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Posted on Tuesday, 10.13.09

NASCAR - Nationwide - Dollar General 300 Preview

The Sports Network

Date: Friday, October 16th

Start Time: 8 p.m. (et)

Site: Lowe's Motor Speedway -- Concord, North Carolina

Track: 1.5-mile oval

Laps: 200

Miles: 300

Capacity:

Total purse: $ 1,302,794 (2008 figures)

Payouts: 1st Place - $73,295; 2nd Place - $55,250; 3rd Place - $42,050

Year: 28th

On TV: ESPN 2

Announcers: Marty Reid, Dale Jarrett, Andy Petree

On Radio: Performance Racing Network (PRN)/SIRIUS NASCAR Satellite

Race record: Mark Martin, 1996 (155.799 m.p.h.)

Qualifying record: Jimmie Johnson, 2005 (187.735 m.p.h.)

2008 Finish

Defending champion: Kyle Busch

Runner up: Jeff Burton

Pole winner: Jamie McMurray (184.508 m.p.h.)

Top 10:

1. Kyle Busch (Start: 16)

2. Jeff Burton (2)

3. Brian Vickers (42)

4. Clint Bowyer (5)

5. Carl Edwards (3)

6. Kevin Harvick (6)

7. Kelly Bires (9)

8. Brad Keselowski (30)

9. Jamie McMurray (1)

10. Mike Wallace (31)

Average speed: 103.647 m.p.h.

Time of race: 2 hours, 53 minutes, 40 seconds

Margin of victory: 0.661 second

Caution flags: 13 for 58 laps

Lead changes: 12 among 7 drivers

Past winners

2008 Kyle Busch, Toyota, 103.647 m.p.h.

2007 Jeff Burton, Chevrolet, 120.267 m.p.h.

2006 Dave Blaney, Chevrolet, 106.999 m.p.h.

2005 Ryan Newman, Dodge, 102.506 m.p.h.

2004 Mike Bliss, Chevrolet, 110.193 m.p.h.

2003 Greg Biffle, Chevrolet, 148.576 m.p.h.

2002 Jeff Burton, Ford, 142.443 m.p.h.

2001 Greg Biffle, Ford, 139.445 m.p.h.

2000 Matt Kenseth, Chevrolet, 145.064 m.p.h.

1999 Michael Waltrip, Chevrolet, 133.235 m.p.h.

1998 Mike McLaughlin, Chevrolet, 145.376 m.p.h.

1997 Jimmy Spencer, Chevrolet, 127.089 m.p.h.

1996 Mark Martin, Ford, 124.957 m.p.h.

1995 Mark Martin, Ford, 136.415 m.p.h.

1994 Terry Labonte, Chevrolet, 134.831 m.p.h.

1993 Mark Martin, Ford, 113.960 m.p.h.

1992 Jeff Gordon, Ford, 120.954 m.p.h.

1991 Harry Gant, Buick, 121.937 m.p.h.

1990 Sterling Marlin, Oldsmobile, 132.272 m.p.h.

1989 Rob Moroso, Oldsmobile, 126.035 m.p.h.

1988 Rob Moroso, Oldsmobile, 123.683 m.p.h.

1987 Harry Gant, Buick, 131.868 m.p.h.

1986 Dale Earnhardt, Pontiac, 138.746 m.p.h.

1985 Terry Labonte, Pontiac, 140.485 m.p.h.

1984 Darrell Waltrip, Pontiac, 123.499 m.p.h.

1983 Sam Ard, Oldsmobile, 141.269 m.p.h.

1982 Darrell Waltrip, Pontiac, 123.485 m.p.h.

Last race

Race: Copart 300 (October 10th)

Site: Auto Club Speedway -- Fontana, California

Miles: 304

Laps: 152

Finish line order: Joey Logano, Brian Vickers, Carl Edwards, Kevin Harvick, Brad Keselowski

Time of Race: 2 hours, 29 minutes, 17 seconds

Average speed: 122.184 m.p.h.

Margin of victory: 0.514 second

Caution flags: 10 for 37 laps

Lead changes: 15 among 8 drivers

Lap leaders: J. Logano 1-2; K. Busch 3-38; J. Logano 39-49; G. Biffle 50-60;J. Logano 1-2; K. Busch 3-38; J. Logano 39-49; G. Biffle 50-60;B. Vickers 61-71; M. Wallace 72; G. Biffle 73-76; C. Edwards77-87; B. Keselowski 88-102; T. Raines 103; B. Keselowski104-106; K. Busch 107-124; B. Keselowski 125-128; K. Busch129-140; B. Keselowski 141-145; J. Logano 146-152.

