He's the only four-time champion in the history of the Truck Series. But until last Friday night's AAA Insurance 200 at O'Reilly Raceway Park in Indianapolis, Ron Hornaday had yet to win a race this season.

That changed when he held off Kyle Busch for the victory at ORP in the No. 33 Chevrolet he drives for Kevin Harvick Inc. It broke a 22-race winless streak for Hornaday and moved him to fourth in the points standings with 13 events still remaining on the 25-race truck schedule, putting him in position to challenge for yet another championship.

“

I'd rather be at the race track every weekend. I'd like to see the Truck Series go to 35 races or 32 races a year. I love it.

”

-- RON HORNADAY

Hornaday, who turned 52 years old in June, took the time to talk with NASCAR.COM about all this, and more.

Question: How did it feel to get back to Victory Lane last Friday night after what was, for your team, a rare dry spell?

Hornaday: I couldn't be more proud of the guys. They never hung their heads. They kept 'em up and kept working hard. We were bound and determined that we were going to win one ... I really owe a lot to [new crew chief] Ernie Cope. We just put our basic KHI setup in it and it paid off.

Q: How much of difference has it made having Ernie on top of your pit box?

Hornaday: Well, Ernie and I, we go way back. ... When I tell him what I want, he pleases me. He doesn't care how fast it goes, he wants me to be able to be comfortable with it and be able to drive it.

Q: Was this win kind of a warning shot across the bow to everyone else in the Truck Series that you guys are coming on and ready to make a run at another championship?

Hornaday: Well, after the first few races, we just played it smart and tried to get some top-fives. We got the points going back our way and got up to third in points. ... But I go back to 2007 when we ended up battling [Mike] Skinner for the championship in the final race. We were way farther out in the points that year when we came to ORP, and we got back in it. Hopefully we can do that again. Hopefully ORP can be a turning point in our season again.

Q: In your post-race interview last Friday, you talked about changing your tennis shoes and changing your socks. Were you joking or are you actually superstitious about things in that way?

Hornaday: I used to have this old pair of shoes I'd wear, and every time I'd change 'em I'd qualify bad or race bad. So I started wearing them all the time. My daughter got on me, saying I looked like a grandpa. And I had to remind her, well, I am a grandpa. I felt like ol' Dave Marcis, except these weren't wingtip shoes.

Actually, I'm not that superstitious. I think it had more to do with trusting in the Lord. I heard a sermon that day by Jim Lanning, our chaplain in the Truck Series, and it hit me the right way. It kind of got to me and put some more pep in my step. I'm sure that probably had more to do with [winning last Friday.]

Q: What was his message that struck you in the right way?

Hornaday: It was in a personal way that I'll keep to myself. But Jim has been around forever. When he comes to Charlotte and has a couple days, he stays at our house. I'm far from a Bible thumper and all that stuff, but he has a way of telling you to trust in the Lord and keep an open mind. It's a message that works for me.

Q: Just to clarify with your superstitions, you used to wear an old pair of tennis shoes -- and when you changed, you felt like your luck changed? So now you're back to the old pair on race day?

Hornaday: I've got 'em in storage in case I need to bring 'em out. But it's really not the superstitions. I still have a few, mind you. [The late Dale] Earnhardt told me that when you go in a building, make sure you leave the building by the same door. I still use that one. And no $50 bills. I never carry a fifty for some reason -- which I wouldn't carry anyway, because my wife [Lindy] always carries the money.

Q: I don't carry one, either, but that's because I'm a journalist ...

Hornaday (laughing): I hear you. I'm a truck racer, though, so I'm not going to say that.

Q: In the NASCAR media guide, it says your off-the-track interests include auto restoration, boating and poker. You still into that stuff, or do you have anything new going on?

Hornaday: We just fixed up a 1966 El Camino and my father-in-law wants to paint his Challenger. And right now we're working on a 1956 Chris-Craft [wooden] boat. That's our next project. I've never worked much with wood, so it should be challenging.

Q: Do you find that relaxing after being at the track so much?

Hornaday: No, I'd rather be at the race track every weekend. I'd like to see the Truck Series go to 35 races or 32 races a year. I love it.

Q: How much fun has it been for you to see your truck owner and good friend Kevin Harvick lead the Cup points standings for most of this year so far?

Hornaday: I've known Kevin for a long time and I know that team went through a tough time last year. I think watching him and knowing that they can do it has been an inspiration for our own team. Knowing that we won six races a year ago, and then knowing that earlier this year we kept going out and having bad luck and getting in wrecks and stuff breakin' and not finishing well, none of our guys stuck their heads between their legs. They kept working harder, staying up late. They bring the best piece that they can for me every week, and I think Kevin has been such an inspiration to these guys -- knowing that they never quit.

Q: How much longer do you think you're going to race, or do you not even like to hear that question?

Hornaday: Well, ask the question to my wife. We told each other when we started this back in '79 that when I start just riding around to get a paycheck or just riding around not trying to win anymore, I'll quit. So when I feel like I can't get up on the wheel and race anymore, when I feel like I'm not going out there and putting on a show for the fans, then it'll be time to quit.

Q: But that time does not appear to be anytime soon, right?

Hornaday: With the equipment Kevin and DeLana [Harvick] are giving me, with then believing in me and just how hard these guys work, it really makes my job fun. So I hope it's not anytime soon.