THE FRONTSTRETCH NEWSLETTER
Presented by Frontstretch.com
The Best Seat at the Track, The Best View on the Net!
March 20th, 2012
Volume VI, Edition XLIII
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What To Watch: TuesdayIt's showdown day for Hendrick Motorsports and Chad Knaus once again. Today is the day that National Stock Car Racing Appellate Officer John Middlebrook will hear Hendrick's final appeal of the penalties assessed in the wake of the C-pillar controversy. Like the Appeals Board, Middlebrook has the option to either uphold NASCAR's original consequences, reduce them, or throw them out entirely. He'll listen to both sides, in the same room and ask direct questions for as long as he needs to before writing up a final verdict.
Unlike the appeals board, which rarely cuts back NASCAR penalties Middlebrook tends to be more lenient. He's only heard three cases since taking his position in 2010, most recently Richard Childress' appeal of Clint Bowyer's 150-point fine at New Hampshire. In all of his previous decisions, Middlebrook has cut the length of suspensions and/or lowered the applicable fines, but he has not overturned a suspension.
We'll have a Breaking News item at Frontstretch.com as soon as news breaks on the decision.
Today's Top News
by Tom Bowles
Bristol Renovations On The Way?
One day after lagging attendance, the third straight year of declines at Bristol Motor Speedway the oval affectionately known as "Thunder Valley" is considering a facelift. The Associated Press reported Monday owner Bruton Smith is looking at $1 million in possible renovations, all to be completed by August after fans voted with their wallets against the current multi-groove, graduated banking that was put in place for mid-2007. The speedway's attendance, once an automatic sellout has dropped 36 percent for the Spring race in just the last three years alone.
Does that mean the "old configuration" at Bristol will become new again? Any changes, according to Smith will be designed to undo the long list of adjustments to the .533-mile oval they put in motion four years ago.
"We are going to take a very hard look at it this week," Smith told the AP's Jenna Fryer. "We have everything in our computers that shows us what the track used to be and what it is now, and we started working on that last night. I'll have an answer for you next week on if we'll alter the track."
In the past, Bristol was known for beating and banging, hard short track racing that resulted from the oval's high-angle banking and singular groove. Tight spaces to run often led to big wrecks, with Thunder Valley piling up nearly 100 caution laps per race on average from 1997-2006. Since the repave, cautions are down – an average of just 8.5 per 500 laps – and side-by-side competition is up, multiple grooves keeping cars from getting "stuck" behind one another. But that's also made the racing cleaner, cars ending the race as if they'd just come off the hauler rather than with crumpled fenders as in years past. Fans have appeared not to like that style of racing on a racetrack whose past white-knuckle finishes have included cars getting crashed across the finish line to win the race.
Drivers, from Dale Earnhardt, Jr. to Sunday winner Brad Keselowski appear reluctant to recommend changes, suggesting everything from a different tire compound instead to blaming bad attendance on the economy. Track owner Smith did claim rain played a factor with the poor crowd; there was a 50% chance of rain all day and at one point, it looked like Sunday's event could suffer from a major delay or possible postponement.
NASCAR Sticks By Kenseth Ruling
Did Matt Kenseth get away with restart murder Sunday? Not according to NASCAR officials, who are sticking by their choice not to penalize the Daytona 500 winner for beating leader Brad Keselowski to the start/finish line multiple times at Bristol. Former Frontstretcher Nick Bromberg reported on Yahoo! Sports, after a conversation with NASCAR spokesman Kerry Tharp, officials believed Keselowski did not "mash the gas" in the designated restart zone, which is why they held off on any black flags.
What does that mean in English? Keselowski intentionally lagged behind, waiting 'till well past the zone to push the accelerator pedal. That allowed Matt Kenseth, on the opposite side for the double-file restart to pull ahead by the start/finish line. The "restart zone," marked by two red lines, is the area in which the leader should begin to accelerate for a green-flag restart. If a second-place driver starts jumping ahead from there, a penalty would automatically result as the leader always dictates the speed of a restart. If the leader fails to restart completely, the flagger can restart the race on his own.
However, in a situation like Sunday's, where the first-place driver chooses not to accelerate until well after that zone but does eventually accelerate the call becomes subjective, in the hands of the officials. As Brad Keselowski said Sunday, "He'd hate to be on NASCAR's side" trying to decide the outcome and stopped short of directly criticizing the no call.
