THE FRONTSTRETCH NEWSLETTER
Presented by Frontstretch.com
The Best Seat at the Track, The Best View on the Net!
April 5th, 2013
Volume VII, Edition LI
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Presented by Frontstretch.com
The Best Seat at the Track, The Best View on the Net!
April 5th, 2013
Volume VII, Edition LI
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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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Burton Leads NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Practice at Martinsville
Rookie (and Frontstretch Driver Diary writer) Jeb Burton was on the top of the charts after an extended NASCAR CWTS practice (the start of practice was delayed by track drying efforts). The top ten after the only practice session for tomorrow's Kroger 250:
1. Jeb Burton (96.244 MPH)
2. Johnny Sauter 96.239
3. Ron Hornaday, Jr. 96.010
4. Brendan Gaughan 95.728
5. Darrell Wallace, Jr. 95.675
6. Ty Dillon 95.583
7. Nelson Piquet, Jr. 95.550
8. German Quiroga 95.453
9. Matt Crafton 95.319
10. Miguel Paludo 95.223
Qualifying for the Kroger 250 is scheduled for today at 5:00 PM Eastern.
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Top News
by Justin Tucker
Earnhardt, Jr. Keeps it in the Family for Richmond Race
Dale Earnhardt, Jr. didn't have to look very far to find a driver for his No. 5 JR Motorsports Chevrolet for this month's Nationwide Series race at Richmond. JRM announced, via the latest JRM 360 video that Earnhardt, Jr.'s nephew Jeffrey Earnhardt will pilot the No. 5 for JRM in a single-race deal at Richmond for the Toyota Care 250 Nationwide Series race April 26th.
Earnhardt, the 23 year old son of Kerry Earnhardt and grandson of seven-time Cup Series champion Dale Earnhardt, has struggled to find his footing in NASCAR. Earlier this season he was slated to drive for Go Green Racing full time in the No. 79 car for the entire 2013 Nationwide Series schedule only to be out of the ride at Auto Club Speedway just two weeks ago. Earnhardt has even explored other athletic disciplines over the past year by participating in Mixed Martial Arts.
Earnhardt has made 14 career starts in the Nationwide Series with a best finish of 19th coming at the Subway Jalapeno 250 at Daytona in July 2011. He also scored a career best finish in any of NASCAR's top three series by posting a seventh-place result in the 2011 Truck Series race at Daytona.
Kasey Kahne,Brad Sweet, and Jimmie Johnson also have filled the driver's seat for JRM this season in the No. 5 Chevrolet Camaro.
Junior to Make 600th Career NASCAR Start
When the green flag flies over the STP Gas Booster 500 this weekend, the race will mark Dale Earnhardt, Jr.'s 475th Sprint Cup Series start and his 600th overall in NASCAR sanctioned competition.
Earnhardt, Jr. has also started 125 Nationwide Series races over his career. In his 599 career starts, Earnhardt has amassed 42 wins, 167 top 5s, and 267 top 10s, 21 poles and has led over 10,000 laps.
Earnhardt's 19 career Sprint Cup Series wins is tied for 38th on the all time wins list with Davey Allison, Buddy Baker, Fonty Flock, and Kevin Harvick. He also ranks 11th on the active list with 474 Cup series starts. In Sprint Cup competition, he boasts 19 victories, 108 top 5s, 187 top 10s, and 11 poles.
Novak and Fontaine join forces in Trucks, Bruce to drive at Martinsville
Dave Novak (formerly of Jennifer Jo Cobb Racing) and Chris Fontaine, owner of the No. 84 NCWTS team announced on Thursday they would be joining forces to compete in the Camping World Truck Series in 2013. Nationwide Series veteran Mike Harmon is heading up the alliance between Novak and Fontaine. The team will be based out of Mooresville, NC, and the driver roster will consist of Fontaine, Harmon, and others throughout this season who can bring their own sponsorship to the team.
