THE FRONTSTRETCH NEWSLETTER
Presented by Frontstretch.com
The Best Seat at the Track, The Best View on the Net!
March 18th, 2013
Volume VII, Edition XXXVII
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Sprint Cup Race Recap: Kahne Pulls Away Late to Claim Food City 500 Victory
by Justin Tucker
Kasey Kahne come into 2013 with lofty expectations. After finishing a career-best fourth in the 2012 Sprint Cup points standings. Many pointed to 2013 as the year Kahne would bring home his first championship.
So far, so good.
After a dismal start to 2013 which saw finishes of 36th and 19th, respectively at Daytona and Phoenix, Kahne bounced back last week at Las Vegas, leading 114 laps en route to finishing second to Matt Kenseth.
On Sunday, everything went Kahne's way and after the smoke cleared he would score his first career win at the World's Fastest Half Mile.
"This is a big win, I love racing for Hendrick Motorsports," said Kahne in Victory Lane after the race. "This whole team was flawless again today."
Kahne would lead 109 laps en route to scoring his 15th career Sprint Cup Series win. As the green flag dropped on Sunday's Food City 500 ,it appeared that Kyle Busch would dominate the day as he did much of the weekend. However, a pit road speeding penalty during the second caution derailed Busch's early momentum and trapped him deep in the field. From there, Busch fought all day to score a hard earned second-place finish.
"We need to stop getting penalties and stay up front all day," said Busch after the race. "We're trying to take too much on pit road and it's not worth it. We just need to back off."
Busch's Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Denny Hamlin would dominate much of the afternoon, leading a race high 117 of the 500 laps and appeared to be in contention for the win until suspension and tire problems near the end of the race would relegate him to a 23rd-place finish.
But that wasn't the only issue for Hamlin. Around the two-thirds' mark of the race, Hamlin and former teammate Joey Logano would find themselves locked in a battle for second after Logano failed to make a move to the inside of Jeff Gordon for the lead. Slight contact between the two drivers resulted in Logano sliding backside first into the outside wall in Turn 2. Logano, enraged after the incident, would drive his way back up to the top-10 and was looking for Hamlin and the No. 11 car but could never just get to the rear of Hamlin's Toyota.
Logano was none too pleased post-race.
"I understand the way he races now that he's not my teammate," said Logano. "I will race him the same way he races me."
Sunday was a rough day for some of the heavy hitters as Tony Stewart would meet early trouble on lap 9 when he cut a left rear tire and spun into the outside wall in Turn 1. Stewart would finish 36 laps down in 31st-place.
Jeff Gordon and Matt Kenseth were running first and second with about 110 laps to go when the right front tire blew out on Gordon's Chevrolet and would collect Kenseth into the rear of the No. 24 ending both of their days prematurely after what was looking like solid top 5 potential runs. The accident was devastating for both, as Gordon led 66 laps and Kenseth 85 laps, relegating them to 34th and 35th-place finishes.
Jimmie Johnson would suffer the same fate as his teammate when he blew his right-front tire and hit the wall with 46 laps to go. However, Johnson was able to finish the race two laps down in 22nd.
Defending Sprint Cup Series Champion Brad Keselowski continues his incredible run to start 2013 as he would finish in third to claim his fourth consecutive top-5 finish to open this season. Dale Earnhardt, Jr. would come home in sixth, pushing his streak of consecutive top 10s to start the season to four. After four races in 2013, Brad Keselowski holds a 9-point lead over Dale Earnhardt, Jr. and a 15-point lead over Jimmie Johnson heading into next week's race at Auto Club Speedway.
Justin Tucker is a Newsletter Contributor at Frontstretch. To reach Justin, please contact Newsletter Manager Phil Allaway at phil.allaway@frontstretch.com.
Chasing the Chase: Point Standings after Las Vegas
by Phil Allaway
Brad Keselowski's fuel mileage gamble put him in the lead late on Sunday with old tires. He was in good position until the final restart, when he spun them while alllowing several others to get by. Kasey Kahne was able to get by for the lead, but Keselowski was able to hold on to finish third. That fourth consecutive top-5 finish to start the season was enough to move him into the points lead. His advantage is nine points over new second-place driver Dale Earnhardt, Jr. Earnhardt Jr. took advantage of fresher tires than the rest of the field to move up to a sixth-place finish. Jimmie Johnson, who was in the points lead entering Bristol, had a great day going. After spending almost the entire race to that point inside the top 5, Johnson blew a right-front tire and pounded the wall on Lap 455 to bring out the tenth and final yellow. Johnson struggled to a 22nd-place finish from there and dropped to third in points.
Clint Bowyer is back up to fourth in points after finishing a strong fifth. However, he is a full 21 points behind Johnson. Greg Biffle is now fifth in the standings after finishing 11th on Sunday. Denny Hamlin was looking good for a top-5 finish until his tires started going away. Eventually, Hamlin pounded the wall and suffered a suspension. Somewhat similarly to Johnny Benson at Richmond in 1998, Hamlin rode the wall for the last few laps to finish in 23rd. With his victory on Sunday, Kasey Kahne is up seven places to seventh in the standings. Meanwhile, Carl Edwards is down three places to fifth after an unsatisfactory 18th-place finish. However, much of Edwards' race was spent near 30th after running in the back of Jeff Burton and damaging his No. 99.
Paul Menard is up three places to ninth after finishing ninth on Sunday. Kyle Busch is now in a tie for tenth with Ricky Stenhouse, Jr. after a great run to finish second. However, as is the norm for Busch, he wasn't all that pleased with his second-place. Joey Logano rounds out the top-12, but could have finished much higher had his tires not gone off late in the event.
Standings: 1) Brad Keselowski 166, 2) Dale Earnhardt, Jr. -9, 3) Jimmie Johnson -15, 4) Clint Bowyer -36, 5) Greg Biffle -40, 6) Denny Hamlin -41, t-7) Kasey Kahne -42, t-7) Carl Edwards -42, 9) Paul Menard -48, t-10) Kyle Busch -51, t-10) Ricky Stenhouse, Jr. -51, 12) Joey Logano -62.
