THE FRONTSTRETCH NEWSLETTER
Presented by Frontstretch.com
The Best Seat at the Track, The Best View on the Net!
October 14, 2011
Volume V, Edition CCXVII
~~~~~~~~~~
NEW PODCAST! Don't forget our new FREE weekly audio segments hosted by Doug Turnbull. Click here for the October 14th edition that features Bobby Labonte as our main racing guest.
~~~~~~~~~~
What to Watch For: Friday
by Beth Lunkenheimer
- Preparation for Saturday's Bank of America 500 continues as the Sprint Cup Series will have two different practice sessions today. The first will be held from 4:30 PM EDT to 5:15 PM EDT followed closely by Happy Hour, from 5:50 PM EDT to 6:50 PM EDT.
- The Nationwide Series will hold its qualifying session at 3:00 PM EDT; after that, the cars will be impounded until race time. Paul Menard was fastest in the first practice session and Joey Logano paced the field in Happy Hour.
- It's Race Day! The Nationwide Series will run the Dollar General 300 Miles of Courage tonight at 7:30 PM EDT, with coverage on ABC. The field will race 200 laps (300 miles) en route to the checkered flag. North Carolina's oldest living breast cancer survivor, Nannie Sue Neal, will serve as the Honorary Race Director; she turns 102 on Saturday.
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Top News
by Summer Dreyer and Beth Lunkenheimer
Stewart Grabs First Pole of Season at Charlotte
by Beth Lunkenheimer
Tony Stewart grabbed his first pole this season Thursday at Charlotte Motor Speedway after turning a lap of 191.959 mph in 28.131 sec for the Bank of America 500. After going out 36th, Stewart had to wait for ten more drivers to exceed his time, but no one could, giving the driver of the No. 14 his 13th career pole and first at Charlotte. Matt Kenseth starts on the outside pole with a speed of 191.918 mph in 28.137 sec.
"That was a pretty cool lap; the hard part is typically we see the pack pick up a little more in qualifying than we saw tonight. You just didn't know what to think," Stewart said after Kasey Kahne completed his qualifying run and ended the session. "You normally see a large, large pick up from practice speeds to qualifying in the evening here, but just was happy with the lap. I felt like we had a good pick up, definitely had a really good lap obviously. It was definitely better than we thought after we got out of the car."
Point leader Carl Edwards, A.J. Allmendinger and Greg Biffle rounded out the top 5, giving Roush Fenway Racing three out of the top 5 starting positions. Ryan Newman starts sixth followed by Brickyard 400 winner Paul Menard. Kasey Kahne, Jimmie Johnson and Trevor Bayne round out the top 10. For Bayne, it was his best qualifying effort on an unrestricted track this season; the youngster is working hard to keep his ride in the Wood Brothers car for 2012.
"I definitely got a little bit loose in one and two," he said. "But I think I could have driven it a little bit different down there. We just expected the car to travel more in qualifying here at night, so we raised the car up a little bit and it got free. At least we went a little bit faster than practice, so that was good."
Josh Wise, Scott Speed and Geoffrey Bodine failed to qualify for the 43-car field. Click here for the complete lineup for the Bank of America 500.
Kahne Leads First Practice at Charlotte
The Chase for the Championship typically sees the "cream" rise to the top. But at a track in Charlotte where last Fall, non-Chaser Jamie McMurray took home the hardware it's the guys on the outside looking in on this title playoff flexing their muscles. Kasey Kahne paced the field in first practice on the 1.5-mile oval Friday, turning in a speed of 191.455 miles an hour and leading a sweep of six non-Chasers in the top six positions: Paul Menard, Greg Biffle, Mark Martin, Regan Smith and Marcos Ambrose. For Kahne, it was a solid start at a track where he's won in the past; and with two straight top-5 finishes, his No. 4 Red Bull Racing Toyota charges in with more momentum than half the title contenders.
"We were really good in practice today in qualifying and in race trim," he said later. "I think in the race it should be really good. We just need to keep up with the track and keep up with keeping the track position and things throughout the race. We'll have a good shot."
Further back, Jimmie Johnson registered as the second-best Chaser, clocking in 10th while Tony Stewart finished up practice a solid 11th. In a bit of foreshadowing for what would occur hours later, when the No. 14 Chevy took the pole Stewart marched into his press conference with confidence - a surprise since his best finish with an SHR car at Charlotte is 13th, back in 2009.
Dollar General Officially Moving to JGR in 2012
On Thursday, Dollar General made the official announcement for their move to Joe Gibbs Racing's Sprint Cup and Nationwide Series programs in 2012. The company will be on board Brian Scott's No. 11 Toyota for a full season in the Nationwide Series and 10 races on either the No. 20 or No. 18 cars with either Joey Logano or Kyle Busch behind the wheel.
In addition, Dollar General will sponsor Logano's No. 20 car in the Sprint Cup Series for 12 races in 2012.
The company will also remain in the Camping World Truck Series with Kyle Busch Motorsports, sponsoring the No. 18 truck for 10 races with owner / driver Busch behind the wheel.
"Dollar General is excited to partner with Joe Gibbs Racing and Kyle Busch Motorsports in 2012," said Rick Dreiling, Dollar General's Chairman and CEO. "Dollar General's 2012 racing program will be primarily focused on NASCAR. We chose to increase our presence in NASCAR because it is a sport that reaches our customers. We look forward to working with JGR and KBM to help us continue to build our brand through NASCAR."
Dollar General has been on Busch's truck in NCWTS competition for a number of races this season. The changes come at the expense of Turner Motorsports, who had Dollar General on their No. 32 car with Reed Sorenson behind the wheel. Sorenson was recently let go from the organization, and Dollar General will drop sponsorship of the team at the end of the year.
Declining Attendance Continues at NASCAR Hall of Fame
Month-to-month attendance at the NASCAR Hall of Fame in Charlotte, NC continues to drop, as the facility lost $177,450 during the month of August. The year-to-year figures were down significantly, as 16,703 people visited the hall in August 2011 as opposed to 23,539 in August 2010.
The hall was reimbursed $41,000 by the city of Charlotte for the loss in revenue, but still continues to lose money. The first two months of the fiscal year saw a loss of $365,764 with reimbursements from the city lowering that amount to $280,188.
Editor's Note: Did you miss the live coverage from Charlotte Motor Speedway today? You can keep yourself up to date all weekend long with Mike Neff and Amy Henderson live at the track on Twitter (@thefrontstretch) and in our Breaking News Box on the main page.
Thursday's Live Updates:
Charlotte: First Sprint Cup Practice Results
Dollar General to Sponsor Joe Gibbs Racing in 2012
Cheerios to Run Special Paint Scheme to Help the USO at Phoenix
Pretty in Pink for Friday Night
Jeremy Clements Harnessing the Power of the People
Have news for Summer and The Frontstretch? Don't hesitate to let us know; email us at phil.allaway@frontstretch.com with a promising lead or tip.
~~~~~~~~~~
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 special 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.
