[media-credit name=”rockinghamspeedway.com” align=”alignright” width=”281″]
[/media-credit]Joe Denette Motorsports Express Notes
NASCAR Camping World Truck Series
Race No. 3 of 22
Race Info:
Event: Good Sam Roadside Assistance 200 Presented by Cheerwine
TV: SPEED, 12:30 p.m. ET
Distance: 200 laps/200 miles
Track: 1.017-mile oval
Ron Hornaday
No. 9 Chevrolet
Fast & Fun Facts:
Ron Hornaday participated in a test with Joe Denette Motorsports in June of 2011 at Rockingham Speedway Hornaday is one of 22 drivers on the entry list for this weekend’s event that have raced at “The Rock.”
This Week’s No. 9 Chevrolet:
Hornaday will pilot chassis No. 5 in this weekend’s Good Sam Roadside Assistance 200 presented by Cheerwine at Rockingham Speedway. This is the same Joe Denette Motorsports (JDM) chassis that Jason White drove in 2011 at Martinsville Speedway (March), Lucas Oil Raceway and New Hampshire Motor Speedway. Elliott Sadler also piloted this chassis in 2011 at Martinsville Speedway (October).
Hornaday At The Rock:
Although Hornaday will be making his NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) debut at “The Rock” the four-time Series Champion has two NASCAR Sprint Cup Series starts and seven NASCAR Nationwide Series starts at the one-mile oval and has completed 2,153 laps.
Hornaday’s NCWTS Stats:
Starts: 302
Top-5: 146
Top-10: 208
Poles: 27
Wins: 51
Laps Led: 9,525
Average Start: 8.2
Average Finish: 9.3
Rearview Mirror-Martinsville:
After starting fifth, Hornaday was plagued with a spin on lap 22 and two dead batteries, due to a faulty alternator, in the Kroger 250 at Martinsville Speedway. The series of unfortunate events relegated the NCWTS veteran to a 16th-place finish at the .526-mile paperclip-shaped track.
Get to the Point:
Hornaday moved up four positions to ninth in the 2012 NCWTS driver point standings, a mere 24 markers behind first-pace, John King. Joe Denette, owner of the No. 9 is up two spots to 13th in the 2012 NCWTS owner point standings.
Quoting Ron Hornaday:
“Andy (Hillenburg) and everyone at Rockingham Speedway have done such a great job with the track. I went down there and tested at Little Rock with my teammate, Max Gresham and checked out the new victory lane, the grass, the painting they’ve done, the soft walls, and it’s going to be really cool to get back there. I’ve had the opportunity to race there a few times in my career including the last race in 2004 when I was in the Nationwide Series. It’s a track with three different grooves; you can race at the top and it’s smooth, and the bottom groove has the rumble strip which holds the character of the old Rockingham. We will be three-wide racing all day and it will probably be the best race we see all year. I’ve always thought we needed to get back there and it’s going to be such an honor to be a part of history this weekend when the Trucks make their debut.”
Max Gresham
No. 24 Made In USA Brand Chevrolet
Fast & Fun Facts:
Off weekend fun… Gresham, who recently announced a promotional association with BugBand, a naturally-derived insect repellent, spent the day with BugBand President, Dan Ritter at Live Oak Plantation in Adel, GA turkey hunting last week. Gresham made his second start behind the wheel of the No. 18 Ronnie Sanders Pro Late Model in the Beau Slocumb Memorial 208 at Gresham Motorsports Park on Saturday, April 7. Starting fifth, Gresham took the lead at lap 104 and built as much as a straightaway advantage on the pack. At lap 148, on a restart, a mechanical failure sent Gresham’s car into the outside wall relegating the Georgia native to a 14th-place finish.
This Week’s No. 24 Made In USA Brand Chevrolet:
Crew chief, Terry “Richie” Snyder has chosen chassis No. 4 for the NCWTS debut at Rockingham Speedway. Gresham most recently piloted this chassis to a 19th-place finish at Martinsville Speedway. This is also the same Joe Denette Motorsports chassis that Jason White drove in the 2011 NCWTS event at Darlington Raceway.
Max At The Rock:
Gresham will make his track debut along with 19 other NCWTS drivers in this weekend’s Good Sam Roadside Assistance 200 presented by Cheerwine.
Gresham’s NCWTS Stats:
Starts:Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 3 (2011)
2 (2012)
Laps:Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 686
Average Start:Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 27.4
Average Finish:Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 25.2
Rearview Mirror-Martinsville:
Making his second career start at Martinsville Speedway, Max Gresham overcame a spin on lap 236 to bring home a career-best finish of 19th in the Kroger 250 on March 31.
Get to the Points:
Following a 19th-place finish at Martinsville Speedway, Gresham is up six positions to 18th in the 2012 NCWTS driver point standings, a mere two points outside the top-15. The No. 24 is up five spots to 21st in the 2012 owner point standings.
Rookie Race:
Gresham is up one position to fourth in the 2012 Sunoco Rookie of the Year battle.
Quoting Max Gresham:
“This weekend’s Truck race at Rockingham is going to be fun. It will be a level playing field for the series, but you still have a great mix of rookies and veterans. Most of the drivers in the field have just as much experience as I do there. Then you have some drivers, like Ron (Hornaday) that have raced there, even though it was eight years ago and in a different series. It will be nice to have Ron to lean on for guidance if I need it, but I’m looking forward to the challenge this weekend. This is a historic race at a historic track and I’m thrilled to be a part of it.”
About Made In USA Brand:
The Made In USA Brand Certification Mark is the only certification mark for identifying goods either made or grown in the United States that are registered with the United States Patent and Trademark Office.
The number of Made In USA Brand accredited companies has grown to more than 700 in just over a year.
Companies interested in securing the Made In USA Brand Certification Mark for their products are encouraged to log on to www.MadeInUSABrand.com.
Race fans interested in pledging along with Max Gresham to purchase made in USA manufactured goods can take the pledge for FREE at www.PledgeForUSA.com.
We’re Guessing He Signs His Name Fast Too:
Gresham will sign autographs at “Thunderfest,” a free fan event in Harrington Square in downtown Rockingham on Friday, April 13. The day-long event gets underway at 11:00 a.m. and will feature live music, show trucks, a kids fan zone, food and a NCWTS driver autograph session at 7:00 p.m.
