THE FRONTSTRETCH NEWSLETTER
Presented by Frontstretch.com
The Best Seat at the Track, The Best View on the Net!
July 20, 2015
Volume IX, Edition CXXII
Presented by Frontstretch.com
The Best Seat at the Track, The Best View on the Net!
July 20, 2015
Volume IX, Edition CXXII
~~~~~~~~~~
What to Watch: Monday- Today, the Camping World Truck Series teams will be traveling up to Western Ohio for Wednesday night's 1-800 CarCash Mudsummer Classic. Pull-in is scheduled for 11 a.m. tomorrow. In the meantime, we'll have any major news that breaks today at Frontstretch.
~~~~~~~~~~
Monday's TV Schedule can be found in Couch Potato Tuesday here.
Kyle Busch Uses Pit Strategy to Claim Third Win of 2015
Sunday, Brad Keselowski was the man to beat for most of the race. However, Kyle Busch made his final pit stop under green, then unlapped himself right before a yellow flew for oil on track. When everyone else pitted, he inherited the lead and never looked back on his way to his third win in the last four weeks. Keselowski was second, followed by Kevin Harvick, Joey Logano and Dale Earnhardt, Jr. Read more
Spinner to Winner: Denny Hamlin Wins Wild Lakes Region 200
Monday's TV Schedule can be found in Couch Potato Tuesday here.
Top News
by the Frontstretch Staff
Kyle Busch Uses Pit Strategy to Claim Third Win of 2015
Sunday, Brad Keselowski was the man to beat for most of the race. However, Kyle Busch made his final pit stop under green, then unlapped himself right before a yellow flew for oil on track. When everyone else pitted, he inherited the lead and never looked back on his way to his third win in the last four weeks. Keselowski was second, followed by Kevin Harvick, Joey Logano and Dale Earnhardt, Jr. Read more
Spinner to Winner: Denny Hamlin Wins Wild Lakes Region 200
Denny Hamlin's Saturday was a series of highs and lows. He started from the pole, then got spun out on a restart and pushed to the back of the lead lap. He then charged back through the field, took the lead in forceful fashion from Austin Dillon and held on to win. Dillon was second, followed by Brad Keselowski, Kyle Busch and Daniel Suarez. Read more
Have news for The Frontstretch? Don't hesitate to let us know; email us at phil.allaway@frontstretch.com with a promising lead or tip.
~~~~~~~~~~
Chasing the Chase: Harvick's Lead Slightly Increases
by Phil Allaway
by Phil Allaway
Kevin Harvick had a very good run on Sunday, leading for 59 laps and finishing a strong third. That allowed him to only slightly expand his points lead to 69 over Joey Logano, who is up one place to second in the standings after finishing fourth. Dale Earnhardt, Jr. is up one position to third after a fifth-place finish.
Logano and Earnhardt Jr. jumped over Jimmie Johnson in the standings. Johnson had a uncharacteristically poor day Sunday, complete with a speeding penalty under green that cost him a lap. The 22nd-place finish cost him 20 points to Harvick. Martin Truex, Jr. took steps to stop the bleeding on Sunday by finishing 12th, maintaining fifth in points as a result. Brad Keselowski finishing second and leading the most laps only allowed him to gain a grand total of two points on Harvick. He did pick up 12 points on Truex and is now 25 behind.
Another 25 markers behind Keselowski is Matt Kenseth, who is up two positions in the standings with a sold sixth-place finish. Behind him is a logjam. Kurt Busch is two points behind Kenseth after his second consecutive 10th-place finish. Jamie McMurray is two points behind Busch, but lost a lot of ground after engine issues dropped him to a 26th-place finish. Despite his wreck in the garage area on Saturday, Jeff Gordon charged up to finish ninth, maintaining 10th in points, just one marker behind McMurray
Point Standings (1-16): 1) Kevin Harvick 734, 2) Joey Logano -69, 3) Dale Earnhardt, Jr. -79, 4) Jimmie Johnson -88, 5) Martin Truex, Jr. -106, 6) Brad Keselowski -131, 7) Matt Kenseth -156, 8) Kurt Busch -158, 9) Jamie McMurray -160, 10) Jeff Gordon -161, 11) Denny Hamlin -182, 12) Kasey Kahne -196, 13) Ryan Newman -204, 14) Paul Menard -206, 15) Aric Almirola -232, 16) Clint Bowyer -234.
