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INSIDE THE NATIONWIDE SERIES
JIM UTTER
The Charlotte Observer
Thursday, Feb. 21, 2008
The elevator, observations and and more as we look inside the Nationwide Series with beat writer Jim Utter:
Elevator
UP – Toyotas
They were everywhere up front at Daytona.
UP – Braun Racing
As expected, the organization looks stout out of the box.
DOWN – Rusty Wallace Inc.
Canned a crew chief one race into the season.
3 Things to Watch
• Bryan Clauson: Rookie earned a career-best sixth-place finish at Daytona in his sixth start with Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates. He’ll make his first start at California this weekend.
• Stephen Leicht: Will make his debut Saturday with Richard Childress Racing driving the No. 21 Chevrolet. In 57 series starts, Leicht has one win, three top-five and eight top-10 finishes. He finished seventh in points last season with Robert Yates Racing.
this weekend Doubleheader: NASCAR will attempt its first scheduled Nationwide/Truck series doubleheader on Saturday. It will be interesting to see if the two-races-in-one-day project helps attendance at California, which has struggled.
Observations
• I really enjoy Dale Jarrett on the ESPN broadcasts. I think he is a well-spoken and sound analyst and brings a lot of credibility to the team. He has won a championship, driven in Nationwide and Sprint Cup races and even owned his own Nationwide team at one time. He’s seen it all.
• You know the economic situation is bad when a team like Joe Gibbs Racing, with such drivers as Kyle Busch, Denny Hamlin and Tony Stewart on hand, can’t secure sponsorship to run a full schedule for one of its Nationwide teams.
• All this talk about new car makes being used in the series next season is interesting, but it seems to be there are far more pressing issues that need to be addressed first, namely the participation of Cup drivers and cost of competing. Cars in the series cost roughly the same as those in Cup and the race purses are half (if that) as much.
This week’s race
Stater Brothers 300
Where: California Speedway, Fontana, Calif.
When: 7:30 p.m. Eastern Saturday.
TV: ESPN2.
Last year’s winner: Matt Kenseth.
Top 10 in points: 1. Tony Stewart 190; 2. Kyle Busch, 180; 3. Dale Earnhardt Jr., 165; 4. Brian Vickers, 165; 5. Matt Kenseth, 155; 6. Bryan Clauson, 150; 7. Denny Hamlin, 147; 8. Greg Biffle, 146; 9. David Ragan, 143; 10. Martin Truex Jr., 135.