THE FRONTSTRETCH NEWSLETTER
Presented by Frontstretch.com
The Best Seat at the Track, The Best View on the Net!
February 21th, 2014
Volume VIII, Edition XI
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FRONTSTRETCH AT DAYTONA: Remember, our own Tom Bowles and Mike Neff are in Daytona and have all the latest news on their Twitter feeds: @MNeffShortTrack and @NASCARBowles. Add them and join in the discussion.
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This Weekend's TV SchedulePresented by Frontstretch.com
The Best Seat at the Track, The Best View on the Net!
February 21th, 2014
Volume VIII, Edition XI
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FRONTSTRETCH AT DAYTONA: Remember, our own Tom Bowles and Mike Neff are in Daytona and have all the latest news on their Twitter feeds: @MNeffShortTrack and @NASCARBowles. Add them and join in the discussion.
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Friday, February 21
Time Telecast Network
1:30am - 2:00am NASCAR Now ESPN2
11:00 - 11:30am NASCAR Live No. 1 FOX Sports 1
11:30am - 1:00pm Sprint Cup Series Daytona 500 Practice No. 5 FOX Sports 1
1:00 - 2:30pm Nationwide Series Qualifying ESPN2
2:30 - 4:00pm Sprint Cup Series Daytona 500 Practice No. 6 FOX Sports 1
4:00 - 5:30pm Camping World Truck Series Qualifying FOX Sports 1
5:30 - 6:30pm NASCAR Live No. 2 FOX Sports 1
6:00 - ~8:00pm NHRA CarQuest Auto Parts Nationals Qualifying ESPN3.com$
6:30 - 7:30pm NCWTS Setup FOX Sports 1
7:30 - 10:00pm Camping World Truck Series NextEra Energy Resources 250 FOX Sports 1
Saturday, February 22
Time Telecast Network
2:30am - 3:00am NASCAR Now ESPN2
9:00 - 10:00am K&N Pro Series East New Smyrna 150 presented by JEGS FOX Sports 1*/
10:00 - 11:30am Sprint Cup Series Daytona 500 Happy Hour FOX Sports 1
12:00pm - 1:15pm NASCAR Countdown ESPN
1:15 - 4:00pm Nationwide Series Drive4COPD 300 ESPN
7:30 - 10:30pm AMA Monster Energy Supercross: Atlanta FOX Sports 2
8:00 - 10:00pm Daytona 500 Bash at the Beach FOX
Sunday, February 23
Time Telecast Network
2:00am - 3:30am NHRA CarQuest Auto Parts Nationals Final Qualifying ESPN 2*/
10:00 - 11:00am SportsCenter at Daytona ESPN
11:00am - 12:00pm NASCAR RaceDay FOX Sports 1
12:00pm - 1:00pm FOX Pre-Race FOX
1:00 - 5:00pm Sprint Cup Series Daytona 500 FOX
1:00 - 6:00pm NHRA CarQuest Auto Parts Nationals Eliminations ESPN3.com$
~5:00 - 5:30pm NASCAR Victory Lane FOX Sports 1
8:00 - 11:00pm NHRA CarQuest Auto Parts Nationals Eliminations ESPN 2*/
*- Tape Delayed
/- Highlighted coverage
$- Available via password-protected online streaming. Check with your internet service provider and/or programming provider for availability.
What to Watch: Friday
- With the Budweiser Duels out of the way, it's back down to business. All three series are on track today. Sprint Cup teams have two 90 minute sessions starting at 11:30am. Teams that were forced to go to backup cars may be up against the wall to get their cars ready for the opening practice.
- For Nationwide teams, they are scheduled to qualify at 1:00pm today. It will be the first glimpse of the new knockout qualifying format. The session will air on ESPN 2.
- For the Camping World Truck Series, they are also scheduled to qualify at 4:00pm. Their race, the NextEra Energy Resources 250, is scheduled for 7:30pm on FOX Sports 1.
- Roughly three hours by car from Daytona, IMSA teams are finishing up a two-day test at Sebring International Raceway ahead of next month's Mobil 1 12 Hours of Sebring. There will be two sessions each for the Tudor United SportsCar Championship (TUSC) teams and the Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge teams in attendance starting at 8:00am this morning.