~~~~~~~~~~
In Case You Missed It
by Brett Poirier
Charlotte to Recognize Most Dedicated Fans
Charlotte Motor Speedway will recognize 29 fans who have been attending races at the track for the last 50 years. The ceremony will take place during pre-race festivities for the Bank of America 500 on Saturday. Eight of the 29 fans being honored will be on the pre-race stage and will also be featured on the world's largest HDTV.
Each of the 29 fans attended the inaugural World 600, now Coca-Cola 600, run in 1960 at the speedway. Each 50-year fan will receive a fan credential and a commemorative lanyard.
Pocono Raceway Announces the 'Repave and Relaunch Sweepstakes'
In conjunction with the re-launch of its official Facebook Fan Page, Pocono Raceway is holding the Repave and Relaunch Sweepstakes. Pocono Posse fans can visit Facebook to enter for a special prize package during the June, 2012 NASCAR weekend at Pocono. The sweepstakes winner will receive a meet and greet with their favorite NASCAR driver, four Saturday grandstand tickets for the ARCA Racing Series Pocono 200 and Sprint Cup Series Pocono 400 qualifying, four Sunday grandstand tickets for the Pocono 400, four pre-race pit / paddock passes for the entire race weekend, hotel accommodations for two nights, a $100 Sunoco gas card and a commemorative collective piece the track's old Start/Finish Line.
"Fan interaction is what we're all about here at Pocono Raceway," Pocono Raceway President and CEO Brandon Igdalsky said. "We have seen a spike in the numbers of our race fans using Facebook to communicate with us. We felt it was vital to focus some of our marketing efforts to follow this ever-growing social media trend and develop a place on Facebook where fans could decide where to be directed. Our new landing page gives race fans the option to remain on Facebook, check on our Twitter updates, visit our main website or purchase tickets. We are excited about this first change to our social media efforts and look forward to hearing feedback from the greatest fans in the world."
Shepherd Will Carry Special Decal at Charlotte
In honor of Nationwide Series driver Morgan Shepherd's 70th birthday on Wednesday, Shepherd Racing Ventures will have a special decal on the hood of the No. 89 car on Friday night for the Dollar General 300 Miles of Courage. Shepherd has racked up 19 wins since entering the top levels of NASCAR in 1970.
Presented by Frontstretch.com
The Best Seat at the Track, The Best View on the Net!
October 14, 2011
Volume V, Edition CCXVII
~~~~~~~~~~
NEW PODCAST! Don't forget our new FREE weekly audio segments hosted by Doug Turnbull. Click here for the October 14th edition that features Bobby Labonte as our main racing guest.
~~~~~~~~~~
What to Watch For: Friday
by Beth Lunkenheimer
- Preparation for Saturday's Bank of America 500 continues as the Sprint Cup Series will have two different practice sessions today. The first will be held from 4:30 PM EDT to 5:15 PM EDT followed closely by Happy Hour, from 5:50 PM EDT to 6:50 PM EDT.
- The Nationwide Series will hold its qualifying session at 3:00 PM EDT; after that, the cars will be impounded until race time. Paul Menard was fastest in the first practice session and Joey Logano paced the field in Happy Hour.
- It's Race Day! The Nationwide Series will run the Dollar General 300 Miles of Courage tonight at 7:30 PM EDT, with coverage on ABC. The field will race 200 laps (300 miles) en route to the checkered flag. North Carolina's oldest living breast cancer survivor, Nannie Sue Neal, will serve as the Honorary Race Director; she turns 102 on Saturday.
~~~~~~~~~~
Top News
by Summer Dreyer and Beth Lunkenheimer
Stewart Grabs First Pole of Season at Charlotte
by Beth Lunkenheimer
Tony Stewart grabbed his first pole this season Thursday at Charlotte Motor Speedway after turning a lap of 191.959 mph in 28.131 sec for the Bank of America 500. After going out 36th, Stewart had to wait for ten more drivers to exceed his time, but no one could, giving the driver of the No. 14 his 13th career pole and first at Charlotte. Matt Kenseth starts on the outside pole with a speed of 191.918 mph in 28.137 sec.
"That was a pretty cool lap; the hard part is typically we see the pack pick up a little more in qualifying than we saw tonight. You just didn't know what to think," Stewart said after Kasey Kahne completed his qualifying run and ended the session. "You normally see a large, large pick up from practice speeds to qualifying in the evening here, but just was happy with the lap. I felt like we had a good pick up, definitely had a really good lap obviously. It was definitely better than we thought after we got out of the car."
Point leader Carl Edwards, A.J. Allmendinger and Greg Biffle rounded out the top 5, giving Roush Fenway Racing three out of the top 5 starting positions. Ryan Newman starts sixth followed by Brickyard 400 winner Paul Menard. Kasey Kahne, Jimmie Johnson and Trevor Bayne round out the top 10. For Bayne, it was his best qualifying effort on an unrestricted track this season; the youngster is working hard to keep his ride in the Wood Brothers car for 2012.
"I definitely got a little bit loose in one and two," he said. "But I think I could have driven it a little bit different down there. We just expected the car to travel more in qualifying here at night, so we raised the car up a little bit and it got free. At least we went a little bit faster than practice, so that was good."
Josh Wise, Scott Speed and Geoffrey Bodine failed to qualify for the 43-car field. Click here for the complete lineup for the Bank of America 500.
Kahne Leads First Practice at Charlotte
The Chase for the Championship typically sees the "cream" rise to the top. But at a track in Charlotte where last Fall, non-Chaser Jamie McMurray took home the hardware it's the guys on the outside looking in on this title playoff flexing their muscles. Kasey Kahne paced the field in first practice on the 1.5-mile oval Friday, turning in a speed of 191.455 miles an hour and leading a sweep of six non-Chasers in the top six positions: Paul Menard, Greg Biffle, Mark Martin, Regan Smith and Marcos Ambrose. For Kahne, it was a solid start at a track where he's won in the past; and with two straight top-5 finishes, his No. 4 Red Bull Racing Toyota charges in with more momentum than half the title contenders.
"We were really good in practice today in qualifying and in race trim," he said later. "I think in the race it should be really good. We just need to keep up with the track and keep up with keeping the track position and things throughout the race. We'll have a good shot."
Further back, Jimmie Johnson registered as the second-best Chaser, clocking in 10th while Tony Stewart finished up practice a solid 11th. In a bit of foreshadowing for what would occur hours later, when the No. 14 Chevy took the pole Stewart marched into his press conference with confidence - a surprise since his best finish with an SHR car at Charlotte is 13th, back in 2009.
"I think we are good," he said. "We would like to have been able to make one more run there but it is the best that I think we have unloaded here in a long time."
For a full list of how the Sprint Cup teams did in practice, click here.Dollar General Officially Moving to JGR in 2012
On Thursday, Dollar General made the official announcement for their move to Joe Gibbs Racing's Sprint Cup and Nationwide Series programs in 2012. The company will be on board Brian Scott's No. 11 Toyota for a full season in the Nationwide Series and 10 races on either the No. 20 or No. 18 cars with either Joey Logano or Kyle Busch behind the wheel.
