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Sam Hornish Jr.
Sam Hornish Jr.
Sam Hornish Jr.
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Samuel Jon Hornish Jr. (born July 2, 1979) is an American semi-retired[1] professional auto racing driver. He last competed part-time in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, driving the No. 22 Ford Mustang for Team Penske in 2017.

Key Information

Hornish began his top-tier racing career in the IndyCar Series, making his driving debut during the 2000 season for PDM Racing. Hornish began driving for Panther Racing the following season, winning eleven races and the 2001 and 2002 series championships over the next three seasons. During the 2004 season Hornish began driving for Team Penske, winning eight more races (including the 2006 Indianapolis 500) and the 2006 series championship during his time with the team. When he left the series after the 2007 season, he held the record for most career wins in the series (19, broken by Scott Dixon in 2009).

Hornish moved to Penske's NASCAR program part-time in the Xfinity Series (then known as the Busch Series) during the 2006 season, and began driving part-time in the Cup Series (then known as the Nextel Cup Series) in 2007. He raced full-time in the Cup Series the following year, struggling at first, with eight top-ten finishes over his first three seasons and a top points placing of 28th (in 2009). Hornish returned part-time to the Xfinity Series (then known as the Nationwide Series) in 2011, winning one race. He drove full-time in the series the following year, finishing fourth in points. In 2012 Hornish replaced A. J. Allmendinger (suspended by NASCAR for failing a drug test) in Penske's No. 22 car midway through the season, earning one top-five finish. The following year he returned to the Nationwide Series, winning one race and earning sixteen top-five and 24 top-ten finishes to place second in points (three behind series champion Austin Dillon). Hornish drove part-time for Joe Gibbs Racing in an eight-race 2014 season, with one win and four top-five finishes. He returned to the Cup Series in 2015 with Richard Petty Motorsports, scoring three top-tens and finishing 26th in points. He returned part-time to the Xfinity Series in 2016, winning a race for JGR and finishing sixth or better in all three races he entered for Richard Childress Racing. In 2017, he returned to Penske's Xfinity program for a three-race schedule in the No. 22.

Early career

[edit]

Hornish began racing go-karts at the age of eleven,[2] winning the World Karting Association U.S. Grand National championship in less than four years.[2] From 1996 to 1998, he made 32 starts in the U.S. F2000 National Championship.[3] In Hornish's final season in the series, he had a career-best, second-place finish at Pikes Peak International Raceway.[3] He finished seventh in points in 1998,[3] and was inducted into the series' Hall of Fame in 2012 as a 1998 graduate.[4] During the 1999 Atlantic Championship season Hornish drove for Michael Shank Racing team owner Mike Shank,[5] winning at Chicago Motor Speedway[6] and finishing seventh in the championship standings with 67 points.[7]

Sports car racing

[edit]

During the 1999 United States Road Racing Championship season, Hornish drove for Intersport Racing in the United States Road Racing Championship at the season-opening Rolex 24 at Daytona with Jon Field, Ryan Jones and Mike Shank in the Can-Am class. Their car, starting in eighth place, finished 42nd (14th in its class) after retiring on lap 400 with a gearbox failure.[8][9]

In 2007, Hornish returned to compete in the season-opening Rolex 24 at Daytona for Michael Shank Racing with Mark Patterson, Oswaldo Negri Jr., and Hélio Castroneves in the Daytona Prototype class. Their car started 22nd, in its class and overall. It finished ninth in its class and overall, completing 628 laps.[10][11]

IndyCar Series

[edit]

2000: PDM Racing

[edit]

Hornish began driving in the IndyCar Series in 2000[2] for PDM Racing in the No. 18 G-Force GF05-Oldsmobile Aurora L47 V8. He debuted at the season-opening race at Walt Disney World Speedway, starting in nineteenth place and finishing in twentieth (28 laps behind).[12] In the season's third race, the Vegas Indy 300 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Hornish started eighteenth and had his first career podium finish (third place, one lap behind).[13] He qualified for his first Indianapolis 500 in fourteenth place, after his team replaced the G-Force with a Dallara IR00.[14] In mid-race, Hornish was involved in an accident[15] which relegated him to 24th place.[14] Starting twentieth at Kentucky Speedway, he led for a series career-high 38 laps and finished ninth.[16] Hornish ended his season with a 27th- (and last-) place finish at Texas Motor Speedway,[17] finishing his rookie season with 110 points (21st in the point standings).[18]

2001−2003: Panther Racing

[edit]

Before the 2001 Indy Racing League season, Hornish moved to Panther Racing[2] to drive the No. 4 Dallara IR01-Oldsmobile Aurora L47 V8. He began the season with consecutive victories at Phoenix and Homestead-Miami in his first two races with the team.[2] At the Indianapolis 500, Hornish qualified in thirteenth place. He finished fourteenth, four laps behind after an early spin.[19] He continued to drive well, clinching the championship before the final race of the season (a second-place finish at Chicagoland Speedway). Since the winner of each race received fifty points, Hornish's 66-point advantage clinched the championship with one race remaining.[20] At the season-ending race at Texas he started in the pole position, leading for 115 laps in his third win of the season.[21] Hornish won the championship with 503 points, 105 points ahead of second-place Buddy Lazier.[21] At age 22, he was the youngest champion in series history.[3]

In 2002, Hornish returned to Panther Racing, with the team changing manufactures and running a Chevrolet V8. At the season-opening Grand Prix of Miami at Homestead-Miami, he qualified in the pole position and led for 166 of 200 laps to win his fourth career race in the series.[22] Hornish then won the Yamaha Indy 400 at California Speedway, defeating Jaques Lazier by 0.028 second.[23] At the Indianapolis 500, he qualified in seventh place. In the race Hornish brushed the wall on lap 78, damaging his suspension. He returned to the race and finished 25th place, ten laps behind.[24] Hornish won the SunTrust Indy Challenge at Richmond International Raceway three races later.[25] At the Delphi Indy 300 at Chicagoland he defeated Al Unser Jr. by 0.0024 second, the closest finish in series history.[26][27] In the final race of the season at Texas, Hornish started in third place and led for 79 laps to win by 0.0096 second.[28] He won his second consecutive championship,[29] amassing five wins and eleven top-five finishes over the season.[2]

The beginning of the 2003 season saw Hornish struggle in comparison with his previous two years at Panther. At the Indianapolis 500, he qualified in eighteenth place; in the race, he retired with a blown engine after completing 195 of the 200 laps. Hornish finished the race in fifteenth place, dropping to a tie with Buddy Rice for twelfth place in points.[30] At the following race at Pikes Peak, he started in fourteenth place and finished fifth (his first lead-lap finish of the season).[31] Around this time, Panther Racing and several other teams using the Chevrolet engine built by General Motors (the parent company of Chevrolet) switched to a new engine by Cosworth which was badged as a Chevrolet engine.[32] After the change Hornish's results began improving; he started fourth and finished second, after leading for 126 of 200 laps, at Michigan International Speedway.[33] Two races later, at Kentucky Speedway, he qualified for the pole position and led for 181 of 200 laps to win.[34] Hornish then won two more consecutive races, at Chicagoland and at California Speedway.[31] He won the former race by 0.01 second over Scott Dixon and Bryan Herta, the closest top-three finish in series history.[35] Going into the season-ending Chevy 500 at Texas Motor Speedway, Hornish was mathematically eligible win the championship; however, his car had a spray problem after 176 of 195 laps.[36] He finished seventeenth, and was fifth in the final point standings with 461 points.[36]

2004−2007: Team Penske

[edit]

Hornish began driving for Marlboro Team Penske during the 2004 IndyCar Series season[2] in its No. 6 Dallara IR03-Toyota Indy V8, winning the season opener at Homestead-Miami in his first race with the team, passing teammate Hélio Castroneves on the final lap.[2] After qualifying in eleventh place at the Indianapolis 500, he battled for the lead with Buddy Rice and Dan Wheldon and led for nine laps (the first laps Hornish led in his Indianapolis 500 career). On lap 105, entering the main straightaway out of the fourth turn, Hornish tried to pass Darren Manning and Greg Ray's lapped car. They collided, crashing into the pit lane; Hornish finished 26th, dropping to ninth place in the point standings.[37] The rest of his season was sub-par, with two podium finishes.[38] Hornish was seventh in the championship standings with 387 points,[39] his worst finish since he placed 21st in 2000.

Hornish returned to Team Penske for the 2005 season. At Phoenix in the season's second race, Hornish started in second place and won after leading for 25 laps.[40] During practice for the Indianapolis 500, he drove over a piece of debris after Paul Dana's second-turn crash and flipped over.[41] Two days later Hornish qualified in second place, crashing out after leading for a race-high 77 laps and finishing 23rd.[42] At the Milwaukee Mile he qualified for the pole position and led for 123 of 225 laps, passing Dario Franchitti with nine laps left for his second win of the season.[43] Hornish finished third in the championship standings, with 512 points.[44]

Low, lightweight racing car with smooth tires
Hornish's 2006 Indianapolis 500 winning car at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Hall of Fame Museum

Hornish again returned to Penske in 2006. The team changed manufacturers, joining Honda when Toyota and Chevrolet left the series after the 2005 season. His season highlight was the Indianapolis 500, when he passed Marco Andretti for the lead on the final lap to win[2] in the second-closest margin of victory in the race's history.[45] Hornish later said about the pass, "I figured I came all this way, I ought to give myself one more shot at it. I kind of looked at it as, I was going to drive over him if I had to. For Marco to come as a rookie and drive like that he should be proud no matter what."[46][47][48] His second win of the season was at Richmond (after leading for all but 38 laps),[49] and he took the points lead after winning the next race at Kansas.[50] His fourth and final win of the season was at Kentucky, when he started second and led for 57 laps.[51] In the season-ending race at Chicagoland Hornish qualified for the pole position and finished third, clinching his third series championship[52] and Penske's first.[2] Although he and Dan Wheldon finished the year with the same number of points, the tie was broken by wins; Hornish had four, and Wheldon two.[53]

Red-and-white racing car on a track
Hornish practicing for the 2007 Indianapolis 500

For the 2007 season, Hornish again returned to Penske, starting the Indianapolis 500 in fifth place. Running consistently in the top ten, he finished fourth when the race was halted by rain after 166 laps.[54] Hornish's only win of the season was the Bombardier Learjet 550 at Texas Motor Speedway, when he started in second place and led for 159 of its 228 laps.[55] His series-best finish on a road course or street circuit, second place at the Camping World Watkins Glen Grand Prix, was overshadowed by an altercation with Tony Kanaan.[56] With the season-ending race at Chicagoland, Hornish ended his IndyCar career with a third-place finish (after starting second and leading for a race-high 90 laps) and finished fifth in the points standings.[57]