Best of the Rest: 13) Matt Kenseth -63, 14) Jamie McMurray -66, 15) Marcos Ambrose -67, t-16) Kurt Busch -68, t-16) Kevin Harvick -68, 18) Martin Truex, Jr. -70.
Race Winners: Jimmie Johnson (Daytona), Denny Hamlin (Phoenix), Matt Kenseth (Las Vegas), Kasey Kahne (Bristol)
Phil Allaway is the Newsletter Manager and a Senior Writer for Frontstretch. He can be reached via e-mail at phil.allaway@frontstretch.com. Follow him on Twitter at @Critic84.
Underdog Central At Bristol: Kurt Busch Continues to Impress; Phoenix Racing Quietly Solid
by Amy Henderson
Editor's Note: This year, we're going to switch things up a little bit. Instead of just focusing upon one underdog (or underreported) car in the Secret Star section, we will point out three smaller teams that put up good finishes each week.
Underdog Selection No. 1: Kurt Busch for Furniture Row Racing; started 19th, finished 4th
How much longer this team can be called an underdog is up for debate after Kurt Busch put on a clinic at Bristol, finishing fourth despite falling two laps down after an unscheduled midrace pit stop. Busch has five wins at Bristol, and he showed that he hasn't forgotten how to drive the tricky bullring this week. He simply outdrove much of the field, sometimes using a bottom groove that most drivers couldn't make work as well as he did.
This team does race Richard Childress chassis and Earnhardt-Childress engine packages, so they aren't as small as the other teams featured this week. If what Busch said earlier this year about them basically being a fourth RCR team is true, they might not even truly be a small team any more—they outran the RCR trio this week. But that just serves to show how far they've come from a team that missed several races in its early years, sometimes due to major mechanical mistakes and even dropped to a part-time schedule in 2009 simply in order to survive. Getting Busch was a coup for them, but it's also what was quite possibly a last chance for Busch to prove himself as the one who has been plagued by issues with NASCAR and the media and has bounced from some of the sport's top teams, including Roush Fenway, where he won the 2004 series title, to some of its poorer organizations as several teams passed on his considerable talent because of his volatile nature.
If Busch can control his temper, both with the media and his crew, this could be a fruitful season for a team that once struggled just to survive in NASCAR.
Underdog Selection No. 2: AJ Allmendinger for Phoenix Racing; started 29th, finished 13th
Another week, another solid finish for Phoenix Racing. For the third time in four races, the team posted a top-20 result, with Allmendinger piloting the car through the field to 13th place. It was another day of redemption for Allmendinger, whose 2012 fall from grace was swift and brutal, but who has shown that he is no less of a driver than he's ever been, despite spending most of his career racing for underfunded teams.
The transition to the Gen-6 cars has illustrated just where the real disparity in the sport lies. It's not in the talent of the drivers; Allmendinger and Regan Smith, among others, have proven that, but in the resources the big teams have to improve their cars and find an advantage over time. Because they haven't had time to do that yet (though the small teams are already behind on the intermediate tracks, where horsepower trumps all), it's given the small teams an opportunity to shine, and none has shown brighter than Phoenix Racing. With three different drivers (Allmendinger, Smith, and Austin Dillon), the No. 51 is currently eighth in owner points, ahead of many of the organizations whose budgets far outstrip theirs.
Underdog Selection No. 3: Casey Mears for Germain Racing; started 15th, finished 15th
Mears is just the kind of driver an improving young team needs. He's talented, and while he's not at the level of the top drivers in the sport, he's certainly one that teams have to scrape the bottom of the barrel to find. Mears is solid in the car, can communicate well with a crew chief, and rarely gets upset when things don't go his way. He may not be able to race for the win every week, but he will bring the car home in the best position he can, and in one piece. If the car is damaged, it's rarely his doing. That's something very valuable to a "team" without an endless fleet of cars and supply of parts to draw from. He's also great with fans and media, aspects that are important to sponsors.
Mears' run on Sunday was especially impressive, as the No. 13 was turned into the wall early, falling a lap back for much of the race after qualifying 15th. Mears fell near the back of the pack after multiple stops for repairs, but drove through traffic despite an ill-handling car and put himself in position to capitalize on some late strategy to finish 15th. That tenacity is exactly why he's a valued part of his team.
Is your favorite driver among NASCAR's underdogs? Are you frustrated with the lack of coverage they receive during the race broadcasts? Amy has all the small teams covered each and every week in The Big Six. Be sure to check it out to see how your favorites fared!
Amy Henderson is a Co-Managing Editor and a Senior Writer for Frontstretch. She can be reached via e-mail at amy.henderson@frontstretch.com. Follow her on Twitter at @Writer_Amy.
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Letter of the Race: Sunday's Food City 500 was brought to you by the Letter B, for Blown Tires. Unfortunately, Sunday's race had a number of tire failures that affected the race's outcome. Hendrick Motorsports teammates Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson each blew one while running inside the top 5, while Dave Blaney and Landon Cassill also suffered problems and hit the wall.
However, these failures were generally not Goodyear's fault. In Gordon and Johnson's cases, the problems were caused by simply running their right fronts to the end of their natural lives (in Gordon's case, roughly 151 laps). Tony Stewart's left-rear tire was cut due to contact. - Phil Allaway
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Sidebar Bristol Stories
by Summer Bedgood
Denny Hamlin, Joey Logano Face Off in Post-Bristol War of Words
After a post-Daytona Twitter swipe, by Denny Hamlin to former Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Joey Logano, it felt like only a matter of "when", not "if", these two would eventually meet again in a not-so-friendly way. What better track than Bristol Motor Speedway?
While racing for position with Jeff Gordon, around lap 350, Logano made an attempt to pass on the low side but fell short. Meanwhile, Hamlin crept up to Logano's high side with a shot of momentum. Either unaware that Hamlin was there or misjudging his rival's proximity, Logano pulled up right in front, forcing Hamlin to check up.
