THE FRONTSTRETCH NEWSLETTER
Tony Stewart will officially sit out for the rest of the 2013 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season in order to heal from a broken right tibia and fibula sustained in a sprint car crash earlier this month.
"We expect a full recovery by Daytona or close to it," explained Competition Director Greg Zipadelli in a Monday press conference. "You know, it may be able to be done earlier, it's just not worth it. It's a bad break to the leg, and he needs time to go through the process of healing, rehabilitation, all those things."
Meanwhile, Mark Martin will fill in for Stewart in every race the rest of the year except for Talladega, where Austin Dillon will take over. Dillon drove the No. 14 last weekend in Michigan, finishing 14th and on the lead lap despite being involved in the third caution and suffering a pit road speeding penalty.
Martin was released from his driving duties for the No. 55 car at Michael Waltrip Racing in order to drive for SHR. The 54-year-old veteran, excited for the opportunity was surprised how things were able to come together quickly.
"I feel kind of amazed that we were able to get this done, but we were able to get it done," he said. "Aaron's agreed to it. The folks from Toyota agreed to it. They are very intense racers, but they all saw the value in a win-win-win situation, and everyone respects Tony and wanted to be able to help out."
Martin will now try and compete for an owners' championship in the No. 14 car, which remains just ten points outside of a Chase position. In his place, Brian Vickers, who will drive the No. 55 car full-time in 2014, will finish out the rest of the year for MWR in every race except for Talladega. Michael Waltrip is scheduled to drive the car in the Oct. 20th event.
Stewart is expected to return to competition during preseason testing in January 2014.
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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ADVERTISEMENT
Race fans, do you love Frontstretch.com's coverage of NASCAR's top 3 series, IndyCar, Formula One and Short Track Racing? Do you want to read even more about your favorite sport? Then check out the industry's newest racing publication, Motorsport Illustrated News!, which is available both in print and in digital format! As one of our loyal readers, you'll receive 15% off any subscription when you use the coupon code fs2013.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Numbers Game: Pure Michigan 400
by Tom Bowles
0
3
115
154
$108,135
Tom Bowles is the Editor-In-Chief of Frontstretch. He can be reached via e-mail at tom.bowles@frontstretch.com.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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:
Racing to the Point: Penske's Risks Come With Big Rewards
Frontstretch Trivia Guarantee: If we mess up, you get the shirt off our backs! If we've provided an incorrect answer to the Frontstretch Trivia question, be the first to email the corrected trivia answer to trivia@frontstretch.com and we'll send you a Frontstretch T-Shirt ... FREE!
Coming tomorrow in the Frontstretch Newsletter:
-- Top News from Tom Bowles
-- WTF Wednesday by Ellen Richardson
Presented by Frontstretch.com
The Best Seat at the Track, The Best View on the Net!
August 20th, 2013
Volume VII, Edition CLV
The Best Seat at the Track, The Best View on the Net!
August 20th, 2013
Volume VII, Edition CLV
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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Top News
by Summer Bedgood and Tom Bowles
Stewart Out For Remainder of 2013, Martin To Fill-in While Vickers Takes Over No. 55Tony Stewart will officially sit out for the rest of the 2013 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season in order to heal from a broken right tibia and fibula sustained in a sprint car crash earlier this month.
"We expect a full recovery by Daytona or close to it," explained Competition Director Greg Zipadelli in a Monday press conference. "You know, it may be able to be done earlier, it's just not worth it. It's a bad break to the leg, and he needs time to go through the process of healing, rehabilitation, all those things."
Meanwhile, Mark Martin will fill in for Stewart in every race the rest of the year except for Talladega, where Austin Dillon will take over. Dillon drove the No. 14 last weekend in Michigan, finishing 14th and on the lead lap despite being involved in the third caution and suffering a pit road speeding penalty.
Martin was released from his driving duties for the No. 55 car at Michael Waltrip Racing in order to drive for SHR. The 54-year-old veteran, excited for the opportunity was surprised how things were able to come together quickly.
"I feel kind of amazed that we were able to get this done, but we were able to get it done," he said. "Aaron's agreed to it. The folks from Toyota agreed to it. They are very intense racers, but they all saw the value in a win-win-win situation, and everyone respects Tony and wanted to be able to help out."