After the season, Hornish remained optimistic about an eventual IndyCar return: "I hope they move the schedule so that somebody could do it. That's my goal. If I never ran in the Indy 500 again or an IndyCar Series race I would probably say I would be disappointed about that."[58] He received offers to return after his departure, and in late 2008 was rumored to be returning to replace Hélio Castroneves the next season[59] due to Castroneves' IRS problems. Castroneves was eventually cleared, missing only the season opener with Will Power driving for Penske during his absence.[60] In November 2013, Hornish declined an offer to drive for Chip Ganassi Racing in the upcoming season after Dario Franchitti's career-ending injuries at the 2013 Shell-Pennzoil Grand Prix of Houston.[61]

International Race of Champions

[edit]
Red-and-white stock car
Hornish in the 2006 International Race of Champions at Texas Motor Speedway

Hornish was invited to compete in the 2002,[62] 2003[63] and 2006 International Race of Champions (IROC).[64][65] His best points finish in the series was eighth, in 2003 and 2006.[66][67]

NASCAR

[edit]

2006−2007: Busch Series

[edit]
Gold-and-orange race car on grass
Hornish spinning out at the 2007 O'Reilly Challenge at Texas Motor Speedway

Hornish began competing in the NASCAR Busch Series in the No. 39 Dodge Charger late in the 2006 season for Penske Racing.[68] He drove the last two events of the season,[69] struggling in both races. At Phoenix, Hornish started 27th and finished 36th after a crash on lap 187.[70] In the season-ending race at Homestead-Miami, he was involved a crash after five laps and finished last.[71]

Hornish returned to the series in 2007, driving nine races for Penske in the No. 12.[72] He had his best start and finish of the season in the Nicorette 300 at Atlanta Motor Speedway, starting fifth and finishing fifteenth.[73] Hornish earned another top-ten start (sixth place) at the season-ending race at Homestead-Miami. Despite a good qualifying run, he finished 38th after a crash with Todd Bodine on lap 114.[74]

Black-and-red race car, with red Mobil Pegasus
In the pit lane during practice for the 2007 Ford 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway

In mid-2007, Hornish drove Penske's No. 27 Dodge Charger in an ARCA Re/Max Series race at Michigan International Speedway. Starting in the pole position,[75] he led the first 29 laps of the race before being passed by eventual winner Erik Darnell[76][77] and finishing second.[64][78] After the race, he called the transition to stock cars a "challenge": "I'm a student at this, still trying to learn as much as I can. A lot of people have asked me what the toughest transition is, coming over here from the IndyCars and doing these stock car races, and really it's the fact I don't get much practice time."[64]

At the end of the season, Hornish drove in the Nextel Cup Series for Penske Racing South in its No. 06 Dodge Charger, failing to qualify for his first six races.[79][80] He qualified for the Checker Auto Parts 500 at Phoenix, starting in 26th place and finishing thirtieth (two laps behind).[81] Hornish also qualified for the following race at Homestead-Miami, starting in 29th place. After crashing in turn three of lap 194 he finished 37th, thirteen laps behind.[82]

2008−2010: Penske Racing

[edit]
Black-and-white stock car with red Mobil Pegasus on the side
Practicing for the 2008 Daytona 500

In 2008, Hornish drove full-time for Penske in its renumbered No. 77 car.[83] Before the season, Penske swapped cars and owners' points with Kurt Busch; Hornish was guaranteed a starting position in the first five races and Busch, who won the series championship in 2004, would also be guaranteed a starting position as the most recent series champion driving a car outside the top-35 in owners' points.[84] At the season-opening Daytona 500, Hornish qualified in 19th place; he finished 15th[85] as teammates Ryan Newman and Busch were first and second, respectively.[86] In the season's second race, the Auto Club 500 at Auto Club Speedway, Hornish sustained collateral damage when Casey Mears crashed into Dale Earnhardt Jr. on lap 22. Mears' car flipped 270 degrees, and Hornish's car caught fire.[87] Hornish finished in 43rd place.[88] Although he struggled during his rookie season, he drove well in May at Lowe's Motor Speedway. In the exhibition Sprint Showdown at Lowe's, Hornish drove a car that was setup with an angled rear-end housing that was designed to cause air to hit the right side of the car, generate side force, improve grip in the turns, and allow a looser setup. This setup made the car look like it was drifting or crabwalking on straightaways and was banned following the all-star race.[89][90] Hornish started eighth and finished second.[91] By finishing in the top-two, he qualified for the exhibition 2008 NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race and still used the car with the angled rear-end housing, starting 23rd out of 24 cars and finishing seventh.[92] Hornish had his best finish (13th place) of the season at the Coca-Cola 600, also at Lowe's.[93] Late in the season his Penske team dropped out of the top-35 in owners' points, and Hornish failed to qualify for the AMP Energy 500 at Talladega Superspeedway and the season-ending Ford 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway.[94] He finished 35th in the drivers' standings, with 2,523 points.[95] Hornish was second in the rookie of the year standings, after a season-long battle with Regan Smith.[96]

Hornish, in uniform and cap, using a remote car controller
Racing a remote-controlled car before the 2008 season

Hornish drove for Penske in the renamed Nationwide Series, failing to qualify for his first two races of the season.[97] Hornish's best finish of the season was eleventh place in the Diamond Hill Plywood 200 at Darlington Raceway, where he started twelfth.[98] In the Carquest Auto Parts 300 at Lowe's Motor Speedway he led his first laps of the series (eight), but a mid-race accident relegated him to 39th place.[99] Late in the season, Hornish drove one race in the Craftsman Truck Series (the Kroger 200 at Martinsville Speedway) for Bobby Hamilton Racing in its No. 4 Dodge Ram, starting sixteenth and finishing ninth.[100]

In the 2009 Sprint Cup season Hornish returned to Penske, now known as Penske Championship Racing.[101] For the second straight year, his team changed owners' points (purchasing them from Dave Blaney and Bill Davis Racing this time) to guarantee him a starting spot in the first five races.[101] At the season-opening Daytona 500, Hornish started 29th and finished 32nd (one lap behind).[102] He had his first top-ten finish of the season (ninth place) at Phoenix, followed by six more throughout the year.[103] Hornish's victory in the Sprint Showdown at Lowe's Motor Speedway qualified him for the 2009 NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race,[104] where he started nineteenth and finished sixteenth.[105] Later that season, he had two top-five finishes: a career-best fourth at Pocono and a fifth at Michigan.[103] At Watkins Glen, Hornish was involved in a very violent crash. Coming off of turn 9, Hornish was racing with Kasey Kahne where Kasey got loose and got into Hornish causing Hornish to spin. He hit a tire barrier on the left rear of the car and shot him back across the race track spinning like a top where he was then nearly t-boned by Jeff Gordon which spun Hornish's car even faster and then was hit again in the left front by Jeff Burton where it nearly sent Hornish on his side. Gordon's impact into Hornish was so vicious, it ripped the whole rear including the fuel cell out of Hornish's car. Fortunately, Hornish, Gordon, and Burton walked out under their own power uninjured.[106] Hornish finished 28th in the final standings, with 3,203 points.[107]

Hornish joined Penske again in 2010. At the season-opening Daytona 500, Hornish started 26th and was involved in an early accident on the race's ninth lap; he finished 37th, completing 160 of its 208 laps.[108] His qualifying results improved slightly during the rest of the season, with three top-fives.[109] Hornish's only top-ten finish of the season was tenth place at the Sylvania 300 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.[110] He finished 29th in the standings, with 3,214 points.[111] After the season Hornish's longtime sponsor, Mobil 1, left him and Penske for Tony Stewart and Stewart–Haas Racing.[112] In the 2010 Nationwide Series he drove the season-ending race at Homestead-Miami[113] for Brian Keselowski Motorsports (in conjunction with Penske) in its No. 26 Dodge Avenger, starting twelfth and finishing 21st.[114]

2011−2014: Return to Nationwide competition

[edit]
Yellow-and-black race car
In the 2012 Sargento 200 at Road America

Before the 2011 season, Penske sold the owners' points of its No. 77 car to Rusty Wallace Racing, to be driven by owner Rusty Wallace's son (and team driver) Steve at the season-opening Daytona 500, for financial reasons.[115] As a result, Penske moved Hornish to the Nationwide Series to drive the team's No. 12 Dodge Charger. He drove the 5-hour Energy 500 at Pocono Raceway in Front Row Motorsports' No. 38 Ford Fusion, filling in for Travis Kvapil (who was driving in a Truck Series event at Texas).[116] Hornish started in 26th place and finished 35th, 60 laps behind.[117][118] He drove twelve races with the No. 12 team, moving to Penske's No. 22 for a thirteenth race at Iowa Speedway.[119] At Iowa Hornish started in third place and led from laps thirteen through 51, later dropping five laps behind to finish 24th.[120] In the WYPALL* 200 Powered by Kimberly-Clark Professional at Phoenix International Raceway, he started in fifth place and led for the race's final 61 laps after passing Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (who led for a race-high 73 laps)[121] for his first career victory in the series.[122]

Hornish returned to the series with Penske for a full-time season in 2012.[123] Winless, he had second-place finishes at Indianapolis, Montréal and Kentucky.[124] After a race at Talladega Superspeedway, Danica Patrick intentionally spun Hornish's car into the main straightaway wall after he made contact with her during the race.[125] He finished fourth at the season-ending Ford EcoBoost 300 at Homestead-Miami Speedway,[126] and was fourth in points with 1,146.[127]

Yellow-and-red number-22 car
In the pit lane at the 2012 GEICO 400 at Chicagoland Speedway

Hornish returned to the Sprint Cup Series for one race in Penske's No. 12: the STP 400 at Kansas Speedway. Starting in tenth place, he led for seven laps and finished nineteenth (one lap behind).[128] Midway through the season, Hornish replaced A. J. Allmendinger in Penske's No. 22 car after Allmendinger was suspended by NASCAR for failing a drug test. Allmendinger qualified in eighth place, but due to the driver change Hornish had to move to the rear of the field. He finished 33rd, after a mid-race crash required ten laps of repair time.[129] Hornish drove the car in the remaining races,[130] with a season-best fifth place at Watkins Glen.[131][132] Aside from that race, his best finishes were a trio of eleventh places at Atlanta, Richmond and Chicagoland.[130] Hornish's best start of the season was fourth at Dover, where he finished 25th (seven laps behind).[133]

Black-and-white race car on jack stands in a shop
One of Hornish's 2013 cars at the Team Penske facilities

