THE FRONTSTRETCH NEWSLETTER
Presented by Frontstretch.com
The Best Seat at the Track, The Best View on the Net!
April 10th, 2013
Volume VII, Edition XLIX
~~~~~~~~~~
Presented by Frontstretch.com
The Best Seat at the Track, The Best View on the Net!
April 10th, 2013
Volume VII, Edition XLIX
~~~~~~~~~~
Editor's Note: Did you miss your Frontstretch Newsletter on Tuesday? We did too! Technical difficulties prevented Tuesday's normal newsletter from going out as usual. Instead, you'll find all of your favorite Tuesday content as a bonus in this jumbo mid-week special. We apologize for any inconvenience.
~~~~~~~~~~
What To Watch: Wednesday
- Tonight at 6 PM, SIRIUS XM Channel 90 will join with SPEED's RaceHub on television to announce the 25 finalists for the 2014 NASCAR Hall of Fame class. Voters will pick five from this group, selected for induction next offseason into the growing historical museum in Charlotte, North Carolina.
~~~~~~~~~~
Top News
by Tom Bowles
Pit Crew Challenge Cancelled
NASCAR's All-Star Race for pit crews is no more, at least for 2013. After an eight-year tradition as part of the Charlotte festivities, lack of sponsorship is forcing the competition to the sidelines. Craftsman, then Sprint had been the primary backers of the tournament-style format but chose to reallocate their funding elsewhere in recent years. The competition, which has roots dating all the way back to the Fall weekend at Rockingham Speedway, back when that track was still on the schedule was well-attended, a way for some of the "unsung heroes" of each organization to grab the spotlight.
Jimmie Johnson's team was the champion in 2012. Denny Hamlin's group, though was the only team to win back-to-back during the eight-year history of the event moving to Charlotte.
Scott Speed Gets One-Race Sponsor
One of the sport's underdog teams will get a chance to ratchet up their budget this weekend at Texas. TrackingPoint, an applied technology company that's credited with the first Precision Guided Firearm, will back the No. 95 Ford at Texas owned by Leavine Family Racing. They'll partner with driver Scott Speed along with a campaign looking to commemorate National Testicular Cancer month.
Speed, in his second year with the team has a best finish of 23rd so far. Other than that Daytona finish, though the car has been unable to complete all other events entered due to mechanical woes.
Martinsville Overnights Up
NASCAR's trend of increasing TV popularity in 2013 has continued. Martinsville's event posted a 4.0 in the overnights, a slight uptick over last year's 3.9 and the best number overall for the race in four years. Audience estimates should top the seven million mark, the sixth straight event of six 2013 races the sport has accomplished such a milestone.
So far this season, all but one race (Las Vegas) has posted a year-to-year increase in viewership. That's a record for FOX under their latest version of the TV contract (which began in 2007).
News Bites
- Jimmie Johnson and wife Chandra took to Twitter Tuesday to announce the couple's expecting a second child. Due in September, the as-yet-unnamed addition to the family will join their 2-year-old daughter, Genevieve. Johnson, in 2010 won his fifth title after becoming a father for the first time.
- Goodyear will conduct a tire test at Daytona this coming Tuesday and Wednesday. Drivers that will participate include Jamie McMurray, Danica Patrick, Greg Biffle, and Ricky Stenhouse, Jr. There's no word on whether specific rules changes could be tested to alter the style of plate racing this summer.
Have news for Tom and the Frontstretch? Don't hesitate to let us know; email us at ashland10@mail.com with a promising lead or tip.
ADVERTISEMENT
Race fans, do you love Frontstretch.com's coverage of NASCAR's top 3 series, IndyCar, Formula One and Short Track Racing? Do you want to read even more about your favorite sport? Then check out the industry's newest racing publication, Motorsport Illustrated News!, which is available both in print and in digital format! As one of our loyal readers, you'll receive 15% off any subscription when you use the coupon code fs2013.
~~~~~~~~~~
Today's Featured Commentary
NRA 500: Racing or Gun Control Debate?
