Ron Hornaday is the only CWTS driver with truck experience on a road course. But will that help him this weekend at Canadian Tire Motorsports Park?
Photo – Justin Edmunds/Getty Images
The Camping World Truck series returns to road course racing at Canadian Tire Motorsports Park this weekend. Drivers will race the road course on Sunday, September 1st with television coverage on FOX beginning at 2pm ET and radio coverage on MRN, Sirius XM channel 90.
Although it is not the first time a national series is competing outside the United States, drivers traveling ‘North of the Border’ this weekend will represent a first for the Camping World Truck Series. The Canadian Tire Motorsports Park’s historic ten-turn, 2.459-mile road course is about an hour-and-a-half outside Toronto and has hosted NASCAR’s Canadian Tire Series since 2007 with an annual stop in May for Victoria Day celebrations.
What some may not know, is the track is co-owned by driver Ron Fellows, who is no stranger to NASCAR racing. Fellows has six wins in national series competition, including two in the Camping World Truck Series – both at Watkins Glen.
Fellows, track president Myles Brandt and their staff have worked hard for track improvements, making it possible to host the Truck Series and this weekend they will realize the fruits of their labor. This weekend marks the series’ return to road-course racing for the first time in more than a decade. Fellows finished third in the most recent road course event held at Watkins Glen in June 2000.
This race also represents the second new venue to host a truck race this season, with Eldora Speedway in Ohio running its first series race in July.
There are no drivers entered in Sunday’s race who have competed in the series’ last road race at Watkins Glen in 2000. But Ron Hornaday Jr has the most experience racing a truck on a left and right-turn layout versus all the other regular truck drivers combined. In fact, Hornaday is the only full-time driver in the series, who has competed in a truck at a road course.
When asked if he feels his veteran experience will come into play this weekend, Hornaday wasn’t so sure.
“You never know. You keep saying that week in and week out when you get to the racetrack, and these kids are proving you wrong because the equipment they’re in.” said Hornaday. “They’re just talented drivers nowadays and they’re in great equipment. Hopefully it does. I’m going to try to put everything I’ve got, that I know of and try to beat these kids out there.”
Three of Hornadays’ 51 career truck series wins are on road courses – Topeka’s Heartland Park (1995); Sonoma Raceway (1995); and Watkins Glen (1996). In total, Hornaday has 14 road course starts with three poles, nine top-fives and 11 top-ten finishes. His most recent road course race in a truck is in 1999 at Watkins Glen, when he finished fifth and Canadian Ron Fellows won the race.
NASCAR Canadian Tire Series regulars Martin Roy and rookie Alex Guenette will both attempt to qualify for the Camping World Truck Series race this weekend in their native country. Roy now sits sixth in the series point standings and Guenette is 12th.
Rookie, Guenette is looking forward to making his series début on a track he feels everyone will love.
“They will love the track. It is fast, a track with flow. The owners have invested a lot of money to improve everything,” said Guenette. “It is a mix between Watkins Glen and Road Atlanta. The TV show should also be super for the fans with many different corners and passing zones. I am sure this will become a classic year after year.”
Guenette will also be one of four drivers competing in both the Canadian Tire Series event and Camping World Truck Series race on Sunday. Along with him are truck regulars Jeb Burton, Ty Dillon and James Buescher.
Mike Skeen, who has won the last four Pirelli World Challenge GT Series races held at the track, will make his Camping World Truck series début in a truck fielded by Sharp-Gallaher Racing.
