 |
 |
 |
NASCAR Will Use New Spoiler At Martinsville
posted by Jay Pennell
Wednesday March 17, 2010
During a press conference for the Sprint All-Star Race in Charlotte, N.C. today, NASCAR vice president of competition Robin Pemberton confirmed the Sprint Cup Series would officially make the transition to the rear spoiler beginning with the Goody’s Fast Pain Relief 500 at the Martinsville Speedway. Pemberton said 83 spoilers had been sent to the teams on Monday. Teams tested the new rear spoiler on Tuesday at the Talladega Superspeedway, where the cars reached speeds well over 200mph in the draft. Throughout the test, NASCAR tried different combinations of spoiler height and restrictor plate size. Next week there is a two-day (Tuesday and Wednesday) test planned at the Charlotte Motor Speedway, where over 50 teams are scheduled to participate. Along with the return of the rear spoiler, Pemberton explained NASCAR is still working on other changes to the aero package on the Sprint Cup cars that will go into effect at all the tracks, possibly starting as soon as Texas in April.
High speeds in Talladega at first CoT spoiler test
posted by Doug Turnbull
Tuesday March 16, 2010
The highly anticipated first official spoiler test for the Car of Tomorrow may be noteworthy for other reasons. In an attempt to break up the large packs of cars, a notorious characteristic for restrictor plate tracks like Talladega, NASCAR allowed teams to try plates with larger holes – they started with a record size plate of 66/64th of an inch before shortening to 62/64ths of an inch after speeds were listed as too high. Just how high did those speeds go? Sources tell Frontstretch.com that this change, combined with the replacement of the rear wing with the traditional spoiler and the lowering of the front edge of the rear quarterpanels on both sides of the race car, allowed cars to approach straightaway speeds of up to 208 mph and average laps over the 200 mph mark. To set a mark for comparison, Juan Pablo Montoya’s April 2009 Talladega pole speed was 188.171 mph. Since speeds were in the 200 mph range, the same source says that NASCAR may consider having teams change the gear ratios on the cars, instead of decreasing the plate holes going forward, so the packs will remain broken up. Interestingly enough, the higher speeds come in light of the infamous Brad Keselowski-Carl Edwards race car flipping episode at Atlanta Motor Speedway two weeks ago, Ryan Newman’s incredible end-over-end flip at Talladega last October, and Keselowski turning Edwards airborne into the Talladega frontstretch catchfence last April. Read Wednesday’s Frontstretch.com Newsletter for more details on the Talladega spoiler test.
Edwards Placed On Probation For Three Races
posted by Jay Pennell
Tuesday March 9, 2010
NASCAR President Mike Helton addressed the media Tuesday afternoon following Sunday’s late-race incident between Carl Edwards and Brad Keselowski at the Atlanta Motor Speedway. Well over 100 laps down, Edwards intentionally spun Keselowski through the tri-oval while Keselowski was running sixth. The No. 12 car lifted in the air and slammed the outside wall with the driver’s side window. NASCAR parked Edwards for his actions and ordered him to the NASCAR hauler for further discussion on the matter. Tuesday, Helton explained Edwards would be placed on probation for the next three races and the drivers and their teams would meet with NASCAR about the situation. “Following that incident we asked the driver of the 99 to visit us in the hauler, and we made it very clear to him that these actions were not acceptable and did go beyond what we said back in January about putting the driving back in the hands of the drivers,” Helton said. “We believe the driver of the 99 understands our position at this point.” For NASCAR, the biggest issue emerging from Sunday’s incident was the fact the No. 12 car lifted into the air. “But the bigger topic is the 12 car getting airborne at a mile-and-a-half track which we typically don’t see,” Helton said. “It’s been years since we’ve seen that. So a lot of our effort yesterday, today and until we find resolve to it is figuring out how it happened, why it happened and what we can do to prevent it from happening in the future.”
