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The Best Seat at the Track, The Best View on the Net!
by the Frontstretch Staff
Entry List: Bank of America 500
Entry List: Drive for the Cure 300
The XFINITY Series returns to Charlotte, formerly a place where a number of part-time teams would come out of the woodwork to race. Not so much these days as only 40 teams are entered in the event. Athenian Motorsports returns, putting John Wes Townley in the seat after skipping Dover while Brad Keselowski and Kasey Kahne replace Ryan Blaney and Ben Rhodes, respectively in top-tier rides. Read more
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Who to Watch in NASCAR When Your Driver Retires
Sitting in the Stands: A Fan's View
by S.D. Grady
I've been asked several times in the past year, "What are you going to do when Jeff Gordon retires?"
I always smile and answer, "What do you mean?"
I know what the querying party intends. Now that my driver is departing the series, what point is there in watching NASCAR anymore?
Well, you see, there is this whole sport called NASCAR. There are 43 drivers on the track every week in the Cup series, another 20 some-odd names appear on the XFINITY roster and yet 30 more guys join up in the Camping World Truck Series. Then, there are the feeder divisions like the K&N Pro Series (East and West), ARCA, and Whelen Modifieds. Am I so wholly focused on one individual I can't see the rest of the forest? The answer is no, I'm not, and thank goodness for that, for what would I do if I was?
As Gordon has been stating on his AARP ads for the past few months, I can't wait to see what the next era in my favorite pastime will bring. We don't have to look very far to find that list of up and comers that are just dying to replace some of the aging veterans in the big boys' garage.
Who am I watching this year?
First, Austin Theriault. This young man appeared on my radar about four years ago in the ACT series. Brad Keselowski has been working him through various divisions nationwide, finally putting him into the trucks this year. While Austin suffered a compression fracture in his back at Las Vegas this past weekend while driving the No. 29 don't expect him to hang up the steering wheel anytime soon. He's a consistent wheelman, one who demonstrates a cool head on track. And hey! He's from Maine! I gotta cheer for those New Englanders attempting to make it big.
Next, we've got Gray Gaulding. What a great name! He's got a great dedicated sponsor, too in Krispy Kreme, emblazoned on his doors since he's been driving. When you can win in the K&N Pro Series at the age of 16, then follow that up with solid top-5 and top-10 finishes, you've earned some sharp eyes looking your way when you hit that big one-eight. Incidentally, his birthday isn't for another four months. We should see some fireworks at Daytona!
Talking about names, there's a new guy on the block who just blasted his way through the K&N Pro Series East this year: William Byron. That's right, we're gonna have a Lord Byron running the NASCAR circuit sometime soon. At just 17, he earned the crown for the K&N Pro Series in 2015 and is currently in talks to land a truck ride for next year. This guy is sizzling! He is exciting to watch on track, talented with lots of car control. It's astounding what kind of potential we are seeing at such young ages these days; Byron is a fine example of what the developmental series are producing.
Finally, we'll give some love to one of the up-and-coming superstars in the XFINITY series, one who gets overshadowed by the ever-present Cup drivers. It's difficult to garner all the attention you deserve, especially when a certain driver with the initials K.B. stinks up the show every week.
Daniel Suarez is a Drive for Diversity success story. Currently piloting the No. 18 XFINITY machine for Joe Gibbs Racing the Monterrey, Mexico native can be found most Saturdays lurking in the top 10 on track. Suarez does seem to have one of those bad luck leprechauns, though. He drives far better than he finishes—but he does finish. It's rare that a wreck takes Suarez out of the race altogether. It's much like watching for that rainbow you know is just behind the clouds—one day he's going to blast to Victory Lane. I won't be surprised one little bit.
So, there's your answer. While the driver who solidified my passion for stock car racing is retiring, I've got plenty of young 'uns to pin my future hopes on.
