The Frontstretch Newsletter: Lunchtime Means Free NASCAR...

THE FRONTSTRETCH NEWSLETTER
Presented by Frontstretch.com
The Best Seat at the Track, The Best View on the Net!
May 28th, 2013
Volume VII, Edition XCI

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Frontstretch Readers - You can win 2 FREE tickets to this week's FedEx 400 benefiting Autism Speaks at Dover along with 2 free FanVision rentals for the same weekend. All you need to do is answer the trivia question below and e-mail it to: FrontstretchTrivia@gmail.com. The first correct response will win!

 

NOTE: This offer is for tickets only. Travel to the track and accommodations are NOT included.

Q:  In Matt Stallknecht's Four Burning Questions, Charlotte edition, that appeared on the Frontstretch last Friday, question No. 3 was about whether or not a certain team would shine during the Coca-Cola 600 based on their season to date.

 

What team was Matt talking about and how did each driver on that team perform during Sunday's race?

The first person to respond correctly to the e-mail address listed above gets the tickets and the free FanVision rental.

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Top News

by Tom Bowles

FOX Releases Follow Up Statement Regarding Charlotte Rope Issue

This Tuesday, the investigation continues into a nylon rope cable collapse, designed to hold up a FOX camera which ultimately injured ten fans, caused a red flag and severely damaged several race cars in the Coca-Cola 600. As more information is collected, the network is keeping the public abreast of their findings and released a follow-up statement yesterday.

"Everyone at FOX Sports is relieved and thankful to know," the network said, "That the injuries to fans caused when CAMCAT malfunctioned at Charlotte Motor Speedway were minor, and those who received hospital treatment were released. As stated previously, we regret that the race was affected, and we apologize to the racers whose cars were damaged, to everyone at CMS, NASCAR, and NASCAR fans, especially those who were hurt. At this time, we still do not have a cause for what happened, but a full investigation is underway, and use of the camera is suspended indefinitely.

"The rope is made of Dyneema, an ultra-strong synthetic that has the same approximate strength of a steel wire with the same diameter, and is less than a year old. According to the company, it had been factory-tested by the manufacturer and its breaking strength is certified before shipment. It was also inspected by CAMCAT upon receipt last June. The rope was certified to have a breaking strength of over 9,300 pounds. The force exerted during last night's race was less than 900 pounds.

"FOX Sports is reviewing with CAMCAT equipment maintenance records, history and installation information and will share those findings with NASCAR and CMS."

FOX will cover its last Sprint Cup race of the season Sunday at Dover. At this time, TNT and ESPN are not expected to utilize this technology, meaning the earliest CAMCAT would be part of a broadcast once again for NASCAR would be the 2014 Daytona 500.

Justin Marks To Drive For Tommy Baldwin Racing

A former full-timer in the Camping World Truck Series will attempt his Sprint Cup debut next month. Justin Marks, a road racing expert from California will pilot the No. 7 Chevrolet, owned by Tommy Baldwin Racing in his home state race out in Sonoma. Marks, who has four top-10 finishes and two poles in 35 career Truck Series starts, will be sponsored by GoPro. A driver with a myriad of racing experience, his accomplishments include winning the 2009 Rolex 24 in Daytona, NASCAR's Grand-Am crown jewel.

The move means Dave Blaney will step out of the seat of his TBR Chevy for the event, not unexpected considering the veteran is far out of Chase contention. 31st in Sprint Cup points, he has a best finish of 16th and three DNFs, all due to wrecks in a dozen starts this season.

News 'N' Notes

- Deadspin has released some terrifying video of the camera cable snapping and falling onto the racetrack at Charlotte. The field comes by not once, but twice before the yellow flag waves and NASCAR recognizes the seriousness of the situation.

- Good racing doesn't always lead to better ratings. The 2013 Indianapolis 500 drew just a 3.8 overnight, down 7 percent from a year ago and posted as the worst Nielsen number in the history of the 500-mile event. The race first was aired live by ABC in 1986.

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.