Keyed Up and Key Motorsports split
posted by Doug Turnbull
Saturday March 6, 2010
If missing the first three races to date was not enough drama for the No. 90 Keyed Up Motorsports Chevy team and Casey Mears, organizational upheaval may tip the scales. A member with the team tells Frontstretch.com that Raymond Key’s Cup operation, originally formed with ties to Curtis Key’s teams in the Nationwide and Truck Series, has become its own entity. As of Monday, the team began a move into Tommy Baldwin Racing’s old shop while planning to continue trying to qualify on Cup races. However, if sponsorship for the team fails to pan out, Keyed-Up may vie for a partial schedule similar to that of the Wood Brothers and only run about 12 races the rest of the year.
Wood Brothers running FR9 for now, Roush says no big problems with new motor
posted by Doug Turnbull
Saturday March 6, 2010
Ford’s new FR9 motor has not made a speedy entrance to the Sprint Cup Series, mainly because the Ford teams need adequate supplies from the engine parts vendors and not because of performance problems, says team owner Jack Roush. Claiming the engine will perform well over the long-term, he still expects the new design to be “the Ford engine of the future” and fully in use by the end of 2010. While his four Ford teams are not running the revamped engine, Roush revealed that the Wood Brothers Ford team will run the FR9 this weekend at Atlanta and in April at Texas. Beyond that, either Roush nor Ford officials have announced a set schedule for full or future implementation of the power plants.
Crawford says truck team is 'close' on sponsorship
posted by Doug Turnbull
Saturday March 6, 2010
While never a standout in the Camping World Truck Series, Rick Crawford has experienced moderate success over his long career in NASCAR’s third-tier. After losing sponsorship at the end of 2009, his Circle Bar Racing team finds itself on the ropes, wondering how many races the future may hold. The veteran Crawford, though, remains optimistic a deal is imminent. “I would say we’re pretty close on signing a sponsor for the 2010 season and 2011 and beyond. [Not starting 2010 with a sponsor] was a matter of losing a sponsor late last year and [the prospective sponsor] getting its marketing efforts done. We’ve got the contracts ready; we’re waiting to get that signed.” Crawford started 2010 with a DNF at Daytona, placing 28th.
Justin Marks Wins The ARCA Race!
posted by Thomas Bowles
Saturday February 27, 2010
Justin Marks won a rain-shortened event at Palm Beach Saturday, collecting his first ever win in the series. Robb Brent, Blake Koch, Tom Hessert III, and Steve Arpin rounds out the top 5. Stay tuned to Frontstretch.com for plenty of post-race coverage on both the website and our Newsletter.
Looking For ARCA Coverage? We Got It!
posted by Thomas Bowles
Saturday February 27, 2010
While the ARCA race at Palm Beach may not be televised … we’ve got you covered. Our own Bryan Davis Keith is at Palm Beach all weekend and will be posting news, commentary, and features from the Florida road course both on the website and in our newsletter. Don’t miss out! And don’t forget, our own Tom Bowles is spending the weekend in Vegas, too … so we’ve got you covered from all angles. Just another reason why we’re the best seat at the track and the best view on the ‘net!
