THE FRONTSTRETCH NEWSLETTER
Presented by Frontstretch.com
The Best Seat at the Track, The Best View on the Net!
August 10th, 2011
Volume V, Edition CLVII
Presented by Frontstretch.com
The Best Seat at the Track, The Best View on the Net!
August 10th, 2011
Volume V, Edition CLVII
~~~~~~~~~~
What To Watch For: Wednesday
Kevin Harvick will throw out the first pitch at Yankees Stadium when the Bronx Bombers take on the Los Angeles Angels at 7:05 PM (ESPN or check local listings). Harvick, a devout fan of the team has a friendship with several Yankees principals, including current manager Joe Girardi.
Tomorrow night is the deadline for Frontstretch Fan Question & Answer Day! A recent technical glitch we've discovered means your John Potts email may have been "lost in cyberspace." So don't feel ignored... send again! It's john.potts@frontstretch.com.
Top News
by the Frontstretch Staff
Charlotte Motor Speedway Kicks Off Fall Season
Charlotte Motor Speedway kicked off its fall season on Tuesday with a "Parade of Power" up Bruton Smith Boulevard to the speedway. The parade included vehicles that will be featured at the speedway's dirt track, drag strip, and main oval this Fall and Winter, entertaining fans while spreaing the word about the busy upcoming schedule. Speedway mascot Lugnut along with NASCAR drivers David Ragan and Ricky Stenhouse, Jr. entertained the fans in attendance with burnouts at the speedway entrance. Daytona 500 champion Trevor Bayne, Nationwide Series title contender Reed Sorenson, and NHRA stars Doug Herbert and Matt and Angie Smith also drove their racecars, showcasing the diverse collection of series this speedway will host. The monster truck "Sergeant Smash" was even on hand to give rides to kids after a Q&A session, during which fans were allowed to ask drivers whatever they wished. The first 100 fans to arrive were also treated to an autograph session with the drivers, while special ticket offers were available for the fans who purchased seats for the track's slate of events.
Charlotte Motor Speedway's fall lineup of events includes:
* 8/13: Circle K Back-to-School Monster Truck Bash
* 8/25-8/28: Food Lion Auto Fair
* 8/26: Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series
* 9/11: Laps for Life Blood Drive
* 9/15-9/18: O'Reilly Auto Parts NHRA Nationals
* 10/7-10/8: Charlotte Diesel Super Show
* 10/12: World of Outlaws Late Model Showdown
* 10/13: Bojangles Pole Night (NASCAR Sprint Cup Series)
* 10/14: Dollar General 300 Miles of Courage (NASCAR Nationwide Series)
* 10/15: Bank of America 500 (NASCAR Sprint Cup Series)
* 10/28-10/30: Goodguys Southeastern Nationals (Pre-1972 custom cars)
* 11/3-11/5: World of Outlaws World Finals
* 11/23-12/31: (Excluding Christmas Day): Carolina Christmas drive-thru light park and village
Michael Leavine to Run NNS for Grandfather's Team in 2012
Michael Leavine, grandson of Cup team owner Bob Leavine, made his second career ARCA start at Pocono this past weekend carrying the exact same paint scheme David Starr sported in the Coca-Cola 600 back in May. Driving a limited schedule this year for PGM Racing in the ARCA Racing Series, Leavine is scheduled to make one more start in 2011 at Kansas. When asked what the long-term plan was, Leavine mentioned that his grandfather's Cup team would likely be looking to purchase some Nationwide Series cars, intending to field Michael in a limited schedule in 2012.
Leavine Family Racing is also fielding driver David Starr in a limited Cup Series schedule; they plan to run Bristol, Atlanta, Chicagoland, Kansas, Charlotte, and Texas to finish off their season.
Sauter Penalized For Failing Post-Race Inspection
The Camping World Truck Series has a new point leader Wednesday. Austin Dillon has taken over the top spot, besting Johnny Sauter by one after the No. 13 Truck lost six points for measuring too high in Sunday morning's post-race inspection at Pocono. Crew chief Joe Shear was fined $5,000, while owner Mike Curb also lost six points for the right rear of the car failing to meet specifications.