Expressing his frustration, Hamlin then pulled right up to Logano's bumper in the next corner, and lightly tapped his left rear bumper. Losing control of the car, Logano spun and sustained damage on the rear of his Ford.
Post-race, Logano clearly was not finished with the issue as he marched straight over to Hamlin's car and stuck his head inside the driver's side door. Almost immediately, members of Hamlin's pit crew grabbed Logano and pulled him back, while Logano's pit crew jumped in to defend him. A brief shoving match and war of words ensued before both drivers and teams went their separate ways. Both drivers had a lot to say to the media afterwards.
"I meant to run into him," Hamlin said. "I didn't mean to spin him out, but his day was fine. He still had a bad day, anyway, for whatever reason. You know, just, we finished bad and he finished bad. It's even."
Logano did not echo that same emotion.
"That's a freaking genius behind the wheel of the 11 car — probably the worst teammate I ever had, so I learned that now," Logano said. "He decided to run in the back of me, so, whatever. I have a scorecard, and I'm not putting up with that. What goes around comes around. He already ran down his right-front tire, so he deserves it."
While Logano would finish the race on the lead lap, he struggled to maintain handling and would eventually wind up 17th. Hamlin would finish 23rd after suffering other problems unrelated to the incident.
Tire Issues Plague Drivers' Days at Bristol
It was a tough day for Goodyear at Bristol. Though somewhat overshadowed by the on-track racing post-race showdown between Hamlin and Logano, no fewer than four big name drivers had problems with tires on track.
First off was Tony Stewart, who suffered a blowout no later than lap 9. Stewart would eventually finish 31st, yet another rough race for the three-time champion in 2013.
Jeff Gordon suffered a tire mishap, though his was more likely the result of a pit strategy gamble. Gordon was leading when his right front tire gave out and his No. 24 Chevrolet went skidding up the racetrack around lap 391. Matt Kenseth was an innocent victim of the event, with no time to react as he slammed in to the back of Gordon. Both drivers were done for the day.
Finally, a tire issue contributed to Hamlin's poor finish. While running towards the front in the waning laps of the race, bad Goodyears sent Hamlin into the wall several times and he had to settle for 23rd.
Though this seems like a multitude of issues, drivers didn't seem to be too concerned that this would be an issue going forward. Second-place finisher Kyle Busch even offered a theory on the issues.
"Sometimes you see tire issues come from more deep in the field than the guys running up front," offered Busch. "With all the technology, all the resources and everything the up-front teams have, they seem to do a good job of getting a good handle on the tires each and every weekend, not abuse them too much. Also when your car is driving good, turning through the corner okay, you're using less brake, you're not overheating the right front tire. That's kind of what you see when you see guys having tire issues."
Stewart-Haas Racing Suffers Disastrous Start to Season
It has been a tough start to 2013 for the trio of drivers at Stewart Haas Racing. Tony Stewart, Ryan Newman, and superstar rookie Danica Patrick have all had their share of misfortunes in the first four races of 2013, with an average finish of 24.1 amongst all three of them.
Last Sunday at Bristol was certainly no help to that. While Newman was able to finish inside the top 10, Stewart had an early tire blowout that left him limping around the racetrack the rest of the day. Meanwhile, Patrick struggled to find speed and she finished 28th.
In the first four races of the season, both Stewart and Patrick have only one finish inside the top 10 (Patrick at Daytona, Stewart at Phoenix). Surprisingly enough, Newman has performed the best out of the three, earning one top 5 and one top-10 finish. However, his other two finishes tell the tale, with a crash in Phoenix and an engine issue in Las Vegas giving him two DNFs to match the other two high-end results. He is currently a disappointing 23rd in points.
Stewart has failed to lead a lap any of the four races and has yet to finish better than eighth. Though he has managed to be running at the finish, in every single race his three finishes outside the top 10, and two outside the top 30, have the three-time champion sitting at a dismal 24th in points.
Finally, Patrick, with all of the hype in the world surrounding her, has failed to impress past her historic run at Daytona International Speedway. Her 28th-place finish in Bristol was her highest run since then and she is currently 28th in points.
Summer Bedgood is a Senior Writer for Frontstretch. She can be reached via e-mail at summer.bedgood@frontstretch.com. Follow him on Twitter at @SummerBedgood.
