Tuesday, August 09, 2011

The Frontstretch Newsletter: BREAKING August 9th, 2011

THE FRONTSTRETCH NEWSLETTER
Presented by Frontstretch.com
The Best Seat at the Track, The Best View on the Net!
August 9th, 2011
Volume V, Edition CLVI
~~~~~~~~~~

What To Watch: Tuesday

NASCAR's "young guns" will join in the fun at Charlotte today with a "Parade of Power" down Bruton Smith Boulevard at noon. Trevor Bayne, Ricky Stenhouse, Jr., David Ragan, and Reed Sorenson will join NHRA Veterans Doug Foley, Doug Herbert and Matt and Angie Smith as part of the festivities designed to hype up the upcoming schedule at the racetrack. Following the parade, there will be a press conference highlighting a full fall season of events at Charlotte Motor Speedway; Frontstretch will be there with live coverage and breaking news from the event. Follow @Writer_Amy on Twitter, our feed @TheFrontstretch and the Breaking News Box on our main page for more information as it develops.

Today's Top News
by Tom Bowles

Breaking: Ryan Truex To Drive For Joe Gibbs Racing

A racer's little brother is getting one more big chance to succeed in the business. Breaking late this morning, official word from Joe Gibbs Racing is that 19-year-old Ryan Truex has been signed to drive part-time in the Nationwide Series. The rookie, who will pilot the organization's No. 20 Toyota, has been signed for six events with sponsorship to be announced at a later date.

Truex had been driving a part-time schedule partnered with his brother Martin's organization, Michael Waltrip Racing, but lost his initial opportunity due to lack of sponsorship. Running ten races this year, he posted just one lead-lap finish (Nashville) along with just a single top-10 result, eighth at Richmond in the Spring. The No. 99 Toyota has now fizzled as a viable long-term option, regardless of funding; Travis Pastrana is partnering with the team to transition into the Nationwide Series come 2012.

Truex is a two-time K&N Pro Series East Champion; he won the title two straight years, in 2009 and 2010. He'll drive for a JGR Toyota that was leading the owner points earlier this year in the Nationwide Series before having to cut back due to lack of sponsorship.

Rick Hendrick's Mother Dead At Age 88

Heavy hearts surround Hendrick Motorsports this morning as the organization mourns the loss of one of their own. Mary Hendrick, mother of main owner Rick and the listed owner of Mark Martin's No. 5 car passed away on Monday at age 88. Moving into that role following the death of her husband, Papa Joe Hendrick, and grandson Ricky in 2004 the matriarch of the family was initially the listed car owner of the No. 25, from 2005-07 before the arrival of Dale Earnhardt, Jr. caused the switch to the No. 5. Overall, she won seven races with Brian Vickers, Casey Mears, and Mark Martin behind the wheel of her Chevrolets. Martin, who finished runner-up in the championship Chase provided five of those seven wins during a successful 2009 season.

Known as "Miss Mary," she was a fervent supporter of her son's stock car racing program and its successful growth in NASCAR. A native of Palmer Springs, Virginia her years of service and support in North Carolina became well-recognized; in June, 2004 then-North Carolina governor Mike Easley presented her and husband Papa Joe with the Order of the Long Leaf Pine. That's the state's highest honor bestowed on a citizen for dedication and extended length of service to his or her organization.

Funeral arrangements are pending at this time; expect the four-car team to run some sort of small tribute, perhaps a decal in memory of their fallen matriarch at Watkins Glen this weekend.

Pocono Security Guards Stabbed

Attending a race is supposed to be safe, but try telling that to two Pocono security guards who were stabbed in the line of duty. A Philadelphia-area man was arrested for the incident; 20-year-old Daniel Kupper, of Melrose Park is in jail on $100,000 bail after allegedly attacking the guards following a fight during the early morning hours of Sunday. According to the Pocono Record, the incident stemmed from track workers stopping the van for disobeying traffic directions near the track's staging area. Frustrated over the conflict, Daniel and brother Louis, 23, exited the vehicle and began arguing with security in what escalated into a physical confrontation. The younger Kupper then stabbed both guards, 50 and 55 years old, in the back before being restrained and ultimately arrested by local police.

Both victims have non-life threatening injuries; the elder Kupper, not involved in the stabbings themselves was also arrested on a parole violation. He faces charges of simple assault, furnishing alcohol to a minor, disorderly conduct and public drunkenness. The younger Kupper's charges include aggravated assault; no word on when the victims will be released from the hospital, their names or the result of an arraignment hearing on the arrest. The injured security guards were employees of Strike Force Protective Services.

News Bites
