THE FRONTSTRETCH NEWSLETTER
Presented by Frontstretch.com
The Best Seat at the Track, The Best View on the Net!
April 10th, 2014
Volume VIII, Edition XLVI
----------------
What to Watch: Thursday
Presented by Frontstretch.com
The Best Seat at the Track, The Best View on the Net!
April 10th, 2014
Volume VIII, Edition XLVI
----------------
What to Watch: Thursday
- It's a slow news day, paired with no on-track action yet at Darlington but there are a few driver appearances scheduled for those in the area. AJ Allmendinger will pop up at the Wal-Mart in Hartsville, South Carolina at 5 PM ET while Brad Keselowski will visit the Rite-Aid in Darlington itself at 7 PM ET.
Today's TV Schedule
Time Telecast Network
12:00 PM - 1:00 PM NASCAR RaceHub FOX Sports 1
DVR Theater (Late Thursday Night / Early Friday Morning)
1:30 AM - 3:00 AM GP2 Series: Bahrain NBC Sports Network*/ (from April 5-6)
2:00 AM - 2:30 AM NASCAR Now ESPN2
3:00 AM - 6:00 AM Sprint Cup Series Duck Commander 500 FOX Sports 1*/# (from April 7)
*- Tape-Delayed
/- Highlighted Coverage
#- Repeat Telecast
Top News
by Phil Allaway
by Phil Allaway
Goodyear Concludes Tire Test at Michigan
On Wednesday, Goodyear held the second and final day of their tire test at Michigan International Speedway. The overall goal of the test was so teams could come up with a solution that would encourage better racing on the two-mile, D-shaped oval, while at the same time allowing for a compound that would not blister.
Much of the headlines from the test seemed to stem from high speeds reported. Dale Earnhardt, Jr. tweeted a computer readout that stated he reached 215.2 mph. Clint Bowyer went a little bit faster at 217 mph, which Bowyer later described as “whites-in-your-eyes fast.” Greg Biffle told ESPN's Shannon Spake on NASCAR Now that he reached 220 mph and a 204 mph average.
Despite the high speeds, the drivers who tested Tuesday and Wednesday believe that there will be better racing this year in the Irish Hills. Michigan winters are a bit harsher than in most locales on the Sprint Cup calendar. As a result, there is more weathering from year to year.
Earnhardt Jr. appeared to be quite happy with the track.
“I enjoy racing here,” the two-time Michigan winner said. “It’s a fun track. The asphalt is really aging well and it’s just going to keep getting better and better over the next couple of years.”
As is the norm for Goodyear tire tests, no official speeds were announced. However, Earnhardt Jr. stated in the Media Center that while he was going anywhere from 212-215 mph at the end of the frontstretch, he was only dropping down to 180 or so in the turns.
Greg Biffle and Ryan Newman echoed Earnhardt Jr.’s sentiment when asked about the track surface. They expect the track to support multiple grooves for racing when the Sprint Cup and Nationwide Series return in June.
As for track management, they definitely appear to like the high speeds. Michigan International Speedway President Roger Curtis spent part of Wednesday retweeting top speed posts. However, Curtis understands that going fast is not the only thing that matters.
“The drivers are posting 200 mph. That’s awesome,” Curtis said. “The fans get very, very excited about that. But at the end of the day, on Sunday when the green flag drops, the numbers ‘two zero zero’ they’re not anywhere in the fans’ minds. It’s lead changes, it’s the competition...”
Since the track was repaved prior to the 2012 season, the number of lead changes at Michigan International Speedway has been relatively flat with the years before the repave. However, the number of cautions are up as well, which can skew the lead change numbers a little. Complaints have come more from a rock hard tire compound, made by Goodyear for safety reasons which has made passing more difficult and actual "wear" (which leads to speed dropoff) hard to come by.
Sherwin-Williams to Sponsor HScott Motorsports at Darlington
On Wednesday, HScott Motorsports announced that Sherwin-Williams will serve as the primary sponsor of Justin Allgaier’s No. 51 Chevrolet this weekend at Darlington Raceway. The No. 51 will primarily be advertising the automotive finishes division, in addition to the AWX Performance Plus Waterborne Refinish System the company makes.
Allgaier is very happy to have Sherwin-Williams onboard.
“I'm thrilled to have Sherwin-Williams on the car at Darlington,” Allgaier said in the press release. “They are a big supporter of HScott Motorsports and NASCAR. I can't wait drive the No. 51 with the Sherwin-Williams colors on it at one of my favorite tracks.”
Sherwin-Williams has a fairly extensive history in NASCAR. They currently serve as the “Official Automotive Paint of NASCAR.” Prior to that, the company served as a primary sponsor for a number of cars in what is now the Nationwide Series.
As for Allgaier, Saturday will more than likely be his first career Sprint Cup start at the historic oval. However, in five Nationwide Series starts, Allgaier already has two top-5 and three top-10 finishes. His average result is an excellent 9.8.
Entry List Update
Note: These entries are accurate as of Wednesday night. However, they are still subject to change.