Sauter, whose car was a backup after wrecking his primary in practice had charged from the rear of the field during the race to finish fourth. No word on if the team plans to appeal; the rules violated were Sections 12-1 (actions detrimental to stock car racing); 12-4-J (any determination by NASCAR Officials that the race equipment used in the event does not conform to NASCAR rules); and 20B-12.8.1D (truck failed to meet maximum right rear bed panel height) of the 2011 NASCAR rule book.
News Bites: Pocono, TV Ratings, More
- Trevor Bayne and Ricky Stenhouse, Jr. both appear slated for part-time Cup work under the Roush Fenway banner now that Carl Edwards has re-signed for 2012. In interviews Tuesday, Bayne claimed the Wood Brothers No. 21 is looking for funding to go full-time; as of now, he expects to run just 13-15 races next season. As for Stenhouse, he'll either run a fifth Roush Fenway Ford in up to seven events, following the loophole of NASCAR's four-team limit or simply run in a third car for virtual satellite team Richard Petty Motorsports when sponsorship allows.
Roush Fenway has yet to secure full funding for its current four-car fleet: only Greg Biffle and the No. 16 team is fully funded for next year.
- New Pocono CEO Brandon Igdalsky is considering dropping the mileage of Pocono Raceway's two events from 500 to 400. In an interview with SIRIUS' Dave Moody, Igdalsky said "it's a different sport and a different time," claiming the idea is on the table but declined to commit on whether the switch could happen next year.
- The rain delay at Pocono made the NASCAR Nielsens take a tumble. The race drew a paltry 3.9 Sunday, down 11.3 percent from last year's 4.4 while viewership declined by over 800,000. In all, 5.485 million people on average tuned into the race, extended into the early evening on the East Coast due to a one hour, 40-minute rain delay.
The drop erases early gains from Indianapolis; two races into their Cup schedule, ESPN's numbers are down one percent.
Coming Tomorrow: Who are the ringers? We'll break down all the different entries at the road course this weekend.
Have news for Tom and the Frontstretch? Don't hesitate to let us know; email us at phil.allaway@frontstretch.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
Drew Herring Making Most of JGR Seat Time
Full Throttle
by Mike Neff
Drew Herring has been racing since he was 10 years old and the young man isn't planning to slow down anytime soon. He started his career in 1998, running in Bandoleros at Charlotte Motor Speedway in the Summer Shootout Series and, as recently as last weekend, wheeled a Nationwide Series car for Joe Gibbs Racing. Herring is pursuing his mechanical engineering degree at North Carolina State University while hoping to make his career as a professional race car driver.
A native of Benson, NC which is just south of Raleigh Herring made a name for himself in racing early on. Within three years of starting in the Summer Shootout Series at CMS, he had made 60 starts and won 20 races. He stepped up to the Allison Legacy Series in 2001 and moved on to Late Models in 2002, continuing his string of success. Age minimums kept him from competing at NASCAR-sanctioned tracks so he ran at Coastal Plains in Jacksonville, NC which was run by NASCAR rules but not NASCAR-sanctioned. In 2003, he qualified for the Taco Bell 300, which is one of the biggest Late Model races in the country, in Martinsville, VA. He ran in the top 10 for most of the race before a late spin took him out.
In 2004, he won his first Late Model race at Southern National Raceway -- which is where he raced against Denny Hamlin -- followed by a run in 2005 at South Boston for the entire season, coming home second in the points. The following year, Herring scored his first track championship at South Boston. Then, in 2007, he went back to Southern National and took the track championship there.
He's continued up the racing ladder ever since, competing in the USAR Pro Cup series and ultimately getting a ride with Gibbs in the Nationwide Series thanks to Denny Hamlin putting his name before the decision makers at JGR. He ran four races for them in 2010 and has competed in an additional four races for them this season, putting together two top 10s and a season-high seventh-place run at Nashville. Frontstretch caught up with Herring after the Nationwide race at Lucas Oil Raceway at Indianapolis for a few quick questions on how his career is developing, what the future might be and so much more.
