Race Rundown
Hornaday picks up record 50th win at Kentucky: Congratulations go out to #2-Ron Hornaday Jr. as he held off #3-Austin Dillon to pick up the win for the Kentucky 225 at Kentucky Speedway This was Hornaday's 3rd career win at Kentucky, and a record-setting 50th in the Camping World Truck Series. Dillon finished second. Rounding out the top ten were; #31-James Buescher, #8-Nelson Piquet Jr., #18-Brian Ickler, #4-Ricky Carmichael, #5-Todd Bodine, #60-Cole Whitt, #98-Dakoda Armstrong, #81-David Starr. There were 18 lead changes among 11 drivers with 7 caution flags for 36 laps. Complete race results are posted on the Kentucky Race Results Page.(Official)(10-3-2011)
Post-Race Fast Facts:
Kentucky Speedway
12th Annual Kentucky 225
Race Winner: Ron Hornaday Jr.
Age: 53
Team: No. 2 - Hollywood Casino Chevrole
Owner: Delana Harvick
Crew Chief: Bruce Cook
*Ron Hornaday Jr. won the 12th Annual Kentucky 225, his 50th victory in 295 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series races.
*This is his third victory and 14th top-10 finish in 2011.
*This is his third victory and fifth top-10 finish in eight races at Kentucky Speedway.
*Austin Dillon (second) posted his second top-10 finish in three races at Kentucky Speedway. It is his 12th top-10 finish in 2011.
*James Buescher (third) posted his third top-10 finish in four races at Kentucky Speedway.
*Nelson Piquet, Jr. (fourth) was the highest finishing rookie.
*Austin Dillon leads the point standings by 3 points over James Buescher.
(Provided by NASCAR Statistics - Sat, October 01, 2011 @ 09:28 PM Central)
Race Awards:
Exide Start Positive, Stay Positive Award: James Buescher, #31
Featherlite Most Improved Driver: Nelson Piquet Jr, #8 20 Places
Keystone Light Pole Award: Austin Dillon, #3 179.868 mph
Mahle Clevite Engine Builder of the Race: Earnhardt Childress Racing Technologies, #2
Mobil 1 Driver of the Race: Ron Hornaday Jr, #2
O'Reilly Auto Parts Position Improvement Award: Blake Feese, #32 23 place
Sunoco Rookie of the Race: Nelson Piquet Jr, #8
(NASCAR Stataistics)(10-1-2011)
Lucky Dog Awards - Who got a lap back on each caution at Kentucky: (and finish)
Caution 1: #29-Parker Kligerman, 29th
Caution 2: #38-Ryan Sieg, 32nd
Caution 3: #10-Jennifer Jo Cobb, 20th
Caution 4: #88-Matt Crafton, 23rd
Caution 5 #88-Matt Crafton 23rd
Caution 6: #57-Norm Benning, 21st
Caution 7: #22-Joey Coulter, 13th
(NASCAR Statistics)(10-1-2011)
Driver Point Standings following Race #20 at Kentucky Speedway:
1) #3-Austin Dillon, 704
2) #31-James Buescher, 701 -3
3) #13-Johnny Sauter, 685 -19
4) #17-Timothy Peters, 664 -40
5) #2/33-Ron Hornaday Jr., 662 -42
6) #22-Joey Coulter, 634 -70
7) #60-Cole Whitt, 632 -72
8) #88-Matt Crafton 631 -73
9) #5-Todd Bodine, 631 -73
10) #29-Parker Kligerman, 608 -96(Unofficial)(10-1-2011)
Complete driver point standings are posted on the Kentucky Driver Standings Page.(Official)(10-3-2011)
- Owner point standings: following the Kentucky 225 at Kentucky Speedway are posted on the Kentucky Owner Standings Page.(Official)(10-3-2011)
Kentucky Pit Stall Selections
Dillon wins Kentucky pole: Austin Dillon, driving the #3-Bass Pro Shops/Tracker Boats Chevrolet for RCR, was the fastest qualifer with a track record speed of 179.868 mph to win the Keystone Light Pole for the Kentucky 225 at Kentucky Speedway. This is his fifth pole this season; his twelfth overall. #2-Ron Hornaday Jr., qualified second. Rounding out the top ten were; #8-Nelson Piquet Jr., #18-Brian Ickler, #6-Justin Lofton, #88-Matt Crafton, #29-Parker Kligerman, #31-James Buescher, #22-Joey Coulter, #60-Cole Whitt. DNQ: None. Complete starting lineup is posted on the Kentucky Lineup Page.(10-1-2011)
Post-Qualifying Fast Facts
Kentucky Speedway
12th Annual Kentucky 225
Keystone Light Pole Winner: Austin Dillon
Age:21
Team : No. 3 - Bass Pro Shops/Tracker Boats Chevrolet
Owner:Richard Childress
Crew Chief: Danny Stockman, Jr.
