THE FRONTSTRETCH NEWSLETTER
- NASCAR plans to release the 2014 Sprint Cup schedule. Most dates, through press releases of individual tracks have already been confirmed so no major changes are expected. Vice President Steve O'Donnell will answer questions for national media on some of the minor tweaks, including a move of Darlington's race date to April while putting Kansas Speedway's Spring event under the lights, on Mother's Day Weekend in its place.
- Hendrick Motorsports, Michael Waltrip Racing, Joe Gibbs Racing, and Roush Fenway Racing will continue their three-day test at Texas Motor Speedway. Nine of the 13 Chase drivers are there working on setups for the next intermediate track race on the schedule November 3rd.
Top News
NASCAR Tests 2014 Aerodynamics At Charlotte
The "official" racing at Charlotte may be over, for 2013 but the real race for NASCAR Cup Series teams has just begun. Six drivers, two representing each manufacturer were testing at the 1.5-mile oval Monday as the sport tries to radically redesign its aerodynamic package for next year. Major changes are expected, this offseason after sources claim Toyota has found a combination that would eliminate the dreaded "aero push" at the front of the pack. Like running into a brick wall, it's kept on-track passes to a minimum up front while automatically scrubbing speed off a second-place car.
Results of the test are being kept private, sent to NASCAR Research and Development for further review. Here's what we do know: three different packages were tried, with the focus on changing spoilers, splitters, and ride heights in order to change both speed and "feel" inside the race car. Trevor Bayne, interviewed on NASCAR RaceHub, seemed to indicate those adjustments did make the car feel different. But is it better? No one knows quite yet. Cars did try and run side-by-side, waiting out a rain delay to continue under the lights until officials were satisfied with the final results.
Those testing included Brad Keselowski and Trevor Bayne (Ford); Jamie McMurray and Jeff Burton (Chevy); and Denny Hamlin, paired with sub Brett Moffitt (Toyota). NASCAR, pleased at how quickly this operation came together expects to do this type of experimentation several more times in the coming months.
"It is really an exercise in continuous improvement," explained NASCAR Vice President of Innovation and Racing Development Gene Stefanyshyn. "Our objective is to shake down potential changes, for 2014 with an eye to continue to improve our product on the racetrack."
There's no word on when and where the next one of these "experiments" will take place.
Brian Vickers Out For Season
One of NASCAR's feel-good stories, this season will have to table his climb back to weekly contender until 2014. Brian Vickers, recently signed to the No. 55 Aaron's Toyota full-time in the Cup Series will take a leave of absence from Michael Waltrip Racing, effective the rest of the season due to a blood clot discovered in his right calf. Vickers, who has previously been sidelined with this issue has been prescribed blood thinners after the clot was discovered during a routine physical examination.
That type of medication, along with the potential risks of his condition will keep Vickers out of a car until the prescription – and the clot – run their course. While a difficult pill to swallow, the driver remains in good spirits as Dr. William Downey, the attending physician remains confident there will be no long-term effects to the driver's career.
"If there's anything to be positive about with today's news, it's that this is only a temporary setback," said the 30-year-old driver in a statement. "The timing for this is never good, but I'm glad we'll get it out of the way now and be ready to run for a championship with the Aaron's Dream Machine in 2014."
Co-owner Rob Kauffman was unwilling to commit to a substitute driver, claiming the team was just informed on Monday morning and "our concern is for Brian's health." The team's other co-owner, Michael Waltrip, will jump behind the wheel for a previously scheduled start at Talladega and then they'll reevaluate the future.
Vickers' health news means he'll also give up the No. 20 ride, at Joe Gibbs Racing in the Nationwide Series the rest of the year. Eighth in the season standings, he earned 13 top-5 finishes along with 18 top 10s in 30 starts.
"We are praying Brian will have a quick and full recovery from this latest issue," owner Joe Gibbs said in a statement. "Everyone at JGR appreciates all the hard work and effort he has given to our Nationwide Series program this year. [Brian] is a great competitor and we look forward to seeing him back on the track in 2014."
At MWR, on the Cup side Vickers has a win and six top 10s during a limited schedule of 17 starts this season. He ran 25th at Charlotte, driving the No. 55 car on Saturday night.
Michael Waltrip Racing Cutting Back To Two Cars In 2014
The financial consequences of "Spingate," from Richmond have taken their toll on the short-term future of Michael Waltrip Racing. Monday, team co-owners Rob Kauffman and Michael Waltrip announced they'll scale back from three full-time cars to two come 2014. A third car, in a research and development role will only be run on a limited schedule, pending sponsorship as the organization loses full-time backer NAPA for Martin Truex, Jr. and the soon-to-be-defunct No. 56 team following the season.
