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points
for leading
the most
laps of a
race.
Hornaday’s
impressive
run makes it
three out of
four weeks
that the #26
Dr Pepper
Monte Carlo
has finished
in the
Top-5.
The
Dr Pepper
Racing Team
started off
the weekend
festivities
by ranking
high on the
charts of
the first
practice
session in
second
place.
Hornaday
kept the
blistering
pace alive
when he
circled the
1.25-mile
egg-shaped
oval during
qualifying
and posted a
34.138 sec
(131.818
mph).
The
speedy lap
had him
ranked third
behind
pole-sitter
#7 Randy
LaJoie
(34.114 sec
/ 131.911
mph) and #47
Shane Hmiel,
however
Hmiel’s
lap was
disallowed
when it was
discovered
that his car
was 18
pounds
underweight.
Hornaday
jumped at
the
opportunity
of starting
on the front
row and rode
the outside
lane to the
lead on the
first lap.
Ron
radioed in
that the car
was tight in
Turns 3 and
4, a
condition
the Dr
Pepper
Racing Team
had in the
final
practice
session the
day before.
Ron
realized
that the
unique
configuration
of Gateway
Int’l
Raceway does
allow a car
to be set-up
“perfect”
all around
the track
and said,
“I’ll
live with
it.”
Not
only did he
live with
it, he led
with it.
The
Dr Pepper
Chevy
remained in
the lead up
until it
approached
pit road
under green
flag
conditions
on Lap 78,
forfeiting
the front
position.
Four
tires with
an air
pressure
adjustment
and fuel was
the order
from Todd
Lohse, crew
chief.
When
the Green
Flag Pit
Stops cycled
through the
field, Ron
regained the
lead on Lap
92.
Greg
Biffle
threatened
for the top
spot at
times, but
whenever he
got near the
rear bumper
of Hornaday
the #60
Grainger
Ford would
become
extremely
tight.
The
Dr Pepper
Chevy
continued
its
dominance
until the
second and
final round
of pit stops
approached
on Lap 150.
Greg
Biffle came
down pit
road and
received
four fresh
tires and
fuel on Lap
150 and
Hornaday
entered pit
road on Lap
156 also for
four tires
and fuel.
The
difference
was a few
extra laps
on the track
with fresh
tires, this
little bit
enabled
Biffle to
pass Ron and
delegated
the Dr
Pepper
Racing Team
to second
following
the Green
Flag Pit
Cycle.
A
Caution Flag
brought out
by #12 Kerry
Earnhardt on
Lap 170,
bunched the
field back
up and gave
Ron one more
shot at
Biffle.
After
restarting
though, the
Dr Pepper
Chevy became
real loose
on the last
run, but
Hornaday
kept the car
in check and
finished up
as
runner-up.
The
career best
finish for
the Carroll
Racing Team
bumped the
#26 Dr
Pepper Chevy
four spots
in the
Owner’s
Points
Standings to
19th.
“This
is a great
stride for
this Dr
Pepper
Team,”
commented
Ron.
“We
have to
learn to
crawl before
we walk.
We
ran up front
and led a
ton of laps;
our
confidence
grows with
each passing
week and the
more we
learn and
communicate
the stronger
we’ll be
and that’s
what we’re
shooting
for.
Todd
Lohse, Dave
Carroll and
the Thirst
Crew brought
a real hot
rod here and
it didn’t
get banged
up; which is
good because
we’re
running it
next week at
Pikes Peak,
to try this
again.”
The
Dr Pepper
Racing Team
will bring
the same #26
Monte Carlo
to Pikes
Peak, CO for
the Net Zero
250 on
Saturday,
July 27th.
Coverage
of the race
will be
supplied by
NBC and MRN
starting at
3:30 pm EST.
Exposure
Update:
The
second place
finished by
the Dr
Pepper Chevy
was also
highest
career
finish for a
Dr
Pepper Busch
Grand
National Car
since it got
involved in
1998.
The
Red Fusion
promotion
continued
throughout
the weekend
at the track
with the
team
disbursing
numerous
cases
throughout
the garage.
Television
time was at
a maximum
with the #26
Dr Pepper
Chevy on the
camera and
in the
voices of
the TNT
commentators.
Multiple
local and
national
Motorsports
media
requested
Ron’s
comments
with a front
row starting
position and
another
Top-5 finish
performance.
Local
Dr Pepper
Reps took
advantage of
the
opportunity
on Race Day
to entertain
clients and
customers
with a visit
to the Dr
Pepper
Hauler, the
pits, the
garage and
almost
Victory
Lane. |
