THE FRONTSTRETCH NEWSLETTER
Presented by Frontstretch.com
The Best Seat at the Track, The Best View on the Net!
April 6th, 2013
Volume VII, Edition LII
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Presented by Frontstretch.com
The Best Seat at the Track, The Best View on the Net!
April 6th, 2013
Volume VII, Edition LII
~~~~~~~~~~
The Frontstretch is LIVE from Martinsville this weekend! For the latest news and information, be sure to follow us on Twitter (@TheFrontstretch) as well as Amy Henderson (@Writer_Amy) and our Facebook page!
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Top News
by Amy Henderson and Staff
Jimmie Johnson On Martinsville Pole - Mike Bliss DNQs
Sprint Cup qualifying is over at Martinsville Speedway, with a familiar face on top. Jimmie Johnson, one of the sport's dominant drivers in the track's long history will start on the pole. With 44 cars attempting to miss the field, only one failed to qualify. Mike Bliss, driving the No. 19 Toyota for TriStar Motorsports will miss the race (and it's his birthday, what a bummer!)
The starting lineup on Sunday will be:
1. Jimmie Johnson
2. Marcos Ambrose
3. Brian Vickers
4. Joey Logano
5. Kasey Kahne
6. Jeff Gordon
7. Brad Keselowski
8. Matt Kenseth
9. Carl Edwards
10. Ryan Newman
11. Kyle Busch
12. Martin Truex, Jr.
13. Jamie McMurray
14. Juan Pablo Montoya
15. Clint Bowyer
16. Paul Menard
17. Dale Earnhardt, Jr.
18. Regan Smith
19. Kurt Busch
20. Ricky Stenhouse, Jr.
21. Kevin Harvick
22. Greg Biffle
23. David Ragan
24. David Stremme
25. Travis Kvapil
26. Tony Stewart
27. Michael McDowell
28. Scott Speed
29. Jeff Burton
30. David Gilliland
31. Bobby Labonte
32. Danica Patrick
33. Landon Cassill
34. Aric Almirola
35. Mark Martin
36. Ken Schrader
37. J.J. Yeley
38. Scott Riggs
39. Dave Blaney
40. David Reutimann
41. Casey Mears
42. Josh Wise
43. Joe Nemechek
Mark Martin, subbing for Denny Hamlin qualified a disappointing 35th in the No. 11 Fed Ex Toyota. Tony Stewart, having an awful start to 2013 is also back in the pack, timing in 26th for Sunday's 500-lapper.
The pole was the 30th of Johnson's career and the second straight at this paperclip-shaped oval. Last Fall, he won from the top spot after leading 193 laps.
What's Next: The Cup teams have a pair of practice sessions on Saturday, at 10:30 and 11:45. The Camping World Truck Series race starts at 1:30.
Jeb Burton Wins First Career Pole At Martinsville
Martinsville Truck qualifying is over, and an emotional Jeb Burton took the pole. Burton, just 20 years old and the son of former Daytona 500 winner Ward, earned the top spot in just his seventh career start in the Truck Series.
"I was crying like a baby when I got out," said the youngster after his run. Burton, driving the No. 4 Turner Scott Motorsports Chevrolet will be joined on the front row by fellow rookie Darrell Wallace, Jr. for Joe Gibbs Racing.
Here's the starting lineup for today's event, to be televised on SPEED Channel at 1:30 PM ET:
1. Jeb Burton
2. Darrell Wallace, Jr.
3. Timothy Peters
4. Johnny Sauter
5. German Quiroga
6. Ty Dillon
7. Matt Crafton
8. Chase Elliott
9. Ron Hornaday, Jr.
10. Brennan Newberry
11. Brendan Gaughan
12. Miguel Paludo
13. Nelson Piquet, Jr.
14. Ryan Blaney
15. Joey Coulter
Martinsville Truck qualifying is over, and an emotional Jeb Burton took the pole. Burton, just 20 years old and the son of former Daytona 500 winner Ward, earned the top spot in just his seventh career start in the Truck Series.
"I was crying like a baby when I got out," said the youngster after his run. Burton, driving the No. 4 Turner Scott Motorsports Chevrolet will be joined on the front row by fellow rookie Darrell Wallace, Jr. for Joe Gibbs Racing.
