Wednesday, September 25, 2013

The Frontstretch Newsletter: Quicken Follows Newman

THE FRONTSTRETCH NEWSLETTER
Presented by Frontstretch.com
The Best Seat at the Track, The Best View on the Net!
September 25th, 2013
Volume VII, Edition CLXXVII
 
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Frontstretch Readers - You can win 2 FREE tickets to this week's AAA 400 at Dover along with 2 free FanVision rentals for the same weekend. All you need to do is answer the trivia question below and e-mail it to: FrontstretchTrivia@gmail.com. The first correct response will win!

 

NOTE: This offer is for tickets only. Travel to the track and accommodations are NOT included.

 

In Monday's Pace Laps article, Mike Neff mentioned that this year's Whelen All-American Series champion tied a record. Who won this year's National Championship and what record did he tie?


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Top News
by Tom Bowles

Quicken Loans Joining RCR In 2014

One of Ryan Newman's big sponsors is making its way over with him to Richard Childress Racing. Quicken Loans, currently a primary on Newman's No. 39 car with Stewart-Haas Racing will fill the same role, next season for 12 races on Newman's new ride, the No. 31 RCR Chevrolet. In their third year together, the partnership hopes they can deliver on what they feel is a potential championship opportunity in the making.

"Ryan has shown that he is not only an incredible race car driver, but also someone with great integrity and class," said Jay Farner, President and Chief Marketing Officer of Quicken Loans in a release announcing the move. "The way Ryan has handled some very tough situations this year, while also continuing to ignore the noise and perform at a high-level, made our decision to stick with him a no-brainer. He embodies what we stand for each and every day."

"Quicken Loans has been an integral member of my team and we continue to build on what has been a fantastic partnership," Newman added. "I will do my very best to perform on and off the track next year and well beyond."

The announcement leaves Childress' No. 31 team fully-funded for next year; Caterpillar is expected to pick up the majority, if not all the remaining events. Cheerios, which had backed the No. 31 car in 2013 is widely expected to jump to a newly-numbered 3 car next season with Austin Dillon (formerly Kevin Harvick's No. 29).

Wonder Bread Announced As Sponsor For Kurt Busch

Wonder Bread is back... not just in the stores but in NASCAR. Flowers Foods, which bought the brand when its maker went bankrupt in July has signed a one-race deal to back the No. 78 Furniture Row Racing Chevrolet at Talladega. Kurt Busch, who will drive will have a paint scheme similar to the No. 26, Wonder Bread car made famous with the movie Talladega Nights.

"There is nothing more American than Wonder bread and NASCAR," said Keith Aldredge, Flowers Foods' vice president of marketing in a press release. "We're thrilled to be partnering with Kurt Busch and the Furniture Row Racing team to debut the Wonder car at the Talladega Superspeedway. Having such an incredible driver wear the bright colors of Wonder will make for a truly memorable all-American race experience."

It's not the first time Busch has driven a Talladega Nights-themed car. James Finch painted the Phoenix Racing car up in a No. 51, ME scheme for his driver last season.

News 'N' Notes

- TV ratings for the Cup race at New Hampshire, on ESPN came in above expectations. The race drew a 2.4 Nielsen rating, up nine percent from last year's 2.2 and saw growth from 3.5 to over 3.7 million viewers. At the track, the race was also successful, with the track drawing a near-sellout crowd during a season where other venues have struggled to sell tickets.

- In a move that was widely expected, Jimmy John's formally announced it was following driver Kevin Harvick to Stewart-Haas Racing in 2014. The sandwich company is stepping up its commitment, backing the car for 12 events in the newly-numbered No. 4 Chevrolet. Rheem, the vacuum company is expected to finish off this sponsorship package, leaving the team fully-funded for 2014.

Have news for Tom and 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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Today's Featured Commentary
Will Dover Awaken the Sleeping Giant?
WTF Wednesdays
by Ellen Richardson

In what started as and has been a rather quiet week in motorsports, the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series is headed to one of my favorite tracks of the 2013 Chase for the Sprint Cup – Dover International Speedway. In what should be a true battle to determine who has the talent to survive in this sport, I can't help but wonder... will the Concrete Mile awaken a sleeping giant?

As all fans I am sure are aware by now, there has been unforeseen controversy surrounding the start to the Chase, causing what I like to consider the biggest pink elephant in the room possible.  In fact, it seems that this season's Chase drivers, as well as those trying to race their way into a ride next season, seem to be tip-toeing around on glass.  The latest case in point? Last Sunday's Sylvania 300 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. I know, you may be thinking – is Ellen going to continue to complain about every race until the season ends?  Let me calm your fears and say that I am as hopeful as any longtime NASCAR fan to scream a defiant "NO" to this question. 

But the complaining won't be stopping this week. Proving my point, where this race could have opened with a highlight of the talented drivers that would compete for what should continue to be considered "the golden Cup," instead fans were treated to the same old, same old. Up front, we have a hum drum background story of two drivers they are now supposed to have empathy enough to cheer for, based on their off-the-track activities versus where the focus should be: on the track.

As this race continued, fans were treated to so many long green-flag laps that I can't help but admit I dozed off.  The most exciting part of this race actually awoke me out of this blissful sleep, when Kasey Kahne's hopes slipped between his fingers after hitting the wall prior to this dull race's conclusion.  The shame of this incident was much more than Kasey's hopes for a win evaporating but also the confusing interview with Dr. Jerry Punch after.  I have actually watched this interview three times and continue to wonder if Kahne was either afraid to say the wrong thing or if his rather hard hit actually knocked every brain cell out of his head?

As the race got back to green and I tried to focus, I couldn't help but turn to fans, via social media, to find out their thoughts on yet another ho-hum, disappointing race.  It was only a matter of seconds before noticing a barrage of comments from friends who mentioned that they would be better off watching paint dry.  This definitely seemed the consensus, as at track fans were walking around and appeared to be searching for the one ounce of excitement that might be available inside the final 20 laps. The one silver lining to watching what I am hoping continues to be the sport that I am most passionate about – witnessing a truly talented driver, Matt Kenseth, continue to defy the odds and pick up his second Chase win. 

Despite this fact, I can't help but hope that the Monster Mile can truly bring the beast back out in the drivers who once thought that driving was more than a job, but a passion.  The promoters of Ron Howard's latest top seller, Rush, couldn't have summed up what I used to feel was the true heart of NASCAR and the Chase any better -  "More powerful than anything is the will to WIN."

Let's just hope that this longing spirit flows into those who are supposed to be the top level drivers in this sport, leaving fans to be treated to the once-exciting racing that we all continue to clamor for.  Otherwise, we will be left hoping that Miles will actually awaken and stomp around the concrete mile crushing all those who get in his way.  What a great way to yell, WTF?
      
Ellen Richardson is a Newsletter Contributor for Frontstretch.com.  She can be reached via e-mail at frontstretcheditors@googlegroups.com. Follow her on Twitter @EllenNRich.

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GOT A NASCAR QUESTION OR COMMENT? WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU!
That's right; our Fan Q & A column is back once again in 2013. Send your question Summer Bedgood's way at summer.bedgood@frontstretch.com and if you're lucky, you'll get your name in print on Thursday when she does her weekly column. It's all part of our daily mission to give back to you – the fans that keep Frontstretch afloat!

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Tweet 'N' Greet
by Kevin Rutherford

Editor's Note: With the NASCAR Twitter community expanding by leaps and bounds, it remains a place for instantaneous news, reactions, and a whole lot of inside jokes. We understand if you don't want to join the Twitter community - but as a fan, it's important to know the news and info you're missing out on! That's why, every week, Kevin Rutherford will sort through the thousands of messages and give us a little taste of what's going on each Wednesday.

So, without further ado, here's a look at what those in NASCAR were thinking over the past seven days...

@RyanBlaney22: Wow that's a great #22 team right there. Honored to be able to drive it. @FordRacing @DiscountTire couldn't do it without you.

@kaseykahne: Sore today but you'll have that when you hit walls. Was racing hard with the 55 and lost it. Feel bad for my guys, will be ready for Dover

@JimmieJohnson: How about the 20 car? @MurphyMark12: I find it funny how all these "NASCAR fans" are giving up on the sport because JJ is dominating it.

@pkligerman (Parker Kligerman): Congrats to @RyanBlaney22 though, after being close to doin that last year in that car myself. It's cool 2 see him get it done! #Welldone

@keselowski (Brad Keselowski): Shhhh! Haha, yes he is. @jim_utter: Somebody might wanna pick up that Blaney kid. He could be a keeper :)"

@CoreyLaJoie: Winner winner 🐔🐔🐔🐔 dinner. It sure makes all the late nights worth it right here. #3forDale #confettifalling pic.twitter.com/ERkMrJaGNq

@bscottracing (Brian Scott): Thanks for all the kind notes! Im extremely excited for my @NASCAR Sprint Cup debut @CLTMotorSpdwy in the #33. Can't wait 4 that horsepower!

@JeffGordonWeb: Thinking of u @SteveByrnes12 and sending best wishes to u and ur family at this time.

@MartinTruexJr56: BREAKING NEWS: my wrist has not healed at all yet...

@AndyLally: It is 1000% OK to road rage on any asshat that doesn't pull over for a fire truck or ambulance.

@Kenny_Wallace: Still amazes me to this day at age 50 how people get up at 5-5:30 a.m and act like it's NOON?

@KurtBusch: Where've U been? "@Kenny_Wallace: While at Starbucks I FINALLY asked Whats in a "LATTE"? I learned the word "Expresso" means STRONG Coffee."

