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The Best Seat at the Track, The Best View on the Net!
August 5th, 2011
Volume V, Edition CXLIV
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NEW PODCAST! Don't forget our new FREE weekly audio segments hosted by Doug Turnbull. Click here for the August 5th edition that features Cole Whitt as our main racing guest.
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Top News
by Mike Neff
Flag stand at Pocono Raceway damaged
During the process of parking the Truck series haulers Thursday morning, one of them got too close to the flag stand on the front straight at the 2.5-mile track. The stand was heavily damaged and knocked off of its moorings. The electronics that are utilized for timing and scoring, caution lights and the black flag display board were not damaged and will be in use this weekend. The track is currently exploring a couple of options for this weekend and will be limited based on what they can get in place on such short notice.
Track president Brandon Igdalsky would not identify which team's hauler made contact with the stand but admitted that it is purely recyclable steel at this point in time. He noted that replacing the flag stand was on the list of improvements that are being made to the facility but it was not a top priority. It is now the number one item once this weekend's racing is completed. While initial reports stated that the catch fence was not damaged it appears that there was some damage to the fence as well.
Bob Dilner reported on NASCAR Race Hub that it was the No. 66 hauler that made contact with the stand, however a photo that surfaced on Twitter from Dave Moody (@DGodfatherMoody) shows it was the No. 81 hauler. He also reported that the track is attempting to straighten some of the bent steel to make a temporary stand for this weekend's event.
Brad Keselowski Cleared the Race Sunday, Will Skip Nationwide in Iowa
Penske racing put out a statement on Thursday stating: "Due to Brad Keselowski's accident while testing at Road Atlanta yesterday, he will not participate in the NASCAR Nationwide Series race this weekend at Iowa Speedway. Parker Kligerman will practice the #22 Discount Tire Dodge Challenger on Friday, while Sam Hornish, Jr. will qualify and race the car on Saturday. Penske Racing will continue to evaluate Brad's condition. Further information will be provided as it becomes known."
Keselowski has also been cleared to run the race at Pocono this weekend and Dr. Jerry Punch put out a comment about his ability to run the event.
"After meeting with Brad Keselowski today it became clear that, despite an avulsion fracture of the left ankle, he would be able to compete this weekend at Pocono Raceway without any limitations. Mr. Keselowski saw an orthopedic surgeon this afternoon who indicated that he would be able to put weight on the foot as necessary and should not be inhibited in any way."
Bob Pockrass of Scene Daily tweeted an interesting thought about Keselowski's situation on Thursday. If Keselowski were to need a relief driver, and that driver went on to win the race, it would most likely qualify the Penske driver for the Chase as a Wild Card entrant. Just another of the unforeseen circumstances that could come into play with the new Chase eligibility rules.
Hendrick Automotive Group Sponsoring Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools announced Wednesday a $250,000 sponsorship deal with Hendrick Automotive Group that will allow the district to offer a full slate of middle school sports for 2011-12. CMS had said it would have to curtail the lineup of middle school sports due to budget cuts, but the Hendrick sponsorship, combined with a gift from an unidentified donor, gives the school system enough to pay for the full slate of 13 sports at all 32 middle schools.
The agreement designates HendrickCars.com as an official sponsor of CMS athletics. It gives the company naming rights when statistics are announced during breaks at high school sports events, recognition as a title partner in announcements at the end of high school events, and the right to display its signs at middle and high school events.
"This doesn't mean student-athletes' uniforms will look like NASCAR cars," said Hendrick Automotive Group chairman Rick Hendrick, who also owns arguably NASCAR's most prominent racing team. "There won't be decals on those uniforms. It will be more like having a sign at the field -- something like that."
Have news for Mike 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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Readers React: Carl Edwards Re-Signs With Roush Fenway Racing
compiled by Beth Lunkenheimer
Great News!!! So glad to hear that Carl is staying on with Ford and Roush-Fenway.
WooHoo!! Couldn't be happier for Carl!!! -Sandra T.
Carl is not only a great race car driver, he is a loyal one. His loyality to Rouse and Ford is what makes him an outstanding individual both on and off the track. Just a matter of time before he gets a championship. Go Carl!! -John D.
Good for Carl and great for Ford! -Steve in Alabama.
In my opinion, Carl Edwards isn't struggling at all right now, he's been close to the championship with this team and doesn't show signs of falling off, I think he'd be crazy to mess up that chemistry and I think he made the right choice to stay. -John M.
I believe he could have signed for substantially more money at Joe Gibbs Racing, but his loyalty to Jack Roush was just too strong. The money Ford threw in the pot probably helped in his decision though. -Jim H.
I am elated he re-signed....was afraid he would wind up another has been Mark Martin after leaving. Also had he gone to ANY toyota team I would have spent the rest of my life rooting against him!! -George S.
