Edwards is in Bowyer's rearview mirror, closing

In the past six weeks, Clint Bowyer has seen his lead in the Nationwide Series point standings dwindle from 202 points to 113. Part of the problem is defending champion Carl Edwards.

Edwards has won three of the past nine Nationwide races, including last week at Michigan, and during the past five, Bowyer has had two finishes of 18th or worse while Edwards was busy collecting two of his trophies.

Fast facts

What	Food City 250
When	8 p.m. ET Friday
TV	ESPN, 7:30 p.m. ET
Radio	PRN (Sirius Ch. 28), 7:30 ET

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• By the Numbers: Bristol

But in the big scheme of things, nothing has changed.

Bowyer is still the points leader, and entering Friday's Food City 250 at Bristol Motor Speedway, he's the series' most recent winner on the famed short track; his victory in the rain-shortened spring race is his only win in 2008.

"A win is a win no matter what the circumstances," Bowyer said. "No matter how we won, I know where the trophy is. Bristol is such a neat racetrack, and it's a dream come true to have won a race there. Bristol is such a demanding racetrack, and if you can win at a place like that, you've done a good day's work."

Last season, Edwards slumped during the second half after quickly gathering four wins. This year, he started slow and had two DNFs in the first 12 races. His first win didn't come until the 17th race at Milwaukee. Six races ago, Edwards was 254 points behind Bowyer. Now he has the momentum, not Bowyer.

"Our Nationwide team is on a roll, and I can't wait to get back in my Ford Fusion this weekend," Edwards said. "It's always fun going to Bristol because there is nothing like racing under the lights. We had a great points weekend in Michigan, and we will carry the momentum into Bristol and focus on gaining as many points on Clint Bowyer."

Edwards' and Bowyer's records at Bristol are similar. Edwards has a win and four top-10s in eight races; Bowyer has the same in seven races. Bowyer's driver rating, 103.3, is second only to Richard Childress Racing teammate Kevin Harvick's 107.4 among drivers who have competed in the past seven races at the track. Edwards' 102.1 is third.

News & Notes

• With so much at stake in Saturday's Cup race at Bristol, Harvick wants to be well-rested and will not race Friday night. Harvick is eighth in the Cup Series standings, but his lead on 13th place is 103 points with three races to go before the field for the Chase for the Sprint Cup is set. His absence snaps his streak of Nationwide appearances at Bristol at 17 races.
• Kyle Busch returns to the series in the Joe Gibbs Racing No. 18 Toyota, one of two cars heavily penalized Wednesday by NASCAR for rules violations. In Busch's past five Nationwide races, he has two wins, two seconds and a third. Joey Logano will be in the No. 20, the other JGR Toyota that was penalized.