THE FRONTSTRETCH NEWSLETTER
Presented by Frontstretch.com
The Best Seat at the Track, The Best View on the Net!
February 28th, 2012
Volume V, Edition XXVIII
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~~~~~~~~~~~
Presented by Frontstretch.com
The Best Seat at the Track, The Best View on the Net!
February 28th, 2012
Volume V, Edition XXVIII
~~~~~~~~~~~
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.
~~~~~~~~~~~
EDITOR'S NOTE: We had an incorrect title in this morning's recap, which was about the Daytona 500 - not the previous week's Budweiser Shootout. We apologize for the error.
Daytona 500 Wrap-Up
by Tom Bowles
by Tom Bowles
Here's a quick look at some stories we didn't get to last night, along with some driver quotes and Monday morning story updates so you're all good to go.
Jet Dryer Driver Releases Statement, Will Be OK
The biggest fright of Duane Barnes' life will wind up being just that; a scare. The driver of the jet dryer Juan Pablo Montoya hit at the Daytona 500 has been released from the hospital and is expected to be just fine. Michigan Speedway released a statement late Monday afternoon in which Barnes, 52, spoke out about the incident.
Barnes, who has worked in the MIS maintenance department for 24 years was released in time to actually return to the track, catching the end of the Daytona 500. As for Montoya, he thanked everyone for well-wishes on Twitter and appears to be physically fine from the incident.
Keselowski Will Not Be Fined For Twitter
Brad Keselowski's backstretch pictures will be nothing more than NASCAR publicity. Spokesman Steve O'Donnell on Twitter confirmed the driver will not be penalized for having a communication device in his car. There was brief concern that having a cell phone violated NASCAR rules, particularly involving how electronic devices inside the car must be for competition use only. However, officials have confirmed that going forward they'll be allowed to be brought inside all Sprint Cup, Nationwide, and Camping World Truck Series vehicles.
Around The Daytona 500: Driver Quotes You May Have Missed
"I kind of liked the package obviously. It definitely suits my style better, and I can do things on my own. Maybe not definitely going to need some help to win races, but I definitely can do more on my own like this. In the old package you needed someone else the entire race, and that's not fun." - Dale Jr. on the plate package
"NASCAR did a great job. To be honest, I didn't think they could make these kinds of chances. But they did and they did a great job of breaking up the tandem. It made it for a completely different race." - Jeff Burton, finished fifth
"Weeks just weeks; it seems like we have been here for a month. Just a lot of strange things happening to tell you the truth, but I'm happy to get in the plane and head home." - Harvick on Speedweeks
"I'm ok. My foot hurt, but I'm ok. For as big of a hit that way; I'm pretty good to be honest. Something fell in the rear of the car and the car just spun into the jet dryer. I felt a vibration and came in. They looked at everything and everything was ok and I still told them 'I think there is something broke' and I was coming back into the pits and the car just spun by itself. [The fire] burned the helmet and everything." - Juan Pablo Montoya, finished 36th
"Any lap that I turn is progression, that's for sure. That's why I was so proud of everyone working so hard. They were working hard to get me back on the track. Was there much to gain as far as position? No. What there was to gain was for me to get the experience of running out there." - Danica Patrick, finished 38th
"There has been so much reliability testing that if we had seen some high temps or some high water pressure, then I would have kind of expected some of this to happen. But, I was actually seeing some surprising low temps and low pressures. I don't know, maybe something was off there." - Jeff Gordon, on blown engine that finished 40th
"I'm just really, really bummed to start the season this way. For all the hard work that has gone into getting this Lowe's Chevrolet ready for tonight; we didn't get to complete two-and-a-half miles of green flag racing. So, I'm pretty bummed." - Jimmie Johnson, finished 42nd
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.
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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!
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Special Commentary
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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!
