Presented by Frontstretch.com
The Best Seat at the Track, The Best View on the Net!
July 15th, 2011
Volume V, Edition CXXXVIII
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NEW PODCAST! Don't forget our new FREE weekly audio segments hosted by Doug Turnbull. Click here for the July 15th edition that features Blake Koch as our main racing guest.
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Top News
by Summer Dreyer
Jimmie Johnson Wins "Best Driver" ESPY
Representing NASCAR in the "Best Driver" nomination for the 2011 ESPY awards, five-time and defending NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson was presented with the ESPY award on Wednesday night, beating out NHRA's John Force and Greg Anderson and IndyCar's Dario Franchitti.
"Thanks everyone, driver of the year is huge!" Johnson posted on Twitter. "Wish I win the big one but it's all good."
"The big one" was the ESPY for "Best Male Athlete", a category that Johnson was nominated for but lost out to Dirk Nowitzki of the NBA Champion Dallas Mavericks.
Daytona 500 champion Trevor Bayne was also up for an ESPY, nominated in the category for "Best Moment". Roy Halladay of the MLB playoffs was the winner in that category, instead.
Attendance Falloff Continues at NASCAR Hall of Fame
The Charlotte Observer's Steve Harrison is reporting year-to-year attendance figures in the second-year NASCAR Hall of Fame continue to plummet, with attendance between June 2010 and June 2011 dropping nearly 40 percent. Numbers released this week show that only 17,604 people visited the Hall last June, while 28,678 attended last year.
Attendance was down in the month of May as well. 25,034 people visited the Hall in May of this year, compared to the 35,979 that visited in May of 2010.
The attendance drop-off is troubling for the NHoF, especially since the hall's budget for the 2012 fiscal year predicts around a 20 percent increase. The hall lost $1.28 million in its first fiscal year, but spokesperson Kimberly Meesters says there have been no discussions regarding budget cuts.
Regardless, the Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority says out-of-town visitors to the hall spent $40 million on hotels, food, etc. Meesters says that discussions are being held to attract new visitors in the future.
TriStar Motorsports Hauler Lift Gate Fails, Crewman Injured
While unloading the No. 19 car from its hauler in the Nationwide Series garage at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, the rear door frame broke away from the trailer, according to a Facebook post by Dave Moody,and the lift gate and racecar fell on the ground.
While no word has been given as far as damage to the racecar, the team posted an update on their Twitter page later on, saying: "In response 2 incident w/ # 19 hauler; James Roland, crew member of team, suffered a broken bone n foot & has possible torn ligaments n knee #nascar."
The No. 19 car is scheduled to be driven by Mike Bliss in the New England 200 on Saturday afternoon.
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
Tornado Survivors Named Grand Marshals at New Hampshire
The New Hampshire Motor Speedway, along with Lenox Industrial Tools, named Tom Joseph and his family the grand marshals for Sunday's Lenox Industrial Tools 300. Tom Joseph is an employee of Lenox. His family lost their home in Monson, MA after tornadoes hit in their town about a month ago.
Alex Joseph, 18, president of the Monson High School senior class, led relief efforts after the storm by delivering food and water to the neighborhoods hit hardest with his classmates. The Joseph family will give the command to start engines on Sunday and Lenox will present a $25,000 check to the Pioneer Valley Chapter of the Red Cross to support disaster relief efforts. Lenox's headquarters has been based in East Longmeadow, Mass. since 1915. The headquarters was not damaged by the storms, but many of their employees in the Western Massachusetts area were impacted.
Crown Royal Rumored to be Brickyard 400 Title Sponsor
The Indianapolis Business Journal is reporting that Crown Royal is ready to sign a deal to become the title sponsor of the Brickyard 400, starting in 2012. At around $1.5 million, the deal is rumored to be larger than any current deal with a Sprint Cup series title sponsor. The track could make an announcement as early as next weekend.
Wonderful Pistachios Signs as Title Sponsor for Richmond
Wonderful Pistachios has signed a multi-year deal to become the title sponsor of the fall race at Richmond International Raceway. The fall race is being billed as the "One Last Race to Make the Chase" for Sprint Cup stars. It will be held on September 10 this season. Wonderful Pistachios will be sold at concession stands at Richmond during the weekend, and will now be sold at other International Speedway Corporation tracks.
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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 Managing Editor Tom Bowles as the two discuss the traffic mess at Kentucky, the season at the halfway point and much more! Check it out here!
