Jason Leffler’s (#38 Great Clips Toyota) last trip to his home state to race at California Speedway in February wasn’t much to, well, visit home about.

An accident on Lap 88 ended his day and dropped him to a 38th-place finish. That, coupled with his season-opening 22nd place at Daytona International Speedway put a damper on his start to the 2007 season.

Fast-forward to the present and the native of Long Beach would certainly agree – what a difference seven months makes.

Off the track, Leffler and his wife, Allison, became parents to son, Charlie Dean, on Aug. 16. Also during that span, Leffler has turned around his season on the track.

“This trip back will be even more special for me because even though everyone won’t get to meet Charlie, I’ll be able to show off new pictures of him,” Leffler said. “Fatherhood is something that is so amazing, it’s impossible to explain.”

Leffler is setting a good example as far as resilience. He was 20th in the standings following the May race at Lowe’s Motor Speedway. Since then, he’s catapulted into the top 10 in the standings – he tied his career-best ranking of third after registering Toyota’s first series win at O’Reilly Raceway Park at  Indianapolis – and improved his Driver Rating from 11th (66.3 rating) to his current fifth-place standing (77.3).

He enters the California race fourth in the standings. He has two Busch Poles this season, including last week at Bristol Motor Speedway where he was second to Kasey Kahne (No 9 Vitamin Water Dodge) in one of the most exciting races of the year. He also won the pole at California in the first race in 2004.

September Signals Stretch Run For NASCAR Busch Series Teams

The second visit by the NASCAR Busch Series to California Speedway signals the end of August and the beginning of the final stretch of the 35-race season.

Carl Edwards (#60 Sharp Aquos Ford) maintains his lead in the driver standings, but his Roush Fenway Racing team still faces the challenge of the #29 Chevy of Richard Childress Racing – this week driven by Jeff Burton and sponsored by Holiday Inn – in the owner standings. Scott Wimmer also has driven the #29.

Edwards posted his best finish in his last three races – 11th – last week at Bristol while Burton’s 40th place due to an accident was his worst series finish since consecutive 40th-place results last year.

Edwards won this race in 2005 while Burton has three top fives – including runner-up finishes in 1999 and 2000 – and four top-10s in seven races at California.

Wimmer also will be racing, but for a different team. He debuts for California native and reigning series champion Kevin Harvick’s KHI team in the #77 Dollar General Chevy.

In The Loop:  Kahne, Newman Set To Duke Out “Round Two; Owner Leaders Also In The Mix

Call it round two between Kasey Kahne and Ryan Newman (#12 Kodak Dodge).

The two Dodge drivers staged a battle – along with Jason Leffler – during the waning laps of last week’s NASCAR Busch Series race at Bristol Motor Speedway. Kahne was victorious, as a flat tire ended Newman’s night.

They’ll have another chance this weekend at California Speedway. Both have enjoyed tremendous success at the 2-mile track, with Kahne winning this race last season and Newman finishing second in his only NASCAR Busch Series start at California in February of 2006.

The two also go toe-to-toe in many of the Loop Data statistics. In two California races since 2005, Kahne has a Driver Rating of 118.1, an Average Running Position of 6.0, and 24 Fastest Laps Run. In his lone California start, Newman earned a Driver Rating of 120.8, an Average Running Position of 3.5 and spent all but one of his laps in the top 15.

But that might be Saturday night’s undercard compared to the owners’ standings battle between Carl Edwards and Jeff Burton.

The Roush Fenway Racing #60 – driven exclusively by Edwards – owns a 42-point cushion over the Richard Childress Racing #29 driven by both Burton and Scott Wimmer this season. The stats say the neck-and-neck race might get even tighter after Calilfornia.

Edwards and Burton have virtually identical stats at California:
 - Driver Rating: Burton (115.7) nips Edwards (114.2);
 - Average Running Position Burton (6.0) over Edwards (8.0);
 - Fastest Laps Run: Edwards (84 in five races) over Burton (74 in three races);
 - Laps in the Top 15: Burton (91.3% of his laps were in the Top 15) over Edwards (89.9% of his laps were in the Top 15).

NBS ETC.

Countdown to 417
Jason Keller has 413 career starts; the series record is 417. He must qualify on time for all but one of his remaining races (Calif. – Brewco). Keller is tied with Matt Kenseth for the most series starts at California (12).

