THE FRONTSTRETCH NEWSLETTER
Presented by Frontstretch.com
The Best Seat at the Track, The Best View on the Net!
August 7th, 2012
Volume VI, Edition CXLIV
Editor's Note: Due to special breaking news, the Newsletter was held this Tuesday to provide the latest, greatest information for you all. We apologize for the inconvenience, know the next one will be out overnight tonight per usual. - Frontstretch Staff
BIG ANNOUNCEMENTS TODAY: 2:30 PM ET, Dodge leaving the sport. 3:00 PM ET, AJ Allmendinger has a full, one-on-one interview with Marty Smith on NASCAR Now re: drug suspension.
- Look for penalties to be announced against Richard Petty Motorsports' No. 43 Nationwide Series team. In post-race inspection Saturday night, Michael Annett's car was found to be too low in the front end. More than likely, crew chief Phillipe Lopez will be fined and placed on probation. In addition, Annett and the team will lose a specific amount of points, likely six each.
- Jeff Gordon is speaking to the media today following his thrilling come-from-behind victory at Pocono Raceway. The victory put Gordon, once considered a longshot at best for the Chase into the second "wild card" slot for the postseason as of now. Ron Fellows, who is running the Nationwide Series event with JR Motorsports will also hold a national teleconference with reporters.
Top News
by Tom Bowles
BREAKING: It's Adderall For AJ Allmendinger
At 3:00 on NASCAR Now, ESPN's Marty Smith will have an exclusive interview with AJ Allmendinger in which the driver admits to testing positive for Adderall. In a story posted on ESPN.com this morning, teasing the full one-on-one conversation Allmendinger claims "a friend" gave him one pill of Adderall the Wednesday before the race at Kentucky Speedway. Allmendinger claimed he had no idea what the pill was, just that he was tired and the friend explained it would help him sleep.
The race car driver, two days later failed a random drug test due to the amphetamine, one that has left him indefinitely suspended from NASCAR competition. Allmendinger also claims his upcoming rehabilitation, the Road To Recovery program is geared more towards stress management than drug addiction. He claims no abuse, says Adderall was only taken once in his life but will move forward with the process in order to attempt to race again at stock car racing's top levels.
NASCAR, in response to the story has claimed they do not know the specific drug Allmendinger tested positive for; that information is supposedly restricted to Aegis Labs. Spokeman David Higdon explained, "It's part of the Road to Recovery program, to discuss that and work through it."
BREAKING: Dodge Leaving NASCAR
Dodge has scheduled a special announcement, for 2:30 PM/ET today in which they're expected to reveal they're leaving the sport. The manufacturer, which reentered the Cup Series in 2001 has posted 55 victories in its latest stint with the Cup Series but is currently without a full-time team for 2013 with Roger Penske switching to Ford.
Rumors had increased Dodge was leaving after failing to bring a car to a recent "next generation" test for the new chassis to be rolled out full-time in February. Michael Andretti, who was also trying to seal a deal with the manufacturer and his IndyCar program recently bowed out of NASCAR negotiations due to sponsorship concerns for 2013. The only other rumored partnerships, with Furniture Row Racing's No. 78 program and Richard Petty Motorsports never made it past the early stages.
Once a powerhouse within the sport, the recent 12-year stint has failed to produce the desired results for Dodge. Their best points finish was third, in 2001 with Sterling Marlin and they never won a manufacturer's championship in Cup during that stretch. While Bill Elliott captured the Brickyard 400, in 2002 it was the only victory for them in that major event; the Daytona 500 was won only twice, by Ward Burton in 2002 and Ryan Newman in 2008. One of their flagship teams, run by Dodge loyalist Richard Petty eventually ran into financial problems and switched to Ford; they never achieved the type of championship-level status as when King Richard drove the famed No. 43 in the 1960s and '70s.
There's no comments from major officials prior to the announcement, and no word on what this does for the Nationwide and Truck teams who are still running Dodge equipment despite the manufacturer already limiting support for those series. The departure leaves Sprint Cup with just three full-time manufacturers for 2013: Ford, Chevy, and Toyota.
