THE FRONTSTRETCH NEWSLETTER
Presented by Frontstretch.com
The Best Seat at the Track, The Best View on the Net!
June 22nd, 2011
Volume V, Edition CXIX
Presented by Frontstretch.com
The Best Seat at the Track, The Best View on the Net!
June 22nd, 2011
Volume V, Edition CXIX
~~~~~~~~~~
Top News
by Brody Jones
NASCAR Announces Penalties For Joe Gibbs Racing After Michigan
During race-weekend festivities at Michigan, all three Joe Gibbs Racing cars in the Sprint Cup Series--Denny Hamlin's No. 11, Kyle Busch's No. 18 and Joey Logano's No. 20--were all found to have unapproved and very heavy oil pans before practice Friday morning at the track. NASCAR had said there would likely be a monetary fine doled out, but no points would likely be docked.
Tuesday, the verdict came in on penalties. Crew Chiefs Mike Ford, Dave Rogers, and Greg Zipadelli were all docked $50,000 and placed on probation by NASCAR until December 31st. Car Chiefs Chris Gillin, Wesley Sherrill, and Jason Shapiro along with JGR Vice President of Racing Operations Jimmy Makar were also placed on probation until December 31st.
The controversy stems from standard NASCAR oil pans weighing four pounds while all three JGR cars had oil pans in the 20-30 pound range. As a result, the crew chiefs were penalized for violations of Section 12-1 (Actions detrimental to the sport of NASCAR), Section 12-4-J (any determination by NASCAR officials that the race equipment used in an event does not conform to NASCAR rules detailed in Section 20 of the NASCAR rule book, or has not been approved by NASCAR prior to the event); and Section 20-5-A (oil pan, failure to submit component).
In a statement by JGR officials, the team has said they will not appeal the penalties.
Congresswoman Renews Effort To End Military Sponsorship
Once again, U.S. House of Representatives member Betty McCollum (D-Minn.) has restarted her crusade to end the military's sponsorship of NASCAR and other assorted sports sponsorships.
McCollum debates whether the U.S. military should be spending hundreds of millions of dollars on sports such as auto racing (NASCAR / NHRA), professional fishing, and pro wrestling at a point when the United States is running large deficits. Military officials, for their part, claim the sponsorship helps in recruitment.
McCollum has tried and failed twice to pass proposals that would have changed the way the military awards contracts and hands out funds for these events, as well as mixed martial-arts sponsorships such as the UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship).
To further bolster McCollum's argument, she cited a $645,000 contract to sponsor a race in the Sprint Cup Series, NASCAR's top touring series. She said the Air Guard 400, held last September in Richmond, VA, did not produce a single military enlistee. But a Pentagon official, in an email to McCollum's staff that was obtained by The Hill, described the event as a marketing opportunity that came at a bargain rate.
Justin Lofton Parts Ways With Germain Racing
It may only be June, but Silly Season has officially begun in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. The first of, likely, many dominos to fall is Justin Lofton departing Germain Racing, effective immediately.
Lofton, the 2009 ARCA Racing Series champion, will finish out the remainder of the 2011 racing season, and he will announce his plans prior to the next event at Kentucky Speedway on July seventh.
"I have nothing but respect for Mike Hillman, Sr. and everyone at Germain Racing," Lofton said. "We had a good run during my last race for them and I plan on building on that through the rest of the season. I am really excited about the rest of the year, that is for sure."
Lofton currently is 18th in the driver point standings after the first nine NCWTS races, with a best finish of 10th. He also led his first laps of NASCAR competition two races ago in Kansas, leading the way for seven laps. Lofton earned four top 5s and eight top-10 finishes last season during his rookie season in the Truck Series.
Have news for Brody and the Frontstretch? Don't hesitate to let us know; email us at ashland10@mail.com with a promising lead or tip.
~~~~~~~~~~
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!
~~~~~~~~~~
Today's Featured Commentary
Youthful Enthusiasm Gets the Job Done
Full Throttle
by Mike Neff
There are pieces of legislation that have been buried or squashed in state and federal governments for years with all sorts of political muscle behind them. Tuesday, June 21st saw a piece of legislation signed into law by Governor Bev Perdue at Charlotte Motor Speedway that designated Stock Car Racing as the official sport of the state of North Carolina. While the act itself isn't that great of a feat the fact that this bill started as the idea of a group of grade school students and moved from idea to law in less than two years time is a testament to the dedication of the kids and their teachers.
