Wednesday, September 19, 2012

The Frontstretch Newsletter: Blaney To Help Out Hornish

THE FRONTSTRETCH NEWSLETTER
Presented by Frontstretch.com

The Best Seat at the Track, The Best View on the Net!
September 19th, 2012
Volume VI, Edition CLXXXVII

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BREAKING: Blaney To Help Out Hornish. This morning, Penske Racing announced veteran Dave Blaney will practice and qualify their No. 22 Cup Series Dodge this weekend in place of Sam Hornish, Jr. at New Hampshire. Hornish, who is pursuing the Nationwide Series title is scheduled to race at Kentucky Saturday night and has chosen to turn his attention towards staying in the Bluegrass State full-time. Blaney, who has been running for Tommy Baldwin Racing this year will give way to Hornish on Sunday, a driver change which means the car will automatically start at the rear of the field.

Over at TBR, Tony Raines will take the seat in an effort that's expected to start-and-park. Blaney will not jump into the No. 36 for Sunday's event.

Top News
by Brad Morgan

NASCAR Reinstates Allmendinger

NASCAR's most publicized drug suspension of 2012 is now over. Tuesday, the sanctioning body officially reinstated driver AJ Allmendinger after he completed the Substance Abuse Policy-mandated Road to Recovery Program.  Allmendinger had been officially banned from the sport since July 24 after testing positive for amphetamines in a random drug test performed at Kentucky Speedway the previous month.

"I want to thank everyone for their support through this entire process. I appreciate that NASCAR created the the Road to Recovery program, and am grateful for the opportunity to return to competition," Allmendinger said.  "The Road to Recovery program was really helpful to me in getting my priorities reset away from the race track.  And, honestly, that helped find my love of racing again and why I began racing in the first place. I'm looking forward to taking this experience and [hope to] be better for it moving forward."

Although Allmendinger is cleared to race in NASCAR, he currently doesn't have a ride in any of its major series.  Released by Penske Racing when his suspension became official, he's now officially a free agent.  Former owner Roger Penske, however, has remained supportive of Allmendinger, even leaving the door open for a future ride with one of his teams in NASCAR or IndyCar for 2013.

The 30-year-old Californian has five top-5 finishes in 169 career starts in Sprint Cup, driving for a variety of different high and mid-level programs. His best result was second at Martinsville this Spring.

North Country Ford Joins FAS Lane at Loudon

FAS Lane Racing has secured sponsorship for the Sylvania 300 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.  The organization announced that North Country Ford will back its No. 32 Fusion for the Sept. 23 event, pairing with a rookie behind the wheel.

Driver Mike Olsen, one of Stoddard's lifelong friends, will pilot the locally sponsored car in the highly anticipated Chase race. Olsen is a two-time champion in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East and will be making his Sprint Cup Series debut.

"Wow, this deal just keeps getting more special the closer we get to the Loudon race," said team owner Frank Stoddard.  "It is something very special for Mike and me to get the opportunity to work together at the highest level of NASCAR.  But now, to have a local company step up and want to be a part of it really does complete the special package we take into Loudon next week.  I hope folks in Northern New Hampshire will stop in to North Country Ford and show them thanks for being a part of this historic day for everyone that grew up in a small town of New Hampshire with big dreams."

The Kopp Family, owners of the New Hampshire-based Ford dealership, are avid stock car racing enthusiasts, proud and excited to have the opportunity to sponsor FAS Lane Racing. 

"The Kopp family and folks from North Country Ford in Lancaster, NH are very excited to team up with FAS Lane Racing and driver Mike Olsen," added Keith Kopp.  "As a third generation, family-owned Ford dealership based in northern New Hampshire, we are very proud to be supporting the efforts of these two natives.  Frank Stoddard and Mike Olsen are two local boys who have made good in the world of NASCAR.  Mike and I jumped at the chance to support the No. 32 Ford Fusion at NHMS and promote the Ford brand that we all so proudly represent."

News Bites

- Following up on the Newsletter from yesterday, Ryan Pemberton was officially named as crew chief for Danica Patrick's No. 7 Chevrolet this weekend at Kentucky Speedway (see Beth's Brief below). Future races are TBD but every indication from sources is that Pemberton may be tapped to at least finish out the 2012 season with the team.

