Nationwide Series

Braun Racing rookie Brian Scott will have Dollar General back on board his No. 11 at Nashville for the Federated Auto Parts 300 on Saturday.

Scott will be making his third career Nationwide start at the track, where he has an average starting position of 18.5 and an average finish of 20.

He's run two races in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, at Nashville. Last season, he ran out of laps trying to catch and pass Ron Hornaday for the win, but ultimately finished second and got the education of his life following the wily veteran.

Scott also picked up his first career win in NASCAR, at another concrete track last season at Dover International Speedway.

Scott's No. 11 will feature a paint scheme for Dollar General's Literacy Rocks sweepstakes, which started on May 3 and runs through June 14 in Dollar General stores.

It's a sweepstake that allows customers the chance to win an exclusive concert experience with Gretchen Wilson or autographed CDs.

Plus, the good folks at Reckitt Benckiserwill donate five cents for every purchase made at DG on Lysol, Airwick, or Finish products and up to $75,000 to the Dollar General Literacy Foundation.

Dollar General started the foundation in 1993 with the goal to improve the functional literacy of adults, families, and youths by giving grants to nonprofit organizations that dedicate themselves to the advancement of literacy.

"The Dollar General Literacy Foundation has awarded more than $47.2 million in grants to nonprofit organizations, helping more than 2.5 million individuals take their first steps toward literacy, a general education diploma or English proficiency".

Scott will be racing chassis No. BR51 at Nashville and it's the chassis that he's picked up two of his top-10 finishes in.

He's a better concrete driver than his stats suggest and this could be his breakout race with only two Cup stars in the field.

Scott will have a really good Camry, his Billy Wiburn-led crew will be perfect on pit road, and he should qualify top-10.

He should spend the majority of the race in the top 10, and he could challenge for the win if crew chief Wilburn uses pit strategy late in the race.

But I really think Scott will have a breakout race, like rookie Austin Dillon had last night in the Texas truck race finishing third and we'll see him pick up his career top-five.

Sources for quote and Photo Credit: braunracing.com

Photo credit:  Sandra MacWatters

The next generation of the NASCAR Nationwide car represents the biggest change to the car during the past 20 years.  Testing of 32 cars representing 25 car Nos. is being held at Daytona International Speedway on May 18th and 19th.

The "new car" is scheduled to race July 2nd at the Subway Jalapeno 250 at Daytona.

The car is also scheduled to race at Michigan in August, Richmond in September, and Charlotte in October.

It is basically a version of the NASCAR Sprint Cup COT that was mandated full-time in 2008.

With the economy floundering and sponsorship issues becoming bountiful, this change is costly for the Nationwide teams.

The safety elements are the main considerations for the new generation car.

Teams are troubled not only with cost factors, but how many cars to build, new components, how to most efficiently build the car, and, of course, the unknowns.

Nationwide car owners that have been involved in CUP racing are at an obvious advantage, as those teams have had two to three years experience with the COT.

The new car features a different wheelbase and chassis.  Teams must decide whether to convert an existing Sprint Cup chassis or buy a brand new one.  The chassis then has to be certified by NASCAR.

It is obviously less expensive to retro-fit an existing Sprint Cup car.  According to Joe Balash, director of the NASCAR Nationwide series,  62% of the 85 chassis that have been certified are converted Sprint Cup chassis.

The Sprint Cup car does need a lot of modification. Only the roof and A-pillars will remain basically original.

When a car goes for inspection at NASCAR's R&D facility, it goes through a 100-plus-point inspection.

Every point will either pass or fail, and they have to fix the failures and bring the car back for inspection.

Safety features include a taller roof, and crush zones on each side of the car with more room around the driver.

The new body panels must fit the templates, and the sheet metal will be totally different from the Cup cars.  Spoilers will be different as well to fit the changes with body dimensions.

The new NASCAR Nationwide car will run coil-bound setups requiring different suspension geometry.

Aero coefficients will be a challenge, running coil-bound instead of bump stops.

Testing at Daytona will concentrate on tapered spacer size, rear gear for rpm calculations, aero-package, front suspension, and cooling ducts.

Less horsepower with the Nationwide cars, as opposed to the NASCAR Sprint Cup cars, means smaller coolers, different radiator ducts and the ability to use more tape which would enhance the aero package.

