The Frontstretch Newsletter: A Look Back At Sunday's Mayhem

THE FRONTSTRETCH NEWSLETTER
Presented by Frontstretch.com
The Best Seat at the Track, The Best View on the Net!
October 28th, 2013
Volume VII, Edition CCI
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Sprint Cup Race Recap: Gordon Upstages Johnson and Kenseth to Win Martinsville
by Justin Tucker

They always say at Martinsville to expect the unexpected.  Coming into Sunday's race, all eyes were on Jimmie Johnson and Matt Kenseth going head-to-head in another classic Chase race between the season's most dominant cars.

Instead, it was another legend who stole the show.

Jeff Gordon, winless entering the event recaptured his Martinsville magic, earning an eighth career victory on NASCAR's shortest track -- his first in eight years. Passing Kenseth with 21 laps to go, he tied Johnson for the most wins at the paperclip amongst active drivers while launching himself back into the championship conversation. It's the peak of what's been a rollercoaster season for Gordon; the 13th driver, added to the Chase mere days before it was supposed to begin has seized the opportunity and jumped to third in the season standings.

"It's hard to top what it feels like to win; especially when you've been through all of what this Drive to End Hunger Chevrolet team has been through," said Gordon, earning his 88th career victory on the Sprint Cup circuit.  "I'm just so proud of them for never giving up.  We've shown it all year long.  We've been through a lot, but boy, this is making it all worth it."

The Chase took center stage during Sunday's race and it appeared coming in that Johnson had a decided edge on his closest challenger for the championship.  However, Kenseth would outpoint his rival Sunday by leading a race-high 202 laps and finishing second.  Johnson would lead 123 laps early, but struggled as the race went on. After a midrace pit stop, under caution that put him off sequence from other lead lap cars the No. 48 had to battle back simply to finish fifth. (See Summer Bedgood's sidebar stories for more). As a result, the two drivers are tied going into next week's race at Texas Motor Speedway. 

Kenseth, who put himself in position to win said Gordon's experience at the end was the deciding factor.

"I have nothing to complain about, just you always feel bad when you're leading at the end and your crew puts you out front and you can't hold on to win," he said.  "So, I'm disappointed about that. [But] gosh, for how Martinsville has been for me, how could you not be pleased.  I mean, we led the most laps and finished second.  The only guy happier is Jeff."

Joining Gordon, Kenseth and Johnson in the top 5 of Sunday's race at Martinsville were Clint Bowyer in third and defending Sprint Cup champion Brad Keselowski in fourth.  Rounding out the top 10 were Kevin Harvick in sixth, Denny Hamlin in seventh and Dale Earnhardt, Jr. in eighth.  Greg Biffle finished ninth, despite missing 80 percent of his TV panel, and Jamie McMurray would back up his Talladega win with a tenth-place finish.

Sunday's race at Martinsville was a true, "throwback style" short track race.  17 cautions for 111 laps would slow the race pace to an average speed of 70.337 MPH. Several top names, from Mark Martin to Kasey Kahne were involved in incidents although the final 77 circuits went caution free. There were a total of 15 lead changes, among eight different drivers with a green-flag, on-track pass for the lead the deciding factor in the race.

Only three event remain in the Chase for the Sprint Cup as the series heads to the Wild Asphalt Circus at Texas Motor Speedway.  The AAA Texas 500 gets underway next Sunday at 3:16 PM ET.

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

Chasing The Chase: Through Seven Races, We've Settled Almost Nothing
by Phil Allaway

Martinsville Speedway is one of Jimmie Johnson's best tracks, so it was assumed that Johnson would be able to stretch his miniscule points lead over Matt Kenseth.  Not so fast.

Kenseth came into Sunday on a mission to defeat Johnson and he managed to do it.  Kenseth led a race-high 202 laps and finished second.  With Johnson running just at his average for Martinsville (fifth), we have a dead heat with three races to go.  Kenseth officially wins the tiebreaker since he has seven wins to Johnson's five; however, this title is far from settled.  The duo now heads to Texas, where neither performed all that well in the Spring. Johnson ran sixth, while Kenseth was 12th and neither driver got up front to lead a lap.

Can anyone else catch up to the top two? Jeff Gordon used the momentum of his victory Sunday to move up two spots, up to third in the points.  However, he is one point behind where the duo of Kyle Busch and Kevin Harvick were in comparison to Johnson entering Sunday. 27 markers behind, Gordon is no longer in control of his title destiny. Even if he won the last three races, plus led the most laps the two drivers above him could steal the title with three consecutive finishes of fifth or better.

Speaking of Harvick and Kyle Busch, Harvick more or less stood pat on Sunday, finishing sixth and losing two points to Johnson.  If anything, Harvick's tiff with owner Richard Childress' grandson will continue to cast a pall over the team; the outlook may be cloudy here over the next three weeks. Kyle, meanwhile ran very well on Sunday, but faded late to finish 15th. Those two are the only others who could technically assume the point lead after Texas.

Leading off the next group of Chasers, Clint Bowyer is up two places to sixth after finishing third by just a hair at Martinsville. Dale Earnhardt, Jr. dropped one place to seventh after running eighth on Sunday.  Just two points behind him is Greg Biffle, who finished ninth at Martinsville, but was none too pleased with Johnson after the race.  Kurt Busch maintained the ninth spot, but lost quite a bit of ground after finishing a lap down in 18th. Carl Edwards, in tenth is just one point behind Kurt.  For Edwards, Martinsville was a rough ride. Involved in the race's first two cautions, he was as far back as 28th at one point and required a Lucky Dog to fight back to 12th at the finish.

Joey Logano, still recovering from a bumpy Chase start is up one place to 11th after finishing 14th.  That one spot was at the expense of Ryan Newman, who crashed after contact with Harvick on Lap 318.  Newman would eventually fall to 38th, 68 laps down. Finally, Kasey Kahne's horrid Chase continued with a 27th-place finish.  Kahne was spun out early in a chain reaction crash and got stuck in the grass, losing multiple laps in the process.

Outside of the Chase, Jamie McMurray continues to lead those drivers following his tenth-place Martinsville finish.  However, his advantage has dropped to 24 points over Brad Keselowski.

Chase Point Standings: t-1) Matt Kenseth 2,294, t-1) Jimmie Johnson 2,294, 3) Jeff Gordon -27, 4) Kevin Harvick -28, 5) Kyle Busch -36, 6) Clint Bowyer -55, 7) Dale Earnhardt, Jr. -56, 8) Greg Biffle -58, 9) Kurt Busch -75, 10) Carl Edwards -76, 11) Joey Logano -85, 12) Ryan Newman -106, 13) Kasey Kahne -124.

Best of the Rest (14-23): 14) Jamie McMurray 953, 15) Brad Keselowski -24, 16) Martin Truex, Jr. -61, 17) Paul Menard -66, 18) Aric Almirola -110, 19) Jeff Burton -115, 20) Ricky Stenhouse, Jr. -126, 21) Marcos Ambrose -140, 22) Juan Pablo Montoya -147, 23) Casey Mears -278.

Non-Chase Point Standings (top-23): 1) Jimmie Johnson 1123, 2) Kevin Harvick -35, 3) Matt Kenseth -37, 4) Kyle Busch -66, 5) Carl Edwards -69, 6) Dale Earnhardt, Jr. -104, 7) Clint Bowyer -105, 8) Jeff Gordon -106, 9) Greg Biffle -131, 10) Kurt Busch -142, 11) Joey Logano -166, 12) Jamie McMurray -170, t-13) Brad Keselowski -194, t-13) Ryan Newman -194, 15) Kasey Kahne -214, 16) Martin Truex, Jr. -231, 17) Paul Menard -236, 18) Aric Almirola -280, 19) Jeff Burton -285, 20) Ricky Stenhouse, Jr. -296, 21) Marcos Ambrose -310, 22) Juan Pablo Montoya -317, 23) Casey Mears -448.

