Thursday, May 31, 2012

The Frontstretch Newsletter: June 1st, 2012

THE FRONTSTRETCH NEWSLETTER
Presented by Frontstretch.com
The Best Seat at the Track, The Best View on the Net!
June 1st, 2012
Volume VI, Edition CIV

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Frontstretch at the Track: Tom Bowles and Bryan Davis Keith will be live at Dover International Speedway all weekend long. Stayed tuned to the Breaking News box, Twitter (@thefrontstretch, @NASCARBowles, @BryanDavisKeith) and Facebook for all of the latest news leading up to Sunday afternoon's FedEx 400 benefiting Autism Speaks.

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Top News
by Jeff Wolfe

Dodge still looking Teams for 2013 Season

Since Penske Racing announced March 1 it was moving from Dodge to Ford for the 2013 season, Dodge has been left without a NASCAR Sprint Cup series team for next season. The manufacturer later unveiled its new cars for the 2013 season, hoping to attract a team, but that hasn't happened yet.

According to a report in USA Today, Dodge remains without a set plan for NASCAR for next season. One report states Dodge will lure IndyCar's Auto Andretti into NASCAR as there are no firm plans from current NASCAR teams. The Sprint Cup teams without a chassis contract for next year are Richard Petty Motorsports, Furniture Row Racing and Front Row Motorsports.

"We identified a process for the evaluation of the 2013 NASCAR program," said Beth Paretta, director of marketing and operations for Dodge's SRT brand and motor sports. "We are continuing to follow that process and are within our established timeline. We're pleased with the number of inquiries that have been received about the Dodge motor sports program and continue the evaluation process. As decisions are made, we will announce them at that time."

Penske drivers Brad Keselowski and AJ Allemendinger sit 11th and 24th in the standings, respectively.

Hamlin, FedEx Sport Special Paint scheme for FedEx 400

For the second straight year, Denny Hamlin and FedEx have teamed up for a special design for the FedEx 400 benefiting Autism Speaks at Dover International Speedway. Hamlin, who drives the No. 11 car for Joe Gibbs Racing, will have a special autism-themed paint scheme, featuring the blue puzzle piece paint scheme on the sides, and a large white single puzzle on the hood of the car.

Hamlin will also be on hand the night before the race to attend a pep rally before leading the NASCAR Unites Track Walk and Sunoco Free Fuel 5K run scheduled to begin after the conclusion of Saturday afternoon's Nationwide Race. Hamlin will lead the walk from the SPEED stage in the FanZone before the event begins.

the first 11,000 fans through the gates Sunday will receive a mini diecast No. 11 car that will serve as a FedEx Office coupon. Hamlin currently sits 16 points out of the championship lead in third and boasts two victories.

Gordon, DuPont Unveil 20th Anniversary Paint Scheme

Jeff Gordon and DuPont have been together for 20 seasons and the pair will celebrate the longest driver / owner sponsorship currently in NASCAR  in the season's final race at Homestead-Miami Speedway November 15th. Gordon, who has had rainbow colors adorn his car for years, will drive a special Hot Hues Cosmic Dust Silver Metallic No. 24 to finish the season. The car was unveiled Thursday morning at the DuPont Performance headquarters.

"I'm very fortunate to have an incredible sponsor like DuPont that has invested so much in me and this No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports team," Gordon said. "To stick with one driver and one team and to still be here with us today celebrating our 20th full season, is really incredible."

The four-time champion boast 85 victories but has had his share of bad luck this season. He sits 22nd in the points standings heading into Sunday's race at Dover.

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.

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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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In Case You Missed It
by Nick Schwartz

Jimmie Johnson to Sport Special "Madagascar" Paint Scheme

With sure-to-be blockbuster "Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted" just a few days from box offices, the film will be gracing Jimmie Johnson's No. 48 at Dover International Speedway. The sky blue paint scheme will feature all of the main characters from the popular series: Alex, Marty, Gloria and Melman. Madagascar 3 hits theaters across the country on June 8th.

Robby Gordon to Launch Off-Road Truck Racing Series in 2013

NASCAR veteran Robby Gordon has a rich history in off-road racing, and Gordon will be hoping to give up and coming drivers their own shot in the sport by launching "Robby Gordon's Super Stadium Truck Series" in 2013. Gordon is modeling his series after the Mickey Thompson Off-Road Race Series, which ran in the 1980s and 90s. Gordon was the champion of the series in 1989.

"Stadium racing helped Jimmie Johnson, Casey Mears and myself launch our careers," Gordon said. "Bringing off-road racing back to the stadium like Mickey Thompson did has been something that I have wanted to do for a long time, and I am proud to say that we have finally accomplished it."

The series will feature 600-horsepower trucks racing at least a 10-race season schedule across the country, with further scheduling details yet to be announced.

Taylor Earnhardt Gets Married

Taylor Earnhardt, daughter of Dale and Teresa Earnhardt, was married to Brandon Putnam in a ceremony at the Earnhardt estate in Mooresville, North Carolina. Earnhardt, 23, and Putnam, 25, both take part in professional rodeo competitions. She also works with the Dale Earnhardt Foundation. Putnam owns a grading and trucking company, and is from Charlotte, North Carolina.

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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.

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Keepin' It Short: The Other Big Races in Indianapolis
by Mike Neff

There is no question that the Indianapolis 500 is an enormous racing event and deserves its place on the annual calendar as the Greatest Spectacle in Racing. However, many people may not realize that there are some other huge races that take place in Indianapolis over the Memorial Day weekend. The Night Before the 500 at Lucas Oil Raceway Park, the Hoosier Hundred and the World Championship of Figure 8 racing tour stop at the Indianapolis Speedrome all are very big races on their respective schedules.

The Hoosier Hundred is a USAC Silver Crown race that is held every year at the mile-long dirt track at the Indiana State Fairgrounds in Indianapolis. In the days drivers who ran on all types of surfaces and tracks, the Hoosier Hundred would have two-thirds of the Indy 500 field competing for the win just before they were ready to run in the most famous race in the world. A.J. Foyt, Mario Andretti, Gordon Johncock, Johnny Rutherford and Roger Ward are just some of the famous drivers who ran in the race before competing in the 500 on the same weekend. Foyt is the all-time leader in wins in the Hoosier Hundred with six victories. This year Jerry Coons took the win for the second year in a row, the first driver to do that since Tony Elliott won two years in a row in 2000 and 2001.

The Night Before the 500 has been a staple at Raceway Park for years. Two of the premiere open wheel series in the country took to the historic track for some great racing. The highlight of the event was the 50 lap USAC Midget feature. This year young star, and Earnhardt Ganassi development driver Kyle Larson looked to be well on his way to the win but a late race restart allowed Tracy Hines to complete his run from the back of the pack to the front and claim the win with a pass coming off of turn four as the cars came to the checkered flag. The second event of the night was the Star Mazda Championship where Connor DePhillipi laid waste to the field for the entire 100 laps of the race.

The Indianapolis Speedrome is the home of Figure 8 racing, and the Memorial Day weekend is one of the biggest weekends of the year at the historic track on the southeast side of Indianapolis. In the Figure 8 feature the event turned into a Tunny family domination where the famous family put a hurt on the rest of the competitors. Mark Tunny came home with the victory turning 275 laps, five more than Jesse, who claimed second as the only driver to complete 270 laps.

Indianapolis has long been known as the Racing Capital of the World, but it isn't all because of what takes place at the historic Brickyard. Raceway Park, the Indiana State Fairgrounds and the Indianapolis Speedrome all also hold very significant places in racing history and each of them showed why this past weekend.

Whelen All-American Standings

Pos. Name Races Wins Top 5s Top 10s Points
1 Anthony Anders 22 0 12 20 488
2 Nate Monteith 14 4 10 12 422
3 Matt Bowling 12 1 10 11 363
4 C E Falk, III 11 6 9 10 356
5 Deac Mccaskill 11 8 10 11 346
6 Daniel Pope, II 9 3 8 9 321
7 Duane Howard 7 4 6 7 280
8 Austin McDaniel 9 2 8 9 274
9 Zeke Shell 9 2 7 7 272
10 Toby Porter 9 5 8 9 271

