THE FRONTSTRETCH NEWSLETTER
Presented by Frontstretch.com
The Best Seat at the Track, The Best View on the Net!
December 27th, 2011
Volume IV, Edition CCLV
Editor's Note: Remember, the Frontstretch Newsletter has scaled back to a weekly version over the offseason! The next scheduled edition will run on Tuesday, January 3rd after the New Year's holiday.
Top News From The Past Week
by Phil Allaway
Allmendinger To Drive No. 22 Dodge For Penske Racing
After Kurt Busch was released from Penske Racing, following his now-infamous tirade at ESPN's Dr. Jerry Punch at Homestead in November, there was substantial discussion about who would take Busch's place in the marquee ride. Every notable free agent available at the time was at some point linked to the seat; at one point, former Roush Fenway Racing driver David Ragan was believed to be a lock.
Instead, it was one driver surprisingly unlocked from his contract that now has the opportunity of a lifetime. A.J. Allmendinger was named to take over the team's No. 22 Shell/Pennzoil Dodge on Wednesday, quickly regrouping after losing sponsorship at Richard Petty Motorsports. Ironically, the 'Dinger's chance came as a result of Busch, who last week talked about potentially taking over his No. 43 in 2012 in what turned out to be an unsuccessful attempt to convince Best Buy to stay with RPM.
Soon after, the electronics company aligned itself with Roush Fenway Racing instead, leaving 'Dinger with an unsponsored car and an uncertain future. So the 30-year-old Californian now comes to Penske, an open-wheel convert bringing five years of Sprint Cup experience to the strongest cars that he's had the chance to wheel.
"I am really excited about the opportunity to join Penske Racing and drive the No. 22 Shell-Pennzoil Dodge in 2012," he said in a release. "I have always admired Roger Penske and the way his teams compete and win in every series where they race. It is a privilege for me to represent such iconic and respected brands as Shell and Pennzoil, AAA and Dodge. I am honored to join Penske Racing and I will do my very best to continue to build on the standard of excellence established across the organization."
Team owner Roger Penske is also pleased to have Allmendinger aboard for 2012.
"A.J. is a very talented and motivated driver and we believe he will be a terrific fit with our team," said Penske. "He has shown great promise and consistent results on the track over the last few seasons, and working with Todd and the Shell-Pennzoil Dodge team will allow him to take the next step and compete for race wins and a spot in the Chase in 2012."
Allmendinger is coming off his best season yet in the Sprint Cup Series. He finished a career-best 15th in points, collecting one top-5 and ten top-10 finishes while serving as the unofficial team leader for RPM. Combining with teammate Marcos Ambrose, he literally brought the organization back from the dead after a series of financial problems threatened to derail them at the end of 2010.
As for RPM, it appears that a somewhat unexpected choice has emerged as the team's likely replacement for Allmendinger. According to the Charlotte Observer's Jim Utter, Aric Almirola is now the frontrunner to take over the No. 43 Ford full-time. The deal is believed to be all but complete, although the team plans to wait until after the New Year to announce it, along with a new sponsor for the No. 43 to replace the now-departed Best Buy. If the deal comes to pass, it will not be the first time that Almirola will have driven for RPM. The driver was tapped to replace Kasey Kahne in the No. 9 Ford towards the end of 2010, putting up a career-best, fourth-place finish in the Homestead season finale. Almirola handled distractions well at the time, dealing with the team's severe monetary issues (most notably when the team's haulers were not allowed to leave Texas Motor Speedway to travel to Phoenix until a check to Roush Fenway Racing cleared).
There is no word at press time who would replace Almirola, if anyone behind the wheel of the No. 88 at JR Motorsports.
Kurt Busch To Phoenix Racing
For former Penske Racing driver Kurt Busch, he spent much of the offseason in limbo, unsure if he would even drive in Sprint Cup at all in 2012. Rumors had Busch linked to a series of small teams and/or potentially leaving NASCAR to race in the NHRA's Pro Stock division. However, Busch was rumored to take over one ride more than any other. On Thursday, he officially signed with that team.
