Tuesday, July 29, 2014

The Frontstretch Newsletter: Mobil 1 to Harvick... But Just for Pocono

THE FRONTSTRETCH NEWSLETTER
Presented by Frontstretch.com
The Best Seat at the Track, The Best View on the Net!

July 29th, 2014
Volume VIII, Edition CXXIV
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HELP KEVIN OUT! Our Kevin Rutherford is stepping in for Summer Bedgood on NASCAR Mailbox this week. Feel free to send him a question or comment @surfwax83 on Twitter or kevin.rutherford@frontstretch.com to get a different perspective on the sport.
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What to Watch: Tuesday

- In NASCAR, Tuesday is usually penalty day, and this week, we have a taker.  Denny Hamlin's No. 11 was found to have questionable rear firewall block-off plates after going through post-race inspection at Indianapolis.  Expect to see a penalty either today or tomorrow.  Points, fines, and even a suspension could be in play.

Today's TV Schedule
Time                                         Telecast                                                                                                                     Network
10:00 AM - 12:00 PM               ARCA Racing Series Scott Get Geared Up 200                                                         FOX Sports 1*# (from July 25)
12:00 PM - 1:00 PM                 K&N Pro Series East JEGS 150                                                                                 FOX Sports 1*/# (from July 19)
5:00 PM - 5:30 PM                   NASCAR America                                                                                                     NBC Sports Network
5:00 PM - 6:00 PM                   NASCAR RaceHub                                                                                                    FOX Sports 1
6:30 PM - 7:30 PM                   NASCAR RaceHub                                                                                                    FOX Sports 2*#

* - Tape Delayed
/ - Highlighted Coverage
# - Repeat Coverage

Top News
by Ashley McCubbin and Staff

Mobil 1 to Sponsor Harvick at Pocono

On Monday, Stewart-Haas Racing and ExxonMobil announced that Mobil 1 will serve as the primary sponsor on Kevin Harvick's No. 4 Chevrolet this weekend at Pocono Raceway.  The oil company, which typically backs Tony Stewart's No. 14 will do so as part of a one-race deal.  Read more at Frontstretch.

Crown Royal Presents the John Wayne Walding 400 TV Ratings Decline

The Indianapolis Star is reporting that overnight TV ratings from the Brickyard 400 are in, and they aren't all that good for NASCAR.  The National overnight rating for the broadcast was a 3.2, down six percent from last year's 3.4.  The rating, once finalized will represent a number close to five million viewers. Unfortunately, the trend continues for a sport which has seen virtually every event produce a decline both in its Nielsen rating and total audience watching on television.

In the Indianapolis market, however, the race showed big gains.  The event achieved a local rating of 15.0, an 8.7 percent increase from last year's 13.8.  Final ratings are due later this week, where the Nielsen numbers will likely increase once smaller markets are accounted for.

News 'N' Notes

- Testing yesterday at Watkins Glen was hampered by bad weather, but that didn't stop a number of Sprint Cup teams from getting important laps in while preparing for next Sunday's road course race. JTG-Daugherty Racing, with AJ Allmendinger was there along with Richard Petty Motorsports and Marcos Ambrose, two smaller organizations hoping to pull upsets in what will be the most "unpredictable" race left in the regular season. Richard Childress Racing and Furniture Row Racing, with Martin Truex, Jr. were also in attendance.

- Despite two straight years of Eldora success, don't expect a Nationwide or Sprint Cup race at the dirt track facility in 2015. NASCAR Vice President Steve O'Donnell told Bob Pockrass of the Sporting News the sanctioning body has had no discussions with track owner Tony Stewart for any additional racing at the oval beyond the Truck Series.

"We haven't had any discussions with Tony beyond that (truck race)," O'Donnell said. "I wouldn't rule out looking at potential other venues for trucks, but I think for the most part, we want to keep the uniqueness of that event. It has been really successful.

"They have done a great job for us. They set the bar very high. But we like where we're at right now with it."

The statement comes despite a NASCAR Fan Council survey, released today that asks heavily about the future of dirt track racing in the sport, along with whether fans would like to see similar type of competition in Nationwide and Cup. No Eldora ratings were released, but sources say FOX Sports 1 handily beat ESPN and ESPN2 during the 8 PM - 11 PM primetime hours Wednesday while the race was on. Overall, the Truck Series audience has remained strong this season despite audience declines in both Nationwide and Cup.

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.

