THE FRONTSTRETCH NEWSLETTER
Presented by Frontstretch.com
The Best Seat at the Track, The Best View on the Net!
Presented by Frontstretch.com
The Best Seat at the Track, The Best View on the Net!
May 7th, 2013
Volume VII, Edition LXXV
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What To Watch: Tuesday
What To Watch: Tuesday
- Today is a big day for Penske Racing as they go before National Stock Car Racing Commission Chief Appellate Officer John Middlebrook for their final appeal of the point penalties and suspensions assessed to the Nos. 2 and 22 teams in Texas due to illegal rear end housings. The appeal hearing is scheduled to start at 12pm EDT. When the appeal results are announced, we will bring you a Breaking News article at Frontstretch.
- In the weekly NASCAR teleconference, 2004 Cup Series Champion Kurt Busch is the special guest of the week. He's joined by ESPN Analyst Ricky Craven as they discuss the latest storylines affecting the sport.
- Marcos Ambrose is testing at Sonoma today in preparation for the Cup race there in June. The Australian native, a road course expert has never won at the facility.
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Top News
by Tom Bowles
James Finch To Close Down Phoenix Racing?
Phoenix Racing, in the midst of its most successful season could also be closing its doors. In a minor surprise, the News Herald reported Monday Finch will no longer run his No. 51 car after the July 28th Brickyard 400, selling off equipment while helping his 18 employees find other jobs within the sport.
"I have not been able to get the right amount of funding, the economy is pretty bad, and a lot of people don't want to do it," Finch said to the paper, having struggled for years to find a full-time primary sponsor. "I'm getting kind of burned out. I think it is time for me to do something else."
"I have not been able to get the right amount of funding, the economy is pretty bad, and a lot of people don't want to do it," Finch said to the paper, having struggled for years to find a full-time primary sponsor. "I'm getting kind of burned out. I think it is time for me to do something else."
The news comes as Finch, who has employed a merry-go-round of drivers this season sits 13th in owner points, with a realistic shot of entering the top 10. Regan Smith was sixth at Talladega Sunday and Finch has enjoyed success with other fill-ins AJ Allmendinger and Austin Dillon. With over 775 career starts across NASCAR's top series of Cup, Nationwide, and Trucks, he's earned one win at the top level with Brad Keselowski at Talladega in April, 2009.
However, choosing to go it alone, often without proper funding from outside sources has taken its toll financially on the South Carolina-based owner.
"I don't want to lose everything I've got trying to outrun people," he said. "I can't do that. It's time to do something else and go from there. I've still got some cars I haven't torn up. And I don't want to build any new ones."
"I don't want to lose everything I've got trying to outrun people," he said. "I can't do that. It's time to do something else and go from there. I've still got some cars I haven't torn up. And I don't want to build any new ones."
Newman's Quote Under Scrutiny By NASCAR
Sources within the sport are claiming Ryan Newman's quotes after Talladega are under review, with any fines or penalties to be announced by NASCAR later this week. Newman, upset with the way the race ended after being involved in a serious crash, made his feelings known just moments after Kurt Busch's wrecked race car landed on top of his hood. That "Big One," with less than six laps remaining knocked Newman out of contention and left him at risk for being seriously hurt as darkness creeped in at the speedway.
"I am doing this interview to let everybody know I'm all right," he said. "They can build safer race cars, they can build safer walls. But they can't get their heads out of their asses far enough to keep them on the race track, and that's pretty disappointing. I wanted to make sure I get that point across. Y'all can figure out who 'they' is. That's no way to end a race. Our car was much better than that. That's just poor judgment in restarting the race, poor judgment... I mean; you got what you wanted, but poor judgment and running in the dark and running in the rain. That's it, thank you."
"I am doing this interview to let everybody know I'm all right," he said. "They can build safer race cars, they can build safer walls. But they can't get their heads out of their asses far enough to keep them on the race track, and that's pretty disappointing. I wanted to make sure I get that point across. Y'all can figure out who 'they' is. That's no way to end a race. Our car was much better than that. That's just poor judgment in restarting the race, poor judgment... I mean; you got what you wanted, but poor judgment and running in the dark and running in the rain. That's it, thank you."