Schedule (Team) Projected Start
9/1 – California (Brewco) 414
9/8 – Richmond (CJM) 415
9/22 – Dover (CJM) 416
9/29 – Kansas (CJM) 417 – TIE
10/13 – LMS (CJM) 418 – BREAK
 
• Kevin Conway (#18 Z-Line Chevy) is back in familiar territory at California Speedway, but in a much different capacity. Conway has served as a driving instructor for the Richard Petty Driving Experience at the track and also has a front-row start and top-five finish in a 2004 NASCAR Grand National Division, West Series race at the track. This will be his first NASCAR Busch Series start there. His #18 Chevy and Denny Hamlin’s #20 Rockwell Automation Chevy will carry a tribute to Conway’s father, Sam, who passed away last Saturday after a lengthy battle with cancer.
• Haas CNC Racing developmental driver Blake Bjorklund the (#28 U.S. Border Patrol Chevy) is scheduled to make his NASCAR Busch Series debut at California. Through an existing partnership between Haas CNC and Jay Robinson Racing, the 21-year-old native of Isanti, Minn., also is targeted to compete at Lowe’s Motor Speedway in October and in the season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway.
Bjorklund had been driving the #8 Chevy for MRD Motorsports in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series and was ranked 21st in the standings following 15 races, and now will focus solely on preparation for his NASCAR Busch Series schedule.

• California Represents: Six California natives are entered in the Camping World 300 in their home state. Led by 2006 series champion Kevin Harvick (#33 RoadLoans.com Chevy –Bakersfield), the other Golden Staters include Stanton Barrett (#30 Smith & Wesson/Ski Motorsports Chevy – Bishop); David Gilliland (#25 FreeCreditReport.com Ford – Riverside); Robby Gordon (#22 Supercuts Dodge – Orange); Jimmie Johnson, the defending NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series champion (#48 Lowe’s/Kobalt Tools Chevy – El Cajon) and Long Beach’s Jason Leffler. This will mark Gilliland’s NASCAR Busch Series debut at the track; Kenny Wallace drove for Gilliland last Feburary when a case of race day flu precluded his participation.

California Speedway Stats & Facts

• Roush Fenway teammates Matt Kenseth (#17 Arby’s Ford) and Greg Biffle (#16 3M Ford) share the most victories with three each. Roush Fenway drivers have led 57% of the laps at California since 2000.

• Clint Bowyer (#21 Camping World Chevy) has two Busch Poles at California Speedway, the only driver with multiple poles. No driver has won from the pole at California.

• There have been 14 different race winners in the NASCAR Busch Series in 2007; the series record is 18. Nine races remain in the season.

Rookie Spotlight: Keselowski Continues Impressive Showings For JR Motorsports

• Making His Bid:  Brad Keselowski (#88 U.S. NAVY Seebees Chevy) has done nothing but strengthen his chances to land a full-time ride for two-time NASCAR Busch Series champion and JR Motorsports team owner Dale Earnhardt Jr. In the five races he’s run for JRM, the 23-year-old native of Rochester Hills, Mich., has posted two top-10 finishes – including his career-best seventh at Bristol – and also results of 13th (Chicagoland Speedway) and 14th (Michigan International Speedway) in races that each featured over 20 double-duty drivers. Keselowski also has been the top-finishing Raybestos Rookie in three of his five outings. “Our communication and understanding of what he needs in the car continues to improve each week,” said crew chief Wes Ward. Keselowski had garnered 87 points in the Raybestos Rookie standings in 13 races prior to moving to JRM. In his five races since, he’s collected 50 points.

• Rookie Etc.: Brad Coleman goes into a self-described “deep-freeze” and isn’t scheduled to race in the #18 Carino’s Chevy for Joe Gibbs Racing until Sept. 22 at Dover International Speedway. … David Ragan’s (#6 Discount Tire Co. Ford) best finish (sixth) in his last four races helped push his lead in the Raybestos Rookie of the Year standings up to a more comfortable 25-point margin over Marcos Ambrose (#59 Kinsford Ford), who got caught up with fellow rookie Robert Richardson Jr. at Bristol. Ambrose’s 37th-place finish tied his lowest result of the year.

2007 NASCAR BUSCH SERIES
RAYBESTOS ROOKIE OF THE YEAR STANDINGS

     Driver                          Points
 1. David Ragan                   208
 2. Marcos Ambrose            183
 3. Kyle Krisiloff                   166
 4. Juan Pablo Montoya       165
 5. Brad Coleman                150
 6. Brad Keselowski            137
 7. Robert Richardson Jr.      90
 8. Justin Diercks                 51

ESPN/ABC

ESPN2 continues its season-long coverage of the NASCAR Busch Series with live, prime-time racing from California Speedway. The telecast of the Camping World 300 presented by RVs.com begins at 9:45 p.m. ET with NASCAR Countdown.

