Monday, January 28, 2013

The Frontstretch Newsletter: Rolex 24 Wrap Up

THE FRONTSTRETCH NEWSLETTER
Presented by Frontstretch.com
The Best Seat at the Track, The Best View on the Net!
January 28th, 2013
Volume VII, Edition VIII

LEND YOUR SUPPORT TO VICTIMS IN THE WAKE OF THE SANDY HOOK TRAGEDY
After the senseless mass shooting last month, Frontstretch sends its love and support to all of Newtown, CT as they grieve over the tragic December 14th massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary School. That horror, the second-deadliest school incident in U.S. history claimed the lives of 26 innocent civilians -- including 20 first-grade children. No matter what you think we should do from here, there's one fact we can all agree on: these victims' families need us to come together and help. There's plenty of ways you can do it, and here at Frontstretch we've found a great charity to recommend: a fund set up by indie rock band OneRepublic. Click here and find out how, with a few simple clicks of the mouse you can send money to help rebuild the lives of so many that were unfairly torn apart. And together, let's make a commitment this holiday season to find a way to stop the violence -- whatever your solution, don't hesitate to speak up and make your voice heard.

Rolex 24 Race Recap: Ganassi Dominates to Win Rolex 24
by Phil Allaway

Despite the Ford-powered success during the Roar test a few weeks ago, it was Chip Ganassi's two-car squad that dominated the run up to the 51st Rolex 24 at Daytona.  Scott Pruett claimed the overall pole on Thursday, and made it look kind of easy.  Then, a somewhat controversial rule change restricted the Chevrolet Corvette DPs in response to alleged sandbagging.

Such actions may have made a Ganassi victory a foregone conclusion.  Not exactly.

When the race began, Pruett basically ran away and hid, pulling away from the best of the Corvette DPs at a rate of one second per lap for the entire first fuel run.  Such a pace was quite demoralizing to the Corvette contingent.  The only car early on that could keep up with the No. 01 was the No. 02, also a BMW Riley DPG3 from Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates.  Outside of pit stop sequences, the two Ganassi BMW Riley's swapped the lead multiple times for the first 14 hours of the race.

Grand Touring saw an all-out battle between the Porsches from Magnus Racing, NGT Motorsport and Alex Job Racing, the three factory-supported Audis (one each from Alex Job, Rum Bum Racing and APR Motorsport) and Ferraris from Scuderia Corsa and AIM Autosport.  The pole-sitting car from Konrad Motorsport/Orbit, albeit very quick in the hands of class pole winner Nick Tandy, crashed in the opening laps and were not a factor.

Around the 15-hour mark, contenders started to drop off.  Ganassi's No. 02, driven at the time by Jamie McMurray, hit the wall exiting the pits and had to go behind the wall for repairs.  They returned six laps down, but still on pace before a rear end failure put them out.  Other teams in contention for class wins, like the No. 30 NGT Motorsport Porsche, dropped out due to suspension issues.

A debris caution with 62 minutes to go resulted in the race playing towards fuel strategy.  The No. 01 was the fastest car on track, but couldn't make it to the end.  Juan Pablo Montoya chose to gun it and build enough of a gap to get a splash of fuel and still win.  The stop came with eight minutes to go, costing the No. 01 the lead briefly.  However, the Wayne Taylor Racing Corvette had to stop a couple of laps later, allowing Montoya to retake the lead and hold on to win the Rolex 24 at Daytona going away.

After the race, car owner Chip Ganassi was overjoyed with what he felt was a team effort.

"Well, I'll tell you guys...we knew we had good cars [as far back as the test]," Ganassi said.  "My hats off to our guys in Indianapolis that put this car together.  They worked very, very hard on the mechanical grip of the cars, which [allowed us to run less rear wing]."

The No. 01 team's margin of victory was just shy of 22 seconds over the Wayne Taylor Racing No. 10 Chevrolet Corvette DP.  The No. 60 Michael Shank Racing Ford Riley was third.  Despite the fact that the race saw a record number of lead changes (74), the two Ganassi-owned cars combined to lead well over three-quarters of the race.

In GT, much like DP, the race came down to fuel mileage.  Leaders Rene Rast (No. 52 APR Motorsport Audi R8) and Mark Wilkins (No. 69 Ferrari) stopped with 40 minutes left for their last stop.  However, a number of teams stayed out in order to try to make the distance.  The best of those teams was the No. 24 Alex Job Racing Audi, driven by Filipe Albuquerque.  The team thought that they could make it all the way, but ended up having to do a splash-and-go with five minutes remaining.  Luckily, the team had a big enough gap that they were able to stop, get their fuel, and keep the lead.

From there, they had to hold off the hard-charging Rast to claim Audi's first-ever win in the Rolex Series.  Rast was just 1.5 seconds back in second, followed by Wilkins in third.

Finally, the Rolex 24 marked the debut of the new GX class.  The class got most of its publicity from the Skyactiv-D, diesel-powered Mazda6's, but it was the Porsche Cayman that was the car to have.  While the Mazdas had engine problems, the Napleton Racing Porsche that had led the class since the Roar test ran a near flawless race to claim the inaugural class victory by ten laps over a similar Cayman from Bullet Racing.

Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge Race Recap:  Roush Performance Repeats as Winners
by Phil Allaway

Last year, Roush Performance drivers Jack Roush, Jr. and Billy Johnson shook off years of frustration at Daytona by breaking through and claiming the BMW Performance 200 victory.  This year, both of Roush Performance's Ford Mustang BOSS 302Rs were very fast, qualifying second and third in class (the No. 51 of Joey Atterbury and Shelby Blackstock was later DQ'd for a ballast violation and started in the back). 

Everything was in place to allow Roush and Johnson to repeat the successes from 2012's season opening race for the Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge (CTSCC).  However, it wouldn't be easy.

At the start of the race, pole sitter Jade Buford in Multimatic Motorsports' No. 55 Aston Martin got the jump on Roush.  Ultimately, Roush's No. 61 was overrun by two of Fall-Line Motorsports' BMW M3's and the Rum Bum Racing No. 13 Porsche driven by Nick Longhi.  The first segment of the race was marked by a frenetic battle for position between the aforementioned five cars, plus Mark Boden in a third Fall-Line Motorsports BMW M3.  Eventually, Boden went off at Turn 5 from sixth and hit the tire barriers, bringing out a full course yellow.  Boden would return to the race after repairs, but was out of any contention.

During cautions, lapped drivers who choose not to pit when the leaders do can take a wave-around in order to make up a lap prior to their own pit stops.  While in the process of catching up to the rear of the field, David Thilenius in the No. 74 Compass360 Racing Street Tuner-class Honda Civic Si spun and went into the Armco hard in the Infield.  The Civic hit on the passenger side, dug in and nearly rolled over multiple times before coming to rest.  Safety crews had to cut Thilenius out of the Civic before he could be put on a stretcher and loaded into an ambulance.  He was transported to nearby Halifax Health Medical Center immediately with no stop at the Infield Care Center in-between.  X-Ray scans showed that Thilenius suffered six broken ribs on his left side.  At last update, Thilenius was still resting at the hospital in Daytona Beach, but plans to check out this morning and fly back to his home in California.  His status for the next race at the Circuit of the Americas is unclear.

After pit stops, Longhi claimed the class lead before heck broke loose on the restart.  Longhi was hit from behind and spun on the restart.  Meanwhile, Al Carter hit the back of Buford's Aston Martin and sustained steering damage, which cost him three laps in the pits.  Shortly afterwards, Roush ran over debris and cut his left front tire, forcing him to make an unscheduled stop that allowed the team to put Johnson in the car.

A long green-flag run eventually put Johnson back amongst the frontrunners and he eventually took the lead from David Empringham in the No. 15 Multimatic Motorsports Aston Martin.  From there, Johnson ran away and hid, eventually making his final stop with 55 minutes to go and keeping the lead.

The No. 32 i-Moto Mazdaspeed 3 driven by Taylor Hacquard hit the tires on the backstretch with 25 minutes to go, setting up one last sprint to the finish.  However, while the competition fought amongst themselves, Johnson was able to open up a gap and held on to win the BMW Performance 200.

Johnson was very happy to win such a wild event.

"What a crazy race," Johnson said.  "It was exciting all the way through.  There was probably more drafting and passing back and forth than I've ever seen here.  I was trying pretty darn hard the last few laps [since the] Astons and Porsches were pretty quick."

Behind Johnson and Roush was the Rum Bum No. 13 of Longhi and Matt Plumb, 1.8 seconds back.  Empringham and John Farano were third.

In ST, the RACE Epic/Murillo Racing No. 56 BMW 328i driven by Jesse Combs and Jeff Mosing was the class of the field for much of the race, along with the No. 23 BMW 128i driven primarily by Terry Borcheller.  However, the Skullcandy Team Nissan No. 33 Altima Coupe driven by Vesko Kozarov claimed the lead as a result of pit strategy.  Earlier, team owner Lara Tallman, who qualified the car 19th in class, stopped prior to the 30-minute mark so Kozarov could replace her in the car.  Such a move meant that Tallman wouldn't earn drivers' points.  Kozarov then set a blistering pace for much of the remaining two-plus hours.  Despite being marginal on fuel due to their early first stop, Kozarov pushed hard and outran his competition in order to win the ST class.  It is the first-ever victory for Kozarov, Tallman, the Altima Coupe and Skullcandy Team Nissan in the CTSCC.

