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The Best Seat at the Track, The Best View on the Net!
July 28th, 2014
Volume VIII, Edition CXXIII
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Sprint Cup Race Recap: Gordon Cements Indy Legend, Wins Fifth Brickyard 400
by Justin Tucker
Coming into Sunday's 21st Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Jeff Gordon's place as a racing legend was secure, 20 years after winning the first ever running of the race.
Already having compiled a sterling resume, Gordon's 89 career Sprint Cup wins and four series championships has him already considered as one of the greatest drivers in NASCAR history, a certain future Hall of Famer. However, more than a dozen years removed from Gordon's last championship - and eight years since his last Daytona 500 triumph - many wondered if he could still win the big ones.
That question was answered in a big way Sunday.
Gordon passed teammate Kasey Kahne on a restart with 17 laps to go, then held off Kyle Busch by 2.325 seconds to win his first Brickyard 400 in a decade (2004). Gordon's fifth victory at the famed 2.5-mile oval ties him with legendary seven-time Formula 1 World Champion Michael Schumacher for the most wins all-time at Indianapolis.
"This team [came] prepared, that was an awesome Axalta Chevy SS and we had so much support," Gordon said after the race. "With five laps to go, I was trying to look up into the grandstands... I know the Daytona 500 is a big race, but to me personally this race means so much because of the fans."
Gordon, whose car was the fastest all day was hampered by track position early on, a gasman falling on an early stop leaving him trapped in midpack. But after patiently working up past traffic, he finally turned a longtime demon aside by making a bold move on Kahne to reassert control over the field.
"I'm not very good on restarts and wasn't very good today, but I finally made the restart of my life when it counted most," Gordon said in Victory Lane. "I knew we had a great race car, we just needed to get out front."
Finishing behind Gordon were the trio of Joe Gibbs Racing cars: Kyle Busch in second, Denny Hamlin third, and Matt Kenseth fourth. Joey Logano carried the banner for Ford on Sunday, finishing in fifth for Penske Racing. Kasey Kahne, who led a race-high 70 laps, was sixth, while rookie Kyle Larson came home seventh. Pole sitter Kevin Harvick, who came into the race as the favorite, finished eighth, with Dale Earnhardt, Jr. and Austin Dillon rounding out the top 10.
By virtue of their finishes on Sunday, Gordon, Logano, Jimmie Johnson, and Carl Edwards officially clinched their spots in the 2014 Chase for the Sprint Cup. But although Gordon's win will undoubtedly steal the headlines, another huge story came out of Indianapolis on Sunday.
Just hours before the green flag flew on the Brickyard 400, Jack Roush, the owner of Roush Fenway Racing made the announcement many have been expecting for months that Carl Edwards would not return to the organization for the 2015 season. It is expected that Edwards will reunite with former teammate Matt Kenseth at Joe Gibbs Racing but Edwards, due to his contract with Roush Fenway Racing, can't make any announcements until September. Edwards, approached by reporters before the race said even though he is leaving RFR at season's end, the goal is still the same.
"Right now, the mission is to win this championship, this race," he explained. "This is my decision. It's a decision I made, and I didn't take it lightly. Sometimes you just want to make a change, and opportunities present themselves and you say, 'Hey, what was that like to not take that opportunity?'"
Director of Ford Racing Jamie Allison made a brief statement regarding Edwards' departure.
"Carl Edwards has been a part of the Ford family for a decade, and it will certainly be tough to see him leave Ford and Roush Fenway Racing," said Allison. "While we are disappointed in his decision to leave Roush Fenway Racing, we certainly want to extend our appreciation for Carl's contributions."
Edwards ran 15th, an uneventful day in what was an uneventful race for many. Only two cars failed to finish, Trevor Bayne and Danica Patrick in a race that was more about strategy than side-by-side action. There were just two green-flag, on-track passes for the lead and the field would string out quickly, single-file after restarts.
A look at Sunday's Brickyard 400 by the numbers. There was 15 lead changes among eight different drivers and four cautions for 16 laps slowed the race pace to 150.297 MPH.
Next week, the Sprint Cup Series heads back to the tricky triangle and Pocono Raceway for the GoBowling.com 400. Green flag is scheduled for 1:18 P.M. 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: Gordon Expands Points Lead with Victory
Phil Allaway is the Newsletter Manager and a Senior Writer for Frontstretch.com. He can be reached via email at phil.allaway@frontstretch.com. Follow him on Twitter at @Critic84.
Never Fear, The Underdogs Are Here: Indianapolis Edition
by Amy Henderson
Are you a fan of a driver from a smaller team? Do you ever see one of these guys on the race results and wonder how he got there? NASCAR's small teams may not get much airtime during the race broadcast, but that doesn't mean there's nothing to talk about. Each week, we take a peek into how the little guys fared in the race.
