Nationwide Series Driver: Alex Garcia

ALEX GARCIA is the NASCAR Nationwide Series driver of the No. 98 Transnet Racing Chevrolet.

The team has been a part time team in '07 and '08. He thought they had a full time sponsor this year, but things are up in the air right now. He's hoping to debut at California though if they skip Daytona.

we should be able to debut. So I'm looking at the possibility of skipping Daytona and starting with California on. And we'll see how it goes. But that's where I'm at. It's just been interesting, a little bit of up and down. I was very excited about the opportunity to go full time, and now it's a little bit up in the air.

But we're hoping that it'll come together for us.

Even a sponsor that has been with him for six years is having a tough time committing to what they agreed to initially, and it's understandable.

Getting creative to stay in a car, he has an opportunity to do the road courses in the Cup Series.

Despite the issues abound, he's got a great attitude as he looks at any opportunity to go full time, regardless of the series. A real racers heart if you ask me.

His team will be similar to what he's had in the past. Despite his opportunistic eye, his focus is on the Nationwide series if that is what in the cards for him in '09.

Good luck Alex.

Image: Getty Images for NASCAR

Nationwide Driver: John Wes Townley

In a recent interview, John Wes Townley, a Nationwide driver who will be competing for Rookie of the Year this year.

He'll be competing in the ARCA Race at Daytona, being that he's currently not approved to drive in the Nationwide Series Race at Daytona but he will be starting his season at California.

Some inside info is that he just went through some LASIK surgery and is recouping from the process. His outlook on the year is a good one. After the ARCA race, all his other official events will be in the Nationwide series, starting at California.

From moving up in the ranks, he credits the ARCA series for his developing skills that are applicable to NASCAR because they race on a lot of the same tracks NASCAR does. That's valuable track time.

He realizes this year will be a big learning curve. The process will involve keeping the car out of trouble while he competes for the Raybestos Rookie of the Year.

In addition to his NASCAR schedule, he'll be running one or two ARCA Races and maybe some late model races.

He thinks they have a fair chance to be competitive for the rookie award. He'll be driving for RAB Racing in the Zaxby's sponsored No. 209 car.

Good luck this year John.

Nationwide Bits And Pieces

NASCAR NATIONWIDE SERIES

Brad Keselowski Primed To Snag A Championship Of His Own

Last year in his first full-time season in the Nationwide series, Brad Keselowski posted his first two wins, first pole, 11 top fives and 20 top-10 finishes and was voted by the fans as the series' Most Popular Driver.

Keselowski ended the season third in the final standings.

Now with Brad in the mix, there will almost certainly be a repeat of the great late-season battle – with a seasoned Keselowski in that mix.

Do you think he can do it?


Do You Think 2009 Will Be The Best Owner Championship Battle Ever?

The series recently has become known for its split championships among drivers and owners and that streak could very well run to three consecutive shared championships in 2009. Over the last two seasons – and three times overall – there have been split titles.

The No. 20 GameStop Toyota of Joe Gibbs Racing, the present reigning owner champion, will have drivers Joey Logano, Denny Hamlin and Brad Coleman representing! Gibbs racing will also have Kyle Busch's No. 18 Z-Line Designs Toyota in the fray.

While Carl Edwards is determined to "unify" the title for the first time in three years, the No. 29 Holiday Inn Chevrolet, (2007 owner champion), is a big favorite. Jeff Burton will join forces with Bowyer and Stephen Leicht to try and bring Richard Childress his second series owner championship.


Now Introducing …

Full-time newcomers in 2009 include a pair of 22-year-olds.

Justin Allgaier moves from ARCA to Penske Racing.

Michael Annett is helming his first full-time opportunity with Germain Racing.

John Wes Townley, another ARCA alum who turned 19 on New Year's Eve, announced a full-time schedule with RAB Racing.

Erik Darnell and Brendan Gaughan, move to the NASCAR Nationwide Series from the Camping World Truck Series. Darnell will share the No. 6 Ford with David Ragan while Gaughan will join young veteran Steve Wallace as a teammate with Rusty Wallace Racing.

The series will have a new venue this season when it hits up Iowa Speedway in Newton, Iowa for the inaugural series event Aug. 1.

source: NASCAR Media