Race Winners Currently Ineligible for Chase: 33) Kyle Busch -487 (58 points out of 30th)
Race Winners: Joey Logano (Daytona-1), Jimmie Johnson (Atlanta, Texas, Kansas, Dover), Kevin Harvick (Las Vegas, Phoenix), Brad Keselowski (Fontana), Denny Hamlin (Martinsville), Matt Kenseth (Bristol), Kurt Busch (Richmond, Michigan), Dale Earnhardt, Jr. (Talladega, Daytona-2), Carl Edwards (Charlotte), Martin Truex, Jr. (Pocono), Kyle Busch (Sonoma, Kentucky, Loudon)Letter of the Race: Sunday's 5-Hour ENERGY 301 was brought to you by the letter H for "Humidity." Temperatures in New Hampshire on Sunday were in the lower 90s along with dew points in the lower 70s. That creates a taxing scenario for the drivers. Michael Annett and Matt DiBenedetto were forced to go to the Infield Care Center for fluids after the race, while AJ Allmendinger had to be treated for an unrelated issue (strep throat) at his hauler. - Phil Allaway
~~~~~~~~~~
Quotes to Remember: 5-Hour ENERGY 301
compiled by Phil Allaway
"I don't think any of us would have [predicted my success]. This is such an awesome win and such an awesome comeback. I just can't say enough about everyone at Joe Gibbs Racing, the work that they've put in. Our cars are a lot better than what they were last year. It's so much fun to win these races and to win with this group of guys – Adam Stevens (crew chief) and this bunch, all my pit crew since 2008, they deserve all this. The 4 (Kevin Harvick) and the 2 (Brad Keselowski) were really the class of the field I felt like today. Our car was a close third, but on the long runs our front end would die and we just couldn't turn. We've got some work to do to get better to be able to outright win this thing when we get back here in a couple months." - Kyle Busch, race winner
"We had great execution with the Shell/Pennzoil Ford, just not enough speed. Todd made some great calls keeping us toward the front. We were good on the restarts and got a few when we could there. When you've got four tires you try to make something happen, but we just didn't have enough speed in our race car to go up there and race with those guys. We'll find a little bit more speed before we come back. It's still another top-five. We'll take these top-fives, they're nice to have, but right now wins are the only thing that pays." - Joey Logano, finished fourth
"We had drama with the set-up. The car didn't drive very good all day and we've worked hard trying to fix it and just couldn't get any better really. We worked hard all weekend just frustrated with the balance on the car. Had a little engine issue the whole race that was hurting us down the straightaway real bad.
"It was a good day. We got caught on pit road – had a mix up there with our speed and got behind. Really we made up for that. I don't think that was really a factor at the end. We had a really good car, we just didn't have as good of a car as the top three or four there. A couple guys got by us on four (tires). It was a good day – you always want more, but it was a decent day." - Matt Kenseth, finished sixth
"We had a really fast Sport Clips Camry yesterday when the clouds were out and today the sun kind of threw us off. Darian (Grubb, crew chief) and the guys did a great job though and made the most of what we had. We got another JGR (Joe Gibbs Racing) Toyota in victory lane. I'm telling you, I was so hard on that engine throughout the race, I cannot say enough about TRD (Toyota Racing Development) and everything they do. Good day and the Sport Clips car didn't win, but I'm sure Kyle (Busch) is going to get his hair trimmed there, that's what he said.
