Presented by Frontstretch.com
The Best Seat at the Track, The Best View on the Net!
June 24th, 2011
Volume V, Edition CXVI
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NEW PODCAST! Don't forget our new FREE weekly audio segments hosted by Doug Turnbull. Click here for the June 24th edition that features Jason Bowles as our main racing guest.
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Top News
by Summer Dreyer
Toyota Interested in Maintaining Relationship with Team
Earlier this week, it was announced that Red Bull Racing would be leaving NASCAR at the end of the season, unless General Manager Jay Frye is able to find outside investors and / or sponsors to allow the team to continue to compete. In an interview with SPEED.com's Mike Hembree (http://nascar.speedtv.com/article/cup-toyota-interested-in-keeping-team-nascar-connection/), Toyota Racing Development Chief Lee White said that they would be interested in staying with the team if Frye is successful in his search.
"I'm very interested to see what he ends up with as far as investors and partners, and certainly we'll have time for him moving forward if he wants to continue the relationship, and we'll also have a lot of time for him even if that doesn't happen and it involves someone else," said White.
If RBR does indeed leave the sport, Toyota would be left with just two teams—Joe Gibbs Racing and Michael Waltrip Racing.
"With Joe Gibbs Racing and Michael Waltrip Racing and Red Bull, that's about what we've had," said White. "This would drop us down to six, but there's the potential for both Gibbs and Waltrip to add a car and get us back to eight."
Red Bull Racing's current drivers Kasey Kahne and Brian Vickers are currently 19th and 24th in points respectively, both winless through 15 races this season with 10 top 10 finishes between the two of them. Kahne is moving over to Hendrick Motorsports in 2012, while Vickers would be left without a ride along with Camping World Truck Series developmental driver Cole Whitt. The team has only one victory since its debut during the 2007 Sprint Cup Series season.
Andy Pilgrim Subbing for J.J. Yeley in Sonoma
As the Sprint Cup Series heads to Infineon Raceway for the first of two road course races this weekend, the "road ringers" that have been a fixture in the sport for years are filling up the entry list.
One of those, former SCCA World Challenge Series champion Andy Pilgrim, is replacing Whitney Motorsports' J.J. Yeley in the No. 46 Red Line Oil Chevrolet for the Toyota / Save Mart 350. Pilgrim, who is originally from Nottingham, England, will make his Sprint Cup Series debut when he straps in on Sunday, having only made two previous starts in the Nationwide Series, finishing 15th both times (once in Montreal, once in Watkins Glen).
Whitney Motorsports' No. 46 ride is currently outside of the top 35 in owner points, and the team hopes that putting a road course expert in the cockpit this week will get them closer to a guaranteed spot in the 43 car field.
Yeley will return to his driving duties the following week in Daytona.
Have news for Summer and The Frontstretch? Don't hesitate to let us know; email us at phil.allaway@frontstretch.com with a promising lead or tip.
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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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In Case You Missed It
by Brett Poirier
The U.S. Coast Guard Delivers Infineon Trophy
On Tuesday, the United States Coast Guard Air Station San Francisco delivered the winner's trophy for Sunday's Toyota/Savemart 350 in a MH65C Dolphin helicopter. The helicopter departed from the San Francisco base and landed in Turn 11 at Infineon Raceway. Chief Petty Officer Trevin Dabney and Second Class Petty Officer John Fisher carried the trophy off the helicopter and stored it in a safe location. Lieutenant Christian Polyak and Lieutenant Ryan Hawn were the pilots.
"We often fly rescue missions to inland locations and need to practice landings at unusual places, so learning the approaches and landing here is just another layer of training and good experience for the crew," said LT Hawn. "Showing the public how we operate also supports our recruiting efforts, so we appreciate the opportunity to fly in and safely deliver the trophy to the fans, race crews, and drivers."
"Cars 2" Star Named Grand Marshal of Toyota/Savemart 350
Actor John Ratzenberger has been named the Grand Marshal of Sunday's Sprint Cup race at Infineon Raceway. Ratzenberger is the voice of "Mack" the truck in the upcoming "Cars 2" movie. He is also the voice of several other characters in Disney / Pixar movies, but may be best known for his work as "Cliff Clavin" in the television show "Cheers."
The Connecticut native will participate in pre-race activities and give the command to start engines on Sunday. On Friday night, the actor will be honored at the Children's Champions Grand Marshal's Banquet at Cline Cellars in Sonoma. The event will serve as a fundraiser for the Sonoma Chapter of Speedway Children's Charities.
