THE FRONTSTRETCH NEWSLETTER
Presented by Frontstretch.com
The Best Seat at the Track, The Best View on the Net!
September 9th, 2013
Volume VII, Edition CLXVII
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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.
That means the 2013 Chase for the Sprint Cup field includes: Jimmie Johnson, Matt Kenseth, Carl Edwards, Clint Bowyer, Kevin Harvick, Joey Logano, Greg Biffle, Kyle Busch, Dale Earnhardt, Jr., Martin Truex, Jr., Kasey Kahne and Kurt Busch. Kenseth, by virtue of his five wins, will start next weekend's race at Chicagoland Speedway with a three-point lead in the standings. As to whether this order will change, with penalties and/or additional entrants in the field NASCAR maintained Sunday they were reviewing the race "per protocol" and would have no further statement until the process was complete. Expect any penalties or adjustments to be made on Tuesday or Wednesday of this week.
A look at Saturday night's race by the numbers. There were 17 lead changes among nine drivers. Five cautions for 29 laps slowed the race pace down to 105.028 MPH, while the margin of victory was .668 seconds.
The Chase for the Sprint Cup gets underway next Sunday at the Chicagoland Speedway with the running of the GEICO 400. The green flag is scheduled for 2:16 P.M. ET on ESPN.
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: Kenseth Starts Off Chase With Lead, Johnson's Regular Season Advantage Disappears
by Phil Allaway
Going into Saturday night's Federated Auto Parts 400, the only way that Jimmie Johnson wasn't going to lose his points lead was if he actually went out and won the race. He did nearly the complete opposite. Johnson sped on pit road, broke an alternator cable and then hit the wall during a round of green-flag pit stops, winding up 28 laps down in 40th. Under the regular points system, that would have been enough to drop him to second, behind race winner Carl Edwards, who would have jumped up three places to take a one-point lead.
Pre-Reset Point Standings (Top 22): 1) Carl Edwards 842, 2) Jimmie Johnson -1, 3) Clint Bowyer -13, 4) Kevin Harvick -14, 5) Kyle Busch -31, 6) Matt Kenseth -35, 7) Dale Earnhardt, Jr. -61, 8) Kurt Busch -80, 9) Greg Biffle -83, 10) Joey Logano -91, 11) Jeff Gordon -92, t-12) Martin Truex, Jr. -101, t-12) Ryan Newman -101, 14) Kasey Kahne -103, 15) Jamie McMurray -121, 16) Brad Keselowski -122, 17) Paul Menard -144, 18) Aric Almirola -178, 19) Juan Pablo Montoya -186, 20) Ricky Stenhouse, Jr. -198, 21) Marcos Ambrose -204, 22) Jeff Burton -214.
Driver Wild Cards: 1) Kasey Kahne (14th in points, two wins), 2) Martin Truex, Jr. (tied for 12th in points, one win, claimed on tiebreaker over Ryan Newman)
Lost Out On A Wild Card: 1) Ryan Newman (tied for 12th in points, one win), 2) Tony Stewart (23rd in points, one win), 3) David Ragan (25th in points, one win)
Race Winners: Jimmie Johnson (Daytona-1, Martinsville, Pocono, Daytona-2), Carl Edwards (Phoenix, Richmond-2), Matt Kenseth (Las Vegas, Kansas, Darlington, Kentucky, Bristol-2), Kasey Kahne (Bristol, Pocono-2), Kyle Busch (Auto Club, Texas, Watkins Glen, Atlanta), Kevin Harvick (Richmond, Charlotte), David Ragan (Talladega), Tony Stewart (Dover), Greg Biffle (Michigan), Martin Truex, Jr. (Sonoma), Brian Vickers (Loudon), Ryan Newman (Indianapolis), Joey Logano (Michigan-2)
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: Richmond 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 34th, finished 15th
If this week's selections look like a rerun of a week ago, there's a reason for that: these three teams have separated themselves from the rest of the small, underfunded operations. While JTG-Daugherty lags behind both Germain Racing and Front Row Motorsports in both driver and owner points, they've improved in recent weeks, posting three top-15 finishes in a row amid rumors of a manufacturer switch and a new technical alliance for 2014. Those changes, more than the driver switch, are what this team needs to move forward. I admit that Allmendinger has run very well, too (he has a lot to prove and he's driving like it). Add in the energy he's brought to the team, a spark that will stay next season and there finally appears to be some cohesiveness amongst the No. 47 ranks.
Underdog Selection No. 2: David Gilliland for Front Row Motorsports; started 37th, finished 23rd
Gilliland didn't do anything spectacular Saturday night, but he didn't need to. There was enough Chase drama going on around him and this team needs solid, consistent runs, not eye-popping risks. So Gilliland topped his average finish, running inside the top 25 all night and was the best finisher on his team for two weeks in a row. He and David Ragan have been swapping that honor lately, but loose lugnuts meant a return trip to the pits for the No. 34 this week. A mistake-free night for the No. 38 bunch, by comparison again gave them bragging rights at the shop. The improvements at this team might be the most dramatic this year, with a win and a second at Talladega moving them up considerably amongst the underdogs.
Underdog Selection No. 3: Casey Mears for Germain Racing; started 25th, finished 26th
The result was just so-so, but the actual race was a bigger story for Mears and his team. The No. 13 had showed huge improvement (and potential) in the first half of the season, only to stagnate a bit as of late. Still, Mears is best in class in driver points and the team leads the small operations in owner points as well. On Saturday, they were sliding rapidly back to the low 30s on the leaderboard, and at one point, the car was handling so badly that Mears radioed his team, reporting something broken. But instead of just carrying on, like they might have a year ago, the team made changes, got the car faster, and Mears came back to finish 26th. They need to find a way to get back in the top 20, where they are capable of winding up many weeks, but on this one, they passed a fairly major test.
Underdog Pick of the Week - Chicago: Casey Mears for Germain Racing
In this section, I'll give you my pick among the small teams to have a strong run in the upcoming race.
My pick for Richmond was David Ragan, whose night was derailed by a bad pit stop on lap 300 where lugnuts were left loose, forcing Ragan back to pit road. He finished 29th, fourth amongst the underdogs and three laps off the pace.
