STORYLINES: Michigan/Kentucky Week

NASCAR's three national series will have their races divided between two tracks this weekend. The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series and the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series will visit Michigan International Speedway; the NASCAR Nationwide Series goes to Kentucky Speedway.

And for the second consecutive week, Kyle Busch plans on running in all three events. At least the travel logistics won't be quite as challenging as this past weekend when the three series were divided between Pocono, Pa., Nashville, Tenn. and Fort Worth, Texas.

Busch is coming off a somewhat disappointing weekend. He may have raced a trifecta, but certainly didn't win one.

His runner-up finish in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck race was followed by a 20th-place effort in the NASCAR Nationwide Series event and a last-place finish in the NASCAR Sprint Cup event at Pocono. He started at the rear of the field at Pocono after crashing his primary car during a practice session, necessitating the switch to a back-up car.

On the upside, he continues to lead the NASCAR Sprint Cup standings.

In addition to Busch's travelogue, here are some other potential storylines for this weekend, starting with a rundown of "in the garage" competitors with local/regional ties to Michigan and Kentucky.

In The Garage – And From The Area: The Local Angles

Michigan natives in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series:
• Kevin Hamlin (Kalamazoo) – No. 83 crew chief
• Jeff Meendering (Grand Rapids) – No. 43 crew chief
• David Elenz (Gaylord) – No. 77 engineer
• Greg Ives (Bark River) – No. 48 engineer
• Bill Byrne (Marne) – No. 20 tire specialist
• Brian Larson (Escanaba) – No. 20 catch can man
• Eric Bilyeu (Waterford) – No. 42 tire carrier
• Andrew Turner (Coloma) – No. 84 jack man
• Jake Brzozowki (Sterling Heights) – No. 83 rear tire carrier
• Jonathan Billy (Detroit) – No. 10 rear tire changer
• Steve Poniatowski (Clarkson) – No. 96 front tire changer
• Brian Wilson (Detroit) – No. 2 engineer

Michigan Natives in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series:
• Gary Cogswell (Eaton Rapids) – No. 20 crew chief
• Rick Golombeski (Eaton Rapids) – No. 07 mechanic
• Jon Cohen (East Lansing) – No. 28 gas man
• Andrew Emrick (Riga) – No. 5 rear tire carrier
• Jon Bernal (Holland) – No. 6 rear tire carrier
• Chad Raniey (Linden) – No. 5 rear tire changer

Kentucky Natives in the NASCAR Nationwide Series:
• Rob Tracy (Frankfort) – No. 32 mechanic
• Patrick McGarey (Prestonberg) – No. 32 transport driver
• David Colognesi (Owensboro) – No. 27 front tire carrier
• Buddy Jarvis (Central City) – No. 27 rear tire carrier
• David Green (Owensboro) – No. 5 spotter
• Bryan Horseman (Louisville) – No. 27 pit support

NASCAR SPRINT CUP SERIES

The Other Busch Brother: Kurt Looking For Rebound

Kurt Busch is a former (2004) NASCAR Sprint Cup champion but comes into Michigan mired in 21st, in series points. His struggles this season contrast sharply with the 2008 success of his younger brother Kyle, who leads the series standings.
Michigan looks like a place where the elder Busch might recapture his form, especially coming off an encouraging eighth-place run at Pocono. Busch has two MIS victories, including last August's event
There's also an intangible to consider, when assessing the chances of Busch or his Penske Racing South teammates at MIS. Read on.

Penske Connection Always To Be Considered At Michigan

There is no more appropriate track for Penske Racing to win at, than Michigan International Speedway. After all, team owner Roger Penske used to be the track's owner.

In recent years, the "Penske Connection" has surfaced. Kurt Busch won last August at MIS; Ryan Newman won in 2003 and '04. Now-retired Rusty Wallace won three times in Penske cars. The total of six victories is fourth all-time for owners at MIS (tied with Robert Yates)

Roush Rules at Michigan

Roush Fenway Racing drivers have won six times this decade at Michigan, in NASCAR Sprint Cup competition. Overall, owner Jack Roush has 10 wins at MIS, second-all-time, behind only the legendary Wood Brothers.

Roush Fenway's Carl Edwards is the defending champion in Sunday's event.

Chase Contention: Point Battles Throughout the Top 15

This past Sunday's race at Pocono made things pretty interesting, so say the least.

First, the battle for the overall point lead tightened up. Point leader Kyle Busch finished last at Pocono, and saw his lead over second-place Jeff Burton cut from 142 points to only 21 points.

Then, there's the battle for the coveted 12th-place spot in the series standings, a fight that's become a three-driver battle royal.