Sprint Cup Series Bojangles’ Southern 500: 45 cars entered
Drivers Ineligible to Earn Points:
No. 40 - Landon Cassill for Hillman Racing
No. 44 - JJ Yeley for Xxxtreme Motorsports
No. 66 - Joe Nemechek for Michael Waltrip Racing/Identity Ventures Racing
Driver Changes: None
Drivers who must qualify on speed (top 36):
No. 44 - JJ Yeley for Xxxtreme Motorsports (49th in points, 2 attempts)
No. 77 - Dave Blaney for Randy Humphrey Racing (47th in points, 5 attempts)
Drivers who have a provisional, but are in a "danger zone" of missing based on circumstances:
No. 23 - Alex Bowman for BK Racing (36th in points, 7 attempts)
No. 26 - Cole Whitt for Swan Racing (33rd in points, 7 attempts)
No. 30 - Parker Kligerman for Swan Racing (43rd in points, 7 attempts)
No. 32 - Travis Kvapil for Go FAS Racing (37th in points, 7 attempts)
No. 33 - David Stremme for Circle Sport, LLC (41st in points, 7 attempts)
No. 34 - David Ragan for Front Row Motorsports (35th in points, 7 attempts)
No. 35 - David Reutimann for Front Row Motorsports (46th in points, 7 attempts)
No. 40 - Landon Cassill for Hillman Racing (34th in points, 7 attempts)
No. 66 - Joe Nemechek for Michael Waltrip Racing/Identity Ventures Racing (40th in points, 7 attempts)
No. 83 - Ryan Truex for BK Racing (42nd in points, 7 attempts)
No. 98 - Josh Wise for Phil Parsons Racing (38th in points, 7 attempts)
Not Entered:
No. 21 - Trevor Bayne for Wood Brothers Racing
No. 95 - Michael McDowell for Leavine Family Racing
Nationwide Series VFW Sport Clips Help A Hero 200: 40 cars entered
Drivers Ineligible to Earn Points:
No. 5 - Kevin Harvick for JR Motorsports
No. 20 - Matt Kenseth for Joe Gibbs Racing
No. 22 - Joey Logano for Team Penske
No. 33 - Cale Conley for Richard Childress Racing
No. 40 - Josh Wise for The Motorsports Group
No. 42 - Kyle Larson for Turner Scott Motorsports
No. 54 - Kyle Busch for Joe Gibbs Racing
No. 55 - Todd Bodine for Viva Motorsports with Frank Cicci/SS-Green Light Racing
Driver Changes:
No. 13 - Matt Carter returns to the seat, replacing Mike Wallace. This entry, an extra backup off the truck to fill fields is expected to start and park.
No. 22 - Joey Logano returns to the seat, replacing Ryan Blaney. Logano is sharing the top Penske ride with Blaney and Brad Keselowski this season.
No. 23 - Carlos Contreras returns to the seat, replacing Robert Richardson, Jr. Contreras is running a limited schedule with a team supporting by Rick Ware.
No. 28 - JJ Yeley is in the seat, replacing Derek White. This team is the one owned by White's group expected to go the distance.
No. 55 - Todd Bodine is in the seat, replacing Jamie Dick. Bodine will be making his first start in NASCAR's second-tier division in three years.
No. 87 - Joe Nemechek returns to the seat, replacing Kevin Lepage. Nemechek's team has had a rotating schedule of drivers while he focuses more on his Cup ride with the No. 66.
No. 93 - Mike Wallace is in the seat, replacing JJ Yeley. Carl Long was originally entered in the car; either way, it's expected to start and park.
Since there are only 40 cars entered, no one will fail to qualify. However, these teams must still qualify on speed:
No. 10 - Blake Koch for TriStar Motorsports*
No. 13 - Matt Carter for JGL Racing*
No. 17 - Tanner Berryhill for Vision Racing
No. 33 - Cale Conley for Richard Childress Racing
No. 40 - Josh Wise for The Motorsports Group
No. 46 - Matt DiBenedetto for The Motorsports Group*
No. 70 - Derrike Cope for Creation-Cope Racing
No. 74 - Mike Harmon for Mike Harmon Racing
No. 76 - Tommy Joe Martins for Martins Motorsports*
No. 91 - Jeff Green for TriStar Motorsports*
On Wednesday, Goodyear held the second and final day of their tire test at Michigan International Speedway. The overall goal of the test was so teams could come up with a solution that would encourage better racing on the two-mile, D-shaped oval, while at the same time allowing for a compound that would not blister.
Much of the headlines from the test seemed to stem from high speeds reported. Dale Earnhardt, Jr. tweeted a computer readout that stated he reached 215.2 mph. Clint Bowyer went a little bit faster at 217 mph, which Bowyer later described as “whites-in-your-eyes fast.” Greg Biffle told ESPN's Shannon Spake on NASCAR Now that he reached 220 mph and a 204 mph average.
Despite the high speeds, the drivers who tested Tuesday and Wednesday believe that there will be better racing this year in the Irish Hills. Michigan winters are a bit harsher than in most locales on the Sprint Cup calendar. As a result, there is more weathering from year to year.
Earnhardt Jr. appeared to be quite happy with the track.
“I enjoy racing here,” the two-time Michigan winner said. “It’s a fun track. The asphalt is really aging well and it’s just going to keep getting better and better over the next couple of years.”
As is the norm for Goodyear tire tests, no official speeds were announced. However, Earnhardt Jr. stated in the Media Center that while he was going anywhere from 212-215 mph at the end of the frontstretch, he was only dropping down to 180 or so in the turns.
Greg Biffle and Ryan Newman echoed Earnhardt Jr.’s sentiment when asked about the track surface. They expect the track to support multiple grooves for racing when the Sprint Cup and Nationwide Series return in June.
