THE FRONTSTRETCH NEWSLETTER
Presented by Frontstretch.com
The Best Seat at the Track, The Best View on the Net!
April 11th, 2012
Volume VI, Edition LX
Presented by Frontstretch.com
The Best Seat at the Track, The Best View on the Net!
April 11th, 2012
Volume VI, Edition LX
~~~~~~~~~~
Editor's Note: Frontstretch has a brand new, redesigned Facebook page! Click here to "like" us and get a direct connect to all your Frontstretch favorites along with polls, interaction with fans and so much more.
~~~~~~~~~~
Top News
by Brad Morgan
Kenseth Returning to Daytona for Champion's Event
After rain showers pushed the beginning of the Great American Race back to Monday, several other events were also moved or canceled. As a result of the delays, two-time Daytona 500 champion Matt Kenseth and the No. 17 team will return to the site of Roush Fenway Racing's 300th victory Wednesday for an honorary fan celebration that's traditionally held the day after NASCAR's "Super Bowl."
Originally planned as part of the Daytona 500 Champion's Breakfast, the newly scheduled function will serve as an opportunity for fans to ask questions and take pictures with Kenseth and other Roush Fenway Racing personalities including Crew Chief Jimmy Fennig and team owner Jack Roush.
Fans who bought tickets for the original event on February 27 will be allowed to attend what is planned to be an exciting day. Lunch will be served to guests after doors open at 10:45 AM and tours of Daytona International Speedway have also been planned for anyone who's interested. Additional tickets can be purchased for $40 by calling 1-800-PITSHOP or online at www.daytonainternationalspeedway.com.
Heinz History Center Honoring Ganassi
The Heinz History Center will honor Chip Ganassi on April 13 for his contributions to racing in the Western Pennsylvania area and around the country. The Pittsburgh-based Smithsonian Institute affiliate is holding an awards dinner for the racing team owner.
Since his first season as a NASCAR car owner in 2001, Ganassi has built teams that have totaled 16 wins in the Sprint Cup and Nationwide Series, including victories in the Daytona 500 and the Brickyard 400. The Duquesne University graduate has also seen success as an owner in the IZOD IndyCar Series and the Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series, winning five IndyCar championships, including the last four years in a row, and achieving victories in the Indianapolis 500 and the Rolex 24 Hours at Daytona.
According to Heinz History Center Communications Intern Breanna Smith, the Pennsylvanian has donated more than $500,000 in race winnings to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. Ganassi has also invested in other sports; he's a former minority owner of the Pittsburgh Pirates, among other non-racing ventures.
Alternate Paint Scheme for Martin at Texas
The Aaron's Dream Machine will sport a new look this weekend at Texas Motor Speedway. When Mark Martin climbs into the Michael Waltrip Racing machine in preparation for the Samsung Mobile 500, his car will feature a celebratory scheme for the Aaron's 2011 Best of the Best, which includes employees, divisions, regions, stores and franchises, all of which are located in Texas.
The winners of each award appearing on the car include: Division of the Year: Dave Buck - Southwestern Division (Houston); Franchise Division of the Year: Wallace Vernon / Tom Blassingame / Charles Hollinger – Bear Rental Purchase (Killeen); Region of the Year - Company: Ryan Malone – South Texas (Corpus Christi); Region of the Year – Franchise: David Foster – Alliance North (Decatur); Store of the Year – Company: Joe Borrego – C1024 (Odessa); and Store of the Year – Franchise: Joey Dolberry – F684 (Early).
Saturday night's race will mark the first time Martin has driven the No. 55 since he ran the Auto Club 500 at Fontana in March. The veteran will make a short appearance at the Aaron's Corporate Display at Texas Motor Speedway on Saturday at 3:40 PM. Later that night, Martin will attempt to keep the No. 55 in the top 10 in the owner standings alongside the other MWR cars driven by Martin Truex Jr. and Clint Bowyer.
Spring Break Extended At NASCAR Hall of Fame
The NASCAR Hall of Fame's Spring Break from the Ordinary promotion has been extended through Sunday, April 15 due to its immense popularity as a major entertainment attraction in the Charlotte N.C. area.
The event offers children and their families the opportunity to partake in several activities including scavenger hunts, racing simulator competitions, pit crew challenges, crafts, video game competitions, and includes more than 50 exhibits. Fans have a chance to win NASCAR memorabilia, K'NEX building sets, Spin Master toy cars, and NASCAR Hall of Fame memberships among other items.
