It would be the No.7 car with Scott Wimmer. He is entered for this weekend’s race at Bristol Motor Speedway and the April 3^rd event at Nashville.

Danica Patrick will drive the car for the 13 races already planned this season, with crew chief Tony Eury, Jr. on top of the box.

“This is something we’ve been considering for awhile now, and the bottom line is the No. 7 car is too good not to be at the race track,” Eury said.

Sponsorship has been an issue for JRM this season. The organization is still working on sponsorship for Bires.

“Our goal at JR Motorsports has always been to have two full-time Nationwide Series teams competing every week. Our sponsorship situation with the No. 88 has shown significant progress, and hopefully we’ll have announcements soon. We’ll work just as hard to get the No. 7 fully funded.”

JRM is not the only team struggling with sponsorship in the series. On the entry list for Saturday’s race of the 50 cars entered 19 of them have “TBA” listed for sponsors.

There is no word on who will drive the car for the races that Patrick is not running or when Wimmer is not driving.

The No.7 sits 35^th in owners’ standings, only the top 30 are guaranteed a spot each week. Patrick would have to qualify her way in on time, when she returns at New Hampshire in June if they did not run every week.

Bires is looking to rebound at Bristol after wrecking on lap four in Las Vegas last month. He finished a disappointing 42^nd.

Both drivers are looking to turn the season around at BMS on Saturday. This is a very important race for this organization. The key to luring sponsorship is to bring them consistent  results proving why they should be on the car.

Surviving BMS is not easy but for Bires and Wimmer it is important that they both finish the race.

The Scotts Turf Builder 300 is on ABC, Saturday at 2 EST.

A lot of times the Daytona 500 is often it’s own entity, it’s own race, and much like the Super Bowl, has it’s own place during a season.  But, unlike football, NASCAR’s version of the Super Bowl happens at the beginning of the season.  When the series leaves the “World’s Center of Speed,” many teams consider the following week the real start to the season.

No more restrictor plates and no more drafting, instead it’s traded for wide turns and 200+ mph speeds at the Auto Club Speedway.  What a week in Hollywood it was.  Despite overcast skies and a bleak outlook, it was the Auto Club 500 that would begin setting the tone for the 2010 season.

Right away, and not surprisingly, one of the top stories was the crowd.  It’s the same drum being beaten once again, but this time it’s being beaten as if it was from a heavy metal musician.  The crowd at the race was simply pathetic.  Seating capacity at the track is close to 97,000.  The estimation that was given for the race came in around 72,000.  It’s hard to say where those figures came from, but it definitely wasn’t anywhere close.

Once that aspect was taken away, the race itself was not bad, but it was the controversy at the end that took the most coverage.  A rather timely pit stop that gave Jimmie Johnson the victory.

Pit early, have the caution fly, and then the lead falls in your lap.

Even the competitors that were pitting under caution couldn’t believe that Johnson had the lead.  Some quotes were, “Leader is the 48.”

Soon after, drivers keyed the radio asking, “What?  How can the 48 be out front, he pitted when the caution flew?”  Simple reply from a crew chief was, “It’s the 48, man.”

Luck or fortune was definitely the key factor that day when Johnson took the checkered flag, but the bigger story was Richard Childress Racing.  Sure, it was only the second race of the season, but the entire organization as a whole was extremely competitive.  It appeared that the season of 2009 was already a thing of the past and RCR was ready to get back into the groove they had a few years prior.

It definitely looked as if RCR was in championship form, but could they continue that trend in Las Vegas?

Stay tuned for part 3 to find out.

Written by Amanda DiPaolo, Patti Rodisch and Dustin Parks.

This week, the NASCAR writers give their take on the Carl Edwards-Brad Keselowski incident.  Plus, they discuss who needs the off week most, the new rule on the “start and park” drivers, and the status of Robby Gordon in the sport.

On Sunday, we saw Carl Edwards do some retaliation on Brad Keselowski for an incident earlier in the race.  NASCAR has since placed Edwards on probation for the next three NSCS race weekends, with the probation spanning across all three series.  What is your take on the wreck, and does the punishment fit?  Also, would NASCAR have done something different had Keselowski not gone airborne?

Amanda DiPaolo: Carl Edwards is lucky he didn’t get kicked out of NASCAR altogether. And maybe he would have if it were not for the sponsorship money he brings in with his national advertising campaign seen on all channels and all days of the week. The fact is, Edwards retaliation was just that, retaliation, not an accident. There is no place for that in NASCAR. Someone could have been seriously hurt, or worse, killed.

I’m not sure if it mattered that the car went airborne.  Had it not, then maybe a smaller suspension or even the three race suspension for intentionally causing a wreck would have been, or at least seemed, appropriate. However, Edwards needs to be held accountable for the severity of his actions.  NASCAR failed to hold him to that accountability with the 3-race punishment.

