Monday, April 11, 2016

The Frontstretch Newsletter: Kyle Busch Breaks Out the Broom Again in Texas

THE FRONTSTRETCH NEWSLETTER
Presented by Frontstretch.com
The Best Seat at the Track, The Best View on the Net!
Apr. 11, 2016
Volume X, Edition XLVIII

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NEW POSTING: SALES & BRANDING MANAGER

Frontstretch is seeking a dynamic, creative individual to head our sales team. This self-starter would be responsible for the following:
- Engaging new partners and taking the lead in brokering agreements for sales & advertising across all Frontstretch outlets: Website, Newsletter, Podcast, and video content
- Responding to exposure inquiries from potential advertisers
- Working with our social media team to enhance the marketing and branding experience for our advertising clients

The position will be a direct report to our Business and Financial Manager, a position that also will work closely with the Majority Owner and Social Media team. A fast-growing website whose writers have won multiple NMPA Awards, the Frontstretch is well-positioned for success in 2016 and has a healthy audience of over seven figures per year. The role, while initially commission-based offers a generous percentage and perks down the road for this startup company. Frontstretch management has, in many cases been in place for nearly a decade before becoming a for-profit website and we're excited to welcome the right person into this family atmosphere.

Interested parties should email tbowles81@yahoo.com with a short note on why they're interested and their current resume. 
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What to Watch: Monday

- Today, the teams are back at work, prepping for this weekend's action at Bristol Motor Speedway.  Meanwhile, many of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship teams are already on their way to Long Beach for this weekend's first sprint race of the year (hauler parking is Wednesday morning).  If any news breaks, we'll have it for you at Frontstretch.

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Monday's TV Schedule can be found here.
 
Top News
by the Frontstretch Staff

Kyle Busch Sneaks by Martin Truex, Jr. for Texas Sweep

Kyle Busch took the lead away from Martin Truex, Jr with 33 laps to go and pulled away to take his second straight weekend sweep in a race that was completely dominated by Joe Gibbs Racing or JGR-affiliated teams.  Dale Earnhardt, Jr. was second, followed by Joey Logano, Jimmie Johnson and Chase Elliott.  Read more

Austin Dillon Triggers Late Multi-Car Crash

For Austin Dillon, Saturday night was another strong run  where he kept the No. 3 Chevrolet in the hunt.  However, late in the going, Dillon was tapped by Denny Hamlin and shoved up the track into Jimmie Johnson.  Dillon tried to save it, but could not.  By the time the smoke cleared, 13 cars had been damaged and Dillon's night was ruined.  He would eventually finish two laps down in 19th.  Read more

Martin Truex, Jr., Carl Edwards See Dominant Race Slip Away

Kyle Busch may have won on Saturday night, but the race was dominated by Martin Truex, Jr. and Carl Edwards.  Truex finished sixth after running afoul of the dominant pit strategy late, while Edwards had a loose wheel and had to stop under green.  He eventually finished seventh after getting a Lucky Dog.  The two combined to lead 265 of the 334 laps.  Read more

Chase Elliott Scores Career-Best 5th in Duck Commander 500

For Chase Elliott, Texas was a very good weekend.  Elliott qualified fourth on Thursday night, but the team found an issue with the transmission, forcing a change.  Despite starting at the rear of the field Saturday night, Elliott charged through the field and brought his NAPA Auto Parts Chevrolet home in a career-best fifth.  Read more

Kyle Busch Dominates O'Reilly Auto Parts 300 for 4th Win

On Friday night, Kyle Busch dominated the XFINITY Series teams once again.  Busch led 150 of the 200 laps en route to his fourth win of the season and his record 80th in the series.  Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Erik Jones was second, followed by Brad Keselowski and all four JR Motorsports entries (Chase Elliott, Dale Earnhardt, Jr., Justin Allgaier and Elliott Sadler).  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.

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Chasing the Chase: Kevin Harvick Loses Some of his Advantage
by Beth Lunkenheimer

The Duck Commander 500 brought with it a new point leader. Race winner Kyle Busch leapfrogged two positions and now holds the top spot. Busch led twice for just 34 laps, including the final 33 en route to his second consecutive victory and now joins Jimmie Johnson, who moved up to second, as the only two drivers with multiple wins at this point of the season. The driver of the No. 48 Chevrolet had an eventful day that began with contact on pit road with the eventual race winner and included getting a small piece of the 13-car pileup triggered by Austin Dillon.

Last week's leader Kevin Harvick, who struggled with the handling on his car for most of the weekend, managed to pull out a tenth-place finish, but it wasn't enough to keep him from dropping two spots in the standings. He now sits third, seven points behind the leader.

Carl Edwards was one of the two dominant cars Saturday night at Texas until a loose wheel derailed his efforts. Though he went a lap down, Edwards received the free pass under the sixth caution and was able to recover for a seventh-place finish, allowing him to remain fourth and lose only minimal ground to the leader. Meanwhile, Joey Logano quietly brought home a third-place finish, allowing him to remain in the top 5.

