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 XXVII
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ADVERTISEMENT
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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 XXVII
~~~~~~~~~~~
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: Due to the late finish of this year's 500 (approx. 1 AM EST), we will have two Newsletter editions as not all information was available by press time. Look for a second, longer version to come out later this morning.
Sprint Cup Race Recap: Kyle Busch Recovers From Near-Wrecks to Win Budweiser Shootout
by Kevin Rutherford
"One thing about racing: When you think you've seen it all, it finds a way to show you something you never thought you'd see."
So said Brad Keselowski during a lengthy, two-hour red flag at Monday night's Daytona 500. The Penske Racing driver was talking about the reason for the red flag: an enormous fire on the racing surface caused when Juan Pablo Montoya spun into a jet dryer while under caution. It was the highlight of a bizarre, wreck-filled Daytona 500 in which the 43-car grid didn't make it past the first lap before trouble struck.
In the end, though, it was a familiar face that rose above the fray to emerge victorious. After the track was finally deemed safe for racing at around Midnight EST, it was Matt Kenseth who took the checkered, beating Roush Fenway Racing teammate Greg Biffle and perennial favorite Dale Earnhardt, Jr. to the finish after a green-white-checker finish.
It was Kenseth's second win in four years in the Great American Race, making him the first repeat winner of the event since Jeff Gordon won for a third time in 2005. The Wisconsin driver had previously won the rain-shortened 2009 race.
by Kevin Rutherford
"One thing about racing: When you think you've seen it all, it finds a way to show you something you never thought you'd see."
So said Brad Keselowski during a lengthy, two-hour red flag at Monday night's Daytona 500. The Penske Racing driver was talking about the reason for the red flag: an enormous fire on the racing surface caused when Juan Pablo Montoya spun into a jet dryer while under caution. It was the highlight of a bizarre, wreck-filled Daytona 500 in which the 43-car grid didn't make it past the first lap before trouble struck.
In the end, though, it was a familiar face that rose above the fray to emerge victorious. After the track was finally deemed safe for racing at around Midnight EST, it was Matt Kenseth who took the checkered, beating Roush Fenway Racing teammate Greg Biffle and perennial favorite Dale Earnhardt, Jr. to the finish after a green-white-checker finish.
It was Kenseth's second win in four years in the Great American Race, making him the first repeat winner of the event since Jeff Gordon won for a third time in 2005. The Wisconsin driver had previously won the rain-shortened 2009 race.
"It feels great. We had a really fast car all day and overcame a lot of adversity and problems with the car that we figured out," Kenseth said in the post-race press conference. "We had a great pit stop at the end that put us into position. I wasn't expecting to win when I woke up this morning so it feels good to be sitting here."
After a crash-marred final 40 laps, Kenseth held off a too-late charge from Earnhardt, Jr., who passed Biffle for second off Turn 4 but could not reach the No. 17 Ford. Biffle was in the best position for most of the final lap, getting pushed hard by Junior's No. 88 but unable to blast past his friend and rival despite the tandem draft.
"I still am a little blown away by the end of that race and that we weren't able to push up to the back of the No. 17 car," he said. "I was kind of surprised by that. Next time maybe we will do something a little bit different."
Denny Hamlin finished a strong fourth in his first race with new crew chief Darian Grubb atop the pit box. Jeff Burton rounded out the top-5 finishers. Richard Childress Racing teammates Paul Menard and Kevin Harvick were sixth and seventh, respectively. Carl Edwards came back from a late crash to finish in eighth, while Joey Logano and Mark Martin finished out the top-10.
Montoya's incident occurred after a lap 156 caution for David Stremme's blown motor and spin. After reporting a heavy vibration, Montoya said that the car simply "turned right" going into the third turn, sending him directly into a jet dryer cleaning the track, spilling fuel and causing an enormous fire that spanned the length of the asphalt surface in Turn 3. After dousing the fire, track workers spent well over an hour removing the jet dryer from the high banking and cleaning debris, using detergent to neutralize the fuel as well as checking the track for any issues.
The driver of the jet dryer, Michigan Speedway's Duane Barnes, was taken to a local hospital, but is believed to be in good condition.
All told, the race saw 25 lead changes among 13 drivers, and ten cautions over 42 laps, not counting the two-hour red flag.
Of note, five-time champion Jimmie Johnson was knocked out of the race early after contact from Elliott Sadler sent him into the wall on Lap 2. The wreck collected defending race winner Trevor Bayne and 500 rookie Danica Patrick, both of whom spent significant time in the garage repairing damage. Patrick was 38th in her Sprint Cup debut, ending her day 64 laps off the pace.
Kevin Rutherford is a New Contributor for Frontstretch.com. He can be reached via e-mail at kevin.rutherford@frontstretch.com.
Today's Top News
by Kevin Rutherford
Romney Visits Daytona Pre-Race Festivities
Not to be outdone by Republican rival Rick Santorum, presidential candidate Mitt Romney visited Daytona International Speedway Sunday as part of the Daytona 500's pre-race.
