N’WIDE: Speed Nips LASTCAR Nationwide Champion Jeff Green For First Last-Place Finish

SOURCE: Brian Keselowski's Facebook Page

Scott Speed picked up the 1st last-place finish of his NASCAR Nationwide Series career in Saturday’s O’Reilly Auto Parts Challenge at the Texas Motor Speedway when his #47 Curtis Key Plumbing Chevrolet fell out with electrical problems after completing 3 of the race’s 200 laps. The finish came in Speed’s 16th series start.

Speed, who came home a season-best 6th at Montreal in August while driving for Kevin Harvick, entered the Texas race as the latest driver of the #47, the newest of Key Motorsports’ three “start-and-park” teams. It was Speed’s second start in as many races with the team, following a 41st-place run at Charlotte.

He qualified 35th for the race at a speed of 179.265 mph, good enough to beat five other “go-or-go-homers” who failed to qualify. Among the DNQs was defending LASTCAR Nationwide Series champion Dennis Setzer, whose Jay Robinson Racing #48 has been absent since Chicago in September.

Three laps into the race, and moments before Jamie Dick’s single-car spin, Speed’s was the first car behind the wall. Current LASTCAR Nationwide Champion Jeff Green followed suit three laps later under the ensuing caution.

LASTCAR STATISTICS
*Speed is the fifth first-time Nationwide Series last-placer in 2011, joining Kelly Bires (Daytona), Blake Koch (Dover), Marc Davis (Nashville), and T.J. Bell (Chicagoland).
*This was the first Nationwide Series last-place finish at Texas for the #47.

THE BOTTOM FIVE
43) #47-Scott Speed / 3 laps / electrical
42) #44-Jeff Green / 6 laps / vibration
41) #50-T.J. Bell / 9 laps / electrical
40) #04-Tim Andrews / 11 laps / vibration
39) #46-Chase Miller / 13 laps / vibration

LASTCAR N’WIDE SERIES DRIVER’S CHAMPIONSHIP
For 2011 LASTCAR Driver’s Champion Jeff Green to break Jeff Fuller’s all-time single-season LASTCAR record of 11 last-place finishes, he must finish last in both the season’s remaining races at Phoenix and Homestead.
1st) Jeff Green (10)
2nd) Brett Rowe (3)
3rd) Kelly Bires, Johnny Chapman, Dennis Setzer (2)
4th) T.J. Bell, Matt Carter, Kevin Conway, Marc Davis, Mike Harmon, James Hylton, Jennifer Jo Cobb, Brian Keselowski, Blake Koch, Justin Marks, Scott Speed, Scott Wimmer, J.J. Yeley (1)

LASTCAR N’WIDE SERIES OWNER’S CHAMPIONSHIP
1st) #44-TriStar Motorsports (10)
2nd) #47-Key Motorsports, #55-Faith Motorsports (3)
3rd) #25-Ed Rensi, #27-Baker Curb Racing, #49-Jay Robinson Racing (2)
4th) #0-JD Motorsports, #13-Jennifer Jo Cobb, #41-Rick Ware Racing, #50-Mark Beaver, #68-Fleur-De-Lis Motorsports, #74-Mike Harmon, #75-Rick Ware Racing, #82-MacDonald Motorsports, #87-NEMCO Motorsports, #03-R3 Motorsports (1)

LASTCAR N’WIDE SERIES MANUFACTURER’S CHAMPIONSHIP
1st) Chevrolet (25)
2nd) Ford (6)
3rd) Dodge (1)