THE FRONTSTRETCH NEWSLETTER
Presented by Frontstretch.com
The Best Seat at the Track, The Best View on the Net!
February 20th, 2012
Volume V, Edition XVI
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Presented by Frontstretch.com
The Best Seat at the Track, The Best View on the Net!
February 20th, 2012
Volume V, Edition XVI
~~~~~~~~~~~
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.
~~~~~~~~~~~
Sprint Cup Race Recap: Kyle Busch Recovers From Near-Wrecks to Win Budweiser Shootout
by Jeff Wolfe
Kyle Busch was all over the place at Daytona International Speedway Saturday night. So maybe it shouldn't have been a surprise his race ended at the place where all drivers want to be – Victory Lane.
Busch was nearly spun out twice and avoided three of the "Big One" type crashes to win his first Bud Shootout. He pushed eventual second-place finisher Tony Stewart to the front on the white-flag lap, then timed his final pass perfectly to nip Stewart by 0.013-thousandths of a second in the two-segment, 82-lap event on the 2.5-mile oval.
"I don't know how many times I spun out, but I didn't spin out," Busch said in Victory Lane. "It was fun to drive when I when I wasn't getting turned around. I'm glad to see the pack back making it interesting for us drivers and hopefully it was great for the fans."
Busch was running second behind Stewart on Lap 74, heading to the white flag of the original, 75-lap scheduled distance when he avoided the final "Big One" of the night that began when he was bumped from behind by Jeff Gordon. Busch controlled his car enough to stay on the bottom of the track, but Gordon slid up to collect contenders Kevin Harvick and Dale Earnhardt, Jr.
That left a green-white-checkered finish with Stewart starting in the lead. But shortly after the restart, Marcos Ambrose was pushed to the front by Brad Keselowski; they held an edge until Busch found Stewart at the beginning in the final lap and went to the outside lane. Busch then pushed Stewart ahead of the pack and made the winning pass.
"I pulled low and got in behind Stewart and we just mowed right up through there," said Busch, who gave Toyota its first Bud Shootout win. "He had a fast car and I'm like 'this is a two guy race right now and it's going to be either me or him.' I've seen the move done before. It was my turn to do it this time. Stewart had me the last time here in July a couple of years ago."
Stewart's team rebounded from a crash in Friday's practice, which caused extensive repairs to his primary car to nearly win Saturday.
"It can be done," he said of getting a win at next Sunday's Daytona 500. "I got just part of it, just not all of what I needed to do at the end. Considering where this car was at yesterday, I'm just really proud of Steve Addington, Tony Gibson and Greg Zipadelli. All three teams at Stewart-Haas Racing did an awesome job. They even let me work on it, which is kind of scary."
As is often the case in restrictor plate racing, the end can be the most exciting and scary part. Gordon's crash was the most frightening, ending in a barrel roll before landing the No. 24 Chevrolet landed on its roof. The third melee of the night also collected Kurt Busch, Jamie McMurray, Ambrose, A.J. Allmendinger and Carl Edwards.
"It's just getting down to the end of the race and it's time to go," Gordon said. "The difference now is we are still bump drafting, but we can't do it for a long period of time. The cars are moving around a lot and you have to be real careful with how you push and when you push. It's going to take some patience."
The top-10 after Busch and Stewart were Ambrose, Keselowski, Denny Hamlin, Greg Biffle, Ryan Newman, Clint Bowyer, Edwards and Juan Pablo Montoya. They were also the only remaining cars on the lead lap as just 13 of the 25 starters were running at the end.
The fact that Busch was one of those was quite remarkable. With 28 laps to go, he was nudged by Jimmie Johnson, only to save the car after twice going below the yellow line, nearly out of control. The almost-spin did leave some damage to Busch's front end, but a crash with 20 laps left gave his crew the needed time on pit row to make some repairs.
That second "Big One" of the night occurred when Ambrose nipped Joey Logano on the left bumper. Logano slid up the track gathering Dale Earnhardt, Jr., Ambrose, Matt Kenseth, Kevin Harvick and Martin Truex, Jr.
