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DEARBORN, MICH. - March 1, 2012 – Penske Racing is coming back to Ford.
posted by Mike Neff
Thursday March 1, 2012
DEARBORN, MICH. – March 1, 2012 – Penske Racing is coming back to Ford. After a 10-year hiatus, Penske Racing returns its two-car NASCAR Penske Racing, recognized as one of racing’s all-time great teams, The organization first raced with Ford in 1976 and 1977, before coming
Crew Chief Chad Knaus Suspended Six Weeks For Daytona Infraction
posted by Thomas Bowles
Wednesday February 29, 2012
NASCAR’s five-time championship team has a 1-2 punch to the gut to start their 2012 season. Just days after wrecking out of the Daytona 500 on Lap 2, the crew chief for Jimmie Johnson’s No. 48 car, Chad Knaus has been suspended for six weeks after an infraction for a modified C-pillar discovered in pre-inspection during the start of Speedweeks at Daytona. In announcing the penalty, NASCAR explained the team was in basic violation of Sections 12-1, actions detrimental to stock car racing, and 12-4J. That rule states that a team may be penalized if NASCAR officials deem that race equipment used in the event does not conform to rules detailed in Section 20 of the rulebook, or has not been approved by the sport prior to the event. However, the main rule violated, through the out-of-tolerance C-pillar on the rear of the car was Section 20-2.1E. This rule says that if, in the judgment of NASCAR officials, any part or component of the car not previously approved by NASCAR that has been installed or modified to enhance aerodynamic performance will not be permitted. The unapproved car body modifications discovered, which fall under the jurisdiction of Knaus apply here. The penalties are harsh: Knaus and car chief Ron Malec have been suspended for the next six races, through Texas on April 14th and placed on NASCAR probation until May 9th. Knaus has also been fined $100,000, while the team loses 25 owner points. Johnson has also been hit with a loss of 25 driver points, which puts him in the negative for the first time in his career. With a total of -23, he’ll enter Phoenix a whopping 70 points behind leader Matt Kenseth and 58 outside the top 10. Hendrick Motorsports have already announced their plans to appeal the penalty, which will table the suspensions until further notice. Here’s the official statement from Rick Hendrick on the matter: “Our organization respects NASCAR and the way the sanctioning body governs our sport,” he said. “In this case, though, the system broke down, and we will voice our concerns through the appeal process.” HMS spokesman Jesse Essex also confirmed there will be no adjustments to the No. 48 crew while the appeal is ongoing. Connect with Tom!
No. 48 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Team Penalized For Infractions At Daytona International Speedway
posted by Mike Neff
Wednesday February 29, 2012
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Feb. 29, 2012) – NASCAR has issued penalties, suspensions and fines to the No. 48 team in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, as a result of rules infractions found on Feb. 17 during opening day inspection for the Daytona 500. The No. 48 car was found to be in violation of Sections 12-1 (actions detrimental to stock car racing); 12-4J (any determination by NASCAR officials that race equipment used in the event does not conform to NASCAR rules detailed in Section 20 of the rule book or has not been approved by NASCAR prior to the event); and 20-2.1E (if in the judgment of NASCAR officials, any part or component of the car not previously approved by NASCAR that has been installed or modified to enhance aerodynamic performance will not be permitted – unapproved car body modifications). As a result, crew chief Chad Knaus and car chief Ron Malec have been suspended from the next six (6) NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship events, suspended from NASCAR until April 18 and placed on NASCAR probation until May 9. Additionally, Knaus has been fined $100,000. Driver Jimmie Johnson and car owner Jeff Gordon have been penalized with the loss of 25 driver and 25 owner points, respectively.
Unofficial Results: Daytona 500
posted by Thomas Bowles
Tuesday February 28, 2012
Jet dryers, rain showers, and giant wrecks… oh my! But when the smoke cleared from this year’s 36 Hours of… err, Daytona 500 the historic race left us with a familiar face on top. Here’s the unofficial Cup Series order of finish from Monday night: KEY:
*- Led The Most Laps Editor’s Note: Remember, some drivers will score zero points as they’re only allowed to accumulate them in one of NASCAR’s top three series: Sprint Cup, Nationwide, or Camping World Trucks.
2012 Championship Standings – With One Race Complete Race Awards
What's At Stake Tonight : Daytona 500
posted by Thomas Bowles
Monday February 27, 2012
As NASCAR prepares for the 54th annual Great American Race, drying the track and doing their best to bribe the sun into a late afternoon return let’s get you revved up for the main event. Here’s a look inside the numbers, at how some of your favorite drivers and teams could make history once the checkered flag falls (hopefully) late tonight… KEY: Carl Edwards (1st): Trying to become the first polesitter to win the Daytona 500 since Dale Jarrett in 2000. None of Edwards’ 19 career victories have come on a restrictor plate track. Greg Biffle (2nd): Seeking to become the first outside polesitter to win Daytona since Dale Jarrett (again, not a misprint) in 1993. How bad has it been to be