Friday, June 28, 2013

The Frontstretch Newsletter: June 28th, 2013

THE FRONTSTRETCH NEWSLETTER
Presented by Frontstretch.com
The Best Seat at the Track, The Best View on the Net!

June 28th, 2013
Volume VII, Edition CXV

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What to Watch: Weekend Racing Schedule

Friday, June 28
Time    Telecast    Network

11:30 AM - 12:30 PM    Sprint Cup Series Practice No. 1    SPEED
1:30 - 3:00 PM    Sprint Cup Series Happy Hour    SPEED
3:30 - 5:00 PM    Nationwide Series Qualifying    SPEED
5:00 - 6:30 PM    Sprint Cup Series Qualifying    SPEED
6:30 - 7:00 PM    Trackside    SPEED
7:30 - 10:00 PM    Nationwide Series Feed the Children 300    ESPN

Saturday, June 29
Time    Telecast    Network
12:00 - 2:00 PM    V8 Supercar Championship Series Skycity Triple Crown     SPEED
7:30 - 11:00 PM    Sprint Cup Series Quaker State 400    TNT

Sunday, June 30
Time    Telecast    Network
7:30 - 10:30 AM    Formula One Grand Prix of Great Britain    CNBC
11:00 AM - 5:30 PM    Rolex Sports Car Series Sahlen's Six Hours at the Glen     SPEED

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Ty Dillon Wins UNOH 225 at Kentucky

Kyle Busch Motorsports may have been the class of much of the UNOH 225 Thursday night, but Ty Dillon took the point when it counted, leading the race's final 26 laps en route to his first win of the 2013 season and second of his career.

Dillon held off a charge from the two Cup regulars in the show, Brad Keselowski and Kyle Busch, who finished second and third, respectively. Defending champion James Buescher managed his first top five of the season with fourth, and pole sitter Ryan Blaney, who faded after contact with Busch, wound up fifth.

For a complete rundown on Thursday night's race, be sure to check out Tracking the Trucks on Saturday morning.

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Top News
by Justin Tucker

Marine Honored as Namesake for Indy Sprint Cup Race

Gunnery Sgt. Samuel Deeds, a lifelong NASCAR fan, always had dreams of working in NASCAR upon the completion of his service in the United States Marine Corps.

In 2005, Deeds's dreams and aspirations were put on hold as he placed himself in harm's way to protect the lives of his fellow Marines. But on July 28, Deeds will be going to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway not as a fan or employee, but as the namesake of the Brickyard 400.

On Thursday afternoon, Deeds was named the winner of Crown Royal's Your Hero's Name Here program, which awards one individual naming rights for the 2013 Sprint Cup Series race at the Brickyard.

While deployed in Iraq, Deeds came across an improvised explosive device (IED) while setting up a vehicle checkpoint. Upon seeing fellow Marines approaching, he exposed himself to the device, risking his life to save others. He was severely injured and underwent more than 30 surgeries and procedures following the blast. Three years later, while still recovering, Deeds's heroic instincts took charge once again when he saved the lives of three individuals caught in a riptide off the coast of North Carolina.

Deeds's family, friends and fellow Marines attended a ceremony in Erlanger, Ky., where Deeds cemented his place in NASCAR history by laying the final brick engraved with the race logo in a ceremonial yard of bricks in Erlanger's Flagship Park. Representatives from Crown Royal, Big Machine Records and Indianapolis Motor Speedway attended the ceremony, as did NASCAR driver Kurt Busch, surprising Deeds during the ceremony on behalf of the Armed Forces Foundation. 

"I've been a NASCAR fan for as long as I can remember, so the reality of having my name on a track with such rich history and meaning is beyond words," Deeds said. "I am so grateful to all of those who took the time to hear my story and vote for me. I can't wait to attend the race and dedicate that special weekend to all fellow servicemen and women who put their lives on the line every day." 

As the winner of the program, Deeds will participate in a dream VIP weekend experience riding in the pre race pace car,delivering the trophy to the race winner in victory lane, and kissing the bricks following the race.

Rick Crawford Racing in France Next Weekend

Rick Crawford may not be a mainstay in the Camping World Truck Series anymore, instead spending his days operating Mobile International Speedway in his home state of Alabama, but the 54-year-old will return to the driver's seat next weekend when he travels to France for the inaugural NASCAR Racecar Euro Series events at the new Tours Speedway.

Crawford, along with 15-year-old K&N Pro Series West driver Giles Thornton, will race in the July 6 and 7 events for America's Team, becoming the first Americans to drive in a NASCAR-sanctioned event in the country. 

The track, located in Tours, France, is about two hours outside Paris, where Crawford and Thornton will be staying. It's the first track in the European series to be designed with input from NASCAR officials, which makes the inaugural event all the more special.

According to Crawford, the cars he and Thornton will be racing, which are already in Europe, are Nationwide Series-style cars with a wing reminiscent of the Sprint Cup Series' former Car of Tomorrow.

Crawford last raced in a NASCAR event at Talladega in the Camping World Truck Series last October, finishing 23rd. He failed to qualify for this year's season-opening Daytona race with Make Motorsports.


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

Papis Joins NTS Motorsports for Mosport

NTS Motorsports announced earlier this week that they've added Max Papis to their driver lineup for the Camping World Truck Series' visit to Canadian Tire Motorsport Park on September 1st. The Italian will pilot the No. 14 Sports Clips Chevrolet in the series' first visit to the Canadian track better known as Mosport.

"I am extremely excited to be a part of NTS Motorsports, especially for the heritage of the place in Kernersville that gave me one of my best finishes ever with KHI (Kevin Harvick, Inc.). I love to be in that building and now with the input of Mr. Newberry, it looks like we are going to aim for many other successes," Papis said. "I want to thank Sports Clips and everyone at NTS for the opportunity of putting together such a competitive package and especially Chevrolet, for the support they are giving us for the program.

"I know MoSport is a very unique, historic race track and I would have never missed the first Truck race on a road course, it's just too tempting," he continued. "I feel we have a really good chance of showing up and running in the top five and obviously the win is what everyone wants. I can promise we will give everything we can to get our Sport Clips Chevrolet in the winner's circle. It will be a dream come true for myself and for the people at Sport Clips, and everyone at Chevrolet and the NTS family."