- Ratings were disappointing for the season's first Chase race of 2012. Chicagoland's Sunday event scored a 3.0 household coverage rating in the Nielsens, with an audience of slightly over 3.9 million viewers. Last year's event was rained out, making the comparison difficult because it was run on a Monday (scoring just a 1.8 as a result). This year's audience, however was the second-lowest of any points-paying event televised in 2012; only Kentucky had worse numbers.

Have news for Brad and the Frontstretch? Don't hesitate to let us know; email us at phil.allaway@frontstretch.com with a promising lead or tip.

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WRITE FOR US!
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Today's Featured Commentary
Beth's Brief
Where Does Eury's Departure Leave Danica?
by Beth Lunkenheimer

The last two weeks have brought major shakeups to the JR Motorsports Nationwide Series team. It all started with the organization's release of Competition Director Tony Eury, Sr. Having joined the team in 2007 after 21 years with Dale Earnhardt, Inc., Eury garnered seven wins, 28 top 5s and 86 top 10s while serving as crew chief for the No. 88 team. Then, just ten days later Tony Eury, Jr., who had been serving as Danica Patrick's crew chief, was released.

"Unfortunately Tony, Jr. is no longer with the company. I had hoped he would be here for a long time, but as we've discussed the direction of JR Motorsports moving forward, it was clear our differences in ideas were too vast to overcome," Earnhardt, Jr. said in a statement Monday. "I love him like a brother and you'll never hear me say a bad thing about him. I know he'll have much success in anything he does going forward."

The release of Earnhardt's cousin, who had been on top of the pit box with Patrick since 2010 raised eyebrows around the garage despite just two top-10 finishes for Patrick on the year. The two appeared to have a mutual respect for one another; back in June, Eury, Jr. told espnW.com that being a part of what could become a historic run was his motivation to work hard for his driver.

"When I took this job, I told (Eury, Sr.) I can't wait because what's cool about this is when has a woman come into this sport and somebody given her 100 percent?" Eury said. "That's why I did it. I thought it was a challenge. I thought it was something cool nobody else has ever done. If you can win a race with her, you'd be the first person to win it in this series. That's something to shoot for."

In his place, Ryan Pemberton, who replaced Tony Eury, Sr. just ten days ago as the organization's Competition Director, will serve as interim crew chief for Danica Patrick this weekend at Kentucky Speedway. The future atop the pit box for the remainder of the season has yet to be determined, according to JRM general manager Kelley Earnhardt-Miller.

But what does it all mean for Patrick as she closes out her first full season in NASCAR and prepares to head off to the Sprint Cup Series next season? Stability atop the pit box is one of the most important parts of a successful race team. After all, driver ability only goes so far when you've got some of the smartest people in the sport making the calls from week to week. Eury, one of the more experienced head wrenches in the garage is also the only one she's ever worked with on the Nationwide level. Change in NASCAR is always paired with risk.

With that being said, instability atop the pit box is not always a bad thing. Earlier this year, in an effort to help improve rookie Cole Whitt's performance, JRM performed a crew chief swap. Eury, Sr. was moved to the part-time No. 5 team shared by Earnhardt, Jr. while Bruce Cook took over as crew chief for Whitt.

And what was the result? Whitt followed up with two top 5s and eight top-10 results in 19 races, blossoming while the Earnhardt, Jr. / Fellows duo finished top 5 or better in three of four events. Right there, you've got evidence that a fresh set of thoughts making the calls in a split second can make a difference, within Patrick's own organization and sometimes shaking up the mechanical side is what's needed for that. It's not like Patrick has run terribly this year, either especially considering she's making a transition to a much heavier car than she's accustomed to driving. While she's got just two top-10 results in 26 races, the driver of the No. 7 has a disappointing six DNFs, most of which were not of her making. Tough breaks on the road courses, Montreal in particular have made her showings much worse than they could have been.

Certainly, Patrick loses a crew chief that has made her feel comfortable and has given her 100% through the year without that victory he'd hoped to snag. But Eury has been replaced by someone in Ryan Pemberton who has the future interests of JRM in mind and sits on the same page as majority team owner Dale Earnhardt, Jr. Armed with plenty of experience, on the Sprint Cup level with everyone from Red Bull Racing to the former MB2 Motorsports program he's a proven success in his own right, a quality head wrench that's highly respected in the business. Pemberton also has worked with a fellow open-wheel convert, Scott Speed on the Cup level and has seen the challenges first-hand of a driver making the open-wheel transition -- experience Eury never brought to the table in 2010. It's a fresh set of thoughts and decisions that will come to the No. 7 car this weekend, some new energy for Patrick which could make the difference as she finishes out the year.

