“He is putting Jimmie Johnson and Kevin Harvick to shame” - 4x Truck Series champion on Landen Lewis

The 4x Truck Series champion Ron Hornaday Jr. spoke about budding driver Landen Lewis in high regard, comparing him to NASCAR greats Jimmie Johnson and Kevin Harvick.

The 17-year-old from Ocean Isle Beach, North Carolina, is set to make NASCAR Truck Series debut this weekend. Lewis will be driving the #04 Chevrolet Silverado for Roper Racing in the O-Reilly Auto Parts 150 at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car course.

Landen Lewis has been under the mentorship of NASCAR Hall of Famer Ron Hornaday Jr. for the past five years. Hornaday Jr. has helped many drivers find a footing in NASCAR, including Jimmie Johnson and Kevin Harvick.

Ahead of Lewis' debut, Hornaday Jr. expressed pride in his pupil as he compared him to Johnson and Harvick. Talking to Fox Sports on trackside, he said:

"The kid is 17 years old and I didn't start racing trucks until I was 35. I think he is putting Jimmie Johnson and Kevin Harvick to shame because he is a lot younger starting out and they were a little older," he said to Fox Sports on Friday.

Seven-time Cup Series champion Johnson, who slept on Hornaday's couch for six months, made his Xfinity Series debut at the age of 23. Harvick earned his maiden start in the Truck Series at the age of 20.

The NASCAR Hall of Famer further showered praises on Lewis as he said:

"He's just got the willpower and the want. He just studies racing, and he loves racing. He works on all the cars all day long.

"He’s working on anything and everything so long as it has to do with the nuts and bolts of race cars. He just wants to race. He’s got the heart," he had said earlier.

Landen Lewis currently races full-time in the ARCA Menards Series West with two wins to his name. He is leading the points table in his sophomore season this year. He also has a race win in the ARCA Menards Series, winning the dirt race in DuQuoin at the age of 15.

Ray Hornaday Jr. has introduced some of the best drivers to NASCAR and his protégé Landon Lewis could be the sport's next biggest star.

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Exploring the connection between Jimmie Johnson and Ron Hornaday Jr.

Jimmie Johnson and Ron Hornaday Jr.

Ron Hornaday Jr. and his wife Lindy live in Mooresville, North Carolina, and have welcomed many young racing drivers with open arms over the past two decades.

Jimmie Johnson, who, like the Hornaday couple, hails from Southern California, was one of their guests when he moved to the east coast for a test with Hendrick Motorsports.

"He and Lindy just had open arms and told me, ‘If you are ever in North Carolina, we will give you a place to stay. Come stay with us,’" Johnson said about the couple to the NASCAR Hall of Fame.

"I needed a couch to sleep on. I moved in. They wouldn’t let me move out. I stayed there for six months until Ron, on one of his Harley rides, found a home that he thought I could afford and seemed like a good buy, and I bought my first house," he added about the couple's generosity.