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Keepin' It Short: Suggestions For Local Short Track Owners
by Mike Neff
Most race fans have heard the old axiom, if you want to make a small fortune in racing start out with a big one. That saying not only holds true for race team owners but is generally true for local short track owners too. Just like with team owners there are always exceptions, but for the most part the people running the bull rings around the country are not living the high life. They do what they do because they love to and, if they remember to do a few things, they can keep their competitors and fans happy which in turn will put a little more dough in their pockets.
Local short track fans are a loyal, close knit bunch. If they are treated well and have an enjoyable night at the track they're very likely to share that experience with their local racing friends and entice them to come out to the track as well. One of the best ways to make the experience memorable is for the track promoter to be available and grateful for the people who come to his track. Brad Allen runs Ace Speedway in Altamahaw, NC and knows exactly how to make people know they are appreciated. It is very common for him to walk around the track during a night of racing and shake everyone's hand and thank them for coming to the race--and not just the competitors but every single person in the facility. It is possible for him to shake a few thousand hands on a really good night but he'll do it and the people who are in attendance remember when that happens to them and will be at least a little more likely to return to the facility because of it.
Another thing to remember is that people visit to see great racing and the better the racing the more people who will come to the track. The best racing occurs when there are plenty of cars on the track that are capable of winning and the more cars that come through the back gate the better the chance for that to happen. If a promoter wants to get people to come through the back gate they need to remember that it is the people who are coming through that gate that are causing the people to come through the front gate.
There's nothing wrong with making a little money on the competitors who show up to race at your track but you'll be better served by making it affordable for them to come to the track and compete. Racers will remember that tracks that consistently charge them $10-$20 for pit passes versus the ones who ream them for $50-$70. They also remember which track charges them $450 for a set of tires as opposed to $600. Racing is not a cheap sport and most of the guys running at local tracks are struggling to get their cars together to get to the race track. Short track owners would be wise to not compound that struggle by pinching them once they get to the track.
When making calls at the track, always do your best to be consistent. If you send someone to the back for spinning another driver, do the same to the next driver guilty of the same offense. Don't make one driver come from the back to the front every time they are anywhere near a caution while you let another consistently have their spot back when they are deep in the mix of most everything happening on the track.
People complain all of the time that NASCAR makes different decisions for the same violations all of the time and it alienates fans. Doing the same kind of waffling on a local track will have even more dire consequences because there are fewer people in the mix in general. Local drivers have intensely loyal fans who come to watch them every week, and if they see their favorite driver getting the short end of the stick consistently, they're probably going to either stop coming to your track or follow their favorite when they give up. Make sure you do your best to be consistent, even if it isn't the popular thing to do.
Finally hang onto the old promoters precept that rear ends in the seats are always preferred to empty seats. You can't sell a hotdog to someone who isn't there, so don't rake your fans over the coals when it comes to ticket prices. Getting them in the door is the most important thing because they will spend some money at your track or they'll tell friends what a good time they had or they'll just brag about what a bargain your place was. It doesn't matter what they say as long as they're happy about their experience. Bowman-Gray Stadium has some of the largest crowds every week of any short track in the country and they generally charge $10 to get in the gate. Last Saturday was one of their Ladies Nights where all females get into the stands for $1. That's right, one single dollar. You don't find that too often any more and they do it about once a month.
Local short tracks are the backbone of racing around the country and the inspiration for this column every week. With the way car counts have dropped over the last few years and the struggles many fans are having affording a trip to the races, the folks running the tracks will be greatly served by making it a bit more affordable and a great destination. Trust a loyal local race fan, you won't be disappointed.
Whelen All-American National Championship Update
The front runners at the head of the pack for the National Championship in the Whelen All-American Series are down to clawing and scratching out as many remaining points as they can over the last couple of months of the season. C.E. Falk is the only driver in the top 6 who has not maxed out his race count so still has the ability to make substantial gains. The other drivers at the top are simply trying to upgrade from poor finishes to better finishes.
Keith Rocco has notched 19 top-5 finishes so he's truly nibbling away and hoping for wins with maximum car counts in order to be able to increase his points by as much as possible. Rocco did notch another victory this past week and ran two races but his point total only increased by two. Pulliam did not win the Rusty Harpe Memorial at Caraway but he was able to record a second-place finish in a maximum car field which replaced a poor finish from early in the year. Pulliam's finish with over 20 cars in the race added 36 points to his season total and allowed him to move into the top spot of the standings by a whopping four points.
