The Frontstretch Newsletter: February 13th, 2013

THE FRONTSTRETCH NEWSLETTER
Presented by Frontstretch.com
The Best Seat at the Track, The Best View on the Net!
February 13th, 2013
Volume VII, Edition XII

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Frontstretch Live: Don't miss out on Mike Neff's expanded coverage of the Sprint Unlimited, Daytona 500 Qualifying and the Battle of the Beach. Mike will be at Daytona from Friday through Tuesday bringing you all of the latest and greatest to come out of NASCAR's opening weekend for the 2013 season. Be sure to follow along on Twitter at @TheFrontstretch and @MNeffShortTrack for everything you need to know!

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Top News
by Tom Bowles

Tuesday Means Track Drying: Details Of NASCAR System Introduced

Recovering from rain delays is about to get a whole lot easier for NASCAR in 2013. The sanctioning body on Tuesday unveiled details of its new, track-drying system called the "Air Titan" which experts claim is so effective, Daytona can be dried in as little as 30 minutes following a rainstorm. The new technology, facets of which were designed in just eight months by the sport's Research and Development arm, could make its debut as quickly as this Saturday night's Sprint Unlimited.

"In a short amount of time, our talented team at the NASCAR R&D Center imagined, designed and built the Air Titan, an innovative device that will dramatically improve the race-viewing experience for our fans," NASCAR CEO France claimed to reporters. "With its far-reaching potential and impact, we believe the Air Titan is a big win for the motorsports industry, and eventually will enhance many surface cleaning and drying industries as well."

The first phase of the Titan has reportedly been proven to shorten track drying time by as much as 80%. Using air compression, the machine sucks up water and literally "pushes" it off the racing surface and right down onto the apron of any racing oval – out of harm's way. The moisture will then get removed by vacuum trucks, contraptions that will speed around on the side in a two-step process that should make things as good as new following a downpour.

For those wondering about jet dryers, they'll still play an integral role at NASCAR facilities, at least to start. As a failsafe, that equipment will follow behind the Titan and ensure any remaining water not picked up is also blown back down to the apron.

Elgin Sweeper Company, Sullair, and Ring Power CAT were organizations that played an integral role in Air Titan's development. All are expected to be in attendance, during Speedweeks to ensure track drying gets handled as efficiently as possible.

Max Papis To Drive Three Nationwide Races For RCR

One of the sport's road course ringers will get a chance to showcase his skills once again in 2013. Max Papis, the former open-wheel star who's run in stock car competition the last several years, announced Tuesday he'll drive a limited schedule for Richard Childress Racing in the Nationwide Series. The 43-year-old Italian will man the No. 33 Chevrolet, sponsored by several primary backers this season at Road America June 22nd and the Mid-Ohio sports car course on August 17th. He'll also compete at one oval, Iowa Speedway, in the series' first of two visits to the 7/8th-mile track on June 8th.
 
"Having the trust and support of a man like Richard Childress and partners like Menards, Rheem, WESCO, Armour, Hunt Brothers Pizza and Fast Fixin' shows me how far I have come in NASCAR," said Papis in a press release announcing the move. "With RCR and ECR Engines, I will have the best opportunity in my career to accomplish my goal of winning a NASCAR race. It fills my heart with joy to know that I did enough to earn an oval race opportunity and I will make everyone proud of their decision."

Papis raced in NASCAR's top three series just once last season, but made the most of it; he was fourth in the No. 33 Chevy in the Nationwide race at Road America. He'll look to better his record in the sport's second-tier division, a resume that includes three top-5 finishes in 11 career events but only one race, ever, on an oval (he was 40th at Texas in 2006).

"Max brings a great deal of talent and energy to the race track and everywhere else he goes," said car owner Richard Childress, rewarding the veteran for some behind-the-scenes contributions to the program. "He's worked with some of our younger drivers to make them better road course racers, specifically, and also their overall approach to racing. We know Max will do a great job for RCR and the No. 33 team."
 
Papis joins Dakoda Armstrong (five events), Ty Dillon (ten events), Kevin Harvick, Paul Menard, and Tony Stewart in a lineup that will combine to run the full, 33-race Nationwide schedule. RCR will field three full-time teams in the division, adding in the No. 2 Chevy driven by Brian Scott and their premier entry, the No. 3, manned by Childress' grandson Austin Dillon.

Turn One Racing Turning Back To The Truck Series

Stacy Compton's team is going back into full-time Truck Series competition. The No. 60 Chevrolet organization announced Dakoda Armstrong Tuesday as the driver for what they hope to be a full, 22-race schedule. They'll get support from RCR as the Truck Series sophomore hopes to pick up where he left off in 2012; a ride he had with Thorsport was cut short, midway through his rookie campaign due to limited funding.