~~~~~~~~~~
Special Commentary
Twitter: Changing The Face Of NASCAR
Sitting In The Stands: A Fan's View
by S.D. Grady
by S.D. Grady
Picture this. There's a giant ball of flame flaring above a melting jet dryer in Turn 3. All of NASCAR and then some have their eyes glued to one of the most bizarre moments in sporting history, and then the boy in blue pulled out his phone to send a picture...
Twitter: the connection to the entire planet, my direct line to NASCAR 24/7.
It was 11:45 AM Monday, I was stuck in my office without a television or radio and yet I was aware the Daytona 500 had been postponed to 7 PM Monday night, A.J. Allmendinger (@AJDinger) ate some chipotle for lunch, Kevin Harvick (@KevinHarvick) was bored and decided to catch a movie, members of the No. 33 team were trying on silly hats and the Orange Cone (@TheOrangeCone) was playing a little something called #replacewordinsongtitlewithdanica. Maybe that makes it sound like Twitter is all fun and games. Not true! A day doesn't pass where I don't see thanks to our serving military, prayers for a fan's loved one and well thought out strategies for the upcoming racing event scroll down my phone.
Life has changed in our sport.
Have you noticed? Under every broadcaster's name now appears their Twitter handle. Dick Berggren (@dickberggren) and Frontstretch's own Bryan Davis Keith (@BryanDavisKeith) even bent to the necessity of hooking into this social media feeding frenzy. Every driver, crew chief, media member, jet dryer driver -- with perhaps the exception of one Duane Barnes, wife, tire changer, and physical part of the track now has something to say about everything that happens on any given day.
I avidly catalogue all the different conversations that fly between those that live in NASCAR's limelight. There's the Baby Harvick phenomenon, pet pics galore, public relation appearances, tweet-ups, fan questions and trivia games to tantalize even the hardcore viewer who knows racing existed before Jeff Gordon. It's not that this "insider info" is all new. We had all the same tidbits available before, but now it is conveniently packaged in a one-stop shop.
In days gone by, I had to tune into every NASCAR talk show, nightly news, flip through the bazillion pages of Jayski, click on links, chase rumors, Yahoo and Google groups... staying up on my favorite pastime had become all-consuming. And my obsession was obvious. Spending that amount of time ferreting out who was dating who and their favorite afternoon snack interfered with that other job, much to the chagrin of my boss.
Life is easier now. By "following" a large number of NASCAR insiders I am rarely shocked by an evening announcement hours old. But it's also a bit like I've been welcomed into the inner sanctum. That may be the most seductive part of the Twitter tidal wave: celebrities are now accessible to fans 24 hours a day. Maybe they're not answering the phone right now, but if you watch Mark Martin's (@55MarkMartin) timeline, he does spend a good portion of each day communicating not with his fellow drivers, but the unwashed masses. He talks shop, music, food, exercise regiments. It's truly a personal connection. When a fan is retweeted by a driver, every person following gets a cc: of that thought. Now, not only are you getting into the mindset of the competitors, but all of NASCAR Nation.
Wow. It's more than a bit addicting.
The long-term bonus, of course, means accessibility above and beyond what NASCAR has always been known for. It's one thing to shake your hero's hand and have them sign a hat, it's quite another to have them tell you they ate Beanie Weenies for supper while acknowledging you for the rest of the world to see. The lowly fan is now being recognized on the worldwide stage.
You think that statement is a stretch? Let's look at a few numbers. Brad Keselowski (@keselowski) had a measly 72,000 people following his tweets before the infamous red flag period, which is a drop in the bucket to that sparkling Miss Patrick (@DanicaPatrick) who boasts a mere 503,000 names in her follow column.
But take a look at Keselowski now. Enough people were enamored with the thought of following a driver, showing a picture of that fire the driver of the No. 2 amassed an additional 140,000!!! followers in just over two hours. With those kinds of audience numbers built into everything someone cares to share with Twitterdom, the networks and major media outlets are only smart to include this obsession in their television broadcasts. Otherwise, they'd be snubbing all the inside information that their core audience is well aware of before the On-Air sign lights up. No longer is the broadcast going to be about breaking news, but adding to NASCAR Nation's enjoyment of their ever-expanding insider info stored on their smart phones, laptops and tablets.
