Monday, December 16, 2013

The Frontstretch Newsletter: December 16th, 2013

THE FRONTSTRETCH NEWSLETTER
Presented by Frontstretch.com
The Best Seat at the Track, The Best View on the Net!
December 16th, 2013
Volume VII, Edition CCXVIII

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Editor's Note: Remember that we are back down to one newsletter a week here in the offseason.  The next newsletter will be sent on Monday, December 23rd.

- TV Schedule for December 16-22:

Monday, December 16
Time                                 Telecast                                                                 Network
4:00pm-5:00pm             NASCAR RaceHub                                              FOX Sports 1
9:00-10:00pm                 British Touring Car Championship: Knockhill        FOX Sports 2*/ (from August 24-25)
10:00-11:00pm              DTM: Nurburgring                                                      FOX Sports 2*/ (from August 18)

Tuesday, December 17
Time                                 Telecast                                            Network
12:00-1:00pm                   NASCAR RaceHub                         FOX Sports 1

Wednesday, December 18
Time                                  Telecast                                           Network
12:00-1:00pm                    NASCAR RaceHub                        FOX Sports 1

Thursday, December 19
Time                                    Telecast                                                       Network
4:00pm-5:00pm            NASCAR RaceHub                                 FOX Sports 1

Friday, December 20
Time                                   Telecast                                                             Network
4:00-5:00pm                     NASCAR RaceHub                                          FOX Sports 1

Sunday, December 22
Time                                   Telecast                                                               Network
6:00-7:00pm                     WTCC: Japan                                                 FOX Sports 2*/ (from September 21-22)
7:00-8:00pm                     WTCC: China                                FOX Sports 2*/ (from November 2-3)
8:00-9:00pm                     WTCC: Macau                                    FOX Sports 2*/ (from November 16-17)
9:00pm-12:00am             World of Outlaws World Finals Night 2    CBS Sports Network*/ (from November 9)

*- Tape Delayed
/- Highlighted coverage

Top News
by Phil Allaway

NASCAR Holds Intermediate Test at Charlotte Motor Speedway

NASCAR was scheduled to hold a test session at CHarlotte Motor Speedway last Monday in order to test out various packages for the 2014 season.  However, persistent rains resulted in the test being delayed to Wednesday.

A large contingent of 30 cars gathered at the 1.5 mile quad-oval for the test.  By manufacturer, those teams were:

Chevrolet: 1- Jamie McMurray, 4- Kevin Harvick, 5- Kasey Kahne, 7- Michael Annett, 24- Regan Smith (testing in place of Jeff Gordon), 29- Austin Dillon, 31- Ryan Newman, 36- JJ Yeley, 41- Kurt Busch, 42- Kyle Larson, 47- AJ Allmendinger, 78- Martin Truex, Jr., 88- Dale Earnhardt, Jr.

Ford: 2- Brad Keselowski, 9- Marcos Ambrose, 16- Greg Biffle, 17- Ricky Stenhouse, Jr., 22- Joey Logano, 38- David Gilliland, 43- Aric Almirola, 52- Jeffrey Earnhardt, 99- Carl Edwards

Toyota: 11- Denny Hamlin, 15- Clint Bowyer, 18- Kyle Busch, 20- Matt Kenseth, 30- Cole Whitt, 55- Jeff Burton (testing in place of Brian Vickers), 83- Alex Bowman (testing in place of David Reutimann), 93- Travis Kvapil

Once the rains exited the picture, a slightly different type of test was arragined.  Normally, test sessions are open tests where teams could go out and test certain setups and hopefully improve on them, similar to practice sessions.  NASCAR had different plans.

At first, teams were allowed regular runs to set up their cars, but that was only the preliminary on-track action.  NASCAR organized five mini-races with various rule changes incorporated into the cars. 

At the start, the cars had nine inch tall rear spoilers, but in later races, that height was cut to 8.375 inches and later 7.75 inches.  There was also a minimum ground clearance of four inches for side skirts.  Roof strips and tapered spacers were introduced in later races.

If the overall goal of these mock races was to achieve more competitive racing at the front of the field, none of the trials actually worked.  There were a grand total of two lead changes in the five mock races combined.   However, there was some side-by-side action.

Kevin Harvick won three of the five races, while Kyle Larson won the other two.  Harvick was never seriously challenged in his three wins, winning by at least 3.5 seconds.  Larson was threatened in his wins, but was never overtaken.

Austin Dillon to the No. 3 For 2014. General Mills, Dow Chemical and Bass Pro Shops to Sponsor

NASCAR being forced to move their open test to Wednesday also forced Richard Childress Racing to move a previously announced press conference from their shop to Charlotte Motor Speedway.  The announcement that was made was one that had been expected for months.

Austin Dillon will move up to the Sprint Cup Series full-time starting in 2014, replacing Kevin Harvick in what was the No. 29.  The No. 29 will change back to the No. 3 as well.  Sponsorship will be provided by Bass Pro Shops (a previous sponsor of Dillon's in the Camping World Truck and Nationwide Series), General Mills (via Cheerios, which moves over from the No. 31), and new sponsor Dow Chemical.  Gil Martin, who served as Harvick's crew chief last season, will continue in the role with Dillon.

Dillon is very happy about moving up to Sprint Cup and being able to keep his grandfather's No. 3.

"My grandfather and everyone at RCR have done a great job of not pushing me too quickly into the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series," Dillon said.  "I feel like I've been able to spend adequate time in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series and the NASCAR Nationwide Series preparing for this next step in my career. I am thrilled to be making this move with partners like Dow and Cheerios, along with some long-time partners who have supported me and RCR throughout my career. I am truly grateful and looking forward to this opportunity."

Dow Chemical's Executive Vice President Joe Harlan believes in Dillon's pedigree on the racetrack and RCR's history.

"We see this as a great opportunity to partner with a historic team like Richard Childress Racing that is synonymous with success, integrity and championships, and a championship driver in Austin Dillon," Harlan said.  "Austin's winning passion is representative of Dow. Our employees and customers were very supportive of our debut into our partnership with RCR during 2013 and they are looking forward to continued involvement with Austin next year. Dow's technology-focused, market-driven, customer-centric organization aligns perfectly with the performance-driven values of RCR and NASCAR. We look forward to being a part of Austin's rookie NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season and continued success in NASCAR."

For Dow Chemical, this is their first entry into Sprint Cup in many years.  Back in 1970, they served as the primary sponsor of Ray Nichels' No. 99 Dodge driven by Charlie Glotzbach.  Glotzbach earned two victories in the purple Dodge, one being a Daytona 500 Qualifier (when those were still run for points), and a win from pole at Michigan.

Before announcing that Dillon would drive the No. 3, car owner Richard Childress sought the permission of Dale Earnhardt's family.  They agreed to the move.  