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

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

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

Underdog Selection No. 1: Casey Mears for Germain Racing; started 28th, finished 21st

Mears' day was better than his finish shows.  Damage to the hood of his car from an early chain reaction dustup left Mears unable to see where he was going, and even under caution, he lost a lap on pit road.  It took another 200 or so laps until he got it back, which was really a shame because the driver was running lap times equal to those in the top 5.  The No. 13 faded a bit in the late going, as the team ran low on fresh tires but was still the best in the small-team bracket.

Underdog Selection No. 2: David Gilliland for Front Row Motorsports; started 27th, finished 23rd

It was Gilliland's teammate, David Ragan, who surprised everyone by qualifying eighth to start the weekend. But after his engine gave up the ghost, after just over 100 laps it was Gilliland who carried the flag for Front Row Motorsports.  The team has shown improvement in recent weeks, and at Martinsville, Gilliland looked racy for much of the day, running well among his peers and even giving the leaders a hard time as he fought to stay on the lead lap.  It wasn't the kind of day a team circles in red as their best, once the checkered flew but it was one where the team can be satisfied with the effort. That 23rd, for FRM is now looked at as a C grade is significant progress.

Underdog Selection No. 3: Travis Kvapil for BK Racing; started 32nd, finished 24th

For the second week in a row, Kvapil quietly gave BK a solid, if unspectacular, day.  Despite getting spun twice during the 500-lap race, Kvapil was able to salvage a decent finish in 24th, better than most of his direct competition.  With questions surrounding his future with the team after Kvapil was arrested earlier this month, on domestic violence charges he may well be auditioning to keep this ride come 2014. So far, so good.

Underdog Pick of the Week - Texas II: David Ragan for Front Row Motorsports

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

My Martinsville pick, Bobby Labonte, was plagued by a car that wouldn't cooperate, and came in 32nd.  I need a little redemption this week, and I'm hoping to find it in David Ragan.  While Casey Mears has a better average finish at Texas, this team has found a little power of late, and Ragan has raced well.  He's got a good shot at being the best in class this weekend.

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

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Letter of the Race: Sunday's Talladega race was brought to you by the letter "I," for Inside Line. Traditionally, Martinsville Speedway has been a one-groove racetrack.  However, it was possible to use a second lane in a pinch, especially in the three years before the most recent repave.  However, the cool weather this past weekend made it near impossible for the race cars and race trucks to lay any rubber down on the concrete in the turns. That left guys on the outside, every restart hung out to dry and almost guaranteed to lose several spots on-track before slotting in line. - Phil Allaway

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Sidebar Stories: Martinsville
by Summer Bedgood

Jimmie Johnson, Matt Kenseth Leave Martinsville Tied in Points

When Jimmie Johnson entered the weekend in Martinsville, he had to feel rather confident.  After all, he has a total of eight victories at the track, and was the two-time defending winner before the green flag fell on Sunday.  Martinsville seemed to be the track where he would finally widen the gap between himself and championship contender Matt Kenseth.

The opposite would actually happen, though as the two would wind up tied for the top spot at the end of the race.  Kenseth's second-place run and Jimmie Johnson's fifth-place finish left the two with the exact same amount of points when the checkered flag flew. However, Kenseth was given the tiebreaker by virtue of having more wins than Johnson did.

With that in mind, Kenseth and Johnson are still looking ahead to Texas knowing full well that the championship is far from over.

"I think if you're within a race, anything can happen," said Kenseth.  "I think if you're more than a race behind multiple drivers, I think that makes it tough.  I think if you're whatever you can get in a race, 48 points, if you're more than that behind more than one driver, more than two drivers, I think that's hard to overcome with three races to go.  But as we've seen through the years, anything can happen.  You just never know what's going to happen."

"It's been a great battle with the No. 20 car (Matt Kenseth) and the No. 24 (Jeff Gordon) is really showing that he wants to be a part of this deal, as well; and there are some other guys back there kind of close," responded Johnson.  "So, it's going to be a dogfight to the end.  It's the way that I would want to go racing for a championship, and I know that's exactly what the fans want to see.  We'll keep digging hard.  We had a decent day today and see if we can't get this Lowe's Chevrolet to Victory Lane here soon."

For Johnson, a strong car early appeared to fizzle based on losing the lead just before a midrace restart. Stuck on the outside line, after that for several consecutive cautions the No. 48 car just didn't have the muscle to get down on the inside of the track. Clint Bowyer, among others was openly critical of the way Johnson muscled down to save track position, giving the Lowe's Chevy a break when contact could have led to a spinout. Finally, Chad Knaus brought Johnson to the pits on Lap 339, off sequence for fresh tires and a chance to make a handling adjustment. Forced to fight back the rest of the day, it took all the team had for Johnson to make it back to fifth by the checkered flag.

Greg Biffle Confronts Jimmie Johnson On Pit Road

Greg Biffle had a terrible weekend at Martinsville that began with two spins in one practice session before the green flag ever flew for the Goody's Headache Relief Shot 500.  His race didn't get much better, as he ran midpack for much of the day though Biffle insisted he had a good car.

During the race, a piece of his bumper came apart and started flapping in the wind.  Biffle began racing Jimmie Johnson for position, and the racing got dicey.  Johnson was trying to work his way back up through the field, and made contact with Biffle's rear bumper.  This made the damage to his car worse, forcing the Ford driver to head to pit road during a well-timed caution to fix the damage.

Biffle obviously wasn't happy about the contact, and walked over to Johnson on pit road after the race.  According to witnesses, he grabbed Johnson either by the shoulders or the collar and exchanged some heated words, including several swears before walking away.

"We had a great 3M Ford Fusion," said the driver afterwards.  "It was a good day for us.  I just wish that wouldn't have happened (the rear bumper flapping forcing him to pit road).  We had a top-5 car here today, finally to get in the top 5 at Martinsville, but that's like our fourth or fifth top 10 in a row so I'm pretty happy."

Biffle ran ninth. Johnson had no comment, but Biffle later apologized for the incident on Twitter.

Kevin Harvick Forced to Apologize … Again

A day after Kevin Harvick unleashed on his current organization of Richard Childress Racing, along with Childress' grandson Ty Dillon, Harvick was forced to apologize for those comments.  While he avoided burning that bridge, he just about burned another one: the Stewart-Haas Racing organization he'll be driving for next year.

Harvick was racing Ryan Newman for position on Lap 318, in the Sprint Cup Series race when he made contact and sent the No. 39 car around.  Though Newman is leaving SHR next year, for Richard Childress Racing, Newman remains under contract with SHR through November.

"First thing I want to do is apologize to Ryan Newman," said Harvick.  "I tried to shoot in a gap there and just barely clipped the right rear of his car.  It doesn't make his day any better.  But I've just got to thank all my guys on the Rheem Chevrolet.  It's all beat-up.  And it's leaking water so we didn't have any water pressure there for about 150 laps, so it was a little bit nerve-wracking. Luckily, it was a small hole. We battled all day and had a decent day and had a decent car.  They adjusted for the damage and had the car really good there at the end and we lived to fight another day."

Harvick finished sixth while Newman ran 38th.