Carter Simo still plans 2010 Cup races
posted by Doug Turnbull
Friday February 19, 2010
One story lost in the shadow of Speedweeks in Daytona was the absence of Carter Simo Racing’s No. 08 car. Much of the team’s equipment was put up for auction Tuesday; however, a source tells Frontstretch.com the operation still plans to field a car in 2010, with a limited schedule of races TBD. CSR may also try and field a car for the Talladega ARCA race in April; until then, most of the team’s employees have been temporarily released and are working for other teams in the sport. In mid-2009, team owner John Carter bought the assets of beleaguered owner/driver Jeremy Mayfield, using the newly purchased equipment and Toyotas to field entries in five races with two-time champion driver Terry Labonte. Equipment issues kept the team from cracking the top 30 in those races. Road course ringer Boris Said also wielded No. 08 Fords last year at both road course races, scoring the team’s season-best finish of 24th at Infineon. Later on that season, Said and longtime partner Mark Simo split, creating the newly-named Carter Simo racing with Labonte behind the wheel. On Tuesday, CSR only placed the equipment purchased from Mayfield on the block, including five Toyotas, a race hauler, and other pit equipment and tools. However, the source says that the team still owns three old Yates chassis and an old Ganassi piece (all of which they converted to Dodges last year) in the shop, with plans on returning to the track midseason pending sponsorship. The move is similar to what happened with Carter Simo last year, in which they took a four-month break between Daytona and Infineon while preparing to race at specific tracks. CSR, which still splits its time between its shops in Charlotte and in Toccoa, Georgia, just has to modify the top of the noses on their cars before returning to the track, due to a minor, lightly-discussed rules change before the season. As for CSR’s 2009 drivers and whether they will return to the team, Boris Said currently is driving the No. 26 for Bill Jenkins’ Latitude 43 Motorsports, and is working on a long-term deal that should remove him as an option. Terry Labonte is also out of the running; he and former owner Bill Stavola formed Stavola Labonte Racing in 2009, but are currently sidelined due to a lack of sponsorship. According to sources, Labonte was offered but initially turned down a return to the No. 08. A John Carter-owned car did participate in the ARCA race at Daytona on February 6th. Former CSR driver James Hylton borrowed a car from Carter, then leased it to driver Jill George for the race. But George infamously crashed the No. 48 roof-first into the wall just 25 laps into the 80-lap Lucas Oil Slick Mist 200, finishing 31st in the 43 car field.
Parrott In As Crew Chief For Kenseth
posted by Jay Pennell
Wednesday February 17, 2010
Less than a week into the 2010 season and Roush Fenway Racing has already made a switch at the crew chief position. News broke on Wednesday that Todd Parrott would take over atop the pit box for the No. 17 team with driver Matt Kenseth, replacing Drew Blickensderfer. The Kenseth-Blickensderfer combination won last year’s Daytona 500 and backed it up by winning the next weekend at the Auto Club Speedway. Despite their strong start out of the box, the No. 17 team failed to live up to expectations in 2009, scoring seven top-5s, 12 top-10s and failing to make, along with missing the Chase. Now after an 8th place finish in Sunday’s Daytona 500, Blickensderfer is headed to the Roush Fenway Racing R&D Department and Parrott is taking over as crew chief. |
||
 |
Check in with Matt and Jay on their site at CareyandCoffey.com.
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
| Subscribe to The Frontstretch Newsletter |
| Visit this group |
Miss out on your favorite driver's report card / season preview? Just click the link above and you can find them all archived together!
Driver Report Cards, Part II: Grading Dale Jr. And The Rest
Danny Peters And Tom Bowles · Wednesday July 22, 2009
Editor’s Note: For Part I of our midseason driver report cards, click
here.
Continuing on from yesterday’s review, it’s time for Professors Danny and Tom to grade those drivers sitting at the back of the class. Whether it’s some bad racing luck, poor chemistry with a crew chief, or just plain awful driving, most of these guys from 21st on back have endured a season they’d like to forget. As the upcoming summer stretch heats up, those unlucky enough to be a part of this list won’t be fighting to make the Chase; instead, they’ll be working to save their jobs, explaining to unhappy sponsors and owners how things didn’t go as planned.
But in the midst of this group are a handful of diamonds in the rough, wheelmen
overachieving with single-car teams overmatched from the start against the multi-car powerhouses. Just which of these underdogs stood out above the rest? Read below to find out as our two-part midseason report card series comes to a close.
We’ll start this one with NASCAR’s Most Popular Driver, a man who’s currently having himself a most unpopular season …
2009 has been anything but smiles for Dale Earnhardt Jr.
Dale Earnhardt, Jr.
