The Best Seat at the Track, The Best View on the Net!
July 2nd, 2014
Volume VIII, Edition CV
What to Watch: Wednesday
by the Frontstretch Staff
Kyle Busch and No. 51 KBM Team Penalized Following NCWTS Kentucky race
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.
Today's Featured Commentary
President Obama's statement last week declaring Jimmie Johnson to be "the Michael Jordan of NASCAR" got me to wondering: are there no other stock car drivers who could be associated with professional athletes? Comparing the six-time Sprint Cup champion to perhaps the most accomplished and recognized personality in recent NBA history seems a tad presumptuous, but maybe such a leap allows for similar stretches of the imagination.
Jimmie Johnson's visit to the White House last week was nothing new – he makes the trip each time he wins another championship – nor is he the first Johnson from NASCAR to stroll through the rose garden. Former moonshiner-turned-Hall-of-Famer Junior Johnson made the trip back when Jimmy Carter was president, and again when Ronald Reagan pardoned him for past misdeeds. What made Jimmie's appearance this year so interesting to me was the way in which our Commander-In-Chief used such a striking analogy when putting Johnson's success into context. Michael Jordan (minus the gambling rumors and his fumbled foray into minor-league baseball) seems to be the obvious comparison when considering all that Jimmie and the well-financed folks at Hendrick Motorsports have done since 2002.
Allow me to begin by mashing some sour grapes: Jimmie Johnson's success in NASCAR has certainly been helped by the dedicated sponsorship he's enjoyed from Lowe's Home Improvement Stores since the beginning of his Sprint Cup career. Back in 1996, when Lowe's was testing the NASCAR waters, the North Wilkesboro-based company backed the independent effort of Brett Bodine.
Bodine had purchased Junior Johnson's race team following the 1995 season in an attempt to master the often-elusive and always-challenging race driver/car owner combination, and the fine folks at Lowe's went along for what became a fairly bumpy ride. Long story very short: the trials and tribulations of Brett Bodine's No. 11 Lowe's Ford prompted the company to re-think its relationship with NASCAR.
And, like most failed relationships, Lowe's rebounded quickly by putting its name on Jimmie Johnson's No. 48 Chevrolets. The rest, as they say, is history….
So now Jimmie Johnson and Rick Hendrick are posing for photographs once again with whoever's currently residing at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. Hooray for them, but might the "NASCAR = other sports" analogy be pushed a bit farther? Perhaps we are ignoring other, somewhat relevant comparisons that reflect the relationship between NASCAR and more "mainstream" sports.
Take Denny Hamlin and his sponsorship from FedEx. Might he not be called the "Karl Malone of NASCAR" given the NBA star's nickname ("The Mailman") and overtones with Hamlin's package-toting corporate sugar daddy? If it absolutely, positively has to be there in tomorrow's sports section, could not that relationship make for relevant public recognition? Would conventional sports fans get the connection?
To make the behavior of drivers like Kurt Busch, Kyle Busch, Tony Stewart, and even Brad Keselowski more relevant to mainstream audiences, all the media needs to do is hitch one of these hotshoes to the passive-aggressive wagon of any hot-headed NBA player. Suddenly outbursts before the media or along pit road become more easily understood. Is Tony Stewart the "Charles Barkley of NASCAR"? It's been a while since Smoke kicked a photographer's camera under a car, but then it's been a while since "Sir Charles" smashed a plate-glass window at a restaurant. Is everything not relative?
And what about Dale Earnhardt, Jr.? Surely NASCAR's eleven-time Most Popular Driver has an NBA counterpart with whom fans can identify. How about someone like newly-free-agented LeBron James, who made the transition from high school phenomenon to professional superstar look shockingly simple? Certainly the same could be said for Kobe Bryant, but then the Lakers standout was implicated in that hotel sexual assault business a few years ago. That kind of accusation can tarnish an athlete's reputation quickly, no matter how talented they are.
For Junior, his tragically-rapid ascension to the Earnhardt throne came with both great promise and potential. His name alone brought an immediate association with NASCAR success, but his on-track accomplishments over the past few years have been more famine than feast. So far 2014 has been a season of success, with Dale Jr. being assured a place in the Chase, but it's also put the driver squarely within the media spotlight yet again; it's not a matter of "can he make?" the post-season, but more a matter of "can he win?" the post-season and earn his first Sprint Cup championship.
Such questions and concerns have dogged LeBron James throughout his career, too. The demands of fans and musings by the media have been rough on both of these athletes, so maybe linking the two of them makes logical sense.
If Dale Jr. goes to the White House in 2015, will President Obama refer to him as "the LeBron James of NASCAR"? One can only speculate about such things, but it seems possible.
Hence my wondering about Jimmie Johnson being called "the Michael Jordan of NASCAR" by the President last week. As long as "Six-Pack" keeps his falling off golf carts to a minimum – like Michael Jordan did with his professional baseball career – perhaps the moniker will remain rightfully earned.
Mark Howell is a Contributor for Frontstretch.com. He can be reached via e-mail at mark.howell@frontstretch.com.ADVERTISEMENT
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Tweet 'N' Greet
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.