The former Massachusetts governor walked through the track's facilities Sunday and greeted fans and team members alike, posing for photographs and shaking hands. He then spoke to a large crowd gathered at the pre-race drivers' meeting.
Brian Vickers, currently ride-less in the Cup series, accompanied Romney for much of the politician's visit, sparking rumors that the driver may be courting Romney for potential sponsorship in 2012.
Earlier in the week, it was announced that Santorum, Romney's chief rival for the GOP nomination for president, would sponsor Front Row Motorsports' No. 26 ride for Tony Raines in the 500.
TMone Joins Front Row Motorsports At Daytona
By Monday, Front Row Motorsports and driver Tony Raines had an additional sponsor to add to their ranks. TMone, a U.S.-based call center insourcing firm, joined the team as an associate sponsor on the No. 26 Ford driven by Raines. The announcement came after the team announced earlier in the week that the Rick Santorum For President campaign would adorn the car as a primary sponsor.
TMone has been a highly visible company over the past week in Daytona. The firm also announced that it would sponsor Inception Motorsports' No. 30, FAS Lane Racing's No. 32 and Tommy Baldwin Racing's No. 36.
TMone is no stranger to NASCAR. They entered the Sprint Cup Series last year by serving as an associate sponsor on Front Row Motorsports' No. 34 Ford early on in the season. This expanded to a co-primary sponsorship at Bristol in March.
Later on in the season, the company moved over to FAS Lane Racing to serve as the primary sponsor of the No. 32 Ford at the Brickyard 400. TMone's sister company, CRMone, was emblazoned on a second entry, the No. 23, for driver Terry Labonte.
Trucks Ratings Increase At Daytona
Red Horse Racing's John King wasn't the only winner after Friday night's Camping World Truck Series NextEra Energy Resources 250. SPEED reported Monday that the Household ratings for the race increased nine percent over the same race a year ago (1.63 vs. 1.49), according to data provided by Nielsen Media Research. The broadcast saw its largest increase among men ages 18-to-49-years-old, with Nielsen reporting a 41 percent increase from the same race in 2011.
"I still am a little blown away by the end of that race and that we weren't able to push up to the back of the No. 17 car," he said. "I was kind of surprised by that. Next time maybe we will do something a little bit different."
Denny Hamlin finished a strong fourth in his first race with new crew chief Darian Grubb atop the pit box. Jeff Burton rounded out the top-5 finishers. Richard Childress Racing teammates Paul Menard and Kevin Harvick were sixth and seventh, respectively. Carl Edwards came back from a late crash to finish in eighth, while Joey Logano and Mark Martin finished out the top-10.
Montoya's incident occurred after a lap 156 caution for David Stremme's blown motor and spin. After reporting a heavy vibration, Montoya said that the car simply "turned right" going into the third turn, sending him directly into a jet dryer cleaning the track, spilling fuel and causing an enormous fire that spanned the length of the asphalt surface in Turn 3. After dousing the fire, track workers spent well over an hour removing the jet dryer from the high banking and cleaning debris, using detergent to neutralize the fuel as well as checking the track for any issues.
The driver of the jet dryer, Michigan Speedway's Duane Barnes, was taken to a local hospital, but is believed to be in good condition.
All told, the race saw 25 lead changes among 13 drivers, and ten cautions over 42 laps, not counting the two-hour red flag.
Of note, five-time champion Jimmie Johnson was knocked out of the race early after contact from Elliott Sadler sent him into the wall on Lap 2. The wreck collected defending race winner Trevor Bayne and 500 rookie Danica Patrick, both of whom spent significant time in the garage repairing damage. Patrick was 38th in her Sprint Cup debut, ending her day 64 laps off the pace.
Kevin Rutherford is a New Contributor for Frontstretch.com. He can be reached via e-mail at kevin.rutherford@frontstretch.com.
Today's Top News
by Kevin Rutherford
Romney Visits Daytona Pre-Race Festivities
Not to be outdone by Republican rival Rick Santorum, presidential candidate Mitt Romney visited Daytona International Speedway Sunday as part of the Daytona 500's pre-race.
The former Massachusetts governor walked through the track's facilities Sunday and greeted fans and team members alike, posing for photographs and shaking hands. He then spoke to a large crowd gathered at the pre-race drivers' meeting.
Brian Vickers, currently ride-less in the Cup series, accompanied Romney for much of the politician's visit, sparking rumors that the driver may be courting Romney for potential sponsorship in 2012.
Earlier in the week, it was announced that Santorum, Romney's chief rival for the GOP nomination for president, would sponsor Front Row Motorsports' No. 26 ride for Tony Raines in the 500.