-    Jamie McMurray was named the Second Quarter NMPA Spirit Award Winner. The award, designed to recognize character and achievement in the face of adversity, sportsmanship and contributions to motorsports honors this veteran's efforts to highlight the tornado devastation in Joplin, Missouri. Through McMurray's Convoy of Hope, countless public relations appearances and visits with local residents he's helped push tens of thousands in charitable donations towards helping both recovery and rebuilding efforts in the disaster zone.

JTG-Daugherty Racing, who employs driver Bobby Labonte won the first quarter award.

- The Jimmie Johnson – Kurt Busch saga continues. Bob Pockrass reported late Sunday Johnson referred to Kurt as a "smartass" and a "big crybaby" in post-race interview comments. Click here for his full transcript of what supposedly transpired in the one-on-one conversation between the two.

Have news for Tom and the Frontstretch? Don't hesitate to let us know; email us at ashland10@mail.com with a promising lead or tip.
~~~~~~~~~~
Got NASCAR-related questions or comments?
Send them John Potts' way at john.potts@frontstretch.com; and if you're lucky, you'll get your name in print when he does his weekly column answering back to you – the fans that keep Frontstretch afloat. Potts' Shots will run on Thursdays with a whole new set of Fan Questions and Answers!
~~~~~~~~~~
Numbers Game: Good Sam RV Insurance 500
by Brett Poirier

0

Top-10 finishes for Jeff Burton in 21 starts this season. He is the only driver in the top 30 in the standings who hasn't recorded a top-10 finish. Burton was 17th at Pocono.

0

Top-10 finishes for Brad Keselowski through 21 races in 2010 with Penske Racing. This year, he has two wins and six top-10 finishes.

1

Top-10 finishes for Dale Earnhardt, Jr. in his last seven starts. He broke a six-race streak of finishing outside the top 10 on Sunday with a ninth-place run.

3
The number of victories for Brad Keselowski in 74 Sprint Cup Series starts. In comparison, five-time champ Jimmie Johnson had six victories through 74 starts.

5
The consecutive number of races in which Denny Hamlin has led a lap at Pocono.  He was out front for a race-high 65 laps on Sunday.

5

Different Penske Racing drivers to visit Victory Lane at Pocono.  Brad Keselowski joined Rusty Wallace, Kurt Busch, Jeremy Mayfield and Ryan Newman on the list.

6

Top-10 finishes for Kurt Busch in his last seven starts at Pocono.

6
Finishes of 15th or worse by Juan Pablo Montoya in his last eight races.  Montoya was 32nd on Sunday and dropped to 21st in the series standings.

9

The consecutive number of races at Pocono won from top-15 starting positions. Brad Keselowski started 13th on Sunday.

11th

Brad Keselowski's spot in the Sprint Cup standings if the Chase for the Cup were to start today.  With two wins in 2011, Keselowski would earn the top wild card spot.

18.8
The average finishing position of Sprint Cup drivers following a win in the previous Sprint Cup race in 2011.  After winning at Indianapolis, Paul Menard finished tenth at Pocono.

20th
Brad Keselowski's previous best finishing position at Pocono before winning on Sunday.  He was 20th in August of 2010.

25
The number of positions lost by Joey Logano after the race was restarted on lap 124 after a lengthy red flag.  Logano restarted in the lead and finished 26th.

34
Top-10 finishes for Mark Martin at Pocono.  Martin has more top-10s than any other driver at the track, but has never won at Pocono.

100
The number of minutes the Sprint Cup Series race at Pocono was under delay because of rain.

250
Sprint Cup Series starts made by Carl Edwards after Pocono.  He finished seventh on Sunday.

863
Laps completed this season by Joe Nemechek through 21 Sprint Cup races.  He ran 14 laps at Pocono on his way to a 41st-place finish.

1,087
Laps led this season by Kyle Busch in the Sprint Cup Series, a number that leads all drivers.  He paced the field for 27 laps and finished second on Sunday at Pocono, meaning Busch has led in 15 of the first 21 races.

Brett Poirier is a Website Contributor for Frontstretch.com.  He can be reached via e-mail at brett.poirier@frontstretch.com.
 
Today's Featured Commentary
Driver Injuries: Curses or Blessings?
Sitting In The Stands: A Fan's View
by S.D. Grady

I read the reports Thursday morning of Keselowski's wreck at Road Atlanta, wincing at the images of his elephantine ankle displayed on Twitter.  We discussed the ramifications if he wouldn't be able to race at Pocono, and you have to admit, that ankle didn't look good at all.  And then I wondered…would the Injury Fairy come to visit the pilot of the Blue Deuce? 

What exactly is the Injury Fairy?  Well, something has to account for surprising success—as in visiting Victory Lane--when any other sane person would spend the weekend on the couch eliciting as much pity from friends and family as possible.  Call it serendipity, good luck or maybe even a bit of fairy dust.  But over and over I see the same thing happen to drivers when they suffer a traumatic injury; they seem to do deceptively well almost immediately after leaving the emergency room.  Magic could explain this transformation.

Yes, we have Brad Keselowski's unlikely win at Pocono on Sunday as an example, but one instance does not indicate a pattern.

