Hornaday Wins Race and Record $140,100
MONROE, Wa. (Apr. 4, 1999) From NASCAR Online
Ron Hornaday won the biggest prize in NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series history, along with
his 25th career victory, as he captured Saturday's NAPACard 200 race at Evergreen
Speedway. Hornaday, one of
four drivers in the 30-truck field eligible for a $100,000 bonus in the tour's 100th race,
led all but 15 laps around the 0.646-mile speedway. He beat series rival Jack Sprague by
2.509 seconds in a race which was stretched to more than four hours by rain. The 40-year-old
veteran, who drives a Chevrolet Silverado for Dale Earnhardt Inc., won $140,100 more than
$55,000 greater the the previous largest purse in the series. Hornaday started
from the pole position by virtue of his 1998 championship, with Sprague alongside, when
inclement weather canceled qualifying. The pair swapped
the lead twice, before Sprague drifted back in the pack, leaving Hornaday to battle for
most of the race with Ron Barfield. The race's seventh and final caution, which ended on
lap 185, saw Hornaday quickly pull away from his pursuers. Sprague, who
restarted fourth, passed Stacy Compton's Dodge for third-place on lap 192. He got around
Barfield's fading Ford with three serials remaining but, by then, Hornaday was two dozen
lengths in front. Barfield, Compton
and Mike Wallace trailed Hornaday, who averaged 59.654 mph. Rick Carelli, Dennis Setzer,
Mike Bliss, Kevin Harvick and Greg Biffle completed the top 10 among 18 drivers who
completed all 200 laps. Hornaday gave
credit to his crew chief, Sandy Jones, for making key adjustments to the truck during
several pit stops. When the race was on the line, the setup was perfect. "The crew put
on a set of (right side) tires and the truck was just right,'' he said. ``That was the key
today.'' Added Jones: ``This team is unbelievable and Ron Hornaday is the best driver I've
ever seen in my life and I've worked for quite a few of them.'' Hornaday continues
to lead NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series point standings, by 45 points over Compton. The race's first
50 laps required more than two hours to complete, thanks to three red flags to dry the
track surface. When racing resumed for good, however, there were just four brief yellows
for minor incidents. Twenty-six of the 30 starters were running at the finish.
Hornaday Wins Race and Record $140,100
Hornaday, one of
four drivers in the 30-truck field eligible for a $100,000 bonus in the tour's 100th race,
led all but 15 laps around the 0.646-mile speedway. He beat series rival Jack Sprague by
2.509 seconds in a race which was stretched to more than four hours by rain.
