THE FRONTSTRETCH NEWSLETTER
Presented by Frontstretch.com
Best seat at the track, best view on the net!
Oct. 8, 2014
Volume VIII, Edition CLXXV
~~~~~~~~~~
Today's TV Listings
Presented by Frontstretch.com
Best seat at the track, best view on the net!
Oct. 8, 2014
Volume VIII, Edition CLXXV
~~~~~~~~~~
Today's TV Listings
Time Telecast Network
11 a.m - 1 p.m. TUDOR United SportsCar Championship Petit Le Mans FOX Sports 1*/# (from October 4)
4 p.m - 4:30 p.m. Formula DRIFT: The Gauntlet, Part No. 1 NBC Sports Network*/# (from June 20)
4:30 p.m. - 5 p.m. Formula DRIFT: The Gauntlet, Part No. 2 NBC Sports Network*/ (from June 21)
5 p.m. - 5:30 p.m. NASCAR America NBC Sports Network
5 p.m. - 6 p.m. NASCAR RaceHub FOX Sports 1
6:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. NASCAR RaceHub FOX Sports 2*#
7:30 p.m. - 8 p.m. The 10: NASCAR's Closest Calls FOX Sports 2#
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Top News
by Beth Lunkenheimer and Summer Bedgood
NASCAR, Xfinity Unveil Logo for New Entitlement Sponsor
We already know the NASCAR Nationwide Series is going to become the NASCAR XFINITY Series next season. However, until Tuesday, we had yet to see the new logo. The new logo was finally unveiled and it reflects the same design and structure of the previous Nationwide Series logo as well as the logos for the Camping World Truck and Sprint Cup Series. Read more.
Gray Gaulding Goes Pink
When the Camping World Truck Series arrives at Martinsville Speedway later this month, Gray Gaulding's No. 20 Gemini Southern Chevrolet will have a distinct pink hue to it. In order to increase awareness during October for Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Gaulding will sport the pink in honor of his grandmother, who is a survivor. Read more.
Have news for Beth and Frontstretch? Don't hesitate to let us know; email us at ashland10@mail.com with a promising lead or tip. And be sure to visit the website for more news, delivered 24/7!
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Today's Featured Commentary
Call It What It Is
Professor of Speed
by Mark Howell
According to William Shakespeare, as penned in his famed play Romeo and Juliet: "What's in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet." (Act II, Scene II)
Apparently, thanks to time and mortality, the Bard never took too close a look at NASCAR's new and improved for 2014 Chase for the Championship format….
My guess is that even the most casual racing fan is aware of the revamped system in use to determine this year's Sprint Cup champion. Here where I live in Northern Lower Michigan, where the fall tragedy that is the Detroit Tigers being swept from the American League postseason made the front page of this morning's newspaper, you will still see that Joey Logano's victory at Kansas allowed him to "advance" in the Chase.
The brief headline tucked neatly along the outer edge of page three in the "Sports" section specifically said "advance", which represents the pressure cooker nature of this year's supposed "checkers-or-wreckers" road to Las Vegas come December.
But let's be honest here. As drivers like Ryan Newman and Matt Kenseth have demonstrated thus far, a trip to Victory Lane is not mandatory for winning the Sprint Cup title, even given the new format's elimination-style system that culls the field by four after every three races. So what gives?
To revisit the aforementioned words of the esteemed Billy S., it's all in how you name it. Once you name it, however, then you have to spin it. This is where things get a little awkward.
Let's start at the very beginning, as Julie Andrews once sang, because it's a very good place to start. Consider the marketing flare used to build tension as the Chase progresses toward its conclusion at Homestead. The first three races were labeled the "Challenger" Round. While I totally understand where NASCAR was headed with this, I cannot help but make a comparison to the ill-fated launch of the similarly-named Space Shuttle back in 1986….
Simply put: bad things can happen when you try to rush an event before a curious and watchful public.
Maybe it's because NASCAR and/or Brian France is so desperate to draw attention and increase both television ratings and fans in the stands. The lack of both over the past decade or so has been a very large thorn in the sport's very tender side, but opening the Chase with a race at Joliet seems a bit grandiose.
By the time the Chase gets to its second stage – the oddly-named "Contender" Round (aren't all the rounds focused on the contenders?) – the postseason seems stuck in a mile-and-a-half rut. Thank goodness Talladega is the breaking point for this round; the reckless abandon that presents itself during races on the high banks there will likely be a much-needed tonic after two weeks of been there, done that competition.
Not to suggest that last Sunday's "Contender" race at Kansas was a walk-in-the-park for Hendrick Motorsports, as three of that organization's four mega-teams finished no better than 22nd….
