Sam Hornish Jr. to Race Select Xfinity Races with Penske

Sam Hornish Jr.’s career in NASCAR has come full circle, returning to Team Penske in 2017 to run select Xfinity Series races.

In the offseason leading up to the 2017 season, NASCAR limited the number of races Cup Series regulars could enter in the Xfinity Series and Camping World Truck Series. This meant there would be a number of new opportunities for drivers to step into top rides on weekends where Cup drivers are not available, and another example of that was confirmed on Thursday.

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Sam Hornish Jr., a veteran of both NASCAR and IndyCar, was announced as the driver of the #22 Ford for Team Penske in the Xfinity Series in the upcoming races at Iowa Speedway and the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course. Additional races may be added to his schedule as sponsorship allows. This marks the return of Hornish to the team that first brought him into NASCAR from the open-wheel ranks back in 2006.

Since the Ohio native departed full-time competition in NASCAR at the end of 2015, he has only made four starts, all in the Xfinity Series. He won a race for Joe Gibbs Racing last season at Iowa in place of the injured Matt Tifft, while racing also in three races for Richard Childress Racing. Despite rampant success and three championships in the IndyCar Series, Hornish struggled to find his footing in stock cars, not winning a race until Phoenix in 2011. He currently has four Xfinity Series wins to his credit.

One would have to imagine that this opportunity would not have been made available to Hornish if not for the rule changes at the beginning of 2017. He along with others like Scott Lagasse Jr., Ben Kennedy, Kyle Benjamin, and Christopher Bell have all been afforded unique opportunities with top performing teams in the series where names are made.

There are certainly more opportunities for other drivers like Hornish coming up this year and next. Races like Road America, Kentucky, and others are likely to not attract the Cup stars, leaving openings with teams like Penske, Gibbs, and Childress to fill. Could we see other drivers like John Hunter Nemechek, Brandon McReynolds, or Parker Kligerman get a chance to fill in with these rides before the year is out?

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What are your expectations of Sam Hornish Jr. as he returns to Team Penske? Can he contend for wins despite being only part-time like he did previously with the team? Be sure to tune in to the next race for the Xfinity Series on Saturday as they take on the two-mile Michigan International Speedway.

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