TV Ratings Tick Up Slightly For Bristol
Bristol got battered with at-track attendance Sunday, but in the Nielsens numbers are looking up. The track posted a 4.0 overnight for the Sprint Cup race on FOX, up 3 percent from last year's 3.9. It's the first time this season the network has posted a year-to-year increase, made more notable by its weekend competition: the NCAA Basketball tournament. Sunday's numbers have yet to be compiled, but through three days the college version of March Madness was averaging a 5.3 rating and over eight million viewers over four networks. That's better than every NASCAR overnight this season with the exception of this year's Daytona 500.
Unfortunately, these numbers still pale in comparison to Bristol's heyday: it's the second-lowest rating since NASCAR first moved the race to FOX in 2001.
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
A New NASCAR Hero: Brad Keselowski
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
A New NASCAR Hero: Brad Keselowski
Sitting In The Stands: A Fan's View
by S.D. Grady
Brad Keselowski. He's young, cocky and he's winning. Perhaps you could even call him the latest addition to the NASCAR superstar stratosphere. Is that going too far? I don't think so.
Every year or two, a new name is added to the roster of drivers that you can include in the elitist column. Some seem to make a run for the exclusive club and suddenly wane from view (Reed Sorenson, anyone?). And a check in the win column won't necessarily guarantee entrance. No, there's something more that goes into the making of an American Hero, i.e. NASCAR driver extraordinaire. The combination is elusive and the recipe changes from person to person. So, what is it that has all the cameras zoomed in on the kid from Rochester Hills, Michigan?
Is it just the visit to Victory Lane at Bristol on Sunday? Doubtful. Matt Kenseth parked his No. 17 at the most prestigious track on the circuit for the year, but are we talking about how the Daytona 500 champ is having a really rather stellar season so far?
Is it his good looks? Uh, no. Keselowski's still hanging on to that teenager beanpole physique. Combine that with a smile that seems a bit too big for his face, you could stick a thick pair of glasses and a clip-on tie on him and have a fine example of a stock photo of the Chess Club President. But that's all on the surface. Beneath there must be something that's got us talking!
Maybe it's that pervasive use of Twitter? You know, how Keselowski pulled that super cool phone out of his racing suit and let the whole world know what it's like to wait for the TV camera to go live in Victory Lane? Well, there are a mere quarter-million people who received that tweet, but that still isn't anything earth-shattering. Kenny Wallace uses Twitter like the world is ending in three minutes, but that doesn't keep his car funded enough to race every week. So, that's not it.
Clever ads with the sponsors? You know, I can't think of one off the top of my head. Google hasn't coughed anything up more recent than his hauler taking on Carl Edwards' in a cross-country race with Jerry Reed's "Eastbound and Down" in the background. I think we're safe to say a certain magnetism on camera ain't the thing, either.
Well then, we've kind of eliminated the surface stuff that goes into marketing a major personality in this day and age. And that leaves us with... timing.
Over the past year or two, Brad Keselowski has managed to keep his No. 2 within camera shot, usually in a manner that requires a comment on the part of media. His brash and bold driving style usually doesn't cut any slack for a revered veteran, points leader, or simply a competitor who is having a bit of trouble keeping it pointed in the right direction. He apologizes only when he really stepped in it, otherwise, he's perfectly happy to say the other guy should just get out of his way.
His utter confidence in his abilities polarizes the fan base. The cheers and jeers have continued to build in volume for the past year. And once a driver has the crowd on its feet, for whatever reason, sponsors start to pay attention. His unapologetic track record positioned him on the edge of the radar for the end of last summer, and his success has only pushed him towards the center from there.
During a test at Road Atlanta last August, Keselowski drove his car into the fence, breaking his ankle and launching his rocket into true stardom. Armed with Twitter pics of his swollen ankle and the twisted remains of his Miller Lite Dodge, he headed to Pocono and... won. If the win had been a one-off, it would have been filed in the annals of 2011 Notable NASCAR stories. Instead, he charged headlong toward the Chase with a second at Watkins Glen, third at Michigan and his controversial win at Bristol under the lights. His No. 2 machine took the checkers in the top 5 eight times between his accident and the end of the year.
Basically, he never gave NASCAR Nation a moment to dismiss him. He ended the season fifth in points and raring to go in 2012. In the meantime, the negative publicity being generated by his teammate in the No. 22 just never seeped into his garage stall.
