Road America Sure To Turn This Series Right, Left And Wild

Road America Sure To Turn This Series Right, Left And Wild

Wild card-type atmosphere, intense competition and one fantastic facility is what lies ahead for the NASCAR Nationwide Series this weekend at Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wis., for the Sargento 200, the first of three road course races on the 2012 schedule.
At 4.048 miles, Road America is the longest track in NASCAR’s national series. It boasts 14 turns on a track with 171 feet of elevation changes. The track alone could be enough to produce a wild card type atmosphere but last season’s race was the diamond in the rough. It had 12 lead changes, third-most all-time in 30 NNS road course events.
In its short, two-race series history, Road America has been long on drama. In the inaugural event in 2010, Carl Edwards won after Jacques Villeneuve’s heartbreak due to a failed alternator just one lap from the finish.
Last year, Reed Sorenson ended up in Victory Lane after leader Justin Allgaier ran out of gas on the final lap of a second green-white-checkered attempt – while running under caution. Ron Fellows was penalized for passing under yellow on that last lap, which he felt was undeserved. Add to that a late-race dispute between Villeneuve and Max Papis, created by an aggressive pass by Villeneuve that spun Papis out of contention, and it was the perfect recipe for an exciting race.

Dillon Bids For Overall Series Title As Rookie

Austin Dillon, the grandson of Richard Childress, could become the first in series history to win the Sunoco Rookie of the Year honors and the series championship in the same season. The previous best overall series finish by a rookie of the year driver contender was second in 2004 by Kyle Busch.
Many people have taken notice of Dillon’s talent. Even NASCAR Hall of Famer Rusty Wallace made a bold prediction during the series pre-race broadcast last weekend at Michigan. "I’m going to go out on a limb right now a say this, I think Austin Dillon is going to win this championship," Wallace said.
Just eight points separate standings leader and Richard Childress Racing teammate Elliott Sadler and second-place Dillon heading into Road America. The teammates have been setting the standard thus far this season; they are tied for the series’ most top-10 finishes with 10 apiece. Both drivers also have season-to-date Driver Ratings of a 100.0+.
Sadler regained the points lead from Ricky Stenhouse Jr. three races ago with a combination of stout runs and Stenhouse’s misfortune, an average finish of 27.6 over the past three races.  2011 NCWTS champion Dillon, 22, has capitalized, like Sadler, on Stenhouse’s hardship. He has posted three top fives in his last five races and also registered his first series Coors Light Pole last Saturday at Michigan, where he finished fifth.
This weekend will be a true test for Dillon, who has no prior road course experience in NASCAR national series competition. Sadler and Stenhouse finished fourth and eighth, respectively, last season at Road America. Sadler also leads the series with a 107.8 pre-race Driver Rating at Road America.

Star-Studded Field Promises Magnificent Competition

 Road course tracks have certain allure for drivers, and when you combine the 4.048-mile Road America with the NASCAR Nationwide Series, the stars seem to align because the fields always are stout with competition.
Highlighting the entry list this weekend are famous international road course specialists like Villeneuve and Ron Fellows from Canada, Papis, who hails from Italy, and Victor Gonzalez Jr. via Puerto Rico. The Brazilian duo from Turner Motorsports, Nelson Piquet Jr. and Miguel Paludo (see Page 4 for more), are also entered during this open week for the NCWTS.
Additionally, Bill Prietzel, a Plymouth, Wis., native whose most extensive experience is in the Mid-American Stock Car Series, will make his NASCAR Nationwide Series debut for R3 Motorsports at Road America. Prietzel, 59, won in ASA competition at Road America and at Daytona in 2006.
But the driver the field should fear most is Kurt Busch. He will travel to and from Sonoma to race his brother Kyle’s No. 54 Monster Toyota this weekend; in his three series road course starts, he has an average finish of 1.6. He has sat on the Coors Light pole in each of his three series road course starts and won from there twice. His series worst road course finish is third. Colin Braun has been tapped to practice the car for Busch while he is in Sonoma as the defending NASCAR Sprint Cup winner there. Busch will only qualify and race the car this weekend.

NASCAR Nationwide Series, Etc.

 Series identity is on full display at Road America, where the NNS will feature group qualifying, rain tires and other inclement-weather equipment, if needed. … Milestone Watch: Sam Hornish Jr. will make his 50th career series start at Road America. … This race will mark Danica Patrick’s second start on an NNS road course but her first NASCAR trip to Road America. She made her NASCAR road course debut last year in Montreal, where she finished 24th. She is currently 11th in the series standings. … Papis has been serving as a driving coach for Dillon this season. Student now meets teacher at Road America.