Also announced on Wednesday was the selling of RCR's Camping World Truck Series equipment to ARCA/Truck team Gallagher Motorsports.  That team will field former RCR truck racer Joey Coulter full-time and ARCA driver Spencer Gallagher part-time.

James Buescher Moves to RAB Racing

On Friday, Turner Scott Motorsports announced that James Buescher, son-in-law of team co-owner Steve Turner, would be leaving the team to seek other opportunties.  Turner described the move as Buescher "graduating" from the team.  It didn't take long for Buescher's destination to become public.

Roughly a half-hour after Buescher's departure from Turner Scott Motorsports was announced, another press release announced that Buescher will drive full-time in the Nationwide Series for RAB Racing with Brack Maggard in their No. 99 Toyota.  According to the press release, it is a multi-year deal for the 2012 Camping World Truck Series Champion.  Buescher will officially replace Alex Bowman, who ran into sponsor issues and was forced to miss the final race of the season at Homestead.

Buescher is very happy to make the move to RAB Racing and very proud of his time with Turner Scott Motorsports.

"My first couple of years in NASCAR have been a dream come true, and I can't thank Turner Scott Motorsports enough for the opportunity they have given me to develop my skills," Buescher said.  "I am very excited to be able to take the next step in my career, and I couldn't be more thrilled about the opportunity that RAB Racing is giving me to run full time in the Nationwide Series. I am really excited to get back behind the wheel of a Toyota and I am looking forward to driving their cars next year.  RAB Racing is a solid organization with great people; I can't wait to get to work with them."

Team co-owner Robby Benton is pleased to take on a championship winning driver.

"Everyone at RAB Racing is honored to have James come on board to drive our No. 99 Toyota Camry," Benton said.  "James has a tremendous amount of talent and experience, and we feel like he will take our program to the next level. I'm looking forward to what will likely be a very special season, not only for our team, but all of our partners as well. This is a great addition to the Toyota family, and I'm proud James saw the strength in our team to further his career."

No sponsorship was mentioned in the press release.  However, the team states that there will be future announcements in regards to sponsors for the organization.

Have news for Phil 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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ADVERTISEMENT
Race fans, do you love Frontstretch.com's coverage of NASCAR's top 3 series, IndyCar, Formula One and Short Track Racing? Do you want to read even more about your favorite sport? Then check out the industry's newest racing publication, Motorsport Illustrated News!, which is available both in print and in digital format! As one of our loyal readers, you'll receive 15% off any subscription when you use the coupon code fs2013.
~~~~~~~~~~
TODAY AT THE FRONTSTRETCH:

2013 NASCAR Driver Review: Greg Biffle
by Tony Lumbis

by Phil Allaway

by Beth Lunkenheimer


For a full schedule of our upcoming driver reviews, click here.

FRONTSTRETCH TRIVIA:

Q:  For 2014, Formula One rules require 1.6 liter turbocharged V6 engines.  While quite small in displacement, these are not the smallest engines ever in the World Championship era.  When were smaller engines run in the World Championship?

Check back next Monday for the answer, here in the Frontstretch Newsletter!

Last Monday's Answer:

Q:  When he was still a regular commentator for SPEED, Jimmy Spencer was a noted critic against road racing.  However, Spencer does have a victory on a road course.  When did this occur, and in what series?

A: On an off weekend from the Winston Cup Series, Spencer traveled to Brainerd, MN to race in the ASA AC-Delco Challenge Series Brainerd 300k at Brainerd International Raceway.  Driving a Chevrlolet Lumina Z34, Spencer took the lead with five laps to go when Johnny Benson cut a tire and held on to win.  Here's the moment when Spencer took the lead.

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 Monday, December 23rd in the Frontstretch Newsletter:
-- Top News from Phil Allaway
-- Links to your favorite Frontstretch articles and more!

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Coming This Week at Frontstretch

2013 NASCAR Driver Reviews by the Frontstretch Staff
With the Chasers and champions out of the way, we continue with reviews of more drivers from the Sprint Cup, Nationwide and Camping World Truck Series.

-----------------------------
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, December 09, 2013

The Frontstretch Newsletter: December 9th, 2013

THE FRONTSTRETCH NEWSLETTER
Presented by Frontstretch.com
The Best Seat at the Track, The Best View on the Net!
December 9th, 2013
Volume VII, Edition CCXVII

~~~~~~~~~~
Editor's Note: Remember that we are back down to one newsletter a week here in the offseason.  The next newsletter will be sent on Monday, December 16th.

What to Watch: December 9-15

- Today, NASCAR was scheduled to hold a test session at Charlotte Motor Speedway for Sprint Cup teams to try out potential new intermediate packages.  However, NASCAR announced the postponement of the test to Wednesday at 10am this morning due to inclement weather.

- Richard Childress Racing is scheduled to hold a press conference on Wednesday where they are expected to clarify their lineup for 2014.  There is a good sporting chance that Austin Dillon will be announced as Kevin Harvick's replacement, in addition to the No. 3 being reintroduced to full-time competition in Sprint Cup.

- TV Schedule for December 9-15:

Monday, December 9
Time                                 Telecast                                                                 Network
4:00pm-5:00pm             NASCAR RaceHub                                              FOX Sports 1
9:00-10:00pm                 British Touring Car Championship: Snetterton        FOX Sports 2*/ (from August 3-4)
10:00-11:00pm               DTM: Moscow                                                      FOX Sports 2*/ (from August 4)

Tuesday, December 10
Time                                 Telecast                                            Network
12:00-1:00pm                   NASCAR RaceHub                         FOX Sports 1

Wednesday, December 11
Time                                  Telecast                                           Network
12:00-1:00pm                    NASCAR RaceHub                        FOX Sports 1

Thursday, December 5
Time                                    Telecast                                                       Network
11:00am-12:00pm            NASCAR RaceHub                                   FOX Sports 1

Friday, December 6
Time                                   Telecast                                                             Network
4:00-5:00pm                     NASCAR RaceHub                                          FOX Sports 1

Sunday, December 15
Time                                   Telecast                                                               Network
4:00-6:00pm                     V8 Supercar Championship Series Sydney NRMA Motoring & Services 500  FOX Sports 2*/ (from December 7-8)
6:00-7:00pm                     WTCC: Argentina                                                 FOX Sports 2*/ (from August 4)
7:00-8:00pm                     WTCC: Sonoma                                FOX Sports 2*/ (from September 8)
9:00pm-12:00am             World of Outlaws World Finals Night 1    CBS Sports Network (from November 8)

*- Tape Delayed
/- Highlighted coverage

Top News
by Phil Allaway and Mike Neff

NASCAR Celebrates Champions' Week In Las Vegas

Last week, NASCAR held its annual Champions' Week events in Las Vegas, Nevada.  The centerpiece of the celebration was the annual Sprint Cup Series Banquet at the Wynn Las Vegas.  Here, each of the top-10 drivers were given trophies and allowed speeches in a star-studded ceremonies.

