Welcome back Nationwide Fans. After a two week break, The Nationwide Series returns to action. This week we head south to Texas Motor Speedway. The past four years has seen Kyle Busch and Carl Edwards dominating Texas, but neither of them are entered this week. Trevor Bayne took Texas last Summer and would have been in the car Edwards took to victory lane last Spring but he is not entered - such a shame.
Easter Hangover, Nationwide Returns: The O’Reilly Auto Parts 300 Preview
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We go under the lights Friday for the Spring night Nationwide Race.
Entry List and More after the Jump!
| Entry | Car# | Driver | Sponsor | Manu | Owner |
| 1 | 01 | Mike Wallace | G&K Services | 12 Chevy | Johnny Davis |
| 2 | 2 | Elliott Sadler | OneMain Financial | 12 Chevy | Delana Harvick |
| 3 | 3 | Austin Dillon | American Ethanol | 12 Chevy | Morgan Shepherd |
| 4 | 4 | Danny Efland | iWorld | 12 Chevy | Rusty Wallace |
| 5 | 5 | Dale Earnhardt Jr (i) (PC) | Degree | 12 Chevy | Rick Hendrick |
| 6 | 6 | Ricky Stenhouse Jr | Pure Michigan | 12 Ford | Jack Roush |
| 7 | 7 | Danica Patrick | GoDaddy.com | 12 Chevy | Kelley Earnhardt-Miller |
| 8 | 08 | Kyle Fowler | 12 Ford | Randy Hill | |
| 9 | 09 | Ryan Truex | Grime Boss | 11 Toyota | Robby Benton |
| 10 | 10 | Jeff Green (PC) * | 12 Toyota | Mark Smith | |
| 11 | 11 | Brian Scott | Dollar General | 11 Toyota | J D Gibbs |
| 12 | 12 | Sam Hornish Jr | Wurth | 12 Dodge | Roger Penske |
| 13 | 14 | Eric McClure | Hefty/Reynolds Wrap | 12 Toyota | Mark Smith |
| 14 | 15 | Blake Koch * | Poynt.com | 12 Ford | Rick Ware |
| 15 | 18 | Denny Hamlin (i) | SportClips | 12 Toyota | Joe Gibbs |
| 16 | 19 | Tayler Malsam | G-Oil | 12 Toyota | Mark Smith |
| 17 | 20 | Joey Logano (i) * | GameStop | 12 Toyota | Joe Gibbs |
| 18 | 22 | Brad Keselowski (i) | Discount Tire | 12 Dodge | Roger Penske |
| 19 | 23 | Robert Richardson Jr | Tia Rosa-Embassy Suites | 12 Chevy | Robert Richardson Sr |
| 20 | 24 | Benny Gordon | Samuel Metal | 12 Chevy | Jason Sciavicco |
| 21 | 27 | David Ragan (i) * | Mercury | 12 Ford | Steve Meehan |
| 22 | 30 | Steve Arpin | Mike's On The Rocks | 12 Chevy | Harry Scott Jr |
| 23 | 31 | Justin Allgaier | Brandt | 12 Chevy | Sandra Turner |
| 24 | 33 | Paul Menard (i) | Menards | 12 Chevy | Delana Harvick |
| 25 | 38 | Kasey Kahne (i) | Great Clips | 12 Chevy | Steve Turner |
| 26 | 39 | Kelly Bires * | Fenton Motors | 12 Ford | Archie St Hilaire |
| 27 | 40 | Erik Darnell | 12 Chevy | Curtis Key Sr | |
| 28 | 41 | Timmy Hill (i) | 12 Ford | Rick Ware | |
| 29 | 42 | Josh Wise (i) (S) * | 12 Chevy | Curtis Key Sr | |
| 30 | 43 | Michael Annett | Pilot/Flying J | 12 Ford | Sandra Turner |
| 31 | 44 | Mike Bliss | 12 Toyota | Mark Smith | |
| 32 | 46 | Chase Miller (S) * | 12 Chevy | Curtis Key Sr | |
| 33 | 47 | Scott Speed (i) (S) * | 12 Chevy | Curtis Key Sr | |
| 34 | 50 | T J Bell * | Gulf Coast Software | 12 Chevy | Rusty Wallace |
| 35 | 51 | Jeremy Clements | Clements Automotive | 10 Chevy | Tony Clements |
| 36 | 52 | Tim Schendel | Metro Ministries | 11 Chevy | Jimmy Means |
| 37 | 54 | Kurt Busch (i) | Monster Energy | 12 Toyota | Kyle Busch |
| 38 | 70 | Johanna Long | Foretravel | 12 Chevy | Mary Louise Miller |
| 39 | 72 | John Jackson * | Crash Claims R US | 12 Toyota | James Carter |
| 40 | 74 | Mike Harmon (S) * | Koma Unwind | 12 Chevy | Mike Harmon |
| 41 | 75 | Scott Riggs (i) (S) * | 12 Chevy | Rick Ware | |
| 42 | 81 | Jason Bowles | American Majority | 12 Toyota | Gina MacDonald |
| 43 | 87 | Joe Nemechek | SWM International, Inc. | 12 Toyota | Andrea Nemechek |
| 44 | 88 | Cole Whitt | TaxSlayer.com | 12 Chevy | Dale Earnhardt Jr |
| 45 | 89 | Morgan Shepherd * | 11 Chevy | Morgan Shepherd | |
| (i) - Not Running For Title | |||||
| * - Must Qualify On Time | |||||
| (S) Known Start and Park | |||||
| (PC) Past Champion |
Just a few notes on the 45 teams entered this week:
- #4- Danny Efland returns to the #4 Team this week.
- #5- Dale Earnhardt Jr will make another start in the Nationwide Series. Jr is trying to get back to Victory Lane by any means necessary.
- #09- Kenny Wallace is not running this week. Wallace will be replaced by Ryan Truex and sponsor Grime Boss.
- #15- Blake Koch has been bounced from his locked in ride for 2011 Rookie of the Year Timmy Hill. Hill failed as a Sprint Cup Rookie and will now drive full time in the Nationwide Series, but cannot win the Nationwide Title.
- #27- David Ragan will make a start for Steve Meehan’s team this week.
- #30- Steve Arpin will make a start for Turner Motorsports. Arpin brings his ARCA sponsorship of Mike’s Hard Lemonaide.
- #39- Joey Gase has been replaced by Kelly Bires this week.
- #54- Kurt Busch will make his first start for his brother’s team. Kurt has been invisible in the Cup Series so far, so a good run in the Nationwide Series may help his confidence.
Join us on Friday Night for the O’Reilly Auto Parts 300 live on ESPN2 at 8pm Eastern Time. Enjoy!
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