Bowyer, Edwards take points battle to Richmond

• SPEED, ESPN Classic to simulcast Nationwide race at Richmond

Clint Bowyer and Carl Edwards were the preseason favorites to battle for the Nationwide Series championship, and going into Friday night's Lipton TEA 250 at Richmond International Raceway, little has changed.

After 10 races of the 35-race season, Bowyer leads Edwards, the defending series champion, by 27 points. Bowyer has led the series after the past five races with Edwards second.

Fast facts

What	Lipton TEA 250
When	Green, 7:44 p.m. ET Friday
TV	SPEED, ESPN Classic 7 ET ESPN2, 9:30 p.m. ET
Radio	MRN (Sirius Ch. 28), 7:30 ET

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They are so close, their misfortunes even appear to be timed. Last week at Talladega, each posted his worse finish of the season. Bowyer finished 25th for the second time in 2008, and Edwards finished 31st.

Bowyer is the defending champion of the spring race at RIR, a tight .75-mile track (read more).

"That win led to a lot of good things," Bowyer said. "We ran well last season. We only had two less top-fives than Carl, and we only ran a part-time schedule. I don't think it's a mystery that I'm looking forward to going to Richmond. I'm hoping we can put Talladega behind us and pick our momentum back up and hang on to the points lead."

Edwards won at Richmond in 2005 and finished second this past September. He can't wait to get on the track Friday night.

"I don't like waiting around for the night race," Edwards said. "That's what kills me, but once we get started, it's one of the best races of the year. Richmond under the lights is always spectacular and makes for some exciting racing."

Kyle Busch, third in the standings, 39 points back, has two wins at Richmond, including this past fall.

Cup regulars Kevin Harvick and Matt Kenseth are in the mix, too, and have the two highest driver ratings at Richmond. Harvick, at 118.6, is making his first Nationwide start since April 11 at Phoenix. He has four wins at Richmond in 14 races and has finished outside the top five only five times.

Clauson

Kenseth, 118.3, finished fifth (Daytona) and first (Atlanta) in his only two starts of the season. Although Kenseth has yet to win at Richmond, he has 14 top-10s in 16 races and has finished in the top eight in his past 11 starts.

Denny Hamlin, a native of suburban Richmond, is making his sixth Nationwide start of the season and looking for his first win at his home track.

"I know it's not just another race for me," Hamlin said. "When I go to Richmond, there's definitely a lot more pressure. I'm constantly looking in the stands at the people cheering me on and that means a lot to me. I take a lot of pride in trying to run well there because I spent so many years watching from there. When I do have a good run at Richmond, it means just a little bit more there than it does anywhere else."

Rookie Bryan Clauson will fill in for injured Dario Franchitti in the No. 40 Chip Ganassi Racing Dodge. Franchitti suffered a broken ankle in the Nationwide race this past weekend in Talladega.