THE FRONTSTRETCH NEWSLETTER
Presented by Frontstretch.com
The Best Seat at the Track, The Best View on the Net!
June 18th, 2014
Volume VIII, Edition CV
Presented by Frontstretch.com
The Best Seat at the Track, The Best View on the Net!
June 18th, 2014
Volume VIII, Edition CV
Today's TV Listings
Time Telecast Network
5:00pm - 5:30pm NASCAR America NBC Sports Network
5:00 - 6:00pm NASCAR RaceHub FOX Sports 1
6:30 - 7:30pm NASCAR RaceHub FOX Sports 2*#
7:00 - 9:00pm World of Outlaws STP Sprint Cars Gettysburg Clash CBS Sports Network*/ (from May 14)
7:30 - 8:00pm 100,000 Cameras FOX Sports 2#
8:00 - 10:00pm Pro Motocross Championship Series: Glen Helen NBC Sports Network*/# (from May 24)
10:00 - 11:00pm Kurt Busch: 36 Director's Cut NBC Sports Network#
11:30pm - 1:30am Pro Motocross Championship Series: Hangtown NBC Sports Network*/# (from May 31)
~~~~~~~~~~
Top News
by the Frontstretch Staff
Time Telecast Network
5:00pm - 5:30pm NASCAR America NBC Sports Network
5:00 - 6:00pm NASCAR RaceHub FOX Sports 1
6:30 - 7:30pm NASCAR RaceHub FOX Sports 2*#
7:00 - 9:00pm World of Outlaws STP Sprint Cars Gettysburg Clash CBS Sports Network*/ (from May 14)
7:30 - 8:00pm 100,000 Cameras FOX Sports 2#
8:00 - 10:00pm Pro Motocross Championship Series: Glen Helen NBC Sports Network*/# (from May 24)
10:00 - 11:00pm Kurt Busch: 36 Director's Cut NBC Sports Network#
11:30pm - 1:30am Pro Motocross Championship Series: Hangtown NBC Sports Network*/# (from May 31)
~~~~~~~~~~
Top News
by the Frontstretch Staff
Editor's Note: With the new website, at times we'll provide only a PARTIAL read of the news in the Newsletter with a link to the top story on our website. With the "new" Frontstretch, there will be far more times the website is updated 24/7 so be sure to check the website for all the latest news and information on NASCAR!
Panasonic to Sponsor Jeff Gordon in Two Races in 2014
A long-rumored partnership was made official Tuesday. For the next three seasons, Panasonic will sponsor the No. 24 team driven by Jeff Gordon in at least two NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races. For 2014, those two events will be this weekend at Sonoma Raceway and the August 31st, Labor Day Weekend race at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Though Panasonic has been a technology partner with Hendrick Motorsports since 2007, this will be the first time the electronics company has had a presence on one of the team's stock cars.
A long-rumored partnership was made official Tuesday. For the next three seasons, Panasonic will sponsor the No. 24 team driven by Jeff Gordon in at least two NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races. For 2014, those two events will be this weekend at Sonoma Raceway and the August 31st, Labor Day Weekend race at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Though Panasonic has been a technology partner with Hendrick Motorsports since 2007, this will be the first time the electronics company has had a presence on one of the team's stock cars.
For the full article, click here.
Dale Earnhardt, Jr. Announces New Nationwide Driver For JR Motorsports
The driver that once bragged he had never posted on Twitter recently made an announcement on the social media platform regarding a debut driver for his Nationwide Series team in August.
Josh Berry, a NASCAR Home Tracks driver in the Late Model Stock Car Division, will make his NASCAR Nationwide Series debut in the U.S. Cellular 250 at Iowa Speedway on August 2nd for JR Motorsports. Berry's claim to fame at JR Motorsports is winning the team's first overall points title in 2012, NASCAR Home Track champion honors at Motor Mile Speedway in the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series. More recently, Berry won a Late Model race at Hickory Speedway on June 14th while driving for Earnhardt's team.
For the full article, click here.
Tony Stewart Wrecks During Indianapolis Tire Test
In a tire test at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Tuesday, Tony Stewart crashed as a result of what was believed to be a cut tire. Stewart was uninjured in the crash, according to a local CBS affiliate, even though he did speak with medical personnel on site. The test itself was closed to the media.
