King of the Cassill – For Now
After finishing second at Daytona, Landon Cassill is the NASCAR Nationwide Series standings leader heading to Phoenix, having “checked” the series’ box as far as earning 2011 driver championship points. But he’ll hand that lead to another driver after Saturday’s race. The talented 21-year-old doesn’t have a full-time ride, so his top position will transfer.

Reed Sorenson is currently second in the standings, followed by his Turner Motorsports teammate Jason Leffler, in third. The Roush Fenway Racing duo of Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and Trevor Bayne are fourth and fifth, respectively. And due to the new 43-1 points system, positions 2-5 are separated by only four points.

This will be the first race for the NASCAR Nationwide Series new car at Phoenix. It’s also the second race on a track one-mile in length or less for the new models – Dodge Challenger and Ford Mustang, and the sportier Chevrolet Impalas and Toyota Camrys. Last fall at Richmond was the first race for the new car at a short track.

Stenhouse, the 2010 Rookie of the Year, was 10th last year at Phoenix, the best finish among those drivers in the current top five. Kyle Busch, the 2009 series champion, is the defending race winner.

Back in the Sadler?
Elliott Sadler was chosen by the media in a pre-season poll to win the NASCAR Nationwide Series driver championship. His No. 2 KHI Chevrolet also was selected to unify the title by claiming the owner title.

But his first full-time series season since 1998 – when he finished eighth in the final standings – didn’t get off to a good start with a did not finish (DNF) result last week at Daytona due to an accident on Lap 46.

He comes to Phoenix 27th in the standings, 35 points out of first. He last ran in a NASCAR Nationwide Series race at the 1-mile track in 2007, finishing 14th. He had a runner-up finish in 2005.

Comfort Zone Grows For Patrick
Phoenix resident Danica Patrick takes a trip home this weekend following her NASCAR Nationwide Series career-best start (fourth) and finish (14th) at Daytona. During the season-opener, she also became the first woman to lead a lap at Daytona in a national series race. This will be the second of four consecutive races to start the 2011 season for the double-duty star who will run 12 NASCAR Nationwide Series races in addition to her full-time IndyCar ride.

She’s back at Phoenix for a second time in the NASCAR Nationwide Series having run there last fall, finishing 28th.

Patrick caused a stir last Friday at Daytona when she grabbed the provisional pole after going out 24th of 45 cars and staying there until Landon Cassill knocked her off from his 38th qualifying position. Her time held well enough to beat out eventual race winner Tony Stewart and Joey Logano.

Patrick’s near-miss had the record books at the ready. Shawna Robinson is the only female to capture a pole in NASCAR national series competition having done so in 1994 at Atlanta, also in the NASCAR Nationwide Series.