Friday, November 01, 2013

The Frontstretch Newsletter: Truex Officially To No. 78

THE FRONTSTRETCH NEWSLETTER
Presented by Frontstretch.com
The Best Seat at the Track, The Best View on the Net!
November 1st, 2013
Volume VII, Edition CCV

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Racing On TV This Weekend (via Phil Allaway)

Friday, November 1
Time    Telecast    Network
12:30 PM - 2:00 PM    Sprint Cup Series Practice No. 1    FOX Sports 1
2:00 - 3:00 PM    Nationwide Series Practice No. 1    FOX Sports 1
3:00 - 4:30 PM    Camping World Truck Series Qualifying    FOX Sports 1
4:30 - 6:00 PM    Sprint Cup Series Qualifying    ESPN2
6:00 - 7:30 PM    Nationwide Series Happy Hour    FOX Sports 2
8:00 - 8:30 PM    NCWTS Setup    FOX Sports 1
8:30 - 10:30 PM    Camping World Truck Series WinStar World Casino 350k    FOX Sports 1

Saturday, November 2
Time    Telecast    Network
10:00 - 11:00 AM    K&N Pro Series East Road Atlanta 115    FOX Sports 2*/
11:00 AM - 12:00 PM    Sprint Cup Series Practice No. 2    FOX Sports 2
12:00 - 1:30 PM    Nationwide Series Qualifying    FOX Sports 1
1:30 - 3:00 PM    Formula One Grand Prix of Abu Dhabi Qualifying    NBC Sports Network*
2:00 - 3:00 PM    Sprint Cup Series Happy Hour    FOX Sports 1
3:30 - 6:00 PM    Nationwide Series O'Reilly Auto Parts Challenge    ESPN2

Sunday, November 3
Time    Telecast    Network
7:30 AM - 8:00 AM    F1 Countdown    NBC Sports Network
8:00 - 10:00 AM    Formula One Grand Prix of Abu Dhabi    NBC Sports Network
10:00 - 10:30 AM    F1 Extra    NBC Sports Network
12:00 PM - 1:00 PM    Whelen Modified Tour Sunoco World Series 150 presented by Xtra Mart    FOX Sports 1*/
1:00 - 2:00 PM    NASCAR RaceDay Fueled by Sunoco    FOX Sports 1
2:00 - 3:00 PM    NASCAR Countdown    ESPN
3:00 - 7:00 PM    Sprint Cup Series AAA Texas 500    ESPN
7:00 - 7:30 PM    NASCAR Victory Lane    FOX Sports 1
11:00 PM - 12:00 AM    NASCAR Now, Post - Race    ESPN 2

* - Tape Delayed
/ - Highlighted Coverage

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Top News
by Tom Bowles, Justin Tucker and Beth Lunkenheimer

Truex To Furniture Row Racing

One of the sport's worst-kept secrets became reality Friday morning. Furniture Row Racing held a press conference, at Texas to officially announce Martin Truex, Jr. will drive their car in a multi-year deal that begins with the 2014 season.

"As unlucky as I got at Richmond, I got just as lucky when this deal turned up,"  said the driver. "Nine out of 10 years in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, if somebody would have lost their ride at the time I did, the chances of getting a ride of this caliber are slim-to-none at best."

Truex is leaving Michael Waltrip Racing at the end of the 2013 season as a result of his longtime sponsor NAPA jumping ship. The move occurred following a Richmond scandal in which teammate Clint Bowyer was accused of spinning out intentionally to ensure Truex and his No. 56 car would make the Chase. MWR, unable to find a replacement sponsor is downsizing at the end of the season, reducing Truex's ride to part-time and cutting their workforce by 15 percent.

Searching for a new Cup opportunity, Truex found one at this late date which actually made the 2013 Chase as a single-car outfit. Next season, he will fill the void left by Kurt Busch who is departing Furniture Row to join Stewart-Haas Racing in the No. 41 car.

"It's an opportunity you just couldn't even dream about having," said General Manager Joe Garone about hiring Truex on board. The team had been looking at a variety of young drivers, all inexperienced before the veteran came available in mid-September. Contrary to prior reports, both sides said there was no agreement officially in place until last night -- even though the partnership had been rumored for several weeks.

Truex, in 140 career starts at Michael Waltrip Racing, has one win, three poles, 17 top 5s, and 51 top 10s. His lone win came at Sonoma Raceway in June.

