THE FRONTSTRETCH NEWSLETTER
Presented by Frontstretch.com
The Best Seat at the Track, The Best View on the Net!
August 12th, 2013
Volume VII, Edition CXLIX
~~~~~~~~~
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.
~~~~~~~~~
Sprint Cup Race Recap: Kyle Busch Uses Pit Strategy To Claim "Rowdy's Revenge"
by Justin Tucker
Kyle Busch came into Sunday's Cheez-It 355 At The Glen with one goal in mind, that goal was redemption. Flashback to just one year ago when Busch had dominated much of the event at Watkins Glen and was leading on the last lap only to watch victory slip away as he spun in oil from Bobby Labonte in Turn 2. With visions of 2012 fresh in his mind, Busch would finally score his elusive second victory at Watkins Glen holding off Brad Keselowski at the checkers to win the Cheez-It 355 At The Glen.
Kyle, much like the rest of the field for most of the day, was chasing Marcos Ambrose, who led for 51 laps on the afternoon from the pole. It appeared that Ambrose was cruising to his third straight win at Watkins Glen until Aric Almirola blew a tire and crashed into the tire barrier, bringing out the fifth caution. Busch, who had already come to pit road for his final stop prior to the yellow coming out, would benefit the most as Ambrose would have to pit under the yellow. Juan Pablo Montoya beat Ambrose off of pit road. Once the field was set, Ambrose was in 12th for the restart.
Ambrose would never fully regain the track position lost due to the ill-timed caution. He would eventually get as high as tenth in the running order before handling issues hit. Later on, the track bar mount broke, making Ambrose's Fusion very difficult, if not impossible, to drive. On a late restart, Ambrose's rear end steered him way out of the groove in Turn 2. When he tried to get back in the groove, he was hit from behind by Max Papis and spun into the wall, collecting Brian Vickers in the process. Ambrose would finish in a disappointing 31st.
Kyle restarted from the lead and immediately came under intense pressure from Sonoma winner Martin Truex, Jr. The two Toyota drivers raced side-by-side up through the narrow Esses and all the way to the Inner Loop. The two then had contact before Kyle pulled ahead. Brad Keselowski was able to move past Truex into second as a result of Truex's lost momentum.
Kyle's M&M's Toyota was good enough to pull away on long runs. However, the end of the race didn't have any long runs. There were three yellows in the final 12 laps (the aforementioned Ambrose was the third of them), allowing Keselowski to keep Kyle within his sights.
On the final restart, Kyle jumped out to a decent advantage. However, on the final lap, Keselowski reeled Kyle back in and nearly put the bumper to him in Turn 11. However, Kyle was able to hold off the pressure and claim the win.
Afterwards, Busch was very pleased to avenge his past losses at Watkins Glen.
"I felt like our car was really, really good on the long run, [but] on the short run it wouldn't quite fire off on cold tires as soon as I wanted it to," Kyle said in his press conference. "[It] took me a little bit to get going and…Brad [Keselowski] was all over me there. This [car]…deserved to be Victory Lane the last couple years here, so this was 'Rowdy's Revenge'."
Keselowski was happy with his third straight second-place finish in the event. However, he wasn't really willing to dump Kyle for the win.
"I could have definitely dumped Kyle and won the race," Keselowski said. "There's always temptation [to do it], though. It doesn't mean there isn't temptation, but there's a level of respect and a code of honor that you have to have as a man."
Following Kyle Busch and Keselowski on Sunday was Martin Truex Jr. who brought his No. 56 Toyota home in third, while Carl Edwards finished fourth. Juan Pablo Montoya rounded out the top-5.
Clint Bowyer continued his solid 2013 season with a sixth-place run, while Joey Logano finished seventh. Jimmie Johnson finished eighth, while Kurt Busch was ninth. AJ Allmendinger came back from running out of fuel right when Almirola crashed (and drawing a penalty for entering a closed pit because of it) to claim a tenth-place finish for JTG-Daugherty Racing.
Watkins Glen on Sunday produced several major story lines concerning the Chase for the Sprint Cup. Jeff Gordon's chase chances took a big hit when on lap 15, his No. 24 Drive to End Hunger Chevrolet grazed the outside wall in Turn 4. That wall contact, plus Gordon getting in the wet grass sent him head first into the inside retaining wall. After repairs, Gordon would finish 25 laps down in 38th-place. This dropped him to 13th-place in points, 15 points outside the top 10. Matt Kenseth would also find trouble on Sunday Afternoon, finishing in 23rd place and leaving Kenseth only 36 points inside the top 10. To no one's surprise Jimmie Johnson officially became the first driver to clinch a spot in the 2013 Chase for the Sprint Cup on Sunday. Johnson's 8th place finish at The Glen assured the 5 time champion of at least a wild card spot in this year's chase.