~~~~~~~~~~
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 Thursday with a whole new set of Fan Questions and Answers!
~~~~~~~~~~
Today's Featured Commentary
Just Who Is Watching Martinsville?
Full Throttle
by Mike Neff
In 1949, its first season, the NASCAR Cup Series raced eight times, at eight different race tracks. Of the eight venues that hosted races that season, there are only two left: North Wilkesboro, which is officially shut down but still capable of a racing return, and Martinsville Speedway. Technically, the Daytona beach course still exists, but it doesn't have any form of seating anymore. Occoneechee Speedway still has some bleachers standing in the middle of the forest of North Carolina, but Martinsville is the only track actively being used. Many of the fans of NASCAR wax nostalgic about the paperclip in Southern Virginia that is one of the three tracks on the current schedule less than a mile in length. Unfortunately, from looking at the television ratings, while the fans of short track racing are vocal, there apparently aren't as many of them as one might think.
Television ratings are compiled by the Nielsen Company through two different techniques. They can either issue diaries to households that are willing to participate and document their viewing habits throughout a period of time, or households have actual meters that are connected to the televisions and transmit the viewing habits through a phone line to the ratings company. Ratings are one of the biggest factors that advertisers use to determine where they will place their commercials, and the success of a program depends on how much time the advertisers want to buy during the broadcast.
There are a multitude of criticisms of the Nielsen system, with one of the biggest being that the sample size in comparison to the overall households in America with televisions is statistically insignificant. In 2009, there were over 114,000,000 households in the U.S. with televisions. The Nielsen Company surveyed 25,000 of them to determine television ratings. That translates into a little over .02% of the population. It is rare for any poll or survey to have a deviation of less than 2%, so to think that a sampling of .02% of anything is much more than statistically irrelevant -- it's ambitious at best. Yet the success or failure of television programs and, in turn, advertising rates for those programs is based on that sampling.
The folks at Nielsen certainly do their very best to get an accurate cross section of the television audience in America, but it appears as though they're somehow consistently missing the NASCAR segment that enjoys Short Track racing. In an effort to be transparent, I will admit I am the Short Track Reporting Coordinator for Frontstretch, so I have a certain love for short tracks, but the reality is any time we hear from fans about what races they like to watch, it is overwhelmingly tilted toward short tracks rather than the 1.5 to 2-mile intermediates. However, when looking at ratings, the televisions consistently appear to be pointed toward the bigger ovals. Either the ratings company is completely wrong, which is a possibility, or the majority of fans who watch NASCAR do it silently.
That begs a question of just where the Nielsen households are coming from. Are they mostly in larger television markets, or are they accurately proportioned along regional or demographic lines? The data gathering system of Nielsen may have an inherent bias against rural race fans, who comprise the vast majority of short track enthusiasts versus urban, white collar fans who tend to lean more toward the newer, fancier venues of the intermediate tracks. If the people in the middle of rural America, living in mobile homes and on country roads are not being sampled for the ratings, it could explain why there is a "smaller audience" for Martinsville than almost any other track on the schedule.
So far this season, Phoenix and Las Vegas were in the 5s with their ratings. That translates into roughly 8-9 million viewers. Bristol, which is about to undergo a change to its racing surface because its race ratings have dropped, drew a 4.4, or about 7.3 million viewers. Fontana had the lowest rating of the season to date with about 6.1 million tuning in, but the race was delayed by rain and didn't make it to the scheduled finish, which may or may not have skewed the numbers.
Then there is the Martinsville race, which featured a fantastic ending with cars spinning on a green-white-checkered finish, race favorites running out of gas and the most popular driver in the sport, Dale Earnhardt, Jr. battling back for a top-3 performance. The race pulled a 4.3 (6.8 million viewers), which beats only Fontana among the six point races so far this season. In trying to understand this number, I checked with several of my racing fan friends to find out what races they watched live this season. On average, they watched Daytona, Phoenix, Bristol and Martinsville. When asked if they could only pick one race to watch every season the majority picked Richmond, Bristol was second, and Martinsville was third on the "must see" list.