Make no mistake, the coverage of auto racing will never be the same, and we got a fair induction to that Monday night on the Superstretch. Some might belabor the loss of hard news and solid stats as the lead-in on RaceDay, but don't miss it too much. What we have now is a more human interaction among those that build, move, and race those machines that remain at the heart of this sport. I wouldn't give up this newfound connection for anything. And somehow I don't think Mr. Keselowski will, either.
~~~~
Feel like you're missing out? Join me, everyone here at the Frontstretch and the rest of Twitterdom. It's free and only requires a computer/smart phone and internet connection. http://twitter.com
Follow me: S.D. Grady (@laregna)
Follow The Frontstretch: (@TheFrontstretch)
It was 11:45 AM Monday, I was stuck in my office without a television or radio and yet I was aware the Daytona 500 had been postponed to 7 PM Monday night, A.J. Allmendinger (@AJDinger) ate some chipotle for lunch, Kevin Harvick (@KevinHarvick) was bored and decided to catch a movie, members of the No. 33 team were trying on silly hats and the Orange Cone (@TheOrangeCone) was playing a little something called #replacewordinsongtitlewithdanica. Maybe that makes it sound like Twitter is all fun and games. Not true! A day doesn't pass where I don't see thanks to our serving military, prayers for a fan's loved one and well thought out strategies for the upcoming racing event scroll down my phone.
Life has changed in our sport.
Have you noticed? Under every broadcaster's name now appears their Twitter handle. Dick Berggren (@dickberggren) and Frontstretch's own Bryan Davis Keith (@BryanDavisKeith) even bent to the necessity of hooking into this social media feeding frenzy. Every driver, crew chief, media member, jet dryer driver -- with perhaps the exception of one Duane Barnes, wife, tire changer, and physical part of the track now has something to say about everything that happens on any given day.
I avidly catalogue all the different conversations that fly between those that live in NASCAR's limelight. There's the Baby Harvick phenomenon, pet pics galore, public relation appearances, tweet-ups, fan questions and trivia games to tantalize even the hardcore viewer who knows racing existed before Jeff Gordon. It's not that this "insider info" is all new. We had all the same tidbits available before, but now it is conveniently packaged in a one-stop shop.
In days gone by, I had to tune into every NASCAR talk show, nightly news, flip through the bazillion pages of Jayski, click on links, chase rumors, Yahoo and Google groups... staying up on my favorite pastime had become all-consuming. And my obsession was obvious. Spending that amount of time ferreting out who was dating who and their favorite afternoon snack interfered with that other job, much to the chagrin of my boss.
Life is easier now. By "following" a large number of NASCAR insiders I am rarely shocked by an evening announcement hours old. But it's also a bit like I've been welcomed into the inner sanctum. That may be the most seductive part of the Twitter tidal wave: celebrities are now accessible to fans 24 hours a day. Maybe they're not answering the phone right now, but if you watch Mark Martin's (@55MarkMartin) timeline, he does spend a good portion of each day communicating not with his fellow drivers, but the unwashed masses. He talks shop, music, food, exercise regiments. It's truly a personal connection. When a fan is retweeted by a driver, every person following gets a cc: of that thought. Now, not only are you getting into the mindset of the competitors, but all of NASCAR Nation.
Wow. It's more than a bit addicting.
The long-term bonus, of course, means accessibility above and beyond what NASCAR has always been known for. It's one thing to shake your hero's hand and have them sign a hat, it's quite another to have them tell you they ate Beanie Weenies for supper while acknowledging you for the rest of the world to see. The lowly fan is now being recognized on the worldwide stage.