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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!

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Today's Featured Commentary

Memorial Day Ceremonies: More than Parades and Waving Flags

Sitting In The Stands: A Fan's View

by S.D. Grady

Here in the Northeast, the day dawned bright with a cloudless sky.  A perfect day for a parade, you might say.  How fortuitous that it happens to be Memorial Day in the United States of America, the holiday where we remember those who have given their lives in service to our country.

In years past, I have highlighted the Congressional Medal of Honor recipients that were honored as part of the pre-race show for the Coca-Cola 600.  This year, the massive military tribute focused on the masses rather than the few.  600 troops marched down the frontstretch, while over 10,000 military members were present for the race.  We enjoyed a stirring rendition of Amazing Grace on the bagpipes and Taps done as only a live bugler can.  Even the anthem was performed by Robin Meade, who has made a tradition on her Headline News Morning Express show out of the daily "Salute to the Troops" segment.  And who could have missed the giant flag, waving across the start/finish line saluting our nation?

All of this ceremony is important, to recognize the members of the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, National Guard and Coast Guard who are actively serving. However, it skirts what Memorial Day is truly about.

This past week in Boston, a beautiful and somber display was created on Boston Common by members of the Massachusetts Military Heroes Fund.  They planted 33,000 American flags on the green lawns of this public recreation space to represent all the Massachusetts men and women who have died in service to our nation since the Civil War.  33,000 lives. 

There was no music or parades. Instead, it was only a small podium and microphone where the names of the 170 Massachusetts heroes who have perished since September 11th, 2001 were read aloud.  A sea of red, white and blue flourished silently around the speaker.  There were no stories of glory, few pictures of the fallen as visual memories.  But still, who can deny the price of human life that has been given to our nation when it was needed most?

No matter that we know the names, faces and families of those fallen, it is still the act of the ultimate sacrifice that we honor on Memorial Day, as well as every day at Arlington National Cemetery at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.  Every hour of the year, Marines guard this tomb.  We don't know the identity of the soldier buried here, only that he died serving our country.  For that we protect his grave, maintain it and honor the person as a national hero.

Memorial Day is a holiday, one where we often gather with family and friends for picnics, fun and love.  However, it behooves all of us as Americans to pause and consider why this holiday was enacted.  Our nation did not become what it is today without great peril and strife.  Wars have always been part of our history, and for every time America enters into a great conflict, there are those who march into battle knowing they, too, may be called upon to give everything they have ever had.  It's this act of selflessness that we honor on the final Monday of May every year; the generosity of the human spirit as embodied by each member of our Armed Forces.

So yes, wave the flags and cheer for our troops marching in the joyous parades.  But please, do not forget those who fight no longer.  For this is truly their day.  Memorial Day.

Kyle Larson Stat

Series: Nationwide
Track: Charlotte Motor Speedway
Car: No. 32 Vizio/Hulu Plus Chevrolet
Qualified: 18th
Finished: 4th (lead lap)
Points Standings: 9th

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 Frontstretch. She can be reached via e-mail at sonya.grady@frontstretch.com. Follow him on Twitter at @laregna.
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Numbers Game: Coca-Cola 600

by Tom Bowles

0

Intermediate track races won by Kasey Kahne this year. That's even with three second-place finishes (Las Vegas, Kansas, Charlotte) and 275 laps led on 1.5-milers.

1

Finish worse than 18th for Martin Truex, Jr. in the last ten races (he was 40th at Martinsville). That's launched him up to ninth in series points; Truex was a consistent ninth Sunday night in Charlotte.

2

Coca-Cola 600 victories for Kevin Harvick, in which he led a combined total of 30 laps. In his other win, back in 2011 Harvick shot up to first once Dale Earnhardt, Jr. and several others ran out of gas coming off Turn 4 on the white-flag lap.

1

Total number of top-5 finishes for three-car Stewart-Haas Racing through 12 races this season. That's the team Harvick is moving to in 2014; so far, he has two wins this season with RCR.