The series heads to Chicagoland now, where whomever leads this group will do it quietly -- the television broadcast will be focused on the Chase. Mears gets the nod this week because of his team's improved performance on the mile-and-a-half tracks lately and because he does have a Nationwide Series win at the track. The team's improvement could give him a leg up on David Ragan and AJ Allmendinger, both of whom have better average finishes here. But Mears needs a breakout performance… and that also gives him extra incentive.
Are you frustrated with the lack of coverage NASCAR's underdogs 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.
A slew of strange radio transmissions and a conveniently timed spin by Clint Bowyer late in the race has NASCAR taking a second look at Richmond's finish.
Clint Bowyer spun with eight laps remaining in the race, which caused a convenient break for teammate Martin Truex, Jr. Truex was likely to miss the Chase if Ryan Newman won the race, leaving Michael Waltrip Racing with just one driver in the 12-man postseason field. Newman, who was leading at the time, would have two wins to Truex's one and get into the Chase via a "wild card."
Towards the end of the race, Bowyer's spotter Brett Griffin radioed the situation to his driver. Then, Bowyer was asked by crew chief Brian Pattie, "Is your arm starting to hurt?" Pattie then followed that up by saying, "It must be getting hot in there, itch it."
The No. 15 car spun out shortly thereafter.
To add to that weird conversation, Bowyer and Truex's teammate, Brian Vickers, was told to pit under green on the following restart. He responded by saying, "Are you talking to me?"
Norris replied, "You've got to pit this time. We need that one point."
Vickers: "10-4. I got a tire going down."
Vickers did pit and, after the race, asked about the tire. Norris replied by saying, "I'll see you after the race, Brian, I owe you a kiss."
The moves, if intentional produced their desired results. Newman had a terrible pit stop after the caution and did not get the win he needed. Truex, meanwhile finished seventh, which was just enough to sneak on by. Truex and Newman ended up tied on points, but Truex earned the second and final "wild card" by virtue of a tiebreaker.
NASCAR, whose top officials were at Iowa for the Truck race Sunday have since said they are investigating the issue, though no penalties have been issued as of yet.
Carl Edwards Appears to Jump Restart, NASCAR Doesn't React
Though it was overshadowed, eventual race winner Carl Edwards beat leader Paul Menard to the start-finish line on the final restart of the night in Richmond. Just one night after Brad Keselowski endured similar controversy in the Nationwide Series, NASCAR again made a non-call on a restart that seemed to violate their own rules.
Because of the MWR controversy, however, NASCAR never directly responded to this issue. The win gave Edwards three extra bonus points after the Chase reset as the series heads to Chicago.
"What happened on that restart is Paul had two tires," Edwards explained. "I knew he was going to be at a big advantage with grip -- big disadvantage with grip. He took off. I waited until he went to go. As we were going, his car actually touched my door. I think it surprised him a little bit or something. He turned a little bit. I heard his engine speed up. He spun the tires."
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: Federated Auto Parts 400
compiled by Summer Bedgood
"That's my pit crew that won this race for us. It was just an awesome job by them. It's so cool to put Kellogg's in Victory Lane – Kellogg's, Fastenal, Ford, Subway, Aflac, The Geek Squad, UPS, Sprint – all the fans, Wiley X, everybody who has been behind us all year, especially my fans. It was up at the beginning with Jimmy and our new team, then we struggled for a little while, but the last three weeks have been great. We've led a bunch of laps and have had fast race cars and we're having fun. Thanks to Jack Roush. We got Greg Biffle in the Chase. We got Ford to Victory Lane and I've just got to thank New Holland and Cessna also. They give me a lot of support through the year, but this is really cool. I'm sure I haven't won a race here in the Cup car, so it's a big night for us." - Carl Edwards, race winner
"This feels incredible. The way that we worked together as a team and built up over the year, it's amazing that we have come this far and we have put ourselves in position and here we are in the Chase. We didn't win a race yet this year. We still have some work to do to get to that point, but we have a lot of good tools on this team that help us and it's an amazing feeling to go up against these big teams and to put a little lone Chevrolet from Colorado into the Chase against the big boys, it doesn't start with one person. It's a team effort." - Kurt Busch, finished second
"The car was good, no doubt. Matt (Borland, crew chief) and the guys did a good job making it fast. The pit crew left me hanging on that last stop, there is no doubt about that. In the end, I'm proud of the guys; we came from nowhere this year to be in this position. If it wasn't for that last caution, we would be in the Chase." - Ryan Newman, finished third
"We just had a really good long run car. Restarts, especially that last restart on old left-side tires, we had to try something. We weren't going to beat those guys heads up, so we had to try a little strategy. Just couldn't take off very good." - Paul Menard, finished fifth
"We ended up finishing the night decent — we just kind of struggled with the car. We got it a little better some runs and the last couple cautions fell our way and the last restart fell our way. We were in the right lane for once and made up some spots. We finished better than we ran, but we were off a little bit. I feel good going to Chicago — it will be alright." - Matt Kenseth, finished sixth
"I'm speechless — I don't even know what to say. Just so proud of Chad (Johnston, crew chief) and my guys. We were terrible tonight — just terrible, terrible on the long runs. We fought and we fought and we fought just like we did last week. Last week, we were at the tail end of the longest line with 100 (laps) to go and we almost won and finished third and tonight, I don't even know how that happened. [The] Lord was on our side tonight. My guys did a good job and now we can go back and regroup, start back from zero and go get them." - Martin Truex, Jr., finished seventh
"We're really thankful. The NAPA car — there wouldn't be a Michael Waltrip Racing if it weren't for the support of NAPA and Aaron's and 5-Hour ENERGY. To get the NAPA car in and Clint (Bowyer) looked like he had it won and then that went away. Then Martin (Truex, Jr.) looked like he was out. I told anyone that would listen that this day has been the most stressful experience of my life because I knew that there was a real good chance we were going to be very disappointed and we had a car in — that doesn't make any sense. We would have left here bummed if the NAPA car wasn't in. Just to get them both in — it's just really important. We want to establish ourselves as a Chase organization — people that race in the Chase year in and year out. Two in a row is a start — not a streak, but it's a start." - Michael Waltrip, owner of Michael Waltrip Racing
"Yeah, it's disappointing to miss it that close. Another great effort and comeback with our Drive To End Hunger Chevrolet team. Again, we started up front, the car was good, then we got off and had to fight our way back. Got a lap down, had a loose wheel so I love the effort this team put in and didn't need to see that last caution." - Jeff Gordon, finished eighth
