THE FRONTSTRETCH NEWSLETTER
Presented by Frontstretch.com
The Best Seat at the Track, The Best View on the Net!
November 22nd, 2011
Volume V, Edition CCLXVIII
~~~~~~~~~~
by Phil Allaway
- Even though the season is officially over, Tuesday is still the traditional penalty day in NASCAR. Kurt Busch was caught on camera giving the driver of a pick-up truck blocking his stall in the garage area the middle finger on Sunday. That middle finger could be construed as "Actions Detrimental to Stock Car Racing" and could draw a fine. We'll see if it does.
Today's Top News
by Tom Bowles
Roush-Fenway Racing To Layoff Workers, Shuffle Lineup For 2012
David Ragan's tenure in Sprint Cup with Roush-Fenway Racing appears to be over. Speaking with reporters Monday, at the Nationwide Series banquet down in Miami owner Jack Roush said Ragan, who is in the last year of a three-year deal with an option to renew through 2014 had less than a 40% chance of returning to the No. 6 car in 2012.
"David Ragan was a frustration and a disappointment for all of us," Roush said, "because he was not able to realize the potential that he had, given what his skill is and what the expectations of the sponsor were, and what the performance that was being demonstrated in the car, and what the engineering package was."
That sponsor, UPS, is going to move to Carl Edwards' No. 99 car in a limited role for 2012, leaving the No. 6 Ford without backing. While conversations remain ongoing to fill that space, it's becoming increasingly clear, admitted Roush a full-season deal involving Ragan is rapidly becoming a longshot.
The 25-year-old Ragan, in five-plus years with RFR at the Cup level has a win, 12 top-5 finishes, 30 top 10s and two poles in 182 career starts. This season, he earned that first career victory at Daytona in July but wound up just 23rd in the points, earning more DNFs (five) than top-5 finishes (four). Inconsistency has haunted the Georgian during his Cup campaigns, never running better than 13th in the final standings while finishing outside the top 20 in each of the last three years.
At this time, it's unclear whether the No. 6 will run in the Daytona 500 or any of the first five races in 2012, where it has earned a "locked in" spot in the field. Roush remains without sponsorship for the No. 17 Sprint Cup car of Matt Kenseth, who will run full-time regardless of outside funding but whose finances will certainly play a factor as to when and if a fourth RFR Cup car gets run.
Meanwhile, Nationwide Series champion Ricky Stenhouse, Jr. along with Daytona 500 winner Trevor Bayne remain under contract with Roush. According to multiple sources and reports, one driver will run the No. 21 Wood Brothers Ford in a limited schedule next season while the other will compete full-time for the Nationwide title. Roush plans to run just two Nationwide Series cars next season, one full-time and one part-time, with Carl Edwards likely to run in the part-time car. In all, those types of extensive cutbacks - one full-time team at the Nationwide and Cup level - will likely result in dozens of layoffs, although RFR President Steve Newmark said no timetable for pink slips had been scheduled as of Monday afternoon. A FOXSports.com report claimed as much as 33% of the organization could be let go.
Rockingham To Host K&N East, Whelen Southern Modified Tour Season Finales
In news first Tweeted by the Frontstretch Monday night, Rockingham will expand its racing schedule next season to include more than just the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. Both the K&N East Series and the Whelen Southern Modified Tour, up-and-coming lower series within the world of NASCAR will hold their season finales at the roughly one-mile oval this November.
"These are awesome additions to the 2012 schedule at Rockingham," said speedway President Andy Hillenburg Tuesday morning. "It's great to be back in the NASCAR fold."
The two series will combine with the UARA to hold their finales at the track on Saturday, November 3rd. But while that division has raced at the track before, the addition of K&N and the Modifieds will bring many new fans and drivers who have yet to experience the uniqueness of the Rockingham facility.
"I've never actually been to Rockingham Speedway, but I've heard so many great things about it," said three-time 2011 K&N East winner Sergio Pena. "I've heard it's a driver's track. It's always exciting to see who can learn the quickest with a lot of drivers making their first appearance at a track."
