THE FRONTSTRETCH NEWSLETTER
Presented by Frontstretch.com
The Best Seat at the Track, The Best View on the Net!
February 21st, 2012
Volume VI, Edition XVII
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Today's Top Newsby Tom Bowles
Dodge Sticks With The Charger For 2013
A second NASCAR manufacturer has come forward with their plans for the sport's new generation of car next season. Dodge, who races the Charger in the Sprint Cup Series announced Monday they'll stick with the same model. Ralph Gilles, the President and CEO of the company's Racing and Technology Division, acknowledged they'd been working on refining the new car design for over two years and never seriously considered another model to use. Claiming the new model will be closer to the street car than ever before, Gilles is confident fans will embrace the changes as well as NASCAR.
Dodge now joins Ford, who is also keeping their current model (Fusion) in confirming their 2013 transition plans. The manufacturer has set March 11th at Las Vegas, after the driver's meeting as their date to officially reveal this "next generation" Charger; however, a picture has leaked and can be seen on Jayski's site by clicking here,
Mayfield Indicted On Stolen Goods Charges
Jeremy Mayfield's trouble with the law continued Monday, as the former Sprint Cup driver was indicted by a Catawba County criminal grand jury. He now faces three counts of possession of stolen goods, along with obtaining property under false pretenses that totaled well over $100,000, according to official court documents. Mayfield is accused of taking scrap metal from now-defunct Red Bull Racing, Fitz Holding, LLC and DEA Ventures among other items. Other companies were also listed on the initial search warrant, which also indicates witnesses saw Mayfield on the properties in question when items went missing.
In response to the allegations, Jeremy Mayfield himself released a statement claiming the law had a little "help" from outsiders during the course of this investigation, which he continues to deny. "For some reason, the district attorney's office simply ignored our offers to explain the sources of the items seized from my property and chose, instead, to indict," he said. "We do not know if there is any connection between the NASCAR lawsuit and this investigation, but based upon the evidence disclosed to us already by the district attorney's office, it appears that the Catawba County authorities have been coordinating with NASCAR officials."
Mayfield has already been indicted on felony possession of methamphetamine, with a court date on that scheduled for March 5th. He is suspended indefinitely by NASCAR for violating the drug policy, a well-publicized case that began nearly three years ago.
Shepherd Announces New Daytona Sponsors
NASCAR's oldest full-time Nationwide driver has some new money to play with at Daytona. 70-year-old Morgan Shepherd picked up a primary sponsor for his No. 89 Chevrolet, with GoodInfo.com backing the Faith Motorsports operation in a one-race deal. The company, which is planning to launch in just over three months reveals little on its website other than "good people, business, deals, news, sharing, and fun."
Shepherd has also picked up a new associate sponsor, as Hyland's has agreed to appear on his Nationwide Series car in a multi-race deal. The homeopathic medicine company, which will be featured on the rear decklid at Daytona is using Shepherd as part of their "Master Athlete" marketing campaign, designed to target him as their ambassador for healthy lifestyles after age 40.
News 'N' Notes
- Former Truck Series champ Travis Kvapil has been named as the temporary replacement for John Wes Townley at RAB Racing in their return to the Truck Series. Kvapil, the 2003 champion will drive the unsponsored, No. 09 Toyota while the youngster's future continues to be evaluated following a DWI charge earlier this month.
Kvapil, who has never won before at Daytona in a Camping World Truck had two top-10 finishes last season before being released from now-defunct Randy Moss Motorsports.
- NASCAR is considering, but not implementing as of yet minor changes to the front grilles of Sprint Cup race cars before the Daytona 500. Responding to overheating concerns, NASCAR Vice President Robin Pemberton said Sunday one option is to enlarge that grille opening, allowing for more air to flow inside the car and cooling engines that, in some cases were running well above the boiling point for nearly all of Saturday night's 82-lap Bud Shootout.
Another potential adjustment would be to the pressure-release valve, directly controlling water temperatures inside the car. But Pemberton emphasized, in an interview with reporters the sanctioning body is resisting any adjustments until after Thursday's Gatorade Duels. Major rule changes regarding in-race competition (bumpdrafting in the corners, for example) along with tweaks to other parts of the race car are not being considered.