Yet somehow, the people I know who are race fans are not indicative of the ones that are being surveyed for the Nielsen ratings. Year-in and year-out, Martinsville is near the top of the list of most everyone I know who is a race fan. There are those who don't like single-file racing and beating and banging, but the vast majority I know think Martinsville is one of the two to three tracks on the circuit that should be on every fan's bucket list. However - and this fact remains consistent year after year - Martinsville still pulls terrible Nielsen numbers.
One of two things is going on here.
Either the ratings gathering system is flawed, missing the millions of short track fans in the NASCAR world by not including them in the sample, or the majority of NASCAR fans watch races silently and actually enjoy intermediate race tracks more than any others. If the first option is true, someone in the television business is really missing the boat. It is hard to believe the second option is true, although admittedly possible. If that is the case, we can anticipate more dates on mile-and-a-half tracks and the death of half-mile ovals on the Cup schedule.
I hope it doesn't end up that way... but the numbers tell a disheartening tale.
Mike Neff is a Senior Writer for Frontstretch.com. He can be reached via e-mail at mike.neff@frontstretch.com.
~~~~~~~~~~
COME JOIN THE FRONTSTRETCH FAMILY!
Editor's Note: Frontstretch has a brand new, redesigned Facebook page! Click here to "like" us and get a direct connect to all your Frontstretch favorites along with polls, interaction with fans and so much more.
~~~~~~~~~~
Top News
by Brad Morgan
Kenseth Returning to Daytona for Champion's Event
After rain showers pushed the beginning of the Great American Race back to Monday, several other events were also moved or canceled. As a result of the delays, two-time Daytona 500 champion Matt Kenseth and the No. 17 team will return to the site of Roush Fenway Racing's 300th victory Wednesday for an honorary fan celebration that's traditionally held the day after NASCAR's "Super Bowl."
Originally planned as part of the Daytona 500 Champion's Breakfast, the newly scheduled function will serve as an opportunity for fans to ask questions and take pictures with Kenseth and other Roush Fenway Racing personalities including Crew Chief Jimmy Fennig and team owner Jack Roush.
Fans who bought tickets for the original event on February 27 will be allowed to attend what is planned to be an exciting day. Lunch will be served to guests after doors open at 10:45 AM and tours of Daytona International Speedway have also been planned for anyone who's interested. Additional tickets can be purchased for $40 by calling 1-800-PITSHOP or online at www.daytonainternationalspeedway.com.
Heinz History Center Honoring Ganassi
The Heinz History Center will honor Chip Ganassi on April 13 for his contributions to racing in the Western Pennsylvania area and around the country. The Pittsburgh-based Smithsonian Institute affiliate is holding an awards dinner for the racing team owner.
Since his first season as a NASCAR car owner in 2001, Ganassi has built teams that have totaled 16 wins in the Sprint Cup and Nationwide Series, including victories in the Daytona 500 and the Brickyard 400. The Duquesne University graduate has also seen success as an owner in the IZOD IndyCar Series and the Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series, winning five IndyCar championships, including the last four years in a row, and achieving victories in the Indianapolis 500 and the Rolex 24 Hours at Daytona.
According to Heinz History Center Communications Intern Breanna Smith, the Pennsylvanian has donated more than $500,000 in race winnings to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. Ganassi has also invested in other sports; he's a former minority owner of the Pittsburgh Pirates, among other non-racing ventures.
Alternate Paint Scheme for Martin at Texas
The Aaron's Dream Machine will sport a new look this weekend at Texas Motor Speedway. When Mark Martin climbs into the Michael Waltrip Racing machine in preparation for the Samsung Mobile 500, his car will feature a celebratory scheme for the Aaron's 2011 Best of the Best, which includes employees, divisions, regions, stores and franchises, all of which are located in Texas.
The winners of each award appearing on the car include: Division of the Year: Dave Buck - Southwestern Division (Houston); Franchise Division of the Year: Wallace Vernon / Tom Blassingame / Charles Hollinger – Bear Rental Purchase (Killeen); Region of the Year - Company: Ryan Malone – South Texas (Corpus Christi); Region of the Year – Franchise: David Foster – Alliance North (Decatur); Store of the Year – Company: Joe Borrego – C1024 (Odessa); and Store of the Year – Franchise: Joey Dolberry – F684 (Early).
Saturday night's race will mark the first time Martin has driven the No. 55 since he ran the Auto Club 500 at Fontana in March. The veteran will make a short appearance at the Aaron's Corporate Display at Texas Motor Speedway on Saturday at 3:40 PM. Later that night, Martin will attempt to keep the No. 55 in the top 10 in the owner standings alongside the other MWR cars driven by Martin Truex Jr. and Clint Bowyer.
