Hornaday wins record 4th Trucks title
November 13, 2009
AVONDALE, Ariz. (AP) -Ron Hornaday became the oldest champion in NASCAR history Friday night by winning his record fourth title in the Trucks Series.
The 51-year-old veteran needed only to finish ahead of Matt Crafton at Phoenix International Raceway to win the title, and he wrapped it up by finishing fourth to Crafton's eighth.
Kevin Harvick, Hornaday's team owner, won the race and the two celebrated by lining up side-by-side at the finish line for a simultaneous burnout.
To see Hornaday lock up the championship and to win the race, I don't know if you can script it much better,'' Harvick said.
Even though Hornaday wrapped up the title with one race remaining on the schedule, he won't let up before next week's finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway. The owners title is still up for grabs as Kevin Harvick Inc. holds a 60-point lead over Billy Ballew.
We're not done yet,'' Hornaday said as soon as he climbed from his truck. ``We've got to get that owners championship for Kevin and Delana.''
Kyle Busch finished second to end his streak of five wins in his last five starts, and quickly did the math on Ballew's deficit. He drives for free for Ballew as a favor to help the fledgling owner, who first entered Trucks in 1996, its second season.
It's going to be hard to do,'' Busch acknowledged.
Hornaday said he raced conservatively Friday night to nurse his 197-point lead over Crafton, but still had to overcome an early pit road penalty when his team began fueling his truck before the catch-can was in place.
I was sweating real bad,'' Hornaday admitted. ``To come home in the top-five, that's what we needed to do.''
A series of cautions helped him get back ahead of Crafton when he beat him off pit road following a yellow flag, and he held on over two more late cautions and a two-lap sprint to the finish. Hornaday also won the championship in 1996 and 1998, and finished second last season by seven points to Johnny Benson.
It's not over by far,'' Hornaday said. ``We're racing Kyle Busch for owners points and that's truly the goal.''