Hornish OK after wreck: Afterward, Sam Hornish inspected what was left of his car in the garage area, sharing a laugh with former NASCAR driver and current television commentator Jimmy Spencer as the twisted wreckage was lifted onto a tow truck to be hauled away. Hornish said he was OK but sore, adding he knew he was in trouble as soon as Kahne made contact with him. "I couldn't control it," Hornish said. "I thought the tires were probably going to hurt a little bit. I didn't think I was going to get hit by two more cars. It was a pretty big hit, but the cars are safe. I've got a couple of bumps and bruises, but all in all I'm pretty good." (Elmira Star-Gazette)
Friday, July 31, 2009
Hornish looking to stay in stock car racing: While fans, sponsors and team owners wait for Danica Patrick to weigh her options - remain in IndyCar or test the waters with NASCAR - Sam Hornish Jr. is resolute in his career choice. That's why Hornish, despite struggling to find traction in his second full Sprint Cup Series campaign, will be at Pocono Raceway today preparing the No. 77 Dodge for Sunday's Sunoco Red Cross Pennsylvania 500. "I'm waiting for the 'When are you going back to IndyCar?' questions to end," Hornish said with a sigh. "I do know that the better we do over here, the less of those questions that I get. I came to [NASCAR] to finish out my career being a stock car driver." (Philadelphia Inquirer)
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
Sam Hornish's No. 77 to run special scheme at Pocono: Sam Hornish Jr. and the No. 77 team will run a special paint scheme this weekend at Pocono Raceway to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the relationship between PPG and Penske Racing. Over the years, PPG has become Penske Corporation's largest supplier of refinish coatings for its racing, truck leasing and automotive collision repair divisions. This weekend's race car will be painted with PPG's Envirobase High Performance waterborne paint and will feature decals for PPG's Automotive Refinish, Transitions Optical and the Architectural Coatings, Olympic Paint and Stain.(Penske Racing)
Monday, May 4, 2009
Hornish surprised about short track success: Sam Hornish Jr. took sixth Saturday, the second time he has set his career-best Cup finish in the past three races. He was ninth at Phoenix. "We were able to get out of here with another top-10 finish. I like the short tracks more all the time," Hornish said. "I wouldn't have thought my first top-10s would come on short tracks." (News-Observer)
Sunday, April 26, 2009
Hornish under the weather; Kvapil standing by: Sam Hornish Jr. is feeling under the weather Sunday at Talladega Superspeedway and Penske Racing officials have a standby driver for the No. 77 Penske Dodge. Jonathan Gibson, Penske's Vice President of Marketing and Communication, said that the team is playing it by ear this afternoon. "Our intention is for Sam to start the race," Gibson said. Former Penske driver Travis Kvapil is on standby should Hornish need a relief driver this afternoon. (FOXSports.com)
Friday, April 24, 2009
Sam Hornish's No. 77 sporting Penske Truck Rental scheme: Sam Hornish Jr. will run a Penske Truck Rental/AAA scheme on his No. 77 Penske Racing Dodge Charger in the Aaron's 499 at Talladega Superspeedway. Hornish earned his first career NASCAR Sprint Cup Series top-10 finish last weekend at Phoenix International Raceway.(PCR PR)
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
Hornish feeling comfortable in NASCAR: Among the wave of open-wheel interlopers who invaded Cup last season (Patrick Carpentier and Jacques Villeneuve also tried to make the jump), Sam Hornish is the only survivor, and his top-10 finish at Phoenix provided evidence the three-time IndyCar champion and 2006 Indianapolis 500 winner is feeling as comfortable in NASCAR as in the Mooresville, N.C., home he nearly has finished renovating. "Last year it didn't feel like home," said Hornish, who also keeps a house in Defiance, Ohio, in which he and his family (wife Crystal and baby daughter Addison) reside a few days each month when not in Mooresville or on the road in their motor home. "As we get closer to completion, it feels more and more like home." (USA Today)
Thursday, February 19, 2009
Hornish in AAA scheme: Sam Hornish Jr., driver of the Penske Racing No. 77 Auto Club Dodge Charger, will debut the Auto Club of Southern California paint scheme this weekend at Auto Club Speedway. The Automobile Club of Southern California and its affiliated clubs (AAA) have joined the Penske Racing partner family as primary sponsor of the No. 77 car for three events in 2009 and as co-primary for an additional two races. On Thursday, February 19, Hornish will visit the Auto Club headquarters in Costa Mesa, Calif., to meet with employees and kick off the race weekend at Auto Club Speedway.(Penske PR)