Truex, along with crew chief Chad Johnston were told they can look elsewhere for employment as the team plans to cut its roster of 265 employees by 15 percent. Most of them will come from Truex's car, a painful split considering the team has won twice in the last two seasons and came within a whisker of making two straight postseason appearances.
"This is never something you like to do having to reorganize the company," Kauffman said in an interview with USA Today's Nate Ryan. Jenna Fryer tweeted an additional quote, one expressing even more disappointment after her own conversation with the financier. "We made a mistake," he claimed, "we paid a heavy price, and we are adjusting to a new reality."
Still, both men tried to limit the doom and gloom. Co-owner Waltrip, in particular looked on the bright side, claiming a smaller, more streamlined operation could lead to better chemistry overall while giving creative engineers less hoops to jump through across the board.
"I think it's a situation where we're going to be better going from three cars to two," he claimed. "We feel it's going to enable us to get ideas from paper, to steel, to the racetrack sooner."
The new look team will also give Waltrip a chance to potentially run more events. He'll be in the third car for next year's Daytona 500 and a handful of 2014 races. Meanwhile, suspended former Vice President Ty Norris has been reassigned within the company, as the Executive Director of Business Development in a role that takes him away from at-track competition. While the organization will miss his spotting ability, a long history of creating strong financial partnerships means he'll be in good position to help move the company forward in the coming years.
"One of the essential elements we looked at in the plan," added Kauffman, "Was to try to make the best of the situation and reorganize in such a way that we could come out not just status quo, but potentially stronger and even more competitive. It's certainly been demonstrated you can be competitive [with two teams]."
The future for Truex, along with his former sponsor remains unclear. Furniture Row Racing has talked extensively with the driver, about next season but hasn't made a final decision on their replacement for Kurt Busch. NAPA has been rumored to stick with Truex, but there's no confirmation as to whether they'll appear on a car in 2014 or disappear completely. Richard Childress Racing, with possible expansion to four cars also remains in the running for Truex's services.
News 'N' Notes
- IndyCar's Dario Franchitti was in the hospital again Monday after a second surgery for his broken right ankle. A three-hour procedure repaired the talus bone, stabilizing the injury and preparing it for future rehabilitation.
"His surgery went just as planned," said Dr. Terry Trammel, IZOD IndyCar Orthopedic Consultant in a statement. "Everything is positive at this point as Dario continues his recovery."
- Hunt Brothers Pizza announced they'll back Kevin Harvick in both the Sprint Cup and Nationwide Series next season. The longtime NASCAR sponsor will serve as an associate for Harvick's No. 4 on the Cup side, the sixth straight year they've remained partnered with the driver.
"Kevin and his wife DeLana have been excellent brand ambassadors, so much so that they have their very own Hunt Brothers Pizza oven in their kitchen," said Keith Solsvig, Vice President of Marketing for the company in a statement. "It's that kind of authenticity that made continuing our partnership with Kevin Harvick a very easy decision."
Hunt Brothers will also follow Harvick in the Nationwide Series, where he's signed with JR Motorsports to drive a limited schedule in the No. 5 Chevrolet for at least 12 races. Hunt Brothers Pizza has agreed to be primary sponsor for four of those to-be-determined events.
Want to follow Kyle Larson yourself?
Twitter: @KyleLarsonRacin
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KyleLarsonRacing
Website (under construction): http://kylelarsonracing.com/
Looking for a little history? Try... http://kylelarsonracing.net/
S.D. Grady is a Senior Editor for Frontstretch and runs a NASCAR blog called the S-Curves. She can be reached via e-mail at sonya.grady@frontstretch.com. Follow her on Twitter at @laregna and on her Facebook page (she's an author, too!) at https://www.facebook.com/Author.SDGrady.
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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Numbers Game: Bank of America 500
by Tom Bowles
0
Laps led by Kurt Busch at Charlotte, en route to a 14th-place finish. He's the only Chase driver who's failed to lead a single lap so far this postseason.
1
Top-10 finish for Mark Martin in eight races subbing for Tony Stewart in the No. 14 car. Martin, whose engine failed Saturday night has just one top-5 result all year: a third in the season-opening Daytona 500.
2
Times Kasey Kahne led the most laps this season in two Charlotte Cup races; in total, he was out front for 299 of a possible 734 laps. Unfortunately for him, the No. 5 car failed to win twice; Kahne was second both times.