Hornish returned to the Nationwide Series full-time for Penske in 2013 to drive the No. 12, now a Ford Mustang after Penske changed manufacturers. Hornish's 2013 season was his best to date, with sixteen top-five and 25 top-ten finishes.[134] At the season-opening DRIVE4COPD 300 at Daytona International Speedway, Hornish started and finished second despite his involvement in a serious crash on the final lap. Since race winner Tony Stewart was only eligible to score points for the Sprint Cup Series, Hornish was the series points leader after the Daytona race.[135] At the Sam's Town 300 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, he led for 114 laps in his second Nationwide victory.[136] Before the season-ending Ford EcoBoost 300 at Homestead-Miami Speedway Hornish was second in points, eight behind Austin Dillon. Hornish qualified in the pole position and led for 37 laps, finishing eighth; Dillon, who finished twelfth, won the series championship.[137] Hornish was second in the final point standings, with 1,177.[138] During the season, car owner Roger Penske said that Hornish (who had driven for the team since 2004) would be released due to a lack of sponsorship.[139][140] Hornish planned to drive Penske's No. 12 in the Sprint Cup Series at Kansas and Talladega. At Kansas he started in fourth place, running as high as third before crashing on lap 183 due to winds.[141][142] The qualifier was rained out at Talladega, and Hornish failed to qualify because he had only one other Cup start that season.[143]

Black race car
In the 2014 Gardner Denver 200 Fired Up by Johnsonville at Road America

In 2014, Hornish drove for Joe Gibbs Racing in its No. 54 Toyota Camry for a part-time season.[144] Hornish drove seven races in the No. 54,[145] also driving the No. 20 Camry at Michigan (where he finished second).[146] In the No. 54, he started on the pole at Talladega and Mid-Ohio.[145] The highlight of Hornish's season was his victory in the Get To Know Newton 250 at Iowa Speedway, where he started in second place and led for 167 laps.[147] Despite his limited schedule he finished 27th with 242 points, the highest-ranked driver with less than ten starts.[148] Gibbs tapped Hornish to drive the Auto Club 400 at Auto Club Speedway in the No. 11 Camry[149] when regular driver Denny Hamlin was sidelined by a severe sinus infection,[150] and he finished 17th.[151]

2015: Richard Petty Motorsports

[edit]

"He's a family man who fits well with our core values and he will be a great ambassador for our partners. Sam's also proven that he can win races and compete for a championship. He came into the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series with a steep learning curve from open-wheel racing, but has shown in the Nationwide Series that he is a winner. We feel that he can get the No. 9 team to Victory Lane and compete in the Chase for us."

Richard Petty, announcing his team's signing of Hornish[152]

In 2015, Hornish returned full-time to the Sprint Cup Series, driving the No. 9 Ford Fusion for Richard Petty Motorsports (RPM). He replaced Marcos Ambrose, who returned to racing V8 Supercars for DJR Team Penske.[152] Hornish began the season with a twelfth-place finish at the Daytona 500, after starting 38th.[153] He struggled after the season opener, finishing thirtieth or worse in four of the next eight races.[154] In the GEICO 500 at Talladega Superspeedway, Hornish had a season-best sixth-place finish;[155][156] after the race, Kevin Manion replaced Drew Blickensderfer as his crew chief.[156] He later finished in the top ten at both road-course races (tenth and ninth at Sonoma Raceway and Watkins Glen International, respectively).[157][158] In the Coke Zero 400 at Daytona he was involved in a single-car accident on lap 155, driving into the infield at nearly full speed. Hornish's splitter was pushed under the front of the car; he nearly flipped when the front of the car dug into the grass, and nearly flipped again when he crossed a track access road.[159] He retired from the race, finishing thirtieth.[160] On November 14, 2015, RPM announced that they did not expect Hornish to return to the team for the 2016 season.[161]

Racing at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in 2015

Hornish also drove Biagi-DenBeste Racing's No. 98 Ford Mustang part-time in the former Nationwide Series, renamed the Xfinity Series.[162] In three races with the team he had one lead-lap finish, a fourteenth place at Texas.[163]

2016–2017: Part-time Xfinity Series schedule

[edit]

On May 11, 2016, an article posted online by Sports Illustrated appeared to acknowledge that Hornish had retired from racing after being released by Richard Petty Motorsports, saying he "unharnessed himself one last time" and "hung up his helmet at the end of last season."[164] Five days later, however, an article from The Crescent-News (based in Hornish's birthplace of Defiance, Ohio) quoted Hornish as saying, "I'm still working on something to race in good equipment. Possibilities still exist for this year, but there were a couple of different opportunities that didn't pan out because somebody else brought money to the table."[165]

On June 8, 2016, Richard Childress Racing announced plans to add Hornish to their Xfinity Series driver lineup, hiring him to drive the No. 2 Chevrolet Camaro at the July Iowa race and Kentucky.[166] He also ran the No. 2 at Mid-Ohio.[167] Additionally, Hornish returned to Joe Gibbs Racing to drive the No. 18 Toyota Camry in place of an injured Matt Tifft for the June Iowa race,[168][169] a race he went on to win.[170][171]

In June 2017, Hornish returned to the Xfinity Series with Penske, driving the No. 22 Mustang at both Iowa races and the Mid-Ohio event.[172] At Mid-Ohio, Hornish won the pole, and proceeded to lead 61 of the 75 laps en route to victory in his home state.[173] Hornish returned to Penske for the fall race at Kentucky,[174] as well as the Charlotte and Homestead playoff races, finishing second in both.[175][176]

Personal life

[edit]
Hornish, in sunglasses, waves while holding his young daughter
With daughter Addison during driver introductions at the 2014 Gardner Denver 200 at Road America

Hornish, a 1998 graduate of Archbold High School in Archbold, Ohio,[177] lives in Napoleon, Ohio.[2] He and his wife, Crystal, have three children: two daughters (Addison and Eliza)[178] and a son, Sam III.[179] His niece, Hope, was a NASCAR Drive for Diversity member in 2016,[180][181]

Hornish has helped create a senior center in Defiance, and helped add a heart center at Defiance Medical Center.[2] During a race weekend at Texas Motor Speedway, Hornish (an avid bowler) promoted a charity bowling event.[2] His work with Speedway Children's Charities has raised over $500,000 to benefit North Texas children.[2] Hornish collects and customizes classic automobiles; he owns a 1930 Model A Ford, a 1951 Mercury, a 1955 Chevrolet Del Ray, a 1965 Cadillac Coupe de Ville, a 1967 Chevrolet pickup truck and a Corvette ZO6 Indianapolis 500 pace car.[2] Hornish has also worked as a substitute school teacher while away from the track,[165] and has also taught Vacation Bible School.[182]

Media appearances

[edit]

Hornish's Panther Racing car is on the cover of the 2003 IndyCar Series video game.[183] As early as 2004, he made frequent guest appearances on the auto-racing call-in show WindTunnel with Dave Despain.[184] When he won the Indianapolis 500 Hornish appeared on Live! with Regis and Kelly,[185] and he was a guest on the September 12, 2006 Late Show with David Letterman after winning the 2006 IndyCar Series championship.[186]

Hornish narrated the American dub of the British children's television series Roary the Racing Car, replacing former British racing driver Stirling Moss. He later called the opportunity his "one chance to do something Stirling Moss did."[187]

In 2012, Hornish became co-host of the auto racing news and highlight show, SPEED Center.[188] Two years later, he was a color commentator for the NBCSN broadcast of the IndyCar GoPro Grand Prix of Sonoma,[189] and was a NASCAR analyst for Fox Sports 1 throughout the season.[190]

Motorsports career results

[edit]

American open-wheel racing

[edit]

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)

Atlantic Championship

[edit]
Atlantic Championship results
Year Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Rank Points Ref
1999 Shank Racing LBH
8 		NAZ
18 		GAT
4 		MIL
8 		MTL
12 		ROA
9 		TRR
19 		MOH
7 		CHI
1 		VAN
10 		LS
6 		HOU
10 		7th 67 [191]

IndyCar Series

[edit]
IndyCar Series results
Year Team No. Chassis Engine 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 Rank Points Ref
2000 PDM Racing 18 G-Force Oldsmobile WDW
20 		PHX
17 		LVS
3 		PPIR
19 		ATL KTY
9 		TXS
27 		21st 110 [192]
Dallara INDY
24 		TXS
20
2001 Panther Racing 4 PHX
1 		HMS
1 		ATL
4 		INDY
14 		TXS
3 		PPIR
2 		RIR
2 		KAN
2 		NSH
6 		KTY
3 		GTW
3 		CHI
2 		TXS
1 		1st 503 [193]
2002 Chevrolet HMS
1 		PHX
3 		FON
1 		NZR
17 		INDY
25 		TXS
18 		PPIR
3 		RIR
1 		KAN
2 		NSH
3 		MIS
7 		KTY
2 		GTW
5 		CHI
1 		TXS
1 		1st 531 [194]
2003 HMS
10 		PHX
21 		MOT
6 		INDY
15 		TXS
10 		PPIR
5 		RIR
4 		KAN
17 		NSH
11 		MIS
2 		GTW
6 		KTY
1 		NZR
2 		CHI
1 		FON
1 		TXS
17 		5th 461 [31]
2004 Team Penske 6 Toyota HMS
1 		PHX
15 		MOT
19 		INDY
26 		TXS
4 		RIR
11 		KAN
8 		NSH
2 		MIL
3 		MIS
4 		KTY
14 		PPIR
18 		NZR
11 		CHI
6 		FON
4 		TXS
17 		7th 387 [38]
2005 HMS
2 		PHX
1 		STP
15 		MOT
7 		INDY
23 		TXS
2 		RIR
18 		KAN
12 		NSH
2 		MIL
1 		MIS
5 		KTY
7 		PPIR
2 		SNM
17 		CHI
3 		WGL
7 		FON
5 		3rd 512 [195]
2006 Honda HMS
3 		STP
8 		MOT
4 		INDY
1 		WGL
12 		TXS
4 		RIR
1 		KAN
1 		NSH
14 		MIL
2 		MIS
19 		KTY
1 		SNM
9 		CHI
3 		1st 475 [196]
2007 HMS
3 		STP
7 		MOT
5 		KAN
6 		INDY
4 		MIL
9 		TXS
1 		IOW
14 		RIR
15 		WGL
2 		NSH
4 		MOH
14 		MIS
9 		KTY
18 		SNM
5 		DET
12 		CHI
3 		5th 465 [197]
Years Teams Races Poles Wins Podiums
(non-win) 		Top 10s
(non-podium) 		Indianapolis 500
wins 		Championships
8 3 116 12 19 28 32 1 (2006) 3 (2001, 2002, 2006)

Indianapolis 500

[edit]
Year Chassis Engine Start Finish Team
2000 Dallara IR00 Oldsmobile Aurora L47 V8 14 24 PDM Racing
2001 Dallara IR01 Oldsmobile Aurora L47 V8 13 14 Panther Racing
2002 Dallara IR02 Chevrolet V8 7 25 Panther Racing
2003 Dallara IR03 Chevrolet V8 18 15 Panther Racing
2004 Dallara IR03 Toyota Indy V8 11 26 Marlboro Team Penske
2005 Dallara IR03 Toyota Indy V8 2 23 Marlboro Team Penske
2006 Dallara IR03 Ilmor-Honda Indy V8 HI4R 1 1 Marlboro Team Penske
2007 Dallara IR05 Ilmor-Honda Indy V8 HI7R 5 4 Team Penske

NASCAR

[edit]

(key) (Bold – Pole position awarded by time. Italics – Pole position earned by points standings. * – Most laps led.)