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

Quotes to Remember: Goody's Headache Relief Shot 500
compiled by Summer Bedgood

"To be able to get a huge win here at Martinsville for points, for the Manufacturers' Championship, for all the Hendrick family and for all those that were lost several years ago; seeing Rick (Hendrick) here means a lot to all of us." - Jeff Gordon, race winner

"Just went away from me there at the end.  But it was a great race.  When the 5 (Kasey Kahne) blocked us in there or whatever went on I really lost a lot of momentum and Jeff (Gordon) got to me.  From that moment on, I had a hard time holding him off.  All of the lapped cars up to that point were so courteous and could roll right by them and then they were side-by-side and I thought he was a bunch of laps down.  So, once I had to push him out of the way we were a little slower.  But, overall, what a great day.  Just thanks to Dollar General and JGR (Joe Gibbs Racing), it was a good day for us." - Matt Kenseth, finished second

"Just not enough man.  We were so good in practice.  Really, really strong in practice with our 5-Hour ENERGY Toyota.  I was super optimistic, but it just wasn't our day.  We worked very hard to get where we were.  I'm proud of (Brian) Pattie (crew chief).  Just frustrating.  I was really looking forward to this race.  I thought this was one that we'd have a legit shot at winning at and just come up a little short." - Clint Bowyer, finished third

"It was a decent day.  It seems like every time we come to Martinsville with the Miller Lite Ford Fusion we run right in that fourth, fifth, sixth range and I was just trying to break out and get to Victory Lane, but came up a bit short today.  It was a solid effort.  We were quite a ways off at the start of the race and Paul Wolfe and everybody on the 2 crew dialed us in a little better and got some decent track position there at the end when it counts." - Brad Keselowski, finished fourth

"We ran decent.  We realistically really had about a 25th-place car — we just kept crutching it with one adjustment to try to make it turn the center and of course, with that I would just burn up my rear tires 30 laps into a run.  Even though the car drove as bad as it did, we still were able to be at least somewhat competitive.  We had a lot of damage from that early wreck. Proud of this whole team for fixing it.  The pit crew did awesome on pit road — they kept picking me up spots.  Seventh isn't what we like here at Martinsville, but still it's a step in the right direction." - Denny Hamlin, finished seventh

"We worked really, really hard all day and just... we had a decent car and didn't do everything exactly like we needed to.  It was a pretty good car, maybe a fifth-place car.  This tire was a struggle for us last year, and the last time we were here and we felt like we made a lot of good gains on it in practice and had some good speed.   I don't know what we have to do to get that extra bit.  I think the race could play out a little bit differently and give us a little better track position.   We tore the right front off and I think that hurt the aerodynamics quite a bit." - Dale Earnhardt, Jr., finished eighth

"An up and down day for our team.  We chased the balance on the car both loose and tight throughout the race.  We raced near the front and the back at different times.  Our guys worked hard to make adjustments and put us in contention for a top-10 finish. All-in-all, a good day for our McDonald's team, on such a tough track." - Jamie McMurray, finished tenth

"It was tough.  We were terrible and then we actually made it back up and we were OK there at the end, but it just wasn't good enough." - Carl Edwards, finished 12th

"The Target Chevy started out strong and then we fell behind and struggled keeping up with the changing track conditions. The guys kept working on it and we were able to get back on the lead lap and run up in the top 15 for the end of the race. I'm proud of these guys. They never gave up and we had a decent finish today." - Juan Pablo Montoya, finished 13th

"This place can be so frustrating.  Chad (Johnston, crew chief) has been bringing me the best cars I have ever had at this place and we keep getting crashed.  On the restart, I just got pushed into the car in front of me.  They never let off to the point my hood was up.  I was just along for the ride.  I have to hand it to my NAPA Know How crew for making quick repairs to keep me on the lead lap.  We made the best of it.  It took us 100 laps but damn, we got back to tenth.  Then we got into another accident so needless to say it was an emotional rollercoaster for us today." - Martin Truex, Jr., finished 16th

"I'm really proud of what our GoDaddy team accomplished today. For pulling out the backup car on Friday and having to start so far back in the field, it was a really good run. We started in the back and made our way through, and we didn't have quite the car that we had here in the spring but we got a similar result and that's something I'm proud of. The guys did a great job in the pits. They were on their game each stop. Our adjustments were good all day. It was just a really solid day for our team, and that's what we want to do these next few races and end our season on a strong note. Today was the last race for our pink car. I'm really proud that we were able to give GoDaddy and .ORG a good run because I'm very proud of what they do to help promote breast cancer awareness and I've been honored to help them with that through the month of October." - Danica Patrick, finished 17th

"We didn't qualify well, didn't practice well and obviously didn't race well today. I don't know what it is but there's something about this track that doesn't suit me. A very disappointing performance today. For a Chase team, we should have been much better. Our Furniture Row Chevrolet got banged up early when it took a big hit to the right side. But no excuses, we just didn't have it." - Kurt Busch, finished 18th

"It was just a long day.  We fought hard and I'm real proud of my guys for all the hard work.  We battled through a lot of adversity today, but it was just not the day we were hoping for.  We just really struggled to get our car to roll around the center of the corner and that ended up hurting us." - Aric Almirola, finished 20th

"Our car would be good for the short run.  I didn't know the track was going to tighten up as much as it did.  We just lost front grip.  I'm proud of my guys.  We made good adjustments and had great pit stops.  I just wish we could have had a little more for them there at the end.  We gave up a lot of spots the last 50 laps." - Elliott Sadler, finished 25th

"I started out too tight. I don't know, we just can't seem to catch a break in these two Cup starts that I've had. We blew up in Charlotte and not sure if we had a rear end blow up here or what. I just want to thank Target for the opportunity to get some experience this season… Chip Ganassi, Felix (Sabates) and everybody that put me out here and let me get a little bit of laps. I would like to finish one of these races that I have run. Who knows, might get a couple of more races this season, so hopefully we can have those go a little better. I learned that I have to get my car a little bit better in the center of the corner during practice the next time I come back. You see the leaders and how much better their cars work in the center of the corners, which helps them off the corner and all the way down the straightaway. I just need to get a better feel for these things and help my career out a little bit." - Kyle Larson, finished 42nd
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TODAY ON THE FRONTSTRETCH:

Thinkin' Out Loud: Martinsville-2 Sprint Cup Race Recap

by Mike Neff

The Big Six: Questions Answered Following The Goody's 500
by Amy Henderson

All Kenseths And Johnsons Are Created Equal... Because Of The Chase?
by Summer Bedgood

Pace Laps: Maximizing Opportunities And NASCAR's Minority Breakthrough
by the Frontstretch Staff

The Risk Of The Asterisk Still Lives After Must-See Martinsville

by Tom Bowles

From Sunday:

Tracking the Trucks: Kroger 200

by Michael Mehedin

Short Takes From A Short Track In Autumn
by Amy Henderson

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FRONTSTRETCH TRIVIA:

Q:  The inaugural True Value 500k for the Indy Racing League is best known for the scoring issues that led to the wrong driver (Billy Boat) in Victory Lane and Arie Luyendyk (the rightful victor) being the recipient of a pimp slap from A.J. Foyt.

However, the ridiculousness at the end may have been quite a bit different had another incident not happened.  What was it?

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

Friday's Answer:

Q:  Dale Earnhardt, Jr. didn't exactly have the best introduction to Martinsville in the Cup Series.  After a 26th-place finish in the Spring of 2000, the NAPA AutoCare 500 was just one mess after another.  What happened?

A:  Earnhardt Jr. qualified a miserable 32nd and things never really got much better.  Early in the race, the No. 8 blew a right-front tire, bringing out a yellow when Earnhardt Jr. locked up the tires to avoid smacking the wall.  Unfortunately, Earnhardt Jr. got lapped in the process.

Earnhardt Jr. was then nine laps down when he was hit and spun out in the aftermath of a crash exiting Turn 4 by Stacy Compton.  That crash damaged the left side of the No. 8 and put Earnhardt Jr. behind the wall.  Finally, late in the race, Earnhardt Jr. climbed the right rear of Dave Blaney and crashed hard in Turn 1, ending his day.  ESPN did not catch the wreck live, but has some aftermath footage.  That can be seen here, along with a spin by Bobby Labonte that occurred around the same time.

Frontstretch Trivia Guarantee: Take the shirt off our backs! If we've provided an incorrect answer to the Frontstretch Trivia question, be the first to email the corrected trivia answer to trivia@frontstretch.com and we'll send you a Frontstretch T-Shirt ... FREE!

Coming Tuesday in the Frontstretch Newsletter:
-- Top News by Tom Bowles
-- Fan's View Commentary by S.D. Grady
-- Numbers Game: Goody's Headache Relief Shot 500 by Tom Bowles
-- Links to your favorite Frontstretch articles, and more!