Rockingham Speedway will host the Truck Series earlier on the 2012 calendar (April 15th, see story below).
2012 Truck Series Schedule Released
After months of delays, NASCAR released the full version of the 2012 Truck Series schedule on Monday. Just 22 races are on the docket, the lowest number for this division since 2002 with the major highlight the series' debut at Rockingham Speedway this April.
"We're excited to bring the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series to the famed Rockingham Speedway, along with the addition of a second date at Iowa Speedway," said NASCAR Senior Vice President Of Racing Operations Steve O'Donnell. "Looking ahead, interest in the truck series continues to grow in a number of different markets and we're excited about what the future holds for next season and beyond."
However, those two additions - Rockingham and Iowa - were not enough to offset a net loss of three dates from 2010. The series lost two events at Nashville for next season, due to the track closing down along with one apiece at Nashville, O'Reilly Raceway Park in Indianapolis and New Hampshire Motor Speedway.
Also notable is an over one-month break for the series at the start of the season; after Daytona, on February 24th the next event at Martinsville isn't until March 31st. On the flip side, the series ends with four straight races, pulling a Martinsville-Texas-Phoenix-Homestead swing to close in what will be well over 7,000 miles of roundtrip traveling for most teams.
The schedule is reprinted below for your convenience.
2012 Truck Series Schedule
Friday, February 24th: Daytona International Speedway
Saturday, March 31st: Martinsville Speedway
Sunday, April 15th: Rockingham Speedway
Saturday, April 21st: Kansas Speedway
Friday, May 18th: Charlotte Motor Speedway
Friday, June 1st: Dover International Speedway
Friday, June 8th: Texas Motor Speedway
Thursday, June 28th: Kentucky Speedway
Saturday, July 14th: Iowa Speedway
Saturday, July 21st: Chicagoland Speedway
Saturday, August 4th: Pocono Raceway
Saturday, August 18th: Michigan International Speedway
Wednesday, August 22nd: Bristol Motor Speedway
Friday, August 31st: Atlanta Motor Speedway
Saturday, September 15th: Iowa Speedway
Friday, September 21st: Kentucky Speedway
Saturday, October 6th: Talladega Superspeedway
Saturday, October 13th: Las Vegas Motor Speedway
Saturday, October 27th: Martinsville Speedway
Friday, November 2nd: Texas Motor Speedway
Friday, November 9th: Phoenix International Raceway
Friday, November 16th: Homestead-Miami Speedway
All Races Televised on SPEED Channel
Stenhouse, Dillon Honored At Nationwide & Truck Championship Banquets
Two of NASCAR's titlists were honored Monday night as part of a wide-ranging ceremony at the Loew's Hotel in Miami Beach. On the Nationwide side, sophomore driver Ricky Stenhouse, Jr. accepted his championship at 24 years old, the first driver to run full-time in that series only and take the title since Martin Truex, Jr. in 2005. The driver, whose plans for 2012 remain unannounced had a two-win season to take top honors over Elliott Sadler.
On the Truck side, 21-year-old sophomore Austin Dillon took the big trophy to become the youngest Truck Series champion in history. The youngster, moving up to the Nationwide Series with Richard Childress Racing next year had two victories of his own to outlast Johnny Sauter.
Here's a quick look at the other major awards handed out for each series:
Nationwide
Sunoco Rookie Of The Year: Timmy Hill (just 18 years old, driving for Rick Ware Racing)
Most Popular Driver: Elliott Sadler
Owner's Championship: No. 60, Roush Fenway Racing (Carl Edwards won eight times. If he was allowed to accumulate points, Edwards would have won the title handily over Stenhouse).
Trucks
Sunoco Rookie Of The Year: Joey Coulter (21 years old, driving for Richard Childress Racing)
Most Popular Driver: Austin Dillon
Owner's Championship: No. 2, Kevin Harvick, Inc. (manned by multiple drivers throughout the season. Harvick's organization will now be broken up after a decade in the sport).
