Hornaday hopes history repeats itself at Memphis

The formula is simple: Win at Memphis, take the points lead. It's happened before, so why can't it happen again?

Five years ago, Ron Hornaday was battling Jack Sprague for the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series championship when the circuit arrived in Memphis. Hornaday won that race, one of six on the season, and grabbed the points lead. He ended up winning the title that year.

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Now, the Busch Series heads to Memphis Motorsports Park, the three-quarter mile short track, and Hornaday is in the thick of another points race. But instead of battling one guy like he did Sprague, Hornaday is fighting with four others for the title.

David Green leads, with Brian Vickers 36 points behind in second, Scott Riggs 47 behind in third, Hornaday 76 behind in fourth and Jason Keller 80 points behind in fifth.

"It's tight. That's really all there is to say," Hornaday said. "All five teams are top teams. Nobody in this battle is a fluke or a surprise. At the beginning of the season we felt like we would be racing Green, Riggs and Keller.

"I guess Vickers would be a surprise if you think back to February when this season started, but it didn't take long to realize he is the real deal."

Vickers went to the top spot by winning at Dover two races ago but he crashed at Kansas Speedway. David Green won that race and took over the lead, holding it after last week's race at Charlotte.

"One of the strange things about this championship battle compared to others I've been in is that there are five guys this close," Hornaday said. "Back in my truck and even Southwest Tour days, we were usually racing one other guy, maybe two at best. When you are racing five guys, it's impossible to points race. You can't do it.

"There is no way that the other four will all have the same bad day. It just won't happen. You have to race for the win. You have to lead laps. We haven't done that in a long time, and that's what it is going to take. We have to step it up a notch, or we have no chance at winning this deal."

Honest words from a veteran driver, but Hornaday is optimistic, too. Seventy-six points can be made up in one race, especially at a short track where things can happen quickly.

	Credit: Autostock

In addition to his NCTS victory in 1998, Hornaday finished seventh at Memphis last year with the Carroll Racing No. 26 car.

Richard Childress Racing's No. 2, Hornaday's current ride, started second and finished 14th with Johnny Sauter driving in 2002.

"What a fun racetrack," Hornaday said. "I love Memphis. Always have and probably always will. The fans are awesome. The place is just cool. Graceland is a great place to visit.

"In fact, we left tickets for the King under his door back in 1999. I'm not sure if he came or not, but I can know he was there in spirit.

"We have raced very well at Memphis. I won the race in 1998 after I blew a tire and had to fight back from a lap down. I expect to be racing for the win. It is one of my all-time favorite tracks."

After Memphis, there are four races left: Atlanta, Phoenix, Rockingham and Homestead. Hornaday believes the schedule could be in his favor the rest of the season.

"We have won here at Memphis in the past and we always run up front, so I think we have as good a chance as anyone," Hornaday said. "Then you look at the rest of the schedule, and it sets up really well for me. I won at Atlanta in an ARCA car, so I feel good about that track. Phoenix is my home track and we are always one of the best cars, so I know we can win there. Rockingham is a track where we haven't won, but have scored top-fives.

"And then there is Homestead. I have no clue what to expect there. I won the truck race last year, but that was on the flat track. We won't know anything about Miami until our test during race week. But then again, neither will anybody else."

This weekend, though, Hornaday knows about Memphis.