Thursday, Phoenix Racing announced that they have signed Busch to a one-year deal to drive the No. 51 Chevrolet for the 2012 season. The whole deal was put together very quickly, at least by today's standards and was finalized within one week. Busch reportedly went to the Phoenix Racing shop to meet with team owner James Finch to sign the deal, where the Christmas Tree at the shop had a sign that read "Dear Santa, All I want for Christmas is a great driver!"
Busch is very happy to find a competitive ride for the 2012 season in Sprint Cup.
"I'm very happy to join Phoenix Racing and after entertaining a lot of quality offers, there's no better place for me," Busch said. "We're going to run the full schedule together, and we're going to have fun doing it. It's going to be old-school racing, where we show up, race hard and go for the win. And if we don't win, we'll go back to the shop, work hard and do it all over again next week. That's the way we all started racing, and it's great to get back to that."
Switching from the near-unlimited resources of Penske Racing to the much smaller Phoenix outfit will likely be a big change for Busch. The veteran has been able to take advantage of near unlimited funds to improve his team ever since entering the then-Craftsman Truck Series in 2000. That will not necessarily be the case with Phoenix Racing. However, Busch is still confident that he can produce, comparing the upcoming season to his time driving the Star Nursery-sponsored No. 70 in the Featherlite Southwest Tour.
Team owner Finch is very pleased to have Busch on board for 2012.
"All we want to do is win. Winning is why I've been in racing for as long as I have, but NASCAR is a very competitive sport, and winning especially at the Sprint Cup level is hard," Finch said. "But now with Kurt Busch as our driver, we have a shot to win every week. He's a past champion and he's proven he can win everywhere. Our sponsors are looking forward to Kurt representing their brands. We have excellent equipment and a hard-working group of guys who want that trophy at the end of every race. Kurt's the guy who can deliver it to them."
Busch will be able to take advantage of a couple of perks with Phoenix Racing that he otherwise would not have been able to use with other squads. First of all, Finch has an alliance with Hendrick Motorsports that dates back to at least 2006. This partnership provides the team with decent equipment and engines, keeping the car competitive at most speedways. Busch will also inherit Nick Harrison as his crew chief, so he will have a voice in his ear with intimate knowledge of the equipment already.
Also, according to ESPN.com, Finch has made it quite clear to the driver that he will not tolerate the angry tirades that marked much of his 2011 season. Busch will have to show that he has changed in order to keep his ride. However, Phoenix Racing General Manager Steve Barkdoll doesn't believe that it will be an issue.
"I talked to Kurt a few times," Barkdoll said. "He just wants to get back to where he's having fun again and earn his respect back again. If you ask anybody in the garage where you can have the most fun, it's racing for James Finch."
Best Buy To Roush Fenway Racing
Last week, we reported about how Richard Petty Motorsports was trying everything they could to convince Best Buy to continue their primary sponsorship of the No. 43 Ford, even attempting to bring in Kurt Busch in an attempt to appease the company. Unfortunately, it just was not enough. Best Buy chose to basically shop their funding to many different teams in an attempt to achieve maximum value.
After being briefly linked to Michael Waltrip Racing, Best Buy announced Tuesday that they have signed a contract with Roush Fenway Racing to serve as a primary sponsor for 11 races on two of the team's three cars. Under the terms of the deal, Best Buy will be the primary sponsor of Matt Kenseth's No. 17 for nine races and on Carl Edwards' No. 99 for an additional two. In addition, Best Buy will serve as a full season associate sponsor on both cars for those races that they are not serving as a primary.
Roush Fenway Racing owner Jack Roush is very pleased to have additional funding on board for 2012.
"We are extremely pleased to announce this partnership with Best Buy," Roush said on Tuesday. "Best Buy is an industry leader and a top brand globally. They do a great deal to market and support their teams and we are pleased to be working with an organization that is as enthusiastic about racing as Best Buy. We feel it is a great fit with our organization and we look forward to a great partnership together."