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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's Featured Commentary
Indianapolis Motor Speedway: A NASCAR Track Meant for All Time
Sitting in the Stands: A Fan's View
by S.D. Grady

Many years ago, I stopped at Cooperstown to visit the Baseball Hall of Fame.  While the displays filled with balls, gloves and jerseys added to my enjoyment of the sports nostalgia, it was the time I spent at Doubleday Field that enlivened the entire experience.  Some little league teams took to the diamond for a scrimmage, and it didn't matter that there were no home runs or head-first slides into home plate.  All that mattered is that the field lived through the actions of the sport it represents.

Along those same lines, Indianapolis Motor Speedway remains one of the world's hallmarks for automotive racing.  It's undeniably the most recognizable track in America as for over 100 years, man and machine have rumbled over those bricks at the start/finish line.  Their sweat, tears and grease have seeped into the asphalt, leaving a living pulse for fellow gearheads to wallow in when we visit this hallowed ground.  The pagoda glows with an energy not to be matched anywhere else the command "Gentlemen, start your engines!" is given.

Yet, after the conclusion of Sunday's Brickyard 400, I was pretty much unimpressed with the afternoon's competition.  Yes, I was thrilled with Gordon's 90th career victory, but it wasn't like there had been a whole lot of beatin' and bangin' over 160 laps.  We experienced a blown tire, a broken axle, a couple of on-track passes for the lead... and that's about it.  Those 400 miles, in the lexicon of the NASCAR fan, produced a yawner of a race.  I did have a nice nap, thank you very much.

Thus, during a time of year when NASCAR is chewing over the track line-up for the 2015 Sprint Cup season, the question is always asked: Should we even be racing on a track that was never designed for stock cars and annually fails to present the kind of competition we look forward to watching?

Yes, we should, for all the reasons Little League teams take to Doubleday Field in Cooperstown.  Indy breathes racing.  Fast cars belong here.  Fans will leave the crowded city streets behind, enter into the stately grandstands and inhale the atmosphere of blown engines and dreams.  They will walk the yard of bricks, their fingers lingering over the rough surface, recalling the year when NASCAR first visited.  Eyes will raise to the pylon, ears absorb the unique rumble that the tunnel-like frontstretch generates, and hearts race.

This track whispers to you.  It speaks of lives lost and looks forward to a time when the next generation of fast machines will come.  It is... Indy.  It is immortal.

If there is one race that should never be removed from the schedule, the Brickyard 400 is it.  When it comes down to ratings, TV deals, sponsorships and even ticket sales, this place simply doesn't enter into the calculation.  It exists in bucket lists and dreams. There should always remain the opportunity for NASCAR fans to join the rest of the world in visiting this icon and see their heroes stand on its pavement, watch the green flag drop, and thrill to the checkers flying one more time.

We return to the flat rectangle in another year and if you've never visited, well, you should.  The memories you'll build will remain with you for all time.

2014 Sonya Strictly by the Stats

Top Three Rookies for 2014 Brickyard 400

1.) No. 42 Kyle Larson - Started 15th, Finished 7th (1st in RoTY Standings)

2.) No. 3 Austin Dillon - Started 17th, Finished 10th (2nd in RoTY Standings)

3.) No. 51 Justin Allgaier - Started 31st, Finished 27th (3rd in RoTY Standings)

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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Numbers Game: Crown Royal Presents the John Wayne Walding 400 at the Brickyard
by Tom Bowles

0
Laps led by defending champion Ryan Newman at Indianapolis. Newman was never a factor, although his Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet remained consistent in running 11th, the driver's sixth top-15 finish in the last seven 2014 Sprint Cup races.

0
Laps led Sunday by the five drivers with Indianapolis 500 experience. None of them ran inside the top 15, with Tony Stewart (17th) the best of the bunch. AJ Allmendinger ran 18th, Juan Pablo Montoya a disappointing 23rd, while Kurt Busch was 28th, off the lead lap and Danica Patrick broke a rear gear (42nd).

1
Lap led by Austin Dillon at Indianapolis, the first time the No. 3 car has led at the Brickyard 400 since Dale Earnhardt, Sr. in 1998. It's just the fourth lap Dillon has led in Cup all year en route to just his third top-10 finish (10th).

2
Rookies inside the top 10 at Indianapolis, Dillon and Kyle Larson (7th). It's the first time that's happened since 2006, when Denny Hamlin and Clint Bowyer accomplished the feat.

