THE FRONTSTRETCH NEWSLETTER
Presented by Frontstretch.com
The Best Seat at the Track, The Best View on the Net!
June 29th, 2011
Volume V, Edition CXIX
Presented by Frontstretch.com
The Best Seat at the Track, The Best View on the Net!
June 29th, 2011
Volume V, Edition CXIX
~~~~~~~~~~
Top News
compiled by the Frontstretch Staff
Crown Royal To End Sponsorship Of Matt Kenseth, No. 17
Roush Fenway Racing saw the bottom fell out on one of its primary sponsorships Tuesday, Crown Royal choosing to end their agreement with the No. 17 Ford and Matt Kenseth effective the end of the 2011 season. The company is also cutting off the majority of its NASCAR-related sponsorships altogether, focusing only on the "Your Name Here" Contest which revolves around its sponsorship of the Richmond International Raceway Spring event in 2012.
"We have made the decision to make a strategic shift in our resources," the company said of the decision in a statement. "We have developed strong relationships with the people at both organizations - they have not only been fantastic business partners, but have also become our friends. We thank them for working with us throughout the years to showcase the importance of our social responsibility initiatives. We look forward to a strong finish to the 2011 season and like the many fans we've gained along the way, we'll never stop rooting for the #17 car on its way to Victory Lane."
Roush Fenway Racing responded to the news immediately with a statement of their own.
"We are obviously disappointed with the news, but first we would like to thank Diageo and Crown Royal for a terrific partnership that has spanned almost a decade," claimed RFR president Steve Newmark. "They have been a first-class partner all the way around. We look forward to finishing out the season with them on the No. 17 as Matt and the Crown Royal team continue to contend for another championship. It's unfortunate that they will not be able to continue to be a part of our organization. Fortunately, our race programs are operating at a higher level than ever. The #17 is an attractive, championship-winning program with a storied history and Matt Kenseth an elite driver. We have already opened the door for discussions and are currently in the process of speaking with companies interested in taking over the program for next season and beyond."
The move is a major blow to the four-car organization, which has only one sponsor for its four teams - 3M - signed up for 2012. AFLAC, as well as driver Carl Edwards remain unsigned for next season, along with UPS which is currently backing David Ragan and the No. 6 Ford. No word yet on who's in the running to be on Kenseth's car; as for the driver himself, the 2003 champion signed a multi-year extension with the RFR organization last year.
Affliction Clothing Expands Relationship With Kenseth, No. 17
At the same time Kenseth's team received devastating sponsorship news, at least one other company has stepped up their support. Affliction Clothing, which debuted on the No. 17 Ford earlier this season has now added two additional races to their sponsorship program, effective Tuesday: the July races at Daytona and New Hampshire speedways, respectively.
"It's always great to bring a new sponsor to our team, but it's even more thrilling to have them add more races to their sponsorship," said Kenseth on the move. "We're proud to have Affliction Clothing as part of our Roush Fenway organization and are looking forward to another pair of great races representing their brand."
Red Bull Racing Team Member Fired For Twitter Posting
Dustin Long is reporting that Jeremy Fuller, a pit crew member for Red Bull Racing and Turner Motorsports was fired based on a post from his Twitter account. Over the weekend, Fuller, whose Twitter account is @fullerjeremy posted a picture of a car clearly headed to the Gay Pride Parade in San Francisco with the comment, "This is way (sic) I don't live here." He then replied, according to the queers4gears.com website to another poster who claimed, "yea if we could get rid of them it'd be a lot better."
Fuller's reply to that Tweet: "lol... don't we all wish."
The post has since been removed, but one of Fuller's employers, RBR confirmed they took action in a statement posted by Long. "Red Bull Racing Team was made aware of comments posted to a contractor's Twitter account following this weekend's race," they explained. "After investigating the matter, [we] terminated the contractor's employment effective immediately. The race team regularly conducts diversity training and strictly enforces our team policies against any form of discrimination. We have zero tolerance for such violations and in no way support any of the comments posted by this individual.''
Fuller spoke out Tuesday on the issue, speaking to SceneDaily's Bob Pockrass and claiming he did not make those posts on his own Twitter account. Explaining he was on a plane when the "lol" response got posted, the tire changer maintained it was a joke between two friends and no anti-gay hatred was intended or spread by him.