Tony Stewart (12th), David Ragan (13th) and Ryan Newman (14th) are all within 10 points of each other. Two-time series champion Stewart dropped a position after a 35th place finish at Pocono – and suddenly seems in danger of missing the Chase.

NASCAR NATIONWIDE SERIES

Close Competition Personified

Brad Keselowski's win at Nashville was the first of his career in the NASCAR Nationwide Series and made him the second series regular (joining Scott Wimmer) to win this season.

The point battle is tighter than ever. Second through fourth – David Reutimann through Keselowski – are separated by only 24 points.

Kentucky Has Reputation For Surprises

Kentucky is becoming known as a track where names are made. Two years ago David Gilliland launched his national series career with an improbable victory. Last year, Stephen Leicht won his first career race in the series, holding off another young up-and-coming driver, Brad Coleman. The track has never had a repeat winner or repeat pole winner so another new name could come to the forefront.

Green Helps New Team Grow

Veteran Mark Green, a native of Owensboro, Ky., is known for using his expertise to assist in driver and organization growth. From spotting to practicing and qualifying as he did last year at Memphis for race winner David Reutimann – who credited Green for the win – to working with his current team, ML Motorsports in its planning for full-time status, Green is an integral piece of the puzzle.

ML Motorsports is based in Warsaw, Ind., and owned by the mother-daughter tandem of Mary Louis Miller and Stephany Mullen. Green has registered the team's best results of its three-year series history. He was fifth at Talladega – tying his career-best finish set in 1997; he started fourth at Richmond – his best start since 2002 – and logged a top-15 finish last week at Nashville. He's had to qualify on time in each of his seven races this year and will have to do the same in six of the next seven events that the team will enter.

Up-And-Comers Showing Their Mettle

Ten drivers age 24 and under are entered at Kentucky and nearly all have registered career-bests this season. Brad Keselowski captured his first win. Kelly Bires, 23, posted his first top five while Cale Gale, also 23, landed his first top 10. Chase Miller, 21, running a limited schedule, was eighth at Darlington. Steve Wallace, 21, had consecutive top fives at Richmond and Darlington. Joey Logano, 18, won his first pole last week and has a top-10 finish in his first two races. Landon Cassill, 18, had his first top 10 last week. Bryan Clauson, 18 (who turns 19 on Sunday) was sixth at Daytona. James Buescher, 18, was 15th in his first career start at Phoenix. Only Brad Coleman, 20, has yet to better any of his career numbers yet this year but he does have one top-10 finish along with four top-10 starting positions; Coleman's career-best finish came last year where he was second.

Series-Only Regulars Have History of Stand-Alone Success

Despite the experience of numerous double-duty drivers, series-only regulars often make the most of their opportunities during stand-alone season.

At Nashville, Joey Logano won his first pole in only his second race while Brad Keselowski won his first career race. Last year at Kentucky, Regan Smith (pole) and Stephen Leicht (race) turned the trick while at the final stand-alone of 2007 at Memphis, Marcos Ambrose captured his first series pole and David Reutimann won the first race of his series career. In 2006, it was Aric Almirola (pole) and Paul Menard (race) at Milwaukee and in 2005 Reed Sorenson won his first race and first pole at the spring Nashville event.

NASCAR CRAFTSMAN TRUCK SERIES

Classic Battle For Championship Ongoing

The 2008 season could be the series' most competitive ever. The championship lead has changed four times in the most recent four races. The past three races have seen three different leaders. Ron Hornaday Jr. moved from third to first with his win last week at Texas. Previous leader Rick Crawford dropped from first to sixth.

Michigan Native Benson Is Back Home – And Back In Contention

Johnny Benson scored his first series victory at Michigan International Speedway in 2006. He's quietly moved into title contention – from ninth to third – in the past five races. This week's Cool City Customs 200 might be the key to the Grand Rapids native's rise to No. 1.

Another Michigan Native, Sprague, Chasing Fourth Series Title

Jack Sprague also is a solid championship contender as the new member of Kevin Harvick Inc.'s two-champion team. Sprague, from Spring Lake, stands fifth after his fourth-place finish in Texas and only 71 points behind teammate Ron Hornaday Jr. who leads the points battle. Sprague finished 10th in his past two Michigan starts. Having finished second to Hornaday in Kansas and to first time winner Scott Speed at Dover, he's hungry to put his team in Victory Lane for the first time in 2008.

Former Champions At The Front

As the season's longest stretch of races on consecutive weeks rolls on (this is number five of seven), veterans appear to be taking charge. Four former series champions, led by Hornaday, are among the top seven in current point standings. History says the Michigan winner will be a veteran. The track has yet to produce a rookie winner.