3

Top-5 finishes for Kurt Busch this season after running third in the Coke 600. That equals the number of top-5 finishes Furniture Row Racing had on the Cup Series level heading into this season (eight years, 199 starts).

4

Top-5 finishes for Joey Logano in 2013 (fifth at Charlotte). That's double the number he had last season with Joe Gibbs Racing.

4

Straight finishes outside the top 10 for Brad Keselowski, the first time that's happened since June of 2012.

6

The number of cautions Sunday night for debris on the racetrack. There were only five yellows for wrecks/blown engines.

10

The number of races, out of 12 Jimmie Johnson has led the point standings this season. Even after running 22nd at Charlotte, tying the No. 48 car's worst finish of the year he's still 32 points ahead of Carl Edwards.

12

Number of drivers who failed to finish Sunday's Coca-Cola 600, a Sprint Cup season high.

13

The number of drivers to finish on the lead lap at Charlotte, a season low. Ricky Stenhouse, Jr. who ran 14th was actually two laps off the pace.

17.5
The average start this season for Paul Menard, a season worst for anyone inside the top 10 in series points. Menard had to battle forward from 22nd in order to score his 13th-place finish on Sunday, the final car on the lead lap.

24

Lead changes Sunday in the Coke 600. In comparison, the Indy 500 had a record-setting 68 in 100 fewer miles of competition.

37

The number of races, on the Cup level since Trevor Bayne has scored a top-5 finish (Win, 2011 Daytona 500). He was 16th driving the No. 21 Wood Brothers Ford Sunday, a season best but also three laps off the pace.

Tom Bowles is the Editor-In-Chief of Frontstretch. He can be reached via e-mail at tom.bowles@frontstretch.com.
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TODAY ON THE FRONTSTRETCH:

Racing To The Point: Allmendinger Cashes In On Second Chances
by Brett Poirier

Who's Hot / Who's Not In Sprint Cup: Charlotte-Dover Edition
by Brad Morgan

Going By The Numbers: Imagine A Nationwide Race Without Kyle Busch
by Kevin Rutherford

Five Points to Ponder: Halfway to the Chase, Trophies and Last FOX Race
by Danny Peters

Couch Potato Tuesday: FOX Unwittingly Becomes The Story in Charlotte
by Phil Allaway

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Coming tomorrow in the Frontstretch Newsletter:
-- Top News from Tom Bowles
-- WTF Wednesday by Ellen Richardson

-- Tweet 'N' Greet by Kevin Rutherford
-- Links to your favorite Frontstretch articles, and more!

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Tomorrow on the Frontstretch:

Did You Notice? by Tom Bowles

Did You Notice we're one-third of the way through the regular season? Tom gives out some report card grades while handing out some other small, important observations surrounding the NASCAR circuit.

Side By Side: Moving a Charlotte Race Date to Las Vegas? by TBA
Should Bruton Smith move one of Charlotte's two Sprint Cup races to Las Vegas Motor Speedway for 2014 and beyond? Two of your favorite Frontstretch experts debate; feel free to weigh in with your take on the issue.

Beyond the Cockpit: TBA

Frontstretch Top 10 by the Frontstretch Staff
Your favorite writers are back with their Wednesday dose of NASCAR humor that leaves you laughing. Don't miss out!

Open-Wheel Wednesday by Toni Montgomery
Join Toni, Huston and Matt as they wrap up the month of May with a roundtable discussion.

NASCAR Power Rankings: Top 15 After Charlotte compiled by Michael Mehedin
Jimmie Johnson finally had a slip-up on Sunday night, but he still has a 32-point lead over Carl Edwards in second. Did he maintain number one on our power rankings list? Experts you love from across the web, not just Frontstretch rank the drivers heading into Dover as our weekly top 15 poll comes up for a vote once again.

Happiness Is... by P. Huston Ladner

Don't let your life sink into the pits. Huston tells us why pit road was the place to be for smiles over the weekend, among other topics while looking at the bright side of racing stories we've seen in the past seven days.

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