Thursday was the annual NASCAR NMPA Myers Brothers Luncheon, where a number of season-long contingency awards were given out.  Here are the winners.

  NMPA Myers Brothers Award: Tony Stewart
  NMPA NASCAR Most Popular Driver Award: Dale Earnhardt Jr.
  Buddy Shuman Award: Chevrolet Division of General Motors, Ford Motor Company and Toyota
  NASCAR Marketing Achievement Award: Coca-Cola
  3M Lap Leader Award: Matt Kenseth
  American Ethanol Green Flag Restart Award: Kyle Busch
  Coors Light Pole Award: Denny Hamlin
  Duralast Brakes "Brake in the Race" Award: Jimmie Johnson
  Freescale "Wide Open" Award: Matt Kenseth
  Goodyear Tires Award (Champion): Jimmie Johnson
  MAHLE Clevite Engine Builder of the Year Award: Scott Fox, Hendrick Motorsports #48 team
  Mechanix Wear Most Valuable Pit Crew Award: Hendrick Motorsports #88 team
  Mobil 1 Driver of the Year Award: Matt Kenseth
  MOOG Steering & Suspension Problem Solver of the Year Award: Matt Borland, crew chief #39 Stewart-Haas Racing team
  Sherwin-Williams Fastest Lap Award: Carl Edwards
  Sunoco Diamond Performance Award (Champion): Jimmie Johnson
  Sunoco Rookie of the Year Award: Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
  Champion Sponsor Award: Lowe's
  Champion Crew Chief: Chad Knaus

Stewart earning the Myers Brothers Award was a special moment as the three-time champion, still recovering from his injuries in a sprint car crash, walked up to the stage (with some assistance to get up the stairs) to accept.  The Myers Brothers Award recognizes an individual or a group of people who have made "outstanding contributions to the sport of stock car racing."

NASCAR Announces Modifications To NASCAR Hall Of Fame Eligibility And Selection Process

On Thursday, NASCAR announced a number of changes to the selection process for the NASCAR Hall of Fame (NHOF), including a modification to driver eligibility parameters and the creation of a new award to honor significant contributions to the growth and success of the sport.

In all, six changes and updates will be made starting with the selection of the Class of 2015 – all designed to improve upon an already strong process that has led to the selection of 25 deserving inductees.

"We're very proud of how the NASCAR Hall of Fame has evolved and believe the first five classes reflect the strength of the nominating and voting procedures, with voices from every corner of our industry included in the selection process," said Brett Jewkes, NASCAR vice president and chief communications officer. "Based on feedback from voters, industry leaders, media who cover our sport and the fans, we believe the changes announced today are a strong recognition of the uniqueness of our sport and will make the overall selection process even stronger in how we honor those who have driven NASCAR to great success on and off the track."

Following is a summary of changes:

Driver Eligibility

Currently, drivers who have competed in NASCAR for at least 10 years and been retired for three years are eligible for nomination to the NHOF. That will not change.

Moving forward, however, drivers who have competed for a minimum of 10 years and reached their 55th birthday on or before Dec. 31 of the year prior to the nominating year are immediately eligible for the NHOF. Also, any competitor who has competed for 30 or more years in NASCAR competition by Dec. 31 of the year prior to the nominating year is automatically eligible, regardless of age.

Drivers may continue to compete after reaching any of the aforementioned milestones without compromising eligibility for nomination or induction.

Nominating Committee Will Select Five Fewer Nominees for Enshrinement

Throughout its history, the NHOF Nominating Committee has selected 25 nominees each year to be discussed and voted on for NHOF enshrinement. That number will be reduced to 20 starting with the selection process for the 2015 class.

Landmark Award for Outstanding Contributions to NASCAR

Beginning with the 2015 class, a new award – Landmark Award for Outstanding Contributions to NASCAR – will be initiated to honor significant contributions to the growth and esteem of NASCAR.

Potential Landmark Award recipients could include competitors or those working in the sport as a member of a racing organization, track facility, race team, sponsor, media partner or being a general ambassador for the sport through a professional or non-professional role. Award winners will remain eligible for NHOF enshrinement.

Five nominees will be selected by the NHOF Nominating Committee and then be voted on by the Voting Panel. To win the award, an individual must appear on at least 60 percent of the ballots and no more than one award will be presented annually. Voting for this award will occur immediately following the voting for the NHOF class and be monitored by the same independent accounting firm that oversees NHOF voting.

Nominating Committee to Meet, Vote on 20 NHOF Nominees / Five Landmark Award Nominees

For the first time, the Nominating Committee will meet in person to discuss, debate and vote to create two ballots – the NHOF ballot and the Landmark Award for Outstanding Contributions to NASCAR ballot. Previously, the committee submitted nominees via mail to an independent accounting firm that tallies the nominations in order to create the final NHOF ballot.

The Nominating Committee will meet during Speedweeks at Daytona on Friday, Feb. 21, 2014, and the nominees for both ballots will be announced later that day.

Nominees To Be Recused From the Nominating / Voting Process

Any member of the Nominating Committee or Voting Panel who appeared on the previous year's ballot or current year's ballot will now be recused from participating in the nominating and / or voting process for as long as he / she appears on the ballot. If an individual who is currently on the Nominating Committee or Voting Panel is inducted, or is no longer included on a final ballot, he or she is immediately reinstated to active participation on the panel(s).

Reigning NASCAR Sprint Cup Champion Added To Voting Panel

As was already announced on Nov. 14 at Homestead-Miami Speedway during the annual NASCAR Championship Contenders Press Conference, the reigning NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion will be added to the following year's voting panel.

That means Jimmie Johnson, who captured his sixth NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship, will be included in the selection meeting and can cast a vote for the NHOF Class of 2015 on Voting Day, Wednesday, May 21, 2014.

NBC Sports Makes a Splash

While NASCAR was celebrating the 2013 season with Champions' Week in Las Vegas, NBC Sports made a couple of big announcements pertaining to their on-air lineup when they take over the second half of the Sprint Cup and Nationwide seasons in 2015.

On Tuesday, NBC Sports announced the signing of Jeff Burton as the lead analyst on NASCAR broadcasts when the new deal kicks in.  Burton has limited experience on television, but is considered to be one of the most respected people in the Sprint Cup garage.

Burton is very happy to make his move up to the broadcast booth.

"This is an exciting new challenge and I am thrilled to be joining the NBC Sports family," Burton said.  "I will prepare for each race as if I were driving in it, and I look forward to sharing my experience, views and insights with all the dedicated and passionate NASCAR fans."

