No. 18 Z-Line Toyota Camry (Kyle Busch) - Photo Credit: Chris Graythen / Getty Images for NASCAR

The driver of the No. 18 Z-Line Designs Toyota Camry for JGR won 10 races in 2008, nine in 2009 and a series-record 13 in 2010. He also helped JGR to Nationwide Series owner titles in 2008, 2009 and 2010, while winning the driver championship in 2009.

Busch has continued his domination in 2011 with no sign of letting up. Last month at Phoenix International Raceway, Busch started from the pole and led all 200 laps en route to victory. He backed that up last week by winning at Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway, where he led his 10,000th lap in Nationwide Series competition.

All this comes despite a few changes to the car Busch drives and the crew he works with.

Busch and crew chief Jason Ratcliff have spent much of the first four races of 2011 figuring out the characteristics of the new-style Nationwide Series car, which is being used in all races in 2011 after being used four times last year – in July at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway, in August at Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn, in September at Richmond (Va.) International Raceway, and in October at Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway.

The new car includes a wider and taller cockpit, a longer wheelbase and a new front section.

While Busch and Ratcliff have quickly begun to master the new car, they’ve done so with some new faces to the Z-Line Designs team.

Longtime car chief Leo Thorson wanted to come off the road at the end of the 2010 season and was moved into the JGR engine shop. He was replaced by former Red Bull Racing employee Charlie Brock, while Todd Brewer joined the No. 18 team after a year working with the No. 20 JGR Sprint Cup crew. Jason Clements, who had been the tire specialist on the Z-Line Designs team, moved to a mechanic position, and the tire specialist role was given to Matt Sauer, who had previously worked for Eddie D’Hondt Motorsports, which is owned by Busch’s spotter, Eddie D’Hondt.

Despite the changes, the success has remained the same and Busch and Ratcliff have their eye on one of the few records they don’t already own. Legendary Mark Martin holds the Nationwide Series record for most career wins with 49 trips to victory lane. Busch trails him by just four races as his win at Bristol was the 45th of his career.

Martin isn’t making it easy, however, as he returned to Nationwide Series competition in 2011 after competing in only one race in 2009 (Richmond in May) and no races in 2010.

The layoff certainly didn’t hurt one of the most respected drivers in the garage as he won at Las Vegas Motor Speedway three weeks ago in his first race in nearly 21 months. He is scheduled to drive in three more Nationwide Series events in 2011, which means a friendly competition for the all-time wins record seems very likely.

Interestingly enough, one of those three remaining races is this week’s Royal Purple 300 at Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, Calif. And considering either Busch or Martin has won the last three Nationwide Series events, there is no reason to think they won’t be in contention at the 2-mile oval.

Busch has won four of the last five Nationwide Series races at Fontana and is hoping to make it five out of six while also continuing to inch closer to Martin’s all-time win record.

In addition to primary sponsor Z-Line Designs, the San Ramon, Calif.-based designer and import manufacturer of ready-to-assemble furniture, Busch’s racecar this week will also feature Fry’s Electronics. Fry’s, which has 34 stores nationwide, was founded in 1985 in Sunnyvale, Calif., and provides a one-stop-shopping environment for the high-tech professional.

Kyle Busch - Photo Credit: John Harrelson / Getty Images for NASCAR

Is the Nationwide Series win record something you are focused on earning?

“No, it’s not a big deal to me to be able to do that. I think it will be once it happens – if it happens. Mark (Martin) and I, we have a little fun on the side, egging each other on a little bit. I talked to him before the race in Vegas and I sent him a text after the race, congratulating him on his win, and said thanks for making it one more. He said, ‘Time is evident.’ It’s on my side, not his side. It’s cool to have that, but I didn’t think about it until I was in victory lane last week at Bristol talking about the pioneers of this sport with Sam Ard and (Tommy) Houston and those guys and then I mentioned Mark Martin’s name and that reminded me of the win battle that we’ve got going on.”

How does it feel to have led more than 10,000 laps in the series?

“It’s big, especially when you’re able to break any kind of series record with the likes of Sam Ard and all the guys who made this series what it is. Kevin Harvick in his heyday, when he was really good – just a couple years ago. Of course, Mark Martin in his time and all the guys – (Larry) Pearson and (Tommy) Houston and all those boys. It’s pretty cool to be able to have led 10,000 laps and to accomplish it during a race we won.”

Why are you so much better than other drivers in this series?

“Good question. I don’t know. I wish there were more opportunities for this on Sunday, really. I think it’s got a lot to do with the guys and Jason (Ratcliff, crew chief) and what kind of product they bring to the racetrack. There’s a lot to be said about what happens at the shop and that’s a true testament to Joe Gibbs Racing. I’m familiar with that now with Kyle Busch Motorsports and what we do over there. I know what these guys go through and what kind of stuff they do on a daily – let alone weekly – basis in order to keep these cars competitive week in and week out.

It’s like J.D. (Gibbs, president of Joe Gibbs Racing) says, ‘If we’re not competitive and we’re not winning races, then we’re not going to be here very long.’ I feel like these guys thrive on success and getting to victory lane. I give all the credit to them, but I would say that, for some reason, the Nationwide cars just suit my style perfectly. I don’t know what it is. I’ve always been really good in the Nationwide cars ever since I started. In my first race, I finished second and I’ve had a lot of great success over the years with Hendrick Motorsports and NEMCO Motorsports and, now, with Joe Gibbs Racing. All in all, it’s fun.”

Jason Ratcliff, Crew Chief of the No. 18 Z-Line Designs / Fry’s Electronics NASCAR Nationwide Series Toyota Camry:

What are your thoughts heading into Fontana?

“I felt like we were pretty good at Las Vegas, so I’m hoping we can take that to California. We’ve made some adjustments in the last couple weeks since Vegas and, hopefully, we’ll be a little bit better at California. We’ve had a lot of good runs out there and brought home a lot of trophies. It’s going to be a lot different with the new car, just like the last four races have been compared to years past. I feel good about it, though. I think we’re getting on a roll with the car and getting to a point where we really understand it. We’re learning how to adjust on it and what it takes to go fast and what it takes to make the driver happy, so I feel good about it.”

Kyle led his 10,000th lap in the Nationwide Series and is closing in on Mark Martin’s all-time win record. How important is it for you to be a part of those records?

“It’s obviously important, but for me, I look at it from standpoint of, you set records and somebody breaks them. Somebody sets another record and someone breaks that record. Just to have the opportunity to go out and get close to those types of records and be a part of that is just incredible. I’m able to do something and be part of a group and work with drivers who are doing things that may stand for a long time, if not forever. There’s only one guy who’s going to get that opportunity and, for that guy to be me, I’ve got to pinch myself every once in a while. I think, ‘How did I get here and what did I do to deserve these blessings?’ So, yeah, it’s important. But, for me, it’s just the opportunity because a lot of guys don’t get an opportunity like this. To be able to get close to a guy like Mark Martin is just incredible. I know it’s important to Kyle because Mark’s obviously one of the best there has ever been.

It’s fun. It seems like every year, for the last two or three years, there has been some type of record. In 2008, Kyle shows up and we’re still trying to build a program and it’s, ‘Hey, let’s go out and win a few races.’ And then we go out and tie Sam Ard’s win record. Then you’re like, ‘Wow, that’s amazing.’ Then, in 2009, it’s, ‘Let’s go out and win a driver championship.’ OK, we got that done. In 2010, it’s, ‘Let’s go for an owner title.’ In the process of that, we break Sam Ard’s record. This year, we’re working with a guy who’s led 10,000 laps.

It’s just always something. Every week, someone brings up a record and I’m, like, ‘I didn’t even know we were close to that.’ It was very interesting to see Mark when he ran at Las Vegas. He’s run about one race in the last two years and Kyle’s closing in on him and Mark goes out and tacks one more on. I thought that was pretty funny. That’s really neat. It makes it that much more special that you’re hunting a guy who’s still putting them on the board. It’s not like he’s laying down. So it’s a lot of fun. For me, like I said, just having the opportunity is an extreme blessing.”

With the new car and some new team members, are you happy with the way this year has started out?

“I really am happy. There are a lot of talented people in this sport. But you’ve got to put together a group of talented people who can work together. That was one of my biggest goals. When Leo (Thorson, former car chief) said, ‘Hey, I want to get off the road,’ – and I knew that was going to happen – I thought, ‘How can I position this team so that if something like this happens again, we can continue to bring guys up and put them in that position?’ I couldn’t do that last year.

But it worked out really well. I came across three guys (Charlie Brock, Matt Sauer and Todd Brewer) who just have come together right away and have a lot of respect for each other. It’s like they’ve been working with us for five years. I’m thrilled. To be able to go through four races and win two with some new guys is great. They have good camaraderie and respect for each other. I was concerned about it. Anytime you change that many people, it doesn’t matter what the talent level is, sometimes you get some personalities that won’t work together and we haven’t see that at all.”

Kyle Busch’s No. 18 Z-Line Designs / Fry’s Electronics Toyota Camry

Chassis No. 18-120: This is a brand new car that has not been on-track previously.

About Z-Line Designs

Based in San Ramon, Calif., Z-Line Designs is an award winning design manufacturer and leading import manufacturer of home office, home entertainment, seating, garage storage systems and home décor ready to assemble (RTA) furniture. In addition, the company also specializes in consumer electronic accessories, flat panel television wall furniture and mounts. Each product is manufactured to the highest industry standards and uses a range of materials from solid American oak, birch and maple to mixed media combinations of wood, metal and glass. Their products can be found at Staples, OfficeMax, Target, Sears, Walmart, Fry’s Electronics, Conn’s and other national retailers. Z-Line has had the honor to receive over 40 design awards and numerous distinguished industry awards. Z-Line Designs is a two-time 2008 and one-time 2007 CES Innovation Award Winner, a two-time winner of the Staples “Best Category Development” Award (2003 & 2005), a two-time winner of the Staples “Vendor of the Year” (2004 & 2009), a seven-time ADEX Award winner (1999, 2003-2007, 2009), a two-time Pinnacle Award winner (2002 & 2005) and a Houseware Design Award winner (2010).

About Fry’s Electronics

Fry’s Electronics, Inc. was founded in 1985 in Sunnyvale, Calif., in a 20,000 square-foot location by the three Fry brothers, John, Randy, and Dave; and Kathy Kolder. Fry’s is a closely-held private company, and all of the founders are actively involved in the daily operation of the business. Fry’s was founded as a Silicon Valley retail electronics store to provide a one-stop-shopping environment for the Hi-Tech Professional. Fry’s continues to keep hi-tech professionals supplied with products representing the latest technological trends and advances in the personal computer marketplace. Fry’s retails more than 50,000 electronic items within each store, now totaling 34. There are eight stores in northern California, nine stores in southern California, eight stores in Texas, two stores in Arizona, two stores in Georgia, and one store each in Illinois, Indiana, Nevada, Oregon and Washington. The stores range in size from 50,000-180,000 square feet. Fry’s also provides customers with added shopping opportunities via its online center at Fry’s.com.

