THE FRONTSTRETCH NEWSLETTER
Presented by Frontstretch.com
The Best Seat at the Track, The Best View on the Net!
June 7th, 2012
Volume VI, Edition CV
Presented by Frontstretch.com
The Best Seat at the Track, The Best View on the Net!
June 7th, 2012
Volume VI, Edition CV
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BREAKING: 2013 Hall of Famer Owens Passes Away At 88
by Tom Bowles
One of the sport's great drivers, a future Hall of Famer and one of its most successful owners has passed away. Cotton Owens, 88, died Thursday morning in his Spartanburg, South Carolina home just a little over two weeks after being selected for the 2013 NASCAR Hall Of Fame class. The two-time modified series champ, who made an impact on NASCAR's early years of the 1950s and 1960s won nine times on the Cup level, including the famed Daytona Beach race back in 1957. Edged out by Lee Petty for the 1959 Cup Series title, he put together 22 top-10 finishes in 37 starts that year, his finest season of Cup competition to finish as standings runner-up. But it was in the modified series where he would make his greatest impact, winning over 100 career races to set the standard for generations to come.
As a car owner, Owens paired with fellow South Carolina native David Pearson to briefly form one of the sport's most feared duos. Winning the series title in 1966, Pearson put up fifteen victories in 42 starts behind the wheel of Owens' Dodge; his first championship, that sparked Pearson to have one of the best driving careers the sport has ever seen. The roster of drivers Owens employed, for at least one race reads like a list of future, automatic racing Hall of Famers: Bobby Allison, Mario Andretti, Buddy Baker, Pete Hamilton, Junior Johnson, and Pearson. His cars were a mainstay on the Cup circuit right through the early 1970s.
Owens' poor health made it impossible for him to attend the Hall of Fame Ceremony in Charlotte last month; however, his family watched with him in South Carolina while his grandson praised the legend's many contributions to the sport.
"He was always an honest, hard-working individual," stated Brandon Davis. "Everybody always saw him as that."
Funeral arrangements have not yet been announced. If you would like to share your memories/thoughts on Cotton Owens, please send them to frontstretcheditors@googlegroups.com.
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What to Watch: Thursday
- On Thursday, the Sprint Cup teams continue their open test at Pocono Raceway ahead of this weekend's Pocono 400. The second session will be held from 1:00 - 3:30 PM.
Top 10 From Session 1 (in order): 22 - A.J. Allmendinger, 42 - Juan Pablo Montoya, 55 - Mark Martin, 15 - Clint Bowyer, 11 - Denny Hamlin, 18 - Kyle Busch, 16 - Greg Biffle, 29 - Kevin Harvick, 5 - Kasey Kahne, 88 - Dale Earnhardt, Jr.
- Meanwhile, out in Texas, the Camping World Truck Series teams will be on track at Texas Motor Speedway. Teams will be on-track for two practice sessions (11:30am-12:45pm CDT and 1:15-2:30pm CDT). Qualifying will be held at 6:00pm CDT to determine the grid. Unfortunately, the sessions will be not be televised and weather is threatening to wash out the day entirely as of 11:20 CST.
Top News
by Phil Allaway
Kyle Busch Wins Prelude to the Dream
During the leadup to the Prelude to the Dream, Kyle Busch talked how much he wanted to beat Tony Stewart at his own track. On Wednesday night, he got his chance.
Kyle Busch started on the outside pole and ran very well throughout the feature. However, he was no match for Kasey Kahne. Unfortunately, a crash took Kahne out of the 40-lapper, giving Busch the lead. From there, Busch had no problems holding off the rest of the pack to take his first victory in the eighth annual charity event. It was an impressive performance for Busch, who crashed in qualifying only to recover all the way to first place.
"This is cool," Busch said in Victory Lane. "This is what it's all about when you go dirt racing. It's a lot of fun. I can't say enough about (team owner) Scott Bloomquist and all these guys. They give me great race cars every time we come here and I've torn them up a few times, including tonight (in qualifying). We were able to come back through, get a good heat race, get a good starting spot for the main event and run up front there with the leaders all night."
Kahne started on pole in the newly-lengthened 40-lap feature, but the race had a lot of trouble simply starting at all. On the original green flag, Bobby Labonte spun out in Turn 1. J.J. Yeley also spun further back in the pack, drawing a caution and a complete restart of the event. The second start at least got a full lap complete. However, exiting Turn 4, Steve Kinser and Ray Evernham collided, causing Kinser to spin in front of the pack. Kinser was then hit by Labonte and Ron Capps. Yeley, David Gilliland, Dave Blaney and Danica Patrick all spun as well. Kinser and Capps were out of the race on the spot, but the other drivers managed to continue.
After a brief red flag, the green briefly came out again, but Jason Leffler spun in Turn 1 after contact with Donny Schatz, bringing out another yellow. Ken Schrader had nowhere to go and ran into the back of Leffler's No. 71. Leffler was able to continue, but Schrader was done for the night. The carnage continued shortly after the restart when Leffler had contact with Ty Dillon on the backstretch, spinning the ARCA champion out. Yeley also spun and hit Ty and Schatz, ending his evening although the other two drivers continued on.
Through all the wrecking, it became clear that there were two drivers that were better than the rest of the field by leaps and bounds. Those wheelmen were Kahne and Clint Bowyer. Bowyer, who started third, quickly passed Busch for second and chased down Kahne. Eventually, Bowyer put a "slide job" on Kahne in Turn 1 to take the lead on Lap 13.
However, Kahne was not done. He chased Bowyer back down and put a slide job on Bowyer in Turns 1 and 2, a move that put Bowyer into the outside wall on Lap 22. Regardless, it still allowed Kahne to reassume the lead. Busch put a similar move on Bowyer the next lap that damaged Bowyer's car beyond repair and forced him out of the race.
On Lap 24, Labonte spun his car in Turn 3 and stalled on track, bringing out the fifth caution. Kahne, who was a few seconds behind Labonte, was unable to avoid the stalled out car and hit him at near full speed. The impact ripped up the right side of Kahne's car and sheared the right rear wheel and axle right off. Kahne was OK following the hit, but was visibly upset at Labonte. The 2000 Cup champ was able to get his car restarted, but drove back to pit road and was unable to continue.
Due to Kahne's crash, Busch inherited the lead with Cruz Pedregon, who had made judicious use of the lower line, in second. Busch easily got the jump on the restart, while Pedregon dropped back significantly and left the Cup driver virtually unchallenged the rest of the way. Track owner/host Tony Stewart made a big move in the final segment, moving up to second, but he had absolutely nothing for Busch.
The final margin of victory was nearly 2.3 seconds over Stewart. Austin Dillon, who is staying in Eldora to race in the 100-lap Dream on Saturday night, finished a strong third. First-time dirt late model driver Schatz was fourth, while Ryan Newman rounded out the top-5 finishers. Aric Almirola was sixth, followed by Pedregon, who appeared to completely wear out his tires towards the end of the feature. Dave Blaney came from 20th to finish eighth, while Ty Dillon and Justin Allgaier rounded out the top 10. These finishers will all receive a truckload of food from Feed the Children that will be delivered to the locale of their choosing.
Out of the 25 starters (Kurt Busch could not start the 40-lap feature due to crash damage from his heat race), a mere 15 actually finished the event. 12 of those drivers were on the lead lap.
Open Testing at Pocono; Martin Fastest Wednesday
Ahead of this weekend's Pocono 400, NASCAR is allowing teams two days of open testing on the newly repaved, 2.5-mile scalene triangle. But so far, the track appears to be producing results similar to those seen during Goodyear's tire test held a little over one month ago.
Mark Martin set the fastest lap time on Wednesday with a blistering lap of 51.317 seconds (175.380 mph). This is almost three mph faster than the existing track record, which was set by Kasey Kahne in June, 2004. In all, 22 drivers turned in laps faster than the record, and two (Ryan Newman and A.J. Allmendinger) turned in ten-lap runs at an average speed faster than the one-lap track record.
