THE FRONTSTRETCH NEWSLETTER
Presented by Frontstretch.com
The Best Seat at the Track, The Best View on the Net!
March 26th, 2013
Volume VII, Edition XLIII
~~~~~~~~~~
What To Watch: Tuesday
- It's penalty day in NASCAR, and with the number of postrace confrontations we saw at Fontana it's likely a number of probation rulings will be handed down. Stay with Frontstretch.com to get all the latest information on what's happening.
- NASCAR Series Directors John Darby (Cup), Wayne Auton (Nationwide), and Chad Little (Trucks) will meet with the media to give a series of updates on their respective divisions.
~~~~~~~~~~
Top News
by Tom Bowles
Denny Hamlin Suffers L1 Compression Fracture
Sunday's last-lap wreck at Fontana came with a physical consequence for Denny Hamlin. The driver has been officially diagnosed with an L1 Compression Fracture of his lower back, leaving his short-term driving future unclear. Hamlin, who was held overnight for observation before being released from a California hospital Monday would not comment on whether he would be available for the next Cup event at Martinsville in two weeks. Instead, he sent a series of Tweets, from "I want to go home" to a picture, attached to the text "all good" where you can clearly see the driver is wearing a back brace. USA Today Sports also revealed Hamlin had difficulty breathing upon briefly speaking to reporters when leaving Loma Linda Medical Center.
Hamlin, now back in North Carolina is scheduled to meet with the renowned Dr. Jerry Petty later in the week for further evaluation, treatment, and recommendations. Petty, along with other specialists declined to speak on the severity of Hamlin's condition without actually seeing the patient. Recovery times for this type of injury vary immensely, from something that's considered "minor" to weeks of recovery, even possible surgery to repair severe pain and numbness. For those unaware, the L1 refers to the first vertebra of the lumbar spine, level with the end of the ninth rib. It's near an area where Hamlin has had back problems in the past; spasms have caused him to cut back on basketball and golf in recent years, although he's never missed a Cup event for that type of problem. This type of injury is especially painful, and can be paired with numbness and the type of breathing issues Hamlin is experiencing.
So what's next? Lumbar fractures can take as long as three months to heal in a healthy, normal person. After Martinsville, in two weeks the series will head to two of the highest average speed tracks on the circuit, Texas and Kansas which would make racing with an injury that much more difficult. So far in 2013, Hamlin remains a strong Chase contender, sitting tenth in points despite only one top-5 finish in the season's first five events. Initial indications are he doesn't want to make the injury worse; however, any significant missed time behind the wheel, more than 1-2 events would make the postseason a virtual impossibility.
Joey Logano, at press time had no official comment on the injury although owner Roger Penske, Sunday night made public comments that stood by his driver "150%."
New SAFER Barriers For California?
One day after Hamlin's frightening impact, to the inside wall with no SAFER Barrier Auto Club Speedway will wait on NASCAR's experts before deciding on necessary improvements.
Presented by Frontstretch.com
The Best Seat at the Track, The Best View on the Net!
March 26th, 2013
Volume VII, Edition XLIII
~~~~~~~~~~
What To Watch: Tuesday
- It's penalty day in NASCAR, and with the number of postrace confrontations we saw at Fontana it's likely a number of probation rulings will be handed down. Stay with Frontstretch.com to get all the latest information on what's happening.
- NASCAR Series Directors John Darby (Cup), Wayne Auton (Nationwide), and Chad Little (Trucks) will meet with the media to give a series of updates on their respective divisions.
~~~~~~~~~~
Top News
by Tom Bowles
Denny Hamlin Suffers L1 Compression Fracture
Sunday's last-lap wreck at Fontana came with a physical consequence for Denny Hamlin. The driver has been officially diagnosed with an L1 Compression Fracture of his lower back, leaving his short-term driving future unclear. Hamlin, who was held overnight for observation before being released from a California hospital Monday would not comment on whether he would be available for the next Cup event at Martinsville in two weeks. Instead, he sent a series of Tweets, from "I want to go home" to a picture, attached to the text "all good" where you can clearly see the driver is wearing a back brace. USA Today Sports also revealed Hamlin had difficulty breathing upon briefly speaking to reporters when leaving Loma Linda Medical Center.
