It took nine elections, but Southern California is finally represented in the NASCAR Hall of Fame.
Ron Hornaday Jr., who put Palmdale on the racing map, was among the five newest members announced Wednesday.
In addition to Hornaday, the newest HOF members include Cup engine builder and owner Robert Yates; three-time Cup championship crew chief Ray Evernham; driver Red Bryon; and broadcaster Ken Squier. Hornaday and driver Alan Kulwicki tied for the fifth and final spot, and Hornaday won the tiebreaker in voting at the annual meeting in Charlotte.
“There wasn’t even a Hall of Fame when I started racing, you just do it to put food on the table and enjoy it,” said Hornaday after the vote was announced. “There’s so many people to thank … I don’t know who to thank and where to start.”
Hornaday, a fixture in stock car racing in the Southwest before moving East, won the NASCAR truck championship four times and took 51 checkered flags. He won two titles each for the late Dale Earnhardt and Kevin Harvick. It was Earnhardt who gave Hornaday his biggest break after watching him compete in a Winter Heat Series race in Tucson.
“I have enjoyed watching Ron Hornaday Jr. maneuver around race tracks in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series since 1995, including several visits to Auto Club Speedway,” Auto Club Speedway president Dave Allen said. “His grit, talent and determination behind the wheel are just a few reasons the California native is the perfect inductee to join the NASCAR Hall of Fame Class of 2018.”
Hornaday won the 1998 Truck title by three points over Jack Sprague, the closest finish in NASCAR history. He also holds the Truck Series all-time mark for top fives (158) and top 10s (234) and is only one of four drivers to win five consecutive races.
Yet, he was perhaps best known as the man who paved the way for other California drivers in NASCAR. That included hosting Jimmie Johnson and Harvick at his house as they prepared for their NASCAR careers.
“We moved and the only thing I saved was that couch,” Hornaday said. “People say why and I said, ‘Because everybody was always too drunk to go upstairs and they would always pass out on that little couch, the closest one to the door.’”
Traditional show
Perris Auto Speedway will hold its annual “Salute to Indy” Saturday night, a Southern California tradition that dates to 1948 and will feature USAC/CRA Sprint Cars, California Lightning Sprint Cars and the PAS Senior and Young Guns Sprint Cars.
Gates open at 5 p.m., with racing starting at 7.
Damion Gardner, a three-time Salute winner, is atop the USAC/CRA points by 34 points over Brody Roa. Mike Spencer, the 2012 Salute winner, is third ahead of Jake Swanson. The three Williams brothers — Coy, Austin and Logan — are next, Their father, National Sprint Car Hall of Famer Rip Williams, won his first sprint car main event there in 1983.
In Young Guns, 14-year-old West Covina High School student Joel Rayborne holds an eight-point edge over UC Riverside student Daniel Anderson. John Aden, promoter of Wheel2Wheel Raceway in Victorville, will make his first appearance in the Senior Class, which is led by Richard McCormick and Rick Hendrick.
Through six events, four drivers have a CLS win. Jarrett Kramer is the points leader with two wins, the same number as four-time series titlist Bobby Michnowicz.
Pit stops
• The motorcycle racing world remains in mourning over this week’s death of Nicky Hayden as a result of a traffic accident in Italy. He was in intensive care for 10 days after being hit by a Peugeot while training on his bicycle on the Rimini coast. Hayden competed at Auto Club Speedway in AMA racing, winning the feature race in 2002. “The passing of Nicky is a real blow to the motorsports family. Nicky was a champion here at Auto Club Speedway and around the world,” said Dave Allen, president of the Fontana racing facility. “His personality and smile will be missed by everyone. Our condolences go out to the Hayden family.”
• Steve Gibbs, who stepped down from a post with NHRA earlier this year, will be inducted into the British Drag Racing Hall of Fame on Nov. 18 when he receives the 2017 Lucas Oil Global Achievement Award. It will be presented at the historic Oatlands Park Hotel in Weybridge, Surrey.
• It was home sweet home for seven drag racers from California as they scored wins at the Pacific Division NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series event last week at Auto Club Dragway. In Super Comp, a pair of brothers slugged it out. Gabriel Torres from La Puente bettered Val Torres from Chino Hills with a 0.018 second reaction time, compared with a 0.032 by his brother. Others winners included Riverside’s Ken Etter over Vista’s George Luneak in Super Stock; Scott McClay of Tehachapi took the Comp Eliminator with a hole shot; Riverside’s Randy Bowers won in Super Gas; Tim Seymour of San Dimas scored the Stock Eliminator victory; Jeff Gillette of Benecia finished first in Top Sportsman; and Dave Cook of Novato won in Top Dragster.
• Both the infield road course and drag strip at Auto Cub Speedway will be in action this week. On the drag strip, the inaugural Figspeed West Coast will feature bracket racing. On the road course, the Fastrack Riders will host a motorcycle racing school.
• Ventura Raceway is dark this week but will be back in action June 3, featuring the USAC 360 Sprints and VRA Sprints in the first 2017 Battle at the Beach Sprint Car Race. Also competing will be IMCA Modifieds, California Lightning Sprints and 600’s.