2012 will be Best Buy's eighth season in Sprint Cup as a primary sponsor. In 2005, they entered the series as a backer on then-Haas CNC Racing's No. 0 Chevrolet, becoming a second primary sponsor in addition to NetZero. They became the team's sole primary sponsor after NetZero chose to leave at the end of the season. The sponsorship moved from HaasCNC's No. 66 to the then-Gillett Evernham Motorsports' No. 19 for 2008. Then, A team decision moved the backing to the No. 43 for 2010 and beyond.
Have news for Phil and the Frontstretch? Don't hesitate to let us know; email us at ashland10@mail.com with a promising lead or tip.
Allmendinger To Drive No. 22 Dodge For Penske Racing
After Kurt Busch was released from Penske Racing, following his now-infamous tirade at ESPN's Dr. Jerry Punch at Homestead in November, there was substantial discussion about who would take Busch's place in the marquee ride. Every notable free agent available at the time was at some point linked to the seat; at one point, former Roush Fenway Racing driver David Ragan was believed to be a lock.
Instead, it was one driver surprisingly unlocked from his contract that now has the opportunity of a lifetime. A.J. Allmendinger was named to take over the team's No. 22 Shell/Pennzoil Dodge on Wednesday, quickly regrouping after losing sponsorship at Richard Petty Motorsports. Ironically, the 'Dinger's chance came as a result of Busch, who last week talked about potentially taking over his No. 43 in 2012 in what turned out to be an unsuccessful attempt to convince Best Buy to stay with RPM.
Soon after, the electronics company aligned itself with Roush Fenway Racing instead, leaving 'Dinger with an unsponsored car and an uncertain future. So the 30-year-old Californian now comes to Penske, an open-wheel convert bringing five years of Sprint Cup experience to the strongest cars that he's had the chance to wheel.
"I am really excited about the opportunity to join Penske Racing and drive the No. 22 Shell-Pennzoil Dodge in 2012," he said in a release. "I have always admired Roger Penske and the way his teams compete and win in every series where they race. It is a privilege for me to represent such iconic and respected brands as Shell and Pennzoil, AAA and Dodge. I am honored to join Penske Racing and I will do my very best to continue to build on the standard of excellence established across the organization."
Team owner Roger Penske is also pleased to have Allmendinger aboard for 2012.
"A.J. is a very talented and motivated driver and we believe he will be a terrific fit with our team," said Penske. "He has shown great promise and consistent results on the track over the last few seasons, and working with Todd and the Shell-Pennzoil Dodge team will allow him to take the next step and compete for race wins and a spot in the Chase in 2012."
Allmendinger is coming off his best season yet in the Sprint Cup Series. He finished a career-best 15th in points, collecting one top-5 and ten top-10 finishes while serving as the unofficial team leader for RPM. Combining with teammate Marcos Ambrose, he literally brought the organization back from the dead after a series of financial problems threatened to derail them at the end of 2010.
As for RPM, it appears that a somewhat unexpected choice has emerged as the team's likely replacement for Allmendinger. According to the Charlotte Observer's Jim Utter, Aric Almirola is now the frontrunner to take over the No. 43 Ford full-time. The deal is believed to be all but complete, although the team plans to wait until after the New Year to announce it, along with a new sponsor for the No. 43 to replace the now-departed Best Buy. If the deal comes to pass, it will not be the first time that Almirola will have driven for RPM. The driver was tapped to replace Kasey Kahne in the No. 9 Ford towards the end of 2010, putting up a career-best, fourth-place finish in the Homestead season finale. Almirola handled distractions well at the time, dealing with the team's severe monetary issues (most notably when the team's haulers were not allowed to leave Texas Motor Speedway to travel to Phoenix until a check to Roush Fenway Racing cleared).
There is no word at press time who would replace Almirola, if anyone behind the wheel of the No. 88 at JR Motorsports.
Kurt Busch To Phoenix Racing
For former Penske Racing driver Kurt Busch, he spent much of the offseason in limbo, unsure if he would even drive in Sprint Cup at all in 2012. Rumors had Busch linked to a series of small teams and/or potentially leaving NASCAR to race in the NHRA's Pro Stock division. However, Busch was rumored to take over one ride more than any other. On Thursday, he officially signed with that team.