Hamlin, now back in North Carolina is scheduled to meet with the renowned Dr. Jerry Petty later in the week for further evaluation, treatment, and recommendations. Petty, along with other specialists declined to speak on the severity of Hamlin's condition without actually seeing the patient. Recovery times for this type of injury vary immensely, from something that's considered "minor" to weeks of recovery, even possible surgery to repair severe pain and numbness. For those unaware, the L1 refers to the first vertebra of the lumbar spine, level with the end of the ninth rib. It's near an area where Hamlin has had back problems in the past; spasms have caused him to cut back on basketball and golf in recent years, although he's never missed a Cup event for that type of problem. This type of injury is especially painful, and can be paired with numbness and the type of breathing issues Hamlin is experiencing.
So what's next? Lumbar fractures can take as long as three months to heal in a healthy, normal person. After Martinsville, in two weeks the series will head to two of the highest average speed tracks on the circuit, Texas and Kansas which would make racing with an injury that much more difficult. So far in 2013, Hamlin remains a strong Chase contender, sitting tenth in points despite only one top-5 finish in the season's first five events. Initial indications are he doesn't want to make the injury worse; however, any significant missed time behind the wheel, more than 1-2 events would make the postseason a virtual impossibility.
Joey Logano, at press time had no official comment on the injury although owner Roger Penske, Sunday night made public comments that stood by his driver "150%."
New SAFER Barriers For California?
One day after Hamlin's frightening impact, to the inside wall with no SAFER Barrier Auto Club Speedway will wait on NASCAR's experts before deciding on necessary improvements.
"Anytime that NASCAR makes any recommendation that they feel will reduce injuries or the threat to injuries, we will always implement that," Zucker told ESPN.com. "I'm sure that every incident that occurs, NASCAR reviews and determines whether anything needs to be done."
News 'N' Notes
- A great finish out in California led to a great audience for the fifth Sprint Cup race of 2013. Fontana scored an impressive 4.5 Nielsen Rating in the overnights, up 32% from last season's rain-shortened event and approximately ten percent from 2011, when the race was run the full distance. The event is the fourth this season in Cup to either maintain last year's numbers or post a substantial television increase
- Elliott Sadler's number and sponsor have been leaked for his limited Cup Series schedule with Joe Gibbs Racing. Sadler will be assigned the No. 81, sponsored by Alert Energy, a new product put out by the makers of Wrigley's Gum. Race dates have not been announced but it's expected the Nationwide Series regular will compete in a handful of events, mostly during the season's second half.
Have news for Tom and the Frontstretch? Don't hesitate to let us know; email us at ashland10@mail.com with a promising lead or tip.
~~~~~~~~~~
GOT A NASCAR QUESTION OR COMMENT? WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU!
That's right; our Fan Q & A column is back once again in 2013. Send your question Summer Bedgood's way at summer.bedgood@frontstretch.com and if you're lucky, you'll get your name in print on Thursday when she does her weekly column. It's all part of our daily mission to give back to you – the fans that keep Frontstretch afloat!
~~~~~~~~~~
Today's Featured Commentary
Wanting It All: Why the Last Lap Was the Best Lap
Sitting In The Stands: A Fan's View
by S.D. Grady
The sun is shining, engines roar as the machines fly out of the final corner. Side-by-side and nose to nose, the competitors aim for the finish line. But there just isn't enough room for them both. The track isn't wide enough and the air forces their cars to dance all over. It's going to be bad! It's going to be good.
Then, one pulls over and lets the other guy drive away, settling for second place. During post-race PR appearances, driver number two answers the obvious burning question, "Why did you do it?"
"I just didn't want anything to go wrong. I thought it would be better just to take the points and let us all finish with our fenders intact."
I don't know about you, but I'm always hoping for such an outcome to any given Sunday's race... NOT!
At the risk of sounding insensitive, can somebody please explain what got into everybody post-race on Sunday? Yes, Hamlin was injured when his car piled into the non-SAFER barrier. And that is never what I want during a race. However, do I blame Logano for the whole thing? No. Never. Nada. And what was Twitterverse thinking in doing so?
There were two drivers on that track. Both had machines capable of winning. Both wanted it more than breath itself and refused to give the win away.
For just one moment, take away the shenanigans -- on-track and otherwise -- between the No. 11 and No. 22 over the previous weeks. What we saw during the closing laps of the Auto Club 400, without it was nothing more than hard racing to the finish; it's exactly what gets me to tune into NASCAR week after week.
For years now, racing fans have been complaining about a lack of out and out competition during the regular season as teams try to solidify their positions for the Chase. "We hate points racing!" has been the cry. And no matter how the sanctioning body tries to tweak the points given for a win or leading laps, the very existence of the Chase encourages teams to drive conservative during the first 26 races of the year.
