Ricky Stenhouse Jr. makes it three straight with Iowa Nationwide win

Ricky Stenhouse Jr. makes it three straight with Iowa Nationwide win

May 20, 2012 (EDITORS: Will be updated)

By K.J. Pilcher, Special for NASCAR Wire Service

NEWTON, Iowa -- Ricky Stenhouse Jr.'s success at Iowa Speedway continues.

The defending NASCAR Nationwide Series points champion extended his winning streak at Iowa Speedway.

Stenhouse dominated the field for most of the race to capture the checkered flag at the Nationwide Series Pioneer Hi-Bred 250 on Sunday. The win is the third straight at the 0.875-mile track for Stenhouse, who swept the two Nationwide races held here last year.

"Man, this one was fun," Stenhouse said in a post-race interview. "I love dominating those races."

The Roush Fenway Racing driver claimed his third win in 10 starts this season, extending his season points lead to 28 points over Elliott Sadler, who was second. Stenhouse grabbed his first lead by overtaking Sam Hornish Jr. on Lap 31 en route to leading 209 laps, tying a record set by Kyle Busch in 2010.

He held off the likes of Kurt Busch, Sadler and Justin Allgaier during late restarts, as the race's four cautions proved to be the only thing that could trim his lead, which grew to nearly five seconds at times.

Stenhouse dropped to fourth for the restart after Danica Patrick brought out the second caution when her right front tire blew and caused her to hit the wall. With Cole Whitt in the lead spot, Stenhouse needed a couple laps to pass Sadler for the lead near the midway point.

Things got interesting with 65 laps remaining as Busch completed his move from worst to first after a restart. Less than a lap later, Stenhouse moved back into first and ran to Victory Lane.

Sadler, who started on the pole, earned his third straight top-five finish at Iowa Speedway, leading two laps.

Michael McDowell snuck in late to place third. Austin Dillon was fourth.

Busch was running in the top three, but got caught up with McDowell on the final lap. He saved the car after a lengthy sideways slide for a fifth-place finish.

Darrell Wallace Jr., who made his Nationwide Series debut with Joe Gibbs Racing, placed ninth. Travis Pastrana, also making his debut in the series, suffered an electrical problem, completing 228 laps and placing 26th.