Tuesday, July 23, 2013

The Frontstretch Newsletter: Eldora Practice Begins!

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

July 23rd, 2013
Volume VII, Edition CXXXIV
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What to Watch For: Tuesday

- Today marks the start of the Mudsummer Classic at Eldora.  The second practice, for the inaugural Truck race is being aired LIVE now on SPEED from 7:00 - 9:00 PM.
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Top News
by Tom Bowles and Phil Allaway

Saunders Named Interim Crew Chief For Sauter

On Monday, we reported that Joe Shear, Jr., crew chief for Johnny Sauter, had resigned from his position with ThorSport Racing. General Manager David Pepper confirmed Shear's departure was "effective last Friday." Shear, who had just recently completed a four-race suspension for a fuel cell violation at Kansas Speedway in April, had served as Sauter's crew chief since midway through the 2009 season.

"He didn't give us any indication (as to why he left the organization). We'll always been 100% supportive to Joe and whatever decision he makes," Pepper said Monday. "Joe has been a great asset to ThorSport Racing for several years now. I don't want to put words in his mouth, but I think he wanted to just do some other things. We support him in wherever he lands and we're sure he'll be successful. We just really want to thank him for everything he did for us and the time he spent here. We won a lot of races and had some really good times."

With the short week, there has been little time for the team to choose a replacement crew chief. However, Jesse Saunders, who stepped in with assistance from Dan LeMasters during Shear's suspension earlier this week has been tapped as the interim crew chief while the Truck Series heads to Eldora Speedway for its inaugural visit.

"We're not making any permanent decisions. We're in a unique situation," Pepper continued. "Four of the five previous weeks, Joe was suspended from NASCAR, so we had the opportunity for Jesse Saunders to assume the crew chief position. Since this is a short week, we're going to continue that and we'll make decisions long-term after that. We're really confident about the depth we have here and don't feel like we'll have any problems."

Sauter started off the year with back-to-back victories at Daytona and Martinsville and held the top spot in the championship until the 25-point penalty at Kansas. While teammate Matt Crafton is now out in front, the driver of the No. 98 Toyota sits fifth, 52 markers behind his teammate.

Entry List Update:
Camping World Truck Series CarCash Mudsummer Classic presented by CNBC Prime's The Profit: 36 trucks entered

Drivers Ineligible to Earn Points:
No. 19
- Dave Blaney for Brad Keselowski Racing
No. 34- Ryan Newman for Turner Scott Motorsports
No. 39- Austin Dillon for RSS Racing
No. 81- Kenny Wallace for SS-Green Light Racing

Driver Changes:
No. 07
- Jimmy Weller is in the seat, replacing Josh Reaume.
No. 5- Jason Bowles is in the seat, replacing Tim George, Jr.
No. 6- Jared Landers is in the seat, replacing Justin Lofton.  If Landers qualifies, he will be making his Camping World Truck Series debut.
No. 10- Joe Cobb is in the seat, replacing Jennifer Jo Cobb.  Joe is Jennifer's father.  If he qualifies, he will be making his Camping World Truck Series debut.
No. 13- Tracy Hines returns to the seat, replacing Frank Kimmel.  Hines previously drove the No. 13 for ThorSport Racing in 2005.
No. 19- Dave Blaney is in the seat, replacing Ross Chastain.
No. 30- Kyle Larson returns to the seat, replacing Cale Gale.
No. 39- Austin Dillon is in the seat, replacing Ryan Sieg.
No. 51- Scott Bloomquist is in the seat, replacing Erik Jones.  This will be Bloomquist's Camping World Truck Series debut.
No. 81- Kenny Wallace is in the seat, replacing Jimmy Weller.
No. 84- Jeff Babcock is in the seat, replacing Danny Efland.  If Babcock qualifies, he will make his Camping World Truck Series debut.

