Ron Hornaday Hosts Special Friend At Nashville

Nashville was a very special race for Ron Hornaday and the No. 33 Camping World team, because one of the team’s most important supporters was there cheering them on.

Tanner, a close friend of Ron and Lindy Hornaday, is an eight-year-old girl battling Ewing’s Sarcoma Cancer. She was diagnosed with Ewing’s Sarcoma of the skull on May 19, 2000, and not long after, Tanner had a full tumor resection and removal of the left front section of her skull. Tanner had surgery, completed 14 rounds of chemotherapy and four weeks of daily radiation at Mattel Children’s Hospital at UCLA in California. Since then she has been in the hospital numerous times to undergo radiation treatment for multiple tumors.

On July 19, 2007, Tanner went to the hospital for an MRI due to burning pain in her hands and arms. The results showed signs that the cancer may be invading the membrane around her spinal cord, and that the cancer is spreading.

The Hornadays invited Tanner and her family to Nashville, Tenn., to spend some time with the No. 33 team and to watch her pal Hornaday race. Temperatures at the race track rose as high as 109 degrees, but Tanner would not be deterred. She arrived during qualifying and stopped by the garage to say hello to the team, including her friend Danny Stockman, the truck chief and front tire carrier for the team.

When it came time for driver introductions Tanner went with Ron, Lindy and her family out to the stage, where she became the star of the show. She and Hornaday talked to Ray Dunlap from SPEED TV, MRN Radio and countless drivers. Tanner collected autographs from David Star, Jack Sprague, Mike Skinner, Ken Schrader and many more.

Next, Tanner headed to pit road where she lined up with the No. 33 team for the National Anthem. Hornaday asked Tanner if she would sign his race truck, and she obliged. Before Hornaday climbed into his truck for the start of the race he received a good luck hug and kiss from Tanner and he told her he would do his best to win the race.

Hornaday finished The Toyota Tundra 200 in second, behind his friend Travis Kvapil. Tanner ended her race weekend with not only Ron Hornaday, but with race winner Travis Kvapil who came over for a visit once he was finished with his post-race obligations. When asked how she felt about Hornaday’s finish, Tanner replied – “well, it’s better than 14th.”