Edwards’ Double-Duty Diligence Seeking Late-Season Payoff

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Oct. 28, 2008) - Carl Edwards (#60 Save-A-Lot Ford) refuses to believe in momentum. But like it or not, the reigning NASCAR Nationwide Series champion has “Big Mo” on his side heading to Texas Motor Speedway.

After winning at Memphis Motortsports Park last week, he reduced Clint Bowyer’s (#2 BB&T Chevy) standings lead to 116 points, the closest he’s been to first place in eight races.

The double-duty driver topped the weekend off by winning at Atlanta Motor Speedway and moved into second in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup standings — 184 points behind Jimmie Johnson.

Edwards can become the first driver in NASCAR history to win NASCAR Sprint Cup and NASCAR Nationwide Series titles in the same year. He heads to Texas, the track where he clinched the 2007 NASCAR Nationwide Series title, to challenge Bowyer and Johnson for both leads.

Edwards has two NASCAR Sprint Cup wins at Texas, winning there in April and also in November 2005. 

His career-best finish at Texas in the NASCAR Nationwide Series is third (twice). He finished 13th at the 1.5-mile speedway earlier this season. 

The mojo continues for Edwards at Texas. Roush Fenway Racing team owner Jack Roush has the most wins there in both NASCAR Sprint Cup (five) and NASCAR Nationwide Series (five) competition.

Bowyer, meanwhile, has a fine record of his own in Ft. Worth.

He’s recorded top-five finishes in his last three races at Texas, including third-place results in last season’s November race and the spring event this year.

Unlike Edwards last year, Bowyer can’t clinch his first championship at Texas. However, anyone below the top three will be eliminated in the title race if Bowyer starts the race.

Carl Edwards is currently having the most successful double-duty season ever. Below are the top five double-duty drivers who have ranked in the top 10 in both series:

Driver              Year        NSCS                 NNS
                                   Point Pos.          Point Pos.
Carl Edwards  2008           2                        2
Kevin Harvick  2006           4                        1
Carl Edwards  2005           3                        3
Denny Hamlin 2006           3                        4
Clint Bowyer   2008           7                        1
Kevin Harvick  2001           9                        1
Carl Edwards  2007           9                        1

Logano: The Guardian Of JGR’s Owner Championship Hopes

With three races to go, Joey Logano (#20 GameStop Toyota) has Joe Gibbs Racing back in the lead for the owner championship by a 39-point margin thanks to a timely fifth-place finish at Memphis.

The #2 Richard Childress Racing Chevy took a one-point lead into Memphis, but Clint Bowyer’s 16th-place finish – his worst in eight races – allowed the #20 Toyota to reclaim the lead.

Logano, 18, will make his first series start at Texas this weekend, but he’s faired well in his starts on intermediate tracks this season.

He posted his first series win at Kentucky Speedway, finished second at Gateway International Raceway, was ninth at Kansas Speedway and was 14th at Lowe’s Motor Speedway.

Logano also will be in the #20 for the final two races of the season. In head-to-head competition this year, Bowyer owns an average finish of 8.5 while Logano carries a 9.5 average finish over the 16 races in which both drivers have competed.

In The Loop: Triple-Threat Busch Has Best Loop Numbers In NNS At Texas

Kyle Busch (#18 Farm Bureau Insurance Toyota) will again pull triple duty this weekend, running the NASCAR Sprint Cup, NASCAR Nationwide and NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series races at Texas Motor Speedway.

Versatility and stamina are one thing, but statistically, Busch has an excellent chance of pulling the first ever triple-duty sweep.

His stats at Texas are strong in each series.

In the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, he has a Driver Rating of 93.2 and an Average Running Position of 12.3.

In the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, he has a Driver Rating of 111.0 and an Average Running Position of 9.0.

But only in NASCAR Nationwide Series competition does Busch own a Texas victory. In his seven Texas starts in the series, he has a win (in this season’s spring race), five top fives and six top 10s. Since the inception of Loop Data in 2005, he has a Driver Rating of 109.9, an Average Running Position of 9.8, 139 Fastest Laps Run and a Laps in the Top 15 percentage of 80.1%.

Busch’s main competition in the NASCAR Nationwide race will likely come from Kevin Harvick, a four-time winner at Texas.

