Catchfence

RON HORNADAY MAKING STRONG CASE FOR DESIGNATION AS BEST DRIVER IN

JOHNNY BENSON AND OTHERS WEIGH IN ON DEBATE

Ron Hornaday Jr. made history two weeks ago at Nashville Superspeedway when he became only the first driver since 1971 to capture five consecutive race wins. Hornaday’s five straight NASCAR Camping World Truck Series victories tied him with Richard Petty and Bobby Allison, who both accomplished the feat in 1971 in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series.

Rewind to the week before at ORP, when the driver of the No. 33 Kevin Harvick Inc. Chevrolet Silverado became the first driver in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series to collect four consecutive wins, an achievement that had been accomplished numerous times in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series and only once by Sam Ard in the NASCAR Nationwide Series.

As the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series heads to Bristol Motor Speedway on Wednesday night (8:30 p.m. ET live on SPEED™; NCWTS Setup with Krista Voda at 8 p.m. ET), Hornaday, 51, shows every sign of making it six successive trips to Victory Lane, begging the question “Is Hornaday the best driver the Truck Series has ever seen?”

A poll of Truck Series veterans, past champions and influential members of the NASCAR media yielded a virtually unanimous answer in the affirmative, as well as a tongue-in-cheek retort as how to derail Hornaday’s streak.

Following are some of the responses:

“I don’t think there’s any doubt that if Hornaday is not the best, he’s one of the best, because to set a record like he did is pretty incredible. He has always been a tremendous driver and what he’s done with the Trucks is pretty incredible because Truck racing is probably the most competitive type of racing in NASCAR. There’s more passing, they run closer and get pretty wild … it gets hairy on the track. The fact that he’s been able to keep that truck together and put this fantastic record together is a wonderful achievement. Ol’ Ron … there’s still some races left – he could win every one of them.”

– H.A. “Humpy” Wheeler, legendary promoter and former President and General Manager of Lowe’s Motor Speedway

“I don’t think there’s even a question. The accomplishments Ron has had not only this year but throughout his whole career speak volumes and he’s won with a lot of different teams, crew chiefs and situations. That speaks volumes for his ability not only behind the wheel but his communication. There’s no question he’s probably the best in the Truck Series that we’ve ever seen.”

– Todd Bodine, 2006 NCWTS champion and driver of the No. 30 Germain Racing Toyota

“We need to break Hornaday’s arms and legs and maybe Rick Ren’s, too, to slow them down a little now (laughing). That’s about the only way to slow that team down. Right now they’re like a steamroller and are definitely in a class by themselves. It’s embarrassing because they’re just playing with the rest of the field. They just get out there and ride around and when it’s time to go, they go.”

– Mike Skinner, 1995 NCWTS champion and driver of the No. 5 Randy Moss Motorsports Toyota

“There’s no question, performance-wise from start to finish, Hornaday is head and shoulders ahead of everyone else at this juncture. Mike Skinner fired off really well and has won his share and there have been some guys who have come and gone and are extremely talented. But when you look at the Truck Series in its entirety, you’re looking at two guys (Skinner and Hornaday). They’re both great guys and have been a real key to the success of Truck racing. NASCAR is fortunate to have two great champions in the series ‘duking’ it out after all these years.”

– Joe Ruttman, 1995 NCWTS championship runner-up who remains the Truck Series’ oldest winner at 56 (Pikes Peak, May 2001)

“The question of ‘best ever’ covers a lot of territory and good drivers. The record would show Hornaday is the best ever but I don’t think you can count them up that way. There has been so much good talent. Jack Sprague is certainly one and I’d put Mike Skinner right up there at the top, right where he started in the first year. There have also been some guys who haven’t been that great as winners but who are tremendous drivers, such as Dennis Setzer and Todd Bodine. But based on statistics, which tell the story, it would be Hornaday.”

– Ken Squier, legendary broadcaster

“You’ve got to say that Hornaday’s the best ever – he’s been able to do something nobody else has. It’s too hard to say he’s the best but he’s right there at the top of the list. Jack Sprague has won a lot of championships and Mike Skinner has run really well. As a whole and as long as he’s been there, Hornaday has accomplished some great things. But there are a lot of great drivers (in the Truck Series).”

– Johnny Benson, reigning NCWTS champion

“Hornaday would be the best ever. Hornaday’s driving style fits the Truck Series perfectly because he’s a hard-charging, tough competitor and every lap he runs, he races like it’s the last lap. And when you’re in a shorter race, and the Truck Series runs the shortest races of the three national major touring divisions, his driving style fits the Truck Series perfectly. If you look at statistics, you’ve got to look at Mike Skinner and Jack Sprague (as runners-up). Between the three of them, they’ve got a landslide number of victories over anyone else who has raced in the Truck Series.”

– Terry Cook, driver of the No. 25 HT Motorsports Toyota and owner of more than 300 NCWTS starts

“Hornaday is the best driver the Truck Series has ever seen. Statistics always tell you something about a driver’s ability and a look at the record books at the end of this season will show Hornaday at the top of just about every category imaginable. He is the best driver in series history strictly by the numbers but also by watching him perform. There are two or three other guys I’d put within striking distance but given Hornaday’s performance the past two seasons, he’s the best by far.”

– Ray Dunlap, SPEED reporter

“There are a number of drivers you’d have to consider as the best of all time. Mike Skinner has been outstanding and it’s hard to match some of the numbers he has put up. But the single best has to be Hornaday because he’s been so strong in so many different eras of Truck Series racing. Now at 51, Hornaday is as dominant as he has ever been, which speaks volumes about him as a driver. He’s certainly in line to have a chance to win an unprecedented fourth championship. You can make an argument for other drivers but I don’t know how you could bet against Hornaday as the best ever.”

– Adam Alexander, SPEED reporter

- SPEED Press Release