- True Speed Communication Press Release

No. 99 Pastrana Waltrip Racing Toyota Camry - Photo Credit: Chris Graythen / Getty Images for NASCAR

QUOTES

TRUEX ON HIS 2011 NATIONWIDE DEBUT: “I’ll be starting this weekend at Phoenix in the No. 99 and going for 10 races from there. I have the luxury of going over to the Cup garage and listening to my brother (Martin Truex Jr.) and talking to him about things. Being with the Cup team, I can learn a lot from that, and I just go back and forth and learn as much as I can. These next ten races I’m just here to learn as much as I can, get going as fast as I can and hopefully I have some strong runs. We are working to find some more funding to keep going, but ten races in a row is a good deal.”

TRUEX ON TEAMMATE TRAVIS PASTRANA: “We went testing with Travis at New Smyrna and Gresham Motorsports Park. He was just focused on getting laps and we helped him learn the terminology and how to explain what a racecar is doing. He’s obviously already got a lot of talent and he has good car control. He wants to succeed in this business and do everything right. He just needs to go out there and learn, and the best way to do that is to run races. He went out to the Showdown and had the basic goal of just finishing, keeping the car in one piece, and being patient. He did all that and came out of the race with a good finish. If he keeps that up he’ll be doing really good this year.”

TRUEX ON THE NEW NATIONWIDE CAR: “I was able to test the new car a few times over the winter. Me and (Crew Chief) Jerry (Baxter) have been doing a lot of testing and I really like the new car. I think that it’s really fun to drive and you can really man-handle it a lot more and drive it a lot harder than the old car. More than anything it levels the playing field between these teams when you’ve got guys like Gibbs who have dominated with the older cars and we move to the new car and everyone is on the same page basically. Even with the drivers we are all pretty much new to it.”

NOTES OF INTEREST

· Michael Waltrip Racing, Gary and Blake Bechtel and Pastrana own Pastrana-Waltrip Racing that fields Toyota Camrys out of the MWR shop in Cornelius, N.C. The Bechtels have owned cars in the Sprint Cup and Nationwide Series since 1990. The Morgan Hill, Calif. residents’ teams have visited victory lane 10 times in the Nationwide Series.

· Ryan Truex is the only teenager to win back-to-back K&N Pro Series East, titles and he is the first driver to bring a title to Michael Waltrip Racing.

· In 2010, the No. 99 team finished 10th in the NASCAR owners points standings. The team tallied six top-five and 11 top-10 finishes with drivers Bayne, Martin Truex Jr. and Ryan Truex. They also captured three consecutive pole awards with driver Trevor Bayne, tying the record set by Sam Ard, Mark Martin, Waltrip and Jeff Gordon. `

· Truex has made 22 starts in NASCAR’s K&N Pro Series East. He won five races, and has been in the top-10 in 77% of the races he has competed in, earning two consecutive championship titles.

- Pastrana-Waltrip Racing Press Release

Pastrana-Waltrip Racing

The race marks the first Nationwide Series appearance for the newly formed Pastrana-Waltrip Racing team owned by Gary and Blake Bechtel along with Michael Waltrip Racing and action sports star Travis Pastrana. The team will field Toyotas for Pastrana’s seven Nationwide races in 2011 plus races featuring drivers Ryan Truex, Martin Truex Jr. and Waltrip. Saturday’s race marks Waltrip’s 25th career Nationwide race at The World Center of Racing. The 47-year-old Waltrip owns three poles and four second-place finishes at Daytona.

QUOTES

MICHAEL WALTRIP ON RACING THE NATIONWIDE CAR AT DAYTONA: “Having not run the No. 99 in a couple of years I watched it do some cool things on the track. Trevor Bayne sitting on three straight poles last year, Martin Truex Jr., almost winning at Charlotte last fall all those things made me want to be back in it. It made me want to drive it again. So getting to drive at Daytona, a track that I have had a lot of success at, makes it really special. Getting back in the car is going to be cool but since it’s Daytona makes it even more special.”

ON THE NEW NATIONWIDE CAR: “I watched the race in July, and the cars looked amazing. They looked fast and drafting was intense. So I don’t know 100 percent what to expect but I know I liked what I saw. Jerry Baxter (crew chief) had a super fast car in July and that makes me excited. I know that we are going to put a good show on for the fans.”

ON TRAVIS PASTRANA: “Travis Pastrana is a huge star, and people adore him. To have him believe in Michael Waltrip Racing, Gary and Blake Bechtel and have him want to partner with us is awesome. The association between MWR and Travis Pastrana is very positive for our organization. The cool thing is when you meet him you just want to hug him. You want to say, ‘yeah man you’re my partner and I couldn’t be more proud.’ He is just so kind and respectful to his fans. He is the exact model of what I would hope that someone with his following would be. So it’s a privilege to be associated with him.”

NOTES OF INTEREST

· Michael Waltrip Racing, Gary and Blake Bechtel and Pastrana own Pastrana-Waltrip Racing that fields Toyota Camrys out of the MWR shop in Cornelius, N.C. The Bechtels have owned cars in the Sprint Cup and Nationwide Series since 1990. The Morgan Hill, Calif. residents’ teams have visited victory lane 10 times in the Nationwide Series.

· Boost Mobile will sponsor each of Pastrana’s races in 2011.

· Waltrip, Richard Petty and Mark Martin are the only drivers to start more than 1,000 races in NASCAR’s Sprint Cup, Camping World Truck and Nationwide Series.

· Waltrip will appear on SPEED-TV’s live edition of Trackside airing Friday at 6 p.m.

· Waltrip’s book “In the Blink of an Eye” is No. 11 on the New York Times best-seller list.

· In 2010 the No. 99 team finished 10th in the NASCAR owners points standings. The team tallied six top-five and 11 top-10 finishes with drivers Bayne, Martin Truex Jr. and Ryan Truex. They also captured three consecutive pole awards with driver Trevor Bayne, tying the record set by Sam Ard, Mark Martin, Waltrip and Jeff Gordon.

- Pastrana-Waltrip Racing Press Release

Kyle Busch collects his 43rd checkered flag of his NASCAR Nationwide Series career and 13th of the 2010 season after winning the Ford 300 at Homestead-Miami Speedway on Saturday in Homestead, Fla. - Photo Credit: Todd Warshaw/Getty Images for NASCAR

Event: Homestead-Miami Speedway (Round 35 of 35)

Series: NASCAR Nationwide Series

Location: Homestead-Miami Speedway (1.5-mile oval)

Start / Finish: 2nd / 1st (Running, completed 200 of 200 laps)

Winner: Kyle Busch of Joe Gibbs Racing (Toyota)

For the third straight year, Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR) won the NASCAR Nationwide Series owner’s championship. And for the third straight time, it was Kyle Busch who delivered the title.

The driver of the No. 18 Z-Line Designs / BJ’s Wholesale Club Toyota Camry for JGR did it in style too, winning the season-ending Ford 300 at Homestead-Miami Speedway to collect his record-breaking 13th Nationwide Series victory of 2010 and the 43rd of his career. It was another dominant drive, as Busch led seven times for a race-high 153 laps.

“Jason (Ratcliff, crew chief) and the guys prepared a great racecar back in the shop, along with all the chassis guys, the body hangers and the engine group too, that gave us a racecar to come out here and put up front,” said Busch, who ran just 29 of the series’ 35-race schedule, and despite yielding the seat of the No. 18 Toyota to JGR driver Brad Coleman in six races, still finished third in the driver’s points standings. “We qualified second to Joey (Logano, JGR teammate and driver of the No. 20 Toyota) and we were able to prevail and get the job done.”

JGR’s third straight Nationwide Series owner’s title puts the 19-year-old organization in rare company, for only the Bill Baumgardner-owned BACE Motorsports team won three consecutive Nationwide Series owner’s titles from 1995 through 1997 with drivers Johnny Benson (1995) and Randy LaJoie (1996 and 1997).

“It’s a huge deal for us,” said J.D. Gibbs, president of Joe Gibbs Racing. “We won our first owner’s championship two years ago. It’s just a testament to all the guys back in the shop. Even though we don’t have one driver in every race going for a driver’s championship, the owner’s title gives those guys just a notch for them to say, ‘Hey, we were the best this year. We prepared the cars the best, the motors, every aspect.’ It was really kind of gratifying to see our team really appreciate it and enjoy it. That probably meant the most – to watch those guys really make a big deal of it. That makes me feel good. It’s a big deal and all those guys are celebrating right now.”

“It was obviously a tremendous blessing for us to have the opportunity to win another owner’s championship with Kyle and Brad in the car this year. Both of them did an outstanding job,” added crew chief Jason Ratcliff. “It’s very gratifying to come into Homestead and have the kind of run that we had tonight. We were able to close the deal. The guys again, great job on pit road, and the mechanics that turned the wrenches on this car, they did a great job preparing it at the shop. Lot of effort went into this car this week, lot of studying, lot of notes, and it paid off for us in the end.”

The owner’s championship and victory continued a banner weekend for Busch, as he won Friday night’s NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race at Homestead and clinched the owner’s championship for his very own Kyle Busch Motorsports.

“This is a big deal for myself with what happened last night,” Busch said. “Being able to win the owner’s championship in our first year out in the Truck Series – yeah, it’s a stepping-stone division, but it’s still a big deal in what all we’ve gone through as a team. And to come out here tonight and work with Jason Ratcliff all this time, and to win as many races as we have this year and to do it in such a dominating fashion is impressive.”

3 Doors Down Official Merchandise

“I think it’s pretty cool to have the opportunity to go out and race as many times as I’ve been able to race, and to win as often as I’ve been able to,” said Busch, who is currently second on the Nationwide Series all-time victory list, just five shy of Martin’s record of 48 wins. “It’s a great testament to the people that I’m surrounded with.”

Busch now has 86 victories across NASCAR’s top three divisions (Sprint Cup – 19; Nationwide – 43; Camping World Truck – 24).

Finishing .850 of a second behind Busch in the Ford 300’s runner-up spot was Kevin Harvick, while Brad Keselowski, Ricky Stenhouse Jr., and Trevor Bayne rounded out the top-five. Carl Edwards, Logano, Brendan Gaughan, Paul Menard and Jason Leffler comprised the remainder of the top-10.

The race featured 11 caution periods for 49 laps, with 12 failing to finish the 200-lap event.

The 2011 Nationwide Series season kicks off Feb. 19 at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway with live coverage provided by ESPN2.

- True Speed Communication Press Release

No. 18 Z-Line Designs Toyota Camry

Kyle Busch and the No. 18 Z-Line Designs / BJ’s Wholesale Club Toyota Camry for Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR) are one race away from clinching JGR’s third consecutive NASCAR Nationwide Series owner’s championship as they head to Homestead-Miami Speedway for Saturday’s season-ending Ford 300.

After an all-time Nationwide Series-record 12 victories among its 21 top-five and 27 top-10 finishes through the season’s first 34 events, the No. 18 JGR Toyota heads to Homestead with a 41-point lead in the owner’s championship over the second-place No. 22 Penske Racing Dodge of Penske Racing. Brad Keselowski, who drives the No. 22 Dodge full-time, clinched the driver’s title two weekends ago at Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth, but Busch and JGR are looking for a three-peat in the owner’s race on the 1.5-mile oval on Saturday.