Marcy Scott Loses Battle With Cancer

One of the sport's most beloved public relations directors has died. Marcy Scott, who ran promotions and marketing at Atlanta Motor Speedway passed away Friday morning after a prolonged battle with cancer. Scott was just 42 years old.

"We will all miss her charisma, her penchant for detail and her way of making any task fun and enjoyable," Atlanta Motor Speedway President Ed Clark said in a statement. "To people throughout the NASCAR and the Atlanta media communities, she was a great friend and a consummate professional."

Scott had been with AMS since 2005, following a successful career in the NASCAR garage working for such drivers as Ricky Craven, Jeff Green, and Matt Kenseth. Diagnosed with breast cancer four years ago, she fought valiantly against the disease, a battle she chronicled in a blog while at first successfully beating the illness. However, this summer the cancer returned, this time as a tumor inside her brain and she was unable to conquer it a second time.

"I'll take the pain of losing Marcy Scott to know she's finally out of pain," said ESPN's Ryan McGee in a tweet, one of several close to Scott who spoke publicly on her death. "What a friend. What a fighter."

Funeral arrangements have not been announced.

Paludo, Keselowski Lead CWTS Practices in Texas

The Camping World Truck Series hit the track Thursday evening at Texas Motor Speedway for two practice sessions in preparation for tonight's WinStar World Casino 350K. Miguel Paludo led the first session with a fast lap of 180.373 MPH. Justin Lofton posted the second-quickest time, followed by Ty Dillon and championship leader Matt Crafton. Rookie Jeb Burton rounded out the top 5. A short while later, Brad Keselowski posted the fast speed for Happy Hour with a lap at 181.446 MPH. Much of the top 5 moved around but was unchanged. Jeb Burton ran the second-quickest lap, followed by Crafton, while Miguel Paludo and Ty Dillon rounded out the top 5. Drivers will hit the track at 3:00 PM ET for qualifying; the race will begin at 8:30 PM ET.

Lafferty Picks Up Sponsors for Texas

On Thursday afternoon, Lafferty Motorsports announced they had picked up OEM Auto Parts Plus, a new sponsor for the No. 0 Dodge for tonight's Truck Series race, his third start at Texas. OEMPartsPlus.com "is launching the most comprehensive online OEM auto parts store with 39 vehicle brands in January." It's a good pickup for a program that's typically a second, start-and-park operation which supplements Jennifer Jo Cobb's effort.

"I'm extremely excited to have OEM Auto Parts Plus aboard this weekend," Lafferty said, "and I look forward to expanding our relationship in 2014."

Lafferty has just 28 starts in the Truck Series and has run just one race past the 30-lap mark. He finished 30th at Kentucky Speedway in 2010.

Have news for Justin 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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Got NASCAR-related questions or comments?
Send them Summer Bedgood's way at summer.bedgood@frontstretch.com; and, if you're lucky, you'll get your name in print when she does her weekly column answering back to you – the fans that keep Frontstretch afloat. Frontstretch Fan Q & A will run on Thursdays with a whole new set of Fan Questions and Answers!

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In Case You Missed It
by Beth Lunkenheimer

KBM, Jones Partner With Wake Up Narcolepsy

Kyle Busch Motorsports announced earlier this week that it had partnered with Wake Up Narcolepsy (WUN) for multiple events with 17-year-old phenom Erik Jones at the wheel. The non-profit, "dedicated to speeding narcolepsy diagnosis through greater awareness and funding research for a cure" will be on Jones' No. 51 Toyota in both the Nashville Fairgrounds All-American 400 Late Model race, along with the Truck Series event at Phoenix Raceway on November 8th.

"I'm proud to be associated with Wake Up Narcolepsy and its mission to help the millions of people living with narcolepsy," Jones said of the partnership. "When the green flag drops in Nashville and Phoenix, I'll be pulling out all the stops to get the No. 51 Toyota into the lead and be right there for the checkered flag. This is a huge opportunity for KBM and WUN!"

Jones has four top-10 finishes in four Truck Series starts this season, including a best result of second at Iowa Speedway in July.

