Sadler, Stenhouse Down to the Wire in Championship Hunt

NASCAR NATIONWIDE SERIES

Sadler, Stenhouse Down to the Wire in Championship Hunt

It is down to the wire – literally – in the NASCAR Nationwide Series championship hunt with eight races remaining. Only one point separates leader Elliott Sadler from reigning series champion Ricky Stenhouse Jr. heading to this weekend’s race at Chicagoland Speedway. In the last three races, you could say that Stenhouse has been on a mission of sorts to defend his title finishing no worse than second and cutting the points deficit more than in half.

Who has the advantage? One could tip the hat to Sadler who has led the series points standings for 20 weeks and won the race at Chicagoland earlier this year in dominating fashion. Both drivers have separated themselves from third-place Austin Dillon who sits 30 points outside of first. Sam Hornish Jr. (-50) and Justin Allgaier (-95) round out the top five.

Six Former NASCAR Nationwide Champions Make the Chase

As a NASCAR Nationwide Series owner, Dale Earnhardt Jr. has had a hand in developing two of this season’s Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup contenders – Martin Truex Jr. and Brad Keselowski. This season marks the first time all three drivers are in the Chase together and the second appearance for both Truex (2007 and 2012) and Keselowski (2011 and 2012) in NASCAR’s post season playoff. Truex won consecutive NASCAR Nationwide Series titles in 2004 and 2005 with Chance 2 Motorsports, which was co-owned by Earnhardt Jr. and Teresa Earnhardt. Brad Keselowski – who drove for Earnhardt’s JR Motorsports from 2007-2009 - won the NASCAR Nationwide Series title in 2010 while driving for Penske Racing.

Six former NASCAR Nationwide Series champions are in the 2012 Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup: Greg Biffle, Clint Bowyer, Earnhardt Jr., Kevin Harvick, Keselowski and Truex Jr.

More To Watch:

Saturday’s Dollar General 300 Powered by Coca-Cola provides a homecoming for Illinois natives Justin Allgaier, Danica Patrick and Erik Darnell. Allgaier – a Riverton native – is a former Chicagoland winner and sits fifth in the series standings followed by Patrick (Roscoe, Ill.) and Darnell (Beach Park, Ill) in 11^th- and 16^th places, respectively. Double-duty drivers include Kurt Busch, Harvick, Sam Hornish Jr., Keselowski, Joey Logano, Paul Menard and Patrick.