In ST, race winner Kozarov gave it all he had.

"We were marginal on fuel at best, so we had [to] save a little bit.  We used the draft to achieve that," he said.  "The key for me was to get the pull from the GS cars and use it on the restart.  And that's how it worked out."

The No. 81 BimmerWorld BMW 328i of Greg Liefooghe and Tyler Cooke finished second in class, just ahead of the No. 75 Compass360 Racing Honda Civic Si of Ryan Eversley and Kyle Gimple.

SPEED will air tape-delayed coverage of the BMW Performance 200 on Saturday at 4:00 pm EST.  The next race for the CTSCC will be on March 2nd at the Circuit of the Americas near Austin, Texas.  It is the first time that the series will have traveled to the 3.4-mile road course.

News Bite:

-
During the Rolex 24 at Daytona, there was an unusual incident in the garage area.  The No. 19 Muehlner Motorsports America Porsche 911 GT3 Cup was in the garage for repairs.  A large group assembled to watch the thrash, as is the norm during the race.  The crowd dispersed after the car left the stall.  The crew then jumped on a golf cart and drove at a high rate of speed to get back to their pit stall.  One fan was unable to avoid the nearly out-of-control and overloaded golf cart and was hit halfway between the Muehlner garage and the entrance back onto pit road.  The fan was knocked down, but appeared OK.  The bag he was carrying was run over by the cart and dragged for a couple of hundred feet.  Despite nearly tipping over from the contact, the crew did not stop to check on the stricken fan.

Have news for Phil and the Frontstretch? Don't hesitate to let us know; email us at ashland10@mail.com with a promising lead or tip.

ANNOUNCEMENT:
We would like to congratulate Tracy Turner, our FanVision grand prize winner! Tracy, who won our essay contest last season, was picked at random from all of our race weekend FanVision contest winners in 2012! Tracy won her very own FanVision device and race weekend subscription! Congratulations Tracy and enjoy your new FanVision!

FRONTSTRETCH LINKS:

DRIVER REVIEWS -- A FULL SCHEDULE IS UP! FIND THE ONES YOU MISSED AND GIVE US YOUR TAKE ON YOUR DRIVER'S FAVORITE SEASON.

Pace Laps: Media Tour Takeaways And NASCAR Sponsors, Good And Bad
by the Frontstretch Staff

From Last Week:

From The Drawing Board To Daytona: What Makes A Gen-6 Car A Gen-6 Car
by Mike Neff
 
FRONTSTRETCH TRIVIA:
Q:
  In 1983, Darrell Waltrip ran sponsorship from Pepsi on his No. 11 Chevrolet advertising the Pepsi Challenge, the well-known double-blind taste test between Pepsi and Coca-Cola.  However, Waltrip premiered his new sponsorship in the 24 Hours of Daytona, which Pepsi was the primary sponsor of at the time (it was officially known as the 24-Hour Pepsi Challenge).  What car was Waltrip driving?
 
Check back next Monday for the answer, here in the Frontstretch Newsletter!
 
Last Monday's Answer:
Q.
In 1986, Roush Racing came within an hour of claiming class victories at both Daytona and Sebring in the GTO class.  Two of those drivers were in the top Roush Mustang in both races.  Scott Pruett was one of those drivers.  Who was the other?
 
A. The other driver just so happened to be Bruce Jenner.  This was after Jenner's career as an Olympic-caliber athlete ended, but before he would have gotten with Kris Jenner.  Granted, this driving career was in addition to an acting career and work on race broadcasts for NBC.  1986 was Jenner's best year in racing, finishing second in IMSA GTO class points to Pruett.
 
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 this week at Frontstretch:
Mirror Driving by the Frontstretch Staff
Every Wednesday throughout the offseason your favorite experts will convene to discuss some major NASCAR issues of 2012 -- and what the series faces heading into 2013.

Throwback Thursdays by the Frontstretch Staff
New Year, old favorites. During the offseason, take a look at some of our columnists' best stories from 2012 -- and earlier in their careers -- as they share what features are near and dear to their heart. This week, Danny Peters steps up to take the stage. It's a guaranteed set of great reads that'll whet your appetite for racing to return in February.
------------------------------
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©2013 Frontstretch.com

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Thursday, January 24, 2013

Newsletter Special: Sponsor Updates From Media Tour

THE FRONTSTRETCH NEWSLETTER
Presented by Frontstretch.com
The Best Seat at the Track, The Best View on the Net!
January 24th, 2013
Volume VII, Edition VII

TODAY'S POLL: Which one of seven NASCAR drivers "on the hot seat" this year needs to step up? Click here to vote!

NOTE: Look for some special Newsletter editions this week with the NASCAR Sprint Media Tour. Amy Henderson and Mike Neff will be there with full coverage, along with reports from Tom Bowles and several of your Frontstretch favorites. Keep an eye on the website this week, because we're slowly coming out of "hibernation" with 2013 almost upon us!

Twitter: @TheFrontstretch
Amy's Twitter: @Writer_Amy
Mike's Twitter: @MNeffShortTrack

Top News From The Media Tour
by Tom Bowles, Amy Henderson and Mike Neff

REMINDER: Have an inside tip for the Frontstretch? A story no one else will tackle? Don't hesitate to let us know; email our Managing Editor group at frontstretcheditors@googlegroups.com with a promising lead or tip.

Aric Almirola Gets More Sponsorship

Richard Petty's No. 43 will get a little extra funding for 2013. Smithfield Foods, with its variety of brands that include Gwaltney, Farmland, Eckrich and, of course, Smithfield will be the primary sponsor for driver Aric Almirola in 25 events this season. The team, which has been surviving through a variety of patchwork deals now has less inventory to fill while trying to build on a strong finish to 2012. Almirola, who finished 20th in series points secured two of his four top-10 finishes last season in the final four races of the Chase.

Penske Racing Announces Three Sponsorship Deals

For longtime fans of Penske, the sight of a yellow and blue car with Hertz plastered down the side of it will be nothing new. For 2013, it will be a blast from the past as the rental car company has renewed an old partnership and signed on to be a sponsor for the team in the Cup and Nationwide Series. They will be a co-primary sponsor on Joey Logano's No. 22 in the Fall Charlotte race, sharing space with main Logano backer Shell/Pennzoil. In addition, they will be the primary sponsor for seven Nationwide races in the car driven by Logano, Brad Keselowski, and Ryan Blaney. Blaney will be making approximately ten starts in that car while pursuing the championship in the Camping World Truck Series, driving Brad Keselowski's No. 29 Dodge.

In addition to the Hertz agreement, Penske also announced that they have extended their sponsorship agreements with both Shell/Pennzoil and Alliance Truck Parts.

Other Media Tour News & Notes

Penske Racing: Sam Hornish, Jr. will again run a limited schedule in a third Cup car this season. The number of races will be sponsorship dependent as Penske hopes to move the IndyCar convert back up to Cup full-time in 2014.

Roush Fenway Racing: Jack Roush stated Thursday morning he's looking to put Trevor Bayne in a Cup car, full-time for the 2014 season. However, Roush claimed the move was sponsorship dependent and the youngster needs to perform well in the No. 21 Wood Brothers Ford in order to get his shot.

- Scott Riggs will pilot the No. 92 Truck, owned by Ricky Benton in the first five races of 2013. Pending sponsorship, the program could expand to a full season and allow Riggs to compete for the series championship.

Have an inside tip for the Frontstretch? A story no one else will tackle? Don't hesitate to let us know; email our Managing Editor group at frontstretcheditors@googlegroups.com with a promising lead or tip.

The Eyes Have It!
Guess The Wrecked Race Car!

In this Facebook feature, we post a photo of a driver inside a helmet, and ask you to identify which driver it is based only on his or her eyes. But this week, in the midst of the Media Tour we're doing something a little different. We've posted a photo of wrecked race car pieces, ones that are on display at the NASCAR Hall of Fame. All the drivers walked away from the crashes in question: there are three hoods, a roof, and a deck lid. Can anyone guess where and when these are from and who was driving them at the time? 

Go to our Facebook page to join the fun!

FRONTSTRETCH LINKS:

DRIVER REVIEWS -- A FULL SCHEDULE IS UP! FIND THE ONES YOU MISSED AND GIVE US YOUR TAKE ON YOUR DRIVER'S FAVORITE SEASON.

From the Media Tour:


Unlucky Seven: Drivers Who Must Ramp It Up In 2013
by Amy Henderson

Speedway Motorsports Incorporated Putting "Fans First"
by Mike Neff

Weekly Columns
:

Mirror Driving: The Best Of The Best And Make Your Own NASCAR Schedule
by the Frontstretch Staff
 
FRONTSTRETCH TRIVIA:
Q:
  In 1986, Roush Racing came within an hour of claiming class victories at both Daytona and Sebring in the GTO class.  Two of those drivers were in the top Roush Mustang in both races.  Scott Pruett was one of those drivers.  Who was the other?
 