Quotes to Remember: Food City 500
"I just wish our car was faster there at the end. We got to where we were single file there with Kasey (Kahne) and he just took off and I couldn't keep up with him. Our car just wasn't turning good enough all day — just too tight. We fought that all through practice and we knew we needed to free up today, which we did — we just didn't do it near enough. All in all, these guys on this M&M's Camry did a great job for me and we worked really hard all day and really battled back from another penalty. Need to stop getting those and just stay up front all day and be able to run our own race. There at the end, I was probably holding up those guys behind me. Track position here is everything now. It's frustrating when you can't pass as well as you need to." - Kyle Busch, finished second
"[Kasey] was so good through the middle and, really, everywhere. He was kind of in a league of his own, but I'll be damned if that was gonna keep me from trying. He drove a good race and got himself in position. He worked me over pretty good and somehow we worked through traffic and got back by him, but, obviously, that last yellow – I haven't seen a replay of what happened – but that cost us the lead." - Brad Keselowski, finished third
"We did have our struggles. We had some loose wheels and [got] off on some of the sequences. Luckily, we had a fast enough car. Thanks to all of our guys for just digging in. I told everybody slap some high five's because we have areas that we can still polish up on, but a top-five at Bristol and to be the fastest car on the track with less than 10 to go... When I caught Kyle (Busch) and when I caught (Brad) Keselowski, if it was for the lead it would have been a lot different. But (Kasey) Kahne was checked out. Congratulations to him, but I'm really happy with our Furniture Row Chevrolet today. Barney Visser and the guys, we all can do a little bit better here and there and I can do better. The poor No. 78 car is used up today and it's just good that we got everything rolling this weekend like we needed it." - Kurt Busch, finished fourth
"I have to give all the credit to Steve Letarte (crew chief). He made a couple, two, three great pit calls there at the end, and gave us the opportunity to get some guys on some old tires, and beat a few guys that we probably weren't going to beat. Great call by him. We drove a pretty good race. He made a great couple of adjustments at the end. We were really getting behind on the race track; we were getting really, really tight and falling back. Made a couple of good calls on taking some wedge out and stuff like that to help the car. Give him and the team a lot of credit. They did a great job today." - Dale Earnhardt, Jr., finished sixth
"I passed pretty easy up to a point, but I had a lot of fun today. I went from 28th to fifth and passed every car by myself, so it was a pretty good day." - Greg Biffle, finished 11th
"We had a fast race car, that's for sure. I was racing for the lead and it's frustrating. That's a freaking genius behind the wheel of the 11 car – probably the worst teammate I ever had, so I learned that now. He decided to run in the back of me, so, whatever. I have a scorecard and I'm not putting up with that. What goes around comes around. He already ran down his right-front tire, so he deserves it." - Joey Logano, finished 17th
"He [Joey Logano] pinched us up against the wall twice and really, had I not checked up he would have been in the garage anyway with no radiator in it. It's just one of those things. Its Bristol racing and everyone is fighting for the top and I think he knew he had to get to the top as soon as he could, but I was up there. I didn't mean to hit him — I didn't mean to wreck him — that was a mistake. Still, we both had a bad day." - Denny Hamlin, finished 23rd
"We've been really loose the last couple of races so we wanted to make sure we were tight. So we decided that was our accomplishment today was to aim to be tight, and we were. So, we probably didn't need to and in fact, we probably kind of knew we were over-compensating. But we just never really got it completely freed up like we needed to. It was better later in the race but by then the damage is done." - Danica Patrick, finished 28th
"Was just riding along there in fifth, sixth spot. We had a good race car. We were a little bit too tight in traffic, so Alan Gustafson (crew chief) made a great call there to take left sides, and it really helped. The car was turning really good. But, maybe we were just a little bit too hard on that right front. Not really sure there. Right fronts never blow out when you are up against the wall. I was up against the wall the entire run, and as soon as I went to go under a lapped car – boom – it popped down at the bottom of the race track and went all the way to the top, and we got the wall. Really hate that we collected Matt Kenseth in that. He had a great race car, and a great day going. We were really trying to get by with a top-five, top-10 and get some points. This is a bad way to end it." - Jeff Gordon, finished 34th (xrashed Out)
"There was not a lot either one of us could have done about that, so it's going to take a lot of Husky Tools to fix that thing. But, really encouraged — Jason (Ratcliff, crew chief) made awesome adjustments again. I thought we had that run the fastest car, one of the only cars that could pass out there today. And man, we just got a little behind and I just finally had it made up and wanted to be in the lead for that last pit stop so we could get ourselves some track position there and blew a tire right in front of us — just nowhere to go. We had a great car again today. We just didn't make to the end, unfortunately." - Matt Kenseth, finished 35th (Crashed out)
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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.
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TODAY ON THE FRONTSTRETCH:
Thinkin' Out Loud: Bristol-1 Race Recap
by Matt McLaughlin
Pace Laps: A Returning Rookie, Action-Packed Bristol And Tragedy Out West
by the Frontstretch Staff
The Big Six: Questions Answered After Sprint Cup's Food City 500
by Amy Henderson
Small Track, Big Storylines: Bristol Made Its Comeback
by Summer Bedgood
Bristol Racing, Bad Crowds: Can Bruton Smith Ever Win?
by Mike Neff
FROM SUNDAY:
Nationwide Series Breakdown: Jeff Foxworthy's Grit Chips 300
by Kevin Rutherford
-- Presented by Frontstretch.com
The Best Seat at the Track, The Best View on the Net!
March 18th, 2013
Volume VII, Edition XXXVII
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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.
~~~~~~~~~~
Sprint Cup Race Recap: Kahne Pulls Away Late to Claim Food City 500 Victory
by Justin Tucker
Kasey Kahne come into 2013 with lofty expectations. After finishing a career-best fourth in the 2012 Sprint Cup points standings. Many pointed to 2013 as the year Kahne would bring home his first championship.
So far, so good.
After a dismal start to 2013 which saw finishes of 36th and 19th, respectively at Daytona and Phoenix, Kahne bounced back last week at Las Vegas, leading 114 laps en route to finishing second to Matt Kenseth.
On Sunday, everything went Kahne's way and after the smoke cleared he would score his first career win at the World's Fastest Half Mile.
"This is a big win, I love racing for Hendrick Motorsports," said Kahne in Victory Lane after the race. "This whole team was flawless again today."
Kahne would lead 109 laps en route to scoring his 15th career Sprint Cup Series win. As the green flag dropped on Sunday's Food City 500 ,it appeared that Kyle Busch would dominate the day as he did much of the weekend. However, a pit road speeding penalty during the second caution derailed Busch's early momentum and trapped him deep in the field. From there, Busch fought all day to score a hard earned second-place finish.
"We need to stop getting penalties and stay up front all day," said Busch after the race. "We're trying to take too much on pit road and it's not worth it. We just need to back off."
Busch's Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Denny Hamlin would dominate much of the afternoon, leading a race high 117 of the 500 laps and appeared to be in contention for the win until suspension and tire problems near the end of the race would relegate him to a 23rd-place finish.
But that wasn't the only issue for Hamlin. Around the two-thirds' mark of the race, Hamlin and former teammate Joey Logano would find themselves locked in a battle for second after Logano failed to make a move to the inside of Jeff Gordon for the lead. Slight contact between the two drivers resulted in Logano sliding backside first into the outside wall in Turn 2. Logano, enraged after the incident, would drive his way back up to the top-10 and was looking for Hamlin and the No. 11 car but could never just get to the rear of Hamlin's Toyota.
Logano was none too pleased post-race.
"I understand the way he races now that he's not my teammate," said Logano. "I will race him the same way he races me."