*Austin Dillon won the Keystone Light Pole Award for the 12th Annual Kentucky 225 with a track record lap of 30.022 seconds, 179.868 mph.
*This is his 12th pole in 47 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series races.
*This is his fifth pole and 18th top-10 start in 2011.
*This is his second pole in three races at Kentucky Speedway. He won the pole for last year's Kentucky 225.
*Ron Hornaday Jr. (second) posted his 15th top-10 start of 2011 and his sixth in eight races at Kentucky Speedway.
*Nelson Piquet, Jr. (third) posted his second top-10 start at Kentucky Speedway. It is his 14th in 20 races this season.
*Nelson Piquet, Jr. (third) was the fastest qualifying rookie.
*The top five qualifiers broke Bill Lester's record lap of 178.141 set July 9, 2005.
(Provided by NASCAR Statistics - Sat, October 01, 2011 @ 04:12 PM Central)
Austin Dillon quickest in final practice at Kentucky: #3-Austin Dillon again was atop the boards during the final practice session for the Kentucky 225 at Kentucky Speedway with a top speed of 178.400 mph. Rounding out the top ten were; #8-Nelson Piquet Jr., #2-Ron Hornaday, #88-Matt Crafton, #22-Joey Coulter, #18-Brian Ickler, #60-Cole Whitt, #13-Johnny Sauter, #31-James Buescher, #21-Ty Dillon. Practice was extended for 15 minutes following a caution when #32-Blake Feese hit the wall hard in turn two; appears he will be going to a backup truck. There were 33 trucks on track for the final session. Final practice speeds are posted on the Kentucky Practice Speeds Page.(9-30-2011)
Austin Dillon leads opening practice at Kentucky: Austin Dillon, driving the #3-Bass Pro Shops/Tracker Boats Chevrolet for RCR, had the fastest lap with a top speed of 176.563 mph to lead the opening practice session for the Kentucky 225 at Kentucky Speedway. Rounding out the top ten were; #8-Nelson Piquet Jr., #4-Ricky Carmichael, #13-Johnny Sauter, #22-Joey Coulter, #6-Justin Lofton, #2-Ron Hornaday Jr., #31-James Buescher, #17-Timothy Peters, #81-David Starr. There were 36 trucks on track for the opening session. Complete practice speeds are posted on the Kentucky Practice Speeds Page.(9-30-2011)
Official Entry List: There are 37 trucks listed on the Official Entry List for the Kentucky 225 at Kentucky Speedway. Late entries and changes; #27-Brent Raymer, S& W Services Chevrolet; #38-Mike Garvey, S& W Services Chevrolet; #73-A.J. Russell, Sacred Power Ford; #74-Mike Harmon, Global Pigeon Supply Ford; #93- BJ McLeod, S&W Services Chevrolet, driver change. Complete entry list is posted on the Kentucky Entry List Page.(9-26-2011)
Preliminary Entry List: There are 31 trucks listed on the Preliminary Entry List for the Kentucky 225 at Kentucky Speedway. Complete entry list is posted on the Kentucky Entry List Page.(9-26-2011)
Some Notes:
#2-Ron Hornaday Jr. as driver, switching from the #33, Hollywood Casino Chevrolet for KHI
#07-John King, returns as driver for the SS Green Light Racing Toyota
#18-Brian Ickler, making his third start this season in the KBM Toyota
#21-Ty Dillon, making his truck series debut driving the Bad Boy Buggies/Realtree Chevrolet for KHI
#33-Cale Gale, making his second start this season driving the Rheem Heating & Colling Chevrolet for KHI
#51-Josh Richards driving the Joy Mining Machinery Toyota, second entry for KBM
#66-Ross Chastain, returns as driver for the National Watermelon Promotion Board Chevrolet for Turn One Racing
#92-Clay Rogers, driver for the QMI/Fleet HQ/BTS Tire & Wheel Chevrolet(9-26-2011)
UPDATE:
#68-Clay Greenfield, late entry, driving the Bill Alger Motorsports Dodge(9-27-2011)
Goodyear Tire Notes
NASCAR Camping World Truck Series -- Race No. 20 – Kentucky 225
Kentucky Motor Speedway (1.50-mile oval) – Sparta, Ky.
