The Best Seat at the Track, The Best View on the Net!
August 26th, 2014
Volume VIII, Edition CXLIV
Top News
Teams Test Monday at Chicagoland Speedway
On Monday, a number of teams traveled to Joliet, Illinois in order to test ahead of the MyAfibStory.com 400, the first race of the Chase. Five organizations (Michael Waltrip Racing, Roush Fenway Racing, Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates, Richard Petty Motorsports and Stewart-Haas Racing) were present at the test. Stewart-Haas Racing's appearance was sans the No. 14 team, typically driven by Tony Stewart. The test was interrupted by a thunderstorm, but a large amount of data was still gained. 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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"Take your whiny little ass back to the bus."
Yep, that's what No. 18 crew chief Dave Rogers told his driver Kyle Busch over the radio Saturday night.
When you combine the above comment with a terrible day at the track, generally in the past we've decided that the Shrub was finally getting back all the negative energy he's spewed over his career. However, after the conclusion of Saturday's Irwin Tools Night Race at Bristol, I can't say I blame Busch or his crew chief, Dave Rogers, for getting more than a little overheated. Let's face it; the No. 18 has had the kind of year usually delegated to also-ran teams -- not a top-tier ride. I expected far more out of Kyle Busch this year, whether I like him or not. He expected more. And all he's been handed of late has been complete and utter crap.
Call it karma, if you will. No matter how hard the No. 18 has tried to excel this year, they keep getting handed their hat -- usually through no action of their own doing. The last four races have been spectacularly bad: slapping the wall hard on Lap 4 at Michigan, scrunching his fender on the No. 78 at the Glen, and an engine failure back at Pocono all combined with Bristol's mess to leave Busch 17th in the point standings. If he didn't have the win at Fontana, there would be a very good chance Busch would miss the Chase.
We can all say that the subsequent meltdown, demanding he needed a whole new right front suspension at Bristol, was just a fine example of Kyle at his typical worst. But really, it was no more than a driver suffering through a long, frustrating weekend. Busch lost the Nationwide race the night before after being jacked up on the restart. Then, he was collected in the Lap 125 wreck Saturday night, after awarding himself a nice speeding penalty. The whole weekend had gone to hell in a hand basket; heck, the entire month! With a wounded car, running several laps down, all Kyle had to do was just think about the previous three races and decide he had enough. Things needed to turn for the better -- right now.
Busch was correct. Something had to give. The fact that most of what needs to occur for the No. 18 is just a little bit of luck didn't apply. You can call his grumbling unprofessional if you want, but what he and his crew chief really needed to do was clear the air and get their focus back on what they have control over. You can't stop wrecks and the inevitable result of them at Bristol. You can rally your team together and get ready to go after it next week in Atlanta.
That, according to Coach Gibbs, is exactly what happened. Rogers and Busch got together after the race and talked. They've got a game plan moving forward.
For many a year, Kyle Busch has been branded a whiny, wildly talented kid who only knew how to tick off teammates and the media. That persona has certainly followed him through the seasons. However, he has made a concerted effort to be less... disagreeable of late. The fact that the old Kyle resurfaced for a moment this weekend simply conveyed to me that the hungry Busch is still in there. He still is seeking a Cup for his crowded trophy case. It's blindingly obvious 2014 won't be the year for that to happen.
Maybe for that realization and the Bristol Stomp combined, Busch earned a little bit of slack for his outburst. Maybe he'll get the No. 18 back in shape. Maybe... there's always next year.
First, we'll need to see that team get its game back. And that includes the driver. Mr. Busch -- it's time to get your nose to the grindstone and win a few.
2014 Sonya Strictly by the Stats
Top Three Rookies for 2014 Irwin Tools Night Race
1.) No. 42 Kyle Larson - Started 40th, Finished 12th (1st in RoTY standings)
2.) No. 51 Justin Allgaier - Started 19th, Finished 19th (3rd in RoTY standings)
3.) No. 3 Austin Dillon - Started 26th, Finished 28th (2nd in RoTY standings)
S.D. Grady is a Senior Writer 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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TODAY ON THE FRONTSTRETCH:
FRONTSTRETCH TRIVIA:
Q: In 1998, Jeff Gordon won the rain/lateness-shortened NAPA 500 to claim his modern era record 13th win of the season. However, a late race pit stop put him back in the pack with 30 laps to go. Gordon's charge to the win was not unblemished. What happened?
Check back Wednesday for the answer, here in the Frontstretch Newsletter!
Monday's Answer:
Q: The 1994 Hooters 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway was essentially a coronation of Dale Earnhardt's seventh Winston Cup Championship, which Earnhardt had already clinched two weeks earlier by winning the AC Delco 500 at Rockingham. However, the race was also the final Winston Cup start for 54-year-old Harry Gant. Leo Jackson Motorsports did something special for Gant's final race. What was it?
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's ready to once again answer 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 15 after Bristol compiled by Michael Mehedin
Jeff Gordon struggled on Saturday night, but expanded his points lead due to Dale Earnhardt, Jr.'s crash. Does that also mean he kept the lead in our Power Rankings? Not necessarily. Find out how your favorite experts voted in the latest edition of our weekly poll.
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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