Robert Bruce will start off the Novak / Fontaine alliance as he will be the driver of the No. 84 Toyota during this weekend's Kroger 250 at Martinsville. Veteran crew chief Randy Dean will be the crew chief on the effort. Dean and Bruce have a lot of familiarity together as Dean has served as the crew chief for much of Bruce's 20 year run in Late Models in Virginia.
Have news for Justin 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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In Case You Missed It
by Beth Lunkenheimer
Cassill Joins JD Motorsports
Just days after parting ways with driver Danny Efland, JD Motorsports has announced the Landon Cassill has joined the organization and will pilot thee No. 4 Flex Seal Chevrolet for the remainder of the Nationwide Series season. Cassill, who won the 2008 Nationwide Series Rookie of the Year, will join the team beginning with next weekend's O'Reilly Auto Parts 300 at Texas Motor Speedway.
"I am really happy to be joining JD Motorsports and racing the No. 4 Flex Seal Chevy in the NASCAR Nationwide Series," Cassill said. "I went down to the shop and met with Johnny and the guys, and I am excited for the opportunity. I look forward to helping them improve over the course of the season, and I believe we can race competitively starting at Texas."
In 33 Nationwide Series starts, Cassill has one pole, one top 5 and seven top-10 results.
Piquet, Jr. in Turner Scott Motorsports No. 30 at Martinsville
Earlier this week, Turner Scott Motorsports announced that Nelson Piquet, Jr., who currently runs full-time for the organization in the Nationwide Series, will pilot a fourth truck for the organization in Saturday's Camping World Truck Series race. According to a post on TSM teammate Jeb Burton's Facebook page, Piquet's crew chief Chris Carrier has offered a $100 bonus to any TSM driver who manages to outrun Kevin Harvick this weekend.
"I am looking forward to returning to the Truck Series as well as Martinsville Speedway. My guys at Turner Scott Motorsports have worked really hard to get the Wolf Pack Energy Services Chevy Silverado ready to race this weekend," Piquet said. "We had two really good trucks there last year, so hopefully we can repeat that success this weekend. I am excited about this opportunity and look forward to getting on the track Friday."
In 52 career Truck Series starts, Piquet boasts two wins, 15 top 5s and 28 top 10s.
Just days after parting ways with driver Danny Efland, JD Motorsports has announced the Landon Cassill has joined the organization and will pilot thee No. 4 Flex Seal Chevrolet for the remainder of the Nationwide Series season. Cassill, who won the 2008 Nationwide Series Rookie of the Year, will join the team beginning with next weekend's O'Reilly Auto Parts 300 at Texas Motor Speedway.
"I am really happy to be joining JD Motorsports and racing the No. 4 Flex Seal Chevy in the NASCAR Nationwide Series," Cassill said. "I went down to the shop and met with Johnny and the guys, and I am excited for the opportunity. I look forward to helping them improve over the course of the season, and I believe we can race competitively starting at Texas."
In 33 Nationwide Series starts, Cassill has one pole, one top 5 and seven top-10 results.
Piquet, Jr. in Turner Scott Motorsports No. 30 at Martinsville
Earlier this week, Turner Scott Motorsports announced that Nelson Piquet, Jr., who currently runs full-time for the organization in the Nationwide Series, will pilot a fourth truck for the organization in Saturday's Camping World Truck Series race. According to a post on TSM teammate Jeb Burton's Facebook page, Piquet's crew chief Chris Carrier has offered a $100 bonus to any TSM driver who manages to outrun Kevin Harvick this weekend.
"I am looking forward to returning to the Truck Series as well as Martinsville Speedway. My guys at Turner Scott Motorsports have worked really hard to get the Wolf Pack Energy Services Chevy Silverado ready to race this weekend," Piquet said. "We had two really good trucks there last year, so hopefully we can repeat that success this weekend. I am excited about this opportunity and look forward to getting on the track Friday."
In 52 career Truck Series starts, Piquet boasts two wins, 15 top 5s and 28 top 10s.
