THE FRONTSTRETCH NEWSLETTER
Presented by Frontstretch.com
The Best Seat at the Track, The Best View on the Net!
Jan. 26, 2015
Volume X, Edition IV
Presented by Frontstretch.com
The Best Seat at the Track, The Best View on the Net!
Jan. 26, 2015
Volume X, Edition IV
~~~~~~~~~~
What to Watch: January 26-February 1- This week is the official start of the racing season with the 54th Running of the Rolex 24 at Daytona. The race weekend gets underway on Wednesday with practice sessions for the IMSA Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge and Ferrari Challenge. WeatherTech SportsCar Championship teams take to the track on Thursday morning. Qualifying is scheduled for Thursday afternoon. We'll have all the news from the track.
FOLLOW OUR FRONTSTRETCH WRITER THIS WEEK IN DAYTONA:
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This week's TV Schedule can be found here.
NASCAR Adds Chase to XFINITY and Camping World Truck Series
During last week's NASCAR Media Tour, NASCAR announced the addition of the Chase format to the XFINITY and Camping World Truck Series for the 2016 season. Both Chases will feature seven races, but the XFINITY Chase will feature 12 drivers, while the Truck Chase will have eight drivers. Read more
Camping World Truck Series Adds Caution Clock, XFINITY Series Introduces Select Heat Races
Last Tuesday, NASCAR announced the introduction of heat races to the four XFINITY Dash 4 Cash races during their press conference at the NASCAR Hall of Fame. In addition, the Camping World Truck Series will race with a "caution clock" during the 2016 season. The yellow would fly after 20 minutes of green flag action. Read more
David Ragan, Matt DiBenedetto to Drive for BK Racing in 2016
This week's TV Schedule can be found here.
Top News
by the Frontstretch Staff
NASCAR Adds Chase to XFINITY and Camping World Truck Series
During last week's NASCAR Media Tour, NASCAR announced the addition of the Chase format to the XFINITY and Camping World Truck Series for the 2016 season. Both Chases will feature seven races, but the XFINITY Chase will feature 12 drivers, while the Truck Chase will have eight drivers. Read more
Camping World Truck Series Adds Caution Clock, XFINITY Series Introduces Select Heat Races
Last Tuesday, NASCAR announced the introduction of heat races to the four XFINITY Dash 4 Cash races during their press conference at the NASCAR Hall of Fame. In addition, the Camping World Truck Series will race with a "caution clock" during the 2016 season. The yellow would fly after 20 minutes of green flag action. Read more
David Ragan, Matt DiBenedetto to Drive for BK Racing in 2016
On Monday, BK Racing announced their lineup for the 2016 season. The team will drop down from three teams to two, while retaining Matt DiBenedetto in the No. 83. Free agent David Ragan has been tapped to drive the No. 23, replacing Jeb Burton. Read more
Alex Bowman, Tommy Baldwin Racing Part Ways
In a somewhat surprising move, Tommy Baldwin Racing announced on Thursday that incumbent driver Alex Bowman has been released from the team, after previously being announced as the team's driver for 2016. Read more
Regan Smith Signed to Drive Tommy Baldwin Racing's No. 7
Alex Bowman, Tommy Baldwin Racing Part Ways
In a somewhat surprising move, Tommy Baldwin Racing announced on Thursday that incumbent driver Alex Bowman has been released from the team, after previously being announced as the team's driver for 2016. Read more
Regan Smith Signed to Drive Tommy Baldwin Racing's No. 7
After the sudden announcement of Alex Bowman and Tommy Baldwin Racing parting ways, it didn't take long to announce a replacement. Regan Smith, recently of JR Motorsports in the XFINITY Series, has been tapped to replace Bowman in the No. 7 Chevrolet. Read more
Leavine Family Racing to Run Full Time with Michael McDowell, Ty Dillon
Leavine Family Racing to Run Full Time with Michael McDowell, Ty Dillon
On Thursday, the merged operation of Circle Sport - Leavine Family Racing announced that the No. 95 will run the full 36-race schedule for the first time. Michael McDowell will drive most of the races, but the team will maintain Circle Sport's previous relationship with Richard Childress Racing and field Ty Dillon in selected races. Read more
Blake Koch Joins New XFINITY Team for 2016
Blake Koch Joins New XFINITY Team for 2016
The NASCAR Media Tour saw the introduction of a brand-new team, Kaulig Racing, to the XFINITY Series. Blake Koch will drive the No. 11 Chevrolet Camaro full-time with sponsorship from LeafFilter. Read more
