THE FRONTSTRETCH NEWSLETTER
Presented by Frontstretch.com
The Best Seat at the Track, The Best View on the Net!
March 21st, 2013
Volume VII, Edition XL
~~~~~~~~~~
What to Watch: Thursday
- Late tonight, Formula One's second race weekend of the season will get underway in Malaysia. Opening practice will not be televised, but Free Practice No. 2 will be covered starting at 2am late Thursday night/early Friday morning on the NBC Sports Network.
Top News
by Phil Allaway
Martin to Oversee Construction of New Training Facility at MWR
Part-time Sprint Cup Series driver and full-time fitness zealot Mark Martin has been charged with overseeing the construction of a new 7,500 square foot training facility at Michael Waltrip Racing's shop in Cornelius, North Carolina. The new facility will serve as the primary facility for MWR's pit crews.
Martin is very happy about having the facility available.
"I'm really enthused and excited about what we're working on getting at MWR," Martin said. "This has been a 10-month crusade to get the green light. It's fun. It's's my second passion. I've been consulting with the strength staff and the coaching staff picking out equipment and designing the layout. We hope to have the nicest facility in the sport. You spend a lot of money on equipment in the sport and I think you are starting to see the teams invest even more in human performance."
MWR's new facility will contain an "inlaid car silhouette," designed so that teams can practice agility drills. There will be nautilus-style weight machines, in addition to basic free weights and cardio equipment. CrossFit elements will be incorporated into the facility as well. Finally, there will be office space and locker rooms. It is expected that the new facility will supplement the existing routine that the team has for training pit crews, which was exhibited in a ESPN-produced special entitled Catching Speed last year on ABC.
Construction is due to start on the new facility this week. The construction is supposed to be complete in about three months.
Crackle to Sponsor Go Green Racing, Harraka at Auto Club Speedway
On Tuesday, Go Green Racing and driver Paulie Harraka announced that Crackle, a website that allows viewers to watch TV shows and movies from Sony's library for free (legally) on the internet, via video game consoles and devices such as the Roku box, will serve as Harraka's primary sponsor on the No. 79 Ford in Saturday's Royal Purple 300 at Auto Club Speedway. It is the content provider's first entry into NASCAR.
Harraka is pleased to have Crackle onboard for his 2013 Nationwide Series debut this weekend.
"I discovered Crackle on my Roku box back in college and have been hooked ever since. So now I'm thrilled to have them as one of the cutting edge companies I am racing with," Harraka said. "Ted Musgrave, my spotter and coach, and I are looking forward to hitting the track with [Go Green Racing] again, and we're excited to do so with a cool brand such as Crackle."
Harraka has three previous starts in the Nationwide Series. Last year, he drove two races in the No. 08 for Randy Hill Racing, a team that was essentially a Go Green Racing satellite outfit. Harraka's best finish was a 21st at Phoenix in November. The deal with Crackle is only a one-race deal, and it is unclear how many races that Harraka will run in the No. 79. Regular driver Jeffrey Earnhardt is said to not have enough sponsorship for the full season, but should return to the seat.
Entry List Update:
Note: These entries are accurate as of Wednesday night. However, they are still subject to change.
Sprint Cup Series Auto Club 400: 43 cars entered
Drivers Ineligible to Earn Points:
No. 35 - Josh Wise for Front Row Motorsports
No. 87 - Joe Nemechek for NEMCO Motorsports/JRR
Driver Changes:
No. 32 - Timmy Hill returns to the seat, replacing Terry Labonte. Hill, making his 2013 debut is running a limited schedule for the team this season and has filed for Rookie of the Year honors.
No. 55 - Mark Martin returns to the seat, replacing Brian Vickers.
No one must qualify on speed since only 43 cars are entered.
Nationwide Series Royal Purple 300: 42 cars entered
Drivers Ineligible to Earn Points:
No. 22 - Brad Keselowski for Penske Racing
No. 27 - Michael McDowell for SR2 Motorsports
No. 33 - Dakoda Armstrong for Richard Childress Racing
No. 42 - J.J. Yeley for The Motorsports Group, LLC
No. 47 - Scott Riggs for The Motorsports Group, LLC
No. 54 - Kyle Busch for Kyle Busch Motorsports/Joe Gibbs Racing
Driver Changes:
No. 15 - Juan Carlos Blum returns to the seat, replacing Scott Riggs.
No. 23 - An unknown driver will be in the seat, replacing Robert Richardson, Jr.
No. 33 - Dakoda Armstrong is in the seat, replacing Kevin Harvick.
No. 47 - Scott Riggs is in the seat, replacing J.J. Yeley.
No. 70 - An unknown driver will be in the seat, replacing Brad Teague.
No. 79 - Paulie Harraka is in the seat, replacing Jeffrey Earnhardt.
Drivers who must qualify on speed:
No. 01 - Mike Wallace for JD Motorsports with Gary Keller
No. 07 - Daryl Harr for JD Motorsports with Gary Keller
No. 4 - Danny Efland for JD Motorsports with Gary Keller
No. 10 - Jeff Green for TriStar Motorsports (Guaranteed to start via the Past Champions' Provisional)*
No. 27 - Michael McDowell for SR2 Motorsports*
No. 42 - J.J. Yeley for The Motorsports Group, LLC*
No. 46 - Chase Miller for The Motorsports Group, LLC*
No. 47 - Scott Riggs for The Motorsports Group, LLC*
No. 52 - Joey Gase for Jimmy Means Motorsports
No. 55 - Jamie Dick for Viva Motorsports*
No. 70 - Unknown driver for ML Motorsports
No. 92 - Dexter Stacey for KH Motorsports
No. 98 - Kevin Swindell for Biagi-DenBeste Racing
Not Entered:
No. 16 - Chris Buescher for Roush Fenway Racing
No. 25 - John Wes Townley for Venturini Motorsports
No. 89 - Morgan Shepherd for Shepherd Motor Ventures
Izod IndyCar Series Honda Grand Prix of St. Petersburg: 25 cars entered
Number Changes:
AFS Racing's No. 17 changes to No. 55.
