The Best Seat at the Track, The Best View on the Net!
July 22nd, 2014
Volume VIII, Edition CXIX
Top News
Changes and Notes for 1-800-Car-Cash Mudsummer Classic This Wednesday Night
John Hunter Nemechek confirmed to Frontstretch.com via Twitter on Monday that he will have sponsorship from the MD Anderson Cancer Center, at the University of Texas on his No. 8 Toyota Tundra for the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race on dirt at Eldora Speedway this Wednesday night. The MD Anderson Cancer Center previously sponsored the 17-year-old rookie at Gateway, where John Hunter led 53 laps before cutting a tire and hitting the wall. He would eventually finish tenth. Read more at Frontstretch.
NASCAR Sees TV Viewership on the Decline
According to data collected by Sports Media Watch, no NASCAR events have made the list of the top 50 sporting events this year for TV viewership, including this year's Daytona 500 won by Dale Earnhardt, Jr., which only saw 9.3 million tune in. NASCAR's audience was down, for that event mostly due to a prolonged red flag due to severe and tornadic weather in the vicinity of Daytona International Speedway. Read more at Frontstretch.
In a first for the web-hosting and domain registry brand, GoDaddy will begin to air a new TV spot this week featuring both brand celebrity spokeswoman Danica Patrick, driver of the No. 10 Chevy SS for Stewart-Haas Racing in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series and her boss, team co-owner and three-time champion Tony Stewart. It is a significant move away from the company's past sexy commercials. Read more at Frontstretch.
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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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NASCAR's Own Post-Season: The Chase That Will Actually Be Fun to Watch
There's one positive thing about the inception of the Chase. When we take a week off in July, we can say we're two-thirds of the way through the regular season, not only halfway through the year. That's something, isn't it? In fact, the Chase has materially changed the way we perceive the pattern of the year. We're about to step into the last seven "regular" races of 2014, preparing for the final ten-race finale. I believe NASCAR has actually achieved their playoff. We talk about it, watch it, dissect it and continually pump ourselves up to reach the pinnacle of excitement -- a four-man showdown in Homestead.
For an eternity, we've always been known as the NOT stick-and-ball sport. We didn't have that postseason hysteria that takes over the other members of acronym central. NASCAR fans could poke fun at the NBA and NHL, who seem to spend half their year playing the "real" game -- because nothing counts until then, don't you know.
Hysteria or not, we can't deny that all eyes are glued on how this year's latest incarnation of the Chase will come about. Is it possible for Aric Almirola to make it all the way to the Final Four? Well, let's not get ahead of ourselves.
We know the regular race winners are in the first segment of the Chase: Jeff Gordon, Dale Jr., Bad Brad, Jimmie Johnson, Cousin Carl, M&M Boy, Sliced Bread (yeah -- I'm having a little fun here), Denny Hamlin, Happy Harvick, the other Busch brother and the aforementioned Petty driver. This list leaves five more drivers left to fill out the field. Currently, that would include Kenseth, Newman, Bowyer, Menard, and the rookie Kyle Larson. After that, we'll be playing elimination rounds based off of wins and points accumulations.
We can probably write Almirola and Larson off going into the second round. Winning a race once in your life or finishing decently much of the time won't get you the Cup. After that pair are dismissed, we'll be left with the usual players. We may end up trading Tony Stewart or Kahne out for one of the other add-ons, but by July, we pretty much know how every team is going to perform through the end of November. So, where will the surprises come from?
The excitement will be generated by the format. With eliminations looming, you've got to either finish in the top 5 or win to stay in the game. You won't be able to play a careful points race. Either put all your cards on the table, or it's time to depart. Win or lose. Sudden death.
And like in the World Series, there will be enough time for a team to solidify their often missing postseason championship form. Mulligans will be allowed during the first two segments of the Chase -- like dropping the first three games out of seven. But once you've only got eight cars left in the field, there's no room remaining for a mistake. Any error.