Sprint Cup Series

[edit]
NASCAR Sprint Cup Series results
Year Team No. Make 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 NSCC Pts Ref
2007 Penske Racing South 06 Dodge DAY CAL LVS ATL BRI MAR TEX PHO TAL RCH DAR CLT DOV POC MCH SON NHA DAY CHI IND POC GLN MCH BRI CAL RCH NHA
DNQ 		DOV
DNQ 		KAN TAL
DNQ 		CLT
DNQ 		MAR
DNQ 		ATL
DNQ 		TEX PHO
30 		HOM
37 		62nd 125 [80]
2008 77 DAY
15 		CAL
43 		LVS
41 		ATL
25 		BRI
29 		MAR
28 		TEX
32 		PHO
20 		TAL
35 		RCH
23 		DAR
38 		CLT
13 		DOV
18 		POC
42 		MCH
22 		SON
31 		NHA
39 		DAY
29 		CHI
37 		IND
21 		POC
26 		GLN
32 		MCH
22 		BRI
37 		CAL
31 		RCH
38 		NHA
30 		DOV
42 		KAN
33 		TAL
DNQ 		CLT
22 		MAR
34 		ATL
24 		TEX
23 		PHO
33 		HOM
DNQ 		35th 2523 [94]
2009 Penske Championship Racing DAY
32 		CAL
23 		LVS
16 		ATL
37 		BRI
31 		MAR
34 		TEX
17 		PHO
9 		TAL
34 		RCH
6 		DAR
30 		CLT
16 		DOV
13 		POC
10 		MCH
29 		SON
38 		NHA
8 		DAY
32 		CHI
38 		IND
37 		POC
4 		GLN
35 		MCH
5 		BRI
35 		ATL
35 		RCH
8 		NHA
37 		DOV
26 		KAN
18 		CAL
12 		CLT
40 		MAR
36 		TAL
40 		TEX
40 		PHO
17 		HOM
21 		28th 3203 [103]
2010 DAY
37 		CAL
16 		LVS
28 		ATL
28 		BRI
32 		MAR
13 		PHO
18 		TEX
19 		TAL
24 		RCH
36 		DAR
31 		DOV
34 		CLT
17 		POC
11 		MCH
26 		SON
36 		NHA
23 		DAY
21 		CHI
24 		IND
30 		POC
11 		GLN
14 		MCH
32 		BRI
25 		ATL
30 		RCH
28 		NHA
10 		DOV
36 		KAN
36 		CAL
15 		CLT
40 		MAR
25 		TAL
15 		TEX
18 		PHO
32 		HOM
24 		29th 3214 [109]
2011 Front Row Motorsports 38 Ford DAY PHO LVS BRI CAL MAR TEX TAL RCH DAR DOV CLT KAN POC
35 		MCH SON DAY KEN NHA IND POC GLN MCH BRI ATL RCH CHI NHA DOV KAN CLT TAL MAR TEX PHO HOM 70th 01 [117]
2012 Penske Racing 12 Dodge DAY PHO LVS BRI CAL MAR TEX KAN
19 		RCH TAL DAR CLT DOV POC MCH SON KEN 59th 01 [130]
22 DAY
33 		NHA
22 		IND
16 		POC
19 		GLN
5 		MCH
12 		BRI
34 		ATL
11 		RCH
11 		CHI
11 		NHA
21 		DOV
25 		TAL
24 		CLT
15 		KAN
26 		MAR
13 		TEX
17 		PHO
31 		HOM
22
2013 12 Ford DAY PHO LVS BRI CAL MAR TEX KAN
37 		RCH TAL DAR CLT DOV POC MCH SON KEN DAY NHA IND POC GLN MCH BRI ATL RCH CHI NHA DOV KAN CLT TAL
DNQ 		MAR TEX PHO HOM 72nd 01 [141]
2014 Joe Gibbs Racing 11 Toyota DAY PHO LVS BRI CAL
17 		MAR TEX DAR RCH TAL KAN CLT DOV POC MCH SON KEN DAY NHA IND POC GLN MCH BRI ATL RCH CHI NHA DOV KAN CLT TAL MAR TEX PHO HOM 57th 01 [149]
2015 Richard Petty Motorsports 9 Ford DAY
12 		ATL
21 		LVS
24 		PHO
40 		CAL
43 		MAR
32 		TEX
26 		BRI
19 		RCH
35 		TAL
6 		KAN
16 		CLT
24 		DOV
22 		POC
41 		MCH
26 		SON
10 		DAY
30 		KEN
22 		NHA
29 		IND
16 		POC
39 		GLN
9 		MCH
19 		BRI
18 		DAR
28 		RCH
28 		CHI
30 		NHA
20 		DOV
20 		CLT
17 		KAN
28 		TAL
17 		MAR
28 		TEX
24 		PHO
31 		HOM
25 		26th 709 [154]
2016 Circle Sport – Leavine Family Racing 95 Chevy DAY ATL LVS PHO CAL MAR TEX BRI RCH TAL KAN DOV CLT POC MCH SON DAY KEN NHA IND POC GLN BRI MCH
QL† 		DAR RCH CHI NHA DOV CLT KAN TAL MAR TEX PHO HOM NA - [198]
† - Qualified for Michael McDowell
Daytona 500
[edit]
Year Team Manufacturer Start Finish
2008 Penske Racing South Dodge 19 15
2009 Penske Championship Racing 29 32
2010 36 37
2015 Richard Petty Motorsports Ford 38 12

Xfinity Series

[edit]
NASCAR Xfinity Series results
Year Team No. Make 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 NXSC Pts Ref
2006 Penske Racing 39 Dodge DAY CAL MXC LVS ATL BRI TEX NSH PHO TAL RCH DAR CLT DOV NSH KEN MLW DAY CHI NHA MAR GTY IRP GLN MCH BRI CAL RCH DOV KAN CLT MEM TEX PHO
36 		HOM
43 		117th 89 [68]
2007 12 DAY
31 		CAL
35 		MXC LVS ATL
15 		BRI NSH
25 		TEX PHO TAL RCH
43 		DAR CLT DOV NSH KEN MLW NHA DAY CHI GTY IRP CGV GLN MCH
25 		BRI CAL RCH DOV KAN CLT MEM TEX
31 		PHO
39 		HOM
38 		68th 551 [72]
2008 DAY CAL LVS
DNQ 		ATL BRI
DNQ 		NSH TEX
19 		PHO MXC
13 		TAL RCH
15 		DAR
11 		CLT
39 		DOV
23 		NSH KEN MLW NHA DAY CHI GTY IRP CGV GLN
36 		MCH BRI
14 		CAL RCH DOV KAN CLT MEM TEX PHO HOM 51st 799 [97]
2010 Penske Racing 26 Dodge DAY CAL LVS BRI NSH PHO TEX TAL RCH DAR DOV CLT NSH KEN ROA NHA DAY CHI GTY IRP IOW GLN MCH BRI CGV ATL RCH DOV KAN CAL CLT GTY TEX PHO HOM
26 		114th 100 [113]
2011 12 DAY
36 		PHO LVS BRI CAL TEX
16 		TAL
13 		NSH RCH
7 		DAR DOV IOW CLT
12 		CHI MCH
24 		ROA DAY KEN NHA NSH
6 		IRP CHI
5 		DOV KAN CLT
12 		TEX
7 		PHO
1 		HOM
7 		23rd 411 [119]
22 IOW
24 		GLN CGV BRI ATL RCH
2012 12 DAY
20 		PHO
6 		LVS
9 		BRI
13 		CAL
13 		TEX
11 		RCH
5 		TAL
12 		DAR
4 		IOW
12 		CLT
9 		DOV
13 		MCH
6 		ROA
5 		KEN
6 		DAY
10 		NHA
4 		CHI
8 		IND
2 		IOW
3 		GLN
3 		CGV
2 		BRI
10 		ATL
9 		RCH
30 		CHI
6 		KEN
2 		DOV
18 		CLT
35 		KAN
9 		TEX
7 		PHO
14 		HOM
4 		4th 1146 [124]
2013 Ford DAY
2 		PHO
7 		LVS
1* 		BRI
4 		CAL
2 		TEX
34 		RCH
7 		TAL
25 		DAR
8 		CLT
12 		DOV
7 		IOW
4 		MCH
32 		ROA
5 		KEN
9 		DAY
7* 		NHA
7 		CHI
2 		IND
34 		IOW
2 		GLN
2 		MOH
3 		BRI
12 		ATL
3 		RCH
6 		CHI
3 		KEN
4 		DOV
17 		KAN
17 		CLT
3* 		TEX
3 		PHO
5 		HOM
8 		2nd 1177 [134]
2014 Joe Gibbs Racing 54 Toyota DAY PHO LVS BRI CAL TEX DAR RCH TAL
5 		IOW
1* 		CLT DOV ROA
12* 		KEN DAY NHA CHI
36 		IND IOW
4 		GLN MOH
30 		BRI ATL RCH CHI KEN
30 		DOV KAN CLT TEX PHO HOM 27th 242 [145]
20 MCH
2
2015 Biagi-DenBeste Racing 98 Ford DAY ATL
15 		LVS PHO CAL
37 		TEX
14 		BRI RCH TAL IOW CLT DOV MCH CHI DAY KEN NHA IND IOW GLN MOH BRI ROA DAR RCH CHI KEN DOV CLT KAN TEX PHO HOM 99th 01 [162]
2016 Joe Gibbs Racing 18 Toyota DAY ATL LVS PHO CAL TEX BRI RCH TAL DOV CLT POC MCH IOW
1* 		DAY KEN NHA IND 32nd 157 [199]
Richard Childress Racing 2 Chevy IOW
6 		GLN MOH
2 		BRI ROA DAR RCH CHI KEN
4 		DOV CLT KAN TEX PHO HOM
2017 Team Penske 22 Ford DAY ATL LVS PHO CAL TEX BRI RCH TAL CLT DOV POC MCH IOW
37 		DAY KEN NHA IND IOW
34 		GLN MOH
1* 		BRI ROA DAR RCH CHI KEN
31 		DOV HOM
2 		31st 169 [200]
12 CLT
2 		KAN TEX PHO

Craftsman Truck Series

[edit]
NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series results
Year Team No. Make 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 NCTC Pts Ref
2008 Bobby Hamilton Racing 4 Dodge DAY CAL ATL MAR KAN CLT MFD DOV TEX MCH MLW MEM KEN IRP NSH BRI GTW NHA LVS TAL MAR
9 		ATL TEX PHO HOM 74th 138 [100]

* Season still in progress
1 Ineligible for series points

ARCA Re/Max Series

[edit]

(key) (Bold – Pole position awarded by qualifying time. Italics – Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * – Most laps led.)