"Really proud of all the guys on this Bass Pro Shops/Mobil 1 team. They improved the car throughout the race and made some great calls. We got our first top 10 together. We'll take that and build on it." - Mark Martin, finished ninth
"Well, if the caution doesn't come out I feel like we win the race tonight. The Budweiser Chevrolet was really good and we had made a lot of adjustments tonight. The car was just really loose to start the race and so when you can do things like that, adjust your car and take it from a 25th-place car to a winning car in the same night that's a sign that things are going to be OK. We are as good as we've been over the years; hopefully, we can take our team and get better over the next few weeks and the car was really good tonight. Just really proud of everybody." - Kevin Harvick, finished 11th
"I feel really good right now. I gave up there at the end. Those guys were going crazy. I wish I would have gotten a top-5 finish out of that. I don't even know where I finished. I am happy for Carl and we worked hard all night. We had a great car. I just couldn't get it right getting into one and as the speed started picking up, I started getting worse. I just could never get it right getting into one down there." - Greg Biffle, finished 12th
"I like it when it goes long green runs because I feel like we can take care of our tires. It's a slick old race track, so if you just take care of your car, no matter how bad the car is handling, you can actually be pretty good at the end of a run. I like that; I think that plays into a different style of racing, into other drivers' hands and I think I'm one of them." - Dale Earnhardt, Jr., finished 13th
"We have got to start at the back. We weren't able to race our way in. We just weren't good enough tonight. It's discouraging to not be as fast as we would like to be. I thought we were going to be a lot better than that tonight. We just weren't. We've got five days to think about it and try to put a good plan together and prepare. Hopefully, [in] these final ten [races], we can make some noise. I feel good. I feel like there have been times this season where my team and myself and our whole group, the way we have communicated and worked together, we have been as strong as any car here. We will see if we can do that in the Chase." - Kasey Kahne, finished 14th
"We made it, I guess. Certainly, last week was a lot more promising situation to be going into the Chase than tonight. We've got to look at our program and where we've been — mile-and-a-halves have kind of been our strong suit. You still have those races like Loudon (New Hampshire Motor Speedway) and Martinsville and Phoenix that you have to be good at, too. We'll just have to work, lay all the pieces out and see what needs to be better here with the Monday morning meeting." - Kyle Busch, finished 19th
"Well, we are in. It feels great. Man, what a terrible race, though. We were hanging on the whole time. I didn't know where we were and every time I asked where we stood, they didn't answer me. I thought that wasn't good if they weren't answering me. But it feels good to put one of these Chase hats on and we can regroup and go for a championship now. It feels good. It has been a lot of years I have been trying to get into the Chase. It is a big accomplishment. Once you are in doesn't mean you are done. I want to try to go for it. I have 100 percent confidence in this team to make it happen. We are going to forget about tonight's finish and make the most of this Chase." - Joey Logano, finished 22nd
"First, I have to thank Carl Edwards for winning that race. That made a huge difference there at the end because if Newman would have won, we would have been out. Joey persevered all season and I guess when he had those couple DNF's that tonight was something in our favor. We just thank the Dear Lord and everyone for taking care of us tonight and giving us a safe race. We are in the Chase. That is what we came here for. Now, we start all over again." - Roger Penske, owner of Penske Racing
"Just nothing went our way. We've been fast the last three weeks — led the last three weeks and somehow lost all three of them. It's a shame — it is what it is." - Clint Bowyer, finished 25th
"This is incredibly special for TRD (Toyota Racing Development) and for Toyota. This is the first time that Toyota has put four drivers in the Chase. To consider that one of those four isn't Denny Hamlin is absolutely amazing — it's stunning. We're just incredibly proud of our partners at Joe Gibbs Racing and Michael Waltrip Racing to have two of each speaks to the partnership that we've been working so hard on and it's huge, it really is." - David Wilson, president and general manager of Toyota Racing Development
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TODAY ON THE FRONTSTRETCH:
Q: In 2002, the then-Firestone Indy Racing League was fully entrenched in its pack racing era. The Delphi Indy 300 at Chicagoland Speedway marked a milestone for the series. What was it?
Check back Tuesday for the answer, here in the Frontstretch Newsletter!
Friday's Answer:
Q: The 1999 Exide NASCAR Select Batteries 400 at Richmond is best known as the event in which Tony Stewart picked up his first Winston Cup victory. For past Richmond winner Terry Labonte, though it was a night he'd rather forget. What happened?
-- Presented by Frontstretch.com
The Best Seat at the Track, The Best View on the Net!
September 9th, 2013
Volume VII, Edition CLXVII
~~~~~~~~~
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: Carl Edwards Wins at Richmond, Chase Field Set Amid Controversy
by Justin Tucker
Saturday night's Federated Auto Parts 400 at Richmond International Raceway, the final race of NASCAR's regular season, was filled with something other than drama.
Sprint Cup Race Recap: Carl Edwards Wins at Richmond, Chase Field Set Amid Controversy
by Justin Tucker
Saturday night's Federated Auto Parts 400 at Richmond International Raceway, the final race of NASCAR's regular season, was filled with something other than drama.
What was it? Hard to say... but it sure smells fishy. An intentional spin and a questionable restart, incidents that both helped determine the race winner and the remaining spots in NASCAR's 12-driver Chase left the race results in a state of flux. Carl Edwards wound up in Victory Lane but whether he deserved to be there, along with two drivers eligible for the postseason remained an open question Monday morning.
The action for much of the Richmond race was tame, with the highest drama being who was in and who was out at the bottom of the Chase field. Defending Sprint Cup Series champion Brad Keselowski dominated much of the 400-lap event, leading 142 circuits and it appeared that for most of the night, the story would be the defending champ climbing his way back into title contention. However, Keselowski's fortunes were changed with less than 100 laps to go. Points leader Jimmie Johnson hit the wall on the frontstretch, bringing out the caution during a round of green-flag pit stops. Several drivers running up front, including Keselowski had just pitted when Johnson hit the wall. As a result, the ill-timed caution pinned the defending champ deep in the field, a track position nightmare from which he was unable to recover.
A dejected Keselowski, who ran 17th spoke after the race.
"I don't really have any emotions right now. We weren't good enough to make it and we didn't. That is the reality," Keselowski said. "We have work to do. At the end of the day, the thing about points is it is the best measuring stick in sports. You know who deserves to be where because the results speak for themselves. We didn't have enough results to get where we needed to be."
