California Busch race a homecoming for several

The California Speedway is a long way from Charlotte, N.C., the acknowledged home to NASCAR stock car racing.

But for seven Busch Series drivers, home is a little bit closer this weekend. Those seven are from the state of California, so racing in Saturday's Stater Bros. 300 will be like Homecoming.

Ron Hornaday is from Palmdale, Robby Gordon from Cerritos, Kevin Harvick from Bakersfield, Jason Leffler from Long Beach, Stanton Barrett from Bishop, John Borneman from Romona and Bruce Bechtel from Corono.

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Hornaday and Leffler are full-time Busch Series drivers, while Gordon, Harvick and Barrett compete on a part-time schedule. Borneman is entered in a Team Rensi car this weekend, and Bechtel will drive for Rick Ware's team.

And don't forget about Mike Wallace, who drives for the Biagi Bros., whose corporate headquarters are in Napa, Calif.

By comparison, while 90 percent of the teams are housed in North Carolina, only four Busch drivers are from there.

Hornaday left Southern California in 1995 to drive for Dale Earnhardt. It was a tougher decision than one might think.

"I love the fans on the west coast," Hornaday said. "They made me who I am today, and I can never thank them enough for their support. It was tough leaving back in '95. I had never been to North Carolina and wasn't sure exactly where it was. But when I got the offer from Dale, I had to go.

"But the fans stayed with us. They have been the best to me and my family. I think the people have proven to the rest of the country that they are awesome fans. That's why Fontana got a second (Nextel Cup) date. It was the fans that made that happen."

	Kevin Harvick says racing at home adds a little extra pressure. Credit: Autostock

Gordon, who will drive his own No. 55 at California, still has an off-road team in Anaheim, Calif. Returning to California is always fun, he said, but can make for a tough weekend.

"There is definitely a little bit more pressure I put on myself when I race out on the West Coast because I have more family there watching me, and I am very busy on track but off the track as well, because it is like trying to fit in miniature family reunions here and there whenever and wherever I find time," Gordon said.

"My grandpa is coming to the race Sunday, so I am really looking forward to that.

"I like racing in Fontana, because it is near where I grew up, so it is kind of like racing in my own backyard. I am anxious to get there because it is close to home and I do get to see a lot of my family and friends. At the same time, I can't wait to get there to race, especially coming off of such a great weekend in Talladega and a successful test in Michigan last week."

Harvick, Gordon's RCR Cup teammate, feels some of the same emotions.

"It's always fun when you come home and get to see a lot of your friends that you grew up with," said Harvick, who returns to the No. 21 Busch car this weekend. "A lot of family usually comes to the race, so I get to spend some time with my sister and her husband. It's a lot of fun to go to California. We've put a lot of effort into it this year and hopefully we can run really good and do what we want to do on the racetrack.

	Robby Gordon is on a roll heading to Fontana. Credit: Autostock

"The hardest part is really trying to have that good weekend because you want to run well in front of all the fans. I always put a little extra pressure on myself being that it's close to home."

Barrett spent much of his adult life working as a stuntman in Hollywood, a short drive on "the 10," as Californians call their roads, from Fontana. Now he's back as a racecar driver.

"This will be a big weekend for me from a number of standpoints," Barrett said. "This is the closest we race to where I was born and grew up, and to where I spent most of my adult life, so I have a lot of family and friends who will be at California this weekend. Then, you add in the fact this is the first of a series of races for us with (our sponsor), and, yeah, it's a pretty exciting time for me."

And for some other Californians, too.