THE FRONTSTRETCH NEWSLETTER
Presented by Frontstretch.com
The Best Seat at the Track, The Best View on the Net!
July 30th, 2014
Volume VIII, Edition CXXV
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Today's TV Schedule
Time Telecast Network
4:30 PM - 5:00 PM Formula DRIFT: Long Beach, Part 1 NBC Sports Network*/# (from April 4)Presented by Frontstretch.com
The Best Seat at the Track, The Best View on the Net!
July 30th, 2014
Volume VIII, Edition CXXV
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Today's TV Schedule
Time Telecast Network
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Top News
by Ashley McCubbin
Editor's Note: With the new website, 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!
Denny Hamlin and No. 11 Team Penalized Following Indianapolis Race
NASCAR announced on Tuesday that the No. 11 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series team of Joe Gibbs Racing has been penalized for a rule infraction that was found during post-race inspection at Indianapolis Motor Speedway this past weekend. NASCAR has suspended crew chief Darian Grubb and car chief Wesley Sherrill for the next six races and placed both on probation for the next six months. Grubb has also been fined a total of $125,000. Hamlin will lose 75 championship drivers points, while car owner J.D. Gibbs will lose 75 championship owner points. Read more.
Maaco to Serve as Associate Sponsor for Jeff Gordon at Pocono Raceway
When Jeff Gordon takes to the Tricky Triangle this weekend, he will have Maaco on the rear quarter panels of his No. 24 Chevrolet SS as they will serve as an associate sponsor for the GoBowling.com 400. Gordon will have Axalta in the hood, as normal. Read more.
Overnight Ratings From Indianapolis Down Slightly from 2013
The TV broadcast of Sunday's Sprint Cup Series race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway brought in a 3.4 U.S. Rating, averaging 5.196 million viewers. The viewership is down from the 2013 race, which boasted an average of 5.46 million viewers. Read more.
Hermie Sadler to Make Two Nationwide Series Starts for TriStar Motorsports
TriStar Motorsports announced that Hermie Sadler will drive the No. 19 Toyota Camry for TriStar Motorsports at Bristol Motor Speedway on August 22nd and at Richmond International Speedway on September 5th. It will marks the first Nationwide Series start for the FOX Sports 1 analyst since 2010. Read more.
Hal Martin to Run Iowa Speedway for TriStar Motorsports
TriStar Motorsports announced on Monday that Hal Martin will be behind the wheel of the No. 44 American Custom Yachts Toyota Camry this weekend at Iowa Speedway. Read more.
Jason White to Run Part-Time Truck Series Schedule for NTS Motorsports
NTS Motorsports announced on Tuesday that Jason White will run a part time NASCAR Camping World Truck Series schedule, beginning with this weekend's Pocono Mountains 150 on Saturday. Read more.
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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Today's Featured Commentary
Now It's Our Turn
Professor of Speed
by Mark Howell
Race fans of the world: unite!
Conventional wisdom says that what's good for one organization should be good for another, given that they have similar interests and goals. That said, I propose the following: the creation of a collective for those of us who follow NASCAR and seek increased value for our time, attention, and spending.
Call it the Race Fans Alliance, or the RFA, for short.
Let's face it; if everyone in NASCAR is suddenly concerned about excessive costs and massive spending (and we all know that's nothing new when it comes to the sport of automobile racing), why shouldn't fans be up-in-arms about how they've been treated over the decades?
Residents of NASCAR Nation can organize just as easily as race teams can, and they should.
If race teams are exploring ways to trim expenses through cooperation with service providers like hotels and car rental chains, why couldn't members of the RFA be given the same consideration? Whenever a hotel or motel near a racetrack (and "near" is a very general term) requires a specific number of nights stay for what are obviously wildly inflated prices, fans should have some kind of recourse other than looking for other lodging options.
The same goes for restaurants, gas stations, and grocery stores that suddenly raise their prices as soon as NASCAR Nation crosses the county line. Such advantage-taking is both inappropriate and immoral. Unfortunately this kind of behavior is typical whenever people are deemed to be in need; it's the kind of gouging that occurs after (and often even before) natural disasters ravage an area.
I know a little about price-gouging because I live it. The village where my family and I reside (population 688) sits on the shores of Lake Michigan where it comes inland around the Leelanau Peninsula. Needless to say, it's a very scenic area and very popular with tourists nearly year-round.
As such, the region I call home sucks annually from the teat of tourism.
Sure, tourism helps pay the bills (seasonal homes around here have property taxes nearly twice the rate of primary residences), but the habit of raising prices is felt every time I go to the grocery store or stop to buy gasoline come the month of May. The same is true for the region south of us each summer when it's time for the National Cherry Festival or the Traverse City Film Festival; the signs go up and so do the prices on most everything. I guess it's all connected to the theory of supply and demand.