Three time champion Philip Morris did not race this past week so he remained in third place with 601 total points. Falk was able to not only put a win on the board but it was a max point day winning the Hampton Heat 200 at Langley Speedway. The 45 points puts him within 100 points of the top spot and, with two races before he reaches the max, could have him poised to make it into the top three in a couple more weeks.
1) Lee Pulliam – 19 races – 11 wins – 16 top 5s – 17 top 10s – 663 points
2) Keith Rocco – 27 races – 14 wins – 19 top 5s – 24 top 10s – 659 points
3) Philip Morris – 18 races – 11 wins – 14 top 5s – 15 top 10s – 601 points
4) C.E. Falk, III – 16 races – 5 wins – 13 top 5s – 15 top 10s – 563 points
5) Nate Monteith – 19 races – 7 wins – 16 top 5s – 16 top 10s – 489 points
6) Ryan Preece – 18 races – 3 wins – 14 top 5s – 16 top 10s – 459 points
7) Bill Leighton, Jr. – 13 races – 3 wins – 13 top 5s – 13 top 10s – 453 points
8) Lee Tissot – 17 races – 3 wins – 14 top 5s – 16 top 10s – 443 Points
9) Frank Deiny, Jr. – 16 races – 0 wins – 10 top 5s – 14 top 10s – 426 points
10) Daniel Pope, III – 16 races – 3 wins – 13 top 5s – 15 top 10s – 409 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 Week's Schedule
Fri : July 15th - Beebe Speedway ; Beebe : AR - Mid-South Racing Association
Fri : July 15th - Western Speedway ; Victoria : British Columbia - WILROC SprintCars
Fri : July 15th - Ocala Speedway ; Ocala : FL - Top Gun Sprint Car Series
Fri : July 15th - Boyds Speedway ; Ringgold : GA - Southern All Star Racing Series
Fri : July 15th - Swainsboro Raceway ; Swainsboro : GA - Southern National Series
Fri : July 15th - Meridian Motor Speedway ; Meridian : ID - USAC Western Sprint Cars
Fri : July 15th - Meridian Motor Speedway ; Meridian : ID - West Coast Vintage Racers
Fri : July 15th - Tri-City Speedway ; Granite City : IL - Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series
Fri : July 15th - Anderson Speedway ; Anderson : IN - USSA - Midgets
Fri : July 15th - Bloomington Speedway ; Bloomington : IN - Midwest Mini-Sprints
Fri : July 15th - Bloomington Speedway ; Bloomington : IN - USAC National Sprint Cars
Fri : July 15th - Jefferson County Fairgrounds ; Madison : IN - Midwest TQ Racing League
Fri : July 15th - Humboldt Speedway ; Humboldt : KS - Southern Modified Promotions
Fri : July 15th - Kansas State Fairgrounds ; Hutchinson : KS - NCRA / 360 Sprints
Fri : July 15th - Kansas State Fairgrounds ; Hutchinson : KS - NCRA / Modifieds
Fri : July 15th - Thunderhill Speedway ; Mayetta : KS - United Rebel Sprints
Fri : July 15th - Merritt Speedway ; Lake City : MI - Wood Tic 100
Fri : July 15th - Elko Speedway ; Elko : MN - Interstate Racing Association
Fri : July 15th - Elko Speedway ; Elko : MN - Upper Midwest Sprint Series
Fri : July 15th - Callaway Raceways ; Fulton : MO - United Late Model Association
Fri : July 15th - US 36 Speedway ; Cameron : MO - ASCS / Midwest Series
Fri : July 15th - US 36 Speedway ; Cameron : MO - ASCS / Warriors Region
Fri : July 15th - Dacotah Speedway ; Mandan : ND - IMCA Dakota Modified Tour
Fri : July 15th - River Cities Speedway ; Grand Forks : ND – World of Outlaws Dirt Late Models
Fri : July 15th - Canaan Fair Speedway ; Canaan : NH - Sprint Cars of New England
Fri : July 15th - Lee USA Speedway ; Epping : NH - NEMA Lites
Fri : July 15th - Lee USA Speedway ; Epping : NH - NEMA Midgets
Fri : July 15th – New Hampshire Motor Speedway ; Loudon : NH – K&N East Series
Fri : July 15th - Accord Speedway ; Accord : NY - Capitol Region Sprintcars