I am very pleased to see that Carl is staying with RFR for another term. Jack Roush responded to Carl's "business card" quest early on and it has worked out extremely well for all concerned including his fans. I have really liked Carl from the beginning and continue to be a huge fan. I felt he was robbed of the championship in 2008 when NASCAR wanted to make a point regarding the "car of tomorrow" and while understanding their point it turned out VERY unfairly for Carl. I feel he has his best opportunity for a Sprint Cup championship now and look forward to seeing it happen. Go 99!!!
This was a smart move. I am not a fan of Edwards but Roush has done alright by him and it's time he made up his mind and not leaving everyone in a uproar. Way to go Jack.
Carl's my man! I'm greatly relieved that's he's staying with Roush especially with the problems with engines at JGR. -Janice of Mission, TX
Glad to see someone has the ----- to stay with the one who brought them to the dance. -Philip S.
So very glad to see that Carl Edwards has decided to stay at Roush-Fenway and Ford Racing. I would hate to see "Tokyo" Joe Gibbs sign a great "Ford" driver, like Carl Edwards. I think this deal will solidify Carl's chances to knock-off JJ during the Chase this year and years-to-come. Now, what will Jack do with his "future" stars, like Ricky Stenhouse or Trevor Bayne? We need one, more major team to run the new FR-9 beside Petty and make some room for Jack's up and coming stars! Now if Jack can just get a hold on that NAPA sponsorship which is rumored to be shopping and leaving MWR, for 2012. That would be the……"topper". -Denny S.
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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 Mike Neff as the two discuss the aftermath of New Hampshire, Chase chances for drivers outside the top 10 and much more! Check it out here!
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Keepin' It Short: The Ever Changing Landscape of the Short Track
by Mike Neff
There is no question that owning a race track can be a very daunting task and it was never more evident than over the last week. The announcement of the closure of Nashville Superspeedway, the loss of the Nationwide and Truck Series races at Lucas Oil Raceway and the rumor that Rockingham Speedway is on the verge of securing a Truck Series race for next season reflect just how unsettled the current landscape is in the short track world. While Nashville and Rockingham aren't truly short tracks, they have the short track feel being in small towns and currently not part of the Sprint Cup series. While nothing is set in stone at this point in time, people are keeping their fingers crossed that some good might actually come out of all of this unrest.
Many people are discussing the developments at Nashville and there certainly is plenty of blame to go around. Whoever you might think is at fault, one thing is very true – karma is a bitch. The Nashville Fairgrounds hosted its first Cup series race in 1958 and held one every year until 1984. While the premier series was gone the little track still hosted Nationwide and Truck Series races as late as 2000 but lost them to the shiny new track on the outskirts of town in 2001. One of the more historic tracks in the sport was cast aside for bigger and newer. Now, just 10 years later, the new track is being shuttered and the old track is trying very hard to stay alive. In a perfect world the folks at NASCAR would admit their mistake and help the people promoting the Fairgrounds track install SAFER barriers and put the Nationwide and Truck series back where they belong, in downtown Nashville.
As many of you read on Wednesday in Full Throttle, Lucas Oil Raceway is not closing down, they're just losing the Nationwide and Truck Series at this point in time. With Nashville closing their doors, and the odds of a race heading back to the Fairgrounds are pretty minimal thanks to all of the different politics involved there, the door may have opened again for LOR to have a Nationwide and Truck weekend at some other point during the calendar year. They have always hosted big race weekends when the big track at 16th and Georgetown is hosting major events so the possibility still exists that they might be able to have NASCAR's lower tier national touring series hold events at the track on the Indianapolis 500 weekend or the Moto GP weekend. If nothing else they could have the series come in for a stand alone weekend because the city has long supported the little track in Clermont.
Finally, there is Rockingham Speedway, who has been trying hard to reestablish itself in the national consciousness since coming back to life in 2008. The issues at Rockingham are two-pronged. First of all, there is the lack of SAFER barriers at the track. There are some negotiations going on to hopefully remedy that situation which would be a good thing whether Trucks, Nationwide or Cup ever return to the track or not. Brian Keselowski had a big wreck at Rockingham earlier this year in a USAR Pro Cup event that would have been much less devastating to him if the track had SAFER barriers installed. Secondly there is the testing revenue that the track receives which, at this point in time, is what keeps the track afloat. Since NASCAR teams cannot test at NASCAR sanctioned tracks the facility will have to forego the income from the big track that is received from hosting test sessions.
While that is a substantial loss of revenue there is still testing income from the "Little Rock" track that was built behind the big speedway that is a replica of Martinsville. Rockingham receives a large amount of revenue from testing at the smaller track as well and having to give up all of that would most likely be too large of a pill to have to swallow. The sanctioning fees for Trucks and Nationwide are substantial so not only will the track be losing income from testing but they'll have to shell out the sanctioning fees too. If NASCAR is not willing to allow the facility to continue receiving the income from the small track it will most likely be too big of a hit for them to put on a Truck series race even with the hope of a Nationwide race coming in the future.