News Bites
- FOXSports.com is reporting David Ragan's crew chief, Drew Blickensderfer is heading to Richard Childress Racing next season to work with Jeff Burton and the No. 31 Chevrolet. However, nothing has been officially announced. That same report claims head wrench Steve Addington and Kurt Busch have officially parted ways. Addington, who was widely expected to leave Penske Racing is rumored to be Darian Grubb's replacement at Tony Stewart's team next season.
- Busch is taking heat for a video-captured incident involving ESPN's Dr. Jerry Punch. In the video, Busch uses inappropriate language towards the reporter and asks someone to "Get this mother****** out of my face." Busch had previously tangled with two reporters at Richmond in September, but no disciplinary action resulted from the incident.
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.
~~~~~~~~~~
JOIN THE FRONTSTRETCH FAMILY
Numbers Game: Ford 400
by Brett Poirier
1
Driver to win Cup titles in the traditional (pre-2004) championship format and in the Chase format. Tony Stewart became the first to do it. He won his first championship (2002) under the old points system and won his second Chase title on Sunday.
1
Driver to enter The Chase winless, and then go on to win the championship. Tony Stewart became the first.
3
Victories for Tony Stewart at Homestead. Stewart is tied for most wins all-time at the track with Greg Biffle.
3
Drivers to overcome point deficits in the final race of the season to win the championship in the last 20 years. Jimmie Johnson did it in 2010 and Tony Stewart did it in 2011. Before that, Alan Kulwicki was the last driver to accomplish the feat in 1992.
4.9
The average finishing position of Carl Edwards in The Chase. It is the best average in NASCAR history, since the format was introduced in 2004; however, Edwards didn't win the title.
5
Victories in The Chase this season for Tony Stewart, the most by any driver since the introduction of the Chase format in 2004.
5
Top-10 finishes for Martin Truex, Jr. in seven starts at Homestead. Truex, Jr. was third on Sunday. Truex, Jr. also recorded top 10s in four of the final five races.
5
Top 10s for Jeff Burton in 2011. Four were in the final five races. Burton was tenth at Homestead.
6th
Jimmie Johnson's final position in the Sprint Cup Series standings. It is his lowest finishing position since entering NASCAR's top series in 2002.
7
Drivers to win the series finale and Cup series title. Jeff Gordon (1998) was the last driver to do it before Tony Stewart in 2011.
7
Consecutive titles won by Chevrolet in the Sprint Cup Series. The last non-Chevy driver to score a title was Kurt Busch in a Ford in 2004.
7
Top-10s for Kasey Kahne in the last eight races of the season. Kahne was seventh on Sunday.
8
Drivers to win championships with two different organizations. Stewart has won titles with Stewart-Haas and Joe Gibbs Racing. Terry Labonte (1996) was the last driver to win titles with two different teams.
8
Top-5 results for Carl Edwards in the last 11 races of the season.
9
Drivers to win three or more championships in Cup competition. Stewart joined Lee Petty, Cale Yarborough, Darrell Waltrip and David Pearson as drivers with three titles.
9
Top 5s for Tony Stewart in 36 races this season. It is the fewest number of top 5s for a champion since Bill Rexford had five in the 1950 season in 17 starts. By comparison, Carl Edwards had 19 top-5 finishes this season.
9th
Tony Stewart's starting position in The Chase standings. It is the furthest back anyone has come to win a championship.
15.7
The average finishing position of the most recent race winner in the next week's race. Kasey Kahne placed seventh at Homestead after winning at Phoenix.
18
Different race winners in the Sprint Cup Series in 2011 in 36 races.
26
Lead changes in Sunday's race at Homestead, a new track record.
1,259
Total laps completed in 2011 by Joe Nemechek. Nemechek started all 36 races. He completed 29 laps and finished 40th on Sunday. Kyle Busch led more laps this season (1,455) than Nemechek ran.
