THE FRONTSTRETCH NEWSLETTER
Presented by Frontstretch.com
The Best Seat at the Track, The Best View on the Net!
Dec. 16, 2014Presented by Frontstretch.com
The Best Seat at the Track, The Best View on the Net!
Volume VIII, Edition CCXI
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What to Watch: Week of December 16-21:- With Champions' Week complete, the teams continue to focus on the 2015 season. Preparations are ongoing at shops all over the country.
- On Tuesday, Red Horse Racing will hold a press conference at the NASCAR Hall of Fame. There, the team will make a new driver announcement for the 2015 season.
Tuesday, December 16
12 p.m. - 1 p.m. NASCAR RaceHub: Best of the Year FOX Sports 1*# ~~~~~~~~~~
TV Schedule for December 16-21, 2014
TV Schedule for December 16-21, 2014
Tuesday, December 16
Time Telecast Network
5 p.m. - 5:30 p.m. NASCAR America NBC Sports Network
5 p.m. - 6 p.m. NASCAR RaceHub: Best of the Year FOX Sports 1
6:30 p.m. - 7 p.m. The 10: Biggest Bad Boys in NASCAR History FOX Sports 2#
7 p.m. - 8 p.m. NASCAR RaceHub: Best of the Year FOX Sports 2*#
Wednesday, December 17
Time Telecast Network
5 p.m. - 5:30 p.m. NASCAR America NBC Sports Network
5 p.m. - 6 p.m. NASCAR RaceHub: Best of the Year FOX Sports 1
7 p.m. - 9 p.m. NASCAR RaceHub: Best of the Year FOX Sports 2*#
Thursday, December 18
Time Telecast Network
Time Telecast Network
1 p.m. - 5 p.m. NASCAR RaceHub (four episodes) FOX Sports 1*#
5 p.m. - 5:30 p.m. NASCAR America NBC Sports Network#
5 p.m. - 6 p.m. NASCAR RaceHub FOX Sports 1
6 p.m. - 7 p.m. NASCAR RaceHub FOX Sports 2*#
7 p.m. - 8 p.m. Race of Champions: Barbados NBC Sports Network*/ (from December 13-14)
10 p.m. - 11 p.m. Road to Ferrari NBC Sports Network#
11 p.m. - 12 a.m. Road to Mercedes NBC Sports Network#
Friday, December 19
Time Telecast Network
5 p.m. - 5:30 p.m. NASCAR America NBC Sports Network
5 p.m. - 6 p.m. NASCAR RaceHub: Best of the Year FOX Sports 1
7 p.m. - 9 p.m. NASCAR RaceHub: Best of the Year FOX Sports 2*#
Saturday, December 20
Time Telecast Network
1:30 a.m. - 2 a.m. NASCAR America's The List: Dale Earnhardt, Sr. Moments NBC Sports Network#Sunday, December 21
Time Telecast Network
1 a.m. - 4 a.m. World of Outlaws World Finals, Night No. 1 CBS Sports Network*/# (from November 7)6 a.m. - 7 a.m. British Superbike Championship: Brands Hatch No. 2 Velocity*/ (from October 18-19)
7 a.m. - 8 a.m. 2014 European Rally Championship Year in Review Velocity
8 a.m. - 8:30 a.m. FIA World Touring Car Championship: Macau Velocity*/ (from November 16)
1 p.m. - 2 p.m. DTM Year in Review CBS Sports Network
2 p.m. - 3 p.m. Blancpain Sprint Series Year in Review CBS Sports Network
3 p.m. - 4 p.m. Blancpain Endurance Series Year in Review CBS Sports Network
3 p.m. - 4 p.m. NASCAR 2015 Season Preview FOX
5 p.m. - 8 p.m. World of Outlaws World Finals, Night No. 2 CBS Sports Network*/ (from November 8)
*- Tape Delayed
/- Highlighted coverage
#- Repeat Coverage
Top News
by Phil Allaway and Greg Davis
by Phil Allaway and Greg Davis
BREAKING: Sprint To Not Renew NASCAR Sponsorship
In a surprise move Tuesday, Sprint announced they were ending negotiations on extending their sponsorship with NASCAR. Their primary agreement with the Cup Series expires at the end of the 2016 season. Read more.
