Hornaday eyes sixth win in pursuit of national record

Ron Hornaday will challenge history Wednesday in the Camping World Truck Series' O'Reilly 200 at Bristol Motor Superspeedway.

Hornaday will be attempting to win his sixth consecutive race, a feat exceeded in a NASCAR national series only by Richard Petty's 10-race streak in the 1967 Cup season. Hornaday became the third driver to win five in a row, joining Bobby Allison and Petty (both in the 1971 Cup season) at Nashville on Aug. 1.

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Hornaday established the consecutive win record for the Truck Series at four with his win at O'Reilly Raceway Park at Indianapolis. Hornaday, who drives for Kevin Harvick Inc., had victories at Milwaukee, Memphis and Kentucky to tie the mark. He has won on five different types of tracks in his remarkable run.

"Right now, the KHI stuff with Hornaday Jr., they are in their own zip code," said Mike Skinner, who twice has won three consecutive Truck races.

Hornaday won back-to-back at Bristol in the Truck Series in 1997-98, but he hasn't led a lap since returning full time to trucks with KHI in 2005. He has one top-10 in four races and finished 24th last year at the high-banked .533-mile track with KHI.

Past performance may not count this season. Hornaday and crew chief Rick Ren have been operating at a near unstoppable level with six wins and three more top fives.

"It doesn't matter how they roll off the trailer, they always find speed,"

Colin Braun said after finishing third at Nashville. "It's cool to watch, but it does get frustrating, too."

Petty, Allison and Hornaday are the only drivers to win five conesutive races on a national touring series.

Hornaday, with a series-high 45 wins, credits the team for his success this season.

"It says a lot for KHI," Hornaday said. "It takes a whole team. I'm fortunate to be driving for Kevin. Five years ago, Kevin was looking for a driver, and I was looking for a job. It's worked out great."

Hornaday has built a 216-point lead over second-place Matt Crafton. It's the largest lead 14 races into the season in the history of the series.

Skinner is third, 248 points back, with 11 races remaining. Hornaday is trying to become the first to win four Truck Series championships. He's tied with Jack Sprague for the most in the series.

But before Hornaday starts pointing for the championship, he has a streak to keep going.

"I have to keep pinching myself," he said. "In one sense, I really cannot believe the run we're having, but at the same time, I know how hard this team works and how much effort they put into each race. We are just fortunate that luck, the racing gods, stays on our side.

"I'm just really thankful for everything we've been blessed with this season. We will continue to work hard and try to be consistent and ride it out as long as it will go."

• By the Numbers: Truck Series at Bristol