Edwards, Busch Are Double-Duty Favorites
Last season’s series champion Clint Bowyer won’t run enough races this year to defend his crown. But if Carl Edwards, the 2007 champion, is able to muster a fraction of last year’s comeback karma, he should be a favorite to become the series’ seventh two-time champion.

Edwards, who has always been a full-time driver in the NASCAR Nationwide Series, is one of two double-duty drivers who will vie for the 2009 championship.

Kyle Busch has done just about everything in the NASCAR Nationwide Series except win the title, and he’ll go for that this year. He won the series’ Raybestos Rookie of the Year in 2004, and last year won 10 races in three different cars, finishing sixth in the standings despite running only 30 races. The 10 victories tied the record set by two-time champion Sam Ard in 1983.

Keselowski Primed For Championship Run Of His Own
Last year, his first full-time season in the series, Brad Keselowski posted his first two wins, first pole, 11 top fives and 20 top-10 finishes and was voted by the fans as the series’ Most Popular Driver. He sat second in the standings for nine weeks before Carl Edwards overtook him. Keselowski ended the season third.

There won’t be a repeat driver champion in the NASCAR Nationwide Series this year, but look for a repeat of the great late-season battle – with a seasoned Keselowski in that mix.

2009 – Best Owner Championship Battle In Series History?
The series recently has become known for its split championships among drivers and owners and that streak could very well run to three consecutive shared championships in 2009. Over the last two seasons – and three times overall – there have been split titles.

The No. 20 GameStop Toyota of Joe Gibbs Racing, the reigning owner champion, will have a strong trio of drivers with Joey Logano, Denny Hamlin and Brad Coleman. That car also will have to contend with the organization’s second car, Kyle Busch’s No. 18 Z-Line Designs Toyota. Edwards is determined to “unify” the title for the first time in three years. But the No. 29 Holiday Inn Chevrolet, the 2007 owner champion, is a big favorite. Jeff Burton will join forces with Bowyer and Stephen Leicht to try and bring Richard Childress his second series owner championship.

Now Introducing …

A pair of 22-year-olds – The latest drivers to carry on the series’ developmental history. Justin Allgaier moves from a successful ARCA career to Penske Racing while Michael Annett is ticketed for his first full-time opportunity with Germain Racing. John Wes Townley, another ARCA alum who turned 19 on New Year’s Eve, announced a full-time schedule with RAB Racing.

A pair in transition – Erik Darnell and Brendan Gaughan, who competed in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series last year. In the NASCAR Nationwide Series. Darnell shares the No. 6 Ford with David Ragan while Gaughan becomes Steve Wallace’s teammate at Rusty Wallace Racing.

A new venue – Iowa Speedway in Newton, Iowa hosts its inaugural series event Aug. 1.