THE FRONTSTRETCH NEWSLETTER
Presented by Frontstretch.com
The Best Seat at the Track, The Best View on the Net!
April 9th, 2014
Volume VIII, Edition XL
Presented by Frontstretch.com
The Best Seat at the Track, The Best View on the Net!
April 9th, 2014
Volume VIII, Edition XL
~~~~~~~~~~
by Greg Davis
Announced Tuesday in a ceremony and car unveiling at their Concord, NC location, Bass Pro Shops and Richard Childress Racing made it official that the national outdoor sports retail giant will be the primary sponsor of Austin Dillon’s No. 3 Chevrolet SS for two races during the 2014 NASCAR Sprint Cup season at Talladega (May 4th) and Daytona (July 5th).
Bass Pro Shops has been associated with Dillon’s career dating back to 2010, when they sponsored his No. 3 Chevy Silverado in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, and also followed Dillon to the Nationwide Series as a sponsor for his No. 3 Chevy Camaro for RCR. The two won a pair of NASCAR championships together, and the retailer has also served as an associate sponsor for Dillon’s car in the NSCS this season.
During the announcement, Bass Pro Shops noted that the retailer has been involved in the sport of NASCAR since 1998, when they became an associate sponsor of RCR’s No. 3 Chevy Monte Carlo driven by legend Dale Earnhardt.
Now, the sponsor is back on the Cup level, paired with the No. 3 once again and hoping to elevate the program to Victory Lane. Already, Dillon has one pole to start the season at Daytona, where he posted a ninth-place finish, his best result to date during this rookie campaign. 21st at Texas last weekend, he's currently 11th in the Sprint Cup championship standings.
For the Bojangles’ Southern 500 this weekend at Darlington, Dillon will have Dow Chemical on board as the primary sponsor for the No. 3 car.
Ruud to Sponsor No. 99 RAB Racing Toyota
RAB Racing announced that Ruud, heating and cooling brand, will be on board the No. 99 Toyota Camry as primary sponsor this weekend at Darlington for the VFW Sport Clips Help-A-Hero 200 NASCAR Nationwide Series race. The brand joins Rheem as a primary sponsor of the car during the 2014 Nationwide Series campaign. Ruud will also sponsor the No. 99 of James Buescher in several other races this season, according to a team statement.
Buescher, the 2012 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Champion, is driving full-time for RAB Racing and making the transition from the Truck Series to the NNS this year. The No. 99 team was recently penalized by NASCAR at Bristol for a P3 penalty (illegal weight added to the car improperly, which was lost during the race), which led to crew chief Chris Rice being fined $10,000 and placed on probation until December 31st. Car chief John Guerra was also placed on probation by the sanctioning body for the incident.
Sitting ninth in points thus far in 2014, Buescher’s best finish this season has been 12th at Phoenix. The 24-year-old, Plano, Texas native has one career win and 14 top-10 finishes in the NNS since his first start in 2008.
Five NSCS Teams Test at MIS for Goodyear
After a long winter in Michigan, five NASCAR Sprint Cup Series teams visited Michigan International Speedway for a Goodyear Tire Test taking place both Tuesday and Wednesday this week. To prepare for the test, MIS reported having to use the track’s jet dryers to clear and melt snow and ice from the two-mile track.
Due to the snow melt, frost, and rain on Monday night, MIS had to delay the tire test for most of the day because of weepers around the track’s surface. The track crew worked throughout the afternoon to dry up the moisture so that testing could get safely underway. Finally, Greg Biffle took his No. 16 3M Ford Fusion to the asphalt at MIS around 4:00 PM ET as the first driver on track.
In addition to Biffle, Goodyear has scheduled drivers Clint Bowyer; Trevor Bayne; Ryan Newman; and Dale Earnhardt, Jr. to take part in the tire test, which is open to fans from 9 AM to 5 PM today.
Michigan International Speedway is in for a busy summer in the Irish Hills as the track plays host to the Quicken Loans 400 on June 15th, then the Pure Michigan 400 on August 17th.
News ‘N’ Notes
- Viva Motorsports and SS Green Light Racing announced Tuesday driver Jimmy Weller will make his Nationwide Series debut at Richmond International Raceway this month when the series takes to the 0.75-mile track for the ToyotaCare 250. The two organizations have partnered this season, and will field the No. 55 Chevrolet Camero for Weller, 28, who has driven for SS Green Light Racing in the NCWTS for the past two seasons.
