Hornaday hopes to recapture
IRP glory of 2000
Race No. 22: Kroger 200 TV: TNT 8:00 p.m.*
Indianapolis Raceway Park, Indianapolis, IN RADIO: MRN 7:45
p.m.*
Distance: .686-miles
*All times are Eastern
Notes:
* Back in Time
Looking into the numbers, Ron Hornaday's 2003 NASCAR Busch Series
(NBS) season seems to mirror his rookie season back in 2000. During that
year, Hornaday had scored a win at Nazareth (PA.) Speedway and was in the
heat of the NBS point's battle coming into Indianapolis (IN.) Raceway Park
(IRP). Hornaday captured his second and final victory of 2000 at IRP and
finished a disappointing fifth in NBS point's after a tough second half of
the season. This year, Hornaday again looks at IRP as a great site for his
second win of the season and hopefully, the run that will propel him to a
NBS Championship.
* Points battle is heating up
Hornaday and the No. 2 ACDelco Chevrolet head into this Saturday's
race at IRP in fourth position in the NASCAR Busch Series (NBS) point's
standings. Hornaday is actually tied with Jason Keller for third, both just
50 points out of first place. The first tiebreaker in the NBS point's
standings is wins and both drivers have one victory. The second tiebreaker
is top five finishes and Keller has seven to Hornaday's five.
* What ya haulin'?
The No. 2 ACDelco transporter will unload chassis No. 34 at IRP. It
is the same "drop-snout" car that the team raced to top-10 finishes at
Milwaukee, New Hampshire, and again last week at Pike's Peak International
Raceway. Chassis No. 34 has become one of Hornaday's favorite cars.
* Did you know?
The ACDelco Chevrolet has seen victory lane at IRP as well. Back in
1998, Dale Earnhardt, Jr. scored the win in the Kroger 200 and put the
ACDelco colors atop the podium. Earnhardt, Jr. and ACDelco went on to win
the 1998 NBS Championship.
QUOTES:
ACDelco Chevrolet driver Ron Hornaday on Indianapolis Raceway Park
What are your thoughts on racing at IRP?
"I won at IRP in 2000 and that was a great win for that team. I think IRP
is a track that I get around really well. You can be aggressive there and
use the nose and fenders to make a hole. Everyone is pushing and shoving
and trying to get a position, and that's right where I'm most comfortable.
When I first started racing at Saugus Speedway in California, that was how
you had to drive to win. You use the same approach here. If you're hooked
up, you can use both the high and the low groove. The best line is to drive
in low and slide up the track. The higher groove works at this track and it
is the place to be."
Ron Hornaday and the ACDelco Chevrolet Monte Carlo are fourth in the NASCAR
Busch Series point's standings. Hornaday is 50 points out of first place.
