THE FRONTSTRETCH NEWSLETTER
Presented by Frontstretch.com
The Best Seat at the Track, The Best View on the Net!
March 9th, 2012
Volume VI, Edition XXXV
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Top News
by Jeff Wolfe
Vickers to Run Six Races For MWR
Former Red Bull Racing driver Brian Vickers has been tabbed to pilot the No. 55 Toyota for Michael Waltrip Racing in six events this season. He'll run both races at Bristol, Martinsville and New Hampshire.
"I am thrilled to get back behind the wheel of not just a race car, but a very fast race car," Vickers said. "I'm lucky to find a ride of this quality so early in the season."
The 28-year-old, who was forced to sit out at Daytona for the first time since 2007 after Red Bull Racing closed at the end of last season, posted a video to his Facebook page before the Bud Shootout promising fans he would return. Elliott Sadler was originally announced to drive the No. 55--shared by Mark Martin (24 races) and team owner Michael Waltrip (restrictor plate tracks)--but objections by his Nationwide Series owner Richard Childress forced him to back out.
Vickers has two victories and 57 top-10 finishes in 255 Sprint Cup Series starts.
Knaus, Hendrick to Face Appeals Board Tuesday
Hendrick Motorsports Owner Rick Hendrick and Crew Chief Chad Knaus will get a chance to make their case to the NASCAR Appeals board Tuesday. The three person panel will consider the sanctions against Knaus and the No. 48 team for C-posts NASCAR deemed illegal in pre-practice inspection at Daytona last month. Knaus, Crew Chief for Jimmie Johnson, along with Car Chief Ron Malic were each handed a six-race suspension. Knaus was also fined $100,000 and the team was penalized 25 driver and owner points.
According to SceneDaily.com's Bob Pockrass, NASCAR has said officials used gauges to find the part illegal despite insistence from Knaus that nothing was actually measured.
"It was just a visual inspection at that point--we never even got the opportunity to present that under templates," Knaus said. "It's unfortunate. There's a bit of subjectiveness to it, and that's why we're going through an appeal."
Though it's rare for the appeals board to overturn a NASCAR penalty, Hendrick did win an appeal on behalf of Knaus back in 2005. Johnson currently sits 37th in points, 71 markers back from leader Denny Hamlin and 45 behind tenth place Carl Edwards.
Have news for The Frontstretch? Don't hesitate to let us know; email us at phil.allaway@frontstretch.com with a promising lead or tip.
~~~~~~~~~~
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!
~~~~~~~~~~
In Case You Missed It
by Nick Schwartz
Infineon No More
Since 2002, NASCAR fans have known the road course located in Sonoma, California to be Infineon Raceway, but after Infineon Technologies' naming rights deal expires in May, the road course will likely assume a new corporate name. Infineon has decided not to renew the deal, though Vice President for Marketing and Communications John Cardinale has said that numerous other companies have expressed interest in replacing Infineon, according to Sports Business Daily.
"There are three or four companies we're talking to," Cardinale said. "I wouldn't say they're ready to sign, but they're certainly interested."
The track, formerly known as Sears Point Raceway is owned by Speedway Motorsports Inc., and is the second facility to lose its corporate naming sponsorship in the past few years, as Lowe's Home Improvement Warehouse, Inc. pulled its name from Charlotte Motor Speedway in 2009.
Ryan Newman Foundation Helps Bring a Soldier His Dog
Trigger, a 70-pound stray dog plucked from the streets of Afghanistan by U.S. soldiers will soon by reunited with the man who saved him from the dangers abroad. The Ryan Newman Foundation is assisting in flying the dog to his owner in Washington State after a plea for help.
Trigger had been saved in Afghanistan by troops and brought to a U.S. encampment, where he lived for five months. Eventually the unit that saved Trigger returned to America, but a fund-raising effort ensured that the dog was flown to an animal rescue clinic on Long Island in New York. After a few weeks of rehabilitation, the dog will be flown to Washington to resume life with his owner.