"I don't have any negative thoughts about gay people," Fuller said. "I got rid of everything because I did not want it to go this far. … I've got gay friends. It was like, 'Hey, look, this [banner] is something you don't [typically] see. It's like, 'Wow, let's post this.'"
"The only thing I posted was the picture and this was the reason I don't live here. That is the only thing I've done and I don't know how it got to be where it's at now."
Correction: In yesterday's Newsletter, we referred to the "French government" negotiating with the ISC to provide funding for continued racing at the Montreal Circuit Gilles Villeneuve. That should have been "French Canadian" government... as in, the province of Quebec where Montreal resides. We apologize for the error.
Have news for Phil Allaway and the Frontstretch? Don't hesitate to let us know; email us at ashland10@mail.com with a promising lead or tip.
~~~~~~~~~~
Got NASCAR-related questions or comments?
Send them John Potts' way at john.potts@frontstretch.com; and if you're lucky, you'll get your name in print when he does his weekly column answering back to you – the fans that keep Frontstretch afloat. Potts' Shots will run on Thursdays with a whole new set of Fan Questions and Answers!
~~~~~~~~~~
Today's Featured Commentary
Dale Earnhardt, Jr. Is Still A Title Contender
Full Throttle
by Mike Neff
The long dry spell from Victory Lane for Dale Earnhardt, Jr. has been covered ad nauseum for some time. While he's gone three years without a win, he's been looking closer than ever during the streak this season. Prior to some bad luck the last two weekends he was averaging a 10th-place finish which has him on the precipice of being a true threat to win the championship this season. There has been discussion for years about the potential for a driver to win a title without winning a race. Wouldn't it be ironic if NASCAR's most popular driver were able to claim his first championship without breaking his long winless steak?
Taking a look at the statistics for Jimmie Johnson, obviously the standard bearer for winning titles under the Chase format, his average finish has ranged from 9.7 for the 2006 season to 12.2 in 2010. While that average is for the entire season, and his average in the final 10 races has been closer to seventh over his five year reign, the bottom line is scoring top-10 finishes over the last 10 races will put a driver in the hunt and scoring to- 6 finishes will most certainly assure a championship. While Earnhardt has not put his car in the Winner's Circle for some time, he's proven this season that he can finish consistently, and he's within a couple of spots of averaging the finish he needs to take home the big silver trophy at the end of the season.
One of the main premises of the Chase format was that it would put a premium on winning. It was implemented the year after Matt Kenseth came very close to winning a title without winning a single event during the season. Kenseth took the trophy home after the third race of the season in Las Vegas and that was the only time all year that he was the first to the checkered flag. At the same time Ryan Newman visited Victory Lane eight times during that season, but also had seven DNFs, which prevented him from taking the title. Whether it was in response to those exact circumstances or in an effort to change things up and add some stick and ball type of excitement to the title hunt, the Chase was implemented.
Since the Chase came around the average finish over the last 10 races of the season for the ultimate champion has vacillated from around tenth to fifth. Most seasons if a driver can average just better than a seventh-place finish over the final 10 races he'll take home the big prize, and that kind of an average is very attainable for Earnhardt, Jr. based on the way he's been running this season. If he and Steve Letarte can get a few more places out of the car over each of the final 10 races they'll be right in contention for the title and it would be possible for them to take the ultimate prize home without a win.
The firestorm that would follow such an event would be of epic proportions with the members of Junior Nation obviously being thrilled for their driver while the naysayers and conspiracy theorists would certainly scream foul. The sport would obviously receive a huge boost from Earnhardt taking home the title and, with the continuous struggles to regain the momentum that it has lost over the last few years, that kind of exposure would be enormous, but the debate would certainly taint the accomplishment.
The thing to note about Earnhardt's run to the finish of the season at this point in time is that he's building the second best average finish of his career even with his horrible result last weekend at Sonoma. The only season where he's had a better average finish was in 2004, the first season of the Chase. Earnhardt ended up fifth in points that season, although he would have won the title had he not had an error in judgment at Atlanta which took him out of the event when he was trying to move into the top 3.
