The Frontstretch Newsletter: June 21st, 2011

THE FRONTSTRETCH NEWSLETTER
Presented by Frontstretch.com
The Best Seat at the Track, The Best View on the Net!
June 21st, 2011
Volume V, Edition CXVIII
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What To Watch: Tuesday
by Phil Allaway

 

Historically, Tuesday is penalty day in NASCAR.  Any penalties that will result from the confiscation of oil pans from Joe Gibbs Racing's three cars last Friday at Michigan International Speedway are likely to come down today.  Signs point to a substantial fine for the team, but no points being deducted since the oil pans were discovered prior to the cars getting out onto the race track. 

Today's Top News
by Tom Bowles

Red Bull To Leave NASCAR?

In a story still developing at this hour, Red Bull Racing's two-car NASCAR team needs the help of outside investors to continue for 2012. According to several reports, international motorsports chief Thomas Ueberall visited Michigan International Speedway last weekend to inform the organization Red Bull does not plan to own a Cup Series team beyond this season. The move comes as the company continues to dominate the Formula 1 side, with Sebastian Vettel owning a sixty-point lead over his closest competition for the championship while winning five of the first seven events this season.

In comparison, RBR's NASCAR program has struggled; Kasey Kahne and Brian Vickers are 19th and 24th in the standings, respectively, this season and remain winless - although both have five top-10 finishes apiece in 14 starts. The move would leave Vickers without a ride for 2012, as he's a pending free agent while Kahne was already out the door - he'll slide into the No. 5 Chevrolet run by Hendrick Motorsports next season.

"Red Bull Racing Team is currently seeking outside investors as we evaluate next steps in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series," said the company in an official statement. "We are not at liberty to comment on details while negotiations are under way. Red Bull fully supports NASCAR for the remainder of the 2011 season as we fight for victories and a position in the 2011 Chase for the Sprint Cup."

FOXsports.com is reporting RBR General Manager Jay Frye, along with pending free agent Mark Martin are working to try and round up that investment money to keep the program. Under that scenario, Martin would drive full-time next season along with Truck Series protege Cole Whitt in a second car, similar to the mentoring program Whitt had with Frye a few years ago at MB2 Motorsports. It's also unclear exactly how much Red Bull is willing to remain in a sponsorship role; some reports have them willing to give out Truck-level money to aid in Whitt's development while others have them giving zero cash to stock car racing programs going forward.

RBR has been involved in Sprint Cup racing for five years, winning just once (August of 2009 at Michigan with Brian Vickers). Their best point finish was also with Vickers, a 12th after making the Chase for the Sprint Cup field in '09.

FOX Moving Races To SPEED?

The Sports Business Journal reported Monday FOX is interested in shifting multiple Cup races in their contract to SPEED Channel as early as next season. Currently, the network broadcasts 13 Cup events while SPEED handles just the Sprint All-Star Race and Daytona 500's qualifying events, the Gatorade Duels.

"It would be very good for Speed to put Cup races there," FOX Sports Chairman David Hill told the Journal. "You can see that when the All-Star Race is on it, and I'd like to put another couple of races on SPEED if we can. That's just part of the dialogue, so we'll see."

In the fifth year of its eight-season, $1.76 billion dollar contract with NASCAR, it's unlikely such a move would be commissioned now unless the sport entered into a partnership with FOX on the network. Viewership for the SPEED events has average roughly half of FOX's numbers, which in 2011 reached an average of 8.6 million viewers per race while posting a 5.0 Final Rating in the Nielsens.

Terry Labonte, FAS Lane Team Up For 4 More Races

In the midst of Silly Season rumors, let's focus on one thing we know for certain: the oft-retired Terry Labonte is making a bit of a NASCAR comeback. Again. FAS Lane Racing announced Monday Labonte will wheel their car for four additional races this season, backed by the support of sponsor C & J Energy Services. Sliding behind the wheel at Infineon this Sunday, Labonte will also man the car at Daytona in July, Bristol in August and Talladega Superspeedway in October.

A two-time Cup Series champion (1984, '96) the 54-year old Labonte has run the No. 32 Ford twice already in 2011, scoring a top finish of 15th in the Daytona 500. His last top-5 finish in a Cup car also came at Infineon Raceway, where he placed the single-car, Hall of Fame Racing Chevrolet third during the 2006 event out in wine country.

Have news for Tom and the Frontstretch? Don't hesitate to let us know; email us at ashland10@mail.com with a promising lead or tip.
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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:  Alliance Truck Parts 250 / Heluva Good! Sour Cream Dips 400

by Brett Poirier
 
2nd
Denny Hamlin's worst finish in his last three starts at Michigan.  He's won the last two spring races.

3
The number of times the driver that has led the most laps has won in 15 Sprint Cup races.  Greg Biffle led the most laps at Michigan (68) and finished 15th.

4
The consecutive number of races won from a top-10 starting position at Michigan.  Denny Hamlin started tenth on Sunday.