Fri : July 15th - Glen Ridge Motor Sports Park ; Fultonville : NY - Empire Super Sprints
Fri : July 15th - Little Valley Speedway ; Little Valley : NY - BRP CanAm Late Models
Fri : July 15th – Ace Speedway ; Altamahaw : NC – CCS Late Models
Fri : July 15th – Ace Speedway ; Altamahaw : NC – Late Models
Fri : July 15th – Wake County Speedway ; Raleigh : NC – Super Late Models
Fri : July 15th – Wake County Speedway ; Raleigh : NC – Limited Late Models
Fri : July 15th - Attica Raceway Park ; Attica : OH - UMP Summer Nationals
Fri : July 15th - Eldora Speedway ; Rossburg : OH - NRA SprintInvaders
Fri : July 15th - Eldora Speedway ; Rossburg : OH – World of Outlaws Sprint Cars
Fri : July 15th - Outlaw Motor Speedway ; Wainwright : OK - Oil Capital Racing Series
Fri : July 15th - Anderson Motor Speedway ; Anderson : SC - MMRA / Mini-Cups
Fri : July 15th – Kingsport Speedway ; Kingsport : TN – Late Models
Fri : July 15th - Cowtown Speedway ; Kennedale : TX - ASCS / Sooner Region
Fri : July 15th - Golden Triangle Raceway Park ; Beaumont : TX - ASCS / Gulf South Region
Fri : July 15th – Southside Speedway ; Midlothian : VA – Late Models
Fri : July 15th - Grays Harbor Raceway ; Elma : WA - ASCS / Northwest Tour
Fri : July 15th - Grays Harbor Raceway ; Elma : WA - Lucas Oil ASCS Sprint Car Series
Fri : July 15th - Manitowoc Expo Raceway ; Manitowoc : WI - Midwest Sprintcars
Fri : July 15th - Manitowoc Expo Raceway ; Manitowoc : WI - Wisconsin Dirt Late Models
Fri : July 15th - Mississippi Thunder Speedway ; Fountain City : WI - USMTS Modifieds
Sat : July 16th – Montgomery Motor Speedway ; Montgomery : AL – Show Me The Money
Sat : July 16th - Northeast Arkansas Speedway ; Harrisburg : AR - Mid-South Racing Association
Sat : July 16th - Canyon Speedway Park ; Peoria : AZ - Total Seal Late Model Dirt Series
Sat : July 16th - USA Race Park ; Tucson : AZ - ASCS / Southwest Region
Sat : July 16th - Saratoga Speedway ; Courtenay : BC - ASA British Columbia Late Models
Sat : July 16th - Western Speedway ; Victoria : BC - WILROC SprintCar Association
Sat : July 16th - Antioch Speedway ; Antioch : CA - Golden State Challenge
Sat : July 16th - Giant Chevrolet Speedway ; Hanford : CA - USAC 360 Sprint Series
Sat : July 16th - Madera Speedway ; Madera : CA - BCRA Midgets
Sat : July 16th - Madera Speedway ; Madera : CA - BCRA Vintage
Sat : July 16th - Madera Speedway ; Madera : CA - Western AllStar DIRTcar Late Models
Sat : July 16th - Lake City Speedway ; Lake City : FL - Florida United Promoters Late Models
Sat : July 16th - North Florida Speedway ; Lake City : FL - Florida Mini-Sprints
Sat : July 16th - Gresham Motorsports Park ; Jefferson : GA - PASS Southern Late Models
Sat : July 16th - Screven Motor Speedway ; Sylvania : GA - Southern National Series
Sat : July 16th - Watermelon Capital Speedway ; Cordele : GA - ISCARS Dash Series
Sat : July 16th - Iowa Speedway ; Newton : IA - ARCA Late Models
Sat : July 16th - Meridian Motor Speedway ; Meridian : ID - USAC Western Sprint Cars
Sat : July 16th - Meridian Motor Speedway ; Meridian : ID - West Coast Vintage Racers
Sat : July 16th - Stateline Stadium ; Post Falls : ID - MMRA - Baby Grands
Sat : July 16th - Avcom Park ; Avon : IL - IMRA TQ Series
Sat : July 16th - Brownstown Speedway ; Brownstown : IN - Midwest Mini-Sprints
Sat : July 16th - Tri-State Speedway ; Haubstad : IN - USAC National Sprint Cars
Sat : July 16th - Twin Cities Raceway Park ; North Vernon : IN - Indiana Late Models
Sat : July 16th - Kansas State Fairgrounds ; Hutchinson : KS - NCRA / 360 Sprints