As for track management, they definitely appear to like the high speeds. Michigan International Speedway President Roger Curtis spent part of Wednesday retweeting top speed posts. However, Curtis understands that going fast is not the only thing that matters.
“The drivers are posting 200 mph. That’s awesome,” Curtis said. “The fans get very, very excited about that. But at the end of the day, on Sunday when the green flag drops, the numbers ‘two zero zero’ they’re not anywhere in the fans’ minds. It’s lead changes, it’s the competition...”
Since the track was repaved prior to the 2012 season, the number of lead changes at Michigan International Speedway has been relatively flat with the years before the repave. However, the number of cautions are up as well, which can skew the lead change numbers a little. Complaints have come more from a rock hard tire compound, made by Goodyear for safety reasons which has made passing more difficult and actual "wear" (which leads to speed dropoff) hard to come by.
Sherwin-Williams to Sponsor HScott Motorsports at Darlington
On Wednesday, HScott Motorsports announced that Sherwin-Williams will serve as the primary sponsor of Justin Allgaier’s No. 51 Chevrolet this weekend at Darlington Raceway. The No. 51 will primarily be advertising the automotive finishes division, in addition to the AWX Performance Plus Waterborne Refinish System the company makes.
Allgaier is very happy to have Sherwin-Williams onboard.
“I'm thrilled to have Sherwin-Williams on the car at Darlington,” Allgaier said in the press release. “They are a big supporter of HScott Motorsports and NASCAR. I can't wait drive the No. 51 with the Sherwin-Williams colors on it at one of my favorite tracks.”
Sherwin-Williams has a fairly extensive history in NASCAR. They currently serve as the “Official Automotive Paint of NASCAR.” Prior to that, the company served as a primary sponsor for a number of cars in what is now the Nationwide Series.
As for Allgaier, Saturday will more than likely be his first career Sprint Cup start at the historic oval. However, in five Nationwide Series starts, Allgaier already has two top-5 and three top-10 finishes. His average result is an excellent 9.8.
Entry List Update
Note: These entries are accurate as of Wednesday night. However, they are still subject to change.
Sprint Cup Series Bojangles’ Southern 500: 45 cars entered
Drivers Ineligible to Earn Points:
No. 40 - Landon Cassill for Hillman Racing
No. 44 - JJ Yeley for Xxxtreme Motorsports
No. 66 - Joe Nemechek for Michael Waltrip Racing/Identity Ventures Racing
Driver Changes: None
Drivers who must qualify on speed (top 36):
No. 44 - JJ Yeley for Xxxtreme Motorsports (49th in points, 2 attempts)
No. 77 - Dave Blaney for Randy Humphrey Racing (47th in points, 5 attempts)
Drivers who have a provisional, but are in a "danger zone" of missing based on circumstances:
No. 23 - Alex Bowman for BK Racing (36th in points, 7 attempts)
No. 26 - Cole Whitt for Swan Racing (33rd in points, 7 attempts)
No. 30 - Parker Kligerman for Swan Racing (43rd in points, 7 attempts)
No. 32 - Travis Kvapil for Go FAS Racing (37th in points, 7 attempts)
No. 33 - David Stremme for Circle Sport, LLC (41st in points, 7 attempts)
No. 34 - David Ragan for Front Row Motorsports (35th in points, 7 attempts)
No. 35 - David Reutimann for Front Row Motorsports (46th in points, 7 attempts)
No. 40 - Landon Cassill for Hillman Racing (34th in points, 7 attempts)
No. 66 - Joe Nemechek for Michael Waltrip Racing/Identity Ventures Racing (40th in points, 7 attempts)
No. 83 - Ryan Truex for BK Racing (42nd in points, 7 attempts)
No. 98 - Josh Wise for Phil Parsons Racing (38th in points, 7 attempts)
Not Entered:
No. 21 - Trevor Bayne for Wood Brothers Racing
No. 95 - Michael McDowell for Leavine Family Racing
Nationwide Series VFW Sport Clips Help A Hero 200: 40 cars entered
Drivers Ineligible to Earn Points:
No. 5 - Kevin Harvick for JR Motorsports
No. 20 - Matt Kenseth for Joe Gibbs Racing
No. 22 - Joey Logano for Team Penske
No. 33 - Cale Conley for Richard Childress Racing
No. 40 - Josh Wise for The Motorsports Group
No. 42 - Kyle Larson for Turner Scott Motorsports
No. 54 - Kyle Busch for Joe Gibbs Racing
No. 55 - Todd Bodine for Viva Motorsports with Frank Cicci/SS-Green Light Racing
Driver Changes:
No. 13 - Matt Carter returns to the seat, replacing Mike Wallace. This entry, an extra backup off the truck to fill fields is expected to start and park.
No. 22 - Joey Logano returns to the seat, replacing Ryan Blaney. Logano is sharing the top Penske ride with Blaney and Brad Keselowski this season.
No. 23 - Carlos Contreras returns to the seat, replacing Robert Richardson, Jr. Contreras is running a limited schedule with a team supporting by Rick Ware.
No. 28 - JJ Yeley is in the seat, replacing Derek White. This team is the one owned by White's group expected to go the distance.
No. 55 - Todd Bodine is in the seat, replacing Jamie Dick. Bodine will be making his first start in NASCAR's second-tier division in three years.