3
Races, out of 28 starts the No. 98 Ford driven by Michael McDowell has been running at the finish. That's the fewest of any full-time team at the Cup Series level this season. At Charlotte, Phil Parsons Racing start-and-parked early again en route to a 40th-place result.
4
Caution flags in 334 laps at Charlotte; two of them were from debris and only one was from an accident. That's one week after a record-setting 15 caution flags during a 400-mile race at Kansas Speedway.
5
Drivers capable of assuming the point lead after Sunday's race at Talladega. That's the fewest number of drivers "within reach" of the top of the standings, at this point in the Chase since NASCAR adopted their new points system in 2011.
6
Times, in nine previous Chases the point leader at the halfway point of the playoffs has gone on to "win it all" at Homestead. The only exceptions have been 2006 (Jeff Burton surpassed by Jimmie Johnson), 2007 (Jeff Gordon surpassed by Johnson) and 2011 (Carl Edwards surpassed by Stewart).
7
DNFs Saturday night. It's the fewest for a Cup race in Charlotte since the Fall of 2010.
8
Point swing between Matt Kenseth and Jimmie Johnson due to Charlotte's final "debris" caution. Without that yellow flag, Johnson almost definitely wins while Kenseth comes home in fourth place. That would have given the driver of the No. 48 car, not his rival a four-point lead in the standings.
9
Top-5 finishes for Matt Kenseth, in 31 races after his third-place finish at Charlotte. Teammate Kyle Busch leads the circuit with 15.
13
Cars on the lead lap in both Charlotte races this year. Only Dover in September (12) had less.
17
Cup races in between top-10 finishes for Denny Hamlin. That's easily the worst stretch of his career. Hamlin, ninth on Saturday night hadn't run that well since an eighth at Pocono back in June.
313
Laps led by Hendrick Motorsports out of 334 in Saturday night's Cup race. Kasey Kahne led a race-high 138 circuits, followed by Jimmie Johnson (130), Jeff Gordon (26), and Dale Earnhardt, Jr. (19). It's the most for the team, at Charlotte Motor Speedway since Johnson led 334 of 400 laps en route to victory in the 2004 Coca-Cola 600.
$47,050
Money earned by J.J. Yeley after crashing out and finishing 43rd Saturday night.
$97,375
Money earned by Mark Martin after his engine failure. Martin ran 42nd.
Tom Bowles is the Editor-In-Chief of Frontstretch. He can be reached via e-mail at tom.bowles@frontstretch.com.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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TODAY ON THE FRONTSTRETCH:
Racing To The Point: Keselowski's Personality Missing From 2013 Chase
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
Tom takes a closer look at who's left without a chair, in the Cup Series with Silly Season winding down, 2014 schedule reaction, what a few months away could mean for Brian Vickers and much more in this weekly list of small but important observations surrounding the sport.
Beyond The Cockpit: David Gilliland by Beth Lunkenheimer
Presented by Frontstretch.com
The Best Seat at the Track, The Best View on the Net!
October 15th, 2013
Volume VII, Edition CXCII
The Best Seat at the Track, The Best View on the Net!
October 15th, 2013
Volume VII, Edition CXCII
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
What To Watch: Tuesday- NASCAR plans to release the 2014 Sprint Cup schedule. Most dates, through press releases of individual tracks have already been confirmed so no major changes are expected. Vice President Steve O'Donnell will answer questions for national media on some of the minor tweaks, including a move of Darlington's race date to April while putting Kansas Speedway's Spring event under the lights, on Mother's Day Weekend in its place.
- Hendrick Motorsports, Michael Waltrip Racing, Joe Gibbs Racing, and Roush Fenway Racing will continue their three-day test at Texas Motor Speedway. Nine of the 13 Chase drivers are there working on setups for the next intermediate track race on the schedule November 3rd.
Top News
by Tom Bowles
The "official" racing at Charlotte may be over, for 2013 but the real race for NASCAR Cup Series teams has just begun. Six drivers, two representing each manufacturer were testing at the 1.5-mile oval Monday as the sport tries to radically redesign its aerodynamic package for next year. Major changes are expected, this offseason after sources claim Toyota has found a combination that would eliminate the dreaded "aero push" at the front of the pack. Like running into a brick wall, it's kept on-track passes to a minimum up front while automatically scrubbing speed off a second-place car.
Results of the test are being kept private, sent to NASCAR Research and Development for further review. Here's what we do know: three different packages were tried, with the focus on changing spoilers, splitters, and ride heights in order to change both speed and "feel" inside the race car. Trevor Bayne, interviewed on NASCAR RaceHub, seemed to indicate those adjustments did make the car feel different. But is it better? No one knows quite yet. Cars did try and run side-by-side, waiting out a rain delay to continue under the lights until officials were satisfied with the final results.