News 'N' Notes
- Jeff Gordon is scheduled to make his 700th career start Saturday night at Darlington Raceway. What's so special about it? They're all consecutive. NASCAR's four-time champion hasn't missed a Cup race since Phoenix in November 1992, starting his career in the Atlanta season finale at which "King" Richard Petty officially retired. The 87-time Cup Series winner still trails Ricky Rudd for the all-time consecutive starts record; he had 788 before temporarily retiring at the conclusion of the 2005 season.
- Overnight ratings for Talladega were an expected disappointment for NASCAR in the wake of a long, three-hour plus rain delay Sunday. The 4.4 Nielsen overnight, reported Monday was the lowest for the event since FOX started covering the sport in 2001. That number only included the actual racing coverage, not the rain delay fill although it was clear several fans left in the interim and were unable to return despite the Sunday primetime ending. In comparison, Saturday night's Kentucky Derby broadcast earned a 10.4, leapfrogging over NASCAR's Daytona 500 in terms of viewership while becoming the most-watched sporting event of the weekend.
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
Pay-Per-View vs. a Highlight Reel: Fixing FOX's Terrible Coverage
Sitting In The Stands: A Fan's View
by S.D. Grady
That's a tough question these days. One I used to be able to answer unequivocally. Why would I want the Sprint Cup Series to go pay-per-view?
Well, when FOX cuts to commercial every five minutes, regardless of what is happening on the track, I start to give the idea of paying to actually watch the race I gave my Sunday away for serious contemplation. How many times do I have to switch to Twitter to see what happened? Or tune into MRN, because they will describe what I just missed. Or I open my wallet and subscribe to NASCAR's online RaceView -- since they finally worked out the bugs--which provides far more pertinent information on what is happening right now on track vs. the hundredth showing of "I ate the bones!" Even when FOX insists they're showing us every possible minute by using the much touted "side-by-side" commercial break, I can barely see the car on the track in the minute box they've provided. And no, my big screen isn't a 19" tube hiding in the dark recesses of my garage.
Basically, we're being cheated out of the excitement of the competition.
There's an old adage, "You get what you pay for." Since we don't fork over dollars for our races, should we expect to actually see it? Apparently, that's debatable.
Let's not fool ourselves either that when sitting in our living room we may be the solitary person in NASCAR Nation who is seriously giving this whole idea of paying for NASCAR credence. However, since I have to use Twitter to stay abreast of what I cannot see on the big screen, I also am treated to the instant reactions of fans and media when we break for commercial. A unanimous cry of, "Really? You chose right now to do this?" clogs my Twitterfeed.
That's when FOX hits the button, you know. When the field is pitting or there's a lead change or a wreck or a detonation or actually anything occurring of the slightest interest, because most of the time we're just watching the train go round and round. Why would we even notice they cut for a local break?
Which is why I offered up the highlight reel option: would Talladega have been more palatable without the insensitive producers hitting the commercial button as defined by some multi-million dollar contract? Just think, we'd watch the anthem, start your engines, a few specially selected moments of Jimmie Johnson and Danica Patrick riding around and various replays of the car munching wrecks. Gone would be the hours of DW rambling, checking the radar screen and even worse, reruns of actually interesting races from back in the day. They'd be able to show the final twenty laps without KFC and NAPA distracting us. Furthermore, my day wouldn't have felt like such a huge waste of time.
It's not entirely FOX's fault I'm ranting like this today. The day after a plate race I'm never feeling particularly kind toward my favorite sport. Finding out which ping pong ball remained on the playing field after seven hours of horrid TV coverage does nothing for my piece of mind. But to combine The Big One with an inept broadcast...well, I really could've done several other things with my day.
Had I paid $5, or some such premium, and had the broadcast gone commercial free for all competitive laps I would only be griping about the waste of material and manpower in the Aaron's 499. Alas, that is not what happened. Instead I got the whole dinner: empty appetizer, an entree missing the main ingredient and a dessert that just didn't satisfy--all of which was served in a soup of car parts. Blech.
At this moment, I would select the highlight reel. I'd have less time to decide that the racing product offered up at the superspeedways sucks beyond belief. I'm sure I'll change my mind come Saturday night, when The Lady in Black gives us all she's got. Darlington is a race I'll want to see every last second of action. Would I pay cash to delete the commercials? Hell yeah.