No. 87 - Joe Nemechek returns to the seat, replacing Kevin Lepage. Nemechek's team has had a rotating schedule of drivers while he focuses more on his Cup ride with the No. 66.
No. 93 - Mike Wallace is in the seat, replacing JJ Yeley. Carl Long was originally entered in the car; either way, it's expected to start and park.
Since there are only 40 cars entered, no one will fail to qualify. However, these teams must still qualify on speed:
No. 10 - Blake Koch for TriStar Motorsports*
No. 13 - Matt Carter for JGL Racing*
No. 17 - Tanner Berryhill for Vision Racing
No. 33 - Cale Conley for Richard Childress Racing
No. 40 - Josh Wise for The Motorsports Group
No. 46 - Matt DiBenedetto for The Motorsports Group*
No. 70 - Derrike Cope for Creation-Cope Racing
No. 74 - Mike Harmon for Mike Harmon Racing
No. 76 - Tommy Joe Martins for Martins Motorsports*
No. 91 - Jeff Green for TriStar Motorsports*
*- Expected to Start-and-Park
Not Entered:
No. 84 - Chad Boat for Billy Boat Motorsports
Verizon IndyCar Series Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach: 23 cars entered
Driver Changes:
No. 16 - Oriol Servia is in the seat, replacing James Jakes.
Entries:
No. 2 - Juan Pablo Montoya for Team Penske
No. 3 - Helio Castroneves for Team Penske
No. 7 - Mikhail Aleshin for Schmidt Peterson Racing
No. 8 - Ryan Briscoe for NTT Data Chip Ganassi Racing
No. 9 - Scott Dixon for Target Chip Ganassi Racing
No. 10 - Tony Kanaan for Target Chip Ganassi Racing
No. 11 - Sebastien Bourdais for KV Racing/SH Racing
No. 12 - Will Power for Team Penske
No. 14 - Takuma Sato for A.J. Foyt Enterprises
No. 15 - Graham Rahal for Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing
No. 16 - Oriol Servia for Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing
No. 17 - Sebastian Saavedra for KV Racing/AFS Racing
No. 18 - Carlos Huertas for Dale Coyne Racing
No. 19 - Justin Wilson for Dale Coyne Racing
No. 20 - Mike Conway for Ed Carpenter Racing
No. 25 - Marco Andretti for Andretti Autosport
No. 27 - James Hinchcliffe for Andretti Autosport
No. 28 - Ryan Hunter-Reay for Andretti Autosport
No. 34 - Carlos Munoz for Andretti Autosport/Conquest Racing
No. 67 - Josef Newgarden for Sarah Fisher Hartman Racing
No. 77 - Simon Pagenaud for Schmidt Peterson Hamilton Motorsports
No. 83 - Charlie Kimball for Novo Nordisk Chip Ganassi Racing
No. 98 - Jack Hawksworth for Bryan Herta Autosport
Tudor United SportsCar Championship Tequila Patron Sports Car Showcase: 21 cars entered in 2 classes
Prototype Entries: 11
No. 01 - Scott Pruett/Memo Rojas for Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates
No. 07 - Joel Miller/Tristan Nunez for SpeedSource
No. 1 - Ryan Dalziel/Scott Sharp for Extreme Speed Motorsports
No. 2 - Ed Brown/Johannes van Overbeek for Extreme Speed Motorsports
No. 5 - Joao Barbosa/Christian Fittipaldi for Action Express Racing
No. 10 - Jordan Taylor/Ricky Taylor for Wayne Taylor Racing
No. 31 - Eric Curran/Boris Said for Marsh Racing
No. 42 - Olivier Pla/Gustavo Yacaman for OAK Racing
No. 60 - Ozz Negri/John Pew for Michael Shank Racing
No. 70 - Tom Long/Sylvain Tremblay for SpeedSource
No. 90 - Michael Valiente/Richard Westbrook for Spirit of Daytona Racing
Grand Touring Le Mans Entries: 10
No. 3 - Antonio Garcia/Jan Magnussen for Corvette Racing
No. 4 - Oliver Gavin/Tommy Milner for Corvette Racing
No. 17 - Wolf Henzler/Bryan Sellers for Team Falken Tire
No. 55 - Bill Auberlen/Andy Priaulx for BMW Team RLL
No. 56 - John Edwards/Dirk Müller for BMW Team RLL
No. 62 - Dane Cameron/Giancarlo Fisichella for Risi Competizione
No. 91 - Dominik Farnbacher/Marc Goossens for SRT Motorsports
No. 93 - Jonathan Bomarito/Kuno Wittmer for SRT Motorsports
No. 911 - Richard Lietz/Nick Tandy for Porsche North America
No. 912 - Michael Christensen/Patrick Long for Porsche North America
Not Entered:
No. 02 - Scott Dixon/Tony Kanaan/Sage Karam for Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates (P)
No. 0 - Gabby Chaves/Katherine Legge/Andy Meyrick for DeltaWing Racing Cars (P)
No. 6 - Klaus Graf/Lucas Luhr/Jann Mardenborough for Muscle Milk Pickett Racing (P)
No. 9 - Jon Fogarty/Brian Frisselle/Burt Frisselle for Action Express Racing (P)
No. 50 - Byron DeFoor/David Hinton/Jim Pace for Alegra Motorsports (“Highway to Help”) (P)
No. 57 - Andrea Bertolini/Nic Jonsson/Tracy Krohn for Krohn Racing (GTLM)
No. 78 - Pierre Kaffer/Scott Mayer/Alex Popow/Sebastien Saavedra for Starworks Motorsports (P)
Have news for Phil and the Frontstretch? Don't hesitate to let us know; email us at phil.allaway@frontstretch.com with a promising lead or tip. Comments can also be sent to frontstretcheditors@googlegroups.com.