"Right now, these guys car are going pretty fast, but it depends on where you get hit and how you get hit," Logano said of the cause for the wrecks. Each major incident appeared to start by one driver hitting the car in front of them right on their left-rear quarterpanel.
Harvick got the worst of that second incident; he tried to make it back to pit road with his car engulfed in flames and told his crew on the radio that he couldn't stop because there were no brakes.
"I knew I was one fire, I just figured it would go out," Harvick said. "It's going to take a lot more patience from guys who haven't done this before. You can't hit people in the left rear. There's two pedals in these things."
It was apparent early that this night might be a wild-thing kind of race. The first 'Big One' took place in the opening 25-lap segment of the race on lap 9. It happened when David Ragan was pushing Paul Menard on the inside line. Menard shot up the track and collected others, including Ragan, Michael Waltrip, Hamlin, Montoya, Jeff Burton, Matt Kenseth and Kasey Kahne. It appeared from replays that Ragan stayed a little lower as Menard drifted slightly higher, hitting him on the left side of the bumper.
Drivers were also watching their temperature gauges, which can affect drafting when they need to back off and let the radiator get some air to keep the engine cool. But the biggest news for drivers and fans alike might have been that the pack is back for restrictor plate tracks after watching two-car racing last year.
"We had a blast tonight," said Kurt Busch. "You could feel the energy and the excitement and the butterflies with 10 to go."
Jeff Wolfe is a New Contributor for Frontstretch.com. He can be reached via e-mail at jeff.wolfe@frontstretch.com.
Edwards Leads a Roush-Fenway Daytona 500 Front Row Sweep
by Tom Bowles
Carl Edwards left Homestead a disappointed runner-up finisher in the final point standings. But after three months away, he made sure 2012 would start with the superlative he narrowly missed out on: first place.
The No. 99 team came out swinging at Daytona, leading a 1-2 sweep for Roush Fenway Racing in qualifying for the 54th annual Daytona 500. Edwards' time of 46.216 seconds, an average of 194.738 miles an hour beat Greg Biffle by well over a tenth, qualifying him for the 2013 Budweiser Shootout while establishing his team as an early favorite for the 500.
"It's an amazing feeling," he said of capturing the top spot with his Ford for the sport's biggest race. "I just cannot thank Jack Roush enough for all the work that he's put in, and (engine builder) Doug Yates. Those guys have done an unbelievable job of working through the transition to EFI (electronic fuel injection) and it's just amazing to know for the next week that Bob and all of us are gonna be working on the fastest racecar here at Daytona and preparing it for the biggest race of the season."
The RFR teammates are the only ones "locked in" to a starting spot for the 500, although 35 total drivers are guaranteed entry based on last year's owner points. Among the 14 drivers competing for the final eight positions, a total of three also secured a place on the grid through qualifying speed: Trevor Bayne (No. 21 Wood Brothers Ford), Tony Raines (No. 26 Front Row Motorsports Ford), and David Stremme (No. 30 Inception Motorsports Toyota). Terry Labonte, running the No. 32 FAS Lane car will also earn a position through the champion's provisional, if needed.
All 49 cars will now compete in one of two Gatorade Duel 150 qualifying races on Thursday, which will cement the starting grid and pit road assignments for this year's Great American Race. Among the notables who have to race their way in include two-time Daytona 500 winner Michael Waltrip (No. 40 Hillman Racing Toyota), 1988 Cup champ Bill Elliott (No. 97 NEMCO Motorsports Toyota) and last Fall's Talladega third-place finisher Dave Blaney (No. 36 Tommy Baldwin Racing Toyota).
Bud Shootout Reverting Back To Old Format
Cup Series pole winners, rejoice; February's NASCAR exhibition will once again be dedicated to you. NASCAR revised the rules for the Budweiser Shootout Sunday, restricting eligibility for 2013 to Coors Light Pole Winners and previous winners of the Shootout only. The adjustment comes after four years of wildly changing criteria to become eligible for the race, from the top 6 drivers from each manufacturer to this year's version which automatically included the top 25 drivers in owner points, regardless of qualifying skill.