Check back next Monday for the answer, here in the Frontstretch Newsletter!
 
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 on the Frontstretch:
Gen-6 Car: An Overview by Mike Neff
As the Media Tour wraps up, Mike gives a history of NASCAR's chassis and the information you need to know about what will make or break its newest generation of vehicles -- set to debut in just one month at Daytona.

------------------------------
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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!
©2013 Frontstretch.com

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Wednesday, January 23, 2013

NASCAR Media Tour Updates: Missing Sponsorship For Earnhardt?

THE FRONTSTRETCH NEWSLETTER
Presented by Frontstretch.com
The Best Seat at the Track, The Best View on the Net!
January 23rd, 2013
Volume VII, Edition VI

TODAY'S POLL: Will 2013 be Mark Martin's last year driving in the Sprint Cup Series? Click here to vote!

NOTE: Look for some special Newsletter editions this week with the NASCAR Sprint Media Tour. Amy Henderson and Mike Neff will be there with full coverage, along with reports from Tom Bowles and several of your Frontstretch favorites. Keep an eye on the website this week, because we're slowly coming out of "hibernation" with 2013 almost upon us!

Twitter: @TheFrontstretch
Amy's Twitter: @Writer_Amy
Mike's Twitter: @MNeffShortTrack

Top News From The Media Tour
by Tom Bowles, Amy Henderson and Mike Neff

REMINDER: Have an inside tip for the Frontstretch? A story no one else will tackle? Don't hesitate to let us know; email our Managing Editor group at frontstretcheditors@googlegroups.com with a promising lead or tip.

Earnhardt Not Fully Sponsored For 2013

At the Hendrick Motorsports stop on the Media Tour, just wrapping up as this posts the big news concerned sponsorship for the sport's Most Popular Driver. While claiming his three teammates were fully backed, owner Rick Hendrick said the team was still searching for a sponsor to replace AMP Energy on Earnhardt's No. 88. Eleven races, in total remain unfunded after the PepsiCo brand chose to scale back its efforts (the National Guard, in contrast will continue to back the team for roughly half the schedule). Hendrick claims he's looking for the "right fit" for the car and is prepared to run it without sponsorship if necessary; he claims the team has plenty of interest from companies looking to align themselves with the organization.

The price tag for the team remains a mystery but sources have claimed the sponsorship on the car ran upwards of $40 million at its peak. Earnhardt, however, has won just twice since moving to Hendrick prior to the 2008 season with the AMP/National Guard deal.

Chase Elliott To Run Nine Camping World Truck Series Races In 2013

Hendrick Motorsports Development driver Chase Elliott is continuing his progress through the system as he looks to follow in his famous father's footsteps. During the Hendrick Motorsports stop on the 2013 Sprint Media Tour Presented by Charlotte Motor Speedway, Rick Hendrick announced that Elliott will be making nine Truck Series starts and five ARCA starts during the 2013 season. The young Elliott will also be performing at least eight test sessions for HMS throughout the year. When his schedule allows, Elliott will also continue his local racing efforts with some runs in the bigger Super Late Model races around the eastern half of the United States. Those races, for now, will include the Snowball Derby and the Winchester 400. Once testing dates are finalized, it will be determined if he'll be able to run the World Crown at Gresham Motorsports Park or any other major shows.

The schedule, as it sits right now, for Elliott will include Truck races at Martinsville(2), Rockingham, Dover, Iowa(2), Bristol, Canadian Tire Motorsports Park and Phoenix. The eligibility rule for NASCAR allows drivers over 16 but under 18 to drive on any track that is 1.1 miles or shorter in length or a road course. The nine races for Elliott are all of the tracks on the schedule that meet that criteria except for Eldora Speedway. Elliott will also run ARCA races at Pocono(2), Road America, New Jersey Motorsports Park and Kentucky.

The trucks will be built in the Hendrick Motorsports shops but will be raced under the Bill Elliott Motorsports banner. HMS will be calling on some technical partners for assistance as they do not currently have a Camping World Truck program.

Earnhardt Ganassi Racing Announces Partnership With Cessna, Textron

On Wednesday, Earnhardt Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates and Chip Ganassi Racing announced a new partnership with Cessna and its parent company, Textron, which will encompass all of Ganassi's race teams in NASCAR, IndyCar, and the GrandAm Series.  Cessna manufactures jets, while other Textron subsidiaries include Bell helicopters, Bad Boy Buggies, and E-Z-Go golf carts, among several others.  Cessna will serve as primary Sponsor for the No. 1 Chevrolet of Jamie McMurray in the Sprint Cup Series for ten races in 2013.

Team owner Chip Ganassi told the assembled media that there are four races available for sponsorship on McMurray's car this year, and all other race teams are fully sponsored for the 2013 season.  In addition to the ten races with Cessna, McMurray has primary sponsorship in select events from McDonald's, Dr. Pepper, Banana Boat, LiftMaster, and Bass Pro Shops (still backing the car in two events). 

"Fans associate airplanes with speed," Ganassi said Wednesday, explaining that that association made for a natural fit with Cessna.

For the upcoming year, McMurray will again be paired with Juan Pablo Montoya in the No. 42 Target Chevrolet. Kyle Larson, the team's developmental driver is expected to run a full Nationwide Series schedule; announcements on his future, Ganassi claimed will come next week.

Tuesday Media Tour Notes

NASCAR Press Conference: Judge For Yourself. Click here to get the full transcript of media comments from NASCAR CEO Brian France, President Mike Helton and other top executives in the sport.

- At the Michael Waltrip Racing stop, no major changes were announced as Michael Waltrip emphasized the "status quo." There's a reason MWR is staying put, of course after two cars made the Chase while the third, shared by Waltrip, Mark Martin, and Brian Vickers registered seven top-5 finishes and was a contender for the victory at several events. The driver sharing will continue in the No. 55 for 2013; after that, though, the future is unclear with Martin stating on Tour he'd "like to see the team run for a championship." Martin, who turns 54 this season said it's way too early to speculate about his future with MWR and the sport.

Waltrip also emphasized that Clint Bowyer's No. 15 team, despite a runner-up finish in the Sprint Cup standings remains unsponsored for several events. Vickers' starts are also short on cash, although the team is committed to running the No. 55 car full-time regardless of whether that funding materializes.

Have an inside tip for the Frontstretch? A story no one else will tackle? Don't hesitate to let us know; email our Managing Editor group at frontstretcheditors@googlegroups.com with a promising lead or tip.

The Eyes Have It!
Guess The Wrecked Race Car!

In this Facebook feature, we post a photo of a driver inside a helmet, and ask you to identify which driver it is based only on his or her eyes. But this week, in the midst of the Media Tour we're doing something a little different. We've posted a photo of wrecked race car pieces, ones that are on display at the NASCAR Hall of Fame. All the drivers walked away from the crashes in question: there are three hoods, a roof, and a deck lid. Can anyone guess where and when these are from and who was driving them at the time? 

Go to our Facebook page to join the fun!

FRONTSTRETCH LINKS:

DRIVER REVIEWS -- A FULL SCHEDULE IS UP! FIND THE ONES YOU MISSED AND GIVE US YOUR TAKE ON YOUR DRIVER'S FAVORITE SEASON.

From the Media Tour:


From Crazy To Crazy Good: MWR Is A Contender Now
by Amy Henderson

NASCAR's Mantra For 2013: Racing To Innovate
by Mike Neff

Weekly Columns
:

Did You Notice? ... NASCAR's Sponsor Search, Martin's "Retirement?" And Shocking Admissions
by Tom Bowles
 
FRONTSTRETCH TRIVIA:
Q:
  In 1986, Roush Racing came within an hour of claiming class victories at both Daytona and Sebring in the GTO class.  Two of those drivers were in the top Roush Mustang in both races.  Scott Pruett was one of those drivers.  Who was the other?
 
Check back next Monday for the answer, here in the Frontstretch Newsletter!
 
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 on the Frontstretch:
Mirror Driving by the Frontstretch Staff
Pushed back from yesterday, your favorite experts will convene to discuss some major NASCAR issues of 2012 -- and what the series faces heading into 2013.

------------------------------
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!
©2013 Frontstretch.com

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Tuesday, January 22, 2013

Newsletter Lunch Special: NASCAR Media Tour Updates

THE FRONTSTRETCH NEWSLETTER
Presented by Frontstretch.com
The Best Seat at the Track, The Best View on the Net!
January 22nd, 2013
Volume VII, Edition V

TODAY'S POLL: What grade would you give the changes to the Sprint Unlimited? Click here to vote!

NOTE: Look for some special Newsletter editions this week with the NASCAR Sprint Media Tour. Amy Henderson and Mike Neff will be there with full coverage, along with reports from Tom Bowles and several of your Frontstretch favorites. Keep an eye on the website this week, because we're slowly coming out of "hibernation" with 2013 almost upon us!

Twitter: @TheFrontstretch
Amy's Twitter: @Writer_Amy
Mike's Twitter: @MNeffShortTrack

Top News From The Media Tour
by Tom Bowles, Amy Henderson and Mike Neff

Fans Decide Format Of Sprint Unlimited At Daytona

Sprint, who will take over sponsorship of NASCAR's season-opening exhibition race at Daytona this year from Anheuser-Busch, announced changes to the invitation-only event on Monday during the Sprint Media Tour Hosted by Charlotte Motor Speedway.  The event, which was previously known as the Budweiser Shootout, will now be called the Sprint Unlimited.  The field will be comprised of pole winners from the previous season and past winners of the event.