Martin will now try and compete for an owners' championship in the No. 14 car, which remains just ten points outside of a Chase position. In his place, Brian Vickers, who will drive the No. 55 car full-time in 2014, will finish out the rest of the year for MWR in every race except for Talladega. Michael Waltrip is scheduled to drive the car in the Oct. 20th event.
Stewart is expected to return to competition during preseason testing in January 2014.
Ty Dillon To Nationwide Series Next Season
One of the Truck Series' leading title contenders will be moving up in 2014. Ty Dillon, fourth in the championship will run full-time in Austin Dillon's No. 3 next season. An eight-race deal with Yuengling Lager was announced this week, with future sponsors TBD as the younger brother of Austin looks to step up a level in his NASCAR development.
No plans were given for Austin, but it's widely assumed he'll move up to the Sprint Cup Series in 2014, in a renumbered 3 car replacing Kevin Harvick. Harvick will move to Stewart-Haas Racing next season, driving a No. 4 Chevy with sponsorship from Budweiser.
News 'N' Notes
- Eric McClure, diagnosed with acute renal failure last week continues to be hospitalized. The Nationwide Series regular will give up his seat in the No. 14 Chevy to Jeff Green once again this week; future plans have not been determined. In a statement, McClure said his status was week-to-week while thanking fans, other drivers, and crew members for their support.
- Ratings for Michigan were on the decline, a common theme for NASCAR this season. The 3.0 Nielsen overnight for Sunday's even was off 6 percent from last season's 3.2. So far this season, three of the sport's four Cup races covered on ESPN have suffered through decreases in viewership.
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
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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!
~~~~~~~~~~
Today's Featured Commentary
Who's In and Who's Out?
Sitting In The Stands: A Fan's View
by S.D. Grady
Whether we like the Chase or not, if you watch NASCAR, it remains the elephant in the living room. With only three races left in the regular season, who will earn their spot in the Top 12 and the chance to win the Sprint Cup in 2013? There are a few drivers right now that are bygone conclusions, but only a few. Jimmie Johnson, Clint Bowyer, Carl Edwards, Kevin Harvick, Matt Kenseth and Kyle Busch can be considered lock-ins, either by the number of wins they've accrued or simply by the fact they haven't wavered in their excellence all season. But that's only six.
Four more slots are left to be filled in the Top 10, and just two more for the wildcards. Who is going to make it and who won't? Two weeks ago I was flying high on Jeff Gordon's sudden resumption of his typical Top 10 self, only to be crushed by a wreck at The Glen and a simply mediocre showing in Michigan. My confidence in his inclusion in the Chase is wavering. So quickly fate can snatch Chase glory from the hands of a deserving competitor. However, if only two races can drop him from 9th to 14th, three good finishes combined with misfortune for others could tip the scales back in his favor.
But so it goes for the four-time champion, so it easily could be true for all the others currently sitting in the 7th-15th positions in the standings.
Dale Earnhardt, Jr. has danced in the top 5 of the points all season long, looking smart and at the same time not quite logging the Top 10's needed to nail down a spot in the Chase. While Atlanta and Richmond are Jr.'s kind of tracks, he's got to fight to stay ahead of a very determined Brad Keselowski. The Blue Deuce showed us last year he needs something to yank his chain a bit (destroyed ankle) to focus that killer competitive spirit. If the cell phone stays out of sight and Brad pays attention to the road, he should stay in the Top 10.
Nipping at the current champion's heel is none other than the one we all love to hate: Kurt Busch. Damn, that No. 78 has been looking might fine of late. While the start of the season was a little shaky, the last ten races have shown us a team that is able to finish what they start. At the same time, all it takes for the elder Busch to ruin a really good run is to let his temper get the better of him. Since we're heading off to Bristol, the chances this could happen increase exponentially with the close quarters. And without that precious win, if he trips himself up, he won't be eligible for a wild card spot. If there was ever a moment in Busch's career he needed to embrace his inner calm, now would be the time.
Sitting currently in tenth, we have the serene Greg Biffle and his No. 16 Ford. In? Out? In his case, I have to say it entirely depends on just how well Kasey Kahne and Martin Truex, Jr. perform in these final races.