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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Today's Featured Commentary
Let's Give Danica a Fair Chance to Meet our Expectations
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
Let's Give Danica a Fair Chance to Meet our Expectations
Sitting In The Stands: A Fan's View
by S.D. Grady
So often we, the fans, voice our disappointment with NASCAR. Whether it be about boring races, the issuing of inconsistent penalties or ugly cars, the general state is one of unfulfilled expectations. At times, we have to admit that perhaps our disillusionment could be the result of placing the bar too high. In the real world -- the one where you and I go to work and deal with situations that don't always end in the best possible manner -- we learn to temper our perceptions of the people that populate our planet and their abilities. But that common sense seems to fly out the window come race weekend. The people who have earned a spot behind the wheel of a stock car we hold far above the mere mortal, and when they don't perform as we hoped the world cringes from the irate audience's screams of displeasure.
Well, this year, in a perennial media feeding frenzy that has been part of auto racing since her arrival on the IRL scene in 2005, we are all expecting things from one Danica Patrick. Once again, as she approaches the altar of NASCAR, fans from near and far are expounding on their personal expectations of this female racer who seems to polarize a room in a manner akin to the Busch Brothers.
I will admit to participating in the noise to an extent. I want her to succeed. Not because she wears the GoDaddy logo like no other scantily clad woman out there, or because she's really good at winking as she says, "When you Peak, you win." I don't even want her to win a few races because she's waving the flag for the fairer sex.
I want her to get in a car, drive the doors off of it and prance into Victory Lane because she's the best thing to be seen behind a wheel! I want all the media to have a real reason to follow her around like lovesick puppies beyond the fact she's easy on the camera.
For all of that, if she performs as a mediocre Nationwide driver, appearing in the middle of the pack for much of the year, I want the coverage to diminish, like it would for any other average Joe out there.
But what these wishes require before I can truly go on a rant like I did after her inaugural Indy 500 is for everybody to keep our expectations in perspective. For me, after seven years of frustration with bloated images of the little lady simply showing up for work, this concept will be a challenge. I'm aware of that.
I am starting the season with a jaundiced eye where Danica stats are. It's very difficult for me to jump on the "ain't she something?" bandwagon; my agreement would be drowned out by a massive cheer fueled by a throng of people who have been led down the yellow brick road by the man behind the curtain.
So I've decided to challenge myself this year. I'm going to give Ms. Patrick a real shot at earning her spot as one of "my" drivers. I'm going to track her stats for 2012. I'll be providing one in this column every week. No comments. Just stats. For as much as I want to see if she is really capable of earning my admiration, sans fawning cameras and reporters, I want you to be able to get a clearer picture of her driving abilities, too. For this week we'll start with something simple: Daytona 500 practice.
First Practice:
She marked the 13th fastest lap. In her No. 10 Go Daddy, machine she ran her fast circuit in 46.881 seconds at a speed of 191.975 MPH.
Second Practice:
She ran a bit slower with a best time of 47.034 seconds at a speed of 191.351 MPH and ranked 26th among those teams that took to the track.
Qualifying:
Patrick clocked in 29th best, with a time of 46.939 seconds (191.738 MPH).
What does that all mean? That, my friends is up to you. And that's how this one will work. At the end of Fan's View, I'll give you the numbers, and then I'm going to leave it up to you to decide if she had a great day or simply just one more mediocre finish.
For as high as our expectations are, sometimes it's better to let accomplishments speak for themselves before we talk ourselves into believing things that simply aren't true.
by S.D. Grady
So often we, the fans, voice our disappointment with NASCAR. Whether it be about boring races, the issuing of inconsistent penalties or ugly cars, the general state is one of unfulfilled expectations. At times, we have to admit that perhaps our disillusionment could be the result of placing the bar too high. In the real world -- the one where you and I go to work and deal with situations that don't always end in the best possible manner -- we learn to temper our perceptions of the people that populate our planet and their abilities. But that common sense seems to fly out the window come race weekend. The people who have earned a spot behind the wheel of a stock car we hold far above the mere mortal, and when they don't perform as we hoped the world cringes from the irate audience's screams of displeasure.
Well, this year, in a perennial media feeding frenzy that has been part of auto racing since her arrival on the IRL scene in 2005, we are all expecting things from one Danica Patrick. Once again, as she approaches the altar of NASCAR, fans from near and far are expounding on their personal expectations of this female racer who seems to polarize a room in a manner akin to the Busch Brothers.
I will admit to participating in the noise to an extent. I want her to succeed. Not because she wears the GoDaddy logo like no other scantily clad woman out there, or because she's really good at winking as she says, "When you Peak, you win." I don't even want her to win a few races because she's waving the flag for the fairer sex.
I want her to get in a car, drive the doors off of it and prance into Victory Lane because she's the best thing to be seen behind a wheel! I want all the media to have a real reason to follow her around like lovesick puppies beyond the fact she's easy on the camera.