Lightning Strike Update
Two days after tragedy at Pocono, the Raceway and NASCAR are still investigating the process that left one man dead and nine injured following lightning strikes shortly after the Pennsylvania 400 was called due to weather. The identity of the 41-year-old man has been released: Brian F. Zimmerman of Moosic, PA was killed despite efforts by EMT officials and a friend to revive him within 3 minutes after being hit. Here's the official statement released by Pocono Raceway:
"On behalf of the entire staff here at Pocono Raceway, we are deeply saddened by yesterday's tragic events. As mentioned, our fans are like family to us and we express our deepest condolences to the individuals and families involved, especially Mr. Zimmerman's.
"We work in conjunction with NASCAR regarding safety of fans, teams and other attendees throughout the course of our race weekends. Additionally, we are in constant communication with local and national agencies regarding weather conditions and emergency services.
"At approximately 5:01 p.m. Eastern Time, the first lightning strike occurred on property inside our Grandstand Parking area, located near Gate 5A. A Pocono Raceway Grandstand Fire unit was stationed in the vicinity and witnessed the actual strike. The response was immediate as the unit reported the incident to our control tower and advised spectators were injured. CPR was started immediately to Mr. Zimmerman by a friend on the scene.
"Within a matter of 3 minutes, medical personnel and additional emergency services reported on the scene and took control of treatment to individuals. EMT responders were approached by additional individuals who reported symptoms related to the lightning strike. Those affected were taken to the Raceway Medical Centers, where they were examined and transported to local area hospitals for treatment and further evaluation. A total of nine individuals were treated as a result of the initial lightning strike.
"At approximately 6:35 p.m. Eastern Time, the control tower was notified of a second possible lightning strike in the vicinity near Gate 3. The individual was immediately transported to Pocono Raceway's Infield Medical Center where they were initially treated for minor injuries before being transported to Pocono Medical Center in Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania for further evaluation.
"As stated last night at 7:40 p.m. Eastern Time, Mr. Zimmerman was confirmed as deceased. Additional information regarding the other nine individuals involved was not yet available.
"At this point in time, the one individual that was in critical condition has now been upgraded to stable. Some have been treated and released. Others involved are pending release as early as today and all are in good spirits. The safety of all guests to Pocono Raceway is of the utmost importance to our entire staff. This tragic event is at the forefront of all of our thoughts and prayers. We will learn from the incident and continue to implement strategies to help ensure the safety of fans and all attendees at future events at Pocono Raceway.
We are in the process up establishing a Memorial Fund for victims of this incident. More information will be released a soon as possible."
The timeline established by Pocono gives a seven-minute gap from the race being declared official and the first lightning strike. Additionally, the severe thunderstorm warning came out at 4:12 PM, 49 minutes before the first strike. Officials on Monday and Tuesday have been debating behind the scenes whether to change their weather policy, halting the race earlier although ample warnings to take shelter were given from the track's PA system. Pocono Raceway is also mulling possible ways to increase safety for 2013.NASCAR, ultimately has referred decisions for severe weather reaction up to the individual tracks. However, series officials are in charge of monitoring the status of their own race and ultimately choosing when and how to stop it, leading in some portion of responsibility; several sources told Frontstretch it's difficult to impossible to force fans to take shelter when the race is still running (a common sense conclusion). The organization, according to several series officials have amped up their evacuation and reactionary system heading to Watkins Glen this weekend, another track that has a history of weather problems.
Have news for Tom and the Frontstretch? Don't hesitate to let us know; email us at ashland10@mail.com with a promising lead or tip.
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Got NASCAR-related questions or comments?
Send them John Potts' way at john.potts@frontstretch.com; and if you're lucky, you'll get your name in print when he does his weekly column answering back to you – the fans that keep Frontstretch afloat. Potts' Shots will run on Thursdays with a whole new set of Fan Questions and Answers!
~~~~~~~~~~
Today's Featured Commentary
Severe Weather Warnings: What Should Be The NASCAR Fan's Safety Net
Got NASCAR-related questions or comments?
Send them John Potts' way at john.potts@frontstretch.com; and if you're lucky, you'll get your name in print when he does his weekly column answering back to you – the fans that keep Frontstretch afloat. Potts' Shots will run on Thursdays with a whole new set of Fan Questions and Answers!