IndyCar Driver Will Power Extinguishes Own Engine Fire
The IZOD IndyCar series will soon kick off the 2012 season at St. Petersburg, Florida, but veteran driver Will Power is already making headlines this year after he hopped out of his burning car and extinguished an engine fire during a test. With many drivers at Sebring International Raceway to test before the season begins, Power had been setting fast times in his Penske Racing car until his engine mishap forced an end to the day. A small leak caused a fire and Power quickly drove off the track, unstrapped himself and exited the car.
Though he was not in immediate danger, Power was concerned about the damage the car may incur, especially with the safety workers slow to respond. Power ran to grab the fire extinguisher and returned to his car to douse the blaze, though the engine was already lost.
"The safety worker was across the track and he was an older gentleman, kind of struggling to get across, so I ran and grabbed it myself," Power said, according to the Associated Press.
~~~~~~~~~~
COME JOIN THE FRONTSTRETCH FAMILY!
If you are interested, contact frontstretcheditors@googlegroups.com. Please include references to your past work in your e-mail.
~~~~~~~~~~
Fantasy Friday: Kobalt Tools 400
by Jeff Wolfe
Editor's Note: Welcome to the newest feature in the Frontstretch Newsletter where Jeff Wolfe takes a look at your best bets when it comes to picking your fantasy racing teams. Each week, Jeff will have your top 5 best bets along with a bonus pick just in time to finalize your lineup and settle in for a weekend full of action.
The Sprint Cup series heads to the city of Lost Wages (OK, most people call it Las Vegas, but let's be real here) and the city likes to brag that what happens there stays there. What has happened a lot at Las Vegas Motor Speedway is Roush Fenway Racing cars have had a ton of success. In 65 starts at Las Vegas, Roush cars have seven wins, 17 top-5 and 34 top-10 finishes and have led more than 1,200 laps. Also, the Roushkateers have finished in the top 10 in each of the 14 Sprint Cup races at the track and have finished in the top five 12 times. So, needless to say, any of the Roush drivers would be a decent pick for Sunday's 3 PM race on FOX.
Top 5 Picks
Matt Kenseth: Roush selection No. 1 has a chance to get off to a great start after winning at Daytona. Winning two of the first three is a real possibility here. He's already got two wins and six top-10 finishes in 12 starts at mile-and-a-half oval.
Carl Edwards: Roush selection No. 2. He's also got two wins here and has a series high 486 green flag passes at Las Vegas.
Kyle Busch: Busch is an easy pick as a hometown driver despite only one victory at the track in eight starts. However, with just two finishes outside the top 15--both of which came in the form of DNF's--the younger Busch brother is one of those drivers that's hard not to pick.
Jimmie Johnson: Mr. Five-Time has four wins here and you know this team is on a mission to get back into the top 10 in points and not allow their Daytona penalty to derail a run at the Chase. The No. 48 is currently 35 points outside the top 10 spot going into Sunday, it wouldn't be a surprise to see him take a big chunk out of that gap this weekend.
Mark Martin: So, the former Roush driver has aged a bit since his time with the team, but the 52-year-old has proven he can still drive. He's also got a quality car in the Michael Waltrip Racing No. 55. Add in a win, six top-5 finishes and he's a safe bet for this weekend. And really, wouldn't it be nice to see him hit Victory Lane at least one more time?
Shoulda, woulda, coulda, but didn't pick: It probably makes all the sense in the world to pick Greg Biffle--he's scored back-to-back third-place finishes to open the season and he's got the bonus of having Roush equipment. And while he has yet to visit victory lane at Vegas, five top 10s in eight starts combined with the momentum they've started the season with could be just the recipe for success the No. 16 team needs.
ACCOUNTABILITY GROUP
Reviewing Last Week's Picks
Kasey Kahne: 34th. Early mechanical issues doomed his day. He did finish, but was 28 laps down at the end.
Carl Edwards: 17th. He challenged to be in the top 10 a couple of times, but was not a serious contender all day.
