In his first race of the season with Key Motorsports, former NASCAR Nationwide Series champion Jeff Green finished 23^rd in a caution-filled race at Darlington Raceway, bumping the No. 40 StopRepairBills.com Chevrolet up one spot in the NNS owner standings.

After rain washed out NASCAR Nationwide Series qualifying on Friday afternoon, the starting field for the Diamond Hill Plywood 200 was set by 2009 owner points. Driver Jeff Green, the 2000 NASCAR Nationwide Series champion, was awarded the past-champion's provisional, earning him a 32^nd place starting position. Green, making his first start of the season for Key Motorsports, was positioned directly outside part-time Key Motorsports driver Scott Wimmer in the 16^th row of the starting grid.

At the drop of the green flag, Green began his march toward the front of the pack, despite two caution flags in the first ten laps of the race. By the time the green flag was given for the third time on lap nine, Green had worked his way up to 23^rd.

The No. 40 StopRepairBills.com Chevy held steady as track conditions shifted from day to night, though the field spread out over the course of a 35-lap green flag run. Jeff Green had just been passed by the leaders when the No. 42 of Kenny Hendrick brought out the yellow on lap 42, but, as the first car a lap down, Green was awarded the free pass and restarted on the lead lap when green flag racing resumed.

Green fought his way to 19th by lap 55, and solidly held his place in the top-20 for the next 30 laps, but the Lady in Black continued to change as temperatures dropped, causing the setup on the No. 40 to fall off slightly. The StopRepairBills.com Chevy slid back to 24th by lap 101, going a lap down for the second time that night. This time Green was unable to earn his lap back, and as the circuits wound down, Green was able to pick up just one more position.

 The No. 40 Chevrolet was scored 23rd when the race ended under caution after an attempt at a green/white/checkered finish was halted by a crash on lap 153.

After Jeff Green's 23^rd place finish, the No. 40 StopRepairBills.com Chevrolet now sits 32^nd in the NNS owner standings, up one position from last week. The team is now just 39 points outside 30^th.

The NASCAR Nationwide Series takes a break this weekend for the All-Star race, and returns under the lights on Saturday, May 23^rd in the Carquest Auto Parts 300 at Lowe's Motor Speedway.

RECAP:

Date: May 8, 2009
Track: Darlington Raceway
Event Name: Diamond Hill Plywood 200
Start: 32nd
Finish: 23rd
Laps Led: 0
 
NEXT ON SCHEDULE:
Date: May 23, 2009
Track: Lowe's Motor Speedway
Event Name: Carquest Auto Parts 300
TV: ESPN2, 7:00 PM ET
Radio: PRN, 7:00 PM ET