Fort Worth, TX (Sports Network) - Series: NASCAR Nationwide. Date: Saturday,
November 7. Race: O'Reilly Challenge. Site: Texas Motor Speedway. Track: 1.5-
mile oval. Start time: 12:45 p.m. (et). Laps: 200. Miles: 300. Defending
winner: Carl Edwards. Television: ESPN 2. Radio: Performance Racing Network
(PRN)/SIRIUS XM Satellite.
After taking their final week off of the season, the Nationwide Series returns
to action this weekend at Texas. Kyle Busch finished second in the October 24
race at Memphis and extended his lead to 215 points over Carl Edwards.
Busch has won the last three Nationwide races at Texas. In April, he led a
track-record 178 of 200 laps. Busch also became the first driver to win from
the pole in 17 races there.
If Busch wins Saturday's event, he will join Brendan Gaughan as the only
drivers who have won four in a row at Texas. Gaughan won four consecutive
Truck Series races there from 2002-03. Gaughan is a Nationwide rookie this
year.
Busch also would tie Kevin Harvick for most Nationwide victories at Texas.
Harvick will compete at Texas. He has scored seven top-10 finishes in 10
starts there.
"I have a lot of confidence when it comes to Texas Motor Speedway," Harvick
said. "I have been fortunate to win a lot of races there in my career. For
whatever reason, I like this race track. We qualify well there in the
Nationwide car and always seem to find a way to finish strong."
Edwards has yet to win in nine starts at Texas. He finished second to Busch in
last year's fall race there.
Brad Keselowski, currently third in points (-257), has finished third and
seventh in his last two races at Texas. He is coming off a win at Memphis.
On Monday, Penske Racing announced Keselowski will replace David Stremme in
the No.12 Dodge for the final three Sprint Cup races this season, beginning
with Texas. The 25-year-old Keselowski will drive the No.12 car full-time for
the 2010 Cup campaign.
Forty-six teams are on the preliminary entry list for the O'Reilly Challenge.