It is an arduous task for teams to field two totally different cars in the same series simultaneously.

Phasing out 105-inch cars while making the transition to the 110-inch wheel base is a major, costly undertaking.

It is possible the shorter 105-inch cars can be sold off to other racing series, perhaps ARCA or the K&N Pro Series East.

NASCAR is cognizant of the costs involved and certainly changes will be made.  Safety is foremost and nothing will compromise that.

The new generation NASCAR Nationwide car will be one that people will be able to relate to with the new styling.  Excitement is rampant at Daytona and testing is going well.

A new NASCAR baby is evolving and fan excitement is guaranteed when they see this new model on the track.

Track Stats

Name: Dover International Speedway

Race Date: May 14, 2010

Location: Dover, DE

Length: one mile

Banking in turns: 24degrees

Banking on the straightaways: nine degrees

Grandstand Seats: 140,000

Tickets/track info: http://www.doverspeedway.com/ or

(800) 441-7223

Last Year’s Top 10

1. Brad Keselowski

2. Joey Logano

3. Clint Bowyer

4. Brian Vickers

5. Carl Edwards

6. Paul Menard

7. Scott Speed

8. Jason Leftler

9. Jason Keller

10. Justin Allgaier

September Winner : Clint Bowyer

Interesting Stats

In the last five races, Keselowski has tamed Miles the Monster the best as he’s gained the most points (817) followed by Edwards (795) and Mike Bliss (740).

Good Picks

Brad Keselowski

Keselowski has been the concrete king of the Nationwide Series. In the past two years on the three concrete tracks (Bristol, Dover, Nashville), he has been a threat for the win. So far this year he has a second place finish at Bristol and a fifth place finish at Nashville.

He looks to continue his streak this year and, according to the statistic above and by his average finish, Dover is his best track of the three. In six races at Dover, he has one win, three top fives, five top 10s, and an average finish of 7.5.

So far this year, Keselowski is off to a stellar start in the Nationwide Series as he leads the standings by 55 points and two wins, eight top fives, and nine top 10s.

Carl Edwards 

If Keselowski is the concrete king, then Edwards is the concrete prince. Like Keselowski, Edwards has also scored good finishes at the concrete tracks so far with a fourth place finish at Bristol and a sixth at Nashville.

He looks to continue this at Dover where in ten races he has one win, six top fives, eight top 10s, and an average finish of 9.2.

So far this year, Edwards is off to a good start as he sits fourth in points, 199 behind Keselowski.

Edwards will be looking to use Dover as a place to get his first win on the year.

Clint Bowyer

While Keselowski and Edwards have established themselves as good drivers on all the concrete tracks, Bowyer is the one who rises to the top at Dover. In eight races there he has two wins, five top fives, seven top 10s, and the highest average finish of everybody with an impressive 6.1.

Since taking over the No. 21 car, Bowyer only has one top 10, which came at Talladega.

Bowyer looks to use Dover to rebound from his recent back-to-back bad finishes and get his first top five of the year.

Mike Bliss

If you’re looking to cheer for a non-Cup Series driver, then look no further. Bliss has Cup experience so he knows what to expect and has driven well at Dover in the past. In 10 starts there, he has four top fives, six top 10s, and an average finish of 10th.

In nine Nationwide Series starts this year, Bliss only has one top 10 (at Bristol) and looks to use Dover to get his first top five of the year.

Reed Sorenson 

Reed is another driver who has Cup experience and excells at Dover. In seven races at Dover, he has three top fives, six top 10s and an average finish of 8.7.

He’s also with Braun Racing—a Nationwide team that has had success in the past so it’d be no surprise if he finishes in the top 10.

Driver to Watch

Justin Allgaier

In two starts at Dover last year, Allgaier finished 10th and 25th.

This year, however, he has been the top non-Cup Series driver as he sits fifth in points with one win, three top fives and five top 10s. He has also proven that he can run well on concrete tracks as he won at Bristol and finished fourth at Nashville this year.

Allgaier looks to come out of Dover with a top five finish and gain the ground that he’s lost in points so far this year.

Braun Racing rookie Brian Scott will have AccuDoc Solutions on his No. 11 Toyota at Friday night's Royal Purple 200 at Darlington Raceway. He'll be looking to rebound at Darlington after a tough weekend at Richmond and will be focused on having a good finish.