Those testing included Brad Keselowski and Trevor Bayne (Ford); Jamie McMurray and Jeff Burton (Chevy); and Denny Hamlin, paired with sub Brett Moffitt (Toyota). NASCAR, pleased at how quickly this operation came together expects to do this type of experimentation several more times in the coming months.
"It is really an exercise in continuous improvement," explained NASCAR Vice President of Innovation and Racing Development Gene Stefanyshyn. "Our objective is to shake down potential changes, for 2014 with an eye to continue to improve our product on the racetrack."
There's no word on when and where the next one of these "experiments" will take place.
Brian Vickers Out For Season
One of NASCAR's feel-good stories, this season will have to table his climb back to weekly contender until 2014. Brian Vickers, recently signed to the No. 55 Aaron's Toyota full-time in the Cup Series will take a leave of absence from Michael Waltrip Racing, effective the rest of the season due to a blood clot discovered in his right calf. Vickers, who has previously been sidelined with this issue has been prescribed blood thinners after the clot was discovered during a routine physical examination.
That type of medication, along with the potential risks of his condition will keep Vickers out of a car until the prescription – and the clot – run their course. While a difficult pill to swallow, the driver remains in good spirits as Dr. William Downey, the attending physician remains confident there will be no long-term effects to the driver's career.
"If there's anything to be positive about with today's news, it's that this is only a temporary setback," said the 30-year-old driver in a statement. "The timing for this is never good, but I'm glad we'll get it out of the way now and be ready to run for a championship with the Aaron's Dream Machine in 2014."
Co-owner Rob Kauffman was unwilling to commit to a substitute driver, claiming the team was just informed on Monday morning and "our concern is for Brian's health." The team's other co-owner, Michael Waltrip, will jump behind the wheel for a previously scheduled start at Talladega and then they'll reevaluate the future.
Vickers' health news means he'll also give up the No. 20 ride, at Joe Gibbs Racing in the Nationwide Series the rest of the year. Eighth in the season standings, he earned 13 top-5 finishes along with 18 top 10s in 30 starts.
"We are praying Brian will have a quick and full recovery from this latest issue," owner Joe Gibbs said in a statement. "Everyone at JGR appreciates all the hard work and effort he has given to our Nationwide Series program this year. [Brian] is a great competitor and we look forward to seeing him back on the track in 2014."
At MWR, on the Cup side Vickers has a win and six top 10s during a limited schedule of 17 starts this season. He ran 25th at Charlotte, driving the No. 55 car on Saturday night.
Michael Waltrip Racing Cutting Back To Two Cars In 2014
The financial consequences of "Spingate," from Richmond have taken their toll on the short-term future of Michael Waltrip Racing. Monday, team co-owners Rob Kauffman and Michael Waltrip announced they'll scale back from three full-time cars to two come 2014. A third car, in a research and development role will only be run on a limited schedule, pending sponsorship as the organization loses full-time backer NAPA for Martin Truex, Jr. and the soon-to-be-defunct No. 56 team following the season.
Truex, along with crew chief Chad Johnston were told they can look elsewhere for employment as the team plans to cut its roster of 265 employees by 15 percent. Most of them will come from Truex's car, a painful split considering the team has won twice in the last two seasons and came within a whisker of making two straight postseason appearances.
"This is never something you like to do having to reorganize the company," Kauffman said in an interview with USA Today's Nate Ryan. Jenna Fryer tweeted an additional quote, one expressing even more disappointment after her own conversation with the financier. "We made a mistake," he claimed, "we paid a heavy price, and we are adjusting to a new reality."
Still, both men tried to limit the doom and gloom. Co-owner Waltrip, in particular looked on the bright side, claiming a smaller, more streamlined operation could lead to better chemistry overall while giving creative engineers less hoops to jump through across the board.
"I think it's a situation where we're going to be better going from three cars to two," he claimed. "We feel it's going to enable us to get ideas from paper, to steel, to the racetrack sooner."
The new look team will also give Waltrip a chance to potentially run more events. He'll be in the third car for next year's Daytona 500 and a handful of 2014 races. Meanwhile, suspended former Vice President Ty Norris has been reassigned within the company, as the Executive Director of Business Development in a role that takes him away from at-track competition. While the organization will miss his spotting ability, a long history of creating strong financial partnerships means he'll be in good position to help move the company forward in the coming years.
"One of the essential elements we looked at in the plan," added Kauffman, "Was to try to make the best of the situation and reorganize in such a way that we could come out not just status quo, but potentially stronger and even more competitive. It's certainly been demonstrated you can be competitive [with two teams]."