NASCAR is at a point in their existence where they are sending a message to their fans. They can beat their drum that they are all about the fans as much as they want to, but if they continue to take races away from the short tracks, which is where the fans have continually said they want to see more races, then they're making a very clear statement that it is all about money and has nothing to do with pleasing the fan base. Let's hope that they realize the error of their ways and start returning the Truck and Nationwide Series to the tracks that built them to national prominence.
Whelen All-American National Championship Update
September 18th is some six weeks away and the race for the national championship is coming right down to the wire. It is essentially a four horse race with three drivers who battle on the bull rings in Virginia chasing the defending National Champion who is competing on three different tracks in the Northeast every week. Keith Rocco leads Lee Pulliam by 22 points but will have to work very hard to increase his point total by very much. Rocco has 20 wins and 27 top-5 finishes, so increasing his points is really only going to happen by winning races with full car count fields. Rocco won at Waterford this past weekend but they only had 17 cars. That gives Rocco 39 points for the night but it is six points shy of a max points night. A second place finish in a 20 car field would translate to 38 points so, for Rocco and the other three chasing him, the most important thing over the last six weeks is racing where they can compete against the most cars and win.
Lee Pulliam, who is in second place, headed to Caraway Speedway for one of their Super Five races this past weekend which usually offers a great chance for him to run against a maximum car field but also pits him against B.J. Mackey, who has owned Caraway this season. As it turned out, Mackey was off and eventually parked his car before the finish of the race while Pulliam was the car to beat and walked away from the field for his 14th win of the season. Unfortunately for Pulliam there were only 16 cars that showed up to race so he only brought home 37 points for the night, losing two more points to Rocco. Times are starting to get desperate for Pulliam who is probably going to have to seriously look into racing at Ace or Kingsport on a Friday night to get maximum point races.
Philip Morris and C.E. Falk were on the same track again this past weekend with Morris making the trip to Hampton, Virginia to run at Langley Speedway since South Boston was off. Langley had twin races on the bill so it was a chance for Morris to move up in the standings if he could win both races while Falk was looking to defend his home turf and close some of the gap between himself and the top three. In the end Morris was trying to get around Falk for the lead in the first of the twin races when he ran into the back of a lapper and tore his front end to pieces on his car. He came back out to finish the race with no hood or fenders but he did not start the second race. Falk took the win in both races and drew himself within 50 points of the top spot and 23 of Morris for the top 3 and a chance to go to the national banquet at the end of the season. Falk scored maximum points for the first win but missed out by four points in the second race with Morris and Doug Godsey not starting the second race. Falk and Morris are in the same boat as Pulliam at this point. If they don't start hitting a Friday night track that has the potential for a full field over the next six weeks they're probably going to come up short in the hunt for the national championship.
Burt Myers gets a shout out this week in the rest of the top 10 moving up into the seventh spot with two more races to run before he hits the maximum number of races. While he's too far back to make a run at the national crown, he has the potential to make it into the top 5 and most likely will win another North Carolina state title.