That left the race wide open up front, as contenders Clint Bowyer, Kevin Harvick, and Jeff Burton now found themselves back in the pack. Edwards, running in the top 10 most of the night took advantage and scooted out front on a restart. But Ryan Newman, along with fellow Chase contender Kurt Busch began to run him down. The late-race drama began with ten laps to go, as Newman passed Edwards for what appeared to be the race win and, for Newman, a spot in the 2013 Chase. However, a couple of laps later, Clint Bowyer spun exiting Turn 4 to bring out a caution that crippled Newman's chances for victory. The benefactor of the late yellow was Martin Truex, Jr., Bowyer's teammate at Michael Waltrip Racing, who struggled for much of the night on Saturday.
Newman and Truex were locked in a battle for the last remaining "wild card" spot and the race win would have given it to Newman. Instead, the whole field pitted under yellow and the resulting stops shuffled Newman back to fifth. He would rally back to third, but could get no closer as his Chase hopes diminished while Truex secured the final "wild card" position.
A despondent Newman had doubts on whether Bowyer's spin was legitimate.
"[Truex and Bowyer] are teammates. I don't know if he looked at the scoring pylon, knew I was leading, it doesn't matter," Newman said. "If that was the case, I'll find out one way or the other. At the same time, we still had the opportunity to make our own destiny, win it on pit road, and we didn't."
Bowyer, who led 72 laps on the evening, denied any wrongdoing after the race, stating that the handling of his No. 15 Toyota Camry went away.
"I think we had something going wrong. We went from a car capable of winning the race, leading, to ... just went straight backwards," Bowyer said. "My car was tight as hell, (Johnson) blew a tire and hit the wall. I'm telling you, I was the next one. I know it's a lot of fun for you guys to write a lot of whacky things. Go ahead if you want to, get creative. But don't look too much into it."
However, the controversy wouldn't stop there. With Newman out of contention, Edwards looked like he was sitting pretty in second; only Paul Menard, on older tires was ahead of him. But on the race's final restart, with three laps to go, it appeared that Edwards jumped to get by the race leader. The two made contact, resulting in the No. 99 Ford darting ahead a full car length and a half at the start/finish line. NASCAR, blaming that contact said the restart was clean, allowing Edwards to pull away from the field and hold off a charging Kurt Busch, by .668 seconds to claim his second victory of the season.
A confident Edwards, who claimed Menard spun his tires on the restart focused not on the restart, which got Jimmie Johnson penalized under similar circumstances in June but instead on the momentum this win earned the team entering the playoffs.
"The last three weeks, we've led a bunch of laps, had fast race cars, and we're having fun," Edwards said. "We're going to win the championship. I mean, that's our mission. That seemed like a crazy idea about a month and a half ago ..."
Second-place finisher Kurt Busch secured Furniture Row Racing's first-ever Chase berth. After the race, Busch had a hard time containing his emotions, openly crying on-air with ESPN as he celebrated his return to the sport's elite.
"Well, how about them apples? Unbelievable," Busch said. "The way this team has grown, what we've been able to accomplish, it's an amazing feeling. We achieved something very special tonight."
Joining Edwards and Busch in the top 10 of Saturday night's race at Richmond were Newman in third, Jamie McMurray in fourth and Paul Menard in fifth. Matt Kenseth ran sixth, while Martin Truex, Jr. was seventh. Jeff Gordon was eighth and finished just one point behind tenth-place Joey Logano in the standings. Mark Martin, subbing for the injured Tony Stewart was ninth, while Ricky Stenhouse, Jr. rounded out the top 10. It was his very first career top-10 finish in the Sprint Cup Series.
The action for much of the Richmond race was tame, with the highest drama being who was in and who was out at the bottom of the Chase field. Defending Sprint Cup Series champion Brad Keselowski dominated much of the 400-lap event, leading 142 circuits and it appeared that for most of the night, the story would be the defending champ climbing his way back into title contention. However, Keselowski's fortunes were changed with less than 100 laps to go. Points leader Jimmie Johnson hit the wall on the frontstretch, bringing out the caution during a round of green-flag pit stops. Several drivers running up front, including Keselowski had just pitted when Johnson hit the wall. As a result, the ill-timed caution pinned the defending champ deep in the field, a track position nightmare from which he was unable to recover.
A dejected Keselowski, who ran 17th spoke after the race.
"I don't really have any emotions right now. We weren't good enough to make it and we didn't. That is the reality," Keselowski said. "We have work to do. At the end of the day, the thing about points is it is the best measuring stick in sports. You know who deserves to be where because the results speak for themselves. We didn't have enough results to get where we needed to be."
That left the race wide open up front, as contenders Clint Bowyer, Kevin Harvick, and Jeff Burton now found themselves back in the pack. Edwards, running in the top 10 most of the night took advantage and scooted out front on a restart. But Ryan Newman, along with fellow Chase contender Kurt Busch began to run him down. The late-race drama began with ten laps to go, as Newman passed Edwards for what appeared to be the race win and, for Newman, a spot in the 2013 Chase. However, a couple of laps later, Clint Bowyer spun exiting Turn 4 to bring out a caution that crippled Newman's chances for victory. The benefactor of the late yellow was Martin Truex, Jr., Bowyer's teammate at Michael Waltrip Racing, who struggled for much of the night on Saturday.
Newman and Truex were locked in a battle for the last remaining "wild card" spot and the race win would have given it to Newman. Instead, the whole field pitted under yellow and the resulting stops shuffled Newman back to fifth. He would rally back to third, but could get no closer as his Chase hopes diminished while Truex secured the final "wild card" position.
A despondent Newman had doubts on whether Bowyer's spin was legitimate.
"[Truex and Bowyer] are teammates. I don't know if he looked at the scoring pylon, knew I was leading, it doesn't matter," Newman said. "If that was the case, I'll find out one way or the other. At the same time, we still had the opportunity to make our own destiny, win it on pit road, and we didn't."
Bowyer, who led 72 laps on the evening, denied any wrongdoing after the race, stating that the handling of his No. 15 Toyota Camry went away.
"I think we had something going wrong. We went from a car capable of winning the race, leading, to ... just went straight backwards," Bowyer said. "My car was tight as hell, (Johnson) blew a tire and hit the wall. I'm telling you, I was the next one. I know it's a lot of fun for you guys to write a lot of whacky things. Go ahead if you want to, get creative. But don't look too much into it."
