She's Baaack! And She's Got Hot Wheels ...

Danica Patrick returns to the NASCAR Nationwide Series this weekend after a little hiatus.

The JR Motorsports driver will take the track at Michigan International Speedway in a paint scheme which is bound to make preschool boys drool and old men sigh.

Hot Wheels, the iconic toy car brand, will be the primary sponsor of Patrick's No. 7 Cheverolet for the CARFAX 250.  The Hot Wheels crew specially designed Patrick's paint scheme which features the familiar red and orange Hot Wheels flames streaking across the hood and sides of the vehicle.

Car design aside, Patrick is hoping to improve on her 24th place finish at Chicagoland Speedway.  But she'll have to do that in the new Nationwide car which last ran at Daytona in July (a race which Patrick's team owner, Dale Earnhardt Jr., won).

"It’s going to be nice to get out there and run these new cars," Patrick said. "We’ve been talking about the new cars so much this year, and now I’ll get a chance to shake one down. JR Motorsports has put a lot of effort into its new car program, so I’m hoping we can get the most out of it in Michigan."

You go girl!

Love Him Or Hate Him, You Can't Count Out KB

Around lap 55 of today's Nationwide race, Kyle Busch was running in 32nd place. He was two laps down. He had incurred a pit road penalty. And at the time, it appeared Busch didn't have a popsicle's chance in hell to win the TECH-NET Auto Service 300.

But that's the thing about a guy like Busch.  Give him even a popsicle's chance and he'll bring her home for a win.

As the race progressed, Busch stealthily picked his way through the field.  He kept his nose clean. He avoided trouble. His was a good car, and he knew how to use it.

Then Busch's pit crew threw down a stellar stop, giving their driver the top spot.  And Rowdy took full advantage.  He stayed out during the final stop. And after two agonizing restarts during the last few laps, Busch (with a litle help from teammate Joey Logano) staved off the No. 22 of Brad Keselowski for the win -  thereby tying Mark Martin's record for the most wins on 1.5 mile tracks.

Busch won't be driving when the Nationwide Series returns to Nashville next week.  And it's not because of the Guitar Hero Fiasco of 2009.  This year, Busch has a potential Cup championship on the line, and he can't afford to let competition in the NASCAR's other series get him off his game.

However, with this weekend's momentum swinging in Busch's favor, Sunday's Coca-Cola 600 will be something to see.  If Busch is running even halfway decent, expect him to put up a fight for the checkers - no matter who's in his way.

Consider also that Busch is starting Sunday's race in ninth spot - just behind his teammate and current "frenemy" Denny Hamlin. 

And, as we all know, you can always count on Busch to make things interesting.  Hamlin beware.

New Nationwide Cars Look Good, But How Do They Handle?

Two days of testing at Daytona International Speedway came to an end today.  A slew of Nationwide drivers were trying out the series' new "car of tomorrow" which makes its racing debut in the Subway Jalapeno 250 on July 2.

The verdict is in - the new Mustangs and Challengers look sweet. But they (Camry and Impala included) drive kinda crazy.

Per Carl Edwards, "If we can get the cars tuned a little better, if we can spend the rest of today getting the balance better and then maybe that test day or that practice day on Wednesday before we come and work on the cars a little more, hopefully they'll be a little bit more predictable."

“But right now it's wild. Brendan Gaughan and I were talking, it's like the 2003 Truck race when it was my first one, and they're just a handful. So it's going to be pretty exciting," Edwards said.

Diamond Waltrip Racing's Trevor Bayne had the same take, "I heard all the drivers in the garage, even Kyle Busch and Carl Edwards, saying things are loose, so I'm like, ‘All right, they must be pretty loose’ and I got out there and saw for myself, and they are sideways."

Fastest in the Wednesday afternoon drafting session was Reed Sorenson in the No. 32 Toyota at a speed of 187.817 mph. Rounding out the top five were Kevin Harvick (186.928), Mike Wallace (186.170), Bayne (186.035) and Kyle Busch (186.027).

Photo info: Paul Menard and Justin Allgaier test the new Nationwide Car of Tomorrow at Daytona International Speedway, couresty of Daytona International Speedway.

Thank God for Nationwide

After the Martinsville race was delayed to Monday, Easter weekend seemed like the second consecutive off weekend for Sprint Cup competition.  And two non-NASCAR Sundays in a row, just don't cut it this early in the season.

