Stewart on the pole for Nationwide season opener

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- Nationwide Insurance couldn't ask for a better way to begin 2008 as the new title sponsor of NASCAR's No. 2 series.

The sport's biggest name, Dale Earnhardt Jr., is fresh off wins in the first Gatorade Duel 150 and the Budweiser Shootout and is the favorite among eight former Nationwide Series champions in the field of Saturday's Camping World 300 at Daytona International Speedway.

Camping World 300

Race Lineup

Pos.	Driver	Make
1.	Tony Stewart	Toyota
2.	Clint Bowyer	Chevrolet
3.	Jason Leffler	Toyota
4.	Dario Franchitti	Dodge
5.	Kyle Busch	Toyota
6.	Bryan Clauson	Dodge
7.	Bobby Labonte	Chevrolet
8.	Denny Hamlin	Toyota
9.	Kevin Harvick	Chevrolet
10.	Martin Truex Jr.	Chevrolet

• Complete Lineup click here

Earnhardt begins the season under much scrutiny after a lackluster final Nextel (now Sprint) Cup season at Dale Earnhardt Inc. Already successful in the Cup Series with his new Hendrick Motorsports team; he's hoping to carry over his Daytona dominance into the Nationwide event.

Even though Earnhardt has five Nationwide Series wins in 13 starts at Daytona, this particular race has special meaning for him. It is his second with his JR Motorsports organization, with the first coming last July at Daytona.

"This is a big race for JR Motorsports," Earnhardt said. "We merged our Nationwide Series team with Hendrick Motorsports late last year and now operate both of them out of our race shop, so this is JR Motorsports' first race as a multi-car team.

"I'm really looking forward to the great things we have in store this year, and it all starts this week. Seeing the faces of all the National Guard soldiers in Victory Lane last Saturday night was one of the coolest parts of winning the Budweiser Shootout. I'd like nothing more than to give them their second win in seven days."

Last weekend, Tony Stewart finished second to Earnhardt in the Shootout and followed it up with a hefty compliment, saying Earnhardt possibly may be the best restrictor-plate driver of all time. Stewart, a two-time winner himself in the Nationwide opener, may be Earnhardt's closest competitor Saturday.

Stewart scored his wins in 2005 and 2006 in a Kevin Harvick-owned entry, but this time around, Harvick will drive the car and Stewart will drive for Joe Gibbs Racing. Harvick won the 2007 race and went on to win the Daytona 500 the next day.

Stewart will start from the pole Saturday, while Harvick will start 10th.

Earnhardt, who will start 21st, had the spoiler of his No. 5 Chevrolet confiscated by NASCAR on Friday morning. The sanctioning body noted that it had been modified after inspection in a way that would produce an aerodynamic advantage. Earnhardt was allowed to replace the car's rear decklid and spoiler before qualifying Friday afternoon.

NASCAR is expected to announce fines and penalties by Tuesday afternoon. The seriousness of the infraction could lead to a suspension for crew chief Chad Walter.

Nationwide Series rookie Dario Franchitti, winner of last year's Indianapolis 500, will start fourth. Franchitti raced in the final four Nationwide events last year, with his best finish a 25th-place run at Texas Motor Speedway.