Well then, how about Denny Hamlin and his tortured knee in 2010?  He goes in for surgery, and two races later took the checkers at Texas Motor Speedway.  You know he wasn't exactly driving pain free.  A little bit of flexibility in your knee is needed in the cockpit of a car, even if you aren't using that foot for braking and accelerating.  G-forces require every muscle in your body to make adjustments in the tight corners and high banks of a track. 

Maybe it's a physical reaction?  Pain is known to do many things to the human brain.  Perhaps its presence enables the driver to focus on the task at hand, knowing they have to ignore the torture throbbing in the injured extremity.

Need more instances?  Anybody remember Carl Edwards hopping around on a pair of crutches after a disastrous Frisbee accident? (Watch out for flying saucers! They can be deadly.)  It only took less than two weeks for Cousin Carl to be required to opt for a sedate bow on the frontstretch, instead of his usual backflip, after winning the Nationwide Richmond race on September 11, 2009.

Then we can also return to Pocono, another year, and another driver.  Maybe the question regarding the health of Jeff Gordon's back lingered for several years after he piled his No. 24 into the Turn 1 wall of the roval, but his immediate post-injury performance did not indicate anything had gone wrong for the four-time champ.  He rang the bell at Sonoma just two weeks later, hiccupped at Daytona then decided only first would do again at Chicago, followed up by a solid third-place performance when the Cup boys returned to the scene of the crime.  Injured?  Hobbling for years to come?  Injections?  Bah…  Maybe he needed to keep the pain in order to keep winning.

Then we might want to turn on the way back machine and consider a different Cup Champion.  Terry Labonte spent the final two races of the 1996 season with his hand in a splint, only able to steer with three fingers.  Nonetheless, it didn't seem to slow his No. 5 Chevy down, logging third and fifth-place finishes, respectively. You can be sure there are many other examples of NASCAR drivers fighting a bad back, broken bone, or lingering effects of too many fumes the weeks before.  It's part of what makes them our heroes.

Brad Keselowski piled into that concrete wall, after sending the tire barrier into the air, and moved the entire impediment a good three to five feet at Road Atlanta.  It shouldn't surprise anybody that he suffered a fractured ankle - only that he wasn't hurt any worse.  But it still stuns us when we see these athletes choose to suck up the pain and climb in the car.

Keselowski demonstrated on Sunday that he does have what it takes to stand up next to the best in the business, declaring to the world that riding around on a bum ankle is nothing next to the thrill to be found in winning a Sprint Cup race.  Whether we had a little bit of fairy dust to thank, or simply the kind of focus only found in injured professional athletes, it was terribly fun to watch the proverbial underdog overcome the obstacles that were tossed in his path. 

I hope Keselowski's ankle heals quickly…but then again, maybe he'll want to hang onto the pain for just one more week.  Visits to Victory Lane don't happen all the time for a driver, after all.

S.D. Grady is an Assistant Editor for Frontstretch.com.  She can be reached via e-mail at sonya.grady@frontstretch.com.  Follow her on Twitter at @laregna.
~~~~~~~~~~
ADVERTISEMENT
Are you looking to advertise your website, product or brand?  A good way to get your name out there is via direct advertising here in the Frontstretch Newsletter!  Interested parties can contact us at frontstretcheditors@googlegroups.com for details.
~~~~~~~~~~~
TODAY ON THE FRONTSTRETCH:
 
5 Points to Ponder: Ruffling Feathers And Fond Farewells
by Danny Peters
by Summer Dreyer

Talking NASCAR TV: ESPN's New Nationwide Blood... Wil Schrader Get A Chance?
by Phil Allaway

Mother Nature Plays Racing God: Victors And Victims From Pocono's Sunny Ending
by Tom Bowles

Far From Coming Clean: How Edwards Rang Hollow At Pocono
by Danny Peters
~~~~~~~~~~~
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.
~~~~~~~~~~~
FRONTSTRETCH TRIVIA:
 
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?
 
Check back Wednesday for the answer, here in the Frontstretch Newsletter!
 
Monday's Answer:

Q:
  In 1988, Neil Bonnett crashed his No. 75 Valvoline Pontiac in practice for the Budweiser at the Glen, forcing the RAHMOC team to go to a backup car.  However, the team didn't have one.  What did RAHMOC have to do to get Bonnett a car to start the race at Watkins Glen with?

A:  The No. 75 team had to borrow the backup car from Bahari Racing (the No. 30 Country Time Pontiac) and put Valvoline decals on it.  Unfortunately, the car suffered from overheating issues almost from the start of the race.  These issues eventually forced Bonnett to retire the car after only 21 laps, resulting in a 38th-place finish.
 
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! 
~~~~~~~~~~
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.
~~~~~~~~~~
Coming tomorrow in the Frontstretch Newsletter:
-- Top News from Tom Bowles
-- Full Throttle by Mike Neff
This Week's Topic: Drew Herring and the success of Joe Gibbs Racing's Nationwide Program
-- Tweet 'N' Greet by Jay Pennell
-- Links to your favorite Frontstretch articles, and more!
~~~~~~~~~~
Tomorrow on the Frontstretch:
 
