NASCAR
Sprint Cup and Nationwide Racing continue on the sport’s biggest stage –
2.66-mile Talladega Superspeedway – this weekend. Aerodynamic and other
procedural changes returned traditional pack racing to Daytona
International Speedway in February and should have a similar effect at
Talladega.
Still,
last year’s Aaron’s 499 was statistically compelling with a record
number of lead changes and a margin of victory – 0.002-seconds between
winner Jimmie Johnson and Clint Bowyer – that matched the NASCAR Sprint
Cup record.
Five-time
Talladega winner Dale Earnhardt Jr. could bag two birds with the same
slingshot on Sunday – giving Hendrick Motorsports its 200th
victory and in the process snap a 138-race winless streak dating to June
2008. HMS has won 11 times at Talladega, one fewer victory than Richard
Childress Racing. RCR has won three of the last four Talladega races.
Saturday’s
Aaron’s 312 is the Nationwide Series’ only 2012 visit to Talladega
Superspeedway. Kyle Busch, the defending winner, climbs back into his
No. 54 Kyle Busch Motorsports Toyota. Older brother Kurt Busch gave the
team its first series victory last weekend in Richmond. Ricky Stenhouse
Jr. continues his bid for a second consecutive championship. He’ll need
to better last year’s 38th-place finish, one of just two DNFs in his title season.
The
NASCAR Camping World Truck Series continues on hiatus as teams prepare
for the May 18 North Carolina Education Lottery 200 at Charlotte Motor
Speedway. Several drivers – Justin Lofton in a Nevada off-road race and
James Buescher in the NASCAR Nationwide Series at Talladega – will step
outside their trucks for racing this Saturday.
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