Patti Rodisch: I am going to be honest my initial reaction was that Edwards should have been parked for at least Bristol. My reaction was not to the car going into the air; it was the timing of the retaliation. They were not battling for position on the track, he wasn’t even a one or two laps down. Edwards had plenty of time to sit on what happened early in the race. I am not blind to the fact that Keselowski is an aggressive driver but he races people the way they race him. He has lessons to learn himself on the track.

I think NASCAR was in corner. This was a no win situation for them and either they were going to penalized Edwards in the points or do nothing at all. It really does not matter if I think it was a fair punishment. In the end it is all about the aftermath and what do these drivers walk away with. Edwards could have hurt or killed Keselowski or a fan. NASCAR judged the incident without the fact the car went air born which is exactly what they should have done.  I have read from a few of Edwards fan that his retaliation went across the line and that there was a better time and place. That I agree with 100%.

Dustin Parks: For sure, the punishment seems to definitely not fit the crime.  But, this is not the first time NASCAR has done the opposite of what the fans may thought was appropriate.  Someone could have gotten seriously hurt, or fatally injured had the car hit the upper fence above the wall.  Had that happened, there would be a lot more going against Edwards, and I’m not talking about a NASCAR punishment.

But, it’s not the first time NASCAR has done something rather unique regarding an incident.  In 2002, Kevin Harvick had an incident in a Truck race at Martinsville, where he admitted spinning someone out.  He was parked for that race.  Fine, that was good.  BUT, NASCAR also suspended him from the Cup race that weekend.  Kenny Wallace had to fill in for the No. 29 team.  Was that fair?  Not if you’re Harvick because that weekend, he lost points.

The only time that a punishment truly did fit the crime was when Jimmy Spencer punched Kurt Busch.  That was assault, plain and simple, and that’s beyond over the line.

Had Keselowski not gone airborne, for sure the punishment would’ve been different.  But, had he or any fan gotten injured, it would’ve been the other way around and he’d be prosecuted.

This is the first off-weekend for all three series.  Which teams and drivers need this time away from the track the most to get prepared for Bristol and Martinsville?

AD: After the commotion of last weekend caused by Edwards, I think this is a good time for everyone to get a break. My vote goes out to Roush-Fenway Racing. Sure, Greg Biffle and Matt Kenseth have not finished out of the top 10, but a week goes a long way in making sure the negative press dies down.

PR: I really think Ron Hornaday is the one team that needs to regroup and refocus. They have started out the year with two consecutive finishes outside the top-30. Hornaday and his team need to find that chemistry that led them to his fourth championship in 2009.

The thing about the Camping World Truck Series is they have such a spread out schedule that the recent off weeks should have been a benefit. I do think that Hornaday is more than capable of climbing his way back into contention for the title. That being said they have a lot of work to do in a very short amount of time. They cannot afford anymore mulligan’s as they have already used two of them up.

DP: I think it’s actually Hendrick Motorsports needing the time away.  Sounds odd, but go with with me on this.

Yes, Jimmie Johnson has two of the four wins on the season.  But, you look at the other races, with the exception of Gordon’s run at Las Vegas, what else has this organization done?  They weren’t as dominant at Daytona as in past years, it took some luck at California, and in Atlanta they had more tire problems than top-ten finishes.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Johnson both have experienced axle issues in the last few weeks, while Jeff Gordon has gone through some engine issues.  Meanwhile, Mark Martin has made some noise, and has avoided most of the issues.

If any team is needing an off-week, it’s this team.  Watch them to all be competitive at Bristol.

NASCAR last week issued a rule for the first car out of the race for a reason other than a accident to be torn down for inspection. This move, while not specific toward start and park programs, it is pretty clear NASCAR wants to make sure everyone is on equal ground. Is it a fair rule or is NASCAR singling out the start & park teams?

AD: Because the reality is the cars that start the race to just drop out (these start and park teams) will almost always be the first to break down, this new rule in a way is singling out teams that are under-funded and just can’t compete any other way. Maybe the message NASCAR is sending is that they don’t want these teams competing, that it takes away from the overall race, making it less competitive all around.

But maybe there is something else to it. The intentions of the rule is not to create the disproportionate impact on under-funded teams.  Let’s be honest, NASCAR does this to top finishing cars every week. NASCAR claims they want to make sure every team is treated equally. With that logic behind them, how can NASCAR be criticized for this new rule?

DP: I do understand NASCAR’s perspective on why this rule is done.  Although they won’t outright admit it’s focusing mainly on those teams that start the race, yet fall out early, it is.  Think about this for a second, what would happen if Johnson experienced an issue early in the race, like a transmission failure or the rear-end gear going out, will they tear that car down?