For NBC Sports' Sam Flood, this was a natural move to acquire Burton's services.

"Jeff Burton was always the first person we would seek out when there was breaking news or an issue that needed to be covered throughout our previous contract with NASCAR, so he was the first person we called for this role," Flood said on Tuesday.  "His insights, keen observations and many trophies have earned the respect of everyone involved with the sport.  He will be an outstanding analyst, and has everyone here looking even more forward to getting started."

Burton will get some airtime on the NBC Sports Network in 2014, contributing to NASCAR programming on the cable channel.  The release does not note what that programming might be.  NBC Sports Network also aired some ARCA races this past season.  If they re-up for another package of races in 2014, Burton may get some work covering ARCA.  Regardless, the opportunities on TV will not conflict with Burton's schedule in the No. 66 for Michael Waltrip Racing.  In 2015, Burton will be dedicated full-time to NBC Sports.

Wednesday brought another big announcement from NBC Sports.  Here, it was announced that NBC Sports has signed Rick Allen to serve as the play-by-play commentator for NBC Sports' NASCAR coverage starting in 2015.

Allen, who attempted to earn a play-by-play gig for Cup Series races prior to the beginning of the 2001 season, is overjoyed at his new opportunity.  However, he still recognizes that he can't do everything alone.

"I've had the good fortune to work with some of the most talented people in this industry over the last decade," Allen said.  "Now I'm excited to be a part of the incredible team that NBC Sports is assembling for their NASCAR coverage."

Last week's announcement will not affect Allen's plans for 2014.  He will still be the play-by-play commentator for FOX Sports 1's coverage of the Camping World Truck Series, along with FOX Sports' coverage of the ARCA Racing Series.

Swan Racing to Expand; Kligerman and Whitt To Drive

On Tuesday, Swan Racing announced that they will expand to a two-car operation for the 2014 Sprint Cup Series season.  Parker Kligerman and Cole Whitt, who both drove the No. 30 last season, have been named as the team's full-time drivers.  They will both compete for the Sunoco Rookie of the Year Award.

Team owner Brandon Davis is happy with the team's progress in 2013 and is very excited about the future of the operation.

"When we launched Swan Racing we pledged to race hard every lap of every race," Davis said.  "That's what we have done and what we will continue to do.  We learned a lot this year and now is the time to plan for the long term future by adding more resources to be more competitive."

Kligerman and Whitt are both quite excited about the future with Swan Racing.

"The team is expecting steady improvement and we are in good position to deliver," Kligerman said.  "Personally, I am looking forward to working with Cole as a teammate and as a competitor for Rookie of the Year honors."

"I am really impressed by how everything is coming together for Swan Racing.  This is the place to be and we are going to truly take the next step in 2014," Whitt said.  "Parker and I will learn a lot from each other next year while racing hard every lap of every race.  I'm ready to get started!"

The team is currently in the process of relocating to a new 25,000 square foot shop in Statesville, North Carolina.  In addition, they are still working on at least one more car number, hiring a crew chief for the second team, and the signing of sponsors in addition to Swan Energy, Lean1 (via Nutrition53) and Genny Light (signed for two races in 2014)

Erik Jones Wins Snowball Derby After Elliott DQ'd

Chase Elliott was the dominant driver all week at Five Flags Speedway in Pensacola, Florida.  On Saturday night, he won the Snowflake 100 for Pro Late Models from the pole.  Sunday saw Elliott start from pole (with a track record) for the 300-lap Snowball Derby for Super Late Models.

Throughout the race, Elliott was the driver to beat, leading 227 of 300 laps and systematically running away from the field to claim the win.  Or, did he?

In order for a win to be official, the winning car must pass technical inspection.  During the post-race technical inspection, Elliott's car was found to have ballast made of tungsten, an extra dense metal.  While commonplace in Sprint Cup, tungsten ballast is strictly forbidden in the rules for the Snowball Derby, mainly to save teams money.

As a result, Elliott was disqualified from the event and credited with a 37th-place finish.  Erik Jones, who crossed the line in second, was given the victory after passing post-race inspection.  For the part-time Camping World Truck Series competitor, it is his second straight Snowball Derby win.

Grant Enfinger finished second despite running for much of the race on seven cylinders and having loose lugnuts at the finish.  Austin Theriault was third, while Hunter Robbins and John Hunter Nemechek rounded out the top-5.

Have news for Phil 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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The Critic's Annex: Quick Thoughts on NBC's Moves
by Phil Allaway

Hello, race fans.  Hope you're having fun during the offseason.  This is going to be a short opinion piece this week, nothing substantial.

As you read above, NBC Sports was quite busy last week with two major announcements pertaining to their on-air lineup for 2014.  First, Jeff Burton signed on to work as an analyst.  He'll start off with studio work on the NBC Sports Network in addition to his part-time gig with Michael Waltrip Racing before going full-time on TV in 2015.

NBC Sports probably could not have found a better inexperienced analyst than Burton.  He is one of the most articulate drivers in the garage and someone who is willing to educate themselves as much as possible.  He is also once of the most respected people in NASCAR.  That means that viewers will probably get a little more inside information.

I feel like Burton in the broadcast booth will be similar to Ricky Craven in the booth on ESPN.  I think that it will be a delightful feel.  Race fans are going to benefit greatly from NBC Sports' move.

Secondly, we have the signing of Rick Allen to serve as the play-by-play commentator for NASCAR races on NBC and NBC Sports Network starting in 2015.  Honestly, when this was announced, I was very happy.  Allen is consistently great to listen to on SPEED/FOX Sports 1's Camping World Truck Series telecasts and I have no doubt that he will transfer his enthusiasm to calls of Sprint Cup races.

However, upon additional thought, I feel that Allen might not have been NBC Sports' first choice.  As you're likely aware of, NBC bid an incredible amount of money, $4.4 billion over ten years, to regain NASCAR rights.  Because of that, I think that Allen's hiring may have been a cost cutting move over getting Allen Bestwick back.

Regardless, I think NBC Sports won't be unhappy with Allen as their lead man in the booth.  I think he'll help Burton along as he transitions into television full-time as well.  Also, we likely won't have the stupidity that often marks FOX telecasts with ridiculousness.

The rest of the on-air roles for NBC's broadcasts are still up in the air.  I'm operating under the assumption that NBC will have a three-man booth in 2015.  As a result, there is one more person that is yet to named for that analyst role.  In recent years, there has been a trend towards having a former crew chief in the broadcast booth in order to help viewers understand the more technical aspects of the sport.  However, when NBC last had NASCAR rights, they did not have a former crew chief in the booth (Wally Dallenbach, Jr. and Benny Parsons joined Bestwick and later Bill Weber in the booth).