You think that statement is a stretch? Let's look at a few numbers. Brad Keselowski (@keselowski) had a measly 72,000 people following his tweets before the infamous red flag period, which is a drop in the bucket to that sparkling Miss Patrick (@DanicaPatrick) who boasts a mere 503,000 names in her follow column.
But take a look at Keselowski now. Enough people were enamored with the thought of following a driver, showing a picture of that fire the driver of the No. 2 amassed an additional 140,000!!! followers in just over two hours. With those kinds of audience numbers built into everything someone cares to share with Twitterdom, the networks and major media outlets are only smart to include this obsession in their television broadcasts. Otherwise, they'd be snubbing all the inside information that their core audience is well aware of before the On-Air sign lights up. No longer is the broadcast going to be about breaking news, but adding to NASCAR Nation's enjoyment of their ever-expanding insider info stored on their smart phones, laptops and tablets.
Make no mistake, the coverage of auto racing will never be the same, and we got a fair induction to that Monday night on the Superstretch. Some might belabor the loss of hard news and solid stats as the lead-in on RaceDay, but don't miss it too much. What we have now is a more human interaction among those that build, move, and race those machines that remain at the heart of this sport. I wouldn't give up this newfound connection for anything. And somehow I don't think Mr. Keselowski will, either.
~~~~
Feel like you're missing out? Join me, everyone here at the Frontstretch and the rest of Twitterdom. It's free and only requires a computer/smart phone and internet connection. http://twitter.com
Follow me: S.D. Grady (@laregna)
Follow The Frontstretch: (@TheFrontstretch)
P.S. - Sonya's Weekly "Danica Patrick Stat"
Patrick this week: 2 starts in point races (1 Cup, 1 NNS). Average Finishing Position: 38th.
~~~~~~~~~~
TODAY ON THE FRONTSTRETCH:
Matt McLaughlin's Thinkin' Out Loud: 2012 Daytona 500 Recap
by Matt McLaughlin
Mr. Underrated Strikes Again: Will Anyone Appreciate Actual Daytona Winner?
by Tom Bowles
The Big Six: Questions Answered After the Daytona 500
by Amy Henderson
NASCAR Is Ready For Prime Time
by Ron LeMasters
FRONTSTRETCH TRIVIA:
Q: In the 1989 Autoworks 500k, Rusty Wallace lost a significant number of points to Dale Earnhardt due to a crash. With whom did he tangle with in Turns 1 and 2?
Q: In the 1989 Autoworks 500k, Rusty Wallace lost a significant number of points to Dale Earnhardt due to a crash. With whom did he tangle with in Turns 1 and 2?
Check back Tuesday for the answer, here in the Frontstretch Newsletter!
Coming Tomorrow in the Frontstretch Newsletter:
-- Top News from Tom Bowles
-- Full Throttle by Mike Neff
-- Links to your favorite Frontstretch articles, and more!
Coming Tomorrow On The Frontstretch:
Did You Notice?... by Tom Bowles
Several teams with nothing but scrap metal left from Daytona? Tom Bowles examines the impact a wreckfest Speedweeks had on those programs, makes a case for and against the Biffle conspiracy and ties up Daytona loose ends in his weekly look at small but important observations around the Sprint Cup circuit.
Going Green by Garrett Horton
Garrett will have an interesting column based upon Monday night's events in Daytona.
Top 15 Power Rankings: Daytona 500 compiled by Summer Dreyer
Your favorite weekly rankings are back, with a twist! Media experts from multiple platforms, not just Frontstretch come together in a racing-style AP Poll to rank the top 15 NASCAR drivers entering the season. And oh, they have plenty of sarcastic one-liners, too!
Five Points To Ponder by Bryan Davis Keith
Bryan is back with his weekly edition of talking points to tie up the Daytona 500 and get us set for Phoenix next weekend.
Frontstretch Top Ten by the Frontstretch Staff
We're back with another Top Ten list based on the events of this past weekend in Daytona.
Talk back to the Frontstretch Newsletter!
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