Edwards, Busch to begin carving up second-string series today

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. - Carl Edwards and Kyle Busch, who ranked 1-2 in the Sprint Cup Series in victories this year, begin their quest for a Nationwide Series championship with today's Camping World 300.

One would think nine victories for Edwards and eight for Busch would be enough to please two of the sport's younger stars, but one would be wrong. Busch won a combined 21 races in NASCAR's three major series last year. Edwards won what is now the Nationwide Series in 2007, finishing second to Clint Bowyer last year.

Busch won 10 Nationwide races last year but didn't run the full schedule.

"I thought last year was pretty exciting with Clint (Bowyer) and Carl (Edwards)," said Busch. "Brad Keselowski hung in right there, and I think he'll do the same thing this year. He'll be a good guy to follow for the championship, and there are a few other guys that are coming on that certainly could do the same thing. We'll see how all that plays out."

It's probably going to play out the same way it has in recent seasons. Cup drivers, most of whom compete selectively, win almost all the races.

In fact, Busch sees no reason why he can't pile up double-digit victories again.

"I don't see why not. I think we can win 10 races again. I think we've got the right equipment, the right guys and the right crew chief."

The first six rows will feature nine Sprint Cup regulars, which is hardly unusual these days. Last year's winner, Tony Stewart, is starting fifth. Fourteen other Cup drivers will start the race: including pole winner Kevin Harvick, Matt Kenseth, Bowyer, Greg Biffle, Joey Logano, David Ragan, Michael Waltrip, Joe Nemechek, David Reutimann, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Brian Vickers, in addition to Edwards and Busch.

The only Nationwide "specialists" in the top 12 of the starting lineup are Jason Leffler, Danny O'Quinn and Jason Keller. Keselowski starts 22^nd.

Tony and A.J.

            Tony Stewart's new car number is 14. The reason is that it's the number most associated with perhaps the greatest American race driver ever, A.J. Foyt.

            Stewart and Foyt share more than a number. They have much in common in terms of personality, though today that makes Foyt more a reminder of what racers used to be and Stewart more of a throwback. Suffice it to say that both are apart from the norm.

            Foyt, the irascible Texan who won the Indianapolis 500 four times, and the Daytona 500 and 24 Hours of Le Mans once (in his only try, by the way), was with Stewart's crew during Thursday's qualifying races. He had a radio, but Stewart couldn't hear him.

            "We actually had a special radio sitting there just for him," said Stewart. "It had the button on it and everything, but it didn't do anything when you pushed the button. I'm not joking.

            "Can you imagine having to sit there and drive with him (Foyt) yelling at you all day long? I've kind of done that in Silver Crown cars a little bit. I've learned my lesson. I know better than to give him a radio he can yell into."

            After Stewart finished second, Foyt said he gave him an A-minus for his performance.

            "I said, ‘Coming from you, that's as good as an A-plus from everybody else.' He's our toughest critic, but at the same time, he's one of our biggest fans, too," said Stewart. "It just means a lot that he cares enough about what we're doing to want to spend the rest of the week with us here and be a part of it."

Cinderella II

            Scott Riggs wasn't the only example of a long shot making the Daytona 500 field. Jeremy Mayfield, who put together his own team, raced his way in with a ninth-place finish in Thursday's second qualifying race.

"Nobody realizes how hard this stuff is," said Mayfield. "To do what we accomplished, is more than what you could ever imagine.

"You just can't imagine the pressure that's on a driver and a team ... to be out there sliding around, running for your life. You know, when it's all over with, you finally realize you made the Daytona 500. ... Definitely an emotional day for us."

            You can reach Monte Dutton at mdutton@gastongazette.com.