ARCA Re/Max Series results
Year Team No. Make 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 ARSC Pts Ref
2007 Penske Racing 27 Dodge DAY USA NSH SLM KAN WIN KEN TOL IOW POC MCH
2 		BLN KEN POC NSH ISF MIL GTW DSF CHI SLM TAL TOL 92nd 240 [78]

Rolex 24 at Daytona

[edit]

(key)

Rolex 24 at Daytona results
Year Class No. Team Car Co-drivers Laps Position Class Position Ref
1999 CA 28 United States Intersport Racing Lola-Ford United States Jon Field
United States Ryan Jones
United States Mike Shank 		399 42 DNF 14 DNF [9]
2007 DP 60 United States Michael Shank Racing Lexus Riley DP United States Mark Patterson
Brazil Oswaldo Negri Jr.
Brazil Hélio Castroneves 		628 9 9 [11]

International Race of Champions

[edit]

(key) (Bold – Pole position. * – Most laps led.)

International Race of Champions results
Year Make 1 2 3 4 Pos. Pts Ref
2002 Pontiac DAY
2 		CAL
11 		CHI
6 		IND
10 		11th 35 [62]
2003 DAY
8 		TAL
4 		CHI
8 		IND
11 		8th 30 [63]
2006 Pontiac DAY
2 		TEX
12 		DAY
5 		ATL
9 		8th 36 [65]

References

[edit]
[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

Sam Hornish Jr.

View on Grokipedia
from Grokipedia
Sam Hornish Jr. (born July 2, 1979) is an American retired professional racing driver known for his dominance in open-wheel racing and subsequent career in . He won three championships (2001, 2002, and 2006) and the prestigious in 2006, securing 19 victories over eight seasons from 2000 to 2007. Hornish began his racing career at age 11 in go-karts, quickly advancing through junior formulas to win the World Karting Association U.S. championship at 15. In the , he debuted with in 2000, capturing consecutive titles in 2001 and 2002 with a series-high win percentage, including victories at tracks like and Nashville Speedway. Joining in 2006, he clinched his third championship that year, highlighted by a dramatic last-lap pass to win the by 0.0635 seconds over —the second-closest finish in race history at the time. His tenure also featured 47 podiums, 3,428 laps led, and an average finish of 7.8, establishing him as one of the series' most prolific winners during the early 2000s era. In , Hornish transitioned to at the urging of team owner , aiming to conquer stock car racing's marquee events like the Daytona 500. Over 10 seasons, he competed full-time in the Series from 2008 to 2014 and part-time thereafter, logging 167 starts with three top-five finishes (best: 4th at Pocono in 2009) but no victories, often challenged by the series' emphasis on team strategy and pit stops. In the Series, he fared better with 120 starts, five wins, 38 top-fives, and a runner-up championship finish in 2013 driving for Penske. His final race came in 2017, after which he retired from full-time competition. Since retiring, Hornish has returned to his roots in , where he manages the family-owned Hornish Bros. Inc. trucking and logistics company alongside investments. A devoted family man married to with three children, he engages in , including raising over $500,000 for Speedway Children’s Charities, and delivers motivational speaking engagements on life lessons from racing, such as resilience and . As of 2025, he remains open to occasional racing opportunities but focuses primarily on family and business pursuits.

Early Life and Career Beginnings

Family Background and Introduction to Racing

Samuel Jon Hornish Jr. was born on July 2, 1979, in , to parents Sam Hornish Sr. and Jo Ellen Hornish. Growing up in northwest , he was immersed in a family environment centered around hard work and community ties, with his father owning Hornish Brothers Inc., a trucking company specializing in logistics and delivery of automotive components to major manufacturers like . The business, which earned repeated awards as a top supplier, involved young Hornish from an early age in hands-on tasks such as washing trucks, repairing trailers, and fabricating equipment, fostering a practical understanding of mechanics and vehicles that would later influence his pursuits. The Hornish family's connection to the local racing scene in Ohio's rural communities began as a way to bond, with Sam Sr. playing a pivotal role in introducing his son to motorsports. Prior to the family's relocation from Stryker to Defiance in 1987, Sam Sr. constructed a small oval go-kart track near their home, where Hornish first experienced racing at age 8. His parents provided essential support, covering costs and driving him to local events despite financial strains, which helped cultivate his initial passion for speed and competition in the regional karting circuit. Hornish graduated from Archbold High School in 1998 while advancing his racing career. This foundational exposure to go-karting, often shared with his father, marked Hornish's entry into the sport and set the stage for his progression into more structured competitive racing.

Karting Achievements and Junior Series

Hornish's early competitive success came in karting, where he began racing at age 11. By 1993, at 14 years old, he joined the World Karting Association (WKA) and quickly rose to prominence, laying the foundation for multiple national titles in the following years. In 1994, Hornish captured the WKA U.S. Championship, the Canadian Championship, and the U.S. 820 Junior title, demonstrating his versatility across various karting classes. The next year, 1995, he defended his WKA U.S. title, adding nine additional wins to his record and solidifying his dominance in national events like the Stars of Tomorrow Series. These accomplishments, marked by consistent top finishes and championships, highlighted his skill in high-stakes junior karting competitions. Transitioning to single-seater , Hornish debuted in the 1996 U.S. F2000 with his family's Hornish Racing team, competing in six of the 12 events despite being just 17 years old. He scored 17 points to finish 36th overall, with key performances such as at Mid-Ohio underscoring his adaptability to road courses and propelling him toward preparation for the Indy Lights series as a stepping stone to professional open-wheel racing.

U.S. F2000 and Atlantic Championship

Sam Hornish Jr. began his open-wheel career in the U.S. F2000 National Championship in 1996, competing in a family-run Van Diemen Ford entry and scoring 17 points across multiple races to finish 36th in the standings. His debut season provided initial exposure to single-seater racing on both road courses and ovals, including challenges at Phoenix International Raceway where he adapted to high-speed banking. In 1997, Hornish continued in the series with a similar setup, accumulating 36 points and placing 22nd overall, with improved consistency in races like Mid-Ohio and Charlotte that highlighted his developing race pace. The following year, 1998, marked his strongest performance in F2000 driving for Primus Racing in a Van Diemen Ford; he earned 187 points to tie for 7th in the championship, securing multiple podiums and demonstrating proficiency in car setup adjustments for varying track conditions, particularly on like Phoenix where early handling tweaks proved crucial for competitiveness. These experiences in F2000, with its 160-horsepower engines and focus on precise control, laid foundational skills for racing dynamics essential to future success. Transitioning to the more advanced Toyota Atlantic Championship in 1999 with Michael Shank Racing in a Swift 008.a , Hornish tackled a series featuring 220-horsepower engines and greater , competing on a mix of road and street circuits. As a 20-year-old , he achieved a breakthrough victory at , while finishing 7th in the final standings with 67 points. His season included strong showings on ovals and earned Rookie of the Year honors for his adaptability to the series' technical demands, such as optimizing for high-speed corners. The Atlantic cars' responsive handling and increased power honed Hornish's ability to extract performance from understeer-prone setups, directly bridging his preparation for IndyCar's diverse track challenges, including oval-specific strategies learned from prior F2000 exposure.

Open-Wheel Racing Achievements

IndyCar Series Entry and Early Seasons

Sam Hornish Jr. entered the in 2000 as a 20-year-old with PDM Racing, driving the No. 18 Dallara-Oldsmobile in a partial schedule of 9 starts. His debut came at the Delphi Indy 200 at , where he finished 20th, marking the beginning of a learning year focused on adapting to the high speeds and physical demands of open-wheel racing on ovals. Despite challenges, including an accident on lap 153 that limited him to an 18th-place finish at the , Hornish showed promise with a career-best third-place result at the Vegas Indy 300. He ended the season 21st in the points standings with 110 points, demonstrating steady improvement amid the competitive field of the Indy Racing Series. In 2001, Hornish transitioned to the No. 4 entry, a move that propelled his career forward under team owner . At just 21 years old, he secured three victories—Phoenix, Homestead-Miami Speedway (a road course marking his adaptation to non-oval layouts), —while navigating a steeper on road and street circuits compared to his oval strengths. His triumph, the first for a driver his age in series history, came by a 105-point margin over Buddy Lazier, highlighted by consistent top finishes and 13 starts overall. This breakthrough season underscored Hornish's rapid maturation, though early incidents like a mid-pack run at the (14th place) reflected ongoing adjustments to major events. Hornish defended his title in 2002 with , achieving a dominant repeat championship through five wins, including a thrilling last-lap pass for victory at the Yamaha Indy 400 on the California Speedway oval. His oval prowess shone in races like and , where he led extensively and averaged strong finishes, contributing to a points total of 531—well ahead of runner-up Hélio Castroneves. Over 15 starts, Hornish's season emphasized his growing confidence on superspeedways, though road course results remained a relative weakness, with no wins outside ovals as he continued honing versatility in the evolving series.