Sunday was a rough day for some of the heavy hitters as Tony Stewart would meet early trouble on lap 9 when he cut a left rear tire and spun into the outside wall in Turn 1. Stewart would finish 36 laps down in 31st-place.
Jeff Gordon and Matt Kenseth were running first and second with about 110 laps to go when the right front tire blew out on Gordon's Chevrolet and would collect Kenseth into the rear of the No. 24 ending both of their days prematurely after what was looking like solid top 5 potential runs. The accident was devastating for both, as Gordon led 66 laps and Kenseth 85 laps, relegating them to 34th and 35th-place finishes.
Jimmie Johnson would suffer the same fate as his teammate when he blew his right-front tire and hit the wall with 46 laps to go. However, Johnson was able to finish the race two laps down in 22nd.
Defending Sprint Cup Series Champion Brad Keselowski continues his incredible run to start 2013 as he would finish in third to claim his fourth consecutive top-5 finish to open this season. Dale Earnhardt, Jr. would come home in sixth, pushing his streak of consecutive top 10s to start the season to four. After four races in 2013, Brad Keselowski holds a 9-point lead over Dale Earnhardt, Jr. and a 15-point lead over Jimmie Johnson heading into next week's race at Auto Club Speedway.
Justin Tucker is a Newsletter Contributor at Frontstretch. To reach Justin, please contact Newsletter Manager Phil Allaway at phil.allaway@frontstretch.com.
Chasing the Chase: Point Standings after Las Vegas
by Phil Allaway
Brad Keselowski's fuel mileage gamble put him in the lead late on Sunday with old tires. He was in good position until the final restart, when he spun them while alllowing several others to get by. Kasey Kahne was able to get by for the lead, but Keselowski was able to hold on to finish third. That fourth consecutive top-5 finish to start the season was enough to move him into the points lead. His advantage is nine points over new second-place driver Dale Earnhardt, Jr. Earnhardt Jr. took advantage of fresher tires than the rest of the field to move up to a sixth-place finish. Jimmie Johnson, who was in the points lead entering Bristol, had a great day going. After spending almost the entire race to that point inside the top 5, Johnson blew a right-front tire and pounded the wall on Lap 455 to bring out the tenth and final yellow. Johnson struggled to a 22nd-place finish from there and dropped to third in points.
Clint Bowyer is back up to fourth in points after finishing a strong fifth. However, he is a full 21 points behind Johnson. Greg Biffle is now fifth in the standings after finishing 11th on Sunday. Denny Hamlin was looking good for a top-5 finish until his tires started going away. Eventually, Hamlin pounded the wall and suffered a suspension. Somewhat similarly to Johnny Benson at Richmond in 1998, Hamlin rode the wall for the last few laps to finish in 23rd. With his victory on Sunday, Kasey Kahne is up seven places to seventh in the standings. Meanwhile, Carl Edwards is down three places to fifth after an unsatisfactory 18th-place finish. However, much of Edwards' race was spent near 30th after running in the back of Jeff Burton and damaging his No. 99.
Paul Menard is up three places to ninth after finishing ninth on Sunday. Kyle Busch is now in a tie for tenth with Ricky Stenhouse, Jr. after a great run to finish second. However, as is the norm for Busch, he wasn't all that pleased with his second-place. Joey Logano rounds out the top-12, but could have finished much higher had his tires not gone off late in the event.
Standings: 1) Brad Keselowski 166, 2) Dale Earnhardt, Jr. -9, 3) Jimmie Johnson -15, 4) Clint Bowyer -36, 5) Greg Biffle -40, 6) Denny Hamlin -41, t-7) Kasey Kahne -42, t-7) Carl Edwards -42, 9) Paul Menard -48, t-10) Kyle Busch -51, t-10) Ricky Stenhouse, Jr. -51, 12) Joey Logano -62.
Best of the Rest: 13) Matt Kenseth -63, 14) Jamie McMurray -66, 15) Marcos Ambrose -67, t-16) Kurt Busch -68, t-16) Kevin Harvick -68, 18) Martin Truex, Jr. -70.
Race Winners: Jimmie Johnson (Daytona), Denny Hamlin (Phoenix), Matt Kenseth (Las Vegas), Kasey Kahne (Bristol)
Phil Allaway is the Newsletter Manager and a Senior Writer for Frontstretch. He can be reached via e-mail at phil.allaway@frontstretch.com. Follow him on Twitter at @Critic84.
Underdog Central At Bristol: Kurt Busch Continues to Impress; Phoenix Racing Quietly Solid
by Amy Henderson
Editor's Note: This year, we're going to switch things up a little bit. Instead of just focusing upon one underdog (or underreported) car in the Secret Star section, we will point out three smaller teams that put up good finishes each week.
Underdog Selection No. 1: Kurt Busch for Furniture Row Racing; started 19th, finished 4th
How much longer this team can be called an underdog is up for debate after Kurt Busch put on a clinic at Bristol, finishing fourth despite falling two laps down after an unscheduled midrace pit stop. Busch has five wins at Bristol, and he showed that he hasn't forgotten how to drive the tricky bullring this week. He simply outdrove much of the field, sometimes using a bottom groove that most drivers couldn't make work as well as he did.
This team does race Richard Childress chassis and Earnhardt-Childress engine packages, so they aren't as small as the other teams featured this week. If what Busch said earlier this year about them basically being a fourth RCR team is true, they might not even truly be a small team any more—they outran the RCR trio this week. But that just serves to show how far they've come from a team that missed several races in its early years, sometimes due to major mechanical mistakes and even dropped to a part-time schedule in 2009 simply in order to survive. Getting Busch was a coup for them, but it's also what was quite possibly a last chance for Busch to prove himself as the one who has been plagued by issues with NASCAR and the media and has bounced from some of the sport's top teams, including Roush Fenway, where he won the 2004 series title, to some of its poorer organizations as several teams passed on his considerable talent because of his volatile nature.
If Busch can control his temper, both with the media and his crew, this could be a fruitful season for a team that once struggled just to survive in NASCAR.