Papis has 44 career Truck Series starts, including the full 2011 season with Germain Racing. He's finished in the top 10 just four times, with his career-best finish coming in the form of an eighth-place run at Martinsville in 2010.

Jared Landers Joins ESR For Eldora


Eddie Sharp Racing announced earlier this week that they've tapped dirt late model driver Jared Landers to join the team when the Truck Series heads off to Eldora Speedway next month. In the first series visit to a dirt track, Landers will join a team that's no stranger to dirt, having competed on it in the ARCA Racing Series.

"I'm really excited to get to race in the Truck Series," Landers said. "We've been talking about this race for a long time and now that it's a reality, I'm excited and ready to go to Eldora."

Landers is a full-time driver for Clint Bowyer Racing on the Lucas Oil Late Model Series circuit. He also holds the current track record for late models at Eldora Speedway. Most recently, he ran the Dream 100 at the facility earlier this month.

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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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Frontstretch Folio: Quaker State 400
by Beth Lunkenheimer

The Sprint Cup Series heads out to Kentucky Speedway this weekend for a Saturday night showdown. The Quaker State 400 is the 17th race of the 2013 season and will be broadcast live on TNT at 7:30 PM ET. The race can also be heard on your local MRN affiliate or SiriusXM Radio Channel 90. Drivers will compete for 267 laps (400 miles) en route to the checkered flag.

Records and Facts:


Jimmie Johnson holds the track qualifying record at Kentucky with a lap of 181.818 mph for last year's event. He led just 21 laps en route to a sixth-place finish behind winner Brad Keselowski.

Brad Keselowski is the defending winner of the Quaker State 400. After starting eighth, the driver of the No. 2 Miller Lite Dodge (now Ford) led 68 laps en route to a nearly five second victory over Kasey Kahne. Denny Hamlin, Dale Earnhardt, Jr. and Jeff Gordon rounded out the top 5.

Track Facts:

Track / Race Length:
1.5-mile oval; 267 laps (400 miles)
Degree of Banking: Turns: 14 degrees; Tri-Oval: 10 degrees; Backstretch: 4 degrees
Seating: 107,000
Opened: 2000
Website: http://http://www.kentuckyspeedway.com/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/kentuckyspeedway
Twitter: http://twitter.com/KySpeedway

VIPs
Grand Marshal / Command:
TBA
Honorary Starter / Wave Green Flag: TBA
Honorary Pace Car Driver: University of Kentucky basketball coach John Calipari
National Anthem: Billy Currington
Skydivers: Team Fastrax

Pre-Race Schedule

Practice:
Friday, June 28, 11:30 am - 12:30 PM ET on SPEED
Happy Hour: Friday, June 28, 1:30 - 3:00 PM ET on SPEED
Qualifying: Friday, June 28 at 5:10 PM ET on SPEED

Race Day Forecast

Sunday: Scattered Thunderstorms; Chance of Rain 50%
High: 75
Low: 62

They Said It:

"I probably have the least amount of experience at Kentucky almost as anybody.  We didn't test a lot there before it became a Cup track and I never ran any of the Truck or Nationwide races there.  It's a different track; it's kind of tricky and really different, but I've enjoyed it the few races I've run there so far.  I think anytime you go to a track that's either a home track or near your sponsor's headquarters where the sponsors bring a lot of people out with the employees, I think it's always more exciting if you win because you get to hang out with so many people.  There are maybe more people there at those tracks pulling for you.  They're all big races, but certainly if you can win close to where some of your sponsors are, like we are this weekend with the Toyota facility here in Kentucky, then it's always a little more special." Matt Kenseth

"Kentucky is probably the furthest from the other mile-and-a-half's, in terms of how it drives. It's just so darn bumpy. It's lost a lot of grip over the years. So, as we head back there, I think the key to getting around there good is getting a car that can go over the bumps and still turn. So that's what we're going to focus on. Kentucky obviously still holds special memories for me. It's where I got my first NASCAR win in the Nationwide Series in 2006. When you see certain things at the track, like Victory Lane, it just sparks the memories and instantly takes you back like it was yesterday. That was really a great moment and one that I'm really proud of." David Gilliland

"It's the newest, oldest track we go to. Kentucky Speedway is a place where our team felt like we needed to try some things, so we decided to test there a few weeks ago. We feel as though we made our car better from the information that we collected during the two days we spent there. We'll have to see what the weather is like when we go back, but hopefully we'll have a good baseline of where we need to be for the race." Kevin Harvick

Beth Lunkenheimer is a Managing Editor for Frontstretch.com. She can be reached via email at beth.lunkenheimer@frontstretch.com. Follow her on Twitter @Beth_Frntstrtch.

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Keepin' It Short
by Mike Neff

Due to major thunderstorms in the North Carolina area knocking out power, to tens of thousands Keepin' It Short was not able to be posted at press time. We apologize for any inconvenience.

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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TODAY ON THE FRONTSTRETCH:


Formula 1 Friday: Le Mans, Webber And Silverstone
by Andy Hollis
as told to Amy Henderson
by Amy Henderson
by the Frontstretch Staff

by Jeff Meyer
by Kevin Rutherford

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FRONTSTRETCH TRIVIA:

Q: From 2001 until last year, the Rolex Series held a "200-mile" race at Watkins Glen on the undercard of the Sprint Cup Series.  The 2004 Sahlen's 200 is rather infamous for a huge crash.  What happened?

Check back Monday for the answer, here in the Frontstretch Newsletter!
 
Thursday's Answer:

Q: The 2006 Meijer 300 at Kentucky Speedway is best known for two things.  One was David Gilliland's surprise victory for Clay Andrews's  team, and the other was Jeff Fuller's nasty crash on the backstretch.  Cup Series regular Carl Edwards was considered to be a favorite to win the race, but his chances were gone before Fuller's Lap 29 crash.  What happened?

A: Edwards qualified second.  However, Edwards managed to rip the transmission out of his car on the initial start.  Edwards's failure can be seen here.  Edwards did come back and finish the race, but he was well back in the standings.