Andretti Autosport's No. 26 changes to No. 25.
Andretti Autosport's No. 28 changes to No. 1.
HVM Racing's No. 78 changes to No. 5.
Driver Changes:
No. 5 - EJ Viso is in the seat, replacing Simona de Silvestro
No. 6 - Sebastian Saavedra is in the seat, replacing Katherine Legge.
No. 14 - Takuma Sato is in the seat, replacing Wade Cunningham.
No. 15 - Graham Rahal is in the seat, replacing Takuma Sato.
No. 18 - Ana Beatriz is in the seat, replacing Justin Wilson.
No. 19 - Justin Wilson is in the seat, replacing James Jakes.
No. 55 - Tristan Vautier is in the seat, replacing Sebastian Saavedra.
No. 78 - Simona de Silvestro is in the seat, replacing EJ Viso.
Entries:
No. 1 - Ryan Hunter-Reay for Andretti Autosport
No. 3 - Helio Castroneves for Team Penske
No. 4 - JR Hildebrand for Panther Racing
No. 5 - EJ Viso for Team Venezuela/Andretti Autosport/HVM
No. 6 - Sebastian Saavedra for Dragon Racing
No. 7 - Sebastien Bourdais for Dragon Racing
No. 9 - Scott Dixon for Target Chip Ganassi Racing
No. 10 - Dario Franchitti for Target Chip Ganassi Racing
No. 11 - Tony Kanaan for KV Racing Technology
No. 12 - Will Power for Team Penske
No. 14 - Takuma Sato for A.J. Foyt Enterprises
No. 15 - Graham Rahal for Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing
No. 16 - James Jakes for Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing
No. 18 - Ana Beatriz for Dale Coyne Racing
No. 19 - Justin Wilson for Dale Coyne Racing
No. 20 - Ed Carpenter for Ed Carpenter Racing
No. 22 - Oriol Servia for Panther-DRR
No. 25 - Marco Andretti for Andretti Autosport
No. 27 - James Hinchcliffe for Andretti Autosport
No. 55 - Tristan Vautier for Schmidt Peterson Motorsports
No. 67 - Josef Newgarden for Sarah Fisher Hartman Racing
No. 77 - Simon Pagenaud for Schmidt-Hamilton Motorsports
No. 78 - Simona de Silvestro for KV Racing Technology
No. 83 - Charlie Kimball for Novo Nordisk Chip Ganassi Racing
No. 98 - Alex Tagliani for Bryan Herta Autosport with Curb-Agajanian
Not Entered:
No. 2 - Ryan Briscoe for Team Penske
No. 38 - Chip Ganassi Racing
News Bites:
- Devin Jones announced on Wednesday that VeriStor, a virtual infrastructure and technological solutions firm, will serve as his primary sponsor in the upcoming Camping World Truck Series Kroger 250 at Martinsville Speedway. Jones will attempt to make his series debut driving a No. 35 for Young's Motorsports, a team that fielded a part-time No. 02 Chevrolet for ProCup regular Tyler Young last season. Also of note, VeriStor is Jones' current primary sponsor in the UARA-STARS series.
- Speaking of the UARA-STARS, Max Papis announced on Wednesday that he will drive a limited schedule in a UARA late model for Lee Faulk starting this weekend at Hickory Motor Speedway. The current Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series regular is using the three scheduled late model starts to re-familiarize himself with the feel of a stock car before starting his limited Nationwide Series schedule for Richard Childress Racing later this season.
Have news for Phil and the Frontstretch? Don't hesitate to let us know; email us at phil.allaway@frontstretch.com with a promising lead or tip.
~~~~~~~~~~
Got NASCAR-related questions or comments?
Send them Summer Bedgood's way at summer.bedgood@frontstretch.com; and, if you're lucky, you'll get your name in print when she does her weekly column answering back to you – the fans that keep Frontstretch afloat. Frontstretch Fan Q & A will run on Thursdays with a whole new set of Fan Questions and Answers!
Today's Featured Commentary
Quick Hits for March 21st
What's Vexing Vito
by Vito Pugliese
Sunday's 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway was punctuated by the fracas between Denny Hamlin and Joey Logano. At the end of the race, there was a brief exchange of words between Logano and Hamlin, which then – gasp! – spilled over onto Twitter. Long gone are the days when Bobby Meyers picked up an axle and went to confront Curtis Turner, only to be confronted by a .38 kept in the tool box. Cale Yarborough going to beating on Bobby Allison's fists with his face has been replaced with "hush little child" 140 character quips on Twitter for narcissists. Long gone are the days when Lee Petty's wife had to clock Tiny Lund in the head with her pursue containing a brick after he had both Lee and Richard in a choke hold. Denny actually did have a decent comeback with "he said he's coming for me, but I don't usually see him," so I have to give credit where it's due. Then again, Denny was part of one of the lamest retaliations in history when he intentionally spun out Kevin Harvick at Homestead - to little consequence.
Also, memo to Joey: If you're going to start stuff, please wait for the other guy's team to depart first, or bring your guys along. He's tough for jumping into it given his stature, but it's tactically unsound. Ryan Newman was about ready to give him a Stone Cold Stunner a couple of years ago at Michigan after he poked him in the chest. Hit the weights and a hamburger stand my man!