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Race Recap: Kenseth and Hamlin Claim Duel Victories
by Justin Tucker
Speedweeks 2014 might as well be named after Joe Gibbs Racing. Just five days after Denny Hamlin won the Sprint Unlimited, Hamlin and Matt Kenseth kept JGR red hot on Thursday night by sweeping the Budweiser Duels at Daytona.
Kenseth, who started ninth in Duel 1, led 31 of 60 laps on his way to his second-career Budweiser Duel win. The win also provided a form of redemption for Kenseth, who has been involved in two on-track incidents during the course of Speedweeks at Daytona.
"It makes up a little bit for the rest of the week -- the rest of the week I haven't been very coordinated," Kenseth said. "I was kind of embarrassed walking in the garage. You feel like people are kind of looking at you cross-eyed."
Joining Kenseth in the top five of Duel 1 were Kasey Kahne in second, Marcos Ambrose in third, Dale Earnhardt, Jr. in fourth and Josh Wise locked himself into the field for Sunday's Daytona 500 in his No. 98 Phil Parsons Racing entry by finishing fifth, Aric Almirola, AJ Allmendinger, David Gilliland, Ryan Newman and Tony Stewart rounded out the top 10.
Kevin Harvick, who had originally finished second in the first Duel, was informed while sitting in the FOX Sports 1 studio that his No. 4 Budweiser Chevrolet had failed post-race inspection for exceeding the split on his trackbar. Harvick now will start 38th in Sunday's Daytona 500.
Alex Bowman and Cole Whitt raced their way into Sunday's Daytona 500 via the available transfer spots. Whitt finished 11th, while Bowman finished 15th.
"It's a huge sigh of relief," Bowman, who will make his first Cup Series start in the 500, said. "It's huge for me and my family. Shoot, we're in the Daytona 500. It's something I watched every year as a kid."
Meanwhile, Denny Hamlin now has his eyes set on history. After leading 23 of 60 laps in the second Duel and claiming his second win at Daytona International Speedway in less than a week, Hamlin could become the first driver in history to win the Sprint Unlimited, his Budweiser Duel and the Daytona 500 all in the same season.
After Thursday night's victory, Hamlin sounded very optimistic regarding his chances for victory on Sunday. "Once that snowball starts to roll, it's hard to stop it, and right now we're just on a heck of a run," he said.
Jeff Gordon placed second in the second Duel, with Kurt Busch in third, Paul Menard in fourth and Brian Scott -- earning his first Daytona 500 start -- in fifth. Trevor Bayne, Kyle Larson, Martin Truex, Jr., Landon Cassill and Clint Bowyer rounded out the top 10.
After an uneventful first Duel, Duel 2 made up for it when defending Daytona 500 winner and six-time champion Jimmie Johnson ran out of gas on the last lap as the field raced toward the checkers, Jamie McMurray turned Johnson, sending both cars sideways into the outside wall and setting off a chain reaction crash that took out Clint Bowyer and Michael Waltrip, among others. Johnson was disappointed and apologetic after the incident, while Bowyer was disappointed about the torn-up race cars in the aftermath.
"I knew he was saving gas coming to the green. It's too bad to tear cars up like that," Bowyer said. "That was one of the wildest flips I've ever had. I think we would have been just fine if I hadn't hit the grass right here."
Three practices are all that remains before the Great American Race this Sunday. The green flag is scheduled for 1:20 p.m. ET.
Justin Tucker is a newsletter contributor for The Frontstretch. He can be reached via email at justin.tucker@frontstretch.com.
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by Justin Tucker
Kligerman, LendingTree Team Up For Daytona 500
On Thursday, Swan Racing announced that LendingTree, an online marketplace, will be the primary sponsor for Parker Kligerman and the No. 30 Toyota Camry in Sunday's Daytona 500.
"We're extremely excited to partner with Swan Racing in our first-ever involvement with NASCAR, and proud to support rookie driver Parker Kligerman at Daytona," Doug Lebda, LendingTree's founder and CEO, said. "LendingTree's primary focus is to empower individuals, whether that's empowering borrowers against big banks or empowering up-and-coming drivers against more established race teams."