However, the controversy wouldn't stop there. With Newman out of contention, Edwards looked like he was sitting pretty in second; only Paul Menard, on older tires was ahead of him. But on the race's final restart, with three laps to go, it appeared that Edwards jumped to get by the race leader. The two made contact, resulting in the No. 99 Ford darting ahead a full car length and a half at the start/finish line. NASCAR, blaming that contact said the restart was clean, allowing Edwards to pull away from the field and hold off a charging Kurt Busch, by .668 seconds to claim his second victory of the season.
A confident Edwards, who claimed Menard spun his tires on the restart focused not on the restart, which got Jimmie Johnson penalized under similar circumstances in June but instead on the momentum this win earned the team entering the playoffs.
"The last three weeks, we've led a bunch of laps, had fast race cars, and we're having fun," Edwards said. "We're going to win the championship. I mean, that's our mission. That seemed like a crazy idea about a month and a half ago ..."
Second-place finisher Kurt Busch secured Furniture Row Racing's first-ever Chase berth. After the race, Busch had a hard time containing his emotions, openly crying on-air with ESPN as he celebrated his return to the sport's elite.
"Well, how about them apples? Unbelievable," Busch said. "The way this team has grown, what we've been able to accomplish, it's an amazing feeling. We achieved something very special tonight."
Joining Edwards and Busch in the top 10 of Saturday night's race at Richmond were Newman in third, Jamie McMurray in fourth and Paul Menard in fifth. Matt Kenseth ran sixth, while Martin Truex, Jr. was seventh. Jeff Gordon was eighth and finished just one point behind tenth-place Joey Logano in the standings. Mark Martin, subbing for the injured Tony Stewart was ninth, while Ricky Stenhouse, Jr. rounded out the top 10. It was his very first career top-10 finish in the Sprint Cup Series.
For Gordon, the ending was bittersweet, as his spot in the Chase was erased by the race's final caution. With Bowyer and MWR teammate Brian Vickers making pit stops, over the final few laps that allowed Joey Logano to jump up two spots and landed him inside the top 10 in points, knocking the four-time series champion out.
"It's unfortunate," Gordon said. "We haven't had the kind of year that this team is capable of, and that's where our focus is these next 10 races is just to know that we put in every bit of effort we possibly could. We fought through a lot of things."
"It's unfortunate," Gordon said. "We haven't had the kind of year that this team is capable of, and that's where our focus is these next 10 races is just to know that we put in every bit of effort we possibly could. We fought through a lot of things."
That means the 2013 Chase for the Sprint Cup field includes: Jimmie Johnson, Matt Kenseth, Carl Edwards, Clint Bowyer, Kevin Harvick, Joey Logano, Greg Biffle, Kyle Busch, Dale Earnhardt, Jr., Martin Truex, Jr., Kasey Kahne and Kurt Busch. Kenseth, by virtue of his five wins, will start next weekend's race at Chicagoland Speedway with a three-point lead in the standings. As to whether this order will change, with penalties and/or additional entrants in the field NASCAR maintained Sunday they were reviewing the race "per protocol" and would have no further statement until the process was complete. Expect any penalties or adjustments to be made on Tuesday or Wednesday of this week.
A look at Saturday night's race by the numbers. There were 17 lead changes among nine drivers. Five cautions for 29 laps slowed the race pace down to 105.028 MPH, while the margin of victory was .668 seconds.
The Chase for the Sprint Cup gets underway next Sunday at the Chicagoland Speedway with the running of the GEICO 400. The green flag is scheduled for 2:16 P.M. ET on ESPN.
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: Kenseth Starts Off Chase With Lead, Johnson's Regular Season Advantage Disappears
by Phil Allaway
Going into Saturday night's Federated Auto Parts 400, the only way that Jimmie Johnson wasn't going to lose his points lead was if he actually went out and won the race. He did nearly the complete opposite. Johnson sped on pit road, broke an alternator cable and then hit the wall during a round of green-flag pit stops, winding up 28 laps down in 40th. Under the regular points system, that would have been enough to drop him to second, behind race winner Carl Edwards, who would have jumped up three places to take a one-point lead.
Instead, we have the Chase reset. As a result of his five wins, Matt Kenseth has claimed the lead atop the standings with 2,015 points. Johnson and last week's winner, Kyle Busch, are tied for second, three points back, by virtue of their four wins apiece. Kevin Harvick and Edwards are tied for fourth, nine points back, with two wins on the year. Joey Logano and Greg Biffle are 12 points back by virtue of their single victories. Finally, we have five drivers (Clint Bowyer, Dale Earnhardt, Jr. and Kurt Busch, along with "wild cards" Kasey Kahne and Martin Truex, Jr.) with the base 2,000 points. Kahne and Truex are ineligible for win "bonuses" because of the way they made the postseason field.
Chase Point Standings: 1) Matt Kenseth 2,015, t-2) Jimmie Johnson -3, t-2) Kyle Busch -3, t-4) Kevin Harvick -9, t-4) Carl Edwards -9, t-6) Joey Logano -12, t-6) Greg Biffle -12, t-8) Clint Bowyer -15, t-8) Dale Earnhardt, Jr. -15, t-8) Kurt Busch -15, t-8) Kasey Kahne -15, t-8) Martin Truex, Jr. -15.
Pre-Reset Point Standings (Top 22): 1) Carl Edwards 842, 2) Jimmie Johnson -1, 3) Clint Bowyer -13, 4) Kevin Harvick -14, 5) Kyle Busch -31, 6) Matt Kenseth -35, 7) Dale Earnhardt, Jr. -61, 8) Kurt Busch -80, 9) Greg Biffle -83, 10) Joey Logano -91, 11) Jeff Gordon -92, t-12) Martin Truex, Jr. -101, t-12) Ryan Newman -101, 14) Kasey Kahne -103, 15) Jamie McMurray -121, 16) Brad Keselowski -122, 17) Paul Menard -144, 18) Aric Almirola -178, 19) Juan Pablo Montoya -186, 20) Ricky Stenhouse, Jr. -198, 21) Marcos Ambrose -204, 22) Jeff Burton -214.
