Bowyer, Edwards Prepare for Kansas-Missouri Border Brawl
In this corner, from Emporia, Kan., Clint Bowyer (No. 2 BB&T Chevrolet). Current NASCAR Nationwide Series standings leader. One win, 10 top fives and a series-best 24 top 10s in 29 races this season.
In this corner, Carl Edwards (No. 60 Scotts Winterguard Ford), reigning series driver champion from Columbia, Mo. Second in the standings, 186 points out of first. Four wins, 13 top fives and 16 top-10 finishes in 2008.
Round One of the “Border Brawl” went to Edwards, who won at his home track at Gateway International Raceway in July.
Round Two comes Saturday in Bowyer’s territory at Kansas Speedway.
The circumstances surrounding the race for both drivers have big implications, the biggest of which might just be border bragging rights.
Neither driver has won at Kansas but suffice it to say a victory – and an extension of his points lead with six races left – would be a major career highlight for Bowyer.
“Racing in that area is a big part of our lives and it’s important for both of us to be racing at Kansas,” Bowyer said of himself and his friendly rival.
“It’s going to be a lot of fun to go back there and be racing against Carl for the championship. It’s kind of a Kansas/Missouri border war. I remember going to the KU/MU game at Arrowhead Stadium last year and this kind of reminds me of that. It’s the Kansas boy against the Missouri boy. Hopefully, we’ll put it on them.”
Both are also in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup; Edwards leads there with Bowyer sixth. No driver has won the title in both series in the same season; nor have two been eligible to do so.
RCR Making Move For Third Consecutive Owner Championship
The No. 2 BB&T Chevrolet team may have a different pep to its step this weekend in Kansas.
Its driver, Clint Bowyer, is a native Jayhawk and leads the series standings. And, the team has a third consecutive owner championship in its sights for Richard Childress Racing, chasing down the No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota.
After Watkins Glen five races ago, the No. 20 – which has had four different drivers this year – had a lead of 282 points in the owner standings. A penalty to the team and a surge by the No. 2 – driven exclusively by Bowyer – has decreased that number to only 65 points with six races remaining.
The No. 20 team has led the owner standings since April, when Tony Stewart won at Talladega Superspeedway and wrestled the top spot from the No. 2, which had held the lead following the preceding three races. The No. 20 also led following the first three races of the season. The No. 33 Chevrolet of Kevin Harvick Inc. also led for a three-race stretch this year.
RCR has four series owner titles overall and hopes to defend the 2007 championship it won with the No. 29 Holiday Inn Chevrolet, driven by Jeff Burton (who won at Kansas in 2002) and Scott Wimmer. That team is currently in fourth place behind the No. 60 Ford of Carl Edwards and Roush Fenway Racing (third).
Keselowski Back In Groove; Looks Toward October “Call Up”
It took three races, but Brad Keselowski (No. 88 U.S. NAVY Chevrolet) finally got his groove back at Dover with a third-place finish.
The 24-year-old had gone through his first prolonged slump of the season, where finishes of 33rd and 21st at Auto Club Speedway and Richmond International Raceway, respectively, had dropped him from second in the standings – he had been as close as 122 points behind Clint Bowyer – to third behind Carl Edwards and in trouble as far as his championship hopes go.
He did manage to pick up 10 points on Edwards thanks to his finish at Dover, however.
Slump aside, Keselowski has had a tremendous season in his first full year with JR Motorsports. As a reward, he learned this week he will attempt to make his first career NASCAR Sprint Cup Series start for Hendrick Motorsports Oct. 11 at Lowe’s Motor Speedway. He will also get another opportunity at Texas Motor Speedway on Nov. 2.
“We’ve gotten a glimpse of what Brad is capable of in the Nationwide Series, and that’s just scratching the surface,” HMS team owner Rick Hendrick said. “He has a load of talent and potential, and we’re excited to give him an opportunity at the next level.”
Series Welcomes Back Mark Martin At Kansas
Mark Martin (No. 5 GoDaddy.com Chevrolet) returns to the NASCAR Nationwide Series this weekend at Kansas.
The series’ all-time leader in wins (48) and poles (30) has competed in three other races this year. He won at Las Vegas Motor Speedway and was fourth at Michigan International Speedway. An accident relegated him to a 23rd-place finish at Darlington Raceway, his worst series finish since the May race in Charlotte in 2006 when he was 32nd.
Kyle Busch (No. 32 Lifelock Toyota) won at Kansas last year driving for Hendrick Motorsports, which may bode well for Martin. He’s competed in one other NASCAR Nationwide race at Kansas; he was 14th in 2005.
Busch Takes Aim At Series Season Win Record
With his victory at Dover, Kyle Busch recorded his series-leading eighth win of the year. The series record for wins in one season is 10 by Sam Ard in 1983. Kevin Harvick won nine races in his second championship season in 2006.
Busch’s career total moved to 19 victories, now 12th on the all-time list. He’s scheduled to
compete in at least five more NASCAR Nationwide events this season.
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