Tomorrow on the Frontstretch:

 

Five Points To Ponder by Danny Peters

Danny returns for his weekly edition of talking points, which will wrap up the action at Martinsville and get us ready for Texas.

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

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

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

Couch Potato Tuesday by Phil Allaway

This past weekend, the Sprint Cup and Camping World Truck Series both raced at Martinsville Speedway.  How were these races presented last weekend?  Find out in our weekly TV critique.

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The Frontstretch Newsletter: Martinsville Racing Preview

THE FRONTSTRETCH NEWSLETTER
Presented by Frontstretch.com
The Best Seat at the Track, The Best View on the Net!
October 25th, 2013

Volume VII, Edition CC

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FRONTSTRETCH AT THE TRACK! Our Amy Henderson, Mike Neff and Mike Mehedin are at Talladega this weekend, giving you all the latest news, information, and race reports. Be sure to follow Facebook and Twitter (@TheFrontstretch, @Writer_Amy, @MNeffShortTrack and @MikeyMehedin) as an additional resource while following the weekend's events.

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FRONTSTRETCH ON TV! Tom Bowles, our Majority Owner / Editor-In-Chief will once again appear on the FOX Sports 1 show The Crowd Goes Wild! with Regis Philbin. Check out the appearance, Friday at 5 PM ET for a Martinsville preview and be sure to follow the show @CGW on Twitter. Tom can be found @NASCARBowles.

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Racing On TV This Weekend (via Phil Allaway)

Friday, October 25
Time    Telecast    Network
CUP & TRUCKS AT MARTINSVILLE
9:00 AM - 10:00 AM    Camping World Truck Series Practice No. 1    FOX Sports 1
10:30 AM - 12:00 PM    Camping World Truck Series Happy Hour    FOX Sports 1
12:00 - 1:30 PM    Sprint Cup Series Practice No. 1    FOX Sports 1
2:00 - 3:00 PM    K&N Pro Series West Toyota / NAPA Auto Parts 150 (Bakersfield, CA)    FOX Sports 1 */
3:30 - 5:00 PM    Sprint Cup Series Qualifying    FOX Sports 1
5:00 - 6:00 PM    Camping World Truck Series Qualifying    FOX Sports 2

Saturday, October 26
Time    Telecast    Network
4:30 AM - 6:00 AM    Formula One Grand Prix of India Qualifying    NBC Sports Network
10:30 - 11:30 AM    Sprint Cup Series Practice No. 2    FOX Sports 2
12:00 - 1:00 PM    Sprint Cup Series Happy Hour    FOX Sports 1
1:00 - 1:30 PM    NCWTS Setup    FOX Sports 1
1:30 - 3:30 PM    Camping World Truck Series Kroger 200    FOX Sports 1

Sunday, October 27
Time    Telecast    Network
5:00 AM - 5:30 AM    F1 Countdown    NBC Sports Network
5:30 - 7:30 AM    Formula One Grand Prix of India    NBC Sports Network
7:30 - 8:00 AM    F1 Extra    NBC Sports Network
10:00 - 11:00 AM    NASCAR RaceDay Fueled by Sunoco, Part 1    FOX Sports 1
11:00 AM - 12:00 PM    NASCAR RaceDay Fueled by Sunoco, Part 2    FOX Sports 2
1:00 - 1:30 PM    NASCAR Countdown    ESPN
1:30 - 5:00 PM    Sprint Cup Series Goody's Relief Shot 500    ESPN
7:00 - 7:30 PM    NASCAR Victory Lane    FOX Sports 1
11:00 PM - 12:00 AM    NASCAR Now, Post-Race    ESPN 2

* - Tape Delayed

/ - Highlighted Coverage

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Top News
by Justin Tucker

NASCAR Considering Qualifying Shakeup

The days of a standard, single-car qualifying procedure in NASCAR just might be numbered. On Thursday, the sport announced it is considering changing its qualifying procedure for next season to have multiple cars on the track at the same time. The changes were confirmed to be on the table through multiple interviews with NASCAR spokesman Kerry Tharp.

Already implemented for the road courses this season, the proposed qualifying format would have cars in groups, with each car released from pit road in intervals of a few seconds. The group would have a certain amount of time set by NASCAR to complete its qualifying laps, with the best lap speed set by each driver used to determine the starting grid.

On restrictor plate tracks, such as Daytona and Talladega, NASCAR would implement an open qualifying drafting session likely to last anywhere from 45 to 60 minutes to determine the starting order. The field for the Daytona 500, however, would still be set primarily through qualifying races.

As to whether the new format would determine the Daytona 500 pole? Or the order for the qualifying races? That's yet to be decided, as the adjustment has not been officially been approved by the higher-ups down in Daytona Beach.

"Nothing is set in stone yet," Tharp said. "We haven't determined how all that (throughout the season) would be administered. We're still working through that, but with the goal of providing a more enhanced qualifying experience for the fans that come there and watch it and the fans that watch it on television and, quite frankly, for the competitors."

Tharp said the changes were floated during a meeting with drivers and teams on Thursday afternoon. That conversation also addressed potential chassis changes, with another test scheduled for December 9th at Charlotte to try and improve the Gen-6 car's handling.

What do you think about the potential changes? Be sure to drop us a line and let us know.

Trucks Won't Return To Rockingham In 2014

Rockingham Speedway, one of NASCAR's most historic venues, which began hosting NASCAR-sanctioned races two years ago after an eight-year absence, will not host the Camping World Truck Series in 2014. That's according to track owner Andy Hillenburg, confirming the move in advance of the full schedule release next week.

The one-mile track located just 90 miles Southeast of Charlotte had played host to 142 NASCAR-sanctioned events since 1965, with the last being in April of this year when Kyle Larson held off Joey Logano to win the Camping World Truck Series event. The track will remain open for rentals, which include testing but will close for all NASCAR races, at least temporarily while attempting to make marketing and internal improvements for down the road.

"We've got a number of issues that need to be resolved before we can host races again," Hillenburg said. "These issues have been mounting over the last two to three years."

NASCAR is expected to release the 2014 Truck Series schedule as early as Monday and is the last of the three national touring schedules yet to be released. NASCAR spokesperson David Higdon would not comment specifically about Rockingham's date on the schedule; he would only say that they are finalizing the last remaining pieces of it.

Hillenburg purchased the track from Speedway Motorsports Inc. (SMI) in 2007. At first, the speedway experienced a renaissance of sorts, holding a 500-mile ARCA race in advance of the two Truck events that returned to the 1.017-mile oval in 2012-13. Unfortunately, though attendance had dwindled, with the Trucks even struggling to draw a "sold out" crowd. Several smaller events for this Fall had been canceled, leading to growing speculation the track would eventually have to be shut down or sold.

"This has been six years of my life," Hillenburg added, claiming there are no plans for him to give up ownership. "I want to see it succeed."

NASCAR Mandates Baseline Concussion Testing

NASCAR announced Thursday morning that, beginning with the 2014 season, the sanctioning body will mandate preseason neurocognitive baseline testing as part of its comprehensive concussion prevention and management program for all drivers in its three national series.

At the start of the 2013 season, NASCAR recommended that drivers who had not already had a baseline test secure one while indicating a preseason mandate for such testing could be implemented as early as 2014. Baseline testing will be performed through the use of an ImPACT test (Immediate Post - Concussion Assessment and Cognitive Testing).

By implementing this testing prior to the start of the season, doctors are given a snapshot of the athlete's brain function while in a healthy state. Doctors then can use the baseline test, comparing it to post-concussion tests to assist them in evaluating the effects of the injury and assisting them in setting a timetable to return to competition.

"NASCAR made this decision because we think it is important to drivers' health for doctors to have the best information and tools available in evaluating injuries," said Steve O'Donnell, NASCAR Vice President of Racing Operations. "Before announcing this rule, we provided drivers concussion and baseline testing education and created opportunities for them to ask any questions they may have to a top neurosurgeon that specializes in traumatic brain injuries. Also, remember that ImPACT tests are not new to our sport and have been used for treatment through the years.