Stewart's crash occurred during a two-day tire test where he was one of six drivers participating. Greg Biffle, Clint Bowyer, Kyle Busch, Joey Logano, and Ryan Newman are also participating. The test is in preparation for the Brickyard 400, which will run on July 27th.
For the full article, click here.
Josh Berry, a NASCAR Home Tracks driver in the Late Model Stock Car Division, will make his NASCAR Nationwide Series debut in the U.S. Cellular 250 at Iowa Speedway on August 2nd for JR Motorsports. Berry's claim to fame at JR Motorsports is winning the team's first overall points title in 2012, NASCAR Home Track champion honors at Motor Mile Speedway in the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series. More recently, Berry won a Late Model race at Hickory Speedway on June 14th while driving for Earnhardt's team.
For the full article, click here.
Tony Stewart Wrecks During Indianapolis Tire Test
In a tire test at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Tuesday, Tony Stewart crashed as a result of what was believed to be a cut tire. Stewart was uninjured in the crash, according to a local CBS affiliate, even though he did speak with medical personnel on site. The test itself was closed to the media.
Stewart's crash occurred during a two-day tire test where he was one of six drivers participating. Greg Biffle, Clint Bowyer, Kyle Busch, Joey Logano, and Ryan Newman are also participating. The test is in preparation for the Brickyard 400, which will run on July 27th.
For the full article, click here.
Four Sprint Cup Drivers to Run K&N Pro Series West Sonoma Event
With the intention of trying to gain more experience before this weekend's Sprint Cup Series event at Sonoma Raceway, four Sprint Cup Series drivers will be running the Saturday K&N Pro Series West at the winding road course before the main event on Sunday.
Sprint Cup Series Rookie Of The Year contenders Justin Allgaier, Austin Dillon, Kyle Larson and Michael Annett are all running the race, as well as 2013 Sprint Cup Series Rookie of the Year Ricky Stenhouse, Jr.
For the full article, click here.
News & Notes:
- According to the Latin Post, Sprint may not be known as Sprint in the future if a deal goes through to merge the two companies. Currently, talks are ongoing between Sprint CEO Dan Hesse and T-Mobile CEO John Legere to merge the two mobile outfits together. Once complete, the merger means Sprint could be expected to change their name to T-Mobile or pay $2 billion in order to keep their current name.
- Last weekend, Dario Franchitti was honored as part of Queen Elizabeth II's birthday list as he was made a Member of the Order of the British Empire for services to motor racing. Franchitti won four Verizon IndyCar Series Championships and three Indy 500s before retiring at the end of last season due to a wreck in the penultimate event, the road course down in Houston. Franchitti is now serving as an advisor to Chip Ganassi Racing's program.
Have news for Ashley and the Frontstretch? Don't hesitate to let us know; email us at ashland10@mail.com with a promising lead or tip.
~~~~~~~~~~
ADVERTISEMENT
~~~~~~~~~~
Today's Featured Commentary
ADVERTISEMENT
Download the all-new Dover International Speedway Mobile App!
Control your race weekend right in the palm of your hand with the brand new mobile app from Dover International Speedway, available on all iPhone, iPad and Android devices. This new app gives you the ability to purchase race tickets, helps you find your grandstand seats, features a comprehensive listing of race weekend activities and allows you to build your own, customized race weekend calendar, plus much more. Get it now at iTunes or the Google Play Store, and your race weekend will never be the same!
~~~~~~~~~~
Today's Featured Commentary
A Look at the "Magic" Behind the Magic Mile
by Greg Davis
When you look at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in the tiny town of Loudon, NH it's hard to believe what it was like just six years ago. Today, there stands a one-mile oval track, retooled from aging to state-of-the-art, an adjoining road course, 98,000 seats, and a facility that has been re-tooled and shined with the race fan in mind. The man behind this transformation to a property that hosts two major NASCAR event weekends each year is Executive Vice President and General Manager, Jerry Gappens.
I spoke with Gappens in an interview this week regarding the fan amenities and changes that he and his staff have made at the speedway, the project to get night racing at NHMS, and the perception of racing and race fans in New England.
Greg Davis: Since SMI (Speedway Motorsports Inc.) purchased the track from Bob Bahre back in 2008, each year it seems there have been additional amenities for the fans each year. Is there anything in the works for this year?
