Hornaday, Harvick returning to their roots

Elwood · April 23, 2003

By Dave Rodman, Turner Sports Interactive

Wednesday, April 23, 2003

Even though they've graduated from their roots to the highest levels of NASCAR, it's hard to tell that they aren't more excited about rubbing fenders at Mesa Marin Raceway on Saturday night.

Hornaday and Harvick will make their homecoming trip complete in a special 75-lap Late Model event at the half-mile bullring the night before the Winston Cup Auto Club 500 at California Speedway in Fontana.

"I can tell you this," Hornaday said. "The sparks are going to fly, because we have to start at the back. I guarantee the fans are going to love this race."

Before that, they've got business to attend to.

Hornaday, of Palmdale, will continue chasing NASCAR Busch Series point leader Todd Bodine from his second position in the points in the 1-800-pitshop.com 300 at California Speedway on Saturday.

Harvick, of Bakersfield, has Sunday's Winston Cup race at the forefront of his attention, but his Richard Childress Racing Busch Series team leads the owners' standings in NASCAR's No. 2 division by 21 points, thanks to the work of Harvick and teammate Johnny Sauter.

They agree the California trip in general and hitting Mesa Marin specifically, are special.

Harvick, 27, grew up on the high-banked oval and won the track championship in 1993. Hornaday, 44, already was a West Coast stock car icon when Harvick made his Mesa Marin debut.

"Racing at Mesa Marin is a way for me to give back to all the loyal fans and supporters I have," Harvick said. "It's where I got my start, so it's a special place for me."

Hornaday has a soft spot for Bakersfield as well. The city presented him with a key to the city on "Ron Hornaday Day" last fall.

"I am very excited about this race," said Hornaday, who will drive a car provided by local hero and owner's son Gary Collins. "The whole reason Kevin and I are doing this is to say thank you to everyone at the track that helped us along the way.

"It is a very cool deal. When we were starting out, this was our Daytona, because it was the highest banked track we had ever seen."

In addition to the demands of his old hometown, Harvick is balancing two title runs. His RCR Winston Cup program is sixth in its driver standings and Harvick loves every minute of his time in NASCAR's three national series, as well as the odd Late Model outing.

"Being in a race car keeps my mind off of everything else," he said. "I like to race, and I like to stay in a race car as much as possible."

Hornaday says his feelings are pretty identical.

"It is always a cool deal to me when we race in California," Hornaday said. "I have so many great memories of racing out there and the people who helped me get my start.

"I can remember back when I used to be a service technician working on cars during the day and then building race cars at night, dreaming of one day racing NASCAR's best. And with a lot of help from friends and family I've been able to do that."

And he says he's got a handle on any external distractions.

"I guess there's a little more pressure, but it comes from me, not from them," Hornaday said of his home-state supporters. "Any time you race in front of your hometown fans, you want to do well.

"It's like racing in Charlotte. With so many teams based there, you are racing for bragging rights (and) it's the same way out here.

"We have a lot of friends who we only see during the California race weekend, so that is fun. We try to cook out one night with everyone at the track to catch up -- so it's not really a distraction.

"We just don't get to spend the time with our friends that we used to, but a little time is better than no time."