A look at Sunday's Cheez It 355 by the numbers. There were five lead changes among five different drivers with Ambrose leading the most laps with 51. There were 8 cautions for 21 laps, which slowed the race pace to 87.001 MPH, and the margin of victory was .486 seconds.
Next week the Sprint Cup Series heads to the Irish Hills and the ultra fast 2 mile Michigan International Speedway for the Pure Michigan 400. Defending race winner Greg Biffle has won the last two races at Michigan. Green flag for the Pure Michigan 400 is scheduled for 1:16 P.M. ET.
Justin Tucker is a Newsletter Contributor at Frontstretch. To reach Justin, please contact Newsletter Manager Phil Allaway at phil.allaway@frontstretch.com.
Chasing the Chase: Despite Smacking Wall, Johnson Slightly Increases Lead
by Phil Allaway
Jimmie Johnson had a relatively quiet day Sunday at Watkins Glen. However, he was still able to put up a top-10 finish. This allowed him to maintain most of his lead. Clint Bowyer and Carl Edwards, Johnson's closest competitors in the standings, did manage to finish in front of him, though. Bowyer gained two points on Johnson, while Edwards gained four.Presented by Frontstretch.com
The Best Seat at the Track, The Best View on the Net!
August 12th, 2013
Volume VII, Edition CXLIX
~~~~~~~~~
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.
~~~~~~~~~
Sprint Cup Race Recap: Kyle Busch Uses Pit Strategy To Claim "Rowdy's Revenge"
by Justin Tucker
Kyle Busch came into Sunday's Cheez-It 355 At The Glen with one goal in mind, that goal was redemption. Flashback to just one year ago when Busch had dominated much of the event at Watkins Glen and was leading on the last lap only to watch victory slip away as he spun in oil from Bobby Labonte in Turn 2. With visions of 2012 fresh in his mind, Busch would finally score his elusive second victory at Watkins Glen holding off Brad Keselowski at the checkers to win the Cheez-It 355 At The Glen.
Kyle, much like the rest of the field for most of the day, was chasing Marcos Ambrose, who led for 51 laps on the afternoon from the pole. It appeared that Ambrose was cruising to his third straight win at Watkins Glen until Aric Almirola blew a tire and crashed into the tire barrier, bringing out the fifth caution. Busch, who had already come to pit road for his final stop prior to the yellow coming out, would benefit the most as Ambrose would have to pit under the yellow. Juan Pablo Montoya beat Ambrose off of pit road. Once the field was set, Ambrose was in 12th for the restart.
Ambrose would never fully regain the track position lost due to the ill-timed caution. He would eventually get as high as tenth in the running order before handling issues hit. Later on, the track bar mount broke, making Ambrose's Fusion very difficult, if not impossible, to drive. On a late restart, Ambrose's rear end steered him way out of the groove in Turn 2. When he tried to get back in the groove, he was hit from behind by Max Papis and spun into the wall, collecting Brian Vickers in the process. Ambrose would finish in a disappointing 31st.
Kyle restarted from the lead and immediately came under intense pressure from Sonoma winner Martin Truex, Jr. The two Toyota drivers raced side-by-side up through the narrow Esses and all the way to the Inner Loop. The two then had contact before Kyle pulled ahead. Brad Keselowski was able to move past Truex into second as a result of Truex's lost momentum.
Kyle's M&M's Toyota was good enough to pull away on long runs. However, the end of the race didn't have any long runs. There were three yellows in the final 12 laps (the aforementioned Ambrose was the third of them), allowing Keselowski to keep Kyle within his sights.
On the final restart, Kyle jumped out to a decent advantage. However, on the final lap, Keselowski reeled Kyle back in and nearly put the bumper to him in Turn 11. However, Kyle was able to hold off the pressure and claim the win.
Afterwards, Busch was very pleased to avenge his past losses at Watkins Glen.
"I felt like our car was really, really good on the long run, [but] on the short run it wouldn't quite fire off on cold tires as soon as I wanted it to," Kyle said in his press conference. "[It] took me a little bit to get going and…Brad [Keselowski] was all over me there. This [car]…deserved to be Victory Lane the last couple years here, so this was 'Rowdy's Revenge'."
Keselowski was happy with his third straight second-place finish in the event. However, he wasn't really willing to dump Kyle for the win.
"I could have definitely dumped Kyle and won the race," Keselowski said. "There's always temptation [to do it], though. It doesn't mean there isn't temptation, but there's a level of respect and a code of honor that you have to have as a man."