Thinning the herd at Talladega will likely provide NASCAR with some good video footage to accompany its shift into the Chase's penultimate "Eliminator" Round that kicks off at…. Martinsville?
Don't get me wrong…. Martinsville is one of my favorite stops in NASCAR, and I'm not just saying that because the hot dogs sold there are worth the trip in-and-of-themselves. The .526-mile "paperclip" typically provides some exciting racing, but here's where the Chase suffers from the proclivities of the Sprint Cup schedule; if this most significant round is supposed to open with a short track event, why not shift the calendar so as to make Bristol the short track involved?
If the Chase format is supposed to attract viewers, won't a Saturday night slugfest at Bristol draw bigger numbers than a Sunday afternoon scramble at Martinsville?
By the time the field is gleaned to its final four, we're faced with the Chase finale at Homestead. Sure, it's a night race, and sure, it's for all the proverbial marbles, but yet another mile-and-a-half track? As NASCAR's Chase format demonstrates, it's a matter of "tenth verse, same as the first"….
We've wrestled with this issue pretty much endlessly ever since the revised Chase format was announced, but maybe it bears repeating: if you're going to present the postseason as ten races where challengers contend through elimination to make the title showdown, make sure you run events at tracks that fit your marketing hype.
I once saw a tee-shirt emblazoned with a portrait of William Shakespeare. Beneath the Bard's face was a quotation that read "This s#%t writes itself…."
Methinks NASCAR doth hope events unfold in like manner.
Dr. Mark Howell is a contributor for Frontstretch. 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.
@ClintBowyer: Woohooooooo!!! Finally!!!! Baby boy and momma doing great. - pic.twitter.com/7YypokXuyh"
@WoodBrothers21: Check out this good looking man! Cale Yarborough in 1968. http://fb.me/6IFh8NXf3
@NASCARonNBC: NASCAR Nationwide Series crewman suspended for violating substance abuse policy http://tw.nbcsports.com/myg
@nascarcasm: Hurry over to birthday party immediately! OMG RICKY IS SO PRECIOUS! Look at those cheeks! Who likes cake?! #nascar pic.twitter.com/Owp5lgP0JH
@JGLRacing: Just a little damage on the rear bumper of @jjyeley1 No. 28 Dodge after today's @NASCAR_NNS #KansasLottery300 pic.twitter.com/fYImvw0SaT
@SamanthaBusch: Woo hoo your winner @KyleBusch!!! pic.twitter.com/fLrOar9ZYa
@EmilyKozel: I think I have decided I want to move to Savannah, Georgia. I LOVE this town. #SouthernLife
@Mother_Function: 30 minutes after the race he is already out at his merchandise trailer signing autographs for the fans! pic.twitter.com/QQWyyIxkph
@JClements51: P17 Disappointed for sure. Engine didn't run right all weekend. Was dead in the race. Don't know why. Threw away another good finish.
@TannerBerryhill: I miss those late nights at the dirt tracks.
@NASCAR_Wonka: As you're about to go to sleep, Carl Edwards is up doing burpees. But go ahead and feel good about yourself.
@SpotterBrett: iphone spell check can make you sound dumb AF
@Amy_Reimann: Stevie Waltrip's verse for @DaleJr @kansasspeedway #Blessed #SteviesVerse pic.twitter.com/YL04nnIo08
@Kenny_Wallace: I can NEVER understand WHY the general public makes fun of #NASCAR pic.twitter.com/CY5q0FkhbG
@SummerBedgood: Flyover #NASCAR pic.twitter.com/kzoMT3rrWU
@LewisFranck: Out of respect for someone in uniform; no comment on the Anthem.
@jeff_gluck: @KyleLarsonRacin is really, really good. I'm a moron for writing a column last yr saying he needed another year of Nationwide first. #idiot
@MikeDavis88: Hard hits are when chunks of wall are stuck to your car. #NASCAR pic.twitter.com/lmnD41BfRx
@TrentSBailey: Pieces from the 48 after repairs. #NASCAR #MyChaseNation pic.twitter.com/MpyJ5j2xTg
@nascarcasm: OH MY GOD ALMIGHTY DID YOU JUST SEE THAT HOLY CRAP I HAVE NEVER EVER just kidding I'm taunting everyone whose ESPN is out. #nascar
@nascarcasm: Broken record here, but ain't no one more fun to watch that @KyleLarsonRacin. Holy cow. #nascar
@TrentCherry: Calm before the storm pic.twitter.com/IIpNBMO8Io
@SummerBedgood: The bottom four in the Chase are Kasey Kahne, Brad Keselowski, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Jimmie Johnson. Holy crap. #NASCAR
@ChadWillis: Win a race. Kill the car. Aww, who cares? We're in the #Contender12! @joeylogano #NASCAR pic.twitter.com/GxdDvt3dfA
@DaleJr: That's the speed we need to give ourselves a chance to make the next round in the chase. @CLTMotorSpdwy is next. Let's go get it.