1) Keith Rocco – 35 races – 20 wins – 27 top 5s – 32 top 10s – 744 points
2) Lee Pulliam – 23 races – 14 wins – 19 top 5s – 21 top 10s – 722 points
3) Philip Morris – 22 races – 14 wins – 17 top 5s – 19 top 10s – 720 points
4) C E Falk, III – 21 races – 9 wins – 18 top 5s – 20 top 10s – 697 points
5) Bill Leighton, Jr – 17 races – 5 wins – 17 top 5s – 17 top 10s – 595 points
6) Nate Monteith – 21 races – 8 wins – 18 top 5s – 18 top 10s – 542 points
7) Burt Myers – 16 races – 4 wins – 12 top 5s – 15 top 10s – 536 points
8) Frank Deiny, Jr. – 19 races – 1 win – 13 top 5s – 17 top 10s – 525 points
9) Andrew Kosiski – 21 races – 2 wins – 9 top 5s – 18 top 10s – 518 points
10) Ryan Preece – 23 races – 3 wins – 17 top 5s – 20 top 10s – 517 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 : Aug. 5th - : Aug. 5th - Ocean Speedway ; Watsonville : CA - Golden State Challenge
Fri : Aug. 5th - : Aug. 5th - Silver Dollar Speedway ; Chico : CA - USAC Western Classic Racing Series
Fri : Aug. 5th - Thunder Ridge Motorsports Park ; Craig : CO -United Rebel Sprint Series
Fri : Aug. 5th - Stafford Motor Speedway ; Stafford Springs : CT - NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour
Fri : Aug. 5th - Boyds Speedway ; Ringgold : GA - Southern Regional Racing Series
Fri : Aug. 5th - Iowa Speedway ; Newton : IA - ASA Midwest Tour
Fri : Aug. 5th - Knoxville Raceway ; Knoxville : IA - ASCS / Warriors Region
Fri : Aug. 5th - Knoxville Raceway ; Knoxville : IA - Lucas Oil ASCS Sprint Car Series
Fri : Aug. 5th - Knoxville Raceway ; Knoxville : IA - NRA SprintInvaders
Fri : Aug. 5th - Knoxville Raceway ; Knoxville : IA - 360 Tournament of Champions
Fri : Aug. 5th - Tri-City Speedway ; Granite City : IL - MARS DIRTcar Series
Fri : Aug. 5th - Bloomington Speedway ; Bloomington : IN – World of Outlaw Sprint Cars
Fri : Aug. 5th - Hutchinson Raceway Park ; Hutchinson : KS - United Rebel Sprint Series
Fri : Aug. 5th - Seekonk Speedway ; Seekonk : MA - NEMA Lites
Fri : Aug. 5th - Cherry Speedway ; Fife Lake : MI - ASCS / Sprints on Dirt
Fri : Aug. 5th - Dixie Motor Speedway ; Birch Run : MI - Auto Value Super Sprints
Fri : Aug. 5th – Dixie Motor Speedway ; Birch Run : MI – Super Late Models
Fri : Aug. 5th - Mount Pleasant Speedway ; Mount Pleasant : MI - American Late Models
Fri : Aug. 5th - Norway Speedway ; Norway : MI - Mid-American Stock Car Series
Fri : Aug. 5th - Callaway Raceways ; Fulton : MO - United Late Models
Fri : Aug. 5th - Malden Speedway ; Malden : MO - Mid-South Racing Association
Fri : Aug. 5th – Ace Speedway ; Altamahaw : NC – Late Models
Fri : Aug. 5th – Ace Speedway ; Altamahaw : NC – Limited Late Models X2
Fri : Aug. 5th – Bowman-Gray Stadium ; Winston-Salem : NC - Modifieds
Fri : Aug. 5th - Dixieland Speedway ; Elizabethtown : NC - ARDC Midgets
Fri : Aug. 5th – Attica Raceway Park ; Attica : OH – F.A.S.T. Sprint Cars
Fri : Aug. 5th - Outlaw Motor Speedway ; Wainwright : OK - Oil Capital Racing Series
Fri : Aug. 5th - Thunderbird Speedway ; Muskogee : OK - Show-Me Racin Series
Fri : Aug. 5th - Delaware Speedway Park ; Delaware : Ontario - International Super Modified Association
Fri : Aug. 5th - Kawartha Raceway ; Peterborough : Ontario - OSCAAR Late Models
Fri : Aug. 5th - Lindas Speedway ; Jonestown : PA - Keystone Legend Car Tour
Fri : Aug. 5th - Thunder Valley Raceway ; Central City : PA - Three State Flyers
Fri : Aug. 5th - Williams Grove Speedway ; Mechanicsburg : PA - United Racing Company
Fri : Aug. 5th - Autodrome Granby ; Granby : Quebec - Empire Super Sprints
Fri : Aug. 5th – Anderson Motor Speedway ; Anderson : SC – Late Models
Fri : Aug. 5th – Kingsport Speedway ; Kingsport : TN – Late Models
Fri : Aug. 5th - El Paso Speedway Park ; El Paso : TX - Renegade Sprint Car Series
Fri : Aug. 5th – Southside Speedway ; Midlothian : VA – Late Models
Fri : Aug. 5th - Cedar Lake Speedway ; New Richmond : WI - WoO Late Model Series