WTF Wednesdays
WTF Wednesdays
by Ellen Richardson
As the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series storms into Texas Motor Speedway for the NRA 500 Saturday night, another storm continues to brew off the track. Unless you have had your head stuck in the sand, everyone is aware of the gun debate that has been ongoing in this country since the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting, in Newtown, Connecticut last December. In fact, President Obama welcomed several families, all of whom were directly affected by this tragedy, to Washington today in an effort to try and convince Congress to expand background checks on gun owners.
With this storm continuing to rage, the National Rifle Association (NRA) has decided throw away money in a high-dollar advertising campaign to increase panic among gun owners about losing their Second Amendment rights. The move includes greatly increasing this non-profit organization's current advertising relationship with NASCAR to sponsor this Saturday's Cup Series race.
The announcement about this race sponsorship has garnered the attention of national media, political leaders, NRA Members and, of course, race fans. Most of this attention has been very heated and now NASCAR, event promoters, and even Eddie Gossage, president of Texas Motor Speedway, say they want the April 13th NASCAR Sprint Cup race to focus on racing and not on debating gun control.
According to a recent article in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Gossage said, "It's another race for us and it's just like all the others in so many ways."
WTF? Are you kidding me?
If nobody, on either side wanted to garner the kind of attention that this partnership has, why did the NRA choose a state with approximately 250,000 NRA members in which to sponsor a race? Although I have a background in marketing, it doesn't take this kind of knowledge to be aware that the move is a huge public relations game where the NRA was hoping to garner the kind of support it needs to end the overall gun debate.
Being a gun owner myself, I am all for our Second Amendment rights, but I am appalled that this nonprofit organization is using their money to sponsor this race, at such a heated time, versus using this money to further their current gun safety programs. While Gander Mountain also jumped on the opportunity to promote gun sales, through their sponsorship of Clint Bowyer, I applaud their doing so to promote gun safety with the slogan "With rights comes responsibility, Secure your firearms" on the No. 15 Toyota Camry. There's a difference between marketing safety and marketing politics.
With gun control being such a heated topic, I decided to ask a few people directly connected to the world of motorsports their thoughts on the sponsor of this Saturday night's race, the first of these being Brad Allen, general manager of NASCAR Home Track Southern National Motorsports Park, who is very familiar with the need for track sponsorship funding, but is against a sponsorship of this nature at such a heated time.
"The platform for this type of sponsorship is too political and polarizing," said Allen. "I want our race track to be a place to get away from the pressures of the world, not be a platform to push an agenda. We strive to keep things impartial for our competitors; we should do the same for our fans."
Former motorsports champion and author of Dangerous Curves, Terri O'Connell, also feels this sponsorship is too risky for this sport at this time.
"This is a double-edged sword that will, in the end, put NASCAR in a place that will not endear them in the marketplace that they so desperately want to nurture," said O'Connell. "With a more prevalent vision for this sport, this sponsorship is a mistake. Fortune 500 companies and pop culture media will not be as kind as some motorsports media. The NRA should also keep this in mind with their current PR efforts spinning the logic of big evil is coming for your guns in order to protect their interest. Now NASCAR and Texas Motor Speedway track owners are going to use this logic to try and fill the stands."
A longtime member of the sports media family, Dave Goren, executive director of the National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association (NSSA) and current sports commentator for 88.5 WFDD, claims there's a high, long-term awareness rising out of the NRA choosing this partnership.
"With the repeated use of the 'NRA' name during the broadcasts and the thousands of print and digital mentions before, during and after the race, it seems the NRA is trying to push its brand before the public in a positive, non-confrontational way," he said. "Only post-event research and analytics will tell if it is successful."
I am aware that both NASCAR and Texas Motor Speedway are in need of sponsorships for these race events to happen and I fully support that, but it is a shame that the business side of this sport has taken away complete common sense from its leaders. Maybe we will someday get lucky and both NASCAR and track owners will ask their fans what they think before agreeing to something of this nature. Chances are, on this one they would have been met with a resounding "no."
What can anyone do now? Not much. But if these partnerships are ever going to be stopped, it's up to fans to continue to chime in. Let's hope that someday it makes a difference.
With this storm continuing to rage, the National Rifle Association (NRA) has decided throw away money in a high-dollar advertising campaign to increase panic among gun owners about losing their Second Amendment rights. The move includes greatly increasing this non-profit organization's current advertising relationship with NASCAR to sponsor this Saturday's Cup Series race.
