The NASCAR Nationwide cars will see themselves at Indianapolis Motor speedway for the Indy 250 for the first time this weekend. Other years while the Sprint cars raced at the Brickyard, the Nationwide cars raced at nearby Lucas Oil Raceway.
Last year, Brad Keselowski won the last race at Lucas Oil Raceway. The Nationwide Series has now moved to running at Indianapolis 
Motor Speedway. Lucas Oil Raceway is a .686 mile oval, while Indianapolis Motor Speedway is a 2.5 mile oval. Fan reaction is mixed on the move. Some believe having the Nationwide race at IMS on Saturday will give fans a reason to attend the track prior to the Sprint Cup race on Sunday. Others are unhappy with the move from Lucas Oil (a track that sold out for 28 years) to Indianapolis a track that lots of people claim to be “boring.”
The Nationwide Championship is close with Elliott Sadler leading by only 11 points; Austin Dillon is in second followed by Ricky Stenhouse Jr. in third, -19 points behind the leader.
First practice will be run Thursday at noon, followed by final practice at 3:30. Qualifying is set for Saturday at 12:35pm with driver introductions at 4:00pm. The race is scheduled to start at 4:00pm Saturday July 28. The race is 100 laps, 250 miles.
While this is a Nationwide race that has not stopped Sprint Cup regulars from appearing on the entry list.
Kurt Busch will be driving the #1 for Phoenix Racing, while brother Kyle Busch pilots the #54 Monster Energy Toyota. Fellow Sprint Cup driver Brad Keselowski will drive the #22 for Penske Racing while Kasey Kahne will drive the #38 for Turner Motorsports.
Joe Gibbs Racing will supply cars for Joey Logano and Denny Hamlin while Paul Menard will drive the #33 for Richard Childress Racing. Menard won the Sprint Cup event at IMS last year.
In addition to Sprint Cup regulars there are others entered into the field who warrant your attention.
Ty Dillon will be making his second Nationwide Series start in the #51 while Jeremy Clements drives the #4 for JD Motorsports. Dillon finished eighth in his first ever Nationwide start earlier this year.
Kenny Wallace will be driving the #24 of SR2 Motorsports (a car that Benny Gordon and Amber Cope have also driven). RAB Racing will supply all the cars for Wallace. He finished fourth this past weekend at Chicagoland in the #09. The move to the #24 ensures that Wallace will make the field for Saturdays race. He is the all time leader in starts for the Nationwide Series.
Fresh off an agreement to drive for Penkse Racing in select Nationwide races, Ryan Blaney will be running the #26 for Tommy Baldwin.
Full Entry list : Red drivers have to get in on TIME.
| 1 | 1 | Kurt Busch(i) | HendrickCars.com | 12 Chevy | James Finch |
| 2 | 01 | Mike Wallace | TBA | 12 Chevy | Johnny Davis |
| 3 | 2 | Elliott Sadler | One Main Financial | 12 Chevy | Delana Harvick |
| 4 | 3 | Austin Dillon | ADVOCARE | 12 Chevy | Morgan Shepherd |
| 5 | 4 | Jeremy Clements | TBA | 12 Chevy | Rusty Wallace |
| 6 | 6 | Ricky Stenhouse Jr | SAM’S CLUB/CARGILL | 12 Ford | Jack Roush |
| 7 | 7 | Danica Patrick | GoDaddy.com | 12 Chevy | Kelley Earnhardt-Miller |
| 8 | 08 | Kyle Fowler | Randy Hill Racing | 12 Ford | Randy Hill |
| 9 | 10 | Jeff Green | TBD | 12 Toyota | Mark Smith |
| 10 | 11 | Brian Scott | Dollar General | 12 Toyota | J D Gibbs |
| 11 | 12 | Sam Hornish Jr | Alliance Truck Parts | 12 Dodge | Roger Penske |
| 12 | 14 | Eric McClure | Hefty/Reynolds Wrap Toyota Camry | 12 Toyota | Mark Smith |
| 13 | 15 | Scott Riggs(i) | RWR | 12 Chevy | Rick Ware |
| 14 | 18 | Denny Hamlin(i) | SportClips | 12 Toyota | Joe Gibbs |
| 15 | 19 | Tayler Malsam | G-Oil / Noah’s Light Foundation | 12 Toyota | Mark Smith |
| 16 | 20 | Joey Logano(i) | GameStop | 12 Toyota | Joe Gibbs |
| 17 | 22 | Brad Keselowski(i) | Discount Tire | 12 Dodge | Roger Penske |
| 18 | 23 | Robert Richardson Jr | N TX Pipe | 12 Chevy | Robert Richardson Sr |
| 19 | 24 | Kenny Wallace | Family Farmers | 12 Chevy | Jason Sciavicco |
| 20 | 30 | James Buescher(i) | ABF | 12 Chevy | Harry Scott Jr |
| 21 | 31 | Justin Allgaier | Brandt | 12 Chevy | Sandra Turner |
| 22 | 33 | Paul Menard(i) | Menards | 12 Chevy | Delana Harvick |
| 23 | 36 | Ryan Blaney | Seal Wrap | 12 Chevy | Beth Baldwin |
| 24 | 38 | Kasey Kahne(i) | Great Clips | 12 Chevy | Steve Turner |
| 25 | 39 | Jeffrey Earnhardt | FastWax.com/RWT | 12 Ford | Archie St Hilaire |
| 26 | 40 | Erik Darnell | TBA | 12 Chevy | Curtis Key Sr |
| 27 | 41 | Timmy Hill | RWR | 12 Chevy | Rick Ware |
| 28 | 42 | Josh Wise(i) | TBA | 12 Chevy | Curtis Key Sr |
| 29 | 43 | Michael Annett | Pilot Flying J – M&M’s Snack Mix | 12 Ford | Sandra Turner |
| 30 | 44 | Mike Bliss | TBA | 12 Toyota | Mark Smith |
| 31 | 46 | Chase Miller | The Motorsports Group | 12 Chevy | Curtis Key Sr |
| 32 | 47 | Stephen Leicht(i) | Curtis Key Plumbing | 12 Chevy | Curtis Key Sr |
| 33 | 50 | T J Bell | TBA | 12 Chevy | Rusty Wallace |
| 34 | 51 | Ty Dillon(i) | Clements Automotive | 10 Chevy | Tony Clements |
| 35 | 52 | Tim Schendel | BBB.org / Chamber of Commerce | 12 Chevy | Jimmy Means |
| 36 | 54 | Kyle Busch(i) | Monster Energy | 12 Toyota | Kyle Busch |
| 37 | 70 | Johanna Long | Foretravel | 12 Chevy | Mary Louise Miller |
| 38 | 74 | Mike Harmon | Koma Unwind | 12 Chevy | Mike Harmon |
| 39 | 81 | Jason Bowles | American Majority | 12 Toyota | Gina MacDonald |
| 40 | 86 | Kevin Lepage | TBA | 12 Ford | Scott Deware |
| 41 | 87 | Joe Nemechek | AM/FM Energy Wood & Pellet Stoves | 12 Toyota | Andrea Nemechek |
| 42 | 88 | Cole Whitt | TaxSlayer.com | 12 Chevy | Dale Earnhardt Jr |
| 43 | 89 | Morgan Shepherd | TBA | 12 Chevy | Morgan Shepherd |
| 44 | 98 | Reed Sorenson | Shelby Engine Co. | 12 Ford | Fred Biagi |
| 45 | 99 | Travis Pastrana | Boost Mobile | 12 Toyota | Robby Benton |
Photo Credit: July 29, 2011 – Source: Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images North America
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