"We are extremely confident that our concussion protocol is among the best in sports. We regularly review all of our practices, involving safety and health to see if there is anything that we can do better, or should do differently moving forward. Implementing baseline testing is a primary example of our philosophy to protect our competitors the best that we can."

Have news for Justin and the Frontstretch? Don't hesitate to let us know; email us at phil.allaway@frontstretch.com with a promising lead or tip.
 
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Got NASCAR-related questions or comments?
Send them Summer Bedgood's way at summer.bedgood@frontstretch.com; and, if you're lucky, you'll get your name in print when she does her weekly column answering back to you – the fans that keep Frontstretch afloat. Frontstretch Fan Q & A will run on Thursdays with a whole new set of Fan Questions and Answers!

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In Case You Missed It
by Beth Lunkenheimer

Edwards Stars in New Sara Evans Video

Carl Edwards teamed up with RCA Nashville recording artist Sara Evans in the music video for her new single "Slow Me Down." The video debuted on Yahoo! Music earlier this week and debuted on VEVO today. The music video was Edwards' second. He also appeared in Justin Moore's "Bait a Hook" video last year.

"Carl blew us all away both on and off camera," said Evans.  "He nailed the acting parts and was so fun to have around on set, especially during the fighting scenes in the apartment. We're both from Missouri and share the same sense of humor, so it was easy to joke back and forth. We had the entire crew cracking up, but on camera it looks like we literally hate each other.  I hope the fans love the video for 'Slow Me Down' as much as I do!"

Edwards has been actively in the spotlight off the track this season, appearing on LIVE! With Kelly & Michael, The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson, The Big Bang Theory and Cartoon Network's The Adventures of the Annoying Orange.

Hendrick to Receive Lifetime Achievement Award

Rick Hendrick has been selected to receive the 2014 Keith Crain / Automotive News Lifetime Achievement Award on January 22nd at the Washington Auto Show. The award is given annually to those deemed to have made a significant contribution to the auto industry.

"Rick has become an auto industry icon through his charity, hard work, grit and determination," said Keith Crain, Chairman of Crain Communications and Editor-in-Chief of Automotive News. "He has achieved unimaginable success as an automotive dealer and NASCAR owner. He has persevered through unspeakable grief and continues to give back; that combination makes him unique and the perfect recipient of the lifetime achievement award."

Previous winners of the award include Edsel Ford II, Roger Penske, Carroll Shelby, Ralph Nader and Congressman John D. Dingell (D-MI).

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Frontstretch Folio: Camping World RV Sales 500

by Beth Lunkenheimer

This weekend, the Sprint Cup Series rolls into Martinsville Speedway for the seventh race in the Chase for the Sprint Cup. The Goody's Headache Relief Shot 500 will be broadcast live on ESPN at 1:00 PM ET; it can also be heard on your local MRN affiliate or SiriusXM Channel 90. Drivers will compete for 500 laps (263 miles) en route to the checkered flag.

Records and Facts

Jimmie Johnson holds the track qualifying record at Martinsville Speedway with a lap of 98.400 mph for April's STP Gas Booster 500. He went on to lead 346 of 500 laps en route to his eighth win at the paperclip. Clint Bowyer finished second, followed by Jeff Gordon. Kasey Kahne and Kyle Busch rounded out the top 5.

Johnson is also the defending winner of this race. After starting on the pole, the driver of the No. 48 Chevrolet led a race-high 193 laps en route to his fifth of six victories in the 2012 season. Kyle Busch ran second, while Kasey Kahne, Aric Almirola and Clint Bowyer rounded out the top 5.

Track Facts

Track/Race Length: 0.526-mile Paper Clip shaped oval, 500 laps (263 miles)
Pit Road Speed: 30 mph
Degree of Banking: 12 degrees
Frontstretch: 800 ft., 0 degrees of banking
Backstretch: 800 ft., 0 degrees of banking
Grandstand Seating: 61,000
Website: http://www.martinsvillespeedway.com/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/MartinsvilleSpeedway
Twitter: http://twitter.com/MartinsvilleSwy

Pre-race Schedule

Practices: Friday, October 25, 12:00 - 1:30 PM ET on Fox Sports 1
Saturday, October 26, 10:30 - 11:25 AM ET on Fox Sports 2
Happy Hour: Saturday, October 26, 12:00 - 12:50 PM ET on Fox Sports 1
Qualifying: Friday, October 25 at 3:40 PM ET on Fox Sports 1

VIPs

Grand Marshal / Command: NASCAR Legend Junior Johnson
Honorary Starter / Wave Green Flag: Lizard Lick's Amy Shirley
National Anthem: N.C. State Band
Flyover: The Warbirds

Race Day Forecast

Sunday: Mostly Sunny
High: 63
Low: 37

They Said It:

"I really didn't like going [to Martinsville] in the beginning. I actually hated the place. We definitely have figured it out as a team and it's now turned into one of my favorite short tracks. This NAPA team has figured out what we need to run well in practice does not apply to the race. It takes time to figure out how the track changes over the course of the weekend and then determining what the car needs to perform well. The way we've gone, from running 15th to now running consistently in the top 5 and contending for race wins is by making good decisions throughout the weekend and having a good game plan." Martin Truex, Jr.

"I love Martinsville. You have to be patiently aggressive there. You have to always keep pushing, but you have to pick your spots. It's so easy to wear out the brakes, push the engine too hard or make a lot of enemies there. It takes a lot of give and take to survive 500 laps at Martinsville. But in the final 100 laps, there's a lot more taking than giving. We have two races to go and we're looking at them as a preview of our strong potential in 2014. We want to go to Martinsville, run all 500 laps and take home a good finish. That will give us the adrenaline that will take us through the offseason." Reed Sorenson

"To me, Martinsville is more physical from the fender and bumper standpoint. There's a lot of physicality to Martinsville because of its close quarters. You can get up against somebody in the corners really easily, either with the bumper or side to side. If it's hot out there, it can be brutal, physically. But if it's not hot out, it's not really bad. Back in the day, we used to get a lot of carbon monoxide in the cars, and on hot days it really took its toll on us. But the way the cars are today and the filters we have, it's not quite as bad. From a physical standpoint, the field is made up of mostly young guys, at least in comparison to me. The biggest advantage I have from a physical fitness standpoint is that it's kept me in the game for a lot longer than most guys. Most guys these days have a physical fitness regimen. The biggest payoff for my commitment to physical fitness is my longevity in the sport." Mark Martin

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Keepin' It Short: Handicapping A Young Late Model Talent
by Mike Neff

After the Nationwide race at Charlotte a couple of weeks ago, Kyle Busch was commenting on Kyle Larson's venturing to the top groove, especially in Turns 1 and 2, where no one had been in years. Busch observed that sometimes it is good to be young and dumb. This past week, the same adage could have applied at the Dirt Track World Championship. 20-year-old Brandon Sheppard put his car on the high side, during a lap 40 restart and went from fifth to first. From there, he held on to become the youngest winner in the history of the event, by a longshot.

Sheppard has had quite the two-year stretch with the folks at Rocket Chassis. Last year, when Josh Richards decided to chase his NASCAR dream and not try and reclaim his World of Outlaw Late Model title, one that had escaped him at the World Finals thanks to a last-lap flat tire, Sheppard was put in the famous No. 1 Rocket House car. While there were some growing pains, in the end he was a very good substitute for 2013.

This year, Sheppard has claimed the toughest title in all of racing, the UMP Summer Nationals Hell Tour Championship. Winning four races during a month-long, arduous trek, Sheppard won by 15 points. He also claimed a UMP weekly title before this past weekend's victory at Portsmouth Raceway Park. Sheppard set a new standard in youth victories by winning the DTWC at 20 years, eight months and 22 days. That is almost three-and-a-half years younger than Marshall Green was when he won the event in 1997.