"If you can go to the next race track and put together a fast lap to get yourself to the top of the charts, that's the best way to forget what happened last week," Scott said.

Scott has also completed 92.4 percent of the possible laps in 2010, the highest among the rookies. He is also leading the Raybestos Rookie standings by five points over James Buescher and sits 10th in the driver points standings.

He'll be making his second Nationwide start at Richmond. In Scott's debut start at Darlington, he started 21st, ran a smart race, and finished 20th.

Scott, his crew chief Billy Wilburn, and his No. 11 team are focused on having a good run on their race team owner Harry Scott's home track.

Darlington's a unique track. It's very fast, multi-grooved, and you can carry a lot of speed into the corners. It's nicknamed "the Lady in Black" because half the field will end up with a Darlington stripe, and it lends itself to some pretty exciting racing for the fans. 

Scott's looking forward to racing Darlington, and he's confident his team will provide him with a fast AccuDoc Solutions Camry and racing in the high-line. 

Scott will be racing chassis No. BR46 at Darlington—in its last start, he finished 31st place finish at Las Vegas. 

He should have another fast ride, a qualify top-15. It should be another race he'll run top 20 or better most of the race.

Scott will need to run a smart and patient race, and we could see him battle his way to a top 13 or just miss out on a top 10 finish at Darlington.

Source for quote and photo credit: braunracing.com

Track Stats

Name: Darlington Raceway

Race Date: May 7, 2010

Location: Darlington, SC

Length: 1.366 miles

Banking in turns one and two: 25 degrees

Banking in turns three and four: 23 degrees

Banking on the frontstretch: three degrees

Banking on the backstretch: two degrees

Grandstand Seats: 63,000

Tickets/track info: http://www.darlingtonraceway.com/ or 1 (866) 459-RACE

Last Year’s Top 10

1. Matt Kenseth

2. Jason Leftler

3. Carl Edwards

4. Erik Darnell

5. Justin Allgaier

6. Ryan Newman

7. Mike Bliss

8. Jeff Burton

9. Scott Wimmer

10. Brian Vickers

Interesting Stats

In the last three races at Darlington, Jason Leftler has gained the most points (463), followed by Jeff Burton (407) and Jason Keller (385).

However, in the last five races at Darlington, Matt Kenseth has gained the most points (701), followed by Carl Edwards (641) and Leftler (597)

Good Picks

 

Denny Hamlin: When you compare average finishes for Darlington, Denny Hamlin sits at the top of the list with an average finish of 4.2. In four starts at Darlington, he has two wins, two top fives, and four top 10s. Hamlin has only run one Nationwide race this year, which was at Las Vegas, where he finished fourth.

 

Matt Kenseth: As shown by the stat above, Kenseth is good at Darlington, and his average finish backs it up. In 15 races at Darlington, he has three wins, nine top fives, 12 top 10s, and an average finish of 7.9. Kenseth has only run one Nationwide race this year, which was last week at Richmond, where he finished 10th.

 

Clint Bowyer: Clint Bowyer has yet to appear in the Darlington stats yet, though don’t count him out of your picks. In five races at Darlington, he has one win, five top fives, six top 10s, and an average finish of 9.8. Bowyer was put in the No. 21 Chevrolet for Richard Childress Racing after John Wes Townley didn’t perform to standards. Since taking over the ride, he has only one top 10 (sixth at Talladega) in four starts with an average finish of 18.8.

 

Kenny Wallace: Kenny Wallace is the highest ranked Nationwide regular when you compare average finishes of drivers who’ve run more than one race at Darlington. In 24 starts, he has four top fives, eight top 10s, and an average finish of 13.9. Wallace has competed this year with a limited budget; however, he still sits 16th in points.

 

Jason Leftler: Leftler is another Nationwide regular that should be on the radar, as seen by the stats listed above. In seven races at Darlington, he has one top five, four top 10s, and an average finish of 15.1. Leftler this year hasn’t got off to the start he would’ve liked, as he sits 15th in points with only one top 10.

 

 

 

Good Once Again?

 

Last year in his first start at Darlington Raceway, Justin Allgaier finished fifth after starting 12th. He looks to repeat that finish and continue his good season to date, as he currently sits fourth in the standings, 180 points out of the lead, with one win, three top fives, and five top 10s.