Jerry Gappens: Yeah, actually. I certainly have to commend our Chairman Bruton Smith. One of the things that he's known for is putting money right back into the facilities for fans and all our guests, including corporate guests as well. For this year, we're working on a new Turn 3 Hospitality Area, trackside. It will be setup for July (for a soft opening) with some tents and these recycled containers that are turned into bar [areas]. The whole concept there is that people wanted more of a trackside view as opposed to the old traditional hospitality area that was behind the grandstands, then they would go up into the grandstands and watch [the race]. So that's going to be new this year, the Turn 3 Hospitality Area, right on the end of the Laconia Grandstand.
And then, another new thing we're doing, fan related, is the Champion's Pavilion, and it will feature a hospitality experience for our fans that have spent $750.00 or more as a part of their account for the races (seats, pit passes, etc.). They will have exclusive [access] to this area with food and a DJ. It'll be right behind the main grandstands and it'll be a great place to sit, get out of the sun, and relax.
This year, we also decided to honor our first responders at the race as well. We've got a program where we're reaching out to companies and our individuals that can basically buy tickets to send our first responders and their family members to the race here in July. And we make the tickets very affordable for somebody to buy them and support it. Our sister track in Charlotte has done that the last couple of years, for the military during Memorial Day weekend and it's worked really well. So, we launched that a couple of weeks ago. We had [NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver] Kasey Kahne come up, and he went through the NH Fire Academy training and got to kind of play the role of a firefighter there for a couple of hours there, and helped bring awareness to [our first responders]...
As the largest sports and entertainment facility in New England, if we can help recognize and bring awareness to some really good things, there are enough bad things out there that we see every day. So, these types of things we can do, and it's a worthwhile project and a feel-good story for us, and it's also very well deserved to have them come out and be part of it.
Davis: It was first reported back in September of 2013 that the track was working together with the Town of Loudon to get lighting installed at the Magic Mile for night racing. How is the progress coming with the project, and when can we expect the first race under the lights at New Hampshire?
Gappens: I would love to have that now, but unfortunately there is no new update on that front. I've had several conversations with NASCAR officials and with our television partners, that take over in 2015 there at NBC Sports, requesting that our July race be moved to a Saturday night, and it's been a longer process than I ever imagined. I sent a letter to Steve O'Donnell (Sr. Vice President of Racing Operations) at NASCAR three days after last July's race asking them if they would entertain the idea. And it's still being looked at.
I guess what they're doing is they're looking at the schedule for 2015 and beyond, to see how this adjustment would fit in that schedule and the programming. And then if NASCAR gives the green light to be open to running on a Saturday night, we would work with the town and some of the individuals that had contested [night racing] with Bob Bahre back when he first built the track (25 years ago). We would then meet with the local officials and see if they would consider us upgrading the event to prime time.
Davis: People all across the nation know that New England has some of the most loyal and "diehard" sports fans anywhere, with the Patriots, Celtics, Bruins, and Red Sox here. But when it comes to auto racing that same notion holds true. Can you talk a little bit about the NASCAR fan base in New England and how it's helped to grow NHMS to what it is today?
Gappens: Yeah, absolutely, the fan base that you speak of, and the support they bring is the reason that New Hampshire Motor Speedway has been here, hosting two of these prestigious NASCAR Sprint Cup Series events each year. And next year, we'll celebrate the 25th anniversary. I promise that it will be a tribute and a thanks to our fans. Personally, I certainly make an effort to meet as many fans as I can during race weekends, and at events that we do across the region each year. And [the fans] come from all walks of life. They all have a great passion for the sport, and some great human interest stories.
For example, there's a sheetrocker from Maine, his name's Todd, and he's known as the "ToddFather" out in the N1 camping lot. He's the unofficial mayor of that campground. But during the week he's a sheetrocker, and then two times a year he becomes the mayor of a campground here on site. Another example, there's a group of guys from Canada that had converted a '53 trailer that was previously used for TV, Movie, and Commercial shoots, and they took this thing, after coming to a race, decided they wanted to camp here, and made it into almost a small house on the property.