Here's the starting lineup for today's event, to be televised on SPEED Channel at 1:30 PM ET:
1. Jeb Burton
2. Darrell Wallace, Jr.
3. Timothy Peters
4. Johnny Sauter
5. German Quiroga
6. Ty Dillon
7. Matt Crafton
8. Chase Elliott
9. Ron Hornaday, Jr.
10. Brennan Newberry
11. Brendan Gaughan
12. Miguel Paludo
13. Nelson Piquet, Jr.
14. Ryan Blaney
15. Joey Coulter
16. Kevin Harvick
17. John Wes Townley
18. Max Gresham
19. Erik Jones
20. James Buescher
21. Bryan Silas
22. David Starr
23. Todd Bodine
24. Caleb Holman
25. Ross Chastain
26. Devin Jones
27. Jeff Agnew
28. Dakoda Armstrong
29. Ryan Sieg
30. Scott Riggs
31. Grant Galloway
32. Kenny Habul
33. Robert Bruce
34. Norm Benning
35. Jennifer Jo Cobb
36. Tim George, Jr.
Other News
- Joey Logano made it clear on Friday his mind was on one thing and one thing only: Martinsville. Recent comments of revenge, made after Fontana by Tony Stewart weren't going to haunt him this weekend.
"I'm not going to change the way I drive," he said. "I don't feel like I do anything that's really disrespectful to other drivers out there. I race really hard. I'm fine with being known as a hard racer."
"I'm not going to change the way I drive," he said. "I don't feel like I do anything that's really disrespectful to other drivers out there. I race really hard. I'm fine with being known as a hard racer."
"That was two weeks ago," added Stewart in response. "I'm in Martinsville this weekend. We're trying to figure out what we've got to do to make our race cars go fast this week."
Have news for Amy and the Frontstretch? Don't hesitate to let us know; email us at phil.allaway@frontstretch.com with a promising lead or tip.
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Special Fan's View Commentary
Road Tripping To The Track: Never A Waste Of A NASCAR Fan's Time
by S.D. Grady
Now that the thrills of a vacation nearly gone bad are behind me, I get the chance to think about what I intended Monday afternoon. I am finally parked in North Lot on the other side of the railroad tracks at Martinsville. I can see the grandstands peeking over the hill, a few lonely generators are purring and a steady stream of RVs are finding their assigned camping spot on this Tuesday afternoon.
No, I didn't buy the tickets to Martinsville because of what happened at the Auto Club Speedway--the fantastic racing or the tempers. We packed up the camper on April Fool's Day because we haven't visited the paperclip icon in our fifteen-year endeavor to stop at every track on the circuit. Why would anybody want to do such a thing? Spend thousands of miles on the road to watch hours and hours and hours of racing that is said to be far below par at NASCAR landmarks?
Because my journey hasn't been a disappointment. Not once. Every time we see NASCAR perform in person, there always seems to be something to talk about afterwards.
Does anybody remember the inaugural truck race in Atlanta? Where Bobby Hamilton and Mike Skinner spun across the grass in a wild race to the finish? Yep. Been there, seen it, got the t-shirt. Or when Jeff Gordon crashed coming out of the final turn at Watkins Glen. How about when Jamie McMurray notched the Brickyard 400 after already winning the Daytona 500 that year?
I literally covered my eyes while Dale Jarrett sat in the middle of the frontstretch of New Hampshire as his spotter yelled on the radio, "Tighten your belts. They're coming hard!" Yes, they raced back to the yellow that day, but never again. I also witnessed 300 laps of utter boredom when NASCAR thought a restrictor plate might be the answer to stopping the deaths at NHMS.
In Darlington, it was proven that there really are Junior fans out there incapable of watching a race. He hung over the handrailing of the stands, beer in hand, and screamed, "Joooonior!" Every time the No. 88 took a lap. It didn't matter what place the National Guard Chevy might hold at the moment. His hero was passing by. He was devastated when Kyle Busch in his Indiana Jones colors took out NASCAR's Most Popular hero.
In Las Vegas, naught but a couple weeks after Sterling Marlin was caught "fixing" his fender in Daytona, I watched him cheat the commitment cone and win anyway. A few years later, at New Hampshire Robby was so incensed one day with Michael Waltrip, he threw his helmet at Mikey's car. Tony Stewart threw a punch at an ambulance driver. Steve Hmiel called Ray Evernham out for treating Jeff Gordon's tires.