Tony Stewart: 22nd. Seemed to be primed for a solid top-10 finish, maybe even a top 5, but when he shut off engine to save gas it wouldn't start back up right away. He was two laps down by the time they got the car started again.
Jimmie Johnson: 4th. Looked like he might run away with the win early, leading 55 laps, but a tire issue cost him key positions midway through.
Kyle Busch: 6th. He did lead 52 laps, but wasn't in contention to win at the end.
Last week's grade: C
Season Stats:
10 predictions
0 wins
2 top 5s
2 top 10s
Jeff Wolfe is a Contributor for Frontstretch.com. He can be reached via email at jeff.wolfe@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 tony.lumbis@frontstretch.com for details.
~~~~~~~~~~
Frontstretch Folio: Kobalt Tools 400
by Nick Schwartz
The NASCAR Sprint Cup series stays out west this week, as teams descend upon Las Vegas Motor Speedway for the third race of the 2012 season. The Kobalt Tools 400 will be broadcast live Sunday, March 11th, on FOX at 2:30 PM EST, with coverage beginning at 2:00 PM EST on PRN radio. The race on the 1.5 mile tri-oval is scheduled for 267 laps.
Records and Facts
Carl Edwards won the 2011 Kobalt Tools 400 in what would be his only victory of the year. At the time, Edwards' win placed him tied for second in the point standings, just behind eventual champion Tony Stewart. Ford has been the most successful manufacturer at Las Vegas, with seven wins overall—two more than Chevrolet and six more than Dodge and Toyota.
Jimmie Johnson has won more than any other driver at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, with four race wins since the track opened in 1998. Johnson won three consecutive years from 2005 to 2007, and again in 2010. Interestingly enough, the record for most laps led at the track belongs not to Johnson, but to Jeff Gordon (467). Gordon has only won once--in 2001--but has recorded six top-5 finishes in his 14 races at the track.
Matt Kenseth set a new qualifying record in 2011, crossing the line at over 188 miles per hour with a lap time of 28.589 seconds. Speeds have increased since the track was redesigned to implement progressive banking in time for the 2007 Sprint Cup Series race. With turns banked up to 20 degrees, Las Vegas Motor Speedway has become an extremely fast track, with open-wheel cars capable of reaching upwards of 225 miles per hour.
Track Facts
Track/Race Length: 1.5 mile oval, 267 laps (400.5 miles)
Pit Road Speed: 45 mph
Degree of Banking: 20 degrees
Frontstretch: 2.275 feet, banked 9 degrees
Backstretch: 1,572 feet, banked 9 degrees
Grandstand Seating: 142,000
Pre-race Schedule
Practice: Friday, March 9, 3:00 – 4:30 PM EST on SPEED
Qualifying: Friday, March 9, 6:00 PM EST on SPEED
Happy Hour: Saturday, March 10, 3:00 – 4:20 PM EST on SPEED
VIPs
National Anthem: American Idol contestant Pia Toscano
Grand Marshal: Actor Tim Allen
Race Day Forecast
Sunday: Partly cloudy, 0% chance of rain
High: 75 degrees
Low: 50 degrees
They Said It
"I always enjoy Las Vegas. It has been a good track for us, at times. There always seems to be a lot going on. Kobalt Tools is sponsoring the race, so we will have a lot of stuff going on and it will be a busy weekend. I'm enjoying a little down time with the family but am looking forward to getting to Las Vegas and continuing on the good momentum we had at Phoenix." -Jimmie Johnson
Vegas is always a little bit more pressure – more pressure on myself, just because it's the hometown and you want to win there. Thankfully, I have won there and I've knocked that one off the list, but certainly you want to win there every year. It seems like either Carl (Edwards) or Jimmie (Johnson) are better than most, but I love Vegas – the atmosphere and everything going on around that place. It's been sold out for a lot of years, I think ever since it started. They've added more grandstands, which is cool. It's a big race." -Kyle Busch
"Last year was a huge weekend for us and I'm excited to go back. I love racing at Vegas and it's a fun place to go for the fans. This will be our first opportunity of the year to run on a 1.5-mile track and to try the things Bob Osborne and everyone at RFR have been working on over the winter. It's a huge event for us strategically on the schedule to build our intermediate program, which is obviously very important in our quest for the championship." -Carl Edwards
Nick Schwartz is a Contributor for Frontstretch.com. He can be reached via email at nick.schwartz@frontstretch.com.