And then, there's a large contingent from Vermont that comes down with about 15 RVs and they all camp in the same area every year. And so just getting out there and meeting these people, they're all amazing, and that's one of the best parts of my job. And I got to say, when I moved up here from Charlotte in 2008 to take my position as the General Manager here, my first race I was really overwhelmed at the passion of New England race fans. I don't think a lot of people around the rest of the country really understand that there is an avid fan base here, and that's very evident by how they support the track.
Davis: Finally, there have been so many great moments over the years at NHMS. Is it possible to boil it down to just one major NASCAR moment that sticks out to you since you've been GM of the Speedway?
Gappens: Yeah, there are, and in a couple of different areas. First of all, as a fan, the moments leading up to the command to start engines is one of the most special moments in all of sports. You think about NASCAR fans and NASCAR events, and I don't think there's anything more Americana than that. You think about the invocation, national anthem, and command to fire engines, and you've got 100,000 people in the place and it's just an electric atmosphere – the anticipation of it.
On the competitive side of the track, I would say it would have to be the 2009 Sylvania 300 where Mark Martin and Juan Pablo Montoya were in an epic battle right there at the end of the race. There was a three-lap shootout, and they were swapping the lead back and forth. And I was down at Victory Lane, getting ready to greet the winner, and the thing that amazed me was that the crowd was on their feet those last 10 laps of that race. And they were so loud that you could hear the crowd over 43 screaming race car engines. And of course Mark Martin won it, and he was kind of an elder statesman, driving for Hendrick at the time, and it was a really great battle. The crowd just responded like I've never seen a crowd to respond to a race.
Personally for me, it's been visiting the campgrounds each race and meeting and developing relationships with our fans. And then, from a professional standpoint, I think it's been watching our team here grow and develop into making our facility so much better than it was when we bought it in 2008.
I spoke with Gappens in an interview this week regarding the fan amenities and changes that he and his staff have made at the speedway, the project to get night racing at NHMS, and the perception of racing and race fans in New England.
Greg Davis: Since SMI (Speedway Motorsports Inc.) purchased the track from Bob Bahre back in 2008, each year it seems there have been additional amenities for the fans each year. Is there anything in the works for this year?
Jerry Gappens: Yeah, actually. I certainly have to commend our Chairman Bruton Smith. One of the things that he's known for is putting money right back into the facilities for fans and all our guests, including corporate guests as well. For this year, we're working on a new Turn 3 Hospitality Area, trackside. It will be setup for July (for a soft opening) with some tents and these recycled containers that are turned into bar [areas]. The whole concept there is that people wanted more of a trackside view as opposed to the old traditional hospitality area that was behind the grandstands, then they would go up into the grandstands and watch [the race]. So that's going to be new this year, the Turn 3 Hospitality Area, right on the end of the Laconia Grandstand.
And then, another new thing we're doing, fan related, is the Champion's Pavilion, and it will feature a hospitality experience for our fans that have spent $750.00 or more as a part of their account for the races (seats, pit passes, etc.). They will have exclusive [access] to this area with food and a DJ. It'll be right behind the main grandstands and it'll be a great place to sit, get out of the sun, and relax.
This year, we also decided to honor our first responders at the race as well. We've got a program where we're reaching out to companies and our individuals that can basically buy tickets to send our first responders and their family members to the race here in July. And we make the tickets very affordable for somebody to buy them and support it. Our sister track in Charlotte has done that the last couple of years, for the military during Memorial Day weekend and it's worked really well. So, we launched that a couple of weeks ago. We had [NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver] Kasey Kahne come up, and he went through the NH Fire Academy training and got to kind of play the role of a firefighter there for a couple of hours there, and helped bring awareness to [our first responders]...
As the largest sports and entertainment facility in New England, if we can help recognize and bring awareness to some really good things, there are enough bad things out there that we see every day. So, these types of things we can do, and it's a worthwhile project and a feel-good story for us, and it's also very well deserved to have them come out and be part of it.
Davis: It was first reported back in September of 2013 that the track was working together with the Town of Loudon to get lighting installed at the Magic Mile for night racing. How is the progress coming with the project, and when can we expect the first race under the lights at New Hampshire?