Since 2005, Harvick has a Driver Rating of 118.6, an Average Running Position of 8.6, 108 Fastest Laps Run and a Laps in the Top 15 percentage of 83.6%.

Series-only regular Brad Keselowski (#88 U.S. NAVY Chevy) always seems to step up his game when running at companion events.  He’s run four races at Texas, but only two in the #88 Chevy. In those events, he’s been solid. In the #88, he has a Driver Rating of 92.6, an Average Running Position of 11.1 and a Laps in the top 15 percentage of 86.0%.
   
Ambrose Can’t Rest On 10th-Place Standings Cushion

Marcos Ambrose (#59 Kingsford Tailgate at Home Ford) is 10th in the standings,  holding the final ticket for NASCAR Nationwide Series Awards Banquet in Orlando, Fla., Nov. 22.

But David Stremme (#64 Loan Star Title Loans Chevy), who’s 11th and series ironman Jason Keller (#27 Kleenex Ford), 12th, continue to put pressure on Ambrose for the coveted final slot.

If recent history is any indication though, Ambrose needs to keep pushing despite a 112-point advantage over Stremme and a 146- point cushion on Keller.

Last season Mike Wallace (No 7 GEICO Toyota) was in the same situation as Ambrose with three races to go. He sported a 102-point lead over Matt Kenseth. But Kenseth overcame Wallace in the final three events to make up the difference and take over the 10th spot at season’s end.

Can Stremme or Keller do the same?

Ambrose has three starts at Texas with a career-best finish of 18th earlier this year. He’s posted one win (Watkins Glen), three top fives and five top 10s in 32 starts in 2008.

Stremme has five series starts at Texas with a best finish of 17th in November 2005. He has five top fives and 15 top 10s this season in 29 starts.

Keller has one top 10 in 13 career starts at Texas and has one top five and four top 10s in 32 starts this year.

Martin, Montoya Make Series Return At Texas; Harvick Wants Return To Victory Lane

Bryan Clauson and Landon Cassill are tied for the 2008 Raybestos Rookie of the Year standings lead, each with 177 points.

But neither driver is entered this weekend at Texas, so the closest rookie race in two years is on hold until next weekend at Phoenix International Raceway.

Mark Martin, the series’ all-time wins (48) and poles (30) leader will drive the #5 Delphi Chevy while Juan Pablo Montoya will take over the #40 Fastenal Dodge at Texas.

Martin’s last series start was in September at Kansas. He won at Las Vegas Motor Speedway earlier this season.

He’s registered the second-most wins at Texas with three, behind two-time series champion Kevin Harvick (#33 Camping World Chevy) who has four, the last three in succession. Each of Harvick’s wins have come while driving for Richard Childress; he’s seeking his first victory in NASCAR Nationwide competition in his own KHI equipment.

A fourth consecutive win in the same event would put Harvick behind Dale Earnhardt, who had five straight victories at the same race. He won at Daytona International Speedway from 1990-94 before two races were contested at the track.

Montoya is making his return after a one year hiatus from the series. He will compete in two of the last three events – Texas and Homestead-Miami Miami Speedway.

Montoya’s first national series start came in the NASCAR Nationwide Series two years ago at Memphis and his first national series win was at the NASCAR Nationwide race at Mexico City in 2007. He was the first driver of Hispanic origin to win a NASCAR national series race.

He’ll be reunited with crew chief Brad Parrott, who guided him to that historic first victory at Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez. 

The Director’s Take: Getting In A Groove At Texas

With Halloween approaching this week, it’s fitting that things that go “bump” are a big part of how teams will approach the O’Reilly Challenge.

“We’re coming off the last short track of the year and move on to a three-groove, 1.5-mile track,” said NASCAR Nationwide Series Director Joe Balash.  

“At some tracks, teams have to tune the car one way. But Texas gives the crew chiefs options.

“They’ll be able to take advantage of the multiple grooves to set their car up to where it wants to run, or to the groove that the driver is most comfortable in. 

“One thing they’ll need to be concerned with when they pick their lane is the bumps. Texas Motor Speedway has worked hard to smooth out the track but its signature bumps will still factor in to the set-ups of the Nationwide cars.”

NNS Etc.