~~~~~~~~~~
Today's Featured Commentary
Severe Weather Warnings: What Should Be The NASCAR Fan's Safety Net
Sitting In The Stands: A Fan's View
by S.D. Grady
Was the lightning strike at Pocono that claimed Brian Zimmerman's life and sent nine others to area hospitals a fluke? From personal experience, I don't think so.
It was 2005. My much adored and abused travel trailer was parked inside the exit of Turn 3 at Pocono. And the clouds were building behind the empty grandstand. The black, purple-green kind that taught me I should hide under the stairs when I was a child. I looked around as the wind started to pick up and the scent of rain blew across the track. We scurried around our camping spot throwing as much stuff inside as possible, taking up the awning and then it hit.
Rain beat at us and we retreated inside. Lightning and thunder rumbled overhead. My husband wondered aloud, "You think I should take down the flagpole?"
I didn't think long. "No."
Moments later, sound and light combined in an explosion that sent me to my knees. I opened my eyes and realized my teeth buzzed, but I still had a fiberglass roof overhead. We stared at each other and breathed a sigh of relief. We muttered the usual, "That was close." Mother Nature continued to thrash the infield.
When we poked our heads outside about ten minutes later, fellow campers were approaching our RV and asked if we were OK. Apparently the flagpole served as a lightning rod and the trailer a Faraday cage, the bolt exiting through our satellite dish sitting on the ground. Others had lost awnings, roof hatches, various pieces of lawn furniture, but we all remained whole. Just scared, minus bits of equipment in the trailer and the truck (the electro-magnetic pulse did in all the electronics.)
We swore we'd never approach camping at the races the same way again. We realized what little protection existed between us and the most damaging weather.
At Dover one year later, a storm rolled in and we were told to evacuate the seats, but not hide under the grandstands. With no other major structures nearby, were we supposed to make the mile hike back to the trailer? With the wind whipping and clouds churning overhead, that didn't seem like a real good option. Then again, the track wasn't stopping competition a good half-hour before the storm hit. It was already spitting and thundering. Our lead time to find shelter didn't exist. We ignored the sound advice of the track and ended up huddled beneath the aluminum stands, hoping the massive lightning rod wouldn't work.
Besides Dover, there have been torrential downpours at Watkins Glen, while the county was declared a Federal Disaster Area, Hurricane Ivan doing a do-si-do up and down the East Coast and in Lot L at NHMS, a tornado at Darlington and another furious thunderstorm at Atlanta. And I only make it to two or three races in a year. We just keep gladly throwing ourselves into the path of destruction over and over because we are racing fools.
When you add it up, severe weather doesn't seem like such an anomaly at the races, does it? Yet, when asked where I'm supposed to go in case of such impending storms, I haven't a clue beyond back to my trailer or car. I've never received Inclement Weather plans from a track, even when purchasing camping sites. But that's not really a surprise.
Tracks by their nature lack any kind of large structures capable of protecting the 80k fans attending the event. The parking and camping lots are located at a good distance in order to facilitate foot traffic in and out of the venue. Executing a quick evacuation is geographically near impossible. Time, what the fan needs to reach safety is never your friend.
However, on the other hand of this dicey equation we have the NASCAR officials remaining focused on completing the day's events -- hopefully without chopping a race short. They fight to keep the green and yellow flags flying until there's no hope of the track going green without a lengthy jet-drying session... And the clock keeps ticking.
So, the cars keep racing, which works for me as a fan. I'm always eager to watch any kind of lap being put down on the track. A little sprinkle won't chase me away. Heat. Wind. Threats of hurricanes. I might check the weather on my scanner, but I might not if the battle is heating up. I can't hear any kind of PA announcement with engines running and spotters chatting in my headset. I completely ignore social media when presented with 800 horsepower machines. I am a captive of the drama playing out on the track, even after being struck by lightning and "learning my lesson." I am a hopeless case, and probably a fair example of your average fan in the stands. We don't want to go!
So, what to do? How do we prevent another tragedy like what we suffered at Pocono this past weekend? How does NASCAR, as a sport -- not a sanctioning body -- protect its most valuable resource, the fan?
Simple. Give people time and space to protect themselves. At the moment a severe storm warning is issued for the track, all on-track activity should be stopped. No yellows. Drop the red flag. Take the eye candy away. This will grab the spectator's attention faster than anything. Afterwards, place evacuation instructions on the massive Sprint Vision screens. Use the PA system. Ask teams to also repeat the evacuation order over their radios. Have track workers herd fans out of the stands. Tell people where to seek shelter.
