Nationwide Series News and Notes

Border Battle Between Standings Leaders
Call it Round 2 for Midwest rivals Clint Bowyer and Carl Edwards. Points leader Bowyer – from Emporia, Kansas – and second place and reigning NASCAR Nationwide champion Edwards – from Columbia, Missouri – will race for both hometown pride and precious points this weekend. Edwards won the first battle, at Gateway International Raceway (just outside St. Louis), earlier this season.

Bowyer looks to get even at his home track, and increase the 186 point lead he holds over Edwards. Neither has won at Kansas in the series.

Owner Points Tighten…Again
Richard Childress Racing’s No. 2 Chevrolet keeps chipping away at Joe Gibbs Racing’s No. 20 Toyota’s once-massive points lead.

After Watkins Glen five races ago, the No. 20 had a lead of 282 points in the owner standings. A penalty and a surge by the No. 2 – driven exclusively by Clint Bowyer – has decreased that number to only 65 with six races remaining.

RCR is looking to defend the 2007 championship it won with the No. 29 Chevrolet, driven by both Jeff Burton and Scott Wimmer.

Keselowski Back In Top Five
It was a finish Brad Keselowski desperately needed. After two of his worst finishes of the year – a 33rd at Auto Club Speedway and a 21st at Richmond – Keselowski landed back in the top five with a third-place run at Dover.

He is one of five series-only regulars in the top 10 in points. Four series-only regulars scored top 10s at Dover – led by Mike Bliss’ runner-up finish.

Keselowski will attempt to make his NASCAR Sprint Cup Series debut at Lowe’s Motor Speedway on Oct. 11, driving the No. 25 Chevrolet for Hendrick Motorsports.