Summer Stretch Proven Successful for Hornaday

Once the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series resumes action after three open weekends, four guys will be gunning for bragging rights heading into the series 10-week long stretch beginning at Iowa Speedway in July and ending at Kentucky Speedway in September. Currently, Todd Bodine (No. 30 Germain Racing Toyota) leads the way with a 55 point lead over Aric Almirola (No. 51. Graceway Pharmaceuticals Toyota). Timothy Peters (No. 17 Red Horse Racing Toyota) is quietly in third only 165 points back. Together the trio combines for only one victory at the 10 upcoming tracks on the circuit. The nod going to Bodine who scored his ninth NCWTS win at Gateway International Raceway during his 2006 championship season. The sleeper of the bunch could be defending champion Ron Hornaday Jr. (No. 33 Kevin Harvick Inc. Chevrolet) who is just 170 points out of the lead. Traditionally, Hornaday owns the summer stretch. Yes, he is winless so far in 2010, but last summer he won five straight races last season during the months of June, July and August. Good news for the other competitors is two of the race tracks (Memphis & Milwaukee) he won on are no longer on the schedule. Bad news is he has 12 combined wins on the next 10 tracks the series visits. First third of the season Bodine and Almirola have proven to be the ones to beat and have the momentum heading into Iowa in three weeks. Hornaday, on the other hand, has been mired back in the series standings due to two finishes outside the top 25 in the series first two events. If Hornaday Jr. can make a run at his prestigious fifth series title a feat no one has yet to achieve chances are it will happen in the next 10 races. But first he will have to beat Bodine who has finished in the top five for six straight races.