2
Drivers who have competed in all 21 Brickyard 400s: Jeff Gordon and Bobby Labonte. Labonte, driving a limited schedule this season ran 37th in a one-race deal for Tommy Baldwin Racing.

3
Joe Gibbs Racing Toyotas inside the top 5, with Kyle Busch, Denny Hamlin and Matt Kenseth running second, third, and fourth respectively. It's the first time ever Joe Gibbs Racing has had three drivers run inside the top 5 in a Cup race.

4
Cautions for 16 laps at Indianapolis, the second race in a row this event has had four cautions or less.

5
Victories for Jeff Gordon at Indianapolis, more than any other driver in NASCAR history.

7
Races out of 21 won by Hendrick Motorsports this season, more than any other organization. Jeff Gordon now has two victories, along with Dale Earnhardt, Jr. while Jimmie Johnson has three.

12
Straight victories for Chevrolet at Indianapolis. Overall, they've won 16 of 21 Brickyard 400s, with Bill Elliott the last to break their streak, driving a Dodge to the win back in 2002.

15
Lead changes at Indy. It's the third time in the last five races NASCAR has had 15 lead changes or fewer in an event.

110
Of 160 laps at Indianapolis Sunday led by Hendrick Motorsports.

$307,890
Money won by Denny Hamlin for running third at Indianapolis.

$309,151
Money won by Matt Kenseth for running fourth.

Tom Bowles is the Editor-in-Chief of Frontstretch.  He can be reached via e-mail at tom.bowles@frontstretch.com.
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TODAY ON THE FRONTSTRETCH:
by Brett Poirier
by Greg Davis
by Jeff Meyer

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FRONTSTRETCH TRIVIA:

Q:  Early in the 1999 Pennsylvania 500, Ward Burton was a contender, leading 14 laps.  However, his competitiveness for the day ended way too early.  What happened?

Check back Wednesday for the answer, here in the Frontstretch Newsletter!

Monday's Answer:


Q:  The 1991 Miller Genuine Draft 500 was a rather slow affair, taking nearly four hours to run despite being stopped 21 laps short of the scheduled distance due to rain.  However, Derrike Cope and Jimmy Spencer weren't on track for anywhere near four hours on this day.  What happened?

A:  Cope spun his Purolator Chevrolet out in Turn 2 and hit the outside wall.  Behind Cope, Dave Marcis spun to avoid the No. 10 car.  Davey Allison spun to the inside and hit the inside wall as well.  With a cloud of dust on the low side, Spencer took to the outside to avoid the crash, but ran directly into the rear of Cope.  The wreck can be seen here.

Cope and Spencer were out on the spot.  Despite suffering significant damage to the front end of the Texaco/Havoline Ford, Allison recovered to finish a lap down in 14th.  Marcis finished two laps down in 17th.

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 triviaanswers@frontstretch.com and we'll send you a Frontstretch T-Shirt ... FREE!

Coming tomorrow in the Frontstretch Newsletter:

-- Top News from Ashley McCubbin
-- Professor of Speed by Mark Howell
-- Tweet 'N' Greet by Allen Bedgood
-- Links to your favorite Frontstretch articles, and more!

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Tomorrow on the Frontstretch:


Open-Wheel Wednesday
by the Frontstretch Staff
We'll take another look inside the Verizon IndyCar Series as the teams prepare for this weekend's action at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course.

Did You Notice?... by Tom Bowles
What's changed about Silly Season -- and why is it bad for the sport? Tom Bowles explains and runs through some quick hits in his list of small but important observations about the sport.

The Frontstretch Five by Amy Henderson
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 Kevin Rutherford
With Summer on vacation, Kevin steps in for our weekly session of answering questions from you, our loyal fans. Do you have a question or comment for Kevin? Don't be shy. Just send him an email (kevin.rutherford@frontstretch.com) and you might just see your name in print!

NASCAR Power Rankings: Top 15 after Indianapolis
compiled by Michael Mehedin
Jeff Gordon re-assumed control of the standings with his second win of the year at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.  However, does that mean he's also at the top of the Power Rankings?  Not necessarily. Find out how your favorite experts voted in the latest edition of our weekly poll.

Beyond The Cockpit: Tyler Reddick by Tom Bowles
Find out how the former local track star is adapting to Truck Series racing as Mike sits down with this rookie, driving a high-profile ride this season run by Brad Keselowski Racing.
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