Shouldn't we be celebrating the take no prisoners approach Denny and Joey took as they ran door-to-door down the backstretch and into Turn 3? I don't know about you, but my couch was suffering while I bounced on it as the boys truly did "have at it." That was glorious, hard-assed driving. If you wanted to put down money on who would win at the last restart, it wasn't going to be a smart bet no matter who was your pick. That's the parity NASCAR loves to tout. It's Toyota, Chevrolet and Ford. It's Penske, Gibbs and Hendrick. It's a season where we don't have a best pick five races in, all of this equality which encourages the top 15 to race hard and give no quarter.
But lest we forget, it's not team orders that added up to a fantastic finish at a track previously known as the second home to the Rose Bowl Parade. When all the pit strategy had been played out, gas tanks no longer remained a concern for who would make it to the checkers and those with terminally damaged machines retired to the garage, only one thing remained that would make all the difference at the last second: the drivers.
Drivers who wanted to win and damn the consequences. We were left with two young guns, one who always seems to be just missing that coveted Cup and the other greatly desiring to live up to his nickname. Their passion burned bright. We could feel their need to win and not settle for second--even over the airwaves.
We got what NASCAR Nation has been demanding for years: one for the books. A race that may save the reputation of Auto Club Speedway and didn't do bad at shoring up NASCAR's faltering image of tame days at the track.
Yes, there were also punches thrown, well-bleeped swearing and promises of further retribution to come. But that's all to the good. We're guaranteed more excitement when the Sprint Cup Series returns to Martinsville. I'm already anticipating all that may or may not occur in two weeks.
All of the above combined are the good reasons that what we saw on Sunday was great racing. Awesome racing. The kind we hope to duplicate again and again as the season wears on.
Did I hope Logano or Hamlin would settle for second best? No. And I never will. I'm much happier wanting it all.
Kyle Larson Stats of the Week:
Series: World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series
Track: Stockton 99 Dirt Track, Stockton, CA
Car: No. 57
Started: 3rd
Finished: 1st
Series: Nationwide Series
Track: Auto Club Speedway, Fontana, CA
Car: No. 32 Eveready Chevrolet
Qualified: 9th
Finished: 6th
Points Position: 7th
Want to follow Kyle Larson yourself?
Twitter: @KyleLarsonRacin
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KyleLarsonRacing
Website (under construction): http://kylelarsonracing.com/
Looking for a little history? Try... http://kylelarsonracing.net/
S.D. Grady is a Senior Editor for Frontstretch. She can be reached via e-mail at sonya.grady@frontstretch.com. Follow him on Twitter at @laregna.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Numbers Game: Auto Club 400
by Tom Bowles
0
Laps led by Joey Logano at an intermediate track for the last 2+ seasons prior to Sunday. The last time "Sliced Bread" had paced the field, at any track 1.5 to 2 miles in length was when he led 30 laps at Texas in November of 2010.
1
The number of drivers currently inside the Chase who have not recorded a top-10 finish in 2013. Ricky Stenhouse, Jr. sits 12th in the standings despite never running better than 12th so far in 2013. (He does, however have five top-20 results. Not even Brad Keselowski can boast of having that.)
2
Top-5 finishes in the last five starts in the Cup Series for No. 78 owner Barney Visser. (Driver: Kurt Busch)
3
Top-5 finishes in the first 199 starts in the Cup Series for No. 78 owner Barney Visser.
3
Top-15 finishes in the last five starts in the Cup Series for Germain Racing's No. 13 car. (Driver: Casey Mears)
4
Top-15 finishes in the first 136 starts in the Cup Series for Germain Racing's No. 13 car.
5
Chasers from 2012 currently on the outside looking in for this year's Sprint Cup playoff. (Clint Bowyer, 13th; Kevin Harvick, 15th; Jeff Gordon, 18th; Martin Truex, Jr., 19th; Tony Stewart, 22nd)
9
The number of races, prior to Sunday Kyle Busch had led the most laps in the Cup Series without cashing in on a victory. He finally pulled through at Fontana, leading a race-high 125 laps en route to holding down first place.
17
Fontana's number of lead changes Sunday, second-fewest in Cup Series history there. Only the 2012, rain-shortened event had fewer. (Just goes to show you sometimes stats can be deceiving as to the quality of racing on-track...)