"Fans have expressed their desire to see this event return to its original eligibility rules," said Steve O'Donnell, NASCAR senior vice president of racing operations. "We listened and decided it would be best to return to the eligibility rules of years past, adding further meaning to pole qualifying for each NASCAR Sprint Cup race."
There's no word yet on whether the length of the event will also be reduced. The Busch Clash for pole winners, as it was called during the days of Busch sponsorship was once just a 20-lap sprint, far shorter than the 75-lap distance run in previous years.
Tom Bowles is the Editor-In-Chief of Frontstretch.com. He can be reached via e-mail at tom.bowles@frontstretch.com.
Editor's Note: For a look at Saturday's Lucas Oil Slick Mist 200 the season opener for the ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards, check out our new column, Pace Laps, on the website today.
The Weekend's Top News
by Jeff Wolfe
Kyle Busch was all over the place at Daytona International Speedway Saturday night. So maybe it shouldn't have been a surprise his race ended at the place where all drivers want to be – Victory Lane.
Busch was nearly spun out twice and avoided three of the "Big One" type crashes to win his first Bud Shootout. He pushed eventual second-place finisher Tony Stewart to the front on the white-flag lap, then timed his final pass perfectly to nip Stewart by 0.013-thousandths of a second in the two-segment, 82-lap event on the 2.5-mile oval.
"I don't know how many times I spun out, but I didn't spin out," Busch said in Victory Lane. "It was fun to drive when I when I wasn't getting turned around. I'm glad to see the pack back making it interesting for us drivers and hopefully it was great for the fans."
Busch was running second behind Stewart on Lap 74, heading to the white flag of the original, 75-lap scheduled distance when he avoided the final "Big One" of the night that began when he was bumped from behind by Jeff Gordon. Busch controlled his car enough to stay on the bottom of the track, but Gordon slid up to collect contenders Kevin Harvick and Dale Earnhardt, Jr.
That left a green-white-checkered finish with Stewart starting in the lead. But shortly after the restart, Marcos Ambrose was pushed to the front by Brad Keselowski; they held an edge until Busch found Stewart at the beginning in the final lap and went to the outside lane. Busch then pushed Stewart ahead of the pack and made the winning pass.
"I pulled low and got in behind Stewart and we just mowed right up through there," said Busch, who gave Toyota its first Bud Shootout win. "He had a fast car and I'm like 'this is a two guy race right now and it's going to be either me or him.' I've seen the move done before. It was my turn to do it this time. Stewart had me the last time here in July a couple of years ago."
Stewart's team rebounded from a crash in Friday's practice, which caused extensive repairs to his primary car to nearly win Saturday.
"It can be done," he said of getting a win at next Sunday's Daytona 500. "I got just part of it, just not all of what I needed to do at the end. Considering where this car was at yesterday, I'm just really proud of Steve Addington, Tony Gibson and Greg Zipadelli. All three teams at Stewart-Haas Racing did an awesome job. They even let me work on it, which is kind of scary."
As is often the case in restrictor plate racing, the end can be the most exciting and scary part. Gordon's crash was the most frightening, ending in a barrel roll before landing the No. 24 Chevrolet landed on its roof. The third melee of the night also collected Kurt Busch, Jamie McMurray, Ambrose, A.J. Allmendinger and Carl Edwards.
"It's just getting down to the end of the race and it's time to go," Gordon said. "The difference now is we are still bump drafting, but we can't do it for a long period of time. The cars are moving around a lot and you have to be real careful with how you push and when you push. It's going to take some patience."
The top-10 after Busch and Stewart were Ambrose, Keselowski, Denny Hamlin, Greg Biffle, Ryan Newman, Clint Bowyer, Edwards and Juan Pablo Montoya. They were also the only remaining cars on the lead lap as just 13 of the 25 starters were running at the end.
The fact that Busch was one of those was quite remarkable. With 28 laps to go, he was nudged by Jimmie Johnson, only to save the car after twice going below the yellow line, nearly out of control. The almost-spin did leave some damage to Busch's front end, but a crash with 20 laps left gave his crew the needed time on pit row to make some repairs.
