Thankful Hornish posts first top-10 in Cup Series

AVONDALE, Ariz. -- Leaning against the side of his No. 77 Dodge hauler, perspiration still dotting his face, Sam Hornish Jr. wore a contented smile that seemed a combination of vindication and relief Saturday night at Phoenix International Raceway.

It was only one race, to be sure. But for Hornish, he believes it is merely the beginning of, well, a new beginning.

Hornish had just finished ninth in the Subway Fresh Fit 500 for his first top-10 in the Sprint Cup Series that he began running in earnest more than a year ago. For a guy used to success behind the wheel -- he's the only three-time IndyCar Series champion to ever run full time in NASCAR's top series -- it was a long time coming.

He envisions more Phoenix-type finishes in his immediate future, and said once again that he has no regrets about making the jump from open-wheel racing, where he was top dog, to stock cars, where he has struggled to maintain pace even in the middle of the pack.

"I had a good idea of what it was going to be like," Hornish said. "Did I think it would take me a year and eight races to get a top-10? Probably not. But I didn't think we would be winning at this time, either, unless it was a fuel-mileage race or by being in the right place at the right time when everyone else pitted and we were still the car that was out."

He started 35th at Phoenix and gradually moved up through the field throughout the night. He was 30th by Lap 105, but started to run faster as the sun went down, cooling the tricky 1-mile track. By Lap 200 of the 312-lap event, he was inside the top 20 and still coming hard.

Forty laps later, he was 10th. From there, he held on for the finish that made him smile as if he -- and not Mark Martin -- had won the race.

"Phoenix is a track of a lot of firsts for me. My first IndyCar win was here. My first Nationwide race was here. The first Cup race I ever qualified for was here," Hornish said. "I can't think of a better place to have my first top-10. I keep telling these guys we just need a little bit at a time."

Hornish came into Phoenix ranked 31st in points and left town in the same position. But he started 12th and finished a respectable 17th in the previous race at Texas, leading him to believe the No. 77 team is building positive momentum that could carry it through the rest of the year.

"I've said all year that I didn't think we were getting the finishes we deserved with the way the car was running," Hornish said. "We've taken ourselves out of it whether it was an overheating issue, changing a tire and having the jack man falling down, me making a couple of mistakes. I just feel like we've had good cars but not good finishes. (Continued)