The future for Truex, along with his former sponsor remains unclear. Furniture Row Racing has talked extensively with the driver, about next season but hasn't made a final decision on their replacement for Kurt Busch. NAPA has been rumored to stick with Truex, but there's no confirmation as to whether they'll appear on a car in 2014 or disappear completely. Richard Childress Racing, with possible expansion to four cars also remains in the running for Truex's services.
News 'N' Notes
- IndyCar's Dario Franchitti was in the hospital again Monday after a second surgery for his broken right ankle. A three-hour procedure repaired the talus bone, stabilizing the injury and preparing it for future rehabilitation.
"His surgery went just as planned," said Dr. Terry Trammel, IZOD IndyCar Orthopedic Consultant in a statement. "Everything is positive at this point as Dario continues his recovery."
- Hunt Brothers Pizza announced they'll back Kevin Harvick in both the Sprint Cup and Nationwide Series next season. The longtime NASCAR sponsor will serve as an associate for Harvick's No. 4 on the Cup side, the sixth straight year they've remained partnered with the driver.
"Kevin and his wife DeLana have been excellent brand ambassadors, so much so that they have their very own Hunt Brothers Pizza oven in their kitchen," said Keith Solsvig, Vice President of Marketing for the company in a statement. "It's that kind of authenticity that made continuing our partnership with Kevin Harvick a very easy decision."
Hunt Brothers will also follow Harvick in the Nationwide Series, where he's signed with JR Motorsports to drive a limited schedule in the No. 5 Chevrolet for at least 12 races. Hunt Brothers Pizza has agreed to be primary sponsor for four of those to-be-determined events.
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!
~~~~~~~~~~
Today's Featured Commentary
MWR, Vickers and Truex: Who is Deserving of Their Fate?
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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
MWR, Vickers and Truex: Who is Deserving of Their Fate?
Sitting In The Stands: A Fan's View
by S.D. Grady
Monday morning, MWR announced that it will be sizing down to just two teams for the 2014 season. Why? Let's recap. The team was penalized for attempting to alter the finish of the Richmond race in order to get their No. 56 car into the Chase. NASCAR then came down on the team with Thor's hammer, kicking Martin Truex, Jr.'s car out of the playoff, lobbing a $300,000 fine at them and suspending team Vice President Ty Norris indefinitely.
Not only was the sanctioning body ticked off, so were the fans, and ultimately the sponsors. NAPA -- the primary backer on the No. 56 -- said they would break their contract at the end of 2013, no longer wishing to be associated with MWR and their shenanigans. Thus, Monday's announcement of the loss of the No. 56 car as a full-time team for 2014, along with the laying off of 15% of MWR's workforce is just the latest chapter in this sad saga.
But 2013 has been a year of two stories for Michael Waltrip Racing and its drivers. There have been bright spots.
The No. 55 Aaron's Dream Machine started the year with a conglomeration of drivers assigned to pilot the car. Mikey himself would take the plate tracks, Mark Martin continued on his excruciatingly long path towards retirement by signing up for 24 races and Brian Vickers would fill in the gaps. Except every time Vickers got into the cockpit of any car this season -- Cup or NNS -- he started doing wonderful things. We quickly forgot about his blood clotting problems of 2010 and his slow climb back into the upper echelons of NASCAR. His return culminated with a fun victory at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in July. I bought a 1/24th diecast of the winning car and placed it on a prominent shelf in my living room. I had somebody to cheer for again.
However, fate continued to play her fickle hand, with Stewart breaking his leg before Watkins Glen -- taking him out of his No. 14 for the remainder of the year. Ultimately, Mr. Mark Martin took over the No. 14, leaving the No. 55 empty. It was a natural solution to just slide Vickers right in, signing him full-time for 2014-15. Things looked perfect for the young driver, who even got married in a beautiful ceremony this Fall.
Everything great? That's usually when we find out life just isn't fair. When the MWR debacle began to unfold after Richmond, I kept glancing at Vickers. Just two short weeks before, I was so happy for him. He was finally in a competitive ride, his health was back where it ought to be, and now the future of his employer hung in the balance of little more than public opinion and corporate checkbooks. I debated taking down the No. 55 car and storing it. A few weeks passed, and the hullaballoo calmed down. Perhaps all would be fine for Vickers.
Perhaps not. This same Monday morning, minutes before the MWR downsizing announcement, Vickers released the fact he will be out of the No. 55 for the remainder of the 2013 season due to blood clots in his leg. He's back on the blood thinners, meaning he dare not get into a cockpit while treating this condition. He promises to return full-time for 2014.