Daytona International Speedway Will Honor Medal of Honor Recipients
For the third straight year, Daytona International Speedway will honor Medal of Honor recipients before the start of the Coke Zero 400 on July 2nd. The four Medal of Honor recipients from the Vietnam War are: Jon Cavaiani, retired U.S. Army Staff Sergeant; Harold Fritz, retired U.S. Army Captain; Don Jenkins, retired U.S. Army Staff Sergeant; Leo Thorsness, retired U.S. Air Force Lieutenant Colonel.
The four honorees have been invited to a special luncheon in the Bill France Room at the speedway. They will also attend drivers' meetings and participate in pre-race activities for the Subway Jalapeno 250 on Friday and Coke Zero 400 on Saturday. They will be honored during Saturday's festivities.
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Hey Frontstretch Readers!
Did you know The Frontstretch has a weekly podcast? Hosted by Doug Turnbull, the latest podcast comes out every Friday. This week, Doug is joined by columnist Bryan Davis Keith as the two discuss Red Bull's departure from NASCAR and much more! Check it out here!
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Frontstretch Folio: Toyota / Save Mart 350
by Summer Dreyer
This weekend, the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series heads to Infineon Raceway for the Toyota / Save Mart 350. Sunday's race will be the 16th of 36 races this season, and will be broadcast live Sunday, June 26th, at 3 PM ET on TNT and 2 PM ET on MRN Radio. Drivers will compete for 110 laps (218.9 miles) before taking the checkered flag.
Records and Facts
Jeff Gordon holds the track qualifying record, with a lap of 94.235 sec at 75.950 mph during qualifying for the 2005 Dodge / Save Mart 350. Gordon finished 33rd in the race after leading 32 of 110 laps. The pole was Gordon's second of two that season. Gordon finished out the year with four wins, eight top 5s, 14 top 10s, and an average finish of 18th. He finished 11th in points.
Ricky Rudd holds the record for the fastest race run at Infineon Raceway, with a speed of 81.007 mph in the 2002 Dodge / Save Mart 350. Rudd led three of the 100 laps in a 2.487 sec margin over second-place Tony Stewart. Terry Labonte finished third, followed by Kurt Busch in fourth and Jeff Green in fifth. The victory was Rudd's first and only win of the 2002 season. Aside from the victory, Rudd also snagged eight top 5s, 12 top 10s, and an average finish of 16th to finish 10th in points.
Jimmie Johnson is the defending race winner of this event, leading 55 of the 110 laps to win the 2010 Toyota / Save Mart 350 by 3.105 sec over Robby Gordon. Kevin Harvick finished third, followed by Kasey Kahne and Jeff Gordon to round out the top 5. The win was Johnson's fourth of six victories in 2010, where he went on to grab 17 top 5s, 23 top 10s, and an average finish of 12th in 36 races that year to win his fifth consecutive championship.
Track Facts
Track/Race Length: 1.99-mile road course, 110 laps (218.9 miles)
Grandstand Seating: 47,000
Pre-race Schedule
Practice: Friday, June 24, 3:00 – 4:35 PM ET, on SPEED ; Saturday, June 25, 12:30 – 1:15 PM ET, will air on SPEED at 2:30 PM ET
Qualifying: Friday, June 24, 6:40 PM ET, will air on SPEED at 11PM ET
Happy Hour: Saturday, June 25, 1:45 – 3:00 PM ET, will air on SPEED at 3:30PM ET
VIPs
Grand Marshal: Actor John Ratzenbeger
Race Day Forecast
Sunday: Sunny, 0% chance of rain
High: 78
Low: 54
Say What?!
"I just like road courses. I've always liked Sonoma, It's really a driver's track. It's tough to make your car drive perfect all day. You can have a really good car, but it's going to slide around, and you're going to struggle for grip, and that's what makes it so fun. You have to do the work behind the steering wheel." -Tony Stewart
"The road courses are fun. For me, I enjoy it. It's pretty cool to go out there and race the road courses. You get to turn right, turn left and everything, so it's fun. Sonoma is more technical just because there are more turns and it's a little bit slower. You have to concentrate on getting off the corner a little bit and have good forward bite. Sonoma, in our M&M's Pretzel Toyota, is going to be fun, going out there and seeing what these cars have this year. It will be a fun race, though. I always look forward to going up there and challenging the road course." -Kyle Busch
"There's no doubt this is probably my favorite weekend of racing, regardless of what happens on the track. "It's just a magical time for me with my daughter's birthday party, seeing my biological father and other family members, and seeing friends I went to elementary school with and raced with out here. It's just a special weekend and it puts me in an incredibly positive frame of mind going into the race on Sunday." -Jeff Gordon
Summer Dreyer is a Senior Writer for Frontstretch.com. She can be reached via email at summer.dreyer@frontstretch.com.