@KevinHarvick: Apparently mashed potatoes are not Keelan's favorite... http://instagram.com/p/edg-_XRkCJ/

@BlakeKochRacing: He says all done!! http://instagram.com/p/eaNH6iOl6R/

@alexbracing (Alex Bowman): Another team's hauler hit a bear... robbybenton describes said bear. http://instagram.com/p/efEP8tiJEs/

@BubbaWallace (Darrell Wallace Jr.): Don't be late for dinner... @elliott_sadler #thatwalktho http://instagram.com/p/eqN3GZCcxZ/

@Elliott_Sadler: You got me... That was funny... Payback !! "@BubbaWallace: Don't be late for dinner..@elliott_sadler #thatwalktho http://Instagram.com/p/eqN3GZCcxZ/ "

@DanicaPatrick: A few people would understand the panic I have because I am out of cinnamon.

@paulieharraka: If you have breakfast at 4:20 AM, what do you call the meal you eat at 9? #hungry

@landoncassill: Choosing a contractor for our house renovation, my decision is based on their ringtones. It's down to "Free Bird" vs Revving Harley engine

Kevin Rutherford is an Assistant Editor for Frontstretch.com. He can be reached via email at kevin.rutherford@frontstretch.com. Follow him on Twitter at @surfwax83.

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Are you looking to advertise your website, product or brand?  A good way to get your name out there is via direct advertising here in the Frontstretch Newsletter! Interested parties can contact us at frontstretcheditors@googlegroups.com for details.

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TODAY ON THE FRONTSTRETCH:

by Tom Bowles
by Toni Montgomery

by the Frontstretch Staff

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FRONTSTRETCH TRIVIA:

Q: The 1993 SplitFire Spark Plugs 500 at Dover was an absolutely crucial race for Rusty Wallace if he wanted to stay in the championship hunt.  Wallace did his part, leading 215 laps and taking the win.  For Dale Earnhardt, the day wasn't all that great by comparison.  What happened?

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

Tuesday's Answer:

Q: The 1996 MBNA 500 at Dover is likely best known for Jimmy Spencer going after Wally Dallenbach, Jr. following a late-race wreck.  However, Derrike Cope had quite a day in his own right, getting involved in a crash with Dale Earnhardt, then being prominently involved in getting Ernie Irvan (who was leading at the time) to crash as well.  However, the end of his day was not even his fault.  What happened?

A: What happened to Cope was somewhat similar to what happened to Burton in 2000 from Monday's question.  With a little more than 30 laps to go, Cope blew a right front tire and went hard into the outside wall while running 22nd.  The car slid down to the apron ablaze before coming to a halt.  The crash can be seen here.

Cope was OK after the wreck, but was out for the day.  He was credited with a 31st-place finish.

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!

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Coming tomorrow in the Frontstretch Newsletter:
-- Top News from Phil Allaway
-- What's Vexing Vito by Vito Pugliese
-- Critic's Annex by Phil Allaway
-- Links to your favorite Frontstretch articles, the Line of the Week and more!

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Tomorrow on the Frontstretch:

Mirror Driving by the Frontstretch Staff
Your favorite Frontstretch writers are back to discuss a variety of weekly storylines. Among them: Does 5-Hour Energy think the sport is scripted?

Frontstretch Fan Q&A by Summer Bedgood
Summer takes on your NASCAR questions and answers them to the best of her ability. Be sure to send your questions in if there's something that's been nagging at you and you might see your name in print.

Fantasy Insider by Jeff Wolfe
Jeff brings fantasy racing back to Frontstretch this season. The week, he has your best bets as you fill out your roster for Dover.

Tech Talk by Mike Neff
Mike has a Sprint Cup Series crew chief stop by to talk about the technical side of NASCAR. This week, Alan Gustafson checks in as the teams head back to the Monster Mile.

Truckin' Thursdays by Beth Lunkenheimer
Beth is back with all of the latest and greatest storylines to come out of the Truck Series. This week, Miguel Paludo checks in with his driver diary.
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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!
©2013 Frontstretch.com

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Posted by Curious ... at 9:53 AM 0 comments

Tuesday, September 24, 2013

The Frontstretch Newsletter: The Next Sprint Cup Debut Goes To...

THE FRONTSTRETCH NEWSLETTER
Presented by Frontstretch.com
The Best Seat at the Track, The Best View on the Net!
September 24th, 2013
Volume VII, Edition CLXXVII
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Frontstretch Readers - You can win 2 FREE tickets to this week's AAA 400 at Dover along with 2 free FanVision rentals for the same weekend. All you need to do is answer the trivia question below and e-mail it to: FrontstretchTrivia@gmail.com. The first correct response will win!

 

NOTE: This offer is for tickets only. Travel to the track and accommodations are NOT included.

 

In Monday's Pace Laps article, Mike Neff mentioned that this year's Whelen All-American Series champion tied a record. Who won this year's National Championship and what record did he tie?
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What to Watch: Tuesday

- Tuesday is usually teleconference day for NASCAR.  This week, two big meetings with the media have been scheduled.  Dale Earnhardt, Jr. will talk to the assembled press at 1:45 PM ET, while Kevin Harvick is scheduled to talk at 3:15 PM ET.  If anything of note comes out of the teleconferences, we'll cover it here.

- Rumors continue to swirl about the future of Martin Truex, Jr., NAPA, and Michael Waltrip Racing. If anything breaks, we'll be sure to cover it on the website with full coverage of 2014 plans revealed.
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Top News
by Tom Bowles

Brian Scott To Make Sprint Cup Debut For RCR

After years of toiling in the sport's lower divisions, Brian Scott is getting his shot at NASCAR's top series. Richard Childress Racing announced this morning Scott will make his Sprint Cup debut with the team, next month at Charlotte driving a No. 33 Chevrolet sponsored by Shore Lodge. The resort out of Idaho, owned by his family will now provide the funding to make a long-awaited dream come true.

"I'm really looking forward to making my Sprint Cup Series debut at Charlotte Motor Speedway," the 25-year-old Scott said in a press release. "I really like the track and it will be really cool to do that in front of the NASCAR home crowd. It's a great opportunity. I'm so thankful to everyone at Shore Lodge and Richard Childress Racing for putting this together and giving me the chance to compete against the greatest drivers in our sport."

Childress, who may still be looking to expand to a fourth team has run the No. 33 at a limited schedule of events this season with grandson Austin Dillon. As for Scott, he'll run double duty, on both the Nationwide and the Cup side for his 199th and 200th start within the sport's top three series, respectively. He's seventh in the Nationwide Series points chase with three top-5 finishes, 12 top 10s, and a pole so far this season.

Valvoline Moving To Hendrick Motorsports

Quaker State is out and Valvoline is in as the official oil partner of one of NASCAR's biggest teams. Valvoline announced this week they'll be a major associate sponsor, across Hendrick Motorsports' four Cup teams in a four-year deal that will run through the 2017 season. The company, which has played a major role in NASCAR for three decades now will also serve as the preferred oil of owner Rick Hendrick's Hendrick Automotive Group. That business, which involves 87 dealerships across the United States will expand the company's reach across North America.

Valvoline, once a primary sponsor full-time in the sport did not indicate how many races, if any they would step up to back one of the Hendrick teams in that capacity. The No. 88 car, driven by Dale Earnhardt, Jr. is the one in particular still looking for additional funding support in 2014.

News 'N' Notes

- NASCAR personality Steve Byrnes, employed by FOX and Turner will take an extended leave of absence to attend to health issues, starting this week. Adam Alexander will take his place on NASCAR's Race Hub program, airing daily on FOX Sports 1. In a tweet, while not revealing the issues Brynes said, "Thanks for kind wishes & prayers. Support for me & my family is overwhelming. Humbled by your kindness."

- AJ Allmendinger, the full-time driver for the No. 47 JTG-Daugherty Racing Toyota next year continues to replace Bobby Labonte for several races on the schedule. Allmendinger is entered at Dover this weekend and will also reportedly drive for the team at Kansas and Homestead. Labonte, still recovering from broken ribs had a hard crash at Loudon on Sunday, the latest in a series of struggles with the team this season. The 49-year-old driver, a former Cup Series champion hasn't finished inside the top 15 since February's Daytona 500.

- Rumor has it a new test, assembled the Monday after the Charlotte race in October will be revolving around a dramatic aerodynamic change NASCAR is attempting for 2014. Not much has been revealed, as of yet other than the Wood Brothers and at least one Toyota team will be in attendance. Sources tell the Frontstretch Toyota has been working on, with NASCAR's approval a new package that could reduce the "aero push" dependency on the sport's Gen-6 brand of race cars.

Have news for Tom and the Frontstretch? Don't hesitate to let us know; email us at ashland10@mail.com with a promising lead or tip.

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GOT A NASCAR QUESTION OR COMMENT? WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU!
That's right; our Fan Q & A column is back once again in 2013. Send your question Summer Bedgood's way at summer.bedgood@frontstretch.com and if you're lucky, you'll get your name in print on Thursday when she does her weekly column. It's all part of our daily mission to give back to you – the fans that keep Frontstretch afloat!

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Today's Featured Commentary
Wishing for the Best for Martin Truex, Jr.
Sitting In The Stands: A Fan's View
by S.D. Grady

Despite the fact Matt Kenseth drove to back-to-back wins on Sunday, leading to plenty of Chase drama that played out in an otherwise dull afternoon at New Hampshire, there is still one story that all of NASCAR is talking about: Martin Truex, Jr. and the departure of NAPA from MWR.

I almost wish we weren't.

I know it seems like we just cannot get away from that fateful moment in Richmond.  No matter how we try to move forward, we keep getting pulled back by the continuation of the fallout and now the anticipation of where everybody will end up.  Yes, at last!  Something to look forward to.

Behind us is the blame; with fines, probations, suspensions, reshuffling and other shenanigans taken care of, now we only have one innocent bystander looking for a new home.