----------
Driver Landon Cassill is suing BK Racing over what he alleges is $205,000 in unpaid winnings and other fees owed to him from the 2012 season. Cassill also is asking for an unspecified amount of money for not being told until January this year that he would not drive for the team in 2013. BK Racing is actually the remnants of Red Bull Racing – which was sued by Scott Speed in 2011 for booting him out of the car in the midst of a contract. Is this place cursed and doomed to be a litany of litigation and bad press? It's unfortunate still that Red Bull was not able to continue on following the 2011 season, that saw them win with Kasey Kahne and Kenny Francis. One would also hope that Landon Cassill would find a top flight ride as well; he's a steady driver who performs well beyond his years given the equipment that he's had to work with in the Cup Series. Now if he can just find somebody who will pay him…
-----------
Jeremy Mayfield has been a favorite whipping boy and target for joke and innuendo the past few years, as he fought NASCAR often and unsuccessfully to be reinstated following a failed drug test for methamphetamine. Jeremy did get a little bit of a lift this week, as ten felony theft charges were dropped against him, the final one taking place on March 6th. Not for anything ground breaking, but because a key witness and co-defendant died in a motorcycle accident last year. Some of those alleging burglary against Mayfield were Red Bull Racing and Fitz Motorsports. The individual in question died as the result of a police chase. Mayfield still faces charges for methamphetamine possession, possession of stolen property, and obtaining property under false pretense.
Again with Red Bull Racing. Maybe BK Racing can pick up Mayfield for cheap and pay him in elbows and hot race car parts. Eh, just kidding…seriously still hope all of this is just some big frame job and he's able to prove his innocence. Here's hoping for the best for the Flat Top.
Vito Pugliese is a Senior Writer/Assistant Editor for Frontstretch. He can be reached via e-mail at vito.pugliese@frontstretch.com. Follow him on Twitter at @VitoPugliese.
by Summer Bedgood
Fantasy Insider: Left Coast The Place To Right Your NASCAR Ship
by Jeff Wolfe
Truckin' Thursdays: Four Tracks That Belong On The Truck Series Schedule
by Beth Lunkenheimer
Tech Talk: Steve Letarte On Tires, Aerodynamics
by Mike Neff
Frontstretch Trivia Guarantee: If we mess up, you get the shirt off our backs! If we've provided an incorrect answer to the Frontstretch Trivia question, be the first to email the corrected trivia answer to trivia@frontstretch.com and we'll send you a Frontstretch T-Shirt ... FREE!
~~~~~~~~~~
Coming tomorrow in the Frontstretch Newsletter:
-- Top News from Justin Tucker
-- In Case You Missed It by Beth Lunkenheimer
-- Frontstretch Folio: Auto Club Speedway by Beth Lunkenheimer
-- Keepin' It Short by Mike Neff
-- Links to your favorite Frontstretch articles, trivia, and more!
~~~~~~~~~~
Tomorrow on the Frontstretch:
IndyCar Preview: St. Petersburg by Toni Montgomery
Toni takes a look at IndyCar's pending 2013 debut.
Four Burning Questions: Fontana by Matt Stallknecht
Matt gets your engines revved up for 2013 with a preview of this weekend's Auto Club 400.
Holding A Pretty Wheel by Amy Henderson
Amy returns this week with another intriguing Friday commentary.
Nuts For Nationwide by Kevin Rutherford
Kevin's back with a preview of Saturday's Royal Purple 300.
Voices From the Heartland by Jeff Meyer
Our Tennessee transplant returns with another interesting take on recent events.
-----------------------------
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
Presented by Frontstretch.com
The Best Seat at the Track, The Best View on the Net!
March 21st, 2013
Volume VII, Edition XL
~~~~~~~~~~
What to Watch: Thursday
- Late tonight, Formula One's second race weekend of the season will get underway in Malaysia. Opening practice will not be televised, but Free Practice No. 2 will be covered starting at 2am late Thursday night/early Friday morning on the NBC Sports Network.
Top News
by Phil Allaway
Martin to Oversee Construction of New Training Facility at MWR
Part-time Sprint Cup Series driver and full-time fitness zealot Mark Martin has been charged with overseeing the construction of a new 7,500 square foot training facility at Michael Waltrip Racing's shop in Cornelius, North Carolina. The new facility will serve as the primary facility for MWR's pit crews.
Martin is very happy about having the facility available.
"I'm really enthused and excited about what we're working on getting at MWR," Martin said. "This has been a 10-month crusade to get the green light. It's fun. It's's my second passion. I've been consulting with the strength staff and the coaching staff picking out equipment and designing the layout. We hope to have the nicest facility in the sport. You spend a lot of money on equipment in the sport and I think you are starting to see the teams invest even more in human performance."
MWR's new facility will contain an "inlaid car silhouette," designed so that teams can practice agility drills. There will be nautilus-style weight machines, in addition to basic free weights and cardio equipment. CrossFit elements will be incorporated into the facility as well. Finally, there will be office space and locker rooms. It is expected that the new facility will supplement the existing routine that the team has for training pit crews, which was exhibited in a ESPN-produced special entitled Catching Speed last year on ABC.
Construction is due to start on the new facility this week. The construction is supposed to be complete in about three months.
Crackle to Sponsor Go Green Racing, Harraka at Auto Club Speedway
On Tuesday, Go Green Racing and driver Paulie Harraka announced that Crackle, a website that allows viewers to watch TV shows and movies from Sony's library for free (legally) on the internet, via video game consoles and devices such as the Roku box, will serve as Harraka's primary sponsor on the No. 79 Ford in Saturday's Royal Purple 300 at Auto Club Speedway. It is the content provider's first entry into NASCAR.
Harraka is pleased to have Crackle onboard for his 2013 Nationwide Series debut this weekend.
"I discovered Crackle on my Roku box back in college and have been hooked ever since. So now I'm thrilled to have them as one of the cutting edge companies I am racing with," Harraka said. "Ted Musgrave, my spotter and coach, and I are looking forward to hitting the track with [Go Green Racing] again, and we're excited to do so with a cool brand such as Crackle."