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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This Weekend on the Frontstretch:

Tracking the Trucks: UNOH 225 by Beth Lunkenheimer
Beth has all the post-race analysis you need following Thursday night's Camping World Truck Series race from Kentucky.

Nationwide Series Breakdown: Feed the Children 300 by Kevin Rutherford
Kevin has all the post-race analysis you need following Friday night's Nationwide Series race from Kentucky.

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Monday on the Frontstretch:

Thinkin' Out Loud: Quaker State 400 by Mike Neff
Mike is back with his overall thoughts from Saturday night's race from Kentucky.

Commentary
by Summer Bedgood
Summer takes a look at one of the biggest stories to come out of Kentucky.

Commentary by Kevin Rutherford
Kevin will stop by with his thoughts on Saturday night's action from Kentucky.

Big Six:
Quaker State 400 by Amy Henderson
Amy has your weekly look at the Who, What, When, Where, Why and How from a weekend of racing at Kentucky.

Pace Laps: Kentucky 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 of racing in Kentucky.

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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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Thursday, June 27, 2013

The Frontstretch Newsletter: June 27th, 2013

THE FRONTSTRETCH NEWSLETTER
Presented by Frontstretch.com
The Best Seat at the Track, The Best View on the Net!

June 27th, 2013
Volume VII, Edition CXIV
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What to Watch: Thursday

- The on-track action at Kentucky Speedway gets underway today with a one-day show for the Camping World Truck Series.  There will be two practice sessions held from 10:30 AM -11:30 AM and 12:00 PM - 1:30 PM (times are in Eastern Daylight Time, adjust for your own time zone).  Qualifying is scheduled to be held at 5:00pm, while the UNOH 225 will begin at 8:00pm.

The two practice sessions will not be televised.  Qualifying and the race itself will be televised live on SPEED.  SPEED's race coverage starts off with NCWTS Setup at 7:30pm.

Top News
by Phil Allaway

Go Bowling Signs on with RPM for Pocono

On Wednesday, Richard Petty Motorsports (RPM) announced that they have entered into a partnership with Strike Ten Entertainment, which serves as the "centralized sponsor activation arm of the bowling industry."  As a result, Aric Almirola's No. 43 Ford Fusion will carry the colors of Go Bowling! at Pocono in August.

Strike Ten Entertainment President Frank DeSocio is thrilled to foster an association between Bowling and Richard Petty.

"There is no better way to add to the excitement of International Bowl Expo than to celebrate the launch of our partnership with Richard Petty Motorsports and the No. 43 race team," DeSocio said.  "There are very few athletes in the world who have the iconic stature as "The King" Richard Petty. He, like bowling, is known in every corner of the world. Richard and Aric will be great ambassadors for the sport and all our bowling centers across the country."

Almirola is very happy to have Strike Ten Entertainment and GoBowling.com onboard for Pocono.

"This is really a great partnership for our race team and an incredible brand association with GoBowling.com," Almirola said at the International Bowl Expo.  "We don't always have free time between races but when we do, our team is always looking for fun activities and ways to relax. Going bowling is something that is easy, affordable and enjoyable for us all. We're better at racing than bowling, but we all have fun when we go bowling. I'm glad that we can be a part of promoting such a great experience to our race fans."

Strike Ten's sponsorship of the No. 43 will cover the August Pocono race both this season, and next season.  They previously announced that they will serve as primary sponsor of the race itself, which is now known as the GoBowling.com 400.

OtterBox to Sponsor Red Horse Racing, Quiroga

Fresh off a career-best finish of third at Texas Motor Speedway on June 7, rookie German Quiroga has built up some momentum.  Now comes a new primary sponsorship for the former NASCAR Mexico Series Champion.

Red Horse Racing announced on Wednesday that they have signed OtterBox, the world's leader in protective solutions for mobile devices (Read: Cases for cell phones) to serve as the primary sponsor of the No. 77 Toyota for nine races, starting tonight in Kentucky.

Quiroga is very happy to have OtterBox onboard as a sponsor.

"It's an honor for OtterBox to choose me to represent their brand in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series," Quiroga said.  "As OtterBox looks to grow and expand their market in the Latin community, I am eager to share our experiences together on and off the race track. We share many things in common, the most important of which is a drive for success. We are looking forward to sharing the success together starting this weekend at Kentucky."

Kentucky is the start of a four race stretch that the No. 77 will carry OtterBox's gold and black colors (this also includes the first Iowa race, the Mudsummer Classic at Eldora Speedway, and the Pocono Mountains 125).  Additional races includes Canadian Tire Motorsports Park (Mosport), the second Iowa race, Texas, Martinsville and Las Vegas.  OtterBox will serve as an associate sponsor on the No. 77 in the remaining races in which Net10 Wireless will be the primary sponsor.

Entry List Update:
Note: These entries are accurate as of Wednesday night.  However, they are still subject to change.

Sprint Cup Series Quaker State 400: 43 cars entered

Drivers Ineligible to Earn Points:
No. 19 -
Mike Bliss for Humphrey-Smith Racing
No. 33 -
Landon Cassill for Circle Sport, LLC
No. 35 -
Josh Wise for Front Row Motorsports
No. 51 -
Austin Dillon for Phoenix Racing
No. 55 -
Brian Vickers for Michael Waltrip Racing
No. 87 -
Joe Nemechek for NEMCO Motorsports/JRR

Driver Changes:
No. 7 -
Dave Blaney returns to the seat, replacing Justin Marks. Marks was a one-race deal as a road course ringer.
No. 19 - Mike Bliss returns to the seat, replacing Alex Kennedy. Kennedy was a one-race deal as a road course ringer.
No. 32 - Ken Schrader returns to the seat, replacing Boris Said. Said was a one-race deal as a road course ringer.
No. 33 - Landon Cassill returns to the seat, replacing Ron Fellows. Fellows was a one-race deal as a road course ringer.
No. 47 - AJ Allmendinger returns to the seat, replacing Bobby Labonte. This race is the second of five Allmendinger is scheduled to drive the JTG Daugherty car.
No. 51 - Austin Dillon returns to the seat, replacing Jacques Villeneuve. Dillon is running a limited schedule for the team.
No. 87 - Joe Nemechek returns to the seat, replacing Tomy Drissi.