~~~~~~~~~~
TODAY ON THE FRONTSTRETCH:
Outside Looking In: Five Drivers Who Should Be In Full Time Rides Now
by Amy Henderson
Of NASCAR Twits and 'Non-traditional Tweets
by Jeff Meyer
Subtraction by Addition for JR Motorsports' No. 88 Team
by Bryan Davis Keith
Four Burning Questions: Learning EFI, NASCAR Justice, and Second Chances
by Summer Dreyer
Potts' Shots: Safety And Rules Remain A "Moving Target"
by John Potts
~~~~~~~~~~
This Weekend on the Frontstretch:
Nationwide Series Breakdown: Sam's Town 300 by Bryan Davis Keith
Bryan has all the post-race analysis you need after Saturday afternoon's Nationwide Series race from Las Vegas.
~~~~~~~~~~
FRONTSTRETCH TRIVIA:
Q: Today, Curtis Key owns an underfunded Nationwide Series team that fields three start-and-park entries in order to allow for one car to race full distances. In 1997, he was the owner of the No. 11 Ford driven by Goody's Dash Series graduate Jimmy Foster and sponsored by a combination of Speedvision (now SPEED) and the Outdoor Life Network (now the NBC Sports Network). In Las Vegas, the 20-year old Foster only lasted 35 laps before calling it a day. What happened?
Check back Monday for the answer, here in the Frontstretch Newsletter!
Thursday's Answer:
Q: After 1982, Formula One decided to cut down from three U.S. Grand Prix to two. As a result, the decision was made to dump the Caesars Palace Grand Prix in Las Vegas, Nevada while keeping the new (for 1982) race in Detroit and Long Beach for 1983. Generally, this adjustment was considered to be a good move at the time. However, the Caesars Palace Grand Prix continued on with CART. What was done to the track to facilitate CART's arrival?
A: The track was changed from a 2.268-mile temporary road course that looked hand-shaped to a 1.125-mile "modified oval." Parts of the previous course were used for the modified oval, which more or less encircled the old track. This was not because the CART racers would have been unsuited for the 14-turn road course, but because the road course was universally derided by nearly anyone given the chance to talk about it at the time. This was despite the fact that by temporary road course standards, it was quite advanced (Ex: The track had runoff areas filled in with sand, typical of permanent circuits).
Frontstretch Trivia Guarantee: Take 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 Monday in the Frontstretch Newsletter:
-- Kobalt Tools 400 Race Recap by Jeff Wolfe
-- Secret Star and Stat of the Race by Tom Bowles
-- Links to your favorite Frontstretch articles, and more!
Monday on the Frontstretch:
Matt McLaughlin's Thinkin' Out Loud: Kobalt Tools 400 by Matt McLaughlin
Matt will be here with his overall thoughts about the action from Sunday afternoon's action from the Las Vegas.
Monday Morning Teardown by Ron Lemasters
Ron returns for a website look at one of the big stories from Sunday's race from Las Vegas.
Bowles-Eye View by Tom Bowles
Tom brings back his weekly post-race commentary with all of the insight you need from a weekend of racing at Las Vegas.
Big Six: Kobalt Tools 400 by Amy Henderson
Looking for all you need to know leaving the third race of the season? Amy has your who, what, when, where, why and how from a weekend of racing at Las Vegas.
Pace Laps: Las Vegas Weekend by the Frontstretch Staff
In our newest column this season, we'll take a look at the biggest stories to keep an eye on in each series after a weekend at Las Vegas.
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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
The Best Seat at the Track, The Best View on the Net!