Can Patrick grab that victory before the season is up? Of course; anything is possible, although I'm not quite sure she's there just yet. I've been quite impressed with her improvement thus far, though and provided she continues to focus and doesn't get too frustrated, there is a future for her in NASCAR. Let's just hope the changes that have affected her team don't distract her to the point where the performance level heads backward.

Beth Lunkenheimer is a Co-Managing Editor for Frontstretch.com. She can be reached via email at beth.lunkenheimer@frontstretch.com. Follow her on Twitter @Beth_Frntstrtch.

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Got NASCAR-related questions or comments?
Send them Summer Bedgood's way at summer.bedgood@frontstretch.com; and, if you're lucky, you'll get your name in print when she does her weekly column answering back to you – the fans that keep Frontstretch afloat. It will run on Thursday with a whole new set of Fan Questions and Answers!

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Tweet 'N' Greet
by Summer Bedgood

Editor's Note: With the NASCAR Twitter community expanding by leaps and bounds, it remains a place for instantaneous news, reactions, and a whole lot of inside jokes. We understand if you don't want to join the Twitter community - but as a fan, it's important to know the news and info you're missing out on! That's why, every week, Summer Bedgood will sort through the thousands of messages and give us a little taste of what's going on each Wednesday.

So, without further ado, here's a look at what those in NASCAR were thinking over the past seven days...

@keselowski (Brad Keselowski): Kneeling out to end a football game is like watching a race finish under yellow.

@keselowski: I'm so happy for @RyanBlaney22 & his family for winning @ Iowa @NASCARonSPEED Thanks to @CooperStandard & everyone that made this possible.

@2Spotter (Joey Meier): First wins are cool.....@iowaspeedway #NASCAR http://twitpic.com/av2ji7

@dennyhamlin: Does anyone else find it weird how these Indycar spotters tell these guys how they should drive every lap? I'd be like stfu and spot

@penskeracing: Big congrats to @RyanHunterReay on the @IndyCar championship!

@keselowski: Awesome win bro @CooperStandard #nascar @RyanBlaney22: Just posted a photo http://instagr.am/p/PqWGQcOd_b/ "

@jim_utter: Interesting fact: Average age of #NASCAR race winners this last weekend - 23.3. (Keso, Stenhouse and Blaney) #brightfuture

@JimmieJohnson: No chance of this birthday sneaking by. Thanks and thanks to those singing to me at the merch rig and at driver intros. #FunnyStuff

@MartySmithESPN: I get a hell of a lot smarter watching races beside @RayEvernham. #Osmosis

@KeselowskiBrian (Brian Keselowski): That was close in turn 2 blend. Problem is there is no line to say where to blend. Judgement call.

@jaywpennell: @JimmieJohnson doesn't look happy with second after a dominant day @ChicagolndSpdwy. Will be interesting to hear his comments on @keselowski

@jaywpennell: @JimmieJohnson says @keselowski was just better over the last run, no hard feelings it seems. On other hand @dennyhamlin doesn't look happy.

@JamieLittleESPN: Been loving all the welcome back messages. It was tough leaving Carter but I felt the love from everywhere! Can't wait to get home tonight!

@JimmieJohnson: Another pic from #OnTheRoad. http://JimmieJohnson.com http://instagram.com/p/PuJJnjEpUD/

@bobpockrass: Tony Stewart said that wasn't first time he had goosed DeLana before race. Just first time on camera. Glad it wasn't picking nose. #nascar

@dcaraviello (David Caraviello): Story behind Stewart "goosing" DeLana Harvick before Chi'land race: Evidently been a running gag between Tony, Kevin and DeLana for a while.

@dcaraviello: The only difference this time, Stewart says, is that it was caught on camera.

@JennaFryer: Smoke is told that "sneaky ass grab" got more play than @keselowski win. "That's pathetic," he says. Agreed. I'm sad it's a story.

@jeff_gluck: @JennaFryer Sad but true: More people clicked on the butt-grab story than almost all our other stuff combined this weekend.

