BUSCH

• Nationwide makes inaugural visit to Road America

  Elkhart Lake, WI (Sports Network) - Series: NASCAR Nationwide. Date: Saturday, June 19. Race: Bucyrus 200. Site: Road America. Track: 4.048-mile road course. Start time: 3:30 p.m. (et). Laps: 50. Miles: 202.4. Television: ESPN2. Radio: Motor Racing Network (MRN)/SIRIUS NASCAR Radio.

  The Nationwide Series will compete at the Road America road course in Elkhart, WI for the first time this weekend. At a distance of 4.048 miles, Road America becomes the longest track on any of NASCAR's three national touring series.

  Saturday's race at Road America replaces The Milwaukee Mile on the Nationwide schedule.

  After the conclusion of the 2009 season, the owners of the one-mile Milwaukee track -- the Wisconsin State Fair Park Board -- announced it could not secure a promoter for the 2010 Nationwide and Camping World Truck Series races.

  Darlington replaced Milwaukee on this year's truck schedule, with the The Too Tough to Tame 200 slated for August 14.

  Road America is the first of three road courses on this year's Nationwide schedule.

  The series will compete in Watkins Glen, NY the first weekend in August and then will run in Montreal the last weekend of that month.

  There will be a full day of testing for Nationwide teams on Thursday at Road America before the first official practice at the track takes place on Friday.

  "By the second practice, I'm sure everyone will be up to speed, because the drivers are so good in the Nationwide Series," Wisconsin-native Paul Menard said.

  The series will utilize the same road-course qualifying procedure used at Montreal and Watkins Glen. Drivers will make their qualifying attempts in groups instead of individually. Weather will not be an issue at Road America, since the series will bring Goodyear rain tires. The tires were used when it rained during the Montreal race in 2008 and '09.

  Menard, who is one of three drivers attempting the Road America-Sonoma, CA combo this weekend, has previous experience at the Wisconsin road course. He won a NASCAR Re/Max Challenge Series race there in 2001.

  Carl Edwards and series points leader Brad Keselowski also will attempt double-duty.

  NASCAR made its debut at Road America in 1956 when Tim Flock won a race in what is now the Sprint Cup Series.

  Forty-three teams are on the preliminary entry list for the Bucyrus 200. Among the entrants are several road-course ringers, including Ron Fellows, Jacques Villeneuve and Carlos Contreras.

  06/15 19:42:34 ET