There is no question that Earnhardt has shown consistency this season that is close to what will be necessary to take the title at the end of the season. If his team can improve his average finish from the first 14 races to seven from 10, he'll most certainly be within reach of the top spot when the Homestead race rolls around in November. The odds are, if he is able to take home the title he'll win at least one race en route to the ultimate prize, but if he doesn't the discussion and debate will most certainly be deafening.
Mike Neff is a Senior Writer for Frontstretch.com. He can be reached via e-mail at mike.neff@frontstretch.com.
~~~~~~~~~~
Hey, Frontstretch Readers!
We know you love the roar of raw horsepower under the hood that powers 43 of the best drivers in the world every weekend, but did you ever wonder how the sponsor on top of that hood also contributes to keeping the sport moving? What about the contributions of official NASCAR companies? If you think they are simply writing checks, think again. Check out our newest feature - Sunday Money. This weekly Frontstretch exclusive provides you with a behind the scenes look at how NASCAR, its affiliates and team sponsors approach the daunting task of keeping fans interested and excited about the sport for 38 weeks of the year.
~~~~~~~~~~
Tweet 'N' Greet
by Jay Pennell
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, Jay Pennell 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...
@kaseykahne: Racing Kentucky and new Hampshire for Jr motorsports #7 Should be exciting!
@BrianLVickers: For those of you wondering about the word Scatology....http://fb.me/NXDnu2AI
@keselowski (Brad Keselowski): There are thousands of ways to pay someone back. I won't be mad if or when it happens to me. Sign of weakness.
@AndyLally: As much as I love the rivalry & wanna see the clash, I think it was at least respectable & professional of Kyle Busch to try to squash it.
@AndyLally: @maxpapis You got screwed by an idiot.
@jpmontoya (Juan Pablo Montoya): I guess the 2 car loves cottonelle cause really need it to get close to me LOL!!!!
@2Spotter (Joey Meier): If a driver is better, and has a faster car, there is no excuse to 'move him a little' and they whine about getting wrecked. Shut up.....
@2Spotter: Sometime if you drive like a bull in China shop, the China that gets broke is yours.....
@Mc_Driver (Michael McDowell): That was not intentional tried to let @Bobby_Labonte go by got in marbles and got loose. Very sorry for that.
@Mc_Driver: Twitter fans are awesome but some of them should lock it up. Lol I would not wreck the nicest guy on our sport for no reason.#Seriously!
@dennyhamlin: Every time we get a little momentum we have a day like today. 7th week in a row I've had a winning car and then Boom. We get Dinger'd
@StewartHaasRcng (Stewart-Haas Racing): Tony Stewart's new Public Service Message:Leave blocking to football players, and if no football this year, don't bring blocking to #NASCAR.
@KrissieNewman: I am ready to kick the 27s ass myself....learn to drive dumbass
@conniemontoya: One thing is to race hard...that is very welcome and another is to be stupid!! I am mad!!!!
@conniemontoya: When u have won Indy 500, Monaco brazil, just a couple of F1 races, etc.... You do not have 2 prove yourself!! He is here to race and win...
@kalekahne: @jpmontoya just because u can't win doesn't mean u drive through other cars! Dumbass!
@keselowski: Lmao Which face said that? @PPistone From post Sonoma transcript: CARL EDWARDS: (I've never) gone out and tried to get somebody back."
@keselowski: At the end of the day, we all have blood on our hands. Those who claim not to, are the ones to be afraid of.
@keselowski: Some may say that last comment was directed at carl, JPM or whomever. Just a general statement.
@DeLanaHarvick: And me too! RT @MikeMassaroESPN: sizeable fire in Paul Menard's pit. Quickly extinguished. A reminder why pit reporters wear firesuits
@jeff_gluck: Robin Pemberton: "The grand marshal today is John Ratzenberger, known as Cliff from 'Cheers.' Joey, that's a show your dad used to watch."
@keselowski: @ESPNMotorsports S.C. needs to get the facts right on NASCAR. Reporting it wrong serves only to sacrifice credibility for everything u do.