Underdog Selection No. 2: AJ Allmendinger for Phoenix Racing; started 29th, finished 13th
Another week, another solid finish for Phoenix Racing. For the third time in four races, the team posted a top-20 result, with Allmendinger piloting the car through the field to 13th place. It was another day of redemption for Allmendinger, whose 2012 fall from grace was swift and brutal, but who has shown that he is no less of a driver than he's ever been, despite spending most of his career racing for underfunded teams.
The transition to the Gen-6 cars has illustrated just where the real disparity in the sport lies. It's not in the talent of the drivers; Allmendinger and Regan Smith, among others, have proven that, but in the resources the big teams have to improve their cars and find an advantage over time. Because they haven't had time to do that yet (though the small teams are already behind on the intermediate tracks, where horsepower trumps all), it's given the small teams an opportunity to shine, and none has shown brighter than Phoenix Racing. With three different drivers (Allmendinger, Smith, and Austin Dillon), the No. 51 is currently eighth in owner points, ahead of many of the organizations whose budgets far outstrip theirs.
Underdog Selection No. 3: Casey Mears for Germain Racing; started 15th, finished 15th
Mears is just the kind of driver an improving young team needs. He's talented, and while he's not at the level of the top drivers in the sport, he's certainly one that teams have to scrape the bottom of the barrel to find. Mears is solid in the car, can communicate well with a crew chief, and rarely gets upset when things don't go his way. He may not be able to race for the win every week, but he will bring the car home in the best position he can, and in one piece. If the car is damaged, it's rarely his doing. That's something very valuable to a "team" without an endless fleet of cars and supply of parts to draw from. He's also great with fans and media, aspects that are important to sponsors.
Mears' run on Sunday was especially impressive, as the No. 13 was turned into the wall early, falling a lap back for much of the race after qualifying 15th. Mears fell near the back of the pack after multiple stops for repairs, but drove through traffic despite an ill-handling car and put himself in position to capitalize on some late strategy to finish 15th. That tenacity is exactly why he's a valued part of his team.
Is your favorite driver among NASCAR's underdogs? Are you frustrated with the lack of coverage they receive during the race broadcasts? Amy has all the small teams covered each and every week in The Big Six. Be sure to check it out to see how your favorites fared!
Amy Henderson is a Co-Managing Editor and a Senior Writer for Frontstretch. She can be reached via e-mail at amy.henderson@frontstretch.com. Follow her on Twitter at @Writer_Amy.
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Letter of the Race: Sunday's Food City 500 was brought to you by the Letter B, for Blown Tires. Unfortunately, Sunday's race had a number of tire failures that affected the race's outcome. Hendrick Motorsports teammates Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson each blew one while running inside the top 5, while Dave Blaney and Landon Cassill also suffered problems and hit the wall.
However, these failures were generally not Goodyear's fault. In Gordon and Johnson's cases, the problems were caused by simply running their right fronts to the end of their natural lives (in Gordon's case, roughly 151 laps). Tony Stewart's left-rear tire was cut due to contact. - Phil Allaway
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Sidebar Bristol Stories
by Summer Bedgood
Denny Hamlin, Joey Logano Face Off in Post-Bristol War of Words
After a post-Daytona Twitter swipe, by Denny Hamlin to former Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Joey Logano, it felt like only a matter of "when", not "if", these two would eventually meet again in a not-so-friendly way. What better track than Bristol Motor Speedway?
While racing for position with Jeff Gordon, around lap 350, Logano made an attempt to pass on the low side but fell short. Meanwhile, Hamlin crept up to Logano's high side with a shot of momentum. Either unaware that Hamlin was there or misjudging his rival's proximity, Logano pulled up right in front, forcing Hamlin to check up.
Expressing his frustration, Hamlin then pulled right up to Logano's bumper in the next corner, and lightly tapped his left rear bumper. Losing control of the car, Logano spun and sustained damage on the rear of his Ford.
Post-race, Logano clearly was not finished with the issue as he marched straight over to Hamlin's car and stuck his head inside the driver's side door. Almost immediately, members of Hamlin's pit crew grabbed Logano and pulled him back, while Logano's pit crew jumped in to defend him. A brief shoving match and war of words ensued before both drivers and teams went their separate ways. Both drivers had a lot to say to the media afterwards.
"I meant to run into him," Hamlin said. "I didn't mean to spin him out, but his day was fine. He still had a bad day, anyway, for whatever reason. You know, just, we finished bad and he finished bad. It's even."
Logano did not echo that same emotion.
"That's a freaking genius behind the wheel of the 11 car — probably the worst teammate I ever had, so I learned that now," Logano said. "He decided to run in the back of me, so, whatever. I have a scorecard, and I'm not putting up with that. What goes around comes around. He already ran down his right-front tire, so he deserves it."
While Logano would finish the race on the lead lap, he struggled to maintain handling and would eventually wind up 17th. Hamlin would finish 23rd after suffering other problems unrelated to the incident.
Tire Issues Plague Drivers' Days at Bristol
It was a tough day for Goodyear at Bristol. Though somewhat overshadowed by the on-track racing post-race showdown between Hamlin and Logano, no fewer than four big name drivers had problems with tires on track.
First off was Tony Stewart, who suffered a blowout no later than lap 9. Stewart would eventually finish 31st, yet another rough race for the three-time champion in 2013.
Jeff Gordon suffered a tire mishap, though his was more likely the result of a pit strategy gamble. Gordon was leading when his right front tire gave out and his No. 24 Chevrolet went skidding up the racetrack around lap 391. Matt Kenseth was an innocent victim of the event, with no time to react as he slammed in to the back of Gordon. Both drivers were done for the day.
Finally, a tire issue contributed to Hamlin's poor finish. While running towards the front in the waning laps of the race, bad Goodyears sent Hamlin into the wall several times and he had to settle for 23rd.
Though this seems like a multitude of issues, drivers didn't seem to be too concerned that this would be an issue going forward. Second-place finisher Kyle Busch even offered a theory on the issues.
