NASCAR Nationwide Series races into Road America this weekend

ELKHART LAKE – The loud roar of racing-engine thunder will echo through the hills of the Kettle Moraine when the inaugural NASCAR Nationwide Series stock-car race comes to Road America in Elkhart Lake Thursday through Sunday, June 17-20.

The Bucyrus 200 presented by Menards will feature many of the top drivers in the Nationwide Series, including Paul Menard, Ron Fellows, Carl Edwards and Brad Keselowski.

All three drivers are expected to make the commute to and from Infineon Raceway in Sonoma, California, which is the site of this weekend’s Sprint Cup race.

Road America replaces the Milwaukee Mile on the 2010 Nationwide schedule. The event will give NASCAR fans an up-close view of stock-car racing unlike they’ve ever seen before in the state of Wisconsin.

Drivers are expected to reach speeds of 180 miles per hour on the straightaways of the 4.048-mile, 14- turn road course at Road America.

“This will be a great weekend experience, said Road America track President George Bruggenthies. “Road America presents a friendly experience. The difference between road racing and ovals is that you can move around and get a different view.

Bruggenthies, who has been the president of Road America for 11 years, said he will be watching in the tight and tricky turn 5 when the race begins.

He also indicated that a crowded pack of 43 cars coming into turn 1 will be an exciting site to see. Turn 13 will also be an easy corner for fans to watch from.

Because there is no reserved seating, fans are encouraged to walk anywhere on the grounds, except the NASCAR garage. The paddock is open and various hillside-viewing areas typically attract a host of spectators on race day.

“Road racing takes some different skills,” remarked Bruggenthies. “It will be a broader challenge to the drivers and each corner will offer a different approach to the drivers.”

Boris Said, a road-course ace, drove a car provided by Roush-Fenway Racing at a test session Road America in late March.

During the test, Said compiled data and film for other drivers to use in preparation for the race. He said the track is very technical and that managing brakes on the 14 turns will be a key to good racing.

Said lapped the track in approximately two minutes 21 seconds, hitting a top speed in the high 170-mph range in the morning.

Nationwide Series drivers who’ve never seen Road America owe big thanks to Said, the NASCAR parttimer and former Trans-Am champion.

Some drivers who plan to attempt to compete in both the Sprint Cup and Nationwide Series events are lining up drivers to practice and possibly qualify their cars for them at Infineon and Road America.

Sprint Cup drivers Edwards (No. 60 Roush-Fenway Racing), Menard (No. 98 Roush-Fenway Racing) and Keselowski (No. 22 Penske Racing) should be able to make it for Nationwide practice on Thursday and qualifying on Saturday.

They will spend all of Friday at Infineon (missing Nationwide practice) and all of Saturday at Road America (missing Cup practice).

Keselowski, the series points leader, will have Penske development driver Parker Kligerman on standby, while Edwards will use Roush-Fenway Racing development driver Erik Darnell on Friday. Michel Jourdain Jr. will practice Menard’s car on Friday.

In addition, Ron Hornaday will fill in for Sprint Cup regular Kevin Harvick and Brad Coleman will drive for Kyle Busch in the Nationwide Series race at Road America.

Former Formula One World Champion Jacques Villeneuve will drive the No. 32 Dollar General Toyota at Road America.

Villeneuve, who has extensive experience in open-wheel racing, earned his first career CART Series win at Elkhart Lake and has two Champ Car championships. He is also a former winner of the Indianapolis 500.

The green flag for the Bucyrus NASCAR Nationwide Series event will drop at 2:30 p.m. on Saturday, June 19.