Yes, I'm afraid, some fans will be jerks and give everybody a hard time. But most warnings, issued by the National Weather Service give a good 15 to 20 minutes before the worst of the storm arrives. That should be plenty of time to find the right kind of space in which to hide.
I do believe in taking responsibility for yourself. It would be so easy to simply let NASCAR and the tracks off the hook where fan safety is concerned, especially when the clouds start to boil. But, I also recognize my own weakness. I love racing to the exclusion and distraction of all else. I'm afraid my good sense takes a holiday when those engines turn over. I can't be the only one with this affliction, either. We need a little help returning to our sensible selves.
So, I'm asking NASCAR and the track owners to look at this situation good and hard. Consider where all those fans would be safest when the skies light up. Then do the right thing and use that red flag as a first option, rather than a last and too final a resort.
Sonya's Weekly Danica Stat
Iowa: NNS in the No. 7 GoDaddy.com Chevrolet
Qualified: 18th
Finished: 11th (running, lead lap)
Points Position: 10th
by S.D. Grady
Was the lightning strike at Pocono that claimed Brian Zimmerman's life and sent nine others to area hospitals a fluke? From personal experience, I don't think so.
It was 2005. My much adored and abused travel trailer was parked inside the exit of Turn 3 at Pocono. And the clouds were building behind the empty grandstand. The black, purple-green kind that taught me I should hide under the stairs when I was a child. I looked around as the wind started to pick up and the scent of rain blew across the track. We scurried around our camping spot throwing as much stuff inside as possible, taking up the awning and then it hit.
Rain beat at us and we retreated inside. Lightning and thunder rumbled overhead. My husband wondered aloud, "You think I should take down the flagpole?"
I didn't think long. "No."
Moments later, sound and light combined in an explosion that sent me to my knees. I opened my eyes and realized my teeth buzzed, but I still had a fiberglass roof overhead. We stared at each other and breathed a sigh of relief. We muttered the usual, "That was close." Mother Nature continued to thrash the infield.
When we poked our heads outside about ten minutes later, fellow campers were approaching our RV and asked if we were OK. Apparently the flagpole served as a lightning rod and the trailer a Faraday cage, the bolt exiting through our satellite dish sitting on the ground. Others had lost awnings, roof hatches, various pieces of lawn furniture, but we all remained whole. Just scared, minus bits of equipment in the trailer and the truck (the electro-magnetic pulse did in all the electronics.)
We swore we'd never approach camping at the races the same way again. We realized what little protection existed between us and the most damaging weather.
At Dover one year later, a storm rolled in and we were told to evacuate the seats, but not hide under the grandstands. With no other major structures nearby, were we supposed to make the mile hike back to the trailer? With the wind whipping and clouds churning overhead, that didn't seem like a real good option. Then again, the track wasn't stopping competition a good half-hour before the storm hit. It was already spitting and thundering. Our lead time to find shelter didn't exist. We ignored the sound advice of the track and ended up huddled beneath the aluminum stands, hoping the massive lightning rod wouldn't work.
Besides Dover, there have been torrential downpours at Watkins Glen, while the county was declared a Federal Disaster Area, Hurricane Ivan doing a do-si-do up and down the East Coast and in Lot L at NHMS, a tornado at Darlington and another furious thunderstorm at Atlanta. And I only make it to two or three races in a year. We just keep gladly throwing ourselves into the path of destruction over and over because we are racing fools.
When you add it up, severe weather doesn't seem like such an anomaly at the races, does it? Yet, when asked where I'm supposed to go in case of such impending storms, I haven't a clue beyond back to my trailer or car. I've never received Inclement Weather plans from a track, even when purchasing camping sites. But that's not really a surprise.
Tracks by their nature lack any kind of large structures capable of protecting the 80k fans attending the event. The parking and camping lots are located at a good distance in order to facilitate foot traffic in and out of the venue. Executing a quick evacuation is geographically near impossible. Time, what the fan needs to reach safety is never your friend.
However, on the other hand of this dicey equation we have the NASCAR officials remaining focused on completing the day's events -- hopefully without chopping a race short. They fight to keep the green and yellow flags flying until there's no hope of the track going green without a lengthy jet-drying session... And the clock keeps ticking.