In October, 2009 teachers met with representative Grey Mills to first discuss the prospect of introducing a bill to have Stock Car Racing named the official sport of North Carolina. Rep. Mills liked the idea but informed the teachers that no new bills can be introduced for the 2010 short session. In March, 2010 the fourth grade class of Lake Norman Elementary agreed to assume the project as a grade level project. In March the students applied to be part of the project by writing an essay, and in May, 11 fourth grade and two fifth grade students were selected to be a part of the project based on the essays they handed in. Later that month, the students who were selected were divided into research groups to study the following items: State Symbols, Mooresville, History of Stock Car Racing, People of Stock Car Racing, Race Tracks of North Carolina and Economic Impact of Racing in North Carolina. At the end of May students visited the North Carolina Auto Racing Hall of Fame and Roush Racing.
Then in July, the students visited the NASCAR Hall of Fame and also interviewed Dr. Craig Depkin, professor of Economics at UNC-Charlotte. Two months later in September, the students made trips to the NASCAR Technical Institute, the Mooresville Museum, North Carolina Auto Walk of Fame, Cotton Ketchie Landmark Gallery and JR Motorsports. As October rolled around, Rep. Mills visited Lake Norman Elementary to explain the process of how a bill becomes a law. The Mayor of Mooresville, Chris Montgomery, also visited Lake Norman Elementary to learn about the project and professes the support of the community to the project. In December, Maria Meyerhoefer attended Dr. Depkin's class to make a presentation on the project while Nicole Mitcham Kenney created a logo for the Pit Crew.
A month later as 2011 began, Dawn Creason, the Director of Public Relations for the Iredell-Statesville School System paid a visit to the school to explain how her department could assist in publicizing the project. On January 20th, the students made a presentation to the Iredell-Statesville School Board and received a unanimous endorsement of support. Just a few days later on January 26th, the North Carolina General Assembly convened once again and Rep. Mills presented the idea to the Legislative Services Commission Bill Drafting Division. The group also created a Facebook page to drum up support and keep supporters informed of the progress.
In February, the students visited the Performance Instruction Training Facility, and Dr. Daniel Pierce, associate professor and chair of the History Department at UNC-Asheville visited the students at Lake Norman Elementary to learn about the project, discuss his book Real NASCAR, and donate a book to the library in the name of the group. Momentum began building for the project as the students made a presentation to the Mooresville Town board and News 14 Carolina and the Charlotte Observer featured stories about the effort. The board gave the group a unanimous endorsement of support.
On March 10th, while the students made a presentation to the Statesville Civitan Club, House Bill #333 and Senate Bill #322 were filed in the North Carolina General Assembly. On March 14th, the bills passed their first readings and were referred to the Committees on Rules and Operations for the House and Senate while the students made another presentation to Bulldawg Marketing. Less than a week later, the students once again presented their ideas, this time at Lake Norman Elementary Family Night. On March 24th, Bulldawg Marketing decided to sponsor the Mini-Outlaw Sprint Kart of Karsyn Elledge in support of the project. The following night, the students who had worked so hard on this project had the opportunity--one of many--to participate in opening ceremonies at Ace Speedway in Altamahaw, NC.
Just a few weeks later, the PASS race ran on April 9th at North Wilkesboro Speedway where the students again participated in pre-race ceremonies. April 12th was the Rally to Raleigh held at Lake Norman Elementary, featuring Kelley Earnhardt and her daughter Karsyn Elledge. Finally, on April 20th the students make a presentation to the North Carolina General Assembly Committee on Rules, Calendar and Operations of the House. The bill is reported on favorably, and just a week later, the Senate voted to pass the bill 46-3.
But it didn't stop there: On May 9th had the students visited Hendrick Motorsports just a few days before the Moorseville Race City Festival on May 12th to drum up more support for the bill. The students made yet another presentation to spread the word about their project at the Lake Norman Volunteer Appreciation Breakfast on May 20th. Then, the students had a couple more opportunities to tell the world about their project by visiting the track. On May 25th Karsyn Elledge sported the Support paint scheme on her Mini-Outlaw kart Millbridge Speedway, and on May 26th the students had the opportunity to participate in Windstream Pole Night at Charlotte Motor Speedway where they were honorary flag people.
Fast forward to June 15th, the final voting day in the House of Representatives. The students attended to listen to the debate as well as the vote. The resolution passed and was sent on to Governor Perdue for her signature. Less than a week later, Governor Perdue signed the bill officially into law in front of students, dignitaries and members of the media at Charlotte Motor Speedway on June 21st.