- Front Row Motorsports announced that NASCAR Sprint Cup Series veteran David Reutimann will again be behind the wheel of the No. 35 MDS Transport Ford Fusion for this weekend’s Bojangles’ Southern 500 at Darlington. Reutimann finished 38th last week at Texas Motor Speedway in the Duck Commander 500, just his second start this season for FRM in four race attempts.
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Numbers Game: Duck Commander 500
by Tom Bowles
0
Laps led by Kyle Larson this season, on the Cup level, despite Monday’s fifth-place finish at Texas. Larson has three top 10s this season, wound up runner-up at Fontana, but it’s Justin Allgaier (with four) who has the most laps led among NASCAR’s eight freshmen this year.
1
Wins by Hendrick Motorsports in 2014 despite nine top-5 finishes, the most of any organization on the circuit. Since Earnhardt’s Daytona victory, they’ve run second four times, most recently with Jeff Gordon Monday at Texas.
2
Lead changes in the final six laps at Texas, including one on the last lap, as Joey Logano passed Jeff Gordon for the victory.
3
Flat left-rear tires for Kurt Busch on Sunday en route to a 39th-place finish. Busch now has three runs of 35th or worse this season as compared to two top-5 finishes.
4
Cars who failed to qualify for Texas: David Stremme (No. 33 – Circle Sport), J.J. Yeley (No. 44 – Xxxtreme Motorsports), Joe Nemechek (No. 66 – JRR/MWR), Ryan Truex (No. 83 – BK Racing).
5
Top-10 finishes for Jeff Gordon and Matt Kenseth, leading all drivers on the Cup circuit. They’re also 1-2 in series points.
7
Pole winners in seven races this season. That’s right; while that win thing is getting major pub, we have yet to see a repeat first-place starter under NASCAR’s new qualifying format. In case you’re wondering, Tony Stewart (Texas) joined Joey Logano, Brad Keselowski, Kyle Busch, Matt Kenseth, Austin Dillon and Denny Hamlin in the 2015 Sprint Unlimited club this past weekend.
8
Drivers that remain within one race of the points lead after Texas. Brad Keselowski is the last of those, 41 points back after a pit road speeding penalty left him 15th in Monday’s event.
193
Laps led by Penske Racing on Monday, the most of any organization.
272
Laps run by Dave Blaney in his first Cup start of the season before retiring with steering problems. The No. 77 team had missed the first four races of 2014 before taking time off to regroup.
510
Miles run Monday, the longest Sprint Cup race in the history of the Texas track.
$6,567,476
The purse for Sunday’s event, a new record for Texas Motor Speedway.
Tom Bowles is the Editor-In-Chief of Frontstretch. He can be reached via email at tom.bowles@frontstretch.com.
~~~~~~~~~~
Today's Featured Commentary
Harvick's Struggles: Is He The Crash Test Dummy For SHR?
Fan's View
by S.D. Grady
Urban myths abound in NASCAR. One of my favorites is that there always must be an R&D team in a successful stable. For years beyond count, I was thoroughly convinced the No. 25 car at Hendrick existed for the simple reason it provided a testing ground for the No. 24 & No. 48 teams. It really made sense, if you stopped to think about it. How could you experiment with setups, new engine parts and spring ratios when on-track testing is restricted beyond belief and the sport is so competitive? You don't dare try out samples during an actual race if you want to win a Cup.
In 2014, much has been discussed regarding the newly expanded Stewart-Haas camp. Would the electric personalities of Kevin Harvick, Tony Stewart and Kurt Busch provide entertainment in the garages? Could their engineering department put four competitive vehicles on the track every week? Were they strong enough to take this game to the next level?
Now, a quarter of the way into the regular season, we can start to see a pattern... and it's a little intriguing. Perhaps the R&D myth is back in town?
At Daytona, both the No. 14 and No. 10 cars switched out their engines after early problems during practice. The next week, the No. 41 engine died (uh oh -- sounds of doom for the stable) but Harvick still took home the trophy. Then, something odd happened. Harvick's luck either bottomed out or his cars stopped working.
In Vegas, he had a wheel hub assembly fail. Bad part? Bad luck? In Bristol, he wrecked and finished 39th. Already, that grand points day in Phoenix had begun to disappear. In California, the No. 4 finished two laps down, tires tearing his SHR Chevy to shreds. Yes, in Martinsville he managed a shiny 7th -- but short tracks have a "wild card" aspect to them, at times like the plate tracks. As it was, Harvick battled a faulty rear end chain that enters the "parts we never heard of... until this season" category.
Then came Texas. Things were looking good, Harvick battling for the lead until his engine detonated promptly on lap 28. Not only that, but teammate Kurt Busch couldn't keep tires on his car to save his life. A sample setup? It didn't appear that the tire issue was universal. Other teams ran the entire weekend without a problem.