Mike Neff, Frontstretch.com: What do you think of Lucas Oil Raceway?
Drew Herring: It was a long day but this is a great race track. I grew up racing on short tracks but I have never raced on anything like this. This place is really fun to run on.
Neff: Tell us a little about your race today.
Herring: My guys absolutely busted their tails all day in this heat. They made my car better all day long through practice and the race. We were tight in the middle and loose off but we made gains all day long on every stop. I can't thank my guys enough for the effort they put in for me.
Neff: Joe Gibbs cars are some of the best in the series. What is it like driving their race cars?
Herring: I'll tell you what, these cars are great but the thing that makes driving them so great is the guys. These guys are way better than the equipment. They are the best group of guys that I have ever worked with in racing. Whatever I tell them, they use to make the cars better. When the cars unload, every week they're strong and we just fine tune them. I am truly honored to drive their cars.
----------
After finishing eighth at Lucas Oil Raceway, Herring went on to run 11th at Iowa Speedway. He currently doesn't have any more scheduled races in JGR equipment but he'll continue to pursue his degree and make starts when he can. He does not have plans to run his Late Model anytime soon, though; it has been mothballed since 2007.
Turns out he has bigger and better racing goals on his plate.
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...
@Reid_Spencer: The good news? Huge applause for Doc Mattioli at retirement announcement. The bad news? You're all fired. #clapinthemediacenter
@keselowski (Brad Keselowski): nope "@Mr_JoshEarly: @keselowski brilliant if they go back to green!! Don't think ESPN has figured that out yet..."
@keselowski: We are a 5th-8th place car today. Hope we can go back green and prove it. Pitted right before yellow to cheat the pit sequence #greenflagpls
@dustinlong: #NASCAR ... Kurt Busch on radio: "Well, we won the Pocono 400.''
@Kenny_Wallace: Brad Keselowski is stunning the nation right now!..I NEVER thought he would overcome his foot injury!..Incredible Job today Brad:)
@DeLanaHarvick: whether or not @keselowski wins what he has done today is downright amazing...
@KrissieNewman: Congrats @keselowski that is bad ass
@pkligerman (Parker Kligerman): That will go down as one of the best performances by an ATHLETE in history, beat-up, broken and in pain; Winner! @keselowski
@bobpockrass: JJ called Kurt a crybaby. #nascar
@JLogano (Joey Logano): Well that sucked. We went from almost winning to a flat RR and finishing 26th. I'm proud of what we were able to do today. Everyone did great
@GZipadelli (Greg Zipadelli): That was a long Day of ups and downs sucks we ended up on the down side great job by everyone this weekend we will keep fighting.
@JimmieJohnson: Awesome day for us today, solid car & stops. Got a little spicy there at the end. #goodtimes
@2Spotter (Joey Meier): Wow...We just won Pocono! Raced one of the best for the spot. And WON. Smh...we won Pocono...
@David_Ragan: Well it looks like we need to get that #6 in victory lane again. It is not over yet. This final stretch is going to be crazy. We are ready.
@gooch814 (Jeff Patterson): Well once again the team made chicken salad out of chicken s@$&. One of these days we are going to have a whole race go our way.
@hicks37 (Michael Hicks, Denny Hamlin tire carrier): That's what happens when u use tires that have only been glued 20 min
@2Spotter: Ken Schrader had the line of wkend," We used to get turned over and on fire b4 we got mad, now it takes a tire donut". So true.. #JusRacin
@2Spotter: I will add this to Schrader's comment..Thank goodness we have an ability to record the race. U get to see it again and form a better opinion.
@keselowski: Just getting out of the track. Anything cool happen today? :)
@jaywpennell: That rain cell @JLogano was waiting for... it just hit @poconoraceway #NASCAR
@BrianLVickers: I "think" we had a bad day... I just got off the phone with my best friend growing up who is on seal team 6...they have had a bad fn day...