~~~~~~~~~~
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!
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Today's Featured Commentary
Professor Of Speed: Seeing Stars
by Mark Howell
Forgive my somewhat elitist tone, but here are some words of wisdom for Brian France and the ruling class at NASCAR headquarters: beware of celebrities wearing jumpsuits.
The citizens of NASCAR Nation know that one of the perks Brian brought to the head table when he assumed control of the sport was his connection to many movers-and-shakers in the entertainment industry. It was suggested that NASCAR was poised to enter a new era, one where “Fortune 500” executives would rub elbows with movie stars, rock stars, and the media moguls of Hollywood. The end result would be truckloads of cash being tossed at race teams and standing-room only crowds at every stop on the schedule. (Texas, with Duck Dynasty is the latest example of such "connections.")
As exposure increased, or so the theory went NASCAR would merge with pop culture, shifting from sports coverage to a more “mainstream” relationship with fans of all ages. Stock car racing, thought of as "behind" would evolve into a totally hip, 21st Century event destined to entertain all of the people, all of the time. What was once considered “redneck” would go “Red Bull” and NASCAR would reign once more (as it did during the 1990s) over the Sports Business kingdom.
The first few attempts were pretty rough. There was the “star-studded” 50th Anniversary gala back in 1998 when Brian France was NASCAR’s Vice President of Communications and Marketing (I recall Morgan Shepherd roller-skating to the music of The Beach Boys). In 2002, actor James Woods hosted the Winston Cup awards banquet with musical help from Sheryl Crow, who had already hitched her celebrity wagon to Dale Jr. by that time. At least the banquet took place in New York City...
Moving the annual Sprint Cup awards ceremony from Manhattan to Las Vegas was a bit of a gamble, as France & Friends tried to present a more “Gen-X” image for their sport. Instead of drivers and crew chiefs looking uncomfortable in tuxedos and shiny shoes at the Waldorf-Astoria, the trip west to Vegas turned NASCAR’s biggest night into a perpetual audition for “The Hangover 4”.
Granted, it’s not like the on-track action surrounding these experiments was very much help; it’s hard to lure customers when the overall product you’re selling is less-than-enticing. Hence, Brian’s creation of “The Chase for the Championship” and its various adjustments over the past decade.
But such efforts, should they fail permanently are not just the fault of one person. It’s not totally Brian France’s fault that selling NASCAR to the masses has been such a tough deal. The relationship between pop culture and stock car racing, whether you're a new or old-time supporter has often been a tenuous link.
Back in the 1960s, an actor/racing fan like James Garner could move smoothly between the two spheres – not many celebrities had what it took to party alongside legends like Curtis Turner and Joe Weatherly. Even the sports car crowd (led by the late Paul Newman) enjoyed a healthy connection to NASCAR.
Then came the major motion picture debacle called “Days of Thunder” and its approach to stock car racing that set the sport back about two decades. And the hits just kept on coming (everyone remember Ricky Bobby?)...
I recall working in the pits during the 2001 Winston Cup season. It was the time when pop star Britney Spears (before she went nuts, walked barefoot through gas station restrooms, and chopped off her hair) was interested in making a movie about stock car racing. For research, Spears (and an entourage of about twenty – it was the era when she was a superstar to young girls) traveled to Daytona for the 400-miler in July to study NASCAR / make photo opportunities / get publicity.
Spears walked about the garages, pit stalls, and even attended the drivers’ meeting decked out in an Elvis-esque, star-spangled jumpsuits – complete with flared cuffs and massive gold sunglasses. Eager fans of all ages were kept a safe distance from the pop goddess, even the young girls who allowed Spears to have a career in the first place. Our crew chief’s daughter was disappointed at being shut out and ignored by the singer/actress, but such is the nature of celebrity.
So when I heard that "Duck Dynasty's" Uncle Si was strolling around Texas Motor Speedway in a shiny jumpsuit, my mind immediately flashed to the summer of 2001 and how another similarly decked-out celebrity tried using NASCAR to their advantage.
But maybe, just maybe, the opposite was true. Faster than you can say “Vanilla Ice at Pocono,” could it be that NASCAR was getting some much-needed mainstream media mileage out of the Robertson clan? They sure kept fans entertained during a rainy Sunday afternoon in The Lone Star State….
And isn’t that really what this sport is all about? Fans or Fords, celebrities or Chevrolets: it’s all really just a form of show business.
Don’t believe me? Go ask Brian France….
Forgive my somewhat elitist tone, but here are some words of wisdom for Brian France and the ruling class at NASCAR headquarters: beware of celebrities wearing jumpsuits.
The citizens of NASCAR Nation know that one of the perks Brian brought to the head table when he assumed control of the sport was his connection to many movers-and-shakers in the entertainment industry. It was suggested that NASCAR was poised to enter a new era, one where “Fortune 500” executives would rub elbows with movie stars, rock stars, and the media moguls of Hollywood. The end result would be truckloads of cash being tossed at race teams and standing-room only crowds at every stop on the schedule. (Texas, with Duck Dynasty is the latest example of such "connections.")
