NASCAR O'Reilly

BUSCH: Talladega: Ron Hornaday preview

Hornaday is "aero" ready for Talladega Superspeedway. * ACDelco driver Ron Hornaday will try to return to championship form at Talladega Superspeedway this weekend. After posting two straight top-10 finishes at Las Vegas and Darlington, ...

Edited: Apr 16, 2008, 12:40 AM

Copy link

Share on Viber

Add as a preferred source

Hornaday is "aero" ready for Talladega Superspeedway.

* ACDelco driver Ron Hornaday will try to return to championship form at Talladega Superspeedway this weekend. After posting two straight top-10 finishes at Las Vegas and Darlington, Hornaday has been swept up into late race crashes over the last two weeks, including a 15-car accident that led to a 17th place finish at Texas last weekend, his worst finish of the 2003.

* The ACDelco transporter will unload chassis No. 030. It is the same Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet that Hornaday drove at Daytona in the season opener. However, since that 14th place finish, the team has gone to work in the wind tunnel on the "aero-package" of the 2002 Monte Carlo. "We have made some improvements to the body to help it race better. We don't think the changes will hurt us in qualifying, but it should be much better is race trim," said ACDelco crew chief Rick Viers. By NASCAR Busch Series rules, all teams must run 2002 bodies at Daytona and Talladega. This was done to keep escalating costs down according to NASCAR.

* In addition, chassis No. 030 is the same ACDelco Chevrolet that sat on the pole with Johnny Sauter at the helm in last years Busch Series event at Talladega. However, the car was fitted for a new body after Sauter flipped through the grass on the backstretch in the big crash that took nearly the entire field, including Hornaday, who was driving the No. 5 Chevrolet for Hendrick Motorsports.

* Love is in the air and wedding bells are ringing at the Hornaday household. Ron and Lindy Hornaday's son Ronnie Hornaday III will be exchanging vows on Sunday April 20, 2003, with Cammie Williams. The wedding will take place at the Hornaday home in Lake Norman, N.C.

No. 2 ACDelco Chevrolet driver Ron Hornaday on Talladega Superspeedway

How is racing at Talladega Superspeedway different from racing at Daytona International Speedway?

"In some ways it is similar because you are holding it wide open and looking for the best drafting partner, but it is so much wider that you don't have to hold your breath every lap you are three-wide."

Everyone talks about avoiding "The Big One", the big crash that takes out multiple cars. Is that something you think about while your racing at Talladega?

"I can't say that I am thinking about it like I am answering this question, but I do know it's in my mind the entire day. Anytime someone makes a move in the draft that's too aggressive, it comes to the forefront in a hurry. You definitely think here it comes, but there isn't anything you can do but hope everyone gives instead of takes. I know this; you have to be on your toes all day long. Even when you're leading, you can't relax."

Many drivers have offered opinions on how to eliminate the big packs, yet still put on a good show for the fans. Do you have any suggestions?

"I think NASCAR has done a great job in fixing most of the issues. They are always talking with the drivers about our thoughts and I think they have done what they can, based on what we know. NASCAR has and continues to make these cars safer for the drivers and the tracks safer for the fans. Our job is to drive the cars and race without making mistakes. But mistakes happen at every level of racing and there is nothing NASCAR or anybody can do to eliminate crashes when a driver makes a mistake. It's just the human part of the sport."

Ron Hornaday is currently fourth in the NASCAR Busch Series Point Standings. He is 153 points out of first place.

-rcr-

We want your opinion!

What would you like to see on Motorsport.com?

Take our 5 minute survey.

- The Motorsport.com Team

Read and post comments

Share Or Save This Story

Copy link

Share on Viber

Previous article BUSCH: Texas: Johnny Sauter race notes

Next article BUSCH: Talladega: Ford - Kahne qualifying press conference

Top Comments

There are no comments at the moment. Would you like to write one?

View More & Comment

Latest news

Fermin Aldeguer defends himself after Francesco Bagnaia crash: “It wasn’t a crazy move”

MotoGP

MGP MotoGP

Qatar GP

25 min

Fermin Aldeguer defends himself after Francesco Bagnaia crash: “It wasn’t a crazy move”

George Russell has lost 90 points to Max Verstappen in F1 2026 runner-up battle

Formula 1

F1 Formula 1

Sao Paulo GP

1 h

George Russell has lost 90 points to Max Verstappen in F1 2026 runner-up battle

Aprilia: “Marco Bezzecchi couldn’t avoid the collision; Marc Marquez moved in on him"

MotoGP

MGP MotoGP

Qatar GP

2 h

Aprilia: “Marco Bezzecchi couldn’t avoid the collision; Marc Marquez moved in on him"

How the Racing Bulls pendulum is swinging back towards undeniable Liam Lawson

Formula 1

F1 Formula 1

Sao Paulo GP

3 h

How the Racing Bulls pendulum is swinging back towards undeniable Liam Lawson

Subscribe and access Motorsport.com with your ad-blocker.

From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. In order to keep delivering our expert journalism, our website uses advertising. Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker.

You have 2 options:

Become a subscriber.
Disable your adblocker.

Subscribe now Already subscribed? Sign in here

Already disabled your adblocker?
Reload page

Manage Alerts