Championships with Panther Racing

In 2001, Sam Hornish Jr. secured his first championship with , competing in all 13 races and achieving 3 victories at Phoenix International Raceway, , and Homestead-Miami Speedway. He recorded 10 finishes, 2 pole positions, and amassed 503 points, finishing with an average position of 3.38 while completing 99.7% of all scheduled laps, a testament to the team's emphasis on reliability and equipment preservation. This performance clinched the title by 105 points over runner-up Buddy Lazier, marking Hornish as the youngest champion in major North American open-wheel racing history at age 22. The success stemmed from strong team dynamics at , where owner Andy Evans fostered a collaborative environment that prioritized data-driven setups and seamless communication between driver and crew. Hornish worked closely with lead engineer Don Culp on tuning, particularly refining suspension adjustments for tracks to enhance stability during high-speed drafting, which contributed to zero retirements that season. The team's strategy focused on conservative fuel management and conservation on ovals, allowing Hornish to maintain competitive pace without aggressive risks, as evidenced by his consistent top-five finishes in 11 of 13 starts. Building on this momentum, Hornish defended his title in 2002, again with Panther Racing, now expanded to 15 races under a Chevrolet engine partnership that improved power delivery on ovals. He claimed 5 wins—at Homestead-Miami Speedway, Texas Motor Speedway (May), Michigan International Speedway, Chicagoland Speedway, and Texas Motor Speedway (September)—alongside 10 podiums, 2 poles, and 531 points for a narrow 20-point victory over Hélio Castroneves. At 23 years old, Hornish became the youngest driver to win consecutive IndyCar championships, setting a benchmark for back-to-back dominance in the series. His season included a dramatic 0.0024-second victory over Al Unser Jr. at Chicagoland Speedway, the closest finish in IndyCar history at the time. Panther's engineering innovations in 2002 centered on aerodynamic tweaks for , including refined underbody diffusers that reduced drag while improving cornering grip, developed through iterative wind-tunnel testing with Hornish's direct input on handling feedback. This collaboration enabled bold late-race passing maneuvers, such as his final-lap charge at to seal the championship. The duo's achievements elevated young American talent in , inspiring a shift toward promoting drivers under 25 and highlighting the viability of mid-tier teams like Panther against larger operations.

Team Penske Era and Indianapolis 500 Victory

In 2003, Hornish remained with Panther Racing for a full 16-race schedule, securing three victories at California Speedway (Fontana), , and Gateway International Raceway while finishing fifth in the drivers' standings with 461 points. Sam Hornish Jr. joined for the season, transitioning from to the high-profile organization known for its emphasis on road and street course performance. In his debut with the team, driving the Dallara-Toyota, he secured a victory at the season-opening Homestead-Miami Speedway oval race, marking his 12th career win. Throughout the year, Hornish adapted to Penske's setup, which prioritized handling on non-oval circuits, though he recorded only that single triumph amid a competitive field dominated by Andretti Green Racing drivers. He concluded the season in seventh place in the drivers' standings with 387 points. In 2005, Hornish continued with Penske, capturing two victories: the season opener on the road course at St. Petersburg and the oval event at Phoenix International Raceway, where he held off teammate by a narrow margin. These results highlighted his growing comfort with the team's engineering focus on balanced dynamics for diverse track types. Despite not contending for the , he achieved a strong third-place finish in the championship with 512 points, trailing champion and . The 2006 season proved transformative for Hornish with Penske, as he amassed four wins en route to his third championship. His crowning achievement came at the , where he piloted a IR-05 chassis powered by the HI6R ; Team Penske's setup optimized aerodynamic efficiency and straight-line speed, enabling the car to top practice sessions with laps exceeding 228 mph. Starting from the inside of the second row, Hornish led 107 laps and executed a dramatic last-lap pass on in the final turn, winning by 0.0635 seconds—the closest finish in Indy 500 history at the time. This victory, combined with triumphs at St. Petersburg, Watkins Glen, and , clinched the title on a tiebreaker over after 14 races. Hornish's final full IndyCar season in 2007 brought challenges, including adapting to the series' new IR-05 chassis with , resulting in just one victory at . Despite consistent top-10 finishes, including fourth at the , he ended fifth in the points standings with 465, behind champion . In November 2007, Hornish announced his departure from IndyCar to pursue opportunities in with , citing a desire for new challenges in .

Other Racing Ventures

Sports Car Racing Participation

Sam Hornish Jr. made his endurance sports car racing debut at the 1999 Rolex 24 at Daytona, competing in the Can-Am class aboard the #28 Lola B98/10 Ford entered by Intersport Racing. Co-driving with Jon Field, , and Michael Shank, the team qualified eighth overall and completed 399 laps before finishing 42nd overall and 12th in class. Hornish returned to the Rolex 24 at Daytona in 2007, joining Michael Shank Racing in the #60 Riley for the class. Sharing driving duties with , Mark Patterson, and Oswaldo Negri Jr., the team started 22nd on the grid and advanced to a ninth-place overall finish after completing 628 laps, marking a competitive showing in the event's premier division. These appearances stemmed primarily from team affiliations, as Hornish's entries involved longtime associates like Shank, who had supported his early open-wheel career, and fellow Penske drivers such as Castroneves, fulfilling obligations to bolster allied programs outside primary series commitments. The endurance format provided opportunities for skill expansion beyond ovals, emphasizing sustained pacing, multi-driver coordination, and adaptation to prototype handling on road courses with banking and traffic.

International Race of Champions

Sam Hornish Jr. was invited to the (IROC) series based on his success in the , where he captured consecutive championships in 2001 and 2002. The IROC, which ran from 1973 to 2006, featured 12 elite drivers from diverse motorsports disciplines competing head-to-head in identical Pontiac Firebirds on oval tracks, with a four-race format emphasizing driver talent over machinery differences. Hornish debuted in the 2002 IROC season, participating in all four events. He started strongly with a second-place finish in the opener at , where he dueled in the closing laps before settling for runner-up. His subsequent results included 11th at California Speedway, sixth at , and 10th at , earning 35 points for an 11th-place overall finish. Returning for the 2003 season, Hornish competed in the full four-race schedule against prominent rivals such as five-time IROC champion . He placed eighth in the Daytona opener, 5th at , and posted additional mid-pack finishes that yielded 30 points and an 8th-place points standing. Hornish made his final IROC appearance in 2006, shortly after winning the , again running all four races in the series' last season. He earned a runner-up result at Daytona, where he challenged winner aggressively in the final turns, along with a career-best eighth-place finish in another event, contributing to an eighth-place points tally overall with 36 points.

NASCAR Career

Initial Forays in Xfinity and Truck Series

Hornish's entry into stock car racing began in late 2006 while he was still a full-time IndyCar competitor, as he joined Team Penske's program on a part-time basis. Driving the No. 39 in the Busch Series (now Series), he made two starts that season: at Phoenix International Raceway, where he qualified 27th and finished 36th after completing 183 of 200 laps, and at Memphis Motorsports Park, finishing 35th. These initial outings provided Hornish with early exposure to stock car dynamics but yielded no top finishes. The following year, Hornish expanded his Busch Series involvement with three additional starts for Penske, totaling five races across 2006–2007 without securing a victory. His strongest result came at the Food City 250 at in August 2007, where he started 8th and charged to a career-best 4th-place finish, demonstrating improved adaptability on the high-banked short track. Other 2007 appearances included a 13th at Richmond International Raceway in May and a 20th at , highlighting a amid his ongoing IndyCar title defense. These part-time efforts, sponsored by , served as a bridge to full-time pursuits. Transitioning from open-wheel racing proved challenging for Hornish, particularly the stock cars' heavier weight, rear-wheel-drive handling, and reliance on drafting for speed on ovals—elements far removed from the agile, aerodynamically sensitive he had mastered. He described the adjustment as demanding, noting the need to relearn bump navigation and pack racing tactics, which led to inconsistent early results like his Bristol breakthrough amid frequent mechanical and strategy hurdles. Dual scheduling in 2007 added complexity, as Hornish aimed for at Richmond with Busch qualifying on Friday and the race on Saturday, though Penske ultimately structured his calendar to minimize overlaps and preserve focus across series. In 2008, Hornish dipped into the Craftsman Truck Series with a single start for Penske Racing in the No. 4 Penske Truck Rental at the Kroger 200 in . Starting 16th, he navigated the short track to a solid 9th-place finish, completing all 200 laps without leading but earning his first top-10 in NASCAR's developmental ranks. This outing underscored his growing comfort in stock cars before shifting to full-time Cup Series commitments.

Cup Series with Penske Racing

Sam Hornish Jr. joined Penske Racing for a full-time effort in the NASCAR Cup Series starting in 2008, driving the No. 77 Dodge sponsored primarily by Mobil 1. As a rookie, he faced a steep learning curve transitioning from open-wheel IndyCar racing to stock cars, particularly on ovals where the heavier vehicles demanded different approaches to drafting, tire wear, and setup compared to the lighter, more agile IndyCars he had mastered. Hornish noted the overall differences in the series, stating that "everything is just so different," highlighting the need for adaptation in car control and race strategy on ovals like Daytona and Talladega. Over the three seasons, he completed 106 starts, achieving no wins but demonstrating occasional competitiveness amid consistent mid-pack results and mechanical setbacks. In , Hornish made 34 starts after missing qualifying for two events, finishing 35th in the driver points standings with an average finish of 27.9. His season included brief references to prior Series testing that helped build familiarity with stock car handling, but on-track results were hampered by inexperience and reliability issues, such as engine failures at Talladega and Fontana. A mid-season crew chief change saw Travis Geisler replace Chris Carrier in , aiming to stabilize the team during a stretch of 10 finishes of 20th or better, though no top-10s materialized. The No. 77 team remained aligned with throughout the year, focusing on development as Penske's third car alongside and Ryan Newman. The 2009 season marked a step forward for Hornish, with 36 starts and a career-best fourth-place finish at in August, where he led three laps and capitalized on late-race attrition among leaders. He earned two top-five finishes overall—another fifth at —and five top-10s, culminating in 28th in points with 3,203 tallied despite multiple DNFs from accidents and mechanical woes, including a 37th at the due to a tire issue. These oval performances showcased improved adaptability from his oval expertise, though he struggled more on road courses and short tracks. Team stability improved under Geisler, but the Dodge program faced broader manufacturer challenges as restructured amid economic pressures. Hornish's 2010 campaign saw another 36 starts, with an average finish of 25.7 and a points finish of 29th, highlighted by one top-10 (eighth at Dover) and 50 laps led across the season, primarily on where strategic pit calls occasionally positioned him strongly before late cautions disrupted momentum. Struggles persisted with crashes, including a multi-car incident at that dropped him to 36th after running mid-pack much of the day. The team continued with powertrains, but underlying shifts in manufacturer support foreshadowed larger changes; Penske would later transition to Ford in 2013 following 's full exit from after 2012. Hornish's experiences underscored the endurance required in racing versus IndyCar's higher-speed, precision-focused , contributing to his growth despite the lack of victories.

