2008 NASCAR Nationwide Series: Season In Review- Week 12

CIA Stock Photo Inc.

May 07, 2008

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – There have been seven different race winners in 2008 in the NASCAR Nationwide Series: Kyle Busch (Texas, Phoenix and Mexico City), Tony Stewart (Daytona, California and Talladega), Mark Martin (Las Vegas), Matt Kenseth (Atlanta), Clint Bowyer (Bristol), Scott Wimmer (Nashville) and Denny Hamlin (Richmond).

2008 Season Highlights

• Tony Stewart won the season-opening race at Daytona, then repeated his trip to Victory Lane in the second race (California). It was just the third time in NASCAR Nationwide Series history a driver had won the first two races of the season (Dale Earnhardt in 1986 and Chad Little in 1995).
• Mark Martin won the third race of the season (Las Vegas) – ending Stewart’s bid to become the first driver to win the first three races of a season in NASCAR Nationwide Series history.
• Matt Kenseth posted the first victory for Ford in 2008 with his win at Atlanta – making three different manufacturers to win in the first four races.
• Clint Bowyer won at Bristol, becoming the 10th consecutive different race winner at the Tennessee short track.
• Kyle Busch posted his first NASCAR Nationwide Series victory of 2008 with his win at Texas. Busch has won in all three of NASCAR’s national series this season, making this the fourth consecutive season he has done so. Only two other drivers have accomplished the feat – Kevin Harvick in 2003 and Terry Labonte in 1995.
• Virginia native Denny Hamlin scored a hometown victory when he won at Richmond.

Qualifying

• 101 drivers have attempted to qualify for at least one race this season.
• There have been five different pole winners in 2008: Tony Stewart (two), Kyle Busch (two), Brian Vickers (one), Colin Braun (one) and Kasey Kahne (one).
• Colin Braun won the pole at Mexico City in his third series start.
• Qualifying was canceled at California, Atlanta, Bristol and Texas.
• 36 drivers have posted at least one top-10 start this season, led by Clint Bowyer with 11.
• Mark Green qualified fourth at Richmond – his best start since Rockingham in October 1998 (fifth). It was just his 25th top-10 and fifth top-five start in 237 series races.

The Races

• 96 drivers have qualified for at least one NASCAR Nationwide Series race this season.
• 34 drivers have registered at least one top-10 finish in 2008, led by Clint Bowyer with eight.

First-Timers

Start Pole Win
James Buescher (Phoenix) Colin Braun (Mexico City) None
Kevin O’Connell (Mexico City)
Ryan Hackett (Richmond)
Top-10 Finish Laps Led
Bryan Clauson (Daytona) Dario Franchitti (Texas)
Dario Franchitti (Las Vegas) Dwayne Leik (Talladega)
Cale Gale (Nashville)
Steve Wallace (Mexico City)

The Pole Winner/Race Winner

• The Coors Light Pole winner (or driver that started first in cases of no qualifying) finishing position:
First 3
2nd-5th 1
6th-10th 0
11th-30th 3
31st or beyond 4
• The lap-leader performance of the pole winner (or driver that started first in cases of no qualifying):
Led First Lap 6
Led Any Lap 11
Led Most Laps 3
• The race winner’s starting positions:
Pole 3
2nd-5th 2
6th-10th 3
11th-30th 2
31st or beyond 1
• The lap-leader performance-of-the-race winner:
Led First Lap 3
Led Most Laps 6
Led Mid-Race Lap 4
Led With 10 to Go 8
Led With One to Go 11
Note: Mid-Race lap is as scheduled regardless of shortened or extended race length.