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(AP Photo/Terry Renna)
Ron Hornaday Jr. was picked as the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series driver of the decade. The NASCAR Media poll also selected the 2005 Daytona truck race as the race of the decade, followed by the 2003 Homestead race and the 2007 Daytona event.
Todd Bodine and Johnny Benson came in second and third in the polling for the series’ driver of the decade honors. Hornaday is the reigning series Champion and the first in the series to be a four-time Champion. Two of Hornaday’s titles came during this decade, in 2007 and 2009. He has the most series wins with 20 in the decade, and this season, he set the modern-era record for consecutive wins with five victories.
The top NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race of the decade was the February 18, 2005 event at Daytona International Speedway. The 2004 series champion, Bobby Hamilton, won after leading only the last two feet. Jimmy Spencer mistakenly thought he had won the race and came to Victory Lane, when he the reality was that he was second.
The November 14, 2003 race at the Homestead-Miami Speedway came in as the second greatest truck race of the decade. With Homestead serving as the season finale, the title was still in play when the green flag waved. All of the top four drivers – Brendan Gaughan, Ted Musgrave, Travis Kvapil and Dennis Setzer – had a shot to take the title. Kvapil took home his first NASCAR title after Gaughan was involved in an early wreck, and Musgrave jumped a restart.
Third-place race of the decade honors went to the February 16, 2007 race at Daytona, when three-time series champion Jack Sprague won, following a three-wide race to the checkered flag.
For more information on NASCAR Truck Series racing, check out:
Is it the end of an era with Rick Ren leaving Hornaday's war wagon?
NASCAR Camping World Truck Series banquet in Miami is another first
Veteran Terry Cook vs rising star Brian Scott: The nature of NASCAR racing today, part one
Janelle is a native of Southern California who follows a variety of racing formats. She finds the competition between hard-driving veterans and rising stars in the NASCAR Truck Series some of the best in the top tiers of racing. Janelle has been published in print and online, covering topics in both sports and academics. She also serves as the Southern California Motorsports Examiner. Send Janelle an e-mail, and follow her on Twitter. Join the discussion at the NASCAR Truck Series Examiner Facebook page as well.
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