Now, sometimes it isn't so much about what happens during competition, as it's the things I learn about our sport by simply being there. Pocono provided me the first glimpses into the garage areas during practice, where you get to see firsthand the insane scramble of the teams while they tweak their machines. At Dover, I took my first steps on the racing surface of a high-banked track. I hung onto the wall at the top and looked back down. If my calf muscles protested keeping me upright in this unlikely position, how did the cars do it? Yeah, yeah. Physics take care of that particular problem, but when you reach down and touch the remnants of a burnout on the asphalt, you're convinced a little magic is probably part of the entire solution.
Magic. Bristol may have its hold on the ethereal award so far. There was something otherworldly about sitting under the stars burning overhead and confetti guns shooting off from the top of the great coliseum. While the stink of unburned fuel and melted rubber lingered, I savored the sweet summer sensation.
And now. it is Martinsville's turn to teach me something new. The train passes by every so often. The track sits down in a depression in the countryside. It sits under the sunshine today empty and silent, waiting for something to happen. The wind blows across the near vacant campground, but there wouldn't be so many spaces marked if they haven't been sold. It's coming. The circus will pull in tomorrow or Thursday.
One week later, we'll head back home with the memory of a new track under our belt and a few of its secrets logged in our scrapbook.
You can't learn about the uniqueness of every track on TV. FOX manages to create a level playing field with their now generic coverage of each race. But Pocono is not the same as Bristol or Vegas. Our sport lives large across the plains of America. And the only way to truly experience the grand scale of NASCAR is to go.
So if you're a race fan, do yourself a favor. Buy some tickets. Make the trek. Sit on the aluminum benches and inhale the stench of auto racing. I'll be right there with you, storing new memories and expanding my understanding of my favorite sport, NASCAR.
I'll see you sitting in the stands.
No, I didn't buy the tickets to Martinsville because of what happened at the Auto Club Speedway--the fantastic racing or the tempers. We packed up the camper on April Fool's Day because we haven't visited the paperclip icon in our fifteen-year endeavor to stop at every track on the circuit. Why would anybody want to do such a thing? Spend thousands of miles on the road to watch hours and hours and hours of racing that is said to be far below par at NASCAR landmarks?
Because my journey hasn't been a disappointment. Not once. Every time we see NASCAR perform in person, there always seems to be something to talk about afterwards.
Does anybody remember the inaugural truck race in Atlanta? Where Bobby Hamilton and Mike Skinner spun across the grass in a wild race to the finish? Yep. Been there, seen it, got the t-shirt. Or when Jeff Gordon crashed coming out of the final turn at Watkins Glen. How about when Jamie McMurray notched the Brickyard 400 after already winning the Daytona 500 that year?
I literally covered my eyes while Dale Jarrett sat in the middle of the frontstretch of New Hampshire as his spotter yelled on the radio, "Tighten your belts. They're coming hard!" Yes, they raced back to the yellow that day, but never again. I also witnessed 300 laps of utter boredom when NASCAR thought a restrictor plate might be the answer to stopping the deaths at NHMS.
In Darlington, it was proven that there really are Junior fans out there incapable of watching a race. He hung over the handrailing of the stands, beer in hand, and screamed, "Joooonior!" Every time the No. 88 took a lap. It didn't matter what place the National Guard Chevy might hold at the moment. His hero was passing by. He was devastated when Kyle Busch in his Indiana Jones colors took out NASCAR's Most Popular hero.
In Las Vegas, naught but a couple weeks after Sterling Marlin was caught "fixing" his fender in Daytona, I watched him cheat the commitment cone and win anyway. A few years later, at New Hampshire Robby was so incensed one day with Michael Waltrip, he threw his helmet at Mikey's car. Tony Stewart threw a punch at an ambulance driver. Steve Hmiel called Ray Evernham out for treating Jeff Gordon's tires.
Now, sometimes it isn't so much about what happens during competition, as it's the things I learn about our sport by simply being there. Pocono provided me the first glimpses into the garage areas during practice, where you get to see firsthand the insane scramble of the teams while they tweak their machines. At Dover, I took my first steps on the racing surface of a high-banked track. I hung onto the wall at the top and looked back down. If my calf muscles protested keeping me upright in this unlikely position, how did the cars do it? Yeah, yeah. Physics take care of that particular problem, but when you reach down and touch the remnants of a burnout on the asphalt, you're convinced a little magic is probably part of the entire solution.