Sheppard is a very promising talent in dirt Late Model racing who has finally drawn the attention of all of the racing community and not just the World of Outlaws. He is going to be a star to be reckoned with for a long time to come, provided he doesn't try and chase the NASCAR dream like the mentor he replaced.

This Weekend's Racing Schedule

Friday    10/25/13    I-30 Speedway    Little Rock    AR    ASCS Winged Sprints
Friday    10/25/13    I-30 Speedway    Little Rock    AR    Short Track Nationals ASCS Winged Sprints
Friday    10/25/13    Canyon Speedway Park    Peoria    AZ    Challenge Cup Sprint Cars
Friday    10/25/13    Canyon Speedway Park    Peoria    AZ    Mini Sprints
Friday    10/25/13    Canyon Speedway Park    Peoria    AZ    USAC Sprint Cars
Friday    10/25/13    Canyon Speedway Park    Peoria    AZ    USAC/CRA Sprint Cars
Friday    10/25/13    Las Vegas Motor Speedway    Las Vegas    NV    USAC Western Pavement Ignite Midgets
Saturday    10/26/13    I-30 Speedway    Little Rock    AR    ASCS Winged Sprints
Saturday    10/26/13    I-30 Speedway    Little Rock    AR    Short Track Nationals ASCS Winged Sprints
Saturday    10/26/13    Canyon Speedway Park    Peoria    AZ    Challenge Cup Sprint Cars
Saturday    10/26/13    Canyon Speedway Park    Peoria    AZ    Mini Sprints
Saturday    10/26/13    Canyon Speedway Park    Peoria    AZ    USAC Sprint Cars
Saturday    10/26/13    Canyon Speedway Park    Peoria    AZ    USAC/CRA Sprint Cars
Saturday    10/26/13    Cocopah Speedway    Yuma    AZ    Factory Stocks
Saturday    10/26/13    Cocopah Speedway    Yuma    AZ    IMCA Modifieds
Saturday    10/26/13    Cocopah Speedway    Yuma    AZ    IMCA Sport Mods
Saturday    10/26/13    Cocopah Speedway    Yuma    AZ    Pro Stocks
Saturday    10/26/13    Cocopah Speedway    Yuma    AZ    Street Stocks
Saturday    10/26/13    Kern County Raceway Park    Bakersfield    CA    K&N Pro Series West
Saturday    10/26/13    Toccoa Speedway    Toccoa    GA    Southern All Stars Late Models
Saturday    10/26/13    Florence Speedway    Florence     KY    American Modified Series
Saturday    10/26/13    County Line Raceway    Elm City     NC    Modifieds
Saturday    10/26/13    County Line Raceway    Elm City     NC    Pure Stock 4 Cylinder
Saturday    10/26/13    County Line Raceway    Elm City     NC    Pure Stock V-8
Saturday    10/26/13    County Line Raceway    Elm City     NC    Super Stock 4 Cylinders
Saturday    10/26/13    County Line Raceway    Elm City     NC    Thunder & Lightning
Saturday    10/26/13    Las Vegas Motor Speedway    Las Vegas    NV    USAC Western Pavement Ignite Midgets
Saturday    10/26/13    West End Raceway    Gilbert     PA    Half Quarter Midget
Saturday    10/26/13    West End Raceway    Gilbert     PA    Heavy 160 Quarter Midget
Saturday    10/26/13    West End Raceway    Gilbert     PA    Heavy Honda Quarter Midget
Saturday    10/26/13    West End Raceway    Gilbert     PA    Heavy World Formula Quarter Midget
Saturday    10/26/13    West End Raceway    Gilbert     PA    Jr. Animal Quarter Midget
Saturday    10/26/13    West End Raceway    Gilbert     PA    Jr. Honda Quarter Midget
Saturday    10/26/13    West End Raceway    Gilbert     PA    Jr. Novice Quarter Midget
Saturday    10/26/13    West End Raceway    Gilbert     PA    Light 160 Quarter Midget
Saturday    10/26/13    West End Raceway    Gilbert     PA    Sr. Honda Quarter Midget
Saturday    10/26/13    West End Raceway    Gilbert     PA    Sr. Novice Quarter Midget
Saturday    10/26/13    Music City Quarter Midget Racing Association    Hermitage    TN     Scott Impellizeri Monster Mash 100 Jr. Honda Quarter Midget
Saturday    10/26/13    Music City Quarter Midget Racing Association    Hermitage    TN     Scott Impellizeri Monster Mash 100 Light 160 Quarter Midget
Saturday    10/26/13    Music City Quarter Midget Racing Association    Hermitage    TN     Scott Impellizeri Monster Mash 100 Sr. Honda Quarter Midget
Thursday    10/31/13    Perris Auto Speedway    Perris    CA    USAC West Coast Sprints
Thursday    10/31/13    TBA    TBA    TBA    USAC Southwest Sprint Cars

Mike Neff is a Senior Writer for Frontstretch.com. He can be reached via email at mike.neff@frontstretch.com. Follow him on Twitter @MNeffShortTrack.

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

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TODAY ON THE FRONTSTRETCH:

Four Burning Questions - Martinsville: Payback, Please And Cautions Galore

by Matt Stallknecht

2013 Sprint Cup Rookie Class A Study In Contrast
by Amy Henderson

Nuts for Nationwide: Three Stories To Watch With Three Races Left
by Kevin Rutherford

Voices From the Cheap Seats: Silly Twits Monitoring Silly Tweets
by Jeff Meyer

Frontstretch Foto Funnies: Bow To NASCAR's King

by the Frontstretch Staff

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FRONTSTRETCH TRIVIA:

Q: Dale Earnhardt, Jr. didn't exactly have the best introduction to Martinsville in the Cup Series.  After a 26th-place finish in the Spring of 2000, the NAPA AutoCare 500 was just one mess after another.  What happened?

Check back Monday for the answer, here in the Frontstretch Newsletter!
 
Thursday's Answer:

Q: The 1997 Hanes 500 is best known for Jeff Burton winning after Rusty Wallace was black-flagged for jumping the final restart, from the lead.  What set up that controversial call?

A: Oil was laid down all over the racetrack on Lap 467 of 500.  Dale Earnhardt went up the track, as a result and lost a spot to Bobby Hamilton.  Meanwhile, Ernie Irvan wiped out entering Turn 3, collecting Terry Labonte as well to bring the caution out.  The wreck can be seen here.

Frontstretch Trivia Guarantee:  If we mess up, you get the shirt off our backs!  If we've provided an incorrect answer to the Frontstretch Trivia question, be the first to email the corrected trivia answer to trivia@frontstretch.com and we'll send you a Frontstretch T-Shirt ... FREE! 

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This Weekend and Monday on the Frontstretch:

Thinkin' Out Loud: Goody's Headache Relief Shot 500 by Mike Neff
Mike will swing by with his overall thoughts from Sunday's race from Martinsville.

Commentary by Summer Bedgood
Summer will take a look at one of the biggest stories to come out of Martinsville.

Bowles-Eye View by Tom Bowles
Tom gives his thoughts on how the sixth race of the Chase unfolded out at Martinsville.

Big Six: Goody's Headache Relief Shot 500 by Amy Henderson
Amy has your weekly look at the Who, What, When, Where, Why and How from a weekend of racing at Martinsville.

Pace Laps: Martinsville Weekend and Short Tracks Across The Country by the Frontstretch Staff
It's back again this season! The staff gets together to help you catch up on the latest and greatest going on in each racing series around the country.

Tracking the Trucks: Kroger 200 by Mike Mehedin
Mike pops up from at the track to update you with news and analysis following Saturday afternoon's Camping World Truck Series race from Martinsville.