For Daytona, Winfield, a Land O'Lakes company that specializes in seed and crop protection products, will back the team. Armstrong is working to secure additional backers, hoping to build off a freshman season that did include one impressive performance – a third at Michigan in August. Overall, he has two top-10 results in 22 career starts in the Truck Series.

Armstrong will also run a limited schedule with RCR in Nationwide (see above) driving the No. 33 Chevrolet. As for Compton, who dabbled in Sprint Cup competition last year, there's no word whether his start-and-park No. 74 operation will reappear on that side of the fence.

News 'N' Notes

- Jason White, a full-time participant in the Camping World Truck Series, will be doing a little extra in 2013. On Tuesday, SR2 Motorsports named White to drive a limited Nationwide Series schedule for the team, with full details and sponsorship to be announced at a later date. The partnership includes the season-opening Daytona race, on February 23rd where White will pair up with full-time teammate Blake Koch and a third driver TBA. In 40 career starts in Nationwide, White – backed by GunBroker.com in the Truck Series – has run no better than 17th.

- Brad Keselowski won't be in the Sprint Unlimited Saturday night, but the reigning series champ expects to get plenty of on-camera time. He'll join Mike Joy, Darrell Waltrip, and Larry McReynolds in the broadcast booth for parts of FOX's race coverage. With the new Unlimited rules, Keselowski, who did not win a pole in 2012, became ineligible for the event in the No. 2 Penske Racing machine.

Have news for Tom 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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Today's Featured Commentary
Daytona Duels Get Added Adrenaline With Qualifying Change
by Kevin Rutherford

Let's be real -- the allure of the pre-Daytona 500 Duels has been, for a few years now, fairly understated. Rather than a high-drama, high-stakes double shot of restrictor plate goodness prior to the big show, with a myriad of drivers racing for their spot on the starting grid, the top-35 rule of recent years eliminated a lot of no-holds-barred competition down the stretch.

Instead, the Duels became a bit of a test race, especially for teams that didn't field an entry in the Bud Shootout, or Sprint Unlimited, or whatever it was called in a given year. With 35 cars locked in no matter what happened, save for a drastic measure such as a withdrawal, only the teams outside that cutoff really had much to fret over.

And sure, there were the feel-good moments, like Brian Keselowski getting a push from brother Brad into the 2011 race after running relatively slow all week. But gradually, the Duels lost their shine. Yes, it became an off-kilter way for NASCAR to set the field at its Super Bowl, but mostly, the cars one expected to make the race ended up doing just that.

Thank goodness the boredom is just one week away from changing.

For NASCAR's 2013 iteration, the sport has returned to a policy in line with its past, prior to the top-35 rule. For most races, the top 36 cars in qualifying are in the race, with the next six spots going to the top six teams in owner points that weren't already in the original 36. The final spot goes to a past champion not already qualified, or a seventh driver from the owner points rule if such a driver does not need the past champion's provisional.

But for the Daytona 500, nixing the top-35 rule means that the top six in qualifying are locked in before the Duels, with the front row locked after qualifying. But finishing in the top 15 in one of the Duels also ensures a spot in the race. From there, positions 33-36 go to the fastest in qualifying not finishing in the top 15. Numbers 37-43 refer back to owner points (in this case from 2012), like other races.

It's early to say whether this change will make a difference in the Duels or even in qualifying for the 500, but chances are it will. In theory, the seventh-place finisher in owner points (in this case, the No. 17 and Ricky Stenhouse, Jr.) could miss the 500 if he/she does not have a quick qualifying time and doesn't finish in the top 15 in his/her duel. This DQ is, of course, assuming that the top six in owners points experience the same issues, so it's a bit far-fetched but definitely possible.

It's more likely that a mid-tier team, one that might not challenge for victories each week but is still a fixture at each race, could be sent packing Thursday. It's also more likely that smaller organizations, even those in one-off shots for glory in the 500, can make the race as long as they're up to par.

There are some possibilities here. I know I'm excited.

Kevin Rutherford is a Senior Writer for Frontstretch.com. He can be reached via email at kevin.rutherford@frontstretch.com.

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GOT A NASCAR QUESTION OR COMMENT? WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU!
That's right; our Fan Q & A column is back once again in 2013. Send your question Summer Bedgood's way at summer.bedgood@frontstretch.com and if you're lucky, you'll get your name in print on Thursday when she does her weekly column. It's all part of our daily mission to give back to you – the fans that keep Frontstretch afloat!

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Tweet 'N' Greet
by Kevin Rutherford

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, Kevin Rutherford 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...