Following Kyle Busch and Keselowski on Sunday was Martin Truex Jr. who brought his No. 56 Toyota home in third, while Carl Edwards finished fourth. Juan Pablo Montoya rounded out the top-5.
Clint Bowyer continued his solid 2013 season with a sixth-place run, while Joey Logano finished seventh. Jimmie Johnson finished eighth, while Kurt Busch was ninth. AJ Allmendinger came back from running out of fuel right when Almirola crashed (and drawing a penalty for entering a closed pit because of it) to claim a tenth-place finish for JTG-Daugherty Racing.
Watkins Glen on Sunday produced several major story lines concerning the Chase for the Sprint Cup. Jeff Gordon's chase chances took a big hit when on lap 15, his No. 24 Drive to End Hunger Chevrolet grazed the outside wall in Turn 4. That wall contact, plus Gordon getting in the wet grass sent him head first into the inside retaining wall. After repairs, Gordon would finish 25 laps down in 38th-place. This dropped him to 13th-place in points, 15 points outside the top 10. Matt Kenseth would also find trouble on Sunday Afternoon, finishing in 23rd place and leaving Kenseth only 36 points inside the top 10. To no one's surprise Jimmie Johnson officially became the first driver to clinch a spot in the 2013 Chase for the Sprint Cup on Sunday. Johnson's 8th place finish at The Glen assured the 5 time champion of at least a wild card spot in this year's chase.
A look at Sunday's Cheez It 355 by the numbers. There were five lead changes among five different drivers with Ambrose leading the most laps with 51. There were 8 cautions for 21 laps, which slowed the race pace to 87.001 MPH, and the margin of victory was .486 seconds.
Next week the Sprint Cup Series heads to the Irish Hills and the ultra fast 2 mile Michigan International Speedway for the Pure Michigan 400. Defending race winner Greg Biffle has won the last two races at Michigan. Green flag for the Pure Michigan 400 is scheduled for 1:16 P.M. ET.
Justin Tucker is a Newsletter Contributor at Frontstretch. To reach Justin, please contact Newsletter Manager Phil Allaway at phil.allaway@frontstretch.com.
Chasing the Chase: Despite Smacking Wall, Johnson Slightly Increases Lead
by Phil Allaway
Kevin Harvick, a past winner at Watkins Glen, had another lackluster day on Sunday. While he managed to finish 13th, he was not in the hunt except for when he staked out an alternate strategy. That performance was enough for him to maintain station, but not much more. Kyle Busch's victory moved him up one place to fifth in points, 14 behind Harvick. Kyle's gain came at the expense of Dale Earnhardt, Jr. Earnhardt Jr. had a decent run going until he got swept up in a crash in the Esses. He came back out to finish the race five laps down in 30th, but the damage had been done.
Matt Kenseth had an unsatisfactory weekend at Watkins Glen. He qualified decently, then went backwards in the race. After getting caught up in the big crash with Earnhardt Jr. and Kasey Kahne, Kenseth limped his stricken car home 23rd. Brad Keselowski moved back into the top-10 with his third straight second-place finish at Watkins Glen. Greg Biffle is up one place to ninth, not so much due to his finish on Sunday (16th), but due to other drivers around him faltering.
Martin Truex, Jr. gained four places to move back into the top 10 after finishing third. However, his margin over 11th-place Kurt Busch is just two points. Kasey Kahne and Jeff Gordon, now 12th and 13th in points, both dropped out of the top 10 Sunday due to separate wrecks. Finally, Max Papis' 15th-place finish in the No. 14 has effectively split the drivers' and owners' Chase. The No. 14 is currently in a tie for 11th in owner points with Furniture Row's No. 78 and has the second "wild card."
Point Standings (Top 10): 1) Jimmie Johnson 808, 2) Clint Bowyer -75, 3) Carl Edwards -80, 4) Kevin Harvick -101, 5) Kyle Busch -115, 6) Dale Earnhardt, Jr. -138, 7) Matt Kenseth -149, 8) Brad Keselowski -174, 9) Greg Biffle -181, 10) Martin Truex, Jr. -183.
Driver Point Standings (11-20): 11) Kurt Busch -185, 12) Kasey Kahne -186, 13) Jeff Gordon -198, 14) Ryan Newman -203, 15) Jamie McMurray -208, 16) Joey Logano -210, 17) Tony Stewart -214, 18) Aric Almirola -247, 19) Paul Menard -249, 20) Ricky Stenhouse, Jr. -277.
