Fri Mar 7 17:54:02 2008

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Hornaday Jr. wins truck pole in Atlanta

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Hampton, GA (Sports Network) - Last time out Ron Hornaday Jr. was given the truck pole because of poor weather, but on Friday the 2007 Craftsman Truck Series champion earned the top spot in Friday night's American Commercial Lines 200 race at the Atlanta Motor Speedway. The No.33 Kevin Harvick Inc. Chevrolet circled the 1.54-mile tri-oval in 31.577 seconds (175.571 m.p.h.).

The pole victory was Hornaday Jr.'s first of the season and 15th of his truck career.

Starting alongside Hornaday Jr. will be Chad McCumbee, who posted a time of 31.727 seconds.

Series points leader Kyle Busch (31.728) and Ted Musgrave (31.806) will make up row two.

Winning a race in Atlanta seems to be a precursor to winning the Craftsman Truck Series championship. In two of the last four seasons, the truck series champion has won a race at the Atlanta Motor Speedway.

In 2004, the late Bobby Hamilton edged Mike Skinner for the win and went on to win the title. Two years later, Todd Bodine won in Atlanta and also earned his first truck series title.

Last year Skinner won the race, the second of a three-race string of victories that saw Skinner get off to a big early lead in the title chase which he eventually lost to Hornaday. Hornaday Jr. also has a win at Atlanta (2005).

So far this season, it has been the Busch and Bodine show. Each driver has a first and a second in two starts. The difference in the standings is a 25- point penalty incurred by Bodine at Daytona.

"First place one week, second the next - that's how you win championships," Bodine said, knowing that Busch will only run a part-time schedule in the series.

The race is set to drop the green flag tonight, weather permitting, at 9 p.m. (et).