Fast Facts for September 30-October 1, 2011
Tire:
Goodyear Wrangler Speedway Radials
Number of Tires:
Left-side -- 375
Right-side -- 375
Set limits:
5 sets for weekend
Tire Codes:
Left-side -- D-4394
Right-side -- D-4440
Tire Circumference:
Left-side -- 87.1 in
Right-side -- 88.4 in.
Technical Inspection Inflation:
Left Front -- 30 psi; Left Rear -- 30 psi
Right Front -- 48 psi; Right Rear -- 45 psi
Minimum Recommended Inflation:
Left Front -- 22 psi; Left Rear -- 20 psi
Right Front -- 46 psi; Right Rear -- 42 psi
Notes:
This is the same combination of left- and right-side tires that Camping World Truck teams ran at Kentucky in July . . . truck teams have also run this left-side tire code (D-4394) several times in the past -- at Dover this season and at Dover, Michigan and Kentucky last season . . . Kentucky is the only track on which they will run this right-side code (D-4440) . . . as on all NASCAR ovals greater than one mile in length, teams are required to run inner liners in all four tire positions at Kentucky . . . air pressure in those inner liners should be 12-25 psi greater than that of the outer tire.(Goodyear PR)(9-29-2011)
Hornaday scores 50th NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Victory at Kentucky
Hornaday scores 50th NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Victory: Ron Hornaday Jr., the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series only four-time champion, posted his record-extending 50th victory in the Kentucky 225 at Kentucky Speedway on Saturday night. Hornaday, from Palmdale, Calif., is the only active, full-time competitor whose career dates to the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series’ inaugural event at Phoenix International Raceway on Feb. 5, 1995. He won the Keystone Light Pole for that race and collected his first victory two months later at Tucson (Ariz.) Raceway Park. The 53-year-old Hornaday has won races on 30 different tracks. He is the series’ all-time short track winner with 22 victories and also won three times on road courses. Eleven of his 50 victories came from a pole position start.
Beginning in 1995, when Hornaday drove for Dale Earnhardt Inc., he has won at least once in each of 12 seasons in which he was a full-time competitor and 13 years overall. His most prolific season was 1997 when he won seven times. He has won six or more times in five different seasons. Saturday’s victory was his third of the 2011 season. Hornaday won championships with DEI in 1996 and 1998 and with Kevin Harvick Inc. in 2007 and 2009. He has ranked among the top five in the points standings eight times. “Ron has been the heart and soul of the Truck series,” said Kevin Harvick, the owner for 24 of Hornaday’s victories. “Fifty wins is just one more incredible achievement in a career that I’m sure will one day land him in the NASCAR Hall of Fame.”
Hornaday holds series records for most top-five (143) and top-10 (205) finishes. He recently passed Joe Ruttman to claim the most victories – 14, now 15 – by a NASCAR Camping World Truck Series driver age 50 years or older. Hornaday stands third all-time among series pole winners with 26. He was voted the series’ Most Popular Driver in 1997 and 2005. Below is a timeline of Hornaday’s notable victories on his way to 50:
*1 – On April 8, 1995, at Tucson Raceway Park, Hornaday wins his first race, the second for the series. It is the first NASCAR national series victory for Dale Earnhardt Inc.
*9 – On Aug. 25, 1996, at Watkins Glen International, Hornaday completes a sweep of all three road courses scheduled to date. He previously won at Heartland Park Topeka and Infineon Raceway.
*10 – On Sept. 8, 1996, at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, Hornaday goes from sixth to first on the final lap, the only lap he led.
*12 – On June 21, 1997, at Bristol Motor Speedway, Hornaday becomes the final driver to lead every lap – 200 – of a NASCAR Camping World Truck race.
*25 – On April 3, 1999, at Evergreen Speedway, Hornaday wins the series’ 100th race and a $100,000 bonus posted by then series sponsor Craftsman for an eligible winner having competed in all 99 previous events. The victory is his last in the series for Dale Earnhardt Inc.
*27 – On March 18, at Atlanta Motor Speedway, Hornaday edges Bobby Labonte by 0.008 seconds in the series’ then-closest finish on a superspeedway.
*35 – On June 6, 2008, at Texas Motor Speedway, Hornaday breaks a 10-race winless drought at the 1.5-mile superspeedway. He returns in November to complete a season sweep at the Ft. Worth track.
*36 – On June 28, 2008 at Memphis Motorsports Park, Hornaday scores the first of 14 victories at the age of 50 years or older.
*45 – On Aug. 1, 2009, at Nashville Superspeedway, Hornaday completes a string of five consecutive victories that began at The Milwaukee Mile and continued at Memphis Motorsports Park, Kentucky Speedway and Lucas Oil Raceway. He is the first national series driver to post such a streak since 1971.
