Busch runs well at Bristol, now he has momentum (cont'd)

Building from the ground up

Kevin Harvick finds himself in a familiar place, in an unfamiliar situation.

Four races into the Nationwide Series season, Harvick, a two-time series champion, is leading the standings. Only this time he is doing it for his own team -- Kevin Harvick Inc.

By the Numbers

Kelly Bires is excited and for good reason, he has three top-15 finishes so far this season and sits 10th in the Nationwide Series standings.

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Harvick has long had success in the Nationwide Series driving for Richard Childress Racing. The duo have accounted for 32 victories and two championships together in nine years.

This season, however, Harvick plans to run 22 races, all for KHI.

"I'm looking forward to the challenge of running my own cars and creating a little bit different challenge from all aspects," Harvick said. "I know what it's been like the last few years to be winning races and being competitive week-in and week-out and that's what we are shooting for."

This isn't the first time KHI is on top of the owners' point standings. Tony Stewart drove the No. 33 Chevrolet to Victory Lane in the 2005 and 2006 season openers at Daytona. However, this is the first time that Harvick sits in first as both driver and owner.

"We are certainly very proud of where our Nationwide Series program is headed," said DeLana Harvick, Kevin's wife and team co-owner. "We have been very fortunate to have some veteran drivers to help us along the way, but ultimately we knew that making the step toward week-in and week-out consistency, we needed Kevin.

"We took similar steps getting our Truck program up and running, and we feel like we have built a good foundation there, so our approach to our Nationwide program naturally would follow that model."

300 for Wallace

Bristol Motor Speedway has always held special meaning for the Wallace family. Rusty Wallace retired with nine career Cup Series wins at the track, his son Steve earned his first career pole during last year's Sharpie Mini 300 and youngest brother Kenny earned the fourth of nine career Nationwide Series wins at Bristol in 1994.

While middle-brother Mike Wallace has yet to win at the track, he will make his 300th career start this weekend, becoming only the 12th driver in series' history to hit that milestone.

Mike Wallace, who has four career victories, is appreciative of how his career has played out.

"It's great to think that I've been able to win races and have longevity that has brought me to this point," Wallace said. "There aren't that many drivers that make it this far in their driving careers, and I'm excited to make my 300th start.

"If it can't be Daytona, then it's got to be Bristol," Wallace said about the track at which he'll hit the 300-race mark. "My brothers have both won at Bristol, and I'd like to join that list."

NASCAR Media contributed to this report