Since there are only 43 entries, no one will fail to qualify.

Not Entered:
No. 52 -
Paulie Harraka for BK Motorsports/Go Green Racing
No. 95 - Leavine Family Racing (expected to return at Daytona)

Nationwide Series Feed the Children 300: 41 cars entered

Drivers Ineligible to Earn Points:
No. 15 -
Scott Riggs for Rick Ware Racing
No. 22 -
Brad Keselowski for Penske Racing
No. 33 -
Matt Crafton for Richard Childress Racing
No. 54 -
Kyle Busch for Kyle Busch Motorsports/Joe Gibbs Racing
No. 79 -
Bryan Silas for Go Green Racing

Driver Changes:
No. 00 -
Blake Koch returns to the seat, replacing Ken Butler, III.
No. 5 -
Brad Sweet returns to the seat, replacing Johnny O'Connell.
No. 22 -
Brad Keselowski returns to the seat, replacing AJ Allmendinger.
No. 23 -
Harrison Rhodes returns to the seat, replacing Stanton Barrett.
No. 24 -
Ken Butler, III returns to the seat, replacing Derek White.
No. 33 -
Matt Crafton is in the seat, replacing Max Papis.  This will be Crafton's Nationwide Series debut.
No. 54 -
Kyle Busch returns to the seat, replacing Owen Kelly.
No. 70 -
Johanna Long returns to the seat, replacing Tony Raines.
No. 74 -
Carl Long is in the seat, replacing Kevin O'Connell.
No. 79 -
Bryan Silas is in the seat, replacing Jeffrey Earnhardt.
No. 87 -
Joe Nemechek returns to the seat, replacing Kyle Kelley.

Drivers who must qualify on speed:
No. 00 -
Blake Koch for SR2 Motorsports
No. 10 -
Jeff Green for TriStar Motorsports (Guaranteed to start via the Past Champions' Provisional)*
No. 15 -
Scott Riggs for Rick Ware Racing*
No. 42 -
Josh Wise for The Motorsports Group, LLC*
No. 52 -
Joey Gase for Jimmy Means Motorsports
No. 55 -
Jamie Dick for Viva Motorsports
No. 73 -
Derrike Cope for Derrike Cope, Inc.
No. 74 -
Carl Long for Mike Harmon Racing
No. 89 -
Morgan Shepherd for Shepherd Motor Ventures
No. 92 -
Dexter Stacey for KH Motorsports
No. 98 -
Kevin Swindell for Biagi-DenBeste Racing

Not Entered:
No. 16 -
Billy Johnson for Roush Fenway Racing
No. 18 -
Michael McDowell for Joe Gibbs Racing
No. 21 -
Brendan Gaughan for Richard Childress Racing
No. 26 -
John Young for Apex Racing
No. 34 -
James Buescher for Turner Scott Motorsports
No. 53 -
Andrew Ranger for NDS Motorsports
No. 75 -
Kenny Habul for SunEnergy1, LLC Racing

Camping World Truck Series UNOH 225: 35 trucks entered

Drivers Ineligible to Earn Points:
No. 19 -
Brad Keselowski for Brad Keselowski Racing
No. 51 -
Kyle Busch for Kyle Busch Motorsports
No. 84 -
Danny Efland for Chris Fontaine, Inc./Mike Harmon Racing

Driver Changes:
No. 07 -
Todd Peck is in the seat, replacing Chris Cockrum.
No. 13 -
Brett Moffitt is in the seat, replacing Todd Bodine.  This will mark Moffitt's Camping World Truck Series debut.
No. 19 -
Brad Keselowski returns to the seat, replacing Ross Chastain.
No. 30 -
Cale Gale is in the truck, replacing Kyle Larson.
No. 38 -
Chris Jones returns to the seat, replacing Johnny Chapman.
No. 39 -
Ryan Lynch is in the seat, replacing Ryan Sieg.
No. 51 -
Kyle Busch returns to the seat, replacing Chad Hackenbracht.
No. 81 -
C.J. Faison is in the seat, replacing David Starr.
No. 93 -
Ryan Sieg is in the seat, replacing Chris Jones.
No. 99 -
Bryan Silas returns to the seat, replacing Chris Lafferty.

Since there are only 36 trucks entered, no one will fail to qualify.  However, these trucks must still qualify on speed:
No. 0 -
Chris Lafferty for JJC Racing*
No. 10 -
Jennifer Jo Cobb for JJC Racing
No. 27 -
Jeff Agnew for Hillman Racing
No. 30 -
Cale Gale for Turner Scott Motorsports
No. 38 -
Chris Jones for RSS Racing*
No. 57 -
Norm Benning for Norm Benning Racing
No. 63 -
Justin Jennings for MB Motorsports
No. 75 -
Clay Greenfield for Norm Benning Racing*
No. 84 -
Danny Efland for Chris Fontaine, Inc./Mike Harmon Racing
No. 92 -
Scott Riggs for RBR Enterprises
No. 99 -
Bryan Silas for T3R2
*- Expected to Start-and-Park

News and Notes

Tucked into Red Horse Racing's press release announcing their deal with OtterBox is a small coup for NASCAR in Latin America.  Tonight will mark the start of an internet streaming deal that will allow race fans in Mexico and Central America to stream Camping World Truck Series races live.  They will be available for viewing at http://escuderiatelmex.com, which is a website dedicated mainly to Mexican motorsports.  The streaming is available thanks to a partnership with FOX Sports Latin America.  It is unlikely that such streaming would be available to viewers in the United States.
 