Spring Break Extended At NASCAR Hall of Fame
The NASCAR Hall of Fame's Spring Break from the Ordinary promotion has been extended through Sunday, April 15 due to its immense popularity as a major entertainment attraction in the Charlotte N.C. area.
The event offers children and their families the opportunity to partake in several activities including scavenger hunts, racing simulator competitions, pit crew challenges, crafts, video game competitions, and includes more than 50 exhibits. Fans have a chance to win NASCAR memorabilia, K'NEX building sets, Spin Master toy cars, and NASCAR Hall of Fame memberships among other items.
Have news for Brad and 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 Thursday with a whole new set of Fan Questions and Answers!
~~~~~~~~~~
Today's Featured Commentary
Just Who Is Watching Martinsville?
Full Throttle
by Mike Neff
In 1949, its first season, the NASCAR Cup Series raced eight times, at eight different race tracks. Of the eight venues that hosted races that season, there are only two left: North Wilkesboro, which is officially shut down but still capable of a racing return, and Martinsville Speedway. Technically, the Daytona beach course still exists, but it doesn't have any form of seating anymore. Occoneechee Speedway still has some bleachers standing in the middle of the forest of North Carolina, but Martinsville is the only track actively being used. Many of the fans of NASCAR wax nostalgic about the paperclip in Southern Virginia that is one of the three tracks on the current schedule less than a mile in length. Unfortunately, from looking at the television ratings, while the fans of short track racing are vocal, there apparently aren't as many of them as one might think.
Television ratings are compiled by the Nielsen Company through two different techniques. They can either issue diaries to households that are willing to participate and document their viewing habits throughout a period of time, or households have actual meters that are connected to the televisions and transmit the viewing habits through a phone line to the ratings company. Ratings are one of the biggest factors that advertisers use to determine where they will place their commercials, and the success of a program depends on how much time the advertisers want to buy during the broadcast.
There are a multitude of criticisms of the Nielsen system, with one of the biggest being that the sample size in comparison to the overall households in America with televisions is statistically insignificant. In 2009, there were over 114,000,000 households in the U.S. with televisions. The Nielsen Company surveyed 25,000 of them to determine television ratings. That translates into a little over .02% of the population. It is rare for any poll or survey to have a deviation of less than 2%, so to think that a sampling of .02% of anything is much more than statistically irrelevant -- it's ambitious at best. Yet the success or failure of television programs and, in turn, advertising rates for those programs is based on that sampling.
The folks at Nielsen certainly do their very best to get an accurate cross section of the television audience in America, but it appears as though they're somehow consistently missing the NASCAR segment that enjoys Short Track racing. In an effort to be transparent, I will admit I am the Short Track Reporting Coordinator for Frontstretch, so I have a certain love for short tracks, but the reality is any time we hear from fans about what races they like to watch, it is overwhelmingly tilted toward short tracks rather than the 1.5 to 2-mile intermediates. However, when looking at ratings, the televisions consistently appear to be pointed toward the bigger ovals. Either the ratings company is completely wrong, which is a possibility, or the majority of fans who watch NASCAR do it silently.
That begs a question of just where the Nielsen households are coming from. Are they mostly in larger television markets, or are they accurately proportioned along regional or demographic lines? The data gathering system of Nielsen may have an inherent bias against rural race fans, who comprise the vast majority of short track enthusiasts versus urban, white collar fans who tend to lean more toward the newer, fancier venues of the intermediate tracks. If the people in the middle of rural America, living in mobile homes and on country roads are not being sampled for the ratings, it could explain why there is a "smaller audience" for Martinsville than almost any other track on the schedule.
So far this season, Phoenix and Las Vegas were in the 5s with their ratings. That translates into roughly 8-9 million viewers. Bristol, which is about to undergo a change to its racing surface because its race ratings have dropped, drew a 4.4, or about 7.3 million viewers. Fontana had the lowest rating of the season to date with about 6.1 million tuning in, but the race was delayed by rain and didn't make it to the scheduled finish, which may or may not have skewed the numbers.