In addition, Dollar General will sponsor Logano's No. 20 car in the Sprint Cup Series for 12 races in 2012.
The company will also remain in the Camping World Truck Series with Kyle Busch Motorsports, sponsoring the No. 18 truck for 10 races with owner / driver Busch behind the wheel.
"Dollar General is excited to partner with Joe Gibbs Racing and Kyle Busch Motorsports in 2012," said Rick Dreiling, Dollar General's Chairman and CEO. "Dollar General's 2012 racing program will be primarily focused on NASCAR. We chose to increase our presence in NASCAR because it is a sport that reaches our customers. We look forward to working with JGR and KBM to help us continue to build our brand through NASCAR."
Dollar General has been on Busch's truck in NCWTS competition for a number of races this season. The changes come at the expense of Turner Motorsports, who had Dollar General on their No. 32 car with Reed Sorenson behind the wheel. Sorenson was recently let go from the organization, and Dollar General will drop sponsorship of the team at the end of the year.
Declining Attendance Continues at NASCAR Hall of Fame
Month-to-month attendance at the NASCAR Hall of Fame in Charlotte, NC continues to drop, as the facility lost $177,450 during the month of August. The year-to-year figures were down significantly, as 16,703 people visited the hall in August 2011 as opposed to 23,539 in August 2010.
The hall was reimbursed $41,000 by the city of Charlotte for the loss in revenue, but still continues to lose money. The first two months of the fiscal year saw a loss of $365,764 with reimbursements from the city lowering that amount to $280,188.
Editor's Note: Did you miss the live coverage from Charlotte Motor Speedway today? You can keep yourself up to date all weekend long with Mike Neff and Amy Henderson live at the track on Twitter (@thefrontstretch) and in our Breaking News Box on the main page.
Thursday's Live Updates:
Charlotte: First Sprint Cup Practice Results
Dollar General to Sponsor Joe Gibbs Racing in 2012
Cheerios to Run Special Paint Scheme to Help the USO at Phoenix
Pretty in Pink for Friday Night
Jeremy Clements Harnessing the Power of the People
Have news for Summer and The Frontstretch? Don't hesitate to let us know; email us at phil.allaway@frontstretch.com with a promising lead or tip.
~~~~~~~~~~
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 special 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.
~~~~~~~~~~
In Case You Missed It
by Brett Poirier
Charlotte to Recognize Most Dedicated Fans
Charlotte Motor Speedway will recognize 29 fans who have been attending races at the track for the last 50 years. The ceremony will take place during pre-race festivities for the Bank of America 500 on Saturday. Eight of the 29 fans being honored will be on the pre-race stage and will also be featured on the world's largest HDTV.
Each of the 29 fans attended the inaugural World 600, now Coca-Cola 600, run in 1960 at the speedway. Each 50-year fan will receive a fan credential and a commemorative lanyard.
Pocono Raceway Announces the 'Repave and Relaunch Sweepstakes'
In conjunction with the re-launch of its official Facebook Fan Page, Pocono Raceway is holding the Repave and Relaunch Sweepstakes. Pocono Posse fans can visit Facebook to enter for a special prize package during the June, 2012 NASCAR weekend at Pocono. The sweepstakes winner will receive a meet and greet with their favorite NASCAR driver, four Saturday grandstand tickets for the ARCA Racing Series Pocono 200 and Sprint Cup Series Pocono 400 qualifying, four Sunday grandstand tickets for the Pocono 400, four pre-race pit / paddock passes for the entire race weekend, hotel accommodations for two nights, a $100 Sunoco gas card and a commemorative collective piece the track's old Start/Finish Line.
"Fan interaction is what we're all about here at Pocono Raceway," Pocono Raceway President and CEO Brandon Igdalsky said. "We have seen a spike in the numbers of our race fans using Facebook to communicate with us. We felt it was vital to focus some of our marketing efforts to follow this ever-growing social media trend and develop a place on Facebook where fans could decide where to be directed. Our new landing page gives race fans the option to remain on Facebook, check on our Twitter updates, visit our main website or purchase tickets. We are excited about this first change to our social media efforts and look forward to hearing feedback from the greatest fans in the world."
Shepherd Will Carry Special Decal at Charlotte
In honor of Nationwide Series driver Morgan Shepherd's 70th birthday on Wednesday, Shepherd Racing Ventures will have a special decal on the hood of the No. 89 car on Friday night for the Dollar General 300 Miles of Courage. Shepherd has racked up 19 wins since entering the top levels of NASCAR in 1970.
~~~~~~~~~~
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 and columnist Mike Neff break down who needs the best run at Charlotte, the roadblocks standing in the way of the 2012 Nationwide and Truck Series schedules and much more! Check it out here!
~~~~~~~~~~
Keepin' It Short: Time to Crown a Champion
by Mike Neff
The Lucas Oil Dirt Late Models travel all over the country slinging dirt and thrilling fans for over 40 nights of racing. This weekend at K-C Raceway in Chillicothe, OH their season will come to an end at the Dirt Track World Championships. The winner of the race will walk away with a $50,000 check and very likely will be crowned the champion of the series because the two drivers who are battling for the title are very likely to be the ones who will battle for the win. Jimmy Owens leads Scott Bloomquist by 50 points going into this weekend's season finale after winning the last race at Rome Speedway and passing Bloomquist in the standings.
Bloomquist has had an impressive season winning 15 races or more than 1/3 of the schedule while Owens has taken home the trophy eight times. Bloomquist is the two-time defending champion of the Lucas Oil Dirt Late Model Series.
The activity for the Late Models gets underway on Friday with qualifying, and the fastest qualifier will take home $1,000. After qualifying there will also be heat races for the Late Models to determine most of the cars that will transfer into the main event. Saturday will kick off at 7:00 PM with the B-Mains followed by a special Jimmy Dunn Non-Qualifiers' race that will take place before the main event paying $3,000 to the winner and giving them an option to start at the rear of the field for the feature. The 100-lap Dirt Track World Championship will finish off the evening with the series champion being crowned after the event.
Previous Dirt Track World Championship Winners
1981 – Jim Dunn
1982 – Charlie Swartz
1983 – Freddy Smith
1984 – Jack Boggs
1985 – Freddy Smith
1986 – Billy Moyer
1987 – Larry Moore
1988 – Donnie Moran
1989 – John Mason
1990 – Jack Boggs
1991 – Freddy Smith
1992 – Ronnie Johnson
1993 – Freddy Smith
1994 – Ronnie Johnson
1995 – Jack Boggs
1996 – Billy Moyer
1997 – Marshall Green
1998 – Freddy Smith
1999 – Steve Francis
2000 – Wendell Wallace
2001 – Bart Hartman
2002 – Shannon Babb
2003 – Darrell Lanigan
2004 – Rick Eckert
2005 – Scott Bloomquist
2006 – Shannon Babb
2007 – Chub Frank
2008 – Brian Birkhofer
2009 – Jimmy Mars
2010 – Earl Pearson, Jr.