Have news for Phil 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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Got NASCAR-related questions or comments?
Send them Summer Bedgood's way at summer.bedgood@frontstretch.com; and, if you're lucky, you'll get your name in print when she does her weekly column answering back to you – the fans that keep Frontstretch afloat. Frontstretch Fan Q & A will run on Thursdays with a whole new set of Fan Questions and Answers!
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Today's Featured Commentary
Quick Hits for June 27th
What's Vexing Vito
by Vito Pugliese

After a weekend of road racing on both coasts (yes, Lake Michigan has coasts for us in the Midwest), NASCAR returns to ovals this weekend at Kentucky Speedway.  With last weekend's action in Elkhart Lake (awesome) and Sunday's race in Sonoma (not awesome), there were a few truths that were reinforced. One – we need a road course in The Chase and Two – they need to go back to the carousel layout at Sonoma.

Fan polls show over 70% of people want to see a Chase race on a road course.  It's a solid proposition; if you are to largely invalidate the first 26 races, there should be one of each track in the final ten that determines the championship.  If they want to find a place worthy of hosting one, look no further than Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin.  A great track, fantastic layout and scenery, and the last few laps are as entertaining as any 1990s Bristol night race.  With short track racing all but vanished from the schedules of Nationwide and to a lesser degree, the Sprint Cup Series, road courses have indeed become the new short track, with as much beating, banging, leaning on, and retribution we saw at Road America.

With regards to the action at Sonoma, which was pretty pedestrian to be honest, part of it is how the track is configured now for stock cars.  The original carousel course had the cars right, uphill, then downhill into a quick straight that leads into a decreasing radius/off-camber right hand turn before the Esses.  The Chute layout, which come about in 1998 after some grandstands were installed, took away two passing zones and much of the character of the track.  The Carousel is still there, and accessible; it's just not used for the Cup races.

Sonoma would not be a bad choice to slide into the mix for a Chase event.  Despite Sunday's constant mist, weather would not normally be an issue, and they can conjure up some rain tires as well for these as they once had.  It would satisfy a West Coast presence for the playoffs, just as Watkins Glen in the fall -- besides being Audobon Society picturesque -- would be another Northeast race and is close enough to New York to garner some increased attention.  Especially after one of the cars nails a deer going 170 mph on the backstretch, leading to the bus stop chicane...

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Kurt Busch said Sunday that both he and Ryan Newman might need to have a sit-down, since they're both trying to find new rides for 2014.  Interesting choice of words considering that the No. 78 has been the fastest thing on the track the past three weeks, and Richard Childress confirmed that Newman is the leading candidate for the No. 29 car next year.  If this move does come to pass, it would mean that SHR and RCR have essentially just swapped drivers, and Stewart-Haas Racing is a Hendrick Motorsports-backed organization.  In the end, Busch might just be better served to stick with his current team for awhile, then help build that organization into a contender.  He's burned bridges at Roush-Fenway and with Penske Racing…there's not many places left to go, unless JPM isn't going to re-sign with Earnhardt Ganassi Racing.

--------------------

Bobby Labonte's streak of 704 consecutive races has come to a halt.  This weekend, when A.J. Allmendinger climbs aboard the No. 47 Toyota, Labonte will be without a ride.  He turned out offers from teams who could have fielded a car for him – and his champion's provisional – as he did not want to kick somebody else out just to keep his streak going.

Labonte had one less consecutive start than Jeff Gordon, a fellow member of the Rookie class of 1993.  Both drivers have started every Cup race since the beginning of their rookie years, but Gordon also drove in the Hooters 500, the season finale of 1992.  It's unclear what Labonte will be doing this weekend, but if last Sunday's episode of heading back to the garage as the race was starting is any indication, maybe they'll have him doing QC inspections on the radiator and oil cooler inventory.

Vito Pugliese is a Senior Writer/Assistant Editor for Frontstretch. He can be reached via e-mail at vito.pugliese@frontstretch.com. Follow him on Twitter at @VitoPugliese.
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The Critic's Annex: Iowa Corn Indy 250
by Phil Allaway

Hello, race fans.  Welcome back to the Critic's Annex, where we take an additional look at motorsports-related programming.  While the Sprint Cup and Nationwide Series were racing at two different road courses, the Izod IndyCar Series was doing a little oval racing at Iowa Speedway.  That is, if the weepers would let them.  ESPN televised the race on ABC.  How did they do?  Let's take a look.

Sunday's telecast started off with a brief preview of the race before getting into a recap of the heat races that helped to create the starting lineup for the race.  Those particular heat races were (for the most part) internet-exclusives.  Since the race more or less marked the halfway point of the 2013 season, Scott Goodyear and Eddie Cheever did a report card segment where they graded some of the team's performances thus far.  They didn't necessarily agree, but it almost appeared that there was little rhyme or reason for the grades.  They just seemed a little arbitrary at times.

The start of the race was delayed by about 20 minutes due to the aforementioned weepers.  It happens.  Can't really do much about that.  ESPN provided viewers with extra pre-race interviews during the extra down time.  I'm not really sure how many they would have had it if there wasn't a delay (my guess is three), but they ended up showing seven driver interviews, plus interviews with team owners Michael Andretti and Bobby Rahal before the command.

During the race telecast itself, a couple of things really stood out to me.  One is the fact that ESPN was showing a lot more battles for position than I'm accustomed to seeing from them.  Always good to see.  Marty Reid accompanied the footage with appropriate commentary.  However, I think that it did show that they weren't necessarily used to showing action that far down the order.  I can recall a couple of times where Reid stated something along the lines of "Hard to believe, but this is the battle for 19th."  Any race fan worth their salt generally knows that good racing can be found nearly anywhere in a race, especially one at a track as short as Iowa Speedway.

The other aspect of the telecast I noticed was that Eddie Cheever seemed to be a little more animated than normal in the booth.  Again, not a bad thing.  Since he's been in the booth, Cheever has been kind of quiet and never really said much.  Doesn't really raise his voice all that much either.  Granted, it's not like he's Michael Waltrip and has something to pitch, but he's not exactly the most visible guy in the booth.  On Sunday, Cheever seemed to be giving viewers a lot more insight than normal about the aspects of racing on ovals.  Granted, Cheever would know quite a bit about that since when he started driving in the series, it was still ovals only.

