Hornaday has had his chance in Cup cars. He’s had his share of Nationwide rides. For whatever reasons — sponsorships, owners, equipment, timing — none ever worked out full time for the 51-year-old Californian.
But over the last 14 years, and especially the last five, few drivers have appeared as comfortable in a series as Hornaday has in NASCAR’s Camping World Truck Series. He’s won 16 times in the last 4 1/2 years. This year, he’s won three races and will try for No. 4 Saturday at Kentucky Speedway.
Hornaday is the face of the truck series, which was born as another way to get young drivers in the seat.
Funny how things work.
“When the truck series started, they called it the stepping grounds to get your feet wet, to learn the radial tires, learn the different tracks, learn the pit stops, to move on to a different series,” he said. “What the truck series has done in the last 15 years, it’s made its own identity. Now it stands alone.”