@BrianLVickers: Please pray for my friend and the seal team that lost so many trying to save their friends and protect us. Most importantly their families!
@KyleBusch: So close in both races. KBM and JGR teams did awesome for me to have a great outcome today. Wish we had more at the end but great race.
@KevinHarvick: Heading to RCR competition meeting we have a few things to work on...
@2Spotter: Ok. so we won 1 race. Imagine how 'The King' felt on Mondays. He won a lot. #200Wins
@Tjmajors: I bet Pocono sped up the healing process by about 40% for @keselowski. Hardest part of his week will be responding to all the texts.
@KevinHarvick: Headed to one of those meetings that you just really don't want to be a part of... #thatslife
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:
Did You Notice? ... A Tilt Towards Strategy, Not Speed, And Four Rookies That Could Have Been
by Tom Bowles
Mirror Driving: Silly Season, Kurt vs. Jimmie, Road Course Ringers and More
by the Frontstretch Staff
Beyond the Cockpit: Frank Kimmel on ARCA's Big Picture
by Bryan Davis Keith
Dodge and Keselowski: Brad-isfaction, Guaranteed
by Vito Pugliese
Sprint Cup Power Rankings: Top 15 After Pocono-2
compiled by Mike Neff
Top Ten Things That Overshadowed Juablo's Extension Talks With JGR
by Jeff Meyer
The Frontstretch Foto Funnies! - Pocono, August 2011
by Kurt Smith
~~~~~~~~~~
FRONTSTRETCH TRIVIA:
What To Watch For: Wednesday
Kevin Harvick will throw out the first pitch at Yankees Stadium when the Bronx Bombers take on the Los Angeles Angels at 7:05 PM (ESPN or check local listings). Harvick, a devout fan of the team has a friendship with several Yankees principals, including current manager Joe Girardi.
Tomorrow night is the deadline for Frontstretch Fan Question & Answer Day! A recent technical glitch we've discovered means your John Potts email may have been "lost in cyberspace." So don't feel ignored... send again! It's john.potts@frontstretch.com.
Top News
by the Frontstretch Staff
Charlotte Motor Speedway Kicks Off Fall Season
Charlotte Motor Speedway kicked off its fall season on Tuesday with a "Parade of Power" up Bruton Smith Boulevard to the speedway. The parade included vehicles that will be featured at the speedway's dirt track, drag strip, and main oval this Fall and Winter, entertaining fans while spreaing the word about the busy upcoming schedule. Speedway mascot Lugnut along with NASCAR drivers David Ragan and Ricky Stenhouse, Jr. entertained the fans in attendance with burnouts at the speedway entrance. Daytona 500 champion Trevor Bayne, Nationwide Series title contender Reed Sorenson, and NHRA stars Doug Herbert and Matt and Angie Smith also drove their racecars, showcasing the diverse collection of series this speedway will host. The monster truck "Sergeant Smash" was even on hand to give rides to kids after a Q&A session, during which fans were allowed to ask drivers whatever they wished. The first 100 fans to arrive were also treated to an autograph session with the drivers, while special ticket offers were available for the fans who purchased seats for the track's slate of events.
Charlotte Motor Speedway's fall lineup of events includes:
* 8/13: Circle K Back-to-School Monster Truck Bash
* 8/25-8/28: Food Lion Auto Fair
* 8/26: Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series
* 9/11: Laps for Life Blood Drive
* 9/15-9/18: O'Reilly Auto Parts NHRA Nationals
* 10/7-10/8: Charlotte Diesel Super Show
* 10/12: World of Outlaws Late Model Showdown
* 10/13: Bojangles Pole Night (NASCAR Sprint Cup Series)
* 10/14: Dollar General 300 Miles of Courage (NASCAR Nationwide Series)
* 10/15: Bank of America 500 (NASCAR Sprint Cup Series)
* 10/28-10/30: Goodguys Southeastern Nationals (Pre-1972 custom cars)
* 11/3-11/5: World of Outlaws World Finals
* 11/23-12/31: (Excluding Christmas Day): Carolina Christmas drive-thru light park and village
Michael Leavine to Run NNS for Grandfather's Team in 2012
Michael Leavine, grandson of Cup team owner Bob Leavine, made his second career ARCA start at Pocono this past weekend carrying the exact same paint scheme David Starr sported in the Coca-Cola 600 back in May. Driving a limited schedule this year for PGM Racing in the ARCA Racing Series, Leavine is scheduled to make one more start in 2011 at Kansas. When asked what the long-term plan was, Leavine mentioned that his grandfather's Cup team would likely be looking to purchase some Nationwide Series cars, intending to field Michael in a limited schedule in 2012.