Best of the Rest Points (13-22): 13) Jeff Gordon 750, 14) Ryan Newman -9, 15) Jamie McMurray -29, 16) Brad Keselowski -30, 17) Paul Menard -52, 18) Aric Almirola -86, 19) Juan Pablo Montoya -94, 20) Ricky Stenhouse, Jr. -106, 21) Marcos Ambrose -112, 22) Jeff Burton -122.
Driver Wild Cards: 1) Kasey Kahne (14th in points, two wins), 2) Martin Truex, Jr. (tied for 12th in points, one win, claimed on tiebreaker over Ryan Newman)
Owner Wild Cards: 1) 5 - Hendrick Motorsports (14th in points, two wins), 2) 56 - Michael Waltrip Racing (tied for 12th in points, one win, claimed on tiebreaker over Ryan Newman)
Lost Out On A Wild Card: 1) Ryan Newman (tied for 12th in points, one win), 2) Tony Stewart (23rd in points, one win), 3) David Ragan (25th in points, one win)
Race Winners: Jimmie Johnson (Daytona-1, Martinsville, Pocono, Daytona-2), Carl Edwards (Phoenix, Richmond-2), Matt Kenseth (Las Vegas, Kansas, Darlington, Kentucky, Bristol-2), Kasey Kahne (Bristol, Pocono-2), Kyle Busch (Auto Club, Texas, Watkins Glen, Atlanta), Kevin Harvick (Richmond, Charlotte), David Ragan (Talladega), Tony Stewart (Dover), Greg Biffle (Michigan), Martin Truex, Jr. (Sonoma), Brian Vickers (Loudon), Ryan Newman (Indianapolis), Joey Logano (Michigan-2)
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: Richmond 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 34th, finished 15th
If this week's selections look like a rerun of a week ago, there's a reason for that: these three teams have separated themselves from the rest of the small, underfunded operations. While JTG-Daugherty lags behind both Germain Racing and Front Row Motorsports in both driver and owner points, they've improved in recent weeks, posting three top-15 finishes in a row amid rumors of a manufacturer switch and a new technical alliance for 2014. Those changes, more than the driver switch, are what this team needs to move forward. I admit that Allmendinger has run very well, too (he has a lot to prove and he's driving like it). Add in the energy he's brought to the team, a spark that will stay next season and there finally appears to be some cohesiveness amongst the No. 47 ranks.
Underdog Selection No. 2: David Gilliland for Front Row Motorsports; started 37th, finished 23rd
Gilliland didn't do anything spectacular Saturday night, but he didn't need to. There was enough Chase drama going on around him and this team needs solid, consistent runs, not eye-popping risks. So Gilliland topped his average finish, running inside the top 25 all night and was the best finisher on his team for two weeks in a row. He and David Ragan have been swapping that honor lately, but loose lugnuts meant a return trip to the pits for the No. 34 this week. A mistake-free night for the No. 38 bunch, by comparison again gave them bragging rights at the shop. The improvements at this team might be the most dramatic this year, with a win and a second at Talladega moving them up considerably amongst the underdogs.
Underdog Selection No. 3: Casey Mears for Germain Racing; started 25th, finished 26th
The result was just so-so, but the actual race was a bigger story for Mears and his team. The No. 13 had showed huge improvement (and potential) in the first half of the season, only to stagnate a bit as of late. Still, Mears is best in class in driver points and the team leads the small operations in owner points as well. On Saturday, they were sliding rapidly back to the low 30s on the leaderboard, and at one point, the car was handling so badly that Mears radioed his team, reporting something broken. But instead of just carrying on, like they might have a year ago, the team made changes, got the car faster, and Mears came back to finish 26th. They need to find a way to get back in the top 20, where they are capable of winding up many weeks, but on this one, they passed a fairly major test.
Underdog Pick of the Week - Chicago: Casey Mears for Germain Racing
In this section, I'll give you my pick among the small teams to have a strong run in the upcoming race.
My pick for Richmond was David Ragan, whose night was derailed by a bad pit stop on lap 300 where lugnuts were left loose, forcing Ragan back to pit road. He finished 29th, fourth amongst the underdogs and three laps off the pace.
The series heads to Chicagoland now, where whomever leads this group will do it quietly -- the television broadcast will be focused on the Chase. Mears gets the nod this week because of his team's improved performance on the mile-and-a-half tracks lately and because he does have a Nationwide Series win at the track. The team's improvement could give him a leg up on David Ragan and AJ Allmendinger, both of whom have better average finishes here. But Mears needs a breakout performance… and that also gives him extra incentive.
Are you frustrated with the lack of coverage NASCAR's underdogs 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.
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Letter of the Race: Saturday night's Federated Auto Parts 400 was brought to you by the Letter C for "Controversy." It wasn't even new controversy that was the story Saturday night at Richmond. Clint Bowyer's late spin echoes a similar spin by Paul Menard in this race a couple of years ago, in just about the same place on the track. Also, Carl Edwards has had restart issues at Richmond in the past, one in which many felt he was unfairly penalized by NASCAR. As you might remember, Edwards was infamously black-flagged in last year's Spring race at Richmond for jumping a restart from the lead. - Phil Allaway
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Sidebar Stories: Richmond
by Summer Bedgood and Phil Allaway
Michael Waltrip Racing Sparks Controversy in RichmondLetter of the Race: Saturday night's Federated Auto Parts 400 was brought to you by the Letter C for "Controversy." It wasn't even new controversy that was the story Saturday night at Richmond. Clint Bowyer's late spin echoes a similar spin by Paul Menard in this race a couple of years ago, in just about the same place on the track. Also, Carl Edwards has had restart issues at Richmond in the past, one in which many felt he was unfairly penalized by NASCAR. As you might remember, Edwards was infamously black-flagged in last year's Spring race at Richmond for jumping a restart from the lead. - Phil Allaway
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Sidebar Stories: Richmond
by Summer Bedgood and Phil Allaway
A slew of strange radio transmissions and a conveniently timed spin by Clint Bowyer late in the race has NASCAR taking a second look at Richmond's finish.
Clint Bowyer spun with eight laps remaining in the race, which caused a convenient break for teammate Martin Truex, Jr. Truex was likely to miss the Chase if Ryan Newman won the race, leaving Michael Waltrip Racing with just one driver in the 12-man postseason field. Newman, who was leading at the time, would have two wins to Truex's one and get into the Chase via a "wild card."
