THE FRONTSTRETCH NEWSLETTER
Presented by Frontstretch.com
The Best Seat at the Track, The Best View on the Net!
Presented by Frontstretch.com
The Best Seat at the Track, The Best View on the Net!
September 18th, 2013
Volume VII, Edition CLXIV
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Top News
by Tom Bowles
Nationwide To Drop Title Sponsorship Of Second-Tier Series In 2015
Nationwide Insurance, in the sixth year of a seven-year deal to sponsor NASCAR's second-tier division has opted not to renew their contract beyond the 2014 season. The company, who wants to remain heavily involved with racing has chosen to redirect their funding to other aspects within the sport.
"Being a series sponsor was the right thing at that particular time," said Nationwide's Chief Monetary Officer, Matt Jauchius to the Sports Business Journal. "But we see Sundays (for Cup races) as the next step. You'll see us lean into this even more at the Cup level ... I will spend more money in 2014 and 2015 (in NASCAR) by shifting assets around a bit."
"Being a series sponsor was the right thing at that particular time," said Nationwide's Chief Monetary Officer, Matt Jauchius to the Sports Business Journal. "But we see Sundays (for Cup races) as the next step. You'll see us lean into this even more at the Cup level ... I will spend more money in 2014 and 2015 (in NASCAR) by shifting assets around a bit."
Currently, Ricky Stenhouse, Jr., the two-time reigning Nationwide Series champion has a limited deal on the Cup side with the company through 2014. No specifics were given as to whether that agreement would be increased in the future. Whatever direction they go, Nationwide has now freed up $8 million per year which was the reported cost of the title sponsorship agreement they made with NASCAR.
It didn't take long, though for some of that money to get redirected. It was announced this morning they've extended a deal to be the official home, life, auto, and business insurance partner of NASCAR through 2017. The company will also back the Betty Jane France Humanitarian Award, presented to a NASCAR fan who embodies the ideals of charity and community the sport hopes to represent on a daily basis. It's part of the long-term strategy to remain a part of the sport without being "restricted" to title sponsorship.
There's no word yet on potential replacements for Nationwide in 2015. The company made it clear the new TV deal had no impact on their decision.
Steve Barkdoll Out At Phoenix Racing
The longtime GM of one of the sport's underdog organizations has left the team. Steve Barkdoll, who helped head up Phoenix Racing's No. 51 is no longer employed there, just three weeks after the official announcement of a sale to Harry Scott, Jr. The team had been owned by James Finch since 1989.
Barkdoll, whose efforts have consistently left the single-car program competitive gave no indication as to his future employment. The team will run Michael McDowell the full distance this weekend, part of a rotating group of drivers as they prepare for a full-time effort with one come 2014.
Barkdoll, whose efforts have consistently left the single-car program competitive gave no indication as to his future employment. The team will run Michael McDowell the full distance this weekend, part of a rotating group of drivers as they prepare for a full-time effort with one come 2014.
News 'N' Notes
- How much did "Spingate" have an effect on this year's Chase audience? So far, it's hard to say. Nielsen ratings for the rain-delayed event, out in Chicagoland were a 1.8 overall, with an average of just 2.6 million people tuning into the event. That's far below last year's audience of 3.9 million. But with the large gaps in coverage, combined with extensive track-drying time it's impossible to make any true comparisons to previous seasons.
- A rumor popped up this week that Austin Dillon will be running the No. 3 next year with Cheerios as his main sponsor in the Cup Series. However, a prototype design of the car was denied by Richard Childress Racing, claiming they're not yet ready to announce anything about the deal. The paint scheme, which was a combination of yellow and black was a "concept design" that supposedly never made it past the initial stages.
Have news for Tom and the Frontstretch? Don't hesitate to let us know; email us at phil.allaway@frontstretch.com with a promising lead or tip.
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Today's Featured Commentary
C- For Chase Start
WTF Wednesdays
by Ellen Richardson
Being a longtime motorsports fan and someone who has followed NASCAR since I was knee-high to a grasshopper (yes, I am from the South!) I have watched this sport evolve with some actual improvements along with some tremendous failures. While this season has continued to be a series of ups and downs, this writer can't help but shake her head and laugh at the official kickoff to the 2013 Chase for the Sprint Cup. In fact, if I were to grade last week's launch, I would have to give both Chase Week as well as Sunday's GEICO 400 a C-.