Leavine Family Racing is also fielding driver David Starr in a limited Cup Series schedule; they plan to run Bristol, Atlanta, Chicagoland, Kansas, Charlotte, and Texas to finish off their season.
Sauter Penalized For Failing Post-Race Inspection
The Camping World Truck Series has a new point leader Wednesday. Austin Dillon has taken over the top spot, besting Johnny Sauter by one after the No. 13 Truck lost six points for measuring too high in Sunday morning's post-race inspection at Pocono. Crew chief Joe Shear was fined $5,000, while owner Mike Curb also lost six points for the right rear of the car failing to meet specifications.
Sauter, whose car was a backup after wrecking his primary in practice had charged from the rear of the field during the race to finish fourth. No word on if the team plans to appeal; the rules violated were Sections 12-1 (actions detrimental to stock car racing); 12-4-J (any determination by NASCAR Officials that the race equipment used in the event does not conform to NASCAR rules); and 20B-12.8.1D (truck failed to meet maximum right rear bed panel height) of the 2011 NASCAR rule book.
News Bites: Pocono, TV Ratings, More
- Trevor Bayne and Ricky Stenhouse, Jr. both appear slated for part-time Cup work under the Roush Fenway banner now that Carl Edwards has re-signed for 2012. In interviews Tuesday, Bayne claimed the Wood Brothers No. 21 is looking for funding to go full-time; as of now, he expects to run just 13-15 races next season. As for Stenhouse, he'll either run a fifth Roush Fenway Ford in up to seven events, following the loophole of NASCAR's four-team limit or simply run in a third car for virtual satellite team Richard Petty Motorsports when sponsorship allows.
Roush Fenway has yet to secure full funding for its current four-car fleet: only Greg Biffle and the No. 16 team is fully funded for next year.
- New Pocono CEO Brandon Igdalsky is considering dropping the mileage of Pocono Raceway's two events from 500 to 400. In an interview with SIRIUS' Dave Moody, Igdalsky said "it's a different sport and a different time," claiming the idea is on the table but declined to commit on whether the switch could happen next year.
- The rain delay at Pocono made the NASCAR Nielsens take a tumble. The race drew a paltry 3.9 Sunday, down 11.3 percent from last year's 4.4 while viewership declined by over 800,000. In all, 5.485 million people on average tuned into the race, extended into the early evening on the East Coast due to a one hour, 40-minute rain delay.
The drop erases early gains from Indianapolis; two races into their Cup schedule, ESPN's numbers are down one percent.
Coming Tomorrow: Who are the ringers? We'll break down all the different entries at the road course this weekend.
Have news for Tom and the Frontstretch? Don't hesitate to let us know; email us at phil.allaway@frontstretch.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
Drew Herring Making Most of JGR Seat Time
Full Throttle
by Mike Neff
Drew Herring has been racing since he was 10 years old and the young man isn't planning to slow down anytime soon. He started his career in 1998, running in Bandoleros at Charlotte Motor Speedway in the Summer Shootout Series and, as recently as last weekend, wheeled a Nationwide Series car for Joe Gibbs Racing. Herring is pursuing his mechanical engineering degree at North Carolina State University while hoping to make his career as a professional race car driver.