This Week's Race Calendar

Fri : June 1st – North Alabama Speedway ; Tuscumbia : AL – USCS 600 Sprint Cars
Fri : June 1st – North Alabama Speedway ; Tuscumbia : AL – USCS Sprint Week USCS Outlaw Thunder Sprint Cars
Fri : June 1st – Ocean Speedway ; Watsonville : CA – Taco Bravo Ocean Sprints
Fri : June 1st – Stafford Speedway ; Stafford Springs : CT – 5 Star Series Late Models
Fri : June 1st – Stafford Speedway ; Stafford Springs : CT – 5 Star Series Limited Late Models
Fri : June 1st – Stafford Speedway ; Stafford Springs : CT – 5 Star Series SK Lights
Fri : June 1st – Stafford Speedway ; Stafford Springs : CT – 5 Star Series SK Modifieds
Fri : June 1st – Boyd's Speedway  ; Ringgold : GA – Nesmith Dirt Late Models
Fri : June 1st – Speedrome ; Indianapolis : IN – Hornets
Fri : June 1st – Speedrome ; Indianapolis : IN – Legends
Fri : June 1st – Speedrome ; Indianapolis : IN – Roadsters
Fri : June 1st – Paducah International Raceway ; Paducah : KY – MARS Dirtcar Series Late Models
Fri : June 1st – Chateau Raceway ; Lansing : MN – USRA Modifieds
Fri : June 1st – Chateau Raceway ; Lansing : MN – IMCA Stock Cars
Fri : June 1st – Chateau Raceway ; Lansing : MN – WISSOTA Midwest Modifieds
Fri : June 1st – Chateau Raceway ; Lansing : MN – WISSOTA Street Stocks
Fri : June 1st – Malden Speedway ; Malden : MO – Late Models
Fri : June 1st – Malden Speedway ; Malden : MO – Modifieds
Fri : June 1st – Malden Speedway ; Malden : MO – Street Stocks
Fri : June 1st – Junction Motor Speedway ; McCool Junction : NE – USMTS Casey's Cup Qualifier Modifieds
Fri : June 1st – Lee USA Speedway ; Epping : NH – Granite State Pro Stock Series
Fri : June 1st – Ace Speedway ; Altamahaw : NC – Late Models
Fri : June 1st – Ace Speedway ; Altamahaw : NC – Limited Late Models
Fri : June 1st – Ace Speedway ; Altamahaw : NC – Modifieds
Fri : June 1st – Attica Raceway Park ; Attica : OH – World of Outlaws Sprint Cars
Fri : June 1st – Jackson County Speedway ; Jackson : OH – Late Models
Fri : June 1st – Jackson County Speedway ; Jackson : OH – Modifieds
Fri : June 1st – Jackson County Speedway ; Jackson : OH – Street Stocks
Fri : June 1st – Kil-Kare Speedway ; Xenia : OH – USAC Midwest Ford Focus Midgets
Fri : June 1st – Kawartha Speedway ; Fraserville : Ontario – OSCAAR Super Late Models
Fri : June 1st – Big Diamond Speedway ; Minersville : PA – Appalachian Mountain Speedweek Dirt Late Models
Fri : June 1st – Big Diamond Speedway ; Minersville : PA – 358 Modifieds
Fri : June 1st – Lindas Speedway ; Jonestown : PA – Keystone Legend Car Tour
Fri : June 1st – Trail-Ways Speedway ; Hanove : PA – Sidewinder Sprints
Fri : June 1st – Anderson Motor Speedway ; Anderson : SC – UARA Stars Late Models
Fri : June 1st – Black Hills Speedway ; Rapid City : SD – Championship Late Models
Fri : June 1st – Black Hills Speedway ; Rapid City : SD – Street Stocks
Fri : June 1st – Black Hills Speedway ; Rapid City : SD – Super Stocks
Fri : June 1st – Tazewell Speedway ; Tazewell : TN – Lucas Oil Late Models
Fri : June 1st – Mountain Creek Speedway ; Grand Prairie : TX – IMCA Modifieds
Fri : June 1st – Mountain Creek Speedway ; Grand Prairie : TX – IMCA Sport Modifieds
Fri : June 1st – Mountain Creek Speedway ; Grand Prairie : TX – IMCA Stock
Fri : June 1st – Mountain Creek Speedway ; Grand Prairie : TX – Street Stock
Fri : June 1st – Manitowoc County Fairgrounds ; Manitowoc : WI – Wisconsin Dirt Late Models
Fri : June 1st – Manitowoc County Fairgrounds ; Manitowoc : WI – Sprint Cars
Fri : June 1st – Manitowoc County Fairgrounds ; Manitowoc : WI – Street Stock
Fri : June 1st – Oshkosh Speedzone Winnebago County Fairgrounds ; Oshkosh : WI – IMCA Modifieds
Fri : June 1st – Oshkosh Speedzone Winnebago County Fairgrounds ; Oshkosh : WI – IMCA Sport Modifieds
Fri : June 1st – Oshkosh Speedzone Winnebago County Fairgrounds ; Oshkosh : WI – Street Stocks
Sat : June 2nd – Green Valley Speedway ; Glencoe : AL – Crate Late Models
Sat : June 2nd – Green Valley Speedway ; Glencoe : AL – KMSA
Sat : June 2nd – Green Valley Speedway ; Glencoe : AL – Outlaw Thunder
Sat : June 2nd – Green Valley Speedway ; Glencoe : AL – Sportsman
Sat : June 2nd – Green Valley Speedway ; Glencoe : AL – Street Stock
Sat : June 2nd – Green Valley Speedway ; Glencoe : AL – Super Late Models
Sat : June 2nd – Huntsville Speedway ; Huntsville : AL – Modifieds
Sat : June 2nd – Huntsville Speedway ; Huntsville : AL – Outlaw Late Models
Sat : June 2nd – Huntsville Speedway ; Huntsville : AL – Sportsman
Sat : June 2nd – Montgomery Motor Speedway ; Montgomery : AL – Show Me The Money Pro Late Models
Sat : June 2nd – Cocopah Speedway ; Yuma : AZ – USAC/CRA Sprint Cars
Sat : June 2nd – Riverside International Speedway ; West Memphis : AR – 305 Winged Sprints
Sat : June 2nd – Riverside International Speedway ; West Memphis : AR – 600 Mini Sprints
Sat : June 2nd – Riverside International Speedway ; West Memphis : AR – Late Models
Sat : June 2nd – Riverside International Speedway ; West Memphis : AR – Modifieds
Sat : June 2nd – Placerville Speedway ; Placerville : CA – BCRA Midgets
Sat : June 2nd – Stockton 99 Speedway ; Stockton : CA – NCMA Sprints
Sat : June 2nd – Thunderbowl Raceway ; Tulare : CA – USAC 360 Sprint Series
Sat : June 2nd – High Plains Raceway ; Byers : CO – 24 Hours of Lemons
Sat : June 2nd – Waterford Speedbowl ; Waterford : CT – Pro Four Modifieds of New England
Sat : June 2nd – Bubba Raceway Park ; Ocala : FL – Top Gun Sprint Series
Sat : June 2nd – Citrus County Speedway ; Inverness : FL – Florida United Promoters Late Models
Sat : June 2nd – Desoto Speedway ; Bradenton : FL – DS Trucks
Sat : June 2nd – New Smyrna Speedway ; New Smyrna Beach : FL – Modifieds
Sat : June 2nd – New Smyrna Speedway ; New Smyrna Beach : FL – Sportsman
Sat : June 2nd – Punta Gorda Speedway ; Punta Gorda : FL – Open Wheel Modifieds
Sat : June 2nd – Punta Gorda Speedway ; Punta Gorda : FL – Dan Curl Memorial Outlaw Modifieds
Sat : June 2nd – New Senoia Raceway ; Senoia : GA – Late Models
Sat : June 2nd – North Georgia Speedway ; Chatsworth : GA – Southern Regional Racing Series
Sat : June 2nd – Watermelon Capital Speedway ; Cordele : GA – Super Streets
Sat : June 2nd – Watermelon Capital Speedway ; Cordele : GA – TBARA Winged Sprints
Sat : June 2nd – Stateline Stadium ; Post Falls : ID – Northwest Pro 4 Trucks
Sat : June 2nd – Grundy County Speedway ; Morris : IL – USAC Mopar D1 Stars
Sat : June 2nd – Peoria Speedway ; Peoria : IL – Limited Late Models
Sat : June 2nd – Peoria Speedway ; Peoria : IL – Modifieds
Sat : June 2nd – Peoria Speedway ; Peoria : IL – Street Stocks
Sat : June 2nd – Brownstown Speedway ; Brownstown : IN – Midwest Mini-Sprint Association
Sat : June 2nd – Tri-State Speedway ; Haubstadt : IN – USAC MOPAR National Midgets
Sat : June 2nd – Speedrome ; Indianapolis : IN – Hornets
Sat : June 2nd – Speedrome ; Indianapolis : IN – Late Model Figure 8
Sat : June 2nd – Speedrome ; Indianapolis : IN – Stock Figure 8
Sat : June 2nd – Floyd County Fairgrounds ; Charles City : IA – Henrick Racing Figures 8s
Sat : June 2nd – Independence Motor Speedway ; Independence : IA – IMCA Late Models
Sat : June 2nd – Independence Motor Speedway ; Independence : IA – IMCA Modifieds
Sat : June 2nd – Independence Motor Speedway ; Independence : IA – IMCA Stock Cars
Sat : June 2nd – Independence Motor Speedway ; Independence : IA – IMCA Sport Mods
Sat : June 2nd – Florence Speedway ; Florence  : KY – 26th Annual Ralph Latham Memorial Lucas Oil Late Models
Sat : June 2nd – Leesville 171 Speedway ; Leesville : LA – Ark-La-Tex Winged Modifieds
Sat : June 2nd – Oxford Plains Speedway ; Oxford Plains : ME – Late Models
Sat : June 2nd – Oxford Plains Speedway ; Oxford Plains : ME – Rebels
Sat : June 2nd – Oxford Plains Speedway ; Oxford Plains : ME – Strictly Stock
Sat : June 2nd – Hagerstown Speedway ; Hagerstown : MD – Appalachian Mountain Speedweek Dirt Late Models
Sat : June 2nd – Hagerstown Speedway ; Hagerstown : MD – Pure Stocks
Sat : June 2nd – Berlin Raceway ; Marne : MI – ASA Midwest Tour
Sat : June 2nd – Berlin Raceway ; Marne : MI – Outlaw Late Models
Sat : June 2nd – Kalamazoo Speedway ; Kalamazoo : MI – Outlaw Super Late Models
Sat : June 2nd – Kalamazoo Speedway ; Kalamazoo : MI – Super Stocks
Sat : June 2nd – Kalamazoo Speedway ; Kalamazoo : MI – Pro Stocks
Sat : June 2nd – I-96 Speedway ; Lake Odessa : MI – World of Outlaws Sprint Cars
Sat : June 2nd – Springport Motor Speedway ; Springport : MI – Modifieds
Sat : June 2nd – Springport Motor Speedway ; Springport : MI – Super Late Models
Sat : June 2nd – Deer Creek Speedway ; Spring Valley : MN – Wissota Late Models
Sat : June 2nd – Deer Creek Speedway ; Spring Valley : MN – Wissota Midwest Modifieds
Sat : June 2nd – Deer Creek Speedway ; Spring Valley : MN – Wissota Street Stocks
Sat : June 2nd – Deer Creek Speedway ; Spring Valley : MN – Wissota Super Stocks
Sat : June 2nd – Deer Creek Speedway ; Spring Valley : MN – USRA Modifieds
Sat : June 2nd – Elko Speedway ; Elko : MN – ARCA Racing Series
Sat : June 2nd – North Central Speedway ; Brainerd : MN – Wissota Modifieds
Sat : June 2nd – North Central Speedway ; Brainerd : MN – Wissota Midwest Modifieds
Sat : June 2nd – North Central Speedway ; Brainerd : MN – Wissota Street Stocks
Sat : June 2nd – North Central Speedway ; Brainerd : MN – Wissota Super Stocks
Sat : June 2nd – Columbus Speedway ; Columbus : MS – USCS 600 Sprint Cars
Sat : June 2nd – Columbus Speedway ; Columbus : MS – USCS Sprint Week USCS Outlaw Thunder Sprint Cars
Sat : June 2nd – Columbus Speedway ; Columbus : MS – Super Late Models
Sat : June 2nd – Columbus Speedway ; Columbus : MS – NeSmith Late Models
Sat : June 2nd – Columbus Speedway ; Columbus : MS – Street Stocks
Sat : June 2nd – I-44 Speedway ; Lebanon : MO – Hardee's Salute to Scouting Night ASA Late Models
Sat : June 2nd – I-44 Speedway ; Lebanon : MO – Hardee's Salute to Scouting Night Modifieds
Sat : June 2nd – I-44 Speedway ; Lebanon : MO – Hardee's Salute to Scouting Night Sportsman
Sat : June 2nd – I-44 Speedway ; Lebanon : MO – Hardee's Salute to Scouting Night Road Warriors