Stats: 19 Races, 0 Wins, 1 Top 5, 3 Top 10s, 2 DNFs, 21st in Points.
Best Finish: 2nd – Talladega.
It would be an understatement of monumental proportions to say Dale Earnhardt, Jr. has had the worst kind of “sophomore” season for Hendrick Motorsports. Off track he’s the undisputed champion, easily the Most Popular Driver with a fan base that probably eclipses the combined total of just about everyone else. On track, however, he can’t get it right, and a change in crew chief hasn’t made any meaningful difference in his results. It may only be a few months into the new gig for Lance McGrew, but the honeymoon period is for sure over at this point. The good news is that it’s hard to see how much worse Junior can get … probably shouldn’t have said that, huh? Grade: D-. Danny Peters
Casey Mears
Stats: 19 Races, 0 Wins, 0 Top 5s, 2 Top 10s, 0 DNFs, 22nd in Points.
Best Finish: 9th – twice.
Remember that old poem called Casey At The Bat? When poor Mears gets another pink slip (coming soon to a rumor mill near you), this is what Richard Childress should say:
Everyone in racing Mudville loves lil’ Casey Mears.
He’s kind and caring, always seems to get those stands to cheer
But every time poor Casey gets his shot behind the wheel
He just can’t seem to figure out that good ol’ “new car” feel
Two top 10s and three laps led, ’09’s a real disaster
Heart and soul just doesn’t help your car go any faster
So when this year is over, if you’re his fan don’t pout
He’s had far too many chances – mighty Casey has struck out.
Grade: C-. Tom Bowles
Elliott Sadler
Stats: 19 Races, 0 Wins, 1 Top 5, 3 Top 10s, 0 DNFs, 23rd in Points.
Best Finish: 5th – Daytona 500.
Of all the NASCAR drivers I’ve had the pleasure of meeting, one of the absolute best guys is Elliott Sadler. Yet for reasons I can’t quite fathom, I seem to take more cheap shots at him than any other. Well, to be strictly accurate my buddy Caryn thinks I’ve got it in for his teammate Kasey Kahne; but that’s just not accurate, fair, or even true. Anyways, it was all downhill for Sadler the moment Matt Kenseth assumed the lead in the waning laps of the rain-shortened Daytona 500. Tough to see what’s next for him, but I hope he gets one more chance to run competitively if RPM leaves him on the side of the road. After all, it’s hard to hate a man who keeps 80 dogs. Grade: D. Danny Peters
Martin Truex, Jr.
Stats: 19 Races, 0 Wins, 0 Top 5s, 3 Top 10s, 1 Pole, 2 DNFs, 24th in Points.
Best Finish: 6th – Darlington.
Truex came into the offseason with high expectations, hoping DEI was on the verge of keeping promises to turn their organization around. Two months later, those promises were broken and the team’s best driver suddenly found himself with a new boss – Chip Ganassi – and losing his “top dawg” status to a certain Colombian with an Indy 500 win under his belt. Things never seemed to correct themselves from there, and by the time the No. 1 car got the hang of a brand new system they were way too far outside the Chase to be a contender. Now, Truex has chosen to bolt to Michael Waltrip Racing for 2010, leaving this team on “lame duck” status and in question as to whether they’ll finish out the year. Grade: C-. Tom Bowles
Kevin Harvick
Stats: 19 Races, 0 Wins, 2 Top 5s, 2 Top 10s, 1 DNF, 25th in Points.
Best Finish: 2nd – Daytona 500.
