Nationwide Preview: Tech-Net Auto Service 300 from Charlotte, NC

I write this while experiencing a great deal of heat. I live in Wisconsin, which is currently dealing with a heat wave - a heat wave by Wisconsin standards anyway. Monday it was 91 outside. That happened to be a record for May 24th. It’s dropped down to 89 while I’m writing this, which is Tuesday. I happen to live in a two story townhouse, that only has an A/C on the first floor. My computer happens to be located in my office, which is on the second floor. Note I said Office, which is the room my wife refers to as the “Cat Room”. She’s probably much closer to the truth than I am, since the only thing that makes this even close to an office is the fact I have a computer desk. Still a desk, but only in name. It’s hard to reason the need for a treadmill and a litter box in a room not called a Cat Room.

We still are not up to having 3 races in a weekend, unless you’re counting the Indy 500. I’m a little disappointedwith the Indy field. Only one Nascar driver (no I will not consider Danica Patrick a Nascar driver until she races a FULL season) is entered into the event; John Andretti. Andretti has always been a better open wheel driver than Stock Car driver, and he’s driving a Richard Petty owned race car, complete with petty blue and red. I would love to see the Indy 500 run two hours earlier, so that more guys would pull double duty. Wouldn’t you love to see Tony Stewart, Jeff Gordon, Scott Speed, Juan Montoya and Sam Hornish return to open wheel for the biggest Open Wheel event of the season? I would.

With that aside, we turn to Nationwide racing at Charlotte. Entry list, and some news after THE JUMP!

Just a few things to note:

The more cars we lose, the more Nationwide may start to look like the Truck Series in terms of not having the maximum number of cars to start a race.

Steve Arpin also returns to the #7 Chevy. I’ve watched Arpin race in the ARCA Series in a great looking Mike’s Hard Lemonade #55 Chevy and I think he’s pretty impressive. Arpin and Justin Marks seem to be a great rivalry. One that, if Marks could find a ride next season, could play out with the two of them fighting for Nationwide Rookie of the Year honors. I’d pay money to see that. I’m looking at you Phoenix Racing - hire a young guy!

Peyton Sellers returns to the Nationwide Series. The Danville, Virginia native makes his first return to the Nationwide Series since 2009 where he had a solid rookie performance, running 11 races with Cardinal Motorsports (#77 SPF Ford). Sellers, a former NASCAR Whelen All-American Series National Champion, will drive the #25 Sellers Racing Chevy powered by Earnhardt-Childress Racing engines and carrying the SkillsUSA banner. Sellers Racing is a small, family-run team that will be making its first outing in the Nationwide Series this year. Marcus Richmond will serve as crew chief. Richmond worked as a crew chief for Bobby Hamilton Racing in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series from 2006-2008. In 2009, Richmond moved to WylerRacing with driver Stacy Compton, the team finished 11th in series point standings.

You will notice Reed Sorenson is back in the #32 this week. Reed was not scheduled in the ride this week, but with Brian Vickers (who’s number I proudly have stickered to my car window) out for the year, Reed will take his place in the 5 events he was scheduled to run throughout the year.

NASCAR has placed Clint Bowyer, driver of the #21 car in the NASCAR Nationwide Series, on probation until June 16th for a rule violation he committed during the race at Dover International Speedway on May 15. Bowyer was found to have violated Section 12-1 (actions detrimental to stock car racing - aggressive driving) of the 2010 NASCARNationwide Series Rule Book. Clint is back in the #21 this week, if he does do something dumb there is no word on if he would be suspended from BOTH Cup and Nationwide or just Nationwide. Probably just Nationwide, but you never know with Nascar.

You may also see that despite the fact that Colin Braun finally locked the #16 car into the top 30 in points (something Stenhouse has yet to do) he was again pulled from the car in favor of Brian Ickler, who has only 3 Nationwide starts in his career, with an average finish of 30th. It should be noted that Ickler does not bring any sponsorship to the team this week, which means that Roush simply thought Ickler would do better than Colin Braun at Charlotte. Ouch. I’m a bit surprised that Stenhouse hasn’t been pulled in favor of The Biff, Kenseth or David Ragan at least for one week to help get him higher in points.

This is the final race that ABC will broadcast for the Nationwide Series. So tune in. Do it. I dare you to. 2:30 pm on Saturday the 29th (which is my mother’s birthday, Happy B-Day MA!) I’ll have a roundup sometime after the race is over. Enjoy.