The rule says they should, and to be fair, they must obey.  The idea of that actually happening is far fetched, but that is a possibility.  Unfortunately, the rule is definitely looking at the start-and-park teams.

It wasn’t long ago that under-funded teams still ran the full race.  It was 2004 when teams had older equipment, even older body styles, and entered the race.  They didn’t drop out early, they just simply weren’t competitive.  Now, the industry has changed and is so sponsor driven, it’s harder.  With this new car, the under-funded teams are in more of a bind because there’s no wiggle room.  They can’t go to an older body style, or run equipment from last year.  It all must be current.  It’s unfortunate, but reality.

Maybe this will slowly take this practice out of NASCAR, but it’s hard to say.  It’s only been one week.

Robby Gordon didn’t complete five laps in Atlanta without having an incident because of tires. His team does not have full sponsorship for the entire season and he only one top-20 finish in 68 races.  Are Robby’s NASCAR days coming to an end?

PR: I feel for Robby Gordon. He is the last truly independent owner out there with no support from the big four organizations. This worked for a few years but that was when the economy was productive and the companies were looking to get into NASCAR not get out.  Gordon is hanging on by a thread. Without full season sponsorship I think 2009 was the last time we will see Gordon run the NSCS full time.

His success has been in the off road racing and not in stock cars. He is a talented driver and a smart business man and I think he knows his glass gas can is running out and that reality is the economy has dictated the success of his team.

DP: I was talking about this with some other writers.  Robby obviously hasn’t had the best success in NASCAR.  He has three wins, two of which were on road courses, but otherwise has not had much in terms of finishes.

He does have a lot of success outside NASCAR, as noted by his multiple off-road titles.  He’s even gone as far as building his own monster truck to compete in the USHRA Monster Jam tour.  He’s got a lot going on.

This year he is taking more of a back seat to driving because of the sponsorship troubles he’s had.  Monster Energy has come on board for some of the races he’s committed to, and he’ll fulfill that contract.  Otherwise, he’s letting the Hall of Fame team that has taken part ownership to run his number and use his owner points to make races.  This helps him because he knows the equipment is going to the track and will continue to run well.

He may now take less of an active role as a driver, but he’s not done with NASCAR entirely.

DAYTONA:  McMurray Wins, the Track Crumbles

This year’s “Great American Race” could only be described in one way:  weird.  It was the first official race where the “Have At It” motto got tested, and it got tested well.  Guys pushing, bumping, and controlling their actions made for a great race.  That was until, of all things, a pot hole.  Part of the track literally crumbled in turns 1 and 2, right in the racing groove.  Not once, but twice, the race was halted to make repairs.

It’s a rather odd moment in the history of the sport, but it’s one that had everyone waiting, wondering, and even joking about it.  Twitter was going crazy, referencing the hole as being created by FOX’s cartoon character, Digger.  It made for a long afternoon, but this kind of incident cannot be predicted.

It may have brought the ratings down a bit, but the fans who waited for six hours got an incredible ending.  Two green-white-checkered finishes and in the end it was Jamie McMurray stunning the entire field.  It was his first race back with his old owner Chip Ganassi, and he went to victory in the Daytona 500.

Images of him standing in the in-field, then patting the Daytona 500 logo are etched in everyone’s mind.  But it was his reaction in victory lane that everyone remembers the most.

After climbing from the No. 1 Chevy, he began his interview with FOX, and just as soon as he started, he stopped.

McMurray simply said, “I’m gonna cry.”  Shortly after, a Gatorade towel goes across his face, as his eyes welled up with all the emotion.  Everyone felt so good about his victory.  Even the Sprint girls behind him could see it, and soon everyone could feel the emotion coming through.

It was one of those races that everyone feels they are a part of the victory.  At that moment, we all were.  What a great way to start the season.

But, who would expect that the first race of the year would soon lead to an incredible run of great moments and controversial stories.

Watch for the next segment in this series as I take a look at the Auto Club 500.

Dale Earnhardt Jr, Jeff Gordon Jimmie Johnson and Mark Martin will all run special red, white and blue paint schemes with a special “Honoring Our Soldiers” logo in the 51st running of the Coca-Cola 600. The logo is a shield with the American flag in the background and a bald eagle soaring at full wingspan in the foreground.

Each car has a unique take on the colors of the American flag. Martin will run a metallic blue car with the red and white stripes across the bottom. The eagle logo is placed behind the number in a dark shade of blue. For this race, CarQuest Auto Parts will be the primary sponsor.

Johnson’s No. 48 has some remembrance of an early “Power of Pride” paint scheme as the flag colors are shredding across the sides with red and white stars to set it off. The Team Lowe’s Racing emblem that he ran on his car in last year’s race has returned for this season.