To clinch the title, Busch needs to simply finish fifth or better – sixth or better if he leads at least one lap, seventh or better if he leads the most laps. The way the past three seasons have been going, odds are certainly in the No. 18 team’s favor. In the 28 Nationwide events Busch has driven so far this year, he has finished in the top-five 75 percent of the time (21 of 28 races), and he has shattered the series single-season win record of 10 that he shared with Sam Ard by visiting victory lane 12 times in 2010. In terms of laps led, Busch has been at the point for almost 40 percent of all the Nationwide Series laps he’s contested (2,076 of 5,337) this season.

All of that considered, don’t count on Busch to simply cruise around in conservative fashion come Saturday afternoon, trying the safe route to the championship. A year ago this weekend, he arrived at the Homestead finale with a 190-point lead in both the driver and owner championship and both titles all but clinched as he only needed to fire his engine and start the race to be crowned champion. But he and the No. 18 Z-Line Designs team put the ultimate exclamation point on its driver-owner title as Busch led a race-high 73 of 200 laps en route to his ninth race win of 2009. While Busch drove the full Nationwide Series schedule last season, he yielded the driver seat to Brad Coleman at six of this season’s events.

In 2008, it was JGR’s No. 20 Toyota team that clinched the company’s first-ever Nationwide Series owner’s championship at Homestead. With youngster Joey Logano sharing the driving duties with Busch and fellow veterans Tony Stewart and Denny Hamlin, the No. 20 JGR Toyota came to Homestead with a 28-point lead in the owner’s championship over the No. 2 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet of driver’s champion Clint Bowyer and an 84-point lead over the No. 60 Roush Fenway Racing Ford of Carl Edwards. Logano’s solid 10th-place finish in that Homestead race was good enough to clinch the title despite Edwards’ race win and Bowyer’s fifth-place finish.

A third consecutive Nationwide Series owner’s title would make JGR only the second team ever to accomplish the feat. Bill Baumgardner won consecutive series championships from 1995 through 1997 with drivers Johnny Benson (1995) and Randy LaJoie (1996-97).

Consequently but not necessarily coincidentally, Busch can have something to do with three remaining NASCAR championships to be decided at Homestead this weekend. His own first-year Kyle Busch Motorsports team has a 120-point lead in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series owner’s championship standings. And in Sunday’s NASCAR Sprint Cup Series finale, his JGR teammate Denny Hamlin has a 15-point lead in the Chase for the Sprint Cup Championship standings over four-time and defending Sprint Cup champion Jimmie Johnson. Count on Busch to drive with a vengeance in Friday’s Truck Series race, and be the ultimate teammate to Hamlin in Sunday’s Ford 400.

But, sandwiched in-between, he’ll be doing everything he can to elevate JGR’s Nationwide Series program to dynasty status.

Kyle Busch, driver of the No. 18 Z-Line Designs Toyota - Photo Credit: Todd Warshaw/Getty Images

With the Nationwide Series owner’s championship on the line, is it safe to say you are looking forward to racing this weekend at Homestead?

“That track hasn’t been great to me. Last year was good. I’ve run well there in the Truck Series. I won the Nationwide race there last year, and I was running second with a few laps to go and got in the fence and finished eighth (in the Sprint Cup car). Homestead is a fun racetrack. It’s really challenging because, the way the race changes from the beginning to the end from daytime to nighttime, and with the way your car changes from beginning to the end of your runs. You run the bottom, then you go to the top.

You’re always moving around, you’re always thinking. It’s a cool racetrack. The sun is going to play havoc on our eyes getting down into turn one during the race. All in all, I’m looking forward to it and, hopefully, there’s another two NASCAR championships to celebrate down there for myself with Kyle Busch Motorsports in the Truck Series, as well as with Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR) in the Nationwide Series – both owner’s titles – and then, hopefully, helping JGR celebrate the driver-owner (Sprint Cup) championship with Denny Hamlin.”

You won your first race of any kind at Homestead last year in the Nationwide Series. Is that important – to finish off the season strong?

“It meant a lot to win that race last season because it just capped off our season. I didn’t even think about it until much later – that it was my first win there. Carl (Edwards) fought us really hard, but with Jim and Monica Sexton and everyone with Z-Line Designs there rooting us on, I couldn’t have found a better way to finish off my first NASCAR championship. That was a really special day and I hope we can do the same this weekend and bring JGR its third straight owner’s points title.”

This will be the last race for this particular type of racecar as the new Nationwide car takes over full-time in 2011? Do you have a lot of memories of these types of cars?

“For sure. These cars have always been fun to drive, but even more than the cars, in general, it’s the cars that JGR has built for me. I’m not even sure of the exact number, but it’s so fun to drive racecars that are that good, and we’ve won so many races together with this car. There are a few particular chassis, in particular, that we’ve won a lot of races with. It’s really amazing, if you think about it. I know Jason (Ratcliff, crew chief) and all of these guys will get to work as soon as Homestead is done so we can hopefully have that same kind of success with the new car starting next year. I’m looking forward to it.”

Jason Ratcliff, Crew Chief, No. 18 Z-Line Designs / BJ’s Wholesale Club NASCAR Nationwide Series Toyota Camry:

What has this year meant to you as a crew chief, with another championship at stake, with the single-season win record, and everything that’s happened, so far, in 2010?

“For me, really, the last three seasons have been incredible. We set our goals pretty high every year and we’ve exceeded them, for the most part. Coming into this season, we knew it was going to be a good one. One of our goals always is to win the championship, and to have the opportunity to do that with both Kyle (Busch) and Brad (Coleman), I think it would be great. We’re going to try to do at Homestead like we did at the first 34 races, and that is to win.

The win record, that’s huge. We fell a little bit short after Kyle was able to tie it in 2008, which was incredible. It was something we wanted to shoot for again this year. I knew it would be close, but we came out of the box a lot stronger than I even expected at the first of the year, and we jumped out to eight or nine wins pretty quickly. We were hoping for 11 wins. Now, we’re at 12. So, it’s just great. It’s more than we ever could have imagined, and to be a part of it, it’s a dream come true for me. ”

Are you happy with the way the team responded this year after coming off the driver championship last year and knowing that wasn’t going to be a possibility this year with Kyle not driving all of the races like he did last year?

“We knew that last year was our year and we were able to do what we did. Obviously, for Kyle to focus on the Sprint Cup deal this year, the guys were awesome about that. They knew there were going to be six or seven races where we weren’t going to have him in the car this year, and they were going to have to really shift their focus on what it was going to take to get the best finish we can with Brad Coleman.

In all areas, everybody was going to have to do something a little bit different because, obviously, what Brad wants is different than what Kyle wants. You don’t really change your expectations but, at the same time, going out there and doing the best we can with Brad, everybody pulled together as a group and accomplished a lot. At the end of the day, we had several sixth-place finishes, and we had opportunities to run better than that. We even had opportunities to win a couple of times with Brad. It was unfortunate that it didn’t work out, but these guys worked just as hard as they did last year and the year prior and I’m really proud of what they’ve done.”

As the Nationwide Series moves to the new-style car full-time in 2011, how much are you going to miss this current car?

“Tremendously. Nobody wants to be a pessimist, but human nature leads you to resist change, especially when things are going well with what you’ve got. It’s not that I’m not looking forward to it because I like a challenge. I thought we came out of the box pretty decent with the new car at Daytona. Michigan was terrible across the board for what our expectations are as a race team. We got better at Richmond. We got better at Charlotte.

So, I think we’ll be really good next year. We’ve really got our eye on the ball and we really know which way we’re going, now. But I’m going to miss this car. We’ve worked hard to get it where it’s at. Actually, there are people out there who are really looking forward to the new car because the Gibbs guys get to not use this one, anymore. I think those guys are really catching us fast with the new car. From that standpoint, I’m really looking forward to the new car because it gives us an opportunity to jump out there and try to be creative and find an advantage again and give those guys something to chase. We’ll go out and do the best we can with it.”

Do you have a favorite among your stable of current-style chassis?

“Throughout the years, it’s changed. (Chassis No.) 1861 has been really good for everybody who’s sat in it. That’s just been a good racecar. And it’s not like the car is in the same condition it was two years ago when it was winning races. It’s been demolished and we keep rebuilding it. Any other car that gets wrecked like it’s been wrecked so many times, we would just chop it up and throw it away. But this one, we just keep fixing it because it just keeps winning races. Is it coincidence? I don’t know, but it definitely has a good history.

Actually, I’ve got a couple of favorites. The car we ran at Texas (1888) is one of my favorites. It’s a car we built last year. We won the fall race at Texas with it. It’s the car we’ll be taking to Homestead. It’s one of my favorites, as well. It depends on the racetrack. (Chassis) 1861, in its time, was the best intermediate car. I think we’ve improved our intermediate cars, so now I’m taking 1861 to places like Dover, where you still need aero, but you just need a good driving machine. It’s the car we took to Bristol and got our 10th win (of the season) with. It’s still a workhorse and it’ll be the backup car for Homestead. So, just in case something stupid happens, we’ll get the old gold piece out.”

What are the challenges when it comes to setting up for Homestead, being that it’s an odd 1.5-mile racetrack with its long straightaways and big corners?

“Man, it’s so different. Through the years, we’d try to take the same setup from this track or that track – from Texas or Kansas, or is it more like Chicago? What is it? It’s not like any of them. It seems like it takes something a little bit different than all of those tracks. But I think, throughout the season, you can learn something from all of those tracks and apply it to Homestead. And that’s kind of what we’ve done throughout the years.

We’ve just learned, with the new track configuration, what you can do at Homestead to make it better and what you can’t do. It’s not Texas. It’s not Chicago. It’s not Kansas or California. The way the driver has to drive the racetrack and the way the car loads up in the corners is very unique compared to any other track. But, I think we got a grasp on it and I think we’re taking the best car for that track with the tire that Goodyear is bringing.”

Kyle Busch’s No. 18 Z-Line Designs / BJ’s Wholesale Club Toyota Camry

Chassis No. 1888: This car made its debut in May 2009 at Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway, where Busch started second and finished third.

Its only other start in 2009 came in November at Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth, where Busch started sixth and led 179 of 200 laps en route to winning the O’Reilly Challenge. The next time Chassis No. 1888 saw action was last March at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, where Busch started fifth and finished 16th. Busch then drove the car in April at Texas, where he started third and led 153 of 200 laps en route to victory. Brad Coleman then drove No. 1888 in June at Nashville (Tenn.) Superspeedway, where he started second and finished sixth before Busch returned to the cockpit in July at Chicagoland Speedway in Joliet, Ill., where he started eighth and led 110 of 203 laps en route to victory. The last start for this car came two weeks ago at Texas, where Busch started fourth and finished second after leading 107 of 205 laps.

About Z-Line Designs

Based in San Ramon, Calif., Z-Line Designs is one of the nation’s leading designers and import manufacturer of home office, home entertainment furniture and office seating. Their products can be found at Staples, OfficeMax, Target, Sears, Wal-Mart, Fry’s Electronics, Conn’s and other national retailers. The company designs and sources innovative, award-winning home office, home entertainment and home décor furniture in both hi-tech-inspired and traditional designs using a range of materials from solid American oak, birch and maple to mixed media combinations of wood, metal and glass. Z-Line Designs is one of the most unique manufacturers of computer desk systems, computer workstations, computer armoires, file/storage products and a large variety of television, audio and entertainment centers. Z-Line Designs is a two-time 2008 and one-time 2007 CES Innovation Award Winner, a two-time winner of the Staples “Best Category Development” Award (2003 & 2005), a two-time winner of the Staples “Vendor of the Year” (2004 & 2009), a seven-time ADEX Award winner (1999, 2003-2007, 2009) and a two-time Pinnacle Award winner (2002 & 2005). In 2008, the company expanded its entertainment division to include the next generation of full-motion wall mounts and wall furniture systems.