With the unveiling of Dale Earnhardt Jr. driving the No. 3 at Daytona in the Nationwide Series and Austin Dillion driving the No. 3 in the Truck Series, a lot of discussion has begun about the No. 3.

Should the No. 3 be retired? Should the No. 3 ever race again in Cup? Should Earnhardt Jr. be running it in the Nationwide race? Should Earnhardt Jr. run in the Cup Series? Should Dillion be running the No. 3 in the Truck Series?

Let’s just start this by looking at each question one at a time.

First: Should the No. 3 be retired?

Some say it should, due to the Earnhardt connection. Though others say it shouldn’t for other reasons.

"There's a guy somewhere whose daddy raced No. 3 forever on some short track, and it probably means as much to him as it does to me," Earnhardt Jr. said in a NASCAR.com article in 2004. "You've got to be fair about those type of things. I understand that, and I don't have a problem with it coming back one day."

Another reason to not retire it is the No. 3 isn’t the only number that holds a lot of history for what it stands for. If you retire the No. 3, don’t you have to retire the No. 43 due to Richard Petty? There are only so many numbers out there so if you start retiring numbers, sooner or later you’re going to run out of numbers to run.

Though looking at the number and NASCAR, Earnhardt isn’t the only driver to have driven that number. Back in 1975, John Soares Jr., Charlie Glotzbach, and Bobby Issac each ran the number. Then Childress ran the number from 1976 till 1981, when Earnhardt jumped on board.

So why is this a special case for Earnhardt? Simply—the mystic and fan base in the situation. Those two aspects are what make this as big as it is.

Second: Should the No. 3 Ever Race Again In Cup?

Both Earnhardt and Childress have been addressed this question on separate occasions and both have answered it—yes.

Earnhardt’s answer is as listed above, while Childress told Scene Daily in January of 2010 that he’d be okay with it happening if it was to be an Earnhardt to run it.

This is a discussion that also has been addressed to the Richard Childress Racing (RCR) drivers, in which Jeff Burton and Kevin Harvick are in disagreement.

Harvick said that the number should be retired, while Burton said he’d be okay with it under the right situation.

“The No. 3 has a history to it and it has a heritage to it, and that history and heritage is not only linked to Dale Earnhardt but to Richard Childress Racing,” Burton told Scene Daily in January of 2010. “They collectively made the three a symbol of success and a commitment to do everything it took to win…It is such a huge part of our sport, it should only be back in the right situation.”

When asked about the right situation, Burton says he’s unsure, but it’d have to be a special situation.

“I don’t know,” Burton said. “It has to be a special situation…With Richard Childress involved, the Earnhardt legacy has to be involved, all those things have to come together. If all those things come together, it is not only a good thing to do, it is the right thing to do.”

Earnhardt Jr. did say a couple years back that if he were to run the No. 3 in the Cup Series, he’d run it the final year or two of his career.

Another opportunity is Jeffery Earnhardt, Kerry Earnhardt’s son who’s coming up through the ranks. 

Third: Should Earnhardt Jr. Run the No. 3 in the Nationwide Series?

With the situation that has come about, I’d give this a thumbs-up to go ahead and do it. Earnhardt Jr. and party said today that they were only doing it to commemorate Dale Earnhardt’s induction into the NASCAR Hall of Fame and to celebrate his memory. Isn’t that a fair reason?

However, beyond that, a look at Nationwide Series history will show you why this would be alright.

Earnhardt Jr. ran his first full season of Nationwide competition in 1998, followed by another year in 1999. Both years he won the champion and oh, both years, he did run the No. 3 car. No, it wasn’t black but it was the No. 3 regardless.

Then in 2002, Dale Earnhardt Inc. and RCR teamed up to run the No. 3 in two Nationwide races: Daytona and Charlotte. The Daytona race in February turned out to be a win while the Charlotte race ended with a wreck. Everybody was okay with it then and most people liked the idea, so why the fuss this time?

Possibly it is due to how things have changed with Earnhardt Jr. leaving DEI. Possibly it is due to how this deal came together. Lastly, it could possibly be due to the paint scheme of the choice and how it is that of Earnhardt’s when he ran the Wrangler colors. You pick your reason.