Gordon will continue his trend of incorporating his flame design into the specialty paint schemes.

His usual black, red and yellow look will be replaced with a royal blue and flames in the colors of the stripes. The nose of the car has the stars setting off the DuPont logo on the hood.

However, of all the paint schemes, the one for Earnhardt Jr. appears to be the one that will garner the most attention. The colors of the National Guard will be set off in a more traditional look. The No. 88 Chevy will be flanked in an American flag across the hood and sides while the top of the car is a jet black. Rather simple, yet very well done.

This will be the second time in three years that drivers will be running specialty paint schemes during the Memorial Day weekend race. In 2008 several drivers ran a “Salute The Troops” logo on their cars, including Gordon and Earnhardt Jr.

In 2000, five drivers participated in a tribute to each branch of the Armed Forces during the Coca-Cola 600.

This year’s race appears to be shaping up to be a good one. Coverage on FOX begins at 5 p.m. on May 30 with the race going green around 6:15.

With the sun in the sky and a packed house full of die-hard NASCAR fans, the Sprint Cup Series looked to make a major impression as the Shelby American went green.

Pole sitter Kurt Busch, one of the hometown boys, led the field to green, but he would fail to lead the first lap. Coming out of turn three, outside pole sitter Jeff Gordon put the power down in his DuPont/Pepsi Max Chevrolet Impala and got the lead. His lead was short lived, at least at full speed, as the first caution flag came out on lap 2. It was Kevin Conway having issues in turn two, causing him to spin down the back stretch.

No cars came in for service, and on the restart, Gordon got a huge jump on the field. In that instant, once he got the lead, it was a clinic on how to run a race. Gordon began opening up a lead, and even with lapped traffic, he continued to widen the gap over his closest contenders.

At one point in the green-flag run, Gordon’s lead was over six seconds. Unfortunately, the yellow flag decided to wave yet again and erased his dominating margin. This time it was Mike Bliss getting into trouble out of turn two, forcing him to slam the outside wall.

All the lead-lap cars came in for service, with all getting four tires and a few for adjustments. With the temperatures a bit warmer than they were in practice, most drivers were complaining of a loose condition. Didn’t seem to bother Gordon one bit as he got off pit road first.

The field went back to green on lap 52, and then went back under yellow on lap 53. There wasn’t any wreck on the track, but there was a problem. In what seems to be another instance of the track getting back at the drivers, the caution lights around the speedway would not go off after the green flag waved. The field stayed under yellow for another five laps as the track crews and NASCAR timing officials worked out the issue.

Shortly after the field went green on lap 53, Greg Biffle managed to get out front of Gordon as he slipped back on the restart. However, he was second when the caution came out, putting him right alongside the No. 16 Ford. On lap 56, the race went back under green, and one lap later, Gordon got back out front.

The No. 24 was simply on a tear and wouldn’t yield for anything, except for the caution flag.

Sam Hornish went for a spin out of turn four on lap 88, but luckily did not hit anything. The caution gave crews another chance to make adjustments as the track was getting to be under more cloud cover, meaning the temperatures were going down and grip was improving. The guy who made the best gain was Matt Kenseth as he got out in front of Gordon. The No. 24 had a good pit stop, just got beat coming out.

Kenseth led the field back to green on lap 92, but just as quickly had to let off the throttle as a big wreck behind him slowed the field yet again.

Jamie McMurray was looking for some running room underneath his teammate, Juan Pablo Montoya, and got into the back corner. Both cars slid up the track, and in the aftermath, the wreck collected Kurt Busch. A tough break for all the drivers involved.

Kenseth brought the field back to green at lap 97, but the No. 24 team just would not be denied. Only one lap into green flag racing, Gordon shot past the Crown Royal Ford and went out front for the third time.

But again, he couldn’t enjoy his lead as on lap 108 the caution flew again. For the second time in the race, the caution lights began malfunctioning. No one in the tower hit the switch to turn them on, so the crews threw the caution flag to fix the problem. This was like the “Twilight Zone” at the race track as only one time seemed to be just a malfunction, but twice seemed to be rather odd. Whatever the case was, crews disabled the radio that was originally working the caution lights and replaced it with a new one, as the original had a connection issue.

The leaders decided to come in to pit, with most deciding to take on fuel only. This provided one hick-up in Gordon’s day as he overshot his pit, and had to back up. But, even the miscue didn’t hinder him that bad as he only lost one spot to teammate Jimmie Johnson. On the radio as he was exiting pit road he told crew chief Steve Letarte and his over-the-wall crew, “My bad. Damn it.”