Michael Waltrip Racing let Martin Truex, Jr. know that with the departure of their full-time sponsor NAPA, at the end of the 2013 season, they would not hold him to the end of his three-year contract.  If he wishes to look for a new situation, he is free to do so; and now, conjecture is running amok in the garage area.  Where will Truex go?

Admittedly, it's late in the year and many open seats already have drivers lined up for 2014.  With that said... it would make sense for Truex to walk away from "The Spin."  After all, he has only suffered from the actions of his team.  Tainted through association, I haven't seen a single negative word tweeted surrounding the driver of the No. 56 Toyota.  I looked upon his hauler and car with more than a bit of wistful sorrow at Loudon this weekend.  He did nothing to deserve the exclusion from the Chase.  He is clearly the victim, and it would finally feel as if justice were served if he did find a new, well-funded home.

Where can he go?  There's a plethora of possibilities, if we believe in crystal balls and fairy dust.  It would be the best of all worlds if we read the headline, "Truex to Head Fourth Team at RCR with Full Sponsorship by NAPA."  Or Gibbs or even Furniture Row.  There's no doubt in anybody's mind that the 33-year-old pilot is capable of easing into any available major stable.  If NAPA stopped to consider their position for a moment, wouldn't the black eye their brand suffered be greatly diminished by following the one true victim in this entire debacle?

There were even a few moments during the Sylvania 300 where the No. 56 was in the lead, making the Magic Mile fill with anticipation. It was then, as the possibility arose when I pondered what it would do for NASCAR to see Truex in Victory Lane. 

The more I think about it, the more it is clear: While NASCAR's image has been greatly damaged by the actions of more than a single individual during the Richmond race, it is still people that make up the teams and fill the stands.  We were hurt, too.  Our belief in good sportsmanship and the integrity of our weekly heroes was all severely shaken.  Martin Truex, Jr. has somehow become the one to represent the innocent when all is not quite right in NASCAR.

He needs a new contract.  It would further shore up my confidence in our sport if NAPA decided to go with him.  I need a little bit of happy ever after right about now.  Truex does, too.

Kyle Larson Stat

Series: Nationwide
Track: Kentucky
Car: No. 32 Clear Men Scalp Therapy Chevrolet
Qualified: 19th
Finished: 33rd (DNF, brakes, 102 laps down)
Point Standings: 9th

Want to follow Kyle Larson yourself?

Twitter: @KyleLarsonRacin
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KyleLarsonRacing
Website (under construction): http://kylelarsonracing.com/
Looking for a little history? Try... http://kylelarsonracing.net/

S.D. Grady is a Senior Editor for Frontstretch and runs a NASCAR blog called the S-Curves. She can be reached via e-mail 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.
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Numbers Game: Sylvania 300
by Tom Bowles

0
Top-10 finishes in the last three races, by Joey Logano after running off six straight to put him in position to make the Chase.

1
Victory for Matt Kenseth, now in 28 career starts at New Hampshire.

2
Wins in two races for Matt Kenseth to start this year's Chase. That's only been done twice since NASCAR implemented the playoff format: Greg Biffle (2008) and Tony Stewart (2011).

3
Top-5 finishes for Jamie McMurray this season after a fifth on Sunday. It's the most for him since his three-win season of 2010.

4
Chasers in the top-5 finishing positions on Sunday. Only McMurray, at Loudon has broken the streak of Chasers in the first two races.

6
Top-5 finishes in the Chase, combined in two races from the top 3 drivers in the point standings: Kenseth, Kyle Busch, and Jimmie Johnson.

14
Races since Denny Hamlin has had a top-10 finish. Hamlin, who was 12th at New Hampshire did have his best performance since that eighth place, at Pocono back in June.

51
Pole positions during Ryan Newman's career. However, he only had 17 wins to go with that.

$102,535
Money won by Jeff Burton for finishing eighth. Burton is fully sponsored and in his last year with Richard Childress Racing.

$103,241
Money won by Kasey Kahne for finishing 37th. Kahne did lead 31 laps during the race with his Hendrick Motorsports Chevy before crashing out.

Tom Bowles is the Editor-In-Chief of Frontstretch. He can be reached via e-mail at tom.bowles@frontstretch.com.
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ADVERTISEMENT
Are you looking to advertise your website, product or brand? A good way to get your name out there is via direct advertising here in the Frontstretch Newsletter! Interested parties can contact us at frontstretcheditors@googlegroups.com for details.
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TODAY ON THE FRONTSTRETCH:

Racing To The Point: Bowyer's Real Penalty Might Be Coming
by Brett Poirier
by Brad Morgan
by Phil Allaway

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FRONTSTRETCH TRIVIA:

Q:  The 1996 MBNA 500 at Dover is likely best known for Jimmy Spencer going after Wally Dallenbach, Jr. after a late race wreck.  However, Derrike Cope had quite a day in his own right, getting involved in a crash with Dale Earnhardt, and being prominently involved in  Ernie Irvan (who was leading at the time) to crash as well.  However, the end of his day was not even his fault.  What happened?

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

Monday's Answer:

Q:  Jeff Burton had a great opening segment of the 2000 MBNA.com 400 at Dover International Speedway.  He led laps and was one of the fastest drivers on track.  However, everything went awry just before halfway.  What happened?

A:  Burton was running second when the right front tire blew entering Turn 3, sending the Exide Batteries Ford hard into the outside wall.  The car burst into flames after the hit and coasted to a stop entering Turn 1. The crash can be seen here.

Burton walked away from his Taurus (still aflame at the time), but he was out for the day.  He would be credited with a 36th-place finish.

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 tomorrow in the Frontstretch Newsletter:
-- Top News from Tom Bowles
-- WTF Wednesday by Ellen Richardson
-- Tweet 'N' Greet by Kevin Rutherford
-- Links to your favorite Frontstretch articles, and more!

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Tomorrow on the Frontstretch:

Did You Notice?... by Tom Bowles
Tom has reaction on the biggest issues currently affecting NASCAR, back with his weekly Wednesday column filled with small but important observations about the sport.

Frontstretch Top 10 by the Frontstretch Staff
Your favorite writers are back with their Wednesday dose of NASCAR humor that leaves you laughing. Don't miss out!

Open-Wheel Wednesday by Toni Montgomery
Toni returns with an article about the Izod IndyCar Series as the series continues its month-long break prior to Houston.

NASCAR Power Rankings: Top 15 after New Hampshire compiled by Michael Mehedin
After the first Chase race, Matt Kenseth slightly increased his points lead, thanks to a victory.  Who ended up number one on our power rankings list? Experts you love from across the web, not just Frontstretch rank the drivers heading into New Hampshire as our weekly top 15 poll comes up for a vote once again.

Happiness Is... by P. Huston Ladner
Don't let your life sink into the pits. Huston looks at the bright side of racing stories we've seen in the past seven days.
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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!
©2013 Frontstretch.com

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Monday, September 23, 2013

The Frontstretch Newsletter: September 23rd, 2013

THE FRONTSTRETCH NEWSLETTER
Presented by Frontstretch.com
The Best Seat at the Track, The Best View on the Net!
September 23th, 2013
Volume VII, Edition CLXXVI

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Are you looking to advertise your website, product or brand? A good way to get your name out there is via direct advertising here in the Frontstretch Newsletter! Interested parties can contact us at tony.lumbis@frontstretch.com for details.
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Sprint Cup Race Recap: Kenseth Goes Back to Back, Wins at New Hampshire
by Justin Tucker

Matt Kenseth by all accounts is having a career defining season.  Coming into Sunday's Sylvania 300 at New Hampshire, Kenseth had already won a career-high six races and was looking to become the first driver since Richard Petty to win in his 500th career Cup Series start.  Kenseth would continue his storybook season on Sunday, holding off his teammate Kyle Busch in the closing laps for the second consecutive week to claim the Sylvania 300 for his first career win at New Hampshire.  Kenseth would join Greg Biffle (2008) and Tony Stewart (2011) as the only drivers to win the first two races of the Chase.

Kenseth and Busch would score their second consecutive 1-2 finish for Joe Gibbs Racing as the organization would pick up its fourth Cup Series win in the last five races.

Kenseth spoke of his past struggles at New Hampshire and praised his team following the win.

"For me to win at Loudon, it's more than a stretch, more than a dream," Kenseth said.  "This is probably one of my worst places.  This just shows you how good this team is."

Joe Gibbs Racing has won five of the last seven Sprint Cup Series races dating back to Kyle Busch's win at Watkins Glen in August.  Busch, who came home second on Sunday, expressed disappointment with the finish.

"There's somebody faster, so it doesn't matter how fast I am," Busch said. 

Kenseth praised the entire organization when speaking of their success in 2013.

"It's been a great start for JGR," Kenseth said.  "I just feel like the luckiest guy in the world to be standing here."

Chase drivers would dominate much of the top 10 at Loudon on Sunday.  Joining Kenseth and Busch in the top 10 were Greg Biffle in third, Jimmie Johnson with his second consecutive top 5 finish in fourth, and Jamie McMurray would rally from an early spin to round out the top 5.

Dale Earnhardt, Jr. would come home sixth, while July winner Brian Vickers finished seventh.  Four-time Loudon winner Jeff Burton finished eighth, followed by Carl Edwards in ninth.  Martin Truex, Jr. who dominated much of the early stages of the race, finished tenth.

While Kenseth, Kyle Busch and Johnson strengthened their position in the championship hunt, other chasers would not have as good of days at Loudon.  Kurt Busch would be scored in 13th, while Joey Logano was 14th.  Jeff Gordon came home 15th after a disasterous pit stop late in the race dropped him from the lead to 22nd.

Ryan Newman finished in 16th, while Clint Bowyer was 17th.  Kevin Harvick would fight multiple issues with his No. 29 Budweiser Chevrolet to finish 20th.

Finally, Kasey Kahne ran well for much of the race before losing control underneath Vickers and sliding into the inside wall on the frontstretch with 48 laps to go.  After repairs, Kahne returned to the race, but still finished back in 37th.