Sat : July 16th - Kansas State Fairgrounds ; Hutchinson : KS - NCRA / Modifieds
Sat : July 16th - Kansas State Fairgrounds ; Hutchinson : KS - NCRA / Southern SportMods
Sat : July 16th - RPM Speedway ; Hays : KS - United Rebel Sprint Series
Sat : July 16th - Auto City Speedway ; Mount Morris : MI - MCR Dwarf Cars
Sat : July 16th - Butler Speedway ; Quincy : MI - Michigan Traditional Sprints
Sat : July 16th - Crystal Motor Speedway ; Crystal : MI - ASCS / Sprints on Dirt
Sat : July 16th - Gingerman Raceway ; South Haven : MI - 24 Hours of LeMons
Sat : July 16th - Kalamazoo Speedway ; Kalamazoo : MI - Must See Racing Xtreme Sprints
Sat : July 16th - Mecosta County Fairgrounds ; Big Rapids : MI - Unique Bump and Run
Sat : July 16th - Merritt Speedway ; Lake City : MI - Wood Tic 100
Sat : July 16th - Owosso Speedway ; Owosso : MI - Outlaw Late Models
Sat : July 16th - Brainerd Raceway & Resort ; Brainerd : MN - ChumpCar World Series
Sat : July 16th - Elko Speedway ; Elko : MN - Interstate Racing Association
Sat : July 16th - Elko Speedway ; Elko : MN - Upper Midwest Sprints
Sat : July 16th - Elko Speedway ; Elko : MN - USMTS Modifieds
Sat : July 16th - Jackson Speedway ; Jackson : MN - Jackson Sprint Touring Series
Sat : July 16th - Central Missouri Speedway ; Warrensburg : MO - United Late Models
Sat : July 16th - Lucas Oil Speedway ; Wheatland : MO - Lucas Oil Dirt Late Models
Sat : July 16th - Lucas Oil Speedway ; Wheatland : MO - Midwest LateModels
Sat : July 16th - Scotland County Speedway ; Memphis : MO - United Late Models
Sat : July 16th - US 36 Speedway ; Cameron : MO - All American Track Racing Series
Sat : July 16th - Greenville Speedway ; Greenville : MS - Mississippi State Championship Challenge
Sat : July 16th – Montana Raceway Park ; Kalispell : MT – Montana 200
Sat : July 16th - Mid-NEBRaska Speedway ; Doniphan : NE - NCRA / Great Plains Late Models
Sat : July 16th - Mid-NEBRaska Speedway ; Doniphan : NE - NCRA / Late Models
Sat : July 16th - Canaan Speedway ; Canaan : NH - Modified Racing Series of New England
Sat : July 16th - New Hampshire International Speedway ; Loudon : NH - NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour
Sat : July 16th - Twin State Speedway ; Claremont : NH - Senior Tour Auto Racers
Sat : July 16th - Reno-Fernley Raceway ; Fernley : NV - ChumpCar World Series
Sat : July 16th - Stateline Speedway ; Busti : NY - ULMS - Late Model Series
Sat : July 16th – Bowman-Gray Stadium ; Winston-Salem : NC – Modifieds
Sat : July 16th – Bowman-Gray Stadium ; Winston-Salem : NC – Sportsmen
Sat : July 16th – Caraway Speedway ; Asheboro : NC – Late Models 2X
Sat : July 16th – Caraway Speedway ; Asheboro : NC – Limited Late Models
Sat : July 16th – Concord Motorsports Park ; Concord : NC – Late Models
Sat : July 16th – Hickory Motor Speedway ; Newton : NC – Late Models
Sat : July 16th – Hickory Motor Speedway ; Newton : NC – Limited Late Models
Sat : July 16th - Columbus Motor Speedway ; Columbus : OH - Buckeye Super Sprints
Sat : July 16th - Eldora Speedway ; Rossburg : OH - NRA SprintInvaders
Sat : July 16th - Eldora Speedway ; Rossburg : OH – World of Outlaws Sprint Cars
Sat : July 16th - Lorain County Speedway ; South Amherst : OH - Midwest Supermodifieds
Sat : July 16th - Oakshade Raceway ; Wauseon : OH - UMP Summer Nationals
Sat : July 16th - Lawton Speedway ; Lawton : OK - ASCS / Lone Star Region
Sat : July 16th - Lawton Speedway ; Lawton : OK - ASCS / Sooner Region
