For the first time in his career, Austin Dillon has claimed the top spot in the NASCAR Nationwide Series standings.
That perch, however, is a little shaky as evidenced by the past three races.
When Dillon leads the NASCAR Nationwide contingent into Iowa Speedway for Saturday’s U.S. Cellular 250 Presented by Enlist Weed Control System (8 p.m. ET, ESPN2) he’ll be the third different points leader in as many weeks.
After a 12th-place finish at Indy on Sunday, Dillon leads Regan Smith by six points, however, two weeks ago upon leaving New Hampshire Dillon trailed Smith by 12 points and Sam Hornish Jr. by seven. The following week at Chicagoland, the lead switched hands between Hornish and Smith. Hornish led Smith by seven points and Dillon by eight points.
Although Dillon has not visited Victory Lane in 2013, earlier this season he set a series record when he captured the pole at Michigan in June. It was his fourth consecutive pole.
In the third week of his streak, he posted a runner-up finish during the series’ first trip to Iowa. Not only did he start from the pole, he dominated the race leading 207 of 250 laps. With 12 laps remaining in the race, he lost the lead to eventual race winner Trevor Bayne.
Dillon is hoping for a little more luck this go around.
“We’ve led a lot of laps, we’ve had pit stop problems and different things happen in the races that have cost us a few wins,” Dillon said. “Going there this year, I’ve always been pretty strong there and hopefully we can capitalize this weekend.”
Overall, in five series races at the Midwest track, he has three top 10s with finishes of fourth, 10th, 15th and 28th to go along with his runner-up performance from earlier in the season. During the 2010 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series season, he captured the checkered flag after another dominating performance where he led 187 of 205 laps. In his other two truck starts at the track he finished 12th and second.
If Dillon is able to hold onto the points lead and win the title, he understands how much the championship would mean to everyone at Richard Childress Racing, especially his grandfather.
“It would be very special and it’s definitely a goal for our whole organization at RCR and I would love to do that for my grandfather and every employee over there.”
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