Scott Speed decided to just say on track and took over the lead. The field went green on lap 113, but with the outside lane to his advantage, Gordon decided to go back out front. The Pepsi Max car was just on a tear, but he had company this time as Johnson was staying right with him. Meanwhile, the rest of the field began falling back as the gap to third-place was nearly seven seconds.

The first round of green-flag stops on the afternoon was to begin shortly, but Kenseth was forced to short pit as he felt a wheel was loose on his car. This put him way back and off sequence, as he was hoping the field would cycle through a round of pit stops so he could catch up.

Pit road began getting busy on lap 158, with Gordon giving up his lead on lap 161, handing the lead to Johnson. The lead would go between Johnson, Kevin Harvick, Kyle Busch and Tony Stewart for the next six laps as everyone came in for service. This gave Kenseth a chance to get back with the leaders as he would make it back into the top five. But, he would have to settle for that as Gordon had gotten his car back out front on lap 166 and again would decide to continue his domination.

This would continue to be the longest green-flag run of the afternoon as the field began spreading out, with Gordon and Johnson still out front and putting a whooping on the field. But, another round of pit stops was still on the horizon and teams had to contend with still changing track conditions.

Biffle would start the next pit cycle on lap 212, with Johnson coming in one lap later. Gordon gave up his lead on lap 214 to come in for service, followed by Harvick. Stewart would stay out a bit longer as he stretched his fuel cell to save some gas on the final run. He would come in for his service on lap 220, which then handed the lead back to Gordon.

All afternoon, Gordon was the guy to beat, but he still had a lot of laps left before he got a victory. He would have to wait longer as the race’s final caution came out on lap 228, ending the longest green-flag run of the season thus far. Conway again had issues on the track as he hit the wall entering turn three.

Teams decided it would be a good idea to come in and get service, and this would prove to be a critical point in the race. Some teams decided to just go with right-side tires, as they only had about 15 laps on the tires from the previous stop. This included Gordon, Harvick, Jeff Burton and Kasey Kahne. Johnson decided to go with new tires all the way around the car, as he got out of pit road in fourth position, behind Gordon and Harvick.

Clint Bowyer decided to gamble and stayed out on the track, taking over the top spot. The final green flag came out on lap 233, and right away Gordon was on the prowl. He jumped ahead of Bowyer to get the lead, but this time he could not shake his teammate.

Johnson stayed right with Gordon and put the pressure on every lap as he looked for the top spot. With Gordon running the high line, he was forcing the No. 48 to make the pass on the low side, which on this track seemed to be a bit tough to accomplish.

For nearly ten laps, Johnson ran in the tire tracks of his teammate, looking for an advantage.

Finally, his four tires proved to be too much as Johnson got the lead on lap 251. It was a reversal of fortune as Johnson soon began pulling away from his contenders. There wasn’t any doubt after he got out front that no one was going to catch him. Add another victory, and another championship belt as the Lowe’s/Kobalt Tools Chevrolet took the checkered flag, winning the Shelby American.

Johnson didn’t have the car in the beginning, but the team made the right call and got him in position to win. It’s a good start to a title defense, and if he keeps this momentum into the Chase, it’s going to be five titles for No. 48.

At the same time, you can’t help but feel bad for Gordon as he had the race won the entire time. He got the lead seven different times in the race, leading all but 46 laps. In the end, Gordon fell to third as Harvick got around him with just a few laps left. But, it’s a strong rebound for a team that had hard luck the first two weeks of the year. Don’t sleep on the No. 24 team just yet, they could be lurking for a win in the near future.

That could come as early as next week as NASCAR heads to Atlanta. The fastest, and possibly most competitive, track on the circuit. The Kobalt Tools 500 will go green on FOX next Sunday at 1 p.m.

RESULTS: 1-Johnson 2-Harvick 3-Gordon 4-Martin 5-Kenseth 6-Logano 7-Stewart 8-Bowyer 9-Kahne 10-Biffle

NOTABLE FINISHES: 11-Burton 12-Edwards 15-Kyle Busch 18-Earnhardt Jr. 35-Kurt Busch 37-Montoya

CAUTIONS: Seven for 32 laps. Lap 2-5 (No. 37 spin-T2), 46-52 (No. 36 wreck-T2), 53-55 (track malfunction), 88-91 (No. 77 spin-T4), 93-96 (No. 42, 1, 2 wreck-T3), 108-113 (track malfunction), 228-232 (No. 37 wreck-T3)

LEADERS: 18 lead changes among 9 drivers. Gordon 1-52, Biffle 53-56, Gordon 57-89, Kenseth 90-98, Gordon 99-109, Speed 110-113, Gordon 114-160, Johnson 161, Harvick 162, Kyle Busch 163, Stewart 164-165, Gordon 166-213, Harvick 214, Stewart 215-219, Gordon 220-230, Bowyer 231-233, Gordon 234-250, Johnson 251-267

TIME OF RACE: 2 hrs. 49 mins. 53 sec.