For the remaining on-air spots (pit reporters), that is still completely up in the air.  However, I would expect at least one person to move to NBC from ESPN/ABC at the end of next season.  I also wouldn't be surprised if a sizable chunk of NASCAR on ESPN's current production staff makes the move to NBC for 2015.  In reality, a number of ESPN compound staffers previously worked on NBC's NASCAR telecasts from 2001-2006.

At this point, it's so far, so good for NBC.  However, we're still 19 months away from NBC fully returning to NASCAR.  Anything can happen over that period of time.

Phil Allaway is a Senior Writer and the Newsletter Manager for Frontstretch.  He can be reached via e-mail at phil.allaway@frontstretch.com.
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ADVERTISEMENT
Race fans, do you love Frontstretch.com's coverage of NASCAR's top 3 series, IndyCar, Formula One and Short Track Racing? Do you want to read even more about your favorite sport? Then check out the industry's newest racing publication, Motorsport Illustrated News!, which is available both in print and in digital format! As one of our loyal readers, you'll receive 15% off any subscription when you use the coupon code fs2013.
~~~~~~~~~~
TODAY AT THE FRONTSTRETCH:

2013 NASCAR Driver Review: Trevor Bayne
by Vito Pugliese

by S.D. Grady

For a full schedule of our upcoming driver reviews, click here.

FRONTSTRETCH TRIVIA:

Q: When he was still a regular commentator for SPEED, Jimmy Spencer was a noted critic against road racing.  However, Spencer does have a victory on a road course.  When did this occur, and in what series?

Check back next Monday for the answer, here in the Frontstretch Newsletter!

Last Monday's Answer:

Q: In response to the death of Mike Rich at Atlanta in November, 1990, NASCAR made drastic changes to pit road procedure for the 1991 Daytona 500.  What were these changes?

A: NASCAR's move after the fatal accident was not to immediately curtail pit road speeds, which were unrestricted at the time of the crash.  Instead, they controversially chose to ban tire changes under any circumstances under caution.  Pit stops would still be allowed under yellow, but for everything except tires.  If you changed tires under yellow, it was an automatic one-lap penalty, regardless of need.  The rest of the changes are described well in this clip by Ned Jarrett for CBS Sports.

The rule changes meant that all tire changes had to be done under green.  As a result, teams tried to stay on pit road for as little time as possible.  Two tire changes were the norm and some drivers went the vast majority of the Daytona 500 on the same left side tires.  Unfortunately, the whole system turned out to be a confusing quagmire, forcing NASCAR to introduce pit road speed limits and allow tire changes under yellow later in the year.

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 Monday, December 16th in the Frontstretch Newsletter:
-- Top News from Phil Allaway
-- Links to your favorite Frontstretch articles and more!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Coming This Week at Frontstretch

2013 NASCAR Driver Reviews by the Frontstretch Staff
With the Chasers and champions out of the way, we continue with reviews of more drivers from the Sprint Cup, Nationwide and Camping World Truck Series.

Open Wheel Wednesday: Team Reviews by the Frontstretch Staff
With the driver reviews wrapped up, we'll take a look at the individual teams in the Izod IndyCar Series.
-----------------------------
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 9:00 AM 0 comments

Monday, December 02, 2013

The Frontstretch Newsletter: December 2nd, 2013

THE FRONTSTRETCH NEWSLETTER
Presented by Frontstretch.com
The Best Seat at the Track, The Best View on the Net!
December 2nd, 2013
Volume VII, Edition CCXVI

~~~~~~~~~~
Editor's Note No. 1: A very early version of this Newsletter was accidentally sent out in the wee hours of this morning before most of the content could be added in.  We are very sorry about this issue.

Editor's Note No. 2: Remember that we are back down to one newsletter a week here in the offseason.  The next newsletter will be sent on Monday, December 9th.

What to Watch: December 2-8

- This week is Championship Week in Las Vegas, NV ahead of Friday night's Sprint Cup Awards Ceremony.  There will be activities much of the week that will wrap up the season and pay tribute to fans.

Tuesday: Eli Gold will have Jimmie Johnson as a guest on NASCAR Live on MRN Radio from 7:00-8:00pm EST.  This will be an audience participation event at the Wynn Sports Book.  

In addition, Tony Stewart will be hosting a special Tony Stewart Live radio show with Matt Yocum from Charlotte.  This show, which will replace the Stewie Awards, will see Stewart and Yocum review the 2013 season and interview Johnson via satellite from Las Vegas following Johnson's appearance on NASCAR Live.  The show is scheduled to air on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio from 7:00-9:00pm.

Wednesday: Fanfest at the Fremont Street Experience.  In addition, there will be a reception for the four Betty Jane France Humanitarian Award Finalists.

Thursday: A very busy day.  The NASCAR NMPA Myers Brothers Awards Luncheon is scheduled for late morning at the Wynn's Encore Ballroom.  Here, drivers will pick up contingency awards and other major NMPA awards, such as the NMPA Spirit Award, will be announced. 

Afterwards, the 13 Chasers will gather on the Las Vegas Strip for the NASCAR Victory Lap, always a popular sight with the assembled masses.  

Finally, NASCAR After the Lap at the Palms Hotel and Casino wraps the day with an "unfiltered roundtable involving every Chase driver."  All three events will be streamed live at NASCAR.com.

Friday: The top-10 drivers in Sprint Cup are feted at the banquet.  Jay Mohr is scheduled to host the three hour event, which will be aired live on FOX Sports 2.  SiriusXM NASCAR Radio and MRN Radio will also provide radio coverage.  It will also feature performances from John Mellencamp, Dierks Bentley and Sara Bareilles in addition to the speeches.

- TV Schedule for December 2-8:

Monday, December 2
Time                                 Telecast                                                                 Network
4:00pm-5:00pm             NASCAR RaceHub                                              FOX Sports 1
9:00-10:00pm                 British Touring Car Championship: Croft        FOX Sports 2*/ (from June 22-23)
10:00-11:00pm               DTM: Norisring                                                      FOX Sports 2*/ (from July 14)

Tuesday, December 3
Time                                 Telecast                                            Network
4:00-5:00pm                   NASCAR RaceHub                         FOX Sports 1

Wednesday, December 4
Time                                  Telecast                                           Network
4:00-5:00pm                    NASCAR RaceHub                        FOX Sports 1

Thursday, December 5
Time                                  Telecast                                                                             Network
2:00-5:30pm                    NASCAR NMPA Myers Brothers Awards Luncheon   NASCAR.com^
4:00-5:00pm                    NASCAR RaceHub                                                          FOX Sports 1
6:30-~7:30pm                 NASCAR Victory Lap                                                        NASCAR.com^
~7:30-9:30pm                 NASCAR After the Lap                                                     NASCAR.com^

Friday, December 6
Time                                   Telecast                                                             Network
4:00-5:00pm                     NASCAR RaceHub                                          FOX Sports 1
9:00pm-12:00am             Sprint Cup Series Awards Ceremony         FOX Sports 2

Sunday, December 8
Time                                   Telecast                                                               Network
6:00-7:00pm                     WTCC: Portugal                                                 FOX Sports 2*/ (from June 30)
7:00-8:00pm                     FIA GT Series: Azerbaijan                                 FOX Sports 2*/ (from November 24)

*- Tape Delayed
/- Highlighted coverage
~ Approximate
^- Available via free online streaming

Top News
by Phil Allaway and Mike Neff

NASCAR Purchases Iowa Speedway

In a strategic move designed to expand its commitment to enhancing event experiences and fan engagement, as well as solidify the future of one of the premier racing and entertainment facilities in the Midwest, NASCAR announced today that it has purchased Iowa Speedway. The agreement, finalized today under a wholly-owned subsidiary, Iowa Speedway, LLC, is effective immediately.

