Story originally printed in the La Crosse Tribune or online at www.lacrossetribune.com
Published - Tuesday, July 03, 2007
Two-time Truck champion Hornaday to race at Fairgrounds Speedway
WEST SALEM, Wis. — When Ron Hornaday buckles up for tonight’s Summer Shootout Kwik Trip 100, you can bet a number of drivers will take notice.
The race, which is part of the inaugural ASA Midwest Tour, is a break from the intense Craftsman Truck Series action for Hornaday. For many of the the other drivers in the 29-car
feature field, it’s a chance to do something big against someone big.
Who wouldn’t want to be the guy to beat a two-time Craftsman Truck Series champion who has also raced in the Nextel Cup and Busch Series? Hornaday, a big fish in a little pond, welcomes the challenge. After all, racing at a weekly track is where the 49-year-old veteran started his career.
“I was a former Saturday night short-track racer. That’s where I was able to do enough to spark interest from Dale Earnhardt and catch his eye,” said Hornaday, who was practicing at the Fairgrounds Speedway on Monday afternoon. “Coming back here (to a weekly track) is a lot of fun. If I can help them (weekly drivers) and help myself at the same time, I will.”
Hornaday, who has a record 31 career wins in the Craftsman Truck Series, isn’t the only driver in tonight’s ASA Midwest Tour event with some big-time racing experience. Steve Grissom, the 1993 Busch Series champion will be competing, along with other notables such as Rich Bickle and Tim Sauter. Necedah, Wis., native Johnny Sauter — Tim’s younger brother — was expected to compete, but instead was required to do some testing today with his Nextel Cup team.
“I’m going to go out and have some fun. When I quit having fun, I’ll quit doing it,” said Hornaday, who is second in the Craftsman Truck Series points this season.
“I know these guys are going to come out and show they are capable of beating me. If you’ve got an opportunity like this, you’ve got to take it. I know I am going to try my hardest.”
The ASA Midwest Tour has done well in its previous five stops this season, averaging 46 cars and more than 4,000 fans. Tonight’s field — and crowd — should be right at, or even above, those numbers, said Steve Einhaus, ASA Midwest Tour Vice President.
“This is a chance for fans to see a Super Late Model race during the summer. It’s been a while since they have had that opportunity outside of Oktoberfest,” Einhaus said. “They will notice right away that these cars are louder and faster (than the Saturday night Late Models).”
While Hornaday, Grissom, Bickle and Sauter are some of the bigger names in this race, Hornaday was the first to admit that some of other drivers are pretty talented, too. In particular, a couple of Steves — Carlson and Holzhausen — will likely give Hornaday a stiff challenge for the $3,000 first-place purse money.
Also expected to compete are former NASCAR Touring Series champion Tim Schendel of Sparta, Wis., Adam Degenhardt of Coon Valley, Wis., and J. Herbst of West Salem.
Carlson raced in a series very similar to this — the former ARTGO Series — for years. In fact, he won nine points championships in ARTGO, and is one of the winningest drivers in the history of that now-defunct series. Carlson won the ASA Midwest Tour event at Hawkeye Downs in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, earlier this season.
“I’m going out to win just like everybody else. They gave me the equipment right here to do that,” said Hornaday, who will drive a car owned by Matt Maynard of Appleton, Wis., who also is fielding a car for Dave Feiler. “I’ve never been here (Fairgrounds Speedway) before today. I’ve heard all about it the competition level here and I’ve heard about the Oktoberfest races.”
Tonight, Hornaday will find out first-hand how tough that competition can be. The 100-lap race is a sprint compared to what he is used to racing, and that will make it all the more exciting, Hornaday said.
“I’m looking forward to driving a Super Late Model,” Hornaday said. “It’s different (than a Craftsman Truck), but in a way they are all the same. They (race cars) all have roll cages, they all have similar front-end suspension. They are basically all the same pieces of metal you try to make go fast.”
Jeff Brown can be reached at (608) 791-8403, or at jbrown@lacrossetribune.com
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