March 9th, 2012
Volume VI, Edition XXXV
~~~~~~~~~~
Top News
by Jeff Wolfe
Vickers to Run Six Races For MWR
Former Red Bull Racing driver Brian Vickers has been tabbed to pilot the No. 55 Toyota for Michael Waltrip Racing in six events this season. He'll run both races at Bristol, Martinsville and New Hampshire.
"I am thrilled to get back behind the wheel of not just a race car, but a very fast race car," Vickers said. "I'm lucky to find a ride of this quality so early in the season."
The 28-year-old, who was forced to sit out at Daytona for the first time since 2007 after Red Bull Racing closed at the end of last season, posted a video to his Facebook page before the Bud Shootout promising fans he would return. Elliott Sadler was originally announced to drive the No. 55--shared by Mark Martin (24 races) and team owner Michael Waltrip (restrictor plate tracks)--but objections by his Nationwide Series owner Richard Childress forced him to back out.
Vickers has two victories and 57 top-10 finishes in 255 Sprint Cup Series starts.
Knaus, Hendrick to Face Appeals Board Tuesday
Hendrick Motorsports Owner Rick Hendrick and Crew Chief Chad Knaus will get a chance to make their case to the NASCAR Appeals board Tuesday. The three person panel will consider the sanctions against Knaus and the No. 48 team for C-posts NASCAR deemed illegal in pre-practice inspection at Daytona last month. Knaus, Crew Chief for Jimmie Johnson, along with Car Chief Ron Malic were each handed a six-race suspension. Knaus was also fined $100,000 and the team was penalized 25 driver and owner points.
According to SceneDaily.com's Bob Pockrass, NASCAR has said officials used gauges to find the part illegal despite insistence from Knaus that nothing was actually measured.
"It was just a visual inspection at that point--we never even got the opportunity to present that under templates," Knaus said. "It's unfortunate. There's a bit of subjectiveness to it, and that's why we're going through an appeal."
Though it's rare for the appeals board to overturn a NASCAR penalty, Hendrick did win an appeal on behalf of Knaus back in 2005. Johnson currently sits 37th in points, 71 markers back from leader Denny Hamlin and 45 behind tenth place Carl Edwards.
Have news for The Frontstretch? Don't hesitate to let us know; email us at phil.allaway@frontstretch.com with a promising lead or tip.
~~~~~~~~~~
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!
~~~~~~~~~~
In Case You Missed It
by Nick Schwartz
Infineon No More
Since 2002, NASCAR fans have known the road course located in Sonoma, California to be Infineon Raceway, but after Infineon Technologies' naming rights deal expires in May, the road course will likely assume a new corporate name. Infineon has decided not to renew the deal, though Vice President for Marketing and Communications John Cardinale has said that numerous other companies have expressed interest in replacing Infineon, according to Sports Business Daily.
"There are three or four companies we're talking to," Cardinale said. "I wouldn't say they're ready to sign, but they're certainly interested."
The track, formerly known as Sears Point Raceway is owned by Speedway Motorsports Inc., and is the second facility to lose its corporate naming sponsorship in the past few years, as Lowe's Home Improvement Warehouse, Inc. pulled its name from Charlotte Motor Speedway in 2009.
Ryan Newman Foundation Helps Bring a Soldier His Dog
Trigger, a 70-pound stray dog plucked from the streets of Afghanistan by U.S. soldiers will soon by reunited with the man who saved him from the dangers abroad. The Ryan Newman Foundation is assisting in flying the dog to his owner in Washington State after a plea for help.
Trigger had been saved in Afghanistan by troops and brought to a U.S. encampment, where he lived for five months. Eventually the unit that saved Trigger returned to America, but a fund-raising effort ensured that the dog was flown to an animal rescue clinic on Long Island in New York. After a few weeks of rehabilitation, the dog will be flown to Washington to resume life with his owner.