Before jumping to the conclusion that I am being too hard on NASCAR, I am happy to explain my grading system. Let's start with confusion. Even if you haven't continued to follow NASCAR or the Sprint Cup Series this season, who could miss the mass confusion and penalties that ensued following the Federated Auto Parts 400 at Richmond International Raceway the previous weekend? It was definitely the talk at the water cooler last week, leaving every fan baffled about which teams and drivers were cheating and who really deserved to compete for the Sprint Cup title this season.
While these hard-working teams were trying to move forward to the Chase, NASCAR continued to confuse us all with their ongoing rule changes throughout the end of last week, right up to the call of "Gentleman, start your engines!" on Sunday. The most laughable of these changes? The addition of a 13th driver added to the Chase. That's right, NASCAR is now bowing down to whining and crying among top-level drivers and teams that continue to blow smoke and take their complaints to the media. Despite which driver you might be pulling for this season, think to yourself if this was truly a smart move at the last minute on NASCAR's part, especially so late in the week. Is this all it takes these days to earn a spot in what NASCAR advertises as the "true test of a champion"? WTF!! I am so confused.
Moving right along, let's discuss the chaos that ensued at Chicagoland. Being a true southerner, it was very difficult to decide what to keep my focus on last Sunday – NFL or NASCAR. Staying loyal to a sport that has remained close to my heart, I elected to keep the majority of my attention on what I was hoping to be one of the most exciting races of the season. As the green flag waved, I can actually admit to keeping my eyes glued to the set, but it wasn't long before I was losing attention, up until the longest rain delay that I remember ever enduring, especially so close to the halfway mark, which earned this race the big "C" for chaos. Granted, this overwhelming delay gave this sports fan a chance to watch some of her football favorites earn some pretty cool victories, but I continued to be baffled at this ongoing delay.
Eventually this delay turned to utter chaos as fans who had paid good money to attend this race filed out of the mile-and-a-half track after waiting for hours praying for either a rescheduled race and rain ticket or an answer on how they were supposed to keep their kids at the track until the wee hours of the night. As I watched fans flock to social media to speculate on whether or not this race would even go back to green (as well as the hilarious chatter about the missing Air Titan track dryer), I couldn't help but feel that NASCAR couldn't have had a better finish to their chaotic week then this clusterbomb of a failure in rain delays! To top it off, as the race finally got back underway very late in the night, two popular Chase drivers endured their own form of chaos. As my good buddy Mike Neff said in this week's Thinking Out Loud, "Engines were blowing more frequently in the last half of the event than they had in a race since Toyota was losing engines like a seven year-old losing his baby teeth." While ESPN analysts were placing blame on teams tuning their engines for a daytime race with temperatures in the high 60s, which turned into a rather damp night race with temperatures in the low 50s, chase contenders Joey Logano and Dale Earnhardt Jr. were forced to face the chaotic music as their machines were taken back the garage, garnering a DNF in the first Chase race of the season.
As I rattle on with my Cs, let's wrap up where this all leads. Yes, you guessed it, with the Chase. Following a one-two finish in Saturday night's race in Chicago, Joe Gibbs Racing drivers Matt Kenseth and Kyle Busch lead the pack of 13 going into New Hampshire. While I am hoping that the classy Mr. Kenseth can take his Chase start to a true championship win, I am going to have to give NASCAR some resounding failure points on this one as I am sure that they will pull their own sneaky moves into assuring that their golden boy, who has now rocketed to third place in the points standings, once again wins the Sprint Cup.
Keep this up, NASCAR, and the next grade I will be giving you is a big fat F, for "how do we end this, fans?" WTF?
Ellen Richardson is a Newsletter Contributor for Frontstretch.com. She can be reached via e-mail at frontstretcheditors@googlegroups.com. Follow her on Twitter @EllenNRich.
