15 Different Winners And Counting; Record Is 18
The NASCAR Nationwide Series has reached its highest level of competitive balance in more than a decade. Ryan Blaney, 20, became the 15th different series winner this past weekend at Bristol Motor Speedway, the most through 23 races since 2001. The overall series record for most different winners in a full season is 18, set in 1988.
This season has ten races remaining on the series schedule and the record of 18 could very well be matched. Already, this season has seen five first-timers with Kyle Larson, Chase Elliott, Brendan Gaughan, Ty Dillon and Chris Buescher. Other than the inaugural Nationwide Series season the record for first-time winners is six.
The question now becomes, who is next?
Don’t be surprised if Brian Scott adds his name to the wins list this season. Scott is now fifth in the standings after posting two poles, four top-fives and 13 top-tens. Scott has consistently been upfront, he has led laps at more tracks this season than he has ever before in his series career. Scott has made four starts at Atlanta posting one top-ten finish, but he has finished in the top-ten at three of the five 1.5-mile tracks the series has competed on this season; including his second-place finish at Chicago.
Another driver more than likely to add his name to the wins list before the season ends is Joey Logano. This weekend he straps into the owner points leading No. 22 Team Penske Ford. Logano has one or more wins in the Nationwide Series in his last six consecutive seasons, dating back to 2008. This season in his seven starts he has posted five top-five finishes. This weekend will be Logano’s fourth series start at Atlanta. In his previous three starts he has posted three top-tens with an average finish of 6.0 and leads the series among multiple starts
Chase Elliott Goes Home The Points Leader
Fifty-eight miles north of Atlanta sits Dawsonville, Georgia the hometown of the current Nationwide Series standings leader Chase Elliott. A lot has happened to Elliott since he left Dawsonville, but this weekend he returns home with winning experience and the series championship lead.
Elliott’s father, NASCAR Hall of Famer Bill Elliott put Dawsonville, Georgia on the map. So much so media famously nicknamed Elliott, ‘Awesome Bill from Dawsonville.’ With all of Elliott’s success in NASCAR the name stuck and the legend grew. Elliott gave Georgia fans something to cheer for almost every weekend during his career and even more so when he came to Atlanta having posted five Sprint Cup Series wins at the track.
This weekend, Chase Elliott will be making his series début at Atlanta Motor Speedway and in doing so is looking to add to the Elliott family winning ways. In Elliott’s five starts on 1.5-mile speedways this season he has won twice at Texas and Chicago, and finished in the top-five three times.
Just ten races remain in the season and with the points cushion Chase Elliott has accumulated, it is his championship to lose. If Elliott can close the season out holding on to the standings lead he will become the first Rookie of the Year candidate in series history to win the title. In 23 starts this season he has three wins – tied for series-most – ten top-fives and 17 top-tens.
Smith, Dillon: No Love Lost But Opportunity Knocks In Title Hunt
Great short-track racing and heated arguments on pit road can flare tempers, but ultimately the competitors share the same sentiment – all that matters is the title. Regan Smith and Ty Dillon know all too well the pressures of chasing a championship sitting second and third in the standings as the season hits its final stretch.
With ten races remaining in the season, every finish and every point counts but opportunity knocks. In the last two years the last ten races have provided ample opportunity for a championship comeback. Last season following Bristol, the eventual champion Austin Dillon was second in the standings, six points back from the series lead. In 2012 coming out of Thunder Valley, the eventual champion Ricky Stenhouse Jr. was also second 19 points back from the series lead. Both drivers capitalized in the final stretch of the season claiming their respective titles.
Heading to Atlanta, Smith sits 13 points back from his JR Motorsports teammate Chase Elliott in the standings lead; while Dillon is 30 points back from the points lead, but just 17 back from Smith.
Regan Smith’s consistency has been the key to his success in 2014. In his 23 starts he has posted one win, six top-fives and a series-leading 19 top-tens. Smith has made three starts at Atlanta posting an average finish of 17.6.
Ty Dillon’s point deficit could be considered large, but conquerable, especially starting this weekend at Atlanta. Dillon won his Camping World Truck Series début at Atlanta in 2012. Though this will be his Nationwide début at Atlanta this weekend, he has finished in the top-ten in four of the previous 1.5-mile tracks the series has competed on this season. Dillon has posted one win, four top-fives and 16 top-tens this season. Dillon will also be making his series début in the Sprint Cup Series this weekend at Atlanta becoming the tenth driver this season to compete in all three of NASCAR’s national series.
Also Noteworthy in the Nationwide Series
Kyle Busch’s 66 wins are the most in series history and conquering 18 of the 23 active facilities on the schedule is no small feat either. But Atlanta Motor Speedway is one of the five active series tracks that have escaped Busch’s winning grasp – Atlanta, Las Vegas, Road America, Mid-Ohio and Watkins Glen. In Busch’s ten starts at Atlanta he posted six top-fives and seven top-tens.
The defending race winner, Kevin Harvick will be driving the JR Motorsports No. 5 Chevrolet this weekend. Harvick has two wins and hasn’t finished outside the top-ten in his ten starts this season.
The Atlanta Chapter of Speedway Children’s Charities at Atlanta Motor Speedway works to care for children in ‘educational, financial, social and medical need in order for them to lead productive lives.’ This Labor Day Weekend, Speedway Children’s Charities will be collecting funds through their Red Bucket Brigade and 50/50 Raffle campaign. For more information about Speedway Children’s Charities, please visit https://atlanta.speedwaycharities.org.