Front Row Motorsports Adds Landon Cassill to Its 2016 Lineup
On Wednesday, Front Row Motorsports announced the addition of Landon Cassill to the team as the driver of the No. 38 Ford. Cassill replaces David Gilliland, who is now a free agent. Read more
Richard Petty Motorsports Adds Partners to Brian Scott's Re-branded No. 44 Team
On Wednesday, Richard Petty Motorsports announced that Albertson's and Shore Lodge will serve as co-primary sponsors of Brian Scott's No. 44 Ford for 16 races. They will be on the Fusion in addition to returning sponsor Twisted Tea. Read more
Richard Petty Motorsports Scales Back XFINITY Series Team
Front Row Motorsports Adds Landon Cassill to Its 2016 Lineup
On Wednesday, Front Row Motorsports announced the addition of Landon Cassill to the team as the driver of the No. 38 Ford. Cassill replaces David Gilliland, who is now a free agent. Read more
Richard Petty Motorsports Adds Partners to Brian Scott's Re-branded No. 44 Team
On Wednesday, Richard Petty Motorsports announced that Albertson's and Shore Lodge will serve as co-primary sponsors of Brian Scott's No. 44 Ford for 16 races. They will be on the Fusion in addition to returning sponsor Twisted Tea. Read more
Richard Petty Motorsports Scales Back XFINITY Series Team
On Wednesday, Richard Petty Motorsports announced that they will not field their full-time No. 43 in the XFINITY Series in 2016. The team's relationship with Biagi-DenBeste Racing will remain in effect for the season. Read more
Bass Pro Shops Joins Furniture Row Racing, Martin Truex, Jr. for 2016
Bass Pro Shops Joins Furniture Row Racing, Martin Truex, Jr. for 2016
On Tuesday, Furniture Row Racing announced that Bass Pro Shops will sponsor Martin Truex, Jr.'s No. 78 Chevrolet for at least nine races in 2016. For Bass Pro Shops, it is in addition to their sponsorship of Tony Stewart and Austin Dillon in Sprint Cup and Ty Dillon in the XFINITY Series. Read more
No Cup Plans Yet for Erik Jones in 2016
No Cup Plans Yet for Erik Jones in 2016
One of the bigger stories in NASCAR last season was the ascendance of Erik Jones. Jones won the Camping World Truck Series title, won races in the XFINITY Series and made his Cup debut. It seemed like Jones would get more Cup chances in 2016. However, as of now, that does not seem to be the case. 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.
~~~~~~~~~~Today's Featured Commentary
Potts Remembers Rex Robbins
Potts' Shots
by John Potts
Sorry I've been away so long, readers. Health hasn't been the best, and we're still fighting through some issues, but things seem to be looking up. We'll probably know more after our next visit to the VA doctors next week.
On to business – I was shocked out of whatever reverie I was in on Monday morning to get an e-mail from old friend Steve Stubbs informing me that Rex Robbins had passed away on Sunday evening. Robbins had been in ill health for some years, and Steve said he was bedridden with COPD for the last year.
Rex made me a starter/flagman and PR rep for the original American Speed Association in 1972, and from there came 12 of the best years of my life. The only reason I left after the 1984 season was that Bob Daniels offered me a job as News Director at what was then Indianapolis Raceway Park. That allowed me to travel only 200 miles round trip every weekend, and it eventually became a permanent position – getting me out of the newspaper business and opening up another stretch of great years. Oval, road course, and drag strip. I was like a kid in a candy store.
Don't get me wrong, I didn't mind the travel with ASA all that much. Loved it, as a matter of fact. But I did get tired of getting home from say, Milwaukee, at 4 or 5 a.m. and having to be in the newspaper office at 6 to start catching up on what I had missed over the weekend. The trip from Scottsburg to Indianapolis and back I could do standing on my head after that.
However, back to the original subject…
Rex had a dream. He wanted to bring together the best racers from tracks all over the Midwest with a set of rules to which they could all adapt rather easily and let them duke it out on the track.
That's why it was originally called the "Circuit of Champions." Track champions from all over showed up to try their luck against each other.
The first such race was the inaugural Midwest 300 at Salem Speedway. The main event was won by a former champion at the Fairgrounds Speedway in Nashville, Tenn. who was destined for greater things. That boy's name was Darrell Waltrip.