Later Xfinity Seasons and Final Competitions

After concluding his primary commitments in the NASCAR Cup Series with Team Penske, Sam Hornish Jr. returned to the NASCAR Xfinity Series on a part-time basis in 2011, driving the No. 12 Dodge for Penske Racing and securing one victory at Phoenix Raceway on November 12. He expanded to a full-time schedule in 2012 with the same team and car, posting 10 top-five finishes and 22 top-10 results en route to a fourth-place points finish. In 2013, Hornish remained with Penske in the No. 12 Ford, capturing a win at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on March 9 and achieving 16 top fives and 25 top 10s, which propelled him to second in the final standings behind Elliott Sadler. Hornish's 2014 Xfinity campaign shifted to a part-time role, beginning with Penske before transitioning to the No. 18 for in select events, where he earned a victory at on May 18 amid four top fives in eight starts. The following year, he made three limited appearances for in the No. 98 Ford, with his best result a 15th-place finish at on February 28; finishes at (37th) and (24th, despite leading 39 laps) highlighted the challenges of sporadic racing. In 2016, Hornish competed in four races across teams, including a dominant win at on June 19 driving the No. 18 for , where he led 183 of 250 laps on . Returning to for 2017, Hornish made six starts in the Nos. 12 and 22 Fords. His efforts included a 12th-place finish at on July 15 (starting 11th) and a home-state at on August 12 (No. 22), leading 61 laps to beat by 1.335 seconds in a caution-marred race. He added a runner-up finish at on October 7 (No. 12, starting 31st) before capping the season with a 2nd-place result at Homestead-Miami Speedway on November 18 (No. 22, starting 8th), which clinched the Series Owners' Championship for the team. Over these later seasons from 2011 to 2017, Hornish amassed five wins—primarily on road courses and short ovals—demonstrating his versatility while balancing family life. As he scaled back competitions, Hornish cited shifting priorities toward his wife and three children, noting in 2016 that he no longer felt compelled to race full-time and preferred focusing on family over the demands of the schedule. This transition marked the wind-down of his professional driving career, allowing him to step away after the 2017 season without formal retirement.

Post-Racing Life

Business Ventures and Community Contributions

Following his transition from full-time professional racing after the 2017 season, Sam Hornish Jr. became actively involved in the family-owned Hornish Bros. Inc., a trucking and company based in , where he contributes to operations alongside other business responsibilities. The company, which specializes in transportation services for manufacturing clients including Powertrain facilities, reflects Hornish's roots in the logistics sector inherited from his family. Hornish has pursued investments as a post-racing endeavor, leveraging his resources to acquire and manage properties while incorporating hands-on DIY projects that evolved from personal hobbies into practical business activities. These efforts include customizing and developing assets, aligning with his interest in and . In philanthropy, Hornish has led significant community initiatives in Defiance, spearheading the funding and construction of a local senior center and a heart treatment facility to address healthcare and elder care needs in the area. Through his efforts with Speedway Children’s Charities, he has raised over $500,000 to support children's programs, particularly benefiting those in . Hornish also engages in hands-on , constructing props and sets for school plays, pageants, and events at Christian Academy, as well as building a dedicated for the institution to enhance educational and extracurricular facilities. These contributions underscore his commitment to local and development in northwest .

Family Involvement in Racing and Semi-Retirement Status

Hornish has been semi-retired from professional racing since , following his final two starts in the NASCAR Xfinity Series playoffs, where he finished second at and Homestead-Miami Speedway. In the years since, he has prioritized family life in , while maintaining an active involvement in motorsports through occasional appearances and personal projects, describing himself as "as busy now, if not busier, than I was when I was driving." Despite stepping away from full-time competition, Hornish has expressed openness to a potential comeback, particularly in the due to its shorter schedule that would minimize time away from home. In a 2021 interview, he noted, "The tough part is if somebody calls with a good opportunity, I don’t know that I can say no," reflecting his ongoing passion for racing while valuing family stability. He has not returned to competitive racing since 2017. In May 2025, he delivered a motivational speaking engagement at the , discussing life lessons from racing. Hornish's family continues the racing legacy, with his son, Sam Hornish III—born in 2014—showing early promise in karting. At age seven in 2021, the younger Hornish was already competing in go-karts, consistently posting lap times around 12 seconds, which his father views as indicative of strong potential for a professional path. Hornish has shared visions of supporting his son's pursuits, recounting a dream where he hauled the equipment while his son drove the race car, underscoring the generational shift in their family's motorsports involvement. Preserving his own racing heritage, Hornish maintains a personal collection of vintage and significant vehicles, including a 1930 Model A Ford, 1951 Mercury, 1955 Chevrolet Del Ray, 1965 Coupe de Ville, 1967 Chevrolet pickup, and the 2006 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 that served as the pace car—the he received for his that year. This assortment not only reflects his career achievements but also serves as a tangible link to pass down to his children as they explore .

Personal Life

Education and Family Details

Sam Hornish Jr. graduated from Archbold High in Archbold, , in 1998. He married his high school sweetheart, Crystal Liechty, in 2004 at the Cathedral in . The couple has three children: daughter Addison Faith, born on February 4, 2008; daughter Eliza Jo, born on December 28, 2010; and son Sam Hornish III (known as Sammy), born in 2014. Following the end of his full-time NASCAR career in 2017, Hornish and his family relocated from , back to northwest near Defiance, seeking stronger ties to their roots and a more stable home environment. This move allowed greater involvement in local community activities and family life after years based near racing operations in the . Throughout his professional tenure, Hornish balanced the demands of extensive travel—often spending weeks away for events—with responsibilities, crediting his for managing the household during absences and emphasizing quality time during off-periods. Post-retirement, he has prioritized fatherhood, engaging in projects like building a for his son and a princess carriage for his daughter.

Philanthropy and Personal Interests

Sam Hornish Jr. has been actively involved in through his foundation, which has funded key projects in his hometown of , including the construction of a senior center in memory of his grandmother and the addition of a heart treatment center at the local medical facility. His charitable efforts extend to children's causes, notably raising over $500,000 for Speedway Children's Charities at through hosted bowling tournaments, benefiting youth with programs for education, health, and recreation. A devout member of the Poplar Ridge Church of the Brethren near Defiance, Hornish maintains strong faith-based involvement, teaching Bible studies and leading men's discipleship groups such as "Every Man a Warrior" to foster spiritual growth in his community. He frequently speaks at church events, including mission festivals, sharing his faith journey and the historic ties of his family to the Church of the Brethren denomination. In his personal life, Hornish pursues hands-on hobbies centered on classic car restoration and customization, maintaining a collection that includes a 1930 Model A Ford, a 1951 Mercury, a 1955 Chevrolet Del Ray, a 1965 Cadillac Coupe de Ville, a 1967 Chevrolet pick-up truck, and a 2006 Corvette Z06 Indianapolis 500 pace car. He also enjoys outdoor family activities, such as mini-trips and supporting his children's interests, including building a tree house and props for school events. Hornish has also worked as a substitute school teacher in the Defiance area, teaching students from pre-K through high school. Post-racing, Hornish has reflected on shifting his life priorities toward family, faith, and community service, describing this transition as fulfilling after decades in professional motorsports, with racing now a secondary pursuit if the right opportunity arises.

Media and Public Appearances

Television and Video Game Roles

Following his victory in the 2006 Indianapolis 500, Sam Hornish Jr. gained significant media exposure, including a guest appearance on The Late Show with David Letterman on June 5, 2006, where he discussed his historic win alongside host David Letterman and actress Lindsay Lohan. This appearance highlighted his newfound celebrity status in mainstream entertainment, capitalizing on the Indy 500's prestige to introduce him to a broader audience beyond motorsports enthusiasts. Hornish's charm and racing anecdotes during the segment underscored his transition from oval track specialist to national figure. In addition to live talk show spots, Hornish took on a voice acting role in children's television, narrating the U.S. version of the animated series starting in 2008. Aired on PBS Kids Sprout, the show followed the adventures of anthropomorphic race cars, and Hornish's involvement leveraged his expertise to provide authentic narration for American audiences, replacing the original U.K. voiceover. Producers approached him directly for the gig, citing his approachable personality and racing background as ideal for engaging young viewers with motorsport themes. Hornish also featured prominently in racing video games, serving as the cover athlete for the 2003 IndyCar Series title, where his Panther Racing car was showcased on the packaging for PlayStation 2, Xbox, and PC platforms. His likeness appeared as a playable driver in subsequent NASCAR simulation games, including EA Sports' NASCAR 08 and NASCAR 09, allowing fans to race as him in authentic series events. These inclusions not only promoted his career but also immersed players in realistic open-wheel and stock car scenarios drawn from his achievements. Throughout his racing tenure, Hornish participated in promotional activities for sponsors, such as brand appearances and events tied to partners like and , often involving media spots to boost visibility for automotive and consumer products. One memorable anecdote from his media interactions came during a episode of Racers Roundtable, where he recounted a lighthearted mix-up with team owner involving two identical Subway sandwiches—one with tuna and green olives that Penske disliked—leading to an awkward but humorous exchange that highlighted the personal dynamics within .

Broadcasting and Commentary Work

Following his transition to semi-retired status after 2017, Sam Hornish Jr. has contributed to motorsports media as an occasional commentator and analyst, leveraging his extensive experience in open-wheel and . His broadcasting roles were primarily active in the . Hornish began his broadcasting work in 2012 as an analyst for SPEED's weekend motorsports program Speed Center, providing expert analysis on events and developments. In 2014, he served as a for the NBCSN broadcast of the IndyCar GoPro Grand Prix of Sonoma, joining Paul Tracy and lead announcer Brian Till to offer insights from his three IndyCar championships and Indianapolis 500 victory. Additionally, during this period, Hornish worked as a analyst for , contributing to coverage with perspectives on competition and track dynamics. Beyond analysis, Hornish took on hosting duties for Penske Racing-related events and charity initiatives in the late 2000s and early 2010s. He hosted the annual Sam Hornish Jr. Celebrity Bowling Tournament during race weekends at , raising funds for local causes in conjunction with activities. These events, tied to Penske's community outreach, have included celebrity participants and supported organizations like Speedway Children's Charities, with Hornish emceeing to engage fans and drivers. He has also participated in charity streams and virtual events for motorsports philanthropy, promoting causes close to his roots while providing informal insights to audiences.

