NAZARETH, Pa. (AP) -- Ron Hornaday beat Brian Vickers by less than half a second Sunday in the Busch Series race at Nazareth Speedway to end a 63-event winless drought.
Hornaday led 148 of the 200 laps in the Goulds Pumps ITT Industries 200, taking the lead for good by passing rookie David
Stremme on No. 146. He finished the 200 miles in 1 hour, 57 minutes, 7 seconds.
Mike Bliss was third, David Green fourth. Green still leads the Busch Series standings, with Todd Bodine second and Hornaday jumped from sixth place to third.
The track has been significant for Hornaday. It was the scene of his Busch Series debut in May 1998, and his first series victory in July 2000. He won the next month at at Indianapolis Raceway Park -- and then didn't taste victory again until Sunday.
"The fans really pump me up here," Hornaday said. "And it's a great track, a driver's race track."
Hornaday, driving a Chevrolet, started the race in the third position, behind pole-sitter Randy LaJoie and Stacy Compton. LaJoie held the lead until Hornaday passed him on the 14th lap.
There were six lead changes over the first 150 laps, with Hornaday leading for 98. Stremme led for 32 laps, LaJoie for 14 and Kasey Kahne for six going into the final 50 laps.
Hornaday took control down the stretch.
"It's my second chance," he said. "I have to make this thing work. I have to win some races."
Vickers, in only his second full season on the Busch circuit, was pleased with his second-place finish. Stremme was sixth, the rookie's best finish in four Busch races.
"I learned a lot today that I can take with me," Stremme said. "I just wanted to try to finish and gain experience. My
equipment's getting adjusted to my driving style and I'm getting adjusted to it."
Hornaday is the second two-time winner at Nazareth. Tim Fedewa won the Busch Series event in 1995 and 1998. Hornaday has three top-five finishes in four starts at Nazareth.
Defending champion Jason Keller finished 11th.
Goulds Pumps ITT Industries 200 Results
At Nazareth (Pa.) Speedway
No.
Start
Driver
Make
Laps
Money
1.
3
Ron Hornaday Jr.
Chevrolet
200
$43,995
2.
15
Brian Vickers
Chevrolet
200
$38,400
3.
4
Mike Bliss
Chevrolet
200
$29,335
4.
12
David Green
Pontiac
200
$28,575
5.
19
Todd Bodine
Chevrolet
200
$14,035
6.
9
David Stremme
Dodge
200
$15,285
7.
1
Randy LaJoie
Chevrolet
200
$18,985
8.
2
Stacy Compton
Chevrolet
200
$16,785
9.
13
Bobby Hamilton Jr.
Ford
200
$16,585
10.
7
Johnny Sauter
Chevrolet
200
$22,760
11.
6
Jason Keller
Ford
200
$22,235
12.
10
Kasey Kahne
Ford
200
$16,160
13.
24
Scott Wimmer
Chevrolet
200
$20,765
14.
18
Kerry Earnhardt
Chevrolet
200
$14,915
15.
5
Scott Riggs
Ford
200
$20,890
16.
16
Mark Green
Ford
200
$10,830
17.
22
Mike Wallace
Chevrolet
200
$14,830
18.
23
Joey Clanton
Pontiac
200
$12,790
19.
20
Shane Hmiel
Chevrolet
199
$14,750
20.
21
Stanton Barrett
Ford
199
$20,815
21.
32
Coy Gibbs
Chevrolet
197
$14,880
22.
14
Regan Smith
Chevrolet
196
$14,620
23.
26
Larry Gunselman
Chevrolet
195
$14,865
24.
33
Steadman Marlin
Dodge
195
$10,480
25.
27
Brad Teague
Ford
194
$14,565
26.
35
Jason White
Ford
194
$12,415
27.
41
Brian Weber
Chevrolet
191
$10,375
28.
37
Mike Harmon
Chevrolet
191
$10,340
29.
28
Jeff Streeter
Chevrolet
191
$10,305
30.
34
Chris Bingham
Ford
186
$10,380
31.
11
Kevin Grubb
Dodge
140
$12,260
32.
30
Ron Barfield Jr.
Ford
137
$10,225
33.
25
Ron Young
Chevrolet
108
$10,530
34.
43
Bill Hoff
Pontiac
82
$10,165
35.
8
Ashton Lewis Jr.
Chevrolet
57
$12,150
36.
38
J.R. Robbs
Chevrolet
49
$10,135
37.
29
Justin Ashburn
Chevrolet
23
$10,120
38.
39
Mike Potter
Ford
11
$10,100
39.
36
Rick Markle
Chevrolet
8
$10,080
40.
42
Norm Benning
Chevrolet
7
$10,060
41.
31
Jason Schuler
Ford
6
$10,040.
42.
40
Kenny Hendrick
Chevrolet
4
$10,015
43.
17
Shane Hall
Ford
1
$10,000
Race Statistics Average Speed of Race Winner: 102.462 mph. Time of Race: 1 hour, 57 minutes, 7 seconds. Margin of Victory: 0.408. Caution Flags: 5 for 24 laps. Lead Changes: 6 among 4 drivers. Lap Leaders: R. LaJoie 1-13; R. Hornaday Jr. 14-58; K. Kahne 59-64; R. LaJoie 65; R. Hornaday Jr. 66-113; D. Stremme 114-145; R. Hornaday Jr. 146-200. Top 10 in Points: D. Green - 1,646; T. Bodine - 1,636; R. Hornaday Jr. - 1,563; S. Hmiel - 1,542; S. Riggs - 1,531; J. Keller - 1,517; M. Bliss - 1,511; J. Sauter - 1,486; B. Vickers - 1,466; B. Hamilton Jr. - 1,394.
