MANSFIELD, Ohio (AP) – Ron Hornaday Jr. won the City of Mansfield 250 on Saturday for his Craftsman Truck Series-record 28th career victory, while former baseball star Mike Greenwell finished 26th in his NASCAR debut.

Hornaday, who benefited from pit strategy that gave his Chevrolet the lead at mid-race, held off persistent challenges from Jack Sprague and David Starr and ended up finishing 0.961 seconds ahead of Sprague.

Hornaday, a few weeks shy of his 48th birthday, last won in March 2005 at Atlanta Motor Speedway. He averaged 62.999 mph as a series-record 18 caution periods consumed 85 of 250 laps around the half-mile oval. Hornaday, who led the final 131 laps after 2005 series champion Ted Musgrave pitted his Toyota for fuel, won $50,250.

Greenwell completed all 250 laps in his Chevrolet. He started 20th but fell back after being penalized for a restart infraction and also spinning on the 144th lap.

“I worked my way to about 15th and then all at the once the power steering went out,” he said. “From that point on I was just hanging on and hoping I finished on the lead lap. I m tickled to death that I did.”

Hornaday said he was being cautious through 10 restarts after being penalized for jumping a restart while leading the 2005 race.

“Last year, there was a misunderstanding of the rules,” Hornaday said. “I tried real hard to pay attention (to NASCAR).”

Johnny Benson finished fourth, and rookie Joey Miller was fifth, giving Toyota drivers four of the first five spots. Matt Crafton, Dennis Setzer, Mike Bliss, David Reutimann and Steve Park filled out the top 10 as a record-matching 27 drivers completed all 250 laps.

AP-ES-05-27-06 1834EDT

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