Wisconsin natives seek to continue winning trend

Two years ago it was Johnny Sauter who cruised as one of only three leaders the whole race, running 162 laps up front and taking victory at The Milwaukee Mile as the race ended under caution.

Last year it was Paul Menard who led a race-high 85 laps and brushed aside a charging Kevin Harvick with three laps to go, which ultimately resulted in the aggressive Harvick spinning into a seven-car pileup while Menard rolled to victory.

The last two Wisconsin races ... two Wisconsin winners.

By the Numbers

Can another Busch regular find Victory Lane after last week's win by Stephen Leicht? Chances say it's probable at Milwaukee.

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Sauter, who is from Necedah, Wis., secured his third career Busch Series victory at his home track, and his most recent to date, when he won in front of the local crowd at the 1-mile flat oval. For Menard, who is from Eau Claire, Wis., it was the only win of his NASCAR career.

Neither Sauter nor Menard will be driving on Saturday. But Wisconsinites won't be without local flavor.

"I have been going to Milwaukee for as long as I can remember and watched my uncle race there along with Dick Trickle, Rusty Wallace and Mark Martin," said Wausau native Scott Wimmer.

Wimmer is one of four Wisconsin drivers entered in Saturday's AT&T 250 (8 p.m. ET, ESPN2).

It may be business as usual, but by no means is this a typical Busch race. Just four drivers will be commuting between the Cup race in Sonoma, Calif., and Milwaukee. And overall a season-low six Cup regulars are driving in Saturday's event, with Mike Bliss and David Reutimann opting to stay in Wisconsin the entire weekend.

The Milwaukee Mile has been kind to Busch regulars as just one full-time Cup driver has won at the track. With Stephen Leicht coming off his first career victory last weekend, that makes it a perfect storm for a repeat of last year when Busch regulars won consecutive races at the same point in the season.

And the Wisconsin natives want it to be three in a row for the hometown boys.

"The track itself is not one of my favorites just because I don't usually like the flat tracks very much, but winning there would be one of the best places to do it because it's home," said Todd Kluever, who is from Sun Prairie. (Continued)