tool name
closeKyle Busch goes for three, but with no jets this time
INSIDE THE NATIONWIDE SERIES
JIM UTTER
The Charlotte Observer
Wednesday, Jul. 23, 2008
A look inside NASCAR's No. 2 touring outfit, the Nationwide Series:
Elevator
UP – Carl Edwards
He's finally getting his victory lane groove back.
UP – Kyle Busch
He's trying another weekend of triple duty, including Truck and Nationwide races at O'Reilly Raceway Park.
UP – James Buescher
The 18-year-old earned a career-best finish of seventh last week in his fourth career start.
3 to Watch
JASON LEFFLER: Earned Toyota's first Nationwide Series victory in this race a year ago. Although he's struggled this season, he has a win, a pole and three top-five finishes in five starts at ORP.
JASON KELLER: Fresh off his best finish of the season - a third at Gateway - the short-track ace arrives at ORP where he has two previous career wins.
JOEY LOGANO: In five starts this season, he has a win, a pole and three top-five finishes. Now, let's see what he can do on a short track.
Observations
• It shouldn't be a surprise, but CJM Racing's recent decision to join a technical alliance with Joe Gibbs Racing next season - including a change to Toyota - should produce big dividends for the upstart organization. They have gone about building their team in the right way, getting an experienced, talented driver in Jason Keller to show the team's capabilities, which helped secure sponsorship dollars.
• It's been just over a year since Landon Cassill debuted in the Nationwide Series and even though he does not race every week, he has made significant progress, particularly over the past month. In 11 races this season, he has six top-10 starts, including a pole, and three top-10 finishes, including a career-best sixth last weekend.
This week's race
Kroger 200
Where: O’Reilly Raceway Park, Clermont, Ind.
When: 8 p.m. Saturday.
TV: ESPN.
Last year's winner: Jason Leffler.
Top 10 in points: 1. Clint Bowyer, 3,107; 2. Brad Keselowski, 2,937; 3. Carl Edwards, 2,906; 4. David Reutimann, 2,841; 5. David Ragan, 2,747; 6. Mike Bliss, 2,673; 7. Kyle Busch, 2,633; 8. Mike Wallace, 2,506; 9. David Stremme, 2,463; 10. Jason Keller, 2,443.