Brett Poirier is a Contributor to Frontstretch.com. He can be reached via e-mail at brett.poirier@frontstretch.com.
~~~~~~~~~~
Got NASCAR-related questions or comments?
Send them John Potts' way at john.potts@frontstretch.com; and if you're lucky, you'll get your name in print when he does his weekly column answering back to you – the fans that keep Frontstretch afloat. Potts' Shots will run on Thursdays with a whole new set of Fan Questions and Answers!
~~~~~~~~~~
Today's Featured Commentary
When the Only Thing that Counts is Winning: How Tony Stewart Won the 2011 Cup
JOIN THE FRONTSTRETCH FAMILY
Hey Frontstretch Readers,
We are looking for someone who shares our enthusiasm for NASCAR and has an experienced background in web design. Specifically, we are looking for someone who can help maintain and enhance our website, increase our SEO, and upgrade our publishing platform while producing a limited amount of content throughout the season. This job presents a perfect opportunity for someone with a technical background, a person who wants their work to gain national exposure.
If you are interested, contact frontstretcheditors@googlegroups.com. Please include references to your past work in your e-mail.
Frontstretch will also be looking to add 3-5 writers for the 2012 season. Details to come in the next few weeks.
~~~~~~~~~~ Frontstretch will also be looking to add 3-5 writers for the 2012 season. Details to come in the next few weeks.
Numbers Game: Ford 400
by Brett Poirier
1
Driver to win Cup titles in the traditional (pre-2004) championship format and in the Chase format. Tony Stewart became the first to do it. He won his first championship (2002) under the old points system and won his second Chase title on Sunday.
1
Driver to enter The Chase winless, and then go on to win the championship. Tony Stewart became the first.
3
Victories for Tony Stewart at Homestead. Stewart is tied for most wins all-time at the track with Greg Biffle.
3
Drivers to overcome point deficits in the final race of the season to win the championship in the last 20 years. Jimmie Johnson did it in 2010 and Tony Stewart did it in 2011. Before that, Alan Kulwicki was the last driver to accomplish the feat in 1992.
4.9
The average finishing position of Carl Edwards in The Chase. It is the best average in NASCAR history, since the format was introduced in 2004; however, Edwards didn't win the title.
5
Victories in The Chase this season for Tony Stewart, the most by any driver since the introduction of the Chase format in 2004.
5
Top-10 finishes for Martin Truex, Jr. in seven starts at Homestead. Truex, Jr. was third on Sunday. Truex, Jr. also recorded top 10s in four of the final five races.
5
Top 10s for Jeff Burton in 2011. Four were in the final five races. Burton was tenth at Homestead.
6th
Jimmie Johnson's final position in the Sprint Cup Series standings. It is his lowest finishing position since entering NASCAR's top series in 2002.
7
Drivers to win the series finale and Cup series title. Jeff Gordon (1998) was the last driver to do it before Tony Stewart in 2011.
7
Consecutive titles won by Chevrolet in the Sprint Cup Series. The last non-Chevy driver to score a title was Kurt Busch in a Ford in 2004.
7
Top-10s for Kasey Kahne in the last eight races of the season. Kahne was seventh on Sunday.
8
Drivers to win championships with two different organizations. Stewart has won titles with Stewart-Haas and Joe Gibbs Racing. Terry Labonte (1996) was the last driver to win titles with two different teams.
8
Top-5 results for Carl Edwards in the last 11 races of the season.
9
Drivers to win three or more championships in Cup competition. Stewart joined Lee Petty, Cale Yarborough, Darrell Waltrip and David Pearson as drivers with three titles.
9
Top 5s for Tony Stewart in 36 races this season. It is the fewest number of top 5s for a champion since Bill Rexford had five in the 1950 season in 17 starts. By comparison, Carl Edwards had 19 top-5 finishes this season.
