However, one trophy that Hornaday would like to add to his collection is one from Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway. Hornaday, crew chief Rick Ren and the Kevin Harvick Inc. (KHI) No.33 Longhorn Chevrolet team have yet to break through with a victory at a restrictor plate race track. Hornaday’s best finish came last October at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway where he finished second.

WELCOME LONGHORN!: KHI is proud to welcome Longhorn smokeless tobacco to their racing family.  Longhorn will serve as primary sponsor on the No. 33 Chevrolet Silverado for 10 races in 2009, as well as, one race on the No. 4 Chevrolet driven by Kevin Harvick. 

DID YOU KNOW?: The Truck Series has competed on Friday the 13th three times, twice at Texas Motor Speedway (2000 and 2002) and once at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway (2004).  This year the Truck Series will begin their season on Friday, February 13th.  Ironically, Hornaday will be competing in his first Friday the13th Truck Series event when he climbs behind the wheel of the No. 33 Longhorn Chevrolet in Daytona. In 2000, 2002 and 2004 he was competing full-time in the Nationwide Series.

IN THE LOOP: Driver rating is quickly becoming one of NASCAR’s most recognized statistical measures and takes into account wins, finishes, top-15 finishes, average running position while on lead lap, average speed under green, fastest lap, most laps led and lead-lap finish. For any given race the maximum points that can be earned is 150. At the end of the 2008 season a 25 week average was taken with Hornaday claiming the highest driver rating of all active Truck Series drivers with a score of 114.5 out of 150. 

Notes from the Professor: Quotes from Ron Hornaday:

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE PART OF RACING AT DAYTONA?:

“To be honest, my favorite part has nothing to do with racing.  I love the build-up to Daytona.  I think the anticipation of getting ready all off-season, putting the sponsors in place, building the trucks and rolling into a track with so much history is the best part.  Being at a place where my dad always wanted me to race, just the feeling is the best part about being at Daytona.”

WHAT DO YOU EXPECT FROM THE NO. 33 TEAM AND THE NCWTS THIS SEASON?

“I expect nothing less than what we accomplished in 2007 and 2008.  I look for the No. 33 to be up front competing for wins each and every week. Rick Ren (Crew chief) and the team have worked hard during the off season and made the most of the time preparing trucks and practicing for race day. There is no doubt each and every truck race will be exciting and that the No. 33 will be right in the thick of things.”

From Atop the Pit Box: Quotes from Rick Ren:

WHAT IS YOUR OPINION ABOUT THE RULE CHANGES IN THE TRUCK SERIES?

“I really think that during the first few races, pit strategy will be a chess match.  Once everyone finds out how things are going to work, and what their comfort level is, we most likely won’t even notice the changes.  As far as the new motor rule goes, I really do not think it will make any difference.  A lot of teams last year were reusing motors; it just causes teams to use more forethought as to where they want to run new motors.”

WHAT IS THE HARDEST PART OF BEING A CREW CHIEF AT DAYTONA?

“The hard part is making up for horsepower.  We are fortunate at KHI that we do not have that problem.  A lot of people say that Daytona is where you need the power and Talladega

is where you need the handling, but Daytona has its challenges too. It can become really tight in turn two.”

CHASSIS HISTORY: The No. 33 Camping World team will bring truck 026 to Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway. Truck 026 last competed at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway in October, where Hornaday drove the truck to his career-best superspeedway finish of second.  

ABOUT SWEDISH MATCH:

Swedish Match is a global Group of companies with a broad assortment of market leading brands in smokeless tobacco, cigars and pipe tobacco, matches and lighters.  Some of our well known brands include Red Man, Timber Wolf, Longhorn, Macanudo, Partagas, Cohiba and Borkum Riff.  Swedish Match North America is headquartered in Richmond, VA, with manufacturing facilities in Owensboro, KY, Dothan, ALA, and the Dominican Republic. For more information visit the website at www.SwedishMatch.com

ABOUT KEVIN HARVICK INC.:

Kevin Harvick Inc. (KHI), established in 2001, is a 70,000 sq. ft. facility located in Kernersville, N.C. KHI houses two full-time Truck Series teams, including the 2007 series champions, the No. 33 Chevrolet Silverado driven by three-time Truck Series champion Ron Hornaday and the No. 4 KHI All-Stars Chevrolet Silverado driven by Ricky Carmichael and a variety of NASCAR Sprint Cup stars. KHI is also home to the No. 33 Chevrolet Impala competing full-time in the Nationwide Series, with drivers Kevin Harvick (a two-time Nationwide Series champion), Hornaday and Cale Gale. The 2009 season marks KHI’s sixth year of full-time competition in NASCAR’s elite divisions. Visit www.kevinharvickinc.com for more information.