This Weekend's Race Schedule
Fri : Oct. 14th - USA Race Park ; Tucson : AZ - Total Seal Late Model Dirt Series
Fri : Oct. 14th - Chowchilla Speedway ; Chowchilla : CA - Western AllStar DIRTcar Late Models
Fri : Oct. 14th - Ocean Speedway ; Watsonville : CA - Taco Bravo Ocean Sprints
Fri : Oct. 14th - Boyds Speedway ; Ringgold : GA - Southern Regional Racing Series
Fri : Oct. 14th – Tri-City Speedway ; Pontoon Beach : IL – PCRA Crate Late Models
Fri : Oct. 14th - Kokomo Speedway ; Kokomo : IN - UMRA TQ Midgets
Fri : Oct. 14th - Kokomo Speedway ; Kokomo : IN - USAC Mopar D1 Midgets
Fri : Oct. 14th - Ark-La-Tex Speedway ; Vivian : LA - Southern Thunder Sprints
Fri : Oct. 14th - Baton Rouge Raceway ; Baton Rouge : LA - Cajun Sprinters Association
Fri : Oct. 14th - Baton Rouge Raceway ; Baton Rouge : LA - SUPR Late Models
Fri : Oct. 14th – Allegany County Speedway ; Cumberland : MD – Steel Block Bandits
Fri : Oct. 14th - Elko Speedway ; Elko : MN - Corn Belt Clash Late Model Series
Fri : Oct. 14th - Elko Speedway ; Elko : MN - Upper Midwest Sprint Series
Fri : Oct. 14th – West Plains Motor Speedway ; West Plains : MO – Midwest Late Models
Fri : Oct. 14th – K-C Raceway ; Chillicothe : OH – Lucas Oil Dirt Late Models
Fri : Oct. 14th – Winchester Speedway ; Winchester : VA – Super Late Models
Sat : Oct. 15th - Green Valley Speedway ; Gadsden : AL - Southern Regional Racing Series
Sat : Oct. 15th - USA Race Park ; Tucson : AZ - Total Seal Late Model Dirt Series
Sat : Oct. 15th - All American Speedway ; Roseville : CA - NASCAR K&N West Series
Sat : Oct. 15th - All American Speedway ; Roseville : CA - SRL Late Models
Sat : Oct. 15th - Auto Club Speedway ; Fontana : CA - ChumpCar World Series
Sat : Oct. 15th - Chowchilla Speedway ; Chowchilla : CA - Western AllStar DIRTcar Late Models
Sat : Oct. 15th - Giant Chevrolet Speedway ; Hanford : CA - Golden State Challenge
Sat : Oct. 15th - Giant Chevrolet Speedway ; Hanford : CA - USAC 360 Sprint Series
Sat : Oct. 15th - Lakeport Speedway ; Lakeport : CA - BCRA Midgets
Sat : Oct. 15th - Lakeport Speedway ; Lakeport : CA - BCRA Vintage
Sat : Oct. 15th - Toyota Speedway at Irwindale ; Irwindale : CA - USAC Western Sprint Cars
Sat : Oct. 15th - Ventura Raceway ; Ventura : CA - California Lightning Sprints
Sat : Oct. 15th - Thompson International Speedway ; Thompson : CT - International Super Modifieds
Sat : Oct. 15th - Thompson International Speedway ; Thompson : CT - NEMA Midgets
Sat : Oct. 15th - Thompson International Speedway ; Thompson : CT - New England Truck Series
Sat : Oct. 15th - Thompson International Speedway ; Thompson : CT - Pro Four Modfieds of New England
Sat : Oct. 15th – Bubba Raceway Park ; Ocala : FL – Late Models
Sat : Oct. 15th – Tri-City Speedway ; Pontoon Beach : IL – UMP Crate Late Models
Sat : Oct. 15th - Anderson Speedway ; Anderson : IN - International Outlaw Figure 8 Series
Sat : Oct. 15th - Kokomo Speedway ; Kokomo : IN - USAC Mopar D1 Midgets
Sat : Oct. 15th - Winchester Speedway ; Winchester : IN - USA Modifieds
Sat : Oct. 15th - Ark-La-Tex Speedway ; Vivian : LA - Southern Thunder Sprints
Sat : Oct. 15th - Baton Rouge Raceway ; Baton Rouge : LA - Cajun Sprinters Association
Sat : Oct. 15th - Baton Rouge Raceway ; Baton Rouge : LA - SUPR Late Models
Sat : Oct. 15th – Allegany County Speedway ; Cumberland : MD – Steel Block Bandits
Sat : Oct. 15th - Springport Motor Speedway ; Springport : MI - MCR Dwarf Cars
Sat : Oct. 15th - Springport Motor Speedway ; Springport : MI - USST Great Lake Trucks
Sat : Oct. 15th - Elko Speedway ; Elko : MN - Corn Belt Clash Late Model Series
Sat : Oct. 15th - Elko Speedway ; Elko : MN - Upper Midwest Sprint Series
Sat : Oct. 15th – West Plains Motor Speedway ; West Plains : MO – Midwest Late Models
Sat : Oct. 15th – Coastal Plains Speedway ; Jacksonville : NC – Limited Late Models
Sat : Oct. 15th - Fayetteville Motor Speedway ; Fayetteville : NC - Carolina Clash Late Model Series
Sat : Oct. 15th - Motorsports Park Hastings Hastings Nebraska SCCA Regional
Sat : Oct. 15th - Riverside Speedway ; Groveton : NH - PASS Sportsman
Sat : Oct. 15th - Riverside Speedway ; Groveton : NH - PASS Sportsman
Sat : Oct. 15th - Fremont Speedway ; Fremont : OH – World of Outlaws Sprint Cars
Sat : Oct. 15th – K-C Raceway ; Chillicothe : OH – Lucas Oil Dirt Late Models
Sat : Oct. 15th - Toledo Speedway ; Toledo : OH - USAC Silver Crown
Sat : Oct. 15th - Grandview Speedway ; Bechtelsville : PA - ARDC Midgets
Sat : Oct. 15th - Grandview Speedway ; Bechtelsville : PA - United Racing Company
Sat : Oct. 15th - Hesston Speedway; Huntingdon : PA - Unified Force Race Championship Tour
Sat : Oct. 15th - Penn Can Speedway ; Susquehanna : PA - Capitol Region Sprintcar Association
Sat : Oct. 15th – Florence Motor Speedway ; Timmonsville : SC – Limited Late Models
Sat : Oct. 15th - Nashville Superspeedway ; Nashville : TN - ChumpCar World Series
Sat : Oct. 15th – Smoky Mountain Speedway ; Maryville : TN – Southern Regional Racing Series
Sat : Oct. 15th - Shady Oaks Speedway ; Goliad : TX - Dwarf Car Series of Texas
Sat : Oct. 15th – Winchester Speedway ; Winchester : VA – Super Late Models
Sun : Oct. 16th - South Alabama Speedway ; Opp : AL - Alabama 200
Sun : Oct. 16th - Firebird Int Raceway Chandler Arizona NHRA National Event
Sun : Oct. 16th - Auto Club Speedway ; Fontana : CA - ChumpCar World Series
Sun : Oct. 16th - Thompson International Speedway ; Thompson : CT - International Super Modifieds
Sun : Oct. 16th - Thompson International Speedway ; Thompson : CT - NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour
Sun : Oct. 16th - Thompson International Speedway ; Thompson : CT - NEMA Midgets
Sun : Oct. 16th - Thompson International Speedway ; Thompson : CT - New England Truck Series
Sun : Oct. 16th - Daytona Int Speedway Daytona Beach Florida AHRMA Motorcycles Road Racing
Sun : Oct. 16th - Roebling Road Raceway Savannah Georgia V8 Stock Car Road Racing Series
Sun : Oct. 16th - Winchester Speedway ; Winchester : IN - CRA Super Series
Sun : Oct. 16th - Springport Motor Speedway ; Springport : MI - USST Great Lake Trucks
Sun : Oct. 16th – Caraway Speedway ; Asheboro : NC – Super Five Series Late Models
Sun : Oct. 16th – Caraway Speedway ; Asheboro : NC – Limited Late Models
Sun : Oct. 16th – Hickory Motor Speedway ; Newton : NC – Dwight Huffman Memorial LMSC
Sun : Oct. 16th - Toledo Speedway ; Toledo : OH - ARCA Late Models
Sun : Oct. 16th - Brockville Ontario Speedway ; Brockville : Ontario - Super DIRTcar Big Block Series
Sun : Oct. 16th - Nashville Superspeedway ; Nashville : TN - ChumpCar World Series
Sun : Oct. 16th - Eagles Canyon Raceway ; Slidell : TXSCCA Regional
Mike Neff is a Senior Writer for Frontstretch.com. He can be reached via email at mike.neff@frontstretch.com.