"Iowa Speedway is a great entertainment facility with a very bright future," said Eric Nyquist, NASCAR vice president, strategic development. "The facility has the support of the region, it's positioned well in the heart of the Midwest, and year in and year out it provides great short-track racing action for motorsports fans.

"NASCAR ownership will allow us to draw on the entire resources of our company. It also provides us with the opportunity to execute first-hand a number of entertainment ideas and engagement opportunities with fans – much of which we have outlined repeatedly as the core of our Industry Action Plan."

The facility, located 30 miles east of Des Moines in Newton, features a fast, .875-mile asphalt paved tri-oval designed by NASCAR Hall of Famer Rusty Wallace. The Speedway released its 2014 schedule earlier this month, encompassing three weekends, one each in May, July and August. The schedule will include two NASCAR Nationwide Series races, a combination NASCAR Camping World Truck Series and IndyCar Series weekend, plus two additional NASCAR K&N Pro Series support races. NASCAR has no plans for Iowa Speedway to host a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race next year or in the immediate future.

NASCAR will host a special event in Des Moines on Thursday, Dec. 12, to outline additional details on the purchase and plans for the future. Information on this event will be announced soon.

The 2014 Iowa Speedway season opens May 17-18, with the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East versus West Challenge on Saturday night. The stars and cars of the NASCAR Nationwide Series then will battle on Sunday in a 250-lap, high-speed contest. The race marks the only Sunday afternoon event of the season at Iowa Speedway.

The new NASCAR Camping World Truck Series / IndyCar Series race weekend at Iowa Speedway is slated for July 11-12. The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series will race Friday night and feature short-track racing action that has become synonymous with the series in the American Ethanol 200. The first-ever Iowa Corn Indy 300 will follow on Saturday night.

On Friday, Aug. 1, a second NASCAR K&N Pro Series East versus West challenge race will be held followed by a second NASCAR Nationwide Series 250-lap event on Saturday under the lights.

Season ticket holders may renew their tickets for the 2014 season, and will have an exclusive right to secure their current seats until Dec. 14. All other seats are available for purchase immediately, with season ticket prices starting at $95. All season tickets will include a guaranteed seat location, complimentary Casey's Fan Walk pass and an opportunity to participate in pre-race ceremonies. Season tickets, parking passes and onsite camping options are available online at www.iowaspeedway.com, or by calling the toll-free ticketing hotline, 866-RUSTY-GO (787-8946). 

Iowa Speedway's ticketing office, located at 3333 Rusty Wallace Drive in Newton, also will be open to assist customers from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, holidays excepted.

2014 IOWA SPEEDWAY EVENT SCHEDULE

Saturday, May 17 – NASCAR K&N Pro Series East vs. West Challenge
Sunday, May 18 – NASCAR Nationwide Series
 
Friday, July 11 – American Ethanol 200, NASCAR Camping World Truck Series
Saturday, July 12 – Iowa Corn Indy 300, IndyCar Series

Friday, August 1 – NASCAR K&N Pro Series East vs. West Challenge
Saturday, August 2 – NASCAR Nationwide

NASCAR Announces New Guidelines for Race Sponsors

On Tuesday, NASCAR introduced a new policy regarding title sponsors for races.  Previously, tracks were free to negotiate their own deals regarding race sponsorships with little oversight from NASCAR.  Now, the rules have changed a little.

The new policy, quietly instituted in October, but not revealed until Dover Motorsports, Inc. filed their sanctioning agreement for 2014 (publicly available since Dover Motorsports, Inc. is a publicly-held corporation), states that NASCAR has final approval over race sponsors.  As part of the sanctioning agreement that tracks sign with NASCAR, they must submit their race entitlement sponsors to NASCAR for approval.

"(NASCAR) will disapprove a prospective entitlement sponsor only if such prospective entitlement sponsor's brand has been tarnished by, controversy, crisis or circumstance such that its association with the event would damage the NASCAR brand or the image of the sport or … it would damage the (broadcasting) network's ability to sell advertising," the agreement states.

Reached for comment last week, NASCAR Spokesman David Higdon was matter-of-fact when asked about the change.

"As part of the normal course of annually reviewing our sanction language, there are some changes that take place," Higdon told Sporting News' Bob Pockrass.  "This is one of those situations. We previously said we'd take a look at this area of the sanctioning agreements, adjust as needed, and that's what we've done."

If the title sponsor is disapproved, tracks have two potential routes to take.  They can resubmit a modified sponsorship.  Alternate brands affiliated with the disallowed company could be allowed.  If not possible, the decision can be appealed to a three-person panel which includes NASCAR President Mike Helton, NASCAR Senior Vice President of Racing Operations Steve O'Donnell and an additional wild card NASCAR Vice President.

The move was made in reaction to Texas Motor Speedway's controversial signing of the National Rifle Association (NRA) to sponsor the Spring race at the 1.5 mile quad-oval last April, and the uproar that resulted from it in the aftermath of the Sandy Hook shootings in Connecticut.  Under the new rules, the NRA would likely be discouraged from race sponsorship with just the NRA name.  If that occurred, it isl possible that they could sponsor a race through one of their programs, or as a way to support troops (which they have done in the past).  However, there has been no request from any track received by NASCAR for the NRA to sponsor a race.

JTG-Daugherty Racing Forms Alliance with RCR, Switches to Chevrolet

Last Monday, JTG-Daugherty Racing announced that they have entered into a technical alliance with Richard Childress Racing (RCR), effective immediately.  As a result, JTG-Daugherty Racing will receive ECR engines and RCR engineering services during the 2014 season.  JTG-Daugherty Racing will switch from Toyota to Chevrolet in order to take advantage of the new alliance.

JTG-Daugherty Racing co-owner Tad Geschickter is confident that this new alliance is the best path forward for his single-car operation.