Drivers who must qualify on speed (Note: Only 20 drivers are locked in instead of 25):
No. 07
- Jimmy Weller for SS-Green Light Racing
No. 5- Jason Bowles for Wauters Motorsports
No. 6- Jared Landers for Eddie Sharp Racing
No. 8- Max Gresham for Eddie Sharp Racing
No. 10- Joe Cobb for JJC Racing
No. 24- Brennan Newberry for NTS Motorsports
No. 30- Kyle Larson for Turner Scott Motorsports
No. 34- Ryan Newman for Turner Scott Motorsports
No. 44- JR Heffner for North American Racing.  If Heffner qualifies, he will be making his Camping World Truck Series debut.
No. 52- Ken Schrader for Ken Schrader Racing
No. 57- Norm Benning for Norm Benning Racing
No. 63- Justin Jennings for MB Motorsports
No. 68- Clay Greenfield for Clay Greenfield Motorsports
No. 84- Jeff Babcock for Chris Fontaine, Inc./Mike Harmon Racing
No. 93- Chris Jones for RSS Racing
No. 99- Bryan Silas for T3R2

Not Entered:
No. 0- Chris Lafferty for JJC Racing
No. 02- Tyler Young for Young's Motorsports
No. 27- Jeff Agnew for Hillman Racing
No. 94- Chase Elliott for Hendrick Motorsports
No. 97- Steve Wallace for Adrian Carriers Racing

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
NASCAR Race Day Keepsakes: What's On Your Shelves?
Sitting In The Stands: A Fan's View
by S.D. Grady

I returned from the track, added a couple t-shirts to my dresser and the opened the latest die-cast box.  The windshield bore Brian Vickers' autograph.  I read the instructions on how to pop the hood on my first Gen-6 car.  Turned the wheels of the No. 55, blew off an errant piece of dust and placed it in the spinning display case.  

The memory of witnessing Vickers' return to Victory Lane after beating his fight with illness and struggling to find a Cup ride now has a special place in my living room. What a story.  What a memory.  But there are many memories here. 

While NASCAR fans love to spend cash in supporting their favorite drivers, collecting hats, t-shirts, cars, pictures, tires...heck, anything with their number on it...it isn't only the object that fills the nooks and crannies of our homes.  In fact, while many of us may admit to having a small hording issue when it comes to NASCAR memorabilia, there is a tangible reason for adding yet another lugnut, brick, candle, bottle--you name it--to the pile.  It's memories.

The Aaron's Dream Machine now sits with Austin Dillon's No. 3 Tracker Boats truck.  I enjoyed watching Dave Moody do a pre-show broadcast on the infield of NHMS while he stared at the legendary No. 3 black chevy truck, commenting on what it meant to see the number return to the track.

Over on the shelf is a lugnut.  Yeah, you can buy used lugnuts at the track for a couple bucks.  But this one flew off the No. 43 during a pitstop I watched from the top of AJ Allmendinger's pitbox.   Next to the lugnut is a die-cast of Richard Petty's No. 43 Superbird. You can never appreciate where the sport is in 2013 without recalling where it came from in 1970.  Miles the Monster looms over the blue car, hoisting the Kobalt Tools No. 48 in his hand.  Jimmie Johnson burned it down right in front of our seats down in Turn One at Dover.

Still lingering in a place of honor sits the No. 41 Kodiak machine piloted by Ricky Craven.  My brother gifted me my first die-cast way back when, supporting his hometown NASCAR hero.  The mason jar of Old Smokey we picked up in Bristol.  We will be going back for another race under the lights some year.  That was a fun race weekend.

On the bottom shelf hides the No. 99 Stonebridge Life Ford.  It's not every day you get to watch a guy do a backflip after a race.  Carl Edwards stunk it up at Pocono.  But not only was there the race, we enjoyed camping on the infield, parked against the fence coming out of Turn Three.  In the pits we met Jimmie Johnson, wondered Where's Ward? and watched teams ready their cars in the paddock.

I know NASCAR is by and large out to make a quick buck off our impulsive shopping habits.  I have boxes of PEZ dispensers, candy dishes, Monopoly games and inflatables to prove I am easily parted with my cash.  But when I pull out Dale Sr.'s memorial t-shirt hauler, where all the fans signed it in his memory, the cost of the shelf-cramming stuff flies out the window.