So, the cars keep racing, which works for me as a fan. I'm always eager to watch any kind of lap being put down on the track. A little sprinkle won't chase me away. Heat. Wind. Threats of hurricanes. I might check the weather on my scanner, but I might not if the battle is heating up. I can't hear any kind of PA announcement with engines running and spotters chatting in my headset. I completely ignore social media when presented with 800 horsepower machines. I am a captive of the drama playing out on the track, even after being struck by lightning and "learning my lesson." I am a hopeless case, and probably a fair example of your average fan in the stands. We don't want to go!
So, what to do? How do we prevent another tragedy like what we suffered at Pocono this past weekend? How does NASCAR, as a sport -- not a sanctioning body -- protect its most valuable resource, the fan?
Simple. Give people time and space to protect themselves. At the moment a severe storm warning is issued for the track, all on-track activity should be stopped. No yellows. Drop the red flag. Take the eye candy away. This will grab the spectator's attention faster than anything. Afterwards, place evacuation instructions on the massive Sprint Vision screens. Use the PA system. Ask teams to also repeat the evacuation order over their radios. Have track workers herd fans out of the stands. Tell people where to seek shelter.
Yes, I'm afraid, some fans will be jerks and give everybody a hard time. But most warnings, issued by the National Weather Service give a good 15 to 20 minutes before the worst of the storm arrives. That should be plenty of time to find the right kind of space in which to hide.
I do believe in taking responsibility for yourself. It would be so easy to simply let NASCAR and the tracks off the hook where fan safety is concerned, especially when the clouds start to boil. But, I also recognize my own weakness. I love racing to the exclusion and distraction of all else. I'm afraid my good sense takes a holiday when those engines turn over. I can't be the only one with this affliction, either. We need a little help returning to our sensible selves.
So, I'm asking NASCAR and the track owners to look at this situation good and hard. Consider where all those fans would be safest when the skies light up. Then do the right thing and use that red flag as a first option, rather than a last and too final a resort.
Sonya's Weekly Danica Stat
Iowa: NNS in the No. 7 GoDaddy.com Chevrolet
Qualified: 18th
Finished: 11th (running, lead lap)
Points Position: 10th
S.D. Grady is a Senior Editor for Frontstretch.com. She can be reached via e-mail at sonya.grady@frontstretch.com. Follow her on Twitter at @laregna.
~~~~~~~~~~
Numbers Game: Pennsylvania 245
by Garrett Horton
1
Pocono was the first race this year were the current top-4 in points, Dale Earnhardt, Jr., Matt Kenseth, Greg Biffle, and Jimmie Johnson, all failed to finish in the top-10.
3
Rick Hendrick drivers have won the last three races: Kasey Kahne at Loudon, Jimmie Johnson at Indy, and Jeff Gordon at Pocono. This is the second time this year they have won three in a row, despite failing to reach Victory Lane until the Southern 500 at Darlington in May.
5
Jeff Gordon won his sixth race at Pocono on Sunday, which is a track record. It is the fifth venue where Gordon has won six or more races at, joining Daytona, Talladega, Martinsville, and Darlington, where the latter two he owns seven victories apiece. Jimmie Johnson and Bobby Labonte are the only other active full-time drivers to have at least six wins at any track.
9
Jeff Gordon has gained nine positions since the first Pocono race in June, going from 22nd to 13th in points and now occupies the second wildcard spot. No one has scored more points than Gordon during this eight-race span.
14
If it wasn't for restrictor plates, Jimmie Johnson would easily be this year's dominant driver. His 14th-place finish in the rain-shortened Pennsylvania 400 was his worst result in a non-restrictor plate race all year.
20
Kyle Busch is quickly seeing his Chase hopes fading. In the last nine races, he ranks just 20th among total points scored and has more DNF's (3) than top-10's (2) in that span.
24
It was a 1-2 finish for Hendrick Motorsports on Sunday, the first time in 24 races that any team has swept the first two positions. Richard Childress Racing was the last team to do so, when Clint Bowyer barely beat then-teammate Jeff Burton at Talladega last fall. Coincidentally, the most recent time before that was 31 races ago at Atlanta, which had been Gordon's last win. There, he beat teammate Jimmie Johnson in a thrilling duel to the finish.