That said: when the tourists go home, they take their money with them. The cash only hangs around as long as the visitors do….
So if race teams are actively demanding more control of their annual budgets and their competitive leverage within NASCAR, the audiences who pay to watch them compete should expect the same courtesy, should they not?
It has often been said that if it was not for the fans, there would be no NASCAR. As attendance numbers continue to dwindle, and as television ratings continue to drift about like clouds on a windy day, it seems as though right now is the best time for fans to make their own demands heard.
All of it goes back to a basic fact: NASCAR is little more than show business. Like all mass entertainments, the enterprise only succeeds if large numbers of interested people pay their admission price and watch the show.
This notion can be traced back to the Hippodromes and arenas of ancient Rome and the era of chariot races, mock naval battles, and feeding Christians to lions. The entertainment back then may have been violent and brutal to watch, but at least fans in the stands occasionally received a free loaf of bread….
Have you seen the prices at most NASCAR concession stands lately? I'd happily watch a gladiator skewer an opponent with a spear in exchange for free food! Why should I be expected to drop twenty dollars (or more) for lunch at a race and smile about the privilege?
Don't the citizens of NASCAR Nation (and all sports fans, for that matter) deserve better?
Finding workable solutions to such problems should not be difficult. First thing to do: vendors of all sorts – from hotels to grocery stores to trackside food stands – could agree to make overall profit less of a priority. Race fans WILL spend money, so offering good services to fans at lower prices will still put you in the black once NASCAR folds up its tent and moves on.
Why harshly gouge the few when you could gently squeeze the many?
As has been suggested in regard to race teams trying to buy common parts and pieces in bulk amounts as a means of cutting costs (the Costco school of race shop management), why couldn't a similar strategy be used by NASCAR Nation? If a hotel chain like Holiday Inn agreed to set an affordable bulk room rate for one of its facilities near a race, wouldn't the assurance that people would rent rooms be of more comfort to corporate bean-counters than soaking a handful by imposing Draconian stay requirements? Maybe provide race fans with a membership card of sorts that allows for some kind of group discount plan?
As the RTA seems to believe, there is strength to be found in organized numbers.
A little fairness and kindness can go a long, long way when it comes to generating fan loyalty, and isn't such loyalty the character trait that Brian France attributes to the citizens of NASCAR Nation?
In the annals of NASCAR history, fan loyalty equals consumer loyalty. It's the key reason why corporate sponsors get involved with the sport in the first place. Treat the fans properly, and the fans will respond in kind.
Let's get the wheels rolling by starting with price/cost management. If that proves successful, then the RFA can focus on improving the overall state of competition from the audience's perspective; as long as the "have nots" thrash against the deep pockets of the "haves", the same names will be in the Chase every year. Maybe fans do not require diversity among the drivers who win races, but from what I read and hear most weeks, they really do want more names in Victory Lane.
That's why I think it's time for the formation of a collective like the Race Fans Alliance.
If Brian France is having issues with the newly-organized RTA, maybe he'd have an easier time dealing with the RFA. At least he would have no need to communicate solely through lawyers. Race fans, regardless of the series, are just regular folks looking to enjoy the sport they love.
Brian France only needs to remember one simple fact: if the fans ain't happy, ain't nobody happy….
Mark Howell is a Contributor for Frontstretch.com. He can be reached via e-mail at mark.howell@frontstretch.com.
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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.
@MattWeaverSBN: Some of the best concession prices are located at Eldora. pic.twitter.com/zDjekf0paA
@KevinSwindell: I love the fact dirt is on live tv and in NASCAR but can't we get one. Just one commentator with an ounce of dirt knowledge…
@DaleJr: Hoag, these sharpies don't work. When you get done taking photos with people I need a fresh one.#AutographSession pic.twitter.com/D2mqi1XPKU
@TannerBerryhill: 1 year anniversary of my father passing his watch down to me. I'm a huge watch fanatic and it was a… http://instagram.com/p/q76cdJr653/
@bobpockrass: Roush Fenway announces Edwards won't be back in 2015. Biffle will return.