Vickers To Miss Start of 2015 Season Due to Heart Surgery
On Monday, Michael Waltrip Racing announced that Brian Vickers was forced to have open heart surgery on Saturday due to his body rejecting a patch that had been installed on his heart in 2010. As a result, Vickers will have to miss the start of the 2015 Sprint Cup Series season as he recovers from the procedure. Read more
It appears that the spat between Harry Scott, Jr. and Steve Turner that threw much of the 2014 season up in the air is now over. Turner is now out of the picture, but Scott still needed some cooperation in order to continue running the operation. In two separate announcements on Thursday, the future of what was once Turner Scott Motorsports was revealed. First, the Nationwide organization will now be known as HScott Motorsports with Chip Ganassi. Secondly, the K&N Pro Series organization will now be known as HScott Motorsports with Justin Marks. Read more
National Guard Officially Out of Motorsports for 2015
Last weekend, Congress passed what has become known as the "Cromnibus" bill, a bill designed to fund the federal government for the next few months. There are plenty of controversial items included in the legislation that will make politics over the next few months very interesting. Most of them do not affect motorsports, except for one funding move.
According to USA Today, the labyrinthine bill will cut the advertising budget for the National Guard by $13.8 million. That amount is equal to what National Guard spokesman Major Earl Brown says that the National Guard requested for diminished motorsports sponsorships in the 2015 season. Previously, the National Guard announced that they would scale back their primary sponsorships in Sprint Cup and the Verizon IndyCar Series in response to data that showed that the sponsorships did not directly lead to new National Guard recruits in uniform.
According to USA Today, the labyrinthine bill will cut the advertising budget for the National Guard by $13.8 million. That amount is equal to what National Guard spokesman Major Earl Brown says that the National Guard requested for diminished motorsports sponsorships in the 2015 season. Previously, the National Guard announced that they would scale back their primary sponsorships in Sprint Cup and the Verizon IndyCar Series in response to data that showed that the sponsorships did not directly lead to new National Guard recruits in uniform.
Sprint Cup Testing For 2015 Unveiled
After the Ford EcoBoost 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway in November, a testing ban went into effect in the Sprint Cup Series. Teams would not be allowed to test anywhere. Or will they? Goodyear held a tire test last week at Charlotte Motor Speedway, and according to The Charlotte Observer's Jim Utter, that's the first of what will be a lot of tests over the next few months.
While yes, regular test sessions in which teams rent tracks to test are still not allowed, there will be a series of tire tests in 2015 like in past years. Those tire tests will be supplemented by open testing days. Some of the testing days will be immediately prior to race weekends, while others will be immediately following tire tests.
The 2015 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Rule Book lists out the following dates for tire tests and open tests:
Date Type of test
January 19 Goodyear tire test, Las Vegas
February 26 Open team test, Atlanta
March 2-3 Goodyear tire test, Atlanta
March 10 Goodyear tire test, Charlotte
March 11 Open team test, Charlotte
April 7 Goodyear tire test, Richmond
April 8 Open team test, Richmond
April 13-14 Goodyear tire test, Kentucky
April 15 Open team test, Kentucky
April 27-28 Goodyear tire test, Indianapolis
April 29 Open team test, Indianapolis
May 11-12 Goodyear tire test, Dover
May 13 Open team test, Dover
June 9-10 Goodyear tire test, Darlington
June 11 Open team test, Darlington
July 13-14 Goodyear tire test, Chicagoland
July 15 Open team test, Chicagoland
July 28-29 Goodyear tire test, Bristol
July 30 Open team test, Bristol
August 24-25 Goodyear tire test, Homestead
August 26 Open team test, Homestead
September 14-15 Goodyear tire test, Kansas
September 16 Open team test, Kansas
October 12-13 Goodyear tire test, Phoenix
October 14 Open team test, Phoenix
October 27-28 Goodyear tire test, Fontana
October 29 Open team test, Fontana
Date Type of test
January 19 Goodyear tire test, Las Vegas
February 26 Open team test, Atlanta
March 2-3 Goodyear tire test, Atlanta
March 10 Goodyear tire test, Charlotte
March 11 Open team test, Charlotte
April 7 Goodyear tire test, Richmond
April 8 Open team test, Richmond
April 13-14 Goodyear tire test, Kentucky
April 15 Open team test, Kentucky
April 27-28 Goodyear tire test, Indianapolis
April 29 Open team test, Indianapolis
May 11-12 Goodyear tire test, Dover
May 13 Open team test, Dover
June 9-10 Goodyear tire test, Darlington
June 11 Open team test, Darlington
July 13-14 Goodyear tire test, Chicagoland
July 15 Open team test, Chicagoland
July 28-29 Goodyear tire test, Bristol
July 30 Open team test, Bristol
August 24-25 Goodyear tire test, Homestead
August 26 Open team test, Homestead
September 14-15 Goodyear tire test, Kansas
September 16 Open team test, Kansas
October 12-13 Goodyear tire test, Phoenix
October 14 Open team test, Phoenix
October 27-28 Goodyear tire test, Fontana
October 29 Open team test, Fontana
Kyle Busch Undergoes Foot Surgery
Joe Gibbs Racing announced on Thursday that driver Kyle Busch underwent a minor surgical procedure on his left foot. According to the brief press release put out by JGR, Busch had been suffering from inflammation in his foot. The brief procedure was performed by Dr. Robert Anderson at OrthoCarolina as an outpatient procedure. Assuming no complications in recovery, Busch will be ready to go for Speedweeks in February.
