Regan Smith holds the NASCAR Nationwide Series points lead, and has 10 times this year. He’ll undoubtedly battle for a NASCAR Nationwide Series championship over the next four months.
But immediately speaking, there’s this: $100,000.
The top-four finishing NASCAR Nationwide Series championship contenders in last weekend’s race at Daytona – Smith, Ryan Sieg, Ryan Reed and Jeremy Clements – all qualified to compete in the first round of Nationwide’s Dash 4 Cash program, which takes place Saturday at New Hampshire Motor Speedway (3:30 p.m. ET on ESPN2).
The top finisher among the four wins $100,000. Each of the four drivers that have qualified for this season’s Round One of the Dash 4 Cash are first-time participants in the program.
“Being part of the Dash 4 Cash program is really cool,” Smith said. “We missed out on it last year and it was disappointing because I really wanted to be in the running for $100,000. It’s exciting. Nationwide does a great job promoting our series and the Dash 4 Cash adds a whole other level. As competitors we all want to win, but this definitely puts a larger spotlight on these next four races.”
Smith, seemingly, is the favorite. But statistically speaking, it may be closer than it looks.
Smith and Clements have each made three starts at NHMS, posting near-identical average finishes of 19.3 and 19.6, respectively. Sunoco Rookie of the Year contenders Reed and Sieg will be making their series track debuts at New Hampshire.
The highest finisher of the four eligible drivers at New Hampshire will win the money and automatically qualify for the second Dash 4 Cash race at Chicagoland Speedway next weekend. Indianapolis Motor Speedway holds the third race (July 26) and Iowa Speedway hosts the finale (Aug. 2).
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