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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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Keepin' It Short: Spotlight Shining on Short Tracks This Weekend
by Mike Neff
Short Track racing is the backbone of racing in North America. It is the true roots of NASCAR Stock Car racing, even though there are only six races during the season which are on tracks less than a mile in length. This weekend is the highlight of that Short Track portion of the Cup schedule as the series visits Martinsville for the first of two dates on the calendar. Martinsville is one of two tracks that still exist from the original seven race schedule that NASCAR ran in the inaugural season of 1949 (North Wilkesboro still exists although it is dormant at this point in time). It is the only track that is still on the schedule today.
Martinsville, like so many other short tracks in the United States, is in a small community that derives a large portion of their economic prosperity from the track. Places like South Boston, Knoxville, Stafford, Rossburg and Alger gain so much of their identity from the race track and the race track pulls so much of its personality from the community. Martinsville symbolizes the local community right down to the trophy that is awarded. The grandfather clock that Martinsville awards to the winners of its races is made in a local shop by local craftsman. It speaks volumes about the ties to the community when that beautiful clock sits on the stage of victory lane in front of so many people who work their fingers to the bone to make the local community survive.
As the Cup series heads to the shortest track on the schedule, many of the other short tracks around the country are finally opening their doors for the racing season. Even though the weather has been less than spring like in many places, the cars will be hitting the track in anger on many of the small ovals throughout the Midwest and the Northeast. With the economy slowly but surely starting to actually turn around, it seems as though the racers are coming back to the local tracks more and more. While that is a great thing, the key to keeping these small tracks in business and helping all of the short track racing community to thrive is the fans. The fans of tracks like Flat Rock and Duck River and Meridian all need to get out and support their local racers and their local short tracks. The more people who show up to watch the races will help the tracks make improvements and keep their doors open.
The one other thing that local fans can do to help their local tracks, and the big tracks for that matter, is support the sponsors of racers and tracks. Even if you don't spend money in an establishment who has a billboard at your local track, take the time to stop in and just say thank you. Letting a company know that you saw their ad or their billboard lets them know that their marketing dollars are being well spent. If every fan who goes to their local track on Saturday night would take the time to visit one sponsor just to say 'Thank you,' the advertising dollars spent at local short tracks would double for the 2014 season.
When you watch the race at Martinsville this weekend remember that each and every one of the drivers started at a local short track. Go-karts, quarter midgets, 4-cylinders, whatever the case may be, they all started racing in front of small crowds on small tracks. When you go to your local track, you very well could be seeing the next superstars of NASCAR. Seeing drivers like Dylan Kwasniewski or Kyle Benjamin or Dawson Cram just might be giving you a glimpse into the future of NASCAR.