A look at Sunday's Sylvania 300 by the numbers.  There were 19 lead changes among 11 drivers, Matt Kenseth would lead all drivers with 106 laps led on the afternoon, 7 cautions for 37 laps would slow the race pace to 107.573 MPH, and margin of victory was .533 seconds.

Next week, the Sprint Cup Series heads to The Monster Mile at Dover International Speedway for the third round of the Chase.  The AAA 400 at Dover goes green at 2:15 P.M. next Sunday.

Justin Tucker is a Newsletter Contributor at Frontstretch. To reach Justin, please contact Newsletter Manager Phil Allaway at phil.allaway@frontstretch.com.

Chasing the Chase: Kenseth Expands Chase Lead With Another Victory
by Phil Allaway

Matt Kenseth kept up his form from Chicagoland Speedway and claimed 48 more points with another victory.  That allowed him to expand his lead, but only by a few markers since teammate Kyle Busch was right behind him once again.  The margin is now 14 points with eight races to go.  Jimmie Johnson is still within striking distance, 18 back.

Despite spending a good chunk of Sunday's race outside of the top-15, Carl Edwards charged in the final segment of the event to finish ninth.  That was enough to move him up to fourth in points.  Greg Biffle made the biggest move this week, gaining six places to move up to fifth after a third-place finish.  That finish also seemed to come out of nowhere, thanks to pit strategy.  Kevin Harvick dropped two places to sixth in the standings after a very quiet run to 20th.

Kurt Busch dropped out of the tie for sixth after finishing 13th Sunday.  Compared to where he was running for much of the event, Kurt is likely pleased with the fact that the No. 78 finished in the top-15.  Two points behind Kurt is Jeff Gordon in eighth, also down one place in the points.  Gordon was one of the best drivers all day, but he was never able to recover from a terrible stop where he pitted from the lead and exited in 22nd.  Ryan Newman, despite winning the pole and leading early, ended up with a disappointing 16th-place finish.  This dropped him to ninth in points.

Clint Bowyer is down one place to tenth in points after finishing 17th.  Bowyer fell victim to a bad pit stop strategy that forced him to pit under green.  The caution then came out when David Gilliland broke his oil cooler, immediately burning him.  Dale Earnhardt, Jr. used an alternate pit strategy of his own, but this one actually worked, rewarding the 39-year old with a sixth-place finish and a two place gain in points.  Joey Logano remains 12th, while Kasey Kahne dropped to 13th after a late race crash.
 
Chase Point Standings: 1) Matt Kenseth 2111, 2) Kyle Busch -14, 3) Jimmie Johnson -18, 4) Carl Edwards -36, 5) Greg Biffle -38, 6) Kevin Harvick -39, 7) Kurt Busch -40, 8) Jeff Gordon -42, 9) Ryan Newman -47, 10) Clint Bowyer -48, 10) Dale Earnhardt, Jr. -62, 12) Joey Logano -69, 13) Kasey Kahne -71.

Non-Chase Point Standings (Top 23): 1) Jimmie Johnson 922, 2) Carl Edwards -11, 3) Matt Kenseth -19, 4) Kyle Busch -26, 5) Kevin Harvick -28, 6) Clint Bowyer -80, 7) Kurt Busch -89, 8) Dale Earnhardt, Jr. -92, 9) Greg Biffle -93, 10) Jeff Gordon -103, 11) Ryan Newman -117, 12) Brad Keselowski -130, 13) Joey Logano -132, 14) Jamie McMurray -136, 15) Kasey Kahne -143, 16) Martin Truex, Jr. -170, 17) Paul Menard -180, 18) Aric Almirola -203, 19) Ricky Stenhouse, Jr. -222, 20) Jeff Burton -228, t-21) Juan Pablo Montoya -229, t-21) Marcos Ambrose -229, 23) Tony Stewart -328.

Best of the Rest Points (14-23): 14) Brad Keselowski 792, 15) Jamie McMurray -6, 16) Martin Truex, Jr. -40, 17) Paul Menard -50, 18) Aric Almirola -73, 19) Ricky Stenhouse, Jr. -96, 20) Jeff Burton -98, t-21) Juan Pablo Montoya -99, t-21) Marcos Ambrose -99, 23) Tony Stewart -198.

Race Winners: Jimmie Johnson (Daytona-1, Martinsville, Pocono, Daytona-2), Carl Edwards (Phoenix, Richmond-2), Matt Kenseth (Las Vegas, Kansas, Darlington, Kentucky, Bristol-2, Chicagoland, Loudon-2), Kasey Kahne (Bristol, Pocono-2), Kyle Busch (Auto Club, Texas, Watkins Glen, Atlanta), Kevin Harvick (Richmond-1, Charlotte), David Ragan (Talladega), Tony Stewart (Dover), Greg Biffle (Michigan), Martin Truex, Jr. (Sonoma), Brian Vickers (Loudon-1), Ryan Newman (Indianapolis), Joey Logano (Michigan-2)

Phil Allaway is the Newsletter Manager and a Senior Writer for Frontstretch. He can be reached via e-mail at phil.allaway@frontstretch.com. Follow him on Twitter at @Critic84.

Never Fear, The Underdogs Are Here: Loudon-2 Edition
by Amy Henderson

Editor's Note: This year, we're going to switch things up a little bit. Instead of just focusing upon one underdog (or underreported) car in the Secret Star section, we will point out three smaller teams that put up good finishes each week.

Underdog Selection No. 1: Casey Mears for Germain Racing; started 34th, finished 25th

Mears and Co. finished at the top of the small-team ladder this week, and based on how they've raced this year, they should be.  But top 20's have turned to top 25's as the season wears on and the bigger teams regain their advantage with the Gen-6 cars.  This team needs to pick things up just a notch to finish the season strong.  The good news: Talladega.  Mears had a top-2 finish in the bag in the fall race a year ago before a bad Tony Stewart block put him in the wall on the final lap.  The No. 13 bunch had a top 10 at Daytona in July as well…they have a shot to end the year with a top 5, if not a win.

Underdog Selection No. 2: David Reutimann and Travis Kvapil for BK Racing; started 35th and 30th, finished 26th and 28th

This week's finish is exactly what a two-car small team needs to have.  Not only were both Reutimann and Kvapil unscathed and in the top 30, they finished close together.  That's a sign that the team is on the right track with its equipment.  If one driver is racing well but not the other, it's an indication that something is missing that the team can't make up for, but if they're having similar finishes, it gives the team a solid platform to build on.  This team needs to improve a bit more, but they're looking more solid than they did in the first half of the season.

Underdog Selection No. 3: Michael McDowell for Phoenix Racing; started 27th, finished 30th

McDowell's finish wasn't stellar; like Germain Racing, Phoenix had a strong start but has fallen back a bit as the bigger teams have gotten a foothold with the updated race car and regained their usual places toward the front.  McDowell is a much better driver than he often gets credit for, and he did a credible job with a team he'd never worked with before.  This team, with new leadership from owner Harry Scott, Jr. and a full-time driver in Justin Allgaier, shows some potential for 2014, but they've backslid a bit in 2013 as a revolving door of drivers is taking its toll.

Underdog Pick of the Week-Dover II: David Reutimann for BK Racing

In this section, I'll give you my pick among the small teams to have a strong run in the upcoming race.

My pick for New Hampshire was JJ Yeley, who had an unassuming day in 33rd, about mid-pack among the little guys.  Nostradamus, I was not this week.

This week, we're off to Dover, a track that's really hard on these little teams.  My pick for the Monster Mile is David Reutimann.  He has a top-5 finish at the track, and a not-too-bad average finish of 20.5.  Bobby Labonte has a better average and 11 top 5's, but he's not on the entry list, and while Casey Mears has more top 10's at Dover and had a strong 16th-place in June, his average is two spots lower, and his team hasn't looked as strong as they did the first time around.

Are you frustrated with the lack of coverage NASCAR's underdogs receive during the race broadcasts? Amy has all the small teams covered each and every week in The Big Six. Be sure to check it out to see how your favorites fared!

Amy Henderson is a Co-Managing Editor and a Senior Writer for Frontstretch. She can be reached via e-mail at amy.henderson@frontstretch.com. Follow her on Twitter at @Writer_Amy.
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Letter of the Race: Sunday's Sylvania 300 was brought to you by the Letter T for "Track Position."  I suppose it's not really a surprise at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, but track position was absolutely crucial on Sunday.  Jeff Gordon was unable to recover from sliding through his pit box while leading.  Clint Bowyer was on an alternate pit strategy and got burned by a caution.  Passing wasn't necessary impossible, but very, very tricky. - Phil Allaway

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Sidebar Stories: Loudon
by Summer Bedgood

Biffle Finishes Third, Earns Best Finish Since Michigan

Greg Biffle's third-place finish at Loudon may not have been surprising for a Chase driver, until you look at Biffle's statistics for the season.  Last Sunday was Biffle's fourth top 5 this year and best finish since winning the race at Michigan last June.

"It was a miracle," said Biffle.  "We didn't pass anybody in the pits, we passed them all on the race track.  I feel really good about how far the team has come.  We had great pit stops, but we just got good at the end and our car really, really took off.  We were able to drive by those guys and get up to third.  We probably reeled in the 20 a full straightaway almost and the 18 – catching them – so it was the most fun I've had in a long time, even though we finished third.  It was about to be good.  The 18 was gonna catch the 20 in the next few laps and I was probably gonna get to the 18's bumper, so it was a lot of fun.  I just wish it was the 325, instead of the 300."

As the series heads to Dover International Speedway this weekend, Biffle is currently fifth in the standings, 38 points back from leader Matt Kenseth.  Dover has been a good track for Biffle in the past.  He has two previous victories on the concrete high banks.