~~~~~~~~~~
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.
~~~~~~~~~~
Frontstretch Folio: Bank of America 500
by Summer Dreyer
This weekend, the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series heads to Charlotte Motor Speedway for the Bank of America 500. Saturday night's race will be the 31st of the season and fifth in the Chase for the Sprint Cup, and will be broadcast live Saturday, October 15th, at 7:30 PM ET on ABC and PRN Radio. Drivers will compete for 334 laps (501 miles) before taking the checkered flag.
Records and Facts
Elliott Sadler holds the track qualifying record at Charlotte Motor Speedway, laying down a lap of 27.947 sec at 193.216 mph during qualifying for the 2005 UAW-GM Quality 500. Sadler finished 27th in the race after leading 112 of 334 laps. The pole award was Sadler's fourth and final one of the 2005 season, earning one top 5, 12 top 10s, and an average finish of 18th to finish 13th in points.
Jeff Gordon holds the 500-mile race record at Charlotte Motor Speedway with a speed of 160.306 mph for the 1999 UAW-GM Quality 500. Gordon led 16 of the 334 laps to win by 0.851 sec over second-place Bobby Labonte. Mike Skinner finished third followed by Mark Martin and Ward Burton to round out the top 5. The win was Gordon's seventh and final trip to victory lane in a season that featured 18 top 5s, 21 top-10 finishes and an average finish of 13th. He finished the year sixth in points.
Jamie McMurray is the defending race winner of this event, leading 65 of the 334 laps to win the 2010 Bank of America 500. Second-place Kyle Busch finished 1.866 sec behind McMurray, with Jimmie Johnson, Denny Hamlin, and Greg Biffle rounding out the top 5. McMurray won a total of three races last season and racked up nine top 5s and 12 top 10s. He finished 14th in points.
Track Facts
Track/Race Length: 1.5-mile quad oval, 334 laps (501 miles)
Pit Road Speed: 45 mph
Degree of Banking: 24 degrees in the corners
Frontstretch: 1,952.8 ft., banked 5 degrees
Backstretch: 1,360 ft., banked 5 degrees
Grandstand Seating: 171,000
Pre-race Schedule
Practice: Friday, October 14, 4:30 – 5:15 PM ET on ESPN2
Happy Hour: Friday, October 14, 5:50 – 6:50 PM ET on ESPN2
VIPs:
Command: Dr. Cindy Moss, Director of Science, Technology, Engineering and Math Program at Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools
National Anthem: Country Artist Sara Evans
God Bless America: Season 4 American Idol Contestant Anthony Federov
Invocation: Trevor Bayne
Fly-Over: C-130 from the "Rescue Squadron" at Moody Air Force Base in Georgia
Race Day Forecast
Saturday: Sunny, 0% chance of rain
High: 74
Low: 43
Say What?!
"Well, I think we're going to be a threat. When I go back to Chicago, Kentucky, Kansas obviously, our mile-and-a-half stuff has been coming along pretty good over the last two or three months, so I feel good about it. Charlotte, with that asphalt that's down, it is its own environment and really tough to get your car right from the start of the race to the end of the race. So I feel like directionally we're going the right way, but until I get on the track this week and understand what our grip level is and what our issues are, it's hard to build too much confidence. But it's been that way all year. I mean, it's so tough to take what you learn at one track and carry it to the next, harder than I have ever seen it in our sport." -Jimmie Johnson
"Winning at Charlotte Motor Speedway, since it is my favorite track, would be really special since I've been able to win there in other series and have been close a lot in the Cup car. It seems like the month of May at Charlotte just hasn't liked me too much. We got to win in the Truck Series race in the spring, so I'm hoping we can change that this weekend and get a fall Sprint Cup win. There are plenty of other tracks that we need to win at, too, but there's no doubt it would be big." -Kyle Busch
"Charlotte is a track that does have banking, which I like, so it's a track I really enjoy racing on. We seem to have some good success there. We're excited about going back there for sure. Last time our day was ended early. We got caught up in an accident and it was a pretty hard hit, actually. Our car was junk and we had to throw that one way. Hopefully we can get out of there without throwing a car away and with a good finish. I think we can. Like I said, we ran well there throughout the day and had good speed. I look forward to going back there and hopefully we can turn our luck around." -David Gilliland
Summer Dreyer is a Senior Writer for Frontstretch.com. She can be reached via email at summer.dreyer@frontstretch.com.
~~~~~~~~~~
TODAY ON THE FRONTSTRETCH:
The Poaching of Dollar General Another Blow to the Sport
by Amy Henderson
Four Burning Questions: The Secret to the Chase, The SI Jinx, And The Favorite at Charlotte
by Mike Lovecchio
Voices From the Heartland: Leader Has Spoken. Product Doing Well!
by Jeff Meyer
Regan Smith Diary: Fuel Mileage, The Value of Farm America and a Chase Prediction
as told to Tony Lumbis
Score Four for the Regulars: The Biggest Wins of 2011
by Bryan Davis Keith
Frontstretch Podcast: October 14th Edition
hosted by Doug Turnbull
~~~~~~~~~~
FRONTSTRETCH TRIVIA:
Q: In addition to the NASCAR and IRL events, Charlotte Motor Speedway used to host a somewhat successful International Motor Sports Association (IMSA) event on the infield road course. How did the Camel GT drivers describe the 2.25-mile course that was being used?