Kligerman shares Lebda's excitement about the new partnership.
"The No. 30 LendingTree Toyota is ready to roll and we are looking forward to getting on track beginning with tonight's Budweiser Duel qualifying race and then Sunday's Daytona 500," he said.
"The No. 30 LendingTree Toyota is ready to roll and we are looking forward to getting on track beginning with tonight's Budweiser Duel qualifying race and then Sunday's Daytona 500," he said.
LendingTree is an online source for home loan offers. The company also connects consumers with multiple lenders that compete for their business while offering online tools and information to help consumers find the best loan.
Sport Clips to Sponsor Darlington NNS Race Through 2016
Sport Clips and Darlington Raceway announced on Thursday that it has extended its partnership agreement for the salon chain to sponsor the Nationwide Series race at the speedway through the 2016 season.
"Sport Clips has been a fantastic partner and we are honored it is going to continue its relationship with Darlington Raceway for the next three years," Darlington Raceway President Chip Wile said. "We are proud that this great partner views Darlington Raceway as a valuable platform to increase awareness of its national veterans-support programs. Today's announcement shows the strength of the relationship and our continued commitment to fostering meaningful lasting partnerships."
Sport Clips hopes to use NASCAR's partnership to raise awareness about the many struggles military families are facing and the VFW's mission to support active duty military, veterans and their families.
Darlington Raceway is also continuing its ongoing efforts to help with Sport Clips' Help A Hero initiative. During the week of Feb. 25 through March 3, the track will donate $2 for every ticket sold to the Help A Hero campaign.
Tickets for April's Nationwide Series race at Darlington are now on sale. Visit www.DarlingtonRaceway.com or call 1-866-459-7223 for more information.
Conley to Drive Limited Nationwide Schedule for Childress
On Thursday, Richard Childress Racing announced that Cale Conley will drive a limited schedule in the Nationwide Series in the organization's No. 33 Chevrolet this season.
Conley, who will make his series debut at Bristol in March, competed in the K&N Pro Series East last season, finishing 12th in points with a season best finish of second at Columbus in July.
Conley earned his first-career K&N Pro Series win at Columbus in 2012 and posted poles at Iowa and Gresham that season. He began competing at the age of five in Go Karts and advanced through Quarter Midgets by the age of 12. He then moved on to Kenyon Midgets, Winged and Wingless Sprint Cars while competing in the USAC Series before finally moving up to the K&N Pro Series and X-1R Pro Series in 2011.
Veteran crew chief Nick Harrison will be the crew chief on the No. 33 for Conley this season.
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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Frontstretch Folio: Daytona 500
by Brad Morgan
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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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 tony.lumbis@frontstretch.com for details.
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TODAY ON THE FRONTSTRETCH:
Thinkin' Out Loud: Daytona Budweiser Duels
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 totrivia@frontstretch.com and we'll send you a Frontstretch T-Shirt ... FREE!
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Coming Monday in the Frontstretch Newsletter:
-- Daytona 500 Recap from Justin Tucker
-- Never Fear, the Underdogs Are Here by Amy Henderson
-- Sidebar Stories: Daytona by Phil Allaway
-- Links to your favorite Frontstretch articles, trivia, and more!
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Tomorrow on the Frontstretch:
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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!
©2014 Frontstretch.com
The Sprint Cup Series begins its 2014 season at Daytona International Speedway on Sunday (Feb. 23). Television coverage of the 56th Daytona 500 begins at 1:00 p.m. ET on FOX, or tune into your local MRN affiliate or SiriusXM Channel 90 for the radio broadcast. Drivers will compete for at least 200 laps (500 miles) before the checkered flag waves.
Records and Facts
Bill Elliott's record-setting qualifying run prior to the 1987 Great American Race is still the benchmark of speed for today's drivers. No one has touched his famous 42.710 second, 210.364 mph lap since the inclusion of the restrictor plate.
Buddy Baker won the 1980 Daytona 500 with an average speed of 177.602 mph. Despite five cautions for 15 laps, it was the fastest Daytona 500 ever, and Baker's first Daytona 500 victory in his 18th start.