Now, we are looking at the current driver standings and something else is noted. The only driver remaining in the Top 16 from SHR is Tony Stewart in 14th. Funny, considering both Harvick and Busch are virtually "locked into" the Chase with their wins. I seriously doubt SHR ever intended to get Danica Patrick into the Chase -- it just doesn't seem probable she would be that competitive. However, it would be a major feather in the SHR cap to have three out of four teams in the running for the Sprint Cup come September. How improbable would it be for the braintrust, then to decide to focus on putting the best known parts and setups into the No. 14, while trying out a few tricks on the Nos. 4 and 41? They've got time. After all, there's 19 races left to massage the points and wins. Or... is Hendrick providing SHR the dregs of their engine supply in an attempt to keep the field open for the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse?
Ah, this drama is the good stuff. Of course, you'll never get either Mr. Hendrick or Mr. Stewart to admit such shenanigans are happening; thus, the myths and legends abound.
Next week, we head to the Lady in Gray (er, Black), where not only are the pilots and machines tested by circumstances and competition but the track gets a chance to throw her own wrench into the mix. Will Harvick and Busch continue to struggle, mysteriously shedding parts every lap? Or, now that we've got our eye on that backroom, will life straighten out and fly right for a change?
I guess there's only one way to find out. Tune in next week for the next episode of the soap opera we call NASCAR.
2014 Sonya Strictly by the Stats
Top Three Rookies for 2014 Duck Commander 500
1) No. 42 - Kyle Larson: Started 14th, finished 5th
2) No. 3 - Austin Dillon: Started 20th, finished 21st
3) No. 51 - Justin Allgaier: Started 22nd, finished 24th
S.D. Grady is a Senior Writer for Frontstretch.com. She can be reached via email at sonya.grady@frontstretch.com.Fan's View
by S.D. Grady
Urban myths abound in NASCAR. One of my favorites is that there always must be an R&D team in a successful stable. For years beyond count, I was thoroughly convinced the No. 25 car at Hendrick existed for the simple reason it provided a testing ground for the No. 24 & No. 48 teams. It really made sense, if you stopped to think about it. How could you experiment with setups, new engine parts and spring ratios when on-track testing is restricted beyond belief and the sport is so competitive? You don't dare try out samples during an actual race if you want to win a Cup.
In 2014, much has been discussed regarding the newly expanded Stewart-Haas camp. Would the electric personalities of Kevin Harvick, Tony Stewart and Kurt Busch provide entertainment in the garages? Could their engineering department put four competitive vehicles on the track every week? Were they strong enough to take this game to the next level?
Now, a quarter of the way into the regular season, we can start to see a pattern... and it's a little intriguing. Perhaps the R&D myth is back in town?
At Daytona, both the No. 14 and No. 10 cars switched out their engines after early problems during practice. The next week, the No. 41 engine died (uh oh -- sounds of doom for the stable) but Harvick still took home the trophy. Then, something odd happened. Harvick's luck either bottomed out or his cars stopped working.
In Vegas, he had a wheel hub assembly fail. Bad part? Bad luck? In Bristol, he wrecked and finished 39th. Already, that grand points day in Phoenix had begun to disappear. In California, the No. 4 finished two laps down, tires tearing his SHR Chevy to shreds. Yes, in Martinsville he managed a shiny 7th -- but short tracks have a "wild card" aspect to them, at times like the plate tracks. As it was, Harvick battled a faulty rear end chain that enters the "parts we never heard of... until this season" category.
Then came Texas. Things were looking good, Harvick battling for the lead until his engine detonated promptly on lap 28. Not only that, but teammate Kurt Busch couldn't keep tires on his car to save his life. A sample setup? It didn't appear that the tire issue was universal. Other teams ran the entire weekend without a problem.
Now, we are looking at the current driver standings and something else is noted. The only driver remaining in the Top 16 from SHR is Tony Stewart in 14th. Funny, considering both Harvick and Busch are virtually "locked into" the Chase with their wins. I seriously doubt SHR ever intended to get Danica Patrick into the Chase -- it just doesn't seem probable she would be that competitive. However, it would be a major feather in the SHR cap to have three out of four teams in the running for the Sprint Cup come September. How improbable would it be for the braintrust, then to decide to focus on putting the best known parts and setups into the No. 14, while trying out a few tricks on the Nos. 4 and 41? They've got time. After all, there's 19 races left to massage the points and wins. Or... is Hendrick providing SHR the dregs of their engine supply in an attempt to keep the field open for the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse?