Sat : July 16th - Sauble Speedway ; Sauble Beach : Ontario - Canadian Vintage Modifieds
Sat : July 16th - Cottage Grove Speedway ; Cottage Grove : OR - Washington Midget Racing
Sat : July 16th - Southern Oregon Speedway ; Medford : OR - Northwest I-5 DIRTcar Late Models
Sat : July 16th - Lincoln Speedway ; Hanover : PA - United Racing Company
Sat : July 16th - Mountain Speedway ; Saint Johns : PA - ATQMRA TQ Midgets
Sat : July 16th - Port Royal Speedway ; Port Royal : PA - PA Sprint Series
Sat : July 16th - Susquehanna Speedway ; Newberrytown : PA - Central Pennsylvania LegendCars
Sat : July 16th - Williams Grove Speedway ; Mechanicsburg : PA - Super Sportsmen
Sat : July 16th - Autodrome Chaudiere ; Vallee-Jonction : Quebec - International Super Modified Association
Sat : July 16th – Autodrome St.-Eustache ; St. Eustache : Quebec – Castrol Late Models
Sat : July 16th - Anderson Motor Speedway ; Anderson : SC - MMRA / Mini-Cups
Sat : July 16th – Dillon Motor Speedway ; Dillon : SC – Limited Late Models
Sat : July 16th – Florence Motor Speedway ; Florence : SC – Limited Late Models
Sat : July 16th – Greenville-Pickens Speedway ; Greenville : SC – Late Models
Sat : July 16th – Newport Speedway ; Newport : TN – Late Models
Sat : July 16th - 281 Speedway ; Stephenville : TX - Sprint Series of Texas
Sat : July 16th - Gator Motorplex ; Willis : TX - ASCS / Gulf South Region
Sat : July 16th - Thunderhill Raceway ; Kyle : TX - Dwarf Car Series of Texas
Sat : July 16th – Franklin County Speedway ; Callaway : VA – Late Models
Sat : July 16th – Lonesome Pine Raceway ; Coeburn : VA- Late Models
Sat : July 16th – Old Dominion Speedway ; Manassas : VA – Late Models
Sat : July 16th – Motor Mile Speedway ; Radford : VA – Late Models
Sat : July 16th – Motor Mile Speedway ; Radford : VA – Limited Late Models
Sat : July 16th - Shenandoah Speedway ; Shenandoah : VA - USARacing Late Models
Sat : July 16th – South Boston Speedway ; South Boston : VA – Late Models
Sat : July 16th – South Boston Speedway ; South Boston : VA – Limited Late Models
Sat : July 16th - Grays Harbor Raceway ; Elma : WA - ASCS / Northwest Tour
Sat : July 16th - Grays Harbor Raceway ; Elma : WA - Lucas Oil ASCS Sprint Car Series
Sat : July 16th - Plymouth Dirt Track ; Plymouth : WI - Midwest Sprintcars
Sat : July 16th - Plymouth Dirt Track ; Plymouth : WI - Wisconsin Dirt Late Models
Sat : July 16th - Wilmot Raceway ; Wilmot : WI - Badger Midgets
Sat : July 16th - Wilmot Raceway ; Wilmot : WI - POWRI Midgets
Sun : July 17th - Rome Speedway ; Rome : GA - Southern National Series
Sun : July 17th - RPM Speedway ; Hays : KS - United Rebel Sprint Series
Sun : July 17th - Gingerman Raceway ; South Haven : MI - 24 Hours of LeMons
Sun : July 17th - Dodge County Speedway ; Kasson : MN - USMTS Modifieds
Sun : July 17th - US 36 Speedway ; Cameron : MO - All American Track Racing Series
Sun : July 17th - Big Daddys Speedbowl ; Wentworth : NH - Granite State Mini-Sprints
Sun : July 17th - Big Daddys Speedbowl ; Wentworth : NH - Northeast Mini-Sprints
Sun : July 17th - Big Daddys Speedbowl ; Wentworth : NH - Sprint Cars of New England
Sun : July 17th - Reno-Fernley Raceway ; Fernley : NV - ChumpCar World Series
Sun : July 17th - Utica-Rome Speedway ; Vernon : NY - Capitol Region Sprintcars
Sun : July 17th - Dog Hollow Speedway ; Strongstown : PA - Unified Force Race Championship Tour
Sun : July 17th - Angell Park Speedway ; Sun Prairie : WI - Badger Midgets
Sun : July 17th - Angell Park Speedway ; Sun Prairie : WI - POWRI Midgets