The field was filled with hot dogs from all over that day, and I can recall the late Milt Hartlauf telling Waltrip, "If you can beat this bunch, you're the daddy!"
Rex saw the possibilities of bringing together the best from the old Fairgrounds Motor Speedway in Louisville, from Anderson Speedway, and as I said, from all over.
It's all history now…the organization grew and began to produce some of the best stock car racing this country has ever seen. I maintain that there never was, and never will be, another organization like the original ASA. We had a couple of groups which paralleled our success in ARTGO and the All-Pro Series. Even shared a lot of the same drivers with ARTGO, and had several combination races with All-Pro – the first being the inaugural All-American 400 at Nashville.
I was blessed to be a part of all this, and to meet some of the best racers in the world.
A case in point is the accompanying photo. I was interviewing drivers prior to a race at Bristol, I believe. Don't know who took this, but there are some really tough wheelmen in it.
I'm interviewing Jim Sauter, and other drivers, from left to right, are Mike Eddy, Bob Senneker, Butch Miller, Dick Trickle, and Alan Kulwicki.
Lot of talent in that bunch, and it was Rex Robbins' vision that brought them together.
There are also some pretty decent officials in the background: Wayne Doebling, Steve Stubbs, and Leo Parrish.
Rex is responsible for a lot of innovations, including the "competition caution." It started as a thing we didn't tell the competitors about. When Rex thought it was necessary, he'd use a code phrase on the radio that meant, "Potts, find a reason to throw the yellow."
That always worked out well.
Later, they just put it into the schedule.
Now NASCAR has decided they're going to do it in the Truck Series except on big tracks. Every 20 minutes? I'm not sure how that's going to work out, but we'll see.
Oh yeah, the NASCAR idea of having heat races to qualify cars for the main event on four tracks in the Xfinity Series?
Funny, that was the way we started with that Midwest 300 at Salem. Odd-numbered qualifiers in the first 100, even-numbers in the second, and the top finishers in both starting the final 100. It was probably the most popular format we had. I can't wait to see how it works out at Indianapolis in May.
Ain't it amazin', Gracie.
Rex has been out of racing for several years, but his heritage will never die.
RIP, Old Friend.
John Potts is a Senior Writer for Frontstretch. He can be reached via e-mail at john.potts@frontstretch.com. Potts also provided the above pictures for this article from his personal collection.
Sorry I've been away so long, readers. Health hasn't been the best, and we're still fighting through some issues, but things seem to be looking up. We'll probably know more after our next visit to the VA doctors next week.
On to business – I was shocked out of whatever reverie I was in on Monday morning to get an e-mail from old friend Steve Stubbs informing me that Rex Robbins had passed away on Sunday evening. Robbins had been in ill health for some years, and Steve said he was bedridden with COPD for the last year.
Rex made me a starter/flagman and PR rep for the original American Speed Association in 1972, and from there came 12 of the best years of my life. The only reason I left after the 1984 season was that Bob Daniels offered me a job as News Director at what was then Indianapolis Raceway Park. That allowed me to travel only 200 miles round trip every weekend, and it eventually became a permanent position – getting me out of the newspaper business and opening up another stretch of great years. Oval, road course, and drag strip. I was like a kid in a candy store.
Don't get me wrong, I didn't mind the travel with ASA all that much. Loved it, as a matter of fact. But I did get tired of getting home from say, Milwaukee, at 4 or 5 a.m. and having to be in the newspaper office at 6 to start catching up on what I had missed over the weekend. The trip from Scottsburg to Indianapolis and back I could do standing on my head after that.
However, back to the original subject…
Rex had a dream. He wanted to bring together the best racers from tracks all over the Midwest with a set of rules to which they could all adapt rather easily and let them duke it out on the track.
That's why it was originally called the "Circuit of Champions." Track champions from all over showed up to try their luck against each other.
The first such race was the inaugural Midwest 300 at Salem Speedway. The main event was won by a former champion at the Fairgrounds Speedway in Nashville, Tenn. who was destined for greater things. That boy's name was Darrell Waltrip.
The field was filled with hot dogs from all over that day, and I can recall the late Milt Hartlauf telling Waltrip, "If you can beat this bunch, you're the daddy!"
Rex saw the possibilities of bringing together the best from the old Fairgrounds Motor Speedway in Louisville, from Anderson Speedway, and as I said, from all over.