A native of Benson, NC which is just south of Raleigh Herring made a name for himself in racing early on. Within three years of starting in the Summer Shootout Series at CMS, he had made 60 starts and won 20 races. He stepped up to the Allison Legacy Series in 2001 and moved on to Late Models in 2002, continuing his string of success. Age minimums kept him from competing at NASCAR-sanctioned tracks so he ran at Coastal Plains in Jacksonville, NC which was run by NASCAR rules but not NASCAR-sanctioned. In 2003, he qualified for the Taco Bell 300, which is one of the biggest Late Model races in the country, in Martinsville, VA. He ran in the top 10 for most of the race before a late spin took him out.
In 2004, he won his first Late Model race at Southern National Raceway -- which is where he raced against Denny Hamlin -- followed by a run in 2005 at South Boston for the entire season, coming home second in the points. The following year, Herring scored his first track championship at South Boston. Then, in 2007, he went back to Southern National and took the track championship there.
He's continued up the racing ladder ever since, competing in the USAR Pro Cup series and ultimately getting a ride with Gibbs in the Nationwide Series thanks to Denny Hamlin putting his name before the decision makers at JGR. He ran four races for them in 2010 and has competed in an additional four races for them this season, putting together two top 10s and a season-high seventh-place run at Nashville. Frontstretch caught up with Herring after the Nationwide race at Lucas Oil Raceway at Indianapolis for a few quick questions on how his career is developing, what the future might be and so much more.
Mike Neff, Frontstretch.com: What do you think of Lucas Oil Raceway?
Drew Herring: It was a long day but this is a great race track. I grew up racing on short tracks but I have never raced on anything like this. This place is really fun to run on.
Neff: Tell us a little about your race today.
Herring: My guys absolutely busted their tails all day in this heat. They made my car better all day long through practice and the race. We were tight in the middle and loose off but we made gains all day long on every stop. I can't thank my guys enough for the effort they put in for me.
Neff: Joe Gibbs cars are some of the best in the series. What is it like driving their race cars?
Herring: I'll tell you what, these cars are great but the thing that makes driving them so great is the guys. These guys are way better than the equipment. They are the best group of guys that I have ever worked with in racing. Whatever I tell them, they use to make the cars better. When the cars unload, every week they're strong and we just fine tune them. I am truly honored to drive their cars.
----------
After finishing eighth at Lucas Oil Raceway, Herring went on to run 11th at Iowa Speedway. He currently doesn't have any more scheduled races in JGR equipment but he'll continue to pursue his degree and make starts when he can. He does not have plans to run his Late Model anytime soon, though; it has been mothballed since 2007.
Turns out he has bigger and better racing goals on his plate.
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...
@Reid_Spencer: The good news? Huge applause for Doc Mattioli at retirement announcement. The bad news? You're all fired. #clapinthemediacenter
@keselowski (Brad Keselowski): nope "@Mr_JoshEarly: @keselowski brilliant if they go back to green!! Don't think ESPN has figured that out yet..."
@keselowski: We are a 5th-8th place car today. Hope we can go back green and prove it. Pitted right before yellow to cheat the pit sequence #greenflagpls
@dustinlong: #NASCAR ... Kurt Busch on radio: "Well, we won the Pocono 400.''
@Kenny_Wallace: Brad Keselowski is stunning the nation right now!..I NEVER thought he would overcome his foot injury!..Incredible Job today Brad:)
@DeLanaHarvick: whether or not @keselowski wins what he has done today is downright amazing...
@KrissieNewman: Congrats @keselowski that is bad ass
@pkligerman (Parker Kligerman): That will go down as one of the best performances by an ATHLETE in history, beat-up, broken and in pain; Winner! @keselowski
@bobpockrass: JJ called Kurt a crybaby. #nascar
@JLogano (Joey Logano): Well that sucked. We went from almost winning to a flat RR and finishing 26th. I'm proud of what we were able to do today. Everyone did great
@GZipadelli (Greg Zipadelli): That was a long Day of ups and downs sucks we ended up on the down side great job by everyone this weekend we will keep fighting.