"Sometimes you see tire issues come from more deep in the field than the guys running up front," offered Busch. "With all the technology, all the resources and everything the up-front teams have, they seem to do a good job of getting a good handle on the tires each and every weekend, not abuse them too much. Also when your car is driving good, turning through the corner okay, you're using less brake, you're not overheating the right front tire. That's kind of what you see when you see guys having tire issues."
Stewart-Haas Racing Suffers Disastrous Start to Season
It has been a tough start to 2013 for the trio of drivers at Stewart Haas Racing. Tony Stewart, Ryan Newman, and superstar rookie Danica Patrick have all had their share of misfortunes in the first four races of 2013, with an average finish of 24.1 amongst all three of them.
Last Sunday at Bristol was certainly no help to that. While Newman was able to finish inside the top 10, Stewart had an early tire blowout that left him limping around the racetrack the rest of the day. Meanwhile, Patrick struggled to find speed and she finished 28th.
In the first four races of the season, both Stewart and Patrick have only one finish inside the top 10 (Patrick at Daytona, Stewart at Phoenix). Surprisingly enough, Newman has performed the best out of the three, earning one top 5 and one top-10 finish. However, his other two finishes tell the tale, with a crash in Phoenix and an engine issue in Las Vegas giving him two DNFs to match the other two high-end results. He is currently a disappointing 23rd in points.
Stewart has failed to lead a lap any of the four races and has yet to finish better than eighth. Though he has managed to be running at the finish, in every single race his three finishes outside the top 10, and two outside the top 30, have the three-time champion sitting at a dismal 24th in points.
Finally, Patrick, with all of the hype in the world surrounding her, has failed to impress past her historic run at Daytona International Speedway. Her 28th-place finish in Bristol was her highest run since then and she is currently 28th in points.
Summer Bedgood is a Senior Writer for Frontstretch. She can be reached via e-mail at summer.bedgood@frontstretch.com. Follow him on Twitter at @SummerBedgood.
Quotes to Remember: Food City 500
"I just wish our car was faster there at the end. We got to where we were single file there with Kasey (Kahne) and he just took off and I couldn't keep up with him. Our car just wasn't turning good enough all day — just too tight. We fought that all through practice and we knew we needed to free up today, which we did — we just didn't do it near enough. All in all, these guys on this M&M's Camry did a great job for me and we worked really hard all day and really battled back from another penalty. Need to stop getting those and just stay up front all day and be able to run our own race. There at the end, I was probably holding up those guys behind me. Track position here is everything now. It's frustrating when you can't pass as well as you need to." - Kyle Busch, finished second
"[Kasey] was so good through the middle and, really, everywhere. He was kind of in a league of his own, but I'll be damned if that was gonna keep me from trying. He drove a good race and got himself in position. He worked me over pretty good and somehow we worked through traffic and got back by him, but, obviously, that last yellow – I haven't seen a replay of what happened – but that cost us the lead." - Brad Keselowski, finished third
"We did have our struggles. We had some loose wheels and [got] off on some of the sequences. Luckily, we had a fast enough car. Thanks to all of our guys for just digging in. I told everybody slap some high five's because we have areas that we can still polish up on, but a top-five at Bristol and to be the fastest car on the track with less than 10 to go... When I caught Kyle (Busch) and when I caught (Brad) Keselowski, if it was for the lead it would have been a lot different. But (Kasey) Kahne was checked out. Congratulations to him, but I'm really happy with our Furniture Row Chevrolet today. Barney Visser and the guys, we all can do a little bit better here and there and I can do better. The poor No. 78 car is used up today and it's just good that we got everything rolling this weekend like we needed it." - Kurt Busch, finished fourth
"I have to give all the credit to Steve Letarte (crew chief). He made a couple, two, three great pit calls there at the end, and gave us the opportunity to get some guys on some old tires, and beat a few guys that we probably weren't going to beat. Great call by him. We drove a pretty good race. He made a great couple of adjustments at the end. We were really getting behind on the race track; we were getting really, really tight and falling back. Made a couple of good calls on taking some wedge out and stuff like that to help the car. Give him and the team a lot of credit. They did a great job today." - Dale Earnhardt, Jr., finished sixth
"I passed pretty easy up to a point, but I had a lot of fun today. I went from 28th to fifth and passed every car by myself, so it was a pretty good day." - Greg Biffle, finished 11th
"We had a fast race car, that's for sure. I was racing for the lead and it's frustrating. That's a freaking genius behind the wheel of the 11 car – probably the worst teammate I ever had, so I learned that now. He decided to run in the back of me, so, whatever. I have a scorecard and I'm not putting up with that. What goes around comes around. He already ran down his right-front tire, so he deserves it." - Joey Logano, finished 17th
"He [Joey Logano] pinched us up against the wall twice and really, had I not checked up he would have been in the garage anyway with no radiator in it. It's just one of those things. Its Bristol racing and everyone is fighting for the top and I think he knew he had to get to the top as soon as he could, but I was up there. I didn't mean to hit him — I didn't mean to wreck him — that was a mistake. Still, we both had a bad day." - Denny Hamlin, finished 23rd
"We've been really loose the last couple of races so we wanted to make sure we were tight. So we decided that was our accomplishment today was to aim to be tight, and we were. So, we probably didn't need to and in fact, we probably kind of knew we were over-compensating. But we just never really got it completely freed up like we needed to. It was better later in the race but by then the damage is done." - Danica Patrick, finished 28th
"Was just riding along there in fifth, sixth spot. We had a good race car. We were a little bit too tight in traffic, so Alan Gustafson (crew chief) made a great call there to take left sides, and it really helped. The car was turning really good. But, maybe we were just a little bit too hard on that right front. Not really sure there. Right fronts never blow out when you are up against the wall. I was up against the wall the entire run, and as soon as I went to go under a lapped car – boom – it popped down at the bottom of the race track and went all the way to the top, and we got the wall. Really hate that we collected Matt Kenseth in that. He had a great race car, and a great day going. We were really trying to get by with a top-five, top-10 and get some points. This is a bad way to end it." - Jeff Gordon, finished 34th (xrashed Out)
"There was not a lot either one of us could have done about that, so it's going to take a lot of Husky Tools to fix that thing. But, really encouraged — Jason (Ratcliff, crew chief) made awesome adjustments again. I thought we had that run the fastest car, one of the only cars that could pass out there today. And man, we just got a little behind and I just finally had it made up and wanted to be in the lead for that last pit stop so we could get ourselves some track position there and blew a tire right in front of us — just nowhere to go. We had a great car again today. We just didn't make to the end, unfortunately." - Matt Kenseth, finished 35th (Crashed out)
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TODAY ON THE FRONTSTRETCH:
Thinkin' Out Loud: Bristol-1 Race Recap
by Matt McLaughlin
Pace Laps: A Returning Rookie, Action-Packed Bristol And Tragedy Out West
by the Frontstretch Staff
The Big Six: Questions Answered After Sprint Cup's Food City 500
by Amy Henderson
Small Track, Big Storylines: Bristol Made Its Comeback
by Summer Bedgood
Bristol Racing, Bad Crowds: Can Bruton Smith Ever Win?