*47 – On Oct. 23, 2010, Hornaday, the series’ leading short track winner, is finally a winner in his 17th trip to Martinsville Speedway.
*49 – On Sept. 2, 2011, at Atlanta Motor Speedway, wins for the 14th time past the age of 50 breaking a record he’d shared with Joe Ruttman for the most wins past 50 in a single national series.(NASCAR Integrated Marketing Communications)(10-1-2011)
NASCAR's News & Notes
Truck Series News & Notes - Kentucky Speedway
Bodine Calls Kentucky 'Perfect Track' To Snap Victory Drought
Who'd have guessed that defending NASCAR Camping World Truck Series champion Todd Bodine would be winless 20 races into the 2011 season? Nobody, given that the 47-year-old Bodine has won at least twice in seven consecutive seasons and 21 times over all.
This could be the week that a 13-month, 26-race drought ends for the 2006 and 2010 champion. Bodine returns to the site of his last victory, Kentucky Speedway, where he finished fourth in July. "Kentucky is a perfect track for our team to race this weekend," said Bodine, whose last victory came at the 1.5-mile layout on Sept. 3, 2010. "We've had some struggles but we've definitely seen some progress. Kentucky is a great track for us to really get the chance to see what we've learned and have a good weekend."
Bodine has won 12 times on 1.5-mile tracks, second only to Kyle Busch. At Kentucky Speedway, he's finished among the top five on three occasions and in the top 10 four times. Bodine has led three races for 71 laps. "The track is a good track for me personally, and it's been a great track for the team," he said. Bodine, 10th in points with four top-five finishes, is one of six drivers to win a race at Kentucky Speedway in their championship seasons. Ron Hornaday Jr. won in 2009 en route to his fourth title.
Points Lead Changes Hands Yet Again With Dillon Taking No. 1
Another race; another championship lead change.
Austin Dillon backed up his Chicagoland victory with a runner-up finish to Kyle Busch in New Hampshire to reclaim the top spot in the standings. Dillon holds a two-point lead over former No. 1 James Buescher with six races remaining. Dillon led once previously after August's Pocono stop but surrendered the spot when he finished 22nd at Michigan.
The New Hampshire race marked the ninth time this season the championship lead has changed hands. Johnny Sauter, leader on 10 occasions, remains a close third, seven points behind Dillon. Timothy Peters and Ron Hornaday complete the top five.
Fans will see a double dose of Dillon this week as the 2010 Sunoco Rookie of the Year's younger brother, Ty Dillon, is set to make his NASCAR Camping World Truck debut. The younger Dillon, age 19, is the current ARCA championship leader and will step into his older sibling's truck when Austin Dillon moves to the NASCAR Nationwide Series next year
KHI Sale To Eddie Sharp Racing Enables Legacy To Move Forward
Kevin Harvick Inc., arguably the series' most successful team over the past decade, will be no more after the checkered flag falls at Homestead-Miami Speedway in November. The good news, however, is the organization will live on as part of Eddie Sharp Racing which announced its purchase of KHI's assets last week.
Two of the Harvick team's trucks will be competing fulltime under Sharp's ownership with drivers yet to be named. Sharp currently fields the No. 6 Chevrolet with Justin Lofton at the wheel. "We are ready to take this opportunity head on to utilize what Kevin and DeLana (Harvick) have built," said Sharp. "It was a marriage made in heaven, because we were ready to move forward at ESR, and this opportunity worked out perfectly. With KHI, you have a turnkey, successful program at the ready."
Added Harvick, "Our main concern when we decided to do what we did with KHI was to do everything we could to keep everything on the track. With Eddie acquiring the two teams that's going to give everybody the opportunity to move forward."
KHI has won two NASCAR Camping World Truck titles with Hornaday in 2007 and 2009 and owner championships the same seasons. Its 39 wins stand No. 2 on the all-time series victory list.
NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Etc.
Saturday's Kentucky 225 marks the first time the Sparta, Ky. track has hosted two events during the same season. Kyle Busch won the first stop in July. ... No NASCAR Sprint Cup Series points-eligible drivers are entered in this week's race. Hornaday is due to drive KHI's No. 2 Chevrolet, the owner championship leading team, with Cale Gale taking the helm of the No. 33 Chevrolet. Brian Ickler will drive Busch's July-winning No. 18 Toyota. ... Brendan Gaughan was the series' highest points eligible finisher in July with a third-place performance, his best of the season. ... Busch's New Hampshire victory was his 30th in 99 series starts. Hornaday, the only other series driver with more wins (49) required 131 starts to reach win No. 30 at Charlotte in 2007.(NASCAR Integrated Marketing Communications)(9-27-2011)