Stock car racing was born in North Carolina, and the NASCAR Hall of Fame found its home in Charlotte, a city known as the center of the stock car racing universe. But the students at Lake Norman Elementary and Mount Mourne I.B. went a step further to have the sport recognized as the official sport of the state. The effort and commitment by the kids and their teachers, parents and civic organizations made the ultimate passing of the bill possible.
Stock car racing needs to more young fans so that there is a future in the sport and the kids who put in the long hours (staying after school an extra hour and a half two days a week for seven months) and tireless effort to inspire legislators to pass this bill will most certainly be fans of the sport for decades to come. Congratulations to the students and everyone associated with this process for getting this bill passed.
Mike Neff is a Senior Writer for Frontstretch.com. He can be reached via e-mail at mike.neff@frontstretch.com.
~~~~~~~~~~
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.
~~~~~~~~~~
Tweet 'N' Greet
by Jay Pennell
Editor's Note: With the NASCAR Twitter community expanding by leaps and bounds, it remains a place for instantaneous news, reactions, and a whole lot of inside jokes. We understand if you don't want to join the Twitter community - but as a fan, it's important to know the news and info you're missing out on! That's why, every week, Jay Pennell will sort through the thousands of messages and give us a little taste of what's going on each Wednesday.
So, without further ado, here's a look at what those in NASCAR were thinking over the past seven days...
@Tjmajors: "@JayDeuce23: @Tjmajors good luck in sonoma hope ya'll bring it home there or daytona, me and the boys in Afghanistan will be watching"
@Tjmajors: The last tweet says a lot.
@31n2Spotter (Brett Griffin): I think we need a road course in the chase! Champ should be diverse! Heeeeeeelllllo Cup Series to Montreal! #nascar
@31n2Spotter: sweatin' like Jimmy Spencer atta IQ Test
@31n2Spotter: one more... It's so hot, I'm sweatin like Jeff Gordon atta Marine boot camp hair cut! Cmon' yall know he has some pretty ass hair!
@keselowski (Brad Keselowski): Shaping up to be a strange news week Redbull problems, Gibbs oil pans and proposed new tv lineup.
@kaseykahne: Heard the news about REDBULL today. All I can say is the 4 REDBULL team is still going to do all we can to win this year. We know we can!!
@KevinHamlin: If RedBull does close that's a huge blow to the industry. I have lots of friends that work there, we don't need the loss of another 2 teams.
@tomjensen100 (Tom Jensen): Feel so bad for the many good men and women who work at Red Bull. Hope someone steps in and keeps the team going.
@AndyLally: I have no inside info, just gonna take a wild guess: Edwards to the 20 Home Depot, Vickers to Roush, Logano to 4th Gibbs car with Red Bull $
@AndyLally: This Red Bull thing has officially kicked off silly season...
@KevinHarvick: There seems to be a lot of rumors right now in our sport..drivers could be moving teams shutting down where will everyone end up?
@31n2Spotter: Is tickling allowed in UFC?
@jim_utter (Jim Utter): I'd like someone to tell me when track position WASN'T important. After all isn't that the point of having qualifying? #NASCAR
@keselowski: @jim_utter Passing should and always will remain hard to do. The issue at hand is the sudden and drastic slowing of clearly faster cars.
@keselowski: anytime in a race "@jim_utter: You mean late in races @keselowski ?
@jim_utter: Correct me if I am wrong @keselowski but isnt it true the "fastest car" has never always won the race? Is it more frequent now?
@keselowski: Yes, Part of the charm of our sport. #unpredictable @jim_utter isnt it true the "fastest car" has never always won the race?
@keselowski: @jim_utter that said, another part of the charm in r sport is the unpredictable nature of faster cars that can pass. #delicatebalance
@mikemulhern: @keselowski question: think gps got kyle busch at 213 into the corner today. That's pretty fast in my book.
@keselowski: @mikemulhern not a fan, slower speeds would help, but it's the easy way out. #notsexy
@keselowski: Cars no, Drivers r just getting smarter with blocking techniques #evolution @CB16BK81JB31Fan was the racing today different than last year?
@mikemulhern: @keselowski but dont they do it in F1? i havent paid that much attention, though; does it work over there?
@keselowski: @mikemulhern blocking now is done from 2-5 car lengths away. Untrained eye can't even see it.
@mikemulhern: @keselowski re: blocking. i'm thinking a driver gets one blocking
move, and then next one is no-no -How bout we let em race?