Just as long as the entire FOX team goes with the ads.
Kyle Larson Stat
Series: Nationwide
Track: Talladega Superspeedway
Car: No. 32 Cessna Chevrolet
Qualified: 19th
Finished: 38th (DNF: crash)
Points Standings: 12th
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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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.
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Numbers Game: Aaron's 499
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.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Numbers Game: Aaron's 499
by Tom Bowles
0
0
Laps led by Dale Earnhardt, Jr. Sunday at Talladega en route to a 17th-place result. It's the first time since Fall, 2005 that NASCAR's Most Popular Driver has failed to lead at least once at one of his most successful tracks.
1
Lap led by Brad Keselowski in the last six Cup events. The reigning champion is winless so far this season through ten races.
1
The number of top-10 finishes by Tony Stewart, through 10 races after being involved in the "Big One" on Sunday. Outside the top 20 in points, it's easily the worst start of Smoke's career.
2
2
The number of top-10 finishes earned by single-car team Phoenix Racing, using a variety of drivers this season after Regan Smith's sixth-place finish on Sunday.
3
Top-10 finishes for Michael Waltrip in his last nine Cup Series starts. By comparison, he had just two top-10 results in his final full season of NASCAR competition, 2009.
4
The number of consecutive top-10 finishes by Aric Almirola (10th at 'Dega). It's the longest current active streak within the Cup Series.
4
4
The number of laps down Paul Menard finished after losing a cylinder in Sunday's race. It's the first four laps he failed to complete all season.
102
102
The total number of laps led during Front Row Motorsports' nine-year tenure in NASCAR. That's an average of 0.2 laps led per event.
$107,115
The amount of money Scott Speed received for finishing the race in ninth place.
$122,021
$122,021
The amount of money Kevin Harvick received for finishing the race in 40th place.
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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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.
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TODAY ON THE FRONTSTRETCH:
Almirola Finally Proving He Belongs In Sprint Cup
by Brett Poirier
Who's Hot / Who's Not In Sprint Cup: Talladega-Darlington Edition
by Brad Morgan
One Chance At Success At Cup's Once-Visited Tracks
by Kevin Rutherford
Five Points To Ponder: Firsts, Families And Failing Pit Crews
by Danny Peters
Couch Potato Tuesday: FOX's Yearly Bout With Amnesia
by Phil Allaway
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FRONTSTRETCH TRIVIA:
Q: The 1990 TranSouth 400 saw the end of Neil Bonnett's full-time career in the Winston Cup Series (he did make two part-time starts after this race) after he was involved in a crash. What happened, and what injuries did he suffer?
Check back Wednesday for the answer, here in the Frontstretch Newsletter!
Monday's Answer:
Q: In the Sprint Cup Series, getting yourself parked is pretty rare. Usually, you have to do something malicious. That wasn't the case in the 1991 TranSouth 500. What happened that forced NASCAR to park a driver early on?
A: NASCAR parked Bill Meacham before one-tenth distance because he managed to cause two wrecks in that time. First, he drifted up into Alan Kulwicki exiting Turn 4 (the current Turn 2), spinning Kulwicki into the inside wall. Just after the restart, Meacham sparked a multi-car crash in Turn 3 (current Turn 1) involving Dale Jarrett, Harry Gant, Chad Little and others. Granted, Meacham's car was not all that fast, but he could not hold his line, which is crucial in Darlington. He never made another start in the Cup Series after this race.
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 tomorrow in the Frontstretch Newsletter:
-- Top News from Tom Bowles
-- WTF Wednesday by Ellen Richardson
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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.
~~~~~~~~~~~
TODAY ON THE FRONTSTRETCH:
Almirola Finally Proving He Belongs In Sprint Cup
by Brett Poirier
Who's Hot / Who's Not In Sprint Cup: Talladega-Darlington Edition
by Brad Morgan
One Chance At Success At Cup's Once-Visited Tracks
by Kevin Rutherford
Five Points To Ponder: Firsts, Families And Failing Pit Crews
by Danny Peters
Couch Potato Tuesday: FOX's Yearly Bout With Amnesia
by Phil Allaway
~~~~~~~~~~~
FRONTSTRETCH TRIVIA:
Q: The 1990 TranSouth 400 saw the end of Neil Bonnett's full-time career in the Winston Cup Series (he did make two part-time starts after this race) after he was involved in a crash. What happened, and what injuries did he suffer?