Sun : July 17th - Angell Park Speedway ; Sun Prairie : WI - USAC Mopar D1 Midgets
Sun : July 17th – Slinger Speedway ; Slinger : WI – Big 8 Race
Tue : July 19th - East Alabama Motor Speedway ; Phenix City : AL - Southern National Series
Tue : July 19th - Hendericks County Speedway ; Danville : IN - Midwest TQ Racing League
Tue : July 19th - Oswego Speedway ; Oswego : NY - International Super Modifieds
Tue : July 19th - Lernerville Speedway ; Sarver : PA – World of Outlaws Sprint Cars
Tue : July 19th - Gillette Thunder Speedway ; Gillette : WY – World of Outlaws Late Models
Wed : July 20th - Indianapolis Speedrome ; Indianapolis : IN - USAC Mopar D1 Midgets
Wed : July 20th - Seekonk Speedway ; Seekonk : MA - NEMA Midgets
Wed : July 20th - Seekonk Speedway ; Seekonk : MA - Pro Four Modfieds of New England
Thu : July 21st - Thompson International Speedway ; Thompson : CT - PASS North Late Models
Thu : July 21st - Hancock County Speedway ; Britt : IA - Hawkeye Dirt Tour
Thu : July 21st - Cleveland Speedway ; Cleveland : TN - Southern National Series
Mike Neff is a Senior Writer for Frontstretch.com. He can be reached via email at mike.neff@frontstretch.com.
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Frontstretch Folio: Lenox Industrial Tools 301
by Summer Dreyer
This weekend, the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series heads to New Hampshire Motor Speedway for the Lenox Industrial Tools 301. Sunday's race will be the 19th of the season, and will be broadcast live on Sunday, July 17, at 1 PM ET on TNT and 12 PM ET on PRN Radio. Drivers will compete for 301 laps (381.46 miles) before taking the checkered flag.
Records and Facts
Brad Keselowski holds the track qualifying record, with a lap of 28.515 sec at 133.572 mph in qualifying for the 2010 Sylvania 300. Keselowski finished 18th in the race after leading two laps. The pole was Keselowski's lone pole position of the season. Keselowski finished out the season with two top 10s and an average finish of 22nd to finish 25th in points.
Jeff Burton holds the record for fastest race run at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, with a speed of 117.134 mph in the 1997 Jiffy Lube 300. Burton led 99 of the 300 laps, and had a margin of victory of 5.372 sec over second place Dale Earnhardt. Rusty Wallace finished third, followed by Steve Grissom and Mark Martin. The win was Burton's second of three victories that year. In 36 races, Burton had three wins, 13 top 5s, 18 top 10s, and an average finish of 12th to finish fourth in points.
Jimmie Johnson is the defending race winner of the event, leading nine of the 301 laps in the 2010 Lenox Industrial Tools 301 by .753 sec over second-place Tony Stewart. Kurt Busch finished third, followed by Jeff Gordon and Kevin Harvick. The win was Johnson's fifth of six victories that season. In 36 races, Johnson grabbed six wins, 17 top 5s, 23 top 10s, and an average finish of 12th to win his fifth consecutive championship.
Track Facts
Track/Race Length: 1.058 mile oval, 301 laps (381.46 miles)
Degree of Banking: 12 degrees
Frontstretch: 1500 ft., banked 2 degrees
Backstretch: 1500 ft., banked 2 degrees
Grandstand Seating: 95.491
Pre-race Schedule
Practice: Friday, July 15, 11:30 AM – 1:00 PM ET on SPEED
Qualifying: Friday, July 15, 3:10 PM ET on SPEED
Practice: Saturday, July 16, 9:30 – 10:20 AM ET on SPEED
Happy Hour: Saturday, July 16, 11:45 AM – 12:45 PM ET
VIPs
Grand Marshal: Tornado victims, the Joseph Family
Race Day Forecast
Sunday: Mostly sunny, 10% chance of rain
High: 90
Low: 68
Say What?!
