EASTER WEEK EDITION

With the traditional Easter bye week in place, it’s time for everyone in NASCAR’s national divisions to collectively exhale – especially those in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series garage who have been busy on-track since the third week of February.

All continue to chase Greg Biffle, whose revamped team under direction of crew chief Matt Puccia has been the "steady Eddie" of the 2012 season. Biffle took over the points lead after finishing third at Las Vegas and, with three top-five and four top-10 finishes, has refused to relinquish the spot he hadn’t held since mid-2005. Biffle, Daytona 500 winner Matt Kenseth and last year’s championship runner up Carl Edwards give Roush Fenway Racing three spots among the top 12.

Biffle isn’t the only driver wearing a smile. Stewart-Haas Racing has won three times in six races, two by defending NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Champion Tony Stewart and one by Ryan Newman.

Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s winless streak reached 135 at Martinsville but his third-place performance moved Junior to second in points – his best ranking past the first race of the season since 2008. His teammate, Jimmie Johnson, has climbed to 10th in points after finishing 42^nd at Daytona.

Likewise, it’s been a remarkable turnaround at Michael Waltrip Racing: Martin Truex Jr. and newcomer Clint Bowyer solidly among the top 10 and a third entry shared by veteran Mark Martin and Brian Vickers also in the top 10 of the owners’ championship standings.

The pause is welcome for several who have struggled – at least points-wise. Jeff Gordon is 21st – 90 points behind Biffle and 53 points outside the top 10. Hendrick Motorsports teammate Kasey Kahne, despite winning two Coors Light Poles, is 31st. The focus of both would appear to rest on winning races to gain a "Wild Card entry" into the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup.™

NASCAR Nationwide Series fans are applauding the solid performances of its core drivers. Elliott Sadler has won twice; defending champion Ricky Stenhouse Jr. once as NASCAR Sprint Cup regulars have been able to claw out just one victory in the season’s first five races.

"Youngsters" also are starring in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series where Sunoco Rookie of the Year contender John King, 24, won in Daytona and became the first rookie to head the points after multiple races. Ty Dillon, 20 and younger brother of 2012 champion Austin Dillon, finished second at Martinsville Speedway – the first rookie to do so since 2005.