The announcement about this race sponsorship has garnered the attention of national media, political leaders, NRA Members and, of course, race fans. Most of this attention has been very heated and now NASCAR, event promoters, and even Eddie Gossage, president of Texas Motor Speedway, say they want the April 13th NASCAR Sprint Cup race to focus on racing and not on debating gun control.
According to a recent article in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Gossage said, "It's another race for us and it's just like all the others in so many ways."
WTF? Are you kidding me?
If nobody, on either side wanted to garner the kind of attention that this partnership has, why did the NRA choose a state with approximately 250,000 NRA members in which to sponsor a race? Although I have a background in marketing, it doesn't take this kind of knowledge to be aware that the move is a huge public relations game where the NRA was hoping to garner the kind of support it needs to end the overall gun debate.
Being a gun owner myself, I am all for our Second Amendment rights, but I am appalled that this nonprofit organization is using their money to sponsor this race, at such a heated time, versus using this money to further their current gun safety programs. While Gander Mountain also jumped on the opportunity to promote gun sales, through their sponsorship of Clint Bowyer, I applaud their doing so to promote gun safety with the slogan "With rights comes responsibility, Secure your firearms" on the No. 15 Toyota Camry. There's a difference between marketing safety and marketing politics.
With gun control being such a heated topic, I decided to ask a few people directly connected to the world of motorsports their thoughts on the sponsor of this Saturday night's race, the first of these being Brad Allen, general manager of NASCAR Home Track Southern National Motorsports Park, who is very familiar with the need for track sponsorship funding, but is against a sponsorship of this nature at such a heated time.
"The platform for this type of sponsorship is too political and polarizing," said Allen. "I want our race track to be a place to get away from the pressures of the world, not be a platform to push an agenda. We strive to keep things impartial for our competitors; we should do the same for our fans."
Former motorsports champion and author of Dangerous Curves, Terri O'Connell, also feels this sponsorship is too risky for this sport at this time.
"This is a double-edged sword that will, in the end, put NASCAR in a place that will not endear them in the marketplace that they so desperately want to nurture," said O'Connell. "With a more prevalent vision for this sport, this sponsorship is a mistake. Fortune 500 companies and pop culture media will not be as kind as some motorsports media. The NRA should also keep this in mind with their current PR efforts spinning the logic of big evil is coming for your guns in order to protect their interest. Now NASCAR and Texas Motor Speedway track owners are going to use this logic to try and fill the stands."
A longtime member of the sports media family, Dave Goren, executive director of the National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association (NSSA) and current sports commentator for 88.5 WFDD, claims there's a high, long-term awareness rising out of the NRA choosing this partnership.
"With the repeated use of the 'NRA' name during the broadcasts and the thousands of print and digital mentions before, during and after the race, it seems the NRA is trying to push its brand before the public in a positive, non-confrontational way," he said. "Only post-event research and analytics will tell if it is successful."
I am aware that both NASCAR and Texas Motor Speedway are in need of sponsorships for these race events to happen and I fully support that, but it is a shame that the business side of this sport has taken away complete common sense from its leaders. Maybe we will someday get lucky and both NASCAR and track owners will ask their fans what they think before agreeing to something of this nature. Chances are, on this one they would have been met with a resounding "no."
What can anyone do now? Not much. But if these partnerships are ever going to be stopped, it's up to fans to continue to chime in. Let's hope that someday it makes a difference.
~~~~~~~~~~
Bonus Featured Commentary
The Wood Brothers Racing Museum: Where Family Did Win
Sitting in the Stands, A Fan's View
The Wood Brothers Racing Museum: Where Family Did Win
Sitting in the Stands, A Fan's View
by S.D. Grady
Shining stands climb to the sky, ready to be occupied by 70,000 screaming fans. On your way into the track, nice shiny haulers decked out in familiar logos hawk T-shirts and stuffed toys manufactured by name brand monstrosities. The TV coverage begins with music you know by heart and commentators appear dressed in safe, ordinary suits. NASCAR, in case you hadn't realized, represents corporate, obese America. Everything about it is huge and designed for the fans to want more, more, more.