Jimmie Johnson started his 2013 title campaign with a victory in the last rendition of this race. He started from the ninth position, before making his way to the lead on lap 32. Johnson went on to pace the field for 17 circuits, including the final 10. It was the six-time champion's second Daytona 500 victory.
Track Facts
Track Length: 2.5-mile tri-oval superspeedway
Pit Road Speed: 55 mph
Degree of Banking: 31 degrees in turns, 18 degrees in tri-oval
Frontstretch: 3,800 ft., 6 degrees of banking
Backstretch: 3,400 ft., 3 degrees of banking
Grandstand Seating: 147,000
Twitter: https://twitter.com/DISupdates
Pre-race Schedule
Practices: Friday, February 21, 11:30 a.m. - 12:50 p.m. on FOX Sports 1 and 2:30 - 3:50 p.m. on FOX Sports 1
Happy Hour: Saturday, February 22, 10 - 11:30 a.m. on FOX Sports 1
VIPs
Grand Marshal/Command: Chris Evans
Honorary Starter/Wave Green Flag: Gary Sinise
Honorary Race Official: Paralympic athlete Blake "American Blade Runner" Leeper
National Anthem: Aloe Blacc
Flyover: U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds
Race Day Forecast
Sunday: Chance of Storms
High: 72
Low: 55
They Said It:
"I think definitely this package and the way it drafts is bringing things a lot closer together and making things where guys are racing double file more often. That is good and we need that and we definitely didn't race enough in the Daytona 500 last year... you couldn't race because you would just go to the back and couldn't risk pulling out because you just didn't know and going to the rear was a likely result. So we really won't have that this year and won't have to worry about that because the bottom seems to be able to put together runs and that is going to make for a better race." - Dale Earnhardt, Jr.
"I think a lot of people are tired of hearing my name. It's not bad to have the attention go somewhere else. I hope to be back in everyone's mindset come Sunday evening in being the winner of the Daytona 500. From the No. 3 car standpoint, that's the perk of winning the pole. You get to sit on it for a week, basically, and all the headlines lead off with you as the pole sitter and we've been fortunate to be in that situation. I'm sure Danica would rather not be in the headlines at all with what's transpired there, but we're under the radar for now I guess, but certainly hope to change that come race time." - Jimmie Johnson
"I don't have any advice for Austin Dillon. He's doing just fine without my advice, so I don't think he needs anymore help." - Carl Edwards
"I don't know if there was a lot of apprehension from me, but there probably is from everyone else. Everyone else is probably trying to stay away from the 20 and the 22 (Joey Logano) whenever they see those cars together -- they're bailing out in practice." Matt Kenseth
"Competing in the Sprint Cup Series is all I have ever dreamed of since I was a kid. I have to thank Harry Scott and everyone at BRANDT and HScott Motorsports for giving me this opportunity. The Daytona 500 is such a historical event and very few people get the opportunity to race in it. My goal is just to keep the car clean and to be there at the end of the race. If you make it through all of the accidents, you have a great chance of winning it from anywhere in the field." - Justin Allgaier
Brad Morgan is a staff writer for The Frontstretch. He can be reached via email at brad.morgan@frontstretch.com.
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In Case You Missed It
by Ashley McCubbin
James and Kris Buescher Expecting Second Child
Earlier this week, James and wife Kris Buescher tweeted that they are expecting a baby girl this July.
@JamesBuescher: We finally get to let you in on our little secret... pic.twitter.com/lWOctG6UKU
@KrisBuescher: I can finally reveal the baby bump! ❤️👶 pic.twitter.com/VABMZexIij
This will mark the couple's second child; they adopted son Stetson last summer.
James Buescher kicks off his 2014 NASCAR season this weekend with the Nationwide Series' DRIVE4COPD 300 at Daytona International Speedway. Buescher made the switch to RAB Racing in the off-season after racing for Turner Scott Motorsports the past four years in the Camping World Truck Series.
Harrison Burton, Steve Wallace Find Success at New Smyrna Speedway
While the focus of many fans is on the high banks of Daytona International Speedway, some NASCAR drivers and people related to them are having success on the short tracks of Florida.
