THE FRONTSTRETCH NEWSLETTER
Presented by Frontstretch.com
The Best Seat at the Track, The Best View on the Net!
May 3rd, 2011
Volume V, Edition LXXIX
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Today's Top News
by Tom Bowles
Navy Seals ... At Charlotte
In the wake of Osama bin Laden's death, Charlotte Motor Speedway is expanding its ticket program this month to honor those responsible for carrying out the mission: Navy SEALS. For $20, fans or sponsors will have an opportunity to purchase one of 1,000 tickets and send them out to any eligible SEAL or their families.
"Charlotte Motor Speedway has a rich history of honoring our nation's military," said Marcus Smith, president of Charlotte Motor Speedway. "However, we would be the ones honored to have members of the U.S. Navy SEALs join us … as a token of our gratitude for a job well done."
To buy a ticket, those interested can call 1-800-455-FANS or visit the track's website, charlottemotorspeedway.com. That's not the only NASCAR special event connected to the military, either; Darlington also has a special pre-race ceremony planned for Saturday night's Southern 500.
NASCAR, Manufacturers To Meet Today
NASCAR's Town Hall Meeting strategy for competitors, fans, and all involved in the sport continues Tuesday with a manufacturers' roundtable in Detroit. Ford, Chevy, Dodge, and Toyota will be seated around the table to talk short and long-term ideas as the series looks towards a potential new car in 2013.
Brand identity is expected to be one of the primary items discussed; with the Car of Tomorrow, the similarities across the board have meant each manufacturer has lost some of its distinctive, individual features. Fuel injection, on the table for 2012 will also be an item on NASCAR's end as they try and keep all parties up to date.
"The manufacturers are stakeholders," President Mike Helton said over the weekend. "We're kind of catching up to tell them the same information we're telling all the other stakeholders."
Scott Riggs Returns To Racing This Weekend
One of NASCAR's longtime veterans is making his 2011 debut this week. 40-year-old Scott Riggs, armed with 177 Sprint Cup starts to his credit will be returning to the series in a second Whitney Motorsports Dodge for select races. Unfortunately, the effort is expected to be a start-and-parker in order to support the competitiveness of his teammate, the No. 46 driven by J.J. Yeley.
Riggs will go the distance, though, in his other ride this weekend: driving the No. 23 R3 Motorsports car in the Nationwide Series. Replacing Robert Richardson behind the wheel, Riggs will try and give a boost to the beleaguered program: they have just one top-20 finish through nine events so far this season.
Brian France Visits Sportscenter, NASCAR Now
NASCAR's CEO took a different path into the public limelight Monday, visiting the set of both ESPN's SportsCenter and NASCAR Now. The executive spent some time catching up with panelists on the NASCAR-themed program before holding an extensive interview session with anchor Kevin Negandhi. Here's a transcript of some highlighted quotes from the visit, released from ESPN:
What does it mean to the sport of NASCAR when Dale Earnhardt Jr. is succeeding?
"He's the biggest franchise in NASCAR. It would be great if he continues to figure out the chemistry of the team. He's done that, and I think his confidence is finally back to where it was a few years ago. He went through a pretty good slump, so it's nice to see him competing at a high level."
Why do you think Jimmie Johnson doesn't get enough credit?
"I don't think that's something he runs around trying to promote and figure out. I think he just puts his game face on and wins when he needs to win. He's a great guy, he's represented us well, and we'll see what he does on (championship) No. 6."
What's your favorite thing when you go out to the track?
"The size of it, the huge crowds that file in, the energy level when the green flag comes out. It's just a different feeling than perhaps any other sport."
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Got NASCAR-related questions or comments?
Send them John Potts' way at john.potts@frontstretch.com; and if you're lucky, you'll get your name in print when he does his weekly column answering back to you – the fans that keep Frontstretch afloat. Potts' Shots will run on Thursdays with a whole new set of Fan Questions and Answers!
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Numbers Game: Crown Royal Presents the Matthew & Daniel Hansen 400
The number of points separating the 35th through 37th-place teams in owner points. The No. 32 team (Ken Schrader at Richmond) is 35th and will be locked into the field for the Darlington race while the No. 13 team (Casey Mears) is classified 36th and would have to qualify on speed under normal circumstances. However, they are locked in because the Wood Brothers Racing No. 21 (currently 32nd in points) is still in the top-35 in owners' points after skipping Richmond. The No. 71 car of Andy Lally will be forced to qualify on speed despite having the same number of points as the Nos. 32 and 13.
1
The number of top-5 finishes for Denny Hamlin so far in 2011 after finishing second in Saturday's Sprint Cup race at Richmond.