Did You Notice? ... by Tom Bowles
Did You Notice? ... The reason fuel mileage and strategy racing has taken over? Tom Bowles explores that, five drivers ready for Cup right now and so much more in his list of small but important weekly observations surrounding the NASCAR circuit.

Mirror Driving by the Frontstretch Staff
The Mirror crew is at it again with more talking points to debate.  Topics include Carl Edwards' potential move to the broadcast booth in the Nationwide Series in 2012, whether teams should even bother with ringers anymore for road courses, the spat between Jimmie Johnson and Kurt Busch on Sunday, and more.
 
Frontstretch Top Ten by Jeff Meyer
Our weekly list based on the latest NASCAR controversy will start your morning off with a laugh -- guaranteed.
 
Top 15 Power Rankings by the Frontstretch Staff
Which driver came out of Pocono on top of our 2011 Power Rankings chart? Jimmie Johnson? Carl Edwards? Kevin Harvick? Someone else? Find out who our select Frontstretch experts have labeled as this week's favorite heading into Watkins Glen.

Foto Funnies: Good Sam RV Insurance 500 Edition by Kurt Smith
Kurt's back to leave you laughing with the best photos you didn't see in the papers from NASCAR recently.

Voice Of Vito by Vito Pugliese
Brad Keselowski's victory on Sunday proved a couple of different things.  One of them was the fact that Keselowski has a lot of guts.  The other is that Keselowski is Dodge's "Great White Hope" in Sprint Cup.  Why is this so?  Check out Vito's article and find out for yourself.

Beyond The Cockpit: Frank Kimmel as told to Bryan Davis Keith
What has put Kimmel, the longtime ARCA veteran and record titleholder back in position to contend for a championship? Our Bryan Keith finds out the key to building the driver's self-owned operation, as well as his thoughts on Lucas Oil Raceway's recent drama, the state of the ARCA series and so much more in a wide-ranging, one-on-one interview from Pocono.

-----------------------------
Talk back to the Frontstretch Newsletter!
Got something to say about an article you've seen in the newsletter? It's as easy as replying directly to this message or sending an email to editors@frontstretch.com. We'll take the best comments and publish them here!
©2011 Frontstretch.com

--
Feel free to forward this newsletter if you have any friends who loves
NASCAR and great NASCAR commentary. They can subscribe to the Frontstetch by visiting http://www.frontstretch.com/notice/9557/.
 
If you want to stop your Frontstretch Newsletter subscription, we're sorry
to see you go. Just send an email to
TheFrontstretch-unsubscribe@googlegroups.com from the address that you
recieve the Frontstretch Newsletter.

No comments:

Post a Comment