Whether you go to a local track this weekend or head to Martinsville, celebrate the cradle of racing on this true Short Track weekend. Thousands of drivers compete on the hundreds of short tracks across America each weekend, and they do it because they love to race, not because they make a penny at it.
This Weekend's Short Track Racing Schedule
Friday 04/05/13 Antioch Speedway Antioch CA World of Outlaw Sprint Cars
Friday 04/05/13 Farmer City Raceway Farmer City IL World of Outlaw Late Models
Friday 04/05/13 Tri-City Speedway Pontoon Beach IL UMP Factory Stocks
Friday 04/05/13 Tri-City Speedway Pontoon Beach IL UMP Late Models
Friday 04/05/13 Tri-City Speedway Pontoon Beach IL UMP Modifieds
Friday 04/05/13 Tri-City Speedway Pontoon Beach IL UMP Pro-Crate Late Models
Friday 04/05/13 Tri-City Speedway Pontoon Beach IL UMP Sport Compacts
Friday 04/05/13 Jackson Motor Speedway Byram MS Lucas Oil Dirt Late Models
Friday 04/05/13 I-80 Speedway Greenwood NE ASCS Winged Sprints
Friday 04/05/13 Thunderbird Speedway Muskogee OK USMTS Modifieds
Friday 04/05/13 Golden Triangle Raceway Park Beaumont TX ASCS Winged Sprints
Friday 04/05/13 RPM Speedway Crandall TX Factory Stocks
Friday 04/05/13 RPM Speedway Crandall TX Limited Modifieds
Friday 04/05/13 RPM Speedway Crandall TX Street Stocks
Friday 04/05/13 RPM Speedway Crandall TX USRA Modifieds
Saturday 04/06/13 Montgomery Motor Speedway Montgomery AL Buzz
Saturday 04/06/13 Montgomery Motor Speedway Montgomery AL Mini Modifieds
Saturday 04/06/13 Montgomery Motor Speedway Montgomery AL SMARS Motorcycles
Saturday 04/06/13 Montgomery Motor Speedway Montgomery AL Street Stock
Saturday 04/06/13 Montgomery Motor Speedway Montgomery AL Super Stock/Truck
Saturday 04/06/13 Montgomery Motor Speedway Montgomery AL Vintage Nationals
Saturday 04/06/13 I-30 Speedway Little Rock AR ASCS Winged Sprints
Saturday 04/06/13 Riverside International Speedway West Memphis AR 305 Winged Sprints
Saturday 04/06/13 Riverside International Speedway West Memphis AR 600 Mini Sprints
Saturday 04/06/13 Riverside International Speedway West Memphis AR Late Models
Saturday 04/06/13 Riverside International Speedway West Memphis AR Modifieds
Saturday 04/06/13 Riverside International Speedway West Memphis AR Stock Cars
Saturday 04/06/13 Canyon Speedway Park Peoria AZ Bombers
Saturday 04/06/13 Canyon Speedway Park Peoria AZ Challenge Cup Sprint Cars
Saturday 04/06/13 Canyon Speedway Park Peoria AZ IMCA Modifieds
Saturday 04/06/13 Canyon Speedway Park Peoria AZ Mini Sprints
Saturday 04/06/13 Canyon Speedway Park Peoria AZ Pure Stocks
Saturday 04/06/13 Cocopah Speedway Yuma AZ Factory Stocks
Saturday 04/06/13 Cocopah Speedway Yuma AZ IMCA Modifieds
Saturday 04/06/13 Cocopah Speedway Yuma AZ IMCA Sport Mods
Saturday 04/06/13 Cocopah Speedway Yuma AZ Pro Stocks
Saturday 04/06/13 Cocopah Speedway Yuma AZ Street Stocks
Saturday 04/06/13 Speedworld Wittmann AZ USAC National Quarter Midgets
Saturday 04/06/13 Tucson International Raceway Tucson AZ ASCS Winged Sprints
Saturday 04/06/13 Tucson International Raceway Tucson AZ Factory Stocks
Saturday 04/06/13 Tucson International Raceway Tucson AZ Hornets
Saturday 04/06/13 Tucson International Raceway Tucson AZ Super Stocks
