Hornaday Likes His Chances in NASCAR Event

History will be on Ron Hornaday Jr.’s side tonight as the NASCAR Southwest Tour runs the second of two 100-lap races this season at Saugus Speedway.

Hornaday, 34, a Palmdale resident, is the tour’s points leader after 12 of 17 events and is in pursuit of his first championship in five years on the tour.

Hornaday, a former Saugus Modified champion, has won the past two Southwest Tour races at Saugus, in April and last September. In each of the past four years, the tour’s points leader entering the late-season race at Saugus has won the championship.

“We’re feeling pretty confident,” Hornaday said. “We’re happy the way the car is running. I think we’re going to go out there and keep our nose clean and try to come away with a top-five (finish).”

Hornaday has two victories among nine top-five finishes this season. With 1,873 points, Hornaday holds a 30-point advantage over Doug George of Atwater, Calif. Rick Carelli of Denver, the tour’s defending champion, is third with 1,836 points.