It’s A Done Deal: Dillon A Contender

NASCAR NATIONWIDE SERIES

It’s A Done Deal: Dillon A Contender

Make no mistake. Austin Dillon has served notice he's a contender for the championship as the NASCAR Nationwide Series hits the halfway point of the 2012 season this weekend at Daytona.

Dillon, 22, won his first career series race last week at Kentucky and also took the points lead. He was the first Sunoco Rookie of the Year candidate to lead the standings since Reed Sorenson in 2005. Although on Monday he was docked six driver championship points after his No. 3 Chevrolet was found to be too low in post-race inspection at Kentucky putting him four points behind current leader and Richard Childress Racing teammate Elliott Sadler, Dillon must be considered a title threat in the season’s second half.

History could be made as well: There has never been a NASCAR Nationwide Series champion who in the previous season won the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series title.

Over the last three races, Dillon has earned the first two poles of his series career. He has four top fives in his last seven events including his win, which was the 152nd victory by the No. 3 car/truck throughout the national series – 97 in NASCAR Sprint Cup, 30 in the NASCAR Nationwide Series and 25 in Trucks.

Dash 4 Cash Kicks Off With Daytona Qualifier

Daytona serves as the qualifying race for the popular NASCAR Nationwide Series Dash 4 Cash (#Dash4Cash) bonus program that awards the highest-finishing eligible driver in each of this season’s four D4C races a $100,000 bonus on top of their race winnings. For the first time in the program’s three-year history, the bonus races are consecutive – New Hampshire, Chicagoland, Indianapolis and Iowa.

The four highest-finishing NASCAR Nationwide Series driver championship contenders at Daytona will be eligible for the $100,000 D4C bonus at New Hampshire. The driver who finishes the highest among those four at NHMS – he or she does not have to win the race – will win the first $100,000 bonus and also become eligible for the next Dash 4 Cash race at Chicagoland. The next three highest finishing series regulars at New Hampshire will then be eligible for Chicagoland, and these same rules will apply for Indianapolis and Iowa.

Should the same driver capture the three previous D4C bonuses and win the Iowa race outright, he or she will win an extra $600,000 bringing the total payout to $1 million.

Like last year, a fan element is also in play. Fans can enter the NASCAR Nationwide Series $100,000 Sweepstakes at www.nascar.com/dash4cash and vie for a chance to win a trip and be paired with an eligible driver for the final D4C race at Iowa on Aug. 4. The fan paired with the driver who wins the bonus also wins $100,000.

Daytona Circled on Danica’s Calendar?

In February at Daytona, Danica Patrick became the second woman to capture a NASCAR national series pole. But in the season-opening race, she had an unlucky outcome due to accident with JR Motorsports teammate Cole Whitt, resulting in a 38th-place finish.

As she returns to Daytona – the track where she’s had the most stock car racing experience – redemption may be on her mind. And why not? In this race last year, she finished 10th, sliding across the finish line during a last-lap melee.

Throughout the latter stages of the race, she had been in position for what could have had the makings of a historic win. Her experience – and reputation – as restrictor-plate racer has grown with each race – NASCAR Nationwide and NASCAR Sprint Cup – so another solid start, and perhaps finish, is something to watch for. Patrick is currently ninth in the standings.

NNS DIS ETC: Michael Annett gave his team owner, Richard Petty, an early birthday present last week at Kentucky when he posted his career-best fourth-place finish. The King celebrated his 75th birthday on July 2. Annett comes to Daytona seventh in the standings. ... Reigning series champion Ricky Stenhouse Jr. may be graduating to NASCAR Sprint Cup next year but still has work to do at this level. He’s 23 points behind the leader, Austin Dillon. Last year heading to Daytona he also was third, 7 points out. But he left in worse shape still in third but 31 points behind, yet managed to right himself during the second half en route to his championship. … Joey Logano is the defending winner of this race, and despite taking last week off, is still one of hottest drivers in series. He has five wins in 11 races this year including four of his last five. … James Buescher, who won the NASCAR Nationwide Series race at Daytona in February – his first national series win – is entered this week.