One of the best in the open-wheel business, Sam Hornish Jr. struggled greatly when he made the transition to NASCAR full-time in 2008. Joining Penske Racing, Hornish went from the top of his game in the Indy Racing League to a complete neophyte in the realm of stock car racing. Poor finishes and torn up equipment left many asking whether or not the former open-wheel champ had what it takes to compete at NASCAR’s top level.

Answering criticism the best way possible, Hornish has stepped up his performance as of late and is beginning to turn some heads. Despite struggling once again in the opening stages of the 2009 season, the Ohio-native has started to turn things around and has finally started to produce the results many expected him to have right off the bat.

For Hornish – who is a three-time IRL champion, Indy 500 winner and holds the record for most wins (19) and most laps led (3,428) in the IRL – not having instant success was hard to swallow, but understandable considering the circumstances.

“This team that was built from myself, Mobil and Penske Racing. They knew I was going to drive the car, Mobil would be the sponsor and that we were going to run at Penske Racing, but nothing else was set,” Hornish explained. “They had to build cars, put a pit crew together, put the guys that put all the cars together. A lot of times when they do this kind of thing they’ll just bring a Nationwide crew up. We started the races last year and I had fifteen stock car races under my belt, a lot of guys have that before they turn fifteen.”

Starting in Texas, Hornish began to see improvement with a 12th-place qualifying run and a 17th-place finish. The next weekend in Phoenix, he posted a career-best finish of ninth and at Talladega, the driver of the No. 77 qualified a career-best 4th, but was caught up in a wreck that ended his day. Last weekend at Richmond, Hornish methodically worked his way through the field from his 28th-place starting spot to better his career-best stat with a 6th-place run.

Friday afternoon, that success continued as Hornish posted the fourth-fastest qualifying time at the track he finished 38th at in 2008. Despite spinning the car earlier the day in practice, Hornish was happy with his progress and was optimistic heading into Saturday’s race.

“I’m really happy with all the guys that work on the Mobil 1 Dodge,” Hornish told HardcoreRaceFans.com Friday after qualifying. “They’re really doing a good job and we’ve come a long way since last year. Just super happy we’re starting to get some of the results we deserve.

“Somebody told me when I first came here that they originally designed this place for Indy cars to come and run at, and I don’t know if I can believe that or not because it would definitely be scary in and Indy car,” Hornish said of the track ‘Too Tough To Tame.’ “It’s a lot of fun in these cars. It’s the track you actually feel like you are going the fastest as far as that perception of speed goes, because you’re right up there by the wall and you slide the cars so much there is just so little room for error. When I walk around the garage and I see Tony Stewart and Kurt Busch have the stripe on it after the first practice, I know this place isn’t easy because those guys don’t get in the wall that often.”

Now with 46 Cup races to his name, Hornish and his No. 77 team have finally started to come together the way many expected they would right off the bat. Hard work, a year of meshing as a team and a bit of luck has put this team on the right track for success.

“There’s just been a lot of us being able to work together and getting use to it and building a team,” Hornish concluded. “I can’t be prouder of the 77 guys than I am right now, even if we were winning races at this point I don’t know if I’d be any more proud than I am. We’ve all just come a long way together and everyone kept their heads up when things weren’t looking so good.”

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