After starting 16th, Dale Earnhardt, Jr. recovered to a runner-up finish, which propelled him up three spots to sixth. Kurt Busch, who struggled with handling much of the night used late-race adjustments and a strong restart to recover to ninth; he now sits as the sole driver seventh in points.

Denny Hamlin and Brad Keselowski now sit tied for ninth. Keselowski dropped three spots and lost 14 points of his margin to the leader, though he does have the Las Vegas win to fall back on. Much like Keselowski, Austin Dillon dropped three spots to tenth after triggering a 13-car pileup with less than 50 laps to go, while Martin Truex, Jr. remains 11th.

Matt Kenseth gained a little ground on the competition ahead of him and sits tied for 12th with Jamie McMurray. Rookie Chase Elliott moves up two positions, while last week's runner-up, AJ Allmendinger, dropped three to 15th. Kasey Kahne, who celebrated his 36th birthday on Sunday, moved up two positions to 16th.

Point Standings (1-16): 1) Kyle Busch 259, 2) Jimmie Johnson -6, 3) Kevin Harvick -7, 4) Carl Edwards -18, 5) Joey Logano -25, 6) Dale Earnhardt, Jr. -48, 7) Kurt Busch -51, t-8) Denny Hamlin -58, t-8) Brad Keselowski -58, 10) Austin Dillon -61, 11) Martin Truex, Jr. -72, t-12) Matt Kenseth -88, t-12) Jamie McMurray -88, 14) Chase Elliott -91, 15) AJ Allmendinger -93, 16) Kasey Kahne -98.

Race Winners: Denny Hamlin (Daytona), Jimmie Johnson (Atlanta, Auto Club), Brad Keselowski (Las Vegas), Kevin Harvick (Phoenix), Kyle Busch (Martinsville, Texas)
Beth Lunkenheimer is the Content Director at Frontstretch.  She can be reached via e-mail at beth.lunkenheimer@frontstretch.com.
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Letter of the Race: Saturday night's Duck Commander 500 was brought to you by the letter "S," for Staid.  Often times, races that are delayed by rain see drivers approach the race in a slightly less aggressive fashion.  The idea is that they're already going to get out of there later than planned, so let's get the race over with as quickly as possible.  Of course, having said that, there are exceptions to that rule.   - Phil Allaway

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Quotes to Remember: Duck Commander 500
compiled by Beth Lunkenheimer

"This Interstate Batteries Camry was fast. It had really good speed in entry and the center of the corner, but we really had to work on the exit of the corner. I think the race track kept coming to us as the night progressed, too. I can't say enough about Norm Miller, Scott Miller and the whole Interstate Batteries – they're great partners with us. What better way than to celebrate 25 years of a partnership than right here in Victory Lane with them in their hometown here in Texas." - Kyle Busch, race winner

"We got a little behind and got caught on pit road on that one caution. We finished up there where we should have. We need a win. We'd love a win; I know our fans want a win really bad. Trust me man, we're all working really hard and running great every week. Hopefully that's fun for everyone to watch. I had a blast inside the car - a lot of sliding around sideways and good, hard racing. We'll go to the next one I guess and try again." - Dale Earnhardt, Jr., finished second

"I'm proud of what my race team did. This Shell/Pennzoil team executed perfectly today. We may not have had the fastest car – we obviously didn't have the fastest car – but we executed into a top-3 finish, and I'm very proud of my team for that. We had great pit stops and great calls, so everything worked out well." - Joey Logano, finished third

"We overcame a lot today. On that first pit stop, everyone was checking up and I hammered the back of the 18. We had to fix damage on the nose, and it wasn't pretty. There's a big hole up front and that couldn't have been helping us at all. I'm thankful for the great equipment and the fight that these guys have because with all the damage and adversity we went through tonight, to come home fourth is really good for this Lowe's Chevrolet." - Jimmie Johnson, finished fourth

"It was a step in the right direction. We're definitely not satisfied running fifth. I feel like we have a group of guys that are capable of doing that. We'll keep digging at it. We have a long way to go with a lot of racing to go in the season. We'll keep working to get where we can roll with those guys." - Chase Elliott, finished fifth

"The final caution really hurt us. The caution before (lap 289) we took the lead on the restart and our Bass Pro Shops/TRACKER Boats Toyota was driving away. When the race restarted for the final time we just didn't have the grip everybody else had. It's frustrating, but that's the way it goes sometimes. I am proud of my guys for the race car they brought here to Texas -- it was fast all night. It hurts not to have won this race, but we'll have other opportunities." - Martin Truex, Jr., finished sixth

"We just battled. We got behind, got a lap down early again and we just had to fight back. The team did an awesome job to do that. There at the end we were actually pretty competitive the last probably 250 laps, like really competitive. Once we got back up there [on the leade lap] I think we were definitely a top 10 car and we finished eighth. It was the best we have done in a long time. It feels nice." - Kasey Kahne, finished eighth