Harraka has three previous starts in the Nationwide Series. Last year, he drove two races in the No. 08 for Randy Hill Racing, a team that was essentially a Go Green Racing satellite outfit. Harraka's best finish was a 21st at Phoenix in November. The deal with Crackle is only a one-race deal, and it is unclear how many races that Harraka will run in the No. 79. Regular driver Jeffrey Earnhardt is said to not have enough sponsorship for the full season, but should return to the seat.
Entry List Update:
Note: These entries are accurate as of Wednesday night. However, they are still subject to change.
Sprint Cup Series Auto Club 400: 43 cars entered
Drivers Ineligible to Earn Points:
No. 35 - Josh Wise for Front Row Motorsports
No. 87 - Joe Nemechek for NEMCO Motorsports/JRR
Driver Changes:
No. 32 - Timmy Hill returns to the seat, replacing Terry Labonte. Hill, making his 2013 debut is running a limited schedule for the team this season and has filed for Rookie of the Year honors.
No. 55 - Mark Martin returns to the seat, replacing Brian Vickers.
No one must qualify on speed since only 43 cars are entered.
Nationwide Series Royal Purple 300: 42 cars entered
Drivers Ineligible to Earn Points:
No. 22 - Brad Keselowski for Penske Racing
No. 27 - Michael McDowell for SR2 Motorsports
No. 33 - Dakoda Armstrong for Richard Childress Racing
No. 42 - J.J. Yeley for The Motorsports Group, LLC
No. 47 - Scott Riggs for The Motorsports Group, LLC
No. 54 - Kyle Busch for Kyle Busch Motorsports/Joe Gibbs Racing
Driver Changes:
No. 15 - Juan Carlos Blum returns to the seat, replacing Scott Riggs.
No. 23 - An unknown driver will be in the seat, replacing Robert Richardson, Jr.
No. 33 - Dakoda Armstrong is in the seat, replacing Kevin Harvick.
No. 47 - Scott Riggs is in the seat, replacing J.J. Yeley.
No. 70 - An unknown driver will be in the seat, replacing Brad Teague.
No. 79 - Paulie Harraka is in the seat, replacing Jeffrey Earnhardt.
Drivers who must qualify on speed:
No. 01 - Mike Wallace for JD Motorsports with Gary Keller
No. 07 - Daryl Harr for JD Motorsports with Gary Keller
No. 4 - Danny Efland for JD Motorsports with Gary Keller
No. 10 - Jeff Green for TriStar Motorsports (Guaranteed to start via the Past Champions' Provisional)*
No. 27 - Michael McDowell for SR2 Motorsports*
No. 42 - J.J. Yeley for The Motorsports Group, LLC*
No. 46 - Chase Miller for The Motorsports Group, LLC*
No. 47 - Scott Riggs for The Motorsports Group, LLC*
No. 52 - Joey Gase for Jimmy Means Motorsports
No. 55 - Jamie Dick for Viva Motorsports*
No. 70 - Unknown driver for ML Motorsports
No. 92 - Dexter Stacey for KH Motorsports
No. 98 - Kevin Swindell for Biagi-DenBeste Racing
Not Entered:
No. 16 - Chris Buescher for Roush Fenway Racing
No. 25 - John Wes Townley for Venturini Motorsports
No. 89 - Morgan Shepherd for Shepherd Motor Ventures
Izod IndyCar Series Honda Grand Prix of St. Petersburg: 25 cars entered
Number Changes:
AFS Racing's No. 17 changes to No. 55.
Andretti Autosport's No. 26 changes to No. 25.
Andretti Autosport's No. 28 changes to No. 1.
HVM Racing's No. 78 changes to No. 5.
Driver Changes:
No. 5 - EJ Viso is in the seat, replacing Simona de Silvestro
No. 6 - Sebastian Saavedra is in the seat, replacing Katherine Legge.
No. 14 - Takuma Sato is in the seat, replacing Wade Cunningham.
No. 15 - Graham Rahal is in the seat, replacing Takuma Sato.
No. 18 - Ana Beatriz is in the seat, replacing Justin Wilson.
No. 19 - Justin Wilson is in the seat, replacing James Jakes.
No. 55 - Tristan Vautier is in the seat, replacing Sebastian Saavedra.
No. 78 - Simona de Silvestro is in the seat, replacing EJ Viso.
Entries:
No. 1 - Ryan Hunter-Reay for Andretti Autosport
No. 3 - Helio Castroneves for Team Penske
No. 4 - JR Hildebrand for Panther Racing
No. 5 - EJ Viso for Team Venezuela/Andretti Autosport/HVM
No. 6 - Sebastian Saavedra for Dragon Racing
No. 7 - Sebastien Bourdais for Dragon Racing
No. 9 - Scott Dixon for Target Chip Ganassi Racing
No. 10 - Dario Franchitti for Target Chip Ganassi Racing
No. 11 - Tony Kanaan for KV Racing Technology
No. 12 - Will Power for Team Penske
No. 14 - Takuma Sato for A.J. Foyt Enterprises
No. 15 - Graham Rahal for Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing
No. 16 - James Jakes for Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing
No. 18 - Ana Beatriz for Dale Coyne Racing
No. 19 - Justin Wilson for Dale Coyne Racing
No. 20 - Ed Carpenter for Ed Carpenter Racing
No. 22 - Oriol Servia for Panther-DRR
No. 25 - Marco Andretti for Andretti Autosport
No. 27 - James Hinchcliffe for Andretti Autosport
No. 55 - Tristan Vautier for Schmidt Peterson Motorsports
No. 67 - Josef Newgarden for Sarah Fisher Hartman Racing
No. 77 - Simon Pagenaud for Schmidt-Hamilton Motorsports
No. 78 - Simona de Silvestro for KV Racing Technology
No. 83 - Charlie Kimball for Novo Nordisk Chip Ganassi Racing
No. 98 - Alex Tagliani for Bryan Herta Autosport with Curb-Agajanian
Not Entered:
No. 2 - Ryan Briscoe for Team Penske
No. 38 - Chip Ganassi Racing
News Bites:
- Devin Jones announced on Wednesday that VeriStor, a virtual infrastructure and technological solutions firm, will serve as his primary sponsor in the upcoming Camping World Truck Series Kroger 250 at Martinsville Speedway. Jones will attempt to make his series debut driving a No. 35 for Young's Motorsports, a team that fielded a part-time No. 02 Chevrolet for ProCup regular Tyler Young last season. Also of note, VeriStor is Jones' current primary sponsor in the UARA-STARS series.