-----------------------------

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©2013 Frontstretch.com

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The Frontstretch Newsletter: Tweet Gets Another Driver In Trouble

THE FRONTSTRETCH NEWSLETTER
Presented by Frontstretch.com
The Best Seat at the Track, The Best View on the Net!
October 24th, 2013
Volume VII, Edition CXCIX
~~~~~~~~~~

Top News
by Phil Allaway

Teams Wrap Up Texas Test

Last week, Hendrick Motorsports, Joe Gibbs Racing, Roush Fenway Racing and Michael Waltrip Racing planned a three-day test at Texas Motor Speedway in order to prepare for the AAA Texas 500, which will be run on November 3rd.  However, the entire test was washed out due to rain on both Monday and Tuesday.  Richard Childress Racing was already scheduled to hold a two-day test this Tuesday and Wednesday, by themselves, but they were now joined by the other four teams, creating a large-scale test session.  For the most part, it was a very good practice for all teams involved. 

For championship contender Matt Kenseth? Not so much.

Kenseth's test at Texas lasted a grand total of nine laps on Tuesday before he blew a tire and crashed hard into the wall.  Afterwards, the No. 20 team packed up and returned to North Carolina, leaving the title contender none too pleased.

"We just had a tire problem and crashed, so we're done for the test," Kenseth said.  "When you run nine laps and one blows apart for no reason, that's always a cause for concern, for sure."

Luckily, in Kenseth's case the car that he crashed was not the car that he planned on racing in Texas.  That Toyota was back at the shop, safe and sound.

Kenseth's issues were the only tire failure issues encountered during the three-day test.  However, the test did show that tire wear could be an issue.  The tire compound, already set by Goodyear is actually wearing quite a bit on the 1.5 mile quad-oval.  Kevin Harvick stated that the tires on his No. 29 would completely wear out after 35-40 laps, which is short of a full fuel run.  The tires that will be used in Texas are the same compound that was used in April.  There were no tire failures during the race then.  However, it's not all bad.  Carl Edwards seemed to like the rubber.

"Next Sunday is going to be a really great race and it's because of that racetrack," said Edwards. "It's because right now, you can drive in the corner, turn that car sideways and either run the very bottom or you can run right up against the fence and the track is taking rubber. Whatever is going on with the Goodyear tire and the way that this asphalt at Texas has aged, it's letting the rubber stick to the racetrack.  As it sticks to the racetrack, that part of the track gets slick so people move up and find different grooves and then, when it all gets slick, it starts over again and everyone goes back to the bottom. This is the type of racing that I like to participate in and I hope the fans enjoy it. That's rare right now with all the new surfaces out there. This is as good as it gets."

No speeds were reported during the test.  Expect high speeds during qualifying next week, but a significant dropoff during the race.

LaJoie Placed on Probation For Inappropriate Tweet

NASCAR announced on Wednesday that Corey LaJoie has been placed on probation after posting an inappropriate tweet on Twitter last week.  He will have to attend sensitivity training as prescribed by NASCAR.

In their statement, NASCAR stated that LaJoie is being penalized for "an insensitive and intolerable communication" posted on Twitter on October 15.  The tweet, which has since been deleted, suggested that the Transportation Safety Administration (TSA) should conduct a cavity search on a man wearing a turban.

Wednesday afternoon, LaJoie tweeted out a statement.

"I am very sorry for those offended by my recent remark," LaJoie tweeted.  "It was an immature & insensitive comment.  I am upset with myself and how this has affected what has been a very positive year in my career."

This incident marks the second time this season that NASCAR has penalized a driver for comments on social media.  Earlier this season, Nelson Piquet, Jr. was forced to attend sensitivity training after using a homophobic slur in the comments section of an Instagram picture that Parker Kligerman posted.

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

Sprint Cup Series Goody's Headache Relief Shot 500: 43 cars entered

Number Change:
Richard Petty Motorsports' No. 43 changes to No. 41 to honor NASCAR Hall of Fame Inductee Maurice Petty.

Drivers Ineligible to Earn Points:
No. 30 - Cole Whitt for Swan Racing
No. 33 - Tony Raines for Circle Sport, LLC
No. 35 - Josh Wise for Front Row Motorsports
No. 40 - Landon Cassill for Hillman Racing/Circle Sport, LLC
No. 51 - Kyle Larson for Phoenix Racing
No. 55 - Elliott Sadler for Michael Waltrip Racing
No. 87 - Joe Nemechek for NEMCO Motorsports/JRR
No. 95 - Reed Sorenson for Leavine Family Racing

Driver Changes:
No. 32 - Ken Schrader returns to the seat, replacing Terry Labonte. Schrader is running a limited schedule for FAS Lane with sponsorship from Federated Auto Parts.
No. 33 - Tony Raines returns to the seat, replacing Landon Cassill. Tony Raines and Cassill are simply switching rides within the same Circle Sport/Hillman Racing partnership.
No. 40 - Landon Cassill returns to the seat, replacing Tony Raines. Cassill and Tony Raines are simply switching rides within the same Circle Sport/Hillman Racing partnership.
No. 51 - Kyle Larson returns to the seat, replacing Justin Allgaier. Larson is running a limited schedule, with Phoenix in partnership with Earnhardt Ganassi Racing as he prepares for a full Cup Series schedule in 2014.
No. 55 - Elliott Sadler is in the seat, replacing Michael Waltrip.  Sadler will finish out the year in the No. 55, replacing Brian Vickers, who is out due to a blood clot.

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

Not Entered:
No. 12 - Sam Hornish, Jr. for Penske Racing
No. 21 - Trevor Bayne for Wood Brothers Racing

Camping World Truck Series Kroger 200: 38 trucks entered

Drivers Ineligible to Earn Points:
No. 1 - Carl Long for Rick Ware Racing
No. 14 - Kevin Harvick for NTS Motorsports
No. 51 - Denny Hamlin for Kyle Busch Motorsports
No. 84 - Bradley Riethmeyer for Chris Fontaine, Inc./Rick Ware Racing

Driver Changes:
No. 1 - Carl Long is in the seat, replacing Timmy Hill. It's unknown if he'll run the distance, as this Truck has been brought out for a very limited schedule this season.
No. 6 - Daniel Hemric is in the seat, replacing Justin Lofton.  If he qualifies, Hemric will be making his Camping World Truck Series debut.
No. 14 - Kevin Harvick returns to the seat, replacing Max Papis. It's Harvick's potentially second start of the season, with this team in the Truck Series; he'll be carrying sponsorship from Anderson's Maple Syrup.
No. 51 - Denny Hamlin is in the seat, replacing Kyle Busch. Hamlin won the Truck Series race at Martinsville last Fall in this Truck.
No. 84 - Bradley Riethmeyer is in the seat, replacing Mike Harmon. Riethmeyer will be making his first Truck Series start in five seasons.

Drivers who must qualify on speed:
No. 1 - Carl Long for Rick Ware Racing
No. 6 - Daniel Hemric for Eddie Sharp Racing
No. 10 - Jennifer Jo Cobb for JJC Racing
No. 14 - Kevin Harvick for NTS Motorsports
No. 21 - Spencer Gallagher for Gallagher Motorsports
No. 22 - John Hunter Nemechek.  If he qualifies on speed, Nemechek will be making his Camping World Truck Series debut.
No. 27 - Jeff Agnew for Hillman Racing/Team 7 Motorsports
No. 30 - Ben Kennedy for Turner Scott Motorsports
No. 33 - Brandon Jones for Turner Scott Motorsports
No. 75 - Caleb Holman for Henderson Motorsports
No. 92 - Scott Riggs for RBR Enterprises
No. 93 - Chris Jones for RSS Racing*

No. 94 - Chase Elliott for Hendrick Motorsports/Turner Scott/Bill Elliott

Entered, but Already Withdrawn:
No. 78 - BJ McLeod

Not Entered:
No. 20 - Parker Kligerman for BRG Motorsports
No. 35 - Mason Mingus for Win-Tron Racing
No. 50 - Danny Efland for MAKE Motorsports
No. 63 - Scott Stenzel for MB Motorsports
No. 68 - Clay Greenfield for Clay Greenfield Motorsports
No. 82 - Sean Corr for Empire Racing
No. 83 - Chris Fontaine for Chris Fontaine, Inc.

* - Expected to start and park

 

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

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Got NASCAR-related questions or comments?
Send them Summer Bedgood's way at summer.bedgood@frontstretch.com; and, if you're lucky, you'll get your name in print when she does her weekly column answering back to you – the fans that keep Frontstretch afloat. Frontstretch Fan Q & A will run on Thursdays with a whole new set of Fan Questions and Answers!

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Today's Featured Commentary
Talladega Fallout and Drug Test Callout

What's Vexing Vito

by Vito Pugliese