As is typically the norm with new asphalt, the track was struggling to widen out with just a single groove through the turns. Tony Stewart referenced this point during an interview with ESPN's Jim Noble, but added that he was hopeful that a second groove could be worked into the track at some point during the weekend.
Other drivers were quite positive on the new surface.
"They did a great job; (the) track was really nice and smooth (with) good grip," said Jeff Gordon. "We have had some repaves where it is a handful and pretty slick. That was not the case at all today."
"You never know what to expect when a race track gets paved," said Jeff Burton. "This pavement is unbelievably just nice, smooth. The quality of racing is going to be improved a great deal. [But] it's still Pocono. It still has the same characteristics and the personality of Pocono, but just has more grip."
36 teams turned laps on Wednesday. Some teams chose not to run intentionally. In the case of Phoenix Racing's No. 51, the team was not at the track due to changing over their race seats in order to accommodate sub-driver David Reutimann. However, they plan to participate in Thursday's open test.
Top 10 From Wednesday's Open Test:
1) 55 - Mark Martin: 175.380 MPH
2) 22 - A.J. Allmendinger: 175.029 MPH
3) 48 - Jimmie Johnson: 174.808 MPH
4) 29 - Kevin Harvick: 174.686 MPH
5) 5 - Kasey Kahne: 174.578 MPH
6) 16 - Greg Biffle: 174.162 MPH
7) 20 - Joey Logano: 174.132 MPH
8) 56 - Martin Truex, Jr.: 174.091 MPH
9) 18 - Kyle Busch: 173.933 MPH
10) 42 - Juan Pablo Montoya: 173.926 MPH
Notables Struggling: 99 - Carl Edwards (25th, 171.999 MPH)
Fastest Ten-Lap Average: 39 - Ryan Newman (173.263 MPH)
Entry List Update:
Note: These entries are accurate as of Wednesday night. However, they are still subject to change.
Sprint Cup Series Pocono 400: 44 cars entered
Drivers Ineligible to Earn Points:
No. 19 - Mike Bliss for Humphrey-Smith Racing
No. 32 - Reed Sorenson for FAS Lane Racing
No. 87 - Joe Nemechek for NEMCO Motorsports
Driver Changes:
No. 10 - Dave Blaney is in the seat, replacing David Reutimann. Blaney moves into the team's "primary ride" after Reutimann was released for a one-race deal with Phoenix Racing.
No. 36 - Tony Raines returns to the seat, replacing Dave Blaney. It will be Raines' first Cup start since Talladega, but he is expected to park the car.
No. 51 - David Reutimann is in the seat, replacing Kurt Busch. These three switches are as a direct result of Kurt Busch being suspended by NASCAR for threatening The Sporting News' Bob Pockrass at Dover.
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. 74 - Cole Whitt for Turn One Racing* (NOTE: Stacy Compton is still listed on the initial entry list, but Whitt tested the No. 74 yesterday and the Nationwide Series is off this week)
No. 87 - Joe Nemechek for NEMCO Motorsports*
No. 98 - Michael McDowell for Phil Parsons Racing*
Not Entered:
No. 52 - Mike Skinner for Hamilton-Means Racing
No. 79 - Scott Speed for Go Green Racing
Camping World Truck Series WinStar World Casino 400k: 34 trucks entered
Drivers Ineligible to Earn Points:
No. 2- Brendan Gaughan for Richard Childress Racing
Driver Changes:
No. 07 - Johnny Chapman returns to the seat, replacing Chris Jones. Chapman is the team's start-and-park driver when no one brings any funding to race.
No. 2 - Brendan Gaughan returns to the seat, replacing Kevin Harvick. Gaughan is running a limited schedule as part of Richard Childress Racing's rotating list of Cup and Nationwide veterans hired to drive the Truck.
No. 14 - Brandon Miller is in the seat, replacing Brennan Newberry. Miller, who was a development driver for Richard Childress Racing about seven years ago, serves as Newberry's driver coach and NTS Motorsports is trying to evaluate their program.
No. 18 - Jason Leffler returns to the seat, replacing Brian Scott. Leffler is back, paired with his limited schedule of races with sponsor Dollar General.
No. 27 - Brandon Knupp will be in the seat, replacing Jeb Burton. The team's sponsorship from State Water Heaters ran out after Dover, leaving the team's status in complete limbo; it's unknown if Knupp is bringing funding to the table.
No. 84 - B.J. McLeod is in the seat, replacing Chris Fontaine. McLeod brings funding as Fontaine's team tries to make every race possible this season.
No. 93 - Chris Cockrum returns to the seat, replacing Johnny Chapman. Cockrum, a rookie in the series should bring enough funding to go the distance.
Since there are only 34 trucks entered, no one will fail to qualify. However, these teams still must qualify on speed:
No. 07 - Johnny Chapman for SS-Green Light Racing*
No. 10 - Jennifer Jo Cobb for JJC Racing
No. 14 - Brandon Miller for NTS Motorsports
No. 57 - Norm Benning for Norm Benning Racing
No. 65 - Scott Stenzel for MB Motorsports
No. 73 - Rick Crawford for Tagsby Racing
No. 74 - Mike Harmon for Mike Harmon Racing*
No. 84 - B.J. McLeod for Chris Fontaine, Inc.
No. 93 - Chris Cockrum for RSS Racing
Not Entered:
No. 38 - Dennis Setzer for RSS Racing
No. 61 - Wes Burton
No. 70 - Jeff Agnew for Level 7 Motorsports
No. 75 - Caleb Holman for Henderson Racing
ARCA Racing Series Presented by Menards Pocono ARCA 200: 33 cars entered
Notable Entries:
No. 5 - Bobby Gerhart for Bobby Gerhart Racing
No. 15 - Ryan Reed for Venturini Motorsports
No. 16 - Matt Lofton for Coulter Racing
No. 17 - Chris Buescher for Roulo Brothers Racing
No. 22 - Alex Bowman for Cunningham Motorsports
No. 25 - Brennan Poole for Venturini Motorsports
No. 44 - Frank Kimmel for ThorSport Racing
No. 55 - Kevin Swindell for Venturini Motorsports
No. 58 - Chad Hackenbracht for CGH Motorsports
No. 68 - Will Kimmel for Kimmel Racing
No. 82 - Sean Corr for Empire Racing
Izod IndyCar Series Firestone 550k: 25 cars entered
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. 6 - Katherine Legge for 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 Dreyer & Reinbold Racing
No. 25 - Ana Beatriz for Andretti Autosport
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. 7 - Sebastien Bourdais for Dragon Racing (Bourdais will miss Texas and Milwaukee due to preparations for the 24 Hours of Le Mans)
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
Suggestions For Phoenix Racing To Soothe Their Sponsor Woes
What's Vexing Vito
by Vito Pugliese
We've all been inundated with articles and stories this week about how Kurt Busch is down to his final two bullets, like John McClane at the end of DieHard. By Tuesday of next week, he will find out his fate if he still has a ride with James Finch in the No. 51 Phoenix Racing Chevrolet. Finch has said that Busch's behavior is making it impossible to find a sponsor for his car, complicating the possibility of keeping them together.
But that's where he's a bit misguided. Surely, there has to be a few out there that would be fitting for the hot-tempered driver with a quick wit and penchant for profanity. Here are some that might want to step up to the plate:
Paxil – Look out, Goody's! Although prescribed for Social Anxiety Disorder (i.e., SAD), it might also be used to treat MAD (Many Automobiles Destroyed) in Busch's case. Leading the series in wrecked race cars – 14 to date – Finch might need to pop a few of these too while they're at it and mellow out. Come to think of it, maybe Busch has had too many Monsters. Since he's suspended, I say just make the most of it. Take a couple of these, put on Dark Side, play some Madden, and just ride the dragon.