- Speaking of the UARA-STARS, Max Papis announced on Wednesday that he will drive a limited schedule in a UARA late model for Lee Faulk starting this weekend at Hickory Motor Speedway. The current Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series regular is using the three scheduled late model starts to re-familiarize himself with the feel of a stock car before starting his limited Nationwide Series schedule for Richard Childress Racing later this season.
Have news for Phil and the Frontstretch? Don't hesitate to let us know; email us at phil.allaway@frontstretch.com with a promising lead or tip.
~~~~~~~~~~
Got NASCAR-related questions or comments?
Send them Summer Bedgood's way at summer.bedgood@frontstretch.com; and, if you're lucky, you'll get your name in print when she does her weekly column answering back to you – the fans that keep Frontstretch afloat. Frontstretch Fan Q & A will run on Thursdays with a whole new set of Fan Questions and Answers!
Today's Featured Commentary
Quick Hits for March 21st
What's Vexing Vito
by Vito Pugliese
Sunday's 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway was punctuated by the fracas between Denny Hamlin and Joey Logano. At the end of the race, there was a brief exchange of words between Logano and Hamlin, which then – gasp! – spilled over onto Twitter. Long gone are the days when Bobby Meyers picked up an axle and went to confront Curtis Turner, only to be confronted by a .38 kept in the tool box. Cale Yarborough going to beating on Bobby Allison's fists with his face has been replaced with "hush little child" 140 character quips on Twitter for narcissists. Long gone are the days when Lee Petty's wife had to clock Tiny Lund in the head with her pursue containing a brick after he had both Lee and Richard in a choke hold. Denny actually did have a decent comeback with "he said he's coming for me, but I don't usually see him," so I have to give credit where it's due. Then again, Denny was part of one of the lamest retaliations in history when he intentionally spun out Kevin Harvick at Homestead - to little consequence.
Also, memo to Joey: If you're going to start stuff, please wait for the other guy's team to depart first, or bring your guys along. He's tough for jumping into it given his stature, but it's tactically unsound. Ryan Newman was about ready to give him a Stone Cold Stunner a couple of years ago at Michigan after he poked him in the chest. Hit the weights and a hamburger stand my man!
----------
Driver Landon Cassill is suing BK Racing over what he alleges is $205,000 in unpaid winnings and other fees owed to him from the 2012 season. Cassill also is asking for an unspecified amount of money for not being told until January this year that he would not drive for the team in 2013. BK Racing is actually the remnants of Red Bull Racing – which was sued by Scott Speed in 2011 for booting him out of the car in the midst of a contract. Is this place cursed and doomed to be a litany of litigation and bad press? It's unfortunate still that Red Bull was not able to continue on following the 2011 season, that saw them win with Kasey Kahne and Kenny Francis. One would also hope that Landon Cassill would find a top flight ride as well; he's a steady driver who performs well beyond his years given the equipment that he's had to work with in the Cup Series. Now if he can just find somebody who will pay him…
-----------
Jeremy Mayfield has been a favorite whipping boy and target for joke and innuendo the past few years, as he fought NASCAR often and unsuccessfully to be reinstated following a failed drug test for methamphetamine. Jeremy did get a little bit of a lift this week, as ten felony theft charges were dropped against him, the final one taking place on March 6th. Not for anything ground breaking, but because a key witness and co-defendant died in a motorcycle accident last year. Some of those alleging burglary against Mayfield were Red Bull Racing and Fitz Motorsports. The individual in question died as the result of a police chase. Mayfield still faces charges for methamphetamine possession, possession of stolen property, and obtaining property under false pretense.
Again with Red Bull Racing. Maybe BK Racing can pick up Mayfield for cheap and pay him in elbows and hot race car parts. Eh, just kidding…seriously still hope all of this is just some big frame job and he's able to prove his innocence. Here's hoping for the best for the Flat Top.
Vito Pugliese is a Senior Writer/Assistant Editor for Frontstretch. He can be reached via e-mail at vito.pugliese@frontstretch.com. Follow him on Twitter at @VitoPugliese.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Critic's Annex: NASCAR Now, Part Deux
by Phil Allaway
Hello, race fans. Welcome back to the Critic's Annex, where we take an additional look at motorsports-related programming. Last week, I was supposed to bring you a look at NASCAR Now. However, circumstances beyond my control prevented that from happening.
Unfortunately, the sad truth is that ESPN has made it very difficult to watch the show. Already this season, the weekday editions of NASCAR Now have already aired in six different timeslots (anywhere from 12:00am to 2:30am). Also, those slots aren't exactly set in stone since ESPN 2 has live sporting events. A live event running long means that the whole nightly schedule can get pushed back significantly, rendering something like a DVR useless. Yes, you can set it to record up to two hours past the end of the time slot, but sometimes it gets to a point where a more important show is scheduled. At that point, it is in preemption city.