@RickyCarmichael: So bummed, house got struck by lightning and burned out everything. The wells too.. Looks like the pool is the shower tonight
Jay Pennell is an Assistant Editor to Frontstretch.com. He can be reached via e-mail at jaywpennell@yahoo.com, and you can also check out his work at allleftturns.com or jaywpennell.blogspot.com.
~~~~~~~~~~
TODAY ON THE FRONTSTRETCH:
Did You Notice? ... Kurt Busch in Championship Form, Strategies at Sonoma and More
by Brody Jones
Away From Here and Back Again: Wallace Comes Full Circle
by Amy Henderson
Mirror Driving: Vickers vs. Stewart, Rivalries at Daytona and Kurt Busch as Champion?
by the Frontstretch Staff
Voice of Vito: Room For One More - Road Courses Prove Their Place in NASCAR
by Vito Pugliese
Top Ten Reasons This List is NOT About Juan Pablo's Rough Driving At Infineon
by Jeff Meyer
Sprint Cup Power Rankings: Top 15 After Infineon
compile by Mike Neff
~~~~~~~~~~
FRONTSTRETCH TRIVIA:
Top News
compiled by the Frontstretch Staff
Crown Royal To End Sponsorship Of Matt Kenseth, No. 17
Roush Fenway Racing saw the bottom fell out on one of its primary sponsorships Tuesday, Crown Royal choosing to end their agreement with the No. 17 Ford and Matt Kenseth effective the end of the 2011 season. The company is also cutting off the majority of its NASCAR-related sponsorships altogether, focusing only on the "Your Name Here" Contest which revolves around its sponsorship of the Richmond International Raceway Spring event in 2012.
"We have made the decision to make a strategic shift in our resources," the company said of the decision in a statement. "We have developed strong relationships with the people at both organizations - they have not only been fantastic business partners, but have also become our friends. We thank them for working with us throughout the years to showcase the importance of our social responsibility initiatives. We look forward to a strong finish to the 2011 season and like the many fans we've gained along the way, we'll never stop rooting for the #17 car on its way to Victory Lane."
Roush Fenway Racing responded to the news immediately with a statement of their own.
"We are obviously disappointed with the news, but first we would like to thank Diageo and Crown Royal for a terrific partnership that has spanned almost a decade," claimed RFR president Steve Newmark. "They have been a first-class partner all the way around. We look forward to finishing out the season with them on the No. 17 as Matt and the Crown Royal team continue to contend for another championship. It's unfortunate that they will not be able to continue to be a part of our organization. Fortunately, our race programs are operating at a higher level than ever. The #17 is an attractive, championship-winning program with a storied history and Matt Kenseth an elite driver. We have already opened the door for discussions and are currently in the process of speaking with companies interested in taking over the program for next season and beyond."
The move is a major blow to the four-car organization, which has only one sponsor for its four teams - 3M - signed up for 2012. AFLAC, as well as driver Carl Edwards remain unsigned for next season, along with UPS which is currently backing David Ragan and the No. 6 Ford. No word yet on who's in the running to be on Kenseth's car; as for the driver himself, the 2003 champion signed a multi-year extension with the RFR organization last year.
Affliction Clothing Expands Relationship With Kenseth, No. 17
At the same time Kenseth's team received devastating sponsorship news, at least one other company has stepped up their support. Affliction Clothing, which debuted on the No. 17 Ford earlier this season has now added two additional races to their sponsorship program, effective Tuesday: the July races at Daytona and New Hampshire speedways, respectively.
"It's always great to bring a new sponsor to our team, but it's even more thrilling to have them add more races to their sponsorship," said Kenseth on the move. "We're proud to have Affliction Clothing as part of our Roush Fenway organization and are looking forward to another pair of great races representing their brand."
Red Bull Racing Team Member Fired For Twitter Posting
Dustin Long is reporting that Jeremy Fuller, a pit crew member for Red Bull Racing and Turner Motorsports was fired based on a post from his Twitter account. Over the weekend, Fuller, whose Twitter account is @fullerjeremy posted a picture of a car clearly headed to the Gay Pride Parade in San Francisco with the comment, "This is way (sic) I don't live here." He then replied, according to the queers4gears.com website to another poster who claimed, "yea if we could get rid of them it'd be a lot better."