4th
Paul Menard's finishing position at Michigan on Sunday.  In nine previous starts, Menard hadn't recorded a top-10 result.

 
5
The number of victories for Roush Fenway Racing in the Nationwide Series at Michigan after Carl Edwards' win on Saturday.  Roush Fenway Racing is the all-time leader in wins at the track. 

6
The number of Sprint Cup race winners this season to lead under ten laps. Denny Hamlin led only eight laps on Sunday.  It happened only four times all of last season.

6
The number of pit stops made by Ryan Newman on Sunday. He was the only lead-lap finisher to make less than seven stops ... and finished sixth.

6
The number of cars out after seven laps in Saturday's Nationwide race.

10
The number of different winners in 15 Sprint Cup races this season.

12th
The finishing position of Landon Cassill at Michigan. His previous best career finish was 24th.

18.4
The average finishing position of Sprint Cup drivers following a win in the previous Sprint Cup race in 2011.  After winning at Pocono, Jeff Gordon was 17th at Michigan.

21st
Dale Earnhardt, Jr.'s finishing position on Sunday.  It was the first time since the Daytona 500 that he finished outside the top-20.

 
23
The number of cars within a lap of the lead at the end of Saturday's Nationwide race.  It was the most in any race this season.

 
27th
Jimmie Johnson's finishing position after encountering problems early on Sunday.  It was his third finish of 25th or worse this season.  Michigan is also one of only four tracks Johnson does not have a victory at.

197
The number of wins for the car No. 11 all-time in the Sprint Cup Series.  Denny Hamlin won the 197th race on Sunday.  The No. 11 now trails the No. 43 (198 wins) by just one victory for the all-time top spot.

521
Laps completed this season by Joe Nemechek through 15 Sprint Cup races.  He ran 44 laps at Michigan on his way to a 40th-place finish.

 
924
Laps led this season by Kyle Busch in the Sprint Cup Series, a number that leads all drivers.  He paced the field for 59 laps and finished third on Sunday, meaning Busch has led in 12 of the first 15 races.

$2,880
The difference in prize money between seventh-place finisher Mark Martin ($13,910) and 43rd-place finisher Dennis Setzer ($11,030) in Saturday's Nationwide race.  Martin completed 125 laps and Setzer completed one.

Brett Poirier is a Website Contributor for Frontstretch.com.  He can be reached via e-mail at brett.poirier@frontstretch.com.
 
Today's Featured Commentary
Buying Out SPEED: Yet Another Potential NASCAR Blunder

Sitting In The Stands: A Fan's View
by S.D. Grady
 
As reported in the Sports Business Journal by Tripp Mickle & John Ourand, it appears that FOX has been discussing with NASCAR the possibility of moving a few of their Sprint Cup races over to SPEED.  There's also a bit of a buzz about NASCAR buying into SPEED, essentially creating their own racing network.

 

Besides having to search the programming guide a bit more often to find our weekly race, what do we, the race fans feel about these potential maneuvers?  Well, I can tell you it puts a few uncomfortable worms in my stomach.

 

My first reaction to the idea of more races on SPEED is a good one.  I like the less formal, unconstructed coverage that the B-team of commentators brings to an afternoon of cars going in circles.  There's a few more shouts, exclamations and even a bit of impromptu enjoyment to be seen from the booth.  Yes, the camera work and production teams are also from the A-ball leagues, but much can be forgiven when honest statements like, "And don't ask me to show you the debris," are heard over the airwaves.  Watching SPEED is like leaving Big Brother out of sight.  You get the impression that nobody is going to lose their job over an utterance that the viewing audience is thinking… but the big networks would never say.

 

However, the report on the informal discussions between NASCAR and FOX didn't say anything about abandoning the premiere racing series to a less than top-notch broadcast crew.  The idea is to boost the marketability of SPEED, pulling a few more dollars out of the cable-viewing public's pockets in the process.  Ew.  We should have known.  I'd get the DW and Larry Mac show on a different channel, and likely see my bill go up.  That's all.  Definitely not an improvement over the current FOX offerings.

 

Then there's the whisper of NASCAR buying into SPEED.  Granted MLB, the NFL, NBA and NHL all have their own networks, while also providing a consistent product across multiple broadcast networks.  And if we believe the whispers, NASCAR is every bit as big as the other BIG 4.  So, why shouldn't they plunk down the money and take over…

 

See, that's where the ugliness starts to eat away at the possibilities that a huge amount of archived footage, a sport replete with history and already well-trained corporate commentators would bring to a company network.  While FOX, ESPN and TNT all play ball according to the NASCAR rulebook, there is always the opportunity to bring hard journalism to the plate when something out of whack occurs.  Should the merger take place, instead of spontaneous coverage, we'd be treated to even more of the timely PR releases - news as NASCAR would see fit.

