The ACDelco Monte Carlo continued to be strong in race trim during “happy hour.”  Hornaday was 10^th fastest, but made considerable gains on 40-lap tires.  In the end, the No. 2 ACDelco Chevy ran 49 laps in the final practice and finished just .257 seconds off the fastest car, which was Compton.

Despite rain in the area, the green flag dropped on time and under clear skies.  Hornaday settled into his fourth starting position and rode along, knowing that his car was really good on long runs.  By lap 20, he had moved into third position.  As pit stops started on lap 65, Hornaday briefly took over the lead. 

The first pit stop for the No. 2 took place under green flag conditions, which puts extra pressure on the crew.  The ACDelco crew changed all four tires and made a small chassis adjustment in 15.3 seconds.  That allowed Hornaday to return to the race in second spot.  He stayed in second until a caution at lap 85.  The ACDelco team made a stop for gas only during the yellow and that allowed Hornaday to beat Hamilton, Jr. off pit road and take over the lead.

It was at the midway point of the race that two things became apparent.  The first was that Hamilton, Jr. would be the car to beat.  The other was that Hornaday was one of the few cars that might have a shot at beating him.

Throughout the race, Hornaday and the ACDelco Monte Carlo raced in the top-five.  In fact, fourth was as bad as it got for the No. 2 car.  In the late stages of the race, Hornaday would lead the race on two different occasions.  The most interesting lead change for Hornaday came on lap 163.  After a restart, Hornaday drove to the outside of Scott Riggs.  The No. 10 car of Riggs wiggled and broke loose.  He spun and Hornaday took the lead and the yellow flag.  The No. 10 team was not happy with Hornaday and came over to the ACDelco pit to complain.  “If I wrecked him while I was on the high side, then I must be the greatest driver ever,” Hornaday joked about the accident.  “I never touched him,” he concluded about Riggs’ crash.

The restart on lap 170 would be the final hope for Hornaday to keep Hamilton, Jr. at bay.  But in the end, Hamilton, Jr. was too tough and got by Hornaday en route to the victory.  Hornaday tried to hold off Jason Keller for third, but could not.  The ACDelco Chevy crossed the line to take the checkered flag in third position.  It was the end to a pretty good night for Hornaday.

The third-place finish allowed Hornaday to close in on David Green for the NASCAR Busch Series points lead.  Although he is still in fourth position, the ACDelco Chevrolet driver is now just 98 points out of first and 26 markers out of third.

The NASCAR Busch Series takes a week off and then heads to The Milwaukee Mile on Sunday, June 29 for the GNC Live Well 250.