About BJ’s Wholesale Club, Inc.

Headquartered in Natick, Massachusetts, BJ’s Wholesale Club, Inc. is a leading operator of membership warehouse clubs in the Eastern United States. The Company currently employs more than 24,000 Team Members and operates more than 185 Clubs in 15 states from Maine to Florida. BJ’s common stock is listed on the New York Exchange under the symbol “BJ.”

- True Speed Communication Press Release

Kevin Harvick 10th Anniversary Fan Club

“That’s a good comeback for our team,” said Harvick following the race. “We had the issue with the air conditioner catching fire, but once the smoke cleared from the car, everything seemed to be okay. The guys did a great job sticking with the plan and worked hard to get us back in the top five. I have to thank all of the fans. We had a really cool paint scheme on the car to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Kevin Harvick Fan Club. It’s something the fans have asked for for a long time and I hope they enjoyed it.”

Starting the race from the ninth position, Harvick patiently worked his way to the sixth position on lap 20, and as the race continued under a long green-flag run, maintained his position. As teams began to discuss making green-flag pit stops, the first caution waved on lap 70 for a single-car accident, giving teams the opportunity to pit for the first time during the 200-lap event. With the car handling well, the team brought Harvick to pit road for four tires, fuel and no adjustments. A solid stop by the No. 33 team lined Harvick up in the sixth position on the lap 75 restart.

Gaining a position a lap, Harvick took over fourth on lap 77. As the run continued, Harvick radioed the team on lap 86 that the car was a little too tight and on lap 112, the second caution flag of the race waved. Harvick pitted under the caution for four tires, fuel and a wedge adjustment. Another fast stop by the team kept Harvick in the fourth position on the lap 117 restart.

Jumping to second on the restart behind eventual winner Kyle Busch, Harvick quickly slipped back to fourth by lap 120.

As the race appeared to be shaping up to be a quiet, solid day for the No. 33 team, things quickly changed on lap 133 when Harvick suddenly slowed on the track and radioed the team that the car was on fire. As the cockpit of the car filled with smoke, Harvick told the team he thought he had an electrical fire and dropped the window net to release the smoke as he made his way around the bottom line of the race track. Catching a break, the caution flag waved at the same time for a multiple car accident in turn four that put the race under red-flag conditions for clean up. With the fire appearing to be out, the smoke out of the car and everything working properly, the team made the call to bring Harvick to pit road on lap 137 for four tires and fuel, as well as to check the car over and rehook the window net. Following the stop, Harvick restarted the race 15th on lap 141 with 17 cars on the lead lap.

Mired in the middle of the field, Harvick began to work his way through traffic and was scored in the 13th position on lap 160 when the caution again waved for a multi-car incident. Opting to pit for the final time, the team made a routine stop four tires and fuel, maintaining their position in the field. Harvick restarted from the 13th position on lap 165.

With the laps winding down, Harvick moved into 10th on lap 166 and with five laps remaining in the race, moved into the fifth spot. Holding on to his position, Harvick crossed the finish line solidly in fifth.

Busch recorded his 11th Nationwide Series win of the season, making history as he passed Sam Ard for the most wins in a single season. Joey Logano finished second followed by Carl Edwards and Reed Sorenson.

About Kevin Harvick Inc.:

Kevin Harvick Inc. (KHI), established in 2001 by Kevin and DeLana Harvick, is an 80,000 sq. ft. facility located in Kernersville, N.C. Home of the 2009 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series championship team, KHI enters 2010 in its seventh full year of competition with two full-time Truck Series teams and one full-time Nationwide Series team. Four-time Truck Series champion Ron Hornaday returns to the helm of the No. 33 Truck team looking for his fifth title and third championship for KHI (2009 and 2007), while Sprint Cup series stars Kevin Harvick and Elliott Sadler guide the No. 2 Truck team. Two-time NASCAR Nationwide Series champion Harvick will again shine as the lead driver of the No. 33 Nationwide Series team as he continues to make his mark in motorsports and establish KHI as one of the top teams in NASCAR competition. For more information about KHI and its teams, please visit www.KevinHarvickInc.com.

- Kevin Harvick Inc. Press Release

Toyota Motorsports

Dover International Speedway – September 25, 2010

- Kyle Busch made NASCAR Nationwide Series (NNS) history when he won Saturday’s race at Delaware’s Dover International Speedway by becoming the all-time single-season race winner with 11 total victories.

- Busch led a race-high 192 (of 200) laps en route to his 30th NNS win behind the wheel of a Camry and 41st of his career.

- Busch has earned the most victories in a Toyota with 60 total Toyota wins in 229 starts (15 NSCS wins, 30 NNS wins and 15 NCWTS wins).

- Joey Logano started from the pole and led once for three laps at the one-mile oval, before finishing second to his Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR) teammate, Busch.

- Camry drivers Reed Sorenson (fourth), Trevor Bayne (sixth) and Jason Leffler (eighth) also had top-10 finishes at Dover.
Other Toyota drivers in the field included Steve Wallace (12th), Brian Scott (13th), Michael Annett (15th), Brendan Gaughan (16th) and Josh Wise (39th).

- Nine Toyota drivers are in the top-15 in the unofficial NNS driver points following Dover – Busch (third), Bayne (seventh),
Wallace (eighth), Leffler (ninth), Logano (10th), Gaughan (11th), Annett (12th), Sorenson (13th) and Scott (14th).

KYLE BUSCH, No. 18 NOS Energy Drink Toyota Camry, Joe Gibbs Racing

Finished: 1st

How strong was your race car today?

“I can’t say enough about the guys on this team – Joe Gibbs Racing guys do a phenomenal job. NOS Energy Drink, Z-Line
Designs, this Camry was flawless and really, really good. Unfortunately there at the end, I don’t know what happened, I don’t know if we had a wheel loose or what was going on. It started vibrating and shaking real bad. I wasn’t imagining things, it did happen.

That was worrying me quite a bit. I have to thank Gillette and Nationwide Insurance, of course Combo’s, Marquis Jets and all the guys that have made this thing possible. It’s really fun to come out here and love running these cars and winning with Jason Ratcliff and all these boys.”

What does it mean to break the single season win record in the Nationwide Series?

“It’s pretty spectacular to be associated with these guys and have these guys win with me. Leo’s (Thorson, car chief) here, it’s his first time in victory lane. I told him if I ever break 10 wins, you’re coming to victory lane. Sure enough, we did today and it’s cool to get a guy like that who for some reason just doesn’t like to come celebrate and says, ‘That’s what we’re here to do, we’re here to win races and not to celebrate’ Tonight we’re going to celebrate.”

Do you feel this win today will help you possibly win tomorrow’s Sprint Cup race?

“I’m certainly hoping that it pays due tomorrow too with our Interstate Batteries Camry. It was pretty good in practice.
Unfortunately, we’re kind of battling back and forth between tight and loose a little bit. Dave (Rogers, crew chief) and I were really communicating well on talking about things and really trying to strategize what we’re going to do. Learned quite a bit here today with this thing so I’ll take that knowledge and go back to Dave with it and talk to him tonight to see what we can work on to try to make sure that thing gets to victory lane.”

Did you consider pitting at the end of the race for the vibration?

“There was, for a second. I was like, ‘Man, what’s more important, this win right here for number 11 or a Cup championship.’ If it was a left-rear wheel and it would have fell off going into the corner, you would have one wail of a hit. These guys do a great job and they gave me awesome pit stops today so I can’t imagine that’s what it was. It would have been fun to come out here and race Joey (Logano) like that and to put on a good show in front of the fans and have him close in at the end. I know everybody was probably hoping he could have got me, but we stayed there today.”

Where does this record stack up to your other records in the series?

“It’s very cool and very fitting to come out here and beat one of the greats in Sam Ard and be able to put my win up there as number 11 – the most of all-time in a season. We still have more races to go. I’m looking forward to more wins, hopefully. This is the first time that we got one of the guys on our team to victory lane – he’s got superstitions or something. I told him that win number 11 he had to come to victory lane so he’s here today.”

How does this record compare to the sweep at Bristol Motor Speedway?

“It’s all good. You can’t really compare all of them. The first win I ever had in the Cup Series is big. The first win in Nationwide that I ever had is always cool. Every win that you get is always something else that you can just rack up and keep putting up on the shelf and keep adding your name to the record books with. For me, it’s all about going out there and trying to do it week in and week out and next week’s another week.”

Are you ever amazed at all the accomplishments you have at the age of 25?

“Not really. For myself, I like to go out there and come to think I could win every weekend. There’s those weekends that you don’t win and you’re a little disappointed and something didn’t go your way or you made a mistake or things happen on pit road. For where I am and where this team is this year and what we’ve been able to accomplish, I’m very fortunate to be where I’m at and couldn’t be happier for myself, for Jason (Ratcliff, crew chief) and all the guys at Joe Gibbs Racing that has been a part of this and has made this happen.”

What does it mean to break the record held by Sam Ard?

“It’s very special. Sam (Ard) is a great individual and was a great driver in his time. For myself to come out and be able to compete at that level and get as many wins in a season is hard enough to do. For where Sam Ard was in his day and for where we are today, I feel like a lot has changed in this sport and of course, it’s always challenging to go out there and get a win on a given weekend. For us to win 11 this year is very, very special to me and that’s why I say it should be so special to Jason (Ratcliff, crew chief) and all these guys on the team because they were all a part of it.”

JASON RATCLIFF, crew chief, No. 18 NOS Energy Drink Toyota Camry, Joe Gibbs Racing

What does this day mean to you?

“This has been one day that we’ve been waiting for. Everybody’s worked extremely hard. There are so many people, I can’t thank them all. It would take me all night. Great group at Joe Gibbs Racing, the 18 team – the road crew, the pit crew, the engine shop, just everybody has a part of this and these 11 wins that we’ve been able to accomplish so far. I know it’s a huge accomplishment for Kyle (Busch). I’m really thankful to be a part of that. Great car today. We worked on it in practice and we felt like, looking back at our notes from last year, we knew what direction we needed to go, where we needed to end practice to be good for the day.

The car took off really good and I think that was our strong suit, that we were really good in the first 20 laps of a run. Once you get the first 20 laps under your belt, then the guys may close in on you, but not enough to get up there and pass you. Great job on pit road, we made some adjustments. We had a scare there on the last stop, after the big caution that threw debris all over the race track, we felt like we needed to pit and make sure that we didn’t have a flat. We had a right-rear tire on the wall and we were fixing to put on the car and all of the sudden we noticed that it had a slow leak in it. We had to regroup really quick and put a set of scuffs on the right side and adjust some air pressures, trying to figure out what that was going to do to the car. It worked out, great day, again great day by Kyle and great accomplishment for all of us.”

