With the recently completed 2009 season closing out another decade of NASCAR racing, media members have selected the top drivers and top races of the decade for all three national series as voted upon in a poll on NASCARMedia.com. The listing of drivers and races for the poll was compiled following discussions with the three series directors and other long-time observers in the industry – and also resulted from direct input from NASCAR fans. Kevin Harvick was chosen the top NASCAR Nationwide Series driver of the decade, followed by Kyle Busch and Carl Edwards. Harvick won two series titles in the decade – 2001 and ’06 – and was named the series’ Raybestos Rookie of the Year in 2000. During the decade, he leads all NASCAR Nationwide drivers with 34 wins. The Aug. 2, 2003 event at O’Reilly Raceway Park at Indianapolis was named the top NASCAR Nationwide Series race. Brian Vickers battled Shane Hmiel in some closely-contested side-by-side racing to pick up his first career series victory. The July 2, 2004 race at Daytona International Speedway, which saw Mike Wallace navigate his way down the frontstretch to claim his first series win in 10 years, came in second. The Aug. 2, 2008 event at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve in Montreal, where Canadian Ron Fellows won NASCAR’s first national series points race on rain tires, was voted third.(NASCAR PR)(12-21-2009)