This week, though I was reminded once again that boardrooms were not where our sport came from. I spent a couple precious hours touring the Wood Brothers Racing Museum in Stuart, VA, located 30 minutes farther into the hills from Martinsville.
While the building is new, the family that created the museum is not. The Wood Brothers (both Leonard and Glen) are already members in the NASCAR Hall of Fame. Over the decades, they were responsible for building and racing some of the very first cars that competed in the Cup Series, creating innovations in the garage and above all, maintaining the family business. And as the morning went by, I saw that despite how all the other grassroots shops have grown into buildings that look like skyscrapers, family is still at the heart of Wood Bros. Racing.
If you've ever visited a team's museum, you'll understand what I mean by a pristine environment. So often, the walls are clad in glass, every inch filled with trophies and achievements -- displayed as only companies with near bottomless pockets can. But the Wood Brothers' place wasn't quite like that. The entry hall is more like a sports family's living room -- trophies from the smallest tracks and wins to photos with close friends all vie for space.
Glen's wife, Bernece, welcomed us inside the finished portion of the museum. Like the entry hall, every empty spot has been jam packed with memories. And it is as you start to read the engravings of trophies and the tags on various car parts, the idea that you're in just another NASCAR shop starts to vanish. The totality of what the Wood Brothers accomplished starts to overwhelm you. Cars, pistons, shocks, and carburetors line the shelves. In another case, stuffed between photos of past drivers sits the handwritten draft of Leonard Wood's Hall of Fame induction speech. What I've known for years intellectually as one of the mainstay teams in NASCAR's history now became real in all its totality.
Within this legendary atmosphere, in the corner seated at a more than ordinary desk, the nicest lady spoke to her son, as any woman might. Before her, displayed with pride were photos of her grandchildren and the newest great-grandchild dressed in an Easter bunny outfit. Bernece raised a racing family -- not a business.
I enjoyed all this enlightenment. But it was about to get better. In the back room, where they used to build the cars, the family has been working on a new portion of the museum, and since we came from so far away and wouldn't be back soon, might we want a peek? Of course, we did.
Len Wood, Glen's son, walked us around. We didn't just talk about the larger than life stock cars dating back through the 80's. There are images of Bayne's Daytona 500 win, hoods from cars -- each with its own story. Machinery from the old shop stood still proud, waiting for the rest of the displays to be finished. And there were also the signs the team manufactured to hang over their assigned garage stalls at the track strung along the walls. The disappointment in Len's voice when he said the team can no longer create their own signs, thanks to sponsor dollars and contracts, really nailed it home. Even after 60 years on the track, this particular team is still run by family. They work together, play together (it's a killer slot car setup they've got back there) and grew up together. Pride remains a palpable emotion in his work.
Next to the collection of various hoods on the wall, sits a picture of Len's sister Kim as a little girl. With her legs dangling from the office chair, the photo hangs over the now empty desk. Daddy's first tool box hides in the shadows, a more humble display of the bits that built a Hall of Fame team.
Hall of Fame... three words we live with daily and rarely take a moment to consider the entirety of what it all means. Which is why Len and Eddie are also working on their Hall of Fame wall.
The names already decorating it are enough to make any NASCAR fan's tongue dangle. But when you pair the list with the image from the entry hall of this garage from back when, where there was no paint, much pavement or even a street light -- just a ramshackle garage on the side of the road -- it's then you know what NASCAR is made of.
It's been created out of all the best things America has to offer; a desire to build something, the want for a strong family and the determination to never settle for second best. Here is the heart of this sport , far away from the glass and steel towers of downtown Charlotte, and without the negotiated contracts that tell us what we might and might not do.
The Wood family just plain did it.
It's a giant story in a small and humble setting. I was so fortunate to meet the family for those few moments and cherish the generosity they offered in sharing their great journey with me. And I'm all the more awed that the journey is not over. Not by a long shot.
The next time I enter one of our iconic tracks, I will remember that it is not Sprint or Sunoco or even multi-million dollar purses that have made NASCAR great. It is the character and depth of people like those involved in Wood Brothers Racing.