Gappens: I would love to have that now, but unfortunately there is no new update on that front. I've had several conversations with NASCAR officials and with our television partners, that take over in 2015 there at NBC Sports, requesting that our July race be moved to a Saturday night, and it's been a longer process than I ever imagined. I sent a letter to Steve O'Donnell (Sr. Vice President of Racing Operations) at NASCAR three days after last July's race asking them if they would entertain the idea. And it's still being looked at.
I guess what they're doing is they're looking at the schedule for 2015 and beyond, to see how this adjustment would fit in that schedule and the programming. And then if NASCAR gives the green light to be open to running on a Saturday night, we would work with the town and some of the individuals that had contested [night racing] with Bob Bahre back when he first built the track (25 years ago). We would then meet with the local officials and see if they would consider us upgrading the event to prime time.
Davis: People all across the nation know that New England has some of the most loyal and "diehard" sports fans anywhere, with the Patriots, Celtics, Bruins, and Red Sox here. But when it comes to auto racing that same notion holds true. Can you talk a little bit about the NASCAR fan base in New England and how it's helped to grow NHMS to what it is today?
Gappens: Yeah, absolutely, the fan base that you speak of, and the support they bring is the reason that New Hampshire Motor Speedway has been here, hosting two of these prestigious NASCAR Sprint Cup Series events each year. And next year, we'll celebrate the 25th anniversary. I promise that it will be a tribute and a thanks to our fans. Personally, I certainly make an effort to meet as many fans as I can during race weekends, and at events that we do across the region each year. And [the fans] come from all walks of life. They all have a great passion for the sport, and some great human interest stories.
For example, there's a sheetrocker from Maine, his name's Todd, and he's known as the "ToddFather" out in the N1 camping lot. He's the unofficial mayor of that campground. But during the week he's a sheetrocker, and then two times a year he becomes the mayor of a campground here on site. Another example, there's a group of guys from Canada that had converted a '53 trailer that was previously used for TV, Movie, and Commercial shoots, and they took this thing, after coming to a race, decided they wanted to camp here, and made it into almost a small house on the property.
And then, there's a large contingent from Vermont that comes down with about 15 RVs and they all camp in the same area every year. And so just getting out there and meeting these people, they're all amazing, and that's one of the best parts of my job. And I got to say, when I moved up here from Charlotte in 2008 to take my position as the General Manager here, my first race I was really overwhelmed at the passion of New England race fans. I don't think a lot of people around the rest of the country really understand that there is an avid fan base here, and that's very evident by how they support the track.
Davis: Finally, there have been so many great moments over the years at NHMS. Is it possible to boil it down to just one major NASCAR moment that sticks out to you since you've been GM of the Speedway?
Gappens: Yeah, there are, and in a couple of different areas. First of all, as a fan, the moments leading up to the command to start engines is one of the most special moments in all of sports. You think about NASCAR fans and NASCAR events, and I don't think there's anything more Americana than that. You think about the invocation, national anthem, and command to fire engines, and you've got 100,000 people in the place and it's just an electric atmosphere – the anticipation of it.
On the competitive side of the track, I would say it would have to be the 2009 Sylvania 300 where Mark Martin and Juan Pablo Montoya were in an epic battle right there at the end of the race. There was a three-lap shootout, and they were swapping the lead back and forth. And I was down at Victory Lane, getting ready to greet the winner, and the thing that amazed me was that the crowd was on their feet those last 10 laps of that race. And they were so loud that you could hear the crowd over 43 screaming race car engines. And of course Mark Martin won it, and he was kind of an elder statesman, driving for Hendrick at the time, and it was a really great battle. The crowd just responded like I've never seen a crowd to respond to a race.
Personally for me, it's been visiting the campgrounds each race and meeting and developing relationships with our fans. And then, from a professional standpoint, I think it's been watching our team here grow and develop into making our facility so much better than it was when we bought it in 2008.
Greg Davis is a Contributor for Frontstretch.com. He can be reached via e-mail at greg.davis@frontstretch.com
~~~~~~~~~~
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 frontstretcheditors@googlegroups.com for details.
~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~
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 frontstretcheditors@googlegroups.com for details.
~~~~~~~~~~
Tweet 'N' Greet
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.
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.
@MikeCalinoff - There's a bad joke in there somewhere. RT@UberFacts: Woodpeckers are highly aggressive and antisocial.