Ah, this drama is the good stuff. Of course, you'll never get either Mr. Hendrick or Mr. Stewart to admit such shenanigans are happening; thus, the myths and legends abound.
Next week, we head to the Lady in Gray (er, Black), where not only are the pilots and machines tested by circumstances and competition but the track gets a chance to throw her own wrench into the mix. Will Harvick and Busch continue to struggle, mysteriously shedding parts every lap? Or, now that we've got our eye on that backroom, will life straighten out and fly right for a change?
I guess there's only one way to find out. Tune in next week for the next episode of the soap opera we call NASCAR.
2014 Sonya Strictly by the Stats
Top Three Rookies for 2014 Duck Commander 500
1) No. 42 - Kyle Larson: Started 14th, finished 5th
2) No. 3 - Austin Dillon: Started 20th, finished 21st
3) No. 51 - Justin Allgaier: Started 22nd, finished 24th
~~~~~~~~~~
by Allen Bedgood
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, Allen Bedgood 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...
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, Allen Bedgood 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...
@DeLanaHarvick -- Hide n' seek bus style... pic.twitter.com/Hbxhpwbb6T
@NASCAR -- NEWS: @BigHossTMS is BIG. (really big) pic.twitter.com/FvohsmCMYy
@NASCARIllustr8d -- What do @BigHossTMS, Chuck Norris & @DuckDynastyAE have in common? They're all on our @TXMotorSpeedway infographic. pic.twitter.com/c9ogFhZ0lO
@JasonBrownlow -- Last night was nice at the racetrack. pic.twitter.com/JFa9Ln2PM8
@nascarcasm -- Travel tip: When in line for TSA pat-down, always place 3 Musketeers bar in your pocket to add awkwardness. Moan when agent feels it.
@keselowski -- The great thing about taking HP out of next year's sprint cup car is that it will open the door to removing downforce.
@KurtBusch -- Thank you for your comments on @EdHintonESPN article. #slanderous one of the most biased & unprofessional pieces ever pic.twitter.com/oqSiPpkEeh
(Author's Note: Ed Hinton posted a column that didn’t sit well with Kurt Busch … here is the link to the article.)
@Kenny_Wallace -- This is why they call it @I55Raceway, It's right off Interstate 55 in Pevely, MO pic.twitter.com/qrcEAmeUEB
@tomjensen100 -- The front row at @TXMotorSpeedway? Stewart and @keselowski are only 2 guys not named @JimmieJohnson to win Cup title in last 9 years.
@GZipadelli (Greg Zipadelli) -- Great Job today by all @StewartHaasRcng Teams in Qual. Now we need to finish it off tomorrow. pic.twitter.com/zdqUnYrMoO
@CandiceSpencer -- Appropriate that smoke is billowing in victory lane as Tony Stewart celebrates his 15th career Cup pole #nascar pic.twitter.com/hOpenrph6L
@JessicaLSmith20 -- The No. 20 team had a visit today from Duck Dynasty's Uncle Si before qualifying @TXMotorSpeedway. pic.twitter.com/THotFSeq2P
@GoodyearRacing -- 8 teams break old track qualifying record in 1st round at Texas, led by @KevinHarvick at an average speed of 198.282
@dustinlong -- Decal on all 4 @StewartHaasRcng cars honoring Fort Hood victims. #AskMRN @MRNRadio pic.twitter.com/C5xJD9nyr6
@mikejoy500 -- Nice weather for ducks... No pun intended. #duckcommander500
@LewisFranck -- Check out what happened to Media Center at Nazareth http://bit.ly/1ejG2VY photo by @nikonsprintpic
@NASCAR_Wonka -- The flyover. #DuckCommander500 pic.twitter.com/H1X1okAGTx
@dustinlong -- #Nascar ... Scene on pit road. #AskMRN @MRNRadio pic.twitter.com/MG1nBmxYeD
@Riceman61 -- We have cars on pit road today -- a big improvement over yesterday. @PRNlive pic.twitter.com/SmIdiUCXYx
@Riceman61 -- Lot of buzz around @KevinHarvick today I want my Happy Bloomin Monday @Outback fast car pic.twitter.com/GIZsupBkQa
@nascarcasm -- Will be in the air and flying home during the race, but will probably be able to watch on Big Hoss until at least Arkansas. #nascar #texas
@SunocoRacing -- Not the end to the day @DaleJr had in mind, but we are very glad that he is alright. pic.twitter.com/lRpDi9rQuV
@dustinlong -- #Nascar ... Dale Jr watches his team repair car in garage. #AskMRN @MRNRadio pic.twitter.com/rfxj1GyRxI
@DaleJr -- That wasn't fun. Sorry 2 the fans of the 88 team. Feel bad for my guys and the 48 team also. Made a mistake there that was costly for every1
@RIRInsider -- Looks like @DaleJr is having a "case of the Mondays" #nascar pic.twitter.com/emhGZSgbKu
@RodneyChilders4 -- Looks like something knocked the oil pump belt off it and then blew up about a 1/2 lap later. Craziest crap ever…
@NASCARStats -- Q: Last time there were seven different winners in first seven races?