Bobby Labonte to Compete in Restrictor Plate Races for Go FAS Racing
On Wednesday, Go FAS Racing announced the signing of Bobby Labonte to drive the team's No. 32 Ford in the four restrictor plate races (two at both Daytona and Talladega) in 2015. Sponsorship will be provided by Texas-based C&J Energy Systems, a company that previously sponsored Bobby's older brother, Terry, with the team. Read more
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~~~~~~~~~
TODAY ON THE FRONTSTRETCH:
2014 Driver Reviews Continue! Click here for the full upcoming schedule of reviews.
Today's reviews:
by Greg Davis
by Michael Mehedin
by Tony Lumbis
by Amy Henderson
by Greg Davis
by Amy Henderson
by Beth Lunkenheimer
Last Week's Articles:
by Mike Mehedin
by S.D. Grady
by Beth Lunkenheimer
by Brad Morgan
by Amy Henderson
by Amy Henderson
by Tony Lumbis
by Toni Montgomery
by Huston Ladner
by Jeff Wolfe
by Mark Howell
by Danny Peters
FRONTSTRETCH TRIVIA:
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 trivia@frontstretch.com and we'll send you a Frontstretch T-Shirt ... FREE!
~~~~~~~~~~
Coming Monday in the Frontstretch Newsletter:
2014 NASCAR Driver Reviews by the Frontstretch Staff
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
Q: In motorsports, the presence of collegiate sponsorship is not unprecedented. Often times, it comes via sponsorship from other entities, such as Starter's sponsorship of Elton Sawyer in the Busch Series back in 2001. However, Melling Racing in 1997 could have gone the extra mile. Which university was planning on sponsorship Melling Racing and driver Lake Speed before the deal got nixed?
Check back next Monday for the answer, here in the Frontstretch Newsletter!
Last Monday's Answer:
Last Monday's Answer:
Q: After the move away from closed-top IMSA GTP prototypes following the 1993 season, the World Sports Cars became IMSA's top class. One of the most successful cars in that era was the Ferrari 333sp, a Dallara-built prototype with a Ferrari V12 engine. Years later, Doran Racing raced what they called the "Lista Special" in the Grand American Rolex Sports Car Series in 2001. What is the difference between the Lista Special and a Ferrari 333sp?
A: The primary difference between the two cars is the engines. A normal Ferrari 333sp (of course, a Ferrari 333sp is far from a normal race car) carried a high-revving Ferrari V12 engine. Over the years, the engine revs on the V12 had been cut by more than 2000 rpms. That led team owner Kevin Doran to look for a new solution. He found one in the V10 Judd engine. The experiment didn't last all that long before the team ditched the Lista Special in favor of a new Dallara chassis.
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 trivia@frontstretch.com and we'll send you a Frontstretch T-Shirt ... FREE!
~~~~~~~~~~
Coming Monday in the Frontstretch Newsletter:
-- Top News from Phil Allaway
-- Links to your favorite Frontstretch articles and more!
This week at Frontstretch:
Our annual driver reviews continue this week. Check out the schedule at Frontstretch to see when your favorite driver's season will be profiled.
-----------------------------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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