It’s been an awful year for Harvick that has culminated in the Bakersfield, Calif., native asking out of the final year of his contract. And with the likes of Jamie McMurray, Earnhardt Jr., Sadler, and Mears (not to mention Joey Logano) above him in the standings, you can understand Harvick’s frustration. With just two top 10s (second at the Daytona 500, fourth at Atlanta) and nine laps led all year amidst a string of racing incidents, Harvick has become the poster boy for RCR’s relative lack of competitiveness this year. Team owner Richard Childress has made a strong statement that Harvick (and sponsor, Shell/Pennzoil) will be in place in 2010; but so far we’ve heard nothing back from the driver of the No. 29 car. This situation should be interesting to watch as Silly Season heats up. Grade: E. (D?) Danny Peters
Bobby Labonte
Stats: 19 Races, 0 Wins, 1 Top 5, 1 Top 10, 3 DNFs, 26th in Points.
Best Finish: 5th – Las Vegas.
The 2000 champ had little choice but to sign with Hall of Fame Racing following the closing of Petty Enterprises in January. Both sides seemed to gel together early, with a top 5 at Las Vegas in March raising expectations. But it’s been downhill ever since at the No. 96, and all signs point towards cleaning house and starting from scratch at Yates/HoF in 2010 (hopefully with the 2000 champ still in the driver’s seat). No matter what happens from here, these last few years leave you wondering whether, at 45, Labonte’s ever going to have a chance at recapturing those glory days he had with Joe Gibbs Racing. Grade: D. Tom Bowles
A.J. Allmendinger
Stats: 19 Races, 0 Wins, 1 Top 5, 3 Top 10s, 0 DNFs, 27th in Points.
Best Finish: 3rd – Daytona 500.
It’s almost as if we’ve had two different A.J.’s this year; the “needing sponsorship” version and the “quiet as a church mouse” version once sponsorship was secured for his No. 44 car. After a hot streak to open the season that included a third place run in the Daytona 500 and a high water mark of 15th in points, A.J. had six finishes of 34th or worse in the nine races exiting Martinsville. Talk about a momentum-killing run … but with all that said, A.J. has shown he can wheel a competitive car the shortest route around the track with quite aplomb, and crucially, he’s still got a ride. There’s plenty of drivers that can’t say that. Grade: B-. Danny Peters
Reed Sorenson
Stats: 19 Races, 0 Wins, 0 Top 5s, 1 Top 10, 0 DNFs, 28th in Points.
Best Finish: 9th – Daytona 500.
I remember vividly when Sorenson chose to leave Chip Ganassi for then-Gillett Evernham Motorsports. Felix Sabates lashed out at the young driver, accusing him of missing sponsor appearances, being lazy, and just not putting the effort into being a successful driver at NASCAR’s top level. Sorenson assured us things would be different, and upon arriving this year was even awarded the vaunted No. 43 after a merger with Richard Petty Motorsports in January. Instead, for the second straight season a solid finish in the Daytona 500 (ninth) has been followed by a whole lot of unfulfilled potential packaged with pure awful on-track performances and precious little sense of urgency from the driver’s seat. At this point, even though Allmendinger’s team only has sponsorship through September it would be a shock if he’s the one sent packing instead of Sorenson. Such a shame to be 23 years old and already on your way out of Sprint Cup … perhaps a classic case of too much too soon? Grade: D. Tom Bowles
Sam Hornish, Jr.
Stats: 19 Races, 0 Wins, 0 Top 5s, 4 Top 10s, 3 DNFs, 29th in Points.
Best Finish: 6th – Richmond.
Otherwise known as the Danica Patrick cautionary tale, Sam killed it in Indy Car, winning the Indy 500 as well as three championships. At 26, he had nothing left to prove and figured he’d try his hand at stock cars. Since coming to NASCAR, though, Hornish has flat out struggled. We’ve seen some green shoots of optimism this season with four top 10s (highlighted by a sixth at Richmond), but it’s hard to argue against the notion that Hornish still has a very long climb to being any sort of competitive in Sprint Cup. Grade: C+. Danny Peters
David Ragan
Stats: 19 Races, 0 Wins, 0 Top 5s, 1 Top 10, 4 DNFs, 30th in Points.
Best Finish: 6th – Daytona 500.
