THE FRONTSTRETCH NEWSLETTER
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: GEICO 400
by Tom Bowles
7
10
Chasers who ran inside the top 12 Sunday night. Only Greg Biffle (16th), Dale Earnhardt, Jr. (Blown engine) and Joey Logano (ditto) were missing from that group.
13
Races since Denny Hamlin has scored a top-10 finish. In that stretch, his teammates at Joe Gibbs Racing have WON five times.
25
$119,355
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: Ugliness Of Playoff Format Comes To Light
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!
September 17th, 2013
Volume VII, Edition CLXXIII
The Best Seat at the Track, The Best View on the Net!
September 17th, 2013
Volume VII, Edition CLXXIII
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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. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Top News
by Phil Allaway
Juan Pablo Montoya Headed Back To IndyCar... With Penske
On Monday morning, Team Penske announced in a press release that the organization has signed current Sprint Cup Series Juan Pablo Montoya to drive a third full-time entry full-time in the Izod IndyCar Series. Montoya's car will be the No. 2, which AJ Allmendinger drove part-time this season. Montoya will partner up with returning Penske drivers Will Power and Helio Castroneves for a three-pronged assault on the Izod IndyCar Series in 2014.
Montoya is pleased to return to open-wheel racing with Team Penske.
"I am really excited to join this legendary team beginning next year," Montoya said. "I have had the opportunity to drive for some of the best racing teams in the world and I have always admired Roger Penske and his organization. I consider it an honor to be offered the opportunity to drive for Team Penske."
Team Principal Roger Penske is very happy to have Montoya onboard for the full 2014 season.
"Juan is a proven winner at all levels of motorsport," Penske said. "He has won a lot of races and championships and he has an extremely passionate fan base. We look forward to building on his successes together and we believe he will be a great addition to Team Penske."
Montoya has 41 previous starts in American Open Wheel series (CART and the IRL). Montoya won ten CART races for Target Chip Ganassi Racing and won the 1999 FedEx CART World Series Championship. In his one and only start in the Indy Racing League, Montoya utterly dominated the 2000 Indianapolis 500, leading 167 of 200 laps on his way to victory.
Montoya has not raced in a major open-wheeled race since leaving the McLaren-Mercedes Formula One team in the middle of the 2006 season. The release did not make any mention of sponsorship for Montoya. That was the major stumbling block for Penske's No. 2 this season with Allmendinger.
On Monday morning, Team Penske announced in a press release that the organization has signed current Sprint Cup Series Juan Pablo Montoya to drive a third full-time entry full-time in the Izod IndyCar Series. Montoya's car will be the No. 2, which AJ Allmendinger drove part-time this season. Montoya will partner up with returning Penske drivers Will Power and Helio Castroneves for a three-pronged assault on the Izod IndyCar Series in 2014.
Montoya is pleased to return to open-wheel racing with Team Penske.
"I am really excited to join this legendary team beginning next year," Montoya said. "I have had the opportunity to drive for some of the best racing teams in the world and I have always admired Roger Penske and his organization. I consider it an honor to be offered the opportunity to drive for Team Penske."
Team Principal Roger Penske is very happy to have Montoya onboard for the full 2014 season.
"Juan is a proven winner at all levels of motorsport," Penske said. "He has won a lot of races and championships and he has an extremely passionate fan base. We look forward to building on his successes together and we believe he will be a great addition to Team Penske."
Montoya has 41 previous starts in American Open Wheel series (CART and the IRL). Montoya won ten CART races for Target Chip Ganassi Racing and won the 1999 FedEx CART World Series Championship. In his one and only start in the Indy Racing League, Montoya utterly dominated the 2000 Indianapolis 500, leading 167 of 200 laps on his way to victory.
Montoya has not raced in a major open-wheeled race since leaving the McLaren-Mercedes Formula One team in the middle of the 2006 season. The release did not make any mention of sponsorship for Montoya. That was the major stumbling block for Penske's No. 2 this season with Allmendinger.
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
Why Can NASCAR Do No Right?
Sitting In The Stands: A Fan's View
by S.D. Grady
Okay, I was barely conscious when the checkers finally fell at Chicagoland very early Monday morning. And yes, I'm well aware that the amazing new technology of the Air Titan had visited the track earlier in the week, but wasn't available raceday to help dry the track. But why does it always have to be NASCAR that gets blamed for the vagaries of racing?
During the initial rain delay for the start of the race and later in the evening while the wet stuff just wouldn't stop falling from the sky, social media was ablaze with fans sitting at home and those at the track wondering why we weren't benefitting from the much-hyped oversized super-cool machines? Did NASCAR decide it was needed elsewhere? Or was the Air Titan only offered for use by certain tracks?
As it turns out, the Air Titan is only available for a fee. It's not part and parcel of the costs of running a Sprint Cup race that the track signs up for. Not only would the promoters have to spring for the fancy new do-hickey, but they would still have to pay for the jet-dryers. Come raceday and there's rain, the Air Titan would dry the track faster than its competition, but apparently is of little use for blowing the racing surface clear of debris. So, track owners are considering the additional expense and deciding, no, they don't want to shell out more than they must.