The biggest change, though, is the process by which the race's format will be chosen.  Fans will select the length of the segments, whether teams will perform a mandatory two or four-tire pit stop after the first, whether cars will be eliminated after the second, and the design of the firesuits that will be worn in Victory Lane by the Sprint trophy girls.  In addition, fans at the track on the day of the race will vote on how the field will be set for the event.

Fans can vote at NASCAR's website or using the new 2013 NASCAR mobile app, which is now available.  Sprint customers with the carrier's unlimited plan can vote as often as they wish for free.

Fans can choose one of three options for the race format between now and February 13.  The options for the 75-lap race are a 40-lap, 20-lap, 15-lap split, a 35-lap, 30-lap, 10-lap breakdown, or a 30-lap, 25-lap and 20-lap separation.

The other options will be revealed on the day of the race.  Voting for pit stops is open until the green flag waves for the first segment.  Fans can also decide if there should be a mandatory pit stop for two tires, four tires, or none at all.  If they choose the final option, teams will not be allowed to pit between the first and second segments and will have to make a stop under the green flag in segment two.

Fans can vote to eliminate a number of drivers after the second segment until the green flag for that segment.  The choices are to eliminate no drivers or two, four, or six after the segment.  If eliminations are voted in, the last two, four, or six finishers will not continue.  If six cars are eliminated, a maximum of 16 cars will start the final segment.

Finally, fans can choose between three different styles of firesuit to be worn by Miss Sprint Cup in Victory Lane.  That vote is open until the green flag on the final segment.  In addition, fans at Daytona on the day of the race will select the starting lineup.  Options include setting the field in numerical order by car number (which would put Kasey Kahne on the pole), by their 2012 points finish (Jimmie Johnson on pole), or by their speeds in practice for the event.

Drivers eligible for the event include:
AJ Allmendinger
Aric Almirola
Marcos Ambrose
Greg Biffle
Kurt Busch
Kyle Busch
Dale Earnhardt, Jr.
Carl Edwards
Bill Elliott
Jeff Gordon
Denny Hamlin
Kevin Harvick
Jimmie Johnson
Kasey Kahne
Matt Kenseth
Terry Labonte
Joey Logano
Mark Martin
Juan Pablo Montoya
Ken Schrader
Tony Stewart
Martin Truex, Jr.

Harvick Leaving RCR, Effective 2014 Confirmed By Childress

Kevin Harvick's pending move to Stewart-Haas Racing, widely reported since November has now been acknowledged by his current employer. Owner Richard Childress, at the Media Tour Monday night acknowledged Harvick will not be a part of the organization beyond the 2013 season. While the driver himself refuses to talk 2014, Childress was open about the wheelman's impending move to SHR and what it could mean for his program.

According to Childress, he knew about the move prior to the Phoenix weekend where it was reported but was hoping to keep the information under wraps until after the Sprint Cup banquet. All sides, despite their impending divorce did stress Monday night they'll be looking to put their best foot forward as the No. 29 looks to compete for a championship. During their time together, Childress and Harvick have won a Daytona 500, made four Chase appearances in the last five years and finished first in a total of 19 Cup events.

Other notes from the RCR Media Tour event:
- Austin Dillon, while preparing for a 2014 move to the Cup level will run a limited schedule with various organizations. Phoenix Racing has partnered up to run the young driver, beginning at Las Vegas (with TAG Heuer sponsorship) while Circle Sport's No. 33 will also run him in several events. However, races where the No. 33 is run will be equivalent to an RCR fourth car, with Circle Sport owning the entry in name only while accumulating the owner points. For example, Dillon will run a Honey Nut Cheerios sponsored car in the upcoming Daytona 500, under the RCR banner, running No. 33 with the team providing chassis, engine and crew support.

- Jeff Burton is back with crew chief Luke Lambert, excited after their pairing in 2011 nearly produced multiple wins during the closing races of that season. Kevin Harvick will be paired with Gil Martin in his final year, while "Slugger" Labbe remains crew chief for Paul Menard.

- All three cars for Childress are fully sponsored for 2013.

Stewart-Haas Racing Still Seeking Funding

Tony Stewart, Ryan Newman, and Danica Patrick have all the tools necessary for success: an alliance with Hendrick Motorsports, numerous publicity endorsements and an "A" list of mechanics manning their machines. But what they don't have, as of yet is the funding necessary for all 36 events. In a surprising announcement, SHR's Media Tour train came with a "sponsors wanted" sign for each one of their three cars. The following primary sponsor holes exist for each team:

No. 14 (Tony Stewart): 9 of 36 races with no primary sponsor (25%)
No. 39 (Ryan Newman): 8-9 of 36 with no primary
No. 10 (Danica Patrick): 3 of 36 with no primary

Those numbers, in particular are startling for Stewart, who poached Bass Pro Shops from Earnhardt Ganassi Racing after losing longtime sponsor Office Depot. Each one of the cars has the backing of Haas Automation, parent company of co-owner Gene Haas to use "in case of emergency." However, 21 events with H.A. on the hood would be the most that company was used since Stewart came on board prior to the 2009 season.

In other news, Patrick will start her rookie campaign without the guarantee of top-level owner points to back her. After a one-year agreement with Tommy Baldwin Racing, designed to ensure Patrick was "locked in" for all 10 Cup starts during the 2012 campaign she'll start the 2013 season from scratch with the No. 10. Those points, with the agreement no longer in effect go to TBR and Dave Blaney (they'll run the No. 7) meaning Patrick will be so far down the ladder on the list she'll have to qualify for each of the first three 2013 races on speed. Stewart, who claims Patrick should have no problem cracking the top 36 speeds each weekend with NASCAR's new provisional system is trying to save money with the move -- it's a low-risk gamble, as it's expected the Cup Series will struggle to get to 43 cars each week after Daytona.

Driver / Crew Chief Pairings
Stewart / Steve Addington
Newman / Matt Borland
Patrick / Tony Gibson

News And Notes

From Tuesday Morning: Kurt Busch was insistent, during the Furniture Row stop on the media tour he could align himself with the No. 78 team beyond 2013. Busch, who's on a one-year deal has been rumored to go directly to Childress in 2014, pending his success with FRR and sponsorship to replace Harvick at the No. 29.

From Tuesday Morning: No major changes expected at Michael Waltrip Racing in 2013. More to come, but news out of the tour stop was scarce and expected.

- Goody's Headache Powder, the longtime sponsor of the Fall race at Martinsville Speedway has added a new driver to their list of those endorsing the medicine. Dale Earnhardt, Jr., the sport's reigning Most Popular Driver will team up with Richard Petty as the duo will come together in a multi-media campaign to connect Goody's and NASCAR.

"This partnership is unprecedented," said Joe Juliano, Brand Director of Goody's. "It is the first time these two NASCAR legends have worked together. Goody's is all about speed, and nobody personifies the idea of speed better than Richard Petty and Dale Earnhardt, Jr."

Have news for Phil and the Frontstretch? Don't hesitate to let us know; email us at ashland10@mail.com with a promising lead or tip.

The Eyes Have It!


In this Facebook feature, we post a photo of a driver inside a helmet, and ask you to identify which driver it is based only on his or her eyes.  We posted two new mystery drivers recently.  The first, posted on January 8th, was five-time Sprint Cup champ Jimmie Johnson.

Congratulations to Elaine Jarrell, the first reader to correctly identify Johnson in the photo.

Other readers with the correct answer include: Karri Banham, Connie Johnson, Tina Brown, Betsy Ware, Melissa Johnson, Son Vol, Rogers Andrea, and Michelle Sprague.

Other guesses included Danica Patrick and Denny Hamlin.

The January 16th photo was NASCAR Nationwide Series champion Ricky Stenhouse, Jr.  Congratulations to Toni Teel-Hopper for being the first to recognize Stenhouse and to Ryan O'Hara, the only other reader with a correct guess!

Other guesses for the Stenhouse photo included Tony Stewart, Brendan Gaughan, Kurt Busch, Mike Bliss, Rusty Wallace, Austin Dillon, Timothy Peters, Jimmie Johnson, Marcos Ambrose, Kerry Earnhardt, Joe Nemechek, and Frontstretch editor Vito Pugliese.

We will run a new photo periodically throughout the offseason, and list the readers with the correct answer here in our newsletter (Facebook rules prohibit us giving a prize, but hey—at least you'll get your name in lights!).  Go to our Facebook page to join the fun!

FRONTSTRETCH LINKS:

DRIVER REVIEWS -- A FULL SCHEDULE IS UP! FIND THE ONES YOU MISSED AND GIVE US YOUR TAKE ON YOUR DRIVER'S FAVORITE SEASON.

From the Media Tour:


Sprint's Limits Mean Unlimited Falls Just Short
by Amy Henderson

2013: A Season of Redemption for Richard Childress Racing?
by Mike Neff
 
FRONTSTRETCH TRIVIA:
Q:
  In 1986, Roush Racing came within an hour of claiming class victories at both Daytona and Sebring in the GTO class.  Two of those drivers were in the top Roush Mustang in both races.  Scott Pruett was one of those drivers.  Who was the other?
 