Sat : June 2nd – I-44 Speedway ; Lebanon : MO – Hardee's Salute to Scouting Night Chargers
Sat : June 2nd – I-55 Raceway ; Pevely : MO – MARS Dirtcar Series Late Models
Sat : June 2nd – Junction Motor Speedway ; McCool Junction : NE – USMTS Casey's Cup Qualifier Modifieds
Sat : June 2nd – Bullring at Las Vegas Motor Speedway ; Las Vegas : NV – NASCAR K&N Pro East Series
Sat : June 2nd – Petty International Raceway ; Moncton : New Brunswick – Parts for Trucks Pro Stock Tour
Sat : June 2nd – Monadnock Speedway ; Winchester : NH – New England Truck Series
Sat : June 2nd – Monadnock Speedway ; Winchester : NH – Senior Tour Auto Racers
Sat : June 2nd – New Egypt Speedway ; New Egypt : NJ – North East Enduro Tour
Sat : June 2nd – Dunn Tire Raceway Park ; Lancaster : NY – Street Stocks
Sat : June 2nd – Dunn Tire Raceway Park ; Lancaster : NY – Summer Slam 100 Sportsman
Sat : June 2nd – Bowman-Gray Stadium ; Winston-Salem : NC – NASCAR K&N Pro East Series
Sat : June 2nd – Caraway Speedway ; Asheboro : NC – Late Models x2
Sat : June 2nd – Caraway Speedway ; Asheboro : NC – Limited Late Models
Sat : June 2nd – Caraway Speedway ; Asheboro : NC – Street Stock
Sat : June 2nd – Coastal Plains Raceway ; Jacksonville : NC – Southeast Limited Late Models
Sat : June 2nd – Concord Motorsports Park ; Concord : NC – Late Models
Sat : June 2nd – Hickory Motor Speedway ; Newton : NC – Late Models
Sat : June 2nd – Hickory Motor Speedway ; Newton : NC – Limited Late Models
Sat : June 2nd – Hickory Motor Speedway ; Newton : NC – Street Stock
Sat : June 2nd – Red River Valley Speedway ; West Fargo : ND – NLRA Late Models
Sat : June 2nd – Red River Valley Speedway ; West Fargo : ND – Modifieds
Sat : June 2nd – Red River Valley Speedway ; West Fargo : ND – Super Stocks
Sat : June 2nd – Southwest Speedway ; Dickinson : ND – IMCA Modifieds
Sat : June 2nd – Southwest Speedway ; Dickinson : ND – Wissota Street Stocks
Sat : June 2nd – Columbus Motor Speedway ; Columbus : OH – Main Event Super Late Models
Sat : June 2nd – Kil-Kare Speedway ; Xenia : OH – USAC Midwest Focus Midgets
Sat : June 2nd – Lorain County Speedway ; South Amherst : OH – USAC Midwest Ford Focus Midgets
Sat : June 2nd – Sandusky Speedway ; Sandusky : OH – Buckeye Super Sprints
Sat : June 2nd – Sandusky Speedway ; Sandusky : OH – Midwest Supermodified Association
Sat : June 2nd – Emo Speedway ; Emo : Ontario – Wissota Midwest Modifieds
Sat : June 2nd – Emo Speedway ; Emo : Ontario – Wissota Modifieds
Sat : June 2nd – Emo Speedway ; Emo : Ontario – Street Stocks
Sat : June 2nd – Big Diamond Speedway ; Minersville : PA – ARDC Midgets
Sat : June 2nd – Big Diamond Speedway ; Minersville : PA – Xcel 600 CCs
Sat : June 2nd – Lincoln Speedway ; Abbottstown : PA – 410 Sprints
Sat : June 2nd – Lincoln Speedway ; Abbottstown : PA – 358 Sprints
Sat : June 2nd – Lincoln Speedway ; Abbottstown : PA – Thundercars
Sat : June 2nd – Mahoning Valley Speedway ; Lehighton : PA – 4c Super Modifieds
Sat : June 2nd – Mountain Speedway ; St. John's : PA – Modifieds
Sat : June 2nd – Mountain Speedway ; St. John's : PA – Street Stocks
Sat : June 2nd – Autodrome Saint Eustache ; Saint Eustache : Quebec – ACT Castrol Late Models
Sat : June 2nd – 411 Motor Speedway ; Seymour : TN – Nesmith Dirt Late Models
Sat : June 2nd – Rocky Mountain Raceway ; West Valley City : UT – Rocky Mountain Challenge Series Late Models
Sat : June 2nd – Motor Mile Speedway ; Radford : VA – Late Models x2
Sat : June 2nd – Cedar Lake Speedway ; New Richmond : WI – Late Models
Sat : June 2nd – Cedar Lake Speedway ; New Richmond : WI – Modifieds
Sat : June 2nd – Cedar Lake Speedway ; New Richmond : WI – IRA Outlaw Sprint Cars
Sat : June 2nd – TNT Speedway ; Three Lakes : WI – Wissota Midwest Modifieds
Sat : June 2nd – TNT Speedway ; Three Lakes : WI – Wissota Street Stocks
Sun : June 3rd – High Plains Raceway ; Byers : CO – 24 Hours of Lemons
Sun : June 3rd – Oxford Plains Speedway ; Oxford Plains : ME – 4 & 8 Cylinder Obstacle Course
Sun : June 3rd – Riverside Speedway ; Groveton : NH – PASS North Super Late Models
Sun : June 3rd – Thunder Mountain Speedway ; Bottineau : ND – Wissota Midwest Modifieds
Sun : June 3rd – Thunder Mountain Speedway ; Bottineau : ND – Sport Stocks
Sun : June 3rd – Circuit ICAR ; Mirabel : Quebec – NASCAR Canadian Tire Series
Sun : June 3rd – Winchester Speedway ; Winchester : VA – Appalachian Mountain Speedweek Dirt Late Models
Mon : June 4th – Lernerville Speedway ; Sarver : PA – AMSOIL USAC National Sprint Cars
Mon : June 4th – Roaring Knob Motorsports Complex ; Markleysburg : PA – Appalachian Mountain Speedweek Dirt Late Models
Tue : June 5th – Kokomo Speedway ; Kokomo : IN – World of Outlaws Sprint Cars
Tue : June 5th – Dog Hollow Speedway ; Strongstown : PA – Appalachian Mountain Speedweek Dirt Late Models
Tue : June 5th – Grandview Speedway ; Bechtelsville : PA – AMSOIL USAC National Sprint Cars
Tue : June 5th – Grandview Speedway ; Bechtelsville : PA – ARDC Midgets
Wed : June 6th – Concord Motorsports Park ; Concord : NC – USAC Eastern Ford Focus Midgets
Wed : June 6th – Millbridge Speedway ; Salisbury : NC – Mini Outlaws
Wed : June 6th – Lincoln Speedway ; Abbottstown : PA – Appalachian Mountain Speedweek Dirt Late Models
Wed : June 6th – Lincoln Speedway ; Abbottstown : PA – 5th Annual Charlie Grinestaff Memorial Super Stock Late Models
Wed : June 6th – Lincoln Speedway ; Abbottstown : PA – 358 Late Models
Thu : June 7th – New Egypt Speedway ; New Egypt : NJ – AMSOIL USAC National Sprint Cars
Fri : June 8th – Ocean Speedway ; Watsonville : CA – Taco Bravo Ocean Sprints
Fri : June 8th – Stafford Speedway ; Stafford Springs : CT – 39th Annual SK Mod 100 Late Models
Fri : June 8th – Stafford Speedway ; Stafford Springs : CT – 39th Annual SK Mod 100 Limited Late Models
Fri : June 8th – Stafford Speedway ; Stafford Springs : CT – 39th Annual SK Mod 100 SK Lights
Fri : June 8th – Stafford Speedway ; Stafford Springs : CT – 39th Annual SK Mod 100 SK Modifieds
Fri : June 8th – Bubba Raceway Park ; Ocala : FL – Florida Mini-Sprint Association
Fri : June 8th – Five Flags Speedway ; Pensacola : FL – Pro Late Models
Fri : June 8th – Tri-City Speedway ; Pontoon Beach : IL – Midwest Open Wheel Association
Fri : June 8th – Gas City I-69 Speedway ; Gas City : IN – USAC Midwest Ford Focus Midgets
Fri : June 8th – Speedrome ; Indianapolis : IN – Hornets
Fri : June 8th – Speedrome ; Indianapolis : IN – Legends
Fri : June 8th – Speedrome ; Indianapolis : IN – Roadsters
Fri : June 8th – Clay County Fair Speedway ; Spencer : IA – World of Outlaws Sprint Cars
Fri : June 8th – Great American Dirt Track ; Jetmore : KS – BST Modifieds
Fri : June 8th – Chateau Raceway ; Lansing : MN – USRA Modifieds
Fri : June 8th – Chateau Raceway ; Lansing : MN – IMCA Stock Cars
Fri : June 8th – Chateau Raceway ; Lansing : MN – WISSOTA Midwest Modifieds
Fri : June 8th – Chateau Raceway ; Lansing : MN – WISSOTA Street Stocks
Fri : June 8th – Malden Speedway ; Malden : MO – Comp Cams Super Late Models
Fri : June 8th – Malden Speedway ; Malden : MO – Modifieds
Fri : June 8th – Malden Speedway ; Malden : MO – Street Stocks
Fri : June 8th – Gallatin Speedway ; Belgrade : MT – Big Sky Sprints
Fri : June 8th – I-80 Speedway ; Greenwood : NE – Super Late Model Racing Series
Fri : June 8th – Eagle Raceway ; Eagle : NE – Lucas Oil ASCS Sprints
Fri : June 8th – Canaan Fair Speedway ; Canaan : NH – Sprint Cars of New England
Fri : June 8th – Aztec Speedway ; Aztec : NM – Championship Late Model Association
Fri : June 8th – Spencer Speedway ; Williamson : NY – Race of Champions Modifieds
Fri : June 8th – Ace Speedway ; Altamahaw : NC – Limited Late Models
Fri : June 8th – Ace Speedway ; Altamahaw : NC – Modifieds x2
Fri : June 8th – Ace Speedway ; Altamahaw : NC – Street Stock
Fri : June 8th – Carolina Speedway ; Gastonia : NC – NDRA Late Models
Fri : June 8th – Carolina Speedway ; Gastonia : NC – Late Models
Fri : June 8th – Carolina Speedway ; Gastonia : NC – Open Wheel Modifieds
Fri : June 8th – Carolina Speedway ; Gastonia : NC – Street Stocks
Fri : June 8th – Jackson County Speedway ; Jackson : OH – Late Models
Fri : June 8th – Jackson County Speedway ; Jackson : OH – Modifieds
Fri : June 8th – Jackson County Speedway ; Jackson : OH – Street Stocks
Fri : June 8th – Southern Ohio Speedway ; Wheelersburg : OH – Buckeye Outlaw Sprints
Fri : June 8th – Southern Oklahoma Speedway ; Ardmore : OK – USMTS Casey's Cup Qualifier Modifieds
Fri : June 8th – Big Diamond Speedway ; Minersville : PA – AMSOIL USAC National Sprint Cars
Fri : June 8th – Big Diamond Speedway ; Minersville : PA – 358 Modifieds
Fri : June 8th – Path Valley Speedway ; Spring Run : PA – Sidewinder Sprints
Fri : June 8th – Autodrome Chaudiere ; Vallee-Jonction : Quebec – ACT Castrol Late Models
Fri : June 8th – Black Hills Speedway ; Rapid City : SD – Sprint Cars
Fri : June 8th – Black Hills Speedway ; Rapid City : SD – Street Stocks
Fri : June 8th – Black Hills Speedway ; Rapid City : SD – Super Stocks
Fri : June 8th – Mountain Creek Speedway ; Grand Prairie : TX – IMCA Modifieds
Fri : June 8th – Mountain Creek Speedway ; Grand Prairie : TX – IMCA Sport Modifieds
Fri : June 8th – Mountain Creek Speedway ; Grand Prairie : TX – IMCA Stock
Fri : June 8th – Mountain Creek Speedway ; Grand Prairie : TX – Street Stock
Fri : June 8th – Ephrata Raceway Park ; Ephrata : WA – West Coast Vintage Racers
Fri : June 8th – Langlade Speedway ; Antigo : WI – Late Models
Fri : June 8th – Langlade Speedway ; Antigo : WI – Modifieds
Fri : June 8th – Manitowoc County Fairgrounds ; Manitowoc : WI – Wisconsin Dirt Late Models
Fri : June 8th – Manitowoc County Fairgrounds ; Manitowoc : WI – Sprint Cars
Fri : June 8th – Manitowoc County Fairgrounds ; Manitowoc : WI – Street Stock
Fri : June 8th – Oshkosh Speedzone Winnebago County Fairgrounds ; Oshkosh : WI – IMCA Modifieds
Fri : June 8th – Oshkosh Speedzone Winnebago County Fairgrounds ; Oshkosh : WI – IMCA Sport Modifieds
Fri : June 8th – Oshkosh Speedzone Winnebago County Fairgrounds ; Oshkosh : WI – Street Stocks
Fri : June 8th – St. Croix Valley Raceway ; St. Croix Falls : WI – Upper Midwest Sprint Series