And that is why I'm still a NASCAR fan.
Kyle Larson Stat
Series: Sprint Car
Track: Placerville Speedway
Car: No. 57
Started: 2nd
Finished: 1st
Points Standings: n/a
Want to follow Kyle Larson yourself?
Twitter: @KyleLarsonRacin
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KyleLarsonRacing
Website (under construction): http://kylelarsonracing.com/
Looking for a little history? Try... http://kylelarsonracing.net/
S.D. Grady is a Senior Editor for Frontsretch.com. She can be reached via email at sonya.grady@frontstretch.com. Follow her on Twitter @laregna.
~~~~~~~~~~
GOT A NASCAR QUESTION OR COMMENT? WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU!
That's right; our Fan Q & A column is back once again in 2013. Send your question Summer Bedgood's way at summer.bedgood@frontstretch.com and if you're lucky, you'll get your name in print on Thursday when she does her weekly column. It's all part of our daily mission to give back to you – the fans that keep Frontstretch afloat!
~~~~~~~~~~
Tweet 'N' Greet
by Kevin Rutherford
Editor's Note: With the NASCAR Twitter community expanding by leaps and bounds, it remains a place for instantaneous news, reactions, and a whole lot of inside jokes. We understand if you don't want to join the Twitter community - but as a fan, it's important to know the news and info you're missing out on! That's why, every week, Kevin Rutherford will sort through the thousands of messages and give us a little taste of what's going on each Wednesday.
So, without further ado, here's a look at what those in NASCAR were thinking over the past seven days...
@JimmieJohnson: You haters have it right. I'm a bad teammate, I have a cheated up car, I'm lucky and the race was fixed. Gotta love twitter & #NascarFans.
@Kenny_Wallace: No doubt at 38 yrs old that @JimmieJohnson is the 2nd Greatest driver in the History of #NASCAR, ALL stats back it up. #3 is 1st.
@ClintBowyer: And...............congrats to @JimmieJohnson on yet another damn clock. #shithead
@keselowski (Brad Keselowski): Can't help but laugh at those who read half of my media interview quotes and get upset. #SeeWhatYouWant
@Elliott_Sadler: Hope every race fan got to see @dennyhamlin interview... A great insight on how emotional, competitive, and personal we take each race...
@scottspeed: So pumped about this year so far!!! I think we have qualified top 30 for every race we have got to run... Huge accomplishment for our team!
@MichaelAnnett: Really sick of going to the gym and getting my elliptical on then leaving because that's all I can do. #nolifting #chicksdigmuscles
@JenJoCobb: I've been on lots of billboards but none like this! Lololol pic.twitter.com/ILATjqRd9N
@KevinHarvick: This led to nap time... pic.twitter.com/RlLdbhYA5s
@JOHANNALONG: Thank you @MarcosAmbrose for giving them this wonderful idea.. Today was brutal. pic.twitter.com/0hM4tAcUAi
@Ryan_Truex: I won't be in the #51 car at Richmond. Broke my collarbone in 2 places on Easter.. Will heal and ready for rehab in May. Cup Debut at Dover
@JimmieJohnson: We are so happy to share news that we're having another baby in September. Genevieve is so excited to be a big sister!
@23SpeedRacer (Spencer Gallagher): I felt a great disturbance in the running order, as though a million voices cried out JUUUUUUNYEEER and then were silenced in weeping
@MaxGresham: The best mentor in the world hangs on my wall! Never forgetting you Beau. #08 #nevergiveup http://instagram.com/p/X3paX6Rext/
@johnnysauter: Thanks to everyone for the congrats messages! @toyotaracing @ThorSportRacing Great way to start the season
@kellybires: THIS GUY, right there on that damn moped messes my life up every morning http://instagram.com/p/XuE96VLmjM/
@samhornish: What do you mean I can't eat hand sanitizer? Kid is way too serious! pic.twitter.com/4iTtIscu9u
@AndyLally: If I gave blood today I'm pretty sure there would be little pieces of Chex Mix floating around in the bag.
@TravisPastrana: I try to get back to all my fan mail but lyn-z was changing the office to a baby room and found this… http://instagram.com/p/XxCrkXPh9p/
@kylefowlerrace (Kyle Fowler): actively finalizing nationwide series plans hope to have exciting news shortly!