Check back next Monday for the answer, here in the Frontstretch Newsletter!
 
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 on the Frontstretch:
Mirror Driving by the Frontstretch Staff
Every Wednesday throughout the offseason your favorite experts will convene to discuss some major NASCAR issues of 2012 -- and what the series faces heading into 2013.

Did You Notice? by Tom Bowles
Tom chimes in with his thoughts on the media tour two days in, sponsorship concerns and "relief" for Kurt Busch at Furniture Row.

------------------------------
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!
©2013 Frontstretch.com

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Feel free to forward this newsletter if you have any friends who loves
NASCAR and great NASCAR commentary. They can subscribe to the Frontstetch by visiting http://www.frontstretch.com/notice/9557/.
 
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Monday, January 21, 2013

The Frontstretch Newsletter: January 21st, 2013

THE FRONTSTRETCH NEWSLETTER
Presented by Frontstretch.com
The Best Seat at the Track, The Best View on the Net!
January 21st, 2013
Volume VII, Edition IV

NOTE: Look for some special Newsletter editions this week with the NASCAR Sprint Media Tour. Amy Henderson and Mike Neff will be there with full coverage, along with reports from Tom Bowles and several of your Frontstretch favorites. Keep an eye on the website this week, because we're slowly coming out of "hibernation" with 2013 almost upon us!

Twitter: @TheFrontstretch

LEND YOUR SUPPORT TO VICTIMS IN THE WAKE OF THE SANDY HOOK TRAGEDY
After the senseless mass shooting last month, Frontstretch sends its love and support to all of Newtown, CT as they grieve over the tragic December 14th massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary School. That horror, the second-deadliest school incident in U.S. history claimed the lives of 26 innocent civilians -- including 20 first-grade children. No matter what you think we should do from here, there's one fact we can all agree on: these victims' families need us to come together and help. There's plenty of ways you can do it, and here at Frontstretch we've found a great charity to recommend: a fund set up by indie rock band OneRepublic. Click here and find out how, with a few simple clicks of the mouse you can send money to help rebuild the lives of so many that were unfairly torn apart. And together, let's make a commitment this holiday season to find a way to stop the violence -- whatever your solution, don't hesitate to speak up and make your voice heard.

What to Watch This Week:

- For those of you who have been jonesing for some racing, we've finally got some on tap this week.  This weekend is the Rolex 24 at Daytona, the season opener for the Rolex Sports Car Series and the official beginning of Speedweeks.  The race weekend officially starts with support series practice sessions on Wednesday, then practice and qualifying on Thursday.  Friday will be the Sunoco Grand-Am 200 for the Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge (CTSCC), while the 24 hour classic will start on Saturday.  The CTSCC race will be aired live on SPEED2.com (check with your local cable/satellite provider for availability) at 2pm EST, while all 24 hours will be aired live on either SPEED or SPEEDtv.com  Coverage on Saturday is scheduled to start at 3:00pm EST. Phil Allaway will be at the racetrack and giving you all the latest and greatest news.

- Meanwhile, today marks the start of the annual NASCAR Media Tour.  Expect a number of announcements to come this week out of various Sprint Cup, Nationwide and Camping World Truck Series teams.  Our own Amy Henderson and Mike Neff will be there to report: follow them both on Twitter at @Writer_Amy & @MNeffShortTrack, respectively.

Top News From The Past Week
by Phil Allaway and Amy Henderson

Weather Plays Havoc With Charlotte Test

Last week, NASCAR scheduled a two-day test for the new Gne6 Sprint Cup cars at Charlotte Motor Speedway.  However,. Mother Nature had other plans.  The first day was a complete washout due to heavy rains.  Then, the cold front moved through the Charlotte area and changed the precipitation to snow and ice.  Not much ain the way of accumulations  were recorded at the track, but the track needed to be dried .  The warming temperatures meant that ice built up behind the SAFER Barriers melted and kept soaking the track with cold water.  As a result, it was nearly noon on Friday before drivers could venture out onto the 1.5 mile quad-oval.  NASCAR extended the test to 7:30pm in order to help make up for the lost time.

Once the teams finally got out on the track, there was definitely speed to be found, especially after the sun set.  Aric Almirola turned in the best lap of the test with a lap at 27.832 seconds (194.021 mph).  This is faster than the previous official track record set by Greg Biffle in October, and a little faster than the best laps set during the previous test in December.  Carl Edwards was second fastest, while Casey Mears completed an all-Ford top-3.  Marcos Ambrose and Jimmie Johnson rounded out the top-5.

Denny Hamlin's Girlfriend Gives Birth to a Girl

On Sunday night, Denny Hamlin's girlfriend, Jordan Fish, gave birth to her first child, a little girl.  Taylor James Hamlin was born at 8:20pm.  She weighed in at six pounds, five ounces and measured 20 inches long.  Both mother and child are said to be doing well.  Hamlin posted a couple of pictures of little Taylor James on his Twitter feed Monday morning.

Hamlin substantially curtailed his testing schedule so that he could be at the hospital when Fish gave birth.  In Daytona, he spent only one of the three days in Florida before flying back to Charlotte.  He skipped the Charlotte test all together, enlisting Michael McDowell to substitute.  We at Frontstretch congratulate Hamlin and Fish on their new arrival.

Sprint Unlimited Format to be Voted On by Fans

Sprint announced a brand-new format for the 75-lap Sprint Unlimited race at Daytona International Speedway that is scheduled for Saturday, February 16th on Monday.  As in the past, the race will remain a 75-lap race, and as previously announced, it is once again a race for pole winners and previous Unlimited winners.  That is roughly where the similarities end.

The race will be split into three segments this year.  The lengths of the segments are up to a fan vote.  The choices are either 40 laps, then 20, and 15, 35, 30, then ten, or 30, 25 and 20.  Voting is open through February 13th on that question.  Fans can vote until the end of Segment 1 as to whether a pit stop will be required, and whether teams will have to take no tires, two or four.  Voting is open for whether none, two, four or six cars will be eliminated at the end of Segment 2.  Finally, fans can even vote on what color firesuit Miss Sprint Cup wears in Victory Lane.

To vote, go to the above link and pick and choose your favorite options.  You can vote as many times as you want.  Also, if you vote using the new NASCAR Mobile '13 app, available for free for iOS, your vote counts twice.

NMPA Awards Handed Out; Keselowski Voted Driver of the Year


Sprint Cup Champion Brad Keselowski; Rockingham Speedway owner Andy Hillenburg; Charlotte Motor Speedway Vice President of Communications Scott Cooper; and Jeff Dennison, Director of Media and Public Relations for Breaking Limits were all honored Sunday night at the annual awards dinner for the National Motorsports Press Association.  The four were recipients of some of the organization's most prestigious awards for their contributions to racing and the media in 2012.

Keselowski took home Richard Petty Driver of the Year honors after winning his first Sprint Cup title in 2012.  Keselowski's title was also the first for team owner Roger Penske, and his five wins tied Jimmie Johnson for the series lead in that category.  Keselowski was also recognized as the third quarter winner of the NMPA/Speedway Motorsports Spiulrit Award for his Checkered Flag Foundations which assists military veterans.  Keselowski is also known as an outspoken advocate for his sport and one of the leading drivers in the social media realm.

Hillenburg, who was the second quarter Spirit Award winner, also won the overall Spirit Award, which is voted on by the NMPA membership for "character and achievement in the face of adversity, sportsmanship and contributions to motorsports."  Hillenburg bought Rockingham Speedway (then North Carolina Speedway) at auction in 2007.  While the other bidders wanted to develop the area into something else, Hillenburg had only one plan; to bring racing back to a track with a historic past.  He fulfilled that promise the following year with an ARCA event, and the track has hosted several other racing events as well as Hillenburg's racing school and served as a testing facility for many NASCAR teams.  It looked like NASCAR's days in Rockingham had ended in 2004, but Hillenburg overcame the odds and the fate of most other tracks that have lost NASCAR races, hosting the first NASCAR National touring series race at the track in nearly a decade with a Camping World Truck Series race last April, which was a resounding success with race fans.  The series returns this year.

Cooper was presented with the Ken Patterson Helping Others Award for his contributions to the media in his role with CMS.  The award is given annually to a public relations representative within the motorsports industry.  Cooper, who has been seen working tirelessly by every media member who has covered a race in Charlotte, was voted by the NMPA membership as this year's recipient.

Dennison was chosen as the recipient of the the Joe Littlejohn Award for his help with the NMPA's Most Popular Driver award.  Dennison won the honor, which is given each year in recognition of contributions to the NMPA, for his efforts in coordinating the NMPA's Most Popular Driver award.  Dennison created the website that allowed fans to vote for their favorite drivers throughout the 2012 season.

In addition, there were a number of awards given out to media members.  ESPN.com's Ryan McGee won the George Cunningham Writer of the Year award.  MRN Radio's Dave Moody was named Radio Broadcaster of the Year, while Woody Cain was named Radio Producer of the Year.  The Television Producer of the Year award went to Suzanne Clevette from SPEED's NASCAR RaceHub.

