Nationwide teams schedule backup drivers for June 6 race weekend
Several Nationwide Series teams are lining up backup drivers for the upcoming Sprint Cup/Nationwide non-companion weekend June 6-8.
The Federated Auto Parts 300 at Nashville Superspeedway will be held June 7 at 7:30 p.m. EDT, four hours after qualifying is to be held. Sprint Cup practice at Pocono ends at 12:20 p.m., cutting it close for Cup drivers who want to fly to Nashville.
Also, Cup qualifying is at 3:40 p.m. June 6, with two Nationwide practices that day, at 6 p.m. and 7:45 p.m.
Jason Hedlesky will fill in for Carl Edwards in Roush Fenway Racing’s No. 60 Ford at Nashville Superspeedway, though whether Edwards will fly back and forth has yet to be decided, the team said.
Auggie Vidovich is the backup for Edwards’ teammate, David Ragan, though Ragan will try to make it to Nashville in time for qualifying.
Greg Biffle won’t fly into Nashville for practice June 6, but since the No. 16 Ford needs to make the race via qualifying, Biffle will try to make it for time trials. His backup is Casey Atwood.
Josh Wise is the backup driver for Michael Waltrip Racing’s David Reutimann.
Backup plans for Richard Childress Racing’s Clint Bowyer and Braun Racing’s Kyle Busch are unknown, both teams said. Busch is trying to run all three NASCAR national series race that weekend, so he won’t be in Nashville on June 6.