It's not fair. It's not right. If there's one driver in the garage I just plain like, it's Vickers. He's a smart, strong driver who will bump fenders to take the win. He's polite, genial, but not boring. He deserves to get into a competitive machine and show the world everything he can do. I know he's staying positive right now, but first clots in the lungs and now legs... it doesn't sound too good to me.
Now, we walk down the hall at MWR and talk to Truex Jr., another driver who hasn't done anything wrong and is suffering. His team is being shut down. The one that was truly ready for the Chase -- just couldn't quite get in there. He's got wins under his belt. He is sort of fun to watch on TV in that awkward "I don't know what to do" way, and he's got ties to the Northeast from the old Busch North Series. He's a sentimental favorite of mine.
However, his career hangs in the balance because those who pay him decided to gamble with integrity in the name of greed.
It's the world we live in. It can be messed up.
It can be said, by some that Michael Waltrip Racing is getting what they deserve. They've lost the respect of many fans, fellow competitors and potential investors. One driver is suddenly out with health problems and another must seek employment elsewhere. One of their cars won't compete for the championship in 2013. The cookie is crumbling at Mr. Kauffman's office. It appears that karma is kicking MWR in the butt.
It just bites beyond belief that there are innocent bystanders who fall victim in this mess. Men and women without jobs. One without his health. How divided can one fan be? Worthy drivers are out of good rides. A team with questionable ethics is struggling to keep it all together.
It's a mess. It's life. And right now, it sucks.
Kyle Larson Stat
Series: Nationwide
Track: Charlotte
Car: No. 32 Target Chevrolet
Qualified: 8th
Finished: 13th
Points Standings: 9th
Series: Sprint Cup
Track: Charlotte
Car: No. 51 Target Chevrolet
Qualified: 21st
Finished: 37th (DNF, 87 laps down, engine)
Points Standings: n/a (Ineligible to Earn Points)
Monday morning, MWR announced that it will be sizing down to just two teams for the 2014 season. Why? Let's recap. The team was penalized for attempting to alter the finish of the Richmond race in order to get their No. 56 car into the Chase. NASCAR then came down on the team with Thor's hammer, kicking Martin Truex, Jr.'s car out of the playoff, lobbing a $300,000 fine at them and suspending team Vice President Ty Norris indefinitely.
Not only was the sanctioning body ticked off, so were the fans, and ultimately the sponsors. NAPA -- the primary backer on the No. 56 -- said they would break their contract at the end of 2013, no longer wishing to be associated with MWR and their shenanigans. Thus, Monday's announcement of the loss of the No. 56 car as a full-time team for 2014, along with the laying off of 15% of MWR's workforce is just the latest chapter in this sad saga.
But 2013 has been a year of two stories for Michael Waltrip Racing and its drivers. There have been bright spots.
The No. 55 Aaron's Dream Machine started the year with a conglomeration of drivers assigned to pilot the car. Mikey himself would take the plate tracks, Mark Martin continued on his excruciatingly long path towards retirement by signing up for 24 races and Brian Vickers would fill in the gaps. Except every time Vickers got into the cockpit of any car this season -- Cup or NNS -- he started doing wonderful things. We quickly forgot about his blood clotting problems of 2010 and his slow climb back into the upper echelons of NASCAR. His return culminated with a fun victory at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in July. I bought a 1/24th diecast of the winning car and placed it on a prominent shelf in my living room. I had somebody to cheer for again.
However, fate continued to play her fickle hand, with Stewart breaking his leg before Watkins Glen -- taking him out of his No. 14 for the remainder of the year. Ultimately, Mr. Mark Martin took over the No. 14, leaving the No. 55 empty. It was a natural solution to just slide Vickers right in, signing him full-time for 2014-15. Things looked perfect for the young driver, who even got married in a beautiful ceremony this Fall.
Everything great? That's usually when we find out life just isn't fair. When the MWR debacle began to unfold after Richmond, I kept glancing at Vickers. Just two short weeks before, I was so happy for him. He was finally in a competitive ride, his health was back where it ought to be, and now the future of his employer hung in the balance of little more than public opinion and corporate checkbooks. I debated taking down the No. 55 car and storing it. A few weeks passed, and the hullaballoo calmed down. Perhaps all would be fine for Vickers.
Perhaps not. This same Monday morning, minutes before the MWR downsizing announcement, Vickers released the fact he will be out of the No. 55 for the remainder of the 2013 season due to blood clots in his leg. He's back on the blood thinners, meaning he dare not get into a cockpit while treating this condition. He promises to return full-time for 2014.