Mike Neff is a Senior Writer for Frontstretch.com. He can be reached via email at mike.neff@frontstretch.com.

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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.

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Fantasy Friday: FedEx 400 benefiting Autism Speaks
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.

Dover is a great place to attend a race. The track is just one-mile around and you can pretty much see everything that happens no matter where you sit. And, as is the case with smaller tracks, a driver's patience can sometimes wane when there isn't enough room to make a pass, or a driver trying to keep from going a lap down makes it particularly difficult for the leader to make a pass.

Bonus: Dover has done a ton of stuff to make this a fan-friendly event. That includes a $10 ticket for any child 14-and-under accompanied by an adult, and one adult can buy several $10 tickets if they are leading a group. There's also a kids zone and plenty interactive of exhibits that fans can experience before the race. So, a thumbs up to the good people at Dover for trying to make a day at the race fun and complete experience.

Dover begins the second part of a three-part season 36-race season. After spending most of May in Charlotte, this is when the real season starts and the best teams rise to the top.

Top 5 Picks

Jimmie Johnson - It's hard not to pick this guy every week. Plus, he's got six wins and 14 top 10s in 20 starts at Dover, so it's really a no-brainer to choose the No. 48.

Greg Biffle - He is the season points leader and he's got two wins at the Monster Mile. Even if he can't beat Johnson's No 48, expect him to run well.

Matt Kenseth - He's also got two wins at Dover, but just as impressively, he has 12 top-5 finishes and 17 top-10 finishes in 26 starts.

Kyle Busch - He also has two wins on the concrete mile with seven top-5 finishes and nine top 10s in 14 races.

Martin Truex, Jr. - Have to pick a Junior somewhere, so it might as well be at this Junior's home track. Truex, Jr. is from South Jersey and his only career win came at Dover in 2007. It could be a sweet homecoming.

Shoulda, Woulda, Coulda - Tony Stewart. He has two wins at Dover, but the last time he won there was 2000 when he won both the spring and fall races. He also has finished 21st or worse in three of his last four races at Dover. During his remarkable and victorious run in the Chase for the Championship last year, Stewart finished 29th, six laps down, the only blemish in the final 10 races.

ACCOUNTABILITY GROUP
Here's a look at how last week's picks fared in the 600-mile race at Charlotte.

Jimmie Johnson:  11th. No truth to the rumor his gas man was overhead yelling, "I said whoa, not go!"

Jeff Gordon: 7th. Not bad for No. 24 as he avoided bad luck for once.

Kasey Kahne: 1st. This win had been in the works for a while. He's on a roll now.

Matt Kenseth: 10th. Never a threat to win it, but hung in there for an OK points day.

Mark Martin: 34th. Engine woes ended what could have been a pretty respectable day.

Season Stats:
55 Predictions
6 wins
20 top 5s
26 top 10s

Grade for the week: B. OK, that's five winners in a row counting the All-Star race. Otherwise an OK week that would have been better if Johnson hadn't tried to drag the gas man and attached gas can out of pits resulting in a penalty that put him a lap down.

One Last Thing:  Dale Earnhardt, Jr. is the only driver to complete all 3,888 laps this season. However, when it comes to laps led, he is 15th in those standings with 68 led this season. Jimmie Johnson has led the most laps this season with 501.

Jeff Wolfe is a Contributor for Frontstretch.com. He can be reached via email at jeff.wolfe@frontstretch.com.

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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.

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Frontstretch Folio: FedEx 400 benefiting Autism Speaks
by Nick Schwartz

This weekend, the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series will invade Delaware and Dover International Speedway for the FedEx 400 benefiting Autism Speaks. Sunday's race is the 13th of the 2012 season. The FedEx 400 will be broadcast live Sunday, June 3rd, on FOX at 12:30 PM EDT and MRN at 12:00 PM EDT. The race around the one-mile speedway is scheduled to run 400 laps.

Records and Facts

Matt Kenseth is the defending champion of the FedEx 400 benefiting Autism Speaks, as he picked up his second career victory at Dover International Speedway in the Spring of 2011. Kenseth will be among the favorites this week in Delaware, as will Mark Martin, who finished second to Kenseth a year ago. Though he hasn't found victory lane recently, Martin has owned Dover throughout his career, with four victories and 31 top-10 finishes. In fact, Mark Martin holds the record for the fastest race run at Dover, with a speed of 132.719 mph in the 1997 MBNA 400.

Believe it or not, NASCAR bad boy Jeremy Mayfield is still in the Dover record books. Mayfield holds the track qualifying record with a lap of 22.288 sec. at 161.522 mph. He set the record qualifying for the 2004 MBNA America 400, where he finished eighth.

Track Facts

Track/Race Length: 1.0 concrete oval, 400 laps (400 miles)
Pit Road Speed: 35 mph
Degree of Banking: 24 degrees
Frontstretch: 1,076 ft., banked 9 degrees
Backstretch: 1,076 ft., banked 9 degrees
Grandstand Seating: 135,000

Pre-race Schedule

Practice: Friday, June 1, 11:00 AM – 12:25 PM EST on SPEED
Happy Hour: Friday, June 1, 2:45 – 4:15PM EST on SPEED
Qualifying: Saturday, June 2, 12:00 PM EST on SPEED

VIPs
Grand Marshal / Command: Delaware Governor Jack Markell
Honorary Starter / Wave Green Flag: Robert Dumas, winner of the "FedEx 400 benefiting Autism Speaks" NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race auction
Invocation: Pastor Dan Schafer, Calvary Assembly of God in Heightstown, N.J.
National Anthem: RCA recording artist Kris Allen
Military Flyover: Four (4) F-16's of the 149th Fighter Wing, Texas ANG, Lackland AFB

Race Day Forecast

Sunday: Partly cloudy, 10% chance of rain
High: 78
Low: 60

They Said It

"Dover is my favorite track on the Sprint Cup circuit, and it's been a place where we've had a lot of success at as well, so I just love racing there. The track is so fast and challenging, and it's unique because of the way you drive up out of the turns. The turns sit a bit lower than the straightaways and you can feel it when you're driving out there. We're just going to continue to try and put ourselves up front and into position to be able to be consistent each and every week for our Best Buy team." -Matt Kenseth

"Last weekend at Charlotte all the Roush Fenway Fords ran strong and there couldn't be a better track for us to head to right now than Dover.  We need a win and we've had plenty of great runs at Dover before so I know we can do it.  I love racing there, it's a super high-speed track and we've always been able to get our cars dialed in well there." -Carl Edwards

"It is pretty insane, especially to go into turn one.  It feels like the bottom drops out from under you.  It seems like it disappears when you take off and once it lands, it is like a punch to the guy.  When it compresses, it compresses so hard.  It feels like you honestly drop 50 feet in the air and land.  The biggest thing is to have a good balance when it does land that the car isn't moving around at all and isn't tight or loose.  You want it to land nice and smooth and have the confidence to get it turned and get back to throttle, especially in qualifying.  In the race you lay the corner back so much that the bottom, when it lands, is not as critical.  In qualifying you are so fast that once you land you have to be back in the throttle." -AJ Allmendinger

Nick Schwartz is a Contributor for Frontstretch.com. He can be reached via email at nick.schwartz@frontstretch.com.

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THIS WEEKEND ON THE FRONTSTRETCH:

Tracking the Trucks: Lucas Oil 200 by Beth Lunkenheimer
Beth has all the post-race analysis you need following Friday afternoon's Camping World Truck Series race at Dover.

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TODAY ON THE FRONTSTRETCH:

Better Days: The Role of Nostalgia in NASCAR
by Amy Henderson

Four Burning Questions: 600 "Snoozer", Hendrick Disappointment, and Consistent Teammates
by Summer Bedgood

BSNews! NASCAR Defrocks Hall of Famer Wallace
by Jeff Meyer

Truck Series Contenders Set to Invade Nationwide Series Race at Dover
by Bryan Davis Keith

Michael Annett Driver Diary: Summer Heat and Summer Fun
as told to Toni Montgomery

IndyCar Preview: Chevrolet Detroit Belle Isle Grand Prix
by Toni Montgomery

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FRONTSTRETCH TRIVIA:
 
Q:
In the 1993 Budweiser 500, Rusty Wallace's streak of bad luck (which included his infamous final lap flip at Talladega) continued when he got caught up in a late race wreck. What happened?

Check back Monday for the answer, here in the Frontstretch Newsletter!
 
Thursday's Answer:
 
Q: In the 1987 Budweiser 500 at Dover, Bobby Allison was quite dominant, leading 147 laps before dropping out with "engine issues." Just what kind of engine issues were they?

A: The weather at Dover on this day could best be described as "oppressive." Temperatures exceeded 90 degrees during the race with dewpoints well into the 70's. The middle 200 miles were run consecutively under green, and it was at the end of this stretch that Allison's engine began overheating. The Stavola Brothers crew was forced to bring Allison in, first to put water in the car (through the grille, mind you), then to pull it out for the day. (right at the same time, Bobby's teammate Bobby Hillin, Jr. also blew an engine, bringing out a yellow). Bobby's son Davey benefited from his father's misfortune to claim his second career win. The issues on Bobby Allison's No. 22 can be seen at the 39:20 mark of this clip. Dr. Jerry Punch and the late Larry Nuber have the call for ESPN, while Dick Berggren works pit road with a rare appearance by Marty Reid.

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:
-- FedEx 400 benefiting Autism Speaks 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: FedEx 400 benefiting Autism Speaks by Matt McLaughlin
Matt will be here with his overall thoughts about the action from Sunday afternoon's action from Dover.

