No driver in the motorsports world in general, and NASCAR in particular, is enjoying the kind of success Ron Hornaday Jr. is having these days.
And there is a really good chance that he could keep his streak rolling right along in the O'Reilly 200 at Bristol Motor Speedway Aug. 19.
The 51-year-old Hornaday recently became the first driver to win five consecutive Camping World Truck Series races. To put his accomplishments into perspective, the five straight victories ties him with Richard Petty and Bobby Allison for the second most consecutive wins in NASCAR's top three series as both captured five in a row in what is now Sprint Cup action. Petty owns the all-time mark with 10 successive Cup wins.
Hornaday, who drives for Kevin Harvick Inc., and is a three-time Truck Series champion, is somewhat amazed himself at the unprecedented success he is experiencing.
"I have been pinching myself," he said. "I can't believe we are talking about five in a row, much less six. It's just pretty cool. To achieve something like this is unheard of in this day and age. We have such stiff competition each week. It's just amazing what this team has accomplished."
The odds of Hornaday continuing the streak appear good as BMS traditionally is a good track for him. He is the only two-time Truck Series winner at the World's Fastest Half-Mile, going back-to-back in 1997 and '98.
"Bristol is going to be a tough place to keep the streak alive at but I feel pretty good about racing there," he said. "Things happen so fast, but it is one of my favorite tracks. I have won there twice ... so I hope we can keep this thing going and end up in victory lane at the end of the night."
The California native, who has 45 wins in the NCWTS, loves racing at Bristol Motor Speedway, a track he considers to be a "real racer's track."
"The racing is back in the driver's hands at Bristol," he said. "I mean, you really have to concentrate and be on your game the entire race or you will end up caught up in something.
"You have to constantly watch out the front and out the back to make sure you have all sides covered. And now you have to watch out the side too because they've made it a two-groove race track. We're bringing the same truck that won at ORP (O'Reilly Raceway Park) so we should have a good truck. All we have to do is try to survive until the last 20 laps; then we will see what happens."
The O'Reilly 200 is part of a doubleheader at BMS Aug. 19. The evening kicks off with the Whelen Modified Series' UNOH Perfect Storm 150 at 6:15 p.m., followed by an 8:30 p.m. start for the O'Reilly 200.
Tickets are available for the doubleheader for $30 and may be purchased by calling 423-BRISTOL (274-7865) or by visiting www.bristoltix.com.