@keselowski: @mikemulhern not fair to ask anyone to make those calls.
@jaywpennell (Jay W. Pennell): @keselowski @mikemulhern not fair to ask anyone to make those calls. - Let racing be decided on track, not in tower. Fans would revolt.
@keselowski: idk, would u, or the fans? "@mikemulhern: @keselowski maybe not fair, okay. but would you be willing to accept their call?
@mikemulhern: @jaywpennell i understand what you're saying...but blocking in nascar can put a car in the stands, or in the air. and we need passing
@jaywpennell: @mikemulhern We need passing, but change aero package to achieve that. At same time reexamine flaps & other deals to keep cars on ground.
@jaywpennell: @mikemulhern Ultimately, I believe #NASCAR could make more strides by altering the package than officiating from above. Just my opinion.
@mikemulhern: @jaywpennell now i'm not suggesting nascar be making the calls, just that a driver can make one block & then he has to accept the next move
@jaywpennell: @mikemulhern Just feel putting blocking calls in #NASCAR hands is a slippery slope. Just look at yellow line rule & controversy that draws.
@mikemulhern: @jaywpennell yes! more downforce. i disagree with nascar that downforce is bad. i think the more downforce, the better the racing.
@jaywpennell: @mikemulhern I see, but after that block, somebody has to decide that he can't make the second. That ultimately brings #NASCAR into the mix.
@mikemulhern: @jaywpennell yep, the second block would be tough. but no tougher, i would think, than the yellow line outofbound rule....
@mikemulhern: @jaywpennell oh, and re: flaps. was kylebusch really 213 into the turns? has nascar done windtunnel studies on the flaps like that?
@jaywpennell: @mikemulhern I can't answer that, but as far as I know flaps have changed very little over the years. Time to reexamine everything for 2013
@keselowski: my pleasure! "@mikemulhern: @keselowski just wanted to say thanks for talking. this is what this stuff is all about.
@keselowski: school of hard knocks "@alisonoleary18 you are very knowledgeable about the physics of racing...did you go to college or technical school?
@Tjmajors: Ok on the incident with the 5.... Just racing. Just how it goes. Sometimes you're the windshield sometimes you're the bug. Nobody at fault.
@2Spotter (Joey Meier): BlueDeuce had speed. Fast cars go Fast.....Now its up to us to execute....Not electrocute....execute....Next 2 weeks are PIVOTAL.#ChaseOrNot
@landoncassill: What an amazing way to celebrate my first fathers day! I'm so proud of our finish. I'm speechless. #thankateacher
@AndyLally: Tough end to a tough day. I'm not really sure what I could have done there. I haven't heard the story from their side yet.
@David_Ragan: Everything that could go wrong today did. The shortest race of the year... I wish was longer. We needed some more laps to race.
@David_Ragan: But, we had a fast car and probably passed more cars today than anyone. We will get ready to turn left and right next week.
Jay Pennell is an Assistant Editor to Frontstretch.com. He can be reached via e-mail at jaywpennell@yahoo.com, and you can also check out his work at allleftturns.com or jaywpennell.blogspot.com.
~~~~~~~~~~
TODAY ON THE FRONTSTRETCH:
Mirror Driving: Red Bull Reaction, Spoiled Oil And Nationwide Driver Swaps
by the Frontstretch Staff
Penalty Day Reaction: Oil Pan Infraction
by Beth Lunkenheimer
Drivers And Their Fanbases: Different Yet Passionate
by Summer Dreyer
Sprint Cup Power Rankings: Top 15 After Michigan
compiled by Mike Neff
Top 10 Reasons Red Bull Is REALLY Leaving The Sport Next Season
by the Frontstretch Staff
The Frontstretch Foto Funnies! Michigan, June 2011
by Kurt Smith
~~~~~~~~~~
FRONTSTRETCH TRIVIA:
Top News
by Brody Jones
NASCAR Announces Penalties For Joe Gibbs Racing After Michigan
During race-weekend festivities at Michigan, all three Joe Gibbs Racing cars in the Sprint Cup Series--Denny Hamlin's No. 11, Kyle Busch's No. 18 and Joey Logano's No. 20--were all found to have unapproved and very heavy oil pans before practice Friday morning at the track. NASCAR had said there would likely be a monetary fine doled out, but no points would likely be docked.
