SOUTH OF THE BORDER: Ron Hornaday will jump behind the wheel of the No. 33 Kevin Harvick Inc. (KHI) Camping World Chevrolet for the first time this season when the Nationwide Series travels to Mexico City for Sunday’s running of the Corona 200. Hornaday has one previous start at the track in 2005, driving for KHI. He started the race from the 21st position and finished the day 12th.

LOGGING MILES: Having logged the most miles of his NASCAR career in the Nationwide Series, Hornaday has the potential to cross the 40,000 mile marker this season as he competes in a total of five races. Currently, Hornaday has logged 38,800.2 miles in the Nationwide Series over his 10-year career and crossing the finish line on the lead lap of all five races will increase that number to 40,052.18 miles. In addition to competing in the No. 33 car at Mexico City, Hornaday will also pilot the No. 33 in Montreal later this season and the No. 77 car at Daytona (July), Kansas (Sept.) and Texas (Nov).

BEFORE THE RACE: QUOTES WITH DRIVER RON HORNADAY:

What do you like about road-course racing? What makes it unique and challenging?
 “I like road-course racing because you get the chance to race against some of the best drivers in the world. It’s challenging because you’re turning left and right while braking and shifting. That is probably the most challenging part, making sure you hit your marks and get your timing down when you shift going into and out of the turns.”

This will be your second race in Mexico. What makes this road course different from the one in Montreal, the other road course you will run this year?
“Mexico is a little bit longer than Montreal, but Montreal has a few more turns. Mexico has the chicanes and it can be tricky because you come down the straight-a-way full speed, cross the start-finish line and then you have slow down really quickly so you don’t over-shoot your turn. At Montreal, they have that hair-pin turn and you have cars that get all bunched up trying to pass each other."

This year you are sharing the No. 33 with team co-owner Kevin Harvick and Rookie of the Year contender Cale Gale. You are a mentor for both of them, especially Gale. What advice do you offer?
 “Cale (Gale) is doing a great job and he is going to be a great driver. We ran some truck races together last year and I thought he did a good job. The thing about Cale is that he wants to learn, he asks questions and he listens to what you have to say.”

RACE PREP: QUOTES WITH CREW CHIEF WALLY ROGERS:

This will mark the first of two races with Ron Hornaday driving the No. 33 KHI Chevrolet. How do you think Hornaday will run at the road-course race in Mexico City?
“I like working with Ron (Hornaday) and I look forward to having him in the car this year. Hornaday drove for us last year in Montreal and we had a much better car than where we finished. He will go out and drive hard every lap, that’s something you can never question about him. We should have a good strong run on Mexico.

CHASSIS HISTORY: Chassis No. 032 was crashed during testing at Virginia International Raceway earlier this season with Hornaday behind the wheel. The team brought the car back to the shop and repaired the rear and right side. The race at Mexico City will mark chassis No. 032’s first race this season. Last year, the No. 33 KHI team raced chassis No. 032 three times with road-course specialist Ron Fellows to maneuver around the turns of Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez, Circuit Gilles Villeneuve and Watkins Glen International. Fellows finished 32nd at Mexico City due to engine trouble, fourth in Montreal and 24th at the Glen.

PREVIOUS RACE RECAP: Kevin Harvick and the No. 33 Kevin Harvick Inc. (KHI) Camping World Chevrolet recorded their fourth top-five Nationwide Series finish of the season under the lights during Friday night’s Bashas’ Supermarkets 200 at Phoenix International Raceway. Harvick started from the fifth position and ran in the top five for the majority of the race. The fourth-place finish for Harvick moved the team to third-place in the Nationwide Series Owner’s Point standings.

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