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Keepin' It Short: Remembering Clyde in Florida
by Mike Neff
Clyde Hart was well known in Florida racing circles for being incredibly frugal. He purchased his own generator to power the lights at New Smyrna Speedway once his first power bill arrived after he lit the track and it was $2,500. Hart focused on making the fan experience memorable and also took great care of the competitors. He passed away in 1999 and since his death the Clyde Hart Memorial has been held to honor his memory.
Hart initially purchased the land for New Smyrna Speedway in 1966 and set it up as a dirt track. He leased out the track to other promoters assuming they knew what they were doing but discovered after a few years that they might not be as good as advertised, and that's when he decided to go into the race promotion business himself. Hart took the business part of the promotion business a little more seriously than many other promoters. He started out by paving the race track because the mixture of clay and dirt that he'd put down for a racing surface had a habit of getting very dusty. Along with paving the track he also upgraded the restrooms and put in the best lighting system he could find in 1970. His reasoning behind spending so much money on the lighting system was that he wanted the patrons to be able to see the races.
That first electric bill after putting in the lights was a shocker to Hart so he immediately went out and purchased an $11,000 generator and dropped his electric bill to a more manageable $600 a month. Shortly after taking on the full-time promotion duties Hart also bought Orlando Speedworld and Orlando Dragway. Once he owned two tracks he formed FASCAR, the Florida Association for Stock Car Auto Racing. The organization was well known for making fans and competitors alike feel welcome and appreciated.
In 1999, wildfires swept across central Florida and Hart, who also was a cattle farmer, worried about his herd so he went out to check on their well being. For whatever reason God felt that was the day that he wanted to bring Clyde home and the long time promoter's heart gave out. His empire was passed on to his son Robert who brought in Don Nerone to be the general promoter.
Nerone worked to continue increasing the popularity of FASCAR and began the Racecar Engineering Sunbelt Super Late Model Series to highlight the best SLM drivers in the state of Florida. The first year there were eight races in the series and in 2000 the schedule expanded to the 12 races which it still has today. The highlight of the season at New Smyrna is the World Series of Asphalt Stock Car racing which takes place over nine nights in February during the same time that NASCAR is hosting Speedweeks at Daytona.
Hart's impact on Florida racing is undeniable and the race that is run every year to honor his memory is just one way that the drivers and fans can salute what he meant to them. The race will take place at New Smyrna next Thursday evening. If you find yourself on the East Coast of Central Florida next week, take the time to check out the racing at Clyde's Place. You won't be disappointed.
*Whelen All-American National Championship Update*
Mother Nature took it easy on the venues where the leaders in the National Points were running this week so all of the top 10 drivers were able to add to their point totals. It appears that the National Champion is going to come down to an opportunity game. Keith Rocco has the chance to run three times a week in the Northeast while Philip Morris is only running at one track per week although they are having quite a few twin features. The first one to 18 full field wins will be the champ and Morris just might have to venture out to some tracks that run on Friday nights if Rocco starts turning in more wins.
Rocco's problem right now is that he was involved in an accident two weeks ago that resulted in a dislocated shoulder. It has not prevented him from racing and, according to Keepin' it Short reader John Miller, he is still mixing it up having a fantastic side-by-side battle at Stafford for the final 20 laps of the race before settling for second place. The question is whether he'll be able to get back into his winning form while dealing with the discomfort from his injury.
Morris's car owner is serious about winning the championship so if Rocco gets higher up into double digit, full field wins look to see Morris running at places like Ace or Kingsport to have another opportunity to score a full field win. This weekend he'll be at Motor Mile again for twin Late Model features trying to knock off Lee Pulliam who has been dominant at the Radford, VA track this year.
This past week Rocco raced three times but only added one top 5 and two top 10s to his totals, gaining 44 points. Morris won twin features at South Boston with full fields, increasing his total by the maximum 90 points. Third place Pulliam notched another victory at Motor Mile this past weekend, increasing his season total by 41 points due to a less than full field. C.E. Falk ran two races and brought home one top 5 and two top 10s, moving him up from seventh to fourth. Frank Deiny, Jr. is still the highest driver in the point standings without a win, having a sub-par year by his standards, notching another top 5 this past weekend. Bill Leighton, Jr. is back in the top 10 having scored two wins this year. Last year it took Leighton until late in the season before he broke into the win column.