Anderson's Maple Syrup, Brookshire's To Sponsor Paludo At Texas

Turner Scott Motorsports announced earlier this week that Anderson's Maple Syrup and Brookshire's Food & Pharmacy will sponsor Miguel Paludo's No. 32 Chevrolet in tonight's Truck Series event from Texas Motor Speedway. Anderson's has been a family-owned business for over 80 years, while Brookshire's, a Texas-based operation, opens a fully-functional grocery store twice a year at Texas for fans.

"I'm very excited to be partnering with Anderson's Maple Syrup and Brookshire's in Texas," said Paludo. "The people at Anderson's are passionate about NASCAR and take a lot of pride in their racing program, so I'm proud that they've chosen me to be a part of it. I love maple syrup, and one of my major goals as a diabetic has been to dispel the myths about diabetes and sugar. You can enjoy things like pure maple syrup when you monitor what you eat and maintain your levels. Pure maple syrup is a great option for a natural sweetener."

Anderson's has sponsored multiple drivers in the Truck Series including Kevin Harvick, Ron Hornaday, Jr. and Mike Wallace.

Milestone Starts at Texas

This weekend, several drivers will celebrate milestone starts at Texas Motor Speedway. Ryan Sieg will make his 100th career Truck Series start in tonight's WinStar World Casino 350K. The Georgia native made his series debut at Martinsville Speedway, in 2009 behind the wheel of the No. 21 GunBroker.com Dodge. Meanwhile, Greg Biffle and Jamie McMurray will make their 400th career Cup Series starts, while JJ Yeley will make his 200th in Sunday afternoon's AAA Texas 500. Biffle made his debut at Auto Club Speedway, while McMurray got his start at Talladega Superspeedway, in 2002. Yeley's first Cup start came at Auto Club Speedway in 2004.

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Frontstretch Folio: AAA Texas 500
by Beth Lunkenheimer

This weekend, the Sprint Cup Series rolls into Texas Motor Speedway for the eighth race in the Chase for the Sprint Cup. The AAA Texas 500 will be broadcast live, on ESPN at 3:00 PM ET; it can also be heard on your local MRN affiliate or SiriusXM Channel 90. Drivers will compete for 334 laps (501 miles) en route to the checkered flag.

Records and Facts

Kyle Busch holds the track qualifying record at Texas with a lap of 196.299 MPH for April's NRA 500. Busch went on to lead 171 of 334 laps on his way to a half-second victory over Martin Truex, Jr. Carl Edwards, Greg Biffle and Joey Logano rounded out the top-5 finishers.

Jimmie Johnson is the defending winner of the AAA Texas 500. After starting on the pole, Johnson led 168 of 335 laps en route to Victory Lane nearly one second ahead of Brad Keselowski in a green-white-checkered finish. Kyle Busch, Matt Kenseth and Tony Stewart rounded out the top 5.

Track Facts

Track/Race Length: 1.5-mile quad oval, 334 laps (501 miles)
Pit Road Speed: 45 mph
Degree of Banking: 24 degrees
Frontstretch: 2,250 ft., 5 degrees of banking
Backstretch: 1,330 ft., 5 degrees of banking
Grandstand Seating: 122,377
Website: http://www.texasmotorspeedway.com/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/texasmotorspeedway
Twitter: http://twitter.com/TXMotorSpeedway

Pre-Race Schedule

Practices: Friday, November 1, 12:30 - 2:00 PM ET on FS1
Saturday, November 2, 11:00 - 11:55 AM ET on FS2
Happy Hour: Saturday, November 2, 2:00 - 2:50 PM ET on FS2
Qualifying: Friday, November 1 at 4:40 PM ET on ESPN2

Race Day Forecast

Sunday: Partly Cloudy
High: 67
Low: 52

They Said It:

"Expect the cars that were [at the test last week] to lead the way on the practice sheets and be toward the top of the qualifying order when all that comes down. That's all very important stuff but, what I'm really excited about after the test session is how much the line has moved around on the racetrack. If we have sunny conditions for the race, we'll have a very, very exciting race." Jimmie Johnson

"We had a great test at Texas Motor Speedway, we're hoping to go there and get a victory for Aflac.  We've had a lot of luck and I love racing there; it's a fast racetrack with a lot of character. The racetrack has aged quite a bit and the tires seem to work really well there, it can race three different grooves. At this point in the season, it's just about wins for us. We want go into these last three races with all the stops pulled and hopefully, we can get some victories." Carl Edwards