IndyCar Driver Will Power Extinguishes Own Engine Fire
The IZOD IndyCar series will soon kick off the 2012 season at St. Petersburg, Florida, but veteran driver Will Power is already making headlines this year after he hopped out of his burning car and extinguished an engine fire during a test. With many drivers at Sebring International Raceway to test before the season begins, Power had been setting fast times in his Penske Racing car until his engine mishap forced an end to the day. A small leak caused a fire and Power quickly drove off the track, unstrapped himself and exited the car.
Though he was not in immediate danger, Power was concerned about the damage the car may incur, especially with the safety workers slow to respond. Power ran to grab the fire extinguisher and returned to his car to douse the blaze, though the engine was already lost.
"The safety worker was across the track and he was an older gentleman, kind of struggling to get across, so I ran and grabbed it myself," Power said, according to the Associated Press.
~~~~~~~~~~
COME JOIN THE FRONTSTRETCH FAMILY!
Hey Frontstretch Readers,
We are looking for someone who shares our enthusiasm for NASCAR and has an experienced background in web design. Specifically, we are looking for someone who can help maintain and enhance our website, increase our SEO, and upgrade our publishing platform while producing a limited amount of content throughout the season. This job presents a perfect opportunity for someone with a technical background, a person who wants their work to gain national exposure.
~~~~~~~~~~
Fantasy Friday: Kobalt Tools 400
by Jeff Wolfe
Editor's Note: Welcome to the newest feature in the Frontstretch Newsletter where Jeff Wolfe takes a look at your best bets when it comes to picking your fantasy racing teams. Each week, Jeff will have your top 5 best bets along with a bonus pick just in time to finalize your lineup and settle in for a weekend full of action.
The Sprint Cup series heads to the city of Lost Wages (OK, most people call it Las Vegas, but let's be real here) and the city likes to brag that what happens there stays there. What has happened a lot at Las Vegas Motor Speedway is Roush Fenway Racing cars have had a ton of success. In 65 starts at Las Vegas, Roush cars have seven wins, 17 top-5 and 34 top-10 finishes and have led more than 1,200 laps. Also, the Roushkateers have finished in the top 10 in each of the 14 Sprint Cup races at the track and have finished in the top five 12 times. So, needless to say, any of the Roush drivers would be a decent pick for Sunday's 3 PM race on FOX.
Top 5 Picks
Matt Kenseth: Roush selection No. 1 has a chance to get off to a great start after winning at Daytona. Winning two of the first three is a real possibility here. He's already got two wins and six top-10 finishes in 12 starts at mile-and-a-half oval.
Carl Edwards: Roush selection No. 2. He's also got two wins here and has a series high 486 green flag passes at Las Vegas.
Kyle Busch: Busch is an easy pick as a hometown driver despite only one victory at the track in eight starts. However, with just two finishes outside the top 15--both of which came in the form of DNF's--the younger Busch brother is one of those drivers that's hard not to pick.
Jimmie Johnson: Mr. Five-Time has four wins here and you know this team is on a mission to get back into the top 10 in points and not allow their Daytona penalty to derail a run at the Chase. The No. 48 is currently 35 points outside the top 10 spot going into Sunday, it wouldn't be a surprise to see him take a big chunk out of that gap this weekend.
Mark Martin: So, the former Roush driver has aged a bit since his time with the team, but the 52-year-old has proven he can still drive. He's also got a quality car in the Michael Waltrip Racing No. 55. Add in a win, six top-5 finishes and he's a safe bet for this weekend. And really, wouldn't it be nice to see him hit Victory Lane at least one more time?
Shoulda, woulda, coulda, but didn't pick: It probably makes all the sense in the world to pick Greg Biffle--he's scored back-to-back third-place finishes to open the season and he's got the bonus of having Roush equipment. And while he has yet to visit victory lane at Vegas, five top 10s in eight starts combined with the momentum they've started the season with could be just the recipe for success the No. 16 team needs.
ACCOUNTABILITY GROUP
Reviewing Last Week's Picks
Kasey Kahne: 34th. Early mechanical issues doomed his day. He did finish, but was 28 laps down at the end.