Besides, what would it gain the venue? Well, the racing surface would've been dried in about half the time. We may have seen the start of the race pushed up by 30 minutes and later when we had to re-dry the track, we would have gained another half hour. So, instead of Matt Kenseth crossing the finish line at Midnight, we would've been turning off the television at 11pm Eastern.
Yeah...on the night before work, that's not a whole lot better. It's a _little_ better.
Okay, then why didn't NASCAR just call the race and run it on Monday? Nobody would've been left in waiting man's purgatory for most of the day.
For a myriad of reasons that have been repeatedly hashed out over the years. Ticket holders expect to see the event they paid for on the day advertised. They bought the ticket, rented the hotel room, got a babysitter--you name it. There was sacrifice in order to be here on this day. The teams and support staff need to get back to Charlotte before reloading haulers and luggage for New Hampshire. The track would have to bring back their part-time staff for an extra day of work. Money, money, money...lots of people's money.
Lots of people like to come up with great solutions for how to avoid rain delays in NASCAR. Up to this point the more popular ones haven't been worthy of pursuing.
Tarps for the track! Uh, yeah. You want to design one that can be placed over Talladega and retracted? Good luck.
Rain tires. While the reality of a racing tread is feasible, racing in the rain just isn't what NASCAR is about. Slowing down and putting more room between you and your competitor isn't what I want to see come Sunday afternoon. I'd rather wait.
We've heaped lots of negative thoughts on NASCAR over the past week, but they didn't earn more on Sunday. Sometimes it's hard for the average race fan to accept the bitter truth. Sunday was not a perfect day/night at the track. However, deciding to squeeze the race in on race day wasn't a horrible decision, just the only one that made any sense.
Kyle Larson Stat
Series: Nationwide Series
Track: Chicagoland Speedway
Car: No. 32 Snickers Bites Chevrolet
Qualified: 39th
Finished: 32nd (DNF, 25 laps down, crash)
Points Standings: 9th
Okay, I was barely conscious when the checkers finally fell at Chicagoland very early Monday morning. And yes, I'm well aware that the amazing new technology of the Air Titan had visited the track earlier in the week, but wasn't available raceday to help dry the track. But why does it always have to be NASCAR that gets blamed for the vagaries of racing?
During the initial rain delay for the start of the race and later in the evening while the wet stuff just wouldn't stop falling from the sky, social media was ablaze with fans sitting at home and those at the track wondering why we weren't benefitting from the much-hyped oversized super-cool machines? Did NASCAR decide it was needed elsewhere? Or was the Air Titan only offered for use by certain tracks?
As it turns out, the Air Titan is only available for a fee. It's not part and parcel of the costs of running a Sprint Cup race that the track signs up for. Not only would the promoters have to spring for the fancy new do-hickey, but they would still have to pay for the jet-dryers. Come raceday and there's rain, the Air Titan would dry the track faster than its competition, but apparently is of little use for blowing the racing surface clear of debris. So, track owners are considering the additional expense and deciding, no, they don't want to shell out more than they must.
Besides, what would it gain the venue? Well, the racing surface would've been dried in about half the time. We may have seen the start of the race pushed up by 30 minutes and later when we had to re-dry the track, we would have gained another half hour. So, instead of Matt Kenseth crossing the finish line at Midnight, we would've been turning off the television at 11pm Eastern.
Yeah...on the night before work, that's not a whole lot better. It's a _little_ better.
Okay, then why didn't NASCAR just call the race and run it on Monday? Nobody would've been left in waiting man's purgatory for most of the day.
For a myriad of reasons that have been repeatedly hashed out over the years. Ticket holders expect to see the event they paid for on the day advertised. They bought the ticket, rented the hotel room, got a babysitter--you name it. There was sacrifice in order to be here on this day. The teams and support staff need to get back to Charlotte before reloading haulers and luggage for New Hampshire. The track would have to bring back their part-time staff for an extra day of work. Money, money, money...lots of people's money.
Lots of people like to come up with great solutions for how to avoid rain delays in NASCAR. Up to this point the more popular ones haven't been worthy of pursuing.
Tarps for the track! Uh, yeah. You want to design one that can be placed over Talladega and retracted? Good luck.
Rain tires. While the reality of a racing tread is feasible, racing in the rain just isn't what NASCAR is about. Slowing down and putting more room between you and your competitor isn't what I want to see come Sunday afternoon. I'd rather wait.
We've heaped lots of negative thoughts on NASCAR over the past week, but they didn't earn more on Sunday. Sometimes it's hard for the average race fan to accept the bitter truth. Sunday was not a perfect day/night at the track. However, deciding to squeeze the race in on race day wasn't a horrible decision, just the only one that made any sense.