JOEY LOGANO, No. 20 GameStop Toyota Camry, Joe Gibbs Racing

Finished: 2nd

Did it take some time for your car to come around in the race?

“It took us a while, as usual, to take off on the restart. I don’t know why, the last few races we just don’t take off on restarts good.

We give them a big lead and we try to make that up and that makes it impossible. I think everyone saw in the last few laps there, we were coming. We had a shot at it, just a little too late, again. It kind of stinks, but the guys did a good job adjusting the car and I think we were a third-place car most of the race and we got up to second and maybe a first-place car there at the end. Good pit stops that kept us up there when we needed it. We’re second and that stinks, but it’s better than third. We’ll move on with it.”

REED SORENSON, No. 32 Dollar General Toyota Camry, Braun Racing

Finished: 4th

How was your race today?

“It was a pretty smooth day. We had a fast car, we qualified good and ran really good all day — real consistent. We had the same problem all day and the first stop we weren’t able to do what we wanted to do and then after that we got it better and just needed a whole other step. Everybody on the Dollar General team did a great job, the pit crew did great and a nice top-five finish for us. We were just loose all day. We got it better, but we needed another step to what we did. We did everything we could and just needed a longer race.”

How did your race car perform on the long runs in the race?

“I liked my car a lot on long runs. I felt like that first long run, we passed the 22 (Brad Keselowski) and my car felt really good at that point. I was kind of hoping that we would be able to stick with them a little bit better on the get-go and I knew we had a good enough car at the end. We’ll just get a little bit better and come back.”

TREVOR BAYNE, No. 99 Out! Pet Care Toyota Camry, Diamond-Waltrip Racing

Finished: 6th

JASON LEFFLER, No. 38 Great Clips Toyota Camry, Braun Racing

Finished: 8th

STEVE WALLACE, No. 66 5-Hour Energy Toyota Camry, Rusty Wallace Racing

Finished: 12th

BRIAN SCOTT, No. 11 BigSpot.com Toyota Camry, Braun Racing

Finished: 13th

MICHAEL ANNETT, No. 15 Germain.com Toyota Camry, Germain Racing

Finished: 15th

BRENDAN GAUGHAN, No. 62 Snap On Toyota Camry, Rusty Wallace Racing

Finished: 16th

JOSH WISE, No. 10 Iron Horse Jeans Toyota Camry, Braun Racing

Finished: 39th

- Toyota Motorsports Press Release

No. 99 OUT! Pet Care Toyota Camry

TREVOR BAYNE QUOTES

SEVENTH PLACE IN STANDINGS: “It’s cool to work our way up to seventh after the rough start we had in February. We’ve had a lot of ups and downs. We started the season off with a 41st-place finish at Daytona and just struggled until about May. Before that we struggled to get the finishes we deserved. Now, I think we’ve figured out how to run in the top five each week and finish. Our next step is to figure out that little bit extra to win a race. Hopefully, we’ll do that this weekend in Dover and get us closer to the top five in the standings.”

Trevor Bayne

I remember in the East Series cars we were almost wide open during qualifying and the Nationwide cars aren’t that far off. One thing Martin (Truex Jr.) told me was to make sure you get to the throttle wide open. If you have to get to the gas easy and wait on the car a little off the corners you will get your butt kicked at Dover.”

NOTES OF INTEREST

· Bayne will participate in an autograph session on Saturday from 8:30-9:30 a.m. at the Dover International Speedway FanZone.

· Gary and Blake Bechtel along with Michael Waltrip Racing own Diamond-Waltrip Racing that fields Toyota Camrys out of the MWR shop in Cornelius, N.C. The Bechtels have owned cars in the Sprint Cup and Nationwide Series since 1990. The Morgan Hill, California residents’ teams have visited victory lane 10 times in the Nationwide Series.

· Bayne owns only one Nationwide Series start on the one-mile concrete oval in Dover. On May 15, he started 23rd and raced well before a late race incident left him with a 29th-place finish. Bayne started third and finished 21st in the Sept. 19, 2008 NASCAR K&N Pro Cup East Series race at Dover.

· Bayne is the second highest series-only regular in the driver point standings.

· Only Bayne, Michael Waltrip, Jeff Gordon, and Sam Ard have notched three consecutive Nationwide poles. Bayne won poles at St. Louis, Indianapolis and Iowa in July.

· Bayne owns 42 NNS starts. He has four poles (Indianapolis –2009, 2010, Gateway—2010 and Iowa 2010), five top-fives and 10 top-10s and has led 129 laps. His best finish (third) came at Gateway International Raceway on July 17 and at Richmond International Raceway on September 10.

- Diamond-Waltrip Racing Press Release

No. 21 Zaxby's Chevrolet Impala - Photo Credit: Getty Images for NASCAR

Race: Great Clips 300

Location: Atlanta Motor Speedway

Richard Childress Racing

Richard Childress Racing at Atlanta… In 22 NASCAR Nationwide Series starts at Atlanta, Richard Childress Racing has earned two wins, six top-five finishes, ten top 10s and one pole. Both of the organization’s wins at the 1.5-mile track came with Jeff Burton behind the wheel in 2007 and 2006. Burton is also RCR’s lone Atlanta pole winner (2008). In the last three years, RCR has fielded nine entries, earning six top-five finishes and seven top 10s.

Averages … RCR boasts an average start position of 12.6 and an average finish position of 13.1 among all NNS races the organization has contested at Atlanta. RCR drivers have completed 97.1 percent of the laps attempted at the short track (4292 of 4418 laps), with 175 laps led.

Twitter … To keep up-to-date with the latest news and information and to view exclusive content, visit RCR’s NASCAR Nationwide Series team Twitter page – @RCR21NNS.

Catch the Action … Flag-to-flag coverage of the Great Clips 300 will be televised live on Saturday, September 4, beginning at 6:30 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time on ESPN2 and on the Performance Racing Network and Sirius XM Satellite Radio.

Clint Bowyer

This Week’s Zaxby’s Chevrolet at Atlanta … Clint Bowyer will drive Chassis No. 082 in Saturday’s Great Clips 300. This chassis was built in-house by the RCR team this season, competing in the Tech-Net Auto Service 300 in May at Charlotte Motor Speedway, where Clint Bowyer drove this car to a 10th-place finish after starting 26th. This same chassis was also raced in the Meijer 300 presented by Ritz at Kentucky Speedway in June, where Scott Riggs piloted the No. 21 Zaxby’s Chevrolet to a ninth-place finish after starting fifth.

Meet Gere Kennon … Gere Kennon will serve as crew chief for the No. 21 Zaxby’s Chevrolet this weekend. No stranger to the Nationwide Series, Kennon owns a total of 25 Nationwide Series wins with drivers Sam Ard, Ron Hornaday and Kenny Wallace, and won back-to-back championships with Ard in 1983 and 1984. Kennon, the fulltime crew chief for Tim George Jr. in the ARCA Racing Series, will travel to the DuQouin State Fairgrounds in Illinois following Saturday’s NNS race for Monday’s Southern Illinois 100 presented by Federated Car Care at the DuQuoin State Fairgrounds, the final of two dirt track races on the 2010 ARCA schedule.

Bowyer at Atlanta … In five previous NNS starts at Atlanta, Bowyer has one top-10 finish. The Emporia, Kans., native boasts an average start position of 11.6 and a 16th-place average finish. He has never posted a DNF in NNS competition at the track and has placed as high as sixth place.

Double Duty … Following Saturday’s Great Clips 300, Bowyer will compete in Sunday’s Emory Healthcare 500 race at Atlanta in the No. 33 BB&T Chevrolet. The race airs live on ESPN at 7:30 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time and will be broadcast on the Performance Racing Network and Sirius XM Satellite Radio beginning at 6:30 p.m. EDT.

CLINT BOWYER QUOTES

What are your expectations for Saturday?

“I think we’re going to have a good race. I love evening races, especially at a fast mile-and-a-half like Atlanta. It’s been a good track for me over the years. Heading into this Nationwide Series race, we have minimal pressure because we’re not really running for points. We can just go into the event, race hard and try to win.”

What kind of a track is Atlanta?

“Atlanta is fast, the fastest track on the schedule, but oddly enough, the sensation of speed isn’t all that noticeable because the track is so big. You can race all over the race track, from the white line to the wall, and still be competitive. It’s a fun track, and I think the strength of our ECR engine program will be especially helpful to us this weekend.”

- Richard Childress Racing Press Release

Date: Aug. 20, 2010

Event: Food City 250 (Round 24 of 35)

Series: NASCAR Nationwide Series

Location: Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway (.533-mile oval)

Start / Finish: 3rd / 1st (Running, completed 250 of 250 laps)

Winner: Kyle Busch of Joe Gibbs Racing (Toyota)

Kyle Busch poses for the crowd at Bristol Motor Speedway after winning the Food City 250, his 10th victory of the season. - Photo Credit: Todd Warshaw / Getty Images

The two combatants were the class of the field, with Keselowski leading three times for 62 laps and Busch leading three times for a race-high 116 laps. Keselowski held the point from lap 162 to 218, but after doggedly pursuing the championship leader, Busch finally made his way past Keselowski in between turns one and two. But as soon as Busch’s No. 18 Z-Line Designs machine got in front of Keselowski on the backstretch, the nose of Keselowski’s Dodge nudged the rear bumper of Busch’s Toyota, sending Busch scraping along the wall. Busch never let off the throttle and quickly snuck in behind Keselowski as they entered turn three, and just before turn four, Busch reached Keselowski and nosed his Toyota into the back of Keselowski, sending him spinning, with the rear of Keselowski’s Dodge contacting the outside wall.

Busch motored on, and with the exception of two late-race restarts where he was briefly challenged by Elliott Sadler, Busch checked out to collect his second Nationwide Series win at Bristol.

“I raced and raced and raced him (Keselowski), I don’t know for 12, 15 laps, and my Z-Line Designs Camry was pretty awesome tonight,” said Busch, who is two for two this week at Bristol, as he won Wednesday night’s NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race at the .533-mile oval and has a chance to go three for three if he scores a win in Saturday night’s NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race. “I thought I had him cleared on the back and I moved up in front of him, and instead of him doing an Earnhardt crossover move he decided that he would just run into the back of me and put me in the fence. So, that’s Brad Keselowski. So, you know, I went down into the next corner and dumped him. He does it to everybody else. Why can’t I do it to him?”

Kyle Busch celebrates his NASCAR Nationwide Series Food City 250 victory at Bristol Motor Speedway two days after winning the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race at the track. Photo Credit: John Harrelson / Getty Images for NASCAR

“It was a pretty good race for us,” Busch said. “We had trouble in practice trying to get the car exactly the way I wanted it. We were close, but Jason (Ratcliff, crew chief) worked really hard with the guys to try and make sure that we had a winning car here tonight. We were swinging things at it all day. We came up with a good combination there for the race. It was a little too loose all night, but I kept trying to move my line around and try to find something that would work for me, and I was able to do that a little bit. Had good pit stops and just being able to keep our track position all night really helped us so we didn’t have to pass too much. Just getting up there at the end and being able to set sail when it mattered most and get to victory lane.

“I can’t thank Z-Line Designs enough and Jim and Monica Sexton – they’re awesome. It’s fun to come over here and race. I enjoy it, and of course it’s cool to put this 18 car in victory lane.”