Towards the end of the race, Bowyer's spotter Brett Griffin radioed the situation to his driver. Then, Bowyer was asked by crew chief Brian Pattie, "Is your arm starting to hurt?" Pattie then followed that up by saying, "It must be getting hot in there, itch it."
The No. 15 car spun out shortly thereafter.
To add to that weird conversation, Bowyer and Truex's teammate, Brian Vickers, was told to pit under green on the following restart. He responded by saying, "Are you talking to me?"
Norris replied, "You've got to pit this time. We need that one point."
Vickers: "10-4. I got a tire going down."
Vickers did pit and, after the race, asked about the tire. Norris replied by saying, "I'll see you after the race, Brian, I owe you a kiss."
The moves, if intentional produced their desired results. Newman had a terrible pit stop after the caution and did not get the win he needed. Truex, meanwhile finished seventh, which was just enough to sneak on by. Truex and Newman ended up tied on points, but Truex earned the second and final "wild card" by virtue of a tiebreaker.
NASCAR, whose top officials were at Iowa for the Truck race Sunday have since said they are investigating the issue, though no penalties have been issued as of yet.
Carl Edwards Appears to Jump Restart, NASCAR Doesn't React
Though it was overshadowed, eventual race winner Carl Edwards beat leader Paul Menard to the start-finish line on the final restart of the night in Richmond. Just one night after Brad Keselowski endured similar controversy in the Nationwide Series, NASCAR again made a non-call on a restart that seemed to violate their own rules.
Because of the MWR controversy, however, NASCAR never directly responded to this issue. The win gave Edwards three extra bonus points after the Chase reset as the series heads to Chicago.
"What happened on that restart is Paul had two tires," Edwards explained. "I knew he was going to be at a big advantage with grip -- big disadvantage with grip. He took off. I waited until he went to go. As we were going, his car actually touched my door. I think it surprised him a little bit or something. He turned a little bit. I heard his engine speed up. He spun the tires."
On Sunday, NASCAR issued a simple statement that addressed all of the controversy in Saturday night's race.
"NASCAR is reviewing Saturday night's race at Richmond International Raceway per protocol and has no plans for further statement until that process is complete," the statement read.
"NASCAR is reviewing Saturday night's race at Richmond International Raceway per protocol and has no plans for further statement until that process is complete," the statement read.
Such reviews are actually normal, as results after races are purely unofficial. The official results are usually put out on Monday, and rarely are there any changes. However, it is not unheard of for adjustments to the finishing order to occur.
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: Federated Auto Parts 400
compiled by Summer Bedgood
"That's my pit crew that won this race for us. It was just an awesome job by them. It's so cool to put Kellogg's in Victory Lane – Kellogg's, Fastenal, Ford, Subway, Aflac, The Geek Squad, UPS, Sprint – all the fans, Wiley X, everybody who has been behind us all year, especially my fans. It was up at the beginning with Jimmy and our new team, then we struggled for a little while, but the last three weeks have been great. We've led a bunch of laps and have had fast race cars and we're having fun. Thanks to Jack Roush. We got Greg Biffle in the Chase. We got Ford to Victory Lane and I've just got to thank New Holland and Cessna also. They give me a lot of support through the year, but this is really cool. I'm sure I haven't won a race here in the Cup car, so it's a big night for us." - Carl Edwards, race winner
"This feels incredible. The way that we worked together as a team and built up over the year, it's amazing that we have come this far and we have put ourselves in position and here we are in the Chase. We didn't win a race yet this year. We still have some work to do to get to that point, but we have a lot of good tools on this team that help us and it's an amazing feeling to go up against these big teams and to put a little lone Chevrolet from Colorado into the Chase against the big boys, it doesn't start with one person. It's a team effort." - Kurt Busch, finished second
"The car was good, no doubt. Matt (Borland, crew chief) and the guys did a good job making it fast. The pit crew left me hanging on that last stop, there is no doubt about that. In the end, I'm proud of the guys; we came from nowhere this year to be in this position. If it wasn't for that last caution, we would be in the Chase." - Ryan Newman, finished third
"We just had a really good long run car. Restarts, especially that last restart on old left-side tires, we had to try something. We weren't going to beat those guys heads up, so we had to try a little strategy. Just couldn't take off very good." - Paul Menard, finished fifth
"We ended up finishing the night decent — we just kind of struggled with the car. We got it a little better some runs and the last couple cautions fell our way and the last restart fell our way. We were in the right lane for once and made up some spots. We finished better than we ran, but we were off a little bit. I feel good going to Chicago — it will be alright." - Matt Kenseth, finished sixth
"I'm speechless — I don't even know what to say. Just so proud of Chad (Johnston, crew chief) and my guys. We were terrible tonight — just terrible, terrible on the long runs. We fought and we fought and we fought just like we did last week. Last week, we were at the tail end of the longest line with 100 (laps) to go and we almost won and finished third and tonight, I don't even know how that happened. [The] Lord was on our side tonight. My guys did a good job and now we can go back and regroup, start back from zero and go get them." - Martin Truex, Jr., finished seventh
"We're really thankful. The NAPA car — there wouldn't be a Michael Waltrip Racing if it weren't for the support of NAPA and Aaron's and 5-Hour ENERGY. To get the NAPA car in and Clint (Bowyer) looked like he had it won and then that went away. Then Martin (Truex, Jr.) looked like he was out. I told anyone that would listen that this day has been the most stressful experience of my life because I knew that there was a real good chance we were going to be very disappointed and we had a car in — that doesn't make any sense. We would have left here bummed if the NAPA car wasn't in. Just to get them both in — it's just really important. We want to establish ourselves as a Chase organization — people that race in the Chase year in and year out. Two in a row is a start — not a streak, but it's a start." - Michael Waltrip, owner of Michael Waltrip Racing
"Yeah, it's disappointing to miss it that close. Another great effort and comeback with our Drive To End Hunger Chevrolet team. Again, we started up front, the car was good, then we got off and had to fight our way back. Got a lap down, had a loose wheel so I love the effort this team put in and didn't need to see that last caution." - Jeff Gordon, finished eighth
"Really proud of all the guys on this Bass Pro Shops/Mobil 1 team. They improved the car throughout the race and made some great calls. We got our first top 10 together. We'll take that and build on it." - Mark Martin, finished ninth