Then there is the Martinsville race, which featured a fantastic ending with cars spinning on a green-white-checkered finish, race favorites running out of gas and the most popular driver in the sport, Dale Earnhardt, Jr. battling back for a top-3 performance. The race pulled a 4.3 (6.8 million viewers), which beats only Fontana among the six point races so far this season. In trying to understand this number, I checked with several of my racing fan friends to find out what races they watched live this season. On average, they watched Daytona, Phoenix, Bristol and Martinsville. When asked if they could only pick one race to watch every season the majority picked Richmond, Bristol was second, and Martinsville was third on the "must see" list.
Yet somehow, the people I know who are race fans are not indicative of the ones that are being surveyed for the Nielsen ratings. Year-in and year-out, Martinsville is near the top of the list of most everyone I know who is a race fan. There are those who don't like single-file racing and beating and banging, but the vast majority I know think Martinsville is one of the two to three tracks on the circuit that should be on every fan's bucket list. However - and this fact remains consistent year after year - Martinsville still pulls terrible Nielsen numbers.
One of two things is going on here.
Either the ratings gathering system is flawed, missing the millions of short track fans in the NASCAR world by not including them in the sample, or the majority of NASCAR fans watch races silently and actually enjoy intermediate race tracks more than any others. If the first option is true, someone in the television business is really missing the boat. It is hard to believe the second option is true, although admittedly possible. If that is the case, we can anticipate more dates on mile-and-a-half tracks and the death of half-mile ovals on the Cup schedule.
I hope it doesn't end up that way... but the numbers tell a disheartening tale.
Mike Neff is a Senior Writer for Frontstretch.com. He can be reached via e-mail at mike.neff@frontstretch.com.
~~~~~~~~~~
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.
If you are interested, contact frontstretcheditors@googlegroups.com. Please include references to your past work in your e-mail.
~~~~~~~~~~
Tweet 'N' Greet
by Summer Dreyer
Editor's Note: With the NASCAR Twitter community expanding by leaps and bounds, it remains a place for instantaneous news, reactions, and a whole lot of inside jokes. We understand if you don't want to join the Twitter community - but as a fan, it's important to know the news and info you're missing out on! That's why, every week, Summer Dreyer will sort through the thousands of messages and give us a little taste of what's going on each Wednesday.
So, without further ado, here's a look at what those in NASCAR were thinking over the past seven days...
@JLogano (Joey Logano): First day of testing went good one more day tomorrow. Hopefully no rain tomorrow
@bscottracing (Brian Scott): Can't sleep but soo tired. Gotta try and fall back asleep. 1 sheep, 2 sheep, 3 sheep.....
@AJDinger (AJ Allmendinger): Hey everybody! Im going to take a few days off, get healthy, recharge a bit...dont miss me too much! Lol. Seriously, everybody have
@AJDinger: A happy and safe holiday. Enjoy ur friends and family so we're all ready for texas!
@JimmieJohnson: If i don't show up for @TXMotorSpeedway head south to find me.
@kaseykahne: Check out my sprint for this weekend. http://t.co/pWvSSkme
@nateryan: Daytona says it has repaved the Turn 3 area where the jet dryer, um, exploded. You don't suppose that invoice was sent to Miami? #nascar
@JimmieJohnson: Checking out http://t.co/S9TOA7Xu
@RickyCarmichael: I think it's lame when people twitter on behalf of someone as if it's really them.. Put PR before it if Ur not the actual person
@JimmieJohnson: Daddy's Girl http://t.co/OYSIM4dZ
@NewmanKrissie: What does @RyanNewman39 get his daughter to celebrate Easter? B's not spoiled or anything!
@55MarkMartin: For my fans that r disappointed in my music taste follow @MatthewC_Martin he likes the stuff y'all think I should. Bluegrass and old stuff.
@KevinHarvick: Here's some advice @Mother_Function lock your doors because tomorrow is your birthday and it's on like donkey kong!!
@KevinHarvick: At @MattYocum just opened up his email and it said "you've got mail" didn't know AOL still existed...
@31n2Spotter (Brett Griffin): Wife got mad at me. I was trying to be nice. Opened the car door for her. We were only doing 75.
@KevinHarvick: When you have the Coast Guard sitting in the water in front of the house your staying in I guess your kind of a big deal. #VPBiden
@ClintBowyer: Whoa!!! Think we in the wrong neighborhood... http://t.co/1ABqDFYV
@ClintBowyer: Give ya 3 guesses to where we at!
@ClintBowyer: Baha, so far my favorite is waffle house! Peeps that said Emporia kiss my azz. Keep em coming!