"We certainly appreciate all the support that TRD (Toyota Racing Development) has provided to JTG Daugherty Racing for five years and we are great fans of their business model," Geschickter said last Monday.  "As a single-car team, we feel that aligning directly with a successful multi-car organization like Richard Childress Racing is what will work best for us in 2014.  With our RCR alliance and AJ [Allmendinger] behind the wheel, we are looking forward to a fresh start in 2014."

With the addition of JTG-Daugherty Racing into the fold, RCR now has alliances with three single-car operations.  JTG-Daugherty Racing joins Furniture Row Motorsports and Germain Racing.

While this will mark the first time that JTG-Daugherty Racing has fielded Chevrolets in Sprint Cup, the team does have a fairly long history with Chevrolet.  When the organization first entered the Busch Grand National Series in 1995, the team fielded Sunoco 260-sponsored Chevrolets for Jeff Fuller.  The team, then known as ST Motorsports, fielded Chevrolets through the end of 2003 before switching to Ford.  Fuller managed to get the team to Victory Lane in 1996 at Bristol.

NASCAR Family Milestones Reached

Over the past week, two NASCAR families have marked major milestones.  On Thanksgiving, Aric Almirola and his wife, Janice, welcomed their second child into the world.  Their newborn daughter, Abby Lynn, is doing very well.  Abby Lynn joins older brother Alex.

In addition, Clint Bowyer popped the question to his longtime girlfriend, Lorra Podsiadlo last weekend.  Podsiadlo happily accepted and later tweeted a picture of her rather substantially sized diamond engagement ring.  We at Frontstretch send our congrats to both the Almirolas and Bowyer and his new fiance.

Have news for Phil and The Frontstretch?  Don't hesitate to let us know; email us at phil.allaway@frontstretch.com with a promising lead or tip.

~~~~~~~~~~
The Critic's Annex: Casino Arizona 50
by Phil Allaway

Hello, race fans.  Welcome back to the Critic's Annex, where we take a look at race telecasts that normally cannot be covered in the normal critiques.  With the season over, we'll have critiques here in the Newsletter from time to time.  A couple of weeks ago, we promised a look at the Casino Arizona 50, the season finale for the K&N Pro Series West.  Unfortunately, due to issues beyond our control, that wasn't possible a couple of weeks ago.  However, it is possible now.

This 50 lapper was held immediately after the ServiceMaster 200 for the Nationwide Series at Phoenix International Raceway.  Phil Parsons and Rick Allen had the call for FOX Sports, while Jim Tretow was working the pits.  I found that fact interesting for a couple of reasons.  One, it was a Sprint Cup weekend, so FOX Sports had any number of people in the garage that could have filled that role.  Two, it was a K&N West race.  Tretow usually does pit work for ARCA Racing Series events.  There are two people, Derek Pernesiglio and Bernadette Sanicola, that usually work the pits for K&N races, and neither were anywhere to be seen here.  I don't personally have issues with Tretow, but I found the decision slightly puzzling.

Prior to the start of the race, Tretow conducted pre-race interviews with points leader Derek Thorn, defending race winner Michael Self and pole sitter Cole Custer.  Compared to a typical K&N broadcast, this was a little more pre-race content than normal.

With the race being as short as it was, the only real cutting that occurred was during the red flag a couple of laps into the race due to the big crash on the initial start.  As a result, we saw the vast majority of the race, and a good amount of racing for position.  There wasn't all that much emphasis on the championship battle between Thorn, Greg Pursley and Cameron Hayley.  Instead, the telecast seemed to focus on the action towards the front of the race. 

Post-race coverage featured interviews with race winner Gray Gaulding and champion Thorn.  There was also an interview with the not-so-pleased Custer after he was taken out.  There was a reference to some kind of confrontation between Custer and Gaulding's crews following the race, but that did not make the telecast.

Admittedly, some of the accounts that I read about this incident following the race (but before it aired on television) made the crash sound worse than it was.  However, Gaulding appeared to have next to no remorse for his actions.

That's all for this week.  I hope you enjoyed this look back at the Casino Arizona 50.  We'll be back soon with another telecast to be critiqued.  Until then, enjoy Champions' Week in Las Vegas.

Phil Allaway is a Senior Writer and the Newsletter Manager for Frontstretch.  He can be reached via e-mail at phil.allaway@frontstretch.com.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
ADVERTISEMENT
Race fans, do you love Frontstretch.com's coverage of NASCAR's top 3 series, IndyCar, Formula One and Short Track Racing? Do you want to read even more about your favorite sport? Then check out the industry's newest racing publication, Motorsport Illustrated News!, which is available both in print and in digital format! As one of our loyal readers, you'll receive 15% off any subscription when you use the coupon code fs2013.
~~~~~~~~~~
TODAY AT THE FRONTSTRETCH:

by Amy Henderson

For a full schedule of our upcoming driver reviews, click here.

FRONTSTRETCH TRIVIA:

Q: In response to the death of Mike Rich at Atlanta in November, 1990, NASCAR made drastic changes to pit road procedure for the 1991 Daytona 500.  What were these changes?

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

Last Monday's Answer:

Q: In 1994, Jimmy Horton finished a lap down in 19th in the Daytona 500 driving the No. 80 FinaLube Ford for Stan Hover.  However, he was not originally supposed to have that backing.  Where did the sponsorship come from?

A: The sponsorship was originally supposed to be on the Dick Moroso-owned No. 20 Ford, driven by Buddy Baker.  However, Baker crashed on the very first lap of the second Gatorade Twin 125 and was unable to continue.  Having qualified 50th fastest and his team not having any points meant that Baker did not have a provisional to fall back on..  As a result, Fina was free to look around in order to get their colors out there on race day.

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 Monday, December 9th in the Frontstretch Newsletter:
-- Top News from Phil Allaway
-- Links to your favorite Frontstretch articles and more!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Coming This Week at Frontstretch

2013 NASCAR Driver Reviews by the Frontstretch Staff
This week, we'll be profiling the seasons of the Chasers, along with top drivers from the Nationwide and Camping World Truck Series.