"Well, if the caution doesn't come out I feel like we win the race tonight. The Budweiser Chevrolet was really good and we had made a lot of adjustments tonight. The car was just really loose to start the race and so when you can do things like that, adjust your car and take it from a 25th-place car to a winning car in the same night that's a sign that things are going to be OK. We are as good as we've been over the years; hopefully, we can take our team and get better over the next few weeks and the car was really good tonight. Just really proud of everybody." - Kevin Harvick, finished 11th
"I feel really good right now. I gave up there at the end. Those guys were going crazy. I wish I would have gotten a top-5 finish out of that. I don't even know where I finished. I am happy for Carl and we worked hard all night. We had a great car. I just couldn't get it right getting into one and as the speed started picking up, I started getting worse. I just could never get it right getting into one down there." - Greg Biffle, finished 12th
"I like it when it goes long green runs because I feel like we can take care of our tires. It's a slick old race track, so if you just take care of your car, no matter how bad the car is handling, you can actually be pretty good at the end of a run. I like that; I think that plays into a different style of racing, into other drivers' hands and I think I'm one of them." - Dale Earnhardt, Jr., finished 13th
"We have got to start at the back. We weren't able to race our way in. We just weren't good enough tonight. It's discouraging to not be as fast as we would like to be. I thought we were going to be a lot better than that tonight. We just weren't. We've got five days to think about it and try to put a good plan together and prepare. Hopefully, [in] these final ten [races], we can make some noise. I feel good. I feel like there have been times this season where my team and myself and our whole group, the way we have communicated and worked together, we have been as strong as any car here. We will see if we can do that in the Chase." - Kasey Kahne, finished 14th
"We made it, I guess. Certainly, last week was a lot more promising situation to be going into the Chase than tonight. We've got to look at our program and where we've been — mile-and-a-halves have kind of been our strong suit. You still have those races like Loudon (New Hampshire Motor Speedway) and Martinsville and Phoenix that you have to be good at, too. We'll just have to work, lay all the pieces out and see what needs to be better here with the Monday morning meeting." - Kyle Busch, finished 19th
"Well, we are in. It feels great. Man, what a terrible race, though. We were hanging on the whole time. I didn't know where we were and every time I asked where we stood, they didn't answer me. I thought that wasn't good if they weren't answering me. But it feels good to put one of these Chase hats on and we can regroup and go for a championship now. It feels good. It has been a lot of years I have been trying to get into the Chase. It is a big accomplishment. Once you are in doesn't mean you are done. I want to try to go for it. I have 100 percent confidence in this team to make it happen. We are going to forget about tonight's finish and make the most of this Chase." - Joey Logano, finished 22nd
"First, I have to thank Carl Edwards for winning that race. That made a huge difference there at the end because if Newman would have won, we would have been out. Joey persevered all season and I guess when he had those couple DNF's that tonight was something in our favor. We just thank the Dear Lord and everyone for taking care of us tonight and giving us a safe race. We are in the Chase. That is what we came here for. Now, we start all over again." - Roger Penske, owner of Penske Racing
"Just nothing went our way. We've been fast the last three weeks — led the last three weeks and somehow lost all three of them. It's a shame — it is what it is." - Clint Bowyer, finished 25th
"This is incredibly special for TRD (Toyota Racing Development) and for Toyota. This is the first time that Toyota has put four drivers in the Chase. To consider that one of those four isn't Denny Hamlin is absolutely amazing — it's stunning. We're just incredibly proud of our partners at Joe Gibbs Racing and Michael Waltrip Racing to have two of each speaks to the partnership that we've been working so hard on and it's huge, it really is." - David Wilson, president and general manager of Toyota Racing Development
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TODAY ON THE FRONTSTRETCH:
The Big Six: Questions Answered After The Federated Auto Parts 400
by Amy Henderson
Michael Waltrip Racing Is Not The Problem
by Summer Bedgood
That NASCAR Where The Inmates Run The Asylum
by Amy Henderson
Michael Waltrip Racing Is Not The Problem
by Summer Bedgood
That NASCAR Where The Inmates Run The Asylum
by Tom Bowles
by the Frontstretch Staff
by Beth Lunkenheimer
~~~~~~~~~~~
FRONTSTRETCH TRIVIA:
FRONTSTRETCH TRIVIA:
Q: In 2002, the then-Firestone Indy Racing League was fully entrenched in its pack racing era. The Delphi Indy 300 at Chicagoland Speedway marked a milestone for the series. What was it?
Check back Tuesday for the answer, here in the Frontstretch Newsletter!
Friday's Answer:
Q: The 1999 Exide NASCAR Select Batteries 400 at Richmond is best known as the event in which Tony Stewart picked up his first Winston Cup victory. For past Richmond winner Terry Labonte, though it was a night he'd rather forget. What happened?
A: Labonte was running decently when he blew a right front tire and went hard into the Turn 1 wall. The crash can be seen here. Labonte's Kellogg's Corn Flakes Chevrolet was heavily damaged and done for the night, leaving Labonte with a 43rd-place finish.
Ultimately, this was just the beginning of a full-fledged collapse for Labonte. For the rest of the season, Labonte did not finish better than 14th and managed to lose over 800 points to champion Dale Jarrett in the standings. After the infamous last lap crash at Bristol, Labonte rarely contended for victories. Since this particular race 14 years ago at Richmond, Labonte has earned only ten top-5 finishes in 253 starts.
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: Federated Auto Parts 400 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: Federated Auto Parts 400 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 Richmond and get us ready for Chicagoland.
Who's Hot / Who's Not in Sprint Cup: Richmond-Chicagoland Edition by Brad Morgan
Brad gives up something to look forward to going into Chicagoland. 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 addresses the eerie similarity of Clint Bowyer's spin, at Richmond to Paul Menard two years ago and offers a solution for the drivers to stop this practice.
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 Chicagoland. 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 addresses the eerie similarity of Clint Bowyer's spin, at Richmond to Paul Menard two years ago and offers a solution for the drivers to stop this practice.
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.
Couch Potato Tuesday by Phil Allaway
This past weekend, the Sprint Cup and Nationwide Series were in action at Richmond International Raceway. The Chase was of utmost importance here. Meanwhile, the Camping World Truck Series made their second trip of the year to Iowa. How did ESPN and FOX Sports 1 do last weekend? Find out in our weekly TV critique.
-----------------------------
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©2013 Frontstretch.com
Talk back to the Frontstretch Newsletter!
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©2013 Frontstretch.com
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