Four: Should Earnhardt Jr. run in the Cup Series?

The answer to this is highly debatable and in my opinion, I’d say no. Fans already demand of him to be just like his father. If he were to run the No. 3 in the Cup Series, it’d just increase those expectations and he’d never get the chance to be his own person.

Also, add in the burden on his shoulders to perform just like this dad—I don’t think that’s something he needs after everything that he’s already dealt with.

Five: Should Dillion be running the No. 3 in the Truck Series?

Absolutely! The No. 3 was a number that Earnhardt only drove in the Cup Series, primarily. Earnhardt was never seen in a Truck race with the number.

Looking through the Truck Series history, the only time the No. 3 appeared in the Truck Series was on Mike Skinner’s truck while he was driving it for RCR. To add to that, it was black with the Goodwrench colors.

The No. 3 in the Truck Series is an RCR number so therefore it is right for RCR to be able to run it.

The situation also fits that of a “special situation” as Dillion is Childress’ grandson so therefore it has that correct Childress connection.

This is a debate that will keep NASCAR Nation in its gasp for years to come. Whether or not there is a correct answer, that has yet to be seen. Though however it works out through the years, the No. 3 will always hold that special magic with NASCAR Nation.

Braun Racing rookie Brian Scott will have AccuDocSolutions on his No. 11 Toyota for Friday night's Bubba Burger 250 at Richmond International Raceway.

He'll be riding a wave of momentum heading to Richmond after picking up his second top-10 finish of the year at Talladega in a damaged car.

Scott also has completed 93.4 percent of the possible laps in 2010, the highest amongst the rookies.

He is also leading the Raybestos Rookie standings by seven points over James Buescher and sits eighth in the driver points standings.

Scott turned his first lap ever in NASCAR at Richmond, testing a Camping World Truck Series truck.

He'll be making his second Nationwide start at Richmond.

In Scott's debut start at Richmond, he started 10th, ran a really good race, and was running 11th with 15 laps to go when he got caught up in a wreck, not of his doing, and finished the day 32nd.

Scott, his crew chief Billy Wilburn, and his No. 11 team are excited that they can use race notes to help them prepare the set-up of his Toyota Camry this week.

His team hopes they can duplicate that set-up and Scott hopes to have a better result this time around.

"I've always liked Richmond. The modulation of the brakes on entry and the fast corners make for some exciting racing for the fans," Scott said.

Scott will be racing chassis No. BR42 at Richmond—in its last start he picked up a 16th place finish at Phoenix.

He should have another fast ride, qualify well, and feel that it'll be another race he will spend the majority of in the top-15.

If Scott races smart and has patient we could see him pick-up his first top-five finish, besting his best career finish of 10th.

Source for quote and Photo Credit: braunracing.com

Track Stats

Name: Richmond International Raceway

Race Date: April 30, 2010

Location: Richmond, VA

Length: 0.75 miles

Banking in turns: 14 degrees

Banking on the frontstretch: eight degrees

Banking on the backstretch: two degrees

Grandstand Seats: 112,029

Tickets/track info: http://www.rir.com/ or 1 (866) 455-7223

Last Year’s Top 10

1. Kyle Busch

2. Carl Edwards

3. Matt Kenseth

4. Brad Keselowski

5. Kevin Harvick

6. Joey Logano

7. Mark Martin

8. Michael McDowell

9. Jason Keller

10. Jason Leftler

September Winner: Carl Edwards

Interesting Stats

 

When you combine the points gained, Carl Edwards and Kyle Busch gained the most points at Richmond last year. It was Busch leading Edwards to the line in May, and then Edwards leading Busch to the line in September.

It was a classic fight between these two talented drivers as part of their championship battle last year.

However, when you combine the past six races, Busch has gained the most points while Edwards sits second and Harvick sits third.

Further, Edwards gained the most points when the past eight races were combined. Sitting second once again is Busch while Harvick follows suit.

However, it’s Harvick who tops the field when you combine the last 10 races, with Edwards second and Busch third.

Good Picks

 

Kyle Busch: Busch won the race last May, and has gained the most points when the last six races at Richmond were combined. So, it should come as no surprise that he has the third highest average finish of drivers who’ve run more than two races at Richmond.