Open Wheel Wednesday: Driver Reviews, Part 2 by the Frontstretch Staff
We'll also finish off the Izod IndyCar Series driver reviews that were started a couple of weeks ago.
-----------------------------
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 8:35 AM 0 comments

The Frontstretch Newsletter: December 2nd, 2013

THE FRONTSTRETCH NEWSLETTER
Presented by Frontstretch.com
The Best Seat at the Track, The Best View on the Net!
November 25th, 2013
Volume VII, Edition CCXV

~~~~~~~~~~
Editor's Note: Remember that our Newsletter has been curtailed to once a week in the offseason.  The next edition will be on Monday, December 9th.

TV Schedule for December 2-8:

Monday, December 2
Time                                 Telecast                                                                 Network
4:00pm-5:00pm             NASCAR RaceHub                                              FOX Sports 1
9:00-10:00pm                 British Touring Car Championship: Croft        FOX Sports 2*/ (from June 22-23)
10:00-11:00pm               DTM: Norisring                                                      FOX Sports 2*/ (from July 14)

Tuesday, December 3
Time                                 Telecast                                            Network
4:00-5:00pm                   NASCAR RaceHub                         FOX Sports 1

Wednesday, December 4
Time                                  Telecast                                           Network
4:00-5:00pm                    NASCAR RaceHub                        FOX Sports 1

Thursday, December 5
Time                                  Telecast                                           Network
4:00-5:00pm

Top News
by Phil Allaway

NASCAR Plans to Expand Overseas

USA Today's Nate Ryan is reporting that NASCAR is trying to create a larger international presence for stock car racing by fostering relationship with overseas entities.  Steve O'Donnell, the visible (on Twitter) NASCAR Senior Vice President, believes that there are a few very promising markets that the sport could infiltrate, most notably Brazil, Japan and Russia.  The goal would be to have drivers from those markets begin to gravitate towards racing NASCAR in the United States.

"Our goal is to take what we've learned into other racing cultures and change that from open wheel to stock cars," O'Donnell said.  "We're nowhere near where we want to be, but we want to bring the NBA model where players come to the U.S. from other countries. We want drivers to race in premier NASCAR leagues around the globe but aspire to race in the U.S.  NASCAR started in the South, but every sport that's shown growth has fans and sponsors internationally."

Even without having a foothold in Brazil, NASCAR already has a success story with Miguel Paludo, who came to the United States from Brazil and is currently a regular in the Camping World Truck Series.  However, Paludo was not an open wheel racer prior to leaving Brazil.  Instead, Paludo was racing Porsches.

Also, Travis Carter Enterprises brought All-Japan GT Championship (JGTC) veteran Hideo Fukuyama to the United States to drive his No. 66 Ford.  However, like Paludo, Fukuyama primarily was racing Porsches at the time.

This approach is actually the opposite of what potential investors would like NASCAR to do.  They seem to prefer the cut-and-run approach.

"We get approached every day," O'Donnell said.  "We've had 20 groups approach us from China. But most of them are one-offs. We keep pushing back and saying we're going to do this but in a smart way. If you can show us how we build stock-car racing, that's something we want to pursue."

Had O'Donnell gone after any of those deals, they could have led towards the Sprint Cup, Nationwide or Camping World Truck Series doing one-off races overseas.  There would likely be a substantial amount of money in the deal for NASCAR, but no development would result from it.  The last time that NASCAR did such a deal was in the late 1990's.  Back then, NASCAR held three exhibition races in Japan, two at Suzuka Circuit on the 1.369 mile East Course, then one final event at the then-new 1.549 mile Twin Ring Motegi Superspeedway.  Ultimately, these events featured many of the top Winston Cup stars of the time, along with many Winston West teams, four Japanese racers, and various others (Ex: Australian Touring Car champion Jim Richards at Suzuka in 1997) In 1999, the then-Winston West Series returned for their season finale at Twin Ring Motegi, but after that, there were no further NASCAR events in Japan.

NASCAR would prefer having series in other countries similar to that of the NASCAR Toyota Series.  It is a domestic series in Mexico that is officially part of NASCAR's Grand National Division (along with the K&N Pro Series and the Canadian Tire Series).  For the most part, it is independent from the rest of NASCAR, but there has been funneling of talent into NASCAR's series in the United States.  Multi-time champion German Quiroga just completed his first full-time season in the Camping World Truck Series.  Meanwhile, Daniel Suarez has moved into the K&N Pro Series.  Also, the series held their season opener this year at Phoenix International Raceway on the undercard of the Subway Fresh Fit 500k in March.

In addition, NASCAR hopes to use the Whelen Euroseries as a model for additional international expansion.  The series races mainly on road courses in Europe.  Next year, the Nurburgring will be added to the schedule and additional teams are joining the schedule.  Also, the series has already had their first driver, Anthony Gandon, come to the United States and race in the Nationwide Series (Gandon raced for Rick Ware Racing at Watkins Glen and Mid-Ohio).

News n' Notes:

- Richard Childress Racing announced on Monday that Bass Pro Shops will follow Ty Dillon to the Nationwide Series for 2014.  The outdoor retailer will serve as Dillon's primary sponsor for 11 races this season, joining Yuengling Light beer.

- The Toronto Sun is reporting that Maryeve Dufault has reached a deal that will see her drive 12 races in the No. 79 Ford Mustang for Go Green Racing in the Nationwide Series in 2014.  This will be in addition to a full-time schedule in the ARCA Racing Series.  Dufault has two previous starts in the Nationwide Series.  The first of which was at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve in 2011 for MacDonald Motorsports, where she finished five laps down in 30th.  This past season, she drove in one race (Chicagoland) for Go Green Racing and finished 31st.

Have news for Phil and The Frontstretch?  Don't hesitate to let us know; email us at phil.allaway@frontstretch.com with a promising lead or tip.

~~~~~~~~~~

ADVERTISEMENT
Race fans, do you love Frontstretch.com's coverage of NASCAR's top 3 series, IndyCar, Formula One and Short Track Racing? Do you want to read even more about your favorite sport? Then check out the industry's newest racing publication, Motorsport Illustrated News!, which is available both in print and in digital format! As one of our loyal readers, you'll receive 15% off any subscription when you use the coupon code fs2013.
~~~~~~~~~~
TODAY AT THE FRONTSTRETCH:

by Amy Henderson

For a full schedule of our upcoming driver reviews, click here.

FRONTSTRETCH TRIVIA:

Q: In 1994, Jimmy Horton finished a lap down in 19th in the Daytona 500 driving the No. 80 FinaLube Ford for Stan Hover.  However, he was not originally supposed to have that backing.  Where did the sponsorship come from?

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

Last Monday's Answer:

Q: In 1994, Jimmy Horton finished a lap down in 19th in the Daytona 500 driving the No. 80 FinaLube Ford for Stan Hover.  However, he was not originally supposed to have that backing.  Where did the sponsorship come from?

A: The sponsorship was originally supposed to be on the Dick Moroso-owned No. 20 Ford, driven by Buddy Baker.  However, Baker crashed on the very first lap of the second Gatorade Twin 125 and was unable to continue.  Having qualified 50th fastest and his team not having any points meant that Baker did not have a provisional to fall back on..  As a result, Fina was free to look around in order to get their colors out there on race day.

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 Monday, December 2nd in the Frontstretch Newsletter:
-- Top News from Phil Allaway
-- The Critic's Annex: Casino Arizona 50 by Phil Allaway
-- Links to your favorite Frontstretch articles and more!

-----------------------------
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 1:16 AM 0 comments