The 2008 NASCAR Nationwide Series was the 27th season of the NASCAR Nationwide Series, the second-tier professional stock car racing series sanctioned by NASCAR in the United States. The season began on February 16 at Daytona International Speedway with the Camping World 300, and ended on November 15 at Homestead-Miami Speedway with the Ford 300. This was the first season in which NASCAR's second-tier series was known as the Nationwide Series, ending the 26-year sponsorship by Anheuser-Busch's Busch Beer. The seven-year agreement gives Nationwide Insurance the exclusive rights to tie its brand to NASCAR's second most popular racing series.
Schedule
The following table shows the 2008 schedule published by NASCAR.
♣ — Race ran at night, or started in the late afternoon and finished at night.
2008 team chart
Complete schedule
Part-time schedule
Television
The 2008 TV schedule followed the same format as 2007, with most races broadcast on ESPN2 and six races broadcast on ABC when ESPN2 broadcast larger sporting events. All races were to be shown live on free-to-air TV in Australia on Ten HD. In South America, SPEED broadcast the entire season.
2008 season races
Camping World 300
The Camping World 300 presented by Chevrolet was held February 16 at Daytona International Speedway. Tony Stewart won the pole and then went on to win the race. Stewart became the first driver to win the season opening Nationwide Series race at Daytona from the pole. Johnny Sauter, Cale Gale, Kertus Davis and David Gilliland all received 25-point penalties for various infractions.
Did not qualify: Danny O'Quinn Jr. (#56), Morgan Shepherd (#89), Larry Gunselman (#91), Kenny Wallace (#36), Kevin Lepage (#61), Joe Nemechek (#87), Donnie Neuenberger (#52), Brett Rowe (#05), Mike Harmon (#84), Kertus Davis (#0).
NOTE: On February 20 NASCAR announced that seven Nationwide teams had been penalized due to rule violations during Speedweeks at Daytona. The most notable was Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s #5 team whose crew chief was fined $25,000 and suspended for the next six Nationwide Series events until April 9. Earnhardt Jr. was penalized with the loss of 50 driver points, while car owner Rick Hendrick was penalized 50 owner points. An altered rear spoiler was found during post-practice template inspection which enhanced the aerodynamic performance on the car. On March 4 it was announced that some teams had their penalties upheld and some rescinded by the National Stock Car Racing Commission. Rusty Wallace, Inc. had 3 penalties rescinded on the #64 car driven by David Stremme. The commission also amended 2 of 3 penalties issued to Richardson-Hass Motorsports' #14 car driven by David Gilliland. The commission also reduced a fine against Kevin Harvick, Inc. #77 crew chief Charles Wilson from $15,000 to $5,000 and also reduced a suspension from the next 6 races to only 4 races. The commission opted to uphold penalties against the JD Motorsports #0 car driven by Kertus Davis. The commission also decided to amend 2 of 3 penalties issued to the Phoenix Racing #1 car driven by Johnny Sauter.
Stater Brothers 300
The Stater Brothers 300 was held on Monday, February 25 due to rain at the newly renamed Auto Club Speedway of Southern California (previously California Speedway) in Fontana, California. Jeff Burton won the pole due to qualifying being canceled after being rained out. The race was scheduled to be held on the 23rd, but water seeping onto the track surface prevented this, and it was then scheduled to be held after Sunday's Auto Club 500. More rain postponed that, and again also delayed the Nationwide race to Monday, an hour after the completion of the Sprint Cup Series race. Tony Stewart dominated most of the day leading 139 of 150 laps with fellow Toyota driver David Reutimann sitting in 2nd for much of the race.
Did not qualify: None, only 43 entries.
NOTE: Eric Norris driver of the #14 Carl A. Haas Motorsports entry withdrew, making only 42 starters.