Finally, our own Amy Henderson won a post-race coverage award (fourth place) for her coverage of the TUMS Fast Relief 500 at Martinsville in October.  It is hers and Frontstretch's second NMPA Award.  You can read Amy's award winning article here.

Cassill Leaves BK Racing, Reutimann to Drive No. 83 full-time


On Wednesday, BK Racing announced that Landon Cassill, who drove the team's No. 83 Burger King Toyota last season, has resigned from the race team, effective immediately.

Cassill was honest when asked about what caused him to leave.

"We just couldn't work it out," Cassill told NASCAR.com's David Caraviello.  "There are a lot of balls in the air at BK [Racing], and it's just unfortunate.  It kind of breaks my heart that I have to move on this late in the year.  I was looking forward to hopefully [spending] many years there, but it just didn't work out."

Reports last week indicated that Cassill left the team not only because they couldn't come to terms for the 2013 season, but also because the team "failed to live up to their obligations for the 2012 season."

In 36 races in the No. 83, Cassill had no top-10 finishes.  His best run was an 18th, accomplished three different times (Charlotte-May, Michigan-June and Kansas-October).  He finished 31st in points.

As for Cassill's replacement in the No. 83, FoxSports.com's Lee Spencer is reporting that David Reutimann has been tapped to drive the No. 83 for the full season.  Pat Tryson, who moved over to the team late last season, is expected to serve as Reutimann's crew chief.

For Reutimann, this will not be his debut with BK Racing.  Last year, Reutimann was originally signed to drive the No. 93 in races where Danica Patrick was driving the No. 10 for Stewart-Haas Racing.  Ultimately, Reutimann only ended up driving the No. 93 in two races (the Daytona 500 and the Bojangles Southern 500).  He also failed to qualify the part-time No. 73 for the Coca-Cola 600.

Have news for Phil and the Frontstretch? Don't hesitate to let us know; email us at ashland10@mail.com with a promising lead or tip.

The Eyes Have It!


In this Facebook feature, we post a photo of a driver inside a helmet, and ask you to identify which driver it is based only on his or her eyes.  We posted two new mystery drivers recently.  The first, posted on January 8th, was five-time Sprint Cup champ Jimmie Johnson.

Congratulations to Elaine Jarrell, the first reader to correctly identify Johnson in the photo.

Other readers with the correct answer include: Karri Banham, Connie Johnson, Tina Brown, Betsy Ware, Melissa Johnson, Son Vol, Rogers Andrea, and Michelle Sprague.

Other guesses included Danica Patrick and Denny Hamlin.

The January 16th photo was NASCAR Nationwide Series champion Ricky Stenhouse, Jr.  Congratulations to Toni Teel-Hopper for being the first to recognize Stenhouse and to Ryan O'Hara, the only other reader with a correct guess!

Other guesses for the Stenhouse photo included Tony Stewart, Brendan Gaughan, Kurt Busch, Mike Bliss, Rusty Wallace, Austin Dillon, Timothy Peters, Jimmie Johnson, Marcos Ambrose, Kerry Earnhardt, Joe Nemechek, and Frontstretch editor Vito Pugliese.

We will run a new photo periodically throughout the offseason, and list the readers with the correct answer here in our newsletter (Facebook rules prohibit us giving a prize, but hey—at least you'll get your name in lights!).  Go to our Facebook page to join the fun!

FRONTSTRETCH LINKS:

DRIVER REVIEWS -- A FULL SCHEDULE IS UP! FIND THE ONES YOU MISSED AND GIVE US YOUR TAKE ON YOUR DRIVER'S FAVORITE SEASON.

From Last Week:

Did You Notice? ... Landon's Loss, Testing Tidbits And The Danger Of NASCAR Stability

by Tom Bowles

Mirror Driving: Overrated And Underrated, The Best Of Both NASCAR Extremes
by the Frontstretch Staff
 
FRONTSTRETCH TRIVIA:
Q:
  In 1986, Roush Racing came within an hour of claiming class victories at both Daytona and Sebring in the GTO class.  Two of those drivers were in the top Roush Mustang in both races.  Scott Pruett was one of those drivers.  Who was the other?
 
Check back next Monday for the answer, here in the Frontstretch Newsletter!
 
Last Monday's Answer:
Q.
In 1993, Michael Andretti's short tenure in Formula One came to an end with his best career finish, a third, at the Grand Prix of Italy in Monza.  However, there was a spectacular crash coming to the finish.  What happened?
 
A. Damon Hill had already claimed the win for Williams-Renault and the rest of the field was coming back to the start-fijnish line.  Christian Fittipaldi ran up on his much slower teammate Pierluigi Martini just meters from the line and ran over his right rear tire.  Fittipaldi's Minardi did a flip in the air before coming back down on all fours and crossing the line to finish the race.  Martini and Fittipaldi finished seventh and eighth in the Grand Prix, two laps down.  Unfortunately, the rules at the time only gave points to the top six finishers.  The incident can be seen here.
 
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 this week at Frontstretch:
Mirror Driving by the Frontstretch Staff
Every Wednesday throughout the offseason your favorite experts will convene to discuss some major NASCAR issues of 2012 -- and what the series faces heading into 2013.

Throwback Thursdays by the Frontstretch Staff
New Year, old favorites. During the offseason, take a look at some of our columnists' best stories from 2012 -- and earlier in their careers -- as they share what features are near and dear to their heart. A guaranteed set of great reads that'll whet your appetite for racing to return in February.

------------------------------
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!
©2013 Frontstretch.com

--
Feel free to forward this newsletter if you have any friends who loves
NASCAR and great NASCAR commentary. They can subscribe to the Frontstetch by visiting http://www.frontstretch.com/notice/9557/.
 
If you want to stop your Frontstretch Newsletter subscription, we're sorry
to see you go. Just send an email to
TheFrontstretch+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com from the address that you
recieve the Frontstretch Newsletter.

Tuesday, January 15, 2013

The Frontstretch Newsletter: January 14th, 2013

THE FRONTSTRETCH NEWSLETTER
Presented by Frontstretch.com
The Best Seat at the Track, The Best View on the Net!
January 15th, 2013
Volume VII, Edition III

LEND YOUR SUPPORT TO VICTIMS IN THE WAKE OF THE SANDY HOOK TRAGEDY
After the senseless mass shooting last month, Frontstretch sends its love and support to all of Newtown, CT as they grieve over the tragic December 14th massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary School. That horror, the second-deadliest school incident in U.S. history claimed the lives of 26 innocent civilians -- including 20 first-grade children. No matter what you think we should do from here, there's one fact we can all agree on: these victims' families need us to come together and help. There's plenty of ways you can do it, and here at Frontstretch we've found a great charity to recommend: a fund set up by indie rock band OneRepublic. Click here and find out how, with a few simple clicks of the mouse you can send money to help rebuild the lives of so many that were unfairly torn apart. And together, let's make a commitment this holiday season to find a way to stop the violence -- whatever your solution, don't hesitate to speak up and make your voice heard.

What to Watch This Week:

- We've got more Sprint Cup testing this week.  On Thursday, the intermediate Gen 6 cars will get another workout at Charlotte Motor Speedway.  This test will last for two days and is open to the public.  Like the last test session in December, fans can enter through Gate 5a for free both days.  However, the test will not be televised.

- In addition, Saturday night is the NMPA Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, scheduled to be held at the Hilton Charlotte University Place in Charlotte.  Ken Squier, Jim Hunter and Dr. Joe Mattioli will be inducted into the NMPA Hall of Fame, which is located on the grounds of Darlington Raceway in South Carolina.

Top News From The Past Week
by Phil Allaway

NASCAR Holds Preseason Thunder at Daytona

Last week, NASCAR held their annual winter open test at Daytona International Speedway.  35 teams descended on the 2.5 mile tri-oval for three days of single-car and multi-car runs in an attempt to prepare for Speedweeks in February.  In addition, the teams were testing out guidelines for restrictor-plate cars as laid down by NASCAR.  These rules included a four inch tall rear spoiler that is 53 inches wide at a 70 degree angle, the same plate as last year (29/32nd's of an inch), a small air opening that is a little wider, but not as tall, and a maximum pressure on the release valve of 32 psi.

Drivers found significant differences in how the Gen6 cars drove as compared to the previous Generation 5 COT's, especially in the draft.  Tandem drafting appears to be a thing of the past due to bumpers that no longer line up perfectly, plus front bumpers that are not flat.  Having said that, some drivers did attempt to tandem draft on Thursday, but found that they didn't pick up much speed at all over running in a pack.

The lack of pack racing experience over the past couple of years led to trouble on Friday.  By that point, a large pack of roughly 19 drivers were running together on-track.  Dale Earnhardt, Jr. ran up on the back of Marcos Ambrose and accidently turned the Stanley Ford into the outside wall on the backstretch.  The resulting pile-up involved Ambrose, Brad Keselowski, Kyle Busch, Jeff Gordon, Regan Smith, Aric Almirola, Jamie McMurray, Kasey Kahne, Joey Logano and Carl Edwards.  Only Edwards' team had a backup car in Daytona to go to.  Busch' team chose to repair their M&M's Toyota.  The other drivers involved were done for the test.  Earlier that day, Dave Blaney hit the wall and was forced to withdraw from the test.