Entry list

#0 Jeremy Clements (Spartanburg, SC) Chevrolet/Nutone

#1 David Gilliland (Torrance, CA) Chevrolet/Miccosukee Gaming Resort

#01 Mike Wallace (St. Louis, MO) Chevrolet/Sundrop

#05 Casey Atwood (Antioch, TN) Chevrolet/31W Insulation

#5 Tony Stewart (Columbus, IN) Chevrolet/Delphi

#6 Erik Darnell (Beach Park, FL) Ford/Northern Tool & Equipment

#07 Danny O'Quinn Jr (Coeburn, VA) Chevrolet/TBA

#09 John Wes Townley (Waitville, GA) Ford/Zaxby's

#10 Reed Sorenson (Peachtree City, GA) Toyota/Dollar General

#11 Mike Bliss (Milwaukie, OR) Toyota/Ridemakerz

#12 Justin Allgaier (Riverton, IL) Dodge/Verizon Wireless

#15 Michael Annett (Des Moines, IA) Toyota/Lumber Liquidators

#16 Matt Kenseth (Cambridge, WI) Ford/CitiFinancial

#17 Ricky Stenhouse Jr (Olive Brnch,MS) Ford/Save A Lot

#18 * Kyle Busch (Las Vegas, NV) Toyota/Z-Line Designs

#20 Joey Logano (Middleton, CT) Toyota/GameStop

#23 Ken Butler (Lilburn, GA) Chevrolet/Aaron's

#24 Eric McClure (Chilhowie, VA) Ford/Hefty

#26 Kevin Conway (Cornelius, NC) Dodge/TBA

#27 Jason Keller (Greenville, SC) Ford/Kleenex

#28 Kenny Wallace (St. Louis, MO) Chevrolet/U.S. Border Patrol

#29 Stephen Leicht (Asheville, NC) Chevrolet/Holiday Inn

#31 Tim Andrews (Concord, NC) Chevrolet/libertyport.com

#32 Brian Vickers (Thomasville, NC) Toyota/Dollar General Stores

#33 Ryan Newman (South Bend, IN) Chevrolet/Hungry Man

#34 Tony Raines (LaPorte, IN) Chevrolet/Long John Silver's

#38 Jason Leffler (Long Beach, CA) Toyota/Great Clips

#40 Scott Wimmer (Wausau, WI) Chevrolet/Westerman Companies

#42 To Be Announced Dodge/Smith Ironworks

#43 Kasey Kahne (Enumclaw, WA) Toyota/Auto Value Bumper to Bumper

#44 Jarit Johnson (El Cajon, CA) Chevrolet/TBA

#47 Chase Miller (Canton, GA) Toyota/TBA

#49 Mark Green (Owensboro, KY) Chevrolet/GetMoreVacations.com

#58 Chase Austin (Eudora, KS) Chevrolet/Cavi Clothing Line-Macy's

#60 Carl Edwards (Columbia, MO) Ford/Ortho

#61 Matthew Carter (Denver, NC) Ford/TBA

#62 Brendan Gaughan (Las Vegas, NV) Chevrolet/U.S. Fidelis

#66 Steve Wallace (Charlotte, NC) Chevrolet/5 Hour Energy

#73 Derrike Cope (Spanaway, WA) Dodge/TBA

#77 Peyton Sellers (Danville, VA) Chevrolet/SFP

#78 Kevin Lepage (Shelburne, VT) Dodge/TBA

#81 Kevin Hamlin (Snohomish, WA) Chevrolet/DH Griffin

#87 Dave Blaney (Hartford, OH) Toyota/AccuDoc

#88 Brad Keselowski (Rochester Hls, MI) Chevrolet/Hellmann's

#89 Morgan Shepherd (Conover, NC) Chevrolet/Lagina Plumbing Eldora

#90 Johnny Chapman (Stony Point, NC) Chevrolet/MSRP Motorsports

#91 Terry Cook (Sylvania, OH) Chevrolet/MSRP Motorsports

#92 Dennis Setzer (Newton, NC) Dodge/TBA

#96 Michael McDowell (Glendale, AZ) Dodge/TBA

#99 David Reutimann (Zephyrhills, FL) Toyota/Lowe's Foods

Leading contenders

Name	2001	2002	2003	2004	2005	2006	2007	2008
Kyle Busch				5th	41st	12th	2nd	Won
Brian Vickers		28th	4th					3rd
Carl Edwards					4th	27th	33rd	5th
Brad Keselowski						34th	11th	8th
Kasey Kahne		32nd	8th	36th	12th	43rd	17th	11th
Joey Logano								14th
Jason Leffler			11th		6th	28th	19th	18th
Mike Bliss			3rd	Won			29th	19th
David Reutimann						20th	12th	24th
Jason Keller	2nd	18th	10th	30th	18th		34th	29th
Steve Wallace								32nd
Justin Allgaier								34th
Tony Stewart					21st	16th
Ryan Newman					Won
Matt Kenseth	16th			2nd	25th	4th	34st
Reed Sorenson					35th	38th	25th

Notes