That second "Big One" of the night occurred when Ambrose nipped Joey Logano on the left bumper. Logano slid up the track gathering Dale Earnhardt, Jr., Ambrose, Matt Kenseth, Kevin Harvick and Martin Truex, Jr.
"Right now, these guys car are going pretty fast, but it depends on where you get hit and how you get hit," Logano said of the cause for the wrecks. Each major incident appeared to start by one driver hitting the car in front of them right on their left-rear quarterpanel.
Harvick got the worst of that second incident; he tried to make it back to pit road with his car engulfed in flames and told his crew on the radio that he couldn't stop because there were no brakes.
"I knew I was one fire, I just figured it would go out," Harvick said. "It's going to take a lot more patience from guys who haven't done this before. You can't hit people in the left rear. There's two pedals in these things."
It was apparent early that this night might be a wild-thing kind of race. The first 'Big One' took place in the opening 25-lap segment of the race on lap 9. It happened when David Ragan was pushing Paul Menard on the inside line. Menard shot up the track and collected others, including Ragan, Michael Waltrip, Hamlin, Montoya, Jeff Burton, Matt Kenseth and Kasey Kahne. It appeared from replays that Ragan stayed a little lower as Menard drifted slightly higher, hitting him on the left side of the bumper.
Drivers were also watching their temperature gauges, which can affect drafting when they need to back off and let the radiator get some air to keep the engine cool. But the biggest news for drivers and fans alike might have been that the pack is back for restrictor plate tracks after watching two-car racing last year.
"We had a blast tonight," said Kurt Busch. "You could feel the energy and the excitement and the butterflies with 10 to go."
Jeff Wolfe is a New Contributor for Frontstretch.com. He can be reached via e-mail at jeff.wolfe@frontstretch.com.
Edwards Leads a Roush-Fenway Daytona 500 Front Row Sweep
by Tom Bowles
Carl Edwards left Homestead a disappointed runner-up finisher in the final point standings. But after three months away, he made sure 2012 would start with the superlative he narrowly missed out on: first place.
The No. 99 team came out swinging at Daytona, leading a 1-2 sweep for Roush Fenway Racing in qualifying for the 54th annual Daytona 500. Edwards' time of 46.216 seconds, an average of 194.738 miles an hour beat Greg Biffle by well over a tenth, qualifying him for the 2013 Budweiser Shootout while establishing his team as an early favorite for the 500.
"It's an amazing feeling," he said of capturing the top spot with his Ford for the sport's biggest race. "I just cannot thank Jack Roush enough for all the work that he's put in, and (engine builder) Doug Yates. Those guys have done an unbelievable job of working through the transition to EFI (electronic fuel injection) and it's just amazing to know for the next week that Bob and all of us are gonna be working on the fastest racecar here at Daytona and preparing it for the biggest race of the season."
The RFR teammates are the only ones "locked in" to a starting spot for the 500, although 35 total drivers are guaranteed entry based on last year's owner points. Among the 14 drivers competing for the final eight positions, a total of three also secured a place on the grid through qualifying speed: Trevor Bayne (No. 21 Wood Brothers Ford), Tony Raines (No. 26 Front Row Motorsports Ford), and David Stremme (No. 30 Inception Motorsports Toyota). Terry Labonte, running the No. 32 FAS Lane car will also earn a position through the champion's provisional, if needed.
All 49 cars will now compete in one of two Gatorade Duel 150 qualifying races on Thursday, which will cement the starting grid and pit road assignments for this year's Great American Race. Among the notables who have to race their way in include two-time Daytona 500 winner Michael Waltrip (No. 40 Hillman Racing Toyota), 1988 Cup champ Bill Elliott (No. 97 NEMCO Motorsports Toyota) and last Fall's Talladega third-place finisher Dave Blaney (No. 36 Tommy Baldwin Racing Toyota).
Bud Shootout Reverting Back To Old Format
Cup Series pole winners, rejoice; February's NASCAR exhibition will once again be dedicated to you. NASCAR revised the rules for the Budweiser Shootout Sunday, restricting eligibility for 2013 to Coors Light Pole Winners and previous winners of the Shootout only. The adjustment comes after four years of wildly changing criteria to become eligible for the race, from the top 6 drivers from each manufacturer to this year's version which automatically included the top 25 drivers in owner points, regardless of qualifying skill.