Sadly, NASCAR fans have not had the chance for a repeat showing of NASCAR Now on the ESPN family of networks since the fall of 2011, when the show was moved from 5:00pm to 3:00pm. I didn't like the 3:00pm slot (I believe in that slot, it aired live) since stuff could break after the show ended, but I could take a late lunch at work and still see part of it. Having the show on in the overnight slot means that it is DVR Theater for most viewers in the Eastern and Central time zones. Honestly, I have no clue how the show gets decent guests with no real certainty of anyone watching.
In addition, when the show airs, it can be watched live via WatchESPN in addition to just watching on ESPN2. However, ESPN has made the asinine decision of not posting the shows online for DVR viewing. Apparently, that function is only reserved for programming on ESPN3. What is the benefit of shafting a chunk of your potential audience like that?
Heck, at this point, I would welcome the show moving to ESPN Classic. They could put it on at 9:00pm before the AWA Wrestling (Yes, they air that, but not around that time of night). The only problem with that move would be that ESPN Classic's audience has fallen off a cliff since 2009, resulting in the channel being fairly exclusive (i.e.: In a much higher (expensive) tier than the rest of ESPN's channels).
Now, I will admit that ESPN will post some interviews from the show on YouTube from time to time. The one that Shannon Spake did with Kyle Larson late Tuesday night is one example. However, these are far and few between.
I'd argue that the show would also benefit from having a regular host. Back when ESPN2 aired rpm2night (lower-case letters are intentional here) in the 1990s, ESPN2 had John Kernan serve as the exclusive host of the show. That gives the show continuity. Humans, if nothing else, are creatures of routine. NASCAR Now has never had a regular host. ESPN has felt the need to have a rotating group of hosts. This season, Spake, Nicole Briscoe and Mike Massaro have hosted on a revolving basis. Lindsay Czarniak subbed for Briscoe last week while she was suffering from a bout of laryngitis.
It's hard to say who I would pick to host the show on a regular basis. Czarniak would be a great choice since she's the most knowledgeable on-air personality in Bristol about NASCAR that isn't a regular on the race telecasts. Problem is, she was hired to do mainly SportsCenter (from what I understand, she's done very well with that, despite the show having it's own issues). Massaro is solid, and also lives the closest to Bristol of the revolving trio. He also has a great on-air rapport with Ricky Craven, who often shows up to serve as the show's expert analyst, much like Benny Parsons did on rpm2night.
Despite the terrible time slots, NASCAR Now can still get decent guests. On the show that aired late Tuesday night/early Wednesday morning at 2:03am, Kasey Kahne and the aforementioned Larson were guests. Spake talked to Larson about his run in Bristol, played some file footage of various drivers and personalities talking about Larson's abilities and asked him about his confidence in the wake of all the good press he gets.
In Kahne's interview, the topics of discussion naturally revolved around his victory on Sunday and his improved form as compared to the start of last season. In addition, there was discussion of the upcoming weekend in Fontana, specifically about how the race will be the hardest ever there with the new Gen6 car. I thought that was interesting since no one has really given Fontana much of a thought on television this week. It's just been a series of Bristol rehashes.
Of course, ESPN couldn't stay away from the whole Hamlin-Logano brouhaha. Here, they took samples from a number of their correspondents' articles from Tuesday (Marty Smith, Ed Hinton, Ryan McGee, Terry Blount, etc.) in order to gauge whether retaliation will come and where. In all honestly, that is overkill. By the time early Wednesday morning came around and this aired, I don't think I really cared much anymore.
NASCAR Now is a show that could be a lot better than it currently is, which is an invisible show that is good in parts, but flawed in others. As stated above, they need to pick a host and keep that host there. If that means Massaro is in Bristol six days a week hosting shows, that's fine. The dude is dedicated to NASCAR for ESPN. He basically dressed up as a tub of ice cream just to keep interviews on the network after NASCAR banished them from the tracks in 2001 (Ok, he didn't really do that, but he did the journalistic equivalent). Massaro could end up being the friendly face that NASCAR fans look forward to seeing on a daily basis. ESPN needs to find a decent time slot for the show. Overnight slots just don't work. Your audience is a bunch of machines and insomniacs. The sponsors for these drivers that appear on the show can't be pleased with that. I can't do much about the live telecasts causing schedule reverberations. It happens. I'm looking at ESPN's schedules and unfortunately for NASCAR Now, it's pretty full. I feel like ESPN is burying the show in an attempt to cancel it either at the end of this year, or sometime in 2014. An ESPN Classic (and the better timeslot that would result) move could give the show a potentially larger audience, despite the lower number of possible households.
As for the overall content, I generally like the interviews for the most part. The show being in Bristol does hurt them since barely any drivers ever appearance live on the show. It's always either on the phone, or via satellite. That's a big advantage that NASCAR RaceHub has on them, and one that rpm2night had as well. I like having analysts like Craven on the show, but I'm not so sure about Brad Daugherty, who seems to chime in about 2-4 times a week. He's just not as informative to me.
Finally, there is a fair amount of viewer participation via Twitter. On Tuesday's show, fan input on Logano's potential revenge was used in the episode. That's not a terrible move since Social media is very, very important these day. However, the show itself does not have their own Twitter page. Instead, the show piggybacks off of ESPN's NASCAR Twitter page (it once had it's own Twitter feed, though). Perhaps they should separate the feeds.
I hope you liked this write-up on NASCAR Now. Next week, I'll be covering the new NBC Sports Network special, Ryan Hunter-Reay: An American Champion. The show premieres tonight at 7:00pm EDT and word has it that it's pretty good. I hope so. Until then, enjoy this weekend's action from Fontana, St. Petersburg and Kuala Lumpur.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
ADVERTISEMENT
Race fans, do you love Frontstretch.com's coverage of NASCAR's top 3 series, IndyCar, Formula One and Short Track Racing? Do you want to read even more about your favorite sport? Then check out the industry's newest racing publication, Motorsport Illustrated News!, which is available both in print and in digital format! As one of our loyal readers, you'll receive 15% off any subscription when you use the coupon code fs2013.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Frontstretch Line of the Week
From Side By Side: Should Interlopers Cut Series Regulars a Break?