Saturday 04/06/13 Tucson International Raceway Tucson AZ X-Mods
Saturday 04/06/13 Bakersfield Speedway Bakersfield CA American Stocks
Saturday 04/06/13 Bakersfield Speedway Bakersfield CA Hard Tops
Saturday 04/06/13 Bakersfield Speedway Bakersfield CA Hobby Stocks
Saturday 04/06/13 Bakersfield Speedway Bakersfield CA Modifieds
Saturday 04/06/13 Bakersfield Speedway Bakersfield CA Street Stocks
Saturday 04/06/13 Calistoga Speedway Claistoga CA World of Outlaw Sprint Cars
Saturday 04/06/13 Kings Speedway Hanford CA West Coast Late Models
Saturday 04/06/13 Perris Auto Speedway Perris CA USAC/CRA Sprint Cars
Saturday 04/06/13 Placerville Speedway Placerville CA 360 Winged Sprints
Saturday 04/06/13 Placerville Speedway Placerville CA Dwarf Cars
Saturday 04/06/13 Placerville Speedway Placerville CA Limited Late Models
Saturday 04/06/13 Placerville Speedway Placerville CA Pure Stocks
Saturday 04/06/13 Stockton 99 Speedway Stockton CA SRL Southwest Tour Late Models
Saturday 04/06/13 Ventura Raceway Ventura CA USAC Western States Midgets
Saturday 04/06/13 Waterford Speedbowl Waterford CT Valenti Modifieds
Saturday 04/06/13 Gordon Park Speedway Augusta GA FASTRAK Pro Late Models
Saturday 04/06/13 34 Raceway Burlington IA 4-Cylinders
Saturday 04/06/13 34 Raceway Burlington IA IMCA Super Late Models
Saturday 04/06/13 34 Raceway Burlington IA Sport Mods
Saturday 04/06/13 Farmer City Raceway Farmer City IL World of Outlaw Late Models
Saturday 04/06/13 Highland Speedway Highland IL Outlaw Micros
Saturday 04/06/13 Highland Speedway Highland IL UMP Late Models
Saturday 04/06/13 Highland Speedway Highland IL UMP Modifieds
Saturday 04/06/13 Highland Speedway Highland IL UMP Sport Mods
Saturday 04/06/13 Highland Speedway Highland IL UMP Street Stocks
Saturday 04/06/13 Lawrenceburg Speedway Lawrenceburg IN USAC Sprint Cars
Saturday 04/06/13 Caraway Speedway Asheboro NC Hornets
Saturday 04/06/13 Caraway Speedway Asheboro NC Late Models
Saturday 04/06/13 Caraway Speedway Asheboro NC Legends
Saturday 04/06/13 Caraway Speedway Asheboro NC Limited Late Models
Saturday 04/06/13 Caraway Speedway Asheboro NC Mini Stocks
Saturday 04/06/13 Caraway Speedway Asheboro NC Southern Modified Lights
Saturday 04/06/13 Caraway Speedway Asheboro NC U-Cars
Saturday 04/06/13 County Line Raceway Elm City NC Late Models
Saturday 04/06/13 County Line Raceway Elm City NC Pure Stock 4 Cylinder
Saturday 04/06/13 County Line Raceway Elm City NC Pure Stock V-8
Saturday 04/06/13 County Line Raceway Elm City NC Super Stock 4 Cylinders
Saturday 04/06/13 County Line Raceway Elm City NC Thunder & Lightning
Saturday 04/06/13 East Lincoln Speedway Stanley NC Limited Sportsman
Saturday 04/06/13 East Lincoln Speedway Stanley NC Micro Sprints
Saturday 04/06/13 East Lincoln Speedway Stanley NC Renegades
Saturday 04/06/13 East Lincoln Speedway Stanley NC Stock 4
Saturday 04/06/13 East Lincoln Speedway Stanley NC Super Stock 4 Cylinders
Saturday 04/06/13 Hickory Motor Speedway Newton NC Limited Late Models
Saturday 04/06/13 Hickory Motor Speedway Newton NC Renegades
Saturday 04/06/13 Hickory Motor Speedway Newton NC Street Stocks
Saturday 04/06/13 Hickory Motor Speedway Newton NC Vintage Sportsman Racing Classics
Saturday 04/06/13 Hickory Motor Speedway Newton NC Whelen All-American Late Models
Saturday 04/06/13 I-80 Speedway Greenwood NE ASCS Winged Sprints
Saturday 04/06/13 Southern New Mexico Speedway Las Cruces NM Hornets