Martin Truex Jr. Dominates at Loudon, Finishes Tenth

Martin Truex, Jr. was easily one of the fastest cars on the track at Loudon, leading a total of 98 laps throughout the course of the day.  This was second only to eventual race winner Matt Kenseth's 106.  The only thing that kept Truex from finishing in the top 5 was near contact from Brad Keselowski as the laps wound down, and the attempt to avoid any contact saw Truex lose some value track position.

"It was great to lead all those laps today for this team and our sponsor NAPA," said Truex.  "New Hampshire has been a tough track for us the last couple of years, so this means a lot.  I can't thank my team for how they persevered throughout everything the last couple weeks. I appreciate it."

Truex is still recovering from being removed from the Chase by NASCAR after NASCAR deemed that Michael Waltrip Racing had manipulated the final race of the regular season in Truex's favor in order for that team to make the Chase.  Truex was docked 50 driver points which knocked him out of the 12 driver field.  Now, he is 16th in points, 40 points behind 14th-place driver Keselowski (NASCAR added a 13th driver to the Chase after the Richmond incident).

To add insult to injury, so to speak, Truex is also driving with a broken wrist that, according to Truex's doctors, isn't healing more than likely due to the strain that is being put on it with Truex continuing to drive.

Joe Gibbs Racing Makes History in Loudon

The first two races of the Chase for the Sprint Cup have been immensely successful for the Joe Gibbs Racing duo of Matt Kenseth and Kyle Busch.  While Kenseth has swept the first two races, winning at both the opening race at Chicago and then last Sunday at Loudon, Busch has finished right behind Kenseth in second in both races.  This is the first time that a team has swept 1-2 in the first two races of the Chase.

"To have a fast car and to be able to do all the right things with adjustments and strategy and pit stops and all that stuff and be out front and win is two different things, so it's just -- I'm thankful to be part of this group, and it's just honestly doesn't really seem real that we won yet today," said Kenseth.

"I can't say enough about the race we ran today," Busch said post-race.  "The guys did a great job of working on it for me and getting me better each and every run.  I felt like we were making gains.  And track position is certainly important, too.  A little tough to pass, but that's been the name of the game here at Loudon for years.  All in all, though, there, those last couple restarts just making some spots, trying to keep spots there on the last one when I spun my tires too much.  But just frustrating sometimes when you feel like you're getting beat on restarts too much."

As expected, Kenseth and Busch are also first and second in the points, respectively.  Kenseth, who now has seven wins to his credit this year, holds a 14 point lead over Busch heading into Dover and with eight races to go.

Summer Bedgood is a Senior Writer for Frontstretch. She can be reached via e-mail at summer.bedgood@frontstretch.com. Follow her on Twitter at @SummerBedgood.

Quotes to Remember: Sylvania 300
compiled by Summer Bedgood

"Yeah, you never go to the track and hope to just get through a weekend, but yet certainly if I had to pick all the races, this is probably one that I had probably more anxiety over than most just because I really feel like I'm the weak link here.  We had a pretty good car in the spring, and I kind of messed it up a little bit, and I was hoping we'd have a good car today and I didn't want to hold them back. I felt a little bit -- I was a little bit worried about this weekend more so than some tracks just because it has been a tough track for me.  It's tough to pass, it's easy to get shuffled back on a restart and not get such a good finish.  Had a great day on Friday, great day of practice, really, really fast in race trim.  We were off just a little bit qualifying, still qualified well, and then really fast on Saturday in race trim.  So I felt really confident with my car today.  To have a fast car and to be able to do all the right things with adjustments and strategy and pit stops and all that stuff and be out front and win is two different things, so it's just -- I'm thankful to be part of this group, and it's just honestly doesn't really seem real that we won yet today." - Matt Kenseth, race winner

"[The] Race was pretty good.  Certainly, we were never as fast this weekend as the 20 was.  They just had a special car.  Sometimes you unload with them, and they're just phenomenal.  The 20 had that here this weekend.  We tried everything to try to keep up with him and to get pace with him, but it was tough to do. I can't say enough about the race we ran today.  The guys did a great job of working on it for me and getting me better each and every run.  I felt like we were making gains.  And track position is certainly important, too.  A little tough to pass, but that's been the name of the game here at Loudon for years.  All in all, though, there, those last couple restarts just making some spots, trying to keep spots there on the last one when I spun my tires too much.  But just frustrating sometimes when you feel like you're getting beat on restarts too much." - Kyle Busch, finished second

"It was a miracle.  We didn't pass anybody in the pits, we passed them all on the race track.  I feel really good about how far the team has come.  We had great pit stops, but we just got good at the end and our car really, really took off.  We were able to drive by those guys and get up to third.  We probably reeled in the 20 a full straightaway almost and the 18 – catching them – so it was the most fun I've had in a long time even though we finished third.  It was about to be good.  The 18 was gonna catch the 20 in the next few laps and I was probably gonna get to the 18s bumper, so it was a lot of fun.  I just wish it was the 325, instead of the 300." - Greg Biffle, finished third

"We weren't where we needed to be to start the race.  We just kept working on it and getting it better and then got it to where we were close in the middle part of the race.  After that we just tried to get our track position back, so it was a good day for the 3M Fusion.  We just came up a little short there at the end.  I think we were a little faster than the 18 and the 20 there, but we ran out of time.  Who knows what would have happened if we had a few more laps, but we'll take it.  This is a track we usually struggle at, but we've been working hard on our short track program, so we'll take it and move on to Dover." - Matt Puccia, crew chief for Greg Biffle

"It was better than we thought it would be.  I felt like we were really going to have to scrap for a top-10, maybe a top-5.  I truthfully feel like we had a shot to win this race, if not run second or third.  Those last couple of restarts lining up on the inside lane just didn't work for anyone.  I'd lose a couple of spots and have to get them back.  Strong, strong performance.  And, again my crew has worked so hard over the last three or four weeks getting ready for Richmond, which didn't go well.  Then getting ready for here which went really well.  It took a lot of hard work to get the end result, but we've got a nice race car for these flat tracks.  I'm looking forward to Phoenix now.  It's good to have a good run here knowing we can go to Phoenix and be competitive too." - Jimmie Johnson, finished fourth

"Yeah, our car was really good even after the crash.  I told you before the race that if we had good track position at the end I thought we could finish good.  It was a really good day for our Linksys car.  Just a fun day racing." - Jamie McMurray, finished fifth

"Yeah, I ran out of rear tires trying to hold him off.  Couldn't get the power down just off the corner and he was a pretty fast car to begin with.  I knew it was going to be difficult to hold him off, but we had a good car yesterday.  Almost as good as it was today.  Just real happy to be able to rebound from earlier on pit road and get a good finish.  The car was fast as heck yesterday, one of the top three cars I thought.  Glad we were able to get a decent finish out of it.  Just want to win one, I'm trying hard." - Dale Earnhardt Jr., finished sixth

"We had an Aaron's Dream Machine capable of winning today, but this place is all about track position and there was a debris caution that really hurt us.  The car ran great all day.  Our Toyota had a lot more laps on the tires than most of the people we were battling.  A seventh-place finish isn't a victory, but it's still a pretty good day and we'll go to Dover and try to bring home the trophy.  Everyone at MWR did a great job today.  I want to thank Kenny Wallace for practicing and qualifying the car on Friday and all the guys working with us this weekend." - Brian Vickers, finished seventh

"I'm pleasantly surprised.  Obviously, we want to be better than that, but we had one run where we got too loose and I went way back, but Jimmy made good calls and the guys did a good job with the car.  At the end, if there were another 100 laps in this thing, I think we could have been up there with Greg, so I was pretty proud of the effort." - Carl Edwards, finished ninth

"It was great to lead all those laps today for this team and our sponsor NAPA.  New Hampshire has been a tough track for us the last couple of years so this means a lot.  I can't thank my team for how they persevered throughout everything the last couple weeks.  I appreciate it." - Martin Truex Jr., finished 10th

"We had a really, really fast car and nothing to show for it.  That's kind of been the story of 2013." - Brad Keselowski, finished 11th

"We didn't hit it right on the adjustments today.  It was nobody's fault, we all agreed what adjustments to make and it just didn't work out.  We struggled with the handling and couldn't make a move to the front with our Furniture Row/Denver Mattress Chevrolet.  While we aren't pleased with where we finished (13th), we fought for every position and gave it our best effort.  There's still a long ways to go in this Chase.  When you're off the way we were today and still finish 13th, I guess it's not all that bad.  But we know we can do much better and we'll keep on plugging away." - Kurt Busch, finished 13th

"This is Loudon for me.  It was nothing different.  It's just such a tricky race track to get around.  At times we had a top seven or eighth-place car, and I think we did even at the end of the race, but we took four there at the end because when we took two earlier, we were really slow.  So we thought we would be on the aggressive side instead of being on the defense side.  Anytime you're on defense you have the chance of getting wrecked and we'd rather be aggressive and passing cars.  I didn't have as good of a last restart as I needed.  I got passed by a couple and passed about three instead, so you had to be in the right lane on that last restart to get a few more and we probably could have finished in the top 10 today.  But it's just so hard to pass.  It is the hardest race track in the world to pass.  It's the most frustrating place I think I've ever been to, so I'm just glad to leave." - Joey Logano, finished 14th

"I'm highly disappointed in myself.  The team put me in a great position.  We had a decent car and then track position made it into a great car.  So it was obviously important to maintain that.  I just came in and slid through.  I hadn't come close to sliding through all day and I guess just leading, I carried a little bit more speed in there and crossed the splitter over the line by an inch and that's all it takes to make a difference between a chance at winning and finishing 15th." - Jeff Gordon, finished 15th

"The 5-hour ENERGY Toyota was fast all weekend, but we stubbed our toe a little today.  We just had a hard time in traffic and couldn't get through the corner like we would have liked.  We gambled on track position and I thought we'd be fine, but that caution right after our pit stop killed us.  It was a tough day overall for the team, but we aren't done yet.  There is still some time in this deal and we plan to make some noise before it's over." - Clint Bowyer, finished 17th

"I thought I won the race there I was driving so hard and finished 18th.  We've been battling consistency here over a run in the race and the good news is we were better today at the end than we were at the start, so we'll just keep plugging away here and try to fix our woes." - Marcos Ambrose, finished 18th

"I really don't know what happened.  Just racing and I'm not sure if there was contact or if I just spun.  I seriously don't really remember how it happened." - Kasey Kahne, finished 37th

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TODAY ON THE FRONTSTRETCH:

by the Frontstretch Staff

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FRONTSTRETCH TRIVIA:

Q:  Jeff Burton had a great opening segment of the 2000 MBNA.com 400 at Dover International Speedway.  He led laps and was one of the fastest drivers on track.  However, everything went awry just before halfway.  What happened?