Busch’s 116 laps led marked the 19th race where he’s led at least one lap this season. His 2010 laps-led tally stands at an impressive 1,492. The only race where he’s failed to lead a lap came last Saturday at Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn, where he still finished third. Busch broke the series record for laps led in June at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Loudon, where he led six times for a race-high 125 laps en route to the win. The previous record-holder was Martin with 8,082 laps led. With his win at Bristol, Busch pushed his laps-led total to 8,729.

Chassis No. 1861 – the car Busch used in Friday night’s win – is responsible for 1,049 of those laps. It is a workhorse that debuted in 2007 and in 16 career starts has notched eight victories – three at Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, Calif., two at Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth and one each at Kansas Speedway in Kansas City, Dover (Del.) International Speedway and Bristol.

“This car has won everywhere. This baby, it’s an awesome race car,” said Busch about the racecar that has won at every style of track except a road course and a restrictor-plate track.

Despite not running the full Nationwide Series schedule, Busch remained third in the championship standings, 434 points behind Keselowski. Busch sat out a string of standalone events in June at Nashville (Tenn.) Superspeedway, Kentucky Speedway in Sparta and Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wis., as well as the series’ July stop at Gateway International Raceway in Madison, Ill.

While Busch is not running the full Nationwide Series schedule, JGR’s No. 18 Toyota is competing for the owner’s title. It maintained its spot atop the standings, increasing its advantage to 73 points over the No. 22 car of Penske Racing. JGR has won the past two Nationwide Series owner’s championships.

Jason Leffler finished .798 of a second behind Busch in the runner-up spot, while Sadler, Dale Earnhardt Jr., and Carl Edwards rounded-out the top-five. Trevor Bayne finished sixth, with Clint Bowyer, Reed Sorenson, Parker Kligerman and Busch’s JGR teammate Joey Logano comprising the remainder of the top-10.

There were eight caution periods for 48 laps, with 11 drivers failing to finish.

The next event on the Nationwide Series schedule is the Aug. 29 NAPA Auto Parts 200 at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve road course in Montreal. Brad Coleman will pilot the No. 18 Toyota while Busch takes the weekend off. The race starts at 2:30 p.m. EDT with live coverage provided by ESPN beginning with its pre-race show at 2 p.m.

- True Speed Communication Press Release

Toyota Motorsports

Bristol Motor Speedway – August 20, 2010

- Kyle Busch tied the record for most series victories in a single season, winning his 10th NASCAR Nationwide Series (NNS)
race of the season Friday night at Bristol Motor Speedway. Busch previously tied Sam Ard (1983) for the record in 2008.
The win marks the 50th NNS victory for Toyota since joining the series in 2007, and the first at the half-mile oval.

- Jason Leffler (second), Trevor Bayne (sixth), Reed Sorenson (eighth) and Joey Logano (10th) also earned top-10 finishes for Toyota. Camry drivers Michael Annett (18th), Brendan Gaughan (21st), Brian Scott (25th), Steve Wallace (30th) and Kasey Kahne (37th) were also in the field.

- Toyota drivers Busch (third), Wallace (seventh), Bayne (eighth), Leffler (ninth), Gaughan (10th), Logano (11th), Annett (12th), Scott (13th) and Sorenson (14th) are in the top-15 in the unofficial NNS point standings after 24 of 35 races.

Kyle Busch celebrates his NASCAR Nationwide Series Food City 250 victory at Bristol Motor Speedway two days after winning the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race at the track. Photo Credit: John Harrelson / Getty Images for NASCAR

Finishing Position: 1st

How was your race tonight?

“It was a pretty good race for us. We had trouble in practice trying to get the car exactly the way I wanted it. We were close, but Jason (Ratcliff, crew chief) worked really hard with the guys to try and make sure that we had a winning car here tonight. We were swinging things at it all day. We came up with a good combination there for the race. It was a little too loose all night, but I kept trying to move my line around and try to find something that would work for me and I was able to do that a little bit. Had good pit stops and just being able to keep our track position all night really helped us so we didn’t have to pass too much. Just getting up there at the end and being able to set sail when it mattered most and get to victory lane.

What happened with Brad Keselowski during the race?

“I raced and raced and raced him (Brad Keselowski) and I don’t know for 12, 15 laps and my Z-Line Camry was pretty awesome tonight. The guys did a great job. It was loose, but it was good. I thought I had him cleared on the back and I moved up in front of him and instead of him doing an Earnhardt crossover move he decided that he would just run into the back of me and put me in the fence. So, that’s Brad Keselowski. So, you know, I went down into the next corner and dumped him. He does it to everybody else.

Why can’t I do it to him? So, whatever. It don’t matter. Jim and Monica (Sexton) are awesome. I can’t thank Z-Line Designs enough. Toyota, NOS Energy Drink, Marquis Jets, Gillette and Nationwide Insurance for supporting the series. It’s fun to come over here and race and I enjoy it, and of course it’s cool to put this 18 car in victory lane.”

How do continue to win races after having frustrating nights?

“You just keep working. Yeah, you can be frustrated all day long. You can be mad at yourself all day long, but you just keep digging, you keep your focus forward and you keep working as hard as you can, and that’s all that I could do. I tried and tried and tried lap after lap to stay clean with Brad (Keselowski) and I finally had him almost cleared — yeah I slid up in front of him — that’s a slide job and then he ran into the back of me and put me in the wall. So, I said forget it man, you play that game and I’ll play it back. So, I dumped him.”

Kyle Busch poses for the crowd at Bristol Motor Speedway after winning the Food City 250, his 10th victory of the season. - Photo Credit: Todd Warshaw / Getty Images

“That’s pretty cool. I forgot all about that. It didn’t matter to me. What’s more special is this car and this is (chassis) 61. This car has won now that a half-mile, a three-quarter mile, a mile, a mile and a third, mile and a half — I don’t think there are any mile and three quarters, but it’s won at a two-mile race track as well. So, it’s won everywhere. This baby, it’s an awesome race car.”

How good does it feel to win this race?

“It’s pretty awesome — to be with this race team. These guys will stick behind me through anything. So, do what you want. We were having fun and this Z-Line Designs Camry was awesome tonight. I can’t thank the guys enough. Jason (Ratcliff, crew chief) and all of the guys here at JGR (Joe Gibbs Racing) that did a great job for me. It was fun. It was really, really loose tonight. I was barely hanging on, but we were able to prevail, get out front and win this thing.”

How important is getting the 11th win and breaking the record for wins in a single season?

“It’s pretty awesome. To me, it’s cool to have the opportunity. We’ve got, I don’t know, eight, nine, 10 more races left or whatever it is to get the opportunity to do it. Hopefully luck can fall our way and we can get number 11. Number 11 is going to be pretty special because for one, it’s never been done before. For two, it brings one of our crew members that has never been to victory lane before to victory lane.

I’ve mentioned it before, Leo Thorsen, the car chief on our car for some reason just doesn’t like coming to victory lane, but I told him on win number 11 when I break the record for most wins and you’re a part of it, I said, ‘You’re coming to victory lane and getting your picture taken and hanging it up on the wall for your kids to see he was a part of it.’ Kevin Grubb, the engine tuner, he was with Sam (Ard) back when Sam won 10 so it’s pretty cool to have him here now. Three seasons he’s been able to do it.”

What would it mean to win all three races at Bristol this weekend?

“I just hope that I have a good enough race car to do it. I feel like we worked really hard today — Dave (Rogers) and myself. We didn’t quite find the things that I wanted in the car, but we kind of heard over the radio a lot of people scanning that were saying the same things that I was. I couldn’t quite get the car to react the way that I wanted it to from when I won here in the past, but hopefully that’s just a tendency of this tire and everybody is kind of fighting that.

It’s going to be difficult, but coming down to decision time at the end of the race, if you’ve got an opportunity to do it and it’s a once in a lifetime opportunity as we’ve seen. I haven’t been able to get it done yet. I’ve been close a few times, but it seems like the last one is always the hardest one to get. You never know what happens.

It’s 500 laps of racing at Bristol under the lights so we could have something bad happen early on and be done right there.
If we can get to the end of the race and have a shot, I wouldn’t want anything other than that and to take that Doublemint Camry to victory lane would be pretty special. To do the triple here at Bristol, where no one has ever done it ever in NASCAR I think would be cool too.”

JASON RATCLIFF, crew chief, No. 18 Z-Line Designs Toyota Camry, Joe Gibbs Racing

What are some of the things you encountered on pit road tonight?

“We spent a lot of time adjusting on this car today in practice and threw a lot of things at it. These guys worked their tales off. Never really could find what we needed to get the car right and made a few changes before the race and we jumped the fence obviously a little bit. Got it a little too free. First pit stop, tightened it up a little bit and it looked like it was exactly what we needed. The car just seemed to get better, the lap times got better the longer you went and then in the last pit stop, made no adjustments.

Just put a set of tires on it and I don’t know if it was track conditions or just that set of tires, but that thing got free again. Thankfully, it was a long run. I was hoping that typically when you have cautions here and the tires cycle every time you restart the car is a little bit tighter so I was hoping for a few cautions there to see if the cycles would tighten the car up and it worked out. Kyle (Busch) did a great job, obviously.

This place — you’ve got to be fast, but you’ve got to come through lapped traffic here. I was amazed at how he came
through lapped traffic tonight. The win was neat, but to watch him come through five, six cars it’s just incredible. Great job by him and great job by these guys and to finally get a win here at Bristol — this place, I’m not going to say it has haunted us — but we just haven’t been able to close the deal here. We’ve had some really good cars in the past and to finally get that is great, and for it to be the 10th one of the season is even more special.”

Jason Leffler

Finishing Position: 2nd

How was your run tonight?

“It was really strong. My car was really good off the trailer. Eddie Pardue (crew chief) and everybody at Braun Racing did a great job. The FOE (Fraternal Order of Eagles) was good. First lap on the track I knew we were going to have a good day. We just fine- tuned it and qualified top-10 — sixth there — and ran pretty good. Pit stops were a little bit slow — I shouldn’t say they were slow — we lost a few spots there. Track position was really important here at Bristol, but on the long run my car really hauled butt. That was good. And then the last couple of restarts worked out really well for me where I was able to restart on the outside line which helped a lot. It’s easy to get pinched down here, but the racing is great here at Bristol.”

What was the key to your second-place finish tonight?

“The restarts worked out. We got on the outside line there the last couple of restarts. The FOE (Fraternal Order of Eagles) Camry was really fast all day so it was good to come home second. I just cut it a little short there. The 18 (Kyle Busch) and the 20 (Joey Logano) are really fast cars and trying to keep up with them, but it was fun racing. A lot of fun all night. I’ve got to thank all of the fans for coming out. This is a great place and we’ll build upon this and get a couple more finishes and maybe get a win sometime this year.”

Are you going to try to pitch to change your number from 38 to 10 full-time since you had better luck?

“We were talking about that — the 38 has some bad luck whether Kasey (Kahne) drives it or I drive it, it seems like something happens. Every time I get in this 10 car we run good, we run top-five. I don’t know. We need to do something there. For us, we just change the number. I keep the same crew and everything so you can’t really blame the crew for the bad luck. It’s got to be in the number.”

