MOORESVILLE, NC (June 21, 2005) – It’s always nice to go
into a race weekend as the defending race champion, and this
weekend Braun Racing will have Ron Hornaday behind the wheel
of the #32 WINFUEL Chevy. Coincidentally, Hornaday chased
down past Braun Racing drivers Shane Hmiel and David Stremme
in the closing laps of last years race at The Milwaukee Mile
to capture the Busch Series win. Stremme sat on the pole and
finished 2nd in the #32 Braun Racing car, while
Hmiel who drove for Braun Racing at the beginning of the
2005 season finished 3rd.
“Milwaukee
is one of my best tracks and I am really looking forward to
having the opportunity to defend my Busch win from last
year,” Hornaday said. “At the end of the race, I chased down
Shane Hmiel and David Stremme to get by them for the win.
Stremme was in the #32 Braun car, so I know that Todd Lohse
and the WINFUEL team have a good package for this track.”
Ron
Hornaday has a long standing relationship with many of the
key people at Braun Racing, including crew chief Todd Lohse
and owner Todd Braun. "Todd Lohse helped me out when I
didn't have a ride, getting me in that Dr Pepper car with
Dave Carroll (and his team in mid-2002). For me to help Todd
Lohse and Todd Braun out until they figure out what they're
doing, I'm there for them. I'm really enjoying being back in
the Busch Series. These guys have great equipment, and
they’re going to give me a chance to put the WINFUEL Chevy
in
Victory Lane
this weekend.”
Due to
the short notice, Hornaday has not had time to fully prepare
for either of the two races that he’s run this season in the
WINFUEL Chevrolet at
Dover and
Nashville. This
weekend at
Milwaukee will
be the first time that Hornaday has had a chance to get the
car set up to his specifications before taking the green
flag. In preparation for the SBC 250, Hornaday and the Braun
Racing team tested at The Milwaukee Mile on June 13 & 14
following the
Nashville race.
“Our
test at
Milwaukee went
really well in the #32 WINFUEL car last week,” the 47-year
old veteran said. “This will be the first race that I have
really been able to get comfortable in the car and will have
had time to set it up the way that I want it. I really think
that we have a good shot to put the WINFUEL car in
Victory Lane
and defend my win from last year.”
Only
three drivers, including Ron Hornaday, Johnny Sauter, and
Martin Truex, Jr., will attempt to do what no one has ever
done by going to
Victory Lane
in both the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series and Busch Series
races this weekend at The Milwaukee Mile. Hornaday’s Busch
Series record of 1 win, 3 top-5’s, and 5 top-10’s in only 6
starts at Milwaukee speaks for itself. This weekend he will
again attempt to improve on his astonishing average finish
of 10.3 in Busch Series competition at The Milwaukee Mile.
“Winning both races is definitely doable, and I have a truck
and a car capable of doing that, but nobody’s going to let
you do it,” the two-time NCTS Champion explained. “We’re
going to have to do our homework and my crews are going to
have to hit their pit stops and everything else, because the
Busch Series and the Craftsman Truck Series are probably the
two toughest, most competitive series. You go for 500 miles
in a Cup race and you’re not racing the whole time, but when
the green flag drops on a Busch or truck race you have to
race hard the whole time.”
Don’t miss any of the action as two-time NASCAR Craftsman
Truck Series Champion and defending race winner, Ron
Hornaday, will again be behind the wheel of the #32 WINFUEL
Chevy this coming weekend at The Milwaukee Mile. Live
coverage of the NASCAR Busch Series 250 begins this
Saturday, June 25 at 8:30 p.m. ET on FX.