The No. 5 machine has been looking a lot like a championship team this year. A lot. Why he isn't right behind Johnson at the very top has more to do with bad luck than bad timing or missed setups. If Kasey puts the bad mojo behind him, he'll easily push Biffle out of the safety zone. Truex Jr. on the other hand, should be looked upon as possibly Biffle's greatest competition. Both the No. 16 and the No. 56 remain strong and steady. Both have wins to help them snare the wildcard. Both could slip and watch the less consistent Logano, Gordon or even Newman suddenly arrive with a bang and pop.
If I was gambling girl, this would not be a good time to be putting money down on any of the above teams. Too much is happening, too quickly. It's entirely within the realm of possibility for the earth to open up and eat Earnhardt, Keselowski and Busch. It takes nothing more than a poorly timed collision at the beginning of this week's Irwin Tool Night Race and half of the eight drivers are sitting on the other side of the Top 10.
It is moments like this, when we discover that not only do we have more than one team capable of fighting for the Cup, but half of the field ready to run for the Chase, it is realized we've got a closely competitive sport. So often we complain of the dominance of various drivers and stables. But it is not only Hendrick aiming for the stars, just now. Gibbs, SHR, Roush and Penske all have their fingers in the pie.
And that is awesome.
Maybe I've never been totally sold on the Chase format, but I do have to admit that right now we've got a hell of a post-season shaping up. For this NASCAR girl, that is never a bad thing.
Kyle Larson Stat
Series: Nationwide
Track: Mid-Ohio
Car: No. 32 McDonald's Chevrolet
Qualified: 4th
Finished: 14th (lead lap)
Points Standings: 9th
Whether we like the Chase or not, if you watch NASCAR, it remains the elephant in the living room. With only three races left in the regular season, who will earn their spot in the Top 12 and the chance to win the Sprint Cup in 2013? There are a few drivers right now that are bygone conclusions, but only a few. Jimmie Johnson, Clint Bowyer, Carl Edwards, Kevin Harvick, Matt Kenseth and Kyle Busch can be considered lock-ins, either by the number of wins they've accrued or simply by the fact they haven't wavered in their excellence all season. But that's only six.
Four more slots are left to be filled in the Top 10, and just two more for the wildcards. Who is going to make it and who won't? Two weeks ago I was flying high on Jeff Gordon's sudden resumption of his typical Top 10 self, only to be crushed by a wreck at The Glen and a simply mediocre showing in Michigan. My confidence in his inclusion in the Chase is wavering. So quickly fate can snatch Chase glory from the hands of a deserving competitor. However, if only two races can drop him from 9th to 14th, three good finishes combined with misfortune for others could tip the scales back in his favor.
But so it goes for the four-time champion, so it easily could be true for all the others currently sitting in the 7th-15th positions in the standings.
Dale Earnhardt, Jr. has danced in the top 5 of the points all season long, looking smart and at the same time not quite logging the Top 10's needed to nail down a spot in the Chase. While Atlanta and Richmond are Jr.'s kind of tracks, he's got to fight to stay ahead of a very determined Brad Keselowski. The Blue Deuce showed us last year he needs something to yank his chain a bit (destroyed ankle) to focus that killer competitive spirit. If the cell phone stays out of sight and Brad pays attention to the road, he should stay in the Top 10.
Nipping at the current champion's heel is none other than the one we all love to hate: Kurt Busch. Damn, that No. 78 has been looking might fine of late. While the start of the season was a little shaky, the last ten races have shown us a team that is able to finish what they start. At the same time, all it takes for the elder Busch to ruin a really good run is to let his temper get the better of him. Since we're heading off to Bristol, the chances this could happen increase exponentially with the close quarters. And without that precious win, if he trips himself up, he won't be eligible for a wild card spot. If there was ever a moment in Busch's career he needed to embrace his inner calm, now would be the time.
Sitting currently in tenth, we have the serene Greg Biffle and his No. 16 Ford. In? Out? In his case, I have to say it entirely depends on just how well Kasey Kahne and Martin Truex, Jr. perform in these final races.