But, luckily, as is becoming frequently the case, the Nationwide Series saved the day. And so far this year, the boys in Nationwide are providing the best show in NASCAR. 

Every NNS race is exciting.  There's more than one feud to keep things dramatic. And the rivals du jour (Carl Edwards and Brad Keselowski) are leading the points standings - with only a mere 16 ticks between them.

Talk about good television.

Saturday Jason Leffler got parked for reckless driving.  Mired in the back, Brad Keselowski sliced through the field - passing five cars in one swoop.  And Kevin Harvick took only two tires during a late-race caution to hold off a hard-charging Reed Sorenson and claim the guitar trophy for his own safekeeping.

Not bad for a Saturday afternoon in Nashville.  I just wish the Cup races were this exciting ...

Not the Feud We Expected...

At the end of last season, it was pretty evident that Denny Hamlin and Brad Keselowski would continue their fender-banging, smack-talking feud into 2010.

But leave it to California to rekindle a feud that may have had the least shelf life.

Who would have guessed that Greg Biffle and Joey Logano would be the first to renew the bad blood we saw last year?

To be honest, this particular imbroglio hardly seems fair. Biffle is a vet who has been racing in the Nationwide Series for 11 years, and in Cup for nine. Logano got his first start in both series as recently as 2008.

Yet Biff continues to pick on The Kid.

Before Biffle got into him, Logano had his first win of the season essentially locked up. He led almost every lap and was looking strong down the stretch. But then that pesky Biffle got into him on the restart with two laps to go. And their little dustup gave Kyle Busch the chance he needed to pull out a victory.

Logano, post-race, looked none too happy and quickly put the blame on Biffle's shoulders, ending with what could be construed as a threat. “You keep doing that, and eventually it’s going to come back and bite you,” Logano said.

Meanwhile, Biffle chalked up their contact to a "rookie mistake" of Logano's, saying The Kid spun his tires on the restart.

Not quite the verbal fusillade that characterized the Hamlin versus Keselowski match. But who knows? If Logano gets pushed one more time, he might just shed that choir boy persona and hit Biff where it hurts.

Now that would be something to see.

Photo: Joey Logano's pole-winning No. 20 car led almost the whole race, but didn't take the checkers - Getty Images

Robert Richardson Jr. Talks NASCAR, Elvis and Tim Tebow

Robert Richardson Jr. is what I'd call a NASCAR Renaissance Man. This self-proclaimed Elvis fan is a former college quarterback who also majored in studio art at SMU. Oh, and did I mention he hopes to run a full Nationwide schedule in 2010 for R3Motorsports?

Richardson will pilot the No. 23 Chevrolet beginning at Daytona (he has 18 races planned right now), and he'll also run a few races on the Cup side as well. We caught up with Richardson a couple days ago and asked him about everything from Danica Patrick to Tim Tebow. Here's what this up-and-coming driver had to say:

What are your goals for 2010 - I know you're hoping to run a full season in the Nationwide Series...

"I have always looked forward to a full season effort. I've always felt taking two to three week breaks in between races and splitting the seat with other drivers has always put a damper on my experience in a car. The more seat time we have, as drivers, the better and more experienced we become. But, without the support from our sponsors, we would not have been able to accomplish the goals we have, thus far, with R3 Motorsports."

What are your favorite tracks on the circuit and why?

"Talladega Superspeedway and Texas Motor Speedway are tracks that hit close to home with me. Texas was where my whole career started and where I earned my first win in a Late Model. Talladega is where I have always run well, and where I made my very first Sprint Cup Series start last year finishing in 18th place."

What are your long-term racing goals - where would you like to be five years from now?

"Well, every race car driver dreams to race in the Sprint Cup Series one day. But for now, I want to hone my skills a little bit more in the Nationwide Series before I make the leap of faith into the Cup Series full time. But, hopefully five years from now, I will be focusing more on running a full Cup schedule. If I feel I’m ready and we can do it properly, it could happen sooner, too."

You know I have to ask - what are your thoughts about Danica Patrick? Do you think all the hype surrounding her takes away from other, more worthy drivers in the Nationwide Series or do you even care?

"I think having her in the sport right now is something NASCAR needs to help put the fans focus back on the sport, and even our Nationwide Series. Although I have never raced against her or met her in person, I won't count her out on being competitive. If she brings the fire and intensity she had from IRL into NASCAR; people better watch out. "

Elvis' 75th birthday was last Friday and I know you're a huge Elvis fan. What's your favorite Elvis song and why?