@kansasspeedway: @joeylogano celebrates in @Gatorade Victory Lane after the #HC400 #WinFromWithin pic.twitter.com/kfGBzqGoBV
@BJewkes (Brett Jewkes): Loving the storylines. Looking forward to @CLTMotorSpdwy and @TalladegaSuperS #NASCAR
@JoeyLogano: The 22 team finds #ChaseHappiness in first race of the Contender Round #TeamJL #NASCAR http://instagram.com/p/tyT9l8olBW/
@kaseykahne: 5 team brought another great car this weekend. Tire problem, then hit wall trying to pass everyone back. Charlotte will be good! #Farmers5
@_anarchii: It's a great day to be in Kansas! Solid run for the @NASCAR47@Clorox Chevy! P11! #NASCAR #HC400 pic.twitter.com/GoWma4D6OX
@DennyHamlin: Good start to the contender round.. Let's keep this momentum going at charlotte next week. #Team11
@JimmieJohnson: Racing shows no mercy & today was proof. I've gotta look forward & dig in deep. We still have 2 chances to transfer. This isn't over yet.
@JamieLittleTV: I wanted to meet @JoeNichols today and I got this! Love my country music! Thanks Joe! Awesome voice. pic.twitter.com/maACxIn97a
@KyleLarsonRacin: Another good run for our @Target team. Me and the 22 were so even it was tough to gain. Still happy with our run. Wins are at our fingertips
@landoncassill: Happy with our finish today! We ran strong but definitely had luck on our side with the cautions. Thanks @snapfitness
@JoeGibbsRacing: The No.20 @DGRacing Toyota came away from Kansas with a black eye, but Chase hopes still intact. pic.twitter.com/uS6l3gcmil
@RodneyChilders4: It's very very odd that the 4, the 20 and the 5 all felt like they had flat tires within about a 5 lap span. Never found anything with all 3
@ColeWhitt: Thank u @moen for the support this weekend and this was one of my favorite paint schemes. Hope you guys had fun at the races.
@ESPNMcGee: We're hooking up with @JeffGordonWeb & taking it to the front. #NASCAR pic.twitter.com/pP2vJ9Bnmi
@KyleBusch: Great job by Dave n all the @mmschocolate guys. A 3rd at Kansas! Need 2 go home n pop some champagne. #MyChaseNation"
@kansasspeedway: Quiet & messy @Gatorade Victory Lane! #WinFromWithin #HC400 pic.twitter.com/VJLUQUW4g3
@kansasspeedway: Quiet track. Thank you race fans for another great race weekend! #HC400 pic.twitter.com/GO9ECjl9UO
@joeylogano: Keep doing what we've been doing so we can do more of this. #TeamJL #NASCAR http://instagram.com/p/tyyX3JolCz/
@StewartHaasRcng: pic.twitter.com/GGdqeZzNje -- the new @Ditech scheme @KevinHarvick will sport for 2 races in '15 #NASCAR
@NASCAR: Here it is - the all-new #NASCAR XFINITY Series mark. http://nas.cr/1t1lpu1
@DaleJr: @ReganSmith and @JRMotorsports just finished the paperwork that keeps him in the 7 car for 2015. Couldn't be more pleased about this.
@CLTMotorSpeedway: pic.twitter.com/fMUgWF7qgH -- Excited to announce @BCBSNC as sponsor of the #driveforthecure300 #NASCAR @NationwideNNS race Oct. 10.
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 Wednesday 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? ... Hornish Hire Sign Of Shift In NASCAR's Ford Hierarchy
by Tom Bowles
NASCAR Mailbox: Championship Frontrunners are Now Chase Backmarkers
by Summer Bedgood
The Frontstretch Five: Things We've Learned From the New Chase So Far
by Amy Henderson
Beyond the Cockpit: Mason Mitchell Makes History in the ARCA Racing Series
The Frontstretch Five: Things We've Learned From the New Chase So Far
by Amy Henderson
Beyond the Cockpit: Mason Mitchell Makes History in the ARCA Racing Series
by Summer Bedgood
NASCAR Sprint Cup Power Rankings: Top 15 after Kansas
compiled by Mike Mehedin
~~~~~~~~~~
ADVERTISEMENT
Frontstretch.com is pleased to announce that American Muscle, our longest running marketing partner, has renewed for another year! Help us celebrate our partnership by checking out the highlights from their 2014 American Muscle Car show by clicking here.