For all of that, if she performs as a mediocre Nationwide driver, appearing in the middle of the pack for much of the year, I want the coverage to diminish, like it would for any other average Joe out there.
But what these wishes require before I can truly go on a rant like I did after her inaugural Indy 500 is for everybody to keep our expectations in perspective. For me, after seven years of frustration with bloated images of the little lady simply showing up for work, this concept will be a challenge. I'm aware of that.
I am starting the season with a jaundiced eye where Danica stats are. It's very difficult for me to jump on the "ain't she something?" bandwagon; my agreement would be drowned out by a massive cheer fueled by a throng of people who have been led down the yellow brick road by the man behind the curtain.
So I've decided to challenge myself this year. I'm going to give Ms. Patrick a real shot at earning her spot as one of "my" drivers. I'm going to track her stats for 2012. I'll be providing one in this column every week. No comments. Just stats. For as much as I want to see if she is really capable of earning my admiration, sans fawning cameras and reporters, I want you to be able to get a clearer picture of her driving abilities, too. For this week we'll start with something simple: Daytona 500 practice.
First Practice:
She marked the 13th fastest lap. In her No. 10 Go Daddy, machine she ran her fast circuit in 46.881 seconds at a speed of 191.975 MPH.
Second Practice:
She ran a bit slower with a best time of 47.034 seconds at a speed of 191.351 MPH and ranked 26th among those teams that took to the track.
Qualifying:
Patrick clocked in 29th best, with a time of 46.939 seconds (191.738 MPH).
What does that all mean? That, my friends is up to you. And that's how this one will work. At the end of Fan's View, I'll give you the numbers, and then I'm going to leave it up to you to decide if she had a great day or simply just one more mediocre finish.
For as high as our expectations are, sometimes it's better to let accomplishments speak for themselves before we talk ourselves into believing things that simply aren't true.
S.D. Grady is a Senior Editor for Frontstretch.com. She can be reached via e-mail at sonya.grady@frontstretch.com.
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Numbers Game: Bud Shootout & Daytona Qualifying
by Garrett Horton
2
This marks the second consecutive race Daytona 500 pole sitter Carl Edwards has started from the top spot. He also won time trials in the season finale in Homestead last November.
5
With Kyle Busch's victory in Saturday's Bud Shootout, it gave car owner Joe Gibbs five victories in the exhibition race.
6
It has been six years since the winner of the season opener went on to win the championship, when Jimmie Johnson won his only 500 en route to his first championship in 2006.
8
Prior to Edwards winning the pole on Sunday, it had been eight years since a Roush-owned car qualified for the top spot at Daytona, when Greg Biffle posted the fastest time in 2004. However, Biffle had to start in the rear of the field after an engine change cost him his start up front.
12
The number of Gatorade Duel wins Dale Earnhardt Sr. had during his career, a NASCAR record. Perhaps more amazing than that is the fact he won 10 straight from 1990-1999.
15.0
Dale Earnhardt Junior's average finish at Daytona is 15.0, which may sound average, but is the highest of any active driver.
20
The age of defending 500 winner Trevor Bayne, who turned 20 just the day before scoring one of the biggest upsets in NASCAR history.
39
The lowest starting position for any Daytona 500 winner. This feat was accomplished by Matt Kenseth in 2009 when he won the rain-shortened event that was cut 48 laps short of the scheduled distance.
74
The number of lead changes in last year's Daytona 500, breaking an almost thirty-year-old race record. The previous high was 59 in 1974.
641
The number of laps defending champion Tony Stewart has led at Daytona, more than any active driver. However, Smoke is still looking for for that elusive 500 win.
2000
It hasn't been a good to omen to be the Daytona 500 pole sitter as of late. The last time anyone won the sports biggest race from the top spot was 12 years ago, when Dale Jarrett finished right where he started in first.
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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: Good Racing, Bad TV, and Some Mighty Fine Officiating
by Bryan Davis Keith
12 NASCAR Wishes For 2012
by Danny Peters
Who's Hot/ Who's Not: Budweiser Shootout and Daytona Qualifying 2012
by Brett Poirier
Couch Potato Tuesday: FOX Needs to Watch Their Danica Quotient
by Phil Allaway
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FRONTSTRETCH TRIVIA:
Q: In 1997, the battle just to qualify for the Daytona 500 was quite fierce. Joe Nemechek, who had just sold his NEMCO Motorsports Cup team to Sabco Racing in the offseason, failed to qualify for the 500 for the second time. However, he was able to start the race, anyway. How did this come to pass?