Tuesday, the verdict came in on penalties. Crew Chiefs Mike Ford, Dave Rogers, and Greg Zipadelli were all docked $50,000 and placed on probation by NASCAR until December 31st. Car Chiefs Chris Gillin, Wesley Sherrill, and Jason Shapiro along with JGR Vice President of Racing Operations Jimmy Makar were also placed on probation until December 31st.
The controversy stems from standard NASCAR oil pans weighing four pounds while all three JGR cars had oil pans in the 20-30 pound range. As a result, the crew chiefs were penalized for violations of Section 12-1 (Actions detrimental to the sport of NASCAR), Section 12-4-J (any determination by NASCAR officials that the race equipment used in an event does not conform to NASCAR rules detailed in Section 20 of the NASCAR rule book, or has not been approved by NASCAR prior to the event); and Section 20-5-A (oil pan, failure to submit component).
In a statement by JGR officials, the team has said they will not appeal the penalties.
Congresswoman Renews Effort To End Military Sponsorship
Once again, U.S. House of Representatives member Betty McCollum (D-Minn.) has restarted her crusade to end the military's sponsorship of NASCAR and other assorted sports sponsorships.
McCollum debates whether the U.S. military should be spending hundreds of millions of dollars on sports such as auto racing (NASCAR / NHRA), professional fishing, and pro wrestling at a point when the United States is running large deficits. Military officials, for their part, claim the sponsorship helps in recruitment.
McCollum has tried and failed twice to pass proposals that would have changed the way the military awards contracts and hands out funds for these events, as well as mixed martial-arts sponsorships such as the UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship).
To further bolster McCollum's argument, she cited a $645,000 contract to sponsor a race in the Sprint Cup Series, NASCAR's top touring series. She said the Air Guard 400, held last September in Richmond, VA, did not produce a single military enlistee. But a Pentagon official, in an email to McCollum's staff that was obtained by The Hill, described the event as a marketing opportunity that came at a bargain rate.
Justin Lofton Parts Ways With Germain Racing
It may only be June, but Silly Season has officially begun in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. The first of, likely, many dominos to fall is Justin Lofton departing Germain Racing, effective immediately.
Lofton, the 2009 ARCA Racing Series champion, will finish out the remainder of the 2011 racing season, and he will announce his plans prior to the next event at Kentucky Speedway on July seventh.
"I have nothing but respect for Mike Hillman, Sr. and everyone at Germain Racing," Lofton said. "We had a good run during my last race for them and I plan on building on that through the rest of the season. I am really excited about the rest of the year, that is for sure."
Lofton currently is 18th in the driver point standings after the first nine NCWTS races, with a best finish of 10th. He also led his first laps of NASCAR competition two races ago in Kansas, leading the way for seven laps. Lofton earned four top 5s and eight top-10 finishes last season during his rookie season in the Truck Series.
Have news for Brody and the Frontstretch? Don't hesitate to let us know; email us at ashland10@mail.com with a promising lead or tip.
~~~~~~~~~~
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!
~~~~~~~~~~
Today's Featured Commentary
Youthful Enthusiasm Gets the Job Done
Full Throttle
by Mike Neff
There are pieces of legislation that have been buried or squashed in state and federal governments for years with all sorts of political muscle behind them. Tuesday, June 21st saw a piece of legislation signed into law by Governor Bev Perdue at Charlotte Motor Speedway that designated Stock Car Racing as the official sport of the state of North Carolina. While the act itself isn't that great of a feat the fact that this bill started as the idea of a group of grade school students and moved from idea to law in less than two years time is a testament to the dedication of the kids and their teachers.
In October, 2009 teachers met with representative Grey Mills to first discuss the prospect of introducing a bill to have Stock Car Racing named the official sport of North Carolina. Rep. Mills liked the idea but informed the teachers that no new bills can be introduced for the 2010 short session. In March, 2010 the fourth grade class of Lake Norman Elementary agreed to assume the project as a grade level project. In March the students applied to be part of the project by writing an essay, and in May, 11 fourth grade and two fifth grade students were selected to be a part of the project based on the essays they handed in. Later that month, the students who were selected were divided into research groups to study the following items: State Symbols, Mooresville, History of Stock Car Racing, People of Stock Car Racing, Race Tracks of North Carolina and Economic Impact of Racing in North Carolina. At the end of May students visited the North Carolina Auto Racing Hall of Fame and Roush Racing.