AVERAGE SPEED: 141.450 mph

POINT STANDINGS: 1-Harvick, 506 points 2-Bowyer, -47 3-Martin, -49 4-Kenseth, -58 5-Johnson, -63 6-Biffle, -63 7-Burton, -76 8-Logano, -93 9-Reutimann, -109 10-Edwards, -117 11-Stewart, -120 12-Kyle Busch, -131

Weather pushed back the start of the race but when the green flag waved the beating and banging began.

The first caution of the day was for Kelly Bires who went hard into the wall on lap seven. It was a hard hit for Bires in what looks like his engine blew.

A disappointing day after his seventh place finish last week at Auto Club Speedway.He finished 42^nd at LVMS.

Saturday marked Danica Patrick final start in the Nationwide series until June. Early on in the race, Patrick looked a lot more confident in the car, she quickly gained nine spots after starting 37^th. On the long green run she got caught a lap down but as the leaders pitted she cycled to as high as third.

Soon after the green flag pit stops, she and Michael McDowell got together causing severe damage to both their cars. Patrick finished in her final event until June.

Like usual Joe Gibbs Racing’s Kyle Busch found his way to the front. He cycled to the lead on green flag stops and then won the race off pit road. Busch was able to pull away from Carl Edwards on the restart and pull away from the field.

Busch had never won in the NNS at his home track of Las Vegas.  When the caution came out on lap 104 for rain the crew chiefs had to decide whether or not pit. The leaders all stayed out for the brief caution for weather.

On the next caution on lap 118 all the leaders hit pit road, but the strategy varied. Most took two tires and fuel. Once again issues on pit road cost the race leader.

Busch hit the wall and all about saw his chances at the win slip away with less than 20 to go. He finished 16^th.

Justin Allgaier has started off 2010 red hot with consecutive top 10 finishes. Allgaier and his team gambled on pit road strategy.  It was another strong run for Allgaier and they are proving they will be a factor in the championship in 2010.

Kevin Harvick had a dominating car all day long, but when he hit pit road it cost him multiple spots and with rain coming at the most crucial stop of the day his pit crew let him down.

He got shuffled to ninth and with weather coming Harvick had a big hole to dig out of. Being back in traffic hurt this team as they were better out front.

He worked his way back into the top five and had a fast car on the long runs. Harvick had the best car out there for most of the day.  With 24 laps to go he retook the lead and began to pull away.

Harvick is not running the entire Nationwide schedule, but he earned this win today.

The rest of the top 10 was Denny Hamlin, Carl Edwards, Brad Keselowski, Brian Vickers, Trevor Bayne, Allgaier, Steve Wallace, Paul Menard and Greg Biffle.

All five rookies in the race ended up wrecking at LVMS. Michael Waltrip Racing’s Bayne, finished a career best sixth.

Steven Wallace finished 10^th and that is his sixth consecutive top 10 finish going back to last season.

The series takes a few weeks off and do not hit the track again until they go to Bristol Motor Speedway. The Scotts Turf Builder 300 is Saturday, March 20^th at 2 ET on ABC.

Written by Amanda DiPaolo, Patti Rodisch, and Dustin Parks.

This week, the NASCAR writers discuss whether or not Hendrick Motorsports is faltering, the “new” Bristol Track, and who will win this week’s race in Las Vegas.

Hendrick Motorsports has come out uncharacteristically slow at the beginning of this season.  Yes, Jimmie Johnson won on Sunday, and Dale Earnhardt Jr. finished second in the Daytona 500.  But you look at the rest of the time, it’s been nothing but trouble.  Axle issues both races, accidents and engine woes have plagued the team.  With two high-horsepower tracks coming up, how important is it for HMS to get back on track?

Amanda DiPaolo: I would disagree that Hendrick really has a problem. It’s a long season and with a win and a second place finish in the first two races, I’m going to say that everything is going to get on track for al Hendricks drivers real soon. Besides, look at Mark Martin’s run last season. After the first five races, we was so low in the points that he was in jeopardy of not being in the top 35. He certainly did give Johnson a run for his money last year.

Patti Rodisch: We have watched to flip of the coins last season. Jeff Gordon started the season off fast and had solid runs and this included a win. As the season wore on he began to struggle with the cars. Then there was Mark Martin, a disastrous start to the season engine failures and accidents had Martin digging out of a deep hole. Both teams went on to finish in the top three and challenge for the title.

I would not be worried. I think Martin, Gordon and Dale Earnhardt Jr. will be able to rebound after this slow start. All three teams are capable of winning races and slow start or not they will challenge for the title. It is too early in the season for panic especially when you have three very capable drivers.