"(Laughs) Yes, I am a HUGE Elvis fan. It's hard to pick just one song because I like so many of them, but one of my favorites is "Tiger Man" because it has such an upbeat tempo that makes you tap your toes every time I hear it and, occasionally, I’ll sing it while I'm in the car."

You've also got no small amount of football experience on your resume. I live in the heart of Gator Country. What do you think about Tim Tebow and his prospects in the NFL?

"I grew up a Gator fan because my mother’s side of the family lived in Florida. I used to watch the Gators when Danny Wuerffel was their star QB. I admired how he played and when I was in Middle School and High school; I looked up to his "style" of being a quarterback. But, I'm not sure what to think about Tebow in the NFL just yet. He's more of a mobile QB and runs a lot. Most of the NFL quarterbacks are 'stand back and pass' cookie cutter QB's. It will be interesting to see how he does, and see who will draft him."

How does your football experience come into play behind the wheel? Is there anything you learned on the field that has helped you on the track?

"Oh, absolutely. Hand- to-eye coordination was something I worked on a lot playing quarterback in school and having quick feet. You need those abilities while driving race cars, as well. Also, teamwork and creating that "get after their tail" attitude amongst your team is important. One thing I’m big on is having camaraderie with your team. That is, by far, the most important piece of the puzzle to have, in my opinion. Because when it's time to do battle; they will be beside you every step of the way."

Saturday at Phoenix: Tornados, Rain and Sons of Thunder

This race weekend Saturday turned out to be one heckuva NASCAR news day. There was a big sponsorship announcement for Stewart-Haas, an actual weather event and an on-track storm which warrants a red flag warning for Homestead.

First, Tornados: A major sponsorship deal for the #39 Chevy was announced today at PIR. Tornados, a brand of frozen Mexican convenience food, will be Ryan Newman’s primary sponsor for five Sprint Cup races beginning in 2010. When not serving as a primary, Tornados will take associate sponsor status on the car’s lower-rear quarterpanel. The Tornados paint scheme was also unveiled today at Phoenix International Raceway's Victory Lane.

Second, rain: It may have been brief, but the rain shower in the desert caused the cancellation of the first Cup practice and an unexpected appearance by the jet dryers. As Dale Junior's spotter T.J. Majors said via Twitter earlier today, "Rains 3 times a year and 2 of the 3 are when we are here."

Third, Sons of Thunder: The two lightning rods for NASCAR Nationwide controversy are at it again - and the fans are loving every minute of it. Tonight's dust-up between Denny Hamlin and Brad Keselowski started with Ham getting into Special K a bit as they raced for position...and it ended with Keselowski returning the favor by sending Denny into the fence (video below).

Although fans were hoping for a Cale Yarborough-style smackdown on pit road, all they got was a war of words. And Hamlin's still talking. About 30 minutes ago, he broadcast via Twitter "Yall are waitin on something aren't ya... Haha." If Hamlin backs up his post-race trash talk, he should be settling his score with Brad on the track at Homestead, which could be just the storyline NASCAR needs. Only time will tell...but so far he's been a man of many words and little action.

Speaking of Sons of Thunder, Kyle Busch, failed to wrap up the Nationwide Championship - thanks to a win by Carl Edwards and a ninth-place finish of his own. But he didn't fail to elude those pesky cameras again. Chalk up another disappearing act for Rowdy.

Quote of the Day Goes to Jack Roush

Carl Edwards put on the biggest show last night in the Nationwide Series Virginia 529 College Savings 250, but team owner Jack Roush wins the prize for most imaginative quote.

Edwards maneuvered his Ford from worst to first - a win made even more impressive due to his discussed ad-nauseum Frisbee injury. The reason for Edward's tail-of-the field start? A spark plug change after the car was impounded post qualifying.

When asked about the issue that put his driver in starting position #43, Roush sounded like he'd been reading Edgar Allan Poe in the hauler: ""When the sun goes down and the moon goes full, the demons creep in sometimes on us at night," team owner Jack Roush. "I'm sure it was just an isolated component failure of some kind. One way or the other, we'll try to avoid that going forward."

For a guy often called the Cat in the Hat, Roush's words aren't Seussical in the least. To the contrary, I half expected him to end his answer with "Quoth the raven, 'Nevermore'"... but maybe he's saving that for HALLOW-DEGA.