Thursday, Phoenix Racing announced that they have signed Busch to a one-year deal to drive the No. 51 Chevrolet for the 2012 season. The whole deal was put together very quickly, at least by today's standards and was finalized within one week. Busch reportedly went to the Phoenix Racing shop to meet with team owner James Finch to sign the deal, where the Christmas Tree at the shop had a sign that read "Dear Santa, All I want for Christmas is a great driver!"
Busch is very happy to find a competitive ride for the 2012 season in Sprint Cup.
"I'm very happy to join Phoenix Racing and after entertaining a lot of quality offers, there's no better place for me," Busch said. "We're going to run the full schedule together, and we're going to have fun doing it. It's going to be old-school racing, where we show up, race hard and go for the win. And if we don't win, we'll go back to the shop, work hard and do it all over again next week. That's the way we all started racing, and it's great to get back to that."
Switching from the near-unlimited resources of Penske Racing to the much smaller Phoenix outfit will likely be a big change for Busch. The veteran has been able to take advantage of near unlimited funds to improve his team ever since entering the then-Craftsman Truck Series in 2000. That will not necessarily be the case with Phoenix Racing. However, Busch is still confident that he can produce, comparing the upcoming season to his time driving the Star Nursery-sponsored No. 70 in the Featherlite Southwest Tour.
Team owner Finch is very pleased to have Busch on board for 2012.
"All we want to do is win. Winning is why I've been in racing for as long as I have, but NASCAR is a very competitive sport, and winning especially at the Sprint Cup level is hard," Finch said. "But now with Kurt Busch as our driver, we have a shot to win every week. He's a past champion and he's proven he can win everywhere. Our sponsors are looking forward to Kurt representing their brands. We have excellent equipment and a hard-working group of guys who want that trophy at the end of every race. Kurt's the guy who can deliver it to them."
Busch will be able to take advantage of a couple of perks with Phoenix Racing that he otherwise would not have been able to use with other squads. First of all, Finch has an alliance with Hendrick Motorsports that dates back to at least 2006. This partnership provides the team with decent equipment and engines, keeping the car competitive at most speedways. Busch will also inherit Nick Harrison as his crew chief, so he will have a voice in his ear with intimate knowledge of the equipment already.
Also, according to ESPN.com, Finch has made it quite clear to the driver that he will not tolerate the angry tirades that marked much of his 2011 season. Busch will have to show that he has changed in order to keep his ride. However, Phoenix Racing General Manager Steve Barkdoll doesn't believe that it will be an issue.
"I talked to Kurt a few times," Barkdoll said. "He just wants to get back to where he's having fun again and earn his respect back again. If you ask anybody in the garage where you can have the most fun, it's racing for James Finch."
Best Buy To Roush Fenway Racing
Last week, we reported about how Richard Petty Motorsports was trying everything they could to convince Best Buy to continue their primary sponsorship of the No. 43 Ford, even attempting to bring in Kurt Busch in an attempt to appease the company. Unfortunately, it just was not enough. Best Buy chose to basically shop their funding to many different teams in an attempt to achieve maximum value.
After being briefly linked to Michael Waltrip Racing, Best Buy announced Tuesday that they have signed a contract with Roush Fenway Racing to serve as a primary sponsor for 11 races on two of the team's three cars. Under the terms of the deal, Best Buy will be the primary sponsor of Matt Kenseth's No. 17 for nine races and on Carl Edwards' No. 99 for an additional two. In addition, Best Buy will serve as a full season associate sponsor on both cars for those races that they are not serving as a primary.
Roush Fenway Racing owner Jack Roush is very pleased to have additional funding on board for 2012.
"We are extremely pleased to announce this partnership with Best Buy," Roush said on Tuesday. "Best Buy is an industry leader and a top brand globally. They do a great deal to market and support their teams and we are pleased to be working with an organization that is as enthusiastic about racing as Best Buy. We feel it is a great fit with our organization and we look forward to a great partnership together."