Saturday 04/06/13 Southern New Mexico Speedway Las Cruces NM UMP Late Models
Saturday 04/06/13 Southern New Mexico Speedway Las Cruces NM USRA Modifieds
Saturday 04/06/13 Southern New Mexico Speedway Las Cruces NM USRA Street Stocks
Saturday 04/06/13 Las Vegas Motor Speedway Las Vegas NV USAC Western Pavement Ignite Midgets
Saturday 04/06/13 West Siloam Speedway Colcord OK USMTS Modifieds
Saturday 04/06/13 Mercer Raceway Park Mercer PA FASTRAK Pro Late Models
Saturday 04/06/13 Duck River Raceway Park Wheel TN Modified Street Bomber
Saturday 04/06/13 Duck River Raceway Park Wheel TN Openwheel
Saturday 04/06/13 Duck River Raceway Park Wheel TN Outlaw Pony
Saturday 04/06/13 Duck River Raceway Park Wheel TN Pure Pony
Saturday 04/06/13 Duck River Raceway Park Wheel TN Rookie Pony
Saturday 04/06/13 Duck River Raceway Park Wheel TN Street Stock Bomber
Saturday 04/06/13 Duck River Raceway Park Wheel TN Super Late Models
Saturday 04/06/13 Duck River Raceway Park Wheel TN Two Barrel Late Models
Saturday 04/06/13 Tazewell Speedway Tazewell TN Southern All Stars Late Models
Saturday 04/06/13 Lonestar Speedway Kilgore TX Lucas Oil Dirt Late Models
Saturday 04/06/13 Royal Purple Raceway Baytown TX ASCS Winged Sprints
Saturday 04/06/13 Lonesome Pine Raceway Coeburn VA Iron Warrior
Saturday 04/06/13 Lonesome Pine Raceway Coeburn VA Late Models
Saturday 04/06/13 Lonesome Pine Raceway Coeburn VA Mod 4
Saturday 04/06/13 Lonesome Pine Raceway Coeburn VA Pure 4
Saturday 04/06/13 Lonesome Pine Raceway Coeburn VA Pure Streets
Saturday 04/06/13 Lonesome Pine Raceway Coeburn VA Super Streets
Sunday 04/07/13 Speedworld Wittmann AZ USAC National Quarter Midgets
Sunday 04/07/13 Waterford Speedbowl Waterford CT Valenti Modifieds
Wednesday 04/10/13 Millbridge Speedway Salisbury NC 125 Mini Outlaw
Wednesday 04/10/13 Millbridge Speedway Salisbury NC Beginner Box Stock Mini Outlaw
Wednesday 04/10/13 Millbridge Speedway Salisbury NC Box Stock Mini Outlaw
Wednesday 04/10/13 Millbridge Speedway Salisbury NC NBA Clone Go-Karts
Wednesday 04/10/13 Millbridge Speedway Salisbury NC Open Mini Outlaw
Mike Neff is a Senior Writer and the Short Track Reporter for Frontstretch.com. He can be reached via email at mike.neff@frontstretch.com. Follow him on Twitter at @MNeffShortTrack.
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Frontstretch Folio: STP Gas Booster 500
by Beth Lunkenheimer
After taking a weekend off to celebrate Easter, the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series rolls into Martinsville, Virginia to race at the oldest and shortest track on the schedule. The STP Gas Booster 500 will be broadcast live on FOX at 12:30 PM ET; it can also be heard on your local MRN affiliate or SiriusXM Channel 90. Drivers will compete for 500 laps (263 miles) en route to the checkered flag.
Records and Facts
Tony Stewart holds the track qualifying record with a lap of 98.083 mph (19.306 sec) set on October 21, 2005 for the Subway 500. After starting on the pole, Stewart led seven times for 283 laps before settling for a runner-up finish to Jeff Gordon. Jimmie Johnson, Bobby Labonte and Jeff Burton rounded out the top 5.
Ryan Newman is the defending winner of the spring race at Martinsville. Having started fifth, Newman led just the final 12 laps of competition en route to his only victory of the 2012 season. AJ Allmendinger finished just 0.342 seconds behind Newman. Dale Earnhardt, Jr., Matt Kenseth and Martin Truex, Jr. rounded out the top 5.