In 12 races, he has three wins, seven top fives, nine top tens, and an average finish of 7.2. Busch currently ranks third in the standings, 104 points back of points leader Brad Keselowski, though he does not plan on running the full schedule.

 

Carl Edwards: Edwards won at Richmond last September and has gained the most points when the last eight races at Richmond were combined. He also has a highest average finish, with the exception of Logano, who only has two starts at Richmond.

In 10 races at Richmond, he has three wins, five top fives, eight top tens, and an average finish of 7.0. Edwards currently ranks fifth in the standings, 213 points behind points leader Keselowski, and is looking to break through to the win column.

 

Kevin Harvick: Harvick has gained the most points when the last 10 races at Richmond were combined. He also sits high on the average finish category, as he has the second highest average finish of drivers who’ve run more than two races at Richmond.

In 18 races, he has four wins, 12 top fives, 14 top tens, and an average finish of 7.1. Harvick currently ranks second in points, 60 points behind Keselowski, and is debating on whether or not to run the full schedule.

 

Steven Wallace: Looking back at last year, Steven Wallace is the highest Nationwide regular in gaining points when both races are combined. This is by virtue of his ninth and 11th place finishes.

Overall, in his seven races at Richmond, he has one top five, two top tens, and an average finish of 17.1. He currently sits 14th in the standings, looking for his first top five of the year.

 

Kenny Wallace: When you look at the average finish category, Kenny Wallace is the highest Nationwide regular (sans drivers who have run less than three races at Richmond). In 30 starts, he has three wins, nine top fives, 17 top tens, and an average finish of 13.4.

He currently sits 18th in points. The team has been struggling financially this year to the point where they’re using tires from other teams who don’t need them anymore.

To help the issue, Wallace launched a campaign whereby any small businesses that wants to contribute $1800 to buy a set of tires will have its name placed on the rear quarter panel (starting in Richmond).

Good Once Again?

 

Joey Logano has only had two starts at Richmond, though both resulted in top 10 finishes and an average finish of 6.5. Logano currently sits seventh in points despite missing a race, and looks to break through with his first win of 2010.

Trevor Bayne has only one start at Richmond, though it resulted in a seventh place finish. Bayne currently sits 13th in points and looks for his first top five of the season.

Braun Racing rookie Brian Scott will have AccuDoc Solutions back on his No. 11 Toyota for Saturday afternoon's Aaron's 312 at Talladega Superspeedway.

Like at Texas last week, Scott will be making his first start at Talladega in the Nationwide Series.

Scott has made two starts at Talladega in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series.

In 2008 he picked up a seventh place finish. Then last year he ran a really great race only to get caught in "the big one" while racing with the lead pack and finished in 23rd place. 

While Talladega is NASCAR's largest track at 2.66 miles, driving experience, unlike at the smaller tracks, doesn't matter—it's all about drafting there.

Scott will be relying on some good old lady luck to avoid "the big one," and he'll depend on his spotter to help him navigate his way around the Superspeedway.

He also will have teammates Brian Vickers, Jason Leffler, and Reed Sorenson to provide plenty of drafting help.

With it being a short week due to the rain at Texas, Scott and his No. 11-led Billy Wilburn team should be well preparing for Talladega.

Scott even came to the shop to help the team, who lost two days, and pitched in helping were he could. This will build some great chemistry for the young team, but it'll also make them a stronger team, causing them to work harder for each other in the future.

He'll be racing chassis No. BR49 this weekend at Talladega. It's the same chassis the team ran at Daytona, were they finished 19th after getting collected in a wreck.

Scott should qualify top 20 or better. He should have another fast ride, but he'll need to run a really smart race to stay out of trouble and set himself up for another top-15 or better finish.

The keys for him will be how well he and his Braun Racing teammates work together and how well the communication is with his eyes in the sky.

Now, should Scott have luck on his side, and the teamwork with his teammates works to his advantage, we very easily could see Scott finish the day seventh to 10th, adding valuable points to his lead in the Raybestos Rookie standings.