2012 will be Best Buy's eighth season in Sprint Cup as a primary sponsor. In 2005, they entered the series as a backer on then-Haas CNC Racing's No. 0 Chevrolet, becoming a second primary sponsor in addition to NetZero. They became the team's sole primary sponsor after NetZero chose to leave at the end of the season. The sponsorship moved from HaasCNC's No. 66 to the then-Gillett Evernham Motorsports' No. 19 for 2008. Then, A team decision moved the backing to the No. 43 for 2010 and beyond.
Have news for Phil and the Frontstretch? Don't hesitate to let us know; email us at ashland10@mail.com with a promising lead or tip.
Just in case you missed them, we have completed our annual Driver Reviews. If you'd like to review them, JUST HEAD HERE AND YOU'LL FIND THEM ALL LISTED FOR YOUR CONVENIENCE.
TODAY ON THE FRONTSTRETCH:
At The Heart Of It All, It's Not About NASCAR; It's About Racing
by Amy Henderson
TODAY ON THE FRONTSTRETCH:
At The Heart Of It All, It's Not About NASCAR; It's About Racing
by Amy Henderson
FRONTSTRETCH TRIVIA:
Q: In 1988, NASCAR staged two exhibition races at the Calder Park Thunderdome, a 1.098-mile high banked tri-oval near Melbourne, Australia. Neil Bonnett won the first one (the Goodyear 500k), held in between the Richmond and Rockingham races in early March. The second exhibition race was after the season ended around Christmastime. Who went to Victory Lane in that second race?
Check back next Monday for the answer, here in the Frontstretch Newsletter!
Wednesday's Answer:
Q. In 1999, the then-Winston Cup Series made their first visit to Homestead-Miami Speedway for the Pennzoil 400. Joe Gibbs Racing dominated the day and Tony Stewart went to Victory Lane. However, the race also saw a multi-team promotional campaign for a new cartoon series. What was this series called and what channel did it air on?
A. That show was NASCAR Racers, a futuristic animated series that aired on FOX's FOX Kids starting in the fall of 1999. The show lasted two seasons, but was pulled off the air roughly a month after FOX showed their first Cup Series telecast. The drivers who ran the special schemes were Jeff Gordon, Kenny Wallace, and both of the Labonte brothers. Bobby Labonte finished second, highest of the four drivers.
Frontstretch Trivia Guarantee: If we mess up, you get the shirt off our backs! If we've provided an incorrect answer to the Frontstretch Trivia question, be the first to email the corrected trivia answer to trivia@frontstretch.com and we'll send you a Frontstretch T-Shirt ... FREE!
Hey, Frontstretch Readers!
We know you love the roar of raw horsepower under the hood that powers 43 of the best drivers in the world every weekend, but did you ever wonder how the sponsor on top of that hood also contributes to keeping the sport moving? What about the contributions of official NASCAR companies? If you think they are simply writing checks, think again. Check out our newest feature - Sunday Money. This weekly Frontstretch exclusive provides you with a behind the scenes look at how NASCAR, its affiliates and team sponsors approach the daunting task of keeping fans interested and excited about the sport for 38 weeks of the year.
Coming Tuesday, January 3rd, 2012 in the Frontstretch Newsletter:
-- Top News from Phil Allaway
-- Links to your favorite Frontstretch articles, and more!
This Week On The Frontstretch:
Best Of 2011: NMPA Award-Winning Columns by Amy Henderson
Reread Amy's award-winning work that earned Frontstretch its first ever award from the National Motorsports Press Association.
------------------------------
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
Talk back to the Frontstretch Newsletter!
Got something to say about an article you've seen in the newsletter? It's as easy as replying directly to this message or sending an email to editors@frontstretch.com. We'll take the best comments and publish them here!
©2011 Frontstretch.com
Feel free to forward this newsletter if you have any friends who loves
NASCAR and great NASCAR commentary. They can subscribe to the Frontstetch by visiting http://www.frontstretch.com/notice/9557/.
If you want to stop your Frontstretch Newsletter subscription, we're sorry
to see you go. Just send an email to
TheFrontstretch+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com from the address that you
recieve the Frontstretch Newsletter.
No comments:
Post a Comment