In the single-car runs, there were three drivers that were the clear cut fastest in town.  Late on Saturday afternoon, Greg Biffle turned the fastest single-car lap of the test at 194.935 mph.  This is faster than last year's pole speed for the Daytona 500.  Jeff Burton turned in the second fastest speed at 194.835 mph on Friday morning.  Matt Kenseth in his new Dollar General/Home Depot Toyota was third fastest with a lap at 194.717 mph turned on Saturday.

In the draft, the fastest times were set on Friday afternoon prior to the big crash.  With the large draft in play, many drivers turned laps at over 199 mph.  Trevor Bayne was the fastest of these drivers with a lap at 199.650 mph.

Michael Waltrip to Drive for Swan Racing in Daytona 500

Swan Racing announced on Thursday that two-time Daytona 500 winner Michael Waltrip will drive the team's No. 30 Swan Energy Toyota in the Daytona 500 as part of a one-race deal.  David Stremme will remain as the team's regular driver and will debut with the team in Phoenix.  The move will allow Waltrip to make his 28th attempt to qualify for the Great American Race.

Waltrip is very excited about this new opportunity.

"I am thrilled to drive the No. 30 Toyota for Swan Racing and the chance to win a third Daytona 500," Waltrip said.  "Reuniting with Tony Jr. and Steve Hmiel brings back a lot of good memories and is going to create new ones."

Team owner Brandon Davis is amped about Waltrip joining up for Daytona.

"
Swan Racing is here to compete and to build a championship contender," Davis said.  "This one-race partnership with Michael puts a two-time champion behind the wheel and the No. 30 in the mix at the Daytona 500."

For Swan Racing, getting into the Daytona 500 is not a guarantee.  The team ended 2012 38th in owners points.  If the top-35 rule were carried over to the upcoming season, they would have to either qualify on speed, or race into the event.  With a return to the top-36 and provisionals format, the team may have a slightly easier time getting into the race.


Guy Roofing to Sponsor Regan Smith, Phoenix Racing at Daytona

On Wednesday, Phoenix Racing (via Breaking Limits) announced that they have reached a deal with Guy Roofing to sponsor the team at Daytona during Speedweeks.  The Spartanburg, SC-based roof contracting company will serve as the primary sponsor of the No. 51 Chevrolet SS for Regan Smith in the Sprint Cup Series, and the No. 1 Chevrolet Camaro for Kurt Busch in the Nationwide Series.  The Guy Roofing decals were already proudly displayed on Phoenix Racing's No. 51 during the recently completed Preseason Thunder test.

Phoenix Racing owner James Finch, himself based out of Spartanburg, is proud to have Guy Roofing onboard for Daytona.

"Phoenix Racing is thrilled to have Guy Roofing partner with us for the races in Daytona," Finch said.  "There's not a better way for them to enter the NASCAR arena than to be part of those events. We're excited for NASCAR fans to learn about their company and find out about the tremendous services that they offer."

Guy Roofing is very happy to announce their first involvement in NASCAR.

"
NASCAR started as a small organization, and has grown into a long established national sport," said Jeff Guy, Vice President of Guy Roofing.  "With NASCAR series tracks in virtually all of the market areas where Guy Roofing provides our services, it made perfect sense for us to partner with Phoenix Racing. Stock car racing is an American tradition, in many cases passed down from generation to generation. As a third-generation family operated business, Guy Roofing values the commitment to excellence and quality that enable operations like NASCAR to withstand the test of time and continue to grow. It is that dedication that truly illustrates the American spirit."

Phoenix Racing plans on running Smith in a limited schedule in the No. 51 that doesn't conflict with Smith's full-time Nationwide schedule.  Austin Dillon is scheduled to drive the No. 51 at Las Vegas, bringing Tag Heuer Eyewear back to the team in a one-race deal.  AJ Allmendinger is also in line to drive up to 20 races.

Brad Keselowski Racing Announces Two Truck Full-Time CWTS Assault

On Tuesday morning, Brad Keselowski Racing (BKR) officially announced their package for the 2013 Camping World Truck Series season.  Since BKR is essentially a satellite operation of Penske Racing, they will mirror Penske Racing and switch from RAM to Ford for the 2013 season.  Ryan Blaney will return to the No. 29 for the full season with sponsorship from Cooper Standard for the full season.  Previously, Cooper Standard split sponsorship with the Cequent Group.

Cooper Standard is very happy about stepping up to a full-time primary sponsor of BKR.

"
We are excited to partner with Brad Keselowski and the BKR team again for the 2013 season," said Keith Stephenson, COO of Cooper Standard.  "Racing has proven to be a useful business tool for our company with both customers and employees and continues to help build the Cooper Standard Brand."

The No. 19 truck, which has previously been a part-time truck that team owner Brad Keselowski has driven in multiple races, will now be a full-time truck.  The team plans to employ a number of drivers in an attempt to win the owner's championship.  The primary driver will be Sophomore racer Ross Chastain, previously of SS-Green Light Racing.  Chastain will be in the truck for 15 of the 22 races, the first of which being the season opener in Daytona on February 22nd.  Personal sponsor Melon 1 will be on the truck for five of those races. 

Meanwhile, Cequent Group's sponsorship (via their brands Draw-Tite, Reese Towpower, Bulldog and Harper) will be the primary sponsor for 15 of the remaining 17 races.  Keselowski will drive in some of those races, as his Sprint Cup teammate Joey Logano.  In addition, the team announced that they have signed Dave Blaney to drive the No. 19 at the Mudsummer Classic, Eldora Speedway's first-ever Camping World Truck Series race in July.  Finally, the team named Chad Kendrick as the team's full-time crew chief.

Team owner Brad Keselowski is very excited for the upcoming season.

"
I couldn't be more pleased with the way 2013 is shaping up for BKR," Keselowski said.  "With enhanced support from our long time returning partners, Cooper Standard and Cequent Group, we are poised for a successful season. We have been able to retain and attract top notch personnel. The crew chiefs, drivers, and team members all put their hearts into this organization. Hard work equals results, and I am proud of each and every teammate's passion for excellence. Last season was a huge stepping stone for the organization as we claimed our first victory. We are looking forward to building on last year's success this season."

Blaney was signed to the No. 29 in August after BKR parted ways with Parker Kligerman.  In the nine races that Blaney drove for the team (Blaney missed Las Vegas due to a conflict), Blaney won at Iowa in only his third career start, earned one other top-5 finish, and five top-10's.

Chastain ran all 22 races last season and finished 17th in points.  However, that finish is not necessarily a true indicator of how well he ran during the season.  The early part of the year was highlighted by engine failures in three of the first eight races.  Also, SS-Green Light Racing's finances caught up with Chastain towards the end of the season, forcing him to start-and-park four times.  In between those, Chastain had a career-best third-place finish at Bristol in August and four top-10 finishes.


Arrowhead to Sponsor Jeb Burton

Turner Scott Motorsports announced on Wednesday that Arrowhead, a new brand of disposable electronic cigarette, will serve as the primary sponsor of Jeb Burton's No. 4 Chevrolet Silverado for the whole 2013 Camping World Truck Series season. 

Burton is very pleased to have Arrowhead behind him during his campaign.

Arrowhead is a new product from Sequoyah Brands, based out of South Boston, VA.  Sequoyah Brands' President is very pleased to have Burton in the fold for 2103.

"We look forward to the Arrowhead brand shooting straight to the top of the leaderboard, not only on the racetrack, but in the marketplace as well," said Kathy Farley, President of Sequoyah Brands.  "We are confident in Turner Scott Motorsports and in Jeb's ability on the track.  We know that Jeb will represent Arrowhead with class and continue the Burton family tradition of excellence in racing."

"I am so thankful to have the opportunity to represent Arrowhead in 2013," Burton said in a press release.  "We all have high expectations for the 2013 season, including capturing the Rookie of the Year title and competing for wins in NCWTS. I feel like we have a very solid foundation here at Turner Scott Motorsports and this partnership will solidify it even more. It's clear that Turner Scott Motorsports is a growing organization that believes in young talent, perfect for Arrowhead and me to continue the Burton family racing legacy."

Last year, Burton joined Hillman Racing in what was originally going to be an assault on the Rookie of the Year Award.  However, the team began the season with backing from State Water Heaters for only six races.  Burton's father, Ward, drove at Daytona since Jeb was not approved to race on the 2.5 mile tri-oval.  Afterwards, Jeb drove five races in the No. 27 Chevrolet, finishing a career-best eighth at Charlotte and earning three top-15 finishes.  Burton will join defending champion James Buescher and Miguel Paludo in Turner Scott Motorsports' Truck Series stable.

News Bites:

- Apex Times is reporting that Canadian racer Dexter Stacey is planning to start his own Nationwide team for the 2013 season.  That team will run Fords using the No. 92 and David Ingram would serve as Stacey's crew chief.  Most recently, Ingram has served as Morgan Shepherd's crew chief.  The team plans on running the full schedule and will not start-and-park.  Having said that, the team is still searching for sponsorship.