28
Regan Smith recorded his first top-10 result in nearly a year, coming home in ninth place. His last top-10 outing had been at Loudon last September, 28 races ago.
29th
Denny Hamlin was relegated to a 29th-place performance after getting caught up in the Matt Kenseth-Jimmie Johnson incident on the final restart. While it's not his worst finish at the Tricky Triangle, it marked his first DNF in 14 starts there.
61
Hendrick teammates Jimmie Johnson and Dale Earnhardt, Jr. combined to lead 61 of the 98 laps run in the rain-shortened Pocono event. However, it was the other teammates, Jeff Gordon and Kasey Kahne, who together led a total of only nine circuits that finished 1-2.
5,744
With Earnhardt's problems this past Sunday, Greg Biffle now has completed more laps than any other driver this year with 5,744 out of a possible 5,746. The two races he didn't finish on the lead lap were Martinsville and Kentucky.
Garrett Horton is a Contributor to Frontstretch. He can be reached via e-mail at garrett.horton@frontstretch.com. Follow him on Twitter at @Garrett_Horton.
~~~~~~~~~~
ADVERTISEMENT
Are you looking to advertise your website, product or brand? A good way to get your name out there is via direct advertising here in the Frontstretch Newsletter! Interested parties can contact us at frontstretcheditors@googlegroups.com for details.
~~~~~~~~~~~
TODAY ON THE FRONTSTRETCH:
Five Points to Ponder: Bring Back Racing to the Yellow Flag
by Bryan Davis Keith
Alan Gustafson on Turning Left and Right with Cup's Best Road Racer
by Mike Neff
Who's Hot/Who's Not in NASCAR: Pocono/Watkins Glen Edition
by Brett Poirier
Couch Potato Tuesday: Special Guests and Weather Marks Telecasts
by Phil Allaway
Handicapping NASCAR's 2012 Wild Card Chase Contenders
by Matt Stallknecht
~~~~~~~~~~~
FRONTSTRETCH TRIVIA:
Q: The 1988 Bud at the Glen race was a very interesting race that came down to a final duel between Ricky Rudd and Rusty Wallace. However, the event was notable for something else. What was it?
~~~~~~~~~~
Numbers Game: Pennsylvania 245
by Garrett Horton
1
Pocono was the first race this year were the current top-4 in points, Dale Earnhardt, Jr., Matt Kenseth, Greg Biffle, and Jimmie Johnson, all failed to finish in the top-10.
3
Rick Hendrick drivers have won the last three races: Kasey Kahne at Loudon, Jimmie Johnson at Indy, and Jeff Gordon at Pocono. This is the second time this year they have won three in a row, despite failing to reach Victory Lane until the Southern 500 at Darlington in May.
5
Jeff Gordon won his sixth race at Pocono on Sunday, which is a track record. It is the fifth venue where Gordon has won six or more races at, joining Daytona, Talladega, Martinsville, and Darlington, where the latter two he owns seven victories apiece. Jimmie Johnson and Bobby Labonte are the only other active full-time drivers to have at least six wins at any track.
9
Jeff Gordon has gained nine positions since the first Pocono race in June, going from 22nd to 13th in points and now occupies the second wildcard spot. No one has scored more points than Gordon during this eight-race span.
14
If it wasn't for restrictor plates, Jimmie Johnson would easily be this year's dominant driver. His 14th-place finish in the rain-shortened Pennsylvania 400 was his worst result in a non-restrictor plate race all year.
20
Kyle Busch is quickly seeing his Chase hopes fading. In the last nine races, he ranks just 20th among total points scored and has more DNF's (3) than top-10's (2) in that span.
24
It was a 1-2 finish for Hendrick Motorsports on Sunday, the first time in 24 races that any team has swept the first two positions. Richard Childress Racing was the last team to do so, when Clint Bowyer barely beat then-teammate Jeff Burton at Talladega last fall. Coincidentally, the most recent time before that was 31 races ago at Atlanta, which had been Gordon's last win. There, he beat teammate Jimmie Johnson in a thrilling duel to the finish.
28
Regan Smith recorded his first top-10 result in nearly a year, coming home in ninth place. His last top-10 outing had been at Loudon last September, 28 races ago.