"Fans have expressed their desire to see this event return to its original eligibility rules," said Steve O'Donnell, NASCAR senior vice president of racing operations. "We listened and decided it would be best to return to the eligibility rules of years past, adding further meaning to pole qualifying for each NASCAR Sprint Cup race."
There's no word yet on whether the length of the event will also be reduced. The Busch Clash for pole winners, as it was called during the days of Busch sponsorship was once just a 20-lap sprint, far shorter than the 75-lap distance run in previous years.
Tom Bowles is the Editor-In-Chief of Frontstretch.com. He can be reached via e-mail at tom.bowles@frontstretch.com.
Editor's Note: For a look at Saturday's Lucas Oil Slick Mist 200 the season opener for the ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards, check out our new column, Pace Laps, on the website today.
The Weekend's Top News
by Bryan Davis Keith
Stewart Claims Responsibility For Practice Wreck
The combination of tandem and pack drafting proved treacherous on-track during Bud Shootout practice Friday night. Late in the session, closing on a slow Martin Truex Jr. in turn 3, Tony Stewart bumped Kurt Busch entering the corner and sent the No. 51 car spinning, triggering a five-car wreck that collected Penske Racing teammates Brad Keselowski and A.J. Allmendinger as well as Kyle Busch. Stewart took responsibility for the incident in post-wreck remarks. Keselowski, Allmendinger and both Busch brothers will be going to backup cars for Saturday's race; Stewart noted his team would be repairing his No. 14 machine. The wreck was especially costly for Kurt Busch, whose smaller Phoenix Racing team didn't even have a spare seat to put in their backup car (SPEED reported the team's limited staff of 18 employees only have enough cars prepared for the first three or four races as it stands).
With the first practice ending on such a destructive note, only 12 teams took to the track for second practice before rains forced NASCAR to end the practice early.
Penalties Possible for Knaus, No. 48 Team After Parts Confiscation
The No. 48 team may not be the defending champions this year, but they wasted no time making headlines at Daytona. The team's Daytona 500 car failed opening-day inspection at the track, with NASCAR confiscating the C-posts off the No. 48 machine for being too far out of compliance with templates. Sprint Cup Series director John Darby called the violations "major," though NASCAR allowed the No. 48 team to replace the posts on the car and stated that any penalties to come would likely not be levied until after the 500.
Friday is hardly the first time the Chad Knaus-led No. 48 team has found trouble at the Great American Race. Knaus was suspended for the Daytona 500 for rules violations back in 2006; interim crew chief Darian Grubb ended up leading Johnson, the eventual Sprint Cup champion, to win the 500 that same week.
Stewart Claims Responsibility For Practice Wreck
The combination of tandem and pack drafting proved treacherous on-track during Bud Shootout practice Friday night. Late in the session, closing on a slow Martin Truex Jr. in turn 3, Tony Stewart bumped Kurt Busch entering the corner and sent the No. 51 car spinning, triggering a five-car wreck that collected Penske Racing teammates Brad Keselowski and A.J. Allmendinger as well as Kyle Busch. Stewart took responsibility for the incident in post-wreck remarks. Keselowski, Allmendinger and both Busch brothers will be going to backup cars for Saturday's race; Stewart noted his team would be repairing his No. 14 machine. The wreck was especially costly for Kurt Busch, whose smaller Phoenix Racing team didn't even have a spare seat to put in their backup car (SPEED reported the team's limited staff of 18 employees only have enough cars prepared for the first three or four races as it stands).
With the first practice ending on such a destructive note, only 12 teams took to the track for second practice before rains forced NASCAR to end the practice early.
Penalties Possible for Knaus, No. 48 Team After Parts Confiscation
The No. 48 team may not be the defending champions this year, but they wasted no time making headlines at Daytona. The team's Daytona 500 car failed opening-day inspection at the track, with NASCAR confiscating the C-posts off the No. 48 machine for being too far out of compliance with templates. Sprint Cup Series director John Darby called the violations "major," though NASCAR allowed the No. 48 team to replace the posts on the car and stated that any penalties to come would likely not be levied until after the 500.