TMone Joins Front Row Motorsports At Daytona
By Monday, Front Row Motorsports and driver Tony Raines had an additional sponsor to add to their ranks. TMone, a U.S.-based call center insourcing firm, joined the team as an associate sponsor on the No. 26 Ford driven by Raines. The announcement came after the team announced earlier in the week that the Rick Santorum For President campaign would adorn the car as a primary sponsor.
TMone has been a highly visible company over the past week in Daytona. The firm also announced that it would sponsor Inception Motorsports' No. 30, FAS Lane Racing's No. 32 and Tommy Baldwin Racing's No. 36.
TMone is no stranger to NASCAR. They entered the Sprint Cup Series last year by serving as an associate sponsor on Front Row Motorsports' No. 34 Ford early on in the season. This expanded to a co-primary sponsorship at Bristol in March.
Later on in the season, the company moved over to FAS Lane Racing to serve as the primary sponsor of the No. 32 Ford at the Brickyard 400. TMone's sister company, CRMone, was emblazoned on a second entry, the No. 23, for driver Terry Labonte.
Trucks Ratings Increase At Daytona
Red Horse Racing's John King wasn't the only winner after Friday night's Camping World Truck Series NextEra Energy Resources 250. SPEED reported Monday that the Household ratings for the race increased nine percent over the same race a year ago (1.63 vs. 1.49), according to data provided by Nielsen Media Research. The broadcast saw its largest increase among men ages 18-to-49-years-old, with Nielsen reporting a 41 percent increase from the same race in 2011.
Have news for Kevin 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
Sure, teammates Mark Martin and Martin Truex, Jr. took turns at the front in Sunday's Daytona 500. But it was Clint Bowyer, making his debut ride in the No. 15 5-Hour Energy Toyota who showcased the most resilience of the trio in race number one. Running solidly within the lead pack, he quietly drafted his way inside the top 5 only to experience drastic overheating at halfway. Worried about cooking the engine, Bowyer backed off, hoping to save equipment for the end of the race.
Turns out he should have been worried about saving gas. Just before Lap 130, Bowyer stopped shortly after pit exit, running out of fuel on the 2.5-mile superspeedway at a point where it was near impossible to roll onto pit road. Losing not one, but two laps Bowyer had to use a combination of Lucky Dogs and wavearound periods over several resulting caution flags just to get back on the lead lap. Once he did so, after Lap 193 there was still a multi-car wreck to dodge and the inevitable dilemma of "no friends" that comes with a teammate disconnected from the pack. For both driver and car to persevere through all that, along with a frantic finish to wind up 11th is nothing short of remarkable. Darkhorse for the Chase, here we come?- Tom Bowles
STAT OF THE WEEK: 6. That's the number of times during Dale Earnhardt, Jr.'s 130-race winless streak he's finished second. Ironically, two of those times are now Daytona 500s; he came up short during Jamie McMurray's upset bid in 2010 along with his effort on Sunday night – Tom Bowles
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
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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
Sure, teammates Mark Martin and Martin Truex, Jr. took turns at the front in Sunday's Daytona 500. But it was Clint Bowyer, making his debut ride in the No. 15 5-Hour Energy Toyota who showcased the most resilience of the trio in race number one. Running solidly within the lead pack, he quietly drafted his way inside the top 5 only to experience drastic overheating at halfway. Worried about cooking the engine, Bowyer backed off, hoping to save equipment for the end of the race.
Turns out he should have been worried about saving gas. Just before Lap 130, Bowyer stopped shortly after pit exit, running out of fuel on the 2.5-mile superspeedway at a point where it was near impossible to roll onto pit road. Losing not one, but two laps Bowyer had to use a combination of Lucky Dogs and wavearound periods over several resulting caution flags just to get back on the lead lap. Once he did so, after Lap 193 there was still a multi-car wreck to dodge and the inevitable dilemma of "no friends" that comes with a teammate disconnected from the pack. For both driver and car to persevere through all that, along with a frantic finish to wind up 11th is nothing short of remarkable. Darkhorse for the Chase, here we come?- Tom Bowles
STAT OF THE WEEK: 6. That's the number of times during Dale Earnhardt, Jr.'s 130-race winless streak he's finished second. Ironically, two of those times are now Daytona 500s; he came up short during Jamie McMurray's upset bid in 2010 along with his effort on Sunday night – Tom Bowles
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!
Friday's Answer:
Q: Unlike the Daytona 500, the 400 mile race is generally more susceptible to rain affecting the proceedings. Most recently, the start of the 2010 Coke Zero 400 was delayed over two hours by rain, which resulted in the race ending at 12:50 AM. However, when was the last time the July race was rain-shortened?
A: The last time the July race was rain-shortened was 1996. Sterling Marlin was leading the race when the skies opened up on lap 117. NASCAR threw the red flag and eventually proclaimed the event complete, giving Marlin what turned out to be his final victory of the 1990s (and Morgan-McClure Motorsports' final restrictor plate victory).
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.
The Yellow Stripe by Danny Peters
Danny's back with another interesting column.
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.
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