"Should drivers from other series race regulars as hard as they can for the win? Of course they should, that why it's called racing. But does that mean it's acceptable to pinch a regular into the wall, or worse, for a win that means nothing but a trophy for you? No. There's a fine line between racing hard and overdoing it, and at this level, a driver should be able to toe that line."- Amy Henderson, on whether drivers not racing for points must be more courteous around those that are.
~~~~~~~~~~
ADVERTISEMENT
Are you looking to advertise your website, product or brand? A good way to get your name out there is via direct advertising here in the Frontstretch Newsletter! Interested parties can contact us at tony.lumbis@frontstretch.com for details.
~~~~~~~~~~
TODAY ON THE FRONTSTRETCH:
Mirror Driving: 2013 NASCAR Crossroads On Attendance, Talent, Rivalries
by the Frontstretch Staff
NASCAR Mailbox: "Long"ing For Money You're Rightfully OwnedThe Critic's Annex: NASCAR Now, Part Deux
by Phil Allaway
Hello, race fans. Welcome back to the Critic's Annex, where we take an additional look at motorsports-related programming. Last week, I was supposed to bring you a look at NASCAR Now. However, circumstances beyond my control prevented that from happening.
Unfortunately, the sad truth is that ESPN has made it very difficult to watch the show. Already this season, the weekday editions of NASCAR Now have already aired in six different timeslots (anywhere from 12:00am to 2:30am). Also, those slots aren't exactly set in stone since ESPN 2 has live sporting events. A live event running long means that the whole nightly schedule can get pushed back significantly, rendering something like a DVR useless. Yes, you can set it to record up to two hours past the end of the time slot, but sometimes it gets to a point where a more important show is scheduled. At that point, it is in preemption city.
Sadly, NASCAR fans have not had the chance for a repeat showing of NASCAR Now on the ESPN family of networks since the fall of 2011, when the show was moved from 5:00pm to 3:00pm. I didn't like the 3:00pm slot (I believe in that slot, it aired live) since stuff could break after the show ended, but I could take a late lunch at work and still see part of it. Having the show on in the overnight slot means that it is DVR Theater for most viewers in the Eastern and Central time zones. Honestly, I have no clue how the show gets decent guests with no real certainty of anyone watching.
In addition, when the show airs, it can be watched live via WatchESPN in addition to just watching on ESPN2. However, ESPN has made the asinine decision of not posting the shows online for DVR viewing. Apparently, that function is only reserved for programming on ESPN3. What is the benefit of shafting a chunk of your potential audience like that?
Heck, at this point, I would welcome the show moving to ESPN Classic. They could put it on at 9:00pm before the AWA Wrestling (Yes, they air that, but not around that time of night). The only problem with that move would be that ESPN Classic's audience has fallen off a cliff since 2009, resulting in the channel being fairly exclusive (i.e.: In a much higher (expensive) tier than the rest of ESPN's channels).
Now, I will admit that ESPN will post some interviews from the show on YouTube from time to time. The one that Shannon Spake did with Kyle Larson late Tuesday night is one example. However, these are far and few between.
I'd argue that the show would also benefit from having a regular host. Back when ESPN2 aired rpm2night (lower-case letters are intentional here) in the 1990s, ESPN2 had John Kernan serve as the exclusive host of the show. That gives the show continuity. Humans, if nothing else, are creatures of routine. NASCAR Now has never had a regular host. ESPN has felt the need to have a rotating group of hosts. This season, Spake, Nicole Briscoe and Mike Massaro have hosted on a revolving basis. Lindsay Czarniak subbed for Briscoe last week while she was suffering from a bout of laryngitis.
It's hard to say who I would pick to host the show on a regular basis. Czarniak would be a great choice since she's the most knowledgeable on-air personality in Bristol about NASCAR that isn't a regular on the race telecasts. Problem is, she was hired to do mainly SportsCenter (from what I understand, she's done very well with that, despite the show having it's own issues). Massaro is solid, and also lives the closest to Bristol of the revolving trio. He also has a great on-air rapport with Ricky Craven, who often shows up to serve as the show's expert analyst, much like Benny Parsons did on rpm2night.
Despite the terrible time slots, NASCAR Now can still get decent guests. On the show that aired late Tuesday night/early Wednesday morning at 2:03am, Kasey Kahne and the aforementioned Larson were guests. Spake talked to Larson about his run in Bristol, played some file footage of various drivers and personalities talking about Larson's abilities and asked him about his confidence in the wake of all the good press he gets.
In Kahne's interview, the topics of discussion naturally revolved around his victory on Sunday and his improved form as compared to the start of last season. In addition, there was discussion of the upcoming weekend in Fontana, specifically about how the race will be the hardest ever there with the new Gen6 car. I thought that was interesting since no one has really given Fontana much of a thought on television this week. It's just been a series of Bristol rehashes.
Of course, ESPN couldn't stay away from the whole Hamlin-Logano brouhaha. Here, they took samples from a number of their correspondents' articles from Tuesday (Marty Smith, Ed Hinton, Ryan McGee, Terry Blount, etc.) in order to gauge whether retaliation will come and where. In all honestly, that is overkill. By the time early Wednesday morning came around and this aired, I don't think I really cared much anymore.