@JimmieJohnson: Awesome day for us today, solid car & stops. Got a little spicy there at the end. #goodtimes
@2Spotter (Joey Meier): Wow...We just won Pocono! Raced one of the best for the spot. And WON. Smh...we won Pocono...
@David_Ragan: Well it looks like we need to get that #6 in victory lane again. It is not over yet. This final stretch is going to be crazy. We are ready.
@gooch814 (Jeff Patterson): Well once again the team made chicken salad out of chicken s@$&. One of these days we are going to have a whole race go our way.
@hicks37 (Michael Hicks, Denny Hamlin tire carrier): That's what happens when u use tires that have only been glued 20 min
@2Spotter: Ken Schrader had the line of wkend," We used to get turned over and on fire b4 we got mad, now it takes a tire donut". So true.. #JusRacin
@2Spotter: I will add this to Schrader's comment..Thank goodness we have an ability to record the race. U get to see it again and form a better opinion.
@keselowski: Just getting out of the track. Anything cool happen today? :)
@jaywpennell: That rain cell @JLogano was waiting for... it just hit @poconoraceway #NASCAR
@BrianLVickers: I "think" we had a bad day... I just got off the phone with my best friend growing up who is on seal team 6...they have had a bad fn day...
@BrianLVickers: Please pray for my friend and the seal team that lost so many trying to save their friends and protect us. Most importantly their families!
@KyleBusch: So close in both races. KBM and JGR teams did awesome for me to have a great outcome today. Wish we had more at the end but great race.
@KevinHarvick: Heading to RCR competition meeting we have a few things to work on...
@2Spotter: Ok. so we won 1 race. Imagine how 'The King' felt on Mondays. He won a lot. #200Wins
@Tjmajors: I bet Pocono sped up the healing process by about 40% for @keselowski. Hardest part of his week will be responding to all the texts.
@KevinHarvick: Headed to one of those meetings that you just really don't want to be a part of... #thatslife
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:
Did You Notice? ... A Tilt Towards Strategy, Not Speed, And Four Rookies That Could Have Been
by Tom Bowles
Mirror Driving: Silly Season, Kurt vs. Jimmie, Road Course Ringers and More
by the Frontstretch Staff
Beyond the Cockpit: Frank Kimmel on ARCA's Big Picture
by Bryan Davis Keith
Dodge and Keselowski: Brad-isfaction, Guaranteed
by Vito Pugliese
Sprint Cup Power Rankings: Top 15 After Pocono-2
compiled by Mike Neff
Top Ten Things That Overshadowed Juablo's Extension Talks With JGR
by Jeff Meyer
The Frontstretch Foto Funnies! - Pocono, August 2011
by Kurt Smith
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FRONTSTRETCH TRIVIA:
Q: In 1989, Rusty Wallace dominated the Bud at the Glen to claim his second win at the then-2.428 mile, seven-turn circuit. However, he had a scare just after a pit stop. What happened?
Check back Thursday for the answer, here in the Frontstretch Newsletter!
Tuesday's Answer:
Tuesday's Answer:
Q: The 1988 Bud at the Glen is best known for the epic battle to the checkered flag between Ricky Rudd and Rusty Wallace. However, something else was in play earlier in the race. What was it?
Frontstretch Trivia Guarantee: If we mess up, you get the shirt off our backs! If we've provided an incorrect answer to the Frontstretch Trivia question, be the first to email the corrected trivia answer to trivia@frontstretch.com and we'll send you a Frontstretch T-Shirt ... FREE!
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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:
Why Start And Park? by Mike Neff
In this special feature, Mike sits down with one of the sport's start-and-parkers to discover the practice is far more financially lucrative than you may think.
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 is writing about this week? So do we! Be sure to 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 Pocono? Well, Brett has just what you need to know to turn things around when choosing your teams for the Heluva Good! Sour Cream Dips at the Glen.
5th Column TBA by Mark Powell
Our professor of racing history "has at it" with another column pertinent to the sport at large. This week, Mark takes a look at some of the things in the news around NASCAR.
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