Rosetta Stone – Having worked in a rather large, four-star Hotel when I was going to college, I met a lot of people my age who emigrated from other countries. The first thing they learn to do upon moving here, is how to swear – albeit poorly. Learn from the best with this three-CD set, as Sprint Cup champion Kurt Busch works in obscenities the way Picasso worked in oils.
5-Hour Energy – Mainly just so I don't have to see Clint Bowyer forcing me to "get stuff done" every 20 minutes.
Lifebuoy Soap – Hey, it worked for Ralphie in A Christmas Story...it might be just what he needs to quit f***ing swearing so God****ed much. If not, slide an Ovaltine through the window on the next pit stop.
Preparation H – At first thought, one might not think this partnership would work since Kurt is generally regarded as being a perfect ***hole. But let's give him the benefit of the doubt and one last chance; like a hemorrhoid, he's a real pain in the ass, but we probably don't need him cut out and removed either.
I have also nearly completed mapping out how Kurt Busch and Mel Gibson's career paths have mirrored and now intersected each other, much like Venus passing between the Earth and the Sun this week. If there is enough reader interest for this topic, I will post it next week.
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One place Busch won't be this weekend is Pocono, as his suspension prevents him from going to the track and participating in even Wednesday's test of the new surface. Mark Martin led the opening day's session with a speed of 175.380 mph – over three mph faster than the pole speed here last August.
A large increase in speed here will add another element to a track that's already provided the rivalries of Kurt Busch vs. Jimmie Johnson, Joey Logano vs. Kevin Harvick, and... Elliott Sadler vs. a dirt wall. In the past, we've seen deer wandering around, a caution flag for a woodchuck, jackalopes, and a guy literally running across the track in the middle of a green-flag run.
Dale Earnhardt's team stopped at the start-finish line in an emotional tribute to Davey Allison following his death in 1993, and the Intimidator had the tables turned on him here in 2000 when Jeremy Mayfield was a speed freak of another nature. Tim Richmond won here in his remarkable but brief comeback after contracting AIDS in 1987 -- heck, they even used to run IndyCars here. Why not bring them back, too, and make a weekend out of it since it's been repaved?
All of this reminiscing got me to thinking....why do people complain about Pocono again? From what I can tell, it's a pretty awesome racetrack that has produced some of our most memorable and poignant moments in modern NASCAR history. It's kind of a shame they shortened it by 100 miles.
Wait. No, it's not. That took forever. Now it's faster, shorter, and we just get to the good stuff an hour sooner.
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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BREAKING: 2013 Hall of Famer Owens Passes Away At 88
by Tom Bowles
One of the sport's great drivers, a future Hall of Famer and one of its most successful owners has passed away. Cotton Owens, 88, died Thursday morning in his Spartanburg, South Carolina home just a little over two weeks after being selected for the 2013 NASCAR Hall Of Fame class. The two-time modified series champ, who made an impact on NASCAR's early years of the 1950s and 1960s won nine times on the Cup level, including the famed Daytona Beach race back in 1957. Edged out by Lee Petty for the 1959 Cup Series title, he put together 22 top-10 finishes in 37 starts that year, his finest season of Cup competition to finish as standings runner-up. But it was in the modified series where he would make his greatest impact, winning over 100 career races to set the standard for generations to come.
As a car owner, Owens paired with fellow South Carolina native David Pearson to briefly form one of the sport's most feared duos. Winning the series title in 1966, Pearson put up fifteen victories in 42 starts behind the wheel of Owens' Dodge; his first championship, that sparked Pearson to have one of the best driving careers the sport has ever seen. The roster of drivers Owens employed, for at least one race reads like a list of future, automatic racing Hall of Famers: Bobby Allison, Mario Andretti, Buddy Baker, Pete Hamilton, Junior Johnson, and Pearson. His cars were a mainstay on the Cup circuit right through the early 1970s.
Owens' poor health made it impossible for him to attend the Hall of Fame Ceremony in Charlotte last month; however, his family watched with him in South Carolina while his grandson praised the legend's many contributions to the sport.
"He was always an honest, hard-working individual," stated Brandon Davis. "Everybody always saw him as that."
Funeral arrangements have not yet been announced. If you would like to share your memories/thoughts on Cotton Owens, please send them to frontstretcheditors@googlegroups.com.
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What to Watch: Thursday
- On Thursday, the Sprint Cup teams continue their open test at Pocono Raceway ahead of this weekend's Pocono 400. The second session will be held from 1:00 - 3:30 PM.
Top 10 From Session 1 (in order): 22 - A.J. Allmendinger, 42 - Juan Pablo Montoya, 55 - Mark Martin, 15 - Clint Bowyer, 11 - Denny Hamlin, 18 - Kyle Busch, 16 - Greg Biffle, 29 - Kevin Harvick, 5 - Kasey Kahne, 88 - Dale Earnhardt, Jr.
- Meanwhile, out in Texas, the Camping World Truck Series teams will be on track at Texas Motor Speedway. Teams will be on-track for two practice sessions (11:30am-12:45pm CDT and 1:15-2:30pm CDT). Qualifying will be held at 6:00pm CDT to determine the grid. Unfortunately, the sessions will be not be televised and weather is threatening to wash out the day entirely as of 11:20 CST.
Top News
by Phil Allaway
Kyle Busch Wins Prelude to the Dream
During the leadup to the Prelude to the Dream, Kyle Busch talked how much he wanted to beat Tony Stewart at his own track. On Wednesday night, he got his chance.
Kyle Busch started on the outside pole and ran very well throughout the feature. However, he was no match for Kasey Kahne. Unfortunately, a crash took Kahne out of the 40-lapper, giving Busch the lead. From there, Busch had no problems holding off the rest of the pack to take his first victory in the eighth annual charity event. It was an impressive performance for Busch, who crashed in qualifying only to recover all the way to first place.
"This is cool," Busch said in Victory Lane. "This is what it's all about when you go dirt racing. It's a lot of fun. I can't say enough about (team owner) Scott Bloomquist and all these guys. They give me great race cars every time we come here and I've torn them up a few times, including tonight (in qualifying). We were able to come back through, get a good heat race, get a good starting spot for the main event and run up front there with the leaders all night."
Kahne started on pole in the newly-lengthened 40-lap feature, but the race had a lot of trouble simply starting at all. On the original green flag, Bobby Labonte spun out in Turn 1. J.J. Yeley also spun further back in the pack, drawing a caution and a complete restart of the event. The second start at least got a full lap complete. However, exiting Turn 4, Steve Kinser and Ray Evernham collided, causing Kinser to spin in front of the pack. Kinser was then hit by Labonte and Ron Capps. Yeley, David Gilliland, Dave Blaney and Danica Patrick all spun as well. Kinser and Capps were out of the race on the spot, but the other drivers managed to continue.
After a brief red flag, the green briefly came out again, but Jason Leffler spun in Turn 1 after contact with Donny Schatz, bringing out another yellow. Ken Schrader had nowhere to go and ran into the back of Leffler's No. 71. Leffler was able to continue, but Schrader was done for the night. The carnage continued shortly after the restart when Leffler had contact with Ty Dillon on the backstretch, spinning the ARCA champion out. Yeley also spun and hit Ty and Schatz, ending his evening although the other two drivers continued on.
Through all the wrecking, it became clear that there were two drivers that were better than the rest of the field by leaps and bounds. Those wheelmen were Kahne and Clint Bowyer. Bowyer, who started third, quickly passed Busch for second and chased down Kahne. Eventually, Bowyer put a "slide job" on Kahne in Turn 1 to take the lead on Lap 13.