"We had a tough day. We had a loose right-rear wheel there and that hurt us and then I sped on pit road and that really hurt us even more. We were in position to get the lucky dog spot, we wouldn't have ended up getting it, but we got loose under the 15 and got into him. That was all my fault there, but it was just kind of a series of events that escalated and got us worse and worse throughout the day. It was just unfortunate. I thought we were gonna have a good car. We fired off and weren't very good. The heat of the day kind of threw us for a loop and we just weren't very good. We'll learn from it and go to Indianapolis." - Ryan Blaney, finished 23rd
"We had great execution with the Shell/Pennzoil Ford, just not enough speed. Todd made some great calls keeping us toward the front. We were good on the restarts and got a few when we could there. When you've got four tires you try to make something happen, but we just didn't have enough speed in our race car to go up there and race with those guys. We'll find a little bit more speed before we come back. It's still another top-five. We'll take these top-fives, they're nice to have, but right now wins are the only thing that pays." - Joey Logano, finished fourth
"We had drama with the set-up. The car didn't drive very good all day and we've worked hard trying to fix it and just couldn't get any better really. We worked hard all weekend just frustrated with the balance on the car. Had a little engine issue the whole race that was hurting us down the straightaway real bad.
"We were tight in the center and never really fixed it. We were shearing on throttle. A lot of guys getting a lot more drive off than us. Even with the power issue it was still shearing on throttle. We will work on it. Awesome company we've got a lot of resources we will figure it out." - Dale Earnhardt, Jr., finished fifth
"It was a good day. We got caught on pit road – had a mix up there with our speed and got behind. Really we made up for that. I don't think that was really a factor at the end. We had a really good car, we just didn't have as good of a car as the top three or four there. A couple guys got by us on four (tires). It was a good day – you always want more, but it was a decent day." - Matt Kenseth, finished sixth
"We had a really fast Sport Clips Camry yesterday when the clouds were out and today the sun kind of threw us off. Darian (Grubb, crew chief) and the guys did a great job though and made the most of what we had. We got another JGR (Joe Gibbs Racing) Toyota in victory lane. I'm telling you, I was so hard on that engine throughout the race, I cannot say enough about TRD (Toyota Racing Development) and everything they do. Good day and the Sport Clips car didn't win, but I'm sure Kyle (Busch) is going to get his hair trimmed there, that's what he said.
"[It was] pretty hard [to pass]. I'd love to have something closer to that Kentucky package, but NASCAR is working that way so hopefully they will keep going." - Carl Edwards, finished seventh
"Honestly, that's the kind of effort that this team has been putting in a lot lately. We haven't been coming to the track in the position that we really feel like we could be, like we were last year. We've got some catch-up to do there; but my gosh, one thing we're not lacking is determination and just the ability to overcome adversity. I'm really proud of that.
"The car was actually pretty good. When they dropped the green, we were good for about the first half of the race. But the second half of the race, we just couldn't keep up with the track conditions. I'm not sure exactly what went on, but we were just kind of holding on there at the end. But it was still a nice top 10." - Jeff Gordon, finished ninth
"Compared to the last three months today was a really good day. The long run car was awesome, probably the best I've been in a long time here on a long run. The short run I was just too loose. Those restarts and those first initial 10 laps made it really hard. I would get so loose. The long run was so good. It's a happy medium we tightened the car up a little bit for the shorter run at the end there and it helped a little bit on the restart. But then I got too tight at the end. Today gives us something to build off of. I think long run wise is definitely a top 10 car.
"I wasn't as my best today either. I've been battling strep throat. It was very hot today and I got frustrated at times because I wasn't feeling good. Brian (Burns, crew chief) and the guys did a good job. The pit crew was solid again. I will get a little bit better, but hopefully something we can build off of. We will go have a fun week at Kroger and hopefully have a good week at Indy." - AJ Allmendinger, finished 13th
"Honestly, that's the kind of effort that this team has been putting in a lot lately. We haven't been coming to the track in the position that we really feel like we could be, like we were last year. We've got some catch-up to do there; but my gosh, one thing we're not lacking is determination and just the ability to overcome adversity. I'm really proud of that.
"The car was actually pretty good. When they dropped the green, we were good for about the first half of the race. But the second half of the race, we just couldn't keep up with the track conditions. I'm not sure exactly what went on, but we were just kind of holding on there at the end. But it was still a nice top 10." - Jeff Gordon, finished ninth
"Compared to the last three months today was a really good day. The long run car was awesome, probably the best I've been in a long time here on a long run. The short run I was just too loose. Those restarts and those first initial 10 laps made it really hard. I would get so loose. The long run was so good. It's a happy medium we tightened the car up a little bit for the shorter run at the end there and it helped a little bit on the restart. But then I got too tight at the end. Today gives us something to build off of. I think long run wise is definitely a top 10 car.