But he is aware of the scrutiny his fans send his way. In another PR moment of brilliance, he covered his Camping World Series No. 19 truck at Daytona in the twitter handles of his followers. It's a very public and current way to thank all those who have remained faithful.
And then, came the jet dryer at Daytona. Like I said, timing is everything. Delayed by persistent rains on Sunday and even Monday morning, NASCAR made the announcement to move the Daytona 500 start time up to 7PM -- prime time. While FOX fans tuned in for House, they were given restrictor plate racing, a massive explosion worthy of the latest blockbuster movie and a young driver dressed in blue Tweeting during the two hour red flag.
In the weeks since, you can't say Keselowski's been posting tweets any more often than before, but there's a difference in exposure: the content is re-tweeted across all reporterdom the instant it appears. Yep, that's right; Brad is officially dubbed a media darling.
Thus, when he pulled into Victory Lane on Sunday, snapped that photo and climbed out of his car, the story plastered all over the world is not one of a new winner, an underdog or even a long-awaited victory. Excitement and acceptance swirled through NASCAR. Instead, it seems as if it all came together as it ought.
For Brad Keselowski is what we hope to see: one of the best. He's young, cocky, there's every indication he's going to keep on winning -- and every person on the planet knows it. Let me introduce to you your latest NASCAR hero.
Welcome to the top, young man. I hope you like the view, and it was certainly thrilling watching you get there.
Sonya's Weekly Danica Stat
Bristol: NNS in the No. 7 GoDaddy.com Chevrolet
Qualified: 27th
Finished: 19th (running, two laps down)
Points Position: 12th
And to compare:
Johanna Long
Bristol: NNS in the No. 70 Foretravel Motorcoach Chevrolet
Qualified: 24th
Finished: 29th (running, nine laps down)
Points Position: 20th
by S.D. Grady
Brad Keselowski. He's young, cocky and he's winning. Perhaps you could even call him the latest addition to the NASCAR superstar stratosphere. Is that going too far? I don't think so.
Every year or two, a new name is added to the roster of drivers that you can include in the elitist column. Some seem to make a run for the exclusive club and suddenly wane from view (Reed Sorenson, anyone?). And a check in the win column won't necessarily guarantee entrance. No, there's something more that goes into the making of an American Hero, i.e. NASCAR driver extraordinaire. The combination is elusive and the recipe changes from person to person. So, what is it that has all the cameras zoomed in on the kid from Rochester Hills, Michigan?
Is it just the visit to Victory Lane at Bristol on Sunday? Doubtful. Matt Kenseth parked his No. 17 at the most prestigious track on the circuit for the year, but are we talking about how the Daytona 500 champ is having a really rather stellar season so far?
Is it his good looks? Uh, no. Keselowski's still hanging on to that teenager beanpole physique. Combine that with a smile that seems a bit too big for his face, you could stick a thick pair of glasses and a clip-on tie on him and have a fine example of a stock photo of the Chess Club President. But that's all on the surface. Beneath there must be something that's got us talking!
Maybe it's that pervasive use of Twitter? You know, how Keselowski pulled that super cool phone out of his racing suit and let the whole world know what it's like to wait for the TV camera to go live in Victory Lane? Well, there are a mere quarter-million people who received that tweet, but that still isn't anything earth-shattering. Kenny Wallace uses Twitter like the world is ending in three minutes, but that doesn't keep his car funded enough to race every week. So, that's not it.
Clever ads with the sponsors? You know, I can't think of one off the top of my head. Google hasn't coughed anything up more recent than his hauler taking on Carl Edwards' in a cross-country race with Jerry Reed's "Eastbound and Down" in the background. I think we're safe to say a certain magnetism on camera ain't the thing, either.
Well then, we've kind of eliminated the surface stuff that goes into marketing a major personality in this day and age. And that leaves us with... timing.
Over the past year or two, Brad Keselowski has managed to keep his No. 2 within camera shot, usually in a manner that requires a comment on the part of media. His brash and bold driving style usually doesn't cut any slack for a revered veteran, points leader, or simply a competitor who is having a bit of trouble keeping it pointed in the right direction. He apologizes only when he really stepped in it, otherwise, he's perfectly happy to say the other guy should just get out of his way.