We can probably predict who those last eight teams will be right now: Gordon, Johnson, Keselowski, Kyle Busch, Harvick, Earnhardt, Kenseth, and Edwards. That's right; it's the teams who play hardball and have hired seasoned players. We can cheer all we want for those left behind, but if you want odds, that short list is a safe bet.
As for the Final Four? Hmmm? That's right, take the eight and throw half of them out. Who will run just a little bit worse, make the gas mileage mistake, have their equipment fail or stumble on a pit stop? Remember, everything you've done before the cut to the eight doesn't matter in the least little bit. The slate is wiped clean after each elimination round. What you do today will determine whether or not you're running for the Cup in Homestead.
Ah, that's the point in the season when it will actually all mean something -- consistency in the top 10 be damned. The teams that have won in the Chase, resisted making errors and remained in the top 5 will have a chance. And that's when it will matter who wins today's race. There will be no complicated explanations of bonus points or laps led. Who is in front? That will mean everything, just as the final score of any other postseason ball game tells the real tale.
I can't say I've always been a fan of the Chase. Too often, it fell victim to the amorphous difference between Victory Lane and doing well. But they may have actually gotten it right this year.
Four drivers who have survived enter into the arena. One will come out. Simple and elegant.
But all that's far in the future. What about now? How can NASCAR keep my interest until the gladiatorial bouts begin? Well, that's a column for another day.
2014 Sonya Strictly by the Stats: Nationwide Edition
Top Three Rookies for EnjoyIllinois.com 300
1) No. 9 Chase Elliott -- Started 3rd, Finished 1st
2) No. 3 Ty Dillon -- Started 2nd, Finished 5th
3) No. 60 Chris Buescher -- Started 13th, Finished 8th
S.D. Grady is a Senior Editor for Frontstretch and runs a NASCAR blog called the S-Curves. She can be reached via e-mail at sonya.grady@frontstretch.com. Follow her on Twitter at @laregna and on her Facebook page (she's an author, too!) at https://www.facebook.com/Author.SDGrady.
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Wins so far this season for Tony Stewart through 19 races. While Matt Kenseth is perhaps the most surprising winless driver (from seven victories to zero in 2014), Stewart has won at least one race every season since his debut on the Cup level in 1999.
1
2
3
4
5
6
7.3
18
29
7,384.14
$4,236,695
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TODAY ON THE FRONTSTRETCH:
FRONTSTRETCH TRIVIA:
Q: The 1997 Brickyard 400 is best known for Ricky Rudd earning his biggest win as an owner-driver, holding off Bobby Labonte to take his second victory of the year. However, a number of drivers didn't make it to Lap 15 before finding trouble. First, Sterling Marlin blew an engine, then Chad Little retired after crashing in Turn 1. Shortly after the restart, more trouble broke out. What happened?
Check back Wednesday for the answer, here in the Frontstretch Newsletter!
Monday's Answer:
Q: The Indianapolis Motor Speedway is no stranger to huge wrecks, and it does not discriminate. Arie Luyendyk, two-time winner of the Indianapolis 500, took a nasty hit in the first IROC race on the 2.5-mile rectangle in 1998. What happened?
Coming tomorrow in the Frontstretch Newsletter:
-- Top News from Ashley McCubbin
-- Links to your favorite Frontstretch articles, and more!
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Tomorrow on the Frontstretch:
Open-Wheel Wednesday by the Frontstretch Staff
Did You Notice?... by Tom Bowles
Amy steps up with 1,2,3,4,5 reasons you should be concerned about something going on in NASCAR this week.
NASCAR Mailbox by Summer Bedgood
Summer returns for her weekly session of answering questions from you, our loyal fans. Do you have a question or comment for Summer? Don't be shy. Just send her an email (summer.bedgood@frontstretch.com) and you might just see your name in print!
NASCAR Power Rankings: Top Nationwide and Camping World Truck Series Up-and-Comers compiled by Michael Mehedin
With the Sprint Cup Series taking last weekend off, we're going to list the best up-and-coming talent in NASCAR's Nationwide and Camping World Truck Series (and perhaps, beyond).
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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