@KyleLarsonRacin - Really exciting news for @Katelyn_Sweet and I!! pic.twitter.com/r8WOvjrMYu
@TSMotorsports - It's been a year since we lost #LEFturn. Miss you bud! pic.twitter.com/x3kEe9icLt
@DavidRagan - God blessed us today with a healthy little girl. (Perfect timing too) Mom and Julia are doing good! pic.twitter.com/GbIxjUoP7E
@RCR3ADillon - Introducing the Dow Great Stuff paint Schemepic.twitter.com/qsxrQLHFEp
@DGodfatherMoody - Former NASCAR Euro Series Driver Killed In Shooting http://motorsports-soapbox.blogspot.com/2014/06/former-nascar-euro-series-driver-killed.html …#NASCAR
@jim_utter - @Brett_Moffitt has signed a contract with Michael Waltrip Racing and will run PT with 3rd Cup team this season, also some NW and Trucks
@KevinHamlin - Spotters sure are a talkative bunch. #nosesinphones #breaktime pic.twitter.com/peBseqyA5k
@maxpapis - Before qual @chaseelliott Office is ready with @MPI_INNOVATIONS NEW LIGHT WEIGHT 15 OE wheelpic.twitter.com/20X6QihdmD
@bobpockrass - Only 17 drivers have competed in all 12 NNS races this year. #nascar
@nascarcasm - Not sure who Jackson is, but apparently he can pummel the crap put of some sheet metal, so watch out for that guy. pic.twitter.com/KjEJTmiTDZ
@MISpeedway - @JimmieJohnson leaves his mark on our track for the first time in his career at the #QL400! #SUMMERFAST pic.twitter.com/ddJkkRMAnE
@JimmieJohnson - Thanks, I hope your car gets stolen tonight. #FairGame
@treybo12 (Author's Note: in response to a fan who wished Jimmie Johnson would have failed post-race inspection.)
@mw55 - I'm crazy because I'm watching drag racing at 1am. I bet it's tape delayed but I love it. I love #NASCAR Quals 5 mins delayed too #racer
@DaleJr - "@HawksFanDenver:@DaleJr what do you think your Dad would think about twitter?" Don't think he'd like it much. Hated the Internet (AOL).
@matthumphreycar - Hats off to you @DaleJr for spending a sleepless night tweeting with your fans #NASCAR #classact (Author's Note: Dale was up until 4am ET tweeting with his fans on Sunday night / Monday morning.)
@KyleLarsonRacin - What the hell you still doing awake and tweeting? @DaleJr
@DavidRagan - Decided to trade the @Ford F-150 in and get a new Focus ST! A little different driving around town, but I like it! pic.twitter.com/IGWBUuYuya
@joeycoulter - Getting ready to roll off at the @SCC_Charlotte golf tournament I'll apologize to my @CheckersHockey teammates now...
@bobpockrass - Only 17 drivers have competed in all 12 NNS races this year. #nascar
@nascarcasm - Not sure who Jackson is, but apparently he can pummel the crap put of some sheet metal, so watch out for that guy. pic.twitter.com/KjEJTmiTDZ
@MISpeedway - @JimmieJohnson leaves his mark on our track for the first time in his career at the #QL400! #SUMMERFAST pic.twitter.com/ddJkkRMAnE
@JimmieJohnson - Thanks, I hope your car gets stolen tonight. #FairGame
@treybo12 (Author's Note: in response to a fan who wished Jimmie Johnson would have failed post-race inspection.)
@mw55 - I'm crazy because I'm watching drag racing at 1am. I bet it's tape delayed but I love it. I love #NASCAR Quals 5 mins delayed too #racer
@DaleJr - "@HawksFanDenver:@DaleJr what do you think your Dad would think about twitter?" Don't think he'd like it much. Hated the Internet (AOL).
@matthumphreycar - Hats off to you @DaleJr for spending a sleepless night tweeting with your fans #NASCAR #classact (Author's Note: Dale was up until 4am ET tweeting with his fans on Sunday night / Monday morning.)
@KyleLarsonRacin - What the hell you still doing awake and tweeting? @DaleJr
@DavidRagan - Decided to trade the @Ford F-150 in and get a new Focus ST! A little different driving around town, but I like it! pic.twitter.com/IGWBUuYuya
@joeycoulter - Getting ready to roll off at the @SCC_Charlotte golf tournament I'll apologize to my @CheckersHockey teammates now...