Kevin Rutherford is a Senior Writer for Frontstretch.com. He can be reached via email at kevin.rutherford@frontstretch.com. Follow him on Twitter at @Surfwax83.
~~~~~~~~~~
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 frontstretcheditors@googlegroups.com for details.
~~~~~~~~~~
Numbers Game: STP Gas Booster 500
by Tom Bowles
0
Laps led this season by 2012 Chaser Martin Truex, Jr. Truex also has two finishes of 36th or worse so far in 2013; last season, he had only one.
1
Lap led by Richard Petty Motorsports all season. Marcos Ambrose, who started on the outside of the front row broke through on Lap 1 of Sunday's event. (Aric Almirola remains at zero)
2
Times this season Danica Patrick has outperformed boyfriend Ricky Stenhouse, Jr. in the Rookie of the Year race: Daytona and Martinsville. That's also the number of laps, by the way, Patrick earned back through NASCAR's wave-around / Lucky Dog rules.
6
Different organizations Martin has driven for since initially announcing his retirement after 2005. They are… Roush again (2006), Ginn Racing (2007), Dale Earnhardt, Inc. (2007-08), Hendrick Motorsports (2009-11), Michael Waltrip Racing (2012-), Joe Gibbs Racing (2013).
6th
The highest position for any driver in the point standings this season without a top-5 finish. Greg Biffle holds that honor. Paul Menard, in ninth is the other driver currently in Chase position with no on-track result better than sixth.
29th
Average finishing position for JJ Yeley after Daytona's season-opening top 10. He was 27th Sunday.
73
Laps led by Matt Kenseth in his first 26 career starts at Martinsville.
96
Laps led by Matt Kenseth Sunday, his 27th career start at Martinsville.
247
Laps led by Clint Bowyer in his career at Martinsville. It's the most he's led at any one track on the Cup circuit without getting at least one win.
346
Laps led by Jimmie Johnson, a new career high. The old mark for Five-Time was 339, set in a 2008 Fall Martinsville race where he also cruised to a dominating victory.
450
Career top-10 finishes for Mark Martin after a 10th in Sunday's race.
$83,125
Money won by Danica Patrick after Sunday's Cup race. It's actually the lowest amount captured by anyone inside the top 25... does GoDaddy need to step up the compensation?
Tom Bowles is the Editor-In-Chief of Frontstretch.com. He can be reached via email at tom.bowles@frontstretch.com. Follow him on Twitter at @NASCARBowles.
0
Laps led this season by 2012 Chaser Martin Truex, Jr. Truex also has two finishes of 36th or worse so far in 2013; last season, he had only one.
1
Lap led by Richard Petty Motorsports all season. Marcos Ambrose, who started on the outside of the front row broke through on Lap 1 of Sunday's event. (Aric Almirola remains at zero)
2
Times this season Danica Patrick has outperformed boyfriend Ricky Stenhouse, Jr. in the Rookie of the Year race: Daytona and Martinsville. That's also the number of laps, by the way, Patrick earned back through NASCAR's wave-around / Lucky Dog rules.
6
Different organizations Martin has driven for since initially announcing his retirement after 2005. They are… Roush again (2006), Ginn Racing (2007), Dale Earnhardt, Inc. (2007-08), Hendrick Motorsports (2009-11), Michael Waltrip Racing (2012-), Joe Gibbs Racing (2013).
6th
The highest position for any driver in the point standings this season without a top-5 finish. Greg Biffle holds that honor. Paul Menard, in ninth is the other driver currently in Chase position with no on-track result better than sixth.
29th
Average finishing position for JJ Yeley after Daytona's season-opening top 10. He was 27th Sunday.
73
Laps led by Matt Kenseth in his first 26 career starts at Martinsville.
96
Laps led by Matt Kenseth Sunday, his 27th career start at Martinsville.
247
Laps led by Clint Bowyer in his career at Martinsville. It's the most he's led at any one track on the Cup circuit without getting at least one win.
346
Laps led by Jimmie Johnson, a new career high. The old mark for Five-Time was 339, set in a 2008 Fall Martinsville race where he also cruised to a dominating victory.