His utter confidence in his abilities polarizes the fan base. The cheers and jeers have continued to build in volume for the past year. And once a driver has the crowd on its feet, for whatever reason, sponsors start to pay attention. His unapologetic track record positioned him on the edge of the radar for the end of last summer, and his success has only pushed him towards the center from there.
During a test at Road Atlanta last August, Keselowski drove his car into the fence, breaking his ankle and launching his rocket into true stardom. Armed with Twitter pics of his swollen ankle and the twisted remains of his Miller Lite Dodge, he headed to Pocono and... won. If the win had been a one-off, it would have been filed in the annals of 2011 Notable NASCAR stories. Instead, he charged headlong toward the Chase with a second at Watkins Glen, third at Michigan and his controversial win at Bristol under the lights. His No. 2 machine took the checkers in the top 5 eight times between his accident and the end of the year.
Basically, he never gave NASCAR Nation a moment to dismiss him. He ended the season fifth in points and raring to go in 2012. In the meantime, the negative publicity being generated by his teammate in the No. 22 just never seeped into his garage stall.
But he is aware of the scrutiny his fans send his way. In another PR moment of brilliance, he covered his Camping World Series No. 19 truck at Daytona in the twitter handles of his followers. It's a very public and current way to thank all those who have remained faithful.
And then, came the jet dryer at Daytona. Like I said, timing is everything. Delayed by persistent rains on Sunday and even Monday morning, NASCAR made the announcement to move the Daytona 500 start time up to 7PM -- prime time. While FOX fans tuned in for House, they were given restrictor plate racing, a massive explosion worthy of the latest blockbuster movie and a young driver dressed in blue Tweeting during the two hour red flag.
In the weeks since, you can't say Keselowski's been posting tweets any more often than before, but there's a difference in exposure: the content is re-tweeted across all reporterdom the instant it appears. Yep, that's right; Brad is officially dubbed a media darling.
Thus, when he pulled into Victory Lane on Sunday, snapped that photo and climbed out of his car, the story plastered all over the world is not one of a new winner, an underdog or even a long-awaited victory. Excitement and acceptance swirled through NASCAR. Instead, it seems as if it all came together as it ought.
For Brad Keselowski is what we hope to see: one of the best. He's young, cocky, there's every indication he's going to keep on winning -- and every person on the planet knows it. Let me introduce to you your latest NASCAR hero.
Welcome to the top, young man. I hope you like the view, and it was certainly thrilling watching you get there.
Sonya's Weekly Danica Stat
Bristol: NNS in the No. 7 GoDaddy.com Chevrolet
Qualified: 27th
Finished: 19th (running, two laps down)
Points Position: 12th
And to compare:
Johanna Long
Bristol: NNS in the No. 70 Foretravel Motorcoach Chevrolet
Qualified: 24th
Finished: 29th (running, nine laps down)
Points Position: 20th
S.D. Grady is a Senior Editor for Frontstretch.com. She can be reached via e-mail at sonya.grady@frontstretch.com. Follow her on Twitter at @laregna.
~~~~~~~~~~
Numbers Game: Food City 500
by Tom Bowles
0
The number of laps led by Kyle Busch at Bristol Sunday. It's just the second time since 2006 Busch, caught up in a Lap 24 wreck has failed to do so during a Cup race at Thunder Valley.
1
The number of times, since debuting its three-car program in 2007 Michael Waltrip has placed three cars inside the top 5. They accomplished that Sunday, with Martin Truex, Jr. third, Clint Bowyer fourth and Brian Vickers, filling in for Mark Martin coming home in fifth.
2
The number of consecutive victories for Brad Keselowski at Bristol. It's the first time the driver has scored multiple Sprint Cup wins at a racetrack.
5
The number of drivers to finish on the lead lap in all four races this season. They are Greg Biffle, Dale Earnhardt, Jr., Kevin Harvick, Matt Kenseth, and Martin Truex, Jr.
5
The number of cautions at Bristol Sunday. That's the fewest number for a 500-lap race at Thunder Valley since March of 1996.
10
The number of wins for Roger Penske's No. 2 car at Bristol. Rusty Wallace owns seven of those victories, capturing the first in the Spring of 1991 followed up by Kurt Busch (1, Spring 2006) and then Brad Keselowski's two straight triumphs.
12
The number of drivers who have won back-to-back races at Bristol since it first hosted a Cup race in 1961. Among them: Hall of Famers Richard Petty, Cale Yarborough, and Darrell Waltrip, along with Brad Keselowski who has now accomplished the feat.