However, Kahne was not done. He chased Bowyer back down and put a slide job on Bowyer in Turns 1 and 2, a move that put Bowyer into the outside wall on Lap 22. Regardless, it still allowed Kahne to reassume the lead. Busch put a similar move on Bowyer the next lap that damaged Bowyer's car beyond repair and forced him out of the race.
On Lap 24, Labonte spun his car in Turn 3 and stalled on track, bringing out the fifth caution. Kahne, who was a few seconds behind Labonte, was unable to avoid the stalled out car and hit him at near full speed. The impact ripped up the right side of Kahne's car and sheared the right rear wheel and axle right off. Kahne was OK following the hit, but was visibly upset at Labonte. The 2000 Cup champ was able to get his car restarted, but drove back to pit road and was unable to continue.
Due to Kahne's crash, Busch inherited the lead with Cruz Pedregon, who had made judicious use of the lower line, in second. Busch easily got the jump on the restart, while Pedregon dropped back significantly and left the Cup driver virtually unchallenged the rest of the way. Track owner/host Tony Stewart made a big move in the final segment, moving up to second, but he had absolutely nothing for Busch.
The final margin of victory was nearly 2.3 seconds over Stewart. Austin Dillon, who is staying in Eldora to race in the 100-lap Dream on Saturday night, finished a strong third. First-time dirt late model driver Schatz was fourth, while Ryan Newman rounded out the top-5 finishers. Aric Almirola was sixth, followed by Pedregon, who appeared to completely wear out his tires towards the end of the feature. Dave Blaney came from 20th to finish eighth, while Ty Dillon and Justin Allgaier rounded out the top 10. These finishers will all receive a truckload of food from Feed the Children that will be delivered to the locale of their choosing.
Out of the 25 starters (Kurt Busch could not start the 40-lap feature due to crash damage from his heat race), a mere 15 actually finished the event. 12 of those drivers were on the lead lap.
Open Testing at Pocono; Martin Fastest Wednesday
Ahead of this weekend's Pocono 400, NASCAR is allowing teams two days of open testing on the newly repaved, 2.5-mile scalene triangle. But so far, the track appears to be producing results similar to those seen during Goodyear's tire test held a little over one month ago.
Mark Martin set the fastest lap time on Wednesday with a blistering lap of 51.317 seconds (175.380 mph). This is almost three mph faster than the existing track record, which was set by Kasey Kahne in June, 2004. In all, 22 drivers turned in laps faster than the record, and two (Ryan Newman and A.J. Allmendinger) turned in ten-lap runs at an average speed faster than the one-lap track record.
As is typically the norm with new asphalt, the track was struggling to widen out with just a single groove through the turns. Tony Stewart referenced this point during an interview with ESPN's Jim Noble, but added that he was hopeful that a second groove could be worked into the track at some point during the weekend.
Other drivers were quite positive on the new surface.
"They did a great job; (the) track was really nice and smooth (with) good grip," said Jeff Gordon. "We have had some repaves where it is a handful and pretty slick. That was not the case at all today."
"You never know what to expect when a race track gets paved," said Jeff Burton. "This pavement is unbelievably just nice, smooth. The quality of racing is going to be improved a great deal. [But] it's still Pocono. It still has the same characteristics and the personality of Pocono, but just has more grip."
36 teams turned laps on Wednesday. Some teams chose not to run intentionally. In the case of Phoenix Racing's No. 51, the team was not at the track due to changing over their race seats in order to accommodate sub-driver David Reutimann. However, they plan to participate in Thursday's open test.
Top 10 From Wednesday's Open Test:
1) 55 - Mark Martin: 175.380 MPH
2) 22 - A.J. Allmendinger: 175.029 MPH
3) 48 - Jimmie Johnson: 174.808 MPH
4) 29 - Kevin Harvick: 174.686 MPH
5) 5 - Kasey Kahne: 174.578 MPH
6) 16 - Greg Biffle: 174.162 MPH
7) 20 - Joey Logano: 174.132 MPH
8) 56 - Martin Truex, Jr.: 174.091 MPH
9) 18 - Kyle Busch: 173.933 MPH
10) 42 - Juan Pablo Montoya: 173.926 MPH
Notables Struggling: 99 - Carl Edwards (25th, 171.999 MPH)
Fastest Ten-Lap Average: 39 - Ryan Newman (173.263 MPH)
Entry List Update:
Note: These entries are accurate as of Wednesday night. However, they are still subject to change.
Sprint Cup Series Pocono 400: 44 cars entered
Drivers Ineligible to Earn Points:
No. 19 - Mike Bliss for Humphrey-Smith Racing
No. 32 - Reed Sorenson for FAS Lane Racing
No. 87 - Joe Nemechek for NEMCO Motorsports
Driver Changes:
No. 10 - Dave Blaney is in the seat, replacing David Reutimann. Blaney moves into the team's "primary ride" after Reutimann was released for a one-race deal with Phoenix Racing.
No. 36 - Tony Raines returns to the seat, replacing Dave Blaney. It will be Raines' first Cup start since Talladega, but he is expected to park the car.
No. 51 - David Reutimann is in the seat, replacing Kurt Busch. These three switches are as a direct result of Kurt Busch being suspended by NASCAR for threatening The Sporting News' Bob Pockrass at Dover.
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. 74 - Cole Whitt for Turn One Racing* (NOTE: Stacy Compton is still listed on the initial entry list, but Whitt tested the No. 74 yesterday and the Nationwide Series is off this week)
No. 87 - Joe Nemechek for NEMCO Motorsports*
No. 98 - Michael McDowell for Phil Parsons Racing*
Not Entered:
No. 52 - Mike Skinner for Hamilton-Means Racing
No. 79 - Scott Speed for Go Green Racing
Camping World Truck Series WinStar World Casino 400k: 34 trucks entered
Drivers Ineligible to Earn Points:
No. 2- Brendan Gaughan for Richard Childress Racing
Driver Changes:
No. 07 - Johnny Chapman returns to the seat, replacing Chris Jones. Chapman is the team's start-and-park driver when no one brings any funding to race.
No. 2 - Brendan Gaughan returns to the seat, replacing Kevin Harvick. Gaughan is running a limited schedule as part of Richard Childress Racing's rotating list of Cup and Nationwide veterans hired to drive the Truck.
No. 14 - Brandon Miller is in the seat, replacing Brennan Newberry. Miller, who was a development driver for Richard Childress Racing about seven years ago, serves as Newberry's driver coach and NTS Motorsports is trying to evaluate their program.
No. 18 - Jason Leffler returns to the seat, replacing Brian Scott. Leffler is back, paired with his limited schedule of races with sponsor Dollar General.
No. 27 - Brandon Knupp will be in the seat, replacing Jeb Burton. The team's sponsorship from State Water Heaters ran out after Dover, leaving the team's status in complete limbo; it's unknown if Knupp is bringing funding to the table.
No. 84 - B.J. McLeod is in the seat, replacing Chris Fontaine. McLeod brings funding as Fontaine's team tries to make every race possible this season.
No. 93 - Chris Cockrum returns to the seat, replacing Johnny Chapman. Cockrum, a rookie in the series should bring enough funding to go the distance.
Since there are only 34 trucks entered, no one will fail to qualify. However, these teams still must qualify on speed:
No. 07 - Johnny Chapman for SS-Green Light Racing*
No. 10 - Jennifer Jo Cobb for JJC Racing
No. 14 - Brandon Miller for NTS Motorsports
No. 57 - Norm Benning for Norm Benning Racing
No. 65 - Scott Stenzel for MB Motorsports
No. 73 - Rick Crawford for Tagsby Racing
No. 74 - Mike Harmon for Mike Harmon Racing*
No. 84 - B.J. McLeod for Chris Fontaine, Inc.