Fri : Aug. 5th - Dodge County Fairgrounds ; Beaver Dam : WI - Interstate Racing
Fri : Aug. 5th - Manitowoc Expo Raceway ; Manitowoc : WI - Midwest Sprintcars
Fri : Aug. 5th - Manitowoc Expo Raceway ; Manitowoc : WI - Wisconsin Dirt Late Models
Sat : Aug. 6th - Flomaton Speedway ; Flomaton : AL - Gulf Coast Mini-Sprints
Sat : Aug. 6th - Green Valley Speedway ; Gadsden : AL - Southern Regional Racing
Sat : Aug. 6th - Huntsville Speedway ; Hunstville ; AL - Southern SuperStars Short Track Series
Sat : Aug. 6th – South Alabama Speedway ; Kinston : AL – Viper Pro Late Model
Sat : Aug. 6th - I-30 Speedway ; Benton : AR - Mid-South Racing Association
Sat : Aug. 6th - Saratoga Speedway ; Courtenay : British Columbia - WILROC SprintCars
Sat : Aug. 6th - Antioch Speedway ; Antioch : CA - Western AllStar DIRTcar Late Models
Sat : Aug. 6th - Bakersfield Speedway ; Oildale : CA - National 3/4 Midget Association
Sat : Aug. 6th - Calistoga Speedway ; Calistoga : CA - California Sprint Car Civil War
Sat : Aug. 6th - Giant Chevrolet Speedway ; Hanford : CA - Golden State Challenge
Sat : Aug. 6th - Madera Speedway ; Madera : CA - NCMA Sprints
Sat : Aug. 6th - Placerville Speedway ; Placerville : CA - BCRA Midget Lites
Sat : Aug. 6th - Placerville Speedway ; Placerville : CA - BCRA Midgets
Sat : Aug. 6th - Placerville Speedway ; Placerville : CA - USAC Western Clasic Racing
Sat : Aug. 6th - Thunderhill Park ; Willows : CA - 24 Hours of LeMons
Sat : Aug. 6th - Colorado National Speedway ; Erie : CO - NASCAR Camping World West Series
Sat : Aug. 6th - Hendry County Motorsports Park ; Clewiston : FL - Top Gun Sprint Cars
Sat : Aug. 6th - Southern Raceway ; Milton : FL - Cajun Sprinters Association
Sat : Aug. 6th - Knoxville Raceway ; Knoxville : IA - ASCS / Warriors Region
Sat : Aug. 6th - Knoxville Raceway ; Knoxville : IA - Lucas Oil ASCS Sprint Car Series
Sat : Aug. 6th - Knoxville Raceway ; Knoxville : IA - NRA SprintInvaders
Sat : Aug. 6th - Knoxville Raceway ; Knoxville : IA - 360 Tournament of Champions
Sat : Aug. 6th - Stateline Stadium ; Post Falls : ID - Northwest Pro 4 Trucks
Sat : Aug. 6th - Stateline Stadium ; Post Falls : ID - Rocky Mountain Challenge Series
Sat : Aug. 6th - Grundy County Speedway ; Morris : IL - MCR Dwarf Cars
Sat : Aug. 6th - Anderson Speedway ; Anderson : IN - UMRA TQ Midgets
Sat : Aug. 6th - Brownstown Speedway ; Brownstown : IN - Midwest Mini-Sprints
Sat : Aug. 6th - Plymouth Speedway ; Plymouth : IN - Great Lakes Outlaw Late Models
Sat : Aug. 6th - Salem Speedway ; Salem : IN - Must See Racing Xtreme Sprints
Sat : Aug. 6th – Salem Speedway ; Salem : IN – USAC Pavement Sprints
Sat : Aug. 6th - Shelby County Speedway ; Shelbyville : IN - Midwest TQ Racing League
Sat : Aug. 6th - Rush County Speedway ; LaCrosse : IN - United Rebel Sprint Series
Sat : Aug. 6th - Bluegrass Speedway ; Bardstown : KY - STARS Midwest Dirt Racing
Sat : Aug. 6th - Seekonk Speedway ; Seekonk : MA - PASS North Late Model Series
Sat : Aug. 6th - Beech Ridge Motor Speedway ; Scarboro : ME - Modified Racing Series of New England
Sat : Aug. 6th – Berlin Raceway ; Marne : MI – Boyne Super Late Models
Sat : Aug. 6th - Owosso Speedway ; Owosso : MI - Michigan Legend Cars
Sat : Aug. 6th - Sarinac County Fairgrounds ; Croswell : MI - Unique Bump and Run
Sat : Aug. 6th - Jackson Speedway ; Jackson : MN - Jackson Sprint Touring Series
Sat : Aug. 6th - Central Missouri Speedway ; Warrensburg : MO - United Late Models
Sat : Aug. 6th - I-55 Raceway ; Pevely : MO – World of Outlaw Sprint Cars
Sat : Aug. 6th - Lake Ozark Speedway ; Eldon : MO - MARS DIRTcar Series
Sat : Aug. 6th - Scotland County Speedway ; Memphis : MO - United Late Models
Sat : Aug. 6th - Washington Town & Country Fairgrounds ; Washington : MO - POWRI Micro-Sprints
Sat : Aug. 6th - Pike County Speedway ; Magnolia : MS - SUPR Late Models
Sat : Aug. 6th - Bowman Gray Stadium ; Winston-Salem : NC - NASCAR Southern Modified Tour