@jamiemcmurray: Our 2nd child was born earlier today. Both mom and Hazel are going great. We feel so blessed to have 2 healthy kids.

@mattkenseth: I can't wait to get back to racing in the Nationwide Series, Thanks @gamestopracing and @resers!

@BubbaWallace (Darrell Wallace, Jr.): Kyle to us (drivers): "I didn't bring home any hardware last year, so it's up to you 3 to make up for last year!"

@shanehmiel: Us handicapped people lost a huge helper today in #ralphbraun. He's done so much for us.

@danicapatrick: Hair cuts are always a traumatic experience for me. Does an inch off sound like a lot to anyone else? Haha new layers. http://img.ly/sB9p

@KevinHarvick: When I see that wrestling has been taken out of the Olympics in 2020 I ask myself is trampolining really a sport? #politics

@Brendan62 (Brendan Gaughan): Already beating you! RT @austindillon3 Leaving NC headed to Daytona for the grind #LetsgoRacing http://img.ly/szkI

@mw55 (Michael Waltrip): Tune into @SPEED Thursday for a big announcement about my #Daytona500 car.

@kurtbusch: #nascar Hall of Fame dinner w/@Patricia_AFF to watch #rusty get inducted. Awesome to see this many legends in 1 place pic.twitter.com/yl5EeXAr

@timmyhillracer: Just finished up another solo flying lesson today! I'm so close to getting my pilot's license! I think I can finish up before racing season!

@EricMcClure: My pit sign this year. Thanks @HeftyReynolds14 for the photo pic.twitter.com/gdkpoOAY

@PKligerman (Parker Kligerman): To all race series: If you do a write up on testing speeds or Q times. Pls always include a time sheet. I don't care bout story. Just times

@davidstremme: Driving the dirt hauler to Daytona. Then race tonight. #oldschool

@traviskvapil: We bailed and went to Taco Mac - RT @93spotter: Waiting for a table @outback I bet @RyanNewman39 could get me one quicker

@claygreenfield: Did y'all see that girl who tattooed her b/f name all over her face 24hrs after meeting him? And I thought owning a race team was dumb

Kevin Rutherford is a Senior Writer for Frontstretch.com. He can be reached via email at kevin.rutherford@frontstretch.com.

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TODAY ON THE FRONTSTRETCH:

Did You Notice? ... Young Guns, V-Day Heartbreakers And NASCAR Quick Hits
by Tom Bowles

Side By Side: Does A Pair Of Drivers Dating Matter?
by Amy Henderson and Marc Lemay

Tech Talk: Tony Gibson Dishes on Preparing for Gen-6 at Daytona
by Mike Neff

Top Ten Rejected Fan Votes for the Sprint Unlimited
by the Frontstretch Staff

Beyond the Cockpit: Dion von Möltke on Audi, Team Dedication and Fitness
by Phil Allaway

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FRONTSTRETCH TRIVIA:

Q: In 1996, Jeff Purvis took advantage of Phoenix Racing's alliance with Morgan-McClure Motorsports (and the Runt Pittman engines that came with it) to win the Daytona ARCA 200.  However, that victory was overshadowed by a huge wreck on the final lap.  What happened?

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

Q: The 1991 Busch Clash was essentially a 20-lap benefit for Dale Earnhardt, who won and led all but two laps, even after starting the second segment at the rear of the field (14th).  However, there was an incident during the second segment of the race.  What happened?

A: On Lap 12, Ricky Rudd and Derrike Cope had contact exiting Turn 4.  Rudd spun into the inside wall.  Meanwhile, Cope tapped the brakes after the contact and was turned into the outside wall from behind by Ken Schrader.  All three drivers were OK, but out of the race.  The crash can be seen at the 16:15 mark of this clip.

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
-- Links to your favorite Frontstretch articles, the Line of the Week and more!

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Tomorrow on the Frontstretch:

Mirror Driving by the Frontstretch Staff
Your favorite Frontstretch writers are back to discuss a variety of different subjects. This week's topics include this year's Hall of Fame inductions, Darrell Wallace, Jr.'s full-time ride with Kyle Busch Motorsports and so much more.

Frontstretch 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.

Fantasy Racing by Jeff Wolfe
Jeff brings fantasy racing back to Frontstretch this season. This week, he takes a look at the upcoming season as we prepare for 38 weeks of almost non-stop racing action.

Truckin' Thursdays by Beth Lunkenheimer
Beth is back with another season full of Truck Series commentary -- even during the extended breaks the series will take the first several months of the season. This week, join Beth as she recaps the moves and changes made throughout the offseason in preparation for another exciting year.

Fifth Column TBD
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