Story after story reminds me why I follow this sport year after year.  The No. 40 Coor's Light bottle...we listened to Sterling Marlin mumble his way through a Meet N'Greet the day before he went out and won at Las Vegas, just a couple weeks after he adjusted his fender during the Daytona red flag.  Great stories!  Great memories.

For every race I watch and wonder where the excitement has gone in the Sprint Cup Series, I stop and consider the Jeff Gordon Goodyear Racing Eagle (which I still haven't made the husband throw out) that sits in the living room and it all comes back to me.

The remarkable moment doesn't happen every day, every week.  But it does happen.  Year after year, race after race, I've experienced the story generating factory that is NASCAR.  Rookies and veterans, wins, losses and tragedy combine to tell the next chapter in our favorite sport.  My collection of memorabilia serves as a reminder of all the wonderful tales I've encountered at the track and on pit road.

Next week we return to Indy for the Brickyard 400.  Man, we melted in the blistering heat out there when Jamie McMurray won it--the same year he stole the Daytona 500 and the Charlotte October race.  Good times. Good times.

Every race fan has a story to tell. Their shelf of photos and cars tell tales only they remember.   But by having the best moments physically displayed, there remains the opportunity to share those racing memories with family and friends.

What's on your shelf?  What's your most prized race day keepsake?

Kyle Larson Stat

Series:
Nationwide
Track:
Chicagoland
Car:
No. 32 International Trucks Chevrolet
Qualified:
22nd
Finished:
12th (lead lap)
Points Standings:
7th

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 and runs a NASCAR blog called the S-Curves. She can be reached via e-mail at sonya.grady@frontstretch.com. Follow her on Twitter at @laregna and on her Facebook page (she's an author, too!) at https://www.facebook.com/Author.SDGrady.
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TODAY ON THE FRONTSTRETCH:

Racing To The Point: Is Travis Pastrana Really Committed To NASCAR?
by Brett Poirier

Who's Hot / Who's Not: NASCAR's Nationwide & Truck Series, Part 2
by Brad Morgan


Going By the Numbers: Dillon Brothers And Bloomquist Top Names At Eldora
by Kevin Rutherford

Five Points to Ponder: NNS, More NNS, Trucks, Coverage, and Indy
by P. Huston Ladner


by Phil Allaway
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FRONTSTRETCH TRIVIA:

Q:  In 1998, fans were still adjusting to the 4.0 liter production-based V8 engines at Indianapolis.  Attrition was high as well.  Mechanical issues knocked a number of drivers out, but incidents knocked a few out as well.  Jim Guthrie was injured in a crash just shy of the one-quarter mark.  What happened?

Check back Wednesday for the answer, here in the Frontstretch Newsletter!

Monday's Answer:


Q:  In the 1997 Brickyard 400, Rich Bickle qualified for the event in a one-off ride, the No. 26 Chevrolet for Darrell Waltrip Motorsports sponsored by KFC.  Bickle, who drove for Waltrip's Truck Series team at the time, had a great weekend until late in the race.  What happened?

A: Bickle was running by himself when he appeared to just get loose entering Turn 3.  Bickle tried to catch the car, but was unable to stop the KFC Chevrolet from swapping ends and hitting the wall hard on the drivers' side.  The crash can be seen at the 8:55 mark of this clip.  Bickle was out on the spot after the crash.

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

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Tomorrow on the Frontstretch:


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 P. Huston Ladner
Huston returns with a special look at the Izod IndyCar Series as they take a couple of weeks off after the series' annual trip to Mid-Ohio.

NASCAR Power Rankings: Top Prospects compiled by Michael Mehedin
With the Sprint Cup Series taking last weekend off, our experts this week will be ranking the best prospects in the Nationwide, Camping World Truck Series and beyond.  Experts you love from across the web, not just Frontstretch rank the drivers 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 looks at the bright side of racing stories we've seen in the past seven days.
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