It's not fair. It's not right. If there's one driver in the garage I just plain like, it's Vickers. He's a smart, strong driver who will bump fenders to take the win. He's polite, genial, but not boring. He deserves to get into a competitive machine and show the world everything he can do. I know he's staying positive right now, but first clots in the lungs and now legs... it doesn't sound too good to me.
Now, we walk down the hall at MWR and talk to Truex Jr., another driver who hasn't done anything wrong and is suffering. His team is being shut down. The one that was truly ready for the Chase -- just couldn't quite get in there. He's got wins under his belt. He is sort of fun to watch on TV in that awkward "I don't know what to do" way, and he's got ties to the Northeast from the old Busch North Series. He's a sentimental favorite of mine.
However, his career hangs in the balance because those who pay him decided to gamble with integrity in the name of greed.
It's the world we live in. It can be messed up.
It can be said, by some that Michael Waltrip Racing is getting what they deserve. They've lost the respect of many fans, fellow competitors and potential investors. One driver is suddenly out with health problems and another must seek employment elsewhere. One of their cars won't compete for the championship in 2013. The cookie is crumbling at Mr. Kauffman's office. It appears that karma is kicking MWR in the butt.
It just bites beyond belief that there are innocent bystanders who fall victim in this mess. Men and women without jobs. One without his health. How divided can one fan be? Worthy drivers are out of good rides. A team with questionable ethics is struggling to keep it all together.
It's a mess. It's life. And right now, it sucks.
Kyle Larson Stat
Series: Nationwide
Track: Charlotte
Car: No. 32 Target Chevrolet
Qualified: 8th
Finished: 13th
Points Standings: 9th
Series: Sprint Cup
Track: Charlotte
Car: No. 51 Target Chevrolet
Qualified: 21st
Finished: 37th (DNF, 87 laps down, engine)
Points Standings: n/a (Ineligible to Earn Points)
Want to follow Kyle Larson yourself?
Twitter: @KyleLarsonRacin
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KyleLarsonRacing
Website (under construction): http://kylelarsonracing.com/
Looking for a little history? Try... http://kylelarsonracing.net/
S.D. Grady is a Senior Editor for Frontstretch and runs a NASCAR blog called the S-Curves. She can be reached via e-mail at sonya.grady@frontstretch.com. Follow her on Twitter at @laregna and on her Facebook page (she's an author, too!) at https://www.facebook.com/Author.SDGrady.
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Numbers Game: Bank of America 500
by Tom Bowles
0
Laps led by Kurt Busch at Charlotte, en route to a 14th-place finish. He's the only Chase driver who's failed to lead a single lap so far this postseason.
1
Top-10 finish for Mark Martin in eight races subbing for Tony Stewart in the No. 14 car. Martin, whose engine failed Saturday night has just one top-5 result all year: a third in the season-opening Daytona 500.
2
Times Kasey Kahne led the most laps this season in two Charlotte Cup races; in total, he was out front for 299 of a possible 734 laps. Unfortunately for him, the No. 5 car failed to win twice; Kahne was second both times.
3
Races, out of 28 starts the No. 98 Ford driven by Michael McDowell has been running at the finish. That's the fewest of any full-time team at the Cup Series level this season. At Charlotte, Phil Parsons Racing start-and-parked early again en route to a 40th-place result.
4
Caution flags in 334 laps at Charlotte; two of them were from debris and only one was from an accident. That's one week after a record-setting 15 caution flags during a 400-mile race at Kansas Speedway.
5
Drivers capable of assuming the point lead after Sunday's race at Talladega. That's the fewest number of drivers "within reach" of the top of the standings, at this point in the Chase since NASCAR adopted their new points system in 2011.
6
Times, in nine previous Chases the point leader at the halfway point of the playoffs has gone on to "win it all" at Homestead. The only exceptions have been 2006 (Jeff Burton surpassed by Jimmie Johnson), 2007 (Jeff Gordon surpassed by Johnson) and 2011 (Carl Edwards surpassed by Stewart).
7
DNFs Saturday night. It's the fewest for a Cup race in Charlotte since the Fall of 2010.
8
Point swing between Matt Kenseth and Jimmie Johnson due to Charlotte's final "debris" caution. Without that yellow flag, Johnson almost definitely wins while Kenseth comes home in fourth place. That would have given the driver of the No. 48 car, not his rival a four-point lead in the standings.
9
Top-5 finishes for Matt Kenseth, in 31 races after his third-place finish at Charlotte. Teammate Kyle Busch leads the circuit with 15.