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

Thursday's Answer:

Q:  The 2003 Sylvania 300 at then-New Hampshire International Speedway was won by Jimmie Johnson.  However, an incident in the race led to a substantial change in NASCAR rules.  What happened?

A:  Shortly after halfway, Dale Jarrett spun and hit the wall exiting Turn 4.  The UPS Ford was heavily damaged and came to rest in the middle of the track.  Now, the field did not get the caution at the line, so drivers attempted to race back to the line, just barely missing Jarrett a lap later.  The wreck can be seen here.

Jarrett was ok, but he was out on the spot.  The near constant violations of the "Gentlemen's Agreement" came to a head here.  A few days later, NASCAR officially banned racing back to cautions and instituted the current field freezing that we have today.  The beneficiary rule was also created here.  Benny Parsons, then of NBC/TNT, coined the term, "Lucky Dog," a few weeks later.  Aaron's later co-opted it as their own.

Frontstretch Trivia Guarantee: Take 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 Tuesday in the Frontstretch Newsletter:
-- Top News by Tom Bowles
-- Fan's View Commentary by S.D. Grady
-- Numbers Game: Sylvania 300 by Tom Bowles
-- Links to your favorite Frontstretch articles, and more!

Tomorrow on the Frontstretch:
 
Five Points To Ponder by Danny Peters
Danny returns for his weekly edition of talking points, which will wrap up the action at New Hampshire and get us ready for Dover.

Who's Hot / Who's Not in Sprint Cup: New Hampshire-Dover Edition by Brad Morgan
Brad gives up something to look forward to going into Dover. He's tracking the trends of the past few weeks to see which drivers are on a tear... or tearing their hair out.

Racing To The Point by Brett Poirier
Brett is back with another commentary to make you think.

Going By The Numbers by Kevin Rutherford
Kevin enlightens us with his weekly statistics column based on trends we've been seeing in the Cup Series so far this season.

Couch Potato Tuesday by Phil Allaway
This past weekend, the Sprint Cup Series raced at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.  Meanwhile, the Nationwide and ARCA Racing Series were both in action at Kentucky Speedway.  How did ESPN and FOX Sports 2 do last weekend?  Find out in our weekly TV critique.
-----------------------------
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!
©2013 Frontstretch.com
Posted by Curious ... at 10:12 AM 0 comments

Thursday, September 19, 2013

The Frontstretch Newsletter: September 19th, 2013

THE FRONTSTRETCH NEWSLETTER
Presented by Frontstretch.com
The Best Seat at the Track, The Best View on the Net!
September 19th, 2013
Volume VII, Edition CLXXV
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Top News
by Phil Allaway

NAPA Leaving MWR At End Of Season

Last week, we reported on the reactions from Michael Waltrip Racing's sponsors to the collusion that took place in the Federated Auto Parts 400.  Needless to say, they weren't exactly pleased.

At the time, NAPA Auto Parts, primary sponsor of the No. 56 Toyota for Martin Truex, Jr., stated that they were launching their own review of their relationship with the race team.  The results of the review would ultimately determine the relationship with MWR.

Early this morning, NAPA publicly announced their decision both on their Facebook page and in a press release.  Simply put, it is curtains.

NAPA announced that they will be leaving the No. 56 team at the end of the season as a result of the Richmond fallout.  They explained their reasoning in a release.

"NAPA announced today that, after due consideration, it has decided to end its sponsorship arrangement with Michael Waltrip Racing (MWR) effective December 31, 2013," wrote Gaylord Spencer, NAPA Auto Parts' Vice President of Marketing Strategy.  "As many of you are aware, NASCAR determined that MWR attempted to manipulate race results at Richmond, Virginia, on September 7, 2013.  NASCAR assessed a large fine, deducted 50 points from each of the three MWR drivers in the race and suspended or banned other members of the MWR team."

"NAPA believes in fair play and we are very disappointed in the actions that led to the NASCAR penalties," Spencer continued.  We have made NAPA' s decision known to MWR and posted a statement on our Facebook page.  There will be significant media coverage and discussion among racing fans and we expect that our decision to terminate our sponsorship will generate additional attention.  The decision was difficult, but we believe is the right thing to do.  We appreciate in advance your support of our marketing efforts. We will continue to evaluate our future position as it relates to motorsports."

Racing Daily, a racing blog which first reported about the news Wednesday night on their Twitter feed, reported that NAPA could potentially be headed to Stewart-Haas Racing.  There, they could serve as a sponsor for either Kevin Harvick (in addition to Budweiser and Outback Steakhouses, see below), or on the currently unnumbered fourth car that will be driven by Kurt Busch.

Shortly after NAPA made their announcement, Michael Waltrip Racing released a statement in response.

"Michael Waltrip Racing respects the decision NAPA announced today following the events at Richmond," the statement reads.  "There is no doubt [that] the story of Michael Waltrip Racing begins with NAPA Auto Parts, but there are many more chapters yet to be written.  MWR has the infrastructure and support of Toyota for three teams plus three Chase-caliber, race-winning drivers.  With the support of our corporate partners, we are preparing to field three teams in 2014. MWR is a resilient organization capable of winning races and competing for the championship and that remains our sole focus."

The announcement ends a 13-year relationship that the chain of auto parts stores has had with team owner Michael Waltrip, dating back to when Waltrip was named the driver of the No. 15 Chevrolet for Dale Earnhardt, Inc.  It also leaves Martin Truex, Jr.'s No. 56 with absolutely no primary sponsorship for the 2014 season (NAPA was one of the few full-season primary sponsors remaining in the Sprint Cup Series).

Outback Steakhouses to Remain with SHR For Two Races

On Wednesday morning, Stewart-Haas Racing announced that Outback Steakhouses, currently a sponsor on the No. 39 of Ryan Newman, will remain in Stewart-Haas Racing's family of sponsors.  There will some changes, though.

With Ryan Newman leaving the team at the end of the season to take over Richard Childress Racing's No. 31, the sponsorship will be on Kevin Harvick's No. 4 Chevrolet.  Outback Steakhouses will drop the number of primary sponsorship races from three to two for both 2014 and 2015.  In addition, in the races that they are not serving as the primary sponsor, they will be on the No. 4 as an associate sponsor on the B-Post.  The existing promotion where fans can get a free bloomin' onion if their car finishes in the top-10 the Monday after the race will continue.

Harvick is very happy to represent Outback Steakhouses starting in 2014.

"It's truly a privilege to represent the iconic Outback brand," Harvick said.  "I'm certainly looking forward to making every Monday a 'Bloomin' Monday'."

Team co-owner Tony Stewart is pleased to continue his organization's association with Outback Steakhouses.

"We're honored to have Outback Steakhouse continue its partnership with Stewart-Haas Racing," Stewart said.  "Outback's reputation for quality food and great service is exceptional, and it's truly a pleasure to be associated with a company and a product that is admired by so many, including myself. We're looking forward to continuing our partnership on and off the racetrack."

Entry List Update:
Note: These entries are accurate as of Wednesday night.  However, they are still subject to change.

Sprint Cup Series Sylvania 300: 43 cars entered

Drivers Ineligible to Earn Points:
No. 30- Kevin Swindell for Swan Racing
No. 33- Tony Raines for Circle Sport, LLC
No. 35- Josh Wise for Front Row Motorsports
No. 40- Landon Cassill for Hillman Racing/Circle Sport, LLC
No. 55- Brian Vickers for Michael Waltrip Racing
No. 87- Joe Nemechek for NEMCO Motorsports/JRR
No. 98- Johnny Sauter for Phil Parsons Racing

Driver Changes:
No. 30- Kevin Swindell is in the seat, replacing Cole Whitt.  This will be Swindell's Sprint Cup Series debut.
No. 47- Bobby Labonte returns to the seat, replacing AJ Allmendinger.
No. 51- Michael McDowell is in the seat, replacing Justin Allgaier.
No. 95- Scott Riggs is in the seat, replacing Reed Sorenson.
No. 98- Johnny Sauter returns to the seat, replacing Michael McDowell.

Since there are only 43 entries, no one will fail to qualify.