2
Consecutive 1-2 finishes for Kyle Busch and Denny Hamlin at Richmond in Sprint Cup competition.
3
Consecutive victories in the Richmond spring race for Kyle Busch. He has no victories in the fall race.
3
The number of top-10 starters to finish in the top 10 at Richmond (Kasey Kahne, Carl Edwards, Clint Bowyer).
3
The number of top-10 finishes for David Ragan after the first nine races of 2011. He had the same amount in 36 starts last season. His fourth-place finish at Richmond was his first top-5 since 2008.
4
The number of pit road infractions committed by Michael Waltrip Racing teams in Saturday's Sprint Cup race. David Reutimann pitted before the pits were open and had too many crewmembers over the wall while Martin Truex had a missing lug nut. When Truex came in to get the lug nut tightened, he was caught speeding exiting the pits.
5
The number of cars on the lead lap at the end of Friday's Nationwide Series race at Richmond. It was the lowest total of any race this season.
6
The number of pit stops made by Kyle Busch, Denny Hamlin and Kasey Kahne (the top three finishers) in Saturday's Sprint Cup race.
9
The number of cars out of the race after 64 laps in Friday's Nationwide Series race. None of the cars were out due to accidents.
11
The number of top-10 finishes in 13 career starts at Richmond for Kyle Busch.
11th
A.J. Allmendinger's position in the Sprint Cup standings after a seventh-place finish at Richmond. If the Chase for the Cup started today, Allmendinger would be in.
13th
Dave Blaney's finishing position at Richmond for Tommy Baldwin Racing. Blaney's run moved the No. 36 car into the top-35 in the standings.
18.25
The average finishing position of Sprint Cup drivers following a win in the previous Sprint Cup race in 2011. After winning at Talladega, Jimmie Johnson was eighth at Richmond.
41
The number of cars that competed in Friday's Nationwide Series race. It was the lowest total of the season.
52
The combined number of laps led by all drivers not named Denny Hamlin in Friday's Nationwide Series race. Hamlin led a race-high 199 laps on his way to victory.
75
The number of cautions through nine Sprint Cup races in 2011. There were eight at Richmond on Saturday.
326
The number of laps completed by Joe Nemechek through nine Sprint Cup Series races. He ran 40 laps on Saturday and finished 42nd.
719
Laps led this season in the Sprint Cup Series for Kyle Busch. He led 235 laps on Saturday at Richmond. Busch has led in seven of the first nine races.
$6,135
The difference in prize money between fifth-place finisher Brad Keselowski ($18,475 for completing 251 laps) and 41st-place finisher Matthew Carter ($12,340 for completing six laps) in Friday's Nationwide Series race.
Today's Featured Commentary
Going to the Races: A Victory for All Americans
by S.D. Grady
Flawless blue skies are a beautiful thing, especially when accompanied by cool weather.
That's only one thought that floated through my mind on Sunday as the engines fired up at Stafford Motor Speedway in Stafford Springs, CT. There was also the appreciation of how the thrum of the Whelen Modifieds power plants beat at my chest, the sight of Bobby Santos T-Shirts, fans displaying Lebanon Valley logos and the general feeling of bonhomie that only comes with the first race of the season.
We stood as one for the national anthem and raised our hats in salute as the field passed us by one last time before the green flag dropped. Sighs and groans of excitement and irritation whispered through the grandstands as cars snapped loose, only to be collected up and continued on their way. We swayed and stood up, pointed and clapped. Some might call it a well-rehearsed show.
Actually, it is NASCAR fans coming together and thoroughly enjoying the one thing we love most: stock car racing. It was perhaps a more humble display of racing fans doing what we love than was seen Saturday night in Richmond, but the sentiment is the same, diminished not one whit by the location.
I try to take advantage of the opportunity to celebrate my obsession with others as often as I can. But there was one time when I was denied this chance: September 16, 2001. It was the weekend after America was attacked by al Qaeda. As many remember, most major sporting events were canceled after the fateful attacks on the Twin Towers, the Pentagon and the loss of Flight 93. The race at New Hampshire was postponed until November.
After days of staring at endless news coverage on the TV, turning away each time they showed the towers falling, I couldn't take it anymore. I needed to prove to myself and maybe just a little to the world that all had not changed. Yes, we suffered a horrific attack with great loss of life. However, I was not about to lie down and start looking for terrorists under every rock in my world. I needed a small shred of normalcy.
I couldn't go to the track, so I ended up at the beach. Just like on 09/11, the sun shone in a brilliant blue sky. Some people escaping the constant harping of the media wandered the sand, the same as I. Others brought kites, their colorful ribbons fluttering in the autumn wind. Even at the moment of great fear and grief, we stood together and enjoyed this small freedom our lives as Americans afford us. This was our way of fighting against the horror - we would live on.