@ClintBowyer: That was sitting in the parking lot at the Masters!
@ClintBowyer: Ok, now we at Waffle House!
@ClintBowyer: Typical racer! Got an off weekend and Loading up with the boys for Lancaster Speedway today. 20k on the line!!! Can't wait.
@nascarcasm: So what time is green flag for today's Nationwide OH GOD PINS AND NEEDLES PINS AND NEEDLES #withdrawal
@pittalks: I did find a tire changer for boris said's car....lol http://t.co/X93rRY1F
@TheOrangeCone: Also hearing Genevieve Johnson disqualified from Hendrick Motorsports egg hunt due to easter basket having unapproved aero enhancements.
@JimmieJohnson: Today's view http://t.co/ajLxA5FO
@Amanda_Speed: Jules had her first Easter egg hunt today...http://lockerz.com/s/199330198
@KyleBusch: Going 2 @Samantha_Busch friends house to c their new baby. I hope this isn't like the pet store and she wants to bring one home! Lol
@Samantha_Busch: Does this mean I get my dog instead?
@mattkenseth: Headed to hickory to watch @RossKenseth wheel it tonight
@keselowski (Brad Keselowski): @mattkenseth @rosskenseth Cya there Let's not wreck each other.
@JLogano: Shopping with @sabrinaclaudine. We walk in stores she looks for cloths I look for a chair.
@mattkenseth: I like how so many people think @RossKenseth and I are brothers, makes me feel young
@dennyhamlin: Girls... Seriously stop doing this. http://t.co/SB9iunZY
@ClintBowyer: Only one thing better than having a shot at winning...having two shots! http://t.co/0OR1pdwI
@Samantha_Busch: He looks like a natural! Now what about dirty diapers?? http://t.co/enarK7o7
@colinbraun: Alright folks! Have tried to keep it a secret but getting married in about 15 minutes! US Weekly hold off to call for a few hours! So excited
@Samantha_Busch: Great time visiting my friends new baby girl! She is so adorable but I think I'm still more fun aunt mode ;) http://t.co/LBf7ImdG
@keselowski: Enjoy some local racing on a rare weekend off. Future stars start here #Nascar http://t.co/yV0BVY1M
@DNewtonESPN: http://yfrog.com/mm5lcxbj hey @Arlene_Martín, would@55markmartin eat this?
@colinbraun: Big day is over! What a fantastic day! Such a beautiful new wife I have! Really excited about our future together! Gettin her Twitter soon!
@Rchildress3 (Richard Childress): Happy Easter to all, from Emigrant Montana ! Back to real world Monday !
@KevinHarvick: From what I hear yes! RT @stephen_2448 @KevinHarvick isn't your wife pregnant?
@nascarcasm: For those seeking more Twitter followers, apparently all you gotta do is win the Masters, or tweet a picture of a burning jet dryer.
@JimmieJohnson: Sorry you're all at work...
~~~~~~~~~~
Tweet 'N' Greet
by Summer Dreyer
Editor's Note: With the NASCAR Twitter community expanding by leaps and bounds, it remains a place for instantaneous news, reactions, and a whole lot of inside jokes. We understand if you don't want to join the Twitter community - but as a fan, it's important to know the news and info you're missing out on! That's why, every week, Summer Dreyer will sort through the thousands of messages and give us a little taste of what's going on each Wednesday.
So, without further ado, here's a look at what those in NASCAR were thinking over the past seven days...
@JLogano (Joey Logano): First day of testing went good one more day tomorrow. Hopefully no rain tomorrow
@bscottracing (Brian Scott): Can't sleep but soo tired. Gotta try and fall back asleep. 1 sheep, 2 sheep, 3 sheep.....
@AJDinger (AJ Allmendinger): Hey everybody! Im going to take a few days off, get healthy, recharge a bit...dont miss me too much! Lol. Seriously, everybody have
@AJDinger: A happy and safe holiday. Enjoy ur friends and family so we're all ready for texas!
@JimmieJohnson: If i don't show up for @TXMotorSpeedway head south to find me.