This show featured over 2,600 Mustangs, 10,000 spectators and raised $35,000 for the Special Olympics. This clip is a "must see" for Mustang and sports car enthusiasts! After checking out the video, be sure to sign up for the American Muscle YouTube channel and of course, check out the American Muscle link on the Frontstretch homepage any time you need quality parts for your Mustang!
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FRONTSTRETCH TRIVIA
Q: The 1998 UAW-GM Quality 500 ran all the way to twilight due to a red flag less than 100 laps into the race. Why was this red flag thrown?
Check back Thursday for the answer, here in the Frontstretch Newsletter!
Tuesday's Answer:
Q: In the 1987 All Pro 300 at Charlotte, Geoff Bodine got off to a great start, charging to the lead from the sixth starting spot in just a couple of laps. However, by the standards of racing on intermediate tracks, his race ended in a very unusual fashion. What happened?
A: Bodine was leading on lap 54 and dealing with a series of lapped cars when he was tapped in the quad-oval. Bodine spun his Chevrolet Nova into the grass and the V6-powered Chevrolet took off. The car blew over onto its side, then tumbled over onto its roof before coming back onto its wheels. The crash can be seen here. Eli Gold and Dr. Jerry Punch have the call for SETN. Bodine was completely fine, exiting his Levi Garrett-sponsored Chevrolet shortly after the Nova came to rest. However, he was done for the day.
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 by Phil Allaway
-- Critic's Annex by Phil Allaway
-- Potts' Shots by John Potts
-- Links to your favorite Frontstretch articles, and more!
~~~~~~~~~~
Tomorrow on the Frontstretch:
Happiness Is... by Huston Ladner
Huston's weekly column pops up on a new day as he runs through what's good in the world of 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, Matt Puccia checks in as the series heads home to Charlotte Motor Speedway.
Fantasy Insider by Jeff Wolfe
Jeff is back with your look at the best bets to fill your fantasy roster. This week, he sets you up for success as we head into Charlotte.
Truckin' Thursdays by Beth Lunkenheimer
Beth returns with your weekly look at the state of the Camping World Truck Series.
~~~~~~~~~~
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!
©2014 Frontstretch.com
NASCAR Sprint Cup Power Rankings: Top 15 after Kansas
compiled by Mike Mehedin
~~~~~~~~~~
ADVERTISEMENT
Frontstretch.com is pleased to announce that American Muscle, our longest running marketing partner, has renewed for another year! Help us celebrate our partnership by checking out the highlights from their 2014 American Muscle Car show by clicking here.
This show featured over 2,600 Mustangs, 10,000 spectators and raised $35,000 for the Special Olympics. This clip is a "must see" for Mustang and sports car enthusiasts! After checking out the video, be sure to sign up for the American Muscle YouTube channel and of course, check out the American Muscle link on the Frontstretch homepage any time you need quality parts for your Mustang!
~~~~~~~~~~
FRONTSTRETCH TRIVIA
Q: The 1998 UAW-GM Quality 500 ran all the way to twilight due to a red flag less than 100 laps into the race. Why was this red flag thrown?
Check back Thursday for the answer, here in the Frontstretch Newsletter!
Tuesday's Answer:
Q: In the 1987 All Pro 300 at Charlotte, Geoff Bodine got off to a great start, charging to the lead from the sixth starting spot in just a couple of laps. However, by the standards of racing on intermediate tracks, his race ended in a very unusual fashion. What happened?
A: Bodine was leading on lap 54 and dealing with a series of lapped cars when he was tapped in the quad-oval. Bodine spun his Chevrolet Nova into the grass and the V6-powered Chevrolet took off. The car blew over onto its side, then tumbled over onto its roof before coming back onto its wheels. The crash can be seen here. Eli Gold and Dr. Jerry Punch have the call for SETN. Bodine was completely fine, exiting his Levi Garrett-sponsored Chevrolet shortly after the Nova came to rest. However, he was done for the day.
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 by Phil Allaway
-- Critic's Annex by Phil Allaway
-- Potts' Shots by John Potts
-- Links to your favorite Frontstretch articles, and more!
~~~~~~~~~~
Tomorrow on the Frontstretch:
Happiness Is... by Huston Ladner
Huston's weekly column pops up on a new day as he runs through what's good in the world of 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, Matt Puccia checks in as the series heads home to Charlotte Motor Speedway.
Fantasy Insider by Jeff Wolfe
Jeff is back with your look at the best bets to fill your fantasy roster. This week, he sets you up for success as we head into Charlotte.
Truckin' Thursdays by Beth Lunkenheimer
Beth returns with your weekly look at the state of the Camping World Truck Series.
~~~~~~~~~~
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!
©2014 Frontstretch.com
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