Dustin Parks: It hasn’t been a successful start to the season, but it has not been an unsuccessful one either.  You have the top two title contenders from last year in the top 12, and Hendrick already has a victory on the year, which is the earliest they have won a race since 2006.  That means the organization does have some momentum.

But, both Las Vegas and Atlanta are all about horsepower and making it stick to the asphalt.  The axle issues are definitely something that the Hendrick garage needs to look at.  The issue goes on both sides as the 48 and 88 have each had troubles, and both are put out of different shops.  I’m sure Hendrick and his slew of engineers are looking at what the issue is and are going to correct it.

It’s still early in the season, so it’s not a matter of worrying about getting back on track.  It’s more about correcting the small issues and then looking ahead.

Let’s do some track talk.  Recently fans of Bristol have not been renewing their tickets, most citing the economy as the culprit.  However, some have said the track is also an issue, saying the repaving has given the drivers “too much room.”  Bristol officials are extending the SAFER barrier out of turns 2 and 4 another 84 feet, narrowing the racing lane.  Will this possibly bring some of the old Bristol back?

PR: I have to disagree with the fans who say the “new” Bristol is not as good as the “old” Bristol. I think the racing there has been pretty good. We have seen some good side by side battles around the Tennessee track.

That being said I appreciate that track officials are willing to look at ways to improve the racing and continue NASCAR push for safety. We will have to wait until March to see just how much the improvement will impact the racing.

DP: It may not do it fully, but it’s at least a start.  I admit, I love Bristol, both new and old.  This track was one I marked on my calendar each year in the spring and late summer.  It’s that important to me.  The moments of seeing drivers flip the bird to each other, wrecking for position, and my personal favorite seeing foot shields thrown at a window net are what I lived for at the “Bull Ring.”

The change to just a 30-degree, progressive banking has made Bristol different, in both good and bad ways.  Good in that there is more side-by-side racing, something that drivers like.  Even the driver with the most wins at the track, Rusty Wallace, praised the changes.  At the same time, part of Bristol has left when that was done.  There’s not as much beating on fenders, rubbing side panels and the great “bump and run” maneuver.

Making the track narrower at the exit of the corner will definitely narrow the groove, but if they want to do it more, extend that barrier the entire way around the track and cut the groove down even more.  We’ll see in just over a month when the Food City 500 goes green.

On Sunday, the one thing that the FOX cameras didn’t show much of was the fans.  Because of how the attendance was at the track, FOX crews asked the cameramen to try and not show the grandstands.  Despite the effort, everyone could see the thin crowd.  Is the Auto Club Speedway in real danger of losing one of it’s dates?

AD: It certainly should be. Haven’t we been talking about how the California track can’t support two races for a while now? We all know of the tracks that would like to have a NASCAR race and on more than one occasion I’ve suggested Montreal, since the Nationwide Series goes their in on off week for Sprint Cup drivers anyway.

PR: I understand the stands were not filled. I also understand why some fans want to remove one of the races from ACS to another track. I thought the racing on Sunday and Saturday was some of the best we have seen at this track recently.

Sadly, for ACS time is running out to fill the seats and carry two races every season. The options are wide open Kansas wants a second date. Then we have Kentucky Speedway that is hoping to get a NASCAR Sprint Cup series race, along with a NASCAR Nationwide series race.

It seems Kansas is the sure bet to gain a race on the schedule.

DP: I’d say it’s more in danger of losing it’s fans.  The date is going to come down the line, but the fans have already started.

This subject has been spoken about since the day the track got two races.  I’ve never been a fan of the track since they got both races, and have always thought the track is just another Michigan.  Unfortunately, the track has provided less competition than Michigan.  I’ve been to Michigan and I am more intrigued by the racing there than at California.

They are already losing revenue by not selling out the races, which then reduced the television ratings.  This year’s rating was down from last year by eight percent.  If that’s not a sign that fans don’t like the track, then explain to me what is.

They’ll lose a race, just like they’re losing their fans.

Now we are off to Las Vegas, known for gambling, great shows and awesome entertainment.  In an event that will be honoring horsepower pioneer Carrol Shelby, who will take the win Sunday in the Shelby American?

AD: I picked him last week and I’ll pick him again this week, Jimmie Johnson is going to win again, showing everyone why he cannot be dethroned as Sprint Cup Champion. Plus, Johnson is good in Vegas and I think whatever horsepower issues the  Hendrick teams are dealing with will be sorting out by time the green flag is waved on Sunday.