"I wasn't as my best today either. I've been battling strep throat. It was very hot today and I got frustrated at times because I wasn't feeling good. Brian (Burns, crew chief) and the guys did a good job. The pit crew was solid again. I will get a little bit better, but hopefully something we can build off of. We will go have a fun week at Kroger and hopefully have a good week at Indy." - AJ Allmendinger, finished 13th
"We had a tough day. We had a loose right-rear wheel there and that hurt us and then I sped on pit road and that really hurt us even more. We were in position to get the lucky dog spot, we wouldn't have ended up getting it, but we got loose under the 15 and got into him. That was all my fault there, but it was just kind of a series of events that escalated and got us worse and worse throughout the day. It was just unfortunate. I thought we were gonna have a good car. We fired off and weren't very good. The heat of the day kind of threw us for a loop and we just weren't very good. We'll learn from it and go to Indianapolis." - Ryan Blaney, finished 23rd
~~~~~~~~~~
TODAY AT FRONTSTRETCH:
by Amy Henderson
by Jerry Jordan
by the Frontstretch Staff
by Joseph Wolkin
~~~~~~~~~~
FRONTSTRETCH TRIVIA:
Q: In 1996, Kyle Petty was strong early on in the Brickyard 400, but ended the day laid up after a hard crash. What happened?
Check back Tuesday for the answer, here in the Frontstretch Newsletter!
Friday's Answer:
Friday's Answer:
Q: The most recent visit that the Verizon IndyCar Series made to New Hampshire Motor Speedway was in 2011 for the MoveThatBlock.com 225. That race is probably best known for Will Power's double middle-finger salute to Brian Barnhart. What precipitated that display of fury?
A: The fury erupted due to Barnhart's decision to restart the race on a moist surface with nine laps to go. The result was that Power and a number of others wrecked on the restart after losing control. The crash can be seen here. The race was eventually red flagged with five laps to go and declared complete. Later, the results were declared as of the end of lap 215, the lap before the crash.~~~~~~~~~~
COMING TOMORROW
In The Frontstretch Newsletter:
We'll have breaking news from Monday and S.D. Grady returns with Sitting In The Stands: A Fan's View.
On Frontstretch.com:
Danny Peters returns with Five Points to Ponder leaving New Hampshire.-----------------------------
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!
From John Miller, in response to The Critic's Annex: UNOH 225:
"Just a response to your fence comments that hitting the catchfence is not just a restrictor plate thing, you're so right. Look at the Small Block Modified about 15 or so years ago that cleared the fence at Thompson Speedway in CT and got hung up in a tree. Or the NEMA midget at the same track that went over the wall and hit a sign. I don't believe there was a fence there at the time. Or my home track, which is only 1/3 of a mile, it's rare, but I have seen cars upside down and right side up on top of the wall and nicking the fence or doing minor damage to it. We've seen them go over other cars before, too and even with a wall that's more than tall enough, angle something right and it can happen there just as easily as anywhere. I've heard and seen it at other short tracks too with walls that weren't too short or anything, fact is you're at a racetrack, something can happen and if you go regular enough, you'll see it and plenty of close calls at any track, any series. That's why I think these lawsuits are so stupid, I had a tire miss me at a short track by six inches once. It came off the car and missed the fence and went in the stands. I caught my breath, changed my pants and gave the tire back to the driver personally when he came looking for it. It's just part of it and it will never be 100% safe, we just have to keep looking at these things, seeing how we can improve it and understand. If you're at a racetrack, something can happen be it to a driver, crew member, fan, track worker. We can all only do our best and not cut corners in safety and hope for the best, any track any time."
©2015 Frontstretch.com--
Feel free to forward this newsletter if you have any friends who loves
NASCAR and great NASCAR commentary. They can subscribe to the Frontstetch by visiting http://www.frontstretch.com/notice/9557/.
If you want to stop your Frontstretch Newsletter subscription, we're sorry
to see you go. Just send an email to
TheFrontstretch+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com from the address that you
recieve the Frontstretch Newsletter.
---
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "The Frontstretch" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to thefrontstretch+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com.
For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.
No comments:
Post a Comment