Sonya's Scrapbook
1992 Jeff Gordon Beats Earnhardt Sr. at Charlotte
A real throwback video for you: Jeff Gordon driving his No. 1 Baby Ruth Busch Series car. It's nice footage of the birth of one of the greatest on-track rivalries in our sport's history. Enjoy!
S.D. Grady is a Senior Writer for Frontstretch and runs a NASCAR blog called the S-Curves. She can be reached via email 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.
0
Laps led by Dale Earnhardt, Jr. since the Coke Zero 400 in July at Daytona. Earnhardt needed to run third just to advance into the Chase round of 12.
1
DNF due to mechanical failure at Dover. Landon Cassill's blown engine, causing the race's final caution was the first time since Bristol in August a driver had failed to finish for any reason other than a crash.
1.5
Average finish for Jimmie Johnson in the last four Dover races -- including three victories. Johnson broke a seal on the rear end and wound up 41st Sunday, easily the worst finish of his career at the Monster Mile.
2
Drivers with Hendrick connections eliminated in the first round of the Chase: Jimmie Johnson and Jamie McMurray (who runs Hendrick engines). Four drivers with Hendrick engines & chassis remain championship eligible: Jeff Gordon (see below), Earnhardt Jr., Kevin Harvick and Kurt Busch.
3
Top-5 finishes for Jeff Gordon this season. Gordon, 12th at Dover has still advanced to the next round of the Chase.
3
Wins for Kevin Harvick in the last two years when facing elimination from championship contention. They are Phoenix (made Final Four), Homestead (won title over Ryan Newman) and Dover Sunday afternoon.
4
Joe Gibbs Racing cars that made it into the Chase round of 12. It's the second straight year a full four-car team made the next round (Hendrick Motorsports did it in 2014).
5
Championships won by Jimmie Johnson from 2006-10. He's won just one from 2011-15.
6
Chevy teams to make it into the next round of the Chase, the most of any manufacturer. Two teams apiece from Hendrick Motorsports and Stewart-Haas Racing made it in along with Richard Childress Racing's Ryan Newman and the single-car, Furniture Row Racing effort manned by Martin Truex, Jr.
8
Straight finishes outside the top 20 for AJ Allmendinger in the Cup Series (29th at Dover). That ties his worst streak since signing with JTG-Daugherty Racing full-time at the end of 2013.
14
Lead changes Sunday at Dover. It's the 11th time in the last 12 Sprint Cup races there's been less than 20 lead changes in an event.
32
Races since Tony Stewart last scored a top-5 finish in the Cup Series (fourth at Martinsville). Stewart, 26th at Dover announced his retirement this week effective the end of the 2016 NASCAR season.
2,031
Laps led by Kevin Harvick this season, including a race-high 355 at Dover. Joey Logano is next best on the circuit this year with 863 laps led.
$116,640
Money won by Kasey Kahne for running sixth at Dover.
$121,930
Money won by Trevor Bayne for finishing 31st.
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From NASCAR Failure To Favorite
by Tom Bowles
Beside the Rising Tide: Nothing To See Here
by Matt McLaughlin
Who's Hot and Who's Not in NASCAR: Charlotte Edition
FRONTSTRETCH TRIVIA:
Monday's Answer:
Q: Recently, Jeff Gordon described the events of the 1994 Mello Yello 500 as one of the most contentious moments of his entire Sprint Cup Series career. What happened to get Gordon in a lick of trouble?
A: Gordon was racing Ricky Rudd for seventh late in the race in a nice side-by-side battle that brought the fans to their feet. However, Gordon ran up the track in turn 4 and squeezed Rudd. Rudd didn't like that much as he ran right up on Gordon's bumper and spun him exiting the quad-oval. The resulting crash put both drivers hard into the wall. The slip, angry bump and crash can be seen here.
With only ten laps to go at the time of the crash, both drivers were OK, but out on the spot. Gordon attests to the fact that he feared Rudd coming after him with fists of fury after the crash.
COMING TOMORROW
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