23
Races run at Auto Club Speedway, in the Cup Series before Joe Gibbs Racing finally cashed in with a race victory. JGR has now won at least once at every Cup track on the circuit. (Only exception: North Wilkesboro, which went dormant following the 1996 season.)
26
The number of races since Juan Pablo Montoya last scored a top-10 finish in Sprint Cup. He was eighth at Michigan last June. Montoya had shifter issues on Sunday which dropped him out of contention midway through the event.
46
The number of caution laps run Sunday at Fontana, nearly 25% of the event. The previous two races there, the number totaled just 31.
$15,500
The monetary difference between 43rd-place Mike Bliss, who start-and-parked and 39th-place Timmy Hill, who attempted to run the distance before getting knocked out with rear gear problems. NASCAR has decreased the purse money for the final few positions in the field in an attempt to cut back on S&P.
$135,798
The increase in purse money from 2012 to 2013 in California. Purse money rides on a number of factors but typically, an increase like that is a strong indicator of a better crowd. (NASCAR no longer releases attendance figures)
Tom Bowles is the Editor-In-Chief of Frontstretch.com. He can be reached at tom.bowles@frontstretch.com. Follow him on Twitter at @NASCARBowles.- A great finish out in California led to a great audience for the fifth Sprint Cup race of 2013. Fontana scored an impressive 4.5 Nielsen Rating in the overnights, up 32% from last season's rain-shortened event and approximately ten percent from 2011, when the race was run the full distance. The event is the fourth this season in Cup to either maintain last year's numbers or post a substantial television increase
- Elliott Sadler's number and sponsor have been leaked for his limited Cup Series schedule with Joe Gibbs Racing. Sadler will be assigned the No. 81, sponsored by Alert Energy, a new product put out by the makers of Wrigley's Gum. Race dates have not been announced but it's expected the Nationwide Series regular will compete in a handful of events, mostly during the season's second half.
Have news for Tom and the Frontstretch? Don't hesitate to let us know; email us at ashland10@mail.com with a promising lead or tip.
~~~~~~~~~~
GOT A NASCAR QUESTION OR COMMENT? WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU!
That's right; our Fan Q & A column is back once again in 2013. Send your question Summer Bedgood's way at summer.bedgood@frontstretch.com and if you're lucky, you'll get your name in print on Thursday when she does her weekly column. It's all part of our daily mission to give back to you – the fans that keep Frontstretch afloat!
~~~~~~~~~~
Today's Featured Commentary
Wanting It All: Why the Last Lap Was the Best Lap
Sitting In The Stands: A Fan's View
by S.D. Grady
The sun is shining, engines roar as the machines fly out of the final corner. Side-by-side and nose to nose, the competitors aim for the finish line. But there just isn't enough room for them both. The track isn't wide enough and the air forces their cars to dance all over. It's going to be bad! It's going to be good.
Then, one pulls over and lets the other guy drive away, settling for second place. During post-race PR appearances, driver number two answers the obvious burning question, "Why did you do it?"
"I just didn't want anything to go wrong. I thought it would be better just to take the points and let us all finish with our fenders intact."
I don't know about you, but I'm always hoping for such an outcome to any given Sunday's race... NOT!
At the risk of sounding insensitive, can somebody please explain what got into everybody post-race on Sunday? Yes, Hamlin was injured when his car piled into the non-SAFER barrier. And that is never what I want during a race. However, do I blame Logano for the whole thing? No. Never. Nada. And what was Twitterverse thinking in doing so?
There were two drivers on that track. Both had machines capable of winning. Both wanted it more than breath itself and refused to give the win away.
For just one moment, take away the shenanigans -- on-track and otherwise -- between the No. 11 and No. 22 over the previous weeks. What we saw during the closing laps of the Auto Club 400, without it was nothing more than hard racing to the finish; it's exactly what gets me to tune into NASCAR week after week.
For years now, racing fans have been complaining about a lack of out and out competition during the regular season as teams try to solidify their positions for the Chase. "We hate points racing!" has been the cry. And no matter how the sanctioning body tries to tweak the points given for a win or leading laps, the very existence of the Chase encourages teams to drive conservative during the first 26 races of the year.
Shouldn't we be celebrating the take no prisoners approach Denny and Joey took as they ran door-to-door down the backstretch and into Turn 3? I don't know about you, but my couch was suffering while I bounced on it as the boys truly did "have at it." That was glorious, hard-assed driving. If you wanted to put down money on who would win at the last restart, it wasn't going to be a smart bet no matter who was your pick. That's the parity NASCAR loves to tout. It's Toyota, Chevrolet and Ford. It's Penske, Gibbs and Hendrick. It's a season where we don't have a best pick five races in, all of this equality which encourages the top 15 to race hard and give no quarter.