Sat : Aug. 6th – Coastal Plains Raceway ; Jacksonville : NC – Limited Late Models
Sat : Aug. 6th – Concord Speedway ; Concord : NC – Late Models
Sat : Aug. 6th - County Line Raceway ; Rocky Mount : NC - ARDC Midgets
Sat : Aug. 6th - Fayetteville Motor Speedway ; Fayetteville : NC - Carolina Clash Late Models
Sat : Aug. 6th – Hickory Motor Speedway ; Newton : NC – Late Models
Sat : Aug. 6th – Hickory Motor Speedway ; Newton : NC – Limited Late Models X2
Sat : Aug. 6th – Orange County Speedway ; Rougemont : NC – CCS Late Models
Sat : Aug. 6th - Monadnock Speedway ; Winchester : NH - New England Truck Series
Sat : Aug. 6th - Bridgeport Speedway ; Bridgeport : NJ - United Racing Company
Sat : Aug. 6th - Southern NM Speedway ; Las Cruces : NM - Renegade Sprint Car Series
Sat : Aug. 6th – Fremont Speedway ; Freemont : OH – F.A.S.T. Sprint Cars
Sat : Aug. 6th - Shady Bowl Speedway ; Xenia : OH - Main Event Racing Series
Sat : Aug. 6th - Delaware Speedway Park ; Delaware : Ontario - International Super Modifieds
Sat : Aug. 6th – Ohsweken Speedway ; Ohsweken : Ontario – Mini Stocks
Sat : Aug. 6th - Toronto Motorsports Park ; Cayuga : Ontario - ChumpCar World Series
Sat : Aug. 6th - Coos Bay International Speedway ; Coos Bay : OR - Northwest Wingless Sprints
Sat : Aug. 6th – Grandview Speedway ; Bechtelsville : PA – Modifieds
Sat : Aug. 6th – Grandview Speedway ; Bechtelsville : PA – Late Models
Sat : Aug. 6th - Hesston Speedway ; Huntingdon : PA - Unified Force Race Championship
Sat : Aug. 6th – Lake Erie Speedway ; North East : PA – TBRA Late Models
Sat : Aug. 6th - Lincoln Speedway ; Hanover : PA - Central Pennsylvania LegendCars
Sat : Aug. 6th - Lincoln Speedway ; Hanover : PA - Super Sportsmen
Sat : Aug. 6th - Mountain Speedway ; Saint Johns : PA - ATQMRA TQ Midgets
Sat : Aug. 6th - Pocono Raceway ; Long Pond : PA - ARCA Late Models
Sat : Aug. 6th – Port Royal Speedway ; Port Royal : PA – Pro Stocks
Sat : Aug. 6th – Selinsgrove Speedway ; Selinsgrove : PA – Late Models
Sat : Aug. 6th – Susquehanna Speedway Park ; Newberrytown : PA – Late Models
Sat : Aug. 6th – Autodrome Chaudiere ; Vallee Jonction : Quebec – Castrol Late Models
Sat : Aug. 6th - Le RPM Speedway ; St-Marcel : Quebec - Empire Super Sprints
Sat : Aug. 6th – Dillon Motor Speedway ; Dillon : SC – Super Trucks
Sat : Aug. 6th – Florence Motor Speedway ; Timmonsville : SC – Limited Late Models
Sat : Aug. 6th – Greenville-Pickens Speedway ; Greenville : SC – Late Models
Sat : Aug. 6th - Cleveland Speedway ; Cleveland : TN - Southern All Star Racing Series
Sat : Aug. 6th – Newport Speedway ; Newport : TN – Late Models X2
Sat : Aug. 6th - Riverview Speedway Park ; Cartage : TN - Southern Superstock Series
Sat : Aug. 6th - Houston Motorsports Park ; Houston : TX - Dwarf Car Series of Texas
Sat : Aug. 6th - Diamond Mountain Speedway ; Vernal : UT - United Rebel Sprint Series
Sat : Aug. 6th – Franklin County Speedway ; Callaway : VA – Late Models
Sat : Aug. 6th – Lonesome Pine Raceway ; Coeburn : VA – Late Models
Sat : Aug. 6th - Motor Mile Speedway ; Radford : VA - Rolling Thunder Modifieds
Sat : Aug. 6th – Old Dominion Speedway ; Manassas : VA – Late Models
Sat : Aug. 6th – South Boston Speedway ; South Boston : VA – Late Models
Sat : Aug. 6th – South Boston Speedway ; South Boston : VA – Limited Late Models
Sat : Aug. 6th - Bear Ridge Speedway ; Bradford : VT - Granite State Mini-Sprints
Sat : Aug. 6th - Ephrata Raceway Park ; Ephrata : WA - ASA Northwest Sprint Cars
Sat : Aug. 6th - Yakima Speedway ; Yakima : WA - Inland NW Sprint Cars
Sat : Aug. 6th - Cedar Lake Speedway ; New Richmond : WI - WoO Late Model Series
Sat : Aug. 6th - Plymouth Dirt Track ; Plymouth : WI - Midwest Sprintcars
Sat : Aug. 6th - Plymouth Dirt Track ; Plymouth : WI - Wisconsin Dirt Late Models
Sat : Aug. 6th - West Virginia Motor Speedway ; Mineral Wells : WV - Fastrak Late Models
Sun : Aug. 7th - Merced Speedway ; Merced : CA - Western AllStar DIRTcar Late Models