Friday is hardly the first time the Chad Knaus-led No. 48 team has found trouble at the Great American Race. Knaus was suspended for the Daytona 500 for rules violations back in 2006; interim crew chief Darian Grubb ended up leading Johnson, the eventual Sprint Cup champion, to win the 500 that same week.
Have news for Tom, Bryan, Phil 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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Secret Star of the Race: The Run You Never Saw
For Denny Hamlin, the new season got off to an unceremonious start just ten laps into Saturday night's Budweiser Shootout. A victim of the Paul Menard / David Ragan wreck on Lap 10, Hamlin lost two laps on pit road for repairs and it looked like the "same old, same old" lousy luck that doomed his disastrous 2011. But during the ten-minute break, crew chief Darian Grubb and company made crucial adjustments for the wounded Toyota to stay competitive; then, a series of late-race cautions allowed the No. 11 Toyota to get back on the lead lap. Engine damage kept the FedEx Toyota from leading a pack draft, but green-white-checker shuffling still left him in the mix, shooting the car all the way to fifth-place by the finish. Was that a run to write home about for the most talked about driver/crew chief combo? Not quite yet, especially considering Hamlin's 37th-place run in qualifying Sunday (a car he called "at the caboose" in terms of speed versus major rivals). But in racing conditions, this duo showcased an ability to handle adversity, what you look for in these types of new "marriages" that can only help them going forward. - Tom Bowles
STAT OF THE WEEK: 47. That's the number of drivers who've failed to finish in the last four years of the Bud Shootout, an average of slightly less than 12 per race. Over that time period, there's been 22 cautions spread out over 311 laps, three green-white-checkered finishes and at least six "Big Ones" (wrecks involving half-a-dozen cars). Can you say "Demolition Derby?"
For the record, an even dozen failed to reach the checkers Saturday night, nearly half of the 25 cars who started. Hey, maybe returning the race to its roots, connecting it to past pole winners will calm the competition down. From 1979 to 2008, a total of 30 years' worth of exhibition events just 63 drivers failed to finish – an average of slightly more than two per race. The number of cautions is impossible to compare, seeing as many of those early "Busch Clashes" lasted just 20 laps but let's just say the racing rarely ended in disaster. – Tom Bowles
TODAY ON THE FRONTSTRETCH:
Matt McLaughlin's Thinkin' Out Loud: 2012 Budweiser Shootout Recap
by Matt McLaughlin
The Big Six: Questions Answered After the Budweiser Shootout
by Amy Henderson
Be Careful What You Wish For...It Just May Happen
by Ron LeMasters
Pace Laps: Johnson Penalty, Gerhart Luck, Larson Rise Highlight Speedweeks, Part I
by the Frontstretch Staff
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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!
~~~~~~~~~~
Secret Star of the Race: The Run You Never Saw
For Denny Hamlin, the new season got off to an unceremonious start just ten laps into Saturday night's Budweiser Shootout. A victim of the Paul Menard / David Ragan wreck on Lap 10, Hamlin lost two laps on pit road for repairs and it looked like the "same old, same old" lousy luck that doomed his disastrous 2011. But during the ten-minute break, crew chief Darian Grubb and company made crucial adjustments for the wounded Toyota to stay competitive; then, a series of late-race cautions allowed the No. 11 Toyota to get back on the lead lap. Engine damage kept the FedEx Toyota from leading a pack draft, but green-white-checker shuffling still left him in the mix, shooting the car all the way to fifth-place by the finish. Was that a run to write home about for the most talked about driver/crew chief combo? Not quite yet, especially considering Hamlin's 37th-place run in qualifying Sunday (a car he called "at the caboose" in terms of speed versus major rivals). But in racing conditions, this duo showcased an ability to handle adversity, what you look for in these types of new "marriages" that can only help them going forward. - Tom Bowles
STAT OF THE WEEK: 47. That's the number of drivers who've failed to finish in the last four years of the Bud Shootout, an average of slightly less than 12 per race. Over that time period, there's been 22 cautions spread out over 311 laps, three green-white-checkered finishes and at least six "Big Ones" (wrecks involving half-a-dozen cars). Can you say "Demolition Derby?"
