(Editor’s Note: My apologies for getting this out so late, I guess when I saved the edited and proofed version the other night it really didn’t save it at all - oops!)
Gibbs takes a hit as Danica returns: Preview of the STP 300 From Chicagoland
If this isn’t a sign of the economic climate I don’t know what is; Joe Gibbs Racing could not find a sponsor for Joey Logano this week so they have withdrawn the #20 Toyota from the Nationwide event and the #20 Team is first in Owner’s points!
Wow.
After this week, that will not be the case and withdrawing from this event has now made the #20 team unable to be locked in to any of the remaining races this season. Two teams this year, the #20 and the #16 both have now missed a race, and both must qualify for every event here on out. It’s a huge blow to both teams. Trevor Bayne’s Championship chances are almost non-existent, and now the #20 teams Owner’s Championship outlook is a bit more grim especially if they miss a set-up or crash during qualifying and miss the race as a result.
Only one past race winner is entered this week, Kevin Harvick, who has won twice at Chicagoland - once in 2005 and once in 2007. Both times he was driving for the now closed down #21 team for Richard Childress Racing. Harvick is here in his own team, one that has never won at Chicago.
Danica Patrick also returns to Nationwide racing this week. She’s coming off a tenth place finish in the Indy 500 and looking to best her top finish in the Nationwide Series.
Entry List and More after the jump!
| Ent. | Car. | Driver | Sponsor | Manu. | Owner |
| 1 | 01 | Mike Wallace | 11 Chevy | JD Motorsports | |
| 2 | 2 | Elliott Sadler | OneMain Financial | 11 Chevy | Kevin Harvick Inc. |
| 3 | 6 | Ricky Stenhouse Jr | 11 Ford | Roush Fenway | |
| 4 | 7 | Danica Patrick | Tissot | 11 Chevy | JR Motorsports |
| 5 | 09 | Kenny Wallace | Family Farmers/Marquis Energy | 11 Toyota | RAB Racing |
| 6 | 11 | Brian Scott | Sandvik | 11 Toyota | Joe Gibbs |
| 7 | 13 | Rick Crawford(i) | DriverMale.com | 11 Ford | Jennifer Jo Cobb |
| 8 | 14 | Eric McClure | Hefty BlackOut/Reynolds | 11 Chevy | TriStar Motorsports |
| 9 | 15 | Timmy Hill | Lilly Trucking of VA | 11 Ford | Rick Ware Racing |
| 10 | 16 | Trevor Bayne | Avnet-BMA Ford | 11 Ford | Roush Fenway |
| 11 | 18 | Kelly Bires | Heil Products | 11 Toyota | Joe Gibbs |
| 12 | 19 | Mike Bliss | 11 Chevy | TriStar Motorsports | |
| 13 | 22 | Brad Keselowski(i) | Discount Tire | 11 Dodge | Roger Penske |
| 14 | 23 | Robert Richardson Jr | North TX Pipe | 11 Dodge | R3 Motorsports |
| 15 | 28 | Derrike Cope | Maxelence | 11 Chevy | Jay Robinson |
| 16 | 30 | Mikey Kile | 11 Chevy | Turner Motorsports | |
| 17 | 31 | Justin Allgaier | Brandt | 11 Chevy | Turner Motorsports |
| 18 | 32 | Reed Sorenson | Dollar General | 11 Chevy | Turner Motorsports |
| 19 | 33 | Kevin Harvick(i) | Rheem | 11 Chevy | Kevin Harvick Inc. |
| 20 | 38 | Jason Leffler | Great Clips | 11 Chevy | Turner Motorsports |
| 21 | 39 | Josh Wise | Cajun Industries | 11 Ford | Roush Fenway |
| 22 | 40 | Charles Lewandoski | 11 Chevy | Key Motorsports | |
| 23 | 41 | Carl Long (s) | Lilly Trucking of VA | 11 Ford | Rick Ware Racing |
| 24 | 44 | Jeff Green (s) | 11 Chevy | TriStar Motorsports | |
| 25 | 46 | Chase Miller (s) | 11 Chevy | Key Motorsports | |
| 26 | 49 | Dennis Setzer (s) | 11 Chevy | Jay Robinson | |
| 27 | 51 | Jeremy Clements | Co-ops USA | 10 Chevy | Jeremy Clements |
| 28 | 52 | Kevin Lepage | 11 Chevy | Jimmy Means | |
| 29 | 55 | Brett Rowe (s) | Imperial Bedding | 11 Chevy | Faith Motorsports |
| 30 | 60 | Carl Edwards(i) | 11 Ford | Roush Fenway | |
| 31 | 62 | Michael Annett | Pilot Flying J | 10 Toyota | Rusty Wallace Racing |
| 32 | 66 | Steve Wallace | 5 Hour Energy | 10 Toyota | Rusty Wallace Racing |
| 33 | 68 | Matthew Carter (s) | 11 Chevy | Fleur-De-Lis Racing | |
| 34 | 70 | Scott Wimmer | Foretravel | 11 Chevy | ML Motorsports |
| 35 | 74 | Mike Harmon (s) | Riverwalk Cafe | 11 Chevy | Mike Harmon |
| 36 | 75 | Johnny Chapman (s) | 11 Ford | Rick Ware Racing | |
| 37 | 79 | Tim Andrews (s) | 10 Ford | Second Chance | |
| 38 | 81 | Blake Koch | DAYSTAR.com | 10 Dodge | MacDonald Racing |
| 39 | 87 | Joe Nemechek | 11 Toyota | NEMCO | |
| 40 | 88 | Aric Almirola | TaxSlayer.com | 11 Chevy | JR Motorsports |
| 41 | 89 | Morgan Shepherd | 11 Chevy | Faith Motorsports | |
| 42 | 99 | Ryan Truex | 11 Toyota | Pastrana Waltrip | |
| (i)- Not Running for Championship | |||||
| Outside top 30, Not Locked In | |||||
| Past Champion | |||||
| (s)- Start and Park team |
42 teams are entered this week, meaning all will make it. Just a few notes this week:
- #7- Danica Patrick returns to Nationwide action this weekend with a new sponsor Tissot.
- #13- Rick Crawford makes his 2011 Nationwide Debut for Jennifer Jo Cobb Racing.
- #18- Kelly Bires makes his second start for Joe Gibbs Racing. He is without a teammate this week as the #20 team has withdrawn.
- #30- Mikey Kile makes his second start for Turner Motorsports this week. Kile is attempting to gain a full time ride for 2012.
- #33- Two time winner Kevin Harvick brings his Rheem Machine to the track this week. Harvick, Keselowski and Edwards are the only Cup drivers entered this week.
- #39- Josh Wise returns to Go Green Racing with Patrick in the #7 team.
- #40- Thanks to the #20 team withdrawing, Key Motorsports, which missed last week’s race, is now locked in. If they can finish well enough, the team will be locked into Michigan in two weeks as well.
- #70- Scott Wimmer is back in the ML Motorsports team this week. Wimmer was not entered in the past two races.
Join us Saturday June 4th, at 7pm for an open race thread, and tune into ESPN at 730pm eastern for the STP 300 live from Chicago, IL! Enjoy!
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