Then in July, the students visited the NASCAR Hall of Fame and also interviewed Dr. Craig Depkin, professor of Economics at UNC-Charlotte. Two months later in September, the students made trips to the NASCAR Technical Institute, the Mooresville Museum, North Carolina Auto Walk of Fame, Cotton Ketchie Landmark Gallery and JR Motorsports. As October rolled around, Rep. Mills visited Lake Norman Elementary to explain the process of how a bill becomes a law. The Mayor of Mooresville, Chris Montgomery, also visited Lake Norman Elementary to learn about the project and professes the support of the community to the project. In December, Maria Meyerhoefer attended Dr. Depkin's class to make a presentation on the project while Nicole Mitcham Kenney created a logo for the Pit Crew.
A month later as 2011 began, Dawn Creason, the Director of Public Relations for the Iredell-Statesville School System paid a visit to the school to explain how her department could assist in publicizing the project. On January 20th, the students made a presentation to the Iredell-Statesville School Board and received a unanimous endorsement of support. Just a few days later on January 26th, the North Carolina General Assembly convened once again and Rep. Mills presented the idea to the Legislative Services Commission Bill Drafting Division. The group also created a Facebook page to drum up support and keep supporters informed of the progress.
In February, the students visited the Performance Instruction Training Facility, and Dr. Daniel Pierce, associate professor and chair of the History Department at UNC-Asheville visited the students at Lake Norman Elementary to learn about the project, discuss his book Real NASCAR, and donate a book to the library in the name of the group. Momentum began building for the project as the students made a presentation to the Mooresville Town board and News 14 Carolina and the Charlotte Observer featured stories about the effort. The board gave the group a unanimous endorsement of support.
On March 10th, while the students made a presentation to the Statesville Civitan Club, House Bill #333 and Senate Bill #322 were filed in the North Carolina General Assembly. On March 14th, the bills passed their first readings and were referred to the Committees on Rules and Operations for the House and Senate while the students made another presentation to Bulldawg Marketing. Less than a week later, the students once again presented their ideas, this time at Lake Norman Elementary Family Night. On March 24th, Bulldawg Marketing decided to sponsor the Mini-Outlaw Sprint Kart of Karsyn Elledge in support of the project. The following night, the students who had worked so hard on this project had the opportunity--one of many--to participate in opening ceremonies at Ace Speedway in Altamahaw, NC.
Just a few weeks later, the PASS race ran on April 9th at North Wilkesboro Speedway where the students again participated in pre-race ceremonies. April 12th was the Rally to Raleigh held at Lake Norman Elementary, featuring Kelley Earnhardt and her daughter Karsyn Elledge. Finally, on April 20th the students make a presentation to the North Carolina General Assembly Committee on Rules, Calendar and Operations of the House. The bill is reported on favorably, and just a week later, the Senate voted to pass the bill 46-3.
But it didn't stop there: On May 9th had the students visited Hendrick Motorsports just a few days before the Moorseville Race City Festival on May 12th to drum up more support for the bill. The students made yet another presentation to spread the word about their project at the Lake Norman Volunteer Appreciation Breakfast on May 20th. Then, the students had a couple more opportunities to tell the world about their project by visiting the track. On May 25th Karsyn Elledge sported the Support paint scheme on her Mini-Outlaw kart Millbridge Speedway, and on May 26th the students had the opportunity to participate in Windstream Pole Night at Charlotte Motor Speedway where they were honorary flag people.
Fast forward to June 15th, the final voting day in the House of Representatives. The students attended to listen to the debate as well as the vote. The resolution passed and was sent on to Governor Perdue for her signature. Less than a week later, Governor Perdue signed the bill officially into law in front of students, dignitaries and members of the media at Charlotte Motor Speedway on June 21st.
Stock car racing was born in North Carolina, and the NASCAR Hall of Fame found its home in Charlotte, a city known as the center of the stock car racing universe. But the students at Lake Norman Elementary and Mount Mourne I.B. went a step further to have the sport recognized as the official sport of the state. The effort and commitment by the kids and their teachers, parents and civic organizations made the ultimate passing of the bill possible.
Stock car racing needs to more young fans so that there is a future in the sport and the kids who put in the long hours (staying after school an extra hour and a half two days a week for seven months) and tireless effort to inspire legislators to pass this bill will most certainly be fans of the sport for decades to come. Congratulations to the students and everyone associated with this process for getting this bill passed.
Mike Neff is a Senior Writer for Frontstretch.com. He can be reached via e-mail at mike.neff@frontstretch.com.
~~~~~~~~~~
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.