Kyle Busch led 137 of the 200 laps en route to his 20th career NationwideSeries win last year. Starting 16th on the grid, Busch took the lead for thefirst time on lap 54 and led through 85 circuits. Busch reclaimed theadvantage on the 90th lap until Brian Vickers took the lead on the 118th.Busch then dominated the final 78 laps, leading 77 for a 0.661 of a secondvictory over Jeff Burton. Pole sitter Jamie McMurray led the first 15 laps andfinished ninth.Busch has had great success at this track over the years. In fact, in his fivetrips in the Truck Series he has two wins and four top-10s, in his last fiveNationwide trips, he's posted two wins and five top-10s and in his last fourSprint Cup races at LMS, he has four top-6 finishes. Busch continues to leadthe Nationwide Series points list, as he stands 155 ahead of Carl Edwards withfive races remaining.Jeff Burton claimed the lead on lap 140 and held on the rest of the raceto capture his 26th career Nationwide Series title in 2007 at Lowe's MotorSpeedway. With the win, Burton joined a select crowd of multiple winners inthis race. Burton, who won at LMS in 2002, joined Darrell Waltrip, TerryLabonte, Rob Moroso, Mark Martin and Greg Biffle as drivers who captured thecheckered flag in the fall race at LMS. Biffle was on the pole for the 2007race, but failed to finish due to an accident and placed 30th. He led sixtimes for 53 laps, while Carl Edwards led three times for 60 laps. Burtonfinished 1.598 seconds ahead of Kyle Busch.Burton will be making his 850th career NASCAR start in Friday race, drivingthe No. 29 Holiday Inn/Holiday Inn Express Chevrolet for Richard ChildressRacing. Since his NASCAR debut at Martinsville Speedway on March 13, 1988,Burton has made 541 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series starts, 304 NASCAR NationwideSeries starts and four NASCAR Camping World Truck Series starts.In 2006, Dave Blaney crossed the finish line under caution for his firstcareer Nationwide Series title. Starting from the 23rd position, Blaneyclaimed the lead for the first time on lap 198 for five laps and thenoutdueled Matt Kenseth just two laps later as the race finished under a green-white-checker. Blaney and Kenseth were side-by-side as they saw the whiteflag. They were still side-by-side when Kenseth got loose in turn three and asKenseth went for a spin, Blaney took the checkered flag with Michael Waltripplacing second. Pole sitter Carl Edwards, who led for a race-high 123 laps,failed to finish due to an accident and placed 27th.Ryan Newman clipped Elliott Sadler in 2005 for the checkered flag, as hecaptured his sixth career Nationwide Series title. The win, his fifthconsecutive that year, was a nail biter, as he won by just 0.314 of a second.Newman, who started second on the grid, led five times for 133 laps. Polesitter Jimmie Johnson failed to finish the race due to an accident.The pole sitter has not won this race since Matt Kenseth in 2000 and just fourtimes overall. The worst starting position of a Lowe's Nationwide winner was33rd by Harry Gant in 1991. Mark Martin won this race three times and is asix-time champion at Lowe's Motor Speedway. 18 of the last 24 Lowe's winnershave been won from the top-10. In fact, only six of the last 22 Lowe'swinners have started outside the top-10, including Busch last season.The Nationwide Series heads to Memphis Motorsports Park on October 24 for theKroger on Track for the Cure 250. Carl Edwards won last year's race there.10/13 19:00:28 ET

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