Trevor Bayne

Finishing Position: 6th

Are you happy with a sixth-place finish at your home track?

“Not bad. We finally got a good finish at Bristol. We got a sixth-place finish. This team has so much momentum. When we finish sixth now we feel like it’s a 15th back in the day. We’re like, ‘Man, we’re so ready to get into the top-three or victory lane.’ It was an awesome Out! Pet Care Toyota today. A little bit tight and that’s what we fought all day. It seemed like we dropped back quite a bit, but we got through the field at the end and got a sixth-place finish.”

Reed Sorenson

Finishing Position: 8th

How was your race tonight?

“We were average all night. We weren’t that great and I thought the middle of the race was probably our best and then there at the end we got a couple things of damage that hurt us a little bit so it was okay overall. It was a decent top-10. We just need to figure out how to get a little bit better.”

JOEY LOGANO, No. 20 GameStop Toyota Camry, Joe Gibbs Racing

Finishing Position: 10th

MICHAEL ANNETT, No. 15 Germain.com Toyota Camry, Germain Racing

Finishing Position: 18th

BRENDAN GAUGHAN, No. 62 Snap-On Toyota Camry, Rusty Wallace Racing

Finishing Position: 21st

BRIAN SCOTT, No. 11 AccuDoc Solutions Toyota Camry, Braun Racing

Finishing Position: 25th

STEVE WALLACE, No. 66 5-hour Energy Toyota Camry, Rusty Wallace Racing

Finishing Position: 30th

Kasey Kahne rides along the wall after an accident with Justin Allgaier and Trevor Bayne during the Food City 250 at Bristol Motor Speedway. - Photo Credit: Rusty Jarrett / Getty Images for NASCAR

Finishing Position: 37th

What happened to take you out of the race?

“I was on the outside and had no more room and I guess the 12 (Justin Allgaier) didn’t know I was there or he got pushed up — I don’t know, I haven’t seen it. I was just kind of there and once he put me in the wall I was up on the wall and slid down the front straight away until it came to a stop. I just stayed there for a little bit. It’s kind of like spinning out, but you’re on your side. We were fast.

The Great Clips Toyota was really good. It’s disappointing because we’ve always had real fast cars here.”

- Toyota Motorsports Press Release

HUNTERSVILLE, N.C. (Aug. 12, 2010) – It’s no secret that Kyle Busch has been quite successful in the NASCAR Nationwide Series, as the Las Vegas native has 39 wins and 121 top-10 finishes in 191 career starts.

While he’ll make start 192 in this week’s CARFAX 250 Nationwide Series event at Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn, it’s safe to say that the 125-lap race will be a little different than his other 191 starts.

Busch will pilot the No. 18 Z-Line Designs / OfficeMax Toyota Camry at Michigan, but the car will be the new version of the Nationwide Series car. The updated car has, among other things, a wider and taller cockpit, a longer wheelbase and a new front section consisting of a splitter, rather than a valance.

All this adds up to a new challenge for Busch, who has certainly mastered the old-style car, given that he has won at least nine races each year since 2008. He has driven the new car in competition only once, during the July Nationwide Series event at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway, where he finished seventh. However, Daytona is a restrictor-plate racetrack where cars rely on the draft in order to gain top speed.

Many observers feel Michigan will be the first true test of the updated car given that the 2-mile oval has similar characteristics to many 1.5-mile and 2-mile intermediate tracks at which the series competes.

While learning about the new car, Busch will also be aiming for the record books. With nine victories already in 2010, Busch is just one win away from tying the Nationwide Series record of 10 wins in a season that he shares with the legendary Sam Ard. Busch accomplished the feat in 2008, while Ard was the first to reach the 10-win mark during his championship season in 1983.

A victory at Michigan would also put Busch just eight victories behind all-time Nationwide Series race-win leader Mark Martin, whose record currently stands at 48 victories.

Amazingly, despite not running the full Nationwide Series schedule, Busch is third in the championship standings, 473 points behind series leader Brad Keselowski. Busch sat out a string of standalone events in June at Nashville (Tenn.) Superspeedway, Kentucky Speedway in Sparta and Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wis., as well as the series’ July stop at Gateway International Raceway in Madison, Ill.

While Busch is not running the full Nationwide Series schedule, JGR’s No. 18 Toyota is competing for the owner’s title. It maintained its spot atop the standings, and it now holds a 34-point advantage over the No. 22 car of Penske Racing. JGR has won the past two Nationwide Series owner’s championships.

Kyle Busch, No. 18 Z-Line Designs / OfficeMax NASCAR Nationwide Series Toyota Camry:

What are your overall thoughts on the Nationwide Series and the new cars?

“I think the Nationwide Series is a great series. It always has been, even when it was the Busch Series and, before that, when it was Grand National. It’s been a good learning series for young guys like myself who came in and came up through the ranks and got their feet wet, and then on to the Cup level. A lot of (Sprint) Cup guys still run it, like myself, to get the time on the racetrack, get the time in the cars, see what the tires do – just different experiences. Right now, it’s still a really good series.

I think, with the cars and the identity it’s getting with the Dodge Challenger and the Ford Mustang, I think it’s really going to be cool to see those cars. Our Camry looks awesome, and the Chevrolet looks good. The race at Daytona was different because it was a restrictor-plate race. It will be interesting to see how it handles this week at Michigan.”

Overall thoughts on Michigan?

“It’s just a fun place to race. It’s wide-open racing and you can run from top to bottom. The biggest thing is just trying to get grip there. Some guys are able to get it, other guys can’t. You can get it for maybe five laps, and then you’re just out to lunch. The biggest thing is just trying to make your car comfortable and make it last throughout a whole tire run and, of course, make it fast, too. And the wide racetrack is good.

That’s what makes Michigan so exciting and so fun. That’s the biggest deal about it. For me, coming to Michigan, I tend to run well there, for whatever reason, and the biggest deal is trying to finish and finish up front.”

Jason Ratcliff, crew chief, No. 18 Z-Line Designs / OfficeMax NASCAR Nationwide Series Toyota Camry:

What has been the biggest challenge for you and the Z-Line Designs team in getting ready to use the new car at Michigan?

“I think the biggest challenge, for us, is that the rules package is just so much different. The concepts are the same. You’re still coil-binding, but the dimensions of the car – the splitter versus the valence – the difference in that is probably the biggest challenge for us.

Even though there are a lot of things that are the same and similar to the current car, just the way you apply it is going to be so much different. So, it’s going to take us a little while to get used to that. Other than that, it hasn’t been too bad. There’s just a lot of time involved in it.”

How beneficial is the Thursday test day at Michigan with the new car?

“I’m not saying you couldn’t do without it, but I’m not sure how the race would be without that test day. No one has ever been to Michigan with one of these cars with this rules package. So, even though we went to Daytona a month ago, you can apply some of that, but at Michigan, it’s a different ballgame.”

What are some of the differences between the old car and the new car that the average fan may not know about?

“Aerodynamically, it’s quite a bit different. Especially at the big tracks, that is probably what the driver feels the most. The feedback he gets from the car, aerodynamically, and how it reacts in traffic is quite a bit different. I think the second thing is the splitter. With the valence, you’ve got a lot more room to work. You don’t have a definitive target you have hit. You don’t have that hard splitter that you have to hit at five inches.

Right now, if you want to go six, you can. If you want to go six-and-a-half, you can. When you’re trying to hit that target, sometimes, it can make the front end of these cars less compliant, which is tough to drive, I would think. A big, smooth racetrack, it’s probably fine. But at these rough racetracks, or at some rough racetracks, it can be a bear to try to fight your way through that. And then, on top of that, you get a different aerodynamic feel.”

The Car

Chassis No. 18104: This is a new car that has not been used before.

About Z-Line Designs

Based in San Ramon, Calif., Z-Line Designs is one of the nation’s leading designers and import manufacturer of home office, home entertainment furniture and office seating. Their products can be found at Staples, OfficeMax, Target, Sears, Wal-Mart, Fry’s Electronics, Conn’s and other national retailers. The company designs and sources innovative, award-winning home office, home entertainment and home décor furniture in both hi-tech-inspired and traditional designs using a range of materials from solid American oak, birch and maple to mixed media combinations of wood, metal and glass.

Z-Line Designs is one of the most unique manufacturers of computer desk systems, computer workstations, computer armoires, file/storage products and a large variety of television, audio and entertainment centers. Z-Line Designs is a two-time 2008 and one-time 2007 CES Innovation Award Winner, a two-time winner of the Staples “Best Category Development” Award (2003 & 2005), a two-time winner of the Staples “Vendor of the Year” (2004 & 2009), a seven-time ADEX Award winner (1999, 2003-2007, 2009) and a two-time Pinnacle Award winner (2002 & 2005). In 2008, the company expanded its entertainment division to include the next generation of full-motion wall mounts and wall furniture systems.

About OfficeMax

OfficeMax Incorporated (NYSE: OMX) is a leader in both business-to-business office products solutions and retail office products. The OfficeMax mission is simple. We help our customers do their best work. The company provides office supplies and paper, in-store print and document services through OfficeMax ImPress®, technology products and solutions, and furniture to businesses and individual consumers. OfficeMax customers are served by more than 30,000 associates through direct sales, catalogs, e-commerce and approximately 1,000 stores. To find the nearest OfficeMax, call 1-877-OFFICEMAX. For more information, visit www.officemax.com.

- True Speed Communication Press Release

Diamond-Waltrip Racing

CORNELIUS, N.C. — No. 99 OUT! Pet Care Toyota driver Trevor Bayne owns three consecutive top-five finishes plus etched his name in the history books last week by surpassing Jeff Gordon as the youngest driver to capture three consecutive NASCAR Nationwide Series pole awards. This feat put the 19-year-old driver in exclusive company, tying the mark of consecutive poles set by Sam Ard (1983), Mark Martin (1987), his team co-owner Michael Waltrip (1989) and Jeff Gordon (1992). He’ll become the first driver in series history to win four consecutive pole awards if he wins the pole for Saturday’s race at Watkins Glen International.

Trevor Bayne

TREVOR BAYNE ON THREE CONSECUTIVE POLE AWARDS: “It’s a pretty awesome accomplishment. I had no idea that it was going to be that big of an accomplishment until I realized that it put me in the same class with Michael Waltrip and Jeff Gordon. The last time someone got three pole awards in a row, I was a one year old. I really thought Kyle Busch or someone else had done it recently. It’s a real honor to be in that group. I just think it shows how much our team has grown over the last few months.”

BAYNE ON WATKINS GLEN INTERNATIONAL: “Watkins Glen is an awesome road course. It’s probably the easiest road course that we have on the schedule. It’s way different from Road America and Montreal. It’s not as technical as those road courses. Watkins Glen is kind of wide open. You only have a couple tight corners. There is turn one and the left hander right before you get to the frontstretch. Other than that it’s pretty easy. The bus stop is probably my favorite part of the track. You carry so much speed through there. I am really looking forward to this weekend. I finished third there in the East Series so I think we could have another really good weekend.”

ON RECENT SUCCESS: “I think things started changing when I started taking advice from Kevin Harvick and Johnny Benson. I talked with Harvick in Dover. His main point to me was to finish races and not always try and get top-fives or top-10s when we have a car that’s not good enough. He told me that I really need to work on taking what the car will give me.