@kaseykahne: Check out my sprint for this weekend. http://t.co/pWvSSkme
@nateryan: Daytona says it has repaved the Turn 3 area where the jet dryer, um, exploded. You don't suppose that invoice was sent to Miami? #nascar
@JimmieJohnson: Checking out http://t.co/S9TOA7Xu
@RickyCarmichael: I think it's lame when people twitter on behalf of someone as if it's really them.. Put PR before it if Ur not the actual person
@JimmieJohnson: Daddy's Girl http://t.co/OYSIM4dZ
@NewmanKrissie: What does @RyanNewman39 get his daughter to celebrate Easter? B's not spoiled or anything!
@55MarkMartin: For my fans that r disappointed in my music taste follow @MatthewC_Martin he likes the stuff y'all think I should. Bluegrass and old stuff.
@KevinHarvick: Here's some advice @Mother_Function lock your doors because tomorrow is your birthday and it's on like donkey kong!!
@KevinHarvick: At @MattYocum just opened up his email and it said "you've got mail" didn't know AOL still existed...
@31n2Spotter (Brett Griffin): Wife got mad at me. I was trying to be nice. Opened the car door for her. We were only doing 75.
@KevinHarvick: When you have the Coast Guard sitting in the water in front of the house your staying in I guess your kind of a big deal. #VPBiden
@ClintBowyer: Whoa!!! Think we in the wrong neighborhood... http://t.co/1ABqDFYV
@ClintBowyer: Give ya 3 guesses to where we at!
@ClintBowyer: Baha, so far my favorite is waffle house! Peeps that said Emporia kiss my azz. Keep em coming!
@ClintBowyer: That was sitting in the parking lot at the Masters!
@ClintBowyer: Ok, now we at Waffle House!
@ClintBowyer: Typical racer! Got an off weekend and Loading up with the boys for Lancaster Speedway today. 20k on the line!!! Can't wait.
@nascarcasm: So what time is green flag for today's Nationwide OH GOD PINS AND NEEDLES PINS AND NEEDLES #withdrawal
@pittalks: I did find a tire changer for boris said's car....lol http://t.co/X93rRY1F
@TheOrangeCone: Also hearing Genevieve Johnson disqualified from Hendrick Motorsports egg hunt due to easter basket having unapproved aero enhancements.
@JimmieJohnson: Today's view http://t.co/ajLxA5FO
@Amanda_Speed: Jules had her first Easter egg hunt today...http://lockerz.com/s/199330198
@KyleBusch: Going 2 @Samantha_Busch friends house to c their new baby. I hope this isn't like the pet store and she wants to bring one home! Lol
@Samantha_Busch: Does this mean I get my dog instead?
@mattkenseth: Headed to hickory to watch @RossKenseth wheel it tonight
@keselowski (Brad Keselowski): @mattkenseth @rosskenseth Cya there Let's not wreck each other.
@JLogano: Shopping with @sabrinaclaudine. We walk in stores she looks for cloths I look for a chair.
@mattkenseth: I like how so many people think @RossKenseth and I are brothers, makes me feel young
@dennyhamlin: Girls... Seriously stop doing this. http://t.co/SB9iunZY
@ClintBowyer: Only one thing better than having a shot at winning...having two shots! http://t.co/0OR1pdwI
@Samantha_Busch: He looks like a natural! Now what about dirty diapers?? http://t.co/enarK7o7
@colinbraun: Alright folks! Have tried to keep it a secret but getting married in about 15 minutes! US Weekly hold off to call for a few hours! So excited
@Samantha_Busch: Great time visiting my friends new baby girl! She is so adorable but I think I'm still more fun aunt mode ;) http://t.co/LBf7ImdG
@keselowski: Enjoy some local racing on a rare weekend off. Future stars start here #Nascar http://t.co/yV0BVY1M
@DNewtonESPN: http://yfrog.com/mm5lcxbj hey @Arlene_Martín, would@55markmartin eat this?
@colinbraun: Big day is over! What a fantastic day! Such a beautiful new wife I have! Really excited about our future together! Gettin her Twitter soon!
@Rchildress3 (Richard Childress): Happy Easter to all, from Emigrant Montana ! Back to real world Monday !
@KevinHarvick: From what I hear yes! RT @stephen_2448 @KevinHarvick isn't your wife pregnant?
@nascarcasm: For those seeking more Twitter followers, apparently all you gotta do is win the Masters, or tweet a picture of a burning jet dryer.
@JimmieJohnson: Sorry you're all at work...
Summer Dreyer is a Senior Writer for Frontstretch.com. She can be reached via email at summer.dreyer@frontstretch.com.