Underdog Selection No. 1: AJ Allmendinger for JTG-Daugherty Racing; started 36th, finished 18th
It was another good finish for Allmendinger, but his day didn't start out strong; Allmendinger qualified just 36th. However, the poor start didn't stop the driver from moving through the field; he peaked as high as 15th at one point before settling for 18th place. The strong run saw Allmendinger gain three spots, to 23rd in driver points, where he's easily the top of the small-team class over Casey Mears in 26th.
Underdog Selection No. 2: Michael McDowell for Leavine Family Racing; started 28th, finished 26th
McDowell was stout this week, turning in his fourth top-30 finish in a row on this team's limited schedule. The No. 95 finished on the lead lap, and only Allmendinger had a better finish from among the smaller teams. McDowell has shown that he's capable of moving LFR forward, and while it will come in baby steps, the team has made some gains from scaling back and coming to the track better prepared.
Underdog Selection No. 3: Justin Allgaier for HScott Motorsports; started 31st, finished 27th
Allgaier certainly had a quiet day in Indianapolis, and while his 27th-place run might not be one to write home about, it was good for third among the small teams. Indy is harder on these organizations than almost any other track, so his finish isn't terrible, and it was better than most of his peers' day. Allgaier is learning the Cup cars and he's improving, which is nothing to sneeze at for a rookie driver.
Underdog Pick of the Week - Pocono-2: David Ragan for Front Row Motorsports
My pick for Indianapolis was AJ Allmendinger, and he did top the small-team class handily on the big oval. His RCR horsepower might have had something to do with it, but Allmendinger drove a solid race just the same.
Sunday, teams head to Pocono for the second time this summer. Like Indy, Pocono is incredibly hard on the smaller organizations, but David Ragan does have an average finish of 23.9. If his team can finish in that 24th-place range, once again it will be a successful 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!
Letter of the Race: Sunday's Brickyard 400 was brought to you by the letter "H" for Hendrick Dominance. Normally, when you think of Hendrick these days, Jimmie Johnson factors in there somewhere. Not this weekend. Instead, it was points leader Jeff Gordon and Kasey Kahne who led 110 of the 160 laps and Gordon who took the win. However, Kahne finally showed some signs of the great form that he's had in the past. Only problem is whether it's too late for him to make the Chase this year or not. - Phil Allaway
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Sidebar Stories: Indianapolis
by Phil Allaway
"I have had the privilege of fielding entries for the world's best race car drivers in NASCAR for nearly 30 years, and feel quite fortunate to have an opportunity to do that again next year," Roush said in an official press release. "We have always prided ourselves in developing talent at Roush Fenway, and our 2015 lineup is a testament to the success of our organization in that respect. Greg Biffle is one of the most purely talented racers I've ever seen behind the wheel of a car, and his experience combined with the raw natural abilities, enthusiasm and desire in both Ricky Stenhouse, Jr. and Trevor Bayne have me very excited for the future. Although we still have a lot to accomplish this year, both John Henry and I are looking forward to going to the track in 2015 with this blend of veteran leadership and youthful potential."
"I will always be thankful for Carl's contribution and the role he played in many Roush Fenway wins and championships," Roush explained. "We wish him well for the future. In the meantime, we are excited about continuing our quest for a championship with Carl and the No. 99 team in 2014."
"Carl Edwards has been a part of the Ford family for a decade, and it will certainly be tough to see him leave Ford and Roush Fenway Racing," Allison stated. "During Carl's time with Roush, he has represented Ford Motor Company with the utmost class, both on and off the track. We at Ford Racing did everything to facilitate keeping Carl a part of the Ford Racing & Roush Fenway family, but in the end, that option did not come to fruition. While we are disappointed in his decision to leave Roush Fenway Racing, we certainly want to extend our appreciation for Carl's contributions winning races and a NASCAR Nationwide Series Championship in a Ford, and especially for his outreach to Ford fans. That said, with this decision out of the way, our plan for 2014 has not changed. We will go forward strongly with our stated goal of securing a NASCAR championship for Ford."
"As a driver, I'm thrilled to have Fastenal on board for next season," Stenhouse said in a press release. "I grew up working in a race shop, helping my dad build cars and racing engines. I appreciate the chance to work with a partner like Fastenal that plays such an important role in building our race cars and helping us win on the track. I've had the opportunity to work with them in the past and meet a lot of the men and women that are part of the 'Blue Team.' I look forward to representing them on the racetrack, and to taking them to victory lane."
"Fastenal is a first class partner and we are extremely pleased to have them team with Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and the No. 17 team starting next year," Roush said. "Ricky has accomplished a great deal in a short time, and continues to improve each week. We have very high expectations for his success in the future and I'm thrilled that Fastenal will be a part of that."