No. 93 - Chris Cockrum for RSS Racing
Not Entered:
No. 38 - Dennis Setzer for RSS Racing
No. 61 - Wes Burton
No. 70 - Jeff Agnew for Level 7 Motorsports
No. 75 - Caleb Holman for Henderson Racing
ARCA Racing Series Presented by Menards Pocono ARCA 200: 33 cars entered
Notable Entries:
No. 5 - Bobby Gerhart for Bobby Gerhart Racing
No. 15 - Ryan Reed for Venturini Motorsports
No. 16 - Matt Lofton for Coulter Racing
No. 17 - Chris Buescher for Roulo Brothers Racing
No. 22 - Alex Bowman for Cunningham Motorsports
No. 25 - Brennan Poole for Venturini Motorsports
No. 44 - Frank Kimmel for ThorSport Racing
No. 55 - Kevin Swindell for Venturini Motorsports
No. 58 - Chad Hackenbracht for CGH Motorsports
No. 68 - Will Kimmel for Kimmel Racing
No. 82 - Sean Corr for Empire Racing
Izod IndyCar Series Firestone 550k: 25 cars entered
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. 6 - Katherine Legge for 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 Dreyer & Reinbold Racing
No. 25 - Ana Beatriz for Andretti Autosport
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. 7 - Sebastien Bourdais for Dragon Racing (Bourdais will miss Texas and Milwaukee due to preparations for the 24 Hours of Le Mans)
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
Suggestions For Phoenix Racing To Soothe Their Sponsor Woes
What's Vexing Vito
by Vito Pugliese
We've all been inundated with articles and stories this week about how Kurt Busch is down to his final two bullets, like John McClane at the end of DieHard. By Tuesday of next week, he will find out his fate if he still has a ride with James Finch in the No. 51 Phoenix Racing Chevrolet. Finch has said that Busch's behavior is making it impossible to find a sponsor for his car, complicating the possibility of keeping them together.
But that's where he's a bit misguided. Surely, there has to be a few out there that would be fitting for the hot-tempered driver with a quick wit and penchant for profanity. Here are some that might want to step up to the plate:
Paxil – Look out, Goody's! Although prescribed for Social Anxiety Disorder (i.e., SAD), it might also be used to treat MAD (Many Automobiles Destroyed) in Busch's case. Leading the series in wrecked race cars – 14 to date – Finch might need to pop a few of these too while they're at it and mellow out. Come to think of it, maybe Busch has had too many Monsters. Since he's suspended, I say just make the most of it. Take a couple of these, put on Dark Side, play some Madden, and just ride the dragon.
Rosetta Stone – Having worked in a rather large, four-star Hotel when I was going to college, I met a lot of people my age who emigrated from other countries. The first thing they learn to do upon moving here, is how to swear – albeit poorly. Learn from the best with this three-CD set, as Sprint Cup champion Kurt Busch works in obscenities the way Picasso worked in oils.
5-Hour Energy – Mainly just so I don't have to see Clint Bowyer forcing me to "get stuff done" every 20 minutes.
Lifebuoy Soap – Hey, it worked for Ralphie in A Christmas Story...it might be just what he needs to quit f***ing swearing so God****ed much. If not, slide an Ovaltine through the window on the next pit stop.
Preparation H – At first thought, one might not think this partnership would work since Kurt is generally regarded as being a perfect ***hole. But let's give him the benefit of the doubt and one last chance; like a hemorrhoid, he's a real pain in the ass, but we probably don't need him cut out and removed either.
I have also nearly completed mapping out how Kurt Busch and Mel Gibson's career paths have mirrored and now intersected each other, much like Venus passing between the Earth and the Sun this week. If there is enough reader interest for this topic, I will post it next week.
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One place Busch won't be this weekend is Pocono, as his suspension prevents him from going to the track and participating in even Wednesday's test of the new surface. Mark Martin led the opening day's session with a speed of 175.380 mph – over three mph faster than the pole speed here last August.
A large increase in speed here will add another element to a track that's already provided the rivalries of Kurt Busch vs. Jimmie Johnson, Joey Logano vs. Kevin Harvick, and... Elliott Sadler vs. a dirt wall. In the past, we've seen deer wandering around, a caution flag for a woodchuck, jackalopes, and a guy literally running across the track in the middle of a green-flag run.
Dale Earnhardt's team stopped at the start-finish line in an emotional tribute to Davey Allison following his death in 1993, and the Intimidator had the tables turned on him here in 2000 when Jeremy Mayfield was a speed freak of another nature. Tim Richmond won here in his remarkable but brief comeback after contracting AIDS in 1987 -- heck, they even used to run IndyCars here. Why not bring them back, too, and make a weekend out of it since it's been repaved?
All of this reminiscing got me to thinking....why do people complain about Pocono again? From what I can tell, it's a pretty awesome racetrack that has produced some of our most memorable and poignant moments in modern NASCAR history. It's kind of a shame they shortened it by 100 miles.
Wait. No, it's not. That took forever. Now it's faster, shorter, and we just get to the good stuff an hour sooner.
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.
If you are interested, contact frontstretcheditors@googlegroups.com. Please include references to your past work in your e-mail.
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Editor's Note: The Critic's Annex will not be seen this week. Instead, we bring you the fourth edition of our Driver Diary with Camping World Truck Series Rookie of the Year contender Paulie Harraka.
Kickin' It With Paulie: Edition IV
with Tom Bowles
As Paulie Harraka's rookie season in the Truck Series moves forward, a fascinating four-year journey at Duke has reached an end. Bowles speaks with the sport's newest college graduate about what he'll miss the most about school, some of his recent rookie ups and downs, why he loves (yes, loves) testing and so much more in the latest edition of our diary with the driver of the No. 5 Wauters Motorsports Ford.
It's been awhile since we last talked, a number of races so why don't we go with one: a difficult weekend at Charlotte in mid-May. What did you take away from your race weekend where you crashed, and why?
You know, Charlotte we were running sixth with about 40 or so laps to go. So the good thing is, we were certainly having our best run of the year. In that particular instance, I was overly aggressive. We were a bit aero tight, and I was trying to get to the front of the pack I was in, because I knew we could drive away from them and I just got a little too aggressive. Totally my fault.
Kasey Kahne mentioned to me at Charlotte his support system is what worked him through the slump he's been in, a group of 4, 5, 6 close-knit guys that have been with him through it all. Who do you vent to when you're going through a down period like this one… or do you need to vent to anyone?
It's a little bit of a mix. Right before I got on the phone with you, I was actually talking to Ricky Rudd. And Ricky went through the list of all the guys at the top of the Cup Series right now and how many cars they wrecked at the start of their careers. That was his way of supporting me, and he said, "Dude, it's going to happen. It happened to Kyle Busch. It happened to Jeff Gordon." You can go down a list… it happened to everybody. So definitely having a guy like Ricky imparting those reminders is helpful. And I've always got my group of friends, buddies that I can take a step back with and take a bigger approach. Richie and I also talk almost every day about what we can improve on, what we can do better, and how to move forward.
Does a comeback like Kahne's, over in the Sprint Cup Series give you additional hope you can turn things around quickly in your situation?
I don't think there was ever a point where I needed to look outside for hope. I believe very strongly in myself. I believe very strongly in my race team. It's just a matter of time… a matter of me getting enough races under my belt in these trucks and on these racetracks. And then, Richie and I need to keep working together more and more to learn each other better. It's a matter of… getting more races in, bringing that steady improvement. The results don't show it, but we've improved a lot since the start of the year. Texas will be an opportunity to start to show that… it may be my first time there, but it's so much like Charlotte. It's the first time I'm going somewhere and I can say, "I've been somewhere close to 'here' before." Daytona, Martinsville, Rockingham, Kansas, Charlotte, Dover… they're all places that are completely different.
It's like in the West Series. When I went to Colorado National Speedway for the first time, a 3/8th-mile short track north of Denver we went and qualified on the outside pole and we won the race. Yeah, it was my first time there but we had already been to a bunch of short tracks that weren't much different.