The No. 5 machine has been looking a lot like a championship team this year. A lot. Why he isn't right behind Johnson at the very top has more to do with bad luck than bad timing or missed setups. If Kasey puts the bad mojo behind him, he'll easily push Biffle out of the safety zone. Truex Jr. on the other hand, should be looked upon as possibly Biffle's greatest competition. Both the No. 16 and the No. 56 remain strong and steady. Both have wins to help them snare the wildcard. Both could slip and watch the less consistent Logano, Gordon or even Newman suddenly arrive with a bang and pop.
If I was gambling girl, this would not be a good time to be putting money down on any of the above teams. Too much is happening, too quickly. It's entirely within the realm of possibility for the earth to open up and eat Earnhardt, Keselowski and Busch. It takes nothing more than a poorly timed collision at the beginning of this week's Irwin Tool Night Race and half of the eight drivers are sitting on the other side of the Top 10.
It is moments like this, when we discover that not only do we have more than one team capable of fighting for the Cup, but half of the field ready to run for the Chase, it is realized we've got a closely competitive sport. So often we complain of the dominance of various drivers and stables. But it is not only Hendrick aiming for the stars, just now. Gibbs, SHR, Roush and Penske all have their fingers in the pie.
And that is awesome.
Maybe I've never been totally sold on the Chase format, but I do have to admit that right now we've got a hell of a post-season shaping up. For this NASCAR girl, that is never a bad thing.
Kyle Larson Stat
Series: Nationwide
Track: Mid-Ohio
Car: No. 32 McDonald's Chevrolet
Qualified: 4th
Finished: 14th (lead lap)
Points Standings: 9th
Want to follow Kyle Larson yourself?
Twitter: @KyleLarsonRacin
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KyleLarsonRacing
Website (under construction): http://kylelarsonracing.com/
Looking for a little history? Try... http://kylelarsonracing.net/
S.D. Grady is a Senior Editor for Frontstretch 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.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
ADVERTISEMENT
Race fans, do you love Frontstretch.com's coverage of NASCAR's top 3 series, IndyCar, Formula One and Short Track Racing? Do you want to read even more about your favorite sport? Then check out the industry's newest racing publication, Motorsport Illustrated News!, which is available both in print and in digital format! As one of our loyal readers, you'll receive 15% off any subscription when you use the coupon code fs2013.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Numbers Game: Pure Michigan 400
by Tom Bowles
0
Wins for Jimmie Johnson in 24 career starts at Michigan. He was in position to break that streak until blowing an engine before the race's halfway mark. Johnson has just four top-5 finishes at Michigan, a career low for any speedway the circuit visits twice a year.
1
1
Lap led by Marcos Ambrose Sunday, who finished a season-best sixth. It was just the second lap he'd led at an oval track in all of 2013.
2
2
Blown engines over the course of 400 miles: Johnson and the Ford of David Gilliland. No Toyotas, who were the source of powerplant problems earlier this year had trouble making the distance. That's important, considering the "home office" has been restoring extra horsepower each week as they build confidence about the longevity of their engines.
3
RCR Chevrolets to finish in the top 8 Sunday. That included a top-5 finish by Paul Menard, his first of the year and just his second since the start of the 2012 season.
4
4
Consecutive top-10 finishes by Joey Logano, including Sunday's victory. That followed back-to-back, 40th-place results at Daytona and Loudon.
5
5
Straight races without a top-10 finish for Earnhardt Ganassi Racing's Jamie McMurray. McMurray was officially retained for 2014 last week while Juan Pablo Montoya was not.
14.5
14.5
Average finish of the No. 14 car in the two races since Tony Stewart got hurt. Max Papis was 15th at the Glen and Austin Dillon was 14th Sunday, fighting back after being a part of one of the race's early cautions.
23
Start with Penske Racing where Joey Logano earned his first win. He entered Victory Lane with his previous team, Joe Gibbs Racing, in his 20th career start.
36.5
36.5
Average finish for Dale Earnhardt, Jr. at Michigan this season, one of his best tracks since moving over to Hendrick Motorsports.
121
121
Winless streak, in starts for Mark Martin. He last scored a Sprint Cup victory in the Fall 2009 race at Chicagoland.
115
Total laps led by Clint Bowyer this season in just three races. 113 of them were at Richmond in the Spring; however, he's remained a solid second in points.
154
Laps led by Kurt Busch in the last five races. However, he failed to win each of them.
