The inaugural NASCAR Nationwide Series championship came down to the last lap of the season in 2008, with Clint Bowyer edging Carl Edwards by 21 points to earn the title.
A brief look at the 2009 edition of the NASCAR Nationwide Series lineup reveals that it could be even closer this year.
Edwards is back for a full-season assault on the championship, and so is Kyle Busch, who won a series-best 10 races in 2008. Busch missed six races last season and still finished sixth in the points.
Bowyer will not race for the title, but he will be a frequent competitor in Richard Childress's Chevrolets, and there's a ton of new blood in the series that will challenge for the championship. Young Justin Allgaier will drive a full season in Penske Racing's Verizon Wireless Dodge and is expected to be a contender.
As the season-opening Camping World 300 looms, the teams will have to hit the ground running. NASCAR placed a ban on off-season testing for each of its top three series that prohibited the teams from testing on any track currently on the series schedule.
While a challenge from the standpoint of track time for the crews and drivers, the fact that NASCAR delayed introduction of the new Nationwide "Car of Tomorrow" until at least 2010 gives the teams a chance to catch up quickly from the offseason break.
While Chevrolet driver Bowyer won the driver's title over Ford-mounted Edwards, the No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota won the owner's title last season despite losing its crew chief and car chief to NASCAR suspension. Dave Rogers returns to the No. 20 pit box this season, but not at Daytona. His 10-race NASCAR suspension was made one race longer by team officials.
While there are plenty of changes within the series as regards teams, drivers and sponsors, Nationwide Series rising star Brad Keselowski figures to be a factor for the title in the No. 88 JR Motorsports Chevrolet. Raybestos Rookie of the Year candidate Michael Annett will drive the Germain Racing Toyota with backing from Pilot Travel Centers, heading a list of rookies that will challenge the veterans for victories and top-10 finishes.
Series veterans Kenny Wallace, Eric McClure, Jason Leffler, Steven Wallace and Jason Keller are all expected back for full-season campaigns, and Dale Earnhardt Jr. (owner of Keselowski's car) will make several starts as well in his No. 5 Chevrolet. Several drivers, including all-time Nationwide Series victory leader Mark Martin, are scheduled to make starts in the car as well.
NASCAR veteran Joe Nemechek plans a full assault on the Nationwide Series title with his NEMCO Chevrolets, and the potent Roush Fenway Racing team will campaign a variety of drivers in its Fords. In addition to Edwards, Roush drivers Greg Biffle, Matt Kenseth and David Ragan will be frequent visitors, as will youngsters Colin Braun, Erik Darnell and Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
The Raybestos Rookie of the Year class features Annett, John Wes Townley, Scott Lagasse Jr. and Brendan Gaughan.
The Camping World 300 is set for a 1 p.m. start on Feb. 14 at Daytona.