As exposure increased, or so the theory went NASCAR would merge with pop culture, shifting from sports coverage to a more “mainstream” relationship with fans of all ages. Stock car racing, thought of as "behind" would evolve into a totally hip, 21st Century event destined to entertain all of the people, all of the time. What was once considered “redneck” would go “Red Bull” and NASCAR would reign once more (as it did during the 1990s) over the Sports Business kingdom.
The first few attempts were pretty rough. There was the “star-studded” 50th Anniversary gala back in 1998 when Brian France was NASCAR’s Vice President of Communications and Marketing (I recall Morgan Shepherd roller-skating to the music of The Beach Boys). In 2002, actor James Woods hosted the Winston Cup awards banquet with musical help from Sheryl Crow, who had already hitched her celebrity wagon to Dale Jr. by that time. At least the banquet took place in New York City...
Moving the annual Sprint Cup awards ceremony from Manhattan to Las Vegas was a bit of a gamble, as France & Friends tried to present a more “Gen-X” image for their sport. Instead of drivers and crew chiefs looking uncomfortable in tuxedos and shiny shoes at the Waldorf-Astoria, the trip west to Vegas turned NASCAR’s biggest night into a perpetual audition for “The Hangover 4”.
Granted, it’s not like the on-track action surrounding these experiments was very much help; it’s hard to lure customers when the overall product you’re selling is less-than-enticing. Hence, Brian’s creation of “The Chase for the Championship” and its various adjustments over the past decade.
But such efforts, should they fail permanently are not just the fault of one person. It’s not totally Brian France’s fault that selling NASCAR to the masses has been such a tough deal. The relationship between pop culture and stock car racing, whether you're a new or old-time supporter has often been a tenuous link.
Back in the 1960s, an actor/racing fan like James Garner could move smoothly between the two spheres – not many celebrities had what it took to party alongside legends like Curtis Turner and Joe Weatherly. Even the sports car crowd (led by the late Paul Newman) enjoyed a healthy connection to NASCAR.
Then came the major motion picture debacle called “Days of Thunder” and its approach to stock car racing that set the sport back about two decades. And the hits just kept on coming (everyone remember Ricky Bobby?)...
I recall working in the pits during the 2001 Winston Cup season. It was the time when pop star Britney Spears (before she went nuts, walked barefoot through gas station restrooms, and chopped off her hair) was interested in making a movie about stock car racing. For research, Spears (and an entourage of about twenty – it was the era when she was a superstar to young girls) traveled to Daytona for the 400-miler in July to study NASCAR / make photo opportunities / get publicity.
Spears walked about the garages, pit stalls, and even attended the drivers’ meeting decked out in an Elvis-esque, star-spangled jumpsuits – complete with flared cuffs and massive gold sunglasses. Eager fans of all ages were kept a safe distance from the pop goddess, even the young girls who allowed Spears to have a career in the first place. Our crew chief’s daughter was disappointed at being shut out and ignored by the singer/actress, but such is the nature of celebrity.
So when I heard that "Duck Dynasty's" Uncle Si was strolling around Texas Motor Speedway in a shiny jumpsuit, my mind immediately flashed to the summer of 2001 and how another similarly decked-out celebrity tried using NASCAR to their advantage.
But maybe, just maybe, the opposite was true. Faster than you can say “Vanilla Ice at Pocono,” could it be that NASCAR was getting some much-needed mainstream media mileage out of the Robertson clan? They sure kept fans entertained during a rainy Sunday afternoon in The Lone Star State….
And isn’t that really what this sport is all about? Fans or Fords, celebrities or Chevrolets: it’s all really just a form of show business.
Don’t believe me? Go ask Brian France….
Dr. Mark Howell is a Senior Editor for Frontstretch.com. He can be reached at mark.howell@frontstretch.com. Comments can also be sent to frontstretcheditors@googlegroups.com.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Critic's Annex: NASCAR Now
by Phil Allaway
However, I've wanted to talk about NASCAR Now for quite a while here. It needs some time. I have no idea what the show does in the ratings, because that stuff is very hard to come by if you're A) getting broadcasted in the overnight hours and B) not getting a million viewers. And let's face some facts. There's no way in heck that NASCAR Now is getting a million viewers in DVR Theater, regardless of ESPN2's massive reach. I would be confident in saying that RaceHub outrates it right now, even with a more limited audience possible on FOX Sports 1.
When I wrote about NASCAR America recently, I expressed concern about the show's penchant for revolving hosts. Well, that's been a "thing" with NASCAR Now since essentially Day One back in 2007. Some of the hosts are people who have a lot of experience covering the sport. This week's host, Shannon Spake, falls into that category. Others, like Jonathan Coachman, not so much. He does OK hosting the show from what I've seen in the past (not in this critiquing window), but it's an odd fit at best. Regardless, everyone that hosts the show is a professional.
I still believe that NASCAR Now needs a permanent host instead of a new face on camera every three-ish shows for the remainder of the season. No Coachman, no Chris Cotter or Todd Grisham, just someone knowledgeable about NASCAR who could host the show during the week, similar to what John Kernan did on the weekday editions of rpm2nite from 1996 - 2002. Nothing against Cotter or Coachman, but no NASCAR fan who watches this show would think of those two as NASCAR experts. Coachman might be a better fit on a show focused on fighting, knowing about his background with the WWE, which went beyond that of a commentator and into actual "work." That might be a little hard knowing that the UFC is all-in with FOX Sports...