Take us through what happens when you get involved in a wreck. When you see an impact coming, do you do anything to prepare inside the car? How quickly does an actual crash unfold?
Everything happens super quick. You do everything you can to avoid hitting the wall, to avoid doing a lot of damage. As a driver, you're driving it up until pretty much the last minute trying not to hit anything. Then, when it becomes inevitable you're going to hit, you brace yourself somewhat but there's not a whole lot you can do. It happens, and you hope you don't bounce into anything. You hope you can keep the car at the top of the racetrack, so it doesn't slide into traffic, becoming a moving slalom as it goes to the bottom. That's about all you can do.
The whole thing unfolds in just a few seconds. But there's a point where you know you're going to hit. You're already pissed off before you even hit the wall.
Five races in the Truck Series have produced five different winners so far this year. Why has this division in particular produced so much parity?
Well, I think it's a matter of being a strong series, with a number of strong race teams and drivers. And there's been a lot of side-by-side racing. It's a hallmark of the Truck Series; you see a little bit more of it this year because there's not as many Cup guys jumping in. Obviously, Kyle's not running any races, Brad and Kevin are running a few… but you don't see as much of that. It allows the Truck guys to really step up and shine, which is great.
John King got the rug pulled out from under him last week, the No. 7 car pulled due to lack of sponsorship. Your reaction to one of your main ROTY competitors now forced to sit on the sidelines the rest of the year.
It's really disappointing. You never want to see that happen to somebody. You never want to see a good competitor no longer come to the racetrack. But it's part of the sport. It's part of the way things are right now.
Do you ever worry about that type of situation happening to you, even when things are good like with your ride here with Wauters Motorsports?
Well, you just try and hedge and get as far ahead of it as you can. You try and get your funding locked down as early as you can. That's one of the things that's gotten me to the Truck Series is thinking really carefully about how we're going to make the economics work. How are we going to get ahead of things, how are we going to make sure that our funding is certain. I know how John feels, because I sat out almost all of 2011 and that sucked. I ran two races in 2011, that's the least number of races I've started in a year since 1997. That feeling is no fun for a racecar driver. So I feel for John; it's not easy.
When you do sit out for a long time, how does that effect your confidence at all? Does it make you wonder, heading to this year's season opener for example whether you're going to be a little rusty, if you can still get the job done?
Well, you can't focus on that. You have to focus on how you can get back into a racecar. If you believe in yourself, and your ability to do it, you step up when you get in the racecar. It's just a matter of getting the opportunity.
You are now known as a Duke alumnus, part of the Class of 2012. How does it feel to be a college graduate? Describe your experience.
It's awesome. I can't believe that it's over. I can't believe the four years at Duke have come to pass. It's unreal. But it's exciting; I'm really excited to be an alumni. I thought that graduation would be this kind of bittersweet end to college where you were excited you didn't have to write any more papers or take any more exams. But it's also bitter because you're moving away from all your friends. What I found, though is there's not as much of a focus on that but more of a focus on how I've built a great community of friends, mentors, and professors when I'm at Duke – and there's no doubt they'll be staying with me the rest of my life
What will you miss the most about school?
Certainly, having all your buddies within a quarter-mile of you. That's definitely the thing you miss the most.
Talk about a special partnership you had with Phoenix at Dover. How do you think the presence of the track on the hood can help sell tickets?
Well, I love Phoenix. It's a really, really cool racetrack and they always pack it in. I was talking to the Track President, Bryan Sperber, and he was telling me about some of the programs they've got going on. We wanted to do something together, so we did. We focused on the fact the tickets for their whole Cup weekend went on sale June 1st, our raceday for Dover. It's obviously the second-to-last race of the Chase, it's a full weekend with my alma mater, the K&N Pro Series West, and also the Truck Series. So we'll have them on the Truck, and during the race, fans tweeted the hashtag #gopaulie and we gave away a bunch of cool prizes.
CURRENT EVENTS
Memorial Day Weekend brought us the biggest Sunday of racing all year: The Grand Prix of Monaco, the Indy 500 and the Coca-Cola 600. Comment on what you thought of the racing. Would you like to see the 500/600 double attempted once again?
I think the 600 was awesome. I'm really happy for Kasey Kahne, and Kenny Francis, the crew chief, the engineers and that whole group. Really, really well-deserved win for those guys. As for the other stuff, it was a great Indy 500. The whole weekend is bliss, as far as racing goes. It would be awesome to see someone do that double again like Tony Stewart and Robby Gordon used to do. There's nothing cooler than that.
What did you think of the Indy 500's last lap? Did Sato time his move too early?
As far as Sato… he wrecked, so he certainly didn't time it just right. He gave it all he had, and then some, but it's unfortunate. I don't blame the guy for taking the risk; but I wasn't driving his racecar. I don't know what challenges they were facing: Where they were strong, where they were weak. But he took a risk, and it didn't work out. I don't blame Franchitti, either, for doing all he could to protect his position. You gotta do what you gotta do. I don't think Franchitti did anything to intentionally wreck him, but… you've got to protect your position.
FAN QUESTION
"With the hot summer ahead, what are the types of things you like do to inside the car to keep cool? Will you ever eat during a race, too?" – Rob Smits, Charleston, WV
I do not eat during the race. The main focus is on hydration in the 36 to 48 hours before the race. You can't chug enough water at driver intros to hydrate yourself. You've got to start hydrating two days before, make sure that you're good and full of water. And for me, especially, I try and train for that. I try and train in a warm environment to keep my body used to having to exert itself in that heat. In the car, you've got a fresh air system blowing inside your helmet, so you've got some fresh air to breathe. But that's pretty much all you've got to keep you cool. So you've got to be able to deal with that heat. You've got to be hydrated.
Want to ask Paulie a question of your own? Email us at frontstretcheditors@googlegroups.com and you can be featured in his next diary!
WHAT'S HOT / WHAT'S NOT IN PAULIE'S WORLD
TESTING
What do you like?
I actually love testing – nothing to hate. I'm one of those drivers who likes to get involved in the technical side of my racecars. What works, what doesn't, and why we're testing it. I just like driving, learning about the cars and what makes it better. Testing is certainly a much lower pressure environment than Happy Hour, so I like it.
What's your favorite place to test?
Well, it's actually Greenville-Pickens Speedway (in South Carolina). I put down 640 laps in a CoT doing durability testing for a Cup team at Greenville-Pickens. That's probably the hardest I've ever worked as a racecar driver, but man, was it fun.
How hard is it to hold your concentration for 640 laps?
Nah, not hard. At a place like Greenville, you can't push too hard or try to get that extra 10 percent because you'll grind the tires off of it. It's all about pacing yourself, knowing your lap time every lap so you know where you're at. But you find ways to challenge yourself, get 60 laps on a set of tires and you're right at the end of that run on a set of tires, and you've got to work your tail off. I enjoy that challenge.
After the most recent diary, Harraka posted his best finish yet, a 17th-place, lead-lap run at Dover, Delaware in which he gained some much-needed on-track experience. The team hopes to build on that momentum this weekend in Texas; as Harraka said earlier, the team was on the verge of a top-10 result at Charlotte and feels strongly they can come home with that type of finish from the Lone Star State.
LINKS
Facebook
Twitter (Paulie)
Twitter (Wauters Motorsports)
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Frontstretch Line of the Week
From Five Points to Ponder: On Self-Destruction, Old Faces and Favors
"...if the team is serious about finding a sponsor for the first time in years, the answer may well be in the polar opposite of Busch…one Michael McDowell. There isn't a straighter arrow in the garage (McDowell's not going to pose a behavioral problem off-track, that's for sure), and there's something to be said about giving a driver who's dutifully played the start-and-park role for Phil Parsons the last three years a shot at racing. " - Bryan Davis Keith, describing a potential driver move for Phoenix Racing should James Finch decide to wash his hands of Kurt Busch for good.
