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Ron Hornaday clinched his fourth NASCAR Camping World Truck Series title on Friday night at Phoenix—with one race remaining on the schedule—with a fourth-place finish.
At age 51, Hornaday is now the oldest driver to win a NASCAR series championship. The Birmingham News
Harvick, the team owner, won Friday night’s race and celebrated with Hornaday with simultaneous burnouts along the frontstretch.
“To see Hornaday lock up the championship and to win the race, I don’t know if you can script it much better,” Harvick said.
Hornaday said he raced conservatively Friday night to nurse his 197-point lead over Crafton, but still had to overcome an early pit road penalty when his team began fueling his truck before the catch-can was in place.
“I was sweating real bad,” Hornaday admitted. “To come home in the top-five, that’s what we needed to do.”
NASCAR Truck Series: Lucas Oil 150 at Phoenix - Race Results
A series of cautions helped him get back ahead of Crafton when he beat him off pit road following a yellow flag, and he held on over two more late cautions and a two-lap sprint to the finish. Hornaday also won the championship in 1996 and 1998, and finished second last season by seven points to Johnny Benson. The Associated Press
It was only second time in the history of the Truck Series that the title has been clinched prior to the season finale. And in doing so, Hornaday also became the oldest touring series champion in NASCAR history at what was described to him by a spokesman as 51 years, 4 months and 21 days.
To which Hornaday asked: “Geez, do you have the hours, too?” NASCAR
Kyle Busch finishes second followed by Aric Almirola.
Johnny Sauter, Mike Skinner, Mike Bliss, Matt Crafton, David Starr and Stacy Compton completed the top-10.