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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!
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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Tweet 'N' Greet
by Kevin Rutherford
Editor's Note: With the NASCAR Twitter community expanding by leaps and bounds, it remains a place for instantaneous news, reactions, and a whole lot of inside jokes. We understand if you don't want to join the Twitter community - but as a fan, it's important to know the news and info you're missing out on! That's why, every week, Kevin Rutherford will sort through the thousands of messages and give us a little taste of what's going on each Wednesday.
So, without further ado, here's a look at what those in NASCAR were thinking over the past seven days...
by Kevin Rutherford
Editor's Note: With the NASCAR Twitter community expanding by leaps and bounds, it remains a place for instantaneous news, reactions, and a whole lot of inside jokes. We understand if you don't want to join the Twitter community - but as a fan, it's important to know the news and info you're missing out on! That's why, every week, Kevin Rutherford will sort through the thousands of messages and give us a little taste of what's going on each Wednesday.
So, without further ado, here's a look at what those in NASCAR were thinking over the past seven days...
@jpmontoya (Juan Pablo Montoya): So today we made one of the coolest announcements ever!!! Looking forward to working next year with @penskeracing.
@KyleBusch: Real proud of @KBMteam, they built me a bad fast Tundra! Thanks to all my fans for the congrats! Time 2 win ya 2 more this weekend!
@KyleBusch: Real proud of @KBMteam, they built me a bad fast Tundra! Thanks to all my fans for the congrats! Time 2 win ya 2 more this weekend!
@JeffGordonWeb: Wow we just gained 1250 points! Very appreciative of @NASCAR consideration on this matter as well as fans overwhelming support.
@dennyhamlin: I think Ty Dillion needs a new spotter.. Truck high.. Again
@JakeSnakeCrum: Good to see an owner like @SwanRacingCo give young racers an opportunity. Man wants TALENT behind the wheel & doesn't need someone with $$$
@TravisPastrana: I asked my car chief Cody for more front grip. He gave me this.. pic.twitter.com/rset9PyvcG
@ClintBowyer: Attention all media members! I will be turning all questions for today over to my new publicist @blakeshelton... pic.twitter.com/aoWy3ynDZI
@claygreenfield: Sounds like I will be in the chase by end of the week
@maxpapis: Interesting decision @jpmontoya this will def help @IndyCar in the near future
@FrontRoeJow87 (Joe Nemechek): My thoughts have really been with those who suffered 12 years ago today, and with those who are still suffering with loss. #NASCAR
@JimmieJohnson: It's hard to believe its been twelve years... 🇺🇸 #NeverForget
@DavidStremme: Thinking of all the men and women at the #NavyYardShooting
@mw55 (Michael Waltrip): Prayers this morning. #NavyYardShooting God bless America. pic.twitter.com/TY8TpG3jio
@BrettMoffitt11: Getting after it on #lkn today throwing a #tantrum http://instagram.com/p/eYJ7lCIwLJ/
@landoncassill: new favorite beer for this week, craft brew Dale's Pale Ale from Oskar Blues. I found it at Total Wine, it's in a can! totally old school
@KevinHarvick: Wagon day! Handle dragging with a few wrecks.. http://instagram.com/p/eXzESHxkKn/
@keselowski (Brad Keselowski): "Their once was a time when overly angry people couldn't anonymously voice opinions." Me, Explaining simpler times to grandchildren
@Kenny_Wallace: Congrats to my Nephew @stevewallace66 on his engagement to "Tara" pic.twitter.com/2olhswlXMu
@KyleLarsonRacin: I lost the muscle man comp, the dancing comp, and the singing comp. Most embarrassing moment of my life.
@AndyLally: The underscore key is so stupid. ___________________________________
Kevin Rutherford is an Assistant Editor for Frontstretch.com. He can be reached via email at kevin.rutherford@frontstretch.com. Follow him on Twitter at @surfwax83.
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TODAY ON THE FRONTSTRETCH:
Open Wheel Wednesday: Moving Juan
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.