If you’re in the marketing department over at UPS, you’ve got to be looking up every bad luck superstition in the book to figure out what the heck’s gone wrong. Was it the black cat that walked by the main office? Or maybe it was the face down penny some exec picked up shortly after signing a deal to back Dale Jarrett’s car in 2001? In nine years of being a primary sponsor in Sprint Cup, the company’s collected just eight wins while going 0-for-5 on Chase appearances since the new format began in 2004. This year, the company thought it had a match in Ragan, the series’ most improved driver who finished a strong 13th in points last year. Instead, they’re living through yet another nightmare, as the once-promising Georgian has seen his career suddenly stall for no apparent reason. Just three laps led, a troubling four DNFs, and just eight lead lap finishes make you wonder if he’ll be the odd man out at Roush instead of perpetually underachieving Jamie McMurray heading into 2010. And as for UPS? They’re looking at former driver David Reutimann’s success and kicking themselves… Grade: D-. Tom Bowles
David Stremme
Stats: 19 Races, 0 Wins, 0 Top 5s, 0 Top 10s, 0 DNFs, 31st in Points.
Best Finish: 13th – California.
The story of David Stremme’s first (and likely last) season with Penske Racing.
David Stremme’s car is in the top 35 in owner points, but that’s not really saying a lot this season. Put simply, this guy is not quite good enough to succeed in Sprint Cup. Which is to say he’s an absolutely great driver — he’s just not quite brilliant enough for the top echelon of stock car racing. And the reason I write that is because it’s easy to forget that fact when dismissing the efforts of a driver in a couple of glib sentences. Tough year for Stremme, though, and I’d be shocked if he’s still in Cup next season. Grade: D. Danny Peters
Michael Waltrip
Stats: 18 Races, 0 Wins, 0 Top 5s, 1 Top 10, 2 DNFs, 32nd in Points.
Best Finish: 7th – Daytona 500.
Waltrip recently made the announcement he’ll scale back to a part-time schedule in 2010 – and with good reason. Struggling ever since a 7th place finish at Daytona in February, the driver/owner of the No. 55 has watched his other two MWR-supported teams compete for spots in the Chase, running circles around the NAPA Toyota week in and week out. Despite the addition of underrated crew chief “Bootie” Barker, it’s clear the best days for Waltrip behind the wheel have passed him by … and you know what, that’s OK. He’s a dedicated owner, bringing this team back from near-extinction during its nightmare debut with Toyota in 2007, and picked himself a solid replacement in Martin Truex, Jr. for 2010. Now, it’s time for Waltrip to give it his best shot over the final 17 races of his full-time career; but based on how it’s gone the last few years, I wouldn’t be expecting any last-minute miracles. Grade: D+. Tom Bowles
Robby Gordon
Stats: 19 Races, 0 Wins, 1 Top 5, 1 Top 10, 4 DNFs, 33rd in Points.
Best Finish: 3rd – Coca-Cola 600.
Despite blowing a shot at a great finish at Infineon when an ill-timed caution came out, Robby is holding firm in the top 35, fighting the rising tide of superteams while relishing the role of “lone wolf.” But a 121-point lead is far from a safe advantage, so Robby will have to make sure he gets it done over the last 17 races to lock himself in for next year. With all his extracurricular activities, you wonder how long the man will continue in NASCAR, but for now, he shows no signs of slowing down. Looking forward to watching him at the Glen in a few weekends’ time. Grade: C+. Danny Peters
Paul Menard
Stats: 19 Races, 0 Wins, 0 Top 5s, 0 Top 10s, 3 DNFs, 34th in Points.
Best Finish: 13th – twice.