14
The number of consecutive races a Bristol winner has posted a top-20 qualifying speed. Brad Keselowski started eighth on Sunday.
10.2
The average start for Kasey Kahne this season, the best of his career and ranked seventh in Sprint Cup. That's made his awful start to the season (32nd in points, one lead-lap finish in four starts) all the more frustrating.
20.835
The average time spent on pit road, in seconds per stop by Jimmie Johnson at Bristol. That led all drivers.
27.5
The average number of laps completed by Scott Riggs so far this season in two starts. The No. 23 Chevrolet, run by R3 Motorsports is choosing to start-and-park for every race it enters despite limited sponsorship from North Texas Pipe.
$98,535
Money won by fifth-place Brian Vickers Sunday. In comparison, Carl Edwards (who finished 39th) took home $127,191.
102,000
The listed attendance at Bristol Motor Speedway, the lowest number to watch a NASCAR race at the track in over 15 years.
$4,866,774
The total purse for Sunday's Food City 500.
Tom Bowles is the Editor-in-Chief for Frontstretch.com. He can be reached via e-mail at tom.bowles@frontstretch.com.
~~~~~~~~~~
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: NASCAR's Short-Track Silence and Stubbornness
by Bryan Davis Keith
Fighting for a Future: Where Brian Vickers Goes from Here
by Kevin Rutherford
Who's Hot / Who's Not In NASCAR: Bristol-Fontana Edition
by Brett Poirier
Couch Potato Tuesday: Good Lord, Show Us Some Racing, FOX!
by Phil Allaway
Tech Talk: Inside a NASCAR Chassis Builder's Setup
by Mike Neff
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FRONTSTRETCH TRIVIA:
Q: When Riverside International Raceway was on the verge of shutting down so that a mall could be built on the site (this eventually happened on part of the site, but the mall did not open until 1992), there were suggestions put forth for a new venue in order to keep NASCAR in Southern California. In what community was one of these tracks proposed?
~~~~~~~~~~
Numbers Game: Food City 500
by Tom Bowles
0
The number of laps led by Kyle Busch at Bristol Sunday. It's just the second time since 2006 Busch, caught up in a Lap 24 wreck has failed to do so during a Cup race at Thunder Valley.
1
The number of times, since debuting its three-car program in 2007 Michael Waltrip has placed three cars inside the top 5. They accomplished that Sunday, with Martin Truex, Jr. third, Clint Bowyer fourth and Brian Vickers, filling in for Mark Martin coming home in fifth.
2
The number of consecutive victories for Brad Keselowski at Bristol. It's the first time the driver has scored multiple Sprint Cup wins at a racetrack.
5
The number of drivers to finish on the lead lap in all four races this season. They are Greg Biffle, Dale Earnhardt, Jr., Kevin Harvick, Matt Kenseth, and Martin Truex, Jr.
5
The number of cautions at Bristol Sunday. That's the fewest number for a 500-lap race at Thunder Valley since March of 1996.
10
The number of wins for Roger Penske's No. 2 car at Bristol. Rusty Wallace owns seven of those victories, capturing the first in the Spring of 1991 followed up by Kurt Busch (1, Spring 2006) and then Brad Keselowski's two straight triumphs.
12
The number of drivers who have won back-to-back races at Bristol since it first hosted a Cup race in 1961. Among them: Hall of Famers Richard Petty, Cale Yarborough, and Darrell Waltrip, along with Brad Keselowski who has now accomplished the feat.
14
The number of consecutive races a Bristol winner has posted a top-20 qualifying speed. Brad Keselowski started eighth on Sunday.
10.2
The average start for Kasey Kahne this season, the best of his career and ranked seventh in Sprint Cup. That's made his awful start to the season (32nd in points, one lead-lap finish in four starts) all the more frustrating.
20.835
The average time spent on pit road, in seconds per stop by Jimmie Johnson at Bristol. That led all drivers.
27.5
The average number of laps completed by Scott Riggs so far this season in two starts. The No. 23 Chevrolet, run by R3 Motorsports is choosing to start-and-park for every race it enters despite limited sponsorship from North Texas Pipe.
$98,535
Money won by fifth-place Brian Vickers Sunday. In comparison, Carl Edwards (who finished 39th) took home $127,191.
102,000
The listed attendance at Bristol Motor Speedway, the lowest number to watch a NASCAR race at the track in over 15 years.