1) Keith Rocco – 21 races – 9 wins – 14 top 5s – 18 top 10s – 565 points
2) Philip Morris – 15 races – 11 wins – 13 top 5s – 14 top 10s – 551 points
3) Lee Pulliam – 15 races – 8 wins – 12 top 5s – 13 top 10s – 494 poitns
4) C.E. Falk, III – 12 races – 3 wins – 10 top 5s – 11 top 10s – 409 points
5) Frank Deiny Jr. – 14 races – 0 wins – 9 top 5s – 13 top 10s – 382 points
6) Nate Monteith – 13 races – 6 wins – 12 top 5s – 12 top 10s – 378 points
7) Brandon Davis – 10 races – 5 wins – 9 top 5s – 9 top 10s – 371 points
8) Zachary Hausler – 17 races – 12 wins – 15 top 5s – 17 top 10s – 366 points
9) Ryan Preece – 14 races – 3 wins – 11 top 5s – 12 top 10s – 351 points
10) Bill Leighton, Jr. – 10 races – 2 wins – 10 top 5s – 10 top 10s – 350 points
Under the points structure for the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series, the
race winner receives two points for every car in the event up to 20. Second
place receives two fewer points, and so-on through the field. Race winners
receive an additional five bonus points. For example, if there are 20 cars,
the winner receives 45 points, second gets 38 and third 36. If there are 15
cars, the winner received 35 points, second gets 28 and third 26. The top 18
races count towards the National Championship for a driver. A perfect season
for a driver would be 18 race wins with 20 car fields which equates to 810
points. The first driver to reach 810 points is declared the National
Champion in the event of a tie.
This weekend's race schedule
Fri : June 24th – North Central Speedway ; Flippin : AR – Show Me Racing
Fri : June 24th - Ocean Speedway ; Watsonville : CA - Taco Bravo Ocean Sprints
Fri : June 24th - Stafford Motor Speedway ; Stafford Springs : CT - Modified Racing Series of New England
Fri : June 24th – Five Flags Speedway ; Pensacola : FL – Super Late Models
Fri : June 24th - Northwest Florida Speedway ; Baker : FL - Mississippi State Championship Challenge
Fri : June 24th – Boyd's Speedway ; Ringgold : GA – Volunteer Racing Series
Fri : June 24th - Oglethorpe Speedway Park ; Savannah : GA - National Late Models
Fri : June 24th - Iowa Speedway ; Newton : IA - USAC National Midgets
Fri : June 24th - Iowa Speedway ; Newton : IA - USAC Silver Crown
Fri : June 24th - Rapids Speedway ; Rock Rapids : IA - USMTS Modifieds
Fri : June 24th - Jacksonville Speedway ; Jacksonville : IL - Sprint Invaders
Fri : June 24th - Kankakee County Speedway ; Kankakee : IL - Interstate Racing Association
Fri : June 24th - Southern Illinois Raceway ; Marion : IL - POWRI Micro-Sprints
Fri : June 24th - Tri-City Speedway ; Granite City : IL - UMP Summer Nationals
Fri : June 24th - Baer Field Speedway ; Fort Wayne : IN - Hoosier Outlaw Sprints
Fri : June 24th - Bloomington Speedway ; Bloomington : IN - Sheldon Kinser Memorial
Fri : June 24th - Caney Valley Speedway ; Caney : KS - Midwest DIRTcar Late Models
Fri : June 24th - Ponderosa Speedway ; Junction City : KY - STARS Midwest Dirt Racing League
Fri : June 24th - Ponderosa Speedway ; Junction City : KY - Volunteer Racing Series
Fri : June 24th - USA Speedway ; Sterlington : LA - Mid-South Racing Association
Fri : June 24th - Hagerstown Speedway ; Hagerstown : MD - Three State Flyers
Fri : June 24th - Hartford Motor Speedway ; Hartford : MI - American Late Models
Fri : June 24th - Spartan Speedway ; Mason : MI - MCR Dwarf Cars
Fri : June 24th - Callaway Raceways ; Fulton : MO - United Late Models
Fri : June 24th - L A Raceway ; La Monte : MO - ASCS / Warriors Region
Fri : June 24th - L A Raceway ; La Monte : MO - Lucas Oil ASCS Sprint Car Series
Fri : June 24th - Beatrice Speedway ; Beatrice : NE - Good Ol Time Racing Association
Fri : June 24th - Canaan Fair Speedway ; Canaan : NH - Northeast Mini-Sprints
Fri : June 24th – Ace Speedway ; Altamahaw : NC – Late Models
Fri : June 24th – Ace Speedway ; Altamahaw : NC – Limited Late Models
Fri : June 24th – Wake County Speedway ; Raleigh : NC – Super Late Models
Fri : June 24th – Wake County Speedway ; Raleigh : NC – Limited Late Models