Stacey made seven Nationwide starts in 2012.  The first of those races came at Watkins Glen with R3 Motorsports.  Later, Stacey drove in six races in Go Green Racing's No. 39 Ford Mustang.  Stacey's best finish was a 24th at Chicagoland Speedway in September.

- SPEED.com's Robin Miller is reporting that both Kevin Swindell and Kyle Larson are likely to move up to the Nationwide Series on a full-time basis in 2013.  Swindell's ride would be with Biagi-DenBeste Racing, a team that the four-time winner of the Chili Bowl drove for in two races towards the end of 2012.  Swindell finished a career-best ninth at Texas in November, which was the best finish for the team since they returned to the series after a nearly six year absence.  As for Larson, Miller reports that Larson will find out this week what his NASCAR plans for 2013 will be from Chip Ganassi (Larson is a Ganassi development driver).  There is a decent chance that Larson could be full-time in the Nationwide Series in 2013 in a Target-sponsored Chevrolet with the opportunity to run a couple of Sprint Cup races in a third Earnhardt Ganassi Racing Chevrolet.

Have news for Phil and the Frontstretch? Don't hesitate to let us know; email us at ashland10@mail.com with a promising lead or tip.

Today's Featured Commentary
The 2013 NASCAR Season: It's Just Bound to Be
Sitting In The Stands: A Fan's View
by S.D. Grady

Some things in life are simply unavoidable: clocks strike twelve daily, there's always somebody at the traffic light who forgot what the accelerator is for, breakfast foods are somehow the most boring and exciting menu items at the same time.  And while NASCAR may take a winter hiatus, our favorite sport always returns before we have a real opportunity to forget all that we love about it.

With the arrival of the new Gen6 cars at Daytona International Speedway and the familiar sounds of DW and Larry Mac filling my living room during testing, I pondered what other inevitable sights and sounds we're looking forward to this season.

1.) Cars that look like...cars.

Yes, even with all the primer black, bright green ethanol stickers and undeniable stock car appearance of the latest iteration of the NASCAR Sprint car, the new Gen6 looks like..Chevys, Fords and Camrys.  They do!  The rear end is chopped off, just like so many other vehicles parked in show rooms.  It's refreshing to see the R&D center got something right!

2.) Pack racing at the plate tracks.


Well, the waltzing is over.  With the new aero packages and bumper shapes, the prom will not make a return trip to Daytona or Talladega this year in the Cup Series.  Instead, the drivers have car control--or a lack of it, in some cases--and that means three-wide, crazy ass pack racing is back.

I'm sure the Big One will still play a major role in these events, but it'll be riveting to watch them arrive at that moment.

3.) Hours and hours of references to everybody's favorite GoDaddy girl.

Well, there's no denying Danica is a pretty woman.  The camera likes her, and the relationship seems to be mutual.  For no other reason, I'm sure the production truck will make sure to capture her attempting every mundane task imaginable as she works her way through her "rookie" season.  Already we got to see her climb under her No. 10 to inspect a part.

Imagine that.  A driver checking out their ride.  Clearly award winning coverage.

4.) Brad Keselowski putting it out there that everybody else is just a wuss.

5.) Jimmie Johnson "playing it safe" and still ending up in the mix come November.


I'll just comment on the two of these together.  For years now Johnson and Knaus have been masters of the head game.  They will "try out new stuff" early in the season while logging one or two wins to ensure entry into the Chase.  They don't ever act too worried.  The No. 48 will definitely be in the Chase come September.

Meanwhile, last year it was clear that our current champion Brad Keselowski liked to utilize the more obvious frontal attack in the "messing with the competition" world.  Bad Brad enjoys sounding bold, boastful and cocky.  This week he was already teasing JJ and Co. for hanging out back during the drafting test, they said they were just avoiding conflict for the Lowes Chevy.

Yeah, maybe it is an overly conservative approach to testing out the new car.  But look who has their brand spanking new Gen6 car still in one piece.

It seems like Chad and Jimmie ain't so stupid after all.

6.) More jet dryer jokes than you can hit at Daytona


It's been an entire year, and yet we still can't seem to drop the subject.  I've already seen more highlight reels of the most impossible NASCAR moment this year than of Brad and Jimmie fighting for the Cup.  Don't hold your breath; nobody is going to fail to mention the infamous explosion given any kind of opportunity.

7.) Pre-season, pre-race and in-race segments that attempt to explain our sport to us.

Even though sometimes I bemoan the existence of some of the more simplistic tire segments, when the cars arrive in February to start qualifying for the Great American Race, I need these back-to-school bits.  I shall never be able to explain to somebody else how the 500 grid is set.  I don't know if I want to give up that many brain cells in the attempt.

Now with the Top 35 rule in the bin, all sorts of new safety equipment and the usual musical chairs of drivers, I feel like these basics are required more than usual.  Rolling out the chalkboard isn't such a bad idea, after all.

8.) The hope that we will see great racing at some point this year.

I know not every Sunday will bring an instant classic; there are more trips to the track I remember for the BBQ than the action on the track. However, there are enough edge-of-my-seat memories that I continue to tune into SPEED, FOX, ESPN and TNT as the NASCAR schedule requires. 

Last year I made the trek down the Bristol.  The weekend where Danica admonished Regan Smith and Kenseth actually ticked off Smoke enough to get the ex-Champ to throw his helmet.  I have pics of mods on the high banks, the rubber from burnouts on the track surface and a blizzard of confetti floating down in the August night.   There are memories of the sounds, smells and lights. 

That one magic weekend was enough to get me all revved up for another year of racing and to look forward to...

9.) A green flag on Feb. 24th.


Yes, it's going to happen.  First there's going to be the Rolex 24, some short track action on the Superstretch, loads of aimless on-air chatter by the SPEED crew, a batch of new TV ads, some last minute driver and crew chief shuffles and a week of TV coverage all building up to the moment when we gather together at the track, in our living rooms, garages and now even on Twitter--the time when we all raise up our voices and give the command, "Drivers! Start your engines!"

It's going to be a great season!

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.

TODAY AT THE FRONTSTRETCH:

DRIVER REVIEWS -- A FULL SCHEDULE IS UP! FIND THE ONES YOU MISSED AND GIVE US YOUR TAKE ON YOUR DRIVER'S FAVORITE SEASON.
OUT TODAY:

2012 NASCAR Driver Review: Parker Kligerman
by Beth Lunkenheimer

Preseason Thunder Testing Provides a Glimpse of the Season Ahead
by Matt Stallknecht

Pace Laps: NASCAR Can Build On This, Open-Wheel Offseason Antics And As The Busch Turns

by the Frontstretch Staff
 
FRONTSTRETCH TRIVIA:
Q:
  In 1993, Michael Andretti's short tenure in Formula One came to an end with his best career finish, a third, at the Grand Prix of Italy in Monza.  However, there was a spectacular crash coming to the finish.  What happened?
 
Check back next Monday for the answer, here in the Frontstretch Newsletter!
 
Last Monday's Answer:
Q.
In 1986, Jack Ingram appeared to be well on his way to his third Busch Grand National Championship.  However, an off-track incident saw the veteran suspended late in the season, which allowed Larry Pearson to win his first title.  What happened to cause NASCAR to suspend Ingram?
 
A. The day after the fall race at Dover, Ingram decided to go to Asheville, NC to race in a 200-lap late model race at then-New Asheville Speedway.  With 29 laps to go, Ingram collided with Ronnie Pressley (Robert's cousin) and spun out exiting Turn 4.  Ingram was also hit by Larry Ogle.  Ingram claims that he tried to dump the clutch so that he could spin around and resume, but the car wouldn't spin.  The result of this was that Ingram drove straight head-on into Pressley.  Heck broke loose after that.  In "Second to None," Ingram claims that off-duty cops moonlighting as security guards at the track handcuffed him, then beat him, breaking ribs in the process before they finally released him, allowing him to leave.  NASCAR determined that Ingram's actions were intentional, fined him $5,000 and suspended him indefinitely from competition.  Ultimately, he missed two Busch races, but it was enough to swallow up his 246 point lead.  This clip from USA Network's coverage of the 1986 Sandhills 200 from Rockingham includes footage of the Asheville crash and quotes from Ingram.
 
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 Monday, January 21st in the Frontstretch Newsletter:
-- Top News from Phil Allaway
-- Links to your favorite Frontstretch articles, and more ... including our 2012 Driver Reviews!
 
Coming this week at Frontstretch:
Mirror Driving by the Frontstretch Staff
Every Wednesday throughout the offseason your favorite experts will convene to discuss some major NASCAR issues of 2012 -- and what the series faces heading into 2013.

Throwback Thursdays by the Frontstretch Staff
New Year, old favorites. During the offseason, take a look at some of our columnists' best stories from 2012 -- and earlier in their careers -- as they share what features are near and dear to their heart. A guaranteed set of great reads that'll whet your appetite for racing to return in February.

Coming Monday, January 21th at Frontstretch:
Rolex 24 Preview
by Phil Allaway
Yes, it's already almost time for the 24-hour classic.  We'll be on-site with coverage, but to quench your thirst, another mega-preview is being prepared.  It will run in multiple parts all week.
------------------------------
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