Fuller's reply to that Tweet: "lol... don't we all wish."
The post has since been removed, but one of Fuller's employers, RBR confirmed they took action in a statement posted by Long. "Red Bull Racing Team was made aware of comments posted to a contractor's Twitter account following this weekend's race," they explained. "After investigating the matter, [we] terminated the contractor's employment effective immediately. The race team regularly conducts diversity training and strictly enforces our team policies against any form of discrimination. We have zero tolerance for such violations and in no way support any of the comments posted by this individual.''
Fuller spoke out Tuesday on the issue, speaking to SceneDaily's Bob Pockrass and claiming he did not make those posts on his own Twitter account. Explaining he was on a plane when the "lol" response got posted, the tire changer maintained it was a joke between two friends and no anti-gay hatred was intended or spread by him.
"I don't have any negative thoughts about gay people," Fuller said. "I got rid of everything because I did not want it to go this far. … I've got gay friends. It was like, 'Hey, look, this [banner] is something you don't [typically] see. It's like, 'Wow, let's post this.'"
"The only thing I posted was the picture and this was the reason I don't live here. That is the only thing I've done and I don't know how it got to be where it's at now."
Correction: In yesterday's Newsletter, we referred to the "French government" negotiating with the ISC to provide funding for continued racing at the Montreal Circuit Gilles Villeneuve. That should have been "French Canadian" government... as in, the province of Quebec where Montreal resides. We apologize for the error.
Have news for Phil Allaway and the Frontstretch? Don't hesitate to let us know; email us at ashland10@mail.com with a promising lead or tip.
~~~~~~~~~~
Got NASCAR-related questions or comments?
Send them John Potts' way at john.potts@frontstretch.com; and if you're lucky, you'll get your name in print when he does his weekly column answering back to you – the fans that keep Frontstretch afloat. Potts' Shots will run on Thursdays with a whole new set of Fan Questions and Answers!
~~~~~~~~~~
Today's Featured Commentary
Dale Earnhardt, Jr. Is Still A Title Contender
Full Throttle
by Mike Neff
The long dry spell from Victory Lane for Dale Earnhardt, Jr. has been covered ad nauseum for some time. While he's gone three years without a win, he's been looking closer than ever during the streak this season. Prior to some bad luck the last two weekends he was averaging a 10th-place finish which has him on the precipice of being a true threat to win the championship this season. There has been discussion for years about the potential for a driver to win a title without winning a race. Wouldn't it be ironic if NASCAR's most popular driver were able to claim his first championship without breaking his long winless steak?
Taking a look at the statistics for Jimmie Johnson, obviously the standard bearer for winning titles under the Chase format, his average finish has ranged from 9.7 for the 2006 season to 12.2 in 2010. While that average is for the entire season, and his average in the final 10 races has been closer to seventh over his five year reign, the bottom line is scoring top-10 finishes over the last 10 races will put a driver in the hunt and scoring to- 6 finishes will most certainly assure a championship. While Earnhardt has not put his car in the Winner's Circle for some time, he's proven this season that he can finish consistently, and he's within a couple of spots of averaging the finish he needs to take home the big silver trophy at the end of the season.
One of the main premises of the Chase format was that it would put a premium on winning. It was implemented the year after Matt Kenseth came very close to winning a title without winning a single event during the season. Kenseth took the trophy home after the third race of the season in Las Vegas and that was the only time all year that he was the first to the checkered flag. At the same time Ryan Newman visited Victory Lane eight times during that season, but also had seven DNFs, which prevented him from taking the title. Whether it was in response to those exact circumstances or in an effort to change things up and add some stick and ball type of excitement to the title hunt, the Chase was implemented.
Since the Chase came around the average finish over the last 10 races of the season for the ultimate champion has vacillated from around tenth to fifth. Most seasons if a driver can average just better than a seventh-place finish over the final 10 races he'll take home the big prize, and that kind of an average is very attainable for Earnhardt, Jr. based on the way he's been running this season. If he and Steve Letarte can get a few more places out of the car over each of the final 10 races they'll be right in contention for the title and it would be possible for them to take the ultimate prize home without a win.