After seeing the wreck on the final lap of last weekend's Truck race at Talladega, it brought to the surface again – at least for me – the role of Cup drivers participating in lower-tier series.  Seeing Kyle Busch hit a concrete retaining wall (breaking it in the process) and sitting on the track afterwards among the chaos and carnage was probably unsetting for many fans – as it would also be probably for JGR, Toyota, and Mars.  In 2011. it was an incident in a Truck race at Texas Motor Speedway that saw Kyle Busch suspended for the balance of the weekend.

At the time, Busch was 57 points out of the lead, and while it obviously cost the No. 18 team any shot at the championship that year, it almost cost him a sponsor – and his ride.  With Kyle's Truck Series team, I understand why he's running it; he's building a race team to have a stake in the sport after he's done driving. I don't begrudge him that.

Unfortunately, with this latest incident, his participation in what is a developmental series could have accelerated that move to the sidelines substantially.  As important as a Cup title is to Busch, once it gets to this time of year, especially at tracks where the danger level increases substantially, it might be time to reconsider having another driver take over during The Chase.

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Another week, and another NASCAR personality has failed a random drug screening.  Todd Parrott failed a random drug test and was suspended indefinitely by NASCAR – and then released from Richard Petty Motorsports.  It was a bit different than the last time a situation like this one occurred with AJ Allmendinger in 2012, though.

"I was in a dark moment and it happened," Parrott told host Eli Gold on MRN's NASCAR Live broadcast.  Parrott did not confirm what banned substance he took that caused the failed test. 

Gold then asked Parrott during "NASCAR Live'' if it was a longtime issue or something that happened recently which led to this failure.

"It's just something that happened and my number came up," Parrott said.  "Not a whole lot I can say.  I feel bad about it, I'm sorry for it and I'm ready to move on."

Whenever you see the headline pop up or I get an e-mail regarding news of these incidents, I can't help but think of guys like Jeremy Mayfield, Shane Hmiel and the late Kevin Grubb as to where they would be if they did not have the issues with substance abuse that they did.  With Mayfield, I was always quick to give him the benefit of the doubt, as he's an affable and likeable character – but then you see stories regarding stolen property, pulling out from a warehouse in a semi-truck in the wee hours of the morning and other unsavory accusations.

When a team releases an individual, it isn't because they don't like him or don't care for them. The financial health of the operation and all of those who work there is directly affected as it is a business model that is built upon, depending on the pockets of usually one or two companies.  Personal feelings get put aside; in the end, it's just business. RPM did what it had to do; they shouldn't be criticized for moving forward.

In the meantime, here's hoping for the best for Todd Parrott – and his return to the sport.

******************************************

I know this horse has been beaten to death already this week, and enraged the nucleus of Junior Nation, but as far as throwing the caution flag on the final lap of the race at Talladega on Sunday, after the Dillon/Mears incident, I could not help but harken back to the 2007 Daytona 500. The track was completely blocked, cars upside down, on fire, and tumbling through the infield while cars were still hammer down, headed for the finish line. NASCAR did not throw the flag as the wreck started, as they were trying to allow the two leaders to race to the line for the win of the biggest race in the Series – and possibly the world at that time.  That delay resulted in the leader racing differently than he may have otherwise after seeing the accident – knowing the rule regarding freezing the field and racing back to the line.

On Sunday, we had a two-car incident – one of which was being driven out of the spin and never came to rest, while the field had already passed. I think NASCAR's immediate concerns were obviously A) The well-being of Casey Mears, B) Fan safety. There were parts flying everywhere and, even though sparsely occupied, there were several people seated in that section along the backstretch. But what about this additional thought? C) NASCAR did not want to affect the outcome of the championship further, with another melee down in Turns 3 or 4, or coming to the line as we saw the day before in the Truck Series race.

It's a shame that the fans were not able to see another great Talladega race to the finish line, but that also again raises the issue of having such a historically wild and violent race in The Chase. Personally, I love Talladega, and had it been me in the tower, I would have let the race continue.  However, if we're going to get gun shy about letting the race finish with 1.25 miles left to go, perhaps it is time to jockey the schedule around and look at replacing a wild card plate track with another one that is more safe, like Bristol or a road course.

After all, if the field isn't allowed to race for the win with the track basically clear – what's the point of having the race in the first place?

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

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Editor's Note: Phil Allaway has this Thursday off from critiquing! The Critic's Annex will return next week.

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Frontstretch Line of the Week

Beyond The Cockpit: Tommy Baldwin On Ownership, Forging Relationships, And Building A Team

"We understand who we're racing against. We understand when we're running real well, who we're racing against and how much money they have. We kind of thrive on beating those guys that have a lot of money. That way when we go into meetings (with potential sponsors) we can show these companies that if we had more money, we could do even a better job. It's about building relationships. This stuff takes time." - Tommy Baldwin, Jr., on his team's goals at the track.

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

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TODAY ON THE FRONTSTRETCH:

Fantasy Insider: Prime Pickings For The Paperclip

by Jeff Wolfe

NASCAR Mailbox: Parrott Popped, Hinchcliffe Dropped And Aero Push Stopped
by Summer Bedgood

Truckin' Thursdays: Talladega Winners And Losers Going Forward
by Beth Lunkenheimer

Tech Talk: Last Week's Winner "Bono" Manion Makes Us Ready For Martinsville

by Mike Neff

Mirror Driving: Racing Back To The Line, Kyle Busch Motorsports' Future, More

by the Frontstretch Staff

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FRONTSTRETCH TRIVIA:

Q:  The 1997 Hanes 500 is best known for Jeff Burton winning after Rusty Wallace was black-flagged for jumping the final restart, from the lead.  What set up that controversial call?

 

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

Wednesday's Answer:

Q:  Rusty Wallace led 53 laps and earned a third-place in the 1995 Goody's 500 at Martinsville.  However, it wasn't all that easy for the veteran.  What happened to knock him out of the lead early in the race?

A: Wallace was leading when he came up to lap Ward Burton.  After multiple laps, he got past the No. 22 MBNA Pontiac.  However, Burton gave Wallace a bump in Turn 4 and spun out Wallace.  Wallace then lit up the tires and hit Burton when he tried to drive past.  The crash can be seen here.

Both cars continued without incident.  Wallace ended up third, while Burton finished six laps down in 21st.

Frontstretch Trivia Guarantee: If we mess up, you get the shirt off our backs! If we've provided an incorrect answer to the Frontstretch Trivia question, be the first to email the corrected trivia answer to trivia@frontstretch.com and we'll send you a Frontstretch T-Shirt ... FREE!

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

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Tomorrow on the Frontstretch:

Four Burning Questions: Martinsville by Matt Stallknecht
How will Sprint Cup's final short track event of the season turn out? Matt gives us a preview while looking at four major storylines the race weekend at Martinsville should provide.

Holding A Pretty Wheel by Amy Henderson
Amy returns this week with another intriguing Friday commentary. This week, Amy takes a look at the three rookie contenders at the Cup level and how their seasons have gone. What can we learn from the performances of Ricky Stenhouse, Jr., Danica Patrick, and even Timmy Hill?

Nuts For Nationwide by Kevin Rutherford
Kevin has another interesting look at the Nationwide Series as they take a break prior to the stretch run.

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

Frontstretch Foto Funnies by the Frontstretch Staff

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

Formula 1 Fridays by Andy Hollis

Andy returns to give us an excellent look into Formula One ahead of this weekend's Grand Prix of India at the Buddh International Circuit.

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©2013 Frontstretch.com

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