Monday Morning Teardown by Ron Lemasters
Ron returns for a website look at one of the big stories from Sunday's race from Dover.

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 Dover.

Big Six: FedEx 400 benefiting Autism Speaks by Amy Henderson
Looking for all you need to know leaving Sunday's event at Charlotte? Amy has your who, what, when, where, why and how from a weekend of racing.

Pace Laps: Dover 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 Dover.

Nationwide Breakdown: 5-Hour Energy 200 by Bryan Davis Keith
Bryan has all of the post race analysis you need following Saturday afternoon's Nationwide Series race from Dover.

IZOD IndyCar Race Recap: Chevrolet Detroit Belle Isle Grand Prix by Matt Stallknecht
Matt has all of the post race analysis you need following Sunday afternoon's IZOD IndyCar Series race from Detroit.

-----------------------------
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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The Frontstretch Newsletter: May 31st, 2012

THE FRONTSTRETCH NEWSLETTER
Presented by Frontstretch.com
The Best Seat at the Track, The Best View on the Net!
May 31st, 2012
Volume VI, Edition C

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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 Phil Allaway

Front Row Motorsports Announces Sponsor Extension

On Wednesday, Front Row Motorsports (via Breaking Limits) announced that McCall Farms has signed on to sponsor six additional races on their No. 34 and 38 Fords after a successful first race at Darlington.  At Darlington, McCall Farms' Peanut Patch brand was featured on David Ragan's No. 34 car.  Ragan started 37th and finished 28th.

According to the release, the new extension will see Front Row Motorsports featuring three of McCall Farms' brands (the aforementioned Peanut Patch (a brand of boiled peanuts), Margaret Holmes (a line of Southern Vegetables) and Glory Foods (a minority-controlled, Ohio-based McCall Farms subsidiary that specializes in "Soul Food" products)).  Peanut Patch and Margaret Holmes will be on the No. 34, while Glory Foods will be on the No. 38.

Representatives from Front Row Motorsports are very happy that McCall Farms has re-signed with the team for another go around.

"McCall Farms has been a great partner for our race team," said Mike Laheta, Front Row Motorsports' Marketing Director.  "They were very pleased with the program and activation strategy we were able to put together for them at Darlington.  We've spent the last few weeks working with their marketing team to build a program for the rest of 2012 and I'm happy to be here announcing a six-race primary sponsorship extension."

McCall Farms reps are very happy to continue their collaboration with Front Row Motorsports.

"Darlington gave us the opportunity to try NASCAR," said Woody Swink, Sales Manager for McCall Farms.  "It was a natural fit for us, since the track is only miles from our headquarters.  Front Row Motorsports did a great job of educating us on the various assets available through their organization and how we can use those assets to achieve our goals.  NASCAR allows us to strengthen our relationships with the retailers that sell our product, raise awareness for our portfolio of brands and energize the 700+ men and women that work for our company.  We are genuinely enthusiastic about our partnership with Front Row Motorsports."

The Margaret Holmes and Peanut Patch colors will return to Ragan's No. 34 at the Irwin Tools Night Race at Bristol in August.  Subsequent races include the Advocare 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway Labor Day weekend and the Bank of America 500 in Charlotte on October 13.  Glory Foods' orange colors will be featured on the No. 38 at the Coke Zero 400 in Daytona on July 7, Talladega in October for the AMP Energy 500 and Charlotte in October.

Entry List Update:
Note: This list is accurate as of Wednesday night.  However, these entries are still subject to change.

Sprint Cup Series FedEx 400 Benefiting Autism Speaks: 46 cars entered

Drivers Ineligible to Earn Points:
No. 19 -
Mike Bliss for Humphrey-Smith Racing
No. 32 -
Reed Sorenson for FAS Lane Racing
No. 52 -
Mike Skinner for Hamilton-Means Racing
No. 74 -
Cole Whitt for Turn One Racing
No. 87 -
Joe Nemechek for NEMCO Motorsports

Driver Changes:
No. 10 -
David Reutimann returns to the seat, replacing Danica Patrick. Reutimann is running the non-Patrick races in Tommy Baldwin's car.
No. 32 -
Reed Sorenson returns to the seat, replacing T.J. Bell. Bell had brought sponsorship to the seat in a one-race deal at Charlotte.

Drivers who must qualify on speed:
No. 19 -
Mike Bliss for Humphrey-Smith Racing*
No. 23 -
Scott Riggs for R3 Motorsports*
No. 26 -
Josh Wise for Front Row Motorsports*
No. 30 -
David Stremme for Inception Motorsports*
No. 33 -
Stephen Leicht for LJ Racing*
No. 49 -
J.J. Yeley for Robinson-Blakeney Racing
No. 52 -
Mike Skinner for Hamilton-Means Racing*
No. 74 -
Cole Whitt for Turn One Racing*
No. 79 -
Scott Speed for Go Green Racing*
No. 87 -
Joe Nemechek for NEMCO Motorsports*
No. 98 -
Michael McDowell for Phil Parsons Racing*

Not Entered:
No. 73 -
BK Racing
No. 95 -
Leavine Family Racing

Nationwide Series 5-Hour Energy 200: 43 cars entered

Drivers Ineligible to Earn Points:
No. 18 -
Joey Logano for Joe Gibbs Racing
No. 22 -
Parker Kligerman for Penske Racing
No. 30 -
James Buescher for Turner Motorsports
No. 33 -
Ty Dillon for Richard Childress Racing
No. 42 -
Josh Wise for Key Motorsports
No. 47 -
Scott Speed for Team Motorsports Group
No. 54 -
Kurt Busch for Kyle Busch Motorsports

Driver Changes:
No. 08 -
Tim Andrews returns to the seat, replacing Kyle Fowler. Andrews is hired to drive for the team during their start-and-park efforts, when there is no funding to put someone else behind the wheel.
No. 10 - An unknown driver will be in the seat, replacing Kevin Lepage. This team will remain TriStar's start-and-park effort.
No. 18 - Joey Logano returns to the seat, replacing Denny Hamlin. Logano remains the majority Cup driver in the mix for Joe Gibbs' Nationwide efforts.
No. 20 - Ryan Truex returns to the seat, replacing Joey Logano. Truex is running a limited schedule with the team when sponsorship allows.
No. 22 -
Parker Kligerman returns to the seat, replacing Brad Keselowski. Kligerman, a full-time Truck Series driver is running a limited schedule with Penske in Nationwide this season.
No. 23 -
Jamie Dick returns to the seat, replacing Robert Richardson, Jr. Dick brings sponsorship from Viva Auto Group from this event.
No. 24 -
Tim Bainey, Jr. is in the seat, replacing Casey Roderick.  This will be Bainey's Nationwide Series debut.
No. 33 -
Ty Dillon is in the seat, replacing Kevin Harvick.  This seat was originally supposed to be occupied by Brendan Gaughan before RCR made a pre-emptive switch.  It will mark Ty's Nationwide Series debut.
No. 38 -
Brad Sweet returns to the seat, replacing Kasey Kahne. Sweet is competing in a limited schedule this season with backing from sponsor Great Clips.
No. 54 - Kurt Busch returns to the seat, replacing his brother Kyle. The two are sharing the ride this season.
No. 70 -
Tony Raines is in the seat, replacing Johanna Long.  This race is another in which Robinson-Blakeney Racing is running the No. 70 in order to keep ML Motorsports in the top 30 in owners' points.  David Green was originally supposed to drive, but the entry switched to Raines on Wednesday.
No. 75 -
An unknown driver will be in the seat, replacing Scott Riggs. This car is a start-and-park effort for Rick Ware.
No. 99 - John Wes Townley will be in the seat, replacing Travis Pastrana. Townley brought Barberitos' sponsorship to the car.

Since there are only 43 cars entered, no one will go home.  However, these teams will still have to qualify on speed:
No. 10 -
Unknown driver for TriStar Motorsports*
No. 15 -
Blake Koch for Rick Ware Racing
No. 20 -
Ryan Truex for Joe Gibbs Racing
No. 39 -
Josh Richards for Go Green Racing
No. 42 -
Josh Wise for Team Motorsports Group*
No. 46 -
Chase Miller for Team Motorsports Group*
No. 47 -
Scott Speed for Team Motorsports Group*
No. 50 -
T.J. Bell for MAKE Motorsports
No. 52 -
Joey Gase for Means Motorsports
No. 71 -
Carl Long for Rick Ware Racing*
No. 74 -
Mike Harmon for Mike Harmon Racing*
No. 75 -
Unknown driver for Rick Ware Racing*
No. 89 -
Morgan Shepherd for Shepherd Racing Ventures*

Not Entered:
No. 00 -
Angela Cope for SR2 Motorsports
No. 98 -
Reed Sorenson for Biagi-DenBeste Racing

Camping World Truck Series Lucas Oil 200: 34 trucks entered

Drivers Ineligible to Earn Points:
No. 2 -
Kevin Harvick for Richard Childress Racing
No. 18 -
Brian Scott for Kyle Busch Motorsports

Driver Changes:
No. 07 -
Chris Jones returns to the seat, replacing Johnny Chapman. Sponsorship was brought to the table for Jones to run the race.
No. 2 - Kevin Harvick returns to the seat, replacing Brendan Gaughan. Harvick is part of RCR's "revolving door" of drivers taking time behind the wheel.
No. 18 -
Brian Scott is in the seat, replacing Jason Leffler.  This race is the first of a handful that the former Dover winner will drive in, replacing Jason Leffler.
No. 74 -
An unknown driver will be in the seat, replacing Mike Harmon. This truck is a start-and-park effort.
No. 93-
Chris Cockrum returns to the seat, replacing B.J. McLeod. Cockrum, a rookie, is driving a limited schedule for the team this season.