Owner Point Standings (11-20): t-11) 14- Stewart-Haas Racing -185, t-11) 78- Furniture Row Racing -185, 13) 5- Hendrick Motorsports -186, 14) 24- Hendrick Motorsports -198, 15) 39- Stewart-Haas Racing -203, 16) 1- Earnhardt Ganassi Racing -208, 17) 22- Penske Racing -210, 18) 55- Michael Waltrip Racing -229, 19) 43- Richard Petty Motorsports -247, 20) 27- Richard Childress Racing -249
Driver Wild Cards: 1) Kasey Kahne (12th in points, two wins), 2) Ryan Newman (14th in points, one win)
Owner Wild Cards: 1) 5- Hendrick Motorsports (13th in points, two wins), 2) 14- Stewart-Haas Racing (11th in points, one win)
Currently Ineligible for Wild Card: 1) Tony Stewart (17th in points, one win), 2) David Ragan (26th in points, one win)
Race Winners: Jimmie Johnson (Daytona-1, Martinsville, Pocono, Daytona-2), Carl Edwards (Phoenix), Matt Kenseth (Las Vegas, Kansas, Darlington, Kentucky), Kasey Kahne (Bristol, Pocono-2), Kyle Busch (Auto Club, Texas, Watkins Glen), Kevin Harvick (Richmond, Charlotte), David Ragan (Talladega), Tony Stewart (Dover), Greg Biffle (Michigan), Martin Truex, Jr. (Sonoma), Brian Vickers (Loudon), Ryan Newman (Indianapolis)
Phil Allaway is the Newsletter Manager and a Senior Writer for Frontstretch. He can be reached via e-mail at phil.allaway@frontstretch.com. Follow him on Twitter at @Critic84.
Never Fear, The Underdogs Are Here: Watkins Glen Edition
by Amy Henderson
Editor's Note: This year, we're going to switch things up a little bit. Instead of just focusing upon one underdog (or underreported) car in the Secret Star section, we will point out three smaller teams that put up good finishes each week.
Underdog Selection No. 1: AJ Allmendinger for JTG-Daugherty Racing; started 4th, finished 10th
Give this driver credit where it's due: Allmendinger can get it done on a road course. It was no fluke that he dominated at Road America in a Nationwide car and this week, he turned some bad luck into a top 10 and made it look easy. He didn't have a top-5 car. He didn't even really have a top-10 car, truth be told. He fell off the pace at one point, got penalized by NASCAR for pitting before pit road was open, and still raced to a tenth-place finish, getting by a few cars in the closing laps to seal the deal.
While changing drivers isn't going to solve JTG-Daugherty Racing's problems overnight, Allmendinger wouldn't be a bad choice for the team for 2014. He's not going to work miracles; bear in mind that road courses are one type of track that can equalize the field through strategy, and the team doesn't have the power or setup savvy to be a top-20 team consistently…and a different driver isn't going to change that.
Underdog Selection No. 2: Casey Mears for Germain Racing; started 30th, finished 12th
This team probably had the Glen circled in red on the calendar, because not only are road courses an equalized for the smaller teams, but they have an excellent, underrated road racer in Casey Mears. This weekend was no exception as Mears put the car in the top 5 in the first practice on Friday. There was a hiccup in qualifying as the No. 13 started 30th, but by the end of the day, Mears was running with some of the best cars on the track and was looking at a top 10. He lost a couple of spots on the final restart, but was still able to come home 12th.
As they get more funding and experience, this team is really starting to gel. Remember, Germain racing has two championships in the Camping World Truck Series—they know how to produce results. They've learned in the Cup Series that knowledge can't get it done without money, but they've slowly gotten more sponsorship from Geico and, while they aren't yet able to be consistently competitive on the intermediates, they've shown some chops at a lot of different tracks this year. This is a team to watch in the next couple of years—with the right backing, they could become a success story similar to Furniture Row Racing.
Underdog Selection No. 3: Landon Cassill for Circle Sport; started 41st, finished 28th
No, Cassill's finish wasn't as high as a few other underdogs this week, but it was impressive just the same. Circle Sport added a second car this summer, a huge endeavor for a struggling team, but a potentially valuable one in terms of gleaning information. Cassill was moved to that car in order to help move the effort forward, and he hasn't missed a beat. He's performing admirably considering the team's lack of resources, and a 28th-place finish is very solid for this group.
Add to that that Cassill's Circle Sport teammate-of-the-week, Ron Fellows, caused a wreck that ended up damaging Cassill's No. 40 as well as the No. 33, and Cassill's finish is even more impressive. His team was able to fix the car and from there, Cassill was able to keep it on the lead lap. On a week where some of the sport's best struggled mightily, this little team quietly overcame adversity and put themselves in a decent position at the end of the day. You can't ask for more than that.
Underdog Pick of the Week- Michigan II: Bobby Labonte for JTG-Daugherty Racing
In this section, I'll give you my pick among the small teams to have a strong run in the upcoming race.