PR: My pick for Sunday is Juan Pablo Montoya. LVMS has not been an easy track for Montoya, but I think this weekend he will win his first oval race in NSCS. Montoya has struggled at the desert track but I think Montoya has learned how to take a poor handling car and turn it into a solid finish. I expect to see Montoya in victory lane.

DP: I’m going with the hometown boy Kyle Busch.  At 1.5-mile tracks, this kid is a master at driving.  He won the first race for Toyota in 2008 at Atlanta, became the first of the two Busch brothers to win at Las Vegas, and has practically dominated everything that can be won at Texas.

If it’s a 1.5-mile track, the No. 18 will be running strong.  It’s just a fact that we all know.

The Rowdy One will be in victory lane Sunday.

It was a very interesting qualifying session as the increased cloud cover, cooler track temperatures saw the speeds pick up as the session went on.

Busch’s other Penske teammates also qualified very well, Brad Keselowski qualified 16th. Sam Hornish Jr. continued with another strong run and qualified 14th.

Hendrick Motorsports once again flexed their muscle throughout qualifying. Dale Earnhardt, Jr. paced the field for much of the session but was knocked off the pole by his teammate, Jeff Gordon. Earnhardt will start fourth on Sunday.

Gordon will start second on Sunday. Teammate Mark Martin will start eighth, while Jimmie Johnson, who went out first will start 20th.

Busch’s younger brother, Kyle Busch will start fifth on Sunday. He was the fastest Toyota, followed by teammate Joey Logano who will start sixth.

The fastest Ford in qualifying was Greg Biffle whose lap of 28.7 was good enough for seventh fastest. His teammates were not far behind. Matt Kenseth qualified 11th, Carl Edwards was 12th and David Ragan was 18th.

Some notable qualifying results was Denny Hamlin, whose teammates Busch and Logano qualified in the top 10, while his lap of  29.2 seconds has him starting 27th.

Last week’s pole winner Jamie McMurray did not have the best qualifying run on Friday. His lap of 29.1 seconds was only good enough for 24th on Sunday.

A.J. Allmendinger will go to the rear on Sunday after he lost an engine during practice on Friday, he qualified 40th on Friday.

Kevin Harvick, of Richard Childress Racing, brushed the wall early in practice and will start 34th. Clint Bowyer will start 13th; he was the fastest of the three and Jeff Burton will start 22nd.

Of the go or go homers, Joe Nemechek, Max Papis, Scott Speed, Bobby Labonte, Mike Bliss, Michael McDowell, Dave Blaney and Aric Amirola all made the race.

For the third consecutive week Casey Mears and Terry Cook missed the race. Not the start to the season that Mears was looking for after leaving Richard Childress Racing.

The fastest rookie to qualify was Kevin Conway, as he will start 39th.

The Shelby American is Sunday, 3ET on FOX.

On Saturday afternoon the teams will take to the track for the third race of the season.

Early on this season one thing that has not changed is Joe Gibbs Racing and their domination in the Nationwide series.

LVMS for Kyle Busch has not been one of his best tracks. He has only one top five finish and that was his runner up finish to Jeff Burton in 2007.

His average finish is 23.0 at his home track, his last to finishes there have been 30^th or worse.

Busch comes into LVMS a different driver then he was a year ago. He has matured both on the track and away from the track.  Busch should be running up front on Saturday if he can qualify well.

It has been a while since a Dodge has won a Nationwide race. This year Justin Allgaier and Brad Keselowski are hoping to end that.

It has been a positive start to the season for Penske Racing. Allgaier has one top five and two top 10 finishes already in 2010.

At LVMS, Allgaier has only run one race and that was in 2009, where he finished eighth. I think if you are looking for one driver to win their first race in 2010, Allgaier is that driver. He has shown steady prgoression every week, Allgaier could be the one in victory lane on Saturday.

Weather will be a factor this weekend as reports are saying Saturday there is a 60% chance of rain in the Las Vegas area.

Drivers and crew chiefs will not only be racing each other, but Mother Nature. That changes the strategy for these teams who may only be racing to halfway.

Teams will have to be able to get their cars setup early in the race as they may only have a few pit stops to work on the car.  Also teams cannot make mistakes on pit road that will cost them valuable positions and time on the track.

My final look at Saturday’s Sam’s Town 300 is Danica Patrick final race in NASCAR until June. It has been an up and down few weeks for Patrick. At ACS Patrick struggled on the two mile oval going 3 laps down after being lapped early and a pit road penalty put her a lap down.

For Patrick she is still learning these cars and tracks. It’s a process that will take time. Saturday will be another learning experience. I think she will run better than she did at ACS, but the goal is for her to get seat time.

The race on Saturday should be exciting as we have watched some the best racing in recent years come in the NNS. I do not expect that to change on Saturday.

The Sam’s Town 300 airs on ESPN2 at 4et.