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NASCAR Craftsman Truck Link-Belt Construction Equipment 225 Preview -- #16, Ron Hornaday

10 July 1997

 #16 Ron Hornaday, NAPA Brakes Chevrolet  
 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series
 Link-Belt Construction Equipment 225
 Louisville Motor Speedway
 
           HORNADAY LOOKING FOR TOP FINISH IN LOUISVILLE


 
LOUISVILLE, KY - 

NOTES:

 - Ron Hornaday and the NAPA Brakes team scored a victory this past weekend 
at The Milwaukee Mile in Milwaukee, Wis. Hornaday qualified fifth and ran up 
front all day in the 200 lap event. He and Jack Sprague (No. 24 Chevy) 
battled for the top spot throughout the race. With less than five laps 
remaining, Hornaday made a move to the inside of then leader Sprague and they 
battled side by side. Hornaday moved past Sprague and took the victory.

 - The win at Milwaukee was Hornaday's third this year. He is the season's 
first three-time winner in the NASCAR Truck Series. He has 13 career wins. 
Just three off Mike Skinner's Truck Series record.

 - The Truck Series heads to Louisville Motor Speedway in Louisville, Ky. 
this Saturday, July 12. Hornaday is the defending champion of the event. He 
led 124 laps of last year's race.

 - The NAPA Brakes team will run the Chevy truck named "Melissa" at 
Louisville. Melissa is the truck that Hornaday won in a few weeks ago at 
Bristol, Tenn. Melissa is one of the oldest trucks in the stable at Dale 
Earnhardt, Inc. She has the most wins of any truck there: eight.

 - Hornaday, who was injured in the race at Nazareth, Penn. (broken rib and 
torn cartilage) is feeling fine. He was sore after the Milwaukee even, but 
otherwise fine. 

QUOTES:

NAPA Brakes driver Ron Hornaday on last week's Milwaukee win:

"It was good to win up in Milwaukee. That's what we needed to do. Win races 
when we can, and keep finishing in the top-five," said 1996 champion 
Hornaday. "We moved up in the points. We are still in this points chase. We 
are just halfway into our season. We need to be consistent. Top-five finishes 
are what we are looking for."

Comments on this weekend's event at Louisville:

"Louisville is a unique place. It's a tough little short track. You need to 
get the truck working through the corners. It's tough to pass, you might have 
to bump a little to make the pass. I hope we can qualify up front. That makes 
a big difference there."

                   RON HORNADAY LOUISVILLE STATISTICS

          Date      St   Fn   Laps        Money Won     Status
          7/20/96    5    1   225(225)     33,975       Running
          6/3/95     7   16   191(200)      3,475       Running


By Champion Sports Group