I should note that ESPN chose a poor time to do their lone Up to Speed of the race (Lap 183, right before the final round of green flag stops began).  They sort of covered the top-3, but it was really just James Hinchcliffe and Graham Rahal before the Up to Speed was curtailed when Ana Beatriz made what they claimed was an unscheduled pit stop (it was, but ESPN never elaborated on it).  Part of the reason why they never elaborated was that Marco Andretti made his final stop (scheduled) of the race less than a minute later.  From there, the coverage was about those final stops for the next 25 laps (extended due to drivers on an alternate strategy that had pitted during the third caution).  ESPN could have chosen a better time to do their segment, and they should have at least given a little context for what happened to Beatriz (apparently, she burned up a wheel bearing and was forced to retire from the race).

Post-race coverage was fairly average for an Izod IndyCar Series race on ESPN.  ESPN provided viewers with five post-race interviews, plus a check of the point standings.  Only the top-10 finishers were shown in a graphic outside of the scroll before ESPN left the air.

Admittedly, I didn't quite know what to expect from ESPN going into the race, especially after the brief weeper delay took away what I thought was going to be their buffer to get the race done within their time slot.  However, I came away pleasantly surprised.  ESPN did a good job covering the race.  I know that I often come down hard on them for their IndyCar and NASCAR coverage.  Many times, ESPN's IndyCar coverage cannot compared to what NBC Sports Network provides.  To me, Sunday's coverage showed one of two possibilities.  One is that the NBC Sports Network's practices in covering the series may have rubbed off a little on ESPN.  The other is that IndyCar may have given ESPN some suggestions as to how to cover the series in a better fashion.  The latter is possible mainly because they've done it in the past, mainly with the NBC Sports Network during Randy Bernard's tenure as CEO.  Bernard noted during a radio interview that he placed the much maligned Brian Barnhart in a production trailer with a number of monitors at his disposal with orders to direct the broadcast towards on-track battles.  That move increased the amount of position battles that fans could see on telecasts (and actually made fans think positively of Barnhart, for a change).

During the Firestone 550k telecast, Reid commented on how great the racing was on the high banks at Texas Motor Speedway.  He then took some heat from fans for those comments because it wasn't really a true statement.  He said it again after Sunday's race at Iowa.  However, while James Hinchcliffe did lead for 226 of the 250 laps, it was a legitimately good race with plenty of racing for position.  ESPN definitely helped Reid's case here with the way that they chose to cover the race.  I hope that ESPN can keep up the good work on July 6 in Pocono.

I hope you enjoyed this look at the Iowa Corn Indy 250.  Next week's Annex will cover the Sahlen's Six Hours at the Glen from Watkins Glen International.  Until then, enjoy this weekend's action from Kentucky, Watkins Glen and Silverstone.

Phil Allaway is the Newsletter Manager and a Senior Writer for Frontstretch. He can be reached via e-mail at phil.allaway@frontstretch.com.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Frontstretch Line of the Week


"Street racing is what it is for the most part, you can do little things to improve it but unless you have the acquired taste you probably won't like it. Oval racing is very malleable and is easier to make into a widely consumable product."  - Matt Stallknecht on how IndyCar can manage street racing and oval racing
~~~~~~~~~~

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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 tony.lumbis@frontstretch.com for details.

~~~~~~~~~~

TODAY ON THE FRONTSTRETCH:

Mirror Driving: Turnarounds, Troublesome Trends and Tacky Personalities
by the Frontstretch Staff
by Jeff Wolfe

NASCAR Mailbox: Knaus, Kyle, and Kurt... Oh My
by Summer Bedgood

Truckin' Thursdays: Brett Moffitt Set For Series Debut
by Beth Lunkenheimer
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FRONTSTRETCH TRIVIA:

Q:  The 2006 Meijer 300 at Kentucky Speedway is best known for two things.  One was David Gilliland's surprise victory for Clay Andrews' team, and the other was Jeff Fuller's nasty crash on the backstretch.  Cup Series regular Carl Edwards was considered to be a favorite to win the race, but his chances were gone before Fuller's Lap 29 crash.  What happened?
 
Check back Friday for the answer, here in the Frontstretch Newsletter!

Wednesday's Answer:

Q:  In addition to NASCAR's top-3 series at Kentucky, the Rolex Series is at Watkins Glen for the Sahlen's Six Hours at the Glen.  1993's edition of the race, known simply as the Camel Continental, was marred by a massive crash in the Esses.  What happened?

A:  Steve Millen, driving a Nissan 300ZX, collided with an open-top WSC car (World Sports Car) driven by Brett O'Neill and crashed exiting Turn 3.  The cars came to rest just past the turn in what would have been a blind spot.  Millen's teammate, Johnny O'Connell, drove up on the crash scene unsighted and drilled his teammate.  The crash can be seen here.

O'Connell and O'Neill both appeared to suffer leg injuries in the crash, but were able to remove themselves from their cars and get over the barriers to safety.  Millen was more seriously injured and sat out the remainder of 1993.

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 Justin Tucker
-- In Case You Missed It by Beth Lunkenheimer
-- 
Frontstretch Folio: Kentucky by Beth Lunkenheimer
-- Keepin' It Short by Mike Neff
-- Links to your favorite Frontstretch articles, trivia, and more!

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Tomorrow on the Frontstretch:
 

Four Burning Questions: Kentucky by Matt Stallknecht
Matt will get your engines revved up for 2013 with a preview of this weekend's Quaker State 400 at Kentucky Speedway.

Holding A Pretty Wheel 
by Amy Henderson
Amy returns this week with another intriguing Friday commentary. 

Nuts For Nationwide by Kevin Rutherford
Kevin has another interesting look at the Nationwide Series prior to the Feed the Children 300 at Kentucky Speedway.

Voices From the Heartland by Jeff Meyer
Our Tennessee transplant returns with another interesting take on recent events.

Driver Diary: Brendan Gaughan
as told to Amy Henderson
The driver of the No. 62 South Point Hotel and Casino Chevrolet Silverado in the Camping World Truck Series returns to talk about the last few weeks on and off the track.

Formula One Fridays
by Andy Hollis
Our expert returns with his weekly dish on what you should care about as the 2013 season in F1 rolls on.