Last week's pick, Casey Mears, finished 12th, good for second-best among this group of drivers. I was so close to a winning streak, too. But to my credit, I have to make these picks without seeing an entry list, and had I know AJ Allmendinger was in the 47, I'd have taken him, so---hindsight, at least, is still 20/20.
But now it's time to move on to Michigan, a track that's never easy on an underfunded team. I'm going out on a bit of a limb here, because I haven't seen him confirmed in the No. 47 yet. However, with an average finish of 17.7 and three wins, Labonte isn't a difficult choice for the 2-mile track. If the team can put the right car under him, Labonte can grab a top-20, and that's what this team needs right now. Sure, the top 10 at the Glen was nice, but that's not a realistic expectation for a big intermediate track right now. Labonte finished 16th for this team at MIS in May of 2012, and a repeat of that would be an excellent weekend for the team.
Is your favorite driver among NASCAR's underdogs? Are you frustrated with the lack of coverage they receive during the race broadcasts? Amy has all the small teams covered each and every week in The Big Six. Be sure to check it out to see how your favorites fared!
Amy Henderson is a Co-Managing Editor and a Senior Writer for Frontstretch. She can be reached via e-mail at amy.henderson@frontstretch.com. Follow her on Twitter at @Writer_Amy.
~~~~~~~~~~
Letter of the Race: Sunday's Cheez-It 355 At The Glen was brought to you by the Letter T for "Track Position." On a road course, track position is everything. When Marcos Ambrose was out front, no one could touch him. However, after the caution came with 32 laps to go for Aric Almirola's crash, Ambrose was simply not the same. Ultimately, the track bar issues probably would have ended his day anyway, Ambrose's day was sentenced to be unsatisfying the moment that his teammate's tire blew out. - Phil Allaway
~~~~~~~~~~
Sidebar Watkins Glen Stories
by Summer Bedgood
Max Papis Finishes 15th While Filling In for Tony Stewart
Filling in for the injured Tony Stewart in last weekend's race at Watkins Glen International, Max Papis was expected to take his road course racing prowess to Stewart Haas Racing. Papis did not disappoint. He finished 15th in a race and weekend filled with parity for the Italian driver.
After qualifying in the 29th position, Papis had contact with both Greg Biffle and Marcos Ambrose throughout the course of the race.
"I drove the wheels off this and am super proud of keeping the seat of 'Smoke' as warm as I could,'' Papis said. "I felt I did a pretty good job and I'm proud of myself.''
A driver has not been named to replace Stewart beyond Watkins Glen, though speculation ranges from driver Scott Riggs to Nationwide Series standout Austin Dillon.
Jimmie Johnson Clinches Chase Spot
Though Jimmie Johnson did not play much of a role in the race at Watkins Glen, he finished well enough to earn himself a spot in the Chase for the Sprint Cup, four races before the cutoff at Richmond. Though Johnson technically only clinched a wild card spot rather than a points paying position, it's one less thing for the team to worry about heading into Michigan.
Johnson currently holds a 75 point lead over second-place Clint Bowyer, and is tied for the most wins this season with Joe Gibbs Racing driver Matt Kenseth.
Even with the guaranteed spot, Johnson's mind was still on the most recent race.
"Man I passed a lot of cars today," Johnson tweeted. "Eighth isn't bad, but I feel we could have been better. That caution for the 43 killed our track position."
The eighth-place finish was Johnson's 15th top 10 in 22 races this year.
Martin Truex Jr. Top Three in Both Road Races, Back in Top-10
Most people probably didn't see Martin Truex, Jr. as a road course ringer prior to 2013, but he has done quite a bit to change those perceptions this season.
Earlier this year, Truex broke a nearly six year winless streak at Sonoma Raceway leading 51 of the race's 110 laps. Not only did it get Truex back into Victory Lane, but it gave Truex a better chance at making the Chase, giving him that much needed win for a wild card spot.
If anyone thought the road course win was a fluke, Truex proved them wrong last Sunday at Watkins Glen. Though Truex didn't lead a single lap all day, he was able to finish third and almost clipped Keselowski for second at the finish line.
The finish bumped Truex up four spots in the standings to tenth, just two points ahead of 11th-place Kurt Busch.