"This weekend in particular, you know, the first couple laps that I felt this race car, I knew that we had a race car that was capable of winning this race. It just had the feel. It had the balance that I love to have. I think we showed that today, just how strong this car is. We got behind a couple times. Pit strategy changed for some people. It threw some people off. I think it made for a great race. Throughout all of that, I think we showed the speed our car had. There at the end, had a great battle with Kasey Kahne. I didn't know how it was going to end up. I didn't want to see that caution because I thought I could push him to slide the back, he was sliding the back a little bit. But I don't know if I would have gotten by him. I'm terrible on restarts. Restarts didn't go great for us all day today. I didn't think I wanted to see a restart. Out of nowhere, I have the restart of my life at the most important moment that you could ask for in a race, in a season, at a race like this. So that was awesome, just awesome." - Jeff Gordon, race winner
"We had a good day. Certainly better than expected. All the guys at Joe Gibbs Racing have worked really hard the past few months in trying to make better race cars, TRD guys making better horsepower. It all paid off good today. We were able to come home 2‑3‑4 for JGR as an organization. We're proud of that. You certainly see the guy out there in front of you beating you and you know you got a lot of speed to gain. Those guys were really, really fast. I don't think he even went 80% the whole last run of the race and was driving away from us. We have a lot of big areas to gain big speed in, then a bunch of little areas to gain a little bit of speed, too. We have to continue to work on that and get better." - Kyle Busch, finished second
"It was a good day for us. We were a top‑10 car the whole race. Had some good restarts there for most of the race. Then that last one we had to restart on the outside and lost a spot. Lined up fifth. Denny got to third. But still a good day. The Target car was really good. We were just too tight on short runs, then we just kind of would build tighter, looser off. Everybody was struggling with grip out there.
It was fun. Cool to finish in the top 10 at the Brickyard. To see Jeff Gordon win is pretty special. It's kind of like Junior winning the 500 this year. It was a really good day for everybody and all the fans, too. So happy about it." - Kyle Larson, finished seventh
"We just started off bad really from the first lap. The Jimmy John's Chevrolet was just way too tight as we went through the day, and we never could make it better. We just made it worse most of the day. So yeah, just way too tight." - Kevin Harvick, finished eighth
"We looked at everything, and it looks like the launch was fine. It's just one of those things. It's too bad and these things never happen when you're having a bad day (laughs). We were having a good day. It's disappointing and the GoDaddy guys built me a really good car. Hendrick gave me great horsepower. We were the fastest car out there at times. We qualified better and had a good car for the race, it just didn't end the way we wanted it to. The good thing is, I get to come back to Indy and that makes me happy." - Danica Patrick, finished 42nd (Rear Gear Issues)
"I had a right-rear tire go down getting into turn three. I thought I felt it about a half-a-lap sooner, but just didn't have time to check it out. The spotters are on the other side of the race track, so they can't tell what's going on. It let go getting into turn three and I had it saved off the fence and then the right-rear tire cut the brake line so I couldn't get it stopped by the time I hit the inside guard rail. It just stinks for our team because we had a decent car, decent enough that when we got track position we could hold on to it. We were running top 20 and had a chance to do even better than that. It stinks to end our day like this with a brand new car, so I feel bad for my guys here. We don't get many opportunities to run and when we do it seems like a speedway, where anything can happen, or you're running decent and something bad happens. You never have days like this when you're running 35th, it's always when you have a decent car. I just feel bad about it, and we'll see what we can do next time." - Trevor Bayne, finished 43rd (Crashed Out)
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TODAY ON THE FRONTSTRETCH:
Thinkin' Out Loud – Brickyard 400
by Mike Neff
Pace Laps: Dillon Gets It Done and Dirt Racing at Its Finest
by the Frontstretch Staff
The Big Six: Questions Answered After the Crown Royal / John Wayne Walding 400
by Amy Henderson
Edwards Couldn't Say "No" Twice
by Tom Bowles
by Matt Stallknecht
FRONTSTRETCH TRIVIA:
Q: The 1991 Miller Genuine Draft 500 was a rather slow affair, taking nearly four hours to run despite being stopped 21 laps short of the scheduled distance due to rain. However, Derrike Cope and Jimmy Spencer weren't on track for anywhere near four hours on this day. What happened?
Check back Tuesday for the answer, here in the Frontstretch Newsletter!
Friday's Answer:
Q: In addition to its propensity to create stretched out races, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway's relatively narrow width has caused problems in the past. The 2004 Brickyard 400 is no exception. Just before halfway, the frontstretch took its toll. What happened?
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 triviaanswers@frontstretch.com and we'll send you a Frontstretch T-Shirt ... FREE!
Coming Tuesday in the Frontstretch Newsletter:
-- Top News by Greg Davis
-- Fan's View Commentary by S.D. Grady
-- Numbers Game: Crown Royal presents the John Wayne Walding 400 by Tom Bowles
-- Links to your favorite Frontstretch articles, and more!
Tomorrow on the Frontstretch:
Who's Hot / Who's Not in Sprint Cup: Indianapolis-Pocono Edition by Brad Morgan
We'll take a look at which drivers are looking good as the series shifts from Indy to the Tricky Triangle.
Racing to the Point by Brett Poirier
Brett returns with another interesting commentary. This week, it's about the significance of Jeff Gordon reaching 90 victories.
Jeff returns with his typical blend of sarcastic humor tilted towards one of NASCAR's controversial issues.
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