The NASCAR Nationwide Series will make their annual visit to the New York based Watkins Glen International Raceway for a full Saturday afternoon of left and right turns during the Zippo 200. As always, this legendary race track challenges a driver’s mental focus, physical durability and sometimes this road course will tax a driver’s patience to the point of road rage.
THE STORY BREAKDOWN
Last January there was a general sigh of relief among Nationwide Series competitors when they learned that Kyle Busch would not be running the entire series schedule this year which also meant he would not be defending his 2009 championship. The intent behind the decision, made by Joe Gibbs Racing, was to free up some of their driver’s double duty schedules so he could spend more time concentrating on the Sprint Cup Chase For The Championship.
But that doesn’t mean that Kyle Busch hasn’t made his presence felt in the Nationwide Series this year. The series is now 21 races into the 2010 schedule and Busch ranks third in the championship standings despite the fact that he’s missed four of the events. His accomplishments so far this year has been simply awesome. In 17 starts Busch has won nine of them. That calculates to winning 52 percent of his starts. Busch has also won the last two series events in a row at Indiana’s O’Reilly Raceway Park and at the Iowa Speedway. He’s also managed to compile 13 top five finishes, 14 top ten finishes and has won two poles.
Busch’s performance in the Nationwide Series this season has also placed Joe Gibbs Racing on top of the owner’s points championship standings. Their #18 Toyota team holds a 34 point lead over Jodi Geschickter who is the owner of record for Brad Keselowski’s #22 Dodge.
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So, who’s ready to take on Kyle Busch this Saturday at Watkins Glen? The likely answer to that question could turn out to be NASCAR’s favorite Australian Marcos Ambrose who has won the Watkins Glen Nationwide Series race the last two consecutive years. Ambrose will be driving the #47 Toyota for JTG Daugherty Racing.
During the waning laps of last year’s event Ambrose made a race winning move on Kyle Busch that he called “the dive bomb.” Busch later referred to that move as “a cheap shot.” Keep an eye on these two drivers. If they get near each other at the end of the race it could turn out to be rather interesting.
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Saturday’s race will be loaded with special guest talent with many of them being road racing ringers.
JR Motorsports will be providing cars for two Canadian drivers during the Zippo 200. Road racing veteran Ron Fellows will be in their #88 Chevrolet. The Toronto driver has four NASCAR Nationwide Series win with three of them being at Watkins Glen. Ontario native J R Fitzpatrick will be behind the wheel of the team’s #7 Chevrolet. The young driver has two Nationwide Series starts this year topped by a seventh place finish at the series’ Road America event.
Roush Fenway Racing will be placing 23 year old driver Billy Johnson in their #6 Ford on Saturday. Johnson drives for Jack Roush in the Grand American Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge Series. It fact it was the road racing tandem of Johnson and Jack Roush Jr who gave Jack Roush Sr his 400th victory earlier this year at the Homestead Miami Speedway.
Baker Curb Racing has placed 25 year old Nelson Piquet Jr behind the wheel of their #27 Ford for Saturday’s race. The Brazilian driver, and son of a road racing legend, has been trying to make the transition into NASCAR this year. The Zippo 200 will be Piquet’s Nationwide Series debut. However he does have four starts in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series and has already created quite an impression with three top ten finishes.
Former Formula One and Indy 500 champion Jaques Villeneuve will also be a special guest in Saturday’s race. The Montreal native will be driving the #32 Toyota for Braun Racing.
Finally, there’s the matter of who said? Boris Said ! The loyal legion of fans known as the “Said heads” will be hoping that their favorite driver finds his way to the Watkins Glen victory lane Saturday. The road racing veteran will be driving the #09 Ford for RAB Racing.
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THE RACE BREAKDOWN
The Zippo 200 is 82 laps/200.9 miles around the Watkins Glen massive 2.45 mile, seven turn, road course.
The race has 43 entries. That means all teams entered will have a starting berth in the race.
The Zippo 200 will be aired live by ESPN beginning with the pre race show at 130 pm eastern time.
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