Menard had the best of intentions in moving from DEI over to Yates for the start of the 2009 season. After all, two years at DEI had brought nothing but inconsistency and just a lone top 5 finish. But it’s clear the chemistry just isn’t working out over at Yates, as a team with more money to work with than it had last season has taken a clear step backwards with Menard behind the wheel. A good driver during a stint in the former Busch Series, this guy is someone who once proved he’s more than just a kid with a rich dad. But with three years in Cup and no tangible results to show for it, maybe it’s time Menard got back to basics and started proving that all over again at a lower level. Grade: F. Tom Bowles
John Andretti
Stats: 17 Races, 0 Wins, 0 Top 5s, 0 Top 10s, 1 DNF, 35th in Points.
Best Finish: 16th – New Hampshire.
Qualified for the Indy 500 in the closing minutes and thus gave the King a chance for a great photo shoot; the 19th place finish wasn’t too shabby, either. Andretti, for the record, missed two races during his Indianapolis exploits, with Tony Raines subbing in and doing a decent job. Yet despite the hoopla about Andretti’s Indy bid, it’s hard to get excited on the NASCAR side about an average start of 35.6 and an average finish of 29.6 (high of 16th at Loudon). Real, real hard. Grade: D. Danny Peters
Scott Speed
Stats: 18 Races, 0 Wins, 1 Top 5, 1 Top 10, 6 DNFs, 36th in Points.
Best Finish: 5th – Talladega.
As I said in my Sports Illustrated column yesterday, Speed’s got the type of personality NASCAR needs. It just turns out the man’s not good enough to drive at the sport’s highest level quite yet. Impressive performances in both the Truck and ARCA Series have fizzled this season in the face of wreck after wreck, leaving a bunch of torn up equipment in Team Red Bull’s shop to go along with tattered confidence (even if he’ll never say it). I really believe Speed’s got the talent to make it at this level, I do; but I also believe things would have been a whole lot better if he ran in Nationwide this season while the team kept a certain Mr. Allmendinger sitting in Speed’s current ride at the Cup level. Grade: D. Tom Bowles
David Gilliland
Stats: 18 Races, 0 Wins, 0 Top 5s, 0 Top 10s, 8 DNFs, 37th in Points.
Best Finish: 14th – Las Vegas.
Driving for a No. 71 team that missed the 500 but has made every race since, Gilliland is at best a longshot to succeed. Eight DNFs just isn’t going to cut it, nor is a run of races starting with Talladega with finishes of 40th, 39th, 43rd, 27th, 43rd, 42nd, 32nd, 32nd, 40th, 40th, and 42nd. Some of those results have been “start and park” efforts, true, but still it’s not exactly been a season Gilliland will be looking at when he’s compiling his DVD of career highlights. Grade: C-. Danny Peters
Regan Smith
Stats: 10 Races, 0 Wins, 0 Top 5s, 0 Top 10s, 0 DNFs, 38th in Points.
Best Finish: 12th – Daytona (July).
Some have called Regan Smith the most underrated driver in the Cup garage; and with every start he makes in the No. 78, the more I agree with that line of thinking. Still without a DNF in 51 career starts in the series, Smith is an expert at getting the most out of his equipment while keeping the car in one piece. He reminds me of Terry Labonte in that sense; cool, calm, collected, and always around and the finish. Taking a team with limited funding to new heights, its refreshing to see an underdog get rewarded for its on-track performance for a change; since Smith has left the race shop with little or no repairs, team manager Joe Garone says Furniture Row could add several more races to a once-very limited schedule in the second half. This sophomore is someone who’s earned a full-time opportunity to return in 2010, be it at FRR or elsewhere. Grade: B. Tom Bowles
Brad Keselowski
Stats: 7 Races, 1 Win, 1 Top 5, 3 Top 10s, 0 DNFs, 39th in Points.
Best Finish: 1st – Talladega.
