A Plan Coming Together

A Plan Coming Together

When Richard Childress decided last year to return full-time to the NASCAR Nationwide Series, the plan wasn’t built around double-duty drivers and owner championships.

His plan was to win more owner and driver titles and Sunoco Rookie of the Year awards. Also to capitalize on the talents of a veteran like Elliott Sadler and perhaps most importantly, further develop the skills of his grandson Austin and prepare to do the same for Austin’s younger brother Ty.

It certainly seems as though the plan is coming together.

Following a 6-7-8 finish by RCR’s Austin Dillon, Sadler and Ty Dillon – in his series debut – last Saturday at Dover, Sadler has taken over the standings lead for the first time since Richmond. Due to a second straight week of bad luck – an accident relegated him to a 32nd-place finish at Dover coupled with a 26th two weeks ago at Charlotte because of mechanical failure – former leader and reigning series champion Ricky Stenhouse Jr. has dropped to second, 12 points back. And don’t look now but third-place Austin Dillon has crept to within 14 points of the lead.

RCR has won two unified Nationwide Series driver/owner titles with Kevin Harvick and two owner championships with the Nos. 21 and 29 teams.

Logano, 18 Team, Keep Rolling

The Denver Broncos under former head coach Mike Shanahan perfected their offensive blocking scheme so well that many felt any running back could be plugged in and be a 1,000-yard producer. The No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing team has a similar story.

Driver Kyle Busch and crew chief Jason Ratcliff were responsible for 31 wins together from 2008-11 in the No. 18. They won the series championship in 2009 and won the owner title in 2010. Last year the No. 18 finished second by three points to the No. 60 Roush Fenway Racing team.

Although Busch is overseeing his own Nationwide Series team and Ratcliff has moved up to the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, driver Joey Logano and crew chief Adam Stevens together have posted each of the teams’ three wins this year – which have come in the last four races. For good measure, Logano also has another victory, captured in the No. 20 JGR Toyota. For good measure, Logano has another victory, in the No. 20 JGR Toyota.

The No. 18 was sixth in the owner standings after Logano’s first win of the year at Auto Club Speedway. It moved up to third after winning at Talladega and Denny Hamlin’s win at Charlotte in the No. 18 pushed the team past the No. 2 Richard Childress Racing team into first place. Logano’s Dover win has increased the No. 18’s first-place advantage to 34 points.

ETC:

This is the last open week for the series before 16 consecutive weekends of racing, the longest stretch of the season. … Ricky Stenhouse Jr. will be at the CMT Music Awards in Nashville where on Wednesday, June 6 he’ll interview celebrities on the red carpet in addition to attending the event. … Justin Allgaier (who celebrates his 26th birthday on June 6), Austin Dillon, Danica Patrick and Kenny Wallace are Nationwide Series drivers who’ll participate in Tony Stewart’s Prelude to the Dream dirt Late Model race at Eldora Speedway on Wednesday. The annual charity event this year benefits Feed the Children.