Track Facts
Track/Race Length: 0.526-mile Paper Clip shaped oval, 500 laps (263 miles)
Pit Road Speed: 30mph
Degree of Banking: 12 degrees
Frontstretch: 800 ft., 0 degrees of banking
Backstretch: 800 ft., 0 degrees of banking
Grandstand Seating: 61,000
Pre-race Schedule
Practices: Friday, April 5, 12:00 - 1:30 PM ET on SPEED
Saturday, April 6, 10:30 - 11:15 AM ET (not scheduled to air)
Happy Hour: Saturday, April 6, 11:45 AM - 12:45 PM ET (same day delay on SPEED at 11:30 PM ET)
Qualifying: Friday, April 5 at 3:40 PM ET (same day delay on SPEED at 8:00 PM ET)
VIPs
Grand Marshal / Command: Producer Mark Burnett and Wife Roma Downey
Honorary Starter / Wave Green Flag: Actor Mario Lopez
Invocation: Rev. Jonathan Falwell
National Anthem: Virginia Military Institute's Glee Club
Honorary Pace Car Driver: Va. Tech Football Coach Frank Beamer
Race Day Forecast
Sunday: Partly Cloudy; 10% Chance of Rain
High: 72
Low: 48
They Said It:
"Even on the bad days, [Martinsville] can be fun. And when you have a good day, it's great. The grandfather clock you get for winning is one of the cooler trophies in our sport. Normally, 20-year-old kids don't get too excited about grandfather clocks, but you realize it's more than that at Martinsville. There's a lot of pride and lot of history with this sport at Martinsville. One thing about Martinsville is there is no lack of excitement. I don't care how flawlessly your day goes, you're going to bump into somebody at some point, even on a perfect day. You put 43 cars on this half-mile track and it's always going to be exciting. You will never have a race there where you don't have some sort of drama during the day. I think every driver will say they will have some drama at some point in the day. When you have 43 drivers with 43 dramatic moments, that's a lot of action going on." Tony Stewart
"Martinsville is definitely a track that reminds me of my old short-track racing days. There's lots of close racing, lots of beating and banging. You might even see a few spins along the way. Aero means almost nothing at Martinsville. A lot of this race is in the driver's hands, but you've got to have a car that turns through the center of the corners. You've got to be able to get off the corners and back on the gas before you hit the long straightaways. Track position is huge. The closer you get towards the end of the race, the more gambles you start seeing with two-tire or fuel-only stops. Tires are pretty important there, so you're really taking a gamble when you sacrifice tires, but there have been a few teams that have made it work the last few races." Regan Smith
"Every track is different. There aren't two racetracks out there that are the same. I would say probably the closest racetrack I grew up racing on was in San Bernardino, Calif. – it was Orange Show Speedway. That's closest to what Martinsville is. I only ran Legends cars there, so it's not a true telling. It was only a quarter-mile. It's just a tough place because you're so hard on brakes, but your minimum speed there – everybody's is – the same, pretty much. Except, there are a couple of guys who will get a half-mile-an-hour faster through the center of the corner, and that is the difference between the pole speed and being dead last. You're looking to find things that will make your car just that much faster there. You want to drive into the corner one foot deeper than that other guy. You want to step on the gas one foot sooner than that other guy and you want to roll a half-mile-an-hour better than that other guy. That's why it's so finicky and so hard there, because everybody runs so tight that, any little thing you can find, it can help a lot." Kyle Busch
Beth Lunkenheimer is a Managing Editor for Frontstretch.com. She can be reached via email at beth.lunkenheimer@frontstretch.com. Follow her on Twitter at @Beth_Frntstrtch.
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TODAY ON THE FRONTSTRETCH:
Four Burning Questions in Martinsville: HMS Dominance and the Chase for Track Position
by Matt Stallknecht
Voices From the Cheap Seats: Life Beyond NASCAR; Off Week Thoughts on the Proper Preparing of Pot Pies
by Jeff Meyer
Jeb Burton Driver Diary: Filling the Down Time and Short Track Excitement
as told to Beth Lunkenheimer
by Matt Stallknecht
Nuts for Nationwide: Five Races In, Some Underdogs Showing Promise
by Kevin Rutherford
Frontstretch Foto Funnies: Do the Robot!
by the Fronstretch 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!
Thursday's Answer:
Thursday's Answer:
Q: In the 1997 Goody's Headache Powders 500 at Martinsville, Jeff Gordon dominated the action, leading 431 laps on his way to victory. However, it wasn't all easy for the eventual champ. What happened while he was attempting to lap slower cars?
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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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.
Tracking the Trucks: Kroger 250 by TBA
All the post-race analysis you need following Saturday afternoon's Camping World Truck Series race from Martinsville.
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©2013 Frontstretch.com
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©2013 Frontstretch.com
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