For the record, an even dozen failed to reach the checkers Saturday night, nearly half of the 25 cars who started. Hey, maybe returning the race to its roots, connecting it to past pole winners will calm the competition down. From 1979 to 2008, a total of 30 years' worth of exhibition events just 63 drivers failed to finish – an average of slightly more than two per race. The number of cautions is impossible to compare, seeing as many of those early "Busch Clashes" lasted just 20 laps but let's just say the racing rarely ended in disaster. – Tom Bowles
TODAY ON THE FRONTSTRETCH:
Matt McLaughlin's Thinkin' Out Loud: 2012 Budweiser Shootout Recap
by Matt McLaughlin
The Big Six: Questions Answered After the Budweiser Shootout
by Amy Henderson
Be Careful What You Wish For...It Just May Happen
by Ron LeMasters
Pace Laps: Johnson Penalty, Gerhart Luck, Larson Rise Highlight Speedweeks, Part I
by the Frontstretch Staff
FRONTSTRETCH TRIVIA:
Q: Tony Stewart is going for his fifth consecutive win in the Drive4COPD 300 on Saturday, a feat only accomplished once before by Dale Earnhardt (1990-1994). The first of those victories may have been the easiest to come by since there simply was not much competition for the black No. 3 that day. What happened to cause that scenario?
Q: Tony Stewart is going for his fifth consecutive win in the Drive4COPD 300 on Saturday, a feat only accomplished once before by Dale Earnhardt (1990-1994). The first of those victories may have been the easiest to come by since there simply was not much competition for the black No. 3 that day. What happened to cause that scenario?
Check back Tuesday for the answer, here in the Frontstretch Newsletter!
Friday's Answer:
Q: Sticking with NASCAR rules, the current ones that mandate vertical fins on the rear decklid are actually not unprecedented in Sprint Cup (the height of them is unusual, though). When did NASCAR mandate these vertical fins in the past?
A: The vertical fins were a staple on rear decklids back in 1991. However, those fins look nothing like what we have today. Those fins were effectively an extension of the the vertical fins on the roof that were mandated during the 1988 season. Those fins were extended down the rear window, where they abruptly stopped. On the far left of the flattened top area of the fender near the decklid, another small fin was placed. In this clip from ESPN's telecast of the 1991 Pepsi 400, John Kernan describes this setup. The cars were quite a bit slower in qualifying for that race, as the pole speed was down to just over 190 mph. However, that decrease was more attributable to the minimum spoiler angle being raised from 30 to 35 degrees than anything else.
Coming Tomorrow in the Frontstretch Newsletter:
-- Top News from Phil Allaway
-- Sitting In the Stands: A Fan's View by S.D. Grady
-- Links to your favorite Frontstretch articles, and more!
Coming Tomorrow On The Frontstretch:
The Yellow Stripe by Danny Peters
Danny is most definitely looking forward to the 2012 season. However, he has some things that he wants to see this year. What are they? Well, you're going to have to check out his column to find out.
Who's Hot / Who's Not in Sprint Cup: Budweiser Shootout-Daytona 500 Edition by Brett Poirier
In his first look at the 2012 season, Brett explores some trends from last year as well as some post-Shootout nuggets to find which drivers are going to start the year on the right foot.
Five Points To Ponder by Bryan Davis Keith
Bryan is back with his weekly edition of talking points to tie up the Budweiser Shootout and get us set for the rest of Speedweeks.
Couch Potato Tuesday by Phil Allaway
This past weekend, the Sprint Cup Series returned after their winter slumber for the non-points Budweiser Shootout while the ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards also held their season opener. Were these race telecasts up to snuff? Find out in this week's edition of the TV Critique.
This year, we have an interesting new weekly feature for our readers, a special crew chief stopping by on a weekly basis to discuss the technical aspects of our sport. Find out who and what by checking out this column tomorrow.
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