Check back Monday for the answer, here in the Frontstretch Newsletter!
Thursday's Answer:
Q: The inaugural IRL race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway saw a pole speed of over 227 mph in the last race for the series with turbocharged engines. However, it also saw some big wrecks, specifically one involving Johnny O'Connell. What happened to O'Connell?
A: O'Connell, driving a No. 6 for Treadway Racing as a teammate to Arie Luyendyk, was keeping his Reynard high up in the order until he spun exiting Turn 4 and hit the wall hard, flipping up onto its side. O'Connell was OK, but the Reynard was truly written off. Of course, since this was the last race for the turbocharged former CART cars, it didn't really matter much to write off the car since it wasn't scheduled to run again.
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!
~~~~~~~~~~
Coming Monday in the Frontstretch Newsletter:
-- Bank of America 500 Race Recap by TBA
-- Running Their Mouth: Bank of America 500 by Brody Jones
-- Links to your favorite Frontstretch articles, and more!
Monday on the Frontstretch:
Matt McLaughlin's Thinkin' Out Loud: Bank of America 500 by Matt McLaughlin
Matt will be here with his overall thoughts about the action from Saturday night's action from the Charlotte.
David vs. Goliath 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 Saturday's race from Charlotte.
Monday Morning Teardown by Ron Lemasters
Ron returns for a website look at one of the big stories from Sunday's race from Kansas.
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 Kansas.
Big Six: Bank of America 500 by Amy Henderson
Looking for all you need to know leaving the fourth race in the Chase for the Sprint Cup? Amy has your who, what, when, where, why and how from a weekend of racing at Charlotte.
Nationwide Series Breakdown: Dollar General 300 Miles of Courage by Brody Jones
Brody has all the post-race analysis you need after Friday night's Nationwide Series race from Charlotte.
Tracking the Trucks: Smith's 350 by Beth Lunkenheimer
Beth has all the post-race analysis you need after Saturday afternoon's Camping World Truck Series race from Las Vegas.
-----------------------------
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
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 and columnist Mike Neff break down who needs the best run at Charlotte, the roadblocks standing in the way of the 2012 Nationwide and Truck Series schedules and much more! Check it out here!
~~~~~~~~~~
Keepin' It Short: Time to Crown a Champion
by Mike Neff
The Lucas Oil Dirt Late Models travel all over the country slinging dirt and thrilling fans for over 40 nights of racing. This weekend at K-C Raceway in Chillicothe, OH their season will come to an end at the Dirt Track World Championships. The winner of the race will walk away with a $50,000 check and very likely will be crowned the champion of the series because the two drivers who are battling for the title are very likely to be the ones who will battle for the win. Jimmy Owens leads Scott Bloomquist by 50 points going into this weekend's season finale after winning the last race at Rome Speedway and passing Bloomquist in the standings.
Bloomquist has had an impressive season winning 15 races or more than 1/3 of the schedule while Owens has taken home the trophy eight times. Bloomquist is the two-time defending champion of the Lucas Oil Dirt Late Model Series.
The activity for the Late Models gets underway on Friday with qualifying, and the fastest qualifier will take home $1,000. After qualifying there will also be heat races for the Late Models to determine most of the cars that will transfer into the main event. Saturday will kick off at 7:00 PM with the B-Mains followed by a special Jimmy Dunn Non-Qualifiers' race that will take place before the main event paying $3,000 to the winner and giving them an option to start at the rear of the field for the feature. The 100-lap Dirt Track World Championship will finish off the evening with the series champion being crowned after the event.
Previous Dirt Track World Championship Winners
1981 – Jim Dunn
1982 – Charlie Swartz
1983 – Freddy Smith
1984 – Jack Boggs
1985 – Freddy Smith
1986 – Billy Moyer
1987 – Larry Moore
1988 – Donnie Moran
1989 – John Mason
1990 – Jack Boggs
1991 – Freddy Smith
1992 – Ronnie Johnson
1993 – Freddy Smith
1994 – Ronnie Johnson
1995 – Jack Boggs
1996 – Billy Moyer
1997 – Marshall Green
1998 – Freddy Smith
1999 – Steve Francis
2000 – Wendell Wallace
2001 – Bart Hartman
2002 – Shannon Babb
2003 – Darrell Lanigan
2004 – Rick Eckert
2005 – Scott Bloomquist
2006 – Shannon Babb
2007 – Chub Frank
2008 – Brian Birkhofer
2009 – Jimmy Mars
2010 – Earl Pearson, Jr.
This Weekend's Race Schedule
Fri : Oct. 14th - USA Race Park ; Tucson : AZ - Total Seal Late Model Dirt Series
Fri : Oct. 14th - Chowchilla Speedway ; Chowchilla : CA - Western AllStar DIRTcar Late Models
Fri : Oct. 14th - Ocean Speedway ; Watsonville : CA - Taco Bravo Ocean Sprints
Fri : Oct. 14th - Boyds Speedway ; Ringgold : GA - Southern Regional Racing Series
Fri : Oct. 14th – Tri-City Speedway ; Pontoon Beach : IL – PCRA Crate Late Models
Fri : Oct. 14th - Kokomo Speedway ; Kokomo : IN - UMRA TQ Midgets
Fri : Oct. 14th - Kokomo Speedway ; Kokomo : IN - USAC Mopar D1 Midgets
Fri : Oct. 14th - Ark-La-Tex Speedway ; Vivian : LA - Southern Thunder Sprints
Fri : Oct. 14th - Baton Rouge Raceway ; Baton Rouge : LA - Cajun Sprinters Association
Fri : Oct. 14th - Baton Rouge Raceway ; Baton Rouge : LA - SUPR Late Models
Fri : Oct. 14th – Allegany County Speedway ; Cumberland : MD – Steel Block Bandits
Fri : Oct. 14th - Elko Speedway ; Elko : MN - Corn Belt Clash Late Model Series
Fri : Oct. 14th - Elko Speedway ; Elko : MN - Upper Midwest Sprint Series
Fri : Oct. 14th – West Plains Motor Speedway ; West Plains : MO – Midwest Late Models
Fri : Oct. 14th – K-C Raceway ; Chillicothe : OH – Lucas Oil Dirt Late Models
Fri : Oct. 14th – Winchester Speedway ; Winchester : VA – Super Late Models