@bobpockrass: Fastenal will remain at Roush Fenway as the anchor sponsor of Stenhouse.#nascar
@DaveFurst: If anyone's looking for a sweet set of @GoodyearRacing tires, I know where to find some. #NASCAR @IMS pic.twitter.com/2fQft2Drlw
@Dstockman3 (Danny Stockman): Thanks to everyone @RCRracing and @ECRengines that made kissing the bricks possible. Thanks to all of our great sponsors and all of the fans
@PPistone: This is the last time#ESPN will televise Brickyard 400 for at least a decade#NASCAR
@GoodyearRacing: A @dennyhamlin autographed #NASCAR #SupportOurTroops tire is up for auction! Funds raised help military! #GivesBack http://bit.ly/1hc6GS0
@DaleJr: I love my mom. pic.twitter.com/eLEe7KDzbt
@KurtBusch: Dang. pic.twitter.com/bFBnNaAPjm
@RodneyChilders4: Our race car for this weekend.. Big thanks to everyone at Mobil for coming on board for @poconoraceway pic.twitter.com/h9oOjEOLM2
@markmartin: Little seat time today pic.twitter.com/v1nvFhVcTT
@travalex01: Nice day @WGI all warmed up ready to go pic.twitter.com/rGiS939TOt
@MaxPapis: My working desk for today @WGI pic.twitter.com/R3hqruUu7O
@Knighter01 (Chris Knight): @TriStarRaceTeam announces that @HermieSadler returns to @NASCAR_NNS action since '10 @BMSupdates @RIRInsider. Virginia Lottery sponsor
@TonyOldMan10: The boys are working hard on @GoDaddy Chevy. Turning the Indy car around so we can race it at Pocono pic.twitter.com/zwki8Te74t
@RodneyChilders4: It's a good thing when your sponsors even want your team looking good riding bikes...@jimmyjohns #seriousdelivery pic.twitter.com/DHyLAQbTKs
@Kenny_Wallace: CONGRATS to the WINNING Designer of our #USCellular250 @USCellular #NASCAR Race Car, Here it is in Reality now pic.twitter.com/ZoZRYdPKQZ
@ClintBowyer: Bet this guy has the door open when he's backing this baby in. At least 100 ft cliff on back side! pic.twitter.com/eWzUyHjgFQ
@ESPNASCAR: @keselowski surprises employees with a special thank you by giving each a case of @MillerLite!pic.twitter.com/a6rqNc6gA0
@tydillon: Ready to rock with this @FerrisMowers super late model pic.twitter.com/LWWgCB2xRD
@maxpapis: Just got back my @chevrolet from service from @RandyMarionAuto looking awesome pic.twitter.com/68jEKcFAuG
@Kenny_Wallace: Those HANS devices are not cheap so it gets SERIOUS when I can't find ONE of MY 4 HANS pic.twitter.com/7Qdt2zHTLZ
@plourde_billy: Pocono ready to go #round2 pic.twitter.com/zBvnD8wcUM
@aric_almirola: Been a productive test so far for @RPMotorsports here @WGI. pic.twitter.com/E25aSnyIpW
@NASCAR_NNS: Facts & Figures: There have been 12 different winners through 19 races this year -- the most at this point since 2007.#NASCAR
@mikejoy500: Drove this beauty all around Reno and to Carson City yesterday. 50 Packard. Smooth #hotaugustnights #barrettjackson pic.twitter.com/S6D2tBDlaR
@MattTaliferro: #NASCAR's "penalty chart," as you may need to reference sooner rather than later: pic.twitter.com/LFkanPRKot
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:
Did You Notice? ... A Story Already Told, "Penalties" And Quick Hits
by Tom Bowles
The Frontstretch Five: Reasons Why NASCAR Made the Right Call on Hamlin's Penalty
by Amy Henderson
NASCAR Mailbox: The Sport from an Outsider's Perspective
by Kevin Rutherford
Increased TV Ratings Finally Match INDYCAR's Momentum
by Matt Stallknecht
Beyond the Cockpit with Tyler Reddick - Trucks, Super Dirt Late Models and Mini Outlaw Sprint Karts
by Mike Neff
NASCAR Sprint Cup Power Rankings: Top 15 After Indianapolis
compiled by Mike Mehedin
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FRONTSTRETCH TRIVIA
Q: In the 2003 Pennsylvania 500, then-rookie Casey Mears was having a decent run in the No. 41 Target Dodge. Chip Ganassi's move to get Mears more seat time in both the Busch Series and ARCA via Braun Racing was clearly paying off. However, Mears' decent run at the triangle came up about 75 miles short of completion. What happened?
Check back Thursday for the answer, here in the Frontstretch Newsletter!
Tuesday's Answer:
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?
A: Burton was leading the race on Lap 38 when he blew a right front tire heading into the Tunnel Turn. With no way to turn the race car, Burton's Caterpillar Pontiac went hard into the outside wall. The crash can be seen here.
Burton's team was able to repair the No. 22 Pontiac Grand Prix, but Burton finished 45 laps back in 40th.
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!
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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!
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Tomorrow on the Frontstretch:
Voice of Vito by Vito Pugliese
Vito returns to the website this week 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, Mike catches up with Matt Puccia as the teams head off for a second round at Pocono.
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 Pocono.
Truckin' Thursdays by Beth Lunkenheimer
Beth returns with your weekly look at the state of the Camping World Truck Series.
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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!
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