450
Career top-10 finishes for Mark Martin after a 10th in Sunday's race.
$83,125
Money won by Danica Patrick after Sunday's Cup race. It's actually the lowest amount captured by anyone inside the top 25... does GoDaddy need to step up the compensation?
Tom Bowles is the Editor-In-Chief of Frontstretch.com. He can be reached via email at tom.bowles@frontstretch.com. Follow him on Twitter at @NASCARBowles.
~~~~~~~~~~
TODAY ON THE FRONTSTRETCH:
by Huston Ladner and Jeff Wolfe
Beyond the Cockpit: Casey Mears On the Best He's Ever Been, Helmets, & Real Horsepower
Beyond the Cockpit: Casey Mears On the Best He's Ever Been, Helmets, & Real Horsepower
compiled by Michael Mehedin
by the Frontstretch Staff
~~~~~~~~~~
FRONTSTRETCH TRIVIA:
Q: In 1998, Texas Motor Speedway had issues in Turns 1 and 2. What were they, and did they adversely affect anyone?
Check back Thursday for the answer, here in the Frontstretch Newsletter!
Monday's Answer:
Q: The 1998 Coca-Cola 300 at Texas Motor Speedway is known best as the race in which Dale Earnhardt, Jr. picked up his first career Busch Grand National victory. Jimmy Spencer was a contender to win early on, but what ended up taking him out of the race?
A: With just a little more than 20 laps to go, Spencer was leading the race and fending off Joe Nemechek before both pitted for fuel only. A couple of laps after the stop, Spencer's right-front tire blew entering Turn 1. From there, Spencer was a passenger as his Zippo Chevrolet went hard into the outside wall, putting him out on the spot. The crash can be seen at the 2:45 mark of this clip.
Frontstretch Trivia Guarantee: If we mess up, you get the shirt off our backs! If we've provided an incorrect answer to the Frontstretch Trivia question, be the first to email the corrected trivia answer to trivia@frontstretch.com and we'll send you a Frontstretch T-Shirt ... FREE!
~~~~~~~~~~
Coming tomorrow in the Frontstretch Newsletter:
-- Top News from Phil Allaway
-- What's Vexing Vito by Vito Pugliese
-- Critic's Annex by Phil Allaway
-- Links to your favorite Frontstretch articles, the Line of the Week and more!
~~~~~~~~~~
Tomorrow on the Frontstretch:
Mirror Driving by the Frontstretch Staff
Your favorite Frontstretch writers are back to discuss a variety of different subjects. This week's topics include whether Jimmie Johnson is setting up for a sixth championship, Danica Patrick's roller-coaster season, Johnny Sauter's Truck Series dominance thus far and so much more!
Frontstretch Fan Q&A by Summer Bedgood
Summer takes on your NASCAR questions and answers them to the best of her ability. Be sure to send your questions in if there's something that's been nagging at you and you might see your name in print.
Tech Talk by Mike Neff
Mike has a Sprint Cup Series crew chief stop by to talk about the technical side of NASCAR. This week, Darian Grubb stops by as the series heads off to Texas Motor Speedway.
Fantasy Racing by Jeff Wolfe
Jeff brings fantasy racing back to Frontstretch this season. This week, he takes a look at your best bets for picking your roster out for Texas.
Truckin' Thursdays by Beth Lunkenheimer
-----------------------------
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
Talk back to the Frontstretch Newsletter!
Got something to say about an article you've seen in the newsletter? It's as easy as replying directly to this message or sending an email to editors@frontstretch.com. We'll take the best comments and publish them here!
©2013 Frontstretch.com
--
Feel free to forward this newsletter if you have any friends who loves
NASCAR and great NASCAR commentary. They can subscribe to the Frontstetch by visiting http://www.frontstretch.com/notice/9557/.
If you want to stop your Frontstretch Newsletter subscription, we're sorry
to see you go. Just send an email to
TheFrontstretch+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com from the address that you
recieve the Frontstretch Newsletter.
---
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "The Frontstretch" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to thefrontstretch+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com.
For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/groups/opt_out.
No comments:
Post a Comment