It was a championship race you had to see to believe; reading about it on Monday morning would not have sufficed.

Only 77 points separated the drivers in first and third positions and the top three cars in contention either crashed or suffered a set back.

“

Once you get past the pleasantries you can say 'OK, then let's get to making this thing fast.'

”

-- DOUG GEORGE

However, one driver managed to survive the carnage and through a chance happening saved his championship dreams. But it wasn't before the driver and his entire team realized they had to push their stalled car around the track and cross the finish line in order to win the title.

Almost 18 years later, Doug George still questions the legality of it all.

"At first, between the three of us, no one really knew who won the championship at the end of the race," he said.

The winner was Ron Hornaday and the year was 1992.

The "three of us" comprised George, Hornaday and Rick Carelli -- all west-coast racers who competed against one another in NASCAR's Southwest Tour Series and all were crowned champions. But they weren't friends, never even had beers together.

"To be honest we beat the hell out of each other," said Carelli, the tour's 1991 champ.

George, who won the title the year before, said, "We were always the three winning, running up front, but I wouldn't say we were friends. When we showed up it was all business. We respected each other but never took anyone's crap and if someone needed to lean a fender then that's what we would do."

The men parted ways and eventually traveled east to North Carolina where they could ascend the NASCAR ladder further into the Truck Series. Hornaday stayed behind the wheel and has won four Truck Series championships; Carelli retired from driving and went the management route; and George found his niche on top the pit box.

Now, the men are together again working for another championship. Only this time it will be together, not against one another, at Kevin Harvick Inc., the organization owned by fellow west coast native Kevin Harvick.

Hired at KHI in December, George, who last season was crew chief for Kyle Busch, will replace Dave Fuge as crew chief for Hornaday's No. 33 Chevrolet. Carelli is the general manager of KHI and has been for five years.

Hornaday and George worked together for the first time during an offseason truck test in Orlando, Fla. The chemistry was instant.

"The biggest thing is being confident in each other," George said. "That gets rid of a lot of obstacles. When you believe in your driver, that makes a difference. We know each other's past. Once you get past the pleasantries you can say 'OK, then let's get to making this thing fast.' "

Hornaday agreed.

"Doug has been a driver before, he knows what it takes and he knows how to treat people. I like the way he acts, his demeanor, he's a people person and I like that. He's a good lookin' guy too, has a good swagger about him and I get along with him," Hornaday said. (Continued)