Since there are only 34 entries, no one will fail to qualify.  However, these teams still must qualify on speed:
No. 07 -
Chris Jones for SS-Green Light Racing
No. 10 -
Jennifer Jo Cobb for JJC Racing
No. 57 -
Norm Benning for Norm Benning Racing
No. 61 -
Wes Burton for Green Dragon Racing
No. 70 -
Jeff Agnew for Level 7 Motorsports
No. 74 -
Unknown driver for Mike Harmon Racing*
No. 75 -
Caleb Holman for Henderson Racing
No. 84 -
Chris Fontaine for Chris Fontaine, Inc.
No. 93 -
Chris Cockrum for RSS Racing

Entered, but Already Withdrawn:
No. 7 -
John King for Red Horse Racing (Team parked due to lack of funding)
No. 14 -
Brennan Newberry for Bob Newberry Racing
No. 60 -
Turn One Racing

Not Entered:
No. 01 -
Jake Crum for Crum Racing
No. 19 -
Brad Keselowski for Brad Keselowski Racing
No. 28 -
FDNY Racing
No. 38 -
Dennis Setzer for RSS Racing
No. 68 -
Clay Greenfield for Clay Greenfield Racing
No. 92 -
David Reutimann for RBR Enterprises
*-
Expected to Start-and-Park

Izod IndyCar Series Chevrolet Detroit Belle Isle Grand Prix: 26 cars entered

Number Change:
No. 50 for Target Chip Ganassi Racing switches back to No. 10

Entries:
No. 2 -
Ryan Briscoe for Team Penske
No. 3 -
Helio Castroneves for Team Penske
No. 4
- J.R. Hildebrand for Panther Racing
No. 5
- E.J. Viso for KV Racing Technologies
No. 7
  - Sebastien Bourdais for Lotus-Dragon Racing
No. 8
- Rubens Barrichello for KV Racing Technologies
No. 9
- Scott Dixon for Chip Ganassi Racing
No. 10
- Dario Franchitti for Chip Ganassi Racing
No. 11
- Tony Kanaan for KV Racing Technologies with SH Racing
No. 12
- Will Power for Team Penske
No. 14
- Mike Conway for AJ Foyt Enterprises
No. 15
- Takuma Sato for Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing
No. 18
- Justin Wilson for Dale Coyne Racing
No. 19
- James Jakes for Dale Coyne Racing
No. 20 -
Ed Carpenter for Ed Carpenter Racing
No. 22
- Oriol Servia for Lotus-DRR
No. 26 -
Marco Andretti for Andretti Autosport
No. 27 -
James Hinchcliffe for Andretti Autosport
No. 28 -
Ryan Hunter-Reay for Andretti Autosport
No. 38 -
Graham Rahal for Chip Ganassi Racing
No. 67 -
Josef Newgarden for Sarah Fisher Hartman Racing
No. 77 -
Simon Pagenaud for Schmidt-Hamilton Motorsports
No. 78 -
Simona de Silvestro for Lotus-HVM Racing
No. 83 -
Charlie Kimball for Chip Ganassi Racing
No. 98 -
Alex Tagliani for Bryan Herta Autosport with Curb-Agajanian

Not Entered:
No. 6 -
Katherine Legge for Dragon Racing
No. 17 -
Sebastian Saavedra for AFS Racing
No. 25 -
Ana Beatriz for Andretti Autosport
No. 30 -
Michel Jourdain, Jr. for Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing
No. 39 -
Bryan Clauson for Sarah Fisher Hartman Racing
No. 41 -
Wade Cunningham for AJ Foyt Racing
No. 64 -
Jean Alesi for Fan Force Lotus Racing
No. 99 -
Townsend Bell for Schmidt-Hamilton Motorsports

Keen Parts to Sponsor Four Races for ML Motorsports

ML Motorsports announced Wednesday that Keen Parts, a Cleves, Ohio-based retailer of parts for Corvettes, will serve as the team's primary sponsor in four upcoming races.  Those events will be both races at Kentucky Speedway (June 29 and September 22), Indianapolis (July 28) and Richmond (September 7).  In addition, the team also announced a special appearance by driver Johanna Long at an open house at Keen Parts on June 27th prior to the first Kentucky race weekend.  Long will meet and greet fans and sign autographs.

So far this season, Long has a best finish of 19th in Las Vegas, running in eight out of 11 races in the Nationwide Series.


Have news for Phil and the Frontstretch? Don't hesitate to let us know; email us at phil.allaway@frontstretch.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 Thursday with a whole new set of Fan Questions and Answers!

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Today's Featured Commentary
Quick Shots for May 31st
What's Vexing Vito
by Vito Pugliese

- In a bit of irony, the pace car for the Quaker State 400 at Kentucky Motor Speedway next month will be the Ford Escape.  Last year, many fans couldn't even make it to the track on time – or at all – due to the congestion and traffic routing.  Exiting wasn't much better.  Which brings me to another point regarding Kentucky: what was the big push to bring a race there for again?  Between Ken-sucky and Bristol's knee-jerk grind job, how many other events will Bruton Smith botch before it's all said and done?  Do we really need to reward all of this debauchery with a second Las Vegas date at his favorite mind-numbing racetrack?  Answer: never.

The big joke this weekend at the Indianapolis 500 was that the Chevrolet Corvette ZR-1 pace car had more horsepower than the cars that were behind it: 624hp, to be precise.  NASCAR actually beat IndyCar to the punch on this one too, a couple years back when the Shelby Mustang GT500 was used as a pace car at the restrictor plate tracks for the Nationwide Series.

- As I was watching some of the past Indianapolis 500s the week prior on ESPN Classic, I was struck by the amount of underpowered, smog-laden garbage that was allowed on the hallowed grounds, pacing the Greatest Spectacle in Racing.  Automotive icons such as the 1983 Buick Riviera Convertible, wheezing out an unremarkable 150 horsepower, or the 1984 Pontiac Fiero, which was most famous for suffocating its occupants with toxic fumes in the event of a fire.  Chevrolet served up a turd or two of its own, with a rather hideous 1990 Beretta (Editor's Note: The pace car was a convertible, while the special pace cars sold to the general public were two-door coupes), and even Oldsmobile got in on the act with the 1985 Calais.  Because what other car conjures up images of northern France, or the site of WWII bombing raids and V-1 rocket launch sites than a drop top front driver from one of the General's now-deceased brands?

- NASCAR's Hall of Fame inductee class of 2013 was announced last week, and while all who were nominated for this class deserved to be in, there was one chosen who could have stood to wait a couple of years – Rusty Wallace.  That's not to besmirch Rusty or his accomplishments; 55 wins and a championship is no small feat.  However NASCAR needs to speed things up with regards to how many get in and when.  There is no reason why we aren't adding five posthumous additions per year to help honor those who built the sport, the lore, and set the benchmarks for all others before to shoot for.  Glenn "Fireball" Roberts, Curtis Turner, Joe Weatherly, and Tim Flock, just to name a few, are all worthy and had the numbers, name, or contributions to be included by now.

Yes, I understand the need to have those on hand who can actually go up to receive the awards and speak about their battles on the track; however, you cannot build a foundation on sand with massive gaping holes in it.  Much like the sport it is honoring, the Hall needs some tweaks – and quick.

- We're about a month out from being halfway through the season, and Dodge does not appear any more closer to finding a replacement team than it was when Penske Racing announced it was jumping ship to Ford for 2013.  Could this be a sign there's yet another swan song and unceremonious exit for one of Detroit's storied performance brands upcoming?

Dodge first sat out the 1965 season when NASCAR boycotted the 426 Hemi until it was turned out in sufficient numbers in production cars, while all but Buddy Arrington abandoned the Dodge Magnum following its less than stellar debut in 1978.  When the downsized cars arrived in 1981, only a handful of independents attempted to compete with the ill-fated Mirada, as Chrysler had scrapped virtually all of their racing programs, since the company itself was about to be junked.  Now here we are again, on the verge of another Mother Mopar meltdown – all despite winning two races so far this year in Cup, with Brad Keselowski's Dodge carrying the Stars and Stripes around Charlotte Motor Speedway over Memorial Day weekend.

- You know what's awful? The camera angles used to cover racing today.  I still want somebody to explain to me how CBS was able to cover a race more comprehensively in 1984 with a handful of cameras and zero visual aids.  The in-car camera they used back then gave a more accurate depiction and sense of speed and corner angle than anything that is used today.  Yeah, I'm sure the sponsors have some sort of say in this mess, since that is all that is visible for the most part is a solid, tight-hold shot of one car at all times through the corner while some meaningless statistic obscures the rest of the screen.  Meanwhile, as the cars streak by at 190mph, the tracker atop the screen scrolls by at a snail's pace…

- In that same vein, one thing that struck me during the Hall of Fame announcement of the Squier-Hall Award for NASCAR Media Excellence was how these two men in their 70s can still call a race with more accuracy, professionalism, and excitement than most of those today.  There is no shame in muting the television and cuing up MRN to listen to the play-by-play of the race.  You'd swear there was some actual competition occurring at high speeds.  Squier should be present in the booth at the Daytona 500 to call a few laps each year, much like the Detroit Tigers would have Ernie Harwell call a few innings of a game during his later years.  NASCAR still has some of its history and historymakers intact; they'd do well to glean some of their knowledge and expertise while they still have the opportunity.

Vito Pugliese is a Senior Writer for Frontstretch.com.  He can be reached via e-mail at vito.pugliese@frontstretch.com.

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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.
 
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The Critic's Annex: Trackside
by Phil Allaway

Hello, race fans.  Welcome back to the Critic's Annex, where we take an additional look at motorsports-related programming.  As most of my readers are well aware of, SPEED provides a substantial amount of additional shows live at the track every weekend.  This potpourri includes coverage of qualifying (often time-shifted), practice, studio shows and shows in front of a live audience.

Trackside is one of those "special" productions.  In the past, Trackside had been a fun roundtable, with a little bit of seriousness mixed in with the interviews.  Not too many shenanigans on there (aside from that time Elliott Sadler tried to crowd surf in Charlotte and failed).  However, in recent years, there have been some changes.  Last year, SPEED added Marianela Pereyra, most recently of NBC's Poker After Dark, as a Social Media Reporter for the show.  2011 appeared to be a learning process for someone with no NASCAR background.  I'll be honest, it was a bit of a change to have her there, but she didn't hurt the show appreciably.

Next came a revolving door of hosts.  Late in the season, SPEED gave the gig to Rutledge Wood, likely based on the fact that he co-hosts the American version of Top Gear on History.  Wood is a car nut, and there's no disproving that, but he's not a very good host.  The shows basically lost their structure and became a free-for-all.

2012 brought all kinds of silliness to the show, including scripted segments shot ahead of time.  I remember one particular piece earlier this season in which Wood, Pereyra, Krista Voda and others acted in a piece ripped off from The Real World.  Definitely not what I watch Trackside for.

Also, we've seen Trackside split into two half-hour shows at certain races.  Part 1 would be Friday night and have one guest, while Part 2 would be Saturday afternoon.  This segmentation was not the case this past weekend in Charlotte, but it could be in the cards for other races during the season.  I figured that, because of all these changes now would be a good time to take a look at what the show has become.

After last season's craziness with Wood at the helm, Krista Voda has been reinstalled as Trackside host for this year.  At Charlotte, she hosted the one-hour show with Kyle Petty, Wood and Pereyra on the panel as well.  Pereyra has gotten an expanded role for 2012 and I'm fine with that.  By now, I think she's used to the NASCAR beat and deserved to play a bigger part.

After a brief introduction to the show by Voda, the first segment is something called "Grid Chatter."  This is a segment in which clips of different people (drivers, crewmembers, wives, etc.) talking to each other are dubbed over to create completely different conversations.  The whole thing made me think of those really terrible voiceovers that Bob Saget did when he was hosting America's Funniest Home Videos on ABC.  Of course, nowadays, Tom Bergeron has hosted that show longer than Saget ever did, so a lot of people have forgotten about that stupidity.  Yeah, this segment was annoying.

Pereyra's Social Media Center segment asked the question of what theme song would you give your favorite driver.  One fan's response for Tony Stewart (Survivor's Eye of the Tiger, admittedly not a bad choice) was shown, then it was thrown to the panel for their own life themes.  Voda went with Joey Scarbury's "Believe It Or Not" (the theme to "The Greatest American Hero," 1981) while Kyle Petty went with a song from his son-in-law, Randy Montana and Wood chose a song from New Found Glory.