Check back Wednesday for the answer, here in the Frontstretch Newsletter!
Monday's Answer:
Q: In the Sprint Cup Series, getting yourself parked is pretty rare. Usually, you have to do something malicious. That wasn't the case in the 1991 TranSouth 500. What happened that forced NASCAR to park a driver early on?
A: NASCAR parked Bill Meacham before one-tenth distance because he managed to cause two wrecks in that time. First, he drifted up into Alan Kulwicki exiting Turn 4 (the current Turn 2), spinning Kulwicki into the inside wall. Just after the restart, Meacham sparked a multi-car crash in Turn 3 (current Turn 1) involving Dale Jarrett, Harry Gant, Chad Little and others. Granted, Meacham's car was not all that fast, but he could not hold his line, which is crucial in Darlington. He never made another start in the Cup Series after this race.
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 Tom Bowles
-- WTF Wednesday by Ellen Richardson
-- Tweet 'N' Greet by Kevin Rutherford
-- Links to your favorite Frontstretch articles, and more!
~~~~~~~~~~
Tomorrow on the Frontstretch:
Did You Notice? by Tom Bowles
Did You Notice... which teams are entering the crucial summer stretch run in trouble? Tom breaks down the battle for the final two Chase spots, about to shape up and revisits some restrictor plate anomalies in his list of small but important observations about the sport.
Open-Wheel Wednesday by Matt Stallknecht
Matt returns with another look at the Izod IndyCar Series as the teams begin to prepare for Indianapolis.
Side By Side: Joe Gibbs Appeal by TBD
On Wednesday, Joe Gibbs Racing will have their appeal heard at the NASCAR R&D Center. Knowing what we know right now, do they deserve to have their punishment lessened, or not? We'll have both viewpoints for your pleasure.
Frontstretch Top 10 by the Frontstretch Staff
Our weekly list of NASCAR humor will have you giggling from your cubicle Wednesday morning. This week's topic: Top Ten Mothers' Day gifts from NASCAR Drivers.
NASCAR Power Rankings: Top 15 After Talladega compiled by Michael Mehedin
Jimmie Johnson's king of the point standings, up by 43 over Carl Edwards in second. But 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 Darlington as our weekly top 15 poll comes up for a vote once again.
-----------------------------
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
-- Links to your favorite Frontstretch articles, and more!
~~~~~~~~~~
Tomorrow on the Frontstretch:
Did You Notice? by Tom Bowles
Did You Notice... which teams are entering the crucial summer stretch run in trouble? Tom breaks down the battle for the final two Chase spots, about to shape up and revisits some restrictor plate anomalies in his list of small but important observations about the sport.
Open-Wheel Wednesday by Matt Stallknecht
Matt returns with another look at the Izod IndyCar Series as the teams begin to prepare for Indianapolis.
Side By Side: Joe Gibbs Appeal by TBD
On Wednesday, Joe Gibbs Racing will have their appeal heard at the NASCAR R&D Center. Knowing what we know right now, do they deserve to have their punishment lessened, or not? We'll have both viewpoints for your pleasure.
Frontstretch Top 10 by the Frontstretch Staff
Our weekly list of NASCAR humor will have you giggling from your cubicle Wednesday morning. This week's topic: Top Ten Mothers' Day gifts from NASCAR Drivers.
NASCAR Power Rankings: Top 15 After Talladega compiled by Michael Mehedin
Jimmie Johnson's king of the point standings, up by 43 over Carl Edwards in second. But 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 Darlington as our weekly top 15 poll comes up for a vote once again.
-----------------------------
Talk back to the Frontstretch Newsletter!
Got something to say about an article you've seen in the newsletter? It's as easy as replying directly to this message or sending an email to editors@frontstretch.com. We'll take the best comments and publish them here!
©2013 Frontstretch.com
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