Fri : June 24th - Limaland Motorsports Park ; Lima : OH - All Star Sprint Cars
Fri : June 24th - Ohsweken Speedway ; Ohsweken : Ontario - ASCS / Sprints on Dirt
Fri : June 24th - Ohsweken Speedway ; Ohsweken : Ontario - Empire Super Sprints
Fri : June 24th - Cottage Grove Speedway ; Cottage Grove : OR - West Coast Vintage Racers
Fri : June 24th - Clinton County Raceway ; Lock Haven : PA - BRP CanAm Late Models
Fri : June 24th - Clinton County Raceway ; Lock Haven : PA - PA Sprint Series
Fri : June 24th - Lernerville Speedway ; Sarver : PA – World of Outlaw Late Models
Fri : June 24th - Lindas Speedway ; Jonestown : PA - Keystone Legend Car Tour
Fri : June 24th - Motordrome Speedway ; Smithton : PA - Super Cup Stock Car Series
Fri : June 24th - Anderson Motor Speedway ; Anderson : SC - MMRA / Mini-Cups
Fri : June 24th - I-90 Speedway ; Hartford : SD - ASCS / Midwest Series
Fri : June 24th – Kingsport Speedway ; Kingsport : TN – Late Models
Fri : June 24th - El Paso Speedway Park ; El Paso : TX - Renegade Sprint Cars
Fri : June 24th - Manitowoc Expo Raceway ; Manitowoc : WI - Midwest Sprintcars
Fri : June 24th - Manitowoc Expo Raceway ; Manitowoc : WI - Wisconsin Dirt Late Models
Sat : June 25th – Mobile International Speedway ; Irvington : AL – Miller Lite Super Late Models
Sat : June 25th - Drew County Speedway ; Monticello : AR - SUPR Late Models
Sat : June 25th - Canyon Speedway Park ; Peoria : AZ - Total Seal Late Model Dirt Series
Sat : June 25th - USA Race Park ; Tucson : AZ - ASCS / Southwest Region
Sat : June 25th - Saratoga Speedway ; Courtenay : British Columbia - WILROC SprintCars
Sat : June 25th - Antioch Speedway ; Antioch : CA - Western AllStar DIRTcar Late Models
Sat : June 25th - Bakersfield Speedway ; Oildale : CA - National 3/4 Midgets
Sat : June 25th - Giant Chevrolet Speedway ; Hanford : CA - ASCS SoCal Sprint Series
Sat : June 25th - Madera Speedway ; Madera : CA - ASA / Truck Series
Sat : June 25th - Madera Speedway ; Madera : CA - SRL Late Models
Sat : June 25th – Redwoods Acres Raceway ; Eureka : CA – Airport Auto Brokers Late Models
Sat : June 25th - Ventura Raceway ; Ventura : CA - USAC Western Midgets
Sat : June 25th - Hayden Speedway ; Hayden : CO - United Rebel Sprint Series
Sat : June 25th - Waterford Speedbowl ; Waterford : CT - NEMA Lites
Sat : June 25th - North Florida Speedway ; Lake City : FL - Top Gun Sprint Car Series
Sat : June 25th - Ocala Micro Speedway ; Ocala : FL - Sunshine
Sat : June 25th - Meridian Motor Speedway ; Meridian : ID - Rocky Mountain Challenge Series
Sat : June 25th - Stateline Stadium ; Post Falls : ID - ICAR Late Model Series
Sat : June 25th - Avcom Park ; Avon : IL - IMRA TQ Series
Sat : June 25th - Fairbury American Legion Speedway ; Fairbury : IL - UMP Summer Nationals
Sat : June 25th - Southern Illinois Raceway ; Marion : IL - POWRI Micro-Sprints
Sat : June 25th - Brownstown Speedway ; Brownstown : IN - Indiana Late Models
Sat : June 25th - Brownstown Speedway ; Brownstown : IN - Midwest Mini-Sprints
Sat : June 25th - Montpelier Speedway ; Montpelier : IN - USAC Mopar D1 Midgets
Sat : June 25th - Paragon Speedway ; Paragon : IN - King Of Indiana Sprint Car Series
Sat : June 25th - Twin Cities Raceway Park ; North Vernon : IN - UMRA TQ Midgets
Sat : June 25th - Winchester Speedway ; Winchester : IN - ARCA Late Models
Sat : June 25th - Great American Dirt Track ; Jetmore : KS - Championship Late Models
Sat : June 25th - Great American Dirt Track ; Jetmore : KS - NCRA / Great Plains Late Models
Sat : June 25th - Great American Dirt Track ; Jetmore : KS - United Rebel Sprint Series
Sat : June 25th - Heartland Park Topeka ; Topeka : KS - ChumpCar World Series
Sat : June 25th - Heartland Park Topeka ; Topeka : KS - NCRA / 360 Sprints
Sat : June 25th - Lake Cumberland Speedway ; Jamestown : KY - STARS Midwest Dirt Racing League
Sat : June 25th - Lake Cumberland Speedway ; Jamestown : KY - Volunteer Racing Series
Sat : June 25th - Ark-La-Tex Speedway ; Vivian : LA - Mid-South Racing Association
Sat : June 25th - Oxford Plains Speedway ; Oxford : ME - ACT US Tour