"When we finish up here at Homestead today we will be done with testing this season. Last week, we tested at Texas and had a really good test there. I am obviously looking forward to the race this weekend. We came so close to winning at Texas in the spring. The only thing on our mind is going back there and winning. Homestead has always been a great track for me. Our NAPA team is definitely looking forward to going there as well. Hopefully, we can go back to contending for wins starting Sunday at Texas." Martin Truex, Jr.
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Keepin' It Short: The All-American Once Again At Its Rightful Home in Nashville
by Mike Neff

In 1981, the All-American 400 was contested at Nashville's Fairgrounds Speedway for the very first time. Butch Lindley took the checkered flag in that first event, becoming one of the Late Model "crown jewel" events over time. The race was then run every year, until 2001 when it took a hiatus for two years. It ran from 2003 – 2008 before it was shelved in 2009 and 2011. It came back last season and was scheduled for 400 green flag laps, but was cut short by rain. This season, the main event will be 300 laps, combined with 100 laps for Pro Late Models, ultimately making up the All-American 400.

The list of winners who have put their name on the trophy for the All-American is a who's who of short track racing names. Rusty Wallace and Darrell Waltrip will be well-known among the casual short track fans, but they only scratch the surface of the big names who have taken the trophy home from Nashville. Jeff Purvis is the only three-time winner in the history of the 400, taking the win in '91, '92 and '95. Mike Garvey won in '93 and 2000. Bob Senneker, who has won the Winchester 400 seven times, has the 1982 All-American trophy on his mantle. Gary Balough, Butch Miller, Freddie Query, Wayne Anderson and Eddie Hoffman have all won the 400 twice. Mike Garvey was the only previous winner to run the race in 2012.

Garvey is on the entry list for this year's 400 and hopes to become the second three-time winner in the event's history. Ross Kenseth, who took the rain-shortened win last season is scheduled to defend his title. Erik Jones, who has scored wins in the Snowball Derby and Winchester 400 is hoping to snag the third of the four major Super Late Model races for the year. Preston Peltier, who won the World Crown 300 at Gresham Motorsports Park, is also scheduled to run the All-American in hopes of equaling Jones' two wins in the big four.

Meanwhile, the Southern Super Series will crown their champion on Saturday at the conclusion of the event. Bubba Pollard is currently the points leader by 46 over Daniel Hemric. The season points battle is down to those two men. So if you are in the Nashville area on Saturday night, head to the Fairgrounds and see the intense racing action of the Southern Super Series on one of the most historic race tracks in the country.

This Weekend's Racing Schedule

Friday    11/01/13    East Alabama Motor Speedway    Phenix City    AL    KMSA Mini Stocks
Friday    11/01/13    Riverside International Speedway    West Memphis    AR    USCS Flip Flop 50
Friday    11/01/13    Canyon Speedway Park    Peoria    AZ    Bombers
Friday    11/01/13    Canyon Speedway Park    Peoria    AZ    IMCA Modifieds
Friday    11/01/13    Canyon Speedway Park    Peoria    AZ    Modlite Nationals
Friday    11/01/13    Canyon Speedway Park    Peoria    AZ    Pure Stocks
Friday    11/01/13    Perris Auto Speedway    Perris    CA    USAC Sprint Cars
Friday    11/01/13    Perris Auto Speedway    Perris    CA    USAC/CRA Sprint Cars
Friday    11/01/13    El Paso Speedway Park    El Paso     TX    ASCS Winged Sprints
Saturday    11/02/13    East Alabama Motor Speedway    Phenix City    AL    KMSA Mini Stocks
Saturday    11/02/13    Riverside International Speedway    West Memphis    AR    USCS Flip Flop 50
Saturday    11/02/13    Canyon Speedway Park    Peoria    AZ    Bombers
Saturday    11/02/13    Canyon Speedway Park    Peoria    AZ    IMCA Modifieds
Saturday    11/02/13    Canyon Speedway Park    Peoria    AZ    Modlite Nationals
Saturday    11/02/13    Canyon Speedway Park    Peoria    AZ    Pure Stocks
Saturday    11/02/13    Tucson International Raceway    Tucson    AZ    Factory Stocks
Saturday    11/02/13    Tucson International Raceway    Tucson    AZ    Hornets
Saturday    11/02/13    Tucson International Raceway    Tucson    AZ    Mini Sprints
Saturday    11/02/13    Tucson International Raceway    Tucson    AZ    Super Stocks
Saturday    11/02/13    Tucson International Raceway    Tucson    AZ    X-Mods
Saturday    11/02/13    Perris Auto Speedway    Perris    CA    USAC Sprint Cars
Saturday    11/02/13    Perris Auto Speedway    Perris    CA    USAC/CRA Sprint Cars
Saturday    11/02/13    Southern New Mexico Speedway    Las Cruces    NM    ASCS Winged Sprints
Saturday    11/02/13    West End Raceway    Gilbert     PA    Half Quarter Midget
Saturday    11/02/13    West End Raceway    Gilbert     PA    Heavy 160 Quarter Midget
Saturday    11/02/13    West End Raceway    Gilbert     PA    Heavy Honda Quarter Midget
Saturday    11/02/13    West End Raceway    Gilbert     PA    Heavy World Formula Quarter Midget
Saturday    11/02/13    West End Raceway    Gilbert     PA    Jr. Animal Quarter Midget
Saturday    11/02/13    West End Raceway    Gilbert     PA    Jr. Honda Quarter Midget
Saturday    11/02/13    West End Raceway    Gilbert     PA    Jr. Novice Quarter Midget
Saturday    11/02/13    West End Raceway    Gilbert     PA    Light 160 Quarter Midget
Saturday    11/02/13    West End Raceway    Gilbert     PA    Sr. Honda Quarter Midget
Saturday    11/02/13    West End Raceway    Gilbert     PA    Sr. Novice Quarter Midget
Saturday    11/02/13    Smoky Mountain Speedway    Maryville    TN    Southern Regional Racing Series Super Late Models

