RON HORNADAY, KHI #33 GATEWAY RACE REPORT

MADISON, Ill. (September 8, 2008) – Ron Hornaday and the Kevin Harvick Inc. (KHI) No. 33 Camping World Chevrolet Silverado team picked up their fourth victory of the 2008 NASCAR Truck Series season on Saturday afternoon in the Camping World 200 presented by Honda Power Equipment at Gateway (Ill.) International Raceway (GIR). The win was Hornaday’s 37th of his Truck Series career and first at GIR.

“I don’t know what to say,” Hornaday said. “My hat is off to everyone at KHI. Kevin and DeLana Harvick believe in Rick Ren (crew chief) and what he builds to bring to the track; and to never turn a lap with this brand new truck to be as fast as we were off the trailer was awesome. This is a lot of fun and I feel like I’m 18 years old again.”

After starting the race from the second position, Hornaday quickly took the lead from pole-sitter Dennis Setzer and led the first lap, earning five valuable championship points. Hornaday led the next 21 laps before making a fuel-only pit stop on lap 22 after the second caution of the race. Hornaday restarted from the fourth position on lap 25.

By lap 30, Hornaday had gained two spots and was running in the second position behind Mike Skinner. On lap 40, he sailed passed Skinner into the lead for the next 22 laps.

When the caution came out on lap 61, crew chief Rick Ren made the call for Hornaday to bring the No. 33 Camping World Chevrolet Silverado down pit road to take four tires and fuel. Hornaday came out in the second position behind KHI teammate Jack Sprague for the restart on lap 65. It only took Hornaday three laps to get back out in front of the field, as he took the lead for the third time on lap 65 and led the next 40 laps.

On lap 104, the caution came out for debris on the race track. Ren knew that one more pit stop would be needed to make it to the finish. He called Hornaday down pit road under caution for four tires, fuel and an air-pressure adjustment to help tighten the truck’s handling. Because five other trucks opted to take only two tires, Hornaday came off pit road in the seventh position for the restart. Skinner, who was leading at the time, was put at the back of the field for a pit road violation, meaning Hornaday only had to pass five trucks to take the lead.

When the green flag flew on lap 108 to restart the race, the three-time NASCAR Truck Series champion showed why he is the “Master of the Restart,” gaining two positions to fourth on the restart. He passed Matt Crafton for third before taking the second spot away from Johnny Benson. On lap 131, Hornaday passed Setzer to take the lead for the fourth and final time of the race and led the final 30 laps to take his first checkered flag at GIR.

Hornaday cut into Benson’s lead in the Truck Series point standings with the win and now trails by only 94 points with eight races remaining.

 

 
   

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