"It's only fitting that we are going to New Hampshire this weekend for my 200th-career start. We have had some significant success up there in the past and, after some bad luck these last few weekends, it's nice to go somewhere where we run well." -Clint Bowyer on making his 200th start
"Loudon is a pretty particular racetrack. It's tough. It's not like Phoenix. It's not like Dover at all. It's a flat racetrack and it's really typical of a tough racetrack to pass on. You can't just have a really good racecar and finish up front. You have to keep track position. You have to keep up all day and make everything work. We're excited to have Interstate Batteries back on the car there this weekend and we would really like to get Norm (Miller, Interstate Batteries chairman) and everyone a win and keep our hot streak going." -Kyle Busch
"I think we've gotten better in our approach to the flat tracks, like Loudon. It's probably my least favorite track of everywhere we go, but we feel like we tried some set-up stuff this year with Derrick Finley coming aboard that we've never tried before. That has been a definite plus for us. Hopefully, we can take some of what we've learned to Loudon and have a better result than in the past." -David Gilliland
Summer Dreyer is a Senior Writer for Frontstretch.com. She can be reached via email at summer.dreyer@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: Junior's Chances, Jimmie-Time and Changes for Biffle and Bodine
by Mike Lovecchio
New Hampshire Motor Speedway Gets It Right
by Amy Henderson
Nationwide Tracks NASCAR Should Have Awarded A Cup Date Over Kentucky
by Garrett Horton
Kenny Wallace Driver Diary: The Good, the Crazy, and the Capital
as told to Amy Henderson
Tearing Apart the Trucks: Dakoda Armstrong to Debut With ThorSport Racing
by Beth Lunkenheimer
Frontstretch Podcast: July 15th Edition
hosted by Doug Turnbull
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FRONTSTRETCH TRIVIA:
Q: The Busch Grand National Series christened the then-brand new New Hampshire International Speedway with the Budweiser 300, a 300-lap race held 21 years ago today. Tommy Ellis survived what was the longest-ever race in series history up to that point (it has since been overtaken by the NAPA Auto Parts 200 at Montreal in 2009) to claim the win in the No. 99 Goo-Goo Clusters Buick. However, future Champion Bobby Labonte didn't have the best introduction to New Hampshire. What happened?
Check back Monday for the answer, here in the Frontstretch Newsletter!
Thursday's Answer:
Q: In 2005, Robby Gordon infamously cussed out Michael Waltrip during a live interview on TNT at New Hampshire. What happened to cause that outburst?
A: The eighth caution that day in New Hampshire actually came out for a crash involving Mike Bliss and Joe Nemechek in Turn 1, an incident that happened behind Robby Gordon and Michael Waltrip, who were fighting for fourth at the time. The yellow was already out when Waltrip's left front corner hit Gordon's right rear, turning the No. 7 head-on into the wall coming out of Turn 2, and Waltrip actually spun himself out in the process. Waltrip continued without any issues, while Nemechek ended up a lap down in 25th. Bliss and Gordon were effectively out on the spot.
Gordon, as you would imagine, was none too pleased. First, he tried to back his wrecked Chevrolet into Waltrip on the backstretch. Then, one lap later, he threw his helmet at Waltrip (said helmet would later be auctioned on eBay for charity). Waltrip claimed that he was "holding his ground" and that Gordon wrecked himself. The action starts at the 6:00 mark of this clip. Robby Gordon's infamous interview can be seen at the 3:25 mark of this clip. Caution, these videos are not appropriate for work or around children.
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:
-- Lenox Industrial Tools 301 Race Recap by TBA
-- Mouthing Off: Lenox Industrial Tools 301 by Brody Jones
-- Links to your favorite Frontstretch articles, and more!
Monday on the Frontstretch:
Matt McLaughlin's Thinkin' Out Loud: Lenox Industrial Tools 301 by Matt McLaughlin
Matt will be here with his overall thoughts about the action from Sunday afternoon's action from New Hampshire.
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 from New Hampshire.
Special Commentary by Ron Lemasters
Ron returns for a website look at one of the big stories from Sunday's race at New Hampshire.
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 from New Hampshire.
Big Six: Lenox Industrial Tools 301 by Amy Henderson
Amy has your who, what, when, where, why and how from a weekend of racing at New Hampshire.
Nationwide Series Breakdown: New England 200 by Bryan Davis Keith
Bryan has all the post-race analysis you need after Saturday afternoon's Nationwide Series race from New Hampshire.
Tracking the Trucks: Coca-Cola 200 presented by Hy-Vee by Beth Lunkenheimer
Beth has all the post-race analysis you need after Saturday night's Camping World Truck Series race from Iowa.
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