Sat : Oct. 15th - Green Valley Speedway ; Gadsden : AL - Southern Regional Racing Series
Sat : Oct. 15th - USA Race Park ; Tucson : AZ - Total Seal Late Model Dirt Series
Sat : Oct. 15th - All American Speedway ; Roseville : CA - NASCAR K&N West Series
Sat : Oct. 15th - All American Speedway ; Roseville : CA - SRL Late Models
Sat : Oct. 15th - Auto Club Speedway ; Fontana : CA - ChumpCar World Series
Sat : Oct. 15th - Chowchilla Speedway ; Chowchilla : CA - Western AllStar DIRTcar Late Models
Sat : Oct. 15th - Giant Chevrolet Speedway ; Hanford : CA - Golden State Challenge
Sat : Oct. 15th - Giant Chevrolet Speedway ; Hanford : CA - USAC 360 Sprint Series
Sat : Oct. 15th - Lakeport Speedway ; Lakeport : CA - BCRA Midgets
Sat : Oct. 15th - Lakeport Speedway ; Lakeport : CA - BCRA Vintage
Sat : Oct. 15th - Toyota Speedway at Irwindale ; Irwindale : CA - USAC Western Sprint Cars
Sat : Oct. 15th - Ventura Raceway ; Ventura : CA - California Lightning Sprints
Sat : Oct. 15th - Thompson International Speedway ; Thompson : CT - International Super Modifieds
Sat : Oct. 15th - Thompson International Speedway ; Thompson : CT - NEMA Midgets
Sat : Oct. 15th - Thompson International Speedway ; Thompson : CT - New England Truck Series
Sat : Oct. 15th - Thompson International Speedway ; Thompson : CT - Pro Four Modfieds of New England
Sat : Oct. 15th – Bubba Raceway Park ; Ocala : FL – Late Models
Sat : Oct. 15th – Tri-City Speedway ; Pontoon Beach : IL – UMP Crate Late Models
Sat : Oct. 15th - Anderson Speedway ; Anderson : IN - International Outlaw Figure 8 Series
Sat : Oct. 15th - Kokomo Speedway ; Kokomo : IN - USAC Mopar D1 Midgets
Sat : Oct. 15th - Winchester Speedway ; Winchester : IN - USA Modifieds
Sat : Oct. 15th - Ark-La-Tex Speedway ; Vivian : LA - Southern Thunder Sprints
Sat : Oct. 15th - Baton Rouge Raceway ; Baton Rouge : LA - Cajun Sprinters Association
Sat : Oct. 15th - Baton Rouge Raceway ; Baton Rouge : LA - SUPR Late Models
Sat : Oct. 15th – Allegany County Speedway ; Cumberland : MD – Steel Block Bandits
Sat : Oct. 15th - Springport Motor Speedway ; Springport : MI - MCR Dwarf Cars
Sat : Oct. 15th - Springport Motor Speedway ; Springport : MI - USST Great Lake Trucks
Sat : Oct. 15th - Elko Speedway ; Elko : MN - Corn Belt Clash Late Model Series
Sat : Oct. 15th - Elko Speedway ; Elko : MN - Upper Midwest Sprint Series
Sat : Oct. 15th – West Plains Motor Speedway ; West Plains : MO – Midwest Late Models
Sat : Oct. 15th – Coastal Plains Speedway ; Jacksonville : NC – Limited Late Models
Sat : Oct. 15th - Fayetteville Motor Speedway ; Fayetteville : NC - Carolina Clash Late Model Series
Sat : Oct. 15th - Motorsports Park Hastings Hastings Nebraska SCCA Regional
Sat : Oct. 15th - Riverside Speedway ; Groveton : NH - PASS Sportsman
Sat : Oct. 15th - Riverside Speedway ; Groveton : NH - PASS Sportsman
Sat : Oct. 15th - Fremont Speedway ; Fremont : OH – World of Outlaws Sprint Cars
Sat : Oct. 15th – K-C Raceway ; Chillicothe : OH – Lucas Oil Dirt Late Models
Sat : Oct. 15th - Toledo Speedway ; Toledo : OH - USAC Silver Crown
Sat : Oct. 15th - Grandview Speedway ; Bechtelsville : PA - ARDC Midgets
Sat : Oct. 15th - Grandview Speedway ; Bechtelsville : PA - United Racing Company
Sat : Oct. 15th - Hesston Speedway; Huntingdon : PA - Unified Force Race Championship Tour
Sat : Oct. 15th - Penn Can Speedway ; Susquehanna : PA - Capitol Region Sprintcar Association
Sat : Oct. 15th – Florence Motor Speedway ; Timmonsville : SC – Limited Late Models
Sat : Oct. 15th - Nashville Superspeedway ; Nashville : TN - ChumpCar World Series
Sat : Oct. 15th – Smoky Mountain Speedway ; Maryville : TN – Southern Regional Racing Series
Sat : Oct. 15th - Shady Oaks Speedway ; Goliad : TX - Dwarf Car Series of Texas
Sat : Oct. 15th – Winchester Speedway ; Winchester : VA – Super Late Models
Sun : Oct. 16th - South Alabama Speedway ; Opp : AL - Alabama 200
Sun : Oct. 16th - Firebird Int Raceway Chandler Arizona NHRA National Event
Sun : Oct. 16th - Auto Club Speedway ; Fontana : CA - ChumpCar World Series
Sun : Oct. 16th - Thompson International Speedway ; Thompson : CT - International Super Modifieds
Sun : Oct. 16th - Thompson International Speedway ; Thompson : CT - NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour
Sun : Oct. 16th - Thompson International Speedway ; Thompson : CT - NEMA Midgets
Sun : Oct. 16th - Thompson International Speedway ; Thompson : CT - New England Truck Series
Sun : Oct. 16th - Daytona Int Speedway Daytona Beach Florida AHRMA Motorcycles Road Racing
Sun : Oct. 16th - Roebling Road Raceway Savannah Georgia V8 Stock Car Road Racing Series
Sun : Oct. 16th - Winchester Speedway ; Winchester : IN - CRA Super Series
Sun : Oct. 16th - Springport Motor Speedway ; Springport : MI - USST Great Lake Trucks
Sun : Oct. 16th – Caraway Speedway ; Asheboro : NC – Super Five Series Late Models
Sun : Oct. 16th – Caraway Speedway ; Asheboro : NC – Limited Late Models
Sun : Oct. 16th – Hickory Motor Speedway ; Newton : NC – Dwight Huffman Memorial LMSC
Sun : Oct. 16th - Toledo Speedway ; Toledo : OH - ARCA Late Models
Sun : Oct. 16th - Brockville Ontario Speedway ; Brockville : Ontario - Super DIRTcar Big Block Series
Sun : Oct. 16th - Nashville Superspeedway ; Nashville : TN - ChumpCar World Series
Sun : Oct. 16th - Eagles Canyon Raceway ; Slidell : TXSCCA Regional
Mike Neff is a Senior Writer for Frontstretch.com. He can be reached via email at mike.neff@frontstretch.com.
~~~~~~~~~~
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.
~~~~~~~~~~
Frontstretch Folio: Bank of America 500
by Summer Dreyer
This weekend, the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series heads to Charlotte Motor Speedway for the Bank of America 500. Saturday night's race will be the 31st of the season and fifth in the Chase for the Sprint Cup, and will be broadcast live Saturday, October 15th, at 7:30 PM ET on ABC and PRN Radio. Drivers will compete for 334 laps (501 miles) before taking the checkered flag.