Letter of the Race: Sunday's Cheez-It 355 At The Glen was brought to you by the Letter T for "Track Position." On a road course, track position is everything. When Marcos Ambrose was out front, no one could touch him. However, after the caution came with 32 laps to go for Aric Almirola's crash, Ambrose was simply not the same. Ultimately, the track bar issues probably would have ended his day anyway, Ambrose's day was sentenced to be unsatisfying the moment that his teammate's tire blew out. - Phil Allaway
~~~~~~~~~~
Sidebar Watkins Glen Stories
by Summer Bedgood
Max Papis Finishes 15th While Filling In for Tony Stewart
Filling in for the injured Tony Stewart in last weekend's race at Watkins Glen International, Max Papis was expected to take his road course racing prowess to Stewart Haas Racing. Papis did not disappoint. He finished 15th in a race and weekend filled with parity for the Italian driver.
After qualifying in the 29th position, Papis had contact with both Greg Biffle and Marcos Ambrose throughout the course of the race.
"I drove the wheels off this and am super proud of keeping the seat of 'Smoke' as warm as I could,'' Papis said. "I felt I did a pretty good job and I'm proud of myself.''
A driver has not been named to replace Stewart beyond Watkins Glen, though speculation ranges from driver Scott Riggs to Nationwide Series standout Austin Dillon.
Jimmie Johnson Clinches Chase Spot
Though Jimmie Johnson did not play much of a role in the race at Watkins Glen, he finished well enough to earn himself a spot in the Chase for the Sprint Cup, four races before the cutoff at Richmond. Though Johnson technically only clinched a wild card spot rather than a points paying position, it's one less thing for the team to worry about heading into Michigan.
Johnson currently holds a 75 point lead over second-place Clint Bowyer, and is tied for the most wins this season with Joe Gibbs Racing driver Matt Kenseth.
Even with the guaranteed spot, Johnson's mind was still on the most recent race.
"Man I passed a lot of cars today," Johnson tweeted. "Eighth isn't bad, but I feel we could have been better. That caution for the 43 killed our track position."
The eighth-place finish was Johnson's 15th top 10 in 22 races this year.
Martin Truex Jr. Top Three in Both Road Races, Back in Top-10
Most people probably didn't see Martin Truex, Jr. as a road course ringer prior to 2013, but he has done quite a bit to change those perceptions this season.
Earlier this year, Truex broke a nearly six year winless streak at Sonoma Raceway leading 51 of the race's 110 laps. Not only did it get Truex back into Victory Lane, but it gave Truex a better chance at making the Chase, giving him that much needed win for a wild card spot.
If anyone thought the road course win was a fluke, Truex proved them wrong last Sunday at Watkins Glen. Though Truex didn't lead a single lap all day, he was able to finish third and almost clipped Keselowski for second at the finish line.
The finish bumped Truex up four spots in the standings to tenth, just two points ahead of 11th-place Kurt Busch.
Summer Bedgood is a Senior Writer for Frontstretch. She can be reached via e-mail at summer.bedgood@frontstretch.com. Follow her on Twitter at @SummerBedgood.
Quotes to Remember: Cheez-It 355 At The Glen
compiled by Summer Bedgood
"We were strong, but we just weren't quite strong enough. We were definitely really close and we've been close over the last three years, but just came up a little bit short on the last lap on all three of them. That stinks, but that's racing. We had a shot at it. I was gonna have to wreck him to really get it and I didn't want to do that. I thought I could cross him over here on the last corner and the car just slid the back end a little too much and I just couldn't quite pull off the move. It was still a great run for the Miller Lite Ford Fusion. It was just a really fast car and a solid weekend." - Brad Keselowski, finished second
"I wish we raced here more than once a year. This is a lot of fun. It's a great race track. I pushed Brad the restart before that because I couldn't get to the inside of him, but that restart a hole opened up and I went to the inside. In hindsight, if I had known we were gonna finish fourth I'd have rather pushed a Ford up there to try to beat Kyle, but it was still a great race and a lot of fun. I love racing here. Kyle and Brad put on a heckuva show. That was neat to watch." - Carl Edwards, finished fourth
"It was fun it's just not enough laps. It's hard to pass. These cars, you know, guys that run up front are pretty good here. Our Target Chevy was really good all day. To be honest with you we didn't think we could make it in two (pit stops) all weekend. We got so many cautions and I felt, you know they told me to save and I started saving a ton of gas and even saving gas we were pretty good." - Juan Pablo Montoya, finished fifth
"Anytime you come to a road course, you never know what's gonna happen and obviously there are a lot more guys out there that had really fast race cars and got wrecked, so survival is always key to get through these things. Our Shell/Pennzoil Ford was about where we finished. I felt like our strategy worked out decent. It wasn't stellar, but we didn't catch the cautions perfectly as some guys did. I could have done a little better job on the restarts earlier in the race, but, overall, seventh out of a kind of crapshoot of a race track, you never know what's gonna happen, so to get seventh and have a solid points day was important for our goal of getting in the Chase. We'll take this and try to win at Michigan. We had a really fast car at Michigan the last time and I really want to win there. I feel like if we can get a win, we have a really good shot at getting in this Chase. If not, we did make up some valuable points today." - Joey Logano, finished seventh