Frontstretch Foto Funnies
by the Frontstretch Staff
Pictures can lead to a thousand laughs; join us in our weekly dose of humor that comes from those candid moments at the track.

-----------------------------
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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Wednesday, June 26, 2013

The Frontstretch Newsletter: June 26th, 2013

THE FRONTSTRETCH NEWSLETTER
Presented by Frontstretch.com
The Best Seat at the Track, The Best View on the Net!

June 26th, 2013
Volume VII, Edition CXIV

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Top News
by Tom Bowles

Nationwide Insurance Still Negotiating Renewal
 
The Charlotte Observer reported Tuesday that Nationwide Insurance has extended their exclusive negotiating window with NASCAR to remain title sponsor of their second-tier series. The company, which has a contract expiring November 2014, will now work through the end of the summer to come to an agreement on another long-term deal.
 
Sources claim the future NASCAR television package will play a factor as to how much the insurance company will pay for the rights to remain title sponsor – if they even want to continue at all. ESPN has indicated they'll step back from covering the series, following the conclusion of the 2014 season which has brought other networks, from the new FOX Sports 1 to NBC Sports Network into play for those rights. Reportedly, the insurance company would like only one broadcasting partner to keep covering the series; ESPN/ABC has done exactly that under the current deal, which began in 2007 and runs through November 2014.
 
FOX has already signed an eight-year contract to keep broadcasting their portion of Sprint Cup races from 2015 through 2022, along with the Camping World Truck Series. But the Nationwide Series and the roughly two dozen other races on the Sprint Cup schedule remain up for grabs.
 
Sprint Cup Series Ratings Sag For Sonoma
 
TNT continues to struggle to gain viewership during its six-race stint covering NASCAR. Sunday's Sonoma event suffered double-digit declines, down 9% in the Nielsens to a 3.0 after last year's 3.3 rating. Viewership also decreased 10% to 4.7 million despite being the most-watched race yet since the network took over the schedule in early June. How far have things fallen? By comparison, the Sonoma race four years ago had a total audience of just under 5.8 million.
 
Another bleak statistic is Sunday's 4.7 million in viewership, a season high for the network is still 1 million less than any FOX-covered race on television this season. Only the All-Star Race, put on SPEED channel, had less people watching a Sprint Cup event in 2013. So far this season, TNT has seen double-digit declines in each of the three Cup races they have covered, been criticized for some on-air glitches and has announced the loss of their popular "Wide Open" coverage, once a yearly staple that will change the way the July 4th weekend Daytona event gets broadcast this year.
 
News 'N' Notes
 
- 2000 Cup Series champion Bobby Labonte confirmed Tuesday he will not accept any offers to race Saturday night at Kentucky Speedway. That means his 704-race consecutive starts streak, as reported in the Newsletter yesterday, will officially come to an end in Sprint Cup. Labonte, 49, has been a part of every event in NASCAR's top series since starting the 1993 Daytona 500, a 19-year mark of consistency and excellence. With older brother Terry now running a limited schedule, a former two-time Cup champion himself, that means the starting grid will be "Labonte-less" in a Cup event for the first time since Ontario in November, 1978.
 
- Todd Bodine will also be officially missing a Truck Series race this week in Kentucky. As reported last week, rookie Brett Moffitt will be taking over the No. 13 Truck for ThorSport Racing, paired with sponsor Aisin and was officially introduced as the driver Tuesday. Hattori Racing Enterprises, which campaigns the driver full-time in K&N Pro East will help out with the effort, which appears to be prepping him for a possible full-time "promotion" in 2014.
 
The driver change means Bodine, a two-time champion will miss a Truck Series race for the first time since the Homestead season finale in 2004. That's a streak of 204 consecutive races.
 
- Regan Smith claims he no longer has any races scheduled with Phoenix Racing's No. 51 car. That's important, considering the team has repeatedly said they'll shut down after next month's Brickyard 400. AJ Allmendinger will likely drive at Daytona, Loudon, and Indianapolis, with future plans for the organization contingent on whether car owner James Finch will continue to fund it.

Have news for Tom and the Frontstretch? Don't hesitate to let us know; email us at phil.allaway@frontstretch.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
Will We Still Be Calling It Nationwide?
WTF Wednesdays
by Ellen Richardson

 

SportsBusiness Journal has reported that Nationwide Insurance is gearing up for contract negotiations with NASCAR for title sponsorship of its secondary series.  As this contract renewal date looms, the Ohio-based company has requested more time to take into consideration which television network will broadcast this series races after 2014. 

 

As I mentioned in last Wednesday's WTF column, the sanctioning body is planning to begin its talks with ESPN in July to determine its interest in negotiating exclusive rights to NASCAR coverage after 2014.  If a deal isn't reached by the end of August, the search for another interested broadcaster will begin.  With media being one of Nationwide Insurance's primary vehicles for obtaining a return on its $10 to $12 million deal with NASCAR, will we fans need to begin to not only wonder if we will be able to tune into this series after 2014, but if we will still be calling this Sprint Cup development series the NASCAR Nationwide Series?

 

If you have been a NASCAR fan for long enough, you will remember when longtime sponsor Anheuser-Busch stepped away from the primary sponsorship of this series just five short years ago.  After  25-years of serving as the series sponsor this announcement was shocking to many of us, but you can't blame this company for this decision based on the rising cost of this sponsorship.

 

Flash forward to the future, as many fans and drivers may be warming up to the idea of this now being the NASCAR Nationwide Series and we could be trying to remember what we should be calling this series in the future.

As television ratings for both the Nationwide and Sprint Cup Series continue to drop and the cost of sponsorship continues to skyrocket, this writer's concern continues to mount as to whether or not potential sponsors will have interest in supporting this sport?

 

The largest part of my concern regarding the current situation in the Nationwide Series is for the up-and-coming drivers who are racing with hopes to someday compete in the Sprint Cup Series.  Fortunately, there is a bright spot in this worrisome conversation.  According to Matt Jaucius, chief marketing officer for Nationwide Insurance, this company's 15-year presence in NASCAR has continued to carry momentum including an added sponsorship with Roush Fenway's Ricky Stenhouse, Jr. in the Sprint Cup Series.