Sat : June 25th - Auto City Speedway ; Mount Morris : MI - Must See Racing Xtreme Sprints
Sat : June 25th - Flat Rock Speedway ; Flat Rock : MI - 100 lap Late Model Gold Cup
Sat : June 25th - Northern District Fairgrounds ; Cadillac : MI - Unique Bump and Run
Sat : June 25th - Jackson Speedway ; Jackson : MN - Jackson Sprint Touring Series
Sat : June 25th - North Central Motor Speedway ; Brainerd : MN - USMTS Modifieds
Sat : June 25th - Princeton Speedway ; Princeton : MN - Upper Midwest Sprint Series
Sat : June 25th - Princeton Speedway ; Princeton : MN – World of Outlaw Sprint Cars
Sat : June 25th - Central Missouri Speedway ; Warrensburg : MO - United Late Models
Sat : June 25th - Dallas County Speedway ; Urbana : MO - Ozark Mountain Midget Series
Sat : June 25th - Lake Ozark Speedway ; Eldon : MO - ASCS / Warriors Region
Sat : June 25th - Lake Ozark Speedway ; Eldon : MO - Lucas Oil ASCS Sprint Car Series
Sat : June 25th - Lucas Oil Speedway ; Wheatland : MO - United Late Models
Sat : June 25th - Scotland County Speedway ; Memphis : MO - United Late Models
Sat : June 25th – Junction Motor Speedway ; McCool Junction : NE – Super Late Models
Sat : June 25th – Bowman-Gray Stadium ; Winston-Salem : NC – Whelen All-American Modifieds
Sat : June 25th – Coastal Plains Raceway ; Jacksonville : NC – Limited Late Models
Sat : June 25th – Concord Speedway ; Concord : NC – Late Models
Sat : June 25th - Hickory Motor Speedway ; Hickory : NC - Carolina Vintage Stockcars
Sat : June 25th - Hickory Motor Speedway ; Hickory : NC – UARA
Sat : June 25th – Orange County Speedway ; Rougemont : NC – Late Models
Sat : June 25th - Jamestown Speedway ; Jamestown : ND - Northern LateModels
Sat : June 25th - Monadnock Speedway ; Winchester : NH - NASCAR Whelen Modifieds
Sat : June 25th - White Mountain Motorsports Park ; North Woodstock : NH - Senior Tour Auto Racers
Sat : June 25th - Southern New Mexico Speedway ; Las Cruces : NM - Renegade Sprint Cars
Sat : June 25th - Fremont Speedway ; Fremont : OH - All Star Sprint Cars
Sat : June 25th – Lorain County Speedway ; South Amherst : OH – TBRA Late Models
Sat : June 25th - Sandusky Speedway ; Sandusky : OH - Midwest Supermodifieds
Sat : June 25th - Lawton Speedway ; Lawton : OK - Oil Capital Racing Series
Sat : June 25th - Grand Bend Speedway ; Grand Bend : Ontario - Can-Am TQ Midgets
Sat : June 25th - Mosport Speedway ; Mosport : Ontario - Canadian Vintage Modifieds
Sat : June 25th - South Buxton International Raceway ; Merlin : Ontario - ASCS / Sprints on Dirt
Sat : June 25th - South Buxton International Raceway ; Merlin : Ontario - Empire Super Sprints
Sat : June 25th - Cottage Grove Speedway ; Cottage Grove : OR - West Coast Vintage Racers
Sat : June 25th - Cottage Grove Speedway ; Cottage Grove : OR - Washington Midgets
Sat : June 25th - Oregon Raceway Park ; Grass Valley : OR - 24 Hours of LeMons
Sat : June 25th - Lernerville Speedway ; Sarver : PA – World of Outlaws Late Models
Sat : June 25th - Lincoln Speedway ; Hanover : PA - Central Pennsylvania LegendCars
Sat : June 25th - Mahoning Valley Speedway ; Lehighton : PA - ATQMRA TQ Midgets
Sat : June 25th - Mercer Raceway Park ; Mercer : PA - BRP Modified Tour
Sat : June 25th - Williams Grove Speedway ; Mechanicsburg : PA - Super Sportsmen
Sat : June 25th - Oyster Bed Speedway ; Charlottetown : Prince Edward Island - Parts For Trucks Pro Stock Tour
Sat : June 25th - Autodrome Chaudiere ; Vallee-Jonction : Quebec - PASS North Late Models
Sat : June 25th – Florence Motor Speedway ; Timmonsville : SC – Limited Late Models
Sat : June 25th – Greenville-Pickens Speedway ; Greenville : SC – Late Models
Sat : June 25th – Newport Speedway ; Newport : TN – Late Models
Sat : June 25th - Volunteer Speedway ; Bulls Gap : TN - Carolina Clash Late Models
Sat : June 25th - I-37 Speedway ; Pleasanton : TX - Dwarf Car Series of Texas
Sat : June 25th - Lone Star Speedway ; Kilgore : TX - Ark-La-Tex Winged Modifieds
Sat : June 25th – Franklin County Speedway ; Callaway : VA – Late Models
Sat : June 25th – Langley Speedway ; Hampton : VA – Late Models 2X