Sun : Aug. 7th - Thunderhill Park ; Willows : CA - 24 Hours of LeMons
Sun : Aug. 7th - Knoxville Raceway ; Knoxville : IA - USAC National Sprint Cars
Sun : Aug. 7th - Stateline Stadium ; Post Falls : ID - Northwest Pro 4 Trucks
Sun : Aug. 7th - Stateline Stadium ; Post Falls : ID - Rocky Mountain Challenge Series
Sun : Aug. 7th - Winchester Speedway ; Winchester : IN - USA Modifieds
Sun : Aug. 7th - Utica-Rome Speedway ; Vernon : NY - Capitol Region Sprintcars
Sun : Aug. 7th - Toronto Motorsports Park ; Cayuga : Ontario - ChumpCar World Series
Sun : Aug. 7th – Circuit de Trois-Rivieres ; Trois-Rivieres : Quebec – NASCAR Canada
Sun : Aug. 7th - Le RPM Speedway ; St-Marcel : Quebec - Empire Super Sprints
Sun : Aug. 7th - Raceway Park ; Jefferson : SD - Good Ol Time Racing Association
Mon : Aug. 8th - Southern Iowa Speedway ; Oskaloosa : IA - All Star Sprint Cars
Mon : Aug. 8th - Newago County Fairgrounds ; Fremont : MI - Unique Figure 8s
Tue : Aug. 9th - Southern Iowa Speedway ; Oskaloosa : IA - USAC National Sprint Cars
Tue : Aug. 9th - Newago County Fairgrounds ; Fremont : MI - Unique Bump and Run
Tue : Aug. 9th - Carolina Speedway ; Gastonia : NC - Carolina Clash Late Models
Tue : Aug. 9th – Peterborough Speedway ; Peterborough : Ontario – OSCAAR Late Models
Tue : Aug. 9th - Penn Can Speedway ; Susquehanna : PA - Race of Champion Dirt Modifieds
Tue : Aug. 9th - 411 Motor Raceway ; Seymour : TN - Tenessee RV Late Models
Wed : Aug. 10th - Knoxville Raceway ; Knoxville : IA - Knoxville Nationals
Wed : Aug. 10th - Belle-Clair Speedway ; Belleville : IL - POWRI Midgets
Wed : Aug. 10th - Belle-Clair Speedway ; Belleville : IL - POWRI Micro-Sprints
Wed : Aug. 10th - Wayne County Fairgrounds ; Belleville : MI - Unique Bump and Run
Thu : Aug. 11th - Knoxville Raceway ; Knoxville : IA - WoO Sprint Cars
Thu : Aug. 11th - Great American Dirt Track ; Jetmore : KS - United Rebel Sprint Series
Thu : Aug. 11th - Great American Dirt Track ; Jetmore : KS - USMTS Modifieds
Thu : Aug. 11th - Branch County Fairgrounds ; Coldwater : MI - Unique Bump and Run
Thu : Aug. 11th - US 30 Speedway ; Columbus : NE - Good Ol Time Racing Association
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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Frontstretch Folio: Good Sam RV Insurance 500
by Beth Lunkenheimer
This weekend, the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series heads to Pocono Raceway for the Good Sam RV Insurance 500. Sunday's race will be the 14th race of the season, and will be broadcast live August 6th at 12 PM ET on ESPN and on MRN Radio. Drivers will compete for 200 laps (500 miles) before taking the checkered flag.
Records and Facts
Kasey Kahne holds the track qualifying record with a lap of 52.164 sec at 172.533 mph in qualifying for the 2004 Pocono 500. Kahne finished 14th in the race after leading four laps; it was his fourth and final pole that year. Kahne finished out the season 13th in points with 13 top 5s, 14 top 10s, and an average finish of 17th in 36 races.
Rusty Wallace holds the record for fastest race run at Pocono Raceway, with a speed of 144.892 mph in the 1996 Miller 500. Wallace led 30 of 200 laps and had a margin of victory of 0.3 sec over second-place Ricky Rudd. Dale Jarrett finished third, followed by Ernie Irvan and Johnny Benson, Jr. The win was Wallace's fourth of five victories in 1996. In 31 races, Wallace grabbed five wins, eight top 5s, 18 top 10s, and an average finish of 17th. He finished seventh in points.
Denny Hamlin is the defending race winner of this event, leading 88 of the 204 laps to win the 2010 Gillette Fusion ProGlide 500 Presented by Target under caution over second-place Kyle Busch. Tony Stewart finished third, followed by Kevin Harvick and Jimmie Johnson to round out the top 5. The win was Hamlin's fourth of eight wins in 2010. In 36 races, Hamlin grabbed 14 top 5s, 18 top 10s, and an average finish of 13th to finish second in points.