9th
Tony Stewart's starting position in The Chase standings. It is the furthest back anyone has come to win a championship.
15.7
The average finishing position of the most recent race winner in the next week's race. Kasey Kahne placed seventh at Homestead after winning at Phoenix.
18
Different race winners in the Sprint Cup Series in 2011 in 36 races.
26
Lead changes in Sunday's race at Homestead, a new track record.
1,259
Total laps completed in 2011 by Joe Nemechek. Nemechek started all 36 races. He completed 29 laps and finished 40th on Sunday. Kyle Busch led more laps this season (1,455) than Nemechek ran.
Brett Poirier is a Contributor to Frontstretch.com. He can be reached via e-mail at brett.poirier@frontstretch.com.
~~~~~~~~~~
Got NASCAR-related questions or comments?
Send them John Potts' way at john.potts@frontstretch.com; and if you're lucky, you'll get your name in print when he does his weekly column answering back to you – the fans that keep Frontstretch afloat. Potts' Shots will run on Thursdays with a whole new set of Fan Questions and Answers!
~~~~~~~~~~
Today's Featured Commentary
When the Only Thing that Counts is Winning: How Tony Stewart Won the 2011 Cup
Sitting In The Stands: A Fan's View
by S.D. Grady
NASCAR crowned a champion on Sunday evening. They also handed the trophy to a winner. And for the first time since the Chase came to Homestead, that recipient was one and the same: Tony Stewart and his No. 14 team.
There has been much said of the points system this year as NASCAR tweaked it last winter to "more consistently" reward wins. And if we did the math, that wasn't entirely true. The man who took home the most trophies wasn't the one entering Sunday's battle at the top of the points. Instead, we were handed a potential champ in Carl Consistent Edwards... who seemed to race for top 5's throughout the Chase instead of wins.
However, if you noticed, Edwards isn't the one packing the entire team -- families and all -- in a plane and heading to the oasis in the desert for one massive party. Tony Stewart is, based on a championship tiebreaker where he had more wins (four more -- including the nail-biting performance at Homestead) than Mr. Edwards. And that fact right there should silence all the doubters of the points system once and for all.
Stewart -- once he got good and ticked off back in August after Michigan -- decided to throw down the gauntlet before his team. Yes, they seemed to take home top 10's more weeks than not, but he knew that wasn't how you reach Victory Lane, let alone scale the mountain of a championship. You have to go all out, take no prisoners and keep the eye on the prize in order to succeed in the supercompetitive world of Sprint Cup. Use however many clichés you must, but Stewart knew his No. 14 would go nowhere meaningful if they accepted mediocrity. The champion in Tony stood up and inspired those around him to meet the higher bar. And they did. Five wins in the final ten races -- that was indeed a race to the finish. Stewart accepted nothing less than perfection. He got it.
Back in the No. 99 camp, we had a happy-go-lucky atmosphere. Carl addressed the media week after week, confident in his team's continued performance. Always leading laps, banging doors with the other top-5 contenders, this consistency was how you got to the top. The key seemed to be to maintain an even keel and they'd be taking home the millions from Florida.
And, folks, that is the difference between chasing a championship and thinking you are good enough. That is the difference between counting points and taking home trophies.
Yes, with the current points system it is mathematically possible to do what Matt Kenseth did back in 2003, win the Sprint Cup and only visit Victory Lane once in a season. You could even do it without winning at all. But it's not likely to happen because...
Every time there's a driver, crew chief, owner, tire carrier or gas man that thinks they've got this sport down and nobody could possibly do it better, somebody will rise to the challenge and beat them at their own game. This year, that included points racing.
Who can forget Dale Sr., long considered the only game in town in his black No. 3, toasting a young pup named Jeff Gordon at the awards banquet with milk? The man knew Gordon was gunning for everything he had accomplished. Or Gordon, as a new co-owner hiring Jimmie Johnson to drive his No. 48, because he saw something in the future Five-Time that frightened the champion in himself? The competitors are well aware that status quo is not a term to be used in auto racing.