Aric Almirola was the featured guest of the show.  Since this episode was shot (and aired) after Saturday's Nationwide race, he already had two days to gloat about winning the pole for the Coca-Cola 600.  Discussion during his interview ranged from his season to date to his former ties with the Air Force (his father was a former serviceman).  Almirola also detailed the role that Mike Ford has played with RPM since he came to the squad (basically, instilling a new, tougher mentality in the team).

Almirola also talked about his outdoor activities (biking, paddle boarding, etc.) to a great extent.  Wood guessed that Bobby Labonte turned him on to riding a road bike (Labonte is well known for riding road bikes for training purposes).  There was also discussion of Almirola's wife being pregnant with their first child (a son).  Almirola claims that he wanted a boy and his wife wanted a girl, so he "won."  Compared to when Labonte was on the show, Almirola definitely appeared to be much happier to be there.  I don't know what it was, but Labonte seemed almost bored.

Next up is the game, "Can You Draw," which I guess is supposed to be some kind of knockoff of either Pictionary or Win, Lose or Draw.  Apparently, the teams were supposed to be Wood-Petty vs. Voda-Almirola.  However, Petty claimed fatigue and numbness in his arm and subbed himself out in favor of Janice Almirola, Aric's wife.  What followed was a series of pictures played for one point each with people randomly shouting out of turn.  Apparently, it's the same way when Aric and Janice play at home.  Still, it was loose as heck.

Finally, we have the rapid fire questions.  This segment was where I saw that Labonte was really bored on the show a few weeks ago (his responses were curt and short).  However, it appeared that Almirola had some fun with it, so that's good to see.

There was another taped feature where spotters Joey Meier (Brad Keselowski's spotter), Chris Lambert (Denny Hamlin's spotter) and Mike Calinoff (Matt Kenseth's spotter) spent some time carpooling together.  Calinoff was driving while Meier and Lambert were spotting for him with two-way radios all around (granted, since they were all in the same vehicle, that was unnecessary).  It was... interesting.  Pretty rare to see spotters get any time on TV shows, but this feature was just weird.  Reminds me of that commercial with the little girl that was spitting out common statements from a spotter from the backseat of the car.

Next up was Trackside's second guest, 20-year-old Johanna Long, fresh off finishing 22nd in the History 300.  Her interview started off with a small cake since it was her birthday.  Afterwards, Long talked about the Nationwide race, how hot it was out there and so on.  Discussion then moved to the Snowball Derby, which Long won back in 2010.  Someone please televise that race this year.  You would be competing against bupkis.  Just do it, SPEED.  With no more Toyota All-Star Showdown, why not?  It could become a huge draw for the network, and become even more of a short track showcase.  As long as the rates are reasonable, the dudes at Five Flags Speedway in Pensacola would love it.  We also discovered that Long has the Bieber Fever.

Anyways, that was how much SPEED was able to fit into an hour for this episode.  On the plus side, it's good to see drivers like Long actually get some airtime for a change.  It is telling that she doesn't really care about getting airtime on ESPN.  She's here to race and not get sidelined by random shenanigans.  That says something.  We will definitely keep an eye on Long in the future and see what becomes of her career.  For now, she's in a decent spot with ML Motorsports, an independent team based quite a ways from the NASCAR core.  It's a great place for her to develop as a racer.

As for the rest of the show, it was disjointed at many points (especially during the "Can You Draw" game), but it appeared that everyone was having a great time.  No one had a scowl on their face.  I suppose that's all that really matters.  The people watching the show live in Charlotte at the track?  I don't know.  Didn't hear much out of them during the show, except for during the Long interview.  I guess they enjoyed themselves.  I will say having Voda running things on the show does give it structure and a quasi-flow.  Without her (or Steve Byrnes) around, Trackside is just complete randomness that cannot be controlled.  It's far from a must watch, but it's worth checking out from time to time, perhaps contingent on who the guests are (for next week's show, it's Denny Hamlin and Ryan Truex).

I hope you liked this look at the current incarnation of Trackside.  We'll be back in the near future with another edition of the Critic's Annex.  Until then, enjoy this weekend's action in Dover and Detroit.

Phil Allaway is a Senior Writer and the Newsletter Manager for Frontstretch.  He can be reached via e-mail at phil.allaway@frontstretch.com
.
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Frontstretch Line of the Week


From
Beyond the Cockpit: Kvapil On Progression, Perseverance, And Putting Family Fast

"We're not as prepared as we could be or should be, there was a month there where we were just kind of showing up. We didn't have any seven-post time; we didn't have any pull-down rig time. We were just coming to the racetrack and kind of doing it old-school. Here recently, we're a little more prepared. Toyota has helped us out with some support. We're progressing. We realize that we still have a long way to go, but we're pretty proud of what we've gotten done in the last three months.." - Travis Kvapil, describing his 2012 to our own Amy Henderson last weekend in Charlotte
~~~~~~~~~~

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.

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TODAY ON THE FRONTSTRETCH:

MPM2Nite: Winners And Losers Of NASCAR, 2012 To Date

by Matt McLaughlin

Dollars And Sense: The Roadblocks In Front Of A Shortened Schedule
by Jesse Medford

Potts' Shots: A Missing Piece, How Empty Seats Are Hidden, Indy, And Aero
by John Potts

Professor Of Speed: The Polarization Of NASCAR Nation
by Mark Howell

Truckin' Thursdays: From King To Canned - Sponsorship Woes Claim Another
by Beth Lunkenheimer
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FRONTSTRETCH TRIVIA:

Q:  In the 1987 Budweiser 500 at Dover, Bobby Allison was quite dominant, leading 147 laps before dropping out with "engine issues."  Just what kind of engine issues were they?

Check back Friday for the answer, here in the Frontstretch Newsletter!
 
Wednesday's Answer:

Q:  In the 1994 Budweiser 400, Dale Earnhardt wrecked on Lap 288 and lost 101 points to championship leader Ernie Irvan. However, Earnhardt didn't just hit the boiler plate outside wall when he crashed. What else got struck?

A: After hitting the wall, Earnhardt's badly damaged rolled down the frontstretch, then crossed onto the apron at pit out.  Elmo Langley just so happened to be there with the pace car.  There was some minor contact, leaving a scuff mark on the Pontiac Firebird.

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 Jeff Wolfe
-- In Case You Missed It by Nick Schwartz
-- Keepin' It Short by Mike Neff
-- Links to your favorite Frontstretch articles, trivia, and more!


~~~~~~~~~~

Tomorrow on the Frontstretch:


Four Burning Questions: Dover Edition by Summer Bedgood
Summer is back with a four-part look at some interesting stories as we look forward to Sunday's FedEx 400 Benefiting Autism Speaks at Dover International Speedway.

Holding A Pretty Wheel
by Amy Henderson
Amy's back with another interesting commentary.
 
Friday Fast Forward Into NASCAR's Future by Bryan Davis Keith
Bryan returns with another interesting commentary piece on the Nationwide Series ahead of their race Saturday in Dover.

Voices From the Heartland by Jeff Meyer
Our Tennessee transplant returns with another interesting take on recent events.


IndyCar Series Preview: Indianapolis 500 by Toni Montgomery
Toni takes a look at what to expect in Sunday's Chevrolet Belle Grand Prix.

Driver Diary: Michael Annett as told to Toni Montgomery
The driver of the No. 43 Pilot Flying J Ford returns to discuss the past month as his season in the Nationwide Series continues.
-----------------------------
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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Wednesday, May 30, 2012

The Frontstretch Newsletter: May 30th, 2012

THE FRONTSTRETCH NEWSLETTER
Presented by Frontstretch.com
The Best Seat at the Track, The Best View on the Net!
May 30th, 2012
Volume VI, Edition CII

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Top News
by Brad Morgan and Beth Lunkenheimer

Overnight Charlotte TV Ratings Up

Viewership for Kasey Kahne's victory in Sunday night's Coca-Cola 600 NASCAR Sprint Cup event at Charlotte Motor Speedway was rated at a 4.1/8 share (roughly 8% of households in America tuning in). That's roughly a two percent increase over last year's 4.0/8.  The overnight rating for the race was tied with the Indianapolis 500 held earlier in the day; however, both races lost badly in the Nielsens to the San Antonio Spurs - Oklahoma Thunder Western Conference Final. Game 1 of that NBA Series drew a 5.7, easily outpacing one of the biggest race weekends held all year.

Whether Indy or NASCAR will come out on top remains to be seen; however, the 600 has outpaced the 500 eight times out of the last nine years once final Nielsen numbers get released. But stock car racing continues to struggle with its television audience overall. Heading into Sunday's race at Dover, the last of 13 points-paying races on FOX the Cup Series has averaged a 4.3/9 rating, four percent lower than last year's mark of 4.5/10.

Nationwide Teams Penalized for Charlotte Infractions

NASCAR announced Tuesday that two Nationwide Series teams were penalized following rules violations at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

Timmy Hill's No. 41 Rick Ware Racing Ford was found in violation of Sections 12-1 (actions detrimental to stock car racing), 12-4J (any determination by NASCAR officials that race equipment used in the event does not conform to NASCAR rules), and 20A-12.8.1(B) (body height requirements -- car failed to meet the minimum front car heights) during post-race inspection Saturday. As a result, team owner Rick Ware and Hill had six owner and driver points deducted, respectively from their season total. Crew chief George Church was also fined $10,000 for the violation.

Additionally, in opening day inspection, Michael Annett's car was found with unapproved modifications to the bumper cover. Crew chief Philippe Lopez and car chief Michael Wright have both been placed on probation through December 31st, and Lopez was also fined $10,000.

The No. 43 Ford was found in violation of Sections 12-1 (actions detrimental to stock car racing), 12-4J (any determination by NASCAR officials that the race equipment used in the event does not conform to NASCAR rules detailed in Section 20-A of the rulebook), 20A-2.1E (streamlining of the contours of the car, beyond what is approved by the series director will not be permitted ... all cars must remain standard in appearance), and 20A-3.10A (front upper bumper cover must be from the respective OEM manufacturer and must be approved by NASCAR).

The penalties sullied what would have been a productive weekend at Charlotte for both teams, considering their level of funding and 2012 performance to date. Annett was a solid 14th, after running inside the top 10 for much of the event while Hill placed 19th, one lap off the pace for his second top-20 result in the last three Nationwide races.

Red Horse Racing Suspends No. 7 Camping World Truck Series Team

Red Horse Racing (RHR) announced Tuesday that the organization will downsize its Camping World Truck Series operation to two teams, effective immediately due to lack of sponsorship. In a surprise move, it was the No. 7 Truck, driven by Rookie-Of-The-Year hopeful John King which got the axe. King currently finds himself ranked 13th in points after a surprising win in the season-opening NextEra Energy Resources 250 at Daytona International Speedway and a ninth-finish at Martinsville the following week. However, without a paying sponsor stepping up, he'll be sitting on the sidelines - while still signed by the team - until further notice.