But I digress. Such a regular NASCAR Now host could go to the track every week, or they might not. Regardless, they would need to be a known quantity to the various drivers and other personalities in the garage.
But I digress. Such a regular NASCAR Now host could go to the track every week, or they might not. Regardless, they would need to be a known quantity to the various drivers and other personalities in the garage.
Spake could be that person. She does well on the show with interviews, and she's been a mainstay in the Sprint Cup and Nationwide garage areas for the last six-plus years with ESPN and in 2007 with SPEED. However, she also has other responsibilities (sideline reporting for College Football and College Basketball) with ESPN that effectively make NASCAR a 20-week-a-year gig for her. She can't really focus on the sport beyond the Irwin Tools Night Race at Bristol due to her schedule. It happens. Those other responsibilities are going to keep her with ESPN beyond the end of NASCAR's time on the network (she signed a contract extension to do just that). My guess is that a lot of people are going to miss seeing her at the track on a regular basis come 2015.
Nicole Briscoe has served as a host on NASCAR Now on a semi-regular basis and is (based on the schedules that I have received from ESPN via email) the closest thing to a regular host that the show has at the moment (she's hosted 13 of the 24 episodes that have aired in 2014 up to this point). Briscoe's obtained her clout in the NASCAR garage in a somewhat different fashion than Spake has, but she's at the track nearly every week and is a known quantity to nearly everyone out there.
Mike Massaro is probably the only other person that could host on a full-time basis that's on the current rotation. I often refer to him as the "Ice Cream Man." That is not meant to be derogatory in any way. It is, in fact, a reference to a scene in the 2002 film Mr. Deeds in which Chuck Cedar (played by Peter Gallagher) claimed that he hid in Roseanne's dumpster disguised as a tub of ice cream in order to get the "scoop" on a story about her. Having to stake out municipal airports for years in order to interview drivers, all because NASCAR wouldn't give ESPN reporters credentials for Cup races during a time period in the early 2000s would qualify as the stock car equivalent of that movie. Despite those scenes being ancient history, Massaro has hosted the show successfully in recent years and I have no reason to believe that he wouldn't be able to keep up the good work. Also, he's New England-based, while Spake and Briscoe both live in the Charlotte area.
NASCAR Now episodes these days tend to be dependent on interviews. Again, using Wednesday night/early this morning's episode, you had Spake interview Chase Elliott, Greg Biffle and Clint Bowyer. Biffle and Bowyer were both in Michigan for the Goodyear tire test, which really didn't get all that much discussion, at least not from Bowyer. Elliott was on to talk about his victory and his start to 2014. Andy Petree was also featured, talking about Elliott's maturity as a driver and how well-respected he is in the series. That's all nice. The Elliott interview was done over the phone, while the others were all via satellite (Petree was in what appeared to be his race shop, as an old No. 33 truck was behind him).
The fact that NASCAR Now originates from Bristol, Connecticut has hurt the show from Day One, a weakness that will continue to hurt it until its likely cancellation at the end of the season. That's fine if you're only showing highlights, like the weekend rpm2nite's with Kenny Mayne and Rece Davis did, but it just doesn't work for weeknight shows. I don't understand why ESPN couldn't have at least had a desk in Charlotte for the show, like what NASCAR America has. They still have a building and employees in Charlotte, and I think that it could have been a good use for it. I tend to not really like phone interviews because all kinds of stupidity can happen there. We're talking about a network that has been fooled at least once by Captain Janks. (You've probably heard of that guy.) Even with a satellite feed, it's just not the same as being able to go to a shop and interview a driver (like NBC Sports Network's Kelli Stavast did with David Ragan yesterday), or having a driver in-studio like FOX Sports 1 did yesterday with Patrick Staropoli.
ESPN can get drivers in-studio for NASCAR Now, but the teams aren't dumb. They know that the show airs via tape delay during DVR Theater. The only people who watch live are insomniacs, west coast viewers watching right before bedtime and people who work overnight shifts, but have access to cable TV in their workplace. Hence, the only time you'll see a driver live in the studio is when they come up to Bristol to do a "Car Wash." In that case, doing NASCAR Now would be Stop No. 4 in an eight-stop schedule.
ESPN can get drivers in-studio for NASCAR Now, but the teams aren't dumb. They know that the show airs via tape delay during DVR Theater. The only people who watch live are insomniacs, west coast viewers watching right before bedtime and people who work overnight shifts, but have access to cable TV in their workplace. Hence, the only time you'll see a driver live in the studio is when they come up to Bristol to do a "Car Wash." In that case, doing NASCAR Now would be Stop No. 4 in an eight-stop schedule.
Ultimately, NASCAR Now can still be a good show. However, while ESPN gave the program a nice time slot at first (roughly what NASCAR America has now on NBC Sports Network), they never seemed willing to do what it took to really establish the show with the industry. That led fans to gravitate towards NASCAR RaceHub on SPEED (now FOX Sports 1) once it premiered. NASCAR Now experimented with things like the Monday roundtables hosted by Allen Bestwick. Those were always fun to watch, but soon dropped by the wayside. Also, getting an hour for those episodes in the schedule proved to be easier said than done.