Magic. Bristol may have its hold on the ethereal award so far. There was something otherworldly about sitting under the stars burning overhead and confetti guns shooting off from the top of the great coliseum. While the stink of unburned fuel and melted rubber lingered, I savored the sweet summer sensation.
And now. it is Martinsville's turn to teach me something new. The train passes by every so often. The track sits down in a depression in the countryside. It sits under the sunshine today empty and silent, waiting for something to happen. The wind blows across the near vacant campground, but there wouldn't be so many spaces marked if they haven't been sold. It's coming. The circus will pull in tomorrow or Thursday.
One week later, we'll head back home with the memory of a new track under our belt and a few of its secrets logged in our scrapbook.
You can't learn about the uniqueness of every track on TV. FOX manages to create a level playing field with their now generic coverage of each race. But Pocono is not the same as Bristol or Vegas. Our sport lives large across the plains of America. And the only way to truly experience the grand scale of NASCAR is to go.
So if you're a race fan, do yourself a favor. Buy some tickets. Make the trek. Sit on the aluminum benches and inhale the stench of auto racing. I'll be right there with you, storing new memories and expanding my understanding of my favorite sport, NASCAR.
I'll see you sitting in the stands.
S.D. Grady is a Frontstretch.com Senior Editor and Contributor. She can be reached at sonya.grady@frontstretch.com.
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Got NASCAR-related questions or comments?
Send them Summer Bedgood's way at summer.bedgood@frontstretch.com; and, if you're lucky, you'll get your name in print when she does her weekly column answering back to you – the fans that keep Frontstretch afloat. Frontstretch Fan Q & A will run on Thursdays with a whole new set of Fan Questions and Answers!
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TODAY ON THE FRONTSTRETCH:
As One Rivalry Simmers, Another Boils... Forgotten Foes At Martinsville
by Amy Henderson
It's Official: Elliott Sadler Racing Fourth Joe Gibbs Racing Cup Car Part-Time In 2013
by the Frontstretch Staff
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FRONTSTRETCH TRIVIA:
FRONTSTRETCH TRIVIA:
Q: In 2002, Kevin Harvick was parked for the Virginia 500 at Martinsville by NASCAR. Kenny Wallace took his place in the Goodwrench No. 29. Why?
Check back Monday for the answer, here in the Frontstretch Newsletter!
Frontstretch Trivia Guarantee: If we mess up, you get the shirt off our backs! If we've provided an incorrect answer to the Frontstretch Trivia question, be the first to email the corrected trivia answer to trivia@frontstretch.com and we'll send you a Frontstretch T-Shirt ... FREE!
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Coming Monday in the Frontstretch Newsletter:
-- STP Gas Booster 500 Race Recap by Justin Tucker
-- Weekend News by Phil Allaway
-- Quotes To Remember, Letter Of The Week, Underdog Central by the Frontstretch Staff
-- Links to your favorite Frontstretch articles, trivia, and more!
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Tomorrow on the Frontstretch:
Tracking the Trucks: Kroger 250 by Amy Henderson
All the post-race analysis you need, live from the track following Saturday afternoon's Camping World Truck Series race from Martinsville.
Tearing Apart The Trucks by Beth Lunkenheimer
Beth gives her instant analysis on one of the biggest storylines arising from Saturday's Truck race.
Monday on the Frontstretch:
Thinkin' Out Loud: STP Gas Booster 500 by Mike Neff
Mike is back with his overall thoughts from Sunday afternoon's race from Martinsville.
Commentary by Summer Bedgood
Summer takes a look at one of the biggest stories to come out of Martinsville Speedway.
Commentary by TBA
One of the Frontstretch Staff members will stop by with their thoughts on Sunday afternoon's action from Martinsville.
Big Six: STP Gas Booster 500 by Amy Henderson
Amy has your weekly look at the Who, What, When, Where, Why and How from a weekend of racing at Martinsville.
Pace Laps: Martinsville Weekend by the Frontstretch Staff
It's back again this season! The staff gets together to help you catch up on the latest and greatest going on in each series coming out of a weekend in Martinsville.
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©2013 Frontstretch.com
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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