Top-finishing Dodge driver and 2008 NASCAR Cup Series Rookie of the Year contender Sam Hornish Jr. led the Penske Racing contingent in the Dickies 500 at Texas Motor Speedway on Sunday. Hornish secured a 23rd-place finish while teammates Ryan Newman and Kurt Busch placed 28th and 41st, respectively.
After starting in 21st place, Hornish and the Penske Truck Rental team worked throughout the 501-mile event to a 23rd-place finish. For the fourth consecutive week, Hornish received “Rookie of the Race” honors as the top-finishing rookie contender. The No. 77 team remains 37th in the 2008 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series owner point standings, 100 points outside of 35th place.
“We had a respectable run today with the Penske Truck Rental Dodge,” said Hornish after the 334-lap event. “We were right where we were at Charlotte and Atlanta. I’m real happy with the guys that worked on the Penske Truck Rental Dodge. They gave me a decent car. We were just off on it too much early to be able to be where we needed to be. We’ll just keep working on our program as the season comes to a close.”
On Friday, Ryan Newman qualified 31st, so the Alltel team knew that they would have their work cut out for them to make up ground on the 1.5-mile oval. Newman and the No. 12 Alltel Dodge fought grip issues throughout the course of Dickies 500 on Sunday afternoon. Despite making numerous air pressure and chassis adjustments throughout the course of the event, Newman battled with a race car that seemed to slide around the track. Newman finished 28th, three laps down to the leader. With two races remaining in the NASCAR Cup Series season, Newman is currently 16th in the 2008 driver point standings.
After engine problems relegated Busch to the garage area early, the No. 2 Miller Lite Dodge team finished 41st at Texas Motor Speedway, accounting for their fourth DNF (did not finish) of the 2008 season. Busch is now 19th in the 2008 NASCAR Cup Series driver point standings.
| 
|