Nationwide Series Kentucky 300: 42 cars entered

Drivers Ineligible to Earn Points:
No. 18- Joey Coulter for Joe Gibbs Racing
No. 21- Dakoda Armstrong for Richard Childress Racing
No. 22- Ryan Blaney for Penske Racing
No. 33- Matt Crafton for Richard Childress Racing
No. 34- Jeb Burton for Turner Scott Motorsports
No. 46- JJ Yeley for The Motorsports Group, LLC

Driver Changes:
No. 4- Kevin Lepage returns to the seat, replacing Landon Cassill.
No. 18- Joey Coulter is in the seat, replacing Matt Kenseth.
No. 21- Dakoda Armstrong returns to the seat, replacing Brendan Gaughan.
No. 22- Ryan Blaney returns to the seat, replacing Joey Logano.
No. 23- Harrison Rhodes returns to the seat, replacing Juan Carlos Blum.
No. 24- Ken Butler, III returns to the seat, replacing his brother Brett.
No. 33- Matt Crafton returns to the seat, replacing Kevin Harvick.
No. 34- Jeb Burton is in the seat, replacing James Buescher.  If Burton qualifies, he will be making his Nationwide Series debut.
No. 44- Cole Whitt returns to the seat, replacing Chad Hackenbracht.
No. 54- Drew Herring returns to the seat, replacing Kyle Busch.
No. 74- An unknown driver will be in the seat, replacing Kevin Lepage.
No. 79- Jeffrey Earnhardt returns to the seat, replacing Maryeve Dufault.

Drivers who must qualify on speed:
No. 00- Blake Koch for SR2 Motorsports*
No. 10- Jeff Green for TriStar Motorsports (Guaranteed to start via the Past Champions' Provisional)*
No. 15- Carl Long for Rick Ware Racing
No. 18- Joey Coulter for Joe Gibbs Racing
No. 21- Dakoda Armstrong for Richard Childress Racing
No. 34- Jeb Burton for Turner Scott Motorsports
No. 42- Josh Wise for The Motorsports Group, LLC*
No. 46- JJ Yeley for The Motorsports Group, LLC*
No. 50- Danny Efland for MAKE Motorsports*
No. 52- Joey Gase for Jimmy Means Racing
No. 55- Jamie Dick for Viva Motorsports
No. 74- Unknown driver for Mike Harmon Racing
*- Expected to Start-and-Park

Not Entered:
No. 29- Kenny Wallace for RAB Racing with Brack Maggard
No. 37- Tanner Berryhill for Vision Racing
No. 89- Morgan Shepherd for Shepherd Motor Ventures
No. 98- Kevin Swindell for Biagi-DenBeste Racing

ARCA Racing Series Zloop 150: 31 cars entered

Driver Changes:
No. 06- James Swanson returns to the seat, replacing Wayne Peterson.
No. 0- Wayne Peterson returns to the seat, replacing James Swanson.
No. 15- Erik Jones returns to the seat, replacing Kyle Benjamin.
No. 17- Corey LaJoie returns to the seat, replacing Kyle Hadley.
No. 20- Tom Berte returns to the seat, replacing Caleb Armstrong (from Iowa).
No. 22- Will Kimmel returns to the seat, replacing Austin Wayne Self.
No. 29- Christopher Brown is in the seat, replacing Trevor Edwards.
No. 55- Taylor Ferns returns to the seat, replacing Caleb Armstrong (from Salem).
No. 68- An unknown driver will be in the seat, replacing Michael Lira.
No. 69- Chris Bainey, Jr. returns to the seat, replacing Will Kimmel.
No. 99- Steven Mathews is in the seat, replacing Chris Buescher.

Notable Entries:
No. 02- Josh Williams for Williams Motorsports
No. 5- Bobby Gerhart for Bobby Gerhart Racing
No. 9- Chase Elliott for Hendrick Motorsports
No. 15- Erik Jones for Venturini Motorsports
No. 17- Corey LaJoie for Roulo Brothers Racing
No. 22- Will Kimmel for Cunningham Motorsports
No. 23- Spencer Gallagher for Gallagher Motorsports
No. 25- Justin Boston for Venturini Motorsports
No. 32- Mason Mingus for Win-Tron Racing
No. 44- Frank Kimmel for ThorSport Racing
No. 55- Taylor Ferns for Venturini Motorsports
No. 77- Tom Hessert for Cunningham Motorsports
No. 82- Mason Mitchell for Empire Racing
No. 84- Chad Boat for Billy Boat Racing
No. 90- Grant Enfinger for BCR Racing

Not Entered:
No. 1- Blake Hillard for Hillard Racing
No. 10- Ed Pompa for Fast Track Racing
No. 11- Kyle Weatherman for Fast Track Racing
No. 18- Bill Catania for Catania Motorsports
No. 52- Ken Schrader for Ken Schrader Racing
No. 67- Kimmel Racing

American Le Mans Series International Sports Car Festival presented by Continental: 34 cars entered in 5 classes

Prototype 1 (P1) Entries: 3
No. 0- Katherine Legge/Andy Meyrick for DeltaWing Racing Cars
No. 6- Klaus Graf/Lucas Luhr for Muscle Milk Pickett Racing
No. 16- Tony Burgess/Chris McMurry for Dyson Racing

Prototype 2 (P2) Entries: 4
No. 01- Anthony Lazzaro/Scott Sharp for Extreme Speed Motorsports
No. 02- Ed Brown/Johannes van Overbeek for Extreme Speed Motorsports
No. 551- Ryan Briscoe/Scott Tucker for Level 5 Motorsports
No. 552- Guy Cosmo/Marino Franchitti/Scott Tucker for Level 5 Motorsports

Prototype Challenge (PC) Entries: 8
No. 05- Jon Bennett/Tom Kimber-Smith for CORE Autosport
No. 5- Ryan Dalziel/John Pew for Starworks Motorsport
No. 7- Tomy Drissi/Rusty Mitchell for BAR1 Motorsport
No. 8- Chris Cumming/Kyle Marcelli for BAR1 Motorsport
No. 9- Duncan Ende/Bruno Junqueira for RSR Racing
No. 18- Tristan Nunez/Charlie Shears for Performance Tech Motorsports
No. 52- Dane Cameron/Mike Guasch for PR1 Mathaisen Motorsports
No. 81- Mirco Schultis/Renger van der Zande for DragonSpeed

Grand Touring (GT) Entries: 11
No. 06- Patrick Long/Colin Braun for CORE Autosport
No. 3- Antonio Garcia/Jan Magnussen for Corvette Racing
No. 4- Oliver Gavin/Tom Milner for Corvette Racing
No. 17- Wolf Henzler/Bryan Sellers for Team Falken Tire
No. 23- Townsend Bell/Bill Sweedler for Team West/AJR/Boardwalk Ferrari
No. 48- Marco Holzer/Bryce Miller for Paul Miller Racing
No. 55- Bill Auberlen/Joey Hand for BMW Team RLL
No. 56- John Edwards/Dirk Muller for BMW Team RLL
No. 62- Olivier Beretta/Matteo Malucelli for Risi Competizione
No. 91- Dominik Farnbacher/Marc Goossens for SRT Motorsports
No. 93- Jonathan Bomarito/Kuno Wittmer for SRT Motorsports

Grand Touring Challenge (GTC) Entries: 8
No. 11- Mike Hedlund/Jan Heylen for JDX Racing
No. 22- Jeroen Bleekemolen for Alex Job Racing
No. 27- Patrick Dempsey/Andy Lally for Dempsey Del Piero Racing
No. 30- Henrique Cisneros/Sean Edwards for NGT Motorsport
No. 44- Seth Neiman/Dion von Moltke for Flying Lizard Motorsports
No. 45- Nelson Canache/Spencer Pumpelly for Flying Lizard Motorsports
No. 66- Damien Faulkner/Ben Keating for TRG
No. 68- Jeff Courtney/Madison Snow for TRG
 
Have news for Phil, Summer and 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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Got NASCAR-related questions or comments?
Send them Summer Bedgood's way at summer.bedgood@frontstretch.com; and, if you're lucky, you'll get your name in print when she does her weekly column answering back to you – the fans that keep Frontstretch afloat. Frontstretch Fan Q & A will run on Thursdays with a whole new set of Fan Questions and Answers!

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Today's Featured Commentary
Who Then Now? Furniture Row No. 78 Car Potential Pilots
What's Vexing Vito
by Vito Pugliese

With the revelation last week that Juan Pablo Montoya will not be assuming the seat of the No. 78 Furniture Row Racing Chevrolet, but rather returning to the IZOD IndyCar Series driving for Roger Penske, speculations has surrounded who will replace Kurt Busch for the 2014 season. Since Busch and crew chief Todd Berrier have arrived at the Colorado-based team, Barney Visser's operation has been riding a Rocky Mountain High that it hasn't seen since Regan Smith won the 2011 Southern 500. With Busch exiting at season's end, they must now find a wheelman to replace The Outlaw.

Who then might be a candidate to take over the flat black Chevrolets?

Jeff Burton: This is probably the odds-on most logical choice.  His handling of the announcement that he'd no longer be driving the No. 31 RCR Chevrolet this year was as you would expect from Burton: Conciliatory, classy, and cooperative.  No pulling up railroad ties, salting the fields, and leaving a wake of destruction in his path.  Burton understands he's not the future of RCR, however he can still play an important role in the operation and the development of Austin and Ty Dillon as their burgeoning Cup careers materialize.  Furniture Row's RCR alliance is well-known, and this would be Spock-like logical.  Besides, with nephew Jeb Burton waiting in the wings as he has shown much promise and progression in the Truck Series, this could just prove to be a family tradition in the making.

Bobby Labonte: It's hard to believe its been 13 years since Bobby Labonte won a Cup Championship.  Even harder to believe it's been ten years since he's won a race.  After leaving Joe Gibbs Racing, his stints with Petty Enterprises and JTG-Daugherty Racing have been less than inspired, and kind of an unseemly way for a champion to fade into the background.  Might being the sole focus in a ride that has shown promise once a championship caliber driver is placed in the seat be just the jump-start his career needs – as well as providing Furniture Row some stable veteran leadership.