 

NASCAR likes to play the game close to their chest, all while offering up a seemingly open policy regarding media access.  But when they start running the broadcasts, as well as waving the flags and enforcing an unseen collection of policies, we lose yet another layer of transparency the governing body appears to lack on a consistent basis.  Mythical debris would become even more difficult to document, speeding penalties would revert to the days of "it just looked fast," and post-race spats between drivers?  Well, I wouldn't be too sure that cameras would be pointed in the other direction even more often than they are now.  Left blind, it would be doubtful the TV audience would ever know the difference, if it wasn't for the remaining writers, photographers, and local news personalities that descend on the track every week. 

 

As longtime fans of the sport, it is easy for us to deem that there is a giant downward spiral in attendance and rabid must-have's surrounding our sporting venues.  Thus, it almost makes sense on the surface to shuttle coverage of Cup races off to a second-tier cable channel.  However, the reality remains that NASCAR is a monster, a very wealthy one at that.  They are toying with the idea of growing little monsters out of a merger, gaining even more control over the massive web of competitors, track owners, media and yes, even l'il ol' me's money.

 

It might make good business sense, when you study the bottom line.  But this convoluted attempt to improve the marketability of a smallish sports channel by slapping the familiar rainbow-colored logo on it would go a long way to further exile the core fan following of NASCAR that still believe hard work, grease, honesty and a lot of heart are the way into the winner's circle.  By taking even more control of everything branded NASCAR, Brian France and Co. will be forfeiting the last vestiges of any appearance at a fair and consistent sport.

I would suggest that before the men in suits pass the papers around the table and sign on the dotted line, it would be best for NASCAR to pull their thumb out of the pie, leave the shell game of which races appear where to the networks and let me keep my wavering trust in the powers that be as it is.  As a fan, I don't think I'd survive a corporate takeover…they always bring in new carpeting and polish the brass, making it harder to see the dents earned through years of triumph and disappointment.

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:
 
Five Points to Ponder: Red Bull Departs, Rowdy Shapes Up, and Hold the Paver MIS

by Bryan Davis Keith
 
Fact Or Fiction: The Death of NASCAR's Middle Class

by Tom Bowles
 
The Yellow Stripe: In 2011, "Road Course Ringer" Has a Brand New Definition

by Danny Peters
 
Who's Hot / Who's Not In NASCAR: Michigan-Sonoma Edition

by Summer Dreyer
 
Talking NASCAR TV: More Of The Same From TNT, ESPN

by Phil Allaway
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Get THE ANNUAL, 2011 Racing Preview for your mobile device.
Go to Frontstretch.com and click on "The Annual" link on the right side to order and download this special issue that includes: Track Information, Driver profiles and In-Depth Features.
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FRONTSTRETCH TRIVIA:
 
Q:  The track currently known as Infineon Raceway has had multiple pit road configurations over the years (including three in the time that the Cup Series has raced there).  However, there was another, different setup used in the immediate years before Winston Cup came to Wine Country.  What did it look like?

 
Check back Wednesday for the answer, here in the Frontstretch Newsletter!
 
Monday's Answer:

Q:  In 1998, Tommy Kendall finished 16th in the Save Mart/Kragen 350k, the first Winston Cup race held on a shortened 1.95-mile circuit.  Kendall was driving the No. 91 for LJ Racing, but did not start the weekend in the car.  How did he get the ride?

 
A:  Kendall was originally scheduled to drive the No. 46 First Union Chevrolet for SabCo Racing.  However, a quirky instance occurred and Kendall, the defending SCCA Trans-Am Champion at the time, failed to qualify. 

 

That same weekend, LJ Racing driver Kevin Lepage signed a contract with Roush Racing that would have him take over the No. 16 Primestar Ford from Ted Musgrave at Michigan in August.  Upon being notified of the contract that Lepage signed, LJ Racing owner Joe Falk promptly sacked Lepage.  As LJ Racing already had an existing relationship with SabCo (the team ran First Union colors in the Coca-Cola 600 after the No. 46 failed to qualify), Kendall and the First Union sponsorship migrated over to the No. 91.

 
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:
 
Mirror Driving by the Frontstretch Staff
The Mirror crew is at it again with more talking points to debate.  Topics include whether NASCAR handled the Gibbs Oil Pan Controversy correctly, whether Turner Motorsports should have banished Reed Sorenson to the No. 30 in favor of Mark Martin, Red Bull leaving NASCAR, 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
Which driver came out of Michigan on top of our 2011 Power Rankings chart? Jimmie Johnson? Carl Edwards? Kevin Harvick? Someone else? Find out who our select Frontstretch experts have labeled as this week's favorite heading into the Toyota/Save Mart 350k at Infineon Raceway.

Foto Funnies: Heluva Good! Sour Cream Dips 400 Edition by Kurt Smith
Kurt's back to leave you laughing with the best photos you didn't see in the papers from Michigan.

Voice Of Vito Fill-In by Summer Dreyer
Join Summer as she fills in for Vito by delivering her latest look at a major controversy within the Cup, Nationwide, and Truck Series this season.

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