I feel like that past several weeks or so we have really worked on that. For us to be able to get the top-fives the past few weeks we had to finish the race. Also, a couple of weeks ago we hired Benson as my driving coach. He has so much knowledge of the sport. I have been calling him ‘Bill Nye the Science Guy’ because he thinks about things you wouldn’t normally think about as a driver. I think long term he is going to be a great driving coach and teach me a lot about this sport.”

ADDITIONAL NOTES OF INTEREST

· Over the last seven weeks, Bayne has scored the fourth most points of any driver, gaining three positions to rank eighth in the championship point standings. The only drivers to score more points are Carl Edwards (1144), Brad Keselowski (1043) and Steve Wallace (952). Bayne grabbed three pole awards, four top-fives, five top-10s and led 95 laps.

· Diamond-Waltrip Racing is owned by Gary and Blake Bechtel along with Michael Waltrip Racing. It fields Toyota Camrys out of the MWR shop in Cornelius, N.C. The Bechtels have owned cars in the Sprint Cup and Nationwide Series since 1990. The Morgan Hill, California residents’ teams have visited victory lane 10 times in the Nationwide Series.

· In just 36 NASCAR Nationwide Series starts, Bayne has four poles (Indianapolis –2009, 2010, Gateway—2010 and Iowa 2010), four top-fives and eight top-10s and has led 129 laps. His best finish (third) came at Gateway International Raceway on July 17.

· Bayne started 11th and finished third in his lone start at Watkins Glen in the K&N Pro East Series.

· Get your dog’s picture on Bayne’s No. 99 OUT! Pet Care Toyota by going to www.outpetcare.com and register for the “Top Dog of the Week.”

- Diamond-Waltrip Racing Press Release

Race: Lucas Oil Slick Mist 200 – February 6, 2010

Location: Daytona International Speedway – Daytona Beach, Fla.

Series: ARCA Racing Series presented by RE/MAX and Menards

Richard Childress Racing

· AN RCR First … RCR will field a fulltime Chevrolet in the 2010 ARCA Series for the first time in the organization’s 41-year history. Tim George Jr., in his second ARCA season, will pilot the No. 31 RCR Development Chevrolet Impala with veteran crew chief Gere Kennon Jr. calling the shots.

· No. 31 in ARCA Competition … RCR development driver Austin Dillon drove the No. 31 Chevrolet in four ARCA starts over the last two seasons, earning two runner-up finishes (Michigan International Speedway – June 2009 and Iowa Speedway – July 2009) and a 6.5 average finish.

· Back in the Day … In 1999, Kevin Harvick drove the No. 20 Chevrolet in two ARCA races for RCR, finishing second at Charlotte Motor Speedway and third at Talladega Superspeedway.

· Catch the Action … Flag-to-flag coverage of the Lucas Oil Slick Mist 200 will be televised live Saturday, Feb. 6, beginning at 4:30 p.m. EST on SPEED.

Tim George Jr, No. 31 RCR Development Chevrolet Impala

· This Week’s No. 31 RCR Development Chevrolet Impala at Daytona … George Jr. will pilot chassis No. 160 from the Richard Childress Racing ARCA Series stable. Clint Bowyer drove this former No. 07 Chevrolet in four Sprint Cup Series races. Bowyer drove this chassis to a sixth-place finish in the 2006 Daytona 500, a 40th-place result after being involved in an accident in the 2006 May Talladega event, a 10th-place effort in the 2006 July Daytona race and a seventh-place finish in the 2007 July Daytona race. All told, this 07-turned-31 racer holds a 15th-place average finish on the heels of three top-10 credits in just four events.

· 2009 Recap … George Jr., a New York, N.Y. native, finished 11th in the 2009 ARCA Series standings on the heels of two top-10 and eight top-15 finishes.

· Superspeedway Stats … In three superspeedway starts (Daytona and Talladega), George Jr. boasts one top-10 and two top-20 finishes with a 13.7 average finish. His best finish at a superspeedway came in the 2009 season opener at Daytona where he finished eighth after starting 34th.

· Rolex 24 … 2010 marked the third consecutive year George Jr. competed in the Rolex 24 at Daytona. He has two podium finishes in the GT class, a second-place finish in 2009 and a third-place finish in 2008. He and his No. 71 team finished ninth in the GT class and 16th overall in this season’s 24-hour Grand-Am endurance race.

· Giving Back … George Jr., a University of Miami graduate, will donate all his earned prize monies and licensing royalties from the Rolex 24 at Daytona to the Buoniconti Fund to Cure Paralysis to kickoff a year-long goal of raising enough funds to cover one day of the charity’s operating expense of $59,000. For more information on the Buoniconti Fund and George Jr.’s efforts, please visit www.timgeorgejr.com.

· Champion Crew Chief … Gere Kennon Jr., crew chief for the No. 31 team, knows how to win championships. Kennon Jr. led Sam Ard to back-to-back Nationwide Series championships in 1982 and 1983.

How was your Daytona test last month? How will you transfer what you learned to the race this weekend?

“The Daytona test was pretty good. We tested the backup car, and it drafted better than any speedway car I had ever been in. I am looking forward to seeing how the primary car drives on Thursday, and settling into a good rhythm for the season.”

This is your sophomore season in the ARCA Series. What did you learn from last year that you’ll apply this season?

“I learned a lot last year about strategy and when to be patient. This year, I will learn how to go when it is time. Working with a team is a very big part of succeeding in racing. I am looking forward to getting to know Gere (Kennon, crew chief) and my guys better as we learn how to work together as a team.’

This is your first full season driving for RCR. What is like driving for an organization with a rich history of success?

“Daytona marks my second race with RCR. I am very honored to be driving for one of the most celebrated organizations in NASCAR. Richard Childress really knows how to win in this sport, and I’m excited to be in a position to learn from him and everyone else at the shop. The infrastructure is amazing, and the history speaks for itself.”

- Richard Childress Racing Press Release

Date: Nov. 21, 2009

Event: Homestead-Miami Speedway (Round 35 of 35)

Series: NASCAR Nationwide Series

Location: Homestead-Miami Speedway (1.5-mile oval)

Start/Finish: 5th /1st (Running, completed 200 of 200 laps)

Winner: Kyle Busch of Joe Gibbs Racing (Toyota)

Series Champion: Kyle Busch of Joe Gibbs Racing (Toyota)

No. 18 Z-Line Design Toyota Camry

Leading second-place Carl Edwards by a 190-point margin to start the day, Busch was simply required to start Saturday’s Ford 300 Nationwide Series race at Homestead-Miami Speedway in order to capture his first title in any of NASCAR’s top-three divisions. Once that order of business was taken care of, it was time to have a little fun to close out the season as Busch, who started fifth, went on to lead seven times for a race-high 73 laps en route to his ninth victory and 30th top-10 finish in 35 Nationwide Series starts in 2009. It was also his first victory and third top-10 finish in four Nationwide Series starts at Homestead-Miami Speedway. The nine wins rank Busch third on the all-time single-season victory list for Nationwide Series competitors.

Kyle Busch, driver of the No. 18 Z-Line Designs Toyota, celebrates in Victory Lane after winning Saturday's NASCAR Nationwide Series and the Ford 300 at Homestead-Miami Speedway, his 30th win in 173 NASCAR Nationwide Series races. (Photo Credit: John Harrelson/Getty Images for NASCAR)

The victory gave Busch a 210-point lead over Edwards in the season-ending standings. His total of 5,682 points scored this season is the most ever by a Nationwide Series competitor, and his 73 laps led upped his season-ending total to 2,698 laps led on the season, another single-season record. Busch’s 25th top-five finish of the season was the most since Jeff Green scored 25 top-fives in a 32-race season in 2000.

Fittingly enough, it was Edwards who pushed Busch all the way to the finish, having pitted late in the race for a fresh set of tires and a final charge to the checkered flag. Busch was able to hold off the series runner-up by .482 of a second at the finish line.

“It was a tough race, for sure,” Busch said. “We weren’t the best car here for a long time. All the guys made some great race calls, Jason (Ratcliff, crew chief) and everybody else. That’s why we’re a championship team and that’s why we made it here tonight, because these guys can fight through stuff and we made some adjustments to the car that really brought it to life. I was able to pass those guys on that restart and get up toward the front and lead those laps. When that last caution came out, I knew Carl (Edwards) was going to try to do the same thing that I just did. I was worried that he was going to get back to us.”

“Incredible,” Ratcliff added about the race win and accompanying championship. “When you stop and think about it, it becomes a little bit emotional. To think about what we’re able to do – the blessings that we’ve been blessed with all season long – Kyle and this whole team, what we’ve been able to accomplish as a group. I don’t know. I don’t have the words for it right now. It’s just awesome to be able to put those goals up there in front of us and go out there and achieve them.

We did everything we set out to do, and then even more than we expected. I don’t know if we can ever have another season like this, but we’re going to try. He (Busch) is incredible. He deserves every record he broke and his name deserves to be by it. We’re just glad that we could be a part of it. This group of guys, I’ve been working with this group for more than four years now and they just never quit. They just keep on, keep on, keep on. We kind of challenge each other. Kyle challenges us when we finish second and then we challenge him in situations like tonight where we make a decent call and get him out front and then he’s got to step up on the wheel and show what he’s all about.”

It was after coming up short in his Nationwide Series championship effort while running just a part-time schedule in 2008 that Busch and the No. 18 team at JGR made a joint commitment to run a full Nationwide Series campaign this season with their collective eye on the title. The result, said Busch, most certainly paid off with the most prized accomplishment of his career to date.

Kyle Busch, driver of the No. 18 Z-Line Designs Toyota, celebrates by waving the championship flag after winning the NASCAR Nationwide Series and the Ford 300 at Homestead-Miami Speedway in Homestead, Fla. (Photo Credit: Chris Graythen/Getty Images)

As for being the first champion to bring home a race win at the season finale in 26 years – and to have Ard, whose many Nationwide Series records have been surpassed by Busch – brings an added sense of pride.

“That brings a smile to my face, just the relationship that I’ve had with Sam and what I’ve been able to talk to him about,” Busch said. “That’s the history of this sport – that’s what those guys are all about. Sam and I have some records together and I’ve broken some of his and I’ve broken other people’s records, but none of them mean as much as being able to win a race at the season finale and really solidify your championship and put icing on the cake.”

“This is such a big deal for us and these are so hard to come by,” said J.D. Gibbs, JGR president. “I think Nationwide, Cup – it’s just a blessing for us. To watch Kyle and the way he worked through the season and worked with Jason (Ratcliff) and all the guys coming together – that’s a big deal. For us, we’ll celebrate this, and this one is going to last quite a while.”

Finishing behind Busch and Edwards was Jeff Burton, while Busch’s JGR teammates, Joey Logano and Denny Hamlin, rounded out the top-five. David Reutimann, Ryan Newman, Steve Wallace, Scott Speed and Matt Kenseth comprised the remainder of the top-10.

The race featured seven caution periods for 27 laps, with nine drivers failing to finish the 200-lap event.

The 2010 Nationwide Series season kicks off with the Feb. 13 Camping World 300 at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway with live coverage provided by ESPN2.

- True Speed Communication Press Release