Motorsports Career Results

American Open-Wheel Racing Statistics

Sam Hornish Jr. competed in the IndyCar Series from 2000 to 2007, amassing 116 starts, 19 wins, 47 podium finishes, and 12 pole positions across eight seasons. His achievements include three series championships, won in 2001 with Panther Racing, 2002 also with Panther, and 2006 with Team Penske, making him one of only four drivers to secure three IndyCar titles. These successes highlighted his versatility on ovals, road courses, and street circuits, with a career win percentage of 16.38%. At the , Hornish made eight appearances between 2000 and 2007, achieving one victory in 2006—where he started from the pole and led 19 laps to edge out by 0.0635 seconds—and two top-5 finishes overall, including fourth place in 2007. His other results included a second-place start in 2005 but a crash on lap 146, and various incidents or mechanical issues limiting higher placements in earlier runs. Before entering IndyCar, Hornish raced in developmental open-wheel categories, including the U.S. F2000 National Championship from 1996 to 1998 with teams such as Bordin Racing and Primus Racing, where he made 32 starts, recorded multiple top-10 finishes including a career-best second in 1998, and finished as high as 7th in points that year, but no titles. In 1999, he joined Michael Shank Racing in the Toyota Atlantic Championship, earning Rookie of the Year honors with one win at and a seventh-place points finish.

IndyCar Series Year-by-Year Results

YearStartsWinsPolesPointsChampionship Position
200080011021st
200113325031st
200215525311st
200316314615th
200416103877th
200517235123rd
200614444751st
200717104655th
These figures reflect his consistent contention for wins and titles, particularly in championship seasons where he averaged over three victories per year.

NASCAR Series Statistics

Sam Hornish Jr. competed in NASCAR's premier stock car series from 2007 to 2017, primarily with Penske Racing and later with and other teams. Across the Series, Series, and Series, he amassed a total of 288 starts without a Cup victory but with notable success in the Series, where he secured five wins and a runner-up points finish. His transition from open-wheel racing presented adaptation challenges, but he demonstrated consistency in mid-pack finishes and occasional strong performances in the lower tiers.

Cup Series

Hornish made 167 starts in the NASCAR Cup Series, achieving three top-five finishes and 12 top-10s, with no wins or poles. His best career finish was fourth place at the 2009 Sunoco Red Cross Pennsylvania 500 at Pocono Raceway. He raced full-time from 2008 to 2010 and in 2015, posting his best points finish of 23rd in both 2009 and 2010. The following table summarizes his season-by-season performance in the Cup Series, highlighting starts, wins, poles, top-10 finishes, and DNFs where data is available:
YearStartsWinsPolesTop-10sDNFsPoints Rank
200720000N/A
200834000335th
200936007623rd
201036012323rd
201110000N/A
2012200013N/A
201310001N/A
201410000N/A
201536003126th
Data compiled from season records; DNF counts reflect mechanical or accident retirements.

Xfinity Series

In the Series (formerly Nationwide Series), Hornish recorded 120 starts, five wins, nine poles, 38 top-fives, and 64 top-10s. His strongest season was , when he finished second in points with one win and 25 top-10s across 33 starts, driving the No. 12 Penske /Ford. He earned his first Xfinity win in 2011 at Phoenix International Raceway. The table below details his season-by-season results, emphasizing starts, wins, poles, and top-10s:
YearStartsWinsPolesTop-10sPoints Rank
20062000117th
2007900068th
2008800051st
20101000N/A
20111310623rd
20123301224th
20133314252nd
2014812427th
20153000N/A
2016411432nd
2017611331st
DNF data is limited but generally low, with fewer than five per full season in his peak years.

Truck Series

Hornish's Truck Series participation was minimal, limited to one start in the 2008 Kroger 200 at , where he qualified 16th and finished ninth in the No. 4 Penske Truck Rental , earning one top-10. This outing provided valuable short-track experience ahead of his Cup races at the venue. No wins, poles, or additional starts were recorded.

Additional Series Results

Hornish Jr. participated in the (IROC) series across three seasons (2002, 2003, and 2006), accumulating 11 starts in the invitational event that featured top drivers from various motorsports disciplines. His best result was a second-place finish in the 2002 season opener at , though he recorded no victories overall in the series. In , Hornish made two appearances in the Rolex 24 at Daytona endurance event, driving for Michael Shank Racing in the class. He achieved a career-best second-place overall finish in 2006, starting from 40th on the grid before charging forward in the Lexus-powered Riley Mk XI. The following year, in 2007, he co-drove with , Oswaldo Negri Jr., and Mark Patterson to a ninth-place overall result after completing 628 laps. Hornish ventured into stock car development series with a single start in the in 2007 at , where he qualified on the pole and finished second in the No. 27 Dodge, demonstrating strong adaptability just months after leaving .
SeriesYearEventStarting PositionFinishing Position
IROC2002Unavailable2nd
Rolex 24 at Daytona200640th2nd
Rolex 24 at Daytona200722nd9th
ARCA Menards20071st2nd

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  68. https://www.driveraverages.com/nascar/driveryear.php?drv_id=184&yr_id=2009
  69. https://www.driveraverages.com/nascar/driveryear.php?drv_id=184&yr_id=2010
  70. https://au.motorsport.com/nascar-cup/news/penske-racing-makes-crew-chief-change/2772570/
  71. https://www.racing-reference.info/season-stats/2008/W
  72. https://www.race-database.com/standings/standings.php?year=2009&series_id=2
  73. https://www.driveraverages.com/nascar/race.php?sked_id=2010016
  74. https://www.espn.com/racing/nascar/cup/story/_/id/7633498
  75. https://frcs.pro/nascar/cup/drivers/sam-hornish-jr
  76. https://www.driveraverages.com/nascar_xfinityseries/driver.php?drv_id=184
  77. https://speedwaymedia.com/2013/03/09/sam-hornish-jr-gives-penske-racing-and-mustang-first-ford-nationwide-win-of-2013/
  78. https://motorsportstats.com/driver/sam-hornish-jr/summary/series/nascar-xfinity-series
  79. https://speedwaymedia.com/2014/05/18/sam-hornish-jr-wins-decisive-victory-at-iowa-speedway/
  80. https://www.driveraverages.com/nascar_xfinityseries/driveryear.php?drv_id=184&yr_id=2015
  81. https://www.espn.com/racing/nascar/xfinity/story/_/id/16342287/sam-hornish-jr-wins-xfinity-race-iowa-first-victory-two-years
  82. https://www.nascar.com/news-media/2017/08/10/xfinity-series-mid-ohio-sports-car-course-sam-hornish-jr/
  83. https://www.driveraverages.com/nascar_nxs/race.php?sked_id=2017529
  84. https://www.teampenske.com/news/index.cfm/n/684/53507/NASCAR_XFINITY_Series_Race_Report_-_Homestead
  85. https://www.nascar.com/news-media/2017/11/18/xfinity-series-ford-ecoboost-300-homestead-william-byron-championship/
  86. https://www.chicagotribune.com/2016/05/23/sam-hornish-jr-content-to-focus-on-family-now-rather-than-racing/
  87. https://www.toledoblade.com/sports/pro/2018/06/08/Sam-Hornish-Jr-isn-t-driving-but-don-t-call-him-retired/stories/20180608003
  88. https://media.stellantisnorthamerica.com/newsrelease.do?id=8703&fIId=8700&mid=315
  89. https://www.crash.net/indycar/news/20147/1/hornish-gets-hitched
  90. https://www.toledoblade.com/sports/2008/02/04/Hornish-Jr-and-wife-celebrate-first-baby/stories/200802040001
  91. http://www.skirtsandscuffs.com/2011/01/sam-hornish-jr-becomes-father-for.html
  92. https://www.foxsports.com/stories/other/its-a-boy-sam-hornish-jr-announces-birth-of-first-son
  93. https://www.crescent-news.com/sports/local_sports/back-home-in-ohio-hornish-enjoying-time-with-family-and-friends/article_6b6bf645-d026-5b3f-9277-df8c8f621400.html
  94. https://www.teampenske.com/news/index.cfm/a/709/54514/Being_a_Great_Dad_is_Hornishs_Life_in_the_Fast_Lane
  95. https://bethanyseminary.edu/welcome-friends/stories-testimonies-of-bethany-donors/sam-hornish-jr-bethany-donor/
  96. https://cftoledo.org/sam-hornish-jr-at-cf-on-sept-21/
  97. https://www.kpcnews.com/article_2a607059-bed7-523a-836c-63c1a53937b1.html
  98. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0820245/
  99. https://www.crash.net/indycar/news/23359/1/no-slowing-down-for-hornish-jr
  100. https://www.toledoblade.com/sports/pro/2011/04/07/Hornish-gives-his-voice-a-spin-on-show/stories/201104070061
  101. https://people.com/parents/sam-hornish-jr/
  102. https://www.athletespeakers.com/speaker/sam-hornish-jr
  103. https://www.facebook.com/RACERNetwork/videos/no-tuna-and-green-olives-for-sam-hornish-jr-he-recalls-a-humorous-interaction-he/579600384733873/
  104. https://www.teampenske.com/news/index.cfm/n/606/50967/SPEED_Adds_Sam_Hornish_Jr._as_Speed_Center_Analyst
  105. https://www.indycar.com/Global/News/2014/08/8-19-Three-time-champion-Hornish-joins-NBCSN-telecast
  106. https://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/sports/motor/auto-racing/2014/05/14/sam-hornish-tony-stewart-nascar-nationwide-series-iowa-speedway/9082137/
  107. https://www.teampenske.com/news/index.cfm?cid=19830
  108. https://www.teampenske.com/news/index.cfm/c/352/24253/Sam_Hornish_Jr._Texas_Motor_Speedway_Preview
  109. https://indymotorspeedway.com/v1/05grid.htm
  110. http://www.champcarstats.com/atlantic/year/1999.htm
  111. https://www.racing-reference.info/driver/Sam_Hornish_Jr
  112. https://www.racing-reference.info/rquery?id=hornisa01&trk=t0&series=W
  113. http://www.espn.com/racing/driver/stats/_/id/607/series/2
  114. http://www.espn.com/racing/driver/stats/_/id/607/sam-hornish-jr
  115. https://www.racing-reference.info/rquery?id=hornisa01&trk=t0&series=B
  116. https://www.driveraverages.com/nascar_truckseries/driver.php?drv_id=184
  117. http://www.espn.com/racing/driver/stats/_/id/607/series/4
  118. http://au.motorsport.com/indycar/news/irl-hornish-castroneves-giaffone-to-race-in-iroc-2003/1995208/
  119. https://www.clublexus.com/forums/car-chat/262148-lexus-wins-rolex-24-a.html
  120. https://www.race-database.com/results/results.php?year=2007&race=1&series_id=6
  121. https://www.toledoblade.com/sports/2007/06/16/Hornish-No-2-debut/stories/200706160054
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