@AllWaltrip: love the Eurys, accomplished great things in their careers, we live in a performance based business, Dale Jr buys the best, expects results!

@jeff_gluck: #RealTalk: Media is more of a reader-driven biz than ever before, and even a small story won't die if numbers show people are interested.

@jeff_gluck: There's no doubt it's a sad state of affairs. But it's one of those things where you shake your head and say, "OK, that's what people want."

@HigNASCAR (David Higdon): #NASCAR has reinstated driver AJ Allmendinger upon his successful completion of #NASCAR's Substance Abuse Policy Road to Recovery Program

@jeff_gluck: Remember: In this climate, if you don't read our stories then we have no job. So you're increasingly being given what the numbers dictate.

@queers4gears: NASCAR has reinstated AJ Allmendinger - still no word on when Tony Stewart will grab his ass.

@AJDinger: Pr: we are happy say NASCAR has notified us of AJ's immediate reinstatement!!

@nateryan: A.J. Allmendinger in a statement: "I want to thank everyone for their support. I am grateful for the opportunity to return." #nascar

@nateryan: A.J. Allmendinger: "The Road to Recovery program was really helpful to me in getting my priorities reset away from the racetrack." #Nascar

@nateryan: A.J. Allmendinger: "And, honestly, that helped find my love of racing again and why I began racing in the first place." #nascar

@KellyBires: Spoke with Tony Jr yesterday, lot of respect for him. He recommended me for this cup opportunity. We also began our offseason hunting plans

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

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TODAY ON THE FRONTSTRETCH:

Did You Notice? ... Earnhardt's Family Failure
by Tom Bowles

IndyCar Round Table: Season Finales, American Champions, and Doubleheaders
by the Frontstretch Staff

Top Ten Pre-Race Rituals for Chasers Other Than Tony Stewart
by the Frontstretch Staff

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

Mirror Driving: Who Can Rebound, On And Off The Track In NASCAR
by the Frontstretch Staff

Reinstated Allmendinger Faces Uphill Battle
by Kevin Rutherford

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FRONTSTRETCH TRIVIA:

Q: Building on Tuesday's question, the NASCAR North Series splitting at the end of 1985 created a quandary when NASCAR added the Oxford 250 to the Busch Grand National schedule for 1986. What unusual site resulted out of this when the series made their first trek to Maine?

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

Q:
Even before the current oval was built in Loudon, NH, there were a couple of NASCAR races run on the 1.6-mile road course for a series known as NASCAR North. What was NASCAR North?

A:
The NASCAR North Series was what amounted to the predecessor to the Busch North Series (now the K&N Pro Series East). This series began in 1979 but ended in business squabbles after the 1985 season. The series dropped NASCAR sanctioning and reorganized itself into what is now the ACT Tour. The ACT Tour has a write-up about their origin on their website.

Frontstretch Trivia Guarantee:  If we mess up, you get the shirt off our backs!  If we've provided an incorrect answer to the Frontstretch Trivia question, be the first to email the corrected trivia answer to trivia@frontstretch.com and we'll send you a Frontstretch T-Shirt ... FREE!

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Coming tomorrow in the Frontstretch Newsletter:
-- Top News from Phil Allaway
--
What's Vexing Vito by Vito Pugliese
--
Critic's Annex by Phil Allaway
-- Links to your favorite Frontstretch articles, the Line of the Week and more!

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Tomorrow on the Frontstretch:

Professor Of Speed by Mark Howell
Our professor of racing history "has at it" with another column pertinent to the sport at large. This week, Mark takes a look at the recent hirings for Ford as the popularity of their Fusion grows and considers whether NASCAR has been given too much credit.

Kevin's Corner by Kevin Rutherford
Kevin is back with a bonus commentary! This time, he takes a look at the Truck Series and the return of Daytona winner John King and his fellow rookie Dakoda Armstrong.

Commentary by Tom Bowles
In a special commentary, Tom is back with a look at the problems NASCAR has faced with passing.

Fan Q&A by Summer Bedgood
Summer takes on your questions and answers them to the best of her ability. Be sure to send your questions in if there's something that's been nagging at you and you might see your name in print.

Truckin' Thursdays by Beth Lunkenheimer
Beth is back this year on a new night, but it's the same great commentary you've come to enjoy on NASCAR's Truck Series!

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©2012 Frontstretch.com

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