New Smyrna Speedway has been hosting its World Speedweeks, which plays host to the top Super Late Model and Pro Late Model drivers across the country.
In the first night of competition on Feb. 14, Steve Wallace finished second to Stephen Nasse in Super Late Model competition. However, when it came to the second night, it was Wallace taking the win ahead of Nasse. Wallace has since backed up that win with finishes of third, third and second.
Also competing at the Super Late Model level is Matt Kenseth's son Ross Kenseth and 2013 UNOH Battle of the Beach winner Cameron Hayley. Kenseth finished fourth, third, fifth and sixth in each of the features, while Hayley has one top five so far.
In the Pro Late Model ranks, Harrison Burton, son of Jeff Burton, has done pretty solid. He opened up World Speedweeks with three back-to-back third-place finishes before capturing his first PLM win in the 100-lapper on Thursday night. Other notables include Dalton Armstrong, brother of NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Dakoda Armstrong, and 2013 NASCAR Canadian Tire Series Rookie of the Year Alex Guenette. Each of them have had one top five so far.
Ty Dillon Takes UMP Modified Dirt Car Nationals Championship at Volusia
When it comes to the stars of NASCAR, don't be surprised if they can win on dirt -- as many drivers have experience on dirt tracks. A couple of those dirt regulars have been shining bright the past week at the DIRTCar Nationals at Volusia Speedway.
The Dillon brothers -- Austin and Ty -- own a UMP Modified team and regularly race on dirt themselves, and have drivers that drive for them. Ty Dillon was able to pick up four feature victories himself over the course of the past week to take home the UMP Modified DIRTCar Nationals Championship. Older brother Austin Dillon had some success as well, as he won a feature on Feb. 16, just hours after winning the pole for the Daytona 500.
Also, Kasey Kahne and Tony Stewart both own their own World of Outlaws teams and WOO kicked off their season this past weekend at Volusia Speedway Park. Notably, Kasey Kahne's driver Brad Sweet took home the victory on Friday night while Tony Stewart's driver Steve Kinser took home the victory on Sunday night.
Ashley McCubbin is a newsletter contributor and one of The Frontstretch's new writers for the 2014 season. She can be reached via email at ashley.mccubbin@frontstretch.com.
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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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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 tony.lumbis@frontstretch.com for details.
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TODAY ON THE FRONTSTRETCH:
by Mike Neff
by Frontstretch Staff
by Tom Bowles
by Amy Henderson
by Huston Ladner
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FRONTSTRETCH TRIVIA:
FRONTSTRETCH TRIVIA:
Q: In 1997, NASCAR basically told Delma Cowart to not come back after failing to qualify for the Daytona 500. What happened to cause NASCAR to issue that edict?
Check back Friday for the answer, here in the Frontstretch Newsletter!
Wednesday's Answer:
Wednesday's Answer:
Q: In 1994, NASCAR introduced roof flaps to the Winston Cup and Busch Grand National Series. Since it was the '90's, outside of shows like Inside Winston Cup Racing on TNN, the flaps were not well publicized on television. How did CBS show off the new flaps?
A: CBS showed off the roof flaps during the pace laps by showing a replay of Rusty Wallace's flip from the previous year, then a clip of Ritchie Petty (who failed to qualify for the race) spinning out in his Twin 125. A clip of the flap up close in the garage was then spliced in for good measure. That sequence can be seen here.
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 totrivia@frontstretch.com and we'll send you a Frontstretch T-Shirt ... FREE!
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Coming Monday in the Frontstretch Newsletter:
-- Daytona 500 Recap from Justin Tucker
-- Never Fear, the Underdogs Are Here by Amy Henderson
-- Sidebar Stories: Daytona by Phil Allaway
-- Links to your favorite Frontstretch articles, trivia, and more!
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Tomorrow on the Frontstretch:
Tearing Apart The Trucks by Beth Lunkenheimer
The 2014 Camping World Truck Series season is underway, and Beth is here to give a recap of the evening's events.
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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!
©2014 Frontstretch.com
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