But lest we forget, it's not team orders that added up to a fantastic finish at a track previously known as the second home to the Rose Bowl Parade. When all the pit strategy had been played out, gas tanks no longer remained a concern for who would make it to the checkers and those with terminally damaged machines retired to the garage, only one thing remained that would make all the difference at the last second: the drivers.
Drivers who wanted to win and damn the consequences. We were left with two young guns, one who always seems to be just missing that coveted Cup and the other greatly desiring to live up to his nickname. Their passion burned bright. We could feel their need to win and not settle for second--even over the airwaves.
We got what NASCAR Nation has been demanding for years: one for the books. A race that may save the reputation of Auto Club Speedway and didn't do bad at shoring up NASCAR's faltering image of tame days at the track.
Yes, there were also punches thrown, well-bleeped swearing and promises of further retribution to come. But that's all to the good. We're guaranteed more excitement when the Sprint Cup Series returns to Martinsville. I'm already anticipating all that may or may not occur in two weeks.
All of the above combined are the good reasons that what we saw on Sunday was great racing. Awesome racing. The kind we hope to duplicate again and again as the season wears on.
Did I hope Logano or Hamlin would settle for second best? No. And I never will. I'm much happier wanting it all.
Kyle Larson Stats of the Week:
Series: World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series
Track: Stockton 99 Dirt Track, Stockton, CA
Car: No. 57
Started: 3rd
Finished: 1st
Series: Nationwide Series
Track: Auto Club Speedway, Fontana, CA
Car: No. 32 Eveready Chevrolet
Qualified: 9th
Finished: 6th
Points Position: 7th
Want to follow Kyle Larson yourself?
Twitter: @KyleLarsonRacin
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KyleLarsonRacing
Website (under construction): http://kylelarsonracing.com/
Looking for a little history? Try... http://kylelarsonracing.net/
S.D. Grady is a Senior Editor for Frontstretch. She can be reached via e-mail at sonya.grady@frontstretch.com. Follow him on Twitter at @laregna.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Numbers Game: Auto Club 400
by Tom Bowles
0
Laps led by Joey Logano at an intermediate track for the last 2+ seasons prior to Sunday. The last time "Sliced Bread" had paced the field, at any track 1.5 to 2 miles in length was when he led 30 laps at Texas in November of 2010.
1
The number of drivers currently inside the Chase who have not recorded a top-10 finish in 2013. Ricky Stenhouse, Jr. sits 12th in the standings despite never running better than 12th so far in 2013. (He does, however have five top-20 results. Not even Brad Keselowski can boast of having that.)
2
Top-5 finishes in the last five starts in the Cup Series for No. 78 owner Barney Visser. (Driver: Kurt Busch)
3
Top-5 finishes in the first 199 starts in the Cup Series for No. 78 owner Barney Visser.
3
Top-15 finishes in the last five starts in the Cup Series for Germain Racing's No. 13 car. (Driver: Casey Mears)
4
Top-15 finishes in the first 136 starts in the Cup Series for Germain Racing's No. 13 car.
5
Chasers from 2012 currently on the outside looking in for this year's Sprint Cup playoff. (Clint Bowyer, 13th; Kevin Harvick, 15th; Jeff Gordon, 18th; Martin Truex, Jr., 19th; Tony Stewart, 22nd)
9
The number of races, prior to Sunday Kyle Busch had led the most laps in the Cup Series without cashing in on a victory. He finally pulled through at Fontana, leading a race-high 125 laps en route to holding down first place.
17
Fontana's number of lead changes Sunday, second-fewest in Cup Series history there. Only the 2012, rain-shortened event had fewer. (Just goes to show you sometimes stats can be deceiving as to the quality of racing on-track...)
23
Races run at Auto Club Speedway, in the Cup Series before Joe Gibbs Racing finally cashed in with a race victory. JGR has now won at least once at every Cup track on the circuit. (Only exception: North Wilkesboro, which went dormant following the 1996 season.)
26
The number of races since Juan Pablo Montoya last scored a top-10 finish in Sprint Cup. He was eighth at Michigan last June. Montoya had shifter issues on Sunday which dropped him out of contention midway through the event.