Mike Neff is a Senior Writer for Frontstretch.com. He can be reached via email at mike.neff@frontstretch.com. Follow him on Twitter @MNeffShortTrack.

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TODAY ON THE FRONTSTRETCH:
by Matt Stallknecht
as told to Beth Lunkenheimer
by the Frontstretch Staff

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FRONTSTRETCH TRIVIA:

Q: Texas Motor Speedway has had its share of bizarre incidents.  Few are as strange, though as what put Donnie Beechler out of the 1999 Longhorn 500k.  What happened?

Check back Monday for the answer, here in the Frontstretch Newsletter!
 
Thursday's Answer:

Q: Ken Schrader's time with the Wood Brothers was nothing short of miserable.  He had a grand total of two top-10 finishes in a season and change before getting fired.  The 2006 Dickies 500 was another miserable day, one that ended with a DNF.  What happened?

A: Schrader cut a tire exiting Turn 4 and smacked the wall hard.  After coming off the wall, Schrader clipped the No. 22 of Dave Blaney.  Meanwhile, behind Schrader, Mark Martin was turned from behind by Matt Kenseth.  Martin then hit Sterling Marlin, who went head-on into the wall.  The crash can be seen here.

Schrader drove his car back around to the garage, but was out on the spot.  Marlin went behind the wall for repairs and eventually returned to the race.  However, he pulled off after completing 35 more laps and was credited with a 40th-place finish.  Martin and Blaney continued after pit stops.  They finished 22nd and 32nd, respectively.

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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 This Weekend and Monday on the Frontstretch:

Thinkin' Out Loud: AAA Texas 500 by Mike Neff
 Mike will swing by with his overall thoughts from Sunday's race from Texas.

Commentary by Summer Bedgood
Summer will take a look at one of the biggest stories to come out of Texas.

Bowles-Eye View by Tom Bowles
Tom gives his thoughts on a major storyline from the eighth race of the Chase at Texas.
Big Six: AAA Texas 500 by Amy Henderson
Amy has your weekly look at the Who, What, When, Where, Why and How from a weekend of racing at Texas.

Pace Laps: Texas Weekend and Short Tracks Across The Country by the Frontstretch Staff
It's back again this season! The staff gets together to help you catch up on the latest and greatest going on in each racing series around the country.

Nationwide Series Breakdown: O'Reilly Auto Parts Challenge by Kevin Rutherford
Kevin has all the post-race analysis you need following Saturday afternoon's Nationwide Series race from Texas.

Tracking the Trucks: WinStar World Casino 350 by Beth Lunkenheimer
Beth has all the post-race information you need following Friday night's Camping World Truck Series race from Texas Motor Speedway.

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