FORT WORTH, TX. (November 8, 2009)—- Ron Hornaday and the No. 33 Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) Kevin Harvick Inc. (KHI) team began the weekend with a plan and stuck to that plan, coming out of Texas Motor Speedway with a third-place finish and197 points ahead of Matt Crafton with two races remaining in the 2009 season. Hornaday led three times for a total of 36 laps. Hornaday battled with Kyle Busch and Crafton for the race win but the No. 33 truck became too loose at the end of the race. Unable to catch Busch to battle for the win, the No. 33 team did what they had to do in the championship battle.
“The No. 33 VFW Chevrolet was awesome,” said Hornaday following the race. “The truck was just too loose at the end. All in all it was a good run for our No. 33 VFW Chevrolet. Usually here at Texas we either win or something happens, so coming out of here with a top-three is pretty good. We will take it and move on to the last two races of this year.”
Hornaday started the Winstar World Casino 350 from the fourth position. When the race began the top three trucks of Crafton, Todd Bodine and Hornaday ran single file in the bottom groove. The first caution waved on lap 17 with Hornaday coming to pit road on lap 19, giving up the second position for four tires and came in the following lap for fuel. Many of the leaders decided to take fuel only, miring Hornaday deep in the field for the restart on lap 23. Coming from the 18th position, Hornaday rocketed through the field with four fresh tires. By lap 25, he had already moved into the 12th position with Crafton following in his tire tracks, as both Chevrolets were on the same pit strategy. By lap 30, Hornaday had driven to the seventh position and continued to pick off a truck a lap as he hunted for the lead. On lap 42, Hornaday moved into the second position, riding in the tire tracks of race leader Busch, vying for the lead. On lap 56, Hornaday over took Busch for the top spot. Hornaday led the field for three laps until the second caution of the evening waved on lap 54. Hornaday brought the field down pit road taking on four tires on the first stop and fuel the following lap. Crafton decided to take fuel only, reassuming the race lead. Hornaday restarted the race from the fifth position on lap 59.
By lap 63, Hornaday recaptured the lead from Crafton. The No. 33 VFW Chevrolet continued to lead at the half-way point on lap 75. On lap 86, Hornaday radioed the crew that he was loose. One lap later he radioed back and said, “forget what I said, I’m tight now. The truck goes from tight to loose back to tight.” The third and final caution waved on lap 88. The team brought the No. 33 truck down pit road for four tires and the following lap for fuel, making no adjustments to the truck. Hornaday restarted the race in the third position on lap 93 behind Busch and Crafton.
By lap 95, Hornaday reassumed the lead from Busch. However, the battle between Busch and Hornaday was not over. On lap 98, Busch got to the back bumper of Hornaday picking up his rear tires slinging Hornaday sideways. A quick save by Hornaday gave Busch the lead. Taking a few laps to regain his rhythm, Hornaday ran in the second position trying to track down Busch for the lead when the team let him know they were a few laps short on fuel. Hornaday did what he had to do to save enough fuel to be able to make it to the end of the race, but following the sideways save, his truck became extremely loose. On lap 112, Hornaday dropped to the third position behind Busch and Crafton.
As the laps wound down, Hornaday lost site of the top two trucks of Busch and Crafton and battled Bodine for the third position. Hornaday was able to hold him off and finish the Winstar World Casino 350 in the third position. The finish marks Hornaday’s 10th top-three finish of the 2009 season. Busch went on to record his fifth win in his last five Camping World Truck Series starts followed by Crafton, Hornaday, Bodine and Colin Braun. Hornaday remains the point’s leader by 197 points over Crafton with two races remaining in the 2009 season. DeLana Harvick continues to lead the owner’s point battle by 75 over Billy Ballew and the No. 51 truck team.
STATS RECAP
Race Info
November 6, 2009
Texas Motor Speedway
Race: 23 of 25
Driver: Ron Hornaday
Started: 4th
Finished: 3rd
Truck Series Point Standings: 1st (+197)
Race length: 147 laps/ 220.5 miles
Track layout: 1.5-mile
Shape: Quad-oval
Number of Race Cautions: 3 for 14 laps
Next on the Schedule for the No. 33:
Date: November 13, 2009
Track: Phoenix International Raceway
Event Name: Lucas Oil 150
Driver: Ron Hornaday
Sponsor: Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW)
Broadcast Time: SPEED 7:30 p.m., EST MRN 7:30 p.m., EST