Photo Credit: braunracing.com

Track Stats:

Name: Talladega Superspeedway

Race Date: April 24, 2010

Location: Talladega, AL

Length: 2.66 miles

Banking in turns: 33 degrees

Banking on the frontstretch: 16.5 degrees

Banking on the backstretch: two degrees

Grandstand Seats: 143,231

Tickets/track info: http://www.talladegasuperspeedway.com/ or 1 (877) GO2-DEGA

Last year’s Top 10:

1. David Ragan

2. Ryan Newman

3. Joey Logano

4. Tony Raines

5. Dale Earnhardt Jr.

6. Jason Leftler

7. Jason Keller

8. Scott Lagasse Jr.

9. Brad Keselowski

10. Kyle Busch

Interesting Stats:

In the last two race at Talladega, Jason Leftler and Dale Earnhardt Jr. have gained the most points (315) while last year’s winner David Ragan ranks third (299). Though if you go combine the last three races, then Ragan tops the list with Earnhardt Jr. second and Leftler third.

Going back further, however, names like Clint Bowyer pop up when you combine the last five races and Kyle Busch pops up when you combine the last six races.

But to surprise everybody, the person who has gained the most points when you combine the last 10 races is Jason Keller.

Good Picks

 

Brian Vickers—Vickers has the highest average finish of the Cup drivers in the Nationwide Series at Talladega who have run more than one race. In three starts, Vickers has one top 10 and an average finish of 15.7. He will be running for Braun Racing, a team that has been coming on strong and could easily capitalize on the opportunity.

 

Clint Bowyer—Besides David Ragan, Jason Leftler, and Dale Earnhardt Jr. (who both are not entered), Bowyer has gained the most points at Talladega in the last span of races. In six races, Bowyer has one top five and an average finish of 19.2. Bowyer has been trying to put RCR No. 21 car back on track after some not-so-good runs with young driver John Wes Townley. RCR has been known to be good at the restrictor plates so this could be a great opportunity for that to continue.  

 

Kyle Busch—No matter what track on the Nationwide circuit, Busch should always be in your picks as he’s a threat every where. Talladega is no exception as he’s ran good there in the past, though also had some bad moments too (recall the flip?). In six starts, Busch has two top fives, three top 10s and an average finish of 18.7. Busch comes into Talladega as the points leader and is now thinking of possibly running the full schedule to contend for the championship. If he chooses to and finishes well at Talladega, it may be a long year for his fellow competitors.

 

Jason Leftler—Leftler’s stats at Talladega have been impressive and easily make him the top Nationwide regular. If anybody is going to take down the dominance of the Cup drivers at Talladega, he’s probably your best bet. In six starts, Leftler has two top fives, three top 10s and an average finish of 16.0. Leftler’s season hasn’t started off like he has planned as it’s been a roller coaster, though he looks to turn things around with a win at Talladega.

 

Kenny Wallace—Wallace has shown in both Nationwide and Sprint Cup that he can draft well on the restrictor plate tracks so if he was to end up in victory lane, I’d say it was no surprise. In 12 starts, Wallace has one top five, four top 10s and an average finish of 18.4. Wallace hasn’t run well this year, due to lack of funding, though Talladega seems to be the equalizer. With the rules package, anybody can do well as long as they know what they’re doing. Could Wallace take a car to victory lane that doesn’t have big funding behind it? It’s very well possible and could be a good step in gaining some sponsorship.

 

 

Surprise Round 2?

In his only start at Talladega last year, Joey Logano finished third. He looks to continue the success he’s had in the Nationwide Series this year at Talladega and possibly spread the win love at Joe Gibbs Racing.

Nationwide regulars Scott Lagasse Jr. and Brian Keselowski both had good finishes last year, eighth and 14th respectively and look to possibly repeat.

 

 

Stories to Watch:

 

Steve Arpin: Arpin will be making his Nationwide debut this weekend with JR Motorsports in the No. 7. Dale Earnhardt Jr. is on the hunt for the next big talent and is trying out some potential drivers. Could Arpin be the one? Arpin leads the ARCA Series points and has won the last two races so it is very well possible.

The Big One: The Big Wreck is guaranteed to happen—it’s just a question of what lap and who is in it. It always shakes up the running order and sometimes produces a surprise winner so watch your back.

Talladega is a Crap Shoot in that I can tell you who has run well in the past, who has the best stats and who you should pick statistically, though in the end it doesn’t matter. With the nature of restrictor plate racing, anything and everything is possible so you never know who is going to win or finish well. Good luck picking as you never know if you’ll be right or wrong till the last lap.