13
Cars on the lead lap in both Charlotte races this year. Only Dover in September (12) had less.
17
Cup races in between top-10 finishes for Denny Hamlin. That's easily the worst stretch of his career. Hamlin, ninth on Saturday night hadn't run that well since an eighth at Pocono back in June.
313
Laps led by Hendrick Motorsports out of 334 in Saturday night's Cup race. Kasey Kahne led a race-high 138 circuits, followed by Jimmie Johnson (130), Jeff Gordon (26), and Dale Earnhardt, Jr. (19). It's the most for the team, at Charlotte Motor Speedway since Johnson led 334 of 400 laps en route to victory in the 2004 Coca-Cola 600.
$47,050
Money earned by J.J. Yeley after crashing out and finishing 43rd Saturday night.
$97,375
Money earned by Mark Martin after his engine failure. Martin ran 42nd.
Tom Bowles is the Editor-In-Chief of Frontstretch. He can be reached via e-mail at tom.bowles@frontstretch.com.
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TODAY ON THE FRONTSTRETCH:
Racing To The Point: Keselowski's Personality Missing From 2013 Chase
by Brett Poirier
by Brad Morgan
by Phil Allaway
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FRONTSTRETCH TRIVIA:
Q: In July 1983, Dale Earnhardt picked up his first career victory at Talladega in the No. 15 Wrangler Ford. Who and what did he have to outrace in order to win?
Check back Wednesday for the answer, here in the Frontstretch Newsletter!
Monday's Answer:
Q: Dale Earnhardt dominated the 1990 DieHard 500 at Talladega to earn his third restrictor plate victory of the season. However, there was a mystery incident on the last lap of the race. What happened?
FRONTSTRETCH TRIVIA:
Q: In July 1983, Dale Earnhardt picked up his first career victory at Talladega in the No. 15 Wrangler Ford. Who and what did he have to outrace in order to win?
Check back Wednesday for the answer, here in the Frontstretch Newsletter!
Monday's Answer:
Q: Dale Earnhardt dominated the 1990 DieHard 500 at Talladega to earn his third restrictor plate victory of the season. However, there was a mystery incident on the last lap of the race. What happened?
A: On the backstretch, a multi-car crash broke out well behind the leaders (20 seconds or more). In this wreck, Jimmy Spencer got turned upside down. However, Spencer's Heinz Pontiac was not damaged too severely, as he was able to drive the Grand Prix back around to finish the race. Unfortunately, there is no known video footage of this crash (only a black and white picture of Spencer's car crashing). CBS made only a slight mention of the incident, as Earnhardt came to the checkered flag, then filed it away as if nothing happened.
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!
~~~~~~~~~~
Tomorrow on the Frontstretch:
Did You Notice? by Tom Bowles-- Links to your favorite Frontstretch articles, and more!
~~~~~~~~~~
Tomorrow on the Frontstretch:
Tom takes a closer look at who's left without a chair, in the Cup Series with Silly Season winding down, 2014 schedule reaction, what a few months away could mean for Brian Vickers and much more in this weekly list of small but important observations surrounding the sport.
Beyond The Cockpit: David Gilliland by Beth Lunkenheimer
The driver of the Front Row Motorsports Ford opens up about his season, to Beth just in time to return to the site of his best finish. He was second at the Talladega race, back in the Spring while teammate David Ragan won the event. Learn about how FRM has stepped up this season, their plans for next, and so much more.
Open-Wheel Wednesday by Toni Montgomery
Toni returns with a special championship edition of Open Wheel Wednesday ahead of Saturday night's season-ending MavTV American Real 500 at Auto Club Speedway.
Side By Side: Talladega In The Chase by Matt Stallknecht and TBA
With its reputation as more of a crapshoot than a race and the potential to cost a deserving driver the title, should Talladega Superspeedway continue to have a race date in the Chase? Give us your opinion as two of your favorite Frontstretch experts go toe-to-toe on this week's controversial topic.
Top Ten List by the Frontstretch Staff
Check out this weekly dose of humor, from our staff that'll leave you laughing about the world of racing.
Sprint Cup Power Rankings: Post-Charlotte compiled by Mike Mehedin
Brad Keselowski's victory Saturday night didn't have an effect on the championship chase all that much... but how were the rankings affected? See how your favorite writers voted, in our weekly poll from around the web as we rank the best 15 drivers in the Cup Series heading to Talladega.
Happiness Is... by Huston Ladner
Don't let your racing life sink straight into the pits. Huston gives us the bright side of stories from around the world of motorsports this week.
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©2013 Frontstretch.com
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