$108,135
Money won by Kasey Kahne for finishing seventh.
$125,568
$125,568
Money won by Kyle Busch for spinning twice and running 31st.
Tom Bowles is the Editor-In-Chief of Frontstretch. He can be reached via e-mail at tom.bowles@frontstretch.com.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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:
Racing to the Point: Penske's Risks Come With Big Rewards
by Brad Morgan
by Phil Allaway
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FRONTSTRETCH TRIVIA:
Q: At Bristol, things can happen in a hurry. Early on in the 1993 Bud 500, there was quite the stackup in Turn 1. What happened?
Check back Wednesday for the answer, here in the Frontstretch Newsletter!
Monday's Answer:
Q: Even in the early 1990's, Cup drivers "whacking" the Busch Grand National support races was fairly common. Morgan Shepherd was running very well in the 1992 Food City 250 at Bristol until it all went wrong in Turn 1. What happened?
A: Shepherd was battling Jimmy Spencer for the lead with just over 50 laps to go when the two drivers collided at the start-finish line. Spencer went into the inside wall, while Shepherd slid into the inside wall, then came back up the track and collected Bobby Labonte, who was running third at the time. There was a fire that erupted briefly, but put itself out as Shepherd slid onto the apron. The crash can be seen here.
FRONTSTRETCH TRIVIA:
Q: At Bristol, things can happen in a hurry. Early on in the 1993 Bud 500, there was quite the stackup in Turn 1. What happened?
Check back Wednesday for the answer, here in the Frontstretch Newsletter!
Monday's Answer:
Q: Even in the early 1990's, Cup drivers "whacking" the Busch Grand National support races was fairly common. Morgan Shepherd was running very well in the 1992 Food City 250 at Bristol until it all went wrong in Turn 1. What happened?
A: Shepherd was battling Jimmy Spencer for the lead with just over 50 laps to go when the two drivers collided at the start-finish line. Spencer went into the inside wall, while Shepherd slid into the inside wall, then came back up the track and collected Bobby Labonte, who was running third at the time. There was a fire that erupted briefly, but put itself out as Shepherd slid onto the apron. The crash can be seen here.
Shepherd and Spencer were out on the spot. However, due to sheer attrition, they were credited with 13th and 14th-place finishes. Labonte came out to run a couple of laps at the finish to claim 12th. Shepherd suffered a foot injury in the crash, but still managed to compete in the Cup race the next night and finished three laps down in 13th.
Frontstretch Trivia Guarantee: If we mess up, you get the shirt off our backs! If we've provided an incorrect answer to the Frontstretch Trivia question, be the first to email the corrected trivia answer to trivia@frontstretch.com and we'll send you a Frontstretch T-Shirt ... FREE!
Coming tomorrow in the Frontstretch Newsletter:
-- Top News from Tom Bowles
-- WTF Wednesday by Ellen Richardson
-- Tweet 'N' Greet by Kevin Rutherford
-- Links to your favorite Frontstretch articles, and more!
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Tomorrow on the Frontstretch:
-- Links to your favorite Frontstretch articles, and more!
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Tomorrow on the Frontstretch:
Did You Notice?... by Tom Bowles
Tom has reaction on all the main storylines, a big news week for NASCAR as he talks Tony Stewart, Mark Martin, Brian Vickers, and more.Side-by-Side: Kurt Busch to Stewart-Haas Racing by the Frontstretch Staff
This week, we pose a question about the future of a specific driver. Stewart-Haas Racing has reportedly offered Kurt Busch a contract to drive a fourth car in 2014. Is this a good move for the team? We'll have both sides of the issue for you to devour.
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 an article about the Izod IndyCar Series as the series returns to action this weekend in Sonoma.
NASCAR Power Rankings: Top 15 after Michigan compiled by Michael Mehedin
Jimmie Johnson continues to hold the points lead despite being brought back to earth last weekend. However, did he maintain number one on our power rankings list? Experts you love from across the web, not just Frontstretch rank the drivers heading into Michigan 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.Life At The 55 by Tony Lumbis
As the No. 55 team goes through major transition in the Cup Series, hear what life is like for one of their crew members during NASCAR's busy summer stretch.
-----------------------------Talk back to the Frontstretch Newsletter!
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©2013 Frontstretch.com
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