Sat : June 25th – Old Dominion Speedway ; Manassas : VA – Late Models
Sat : June 25th – Motor Mile Speedway ; Radford : VA – Late Models 2X
Sat : June 25th – Shenandoah Speedway ; Shenandoah : VA – Late Models
Sat : June 25th - Winchester Speedway ; Winchester : VA - Three State Flyers
Sat : June 25th - Bear Ridge Speedway ; Bradford : VT - Granite State Mini-Sprints
Sat : June 25th - Evergreen Speedway ; Monroe : WA - ASA Northwest Sprint Cars
Sat : June 25th - Grays Harbor Raceway ; Elma : WA - Washington Econo Sprint Cars
Sat : June 25th - Wenatchee Valley Super Oval ; East Wenatchee : WA - Northwest Pro-4 Alliance
Sat : June 25th - Plymouth Dirt Track ; Plymouth : WI - Interstate Racing Association
Sat : June 25th - Plymouth Dirt Track ; Plymouth : WI - Wisconsin Dirt Late Models
Sat : June 25th - Wilmot Raceway ; Wilmot : WI - Midwest Sprintcars
Sun : June 26th - Kokomo Speedway ; Kokomo : IN - King Of Indiana Sprint Car Series
Sun : June 26th - South Bend Motor Speedway ; South Bend : IN - Auto Value Super Sprints
Sun : June 26th - South Bend Motor Speedway ; South Bend : IN - USA Modifieds
Sun : June 26th - Heartland Park Topeka ; Topeka : KS - ChumpCar World Series
Sun : June 26th - I-96 Speedway ; Lake Odessa : MI - UMP Summer Nationals
Sun : June 26th – Spartan Speedway ; Mason : MI – Outlaw Late Models
Sun : June 26th - I-80 Speedway ; Greenwood : NE - Good Ol Time Racing Association
Sun : June 26th - Enid Speedway ; Enid : OK - NCRA / Southern SportMod Series
Sun : June 26th - Mosport Speedway ; Mosport : Ontario - NASCAR Canadian Tire Late Models
Sun : June 26th - Oregon Raceway Park ; Grass Valley : OR - 24 Hours of LeMons
Sun : June 26th - Husets Speedway ; Brandon : SD – World of Outlaws Sprint Cars
Sun : June 26th - Angell Park Speedway ; Sun Prairie : WI - Badger Midgets
Sun : June 26th - Slinger Super Speedway ; Slinger : WI - American Super Cup Series
Tue : June 28th - Stafford Motor Speedway ; Stafford Springs : CT - International Super Modifieds
Tue : June 28th - Stafford Motor Speedway ; Stafford Springs : CT - NEMA Midgets
Tue : June 28th - Stafford Motor Speedway ; Stafford Springs : CT - Pro Four Modfieds of New England
Tue : June 28th - Lincoln Park Speedway ; Putnamville : IN - UMP Summer Nationals
Tue : June 28th - Grandview Speedway ; Bechtelsville : PA - Central Pennsylvania Sprint Speedweek
Wed : June 29th - Independence Motor Speedway ; Independence : IA - IMCA Deery Brothers Late Models
Wed : June 29th - Belle-Clair Speedway ; Belleville : IL - UMP Summer Nationals
Wed : June 29th - Indianapolis Speedrome ; Indianapolis : IN - USAC Ford Focus Midgets
Wed : June 29th - Indianapolis Speedrome ; Indianapolis : IN - USAC Mopar D1 Midgets
Wed : June 29th - Expo Speedway ; Cortland : OH - BRP Modified Tour
Thu : June 30th - Thompson International Speedway ; Thompson : CT - NASCAR Whelen Modifieds
Thu : June 30th – New Smyrna Speedway ; New Smyrna Beach : FL – Clyde Hart Memorial 100
Thu : June 30th - New Smyrna Speedway ; New Smyrna Beach : FL - Florida United Promoters Late Models
Thu : June 30th - Lee County Speedway ; Donnellson : IA - Hawkeye Dirt Tour
Thu : June 30th - Lucas Oil Speedway ; Wheatland : MO - United Late Models
Thu : June 30th - Junction Motor Speedway ; McCool Junction : NE - ASCS / Midwest Series
Thu : June 30th - Junction Motor Speedway ; McCool Junction : NE - Good Ol Time Racing Association
Thu : June 30th - McKean County Speedway ; East Smethport : PA - Fastrak Late Models
Thu : June 30th - McKean County Speedway ; East Smethport : PA - ULMS - Late Models
Thu : June 30th - Susquehanna Speedway ; Newberrytown : PA - PA Sprints
Thu : June 30th - Susquehanna Speedway ; Newberrytown : PA - 600cc Mini-Sprints
Thu : June 30th - Susquehanna Speedway ; Newberrytown : PA - PA 410 Sprints
Thu : June 30th - Clayhill Motorsports ; Atwood : TN - UMP Summer Nationals
Thu : June 30th - West Virginia Motor Speedway ; Mineral Wells : WV - All Star Late Models
Mike Neff is a Senior Writer for Frontstretch.com. He can be reached via email at mike.neff@frontstretch.com.
