Ron comes full circle
By Robin Wayne
When earnhardt decided to own a truck team he spotted Hornaday driving winter heat at phoenix. Ron gave him two truck championships and a top five in points in the Busch Series during his rookie year. Ron has never forgotten how Dale Earnhardt helped his career. When it became official that he would be driving for Richard Childress, It was like Hornaday had come full circle. Now he will have the honor to drive for the man that helped his friend and mentor win so many championships.
Hornaday was considered by many to be a west coast Earnhardt at the local tracks in the earlier days of his career. When behind the wheel he would drive determinedly toward the front with such fire, finesse, skill, and daring that onlookers would gape in wonder and astonishment, much like Earnhardt when he was behind the wheel. Earnhardt raced for the sheer joy of competeting against the best drivers around and beating them. Hornaday is the same in that he is happiest when behind the wheel and charging toward the front of the pack, which normally he does in breathtaking fashion. Hornaday strives to make his presence known in each division he races.
After he left DEI, Ron remained highly respected in the garage area. During the 2002 season many teams requested his help. First, Hornaday subbed for the injured Ricky Hendricks and then he was asked by various team owners to offer his technical and driving expertise in testing the teams equipment to help them trouble shoot how they could improve their teams.
During that same season he also successfully campaigned in the #26 Dr Pepper Carroll racing car and helped raise them in prominence by bringing notice and attention to their team. Which will be helpful in attracting a high quality driver for their equipment when Ron leaves the team at the end of the season.
Ron is not only highly respected in the garage and by the media, he also has a huge fan following. Hornaday has won Fan’s Favorite Driver in nearly every division he has raced.
He was a top contender and a regional hero at Saugus California. Thanks to earnhardt he was given a chance to race on a national level, where his fan base quickly expanded to become one of the more popular drivers with the fans in the Busch garage. Now thanks to Richard Childress, he has a golden opportunity to get his first Busch championship. He finished fifth in points driving for Earnhardt in his first year of Busch Series racing. Now he looks to resume where he left off. This time driving for the man Earnhardt drove for.
Ron Hornaday is coming full circle now.