@3___BILLYO - Coolest idea I have seen today. Old shipping container made into a fold out barpic.twitter.com/94SJ1vW9sq
@DeLanaHarvick - Keelan's an OG at #rappersdelight https://vine.co/v/MFBmVbuMXdL
@NASCARonNBC - .@StewartHaasRcng adds@floridalottery as co-primary sponsor of@DanicaPatrick's No. 10 Chevyhttp://tw.nbcsports.com/RnL
@ReganSmith - Not sure who was to blame for the wreck with the 16, but either way I should've known better than to put a rookie in a tight spot like that
@KyleRRicky - Ohhh post Kentucky traffic. How I have missed you. Thank god it wasn't a sellout or my vacation would be in jeopardy pic.twitter.com/9FQ6DzqA36
@bwilson009 - Beer and confetti is all over her.pic.twitter.com/zxw9MmyCHY
@jeff_gluck - Quiet Track, Kentucky.#NASCAR @ Kentucky Speedwayhttp://instagram.com/p/p0Oa7nNXjm/
@MRNRadio - @keselowski's@KySpeedway Celebration Cut Short:http://bit.ly/TtroXK
@ClintBowyer - Got our natural asses kicked tonight. Testing this week to get to the bottom of a few things. We WILL get it fixed!!!
#nevergiveup
@DavidRagan - Well I feel like I had a fight with a concrete jack hammer for 4 hours! Glad we have Sunday off, and only 1 Kentucky race. Time 2 move on!
@MattYocum - The@NASCAR Air Force#LoadinUppic.twitter.com/q7uJAyA3ok
@joeylogano - Had an awesome fast@shellracingus Ford tonight just dropped a cylinder late. Sucks. Should of finished 2nd. My pit crew was on it tonight.
@MichaelAnnett - Can't thank all my@TBR_Racing guys enough!!! This@PFJRacing team keeps getting better and better. These nights are a lot of fun.
@KevinHarvick - Keelan was sleeping for victory lane last night so he celebrated this morning!!http://instagram.com/p/pykhAjRkLO/
@DaleJr - As far as amusement rides go, I do not recommend the@KySpeedway frontstretch.
@ClintBowyer - Best thing@MAVTV ever did was hire@DaveDespain....What a great interviewer!
@HigNASCAR - Excited that those coming to@DISupdates this week will see the amazing progress made on#DaytonaRisingpic.twitter.com/OBta5CLwVA
@RCR62BGaughan - Sneak peek of the@southpointlv@TeamChevy for this weekend@DISupdates!#NASCARpic.twitter.com/LY4ubzhToi
@IMS - Moments away from taking down the pylon. Out with the old!pic.twitter.com/CBRsSF4hAU
@bscottracing - At a ultrasound appointment with@whitneykay_, if there was still any doubt about it being a boy, I can promise you he is a proud lil guy.
@ClaireBLang - Got great VL pic of tire changer@HunterMasling new to #2 team#firstcupwin 1st nat iview @SiriusXMNASCAR too..Yay!pic.twitter.com/ABO2pTvlbh
@Patricia_AFF - Now watching@KurtBusch make room in his trophy room for his@IMS@IndyCar@SunocoRacing Rookie of the Year trophypic.twitter.com/iTvaWm0Ebp
@JRMotorsports - @ReganSmith's No. 7 ride will have@GoodysPowders on board this week@DISupdates.pic.twitter.com/Oo4dmbhDor
@JRMotorsports - Red, white and blue@NAPAKnowHow ride for@chaseelliott this week featuring@IntrepidHeroes.pic.twitter.com/Y0cp2J9TQd
@JimmieJohnson - Family Fun at Disney World @ Disney's Magic Kingdomhttp://instagram.com/p/p6IXxAEpWg/
@ClintBowyer - Yep definitely at the right track. Security stops me at the gate in NH and says u need a Hod Cod.
@Basso448 - 9 years ago @MartinTruex_Jr won the 2005 Winn-Dixie 250@DISupdates#NASCAR Busch Series Race pic.twitter.com/3DhiDfS1X8
@TonyOldMan10 - Just landed in Daytona for some testing at new Smyrna speedway today & tomorrow
@Brett_Moffitt - Hills make runs suck.. But sure make for great views up here@NHMSpic.twitter.com/NX7uciGpa7
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.
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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!
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TODAY ON THE FRONTSTRETCH:
NASCAR Mailbox: Like Sharks, NASCAR Media And Fans Drawn To Blood
Top 15 Power Rankings after Kentucky
FRONTSTRETCH TRIVIA
Q: For Lake Speed, 1989 was a miserable letdown after 1988 saw his first career win. The month of July was particularly disastrous. Daytona was the first race of the month and it set the tone for an expensive and painful quagmire. What happened?
Check back Thursday for the answer, here in the Frontstretch Newsletter!
Tuesday's Answer:
Kulwicki, Yarborough, Bodine and Cope were all out on the spot. Parsons and Bouchard spent significant time in the garage under repair before returning to the race and finishing 35th and 36th, respectively.
Frontstretch Trivia Guarantee: If we mess up, you get the shirt off our backs! If we've provided an incorrect answer to the Frontstretch Trivia question, be the first to email the corrected trivia answer to 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
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Tomorrow on the Frontstretch:
Vito returns to the website this year with his unique views on everything racing.
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, Bono Manion checks in just in time for a second visit to Daytona.
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 Daytona.
Truckin' Thursdays by Beth Lunkenheimer
Beth returns with your weekly look at the state of the Camping World Truck Series. This week, she returns with another look at more memorable moments in series history.
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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