James Buescher: The 2012 Truck Series Champion and winner of the Nationwide race at Daytona I feel has been a bit overlooked.  He's been gaining ground on Matt Crafton in the Trucks for the last five weeks, and his side-draft pass on Kyle Busch to win at Michigan a few weeks back was no rookie move.  He might be ready to take the next step, though it would seem most likely he'd follow along a Hendrick affiliated path given Turner's association with HMS – and they're moving into the Cup Series with Justin Allgaier in what used to be the No. 51 Phoenix Racing Chevrolets.  However since he's in the Chevrolet camp, and if the team is looking to build long-term around a driver, his qualifications and potential seem like a solid deal.

Mark Martin: At first glance this might be a perfect fit for this team.  Martin has proved to turn around and make an impact at the last three organizations he's been with since leaving Roush Fenway Racing at the end of the 2006 season.  An aborted part-time schedule nearly resulted in a Cup title in 2009, and Michael Waltrip Racing suddenly had three contending cars with the arrival of he and Clint Bowyer in 2012.  Even though Batesville is closer to Boulder than Mooresville is, don't see this happening.  Martin seems ready to move onto the next phase of his career, and his mentoring role with Stewart-Haas and testing for Tony Stewart might be where he's most comfortable.  Besides, lifting weight in thin air probably takes a lot out of you.

David Ragan: The former Roush prodigy who seemed to always be on the cusp of breaking through and making The Chase has been with Front Row Motorsports the past few years, after sponsorship for the former No. 6 flagship was unable to be secured.  Naturally, Ragan finally won a race in his last season with Roush, and since has been biding his time with the small Ford team.  He put the racing world on notice he's a Cup-worthy contender, with his out of nowhere move on former Roush teammate Matt Kenseth to win at Talladega earlier this year.  He's as good as a superspeedway driver as there is, and if Furniture Row wants to make some headlines with a Daytona 500 win – here's your guy.

Vito Pugliese is a Senior Writer for Frontstretch.  He can be reached via e-mail at vito.pugliese@frontstretch.com.  Follow him on Twitter at @VitoPugliese.

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The Critic's Annex: Patrick Dempsey: Racing Le Mans
by Phil Allaway

Hello, race fans.  Welcome back to the Critic's Annex, where we take an additional look at motorsports-related programming.  This week, we take a look at Patrick Dempsey: Racing Le Mans, which looks at the build up to Le Mans for Dempsey and his race team.

However, before we do that, there's some TV related news to mention.  Earlier this week, FOX Sports 1 announced that NASCAR RaceHub will be expanded back to an hour in length starting next week.  The show was cut to a half-hour a month ago after the switchover from SPEED to FOX Sports 1.  Admittedly, I never got around to critquing the half-hour version of NASCAR RaceHub, but from what I could tell, the show just flew by as a half-hour show.  It's meant to be a full hour.

Also of note, I noted in the TV listings in this week's critique that the World Endurance Championship (WEC) race from Austin this weekend would be aired live on FOX Sports 1.  This is not the case.  The series itself received bad information.  Instead, FOX Sports 1 will air a 52 minute highlighted version at a date that is to be determined.  With that done, on to the critique.

I should state before I begin that this will be a critique of the first episode of the four-episode mini-series, which just concluded Wednesday night.  It is the first series off of Velocity that I have critiqued for this column.

Currently, Dempsey races when he can in the American Le Mans Series.  He cannot do it full-time because of his acting responsibilities, but if he's available for races, he's there.  In ALMS, he races in the Grand Touring Challenge (GTC) with Andy Lally as his co-driver.  While he races a Porsche 911 GT3 in ALMS, it is a far cry from the car he would race at Le Mans.

The show starts out by comparing Dempsey to actor-racers of the past, like Paul Newman, James Garner and Steve McQueen.  These men wanted to race, but do it in a way that they would garner respect from their peers.  I suppose that's the best way to go, but it takes a long time to garner that respect.  Ultimately, the show tries to compare Dempsey's racing to Newman's.  Dempsey does have the advantage here in that he was a little younger than Newman when he started racing, although he also got into higher-profile racing much quicker than Newman did.

Originally, Dempsey's plan for Le Mans was to have at it with a P2 prototype.  To that end, they took delivery of a Lola B12/87 chassis.  Unfortunately, this was right about the time that Lola Cars, then owned by former Cup Series car owner Martin Birrane, went bankrupt (again).  As a result, the team was essentially on their own with the race car, never a good thing.  Parts were an issue the whole time the team ran the car, along with the usual teething issues.

There is mention of the rather substantial insurance that ABC has forced Dempsey to take out on himself, three times the price that other drivers pay.  In addition, the insurance requires that Dempsey drive a closed-top car.  It's onerous for him, but the move towards closed-top prototypes in general over the past few years has benefited him.

It appears that if you ask Dempsey, he'd much rather be a racer-actor than an actor-racer.  However, his acting pays his bills and gets sponsors for his team, so it's a necessary evil.  Unfortunately, the acting does get in the way of Dempsey being able to improve his driving to the best of his ability.  For example, two years ago at the Rolex 24, Dempsey was roughly two seconds a lap slower in the No. 40 Mazda RX-8 than his teammates.

As mentioned above, Dempsey's fame helps the team gets sponsorship, but forces outside of his control can affect that sponsorship, just like any other team.  Dempsey's team originally snagged sponsorship from Trina Solar, a Chinese company that manufactures solar panels.  Unfortunately, the industry went in the toilet not too long afterwards, meaning that the backing didn't last.  Still, Dempsey is put in the position of basically having to stump for them, as seen here where he represents them at a trade show in Orlando, then at some other appearances.  Unenviable at best.  It says a lot after an appearance when Dempsey says something along the lines of "I'm going to get drunk now."

Once we get through the talk about Dempsey as a driver, the show goes in-depth on the first two races that Dempsey Racing attempted with the Lola B12/87, which were Laguna Seca and Lime Rock last year.  The descriptions of the weekend were quite descriptive, detailing the various gremlins and issues that the Dempsey Racing team had with the new Lola and Dempsey himself learning how to drive a prototype (he'd never raced one prior to Laguna Seca).  Very informative.  The completionist in me really likes the approach taken.  Also, some fan apparently pulled the kill switch during the Fan Walk at Lime Rock?  Ouch.  Sometimes, you just can't win.

I found the whole show to be quite interesting and very easy to get into.  I also thought that the show's focus was going to be a little more limited.  The series takes place over a period of 15 months.  I went in thinking that it was going to be more along the lines of following the team for eight months, but the approach taken by Velocity allows for the full story of Dempsey Racing over the past couple of seasons. 

There were a number of "talking heads" that were on the show to help tell the story.  These people included Dempsey's wife Jillian, Sam Posey, John Hindhaugh, Skip Barber, Joe Foster, and more.  Posey and Barber were mainly there to talk about Newman.  If there's anything I don't really like here, it is the constant comparisons to Newman.  It's a little much. Despite that, if you get Velocity (not a guarantee), I highly recommend the show.  It's worth a watch.

I hope you enjoyed this look at the first episode of Patrick Dempsey: Racing Le Mans.  Next week, I'll be back with another race that will be critiqued.  Until then, enjoy this weekend's action in Austin, Loudon, Singapore and Sparta.

Phil Allaway is the Newsletter Manager and a Senior Writer for Frontstretch. He can be reached via e-mail at phil.allaway@frontstretch.com.

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Frontstretch Line of the Week


"We'll never know if the Air Titan would have sped up the drying process and helped to get the race started closer to on time, or helped it to resume faster because International Speedway Corporation and the tracks continue to play a game of keep away in the their sandbox."  - P. Huston Ladner, on the Air Titan situation

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Are you looking to advertise your website, product or brand? A good way to get your name out there is via direct advertising here in the Frontstretch Newsletter! Interested parties can contact us at tony.lumbis@frontstretch.com for details.

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TODAY ON THE FRONTSTRETCH:
by Jeff Wolfe

NASCAR Mailbox: Fallout from Richmond Redux Continues to Spill Over
by Summer Bedgood


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FRONTSTRETCH TRIVIA:

Q:  The 2003 Sylvania 300 at then-New Hampshire International Speedway was won by Jimmie Johnson.  However, an incident in the race led to a substantial change in NASCAR rules.  What happened?
 
Check back Friday for the answer, here in the Frontstretch Newsletter!

Wednesday's Answer:

Q:  The 2000 Dura Lube/KMart 300 is best known for the use of restrictor plates to slow the cars, and Jeff Burton winning after leading all 300 laps.  With the one-inch restrictor plates that NASCAR mandated, what kind of RPMs were the teams turning during the race?

A: Officially, the answer depends.  In 2000, there was no gear rule like we have today.  Teams were free to use whatever gear they thought would get the job done.  However, there was a general range where the options fell.  These options resulted in a range in fourth gear at top speed of anywhere from 8000-8300 rpms, which was down roughly 700-1000 rpms from an unrestricted engine of the era.

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!
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Coming tomorrow in the Frontstretch Newsletter:
-- Top News from Justin Tucker
-- In Case You Missed It by Beth Lunkenheimer
-- Keepin' It Short by Mike Neff
-- Links to your favorite Frontstretch articles, trivia, and more!

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Tomorrow on the Frontstretch:

Holding A Pretty Wheel by Amy Henderson
Amy returns this week with another intriguing Friday commentary. This week, Amy will cover how MWR's tactics are screwing over the one driver meant to benefit, Martin Truex, Jr.

Nuts For Nationwide by Kevin Rutherford
Kevin has another interesting look at the Nationwide Series prior to this weekend's Kentucky 300 at Kentucky Speedway.

Voices From the Heartland by Jeff Meyer
Our Tennessee transplant returns with another interesting take on recent events.

Frontstretch Foto Funnies by the Frontstretch Staff
Pictures can lead to a thousand laughs; join us in our weekly dose of humor that comes from those candid moments at the track.

Driver Diary: Kyle Larson as told to Mike Neff
The driver of the No. 32 Snickers Bites Chevrolet in the Nationwide Series returns to talk about the past month, on and off the track.
-----------------------------
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