Even with good content, the show appears to be just playing out the string until the contract ends in November. At that point, it'll likely be over as ESPN won't feel much like spending the money and licensing the footage to put on such a show if they don't have rights to air the races. Also, as NASCAR showed in 2001, there's no guarantee that they would even be allowed to continue production past November if they wanted to. I plan to give the show one last look before the season ends, in what I anticipate will be a farewell after eight years.
That's all for this week. Next week, I'll be back with more coverage to critique. Until then, enjoy this weekend's racing in Long Beach and Darlington.
Phil Allaway is the Newsletter Manager and a Senior Writer for Frontstretch. He can be reached via e-mail at phil.allaway@frontstretch.com. Follow him on Twitter at @Critic84. Comments can also be sent to frontstretcheditors@googlegroups.com.
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Frontstretch Line of the Week
From Beyond the Cockpit: Greg Biffle Talks Everything From Extension To Animals
"It is pretty neat to see that. He won a tremendous amount of races and was a very tough competitor. It was funny how they did the regions back then. He was in my region and we were competing with each other. I was running in Washington State and he was completely across the country. It was a fun time back then." - Greg Biffle, on Larry Phillips, 2015 NASCAR Hall of Fame Nominee
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TODAY ON THE FRONTSTRETCH:
by Vito Pugliese
Fantasy Insider: Plan Of Attack For The Lady In Black
by Jeff Wolfe
Five Points To Ponder: NASCAR Report Card Time As Darlington Looms
by Danny Peters
Tech Talk With 'Bono' Manion: Has NASCAR's Track Too Tough To Tame Gone... Too Nice?
as told to Mike Neff
Truckin' Thursdays: A Quintet Of Strong 2014 Starts
by Beth Lunkenheimer
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FRONTSTRETCH TRIVIA:
FRONTSTRETCH TRIVIA:
Q: The 1997 Mountain Dew Southern 500 is primarily remembered for two things. Those are Jeff Gordon beating out Jeff Burton in an epic duel to win the Winston Million, and Dale Earnhardt's day, which could be best described as "weird." What happened?
Check back Friday for the answer, here in the Frontstretch Newsletter!
Wednesday's Answer:
Wednesday's Answer:
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?
A: Burton was doing fairly well on his qualifying lap until he lost control in Turn 4 and backed his Pontiac into the outside wall. The car then burst into flames as it continued to spin on the frontstretch. The crash can be seen in this clip.The wreck was quite scary to watch. Other drivers and crew members waiting to qualify jumped into action and helped to extricate Burton from his Pontiac. Burton was OK, but the car was naturally thrashed. Burton qualified 35th in second round qualifying Saturday, then crashed out of the race on Sunday.
Frontstretch Trivia Guarantee: If we mess up, you get the shirt off our backs! If we've provided an incorrect answer to the Frontstretch Trivia question, be the first to email the corrected trivia answer to trivia@frontstretch.com and we'll send you a Frontstretch T-Shirt ... FREE!
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Coming tomorrow in the Frontstretch Newsletter:
-- Top News from Justin Tucker
-- In Case You Missed It by TBA
-- Keepin' It Short by Mike Neff
-- Links to your favorite Frontstretch articles, trivia, and more!
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Tomorrow on the Frontstretch:
Mirror Driving by the Frontstretch Staff
A collection of your favorite writers are back to discuss a number of pertinent issues in NASCAR. Topics this week include Stewart-Haas Racing's issues, the high speeds at Michigan, Chase Elliott's Nationwide championship chances, and more.
Holding A Pretty Wheel by Amy Henderson
Amy returns this week with another intriguing Friday commentary.
Going By The Numbers by Kevin Rutherford
Kevin returns with a peek at the statistical side of NASCAR. This week, it's a look at how Darlington Raceway has favored veterans, not only in recent years but throughout its long history in the sport.
Kevin returns with a peek at the statistical side of NASCAR. This week, it's a look at how Darlington Raceway has favored veterans, not only in recent years but throughout its long history in the sport.
Frontstretch Foto Funnies by the Frontstretch Staff
Pictures can lead to a thousand laughs; join us in our weekly dose of humor that comes from those candid moments at the track.
Pictures can lead to a thousand laughs; join us in our weekly dose of humor that comes from those candid moments at the track.
Nuts For Nationwide by Kelly Crandall
Kelly returns to bring us up-to-date on NASCAR's second-tier series as they head to Darlington. This week, she looks at David Starr's surprising run at Texas and other underdogs performing well to start 2014.
Happiness Is... by P. Huston Ladner
Don't let your life sink into the pits. Huston takes a look at the racing stories from the last seven days that should leave you smiling.
IndyCar Preview: Long Beach by Matt Stallknecht
Matt gets you set for the second date on the open-wheel calendar as INDYCAR heads to sunny southern California for the popular street race.
Don't let your life sink into the pits. Huston takes a look at the racing stories from the last seven days that should leave you smiling.
IndyCar Preview: Long Beach by Matt Stallknecht
Matt gets you set for the second date on the open-wheel calendar as INDYCAR heads to sunny southern California for the popular street race.
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©2014 Frontstretch.com
Talk back to the Frontstretch Newsletter!
Got something to say about an article you've seen in the newsletter? It's as easy as replying directly to this message or sending an email to editors@frontstretch.com. We'll take the best comments and publish them here!
©2014 Frontstretch.com
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