@MikeLingerfelt - I feel like our race yesterday was contagious. I'm a little off the pace this morning and struggling...
@KrisJohnson_NI - Schumacher leaves French hospital, out of coma http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2014/06/16/4981320/schumacher-leaves-french-hospital.html …
@JeffBurton - Ready for the body to be set on! pic.twitter.com/Hjw5IUixPm
@dcaraviello - Jimmie Johnson won't get to 200 wins, but I'd bet he'll break another of the King's records -- 18 straight years with a win. He's at 13 now.
@dustinlong - #NASCAR … Kyle Larson, Austin Dillon, Michael Annett & Ricky Stenhouse Jr. are entered in K&N West race at Sonoma #AskMRN @MRNRadio
@KySpeedway - No immediate movement on our end. Never know. RT @randal_ray:@KevinLee23 - Any talk or rumors of a possible return of @IndyCar to @KySpeedway?"
@KrisJohnson_NI - Schumacher leaves French hospital, out of coma http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2014/06/16/4981320/schumacher-leaves-french-hospital.html …
@JeffBurton - Ready for the body to be set on! pic.twitter.com/Hjw5IUixPm
@dcaraviello - Jimmie Johnson won't get to 200 wins, but I'd bet he'll break another of the King's records -- 18 straight years with a win. He's at 13 now.
@dustinlong - #NASCAR … Kyle Larson, Austin Dillon, Michael Annett & Ricky Stenhouse Jr. are entered in K&N West race at Sonoma #AskMRN @MRNRadio
@KySpeedway - No immediate movement on our end. Never know. RT @randal_ray:@KevinLee23 - Any talk or rumors of a possible return of @IndyCar to @KySpeedway?"
@IMS - @joeylogano speaking to media. Says it's good to test in hot temps so they know what to expect for #SuperWeekend pic.twitter.com/htriTkO6fr
Allen Bedgood is a Photographer and Newsletter Contributor for Frontstretch. He can be reached via email at allen.bedgood@frontstretch.com. Follow him on Twitter @AllenBedgood.
~~~~~~~~~~
GOT A NASCAR QUESTION OR COMMENT? WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU!
That's right; our Fan Q & A column is back once again in 2014. Send your question Summer Bedgood's way at summer.bedgood@frontstretch.com and if you're lucky, you'll get your name in print on Thursday when she does her weekly column. It's all part of our daily mission to give back to you – the fans that keep Frontstretch afloat!
~~~~~~~~~~
TODAY ON THE FRONTSTRETCH:
Did You Notice? ... The Death Of A Ringer And How Old Dogs Learn New Tricks
by Amy Henderson
IndyCar, Quiet But Still There
IndyCar, Quiet But Still There
by Huston Ladner
NASCAR Mailbox: Quit Engraving The Trophy, It's Not Over Yet
NASCAR Mailbox: Quit Engraving The Trophy, It's Not Over Yet
by Summer Bedgood
Beyond The Cockpit: A Closer Look At NASCAR Economics
Beyond The Cockpit: A Closer Look At NASCAR Economics
by Matt Stallknecht
Top 15 Power Rankings After Michigan
Top 15 Power Rankings After Michigan
as compiled by Mike Mehedin
~~~~~~~~~~
FRONTSTRETCH TRIVIA
Q: During ESPN's telecast of the 1999 Save Mart/Kragen 350k at then-Sears Point Raceway, Ned Jarrett referenced the X Games when referencing an incident. What was he talking about and why reference the X Games?
Check back Thursday for the answer, here in the Frontstretch Newsletter!
Tuesday's Answer:
Q: Sometimes in the past, teams would voluntarily choose not to make the trip out to Sonoma. Instead, they would allow a Winston West team to use their number and points. Melling Racing did it on two occasions (1992 with Bill Schmitt and 1997 with Jeff Davis). Why was this procedure done?