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Numbers Game: Bud Shootout & Daytona Qualifying
by Garrett Horton
2
This marks the second consecutive race Daytona 500 pole sitter Carl Edwards has started from the top spot. He also won time trials in the season finale in Homestead last November.
5
With Kyle Busch's victory in Saturday's Bud Shootout, it gave car owner Joe Gibbs five victories in the exhibition race.
6
It has been six years since the winner of the season opener went on to win the championship, when Jimmie Johnson won his only 500 en route to his first championship in 2006.
8
Prior to Edwards winning the pole on Sunday, it had been eight years since a Roush-owned car qualified for the top spot at Daytona, when Greg Biffle posted the fastest time in 2004. However, Biffle had to start in the rear of the field after an engine change cost him his start up front.
12
The number of Gatorade Duel wins Dale Earnhardt Sr. had during his career, a NASCAR record. Perhaps more amazing than that is the fact he won 10 straight from 1990-1999.
15.0
Dale Earnhardt Junior's average finish at Daytona is 15.0, which may sound average, but is the highest of any active driver.
20
The age of defending 500 winner Trevor Bayne, who turned 20 just the day before scoring one of the biggest upsets in NASCAR history.
39
The lowest starting position for any Daytona 500 winner. This feat was accomplished by Matt Kenseth in 2009 when he won the rain-shortened event that was cut 48 laps short of the scheduled distance.
74
The number of lead changes in last year's Daytona 500, breaking an almost thirty-year-old race record. The previous high was 59 in 1974.
641
The number of laps defending champion Tony Stewart has led at Daytona, more than any active driver. However, Smoke is still looking for for that elusive 500 win.
2000
It hasn't been a good to omen to be the Daytona 500 pole sitter as of late. The last time anyone won the sports biggest race from the top spot was 12 years ago, when Dale Jarrett finished right where he started in first.
~~~~~~~~~~
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: Good Racing, Bad TV, and Some Mighty Fine Officiating
by Bryan Davis Keith
12 NASCAR Wishes For 2012
by Danny Peters
Who's Hot/ Who's Not: Budweiser Shootout and Daytona Qualifying 2012
by Brett Poirier
Couch Potato Tuesday: FOX Needs to Watch Their Danica Quotient
by Phil Allaway
~~~~~~~~~~~
FRONTSTRETCH TRIVIA:
Q: In 1997, the battle just to qualify for the Daytona 500 was quite fierce. Joe Nemechek, who had just sold his NEMCO Motorsports Cup team to Sabco Racing in the offseason, failed to qualify for the 500 for the second time. However, he was able to start the race, anyway. How did this come to pass?
Check back Wednesday for the answer, here in the Frontstretch Newsletter!
Monday's Answer:
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?
A: Early on in the race, Brad Teague spun in Turn 3 in front of most of the field after rubbing up against Dale Jarrett. From there, the crash was on, quickly blocking the track and leaving drivers nowhere to go. By the time the smoke cleared, over 20 cars had been collected in the crash. For those of you with keen eyes, this crash appeared for a split second during "Days of Thunder" in one of the racing scenes. The crash can be seen starting at the 2:15 mark of this clip. Bob Varsha and Johnny Hayes have the call for Prime Sports.
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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Coming tomorrow in the Frontstretch Newsletter:
-- Top News from TBD
-- Full Throttle by Mike Neff
-- Links to your favorite Frontstretch articles, and more!
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Tomorrow on the Frontstretch:
Did You Notice? ... by Tom Bowles
In this week's list of small observations, Tom tells us what to expect on Sunday, the meaning behind Danica's FOX role, why the Bud Shootout was rendered meaningless, Cinderella stories and so much more.
Beyond The Cockpit: TBA by Mike Neff
This week, we're hoping to have a special, last-minute driver interview surprise that'll get you all revved up and ready for 2012. Here's a clue: he was once a Catuhpilluh kind of guy. Keep those fingers crossed!
Frontstretch Top Ten by Jeff Meyer
Jeff's sarcastic sense of humor is back in action, getting you revved and ready for the 2012 NASCAR season with another one of his classic Top Ten lists.
Mirror Driving by the Frontstretch Staff
Our weekly roundtable of experts are back! This week's topics include Daytona penalties, what the Bud Shootout revealed about Daytona's new rules and storylines that stand out in Nationwide and Trucks entering this season.
Top 15 Power Rankings: Preseason 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!
Timmy Hill Feature by Phil Allaway
Recently, the 2011 Nationwide Series Rookie of the Year sat down with us and talked about his rookie year, his rise through the ranks into the upper echleons of NASCAR, and his upcoming entrance into the Sprint Cup Series.
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©2012 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!
©2012 Frontstretch.com
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