Carl Edwards: 17th. He challenged to be in the top 10 a couple of times, but was not a serious contender all day.
Tony Stewart: 22nd. Seemed to be primed for a solid top-10 finish, maybe even a top 5, but when he shut off engine to save gas it wouldn't start back up right away. He was two laps down by the time they got the car started again.
Jimmie Johnson: 4th. Looked like he might run away with the win early, leading 55 laps, but a tire issue cost him key positions midway through.
Kyle Busch: 6th. He did lead 52 laps, but wasn't in contention to win at the end.
Last week's grade: C
Season Stats:
10 predictions
0 wins
2 top 5s
2 top 10s
Jeff Wolfe is a Contributor for Frontstretch.com. He can be reached via email at jeff.wolfe@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 tony.lumbis@frontstretch.com for details.
~~~~~~~~~~
Frontstretch Folio: Kobalt Tools 400
by Nick Schwartz
The NASCAR Sprint Cup series stays out west this week, as teams descend upon Las Vegas Motor Speedway for the third race of the 2012 season. The Kobalt Tools 400 will be broadcast live Sunday, March 11th, on FOX at 2:30 PM EST, with coverage beginning at 2:00 PM EST on PRN radio. The race on the 1.5 mile tri-oval is scheduled for 267 laps.
Records and Facts
Carl Edwards won the 2011 Kobalt Tools 400 in what would be his only victory of the year. At the time, Edwards' win placed him tied for second in the point standings, just behind eventual champion Tony Stewart. Ford has been the most successful manufacturer at Las Vegas, with seven wins overall—two more than Chevrolet and six more than Dodge and Toyota.
Jimmie Johnson has won more than any other driver at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, with four race wins since the track opened in 1998. Johnson won three consecutive years from 2005 to 2007, and again in 2010. Interestingly enough, the record for most laps led at the track belongs not to Johnson, but to Jeff Gordon (467). Gordon has only won once--in 2001--but has recorded six top-5 finishes in his 14 races at the track.
Matt Kenseth set a new qualifying record in 2011, crossing the line at over 188 miles per hour with a lap time of 28.589 seconds. Speeds have increased since the track was redesigned to implement progressive banking in time for the 2007 Sprint Cup Series race. With turns banked up to 20 degrees, Las Vegas Motor Speedway has become an extremely fast track, with open-wheel cars capable of reaching upwards of 225 miles per hour.
Track Facts
Track/Race Length: 1.5 mile oval, 267 laps (400.5 miles)
Pit Road Speed: 45 mph
Degree of Banking: 20 degrees
Frontstretch: 2.275 feet, banked 9 degrees
Backstretch: 1,572 feet, banked 9 degrees
Grandstand Seating: 142,000
Pre-race Schedule
Practice: Friday, March 9, 3:00 – 4:30 PM EST on SPEED
Qualifying: Friday, March 9, 6:00 PM EST on SPEED
Happy Hour: Saturday, March 10, 3:00 – 4:20 PM EST on SPEED
VIPs
National Anthem: American Idol contestant Pia Toscano
Grand Marshal: Actor Tim Allen
Race Day Forecast
Sunday: Partly cloudy, 0% chance of rain
High: 75 degrees
Low: 50 degrees
They Said It
"I always enjoy Las Vegas. It has been a good track for us, at times. There always seems to be a lot going on. Kobalt Tools is sponsoring the race, so we will have a lot of stuff going on and it will be a busy weekend. I'm enjoying a little down time with the family but am looking forward to getting to Las Vegas and continuing on the good momentum we had at Phoenix." -Jimmie Johnson
Vegas is always a little bit more pressure – more pressure on myself, just because it's the hometown and you want to win there. Thankfully, I have won there and I've knocked that one off the list, but certainly you want to win there every year. It seems like either Carl (Edwards) or Jimmie (Johnson) are better than most, but I love Vegas – the atmosphere and everything going on around that place. It's been sold out for a lot of years, I think ever since it started. They've added more grandstands, which is cool. It's a big race." -Kyle Busch
"Last year was a huge weekend for us and I'm excited to go back. I love racing at Vegas and it's a fun place to go for the fans. This will be our first opportunity of the year to run on a 1.5-mile track and to try the things Bob Osborne and everyone at RFR have been working on over the winter. It's a huge event for us strategically on the schedule to build our intermediate program, which is obviously very important in our quest for the championship." -Carl Edwards
Nick Schwartz is a Contributor for Frontstretch.com. He can be reached via email at nick.schwartz@frontstretch.com.
