyle Busch in the spring last year, but Kyle ended up getting a pit road penalty and Kevin Harvick won. I’m looking forward to getting back on track and getting in a rhythm. We have a few tracks coming up that we have run well at in the past, so I think as long as I make sure I wear my old shoes and find my friend Dennis before the race, we will be in good shape to take the No. 33 Longhorn Chevrolet to the front of the field.
The opinions reflected herein are solely those of the above commentator and are not necessarily those of SPEEDtv.com, FOX, NewsCorp, or Speed Channel
Ron Hornaday Jr., reigning four-time NASCAR Camping World Truck Series champion, returns to the seat of the No. 33 Longhorn/Georgia Boot Chevrolet for Kevin Harvick Inc. Hornaday is the all-time winningest driver in series history and in 2009 became the first NASCAR driver in 38 years to win five consecutive races, joining Richard Petty and Bobby Allison in a tie for second on the consecutive wins list. Additionally, he was voted Truck Series Driver of the Decade by the NASCAR media at the conclusion of the 2009 season. The California native claimed the pole position for the inaugural NCWTS race at Phoenix International Raceway in 1995 and went on to win six races that season en route to a third-place points finish. His storied NASCAR career also includes three full seasons and four victories in the Nationwide Series, as well as a stint in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. Hornaday also became the first driver to claim back-to-back championships in the NASCAR Southwest Tour Series in 1992-’93. For more information on Hornaday, please visit www.kevinharvickinc.com, www.ronhornaday.com, www.georgiaboot.com and www.longhornmoistsnuff.com.