Saturday, November 29, 2008
Hornish to return in No. 77 in 2009: Sam Hornish, a three-time IndyCar Series champion and winner of the 2006 Indy 500, struggled this season in the No. 77 Dodge Charger in his rookie Cup year, finishing 35th in points and failing to qualify for the final race at Homestead. It was rumored he might even return to IndyCar. But Penske Racing spokesman Bud Denker said Hornish, who will have Mobil 1 and AAA sponsorship on his Dodge in 2009, would play a pivotal part in the Cup campaign with fellow Penske drivers Kurt Busch and David Stremme, who replaces Ryan Newman. ''We're absolutely committed to Sam," Denker said. "We're behind him and are blessed to have sponsorship from Mobil and AAA. We are very committed to Sam and expect him to do well." (That'sRacin.com)
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
Auto Club of Southern Cali. sponsoring Hornish in select 2009 races: Penske Racing announced the establishment of a multi-year agreement for its Sprint Cup Series program with the Automobile Club of Southern California (AAA) and its affiliated clubs. Starting in 2009, the Auto Club will be displayed as primary sponsor for select events on the Penske Racing South No. 77 Dodge, driven by three-time IndyCar Series Champion Sam Hornish Jr. in the Sprint Cup Series. Hornish will debut the No. 77 Auto Club Dodge in February at the Auto Club 500 at Auto Club Speedway, Fontana, Calif. In addition, the motor club will serve as primary sponsor of the No. 77 Car in Sprint Cup Series events at Kansas Speedway in October and Texas Motor Speedway in November, and as co-primary sponsor for Hornish and the Car No. 77 team, alongside Penske Truck Rental, at the April Talladega Superspeedway and June New Hampshire Motor Speedway Sprint Cup Series races.(Penske Racing PR)(11-11-2008)
November 10, 2007
Hornish in No. 77 Mobil 1 Penske Dodge in 2008: ExxonMobil announced that it is expanding its longstanding relationship with Penske Racing by sponsoring three-time IndyCar Series Champion Sam Hornish Jr. when he moves to the Sprint Cup Series in 2008. After an incredibly successful eight-year stint in the IndyCar Series that saw Hornish Jr. become the driver with the most wins in the Series' history (19 wins), garner three series championships (2001, 2002 and 2006) and win the 2006 running of the Indianapolis 500, he will make the move to stock car racing full time and pilot the No. 77 Mobil 1 Dodge in 2008. Hornish Jr. is the latest open-wheel driver to transition to NASCAR. "I truly view this move to NASCAR and the Sprint Cup Series as the next great challenge for me in racing," said Hornish Jr. "My learning curve has been sharp, but Roger, everyone at Penske Racing and the team at Mobil 1 have been incredibly supportive throughout the process. The track time this season is all part of the transition to Cup racing and I am committed to making 2008 a successful season for the Mobil 1 Racing team." Hornish Jr. participated in NASCAR Busch Series races both in the 2006 and 2007 season, posting a best finish of 15th at Atlanta Motor Speedway in March 2007. He also attempted to qualify for NASCAR Nextel Cup Series races on seven occasions in 2007. "Sam Hornish Jr. is one of the most versatile and skilled drivers in all of motor sports," said Jerry Kohlenberger, president, ExxonMobil Lubricants & Specialties Company. "Everyone at ExxonMobil is looking forward to Sam building his impressive racing resume as he successfully crosses over to the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. We also are delighted to expand our 17-year relationship with Penske Racing and present Mobil 1 as the title sponsor of the No. 77 Dodge. Our association with Penske Racing and NASCAR reinforces the engine protection and performance that Mobil 1 delivers for both NASCAR drivers on the track and race fans traveling to the track." Hornish Jr. will be the third full-time member of Penske Racing's Sprint Cup Series team, which also includes veteran drivers Ryan Newman in the No. 12 Alltel Dodge and Kurt Busch in the No. 2 Miller Lite Dodge. "Sam had a great run with us in the IndyCar Series, and as he continues to adjust to the type of racing he'll encounter in the Sprint Cup Series, we expect him to excel there as well," said Roger Penske, owner and chairman of Penske Racing. "In Sam, we have a driver with the desire to be the best and win wherever and whenever he races. We can teach him about stock car racing, but we don't need to teach him how to be a racer."(Penske Racing PR)
Born: 07/2/1979