NASCAR Now is a show that could be a lot better than it currently is, which is an invisible show that is good in parts, but flawed in others. As stated above, they need to pick a host and keep that host there. If that means Massaro is in Bristol six days a week hosting shows, that's fine. The dude is dedicated to NASCAR for ESPN. He basically dressed up as a tub of ice cream just to keep interviews on the network after NASCAR banished them from the tracks in 2001 (Ok, he didn't really do that, but he did the journalistic equivalent). Massaro could end up being the friendly face that NASCAR fans look forward to seeing on a daily basis. ESPN needs to find a decent time slot for the show. Overnight slots just don't work. Your audience is a bunch of machines and insomniacs. The sponsors for these drivers that appear on the show can't be pleased with that. I can't do much about the live telecasts causing schedule reverberations. It happens. I'm looking at ESPN's schedules and unfortunately for NASCAR Now, it's pretty full. I feel like ESPN is burying the show in an attempt to cancel it either at the end of this year, or sometime in 2014. An ESPN Classic (and the better timeslot that would result) move could give the show a potentially larger audience, despite the lower number of possible households.
As for the overall content, I generally like the interviews for the most part. The show being in Bristol does hurt them since barely any drivers ever appearance live on the show. It's always either on the phone, or via satellite. That's a big advantage that NASCAR RaceHub has on them, and one that rpm2night had as well. I like having analysts like Craven on the show, but I'm not so sure about Brad Daugherty, who seems to chime in about 2-4 times a week. He's just not as informative to me.
Finally, there is a fair amount of viewer participation via Twitter. On Tuesday's show, fan input on Logano's potential revenge was used in the episode. That's not a terrible move since Social media is very, very important these day. However, the show itself does not have their own Twitter page. Instead, the show piggybacks off of ESPN's NASCAR Twitter page (it once had it's own Twitter feed, though). Perhaps they should separate the feeds.
I hope you liked this write-up on NASCAR Now. Next week, I'll be covering the new NBC Sports Network special, Ryan Hunter-Reay: An American Champion. The show premieres tonight at 7:00pm EDT and word has it that it's pretty good. I hope so. Until then, enjoy this weekend's action from Fontana, St. Petersburg and Kuala Lumpur.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
ADVERTISEMENT
Race fans, do you love Frontstretch.com's coverage of NASCAR's top 3 series, IndyCar, Formula One and Short Track Racing? Do you want to read even more about your favorite sport? Then check out the industry's newest racing publication, Motorsport Illustrated News!, which is available both in print and in digital format! As one of our loyal readers, you'll receive 15% off any subscription when you use the coupon code fs2013.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Frontstretch Line of the Week
From Side By Side: Should Interlopers Cut Series Regulars a Break?
"Should drivers from other series race regulars as hard as they can for the win? Of course they should, that why it's called racing. But does that mean it's acceptable to pinch a regular into the wall, or worse, for a win that means nothing but a trophy for you? No. There's a fine line between racing hard and overdoing it, and at this level, a driver should be able to toe that line."- Amy Henderson, on whether drivers not racing for points must be more courteous around those that are.
~~~~~~~~~~
ADVERTISEMENT
Are you looking to advertise your website, product or brand? A good way to get your name out there is via direct advertising here in the Frontstretch Newsletter! Interested parties can contact us at tony.lumbis@frontstretch.com for details.
~~~~~~~~~~
TODAY ON THE FRONTSTRETCH:
Mirror Driving: 2013 NASCAR Crossroads On Attendance, Talent, Rivalries
by the Frontstretch Staff
by Summer Bedgood
Fantasy Insider: Left Coast The Place To Right Your NASCAR Ship
by Jeff Wolfe
Truckin' Thursdays: Four Tracks That Belong On The Truck Series Schedule
by Beth Lunkenheimer
Tech Talk: Steve Letarte On Tires, Aerodynamics
by Mike Neff
~~~~~~~~~~
FRONTSTRETCH TRIVIA:
FRONTSTRETCH TRIVIA:
Q: For Bill Elliott, the 1998 California 500 Presented by NAPA was a very painful event after his crash with Dale Earnhardt at Talladega. However, fate did not lend him any favors. What happened to put him out of the race?
Check back Friday for the answer, here in the Frontstretch Newsletter!
Wednesday's Answer:
Wednesday's Answer:
Q: The K&N Pro Series West races at Auto Club Speedway have often featured spectacular incidents. In the 2006 Relocate Here 200 by San Bernardino County, Rogelio Lopez had such a wreck on the backstretch. What happened?
A: On Lap 72, Lopez and Johnny Borneman, III were racing for position exiting Turn 2 when Lopez appeared to misjudge whether he was clear of Borneman. Lopez pulled up right into Borneman's left front corner and spun into the wall. The contact resulted in the rear of Lopez's car lifting slightly off the ground. Borneman ended up wedging underneath, which lifted Lopez's Chevrolet up and over. After sliding for several hundred feet upside-down, the car righted itself. Behind the crash, Justin Lofton and Matt Kobyluck collided and crashed in a separate crash. The crash 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 tomorrow in the Frontstretch Newsletter:
-- Top News from Justin Tucker
-- In Case You Missed It by Beth Lunkenheimer
-- Frontstretch Folio: Auto Club Speedway by Beth Lunkenheimer
-- Keepin' It Short by Mike Neff
-- Links to your favorite Frontstretch articles, trivia, and more!
~~~~~~~~~~
Tomorrow on the Frontstretch:
IndyCar Preview: St. Petersburg by Toni Montgomery
Toni takes a look at IndyCar's pending 2013 debut.
Four Burning Questions: Fontana by Matt Stallknecht
Matt gets your engines revved up for 2013 with a preview of this weekend's Auto Club 400.
Holding A Pretty Wheel by Amy Henderson
Amy returns this week with another intriguing Friday commentary.
Nuts For Nationwide by Kevin Rutherford
Kevin's back with a preview of Saturday's Royal Purple 300.
Voices From the Heartland by Jeff Meyer
Our Tennessee transplant returns with another interesting take on recent events.
-----------------------------
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.
---
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "The Frontstretch" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to thefrontstretch+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com.
For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/groups/opt_out.
No comments:
Post a Comment