Racing News Digest

Getty Images - (Photo by Rusty Jarrett/Getty Images for NASCAR)

KEVIN HARVICK WINS TRUCK RACE – RON HORNADAY WINS CHAMPIONSHIP

What a night for Kevin Harvick INC. (KHI). I think most new that it was inevitable that Ron Hornaday Jr. was going to be crowned the 2009 Camping World Truck Series Champion, but last night at Phoenix International Raceway he sealed the deal with his 4th place finish.

“I was sweating real bad,” Hornaday admitted. “To come home in the top five, that’s what we needed to do.”

“We’re not done yet,” Hornaday said as soon as he climbed from his truck. “We’ve got to get that owners’ championship for Kevin and DeLana.”

“We’re racing Kyle Busch for owners’ points and that’s truly the goal,” said Hornaday, who won drivers’ championships in 1996, ’98 and 2007.”

After last nights race Hornaday is 215 points over second place Matt Crafton.

Hornaday became just the fourth four-time champion in one of NASCAR’s top three divisions Friday night, with a fourth-place finish in the Lucas Oil 150 at Phoenix International Raceway.

The other years that Hornaday has won championships are 1996, 1998 and 2007.

And another claim to fame for Hornaday is at the age of 51 he is the now the oldest champion in a top NASCAR division.

Kyle Busch finished second which was his fourth top-10 finish in five races at Phoenix International Raceway. It is his 13th top-10 finish in 2009.

Funny, I found myself rooting for Hornaday to win the Championship this year, but I am sick of Jimmie Johnson winning them. I think the huge difference is that Hornaday has his championships spread out over time….not back to back to back to back.

OH YEAH – the other part to KHI having a great night is that Kevin Harvick won the race. One line in an article I read said that Kevin Harvick had won the battle while Ron Hornaday had won the war. How true.

“To see Hornaday lock up the championship and to win the race, I don’t know if you can script it much better,” Harvick said.

Getty Images - 2009-11-13 AVONDALE, AZ - NOVEMBER 13: Ron Hornaday Jr., driver of the #33 VFW.org Chevrolet, celebrates with the series championship trophy after clinching the title with a fourth place finish in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Lucas Oil 150 at Phoenix International Raceway on November 13, 2009 in Avondale, Arizona. (Photo by Rusty Jarrett/Getty Images for NASCAR)

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