This Sunday night, a late announcement brought those days full circle: Osama bin Laden is dead. The mastermind of that horrendous attack was killed. After nearly a decade of seeking out the enemy of our nation, it was done.
What did America do in response? We celebrated. The youth of the nation streamed into the streets, singing, waving flags, clapping and welcoming others into the mass of joy; a spontaneous party of thanks and relief. They stood together, Americans one and all, giving a single voice to their emotion: loud, strong and full of conviction. Justice at last!
But, we've been looking forward to the official announcement of bin Laden's capture or demise for nearly ten years. While we waited, what did we do?
Thousands of U.S. servicemen and women gave their life in this War on Terror, taking a visible active role in the defiance of those who would think to take all we have away from us, and I thank them. In a silent, less noticeable manner the rest of America has fought, too, in a very simple way.
Each and every time we gathered in a public venue, whether it was at the Mall of America, visiting Disney World or, yes, going to the races, we proved to our enemies that we are not afraid. We love our country. We will continue to celebrate our lives as we always have. We shall stand together, in the stands, with our hands over our hearts and sing The Star Spangled Banner. The engines shall fire and the race will start. Our voices will rise in a cheer of joy!
Perhaps a chapter of this war has closed with the death of Osama bin Laden. However, the American people have won countless battles over the past decade, and will continue to do so each time we gather under sunny, blue skies and exercise the freedoms for which we have fought.
S.D. Grady is an Assistant Editor for Frontstretch.com. She can be reached via e-mail at sonya.grady@frontstretch.com. Follow her on Twitter at @laregna.
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TODAY ON THE FRONTSTRETCH:
The Yellow Stripe: NASCAR Patriotic: The Lady In Black Turns Historic Post-Bin Laden
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FRONTSTRETCH TRIVIA:
Q: Bill Elliott was in position to steal victory late in the 1987 TranSouth 500 at Darlington Raceway. However, the cruel hand of fate dealt Elliott a blow. What happened to deny Elliott victory?
Check back Wednesday for the answer, here in the Frontstretch Newsletter!
Monday's Answer:
A: Apparently, some lady was determined to drive her personal car out of the Infield during the race and leave via a crossover gate. This was before the current tunnels were built, so one would have to cross traffic to do so. Thankfully, she was stopped by a NASCAR official before she could get onto the track. The crazy incident was not shown live due to ESPN switching over to a golf tournament at the time. However, it was shown in a repeat of the event.
Frontstretch Trivia Guarantee: If we mess up, you get the shirt off our backs! If we've provided an incorrect answer to the Frontstretch Trivia question, be the first to email the corrected trivia answer to trivia@frontstretch.com and we'll send you a Frontstretch T-Shirt ... FREE!
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Hey, Frontstretch Readers!
We know you love the roar of raw horsepower under the hood that powers 43 of the best drivers in the world every weekend, but did you ever wonder how the sponsor on top of that hood also contributes to keeping the sport moving? What about the contributions of official NASCAR companies? If you think they are simply writing checks, think again. Check out our newest feature - Sunday Money. This weekly Frontstretch exclusive provides you with a behind the scenes look at how NASCAR, its affiliates and team sponsors approach the daunting task of keeping fans interested and excited about the sport for 38 weeks of the year.
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Coming tomorrow in the Frontstretch Newsletter:
-- Top News from Summer Dreyer
-- Full Throttle by Mike Neff
-- Links to your favorite Frontstretch articles, and more!
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Tomorrow on the Frontstretch:
Did You Notice?... by Tom Bowles
We've got another batch of talking points coming your way.
The Mirror crew is at it again with more talking points to debate. Topics include whether Denny Hamlin's second-place finish on Saturday night reinvigorated his season, if there will be payback at Darlington, which Nationwide driver is most likely to make the big up jump to Cup in 2012, and more.
Frontstretch Top Ten by the Frontstretch Staff
Our weekly list based on the latest NASCAR controversy will start your morning off with a laugh -- guaranteed.
Top 15 Power Rankings by the Frontstretch Staff
With the Sprint Cup Series off this past weekend, we're taking a look at some of the best up-and-coming talents in the Nationwide and Camping World Truck Series on Wednesday. Which of the young 'uns will be at the top of the rankings? You'll have to check it out in order to see.
Voice of Vito by Vito Pugliese
Beyond The Cockpit: Jeremy Clements by Bryan Keith
The Nationwide independent pulls some straight talk about his finances, his future, and what to do inside NASCAR's second-tier division in order to make the product better for the fans.
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