It's all history now…the organization grew and began to produce some of the best stock car racing this country has ever seen. I maintain that there never was, and never will be, another organization like the original ASA. We had a couple of groups which paralleled our success in ARTGO and the All-Pro Series. Even shared a lot of the same drivers with ARTGO, and had several combination races with All-Pro – the first being the inaugural All-American 400 at Nashville.
I was blessed to be a part of all this, and to meet some of the best racers in the world.
A case in point is the accompanying photo. I was interviewing drivers prior to a race at Bristol, I believe. Don't know who took this, but there are some really tough wheelmen in it.
I'm interviewing Jim Sauter, and other drivers, from left to right, are Mike Eddy, Bob Senneker, Butch Miller, Dick Trickle, and Alan Kulwicki.
Lot of talent in that bunch, and it was Rex Robbins' vision that brought them together.
There are also some pretty decent officials in the background: Wayne Doebling, Steve Stubbs, and Leo Parrish.
Rex is responsible for a lot of innovations, including the "competition caution." It started as a thing we didn't tell the competitors about. When Rex thought it was necessary, he'd use a code phrase on the radio that meant, "Potts, find a reason to throw the yellow."
That always worked out well.
Later, they just put it into the schedule.
Now NASCAR has decided they're going to do it in the Truck Series except on big tracks. Every 20 minutes? I'm not sure how that's going to work out, but we'll see.
Oh yeah, the NASCAR idea of having heat races to qualify cars for the main event on four tracks in the Xfinity Series?
Funny, that was the way we started with that Midwest 300 at Salem. Odd-numbered qualifiers in the first 100, even-numbers in the second, and the top finishers in both starting the final 100. It was probably the most popular format we had. I can't wait to see how it works out at Indianapolis in May.
Ain't it amazin', Gracie.
Rex has been out of racing for several years, but his heritage will never die.
RIP, Old Friend.
John Potts is a Senior Writer for Frontstretch. He can be reached via e-mail at john.potts@frontstretch.com. Potts also provided the above pictures for this article from his personal collection.
~~~~~~~~~~
Editor's Note: The Critic's Annex will return next week.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
TODAY AT FRONTSTRETCH:
by Matt McLaughlin
by Aaron Bearden and Sean Fesko
by Amy Henderson
Full Throttle: So What's with All These Changes?
by Mike Neff
Earning Respect at Forefront for Incoming Sprint Cup Rookies
Full Throttle: So What's with All These Changes?
by Mike Neff
Earning Respect at Forefront for Incoming Sprint Cup Rookies
by Zach Catanzareti
The Frontstretch Five (Plus One): Things We Learned From NASCAR's State of the Sport
The Frontstretch Five (Plus One): Things We Learned From NASCAR's State of the Sport
by Amy Henderson
by Beth Lunkenheimer
Lights, Camera, Action? It's Nothing New for Jeff Gordon
Lights, Camera, Action? It's Nothing New for Jeff Gordon
by Zach Catanzareti
~~~~~~~~~
FRONTSTRETCH TRIVIA:
Q: In 2004, Tony Stewart was in position to claim overall victory in the Rolex 24 in the very first race for the Crawford chassis. However, trouble reared its head in the final hour. What happened?
Check back Tuesday for the answer, here in the Frontstretch Newsletter!
Friday's Answer:
Friday's Answer:
Q: NASCAR drivers actually have quite a long history in major American endurance races. Jamie McMurray's overall win in last year's Rolex 24 at Daytona is just the latest example. Prior to McMurray, who was the last Sprint Cup Series regular to claim a class victory at Daytona?
A: You didn't need to look back all that far. In 2013, Juan Pablo Montoya was part of Ganassi's winning quartet of drivers (along with INDYCAR racer Charlie Kimball, Scott Pruett and Memo Rojas). In the No. 01 Ford Riley DPG3, Montoya was very aggressive, much to the dismay of some sports car veterans.
Before that, AJ Allmendinger was part of the winning team overall along with the late Justin Wilson, Oswaldo Negri, Jr. and John Pew in 2012. 2011 saw then-Sprint Cup regular Andy Lally claim the GT-class win (with Camping World Truck Series regular Brendan Gaughan as part of the driving team), despite a faulty clutch.
~~~~~~~~~~
COMING THIS WEEK AT FRONTSTRETCH:
COMING THIS WEEK AT FRONTSTRETCH:
We'll have coverage of the action from this weekend's Rolex 24 at Daytona International Speedway. This will include news articles, practice reports, qualifying recaps and race recaps.
-----------------------------
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©2015 Frontstretch.com
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!
©2015 Frontstretch.com
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