It's the hunger to be bigger and better than those that came before you which drives a champion. And it is that drive that propelled Stewart past Edwards, first for the lead, for the victory and once and for all, for his third championship as a driver and his first as an owner.
There we were; 30 laps remained in the race. Tony Stewart kept to the high side and his foot in the pedal, never lifting, never blinking. Edwards used everything he had to stay off the wall and keep Stewart's tail in view. The ticker at the top of the screen read 2,403 points for each of the warriors.
We all waited for Stewart to wiggle. For his extra two laps of gas to turn into mist. For Edwards' engine to expire as three other Roush motors did during the evening. Gutwrenching, heartstopping excitement -- the kind only to be found in an instant classic NASCAR event. They roared across the finish line and drove the cool-down lap side by side, each congratulating one another on a battle well fought.
They remained tied in the points. Not a hair between the two. You might say, according to the numbers, that they had run very similar seasons to arrive at their destination so close to one another. And yet, so very far apart.
Stewart's posse piled onto the staging. Mobs of team members from across the series poured onto the frontstretch, seeking to shake the hand of the man who told his team if they made it to the Chase, they probably didn't deserve to be there. And why all the excitement?
Because he won.
It will be much debated in years to come which of those five Chase races -- Chicago, Loudon, Martinsville, Texas or Homestead -- was the one that earned Stewart his third Cup. But the point is, it wasn't his stellar performance through the entire year that did so. It was Tony Stewart's tenacity, sometimes brutal honesty, inspiring leadership and most of all -- the wins.
Victories broke the tie between Edwards and Stewart. Victories are what separated the runner-up from the Champ. Victories beat consistency, and will continue to do so as long as one human believes he can go faster than another, whether there are points to be had or not.
So have faith, my friends, in the future of NASCAR. This season was great in so many ways. Youth and inexperience found their voice in Trevor Bayne and Brad Keselowski. Unfunded teams raced their way to Victory Lane (I still have a hard time believing Regan Smith's No. 78 did it!) And those who have battled long and hard rediscovered the thrill of the Chase and won me over once again as a die-hard NASCAR fan (Thanks Tony!)
Enjoy your holidays and the warm winter nights with your family. I look forward to joining you again when the February sun shines over Daytona.
by S.D. Grady
NASCAR crowned a champion on Sunday evening. They also handed the trophy to a winner. And for the first time since the Chase came to Homestead, that recipient was one and the same: Tony Stewart and his No. 14 team.
There has been much said of the points system this year as NASCAR tweaked it last winter to "more consistently" reward wins. And if we did the math, that wasn't entirely true. The man who took home the most trophies wasn't the one entering Sunday's battle at the top of the points. Instead, we were handed a potential champ in Carl Consistent Edwards... who seemed to race for top 5's throughout the Chase instead of wins.
However, if you noticed, Edwards isn't the one packing the entire team -- families and all -- in a plane and heading to the oasis in the desert for one massive party. Tony Stewart is, based on a championship tiebreaker where he had more wins (four more -- including the nail-biting performance at Homestead) than Mr. Edwards. And that fact right there should silence all the doubters of the points system once and for all.
Stewart -- once he got good and ticked off back in August after Michigan -- decided to throw down the gauntlet before his team. Yes, they seemed to take home top 10's more weeks than not, but he knew that wasn't how you reach Victory Lane, let alone scale the mountain of a championship. You have to go all out, take no prisoners and keep the eye on the prize in order to succeed in the supercompetitive world of Sprint Cup. Use however many clichés you must, but Stewart knew his No. 14 would go nowhere meaningful if they accepted mediocrity. The champion in Tony stood up and inspired those around him to meet the higher bar. And they did. Five wins in the final ten races -- that was indeed a race to the finish. Stewart accepted nothing less than perfection. He got it.