RHR will continue to field the No. 17 truck driven by Timothy Peters and the No. 11 truck driven by Todd Bodine. RHR attempted to expand its Camping World Truck Series effort to three full-time teams by introducing the No. 11 team after the 2011 season and altered its driver lineup by adding Bodine and King. Initially, Bodine was signed for just one race and has struggled to secure sponsorship in his own right; however, three top-10 finishes in five starts, putting him ninth in points combined with his championship experience likely allowed him to leapfrog King. The rookie, who was not yet ready to comment at press time, has wrecked in two of the last three events after starting the year with such momentum.

The No. 7 truck was backed by Consol Energy at Rockingham, Kansas, and Charlotte before running into problems securing additional funding. There's no word if team members within the organization were let go as a result of the move.

 

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.
 
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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 Thursday with a whole new set of Fan Questions and Answers!

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Today's Featured Commentary
Beating the Dead Schedule Horse ... Again
Full Throttle
by Mike Neff


Rusty Wallace commented this past week he feels like the supply of NASCAR races is higher than the demand, that he personally thinks the Sprint Cup schedule should be reduced to 31 or 32 dates. Speaking at Charlotte, in celebration of his new Hall of Fame status he explained he feels the sport was at its best in the late '90s when they ran a 32-date schedule, and he worries that NASCAR is being watered down by too much supply. There's some validity to Wallace's concerns, which have made national news over the past week but I say that's because too many races are being run too often in the same locations. My proposal would be to still run 36 races, and possibly more, but to divvy up the dates in 2013 and beyond so that no track runs more than one race except for Charlotte and Daytona getting the bonus of their non-points events.

There are many racetracks where losing a second date is not going to cost the vast majority of fans. Phoenix, Pocono, Kansas, Loudon, and Michigan would be ones that would seem to be obvious cutbacks, at least for fans outside of those cities, where a reduction to one race would not be a traumatic experience. For the folks who feel like there are too many Intermediate tracks, dropping a race from Charlotte and Texas probably would be a welcome sight. There are plenty of people who would rather see restrictor plate races disappear, so losing a date at Daytona and Talladega won't bother that many people, although there is quite a bit of history to the July 4th race. That leaves the tracks that people will probably least like to see drop a date just because they are unique and offer up a change of pace on the schedule, although there will be much more variety with the replacement ovals I suggest. The "unique" tracks losing a date would be Dover, Martinsville, Bristol and Richmond. That is the list of the 13 racetracks currently on the Cup Series schedule that have two points races during the season; now, let's see if we can replace them.

First, we only have two road courses on the schedule each year. Let's bump that up to at least four, adding in Mid-Ohio and Miller Motorsports Park. Another option would be tacking on the new road course that is being constructed in Austin, Texas for the new Formula One race in America. Incorporating that course makes it five road courses and accounts for three of the dates that were removed from the schedule. The second element that should be added to the single-track proposal is a return to dirt, as this sport was born on dirt and there should still be at least four dirt races on the schedule. Either Springfield or DuQuoin should be offered a date thanks to their longstanding presence on the ARCA slate. Eldora would obviously be another choice, out of appreciation to their hosting of the annual Prelude to the Dream. One of the most famous dirt tracks in the country, Knoxville Raceway, knows how to handle a big crowd and would be a great place to run the Cup cars on dirt. Finally, Lucas Oil Speedway in Wheatland, Missouri is probably the finest dirt track racing facility in the country. While that makes the dirt-track element a little Midwest-oriented, dirt is biggest in that region of the country and the races would draw massive crowds.

Adding four dirt tracks to the three road courses leaves six racetracks to add to the schedule to get back to the 36 number that we have now. There are a couple of obvious choices to fill out the list. Iowa Speedway has hosted Nationwide races for some time, to sellout crowds and deserves a shot at hosting a Cup date. Five Flags Speedway in Pensacola, Florida hosts some of the biggest Super Late Model races of the year and would be a great location for an early-season event. Gresham Motorsports Park is also a great facility that would be a very nice location for a Cup show, sitting smack in the middle of Georgia and the fan-friendly Southeast. Toledo Speedway or Mansfield Motorsports Park would be another great addition for the people of Northern Ohio and Southern Michigan, and both have hosted national touring series races before. Hickory Motor Speedway or South Boston would be great tracks that are still active and reflect the history of the sport. Finally, North Wilkesboro Speedway would be the last track to add to the schedule because of its history; it was part of the first "Strictly Stock" NASCAR season, in 1949 and should still be on the schedule now.

Rockingham Speedway would be another excellent choice and could be added in place of Hickory or South Boston, but let's wait and see how things progress over the next few years of hosting Trucks and possibly a Nationwide race. Another option would be Lucas Oil Raceway, the Indianapolis short track whose dates in the Nationwide and Truck Series were lost following the 2011 season. See? We've filled up the schedule to 36 events, using virtually a one-track system and there's still plenty of strong candidates left out.

The bottom line is, the sport has an enormous fan base, even though it has shrunk in the past decade. That legion of fans deserves to see more variety to the racing than double-dipping on 13 racetracks. What is that you said? You're worried about safety? Any of the proposed replacements could upgrade their infrastructure in a year if they knew a race was coming to their facility, and some of them already have it in place because they're handled crowds the size of a Cup crowd.

So the schedule isn't watered down and, in fact, I suggested earlier this year that the schedule could have some additional races on some Wednesday nights without too much effort. The supply of NASCAR just needs to be showcased in more than 23 storefronts during the year. Get it back on dirt, add a couple of road course races, and put it back on more short tracks and the schedule will be more balanced. That will produce a champion with a well-rounded set of racing skills, a true "jack of all trades" who has mastered every aspect of the sport. As with the Wednesday night races, it will probably never happen, but anyone can dream.

Mike Neff is a Senior Writer for Frontstretch.com.  He can be reached via e-mail at mike.neff@frontstretch.com

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Tweet 'N' Greet
by Summer Bedgood

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 Bedgood 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... We know it's a little short this week, but Summer has a very good excuse -- she got married on Saturday. So, please join us in congratulating the newlywed, and Tweet 'N' Greet will return in its normal form next Wednesday.

@RyanTruex: Just got out of surgery to have my appendix removed. Been in the ER since 2 am.

@DeLanaHarvick: As promised, @KevinHarvick in the prego suit... #babyotisperspective http://t.co/wkFUF7b5

@ClaireBLang: J.Logano here - his friends had a bday party for him last night & they told me they threw him in pool then put flour on him "drenched bread"

@KevinHarvick: found this in the field today! @DeLanaHarvick if its momma doesn't come back we might have to get some bottles out. http://t.co/NYCEKrMx

@nascarcasm: I feel sort of bad that now when you say "Kurt lost it in turn 2," you have to specify whether you mean his car or his mind. #nascar

@DNewtonESPN (Dave Newton): Great moment. Richard Petty walks into media center and goes, "Hey, y'all. First time y'all seen me in here in a long time.'' #nascar

@dennyhamlin: I used to like Jeff Gordon http://t.co/l9KaHuiC

@dennyhamlin: Thanks to @11mommalou for being a hoarder. She prolly has the first undies I ever pooped in.

@JeffGordonWeb: Denny was pretty smart back then. I'm sure we can get that membership renewed for you @dennyhamlin.

@aric_almirola: Wow! This feels good. Thank you all for your support. Awesome to get my first cup pole = awesome to do it with Air Force on Memorial weekend.

@JimmieJohnson: My co-star is a bit prickly... It will all make sense when @ESPN airs their new @Nascar commercials. http://t.co/urgWe8Io

@BigEarl48 (Earl Barban): This is the view from the spotters' stand today http://t.co/Pdtr5hBv

@StenhouseJr (Ricky Stenhouse, Jr.): Doing a little left and right turn testing today at VIR pic.twitter.com/wLRTauzB

@kaseykahne: Hope everyone is having a great start to the week. I know I am!

@tydillon: So excited to make my @NASCAR_NNS debut this weekend at @MonsterMile thanks to @Brendan62 and @southpointlv #NASCAR

@KevinHarvick: momma came and got it. "@hdrider6: @KevinHarvick what happened with the fawn you found out in the field?"

@mforde (NASCAR Stats Guru): Not sure what, if anything, this means, but @keselowski has tied or bettered his career-best finish at 7 of the 12 tracks this yr.

@brianlvickers: Really solid test today at VIR. A lot of cars out there today. Guys did a great job - learned a lot. Had dinner with my parents tonight.

@CaptThunder (Captain Thunder, NASCAR Radio Show Host): hearing [it] seems like a done deal for Newman to move on [from Stewart-Haas Racing]. No idea where he goes or who goes in #39 maybe @BrianLVickers ?

@brianlvickers: News to me.

Summer Bedgood is a Senior Writer for Frontstretch.com. She can be reached via email at summer.bedgood@frontstretch.com.

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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.

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TODAY ON THE FRONTSTRETCH:

Did You Notice?... A Driver's Confidence Crisis, Monster Meltdown And Indy's Question Mark
by Tom Bowles


Mirror Driving: Schedule Slash, Middle Class Mediocrity And A Cautionary Tale (Note: Final version will be posted within the hour)
by the Frontstretch Staff

This Year's "New" Kyle Busch: Why Is It Different Than Any Other?
by Garrett Horton

Beyond the Cockpit: Kvapil On Progression, Perseverance, And Putting Family First
by Amy Henderson

NASCAR Sprint Cup Power Rankings: Top 15 After Charlotte
compiled by Summer Bedgood

Top Ten Things The Gasman Said To Jimmie Johnson During The Last Pit Stop
by Jeff Meyer


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FRONTSTRETCH TRIVIA:

Q: In the 1994 Budweiser 400, Dale Earnhardt wrecked on Lap 288 and lost 101 points to championship leader Ernie Irvan. However, Earnhardt didn't just hit the boiler plate outside wall when he crashed. What else got struck?

Check back Thursday for the answer, here in the Frontstretch Newsletter!
 
Tuesday's Answer:

Q: In 2000, Mike Wallace finished the Craftsman Truck Series race at Dover in the 12th spot, but he was very upset at the outcome. Why?

A: Mike Wallace was racing for the lead with rookie Kurt Busch with just a couple of laps to go when the two drivers had contact on the frontstretch. Wallace hit the wall with the right side, then spun in Turn 1 and nosed into the outside wall. Busch held on to win the race, his third of 2000. The Kurt Busch: Rageaholic documentary on YouTube starts off with this incident and Wallace's thoughts.

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!

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Tomorrow on the Frontstretch:


MPM2Nite by Matt McLaughlin
Matt McLaughlin is back again this season with his usual sarcastic sense of humor ... and incomparable insight.

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 closer look at NASCAR's latest agreement with the Environmental Protection Agency and its effect across the sport.

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 on NASCAR's Truck Series! This week, Beth looks back on five drivers who scored their first career victory at Dover and which winless drivers have the best shot at Victory Lane Friday afternoon.

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©2012 Frontstretch.com

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