"It wasn't one of my best efforts. I felt like I was just off rhythm but the team did their job and we had great execution on pit strategy and we were able to gain some track position then. Everybody it seems like is fast. I think there is a group of us though in the top 10 that broke away most of the day. We were right on the tail end of that group. So I got up as high as fifth and I just couldn't clear (Clint) Bowyer. I think if I could have cleared Bowyer I would have hung on to a top five, but we just got out muscled at the end. I wasn't quite on my 'A' game today." - Kurt Busch, finished ninth
"It was a good day for us. I think after the qualifying effort we had, we had an issue with the brakes unfortunately and to be able to rebound like that and have a good day I was pretty happy. We didn't quite have the speed that we needed to really run inside eighth or so, but we werea able to hang on and have a good finish there and stay out of the mess. It worked out well for us." - Casey Mears, finished 12th
"I felt that we were definitely in bound to have a top 10 finish. Really glad that Greg Biffle came over and apologized when he turned me around he said it was totally his mistake. I think that really cost us a solid top 10. Beside this I drove the wheels off the car every lap. Super proud of keeping the seat of Smoke (Tony Stewart) as warm as I could. I felt I did a pretty good job and I'm proud of myself." - Max Papis, finished 15th
"Yeah and I think at the end of the day there was a lot going on especially at the end. Really just trying to finish and really just trying to not get frustrated no matter what is going on out there and just taking what the car will give you. So I just tried to stay calm and stay focused on not making any mistakes. It was really easy to make mistakes out there and we worked on the car and I feel like we have a direction for next time. I'm not sure. We didn't nail it today that is for sure, but I think we made gains for sure from the beginning of practice until the end of the race. It's just a matter of using that for next time and getting better." - Danica Patrick, finished 20th
"I'm fine. The No. 18 was going after the No. 9 and tried to wreck the No. 9 and ended up hitting the No. 5, not the No. 18, but the No. 20. The No. 20 was going after the No. 9 and missed him or got him a little bit. I don't know if the No. 9 ended up wrecking or not, but ended up knocking the No. 5 out of the race and knocked ourselves out of the race and a couple of other guys." - Dale Earnhardt Jr., finished 30th
"I'm just really disappointed for my Stanley team. Something was wrong with the car there and I just couldn't get going. I could feel on the roll-around lap that something had broken, but I just feel bad for the guys who got caught up in all that mess. That's not the way we wanted our day to finish, but thank you to Stanley and Ford and everybody at Richard Petty Motorsports for giving me a good shot to win today. We had a very fast car, but it just wasn't our day." - Marcos Ambrose, finished 31st (Crashed Out)
"I'm fine. I thought we had a pretty good Farmers Insurance Chevy. I was trying to just get through there. There were some openings there. I'm not sure what happened. I know I got hit in the left-rear. I know the No. 9 was there and the No. 20. I don't know how it all happened because I haven't seen it. I felt like I was kind of over on my side of the road, but I would have to see it to know for sure." - Kasey Kahne, finished 34th
While standing outside of the Infield Care Center early on: "It's unfortunate. I had a big run on the No. 11 and I got up on him and the nose just completely took off and put me in the wall. We'll get it fixed and go out there and ride around. That's the penalty for making a mistake like that, you have to drive something like I'm getting ready to drive out there all days and we pay the price in points. It's on to next week." - Jeff Gordon, finished 36th
"We just blew a right-front tire. A few laps before that, the car in front of me ran off the road and kicked up some grass and I think some grass got on the grille and our brakes probably got hot and probably just melted a bead. We were getting ready to pit that lap. That's the unfortunate part. We had every intention of coming to pit road and the right-front tire blew. There's not much we can do about that. Our Smithfield Ford Fusion was pretty good. We were making some solid gains on it. We were definitely gonna have a top-15 day with the pit strategy Todd [Parrott] was getting ready to work out, but, unfortunately, that's how it goes and we'll go get 'em at Michigan." - Aric Almirola, finished 37th (Crashed Out)
"We were just biding our time. Our goal in that first run was to just save fuel and open up our window to make sure we could do it in two spots, so I just found my home there in 12th or 13th and was just trying to save fuel and conserve a little bit. As I came down pit road for that first stop the track bar mount broke and the rear end basically without that track bar mount just flip-flops around, so I just tried to nurse it back to the garage. Hopefully we can fix it and salvage some points, but we had a fast Dockside Logistics Ford today. We qualified in the top 15 and was racing in the top 15. I think we would have had a shot at a top-10. Who knows, with some adjustments maybe a little bit better, but we definitely weren't in the way today. It's unfortunate because we had high hopes, but this is part of what happens when you race – things break." - Michael McDowell, finished 38th
~~~~~~~~~~
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 ON THE FRONTSTRETCH:
Pace Laps: Gordon's Great Mistake, Penske's Rise To Power And Helio's Hard Hit
by the Frontstretch Staff
The Big Six: Questions Answered After The Cheez-It 355 At The Glen
by Amy Henderson
Turning Back The Clock Towards Maturity
by Summer Bedgood
by Amy Henderson
Turning Back The Clock Towards Maturity
by Summer Bedgood
by Phil Allaway
~~~~~~~~~~~
FRONTSTRETCH TRIVIA:
FRONTSTRETCH TRIVIA:
Q: Johnny Benson's Busch Grand National debut came at Michigan in the 1993 Detroit Gasket 200. It did not last long before he spun, blew over and rolled his Delco Remy Chevrolet. Where did that car end up afterwards?