Back in the No. 99 camp, we had a happy-go-lucky atmosphere. Carl addressed the media week after week, confident in his team's continued performance. Always leading laps, banging doors with the other top-5 contenders, this consistency was how you got to the top. The key seemed to be to maintain an even keel and they'd be taking home the millions from Florida.
And, folks, that is the difference between chasing a championship and thinking you are good enough. That is the difference between counting points and taking home trophies.
Yes, with the current points system it is mathematically possible to do what Matt Kenseth did back in 2003, win the Sprint Cup and only visit Victory Lane once in a season. You could even do it without winning at all. But it's not likely to happen because...
Every time there's a driver, crew chief, owner, tire carrier or gas man that thinks they've got this sport down and nobody could possibly do it better, somebody will rise to the challenge and beat them at their own game. This year, that included points racing.
Who can forget Dale Sr., long considered the only game in town in his black No. 3, toasting a young pup named Jeff Gordon at the awards banquet with milk? The man knew Gordon was gunning for everything he had accomplished. Or Gordon, as a new co-owner hiring Jimmie Johnson to drive his No. 48, because he saw something in the future Five-Time that frightened the champion in himself? The competitors are well aware that status quo is not a term to be used in auto racing.
It's the hunger to be bigger and better than those that came before you which drives a champion. And it is that drive that propelled Stewart past Edwards, first for the lead, for the victory and once and for all, for his third championship as a driver and his first as an owner.
There we were; 30 laps remained in the race. Tony Stewart kept to the high side and his foot in the pedal, never lifting, never blinking. Edwards used everything he had to stay off the wall and keep Stewart's tail in view. The ticker at the top of the screen read 2,403 points for each of the warriors.
We all waited for Stewart to wiggle. For his extra two laps of gas to turn into mist. For Edwards' engine to expire as three other Roush motors did during the evening. Gutwrenching, heartstopping excitement -- the kind only to be found in an instant classic NASCAR event. They roared across the finish line and drove the cool-down lap side by side, each congratulating one another on a battle well fought.
They remained tied in the points. Not a hair between the two. You might say, according to the numbers, that they had run very similar seasons to arrive at their destination so close to one another. And yet, so very far apart.
Stewart's posse piled onto the staging. Mobs of team members from across the series poured onto the frontstretch, seeking to shake the hand of the man who told his team if they made it to the Chase, they probably didn't deserve to be there. And why all the excitement?
Because he won.
It will be much debated in years to come which of those five Chase races -- Chicago, Loudon, Martinsville, Texas or Homestead -- was the one that earned Stewart his third Cup. But the point is, it wasn't his stellar performance through the entire year that did so. It was Tony Stewart's tenacity, sometimes brutal honesty, inspiring leadership and most of all -- the wins.
Victories broke the tie between Edwards and Stewart. Victories are what separated the runner-up from the Champ. Victories beat consistency, and will continue to do so as long as one human believes he can go faster than another, whether there are points to be had or not.
So have faith, my friends, in the future of NASCAR. This season was great in so many ways. Youth and inexperience found their voice in Trevor Bayne and Brad Keselowski. Unfunded teams raced their way to Victory Lane (I still have a hard time believing Regan Smith's No. 78 did it!) And those who have battled long and hard rediscovered the thrill of the Chase and won me over once again as a die-hard NASCAR fan (Thanks Tony!)
Enjoy your holidays and the warm winter nights with your family. I look forward to joining you again when the February sun shines over Daytona.
S.D. Grady is a Senior Editor for Frontstretch.com. She can be reached via e-mail at sonya.grady@frontstretch.com.