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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:
MPM2Nite: The Long And The Short Of It
by Matt McLaughlin
Dollars And Sense: Twitter's Angry Dark Side... Is It Costing NASCAR Fans?~~~~~~~~~~
Editor's Note: The Critic's Annex will not be seen this week. Instead, we bring you the fourth edition of our Driver Diary with Camping World Truck Series Rookie of the Year contender Paulie Harraka.
Kickin' It With Paulie: Edition IV
with Tom Bowles
As Paulie Harraka's rookie season in the Truck Series moves forward, a fascinating four-year journey at Duke has reached an end. Bowles speaks with the sport's newest college graduate about what he'll miss the most about school, some of his recent rookie ups and downs, why he loves (yes, loves) testing and so much more in the latest edition of our diary with the driver of the No. 5 Wauters Motorsports Ford.
It's been awhile since we last talked, a number of races so why don't we go with one: a difficult weekend at Charlotte in mid-May. What did you take away from your race weekend where you crashed, and why?
You know, Charlotte we were running sixth with about 40 or so laps to go. So the good thing is, we were certainly having our best run of the year. In that particular instance, I was overly aggressive. We were a bit aero tight, and I was trying to get to the front of the pack I was in, because I knew we could drive away from them and I just got a little too aggressive. Totally my fault.
Kasey Kahne mentioned to me at Charlotte his support system is what worked him through the slump he's been in, a group of 4, 5, 6 close-knit guys that have been with him through it all. Who do you vent to when you're going through a down period like this one… or do you need to vent to anyone?
It's a little bit of a mix. Right before I got on the phone with you, I was actually talking to Ricky Rudd. And Ricky went through the list of all the guys at the top of the Cup Series right now and how many cars they wrecked at the start of their careers. That was his way of supporting me, and he said, "Dude, it's going to happen. It happened to Kyle Busch. It happened to Jeff Gordon." You can go down a list… it happened to everybody. So definitely having a guy like Ricky imparting those reminders is helpful. And I've always got my group of friends, buddies that I can take a step back with and take a bigger approach. Richie and I also talk almost every day about what we can improve on, what we can do better, and how to move forward.
Does a comeback like Kahne's, over in the Sprint Cup Series give you additional hope you can turn things around quickly in your situation?
I don't think there was ever a point where I needed to look outside for hope. I believe very strongly in myself. I believe very strongly in my race team. It's just a matter of time… a matter of me getting enough races under my belt in these trucks and on these racetracks. And then, Richie and I need to keep working together more and more to learn each other better. It's a matter of… getting more races in, bringing that steady improvement. The results don't show it, but we've improved a lot since the start of the year. Texas will be an opportunity to start to show that… it may be my first time there, but it's so much like Charlotte. It's the first time I'm going somewhere and I can say, "I've been somewhere close to 'here' before." Daytona, Martinsville, Rockingham, Kansas, Charlotte, Dover… they're all places that are completely different.
It's like in the West Series. When I went to Colorado National Speedway for the first time, a 3/8th-mile short track north of Denver we went and qualified on the outside pole and we won the race. Yeah, it was my first time there but we had already been to a bunch of short tracks that weren't much different.
Take us through what happens when you get involved in a wreck. When you see an impact coming, do you do anything to prepare inside the car? How quickly does an actual crash unfold?
Everything happens super quick. You do everything you can to avoid hitting the wall, to avoid doing a lot of damage. As a driver, you're driving it up until pretty much the last minute trying not to hit anything. Then, when it becomes inevitable you're going to hit, you brace yourself somewhat but there's not a whole lot you can do. It happens, and you hope you don't bounce into anything. You hope you can keep the car at the top of the racetrack, so it doesn't slide into traffic, becoming a moving slalom as it goes to the bottom. That's about all you can do.
The whole thing unfolds in just a few seconds. But there's a point where you know you're going to hit. You're already pissed off before you even hit the wall.
Five races in the Truck Series have produced five different winners so far this year. Why has this division in particular produced so much parity?
Well, I think it's a matter of being a strong series, with a number of strong race teams and drivers. And there's been a lot of side-by-side racing. It's a hallmark of the Truck Series; you see a little bit more of it this year because there's not as many Cup guys jumping in. Obviously, Kyle's not running any races, Brad and Kevin are running a few… but you don't see as much of that. It allows the Truck guys to really step up and shine, which is great.
John King got the rug pulled out from under him last week, the No. 7 car pulled due to lack of sponsorship. Your reaction to one of your main ROTY competitors now forced to sit on the sidelines the rest of the year.
It's really disappointing. You never want to see that happen to somebody. You never want to see a good competitor no longer come to the racetrack. But it's part of the sport. It's part of the way things are right now.
Do you ever worry about that type of situation happening to you, even when things are good like with your ride here with Wauters Motorsports?
Well, you just try and hedge and get as far ahead of it as you can. You try and get your funding locked down as early as you can. That's one of the things that's gotten me to the Truck Series is thinking really carefully about how we're going to make the economics work. How are we going to get ahead of things, how are we going to make sure that our funding is certain. I know how John feels, because I sat out almost all of 2011 and that sucked. I ran two races in 2011, that's the least number of races I've started in a year since 1997. That feeling is no fun for a racecar driver. So I feel for John; it's not easy.
When you do sit out for a long time, how does that effect your confidence at all? Does it make you wonder, heading to this year's season opener for example whether you're going to be a little rusty, if you can still get the job done?
Well, you can't focus on that. You have to focus on how you can get back into a racecar. If you believe in yourself, and your ability to do it, you step up when you get in the racecar. It's just a matter of getting the opportunity.
You are now known as a Duke alumnus, part of the Class of 2012. How does it feel to be a college graduate? Describe your experience.
It's awesome. I can't believe that it's over. I can't believe the four years at Duke have come to pass. It's unreal. But it's exciting; I'm really excited to be an alumni. I thought that graduation would be this kind of bittersweet end to college where you were excited you didn't have to write any more papers or take any more exams. But it's also bitter because you're moving away from all your friends. What I found, though is there's not as much of a focus on that but more of a focus on how I've built a great community of friends, mentors, and professors when I'm at Duke – and there's no doubt they'll be staying with me the rest of my life
What will you miss the most about school?
Certainly, having all your buddies within a quarter-mile of you. That's definitely the thing you miss the most.
Talk about a special partnership you had with Phoenix at Dover. How do you think the presence of the track on the hood can help sell tickets?
Well, I love Phoenix. It's a really, really cool racetrack and they always pack it in. I was talking to the Track President, Bryan Sperber, and he was telling me about some of the programs they've got going on. We wanted to do something together, so we did. We focused on the fact the tickets for their whole Cup weekend went on sale June 1st, our raceday for Dover. It's obviously the second-to-last race of the Chase, it's a full weekend with my alma mater, the K&N Pro Series West, and also the Truck Series. So we'll have them on the Truck, and during the race, fans tweeted the hashtag #gopaulie and we gave away a bunch of cool prizes.
CURRENT EVENTS
Memorial Day Weekend brought us the biggest Sunday of racing all year: The Grand Prix of Monaco, the Indy 500 and the Coca-Cola 600. Comment on what you thought of the racing. Would you like to see the 500/600 double attempted once again?
I think the 600 was awesome. I'm really happy for Kasey Kahne, and Kenny Francis, the crew chief, the engineers and that whole group. Really, really well-deserved win for those guys. As for the other stuff, it was a great Indy 500. The whole weekend is bliss, as far as racing goes. It would be awesome to see someone do that double again like Tony Stewart and Robby Gordon used to do. There's nothing cooler than that.
What did you think of the Indy 500's last lap? Did Sato time his move too early?