~~~~~~~~~~
Tweet 'N' Greet
by Jay Pennell
Editor's Note: With the NASCAR Twitter community expanding by leaps and bounds, it remains a place for instantaneous news, reactions, and a whole lot of inside jokes. We understand if you don't want to join the Twitter community - but as a fan, it's important to know the news and info you're missing out on! That's why, every week, Jay Pennell will sort through the thousands of messages and give us a little taste of what's going on each Wednesday.
So, without further ado, here's a look at what those in NASCAR were thinking over the past seven days...
@Tjmajors: "@JayDeuce23: @Tjmajors good luck in sonoma hope ya'll bring it home there or daytona, me and the boys in Afghanistan will be watching"
@Tjmajors: The last tweet says a lot.
@31n2Spotter (Brett Griffin): I think we need a road course in the chase! Champ should be diverse! Heeeeeeelllllo Cup Series to Montreal! #nascar
@31n2Spotter: sweatin' like Jimmy Spencer atta IQ Test
@31n2Spotter: one more... It's so hot, I'm sweatin like Jeff Gordon atta Marine boot camp hair cut! Cmon' yall know he has some pretty ass hair!
@keselowski (Brad Keselowski): Shaping up to be a strange news week Redbull problems, Gibbs oil pans and proposed new tv lineup.
@kaseykahne: Heard the news about REDBULL today. All I can say is the 4 REDBULL team is still going to do all we can to win this year. We know we can!!
@KevinHamlin: If RedBull does close that's a huge blow to the industry. I have lots of friends that work there, we don't need the loss of another 2 teams.
@tomjensen100 (Tom Jensen): Feel so bad for the many good men and women who work at Red Bull. Hope someone steps in and keeps the team going.
@AndyLally: I have no inside info, just gonna take a wild guess: Edwards to the 20 Home Depot, Vickers to Roush, Logano to 4th Gibbs car with Red Bull $
@AndyLally: This Red Bull thing has officially kicked off silly season...
@KevinHarvick: There seems to be a lot of rumors right now in our sport..drivers could be moving teams shutting down where will everyone end up?
@31n2Spotter: Is tickling allowed in UFC?
@jim_utter (Jim Utter): I'd like someone to tell me when track position WASN'T important. After all isn't that the point of having qualifying? #NASCAR
@keselowski: @jim_utter Passing should and always will remain hard to do. The issue at hand is the sudden and drastic slowing of clearly faster cars.
@keselowski: anytime in a race "@jim_utter: You mean late in races @keselowski ?
@jim_utter: Correct me if I am wrong @keselowski but isnt it true the "fastest car" has never always won the race? Is it more frequent now?
@keselowski: Yes, Part of the charm of our sport. #unpredictable @jim_utter isnt it true the "fastest car" has never always won the race?
@keselowski: @jim_utter that said, another part of the charm in r sport is the unpredictable nature of faster cars that can pass. #delicatebalance
@mikemulhern: @keselowski question: think gps got kyle busch at 213 into the corner today. That's pretty fast in my book.
@keselowski: @mikemulhern not a fan, slower speeds would help, but it's the easy way out. #notsexy
@keselowski: Cars no, Drivers r just getting smarter with blocking techniques #evolution @CB16BK81JB31Fan was the racing today different than last year?
@mikemulhern: @keselowski but dont they do it in F1? i havent paid that much attention, though; does it work over there?
@keselowski: @mikemulhern blocking now is done from 2-5 car lengths away. Untrained eye can't even see it.
@mikemulhern: @keselowski re: blocking. i'm thinking a driver gets one blocking
move, and then next one is no-no -How bout we let em race?
@keselowski: @mikemulhern not fair to ask anyone to make those calls.
@jaywpennell (Jay W. Pennell): @keselowski @mikemulhern not fair to ask anyone to make those calls. - Let racing be decided on track, not in tower. Fans would revolt.
@keselowski: idk, would u, or the fans? "@mikemulhern: @keselowski maybe not fair, okay. but would you be willing to accept their call?
@mikemulhern: @jaywpennell i understand what you're saying...but blocking in nascar can put a car in the stands, or in the air. and we need passing
@jaywpennell: @mikemulhern We need passing, but change aero package to achieve that. At same time reexamine flaps & other deals to keep cars on ground.
@jaywpennell: @mikemulhern Ultimately, I believe #NASCAR could make more strides by altering the package than officiating from above. Just my opinion.