"All through practice we fought loose conditions, all through the race we fought tight conditions. We've changed a ton of stuff to try to find the balance. We will keep trying to zero in on it. I was ready for the restarts and that is what helped us. The pit crew had a good stop on the last stop and then I had a good restart and is what gave us a top 10." - Kurt Busch, finished ninth

"It was miserable (laughs). Everything from top to bottom wasn't good. We just battled the car all weekend and never really got it right. So, chalk that one up to experience and we'll move on to something else and keep trying to get better. That's really what it was all about was trying to get better. But we definitely struggled with it all weekend." - Kevin Harvick, finished tenth

"We were hoping that caution didn't happen. We probably could have had a shot at the win there, I think, if it stayed green. We were good to the end on gas and those guys were going to have to come again. We were on fresh tires, so we went for it and it just didn't work out unfortunately. I was really happy with my car today and at times we were the fastest car on the track and that's all you can ask for, so I'm real happy with that. This was a gamble we're willing to take to go for the win." - Trevor Bayne, finished 15th

"Our Zest Ford was really solid all night. We ran in the top 10 the whole race and didn't get the finish that this team deserved. Anytime you start moving up and running further up front those pit crews up front are a lot better than the ones we're used to competing with, so it was good the guys on pit road did a great job, especially since we had a fill-in there on the rear, but all in all I'm really happy with the weekend with our qualifying effort and the way we ran. It's just a bummer that we got a little damage there at the end. I didn't really have a chance after that." - Ricky Stenhouse, Jr., finished 16th

"It wasn't as good of a night as we wanted, but we tried some out of the box things trying to be better here for when the Chase comes, which having a win gives us that luxury, but it just didn't pay off." - Brad Keselowski, finished 18th

"The car was really finicky today and just made it hard to decide what kind of feedback to give Donnie. I had to really think hard today about what the car was doing. Fortunately, our best adjustment came at the end of the race when it matter most and we were able to pick up a few spots in the last 50 laps." - Landon Cassill, finished 25th

"We made some progress. It was a long night with the rain delays and everything early on, but once we got rolling we were able to keep a pretty good pace. We started working on it and got it a lot closer as we went, so I'm really proud of the guys for that. It was a big improvement from where we started the race and we've got some good notes for the next time we come back." - Chris Buescher, finished 28th

"It was a long day. That wreck just finally ended it for us. It's unfortunate. I was really proud of the effort by the guys all weekend, and it was great having TaxAct Military Files Free on the car. We fought the handling throughout the race. We thought we were good the first run. We kind of lost it after that, but we still worked hard on it. The guys kept making it a little better. We just couldn't get what we needed. It wasn't our night." - Brian Vickers, finished 37th (Crashed out)

"I got hit by the 5. I'm not sure what happened. He just got in the back of me and turned me around and got me up in the fence. It's unfortunate. We had a decent run going and a pretty good night. We were fighting for the lucky dog to get on the lead lap. We were faster than quite a few of those guys on the lead lap at the back of the field, so it's unfortunate we didn't get a chance to race with them." - Greg Biffle, finished 39th (Crashed out)

Beth Lunkenheimer is the Content Director at Frontstretch.  She can be reached via e-mail at beth.lunkenheimer@frontstretch.com.

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by Aaron Bearden

by Bryan Gable

by Huston Ladner

by Zach Catanzareti

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FRONTSTRETCH TRIVIA:

Q:  The 1989 Valleydale Meats 500 at Bristol was a caution-plagued race.  At the time, it set an all-time Cup Series record for cautions in a race with 20 (since then, the 2005 Coca-Cola 600 broke the record with 22, while two Bristol races have had 20).  In the 1989 race, Ernie Irvan was an unexpected star driving D.K. Ulrich's No. 2 Pontiac, inserting himself into the conversation and leading laps.  Unfortunately, Irvan's day came to a grinding end.  What happened?

Check back Tuesday for the answer, here in the Frontstretch Newsletter!

Friday's Answer:

Q:  During Thursday's coverage of Sprint Cup practice from Texas, Jeff Gordon described how the track flattens out significantly at the exit of turn 4.  However, Gordon was referring to the revised setup.  When was turn 4 at Texas re-profiled to make the corner less likely to throw drivers into the wall?

A: Due to the original dual track design, the track severely flattened out exiting turn 4 because of the high-banked stock car track and the low-banked open-wheel track (never raced) meeting there.  The effect was that it all but threw drivers into the wall.  The current design for the exiting of turn 4 was created in 1998 after the second Cup weekend.  The cost was $150 million, three-quarters' of the original cost to build the track.
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COMING TOMORROW

In The Frontstretch Newsletter:
We'll have breaking news from Monday, Tom Bowles gives you a stats breakdown of Texas in Numbers Game 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 following Saturday night's action in Texas.
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