by Mike Neff
FROM SUNDAY:
Nationwide Series Breakdown: Jeff Foxworthy's Grit Chips 300
by Kevin Rutherford
~~~~~~~~~~~
FRONTSTRETCH TRIVIA:
Q: Auto Club Speedway is best known for the NASCAR, CART and IndyCar races held there since the facility opened in 1997. However, another series made a one-off appearance on the track's infield road course in 2004. What was it?
Check back Tuesday for the answer, here in the Frontstretch Newsletter!
Friday's Answer:
Q: Thursday's question talked about what happened in Victory Lane at the 1993 Budweiser 250. That particular race ended under caution. Let's just say that it was a somewhat bizarre circumstance. What happened?
A: The caution came out for a crash on the frontstretch involving the No. 5 of Richard Lasater. Lasater spun and hit the inside wall. However, that's not all that went down. While racing back to the line, there appeared to be some fluid on the track as Tommy Houston, who was already a number of laps down, spun into the wall in Turn 3. Terry Labonte and Todd Bodine, who were battling for second, also got in the fluid. Bodine was able to regain control and barely avoid Houston to finish second. Labonte wasn't so lucky; he spun and hit the wall pretty hard. Labonte managed to bring his MW Windows No. 14 home in ninth, but his Lumina was beat up.
No footage of ESPN's broadcast is currently available online. However, a fan sitting in the backstretch grandstands brought his camcorder to the race that day and shot some footage of the race. The wrecks at the end of the race start at the 2:55 mark of this clip.
Frontstretch Trivia Guarantee: Take 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 Tuesday in the Frontstretch Newsletter:
-- Top News by Tom Bowles
-- Fan's View Commentary by S.D. Grady
-- Numbers Game: Food City 500 by Tom Bowles
-- Links to your favorite Frontstretch articles, and more!
Tomorrow on the Frontstretch:
We'll take a look at which drivers are in position to do well this weekend in the wide open spaces near Cucamonga -- and who wishes that it was 1930 and Auto Club Speedway was still an orange grove.
Speedy Discoveries by Brett Poirier
Brett is back with another commentary to make you think.
Going By The Numbers by Kevin Rutherford
Kevin enlightens us with his weekly statistics column based on trends we've been seeing in the Cup Series so far this season.
-----------------------------
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
FRONTSTRETCH TRIVIA:
Q: Auto Club Speedway is best known for the NASCAR, CART and IndyCar races held there since the facility opened in 1997. However, another series made a one-off appearance on the track's infield road course in 2004. What was it?
Check back Tuesday for the answer, here in the Frontstretch Newsletter!
Friday's Answer:
Q: Thursday's question talked about what happened in Victory Lane at the 1993 Budweiser 250. That particular race ended under caution. Let's just say that it was a somewhat bizarre circumstance. What happened?
A: The caution came out for a crash on the frontstretch involving the No. 5 of Richard Lasater. Lasater spun and hit the inside wall. However, that's not all that went down. While racing back to the line, there appeared to be some fluid on the track as Tommy Houston, who was already a number of laps down, spun into the wall in Turn 3. Terry Labonte and Todd Bodine, who were battling for second, also got in the fluid. Bodine was able to regain control and barely avoid Houston to finish second. Labonte wasn't so lucky; he spun and hit the wall pretty hard. Labonte managed to bring his MW Windows No. 14 home in ninth, but his Lumina was beat up.
No footage of ESPN's broadcast is currently available online. However, a fan sitting in the backstretch grandstands brought his camcorder to the race that day and shot some footage of the race. The wrecks at the end of the race start at the 2:55 mark of this clip.
Frontstretch Trivia Guarantee: Take 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 Tuesday in the Frontstretch Newsletter:
-- Top News by Tom Bowles
-- Fan's View Commentary by S.D. Grady
-- Numbers Game: Food City 500 by Tom Bowles
-- Links to your favorite Frontstretch articles, and more!
Tomorrow on the Frontstretch:
Five Points To Ponder by Danny Peters
Danny returns for his weekly edition of talking points, which will wrap up the action at Bristol and get us ready for one last trip out West - to Fontana - before Easter break.
Couch Potato Tuesday by Phil Allaway
This past weekend, the Sprint Cup and Nationwide Series were in action at Bristol Motor Speedway for their first short track races of the year. Were the telecasts of these events "up to snuff?" Find out in this week's TV Critique.
We'll take a look at which drivers are in position to do well this weekend in the wide open spaces near Cucamonga -- and who wishes that it was 1930 and Auto Club Speedway was still an orange grove.
Speedy Discoveries by Brett Poirier
Brett is back with another commentary to make you think.
Going By The Numbers by Kevin Rutherford
Kevin enlightens us with his weekly statistics column based on trends we've been seeing in the Cup Series so far this season.
-----------------------------
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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