~~~~~~~~~~
TODAY ON THE FRONTSTRETCH:
Outside Looking In: Five Drivers Who Should Be In Full Time Rides Now
by Amy Henderson
Of NASCAR Twits and 'Non-traditional Tweets
by Jeff Meyer
Subtraction by Addition for JR Motorsports' No. 88 Team
by Bryan Davis Keith
Four Burning Questions: Learning EFI, NASCAR Justice, and Second Chances
by Summer Dreyer
Potts' Shots: Safety And Rules Remain A "Moving Target"
by John Potts
~~~~~~~~~~
This Weekend on the Frontstretch:
Nationwide Series Breakdown: Sam's Town 300 by Bryan Davis Keith
Bryan has all the post-race analysis you need after Saturday afternoon's Nationwide Series race from Las Vegas.
~~~~~~~~~~
FRONTSTRETCH TRIVIA:
Q: Today, Curtis Key owns an underfunded Nationwide Series team that fields three start-and-park entries in order to allow for one car to race full distances. In 1997, he was the owner of the No. 11 Ford driven by Goody's Dash Series graduate Jimmy Foster and sponsored by a combination of Speedvision (now SPEED) and the Outdoor Life Network (now the NBC Sports Network). In Las Vegas, the 20-year old Foster only lasted 35 laps before calling it a day. What happened?
Check back Monday for the answer, here in the Frontstretch Newsletter!
Thursday's Answer:
Q: After 1982, Formula One decided to cut down from three U.S. Grand Prix to two. As a result, the decision was made to dump the Caesars Palace Grand Prix in Las Vegas, Nevada while keeping the new (for 1982) race in Detroit and Long Beach for 1983. Generally, this adjustment was considered to be a good move at the time. However, the Caesars Palace Grand Prix continued on with CART. What was done to the track to facilitate CART's arrival?
A: The track was changed from a 2.268-mile temporary road course that looked hand-shaped to a 1.125-mile "modified oval." Parts of the previous course were used for the modified oval, which more or less encircled the old track. This was not because the CART racers would have been unsuited for the 14-turn road course, but because the road course was universally derided by nearly anyone given the chance to talk about it at the time. This was despite the fact that by temporary road course standards, it was quite advanced (Ex: The track had runoff areas filled in with sand, typical of permanent circuits).
Frontstretch Trivia Guarantee: Take 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 Monday in the Frontstretch Newsletter:
-- Kobalt Tools 400 Race Recap by Jeff Wolfe
-- Secret Star and Stat of the Race by Tom Bowles
-- Links to your favorite Frontstretch articles, and more!
Monday on the Frontstretch:
Matt McLaughlin's Thinkin' Out Loud: Kobalt Tools 400 by Matt McLaughlin
Matt will be here with his overall thoughts about the action from Sunday afternoon's action from the Las Vegas.
Monday Morning Teardown by Ron Lemasters
Ron returns for a website look at one of the big stories from Sunday's race from Las Vegas.
Bowles-Eye View by Tom Bowles
Tom brings back his weekly post-race commentary with all of the insight you need from a weekend of racing at Las Vegas.
Big Six: Kobalt Tools 400 by Amy Henderson
Looking for all you need to know leaving the third race of the season? Amy has your who, what, when, where, why and how from a weekend of racing at Las Vegas.
Pace Laps: Las Vegas Weekend by the Frontstretch Staff
In our newest column this season, we'll take a look at the biggest stories to keep an eye on in each series after a weekend at Las Vegas.
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