Dr. Jerry Punch will anchor ESPN2’s coverage from California with analysis by 1989 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series champion Rusty Wallace and two-time champion crew chief Andy Petree. Pit reporters will be Dave Burns, Jamie Little, Mike Massaro and Shannon Spake, while two-time champion crew chief Tim Brewer will report from the ESPN DISH Tech Center. Allen Bestwick will host NASCAR Countdown, joined by analyst Brad Daugherty – a former winning team owner in NASCAR’s Busch Series and NASCAR CraftsmanTruck Series – in the ESPN Pit Studio.

A simulcast of the race can be seen on ESPN Deportes, ESPN’s domestic Spanish-language network. In addition, the race can be seen live on ESPN360.com, ESPN’s signature broadband service.

2007 At-A-Glance: NASCAR Busch Series Leaders After 26 Of 35 Races:

Traditional Statistics:       

Driver points – Edwards (3743) 
Victories – Harvick (5)
Races led – Edwards (17)
Laps led – Ky. Busch (683)
Top-five finishes – Edwards (13)
Top-10 finishes – Edwards (17)
Owner points – Roush Fenway (#60) - (3743)
Money Won – Edwards ($973,185)
Miles led – Ky. Busch (1028.33)
Busch Poles – Hamlin (4)
Closest to 10th – M. Wallace 10th (2477 pts), Kenseth, 11th (-155)
Consecutive Weeks in Top 10 – Edwards, Harvick (26)

Loop Data Statistics:
Driver Rating – Edwards (108.5)
Average Running Position – Edwards (9.5)
Fastest Laps Run – Edwards (451 fastest laps)
Quality Passes – Edwards (877)
Laps In Top 15 – Edwards (3,964 of a possible 4,698)
Top-10 finishes – Edwards (17)  
 
Dodge Finding Late-Season Groove; Kahne And Dodge Seeking Second Straight California Win

As the season begins to wind down, Dodge seems to be warming up.

Third in the Bill France Performance Cup standings, Dodge has managed to put its greatest distance since the June 16 race at Kentucky Speedway – 10 points – between it and fourth-place Toyota due to a surge over the last six races. 

Although first-place Chevy still maintains a strong 38-point lead in the manufacturer standings over second-place Ford, Dodge – which had three wins on the season prior to the last six races – has gained consistency, posting two victories(Gateway International Raceway, Bristol), five top fives and seven top 10s among two teams.

Dodge comes to California as the defending winner of this race with driver Kasey Kahne also seeking his second victory in a row there. That win was Dodge’s first at California in series competition. Ford leads the way with eight wins, the last by Matt Kenseth in February.
 
Manufacturers' Championship
2007 Point Standings

Chevy 192
Ford  154
Dodge  118
Toyota  108

Up Next: Emerson Radio 250 At Richmond International Raceway

One of the last two short-track races of the season is on tap for the NASCAR Busch Series next Friday night at the .75-mile Richmond International Raceway. The Emerson Radio 250 will be carried live by ESPN2 beginning at 7:30 ET.

Clint Bowyer finally broke the three-race winning streak of his Richard Childress Racing teammate and two-time series champion Kevin Harvick with his win last May. However, Harvick has won the last two fall races at Richmond and sports three top fives and four top 10s in his six September races at RIR.

Virginia native Jeff Burton, another RCR driver, won the Busch Pole for this event last year. His three poles are third all-time behind the record five shared by Tommy Ellis and Michael Waltrip.

Mark Martin, the all-time leader in NASCAR Busch Series wins (47) and poles (30), also owns the most wins at Richmond with five.

FAST FACTS

The Race: Camping World 300 presented by RVs.com
The Place: California Speedway
The Date:  Sept. 1, 20071
The Time: 10:00 p.m. (ET)
TV: ESPN2, 9:30 p.m. (ET)
Track Layout: 2-mile oval
Race Purse: $1,607,454
2006 Winner: Kasey Kahne
2006 Pole: Clint Bowyer

2007 Point Standings

Pos. Driver           Points
1      Edwards        3,743
2      Reutimann     3,053
3      Harvick          3,028
4      Leffler            2,921
5      Ragan           2,841
6      Hamilton Jr.   2,704
7      Leicht           2,615
8      Biffle             2,585
9      Ambrose       2,553
10    M. Wallace    2,477

Pre-Race Schedule:
Friday – Practice, 8:30 - 9:30 a.m.; Rookie Practice, 9:45 - 10:15 a.m.; Final Practice, 10:20 - 11:20 a.m. (One hour, time permitting); Qualifying, 5:10 p.m.