29th
Denny Hamlin was relegated to a 29th-place performance after getting caught up in the Matt Kenseth-Jimmie Johnson incident on the final restart. While it's not his worst finish at the Tricky Triangle, it marked his first DNF in 14 starts there.
61
Hendrick teammates Jimmie Johnson and Dale Earnhardt, Jr. combined to lead 61 of the 98 laps run in the rain-shortened Pocono event. However, it was the other teammates, Jeff Gordon and Kasey Kahne, who together led a total of only nine circuits that finished 1-2.
5,744
With Earnhardt's problems this past Sunday, Greg Biffle now has completed more laps than any other driver this year with 5,744 out of a possible 5,746. The two races he didn't finish on the lead lap were Martinsville and Kentucky.
Garrett Horton is a Contributor to Frontstretch. He can be reached via e-mail at garrett.horton@frontstretch.com. Follow him on Twitter at @Garrett_Horton.
~~~~~~~~~~
ADVERTISEMENT
Are you looking to advertise your website, product or brand? A good way to get your name out there is via direct advertising here in the Frontstretch Newsletter! Interested parties can contact us at frontstretcheditors@googlegroups.com for details.
~~~~~~~~~~~
TODAY ON THE FRONTSTRETCH:
Five Points to Ponder: Bring Back Racing to the Yellow Flag
by Bryan Davis Keith
Alan Gustafson on Turning Left and Right with Cup's Best Road Racer
by Mike Neff
Who's Hot/Who's Not in NASCAR: Pocono/Watkins Glen Edition
by Brett Poirier
Couch Potato Tuesday: Special Guests and Weather Marks Telecasts
by Phil Allaway
Handicapping NASCAR's 2012 Wild Card Chase Contenders
by Matt Stallknecht
~~~~~~~~~~~
FRONTSTRETCH TRIVIA:
Q: The 1988 Bud at the Glen race was a very interesting race that came down to a final duel between Ricky Rudd and Rusty Wallace. However, the event was notable for something else. What was it?
Check back Wednesday for the answer, here in the Frontstretch Newsletter!
Monday's Answer:
Q: The 1993 Bud at the Glen is best known for Mark Martin coming back from a couple of horrible pit stops to win his first career road race. However, Rick Mast had a huge crash early in the event. What happened?
A: Its unclear what put Mast off course, but it appears that Mast suffered near complete brake failure entering Turn 10. As a result, Mast's Skoal Classic Ford flew off the track and backed hard into the tire barriers, spinning around 540 degrees before coming to rest. The crash can be seen in this clip. Mast walked to the ambulance with some assistance after the wreck and did not miss any events due to injury. He was very sore, though.
Mast's impact put a sizable dent in the Armco barrier behind the tires. In addition, tires were scattered all over the runoff area. As a result, the race was briefly red-flagged in order for the cleanup work to be done.
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 Brad Morgan
-- Full Throttle by Mike Neff
-- Links to your favorite Frontstretch articles, and more!
~~~~~~~~~~
Tomorrow on the Frontstretch:
Did You Notice?... by Tom Bowles
There's plenty to talk about today and Tom is on it with a long list of observations involving the Allmendinger situation, Dodge leaving NASCAR and more.
Mirror Driving by the Frontstretch Staff
Your favorite Frontstretch writers are back to discuss a variety of different topics. Among them: Should NASCAR have raced at Pocono on Sunday and why was Parker Kligerman fired from Brad Keselowski Racing (and by extension, Penske)?
Kevin's Corner by Kevin Rutherford
Kevin is back with a website look at one of the hot topics in NASCAR now.
Frontstretch Top Ten by Jeff Meyer
We'll have a top ten list that will tickle your funny bone, guaranteed.
Beyond The Cockpit: TBA
Open-Wheel Wednesday by Matt Stallknecht
This week, Matt returns with another look at the Izod IndyCar Series while the teams rest up for Sonoma at the end of the month.
-----------------------------
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©2012 Frontstretch.com
Talk back to the Frontstretch Newsletter!
Got something to say about an article you've seen in the newsletter? It's as easy as replying directly to this message or sending an email to editors@frontstretch.com. We'll take the best comments and publish them here!
©2012 Frontstretch.com
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