@mikemulhern: @jaywpennell now i'm not suggesting nascar be making the calls, just that a driver can make one block & then he has to accept the next move
@jaywpennell: @mikemulhern Just feel putting blocking calls in #NASCAR hands is a slippery slope. Just look at yellow line rule & controversy that draws.
@mikemulhern: @jaywpennell yes! more downforce. i disagree with nascar that downforce is bad. i think the more downforce, the better the racing.
@jaywpennell: @mikemulhern I see, but after that block, somebody has to decide that he can't make the second. That ultimately brings #NASCAR into the mix.
@mikemulhern: @jaywpennell yep, the second block would be tough. but no tougher, i would think, than the yellow line outofbound rule....
@mikemulhern: @jaywpennell oh, and re: flaps. was kylebusch really 213 into the turns? has nascar done windtunnel studies on the flaps like that?
@jaywpennell: @mikemulhern I can't answer that, but as far as I know flaps have changed very little over the years. Time to reexamine everything for 2013
@keselowski: my pleasure! "@mikemulhern: @keselowski just wanted to say thanks for talking. this is what this stuff is all about.
@keselowski: school of hard knocks "@alisonoleary18 you are very knowledgeable about the physics of racing...did you go to college or technical school?
@Tjmajors: Ok on the incident with the 5.... Just racing. Just how it goes. Sometimes you're the windshield sometimes you're the bug. Nobody at fault.
@2Spotter (Joey Meier): BlueDeuce had speed. Fast cars go Fast.....Now its up to us to execute....Not electrocute....execute....Next 2 weeks are PIVOTAL.#ChaseOrNot
@landoncassill: What an amazing way to celebrate my first fathers day! I'm so proud of our finish. I'm speechless. #thankateacher
@AndyLally: Tough end to a tough day. I'm not really sure what I could have done there. I haven't heard the story from their side yet.
@David_Ragan: Everything that could go wrong today did. The shortest race of the year... I wish was longer. We needed some more laps to race.
@David_Ragan: But, we had a fast car and probably passed more cars today than anyone. We will get ready to turn left and right next week.
Jay Pennell is an Assistant Editor to Frontstretch.com. He can be reached via e-mail at jaywpennell@yahoo.com, and you can also check out his work at allleftturns.com or jaywpennell.blogspot.com.
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TODAY ON THE FRONTSTRETCH:
Mirror Driving: Red Bull Reaction, Spoiled Oil And Nationwide Driver Swaps
by the Frontstretch Staff
Penalty Day Reaction: Oil Pan Infraction
by Beth Lunkenheimer
Drivers And Their Fanbases: Different Yet Passionate
by Summer Dreyer
Sprint Cup Power Rankings: Top 15 After Michigan
compiled by Mike Neff
Top 10 Reasons Red Bull Is REALLY Leaving The Sport Next Season
by the Frontstretch Staff
The Frontstretch Foto Funnies! Michigan, June 2011
by Kurt Smith
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FRONTSTRETCH TRIVIA:
Q: Infineon Raceway has a long and unfortunate history of spectacular crashes over the years. In 1987, Bob Wollek was involved in a nasty crash in his Porsche 962. What happened?
Check back Thursday for the answer, here in the Frontstretch Newsletter!
Tuesday's Answer:
Tuesday's Answer:
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?
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!
~~~~~~~~~~
Coming tomorrow in the Frontstretch Newsletter:
-- Top News from Phil Allaway
-- Shakedown Session by Brody Jones
-- Links to your favorite Frontstretch articles, and more!
~~~~~~~~~~
Tomorrow on the Frontstretch:
MPM2Nite by Matt McLaughlin
Matt is back again this season with his sarcastic sense of humor ... and incomparable NASCAR insight.
Voices From the Heartland by Jeff Meyer
Your favorite midwestern writer is back for another season of making you want to laugh, cry and even pull your hair out. Wanna know what Jeff's writing about this week? So do we! Tune in tomorrow to find out!
Potts' Shots by John Potts
Fanning the Flames has become Potts' Shots, and John Potts is here to answer your questions in our weekly Fan Q & A. Do you have something you'd like to ask John? Don't sit on the sidelines! Send it to john.potts@frontstretch.com, and you just may see your question in print next week!
Fantasy Insider by Brett Poirier
Did your fantasy racing team take a hit at Michigan? Well, Brett has just what you need to know to turn things around when choosing your teams for the Toyota / SaveMart 350 on Sunday at Infineon Raceway.
5th Column TBA by Mark Powell
Our professor of racing history "has at it" with another column pertinent to the sport at large.
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