$4,866,774
The total purse for Sunday's Food City 500.
Tom Bowles is the Editor-in-Chief for Frontstretch.com. He can be reached via e-mail at tom.bowles@frontstretch.com.
~~~~~~~~~~
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: NASCAR's Short-Track Silence and Stubbornness
by Bryan Davis Keith
Fighting for a Future: Where Brian Vickers Goes from Here
by Kevin Rutherford
Who's Hot / Who's Not In NASCAR: Bristol-Fontana Edition
by Brett Poirier
Couch Potato Tuesday: Good Lord, Show Us Some Racing, FOX!
by Phil Allaway
Tech Talk: Inside a NASCAR Chassis Builder's Setup
by Mike Neff
~~~~~~~~~~~
FRONTSTRETCH TRIVIA:
Q: When Riverside International Raceway was on the verge of shutting down so that a mall could be built on the site (this eventually happened on part of the site, but the mall did not open until 1992), there were suggestions put forth for a new venue in order to keep NASCAR in Southern California. In what community was one of these tracks proposed?
Check back Wednesday for the answer, here in the Frontstretch Newsletter!
Monday's Answer:
Q: Prior to the construction of Auto Club Speedway, the last oval venue used for Cup races in Southern California was Ontario Motor Speedway, an exact copy of 2.5-mile Indianapolis Motor Speedway located less than five miles from where ACS is today. The track was a true multi-purpose facility, composed of that 2.5-mile rectangle and an infield road course. However, the venue had another use. What was it?
A: Ontario Motor Speedway's pit road was repurposed as a drag strip for major competitions. And why not? Ontario Motor Speedway had a very wide pit road that was perfect for such a setup.
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!
~~~~~~~~~~
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!
TODAY'S NEWSLETTER FEEDBACK: No. 48 Penalty
When NASCAR penalized Clint Bowyer's car for being 1/16" out of tolerance, they found this by the use of measuring devices. In the case of the 48 car, the problem was found not by any use of tools, but by eyeballing only. The variance was probably well over 1/16" of an inch, or they never would have seen it. I don't think the human eye would have noticed those pillars bulging out if were only a marginal difference.
~~~~~~~~~~
Coming tomorrow in the Frontstretch Newsletter:
-- Top News from Brad Morgan
-- Full Throttle by Mike Neff
-- Links to your favorite Frontstretch articles, and more!
~~~~~~~~~~
Tomorrow on the Frontstretch:
Did You Notice? ... by Tom Bowles
Did You Notice a tilt towards early races out West? It's all part of a NASCAR schedule that needs some major revamping. Tom takes a stab at it, judges the urgency of some early points deficits and looks at revamping the rookie race among other small but important observations around the NASCAR circuit.
Beyond The Cockpit: Sam Hornish, Jr. as told to Amy Henderson
Penske's Nationwide championship hopeful dishes on his full-time return to stock car racing. How is he shaping up for the season ahead, what does he think of the pending switch from Dodge to Ford and is Sprint Cup back in his future plans? Find out in Amy's one-on-one with the former IRL series titlist.
Frontstretch Top Ten by Jeff Meyer
Our favorite former Iowan continues to bring that Midwestern "charm" into our weekly Top Ten list. Laugh a little with another great topic, and find out about a new Frontstretch feature in which you can get involved: Fix The Top 10!
Mirror Driving by the Frontstretch Staff
Our expert writer roundtable is at it again, with topics that include the recent success of Michael Waltrip Racing, the future of the NASCAR Driver's Meeting and whether Nationwide-only success will stay that way for the regulars this season.
Top 15 Power Rankings after the Food City 500 compiled by Summer Dreyer
Greg Biffle held onto his points lead after a shaky Sunday at Bristol, but how about in our Power Rankings? Find out what your favorite experts from all across the web think as our Top 15 list is compiled with votes from Dustin Long, Matt Taliaferro, Kelly Crandall, among other experts along with some of your Frontstretch favorites.
Column TBD Pending Jimmie Johnson Appeal by Matt McLaughlin
Matt will return, on a special day with MPM2Nite pending the outcome of Jimmie Johnson's appeal. And if nothing changes? We'll take a look at the Matt Kenseth - Brad Keselowski restart controversy down the stretch at Bristol.
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©2012 Frontstretch.com
©2012 Frontstretch.com
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