Stenhouse thinking Nationwide sweep

NEWTON - Ricky Stenhouse Jr. isn't sure what it takes to sweep events at a track, but he intends to do his best to find out.

Stenhouse won the NASCAR Nationwide Series race at Iowa Speedway in May and enters as one of the favorites to visit victory lane after the U.S. Cellular 250 Saturday night at 6:30.

Stenhouse, the Nationwide points leader, is optimistic for another strong showing.

“I feel like we could sweep here,” he said. “I think that would be a huge accomplishment to do that for myself and would be a pretty good statement for our race team.”

The Roush Fenway Racing team will have the same objective this weekend it always does - win. That's something Stenhouse, 23, hasn't been able to duplicate since his last appearance here.

“Obviously, you have to enjoy it, but in this sport you have to go on to the next race,” Stenhouse said. “You're only as good as your last.”

Stenhouse leads Reed Sorenson by three points in the season standings and owns a 24-point advantage on third-place Elliott Sadler. He has earned two poles, seven top-10 and five top-5 finishes, including two runner-up performances since winning here in May.

“After you get that first win, you expect to win a lot more,” Stenhouse said. “We haven't done that yet, so we've been disappointed, but at the same time we've been running consistently in the top five and that's what we have to do to win this championship.

“I couldn't think of a better place to get our first win. I'm glad that we're back here now.”

Stenhouse started eighth and led 41 laps in the previous Nationwide event at Iowa Speedway, battling Carl Edwards the final 100 laps. Sorenson led almost twice as long (77 laps), but fell back before placing fourth. He could eliminate any need for a broom by Stenhouse.

“I think we had a good car last time,” Sorenson said. “Take what we had on that car, apply it to this one and make it a little bit better through practice.”

Des Moines native Michael Annett, who is 10th in season points with five top-10 finishes (including a career-best sixth at Daytona), would like to throw a monkey wrench in Stenhouse's plans for another victory.

“Getting a win here would be a dream come true,” Annett said.

In the May Nationwide race here, 17 lead changes occurred among seven drivers.

Stenhouse came away with the first win by a Nationwide Series regular since Justin Allgaier won in March 2010.

He arrives in Iowa on a bit of a roll, having placed fourth or better the last three races, including a third at the Kroger 200 at Lucas Oil Raceway in Indianapolis. He led 189 of 204 laps in that race.

In the first practice session Friday, Stenhouse posted the fastest lap time of 23.914 seconds (131.722 miles per hour).

“We're running on pretty good momentum,” said Stenhouse, whose first pole came at Iowa Speedway in 2009. “We ran good here last time.

“We really think we can get another win here.”

Gase debut

Cedar Rapids driver Joey Gase is making his Nationwide debut this weekend.

After two practice sessions Friday, Gase had posted the 23rd fastest time driving for Go Green Racing in a car owned by Jack Roush and sponsored by Agrigold Seed. Gase's recorded lap time was 24.360 seconds, which translates to 129.310 miles per hour.

Gase said he was “happy” with the way practice laps went. He said he received tips from spotter Benny Gordon, who helped set up his opportunity with Go Green Racing.

Qualifying is Saturday at 3:35 p.m. Gase is assured a spot in the Nationwide field because Go Green Racing has earned a provisional spot.