Notes: RCR the team to contend with at Phoenix (cont'd)

Next generation of young guns on display

The continued influx of young drivers into the Nationwide Series has helped maintain the series' position as a development arena for those looking to move to Sprint Cup.

Bires

Twelve of the 43 drivers entered in Friday night's Bashas' Supermarkets 200 are 24 years old or younger. The group is led by three full-time drivers who are currently in the top 10 -- 22-year-old David Ragan (No. 6 Ford), fourth; 24-year-old Brad Keselowski (No. 88 Chevrolet), sixth; and 23-year-old Kelly Bires (No. 47 Ford), ninth. Twenty-year-olds Steve Wallace (No. 66 Chevrolet) and Brad Coleman (No. 27 Ford) are also competing in the series full time and are 15th and 18th, respectively.

"These younger drivers are very talented and come to the series with a wealth of expertise," Nationwide Series director Joe Balash said. "They race well past their age."

Rookie candidates Landon Cassill (No. 5 Chevrolet) and Chase Miller (No. 9 Dodge) will be returning to the track after their recent season debuts at Nashville. Cassill, a JR Motorsports development driver, finished 19th, while Miller, with Gillett-Evernham Motorsports, finished 14th.

Chip Ganassi Racing will roll out a pair of 22-year-olds in Reed Sorenson (No. 40 Dodge) and Kyle Krisiloff (No. 41 Dodge), and 18-year old James Buescher (No. 32 Toyota) will make his series debut for Braun Racing. Kyle Busch (22) and Stephen Leicht (21) round out the list.

In the Loop: Stremme, Leffler lead upset hopefuls

David Stremme (No. 64 Chevrolet) and Jason Leffler (No. 38 Toyota) just might give the double-duty drivers a problem at Phoenix.

Thus far this young season, a Cup Series regular has won all six Nationwide races during the dual weekends. sDon't be surprised if that streak ends at Phoenix -- and Stremme and Leffler could be the ones to do it.

Stremme finished third at Phoenix in the spring 2005 race and last year scored an 11th-place run during the spring event. In his three races since 2005, Stremme has a Driver Rating of 89.7 (which includes a 111.9 Driver Rating in the third-place finish), an Average Running Position of 15.5, and a 58.7 percentage of Laps in the Top 15.

Leffler

Likewise, Leffler is strong at Phoenix. He finished second there in 2000, his first trip to the 1-mile oval. Since then, he's had a number of other strong runs, including a seventh in 2001 and an eighth last year.

Since 2005, Leffler has a Driver Rating of 94.7, an Average Running Position of 12.9, run 58 percent of Laps in the Top 15 with 52 Fastest Laps Run.

Of those double-duty drivers who likely will pose the biggest threat to the Nationwide regulars, figure Carl Edwards (No. 60 Ford) and Clint Bowyer to be it.

Bowyer led 120 laps during last year's win at Phoenix. In his six starts since 2005, Bowyer has a Driver Rating of 112.0, an Average Running Position of 8.1 and a series-high 138 Fastest Laps Run.

Edwards, a Phoenix winner in 2005, has never finished outside the top 10 in six starts at the Arizona track. In those starts, Edwards has a Driver Rating of 112.6, an Average Running Position of 7.2 and 70 Fastest Laps Run.

The director's take: Challenges ahead for teams

"This is the time of year where the crew chiefs really earn their keep," Nationwide Series director Joe Balash said. "Phoenix is very challenging with its multiple-shaped curves, turns and banking. It almost races like a track with five turns.

"Teams have to compromise on their setups -- some will set the car up to be good in Turns 1 and 2 while others will focus on Turns 3 and 4. Then there are those that will try to find the proper balance at both ends of the track.

"And there's the logistics of the schedule. We're coming out of a 1.5-mile tri-oval, heading to Phoenix, preparing for the trip to the road course at Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez in Mexico City then going to Talladega. Different configurations and setups for each present plenty of challenges."

Nationwide goes prime-time on ESPN2

ESPN2 continues its season-long coverage of the Nationwide Series with its prime-time telecast of the Bashas' Supermarkets 200 at 9:30 p.m. ET Friday.

Allen Bestwick will serve as host for the NASCAR Countdown pre-race show with analysis by former Cup Series champion Dale Jarrett, one of the founding drivers of the now-Nationwide Series. Brad Daugherty, a former winning team owner in the Nationwide and Craftsman Truck series, also will be in the ESPN pit studio.

Marty Reid will be the lead announcer for ESPN2's coverage, joined in the booth for analysis by Jarrett and two-time Cup champion crew chief Andy Petree. Jamie Little, Mike Massaro and Vince Welch will report from the pits, while two-time Cup champion crew chief Tim Brewer will be in the ESPN DISH Tech Center.

The race will be simulcast on ESPN Deportes, the domestic Spanish-language network. The green flag for the race is set for 10 p.m. ET.

Three drivers to attempt different double-duty

Prior to racing in Friday night's Bashas' Supermarkets 200, three drivers will be competing in the Jimmie Johnson Foundation 150, the second event of the season for the NASCAR Camping World Series West.

Camping World Series West regular Johnny Borneman (No. 83 Ford) will be joined by James Buescher and Nationwide Series veteran Bobby Hamilton Jr. (No. 25 Ford).

Borneman finished fifth in the Camping World Series West standings last season. He has made two Nationwide Series starts this season, finishing 29th at Fontana and 20th at Las Vegas.

Hamilton has competed in one series event -- finishing third at Las Vegas in 1999. Buescher will be making his series debut.