Kevin Harvick Inc.'s Nationwide's Kroger 200 Race Preview

Kevin Harvick Inc.'s Ron Hornaday, Jr. will be doing double duty this weekend at O'Reilly Raceway Park.

In addition to running in the Camping World Truck Series race on Friday night, he'll be driving the No. 33 Vlasic Pickles Chevrolet in the Nationwide's Kroger 200 race on Saturday Night.

In eight previous races in the series, he has compiled one win, two top fives, four top-10 finishes, and led 82 laps.

With the ORP, what he has accomplished in the Truck Series relates to how well he'll run Saturday, and it's all about qualifying up front.

In eight races in trucks, he has compiled two wins, six top fives, six top-10 finishes, and led 309 laps.

Horn will have a stout car Saturday night, as he'll pilot the same chassis that Happy won in at Bristol.

In his last three Nationwide starts at the track, he's qualified third, and last year he earned a hard-fought fifth-place finish.

Horn will have the advantage, since his crew chief Ernie Cope and his pit crew already know what he likes and will have it running perfectly for him.

He's always been one of the best short track drivers in NASCAR, so there's no doubt he'll qualify up front and have a fast car. Cope and the boys are an advantage, and we won't see any gas issues this week.

The key for him is the following comment he said.

"If you can get car to cut through the middle of the corner and be able to get in the gas faster than anyone else, then you will most likely be good in the race."

"I think qualifying is really key at short tracks. If you start up front, you tend to finish up front, and that is what we plan to do."

There's no doubt we will see Horn win Friday night, but I'm going to go out on a real big limb and say it will be deja vu all over for KHI Nation.

As we'll see, back-to-back spanks of the Rowdy one by a cagy wily veteran who, at 51 years old, acts like a "kid in the candy aisle" when he's strapped in the driver seats.

I do hope that ESPN has Horn as its driver that they talk to during the race, since Happy will be sitting on the pit box, and that we'll hear some priceless comments from the two.

Source for quote and Photo Credit: kevinharvickinc.com