After Cousin Carl’s car slammed into the catchfence at ‘Dega and DW stopped crying “oh no, oh no, oh no” like he was a jilted lover there was stunned silence (and that’s a first in the Fox booth) before Larry Mac incredulously intoned: “And Brad Ke-se-low-ski has won this race…” I couldn’t tell if he was trying to communicate the fact or persuade himself that James Finch, the maverick owner, had his first win in 18 years and 115 races. For Keselowski, the milestone was even more significant, winning a Sprint Cup race in just his fifth try at the big boy level. Oh and that checkered flag lap was his first lap led, too. The celebrations in Victory Lane were really fun to watch as Braddy K struggled to reign in his emotions. Perhaps more significant, however, was his seventh place run at Darlington; that’s not an effort you luck into. Working hard to secure a full-time Cup ride in 2010, Keselowski’s certainly going to be a factor this Silly Season. Grade: B+ (for the win) Danny Peters
Joe Nemechek
Stats: 15 Races, 0 Wins, 0 Top 5s, 0 Top 10s, 13 DNFs, 40th in Points.
Best Finish: 14th – Talladega
Nemechek’s one of those struggling to simply stay afloat in tough economic times. Without primary sponsorship, his team starts and parks nearly every week, the ugly cycle of collecting a check that NASCAR will be likely forced to address in the season’s second half. The real shame is that Nemechek, when sponsored, has had a car capable of running with the best of ‘em. Taking his self-owned No. 87 to the top 15 at Talladega was truly a miraculous feat, his old Toyota running side-by-side with cars that have millions more in funding and support. Nemechek’s no stranger to the driver/owner role, building a team with modest success during the mid-1990s. With the right company supporting him, he could definitely do more with less than most any other team in the Cup garage; the problem is, at 45, those interested are few and far between when it comes to him in the driver’s seat. Grade: D-. Tom Bowles
Bowles’ Take On Danny’s Grades: Those of you who read the site on a regular basis know that Danny’s a transplant from overseas. Now, I’m well aware they do things in England differently than the U.S. … but a grade of “E?” Seriously? The last time I got such a thing was in 3rd grade for being a good boy at recess or something. Hopefully, he understands uttering that letter in America means a whole different type of thing altogether; the last thing we need in the midst of the Mayfield saga is another driver sitting here with a “false positive” from some crack reporter …
Haha on a serious note, I certainly agree with everything Danny’s said with a few minor exceptions. He’s a little too easy on A.J. Allmendinger (B-), who’s had a promising start but faded badly into obscurity since. And as for David Stremme … taking Roger Penske equipment and not even scoring a top 10 finish is plenty good enough for a failing grade in my book. Last but not least, Mr. Keselowski is having an “A” caliber season, good enough to fight Logano for Rookie of the Year if only the poor guy had applied to run for the award. Who would have thought he’d be the biggest free agent on the market this summer …
Danny’s Take On Bowles’ Grades: You just know Tom loved grading today’s section much more than yesterday. Handing out those low C’s and D’s would have made his tough grading heart so glad. More amusingly, I hadn’t realized E was so bad in the States, and as someone who is kinda tired of reading yet another Mayfield article I really should have been more careful. I guess my more serious point is that of all the drivers in Sprint Cup Harvick is probably the driver that has had the worst season compared to what “was expected” going into 2009.
I don’t really disagree with any of Tom’s grades, although Menard’s F seems a touch harsh. Yeah he’s got a rich Dad, but Bobby Labonte is hardly tearing it up in Yates equipment himself. Other than that, like yesterday in Part I, much to my chagrin I essentially agree.
Contact Tom Bowles
Contact Danny Peters
LOOKING FOR FREE NASCAR NEWS AND COMMENTARY SENT RIGHT TO YOUR INBOX?
Well, you’ve come to the right place. The Frontstretch Newsletter is back in action for 2010, giving you more of the daily news, commentary, and NASCAR features from your favorite writers you know and love. Don’t waste another minute – click here to sign up and get all the information you need. We’re here to make sure you start 2010 off on the right foot … so make sure you jump on for the ride!
©2000 - 2008 Danny Peters And Tom Bowles and Frontstetch.com. Thanks for visiting the Frontstretch!
