Kevin Harvick picked up the win Friday night at Phoenix International Raceway…

… as his driver Ron Hornaday Jr. won a record 4th NASCAR Camping World Truck Series championship!

Photo Credit: Christian Peterson/Getty Images

“To see Hornaday lock up the championship tonight and win the race, I don’t think you could script it much better,” said Harvick making a reference to his 1-time mentor and championship driver for Kevin Harvick Inc.

Harvick brought out the first caution on lap 6 when he slid into Aric Almirola and took a spin off Turn 4 towards the infield. Neither drivers lost a lap. Harvick led 2 laps before the accident, but was back up front and able to retake the lead on lap 96.

“I thought I had screwed it up there in the beginning. I thought I got in oil. I about spun out in the turn before down there and came down here and just spun out, and (crew chief) Ernie (Cope) said the tire was bald when we came in. It just kind of took me a while to get back in the swing of things. I had lost a little bit of confidence in the truck. We got a little tight and made an adjustment there on the last stop and just came on strong.”

Rookie James Buescher brought out a caution with 3 laps remaining when he hit the wall in Turn 4. It set up a green-white-checkered finish, but rookie Tayler Malsam wrecked on the final lap which ended the race under caution.

Kyle Busch scored a runner-up finish and ended his streak of winning 5 consecutive races that he entered. Aric Almirola finished 3rd followed by Ron Hornaday Jr., Johnny Sauter, Mike Skinner, Mike Bliss, Matt Crafton, David Starr and Stacy Compton completing the top-10.

There were 7 cautions for 26 laps and 5 lead changes among 4 drivers: J. Sauter 0; K. Harvick 1-2; J. Sauter 3-13; K. Busch 14-43; A. Almirola 44-95; K. Harvick 96-151

For the (unofficial) race results, click here.

With a 215 point lead in the standings, Hornaday was able to clinch the series championship before the finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway next Friday night. He is just the 2nd driver to have ever accomplished the feat in the series. Greg Biffle was the first to do so in 2000.

“When you drive Kevin and (wife) Delana’s equipment, you feel like you are 18,” Hornaday said. “You feel young. The trucks they give me make me feel like a hero.”

Hornaday previously won in 1996, 1998 and in 2007. At 51 years, 4 months and 24 days, Hornaday becomes the oldest driver to win a championship in NASCAR’s 3 national series. It’s also a record 4th Camping World Truck Series championship. He joins Richard Petty, Dale Earnhardt and Jeff Gordon as the only drivers to have won 4 or more championships in NASCAR’s top 3.

Hornaday went on a hot streak over the summer winning 5 consecutive races in a row – tying with Richard Petty and Bobby Allison as the only drivers to ever do so in NASCAR history.

Photo Credit: Todd Warshaw/Getty Images for NASCAR

Hornaday has posted 6 wins, 15 top-5 and 19 top-10 finishes in 24 races this season.

Friday, November 20th
Ford 200 at Homestead-Miami Speedway
8pm ET on SPEED Channel