We continue to have productive conversations with NASCAR about our position in the sport and plan to be active for many years to come," said Jaucius.

 

Nationwide also reported that after only two years as the exclusive sponsor of NASCAR's secondary series, consumer awareness increased by more than 50 percent and were at 183 percent of their goal with their leads. While this seems like a great reason to continue its support of the series, the question that needs to be asked is – will these numbers continue if the past media support disappears and if NASCAR's greed continues to rise?

 

In fact, if this company is asked to pony up the kind of dough that it has continued to or even more why wouldn't they just use this money to continue its relationships in the Sprint Cup Series versus the current Nationwide Series?

 

I just pray that the powers that be at NASCAR will care enough about this series and what it brings to those who compete in it before hoarding every bit of support for its top level series.  Don't these high profile drivers already have enough? WTF?


Ellen Richardson is a Newsletter Contributor for Frontstretch.com.  She can be reached via e-mail at frontstretcheditors@googlegroups.com. Follow her on Twitter @EllenNRich.

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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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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...
@MartinTruexJr56: We did it!!!!!!!! Holy hell yes!!! @napaknowhow @MWRteam
thank you so much. Today was unbelievable.
 
@SherryPollex: My favorite pic!!! Victory lasts SO damn good!!! OMG. pic.twitter.com/20I2JqlvhY

@AJDinger (AJ Allmendinger): Finally thank u to all my family, friends and fans for all the texts and tweets. It makes me feel so good. Makes all the struggles worth it.

@mw55 (Michael Waltrip): Amazing. http://instagram.com/p/a6w9oqzfeC/

@KurtBusch: I hate that I messed up speeding & put us in position to come from the back. We had a strong car today & I gave it everything I had.
 
@KyleBusch: Awww. My heart melts for @jpmontoya who ran out of gas. 😢 Only thing I got for Carl is "aww crap"😡
 
@KyleBusch: Damn... seriously? get over it. That was last century!! RT @g_rehberg: @KyleBusch Remember Richmond? Took out JR? Karma is a bitch!
 
@jpmontoya (Juan Pablo Montoya): It's hard to put into words the disappointment of today. The @Target car was so fast. At least we passed a lot of cars.

@scottspeed: Congrats @AJDinger u only won that race like 4 times ha ha

@AndyLally: Man... @maxpapis .... If youre gonna make such a big deal out of it on the cool off lap, dont bitch out when you get out of the car.

@maxpapis: Thanks for all the good and not so good comments controversy is part of racing and makes it more human . LOVE U ALL

@BillyJRacing (Billy Johnson): Thx to everyone for following and for the support. Its great to be apart of the series and am looking forward to my oval debut at Loud on.

@paulieharraka: Well...sometimes crazy stuff happens. Absolutely no where for me to go there. Hate it for the team, but glad we were able to get back out.

@ReganSmith: The one thing I hate about road racing is that there is no penalty for not looking past your hood pins and a bunch have trouble doing that.

@keselowski (Brad Keselowski): Spent some time with Tony Stewart today talking about how to help #lefturn family. He's leading the charge, will let everyone know next step

@StenhouseJr (Ricky Stenhouse Jr.): Her breakfast and mine... Mine=southern her= healthy I guess pic.twitter.com/2hEyhU2ryJ

@CalebRoark: Nothing is more awkward than when you are in a car with your mom and you play a song that drops the F bomb #vacation

@TravisPastrana: Testing in Loudon at @NHMS with the @roushfenway team today. The track gave us a warm welcome!pic.twitter.com/QRIsOIZxJQ

@RyanBlaney22: People who wear shirts that say swag or yolo on them.....I instantly don't like you.

@Kenny_Wallace: You ONLY see this in "Jefferson. County Missouri" pic.twitter.com/ca2WCxvpKv

@JamesBuescher: You know you are up too early when this isn't open yet! #letsgo #airplanes http://instagram.com/p/a5VrJ6Mh6X/

@BubbaWallace (Darrell Wallace Jr.): Bring your baby..in a stroller..to see world war z. #dumbass

@KyleLarsonRacin: Seems kind of odd to me that I'm flying out of Milwaukee and have to connect in Atlanta to get to Ohio. I should have just drove.
 
Kevin Rutherford is an Assistant Editor for Frontstretch.com. He can be reached via email at kevin.rutherford@frontstretch.com. Follow him on Twitter at@Surfwax83.

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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.

~~~~~~~~~~

TODAY ON THE FRONTSTRETCH:

Did You Notice?... What's New Is Old, Ratings Mean Money And NASCAR Quick Hits
by Toni Montgomery, Huston Ladner and Matt Stallknecht

~~~~~~~~~~

FRONTSTRETCH TRIVIA:
 
Q:  In addition to NASCAR's top-3 series at Kentucky, the Rolex Series is at Watkins Glen for the Sahlen's Six Hours at the Glen.  1993's edition of the race, known simply as the Camel Continental, was marred by a massive crash in the Esses.  What happened?
 
Check back Thursday for the answer, here in the Frontstretch Newsletter!
 
Tuesday's Answer:

Q: Unfortunately, parking has been an ongoing issue at Kentucky.  The inaugural Quaker State 400 was plagued by the track failing to procure enough land to park cars for 120,000 fans, plus a terrible traffic procedure.  The first races at the track had a slightly different issue.  What was it?

A: Well, in a situation similar to when Texas Motor Speedway opened in 1997, the parking lots were unpaved and unimproved.  Heavy rains turned these lots into mud wallers.  A number of fans became stuck in the mud.

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 weekly storylines. Topics this week include the Martin Truex, Jr. and AJ Allmendinger's feel-good wins, Furniture Row Racing's improvements 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, Paul Wolfe stops by as the series heads off to Kentucky.

Fantasy Insider by Jeff Wolfe
Jeff brings fantasy racing back to Frontstretch this season. The week, he has your best bets as you fill out your roster for Kentucky.

Truckin' Thursdays by Beth LunkenheimerBeth is back with all of the latest and greatest to come out of the Truck Series. This week, Beth introduces you to Brett Moffitt, the newest driver to join the series.
-----------------------------
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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