Kyle Larson Stat
Series: Nationwide Series
Track: Chicagoland Speedway
Car: No. 32 Snickers Bites Chevrolet
Qualified: 39th
Finished: 32nd (DNF, 25 laps down, crash)
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: GEICO 400
by Tom Bowles
0
Non-Chasers to finish inside the top 5 at Chicagoland. Brad Keselowski was the highest-finishing driver NOT competing for the championship - he ran 7th.
2
Consecutive top-10 finishes by Rookie Ricky Stenhouse, Jr. after not scoring any during the first 25 Cup races this year.
2
Non-Chasers to finish inside the top 5 at Chicagoland. Brad Keselowski was the highest-finishing driver NOT competing for the championship - he ran 7th.
2
Consecutive top-10 finishes by Rookie Ricky Stenhouse, Jr. after not scoring any during the first 25 Cup races this year.
2
Toyotas in the top 2 positions after the first race of this year's Chase. That's the first time since they've entered the sport they've been 1-2 after the first race of the playoffs.
6
6
Top-10 finishes in the last seven races for Kurt Busch, the most of any driver currently in the Chase.
7
Engines that blew in the Cup Series Sunday night at Chicagoland ... all of them after the rain delay.
10
Chasers who ran inside the top 12 Sunday night. Only Greg Biffle (16th), Dale Earnhardt, Jr. (Blown engine) and Joey Logano (ditto) were missing from that group.
13
Races since Denny Hamlin has scored a top-10 finish. In that stretch, his teammates at Joe Gibbs Racing have WON five times.
25
Lead changes Sunday night in Chicagoland. That's the fifth-most in the Cup Series this year and a new track record for the facility.
$119,355
Money won by Kasey Kahne Sunday night by finishing 12th.
$122,433
$122,433
Money won by polesitter Joey Logano after blowing an engine and finishing 37th.
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: Ugliness Of Playoff Format Comes To Light
by Brett Poirier
by Brad Morgan
by Phil Allaway
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FRONTSTRETCH TRIVIA:
Q: The 1999 Dura Lube/KMart 300 at then-New Hampshire International Speedway is best known for the fact that Joe Nemechek earned his first of his four career Cup victories. However, it wasn't such a great day for Petty Enterprises. What took John Andretti out of the race?
Check back Wednesday for the answer, here in the Frontstretch Newsletter!
Monday's Answer:
Q: In 1998, Jeff Gordon won the Farm Aid on CMT 300 at then-New Hampshire International Speedway to claim his ninth win of the season. However, Jack Roush cried foul afterwards. Why?
A: On the final pit stop, Gordon's team took two tires while Mark Martin's took four. In the final run of the race, Martin literally couldn't do anything with Gordon. However, it should be noted that Martin didn't do himself any favors by hitting the wall exiting Turn 4.
FRONTSTRETCH TRIVIA:
Q: The 1999 Dura Lube/KMart 300 at then-New Hampshire International Speedway is best known for the fact that Joe Nemechek earned his first of his four career Cup victories. However, it wasn't such a great day for Petty Enterprises. What took John Andretti out of the race?
Check back Wednesday for the answer, here in the Frontstretch Newsletter!
Monday's Answer:
Q: In 1998, Jeff Gordon won the Farm Aid on CMT 300 at then-New Hampshire International Speedway to claim his ninth win of the season. However, Jack Roush cried foul afterwards. Why?
A: On the final pit stop, Gordon's team took two tires while Mark Martin's took four. In the final run of the race, Martin literally couldn't do anything with Gordon. However, it should be noted that Martin didn't do himself any favors by hitting the wall exiting Turn 4.
After the race, Roush accused Hendrick Motorsports of treating and/or soaking Gordon's tires in a soaking agent to make them softer, thus creating "Tiregate." NASCAR took Roush's accusations seriously, taking Gordon's tires to be tested at a lab. Everything came back good, allowing Gordon to keep his ninth win of 1998.
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!
~~~~~~~~~~
Tomorrow on the Frontstretch:
Did You Notice?... by Tom Bowles
Tom has reaction on the biggest issues currently affecting NASCAR.Side-by-Side: Montoya's Big Move by the Frontstretch Staff
This week, we once again pose a question about Monday's big news.
Did Juan Pablo Montoya make the right choice in signing with Penske Racing's IndyCar operation for 2014? We'll have both sides of the issue for you to devour.
Did Juan Pablo Montoya make the right choice in signing with Penske Racing's IndyCar operation for 2014? 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 continues it's month-long break prior to Houston.
NASCAR Power Rankings: Top 15 after Chicagoland compiled by Michael Mehedin
After the first Chase race, Matt Kenseth slightly increased his points lead, thanks to a victory. Who ended up number one on our power rankings list? Experts you love from across the web, not just Frontstretch rank the drivers heading into New Hampshire 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.-----------------------------
Got something to say about an article you've seen in the newsletter? It's as easy as replying directly to this message or sending an email to editors@frontstretch.com. We'll take the best comments and publish them here!
©2013 Frontstretch.com
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