A: On both of those occasions listed above, Melling Racing did not have a full-time primary sponsor. Sonoma was one of only three races in 1997 (and one of only two in 1992) west of the Mississippi River. It was the longest haul of any race on the schedule. 1992 saw a revolving door of drivers in the car (Chad Little, Dave Mader III, Phil Parsons and Dorsey Schroeder had already driven the No. 9 prior to Sonoma), so a fifth driver was not unexpected. Had Melling Racing had a full-time sponsor in 1992, they likely would have put Schroeder back in the car. However, with the lack of funds, they decided to let Schmitt field the No. 9 with his own team that would have attempted the race anyway (as the No. 73).
FRONTSTRETCH TRIVIA
Q: During ESPN's telecast of the 1999 Save Mart/Kragen 350k at then-Sears Point Raceway, Ned Jarrett referenced the X Games when referencing an incident. What was he talking about and why reference the X Games?
Check back Thursday for the answer, here in the Frontstretch Newsletter!
Tuesday's Answer:
Q: Sometimes in the past, teams would voluntarily choose not to make the trip out to Sonoma. Instead, they would allow a Winston West team to use their number and points. Melling Racing did it on two occasions (1992 with Bill Schmitt and 1997 with Jeff Davis). Why was this procedure done?
A: On both of those occasions listed above, Melling Racing did not have a full-time primary sponsor. Sonoma was one of only three races in 1997 (and one of only two in 1992) west of the Mississippi River. It was the longest haul of any race on the schedule. 1992 saw a revolving door of drivers in the car (Chad Little, Dave Mader III, Phil Parsons and Dorsey Schroeder had already driven the No. 9 prior to Sonoma), so a fifth driver was not unexpected. Had Melling Racing had a full-time sponsor in 1992, they likely would have put Schroeder back in the car. However, with the lack of funds, they decided to let Schmitt field the No. 9 with his own team that would have attempted the race anyway (as the No. 73).
1997 was a similar predictament for Melling Racing, with the caveat that any purse money that the team would have earned the previous weekend in Talladega was not available because of multiple rainouts delaying the Winston 500 to May 10th (the Saturday afternoon after Sonoma). At Talladega, Melling Racing ran fake sponsorship from ACE Hardware on the car for filming purposes (a made-for-TV movie called Steel Chariots filmed scenes at Talladega that weekend). With money running low, the team again decided to skip Sonoma and allowed Jeff Davis' team to use the No. 9 and the provisional that came with it.
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 triviaanswer@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
-- Potts' Shots by John Potts
Coming tomorrow in the Frontstretch Newsletter:
-- Top News from Phil Allaway
-- Critic's Annex by Phil Allaway
-- Potts' Shots by John Potts
-- 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.
Going by the Numbers by Kevin Rutherford
Kevin returns with a look at the statistical side of NASCAR.
Tech Talk by Mike Neff
Mike is back with your look at the technical side of NASCAR. This week, Tony Gibson stops by with a little perspective to preparing for the winding left and right turns at Sonoma.
Fantasy Insider by Jeff Wolfe
Jeff is back with your look at the best bets to fill your fantasy roster. This week, he preps you for your best bets as we head into Sonoma.
Truckin' Thursdays by Beth Lunkenheimer
Beth returns with your weekly look at the state of the Camping World Truck Series. This week, she begins a multi-part series looking back at some of the most memorable moments in series history.
Kevin returns with a look at the statistical side of NASCAR.
Tech Talk by Mike Neff
Mike is back with your look at the technical side of NASCAR. This week, Tony Gibson stops by with a little perspective to preparing for the winding left and right turns at Sonoma.
Fantasy Insider by Jeff Wolfe
Jeff is back with your look at the best bets to fill your fantasy roster. This week, he preps you for your best bets as we head into Sonoma.
Truckin' Thursdays by Beth Lunkenheimer
Beth returns with your weekly look at the state of the Camping World Truck Series. This week, she begins a multi-part series looking back at some of the most memorable moments in series history.
~~~~~~~~~~
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
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
--
Feel free to forward this newsletter if you have any friends who loves
NASCAR and great NASCAR commentary. They can subscribe to the Frontstetch by visiting http://www.frontstretch.com/notice/9557/.
If you want to stop your Frontstretch Newsletter subscription, we're sorry
to see you go. Just send an email to
TheFrontstretch+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com from the address that you
recieve the Frontstretch Newsletter.
---
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "The Frontstretch" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to thefrontstretch+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com.
For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.
No comments:
Post a Comment