Records and Facts
Elliott Sadler holds the track qualifying record at Charlotte Motor Speedway, laying down a lap of 27.947 sec at 193.216 mph during qualifying for the 2005 UAW-GM Quality 500. Sadler finished 27th in the race after leading 112 of 334 laps. The pole award was Sadler's fourth and final one of the 2005 season, earning one top 5, 12 top 10s, and an average finish of 18th to finish 13th in points.
Jeff Gordon holds the 500-mile race record at Charlotte Motor Speedway with a speed of 160.306 mph for the 1999 UAW-GM Quality 500. Gordon led 16 of the 334 laps to win by 0.851 sec over second-place Bobby Labonte. Mike Skinner finished third followed by Mark Martin and Ward Burton to round out the top 5. The win was Gordon's seventh and final trip to victory lane in a season that featured 18 top 5s, 21 top-10 finishes and an average finish of 13th. He finished the year sixth in points.
Jamie McMurray is the defending race winner of this event, leading 65 of the 334 laps to win the 2010 Bank of America 500. Second-place Kyle Busch finished 1.866 sec behind McMurray, with Jimmie Johnson, Denny Hamlin, and Greg Biffle rounding out the top 5. McMurray won a total of three races last season and racked up nine top 5s and 12 top 10s. He finished 14th in points.
Track Facts
Track/Race Length: 1.5-mile quad oval, 334 laps (501 miles)
Pit Road Speed: 45 mph
Degree of Banking: 24 degrees in the corners
Frontstretch: 1,952.8 ft., banked 5 degrees
Backstretch: 1,360 ft., banked 5 degrees
Grandstand Seating: 171,000
Pre-race Schedule
Practice: Friday, October 14, 4:30 – 5:15 PM ET on ESPN2
Happy Hour: Friday, October 14, 5:50 – 6:50 PM ET on ESPN2
VIPs:
Command: Dr. Cindy Moss, Director of Science, Technology, Engineering and Math Program at Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools
National Anthem: Country Artist Sara Evans
God Bless America: Season 4 American Idol Contestant Anthony Federov
Invocation: Trevor Bayne
Fly-Over: C-130 from the "Rescue Squadron" at Moody Air Force Base in Georgia
Race Day Forecast
Saturday: Sunny, 0% chance of rain
High: 74
Low: 43
Say What?!
"Well, I think we're going to be a threat. When I go back to Chicago, Kentucky, Kansas obviously, our mile-and-a-half stuff has been coming along pretty good over the last two or three months, so I feel good about it. Charlotte, with that asphalt that's down, it is its own environment and really tough to get your car right from the start of the race to the end of the race. So I feel like directionally we're going the right way, but until I get on the track this week and understand what our grip level is and what our issues are, it's hard to build too much confidence. But it's been that way all year. I mean, it's so tough to take what you learn at one track and carry it to the next, harder than I have ever seen it in our sport." -Jimmie Johnson
"Winning at Charlotte Motor Speedway, since it is my favorite track, would be really special since I've been able to win there in other series and have been close a lot in the Cup car. It seems like the month of May at Charlotte just hasn't liked me too much. We got to win in the Truck Series race in the spring, so I'm hoping we can change that this weekend and get a fall Sprint Cup win. There are plenty of other tracks that we need to win at, too, but there's no doubt it would be big." -Kyle Busch
"Charlotte is a track that does have banking, which I like, so it's a track I really enjoy racing on. We seem to have some good success there. We're excited about going back there for sure. Last time our day was ended early. We got caught up in an accident and it was a pretty hard hit, actually. Our car was junk and we had to throw that one way. Hopefully we can get out of there without throwing a car away and with a good finish. I think we can. Like I said, we ran well there throughout the day and had good speed. I look forward to going back there and hopefully we can turn our luck around." -David Gilliland
Summer Dreyer is a Senior Writer for Frontstretch.com. She can be reached via email at summer.dreyer@frontstretch.com.
~~~~~~~~~~
TODAY ON THE FRONTSTRETCH:
The Poaching of Dollar General Another Blow to the Sport
by Amy Henderson
Four Burning Questions: The Secret to the Chase, The SI Jinx, And The Favorite at Charlotte
by Mike Lovecchio
Voices From the Heartland: Leader Has Spoken. Product Doing Well!
by Jeff Meyer
Regan Smith Diary: Fuel Mileage, The Value of Farm America and a Chase Prediction
as told to Tony Lumbis
Score Four for the Regulars: The Biggest Wins of 2011
by Bryan Davis Keith
Frontstretch Podcast: October 14th Edition
hosted by Doug Turnbull
~~~~~~~~~~
FRONTSTRETCH TRIVIA:
Q: In addition to the NASCAR and IRL events, Charlotte Motor Speedway used to host a somewhat successful International Motor Sports Association (IMSA) event on the infield road course. How did the Camel GT drivers describe the 2.25-mile course that was being used?
Check back Monday for the answer, here in the Frontstretch Newsletter!
Thursday's Answer:
Q: The inaugural IRL race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway saw a pole speed of over 227 mph in the last race for the series with turbocharged engines. However, it also saw some big wrecks, specifically one involving Johnny O'Connell. What happened to O'Connell?
A: O'Connell, driving a No. 6 for Treadway Racing as a teammate to Arie Luyendyk, was keeping his Reynard high up in the order until he spun exiting Turn 4 and hit the wall hard, flipping up onto its side. O'Connell was OK, but the Reynard was truly written off. Of course, since this was the last race for the turbocharged former CART cars, it didn't really matter much to write off the car since it wasn't scheduled to run again.
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!
~~~~~~~~~~
Coming Monday in the Frontstretch Newsletter:
-- Bank of America 500 Race Recap by TBA
-- Running Their Mouth: Bank of America 500 by Brody Jones
-- Links to your favorite Frontstretch articles, and more!
Monday on the Frontstretch:
Matt McLaughlin's Thinkin' Out Loud: Bank of America 500 by Matt McLaughlin
Matt will be here with his overall thoughts about the action from Saturday night's action from the Charlotte.
David vs. Goliath 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 Saturday's race from Charlotte.
Monday Morning Teardown by Ron Lemasters
Ron returns for a website look at one of the big stories from Sunday's race from Kansas.
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 Kansas.
Big Six: Bank of America 500 by Amy Henderson
Looking for all you need to know leaving the fourth race in the Chase for the Sprint Cup? Amy has your who, what, when, where, why and how from a weekend of racing at Charlotte.
Nationwide Series Breakdown: Dollar General 300 Miles of Courage by Brody Jones
Brody has all the post-race analysis you need after Friday night's Nationwide Series race from Charlotte.
Tracking the Trucks: Smith's 350 by Beth Lunkenheimer
Beth has all the post-race analysis you need after Saturday afternoon's Camping World Truck Series race from Las Vegas.
-----------------------------
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
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