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Hey Frontstretch Readers!
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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TODAY ON THE FRONTSTRETCH:
Four Burning Questions: Infineon Raceway
by Brody Jones
Some Silly Season Predictions
by Garrett Horton
Marcos Ambrose Driver Diary: A Winning Deal for Kids
as told to Toni Montgomery
Regan Smith Driver Diary: Bouncing Back From Adversity and Road Course Chances
as told to Tony Lumbis
Why TV Ratings Don't Tell the Story of Today's Nationwide Series
by Bryan Davis Keith
Frontstretch Podcast: June 24th Edition
hosted by Doug Turnbull
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FRONTSTRETCH TRIVIA:
Q: In that 1996 Save Mart Supermarkets 300k that we asked about yesterday, Jeff Gordon had a strong chance of winning late. However, an issue on the final restart dropped him back to sixth. What happened?
Check back Monday for the answer, here in the Frontstretch Newsletter!
Thursday's Answer:
Q: If you look at the official results for the 1996 Save Mart Supermarkets 300 at then-Sears Point Raceway, you'll notice that Ricky Craven qualified a career-best (on a road course) third on the grid. However, as this was a week after his infamous barrel roll at Talladega, he did not qualify the car. Who qualified Craven's No. 41, and who was the special guest driver who drove the car (different from the man who qualified the car) in Happy Hour?
A: Craven was still recovering from injuries suffered in his barrel roll into the catchfence in Turn 1 at Talladega. As a result, Hedrick Racing tapped Ron Hornaday, Jr. to sub behind the wheel of the Kodiak-sponsored No. 41. However, Hornaday had a Craftsman Truck Series conflict at the now-closed Portland Speedway in Oregon (Hornaday actually won the 200-lapper that day).
Who stepped into Craven's No. 41 to practice it on Saturday? None other than Hornaday's truck owner, Dale Earnhardt (when he wasn't driving his own No. 3). Yes, having Earnhardt drive the No. 41 could have been considered quite a coup for the smallish Hedrick outfit. Earnhardt seemed to have some kind of friendship with Hedrick, so much so that they were partners in the Kannapolis Intimidators Single-A Baseball team before Earnhardt's untimely death.
Unfortunately, once Craven handed over to Hornaday in the race, Hornaday stuffed the car in the tires late in the race and finished a lap down in 31st.
Frontstretch Trivia Guarantee: Take 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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Coming Monday in the Frontstretch Newsletter:
-- Heluva Good! Sour Cream Dips 400 Race Recap by Tom Bowles
-- Running Their Mouth: Heluva Good! Sour Cream Dips 400 by Brody Jones
-- Links to your favorite Frontstretch articles, and more!
Monday on the Frontstretch:
Matt McLaughlin's Thinkin' Out Loud: Toyota / Save Mart 350 by Matt McLaughlin
Matt will be here with his overall thoughts about the action from Sunday afternoon's action from Infineon Raceway.
Bubble Breakdown by Bryan Davis Keith
Who's hot and who's not towards the back end of the owner points battle? Bryan brings the stories you didn't hear about into print from Sunday's race at Infineon Raceway.
Special Commentary by Ron Lemasters
Ron returns for a website look at one of the big stories from Sunday's race in Sonoma.
Bowles-Eye View by Tom Bowles
Tom brings back his weekly post-race commentary with all of the insight you need from a weekend of racing at Infineon Raceway.
Big Six: Toyota / Save Mart 350 by Brody Jones
Filling in for the vacationing Amy Henderson, Brody has the who, what, when, where, why and how of Sunday afternoon's race from Infineon.
Nationwide Series Breakdown: Bucyrus 200 by Bryan Davis Keith
Bryan has all the post-race analysis you need after Saturday evening's Nationwide Series race from Road America.
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