Track Facts
Track/Race Length: 2.5-mile tri-oval, 200 laps (500 laps)
Pit Road Speed: 55 mph
Banking: Progressive banking ranges from 6 to 14 degrees
Frontstretch: 3,740 ft.
Grandstand Seating: 100,000
Pre-race Schedule
Practice: Friday, August 5, 12:OO PM ET – 1:30 PM ET on SPEED
Qualifying: Saturday, August 6, 10:30 AM ET on SPEED
Happy Hour: Friday, August 5, 4:00 PM ET – 5:30 PM ET on SPEED
VIPs
National Anthem: Country Artist Lauren Briant
Race Day Forecast
Sunday: Thundershowers, 60% chance of rain
High: 79
Low: 63
Say What?!
"Pocono is one of the most challenging tracks we race on. It's not an oval, but it's not a road course either. So, it kind of doesn't race like any other track we're on. As a driver it's hard out there, but the crew guys have an even bigger job. You have to give up a little in one corner to make another one better. It's just something you'll fight all day." -Mark Martin
"The hardest part of the track, for me, is probably turn one, and then turn two is the second-hardest, and then turn three is the third-hardest. Turn three, last year, because of the patch they laid down. We couldn't go down low and get underneath somebody and get a run on them because, when you come off the corner, you're 8 to 10 mph slower than the guy on your outside, and they're just going to blow right by you going down the straightaway." -Kyle Busch
"It's one of my favorite racetracks just because it is so difficult. It's really fun to drive. I like it because it's challenging. Each corner is different – different radius, different banking, different bumps. Each straightaway is a different length. It just seems like it's a driver's racetrack and a crew chief's racetrack because he has to get the car to the driver's liking in all three corners." -Ryan Newman
Beth Lunkenheimer is an Assistant Editor for Frontstretch.com. She can be reached via email at beth.lunkenheimer@frontstretch.com.
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TODAY ON THE FRONTSTRETCH:
Four Burning Questions: Edwards, Edwards, and Gordon the Favorite
by Mike Lovecchio
You Can't Mandate Class: Where's the Sportsmanship in Today's NASCAR?
by Amy Henderson
Winners and Losers In Carl Edwards' Re-Signing With Roush
by Garrett Horton
Tearing Apart the Trucks: A Halfway Checkup and a Veteran's Return
by Beth Lunkenheimer
Frontstretch Podcast: August 5th Edition
hosted by Doug Turnbull
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FRONTSTRETCH TRIVIA:
Q: Up until 1989, the CART World Series raced a 500 mile race each year at Pocono Raceway as part of a "Triple Crown" of 500 mile events with Indianapolis and either Michigan or Ontario. Why did the series eventually stop racing at Pocono?
Check back Monday for the answer, here in the Frontstretch Newsletter!
Thursday's Answer:
Q: Pocono Raceway used to be one of the big stops for NASCAR's Sportsman Division prior to the class's disbandment in 1995 due to a series of serious and/or fatal crashes. What was notable about the series' cars?
A: The Sportsman division ran older, former Winston Cup cars. However, it seemed that teams in the Sportsman division were running older cars than even ARCA teams at the time. Monte Carlo SS Aerocoupes were still relatively common in the series during its final season in 1995.
Engines were smaller in the series, though. As compared to Winston Cup engines of the time, the Sportsman engines were 350 cubic inch V8's, but with only 350-400 horsepower. Basically, it was like driving with a restrictor plate all the time. At Charlotte, for example, Sportsman cars were roughly 25 mph slower than Cup cars.
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:
-- Good Sam RV Insurance 500 Race Recap by TBA
-- Mouthing Off: Good Sam RV Insurance 500 by Brody Jones
-- Links to your favorite Frontstretch articles, and more!
Monday on the Frontstretch:
Matt McLaughlin's Thinkin' Out Loud: Good Sam RV Insurance 500 by Matt McLaughlin
Matt will be here with his overall thoughts about the action from Sunday afternoon's action from Pocono.
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 Pocono.
Special Commentary by Ron Lemasters
Ron returns for a website look at one of the big stories from Sunday's race from Pocono.
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 Pocono.
Big Six: Good Sam RV Insurance 500 by Amy Henderson
Amy has your who, what, when, where, why and how from a weekend of racing at Pocono Raceway.
Nationwide Series Breakdown: U.S. Cellular 250 presented by the Enlist Weed Control System by Bryan Davis Keith
Bryan has all the post-race analysis you need after Saturday night's Nationwide Series race at Iowa Speedway.
Tracking the Trucks: Good Sam RV Emergency Road Service 125 by Bryan Davis Keith
Bryan has all the post-race analysis you need after Saturday afternoon's Camping World Truck Series race from Pocono.
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