A: 2003, there were nine different winners in first nine races.
@DaleJr -- Finally on track @MISpeedway. #tiretest pic.twitter.com/haFkz4LrLX
@DISUpdates -- #TriviaTuesday answer: 1,932 light fixtures illuminate the track for night races such as the #CokeZero400 on July 5! pic.twitter.com/5zTqTZLiPZ
@DCaraviello -- Charlotte skyline on departure. http://instagram.com/p/mimTwWsqph/
@BlakeKochRacing -- Got this awesome letter from a fan today. pic.twitter.com/yaq2Z1xCBr
@RCRacing -- Here's the No. 3 @Bass_Pro_Shops Chevy @austindillon3 will pilot @TalladegaSuperS & @DISupdates. pic.twitter.com/iw96kQYUwh
Allen Bedgood is a Newsletter Contributor for Frontstretch. He can be reached via email at allen.bedgood@frontstretch.com. Follow him on Twitter @AllenBedgood.
~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~
TODAY ON THE FRONTSTRETCH:
Did You Notice? ... Drivers Still Make A Difference... But Silly Cautions Don't
Did You Notice? ... Drivers Still Make A Difference... But Silly Cautions Don't
by Tom Bowles
The Frontstretch Five: Things We've Found Out So Far in 2014
by Amy Henderson
Racing to the Point: Rules Package Has Created Parity
by Brett Poirier
NASCAR Writer Power Rankings: Top 15 After Texas I
by Summer Bedgood
by Matt Stallknecht
FRONTSTRETCH TRIVIA
Q: In 1996, Ward Burton set the track record at Darlington Raceway with a lap at 173.797 mph in qualifying for the TranSouth Financial 400. Burton wanted to put his car on pole once again in the heat of late August for the Mountain Dew Southern 500, but met a much different fate. What happened?
Check back Thursday for the answer, here in the Frontstretch Newsletter!
Tuesday's Answer:
Q: The 1995 TranSouth Financial 400 was the first Winston Cup race at Darlington Raceway after a repave. Speeds were up, and that meant that trouble could erupt even faster. Jeff Gordon dominated the early part of the race, but ended up out early. What happened?
A: Gordon was running third on a restart when Bobby Labonte got into the back of the lapped car of Randy LaJoie entering Turn 1. LaJoie spun directly in front of Gordon, who had nowhere to go but right into the MBNA America Pontiac. Dick Trickle and Morgan Shepherd also received damage in the wreck. The crash can be seen here.
Gordon was able to drive his car back to the pits, but with under 100 laps to go at the time, he was out on the spot. LaJoie continued and finished 16th, eight laps down. Shepherd finished on the lead lap in eighth, while Trickle was eliminated shortly afterwards in an unrelated incident.
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 Phil Allaway
-- Critic's Annex by Phil Allaway
-- Professor Of Speed by Mark Howell (Special Day!)
-- Links to your favorite Frontstretch articles, and more!
~~~~~~~~~~
Tomorrow on the Frontstretch:
~~~~~~~~~~
Tomorrow on the Frontstretch:
Voice of Vito by Vito Pugliese
Vito returns to the website this year with his unique views on everything racing.
Five Points To Ponder by Danny Peters
Danny has five observations to get you set for Darlington while tying up a week's worth of NASCAR storylines.
Tech Talk by Mike Neff
Mike is back with your look at the technical side of NASCAR. This week, Kevin "Bono" Manion, crew chief for Michael Annett's rookie campaign with Tommy Baldwin Racing checks in just in time for a trip to Darlington.
Fantasy Insider by Jeff Wolfe
Jeff is back with your look at the best bets to fill your fantasy roster. This week, he's got the inside take on who to choose for Darlington.
Truckin' Thursdays by Beth Lunkenheimer
Beth is back with your weekly look at the state of the Camping World Truck Series. This week, she's got a look at a few drivers who stand out just two races into the season.
-----------------------------
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