~~~~~~~~~~
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:
Five Points to Ponder: Shortcomings, Hangovers, Schedules And A Look Ahead
by Bryan Davis Keith
For The Love Of NASCAR
by Danny Peters
Who's Hot / Who's Not in NASCAR: Homestead-Offseason Edition
by Summer Dreyer
Talking NASCAR TV: Championship Insanity And A Raging Busch
by Phil Allaway
Fact Or Fiction: Change For The Sake Of Change Is Never Good
by Tom Bowles
~~~~~~~~~~
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:
Five Points to Ponder: Shortcomings, Hangovers, Schedules And A Look Ahead
by Bryan Davis Keith
For The Love Of NASCAR
by Danny Peters
Who's Hot / Who's Not in NASCAR: Homestead-Offseason Edition
by Summer Dreyer
Talking NASCAR TV: Championship Insanity And A Raging Busch
by Phil Allaway
Fact Or Fiction: Change For The Sake Of Change Is Never Good
by Tom Bowles
~~~~~~~~~~~
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: On Sunday, SPEED televised tape-delayed and highlighted coverage of the V8 Supercar Championship Series' Falken Tasmania Challenge from Symmonds Plains Raceway in Tasmania. The Tasmanian track is the shortest permanent road course on the calendar, and has an unusual shape. What does it look like from the air?
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: On Sunday, SPEED televised tape-delayed and highlighted coverage of the V8 Supercar Championship Series' Falken Tasmania Challenge from Symmonds Plains Raceway in Tasmania. The Tasmanian track is the shortest permanent road course on the calendar, and has an unusual shape. What does it look like from the air?
Check back Wednesday for the answer, here in the Frontstretch Newsletter!
Monday's Answer:
Q: In 1986, Tim Richmond did something very unusual during the running of the First Union 400 at North Wilkesboro Speedway. What was it?
A: Richmond consented to talk on the radio with ESPN's Bob Jenkins and Larry Nuber during a restart, and the first few laps of green flag action after said restart. In NASCAR, this is all but unprecented. Most drivers would prefer to be able to concentrate, but Richmond was a different kind of guy. He likely would have fit in at Bathurst around that time, when the Seven Network would often talk to drivers under green to get their impressions on the race to that point (they had to, since the safety car was not instituted until 1987).
Frontstretch Trivia Guarantee: If we mess up, you get the shirt off our backs! If we've provided an incorrect answer to the Frontstretch Trivia question, be the first to email the corrected trivia answer to trivia@frontstretch.com and we'll send you a Frontstretch T-Shirt ... FREE!
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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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Coming tomorrow in the Frontstretch Newsletter:
-- Top News from Tom Bowles
-- Full Throttle by Mike Neff
-- Tweet 'N' Greet by Jay Pennell
-- Links to your favorite Frontstretch articles, and more!
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Tomorrow on the Frontstretch:
Did You Notice? ... by Tom Bowles
Tom Bowles returns with his list of small but important observations around the NASCAR circuit. This week, it's all about tying up loose ends while reminding everyone of the challenges ahead entering 2012.
Mirror Driving by the Frontstretch Staff
Follow our writer roundtable this week as they enter into a heated debate about whether Sunday's race validated the existence of the Chase, whether it's too late for Darian Grubb to return to the No. 14 team, and if so, who will replace him, whether NASCAR was right to call the Ford 200 after being under the red flag for just seven minutes, and more.
Top 15 Power Rankings by the Frontstretch Staff
Which driver came out of Homestead on top of our 2011 Power Rankings chart? Tony Stewart? Carl Edwards? Kasey Kahne? Someone else? Find out who our select Frontstretch experts have labeled as this week's favorite heading into the offseason.
Special Commentary by TBA
Vito is off this week, but one of our Frontstretch experts will be here with a look at latest and greatest controversies affecting the stock car circuit.
Marcos Ambrose Driver Diary as told to Toni Montgomery
The driver of the No. 9 Richard Petty Motorsports Ford looks back on his year and ahead to 2012 in this special wrap-up edition.
Frontstretch Top Ten by Jeff Meyer
Our weekly list based on the latest NASCAR controversy will start your morning off with a laugh -- guaranteed.
Foto Funnies: Homestead by Kurt Smith
Kurt's back to show you the funniest photos you never did see from a weekend at Homestead.
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©2011 Frontstretch.com
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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