The firestorm that would follow such an event would be of epic proportions with the members of Junior Nation obviously being thrilled for their driver while the naysayers and conspiracy theorists would certainly scream foul. The sport would obviously receive a huge boost from Earnhardt taking home the title and, with the continuous struggles to regain the momentum that it has lost over the last few years, that kind of exposure would be enormous, but the debate would certainly taint the accomplishment.
The thing to note about Earnhardt's run to the finish of the season at this point in time is that he's building the second best average finish of his career even with his horrible result last weekend at Sonoma. The only season where he's had a better average finish was in 2004, the first season of the Chase. Earnhardt ended up fifth in points that season, although he would have won the title had he not had an error in judgment at Atlanta which took him out of the event when he was trying to move into the top 3.
There is no question that Earnhardt has shown consistency this season that is close to what will be necessary to take the title at the end of the season. If his team can improve his average finish from the first 14 races to seven from 10, he'll most certainly be within reach of the top spot when the Homestead race rolls around in November. The odds are, if he is able to take home the title he'll win at least one race en route to the ultimate prize, but if he doesn't the discussion and debate will most certainly be deafening.
Mike Neff is a Senior Writer for Frontstretch.com. He can be reached via e-mail at mike.neff@frontstretch.com.
~~~~~~~~~~
Hey, Frontstretch Readers!
We know you love the roar of raw horsepower under the hood that powers 43 of the best drivers in the world every weekend, but did you ever wonder how the sponsor on top of that hood also contributes to keeping the sport moving? What about the contributions of official NASCAR companies? If you think they are simply writing checks, think again. Check out our newest feature - Sunday Money. This weekly Frontstretch exclusive provides you with a behind the scenes look at how NASCAR, its affiliates and team sponsors approach the daunting task of keeping fans interested and excited about the sport for 38 weeks of the year.
~~~~~~~~~~
Tweet 'N' Greet
by Jay Pennell
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, Jay Pennell 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...
@kaseykahne: Racing Kentucky and new Hampshire for Jr motorsports #7 Should be exciting!
@BrianLVickers: For those of you wondering about the word Scatology....http://fb.me/NXDnu2AI
@keselowski (Brad Keselowski): There are thousands of ways to pay someone back. I won't be mad if or when it happens to me. Sign of weakness.
@AndyLally: As much as I love the rivalry & wanna see the clash, I think it was at least respectable & professional of Kyle Busch to try to squash it.
@AndyLally: @maxpapis You got screwed by an idiot.
@jpmontoya (Juan Pablo Montoya): I guess the 2 car loves cottonelle cause really need it to get close to me LOL!!!!
@2Spotter (Joey Meier): If a driver is better, and has a faster car, there is no excuse to 'move him a little' and they whine about getting wrecked. Shut up.....
@2Spotter: Sometime if you drive like a bull in China shop, the China that gets broke is yours.....
@Mc_Driver (Michael McDowell): That was not intentional tried to let @Bobby_Labonte go by got in marbles and got loose. Very sorry for that.
@Mc_Driver: Twitter fans are awesome but some of them should lock it up. Lol I would not wreck the nicest guy on our sport for no reason.#Seriously!
@dennyhamlin: Every time we get a little momentum we have a day like today. 7th week in a row I've had a winning car and then Boom. We get Dinger'd
@StewartHaasRcng (Stewart-Haas Racing): Tony Stewart's new Public Service Message:Leave blocking to football players, and if no football this year, don't bring blocking to #NASCAR.
@KrissieNewman: I am ready to kick the 27s ass myself....learn to drive dumbass
@conniemontoya: One thing is to race hard...that is very welcome and another is to be stupid!! I am mad!!!!
@conniemontoya: When u have won Indy 500, Monaco brazil, just a couple of F1 races, etc.... You do not have 2 prove yourself!! He is here to race and win...
@kalekahne: @jpmontoya just because u can't win doesn't mean u drive through other cars! Dumbass!
@keselowski: Lmao Which face said that? @PPistone From post Sonoma transcript: CARL EDWARDS: (I've never) gone out and tried to get somebody back."
@keselowski: At the end of the day, we all have blood on our hands. Those who claim not to, are the ones to be afraid of.
@keselowski: Some may say that last comment was directed at carl, JPM or whomever. Just a general statement.
