MADISON, Ill. (September 13, 2009)—- Ron Hornaday dominated at Gateway (Ill.) International Raceway leading 116 of 162 laps, and appeared to be on his way to his seventh victory of 2009; however, a late caution for debris placed Matt Crafton on Hornaday’s bumper. A slow start with four laps remaining let Crafton get within striking distance of Hornaday, heading into turn one Crafton bumped the left-rear quarter panel of the No. 33 Longhorn Chevrolet sending him spinning into the wall. Hornaday would then wash back down the track and collect Chad McCumbee sustaining major damage to the No. 33. Crafton would be penalized one lap under caution for aggressive driving as Hornaday’s destroyed truck was taken to the garage on a wrecker.
“I got a slow start there on the last restart and gave him the low side,” said Hornaday after walking out of the infield care center. “I’m not sure what (Matt) Crafton was thinking, he clearly dumped me. There are seven more races to go. I guess we just have to drive harder now. I have to almost laugh about it, we had such an awesome Longhorn Chevrolet it is such a shame it had to end that way.”
Hornaday began the Copart 200 from the second position, narrowly missing the pole by five one hundredths of a second. Quickly, Hornaday showed how strong his No. 33 Longhorn truck was passing pole sitter Colin Braun on lap two. Hornaday would remain the leader through the third caution at lap 38. Crew chief Rick Ren and the No. 33 team brought Hornaday down pit road on lap 41 for their first scheduled pit stop of the day. The team changed four tires and the following lap took on fuel. Hornaday restarted in the fourth position.
Battling Todd Bodine, Colin Braun and Matt Crafton for position, Hornaday was able to reassume the lead by lap 55. Hornaday would pace the field under a long green-flag run, his only comment to the crew, “I’m getting a little snug in the center and a touch snug off, but were pretty good right now,” as he pulled out to a second lead on second place Bodine. Caution at lap 76 brought the field back to pit road. The No. 33 changed four tires and made an air-pressure adjustment. The following lap the team would fill up with fuel. Hornaday restarted on lap 80 in the second position. Racing with Stacy Compton, Bodine, Braun and Crafton for position, Hornaday proved he had the best truck on the track on lap 90 when he reassumed the lead from Compton.
Hornaday and Bodine battled for the top spot until caution at lap 96 brought the field back down pit road for fuel. Now every truck on track was 100 percent sure they could make it to the end of the race on fuel. On the restart at lap 101, Hornaday became mired back in traffic with several trucks that had stayed out on different pit strategies. Crafton pushed Hornaday down the front stretch almost turning him in the corner. “How does Crafton expect me to go when I have other trucks in front of me?” Hornaday asked spotter, Rick Carelli on the radio.
By lap 114, Crafton was no longer an issue as Hornaday made quick work of traffic and retook the lead with 46 laps remaining. Crafton radioed to NASCAR officials that there was metal on the track in turn four bringing out the ninth caution on lap 149. On the restart on lap 152, Crafton and Bodine get together in turn one, sending the No. 30 careening through the grass collecting Braun. With four laps remaining Hornaday, the race leader and Crafton were bumper to bumper on the restart. Hornaday got off to a slow start allowing Crafton to take a shot at the No.33. Crafton got into the left-rear quarter panel of Hornaday’s No. 33 truck going into turn one sending him hard into the outside wall, he then came back across the track and was collected by McCumbee. Hornaday would be unable to finish the race after leading 116 of 162 laps. Crafton was penalized for rough driving sitting on pit road for one lap. However, he was able to come back and finish sixth. Mike Skinner went on to win the Copart 200 followed by Johnny Sauter, Brian Scott, Aric Almirola and Tayler Malsam rounding out the top five. Hornaday remains the championship point’s leader by 197 points over Crafton.
STATS RECAP
Race Info
September 12, 2009
Gateway (Ill.) International Raceway
Race: 18 of 25
Driver: Ron Hornaday
Started: 2nd
Finished: 17th
Truck Series Point Standings: 1st (+197)
Race length: 160 Laps/ 200 Miles
Track layout: 1.25-mile
Shape: Oval
Number of Race Cautions: 11 for 44 laps
First Practice: Second (33.972 seconds; 132.462 mph)
Final Practice: Fifth (33.740 seconds, 133.373 mph)
Qualifying: Second (33.662 seconds, 133.682)
Next on the Schedule for the No. 33:
Date: September 19, 2009
Track: New Hampshire Motor Speedway
Event Name: Heluva Good! 200
Driver: Ron Hornaday
Sponsor: Copart
Broadcast Time: SPEED 2:30 p.m., EST MRN 2:30 p.m., EST