As far as Sato… he wrecked, so he certainly didn't time it just right. He gave it all he had, and then some, but it's unfortunate. I don't blame the guy for taking the risk; but I wasn't driving his racecar. I don't know what challenges they were facing: Where they were strong, where they were weak. But he took a risk, and it didn't work out. I don't blame Franchitti, either, for doing all he could to protect his position. You gotta do what you gotta do. I don't think Franchitti did anything to intentionally wreck him, but… you've got to protect your position.
FAN QUESTION
"With the hot summer ahead, what are the types of things you like do to inside the car to keep cool? Will you ever eat during a race, too?" – Rob Smits, Charleston, WV
I do not eat during the race. The main focus is on hydration in the 36 to 48 hours before the race. You can't chug enough water at driver intros to hydrate yourself. You've got to start hydrating two days before, make sure that you're good and full of water. And for me, especially, I try and train for that. I try and train in a warm environment to keep my body used to having to exert itself in that heat. In the car, you've got a fresh air system blowing inside your helmet, so you've got some fresh air to breathe. But that's pretty much all you've got to keep you cool. So you've got to be able to deal with that heat. You've got to be hydrated.
Want to ask Paulie a question of your own? Email us at frontstretcheditors@googlegroups.com and you can be featured in his next diary!
WHAT'S HOT / WHAT'S NOT IN PAULIE'S WORLD
TESTING
What do you like?
I actually love testing – nothing to hate. I'm one of those drivers who likes to get involved in the technical side of my racecars. What works, what doesn't, and why we're testing it. I just like driving, learning about the cars and what makes it better. Testing is certainly a much lower pressure environment than Happy Hour, so I like it.
What's your favorite place to test?
Well, it's actually Greenville-Pickens Speedway (in South Carolina). I put down 640 laps in a CoT doing durability testing for a Cup team at Greenville-Pickens. That's probably the hardest I've ever worked as a racecar driver, but man, was it fun.
How hard is it to hold your concentration for 640 laps?
Nah, not hard. At a place like Greenville, you can't push too hard or try to get that extra 10 percent because you'll grind the tires off of it. It's all about pacing yourself, knowing your lap time every lap so you know where you're at. But you find ways to challenge yourself, get 60 laps on a set of tires and you're right at the end of that run on a set of tires, and you've got to work your tail off. I enjoy that challenge.
After the most recent diary, Harraka posted his best finish yet, a 17th-place, lead-lap run at Dover, Delaware in which he gained some much-needed on-track experience. The team hopes to build on that momentum this weekend in Texas; as Harraka said earlier, the team was on the verge of a top-10 result at Charlotte and feels strongly they can come home with that type of finish from the Lone Star State.
LINKS
Twitter (Paulie)
Twitter (Wauters Motorsports)
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Frontstretch Line of the Week
From Five Points to Ponder: On Self-Destruction, Old Faces and Favors
"...if the team is serious about finding a sponsor for the first time in years, the answer may well be in the polar opposite of Busch…one Michael McDowell. There isn't a straighter arrow in the garage (McDowell's not going to pose a behavioral problem off-track, that's for sure), and there's something to be said about giving a driver who's dutifully played the start-and-park role for Phil Parsons the last three years a shot at racing. " - Bryan Davis Keith, describing a potential driver move for Phoenix Racing should James Finch decide to wash his hands of Kurt Busch for good.
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TODAY ON THE FRONTSTRETCH:
MPM2Nite: The Long And The Short Of It
by Matt McLaughlin
by Jesse Medford
Potts' Shots: The Worst Pace Car, Where There's Smoke, No Fire And Hot Hondas
by John Potts
Professor Of Speed: A Turn, Turn, Turn For The Worst?
by Mark Howell
Truckin' Thursdays: A Trio Of 'Texas-Sized' Favorites For 2012
by Beth Lunkenheimer
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FRONTSTRETCH TRIVIA:
FRONTSTRETCH TRIVIA:
Q: Our readers probably remember the nasty hit that Elliott Sadler took at Pocono back in August, 2010 on the Long Pond Straightaway (this shaky shot is the closest anyone's found to show the ride Sadler actually took). However, the guardrails at Pocono were not always so reinforced. What happened to cause the track to reinforce their inner guardrails with earthen banks?
Check back Friday for the answer, here in the Frontstretch Newsletter!
Wednesday's Answer:
Wednesday's Answer:
Q: In the 1997 Pocono 500, Greg Sacks (driving in place of Robby Gordon, who was recovering from the rather unusual burns he suffered during the Indianapolis 500) qualified fourth for the race. However, his day was over before it really got going. What happened?
A: In the first few laps of the race, Sacks moved up from fourth to second and was running very strong. However, on Lap 9, he spun out exiting Turn 1 and hit the wall on the driver's side. It appears that Jeff Gordon, who was running right behind Sacks, took the air off the rear spoiler and loosened up Sacks. No contact was made. The crash can be seen at the 14:50 mark of the race. Eli Gold, Dr. Dick Berggren and Buddy Baker have the call for TNN.
Sacks was already hobbling around at the time since he broke his left foot testing the defunct No. 20 for Ranier-Walsh Racing earlier in the season, forcing him to sit out a few weeks. He was sore after this crash, but OK.
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!
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Tomorrow on the Frontstretch:
Four Burning Questions: Pocono Edition by Summer Bedgood
Summer is back with a four-part look at some interesting stories as we look forward to Sunday's Pocono 400 at Pocono Raceway.
Holding A Pretty Wheel by Beth Lunkenheimer
Beth is pinch-hitting for Amy this week, and she's bringing you a piece on Diabetes fundraising and how Turner Motorsports is helping out this weekend.
Friday Fast Forward Into NASCAR's Future by Bryan Davis Keith
Bryan returns with another interesting commentary piece on the Nationwide Series to tide you over during the off-week.
Voices From the Heartland by Jeff Meyer
Our Tennessee transplant returns with another interesting take on recent events.
IndyCar Series Preview: Firestone 550k by Toni Montgomery
Toni takes a look at what to expect in Saturday night's Firestone 550k at Texas Motor Speedway.
Driver Diary: Kenny Wallace as told to Amy Henderson
Herman returns to discuss the past month in his racing career, including the leadup to Wednesday's Prelude to the Dream..
-----------------------------Sacks was already hobbling around at the time since he broke his left foot testing the defunct No. 20 for Ranier-Walsh Racing earlier in the season, forcing him to sit out a few weeks. He was sore after this crash, but OK.
Frontstretch Trivia Guarantee: If we mess up, you get the shirt off our backs! If we've provided an incorrect answer to the Frontstretch Trivia question, be the first to email the corrected trivia answer to trivia@frontstretch.com and we'll send you a Frontstretch T-Shirt ... FREE!
~~~~~~~~~~
Coming tomorrow in the Frontstretch Newsletter:
-- Top News from 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: Pocono Edition by Summer Bedgood
Summer is back with a four-part look at some interesting stories as we look forward to Sunday's Pocono 400 at Pocono Raceway.
Holding A Pretty Wheel by Beth Lunkenheimer
Beth is pinch-hitting for Amy this week, and she's bringing you a piece on Diabetes fundraising and how Turner Motorsports is helping out this weekend.
Friday Fast Forward Into NASCAR's Future by Bryan Davis Keith
Bryan returns with another interesting commentary piece on the Nationwide Series to tide you over during the off-week.
Voices From the Heartland by Jeff Meyer
Our Tennessee transplant returns with another interesting take on recent events.
IndyCar Series Preview: Firestone 550k by Toni Montgomery
Toni takes a look at what to expect in Saturday night's Firestone 550k at Texas Motor Speedway.
Driver Diary: Kenny Wallace as told to Amy Henderson
Herman returns to discuss the past month in his racing career, including the leadup to Wednesday's Prelude to the Dream..
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