@DeLanaHarvick: And me too! RT @MikeMassaroESPN: sizeable fire in Paul Menard's pit. Quickly extinguished. A reminder why pit reporters wear firesuits
@jeff_gluck: Robin Pemberton: "The grand marshal today is John Ratzenberger, known as Cliff from 'Cheers.' Joey, that's a show your dad used to watch."
@keselowski: @ESPNMotorsports S.C. needs to get the facts right on NASCAR. Reporting it wrong serves only to sacrifice credibility for everything u do.
@RickyCarmichael: So bummed, house got struck by lightning and burned out everything. The wells too.. Looks like the pool is the shower tonight
Jay Pennell is an Assistant Editor to Frontstretch.com. He can be reached via e-mail at jaywpennell@yahoo.com, and you can also check out his work at allleftturns.com or jaywpennell.blogspot.com.
~~~~~~~~~~
TODAY ON THE FRONTSTRETCH:
Did You Notice? ... Kurt Busch in Championship Form, Strategies at Sonoma and More
by Brody Jones
Away From Here and Back Again: Wallace Comes Full Circle
by Amy Henderson
Mirror Driving: Vickers vs. Stewart, Rivalries at Daytona and Kurt Busch as Champion?
by the Frontstretch Staff
Voice of Vito: Room For One More - Road Courses Prove Their Place in NASCAR
by Vito Pugliese
Top Ten Reasons This List is NOT About Juan Pablo's Rough Driving At Infineon
by Jeff Meyer
Sprint Cup Power Rankings: Top 15 After Infineon
compile by Mike Neff
~~~~~~~~~~
FRONTSTRETCH TRIVIA:
Q: Rick Wilson was a snakebit driver for much of his career in Winston Cup (and who now lives on as a call to cheers at various NASCAR gatherings (seriously)). However, in 1988, he was one of the strongest drivers in the field. However, he did something that proved to be his downfall in the Pepsi 400 and prevented himself from getting his first career win. What was it?
Check back Thursday for the answer, here in the Frontstretch Newsletter!
Tuesday's Answer:
Tuesday's Answer:
Q: The 1990 Pepsi 400 marked one of only two points-paying Winston Cup victories at Daytona for Dale Earnhardt. However, the race is notable for a massive crash at the beginning of the event. What happened?
In the race itself, Sacks was a sitting duck and dropped back immediately. By Turn 3, he was in a three-wide battle for seventh with Derrike Cope and Richard Petty. Sterling Marlin looked to make it four-wide coming to the end of the lap, but chose not to. Eventually, Cope and Sacks came together. Sacks bounced into Richard Petty and Marlin and spun in front almost the entire field. By the time the smoke cleared, 24 cars had been swept into the mess. Earnhardt had gotten ahead of the whole mess before it happened, but almost all of the drivers that could have competed with Earnhardt for the win were either outright eliminated from the event, or just heavily damaged. Geoff Bodine put it best. "They saw the movie!," in reference to the then-recently released "Days of Thunder." The wreck can be seen in this clip.
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 Phil Allaway
-- Shakedown Session by Brody Jones
-- Links to your favorite Frontstretch articles, and more!
~~~~~~~~~~
Tomorrow on the Frontstretch:
MPM2Nite by Kurt Smith
Matt is off this week, and Kurt Smith is in to give you his thoughts on one of the latest stories in NASCAR. But never fear faithful readers ... Matt will be back next week.
Voices From the Heartland by Summer Dreyer
Summer fills in for Jeff this week with her own Midwestern take on the sport.
Potts' Shots by John Potts
Fanning the Flames has become Potts' Shots, and John Potts is here to answer your questions in our weekly Fan Q & A. Do you have something you'd like to ask John? Don't sit on the sidelines! Send it to john.potts@frontstretch.com, and you just may see your question in print next week!
Fantasy Insider by Brett Poirier
Did your fantasy racing team take a hit at Infienon? Well, Brett has just what you need to know to turn things around when choosing your teams for the Coke Zero 400 on Saturday night at Daytona.
5th Column TBA by Mark Powell
Our professor of racing history "has at it" with another column pertinent to the sport at large.
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