46
The number of caution laps run Sunday at Fontana, nearly 25% of the event. The previous two races there, the number totaled just 31.
$15,500
The monetary difference between 43rd-place Mike Bliss, who start-and-parked and 39th-place Timmy Hill, who attempted to run the distance before getting knocked out with rear gear problems. NASCAR has decreased the purse money for the final few positions in the field in an attempt to cut back on S&P.
$135,798
The increase in purse money from 2012 to 2013 in California. Purse money rides on a number of factors but typically, an increase like that is a strong indicator of a better crowd. (NASCAR no longer releases attendance figures)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
ADVERTISEMENT
Are you looking to advertise your website, product or brand? A good way to get your name out there is via direct advertising here in the Frontstretch Newsletter! Interested parties can contact us at frontstretcheditors@googlegroups.com for details.
~~~~~~~~~~~
TODAY ON THE FRONTSTRETCH:
Racing To The Point: Winning on Saturday Makes Rowdy Better on Sunday
by Brett Poirier
Who's Hot / Who's Not In NASCAR: Fontana-Off Week 1 Edition
by Brad Morgan
Going By The Numbers: The Cup Season's First Off Week, Before and After
by Kevin Rutherford
Five Points to Ponder: Learning Curves, Hamlin's Back and Missed Walls
by Danny Peters
Couch Potato Tuesday: NBC Sports Does Well; FOX Lucky With Feud Focus
by Phil Allaway
From Monday:
IndyCar Race Recap: 2013 Season Opener In St. Petersburg
by Matt Stallknecht
~~~~~~~~~~~
FRONTSTRETCH TRIVIA:
Q: For many years, the spring race at Martinsville was scheduled for the same weekend as the NFL Draft, an event that ESPN built up from simple beginnings to be an all-conquering behemoth. As a result, it was the last race on the Sprint Cup schedule to get a live, flag-to-flag telecast. When was the first live, flag-to-flag telecast of the then-Hanes 500?
Check back Wednesday for the answer, here in the Frontstretch Newsletter!
Monday's Answer:
Q: Speaking of the 2001 Marlboro 500 from last Friday's question, the race was run over a distance of 440 miles. Why was this so?
A: Rains in the morning significantly pushed back the start of not only the Marlboro 500, but the Dayton Indy Lights race scheduled to precede it. Once the track was dried, the Indy Lights race was up. That event ended with a huge wreck at the finish. Once the 500-miler got started, there were a number of yellows due to blown engines and crashes. This slowed the race pace to the point where the event ran up against darkness, forcing CART to shorten the event first to 230 laps, then 220.
Frontstretch Trivia Guarantee: If we mess up, you get the shirt off our backs! If we've provided an incorrect answer to the Frontstretch Trivia question, be the first to email the corrected trivia answer to trivia@frontstretch.com and we'll send you a Frontstretch T-Shirt ... FREE!
~~~~~~~~~~
Coming tomorrow in the Frontstretch Newsletter:
-- Top News from Tom Bowles
-- Tweet 'N' Greet by Kevin Rutherford
-- Links to your favorite Frontstretch articles, and more!
~~~~~~~~~~
Tomorrow on the Frontstretch:
Did You Notice?... by Tom Bowles
Did You Notice?... Tom is back with his views on a myriad of topics heading into the Easter off weekend.
Side by Side: Blocking - Dirty or Acceptable? by the Frontstretch Staff
An old standby column returns, our weekly staff debate on a major NASCAR topic facing the sport. This week's edition takes another look at on-track conduct. Tony Stewart was upset with Joey Logano after Sunday's race because a late-race block thrown by Logano cost him several positions when he lost momentum. Was Logano's move acceptable, or was he playing dirty pool?
Sprint Cup Top 15 Power Rankings compiled by Michael Mehedin
It's baaack! Your favorite poll returns as we rank the drivers after Sunday's Auto Club 400. See who some of your favorite writers, from both the Frontstretch and across the web have pegged as the #1 wheelman with the most momentum as of now.
Beyond The Cockpit: TBA
Frontstretch Top Ten by the Frontstretch Staff
This Week's Topic: Top Ten Ways NASCAR Could Make Drivers Settle Their Differences Off the Track. The answers will tickle your funny bone, guaranteed.
Open-Wheel Wednesday by the Frontstretch Staff
Fresh off the season opener in St. Pete, our FS experts discuss the impact of James Hinchcliffe taking the checkers, the quality of competition we saw in race one and so much more in a special roundtable discussion.
-----------------------------
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