Check back Tuesday for the answer, here in the Frontstretch Newsletter!
Friday's Answer:
Q: In 2000, Jeff Gordon and Tony Stewart exchanged angry words following the Global Crossing @ the Glen. What happened to get the two racers so riled up?
A: On the second lap of the race, Gordon and Stewart were racing hard for the position through the Esses. Entering Turn 3, the two had contact for the second time in the lap. Gordon ended up hitting the wall on corner exit. The contact can be seen here.
Gordon, who was going for his seventh consecutive road course victory (and fourth straight at Watkins Glen) was forced to pit for repairs and ended up finishing 22nd. Afterwards, the argument (and near fight) was on in the garage.
Frontstretch Trivia Guarantee: Take 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 Tuesday in the Frontstretch Newsletter:
-- Top News by Tom Bowles
-- Fan's View Commentary by S.D. Grady
-- Numbers Game: Cheez-It 355 at the Glen by Tom Bowles
-- Links to your favorite Frontstretch articles, and more!
Tomorrow on the Frontstretch:
Coming Tuesday in the Frontstretch Newsletter:
-- Top News by Tom Bowles
-- Fan's View Commentary by S.D. Grady
-- Numbers Game: Cheez-It 355 at the Glen by Tom Bowles
-- Links to your favorite Frontstretch articles, and more!
Tomorrow on the Frontstretch:
Five Points To Ponder by Danny Peters
Danny returns for his weekly edition of talking points, which will wrap up the action at Watkins Glen and get us ready for Michigan.
Who's Hot / Who's Not in Sprint Cup: Watkins Glen-Michigan Edition by Brad Morgan
Brad gives up something to look forward to going into Michigan. He's tracking the trends of the past few weeks to see which drivers are on a tear... or tearing their hair out.
Racing To The Point by Brett Poirier
Brett is back with another commentary to make you think. This week, he touches on Denny Hamlin's confidence level after the driver is suffering through the worst stretch of his career.
Going By The Numbers by Kevin Rutherford
Kevin enlightens us with his weekly statistics column based on trends we've been seeing in the Cup Series so far this season.
Brad gives up something to look forward to going into Michigan. He's tracking the trends of the past few weeks to see which drivers are on a tear... or tearing their hair out.
Racing To The Point by Brett Poirier
Brett is back with another commentary to make you think. This week, he touches on Denny Hamlin's confidence level after the driver is suffering through the worst stretch of his career.
Going By The Numbers by Kevin Rutherford
Kevin enlightens us with his weekly statistics column based on trends we've been seeing in the Cup Series so far this season.
-----------------------------
Talk back to the Frontstretch Newsletter!
Got something to say about an article you've seen in the newsletter? It's as easy as replying directly to this message or sending an email to editors@frontstretch.com. We'll take the best comments and publish them here!
©2013 Frontstretch.com
Talk back to the Frontstretch Newsletter!
Got something to say about an article you've seen in the newsletter? It's as easy as replying directly to this message or sending an email to editors@frontstretch.com. We'll take the best comments and publish them here!
©2013 Frontstretch.com
--
Feel free to forward this newsletter if you have any friends who loves
NASCAR and great NASCAR commentary. They can subscribe to the Frontstetch by visiting http://www.frontstretch.com/notice/9557/.
If you want to stop your Frontstretch Newsletter subscription, we're sorry
to see you go. Just send an email to
TheFrontstretch+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com from the address that you
recieve the Frontstretch Newsletter.
---
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "The Frontstretch" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to thefrontstretch+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com.
For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/groups/opt_out.
No comments:
Post a Comment