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TODAY ON THE FRONTSTRETCH:
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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 tony.lumbis@frontstretch.com for details.
~~~~~~~~~~
TODAY ON THE FRONTSTRETCH:
Mirror Driving: Franchise Talk, Victory Droughts, And NASCAR's Short Track Future
by the Frontstretch Staff
Disappointment? No Way! Three Drivers Everyone Needs to Quit Worrying About
by Summer Dreyer
Bye Weeks and Memories: Are The Lack Of Breaks Hurting My Love For NASCAR?
by Garrett Horton
Top Ten Things NASCAR Drivers Got From the Easter Bunny
by the Frontstretch Staff
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FRONTSTRETCH TRIVIA:
FRONTSTRETCH TRIVIA:
Q: On Monday's edition of NASCAR Now (aired at 1 AM EDT), ESPN showed a clip of the big wreck that started the inaugural Interstate Batteries 500 at Texas Motor Speedway back in 1997. 1998 didn't start all that much better at TMS. What happened?
Check back Thursday for the answer, here in the Frontstretch Newsletter!
Tuesday's Answer:
Tuesday's Answer:
Q: Texas Motor Speedway has hosted a number of different series on the 1.5 mile quad-oval, from Sprint Cup to the IZOD IndyCar Series and beyond. However, the track also has an infield road course that hosted the American Le Mans Series in 2000. That course used roughly 90 percent of the quad-oval in addition to the infield, but one additional wrinkle was added. What was it?
A: The track included a chicane just after the second kink in the quad-oval. It was a quick left-right chicane that deposited the cars onto the exit of pit road and used an area that is typically covered these days with white paint. This chicane was bypassed on the first lap of the race, though. For an onboard lap of what Texas Motor Speedway's 2.32-mile infield road course was like, check out the beginning of this clip. Both drivers were forced to go behind the wall for extensive repairs. Musgrave came back out and finished the race in 29th, 66 laps down. Pressley came back out as well, but pulled out later on. He was credited with a 34th-place finish, having completed 368 laps.
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 Phil Allaway
-- What's Vexing Vito by Vito Pugliese
-- Critic's Annex by Phil Allaway
-- Links to your favorite Frontstretch articles, the Line of the Week and more!
~~~~~~~~~~
Tomorrow on the Frontstretch:
Potts' Shots by John Potts
Fanning the Flames has become Potts' Shots, and John Potts is here to answer your questions in our weekly Fan Q & A. Do you have something you'd like to ask John? Don't sit on the sidelines! Send it to john.potts@frontstretch.com and you just may see your question in print next week!.
Professor Of Speed by Mark Howell
Our professor of racing history "has at it" with another column pertinent to the sport at large. This week, Mark takes a look at NASCAR's attempt to "go green" and how to make sense of it all for non-NASCAR fans.
Dollars and Sense by Jesse Medford
The newest addition to the Frontstretch family will take a look at the business side of NASCAR.
Truckin' Thursdays by Beth Lunkenheimer
Beth is back this year on a new night, but it's the same great commentary you've come to enjoy! This week, Beth previews Sunday afternoon's Truck Series race Rockingham Speedway.
5th Column TBD
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!
~~~~~~~~~~
Coming tomorrow in the Frontstretch Newsletter:
-- Top News from Phil Allaway
-- What's Vexing Vito by Vito Pugliese
-- Critic's Annex by Phil Allaway
-- Links to your favorite Frontstretch articles, the Line of the Week and more!
~~~~~~~~~~
Tomorrow on the Frontstretch:
Potts' Shots by John Potts
Fanning the Flames has become Potts' Shots, and John Potts is here to answer your questions in our weekly Fan Q & A. Do you have something you'd like to ask John? Don't sit on the sidelines! Send it to john.potts@frontstretch.com and you just may see your question in print next week!.
Professor Of Speed by Mark Howell
Our professor of racing history "has at it" with another column pertinent to the sport at large. This week, Mark takes a look at NASCAR's attempt to "go green" and how to make sense of it all for non-NASCAR fans.
Dollars and Sense by Jesse Medford
The newest addition to the Frontstretch family will take a look at the business side of NASCAR.
Truckin' Thursdays by Beth Lunkenheimer
Beth is back this year on a new night, but it's the same great commentary you've come to enjoy! This week, Beth previews Sunday afternoon's Truck Series race Rockingham Speedway.
5th Column TBD
-----------------------------
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
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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