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TODAY ON THE FRONTSTRETCH:
Open Wheel Wednesday: Moving Juan
by Huston Ladner
Happiness Is...11, Air Titan, KyBu, Racing
by Huston Ladner
Top Ten Things Fans Are More Likely To See Than Air Titan in 2013
by Huston Ladner
Top Ten Things Fans Are More Likely To See Than Air Titan in 2013
by the Frontstretch Staff
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FRONTSTRETCH TRIVIA:
Q: The 2000 Dura Lube/KMart 300 is best known for the use of restrictor plates to slow the cars, and Jeff Burton winning after leading all 300 laps. With the one-inch restrictor plates that NASCAR mandated, what kind of RPMs were the teams turning during the race?
Check back Thursday for the answer, here in the Frontstretch Newsletter!
Tuesday's Answer:
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?
A: Andretti was running in a decent eighth place when he spun in Turn 1 after contact from Mike Skinner and backed hard into the wall. Skinner spun as well, while Mark Martin went around trying to avoid the mess. Martin was then hit by David Green. Green also had contact with Jeff Gordon, who he had shoved into the grass. Green then slid up the track and was hit by Ricky Rudd. A generalized mess, for lack of better words, which can be seen here.
Andretti, Rudd and Green were all out on the spot. Gordon, Skinner and Martin all continued following repairs on pit road. Gordon came back from his damage to finish fifth. Martin was a lap down in 17th while Skinner was two down in 27th.
As for Kyle Petty, he was running a strong third when the aforementioned wreck went down. Unfortunately, he developed engine problems shortly afterwards. He eventually finished eight laps down in 33rd.
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!
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Coming tomorrow in the Frontstretch Newsletter:
-- Top News from Phil Allaway
-- What's Vexing Vito by Vito Pugliese
-- Critic's Annex by Phil Allaway
-- Links to your favorite Frontstretch articles, the Line of the Week and more!
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Coming tomorrow in the Frontstretch Newsletter:
-- Top News from Phil Allaway
-- What's Vexing Vito by Vito Pugliese
-- Critic's Annex by Phil Allaway
-- Links to your favorite Frontstretch articles, the Line of the Week and more!
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Tomorrow on the Frontstretch:
Mirror Driving by the Frontstretch Staff
Your favorite Frontstretch writers are back to discuss a variety of weekly storylines.
Frontstretch Fan Q&A by Summer Bedgood
Summer takes on your NASCAR questions and answers them to the best of her ability. Be sure to send your questions in if there's something that's been nagging at you and you might see your name in print.
Fantasy Insider by Jeff Wolfe
Jeff brings fantasy racing back to Frontstretch this season. The week, he has your best bets as you fill out your roster for New Hampshire.
Tech Talk by Mike Neff
Mike has a Sprint Cup Series crew chief stop by to talk about the technical side of NASCAR. This week, Slugger Labbe checks in as the teams head back to Loudon.
Truckin' Thursdays by Beth Lunkenheimer
Beth is back with all of the latest and greatest storylines to come out of the Truck Series.
Mirror Driving by the Frontstretch Staff
Your favorite Frontstretch writers are back to discuss a variety of weekly storylines.
Frontstretch Fan Q&A by Summer Bedgood
Summer takes on your NASCAR questions and answers them to the best of her ability. Be sure to send your questions in if there's something that's been nagging at you and you might see your name in print.
Fantasy Insider by Jeff Wolfe
Jeff brings fantasy racing back to Frontstretch this season. The week, he has your best bets as you fill out your roster for New Hampshire.
Tech Talk by Mike Neff
Mike has a Sprint Cup Series crew chief stop by to talk about the technical side of NASCAR. This week, Slugger Labbe checks in as the teams head back to Loudon.
Truckin' Thursdays by Beth Lunkenheimer
Beth is back with all of the latest and greatest storylines to come out of the Truck Series.
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Talk back to the Frontstretch Newsletter!
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©2013 Frontstretch.com
Talk back to the Frontstretch Newsletter!
Got something to say about an article you've seen in the newsletter? It's as easy as replying directly to this message or sending an email to editors@frontstretch.com. We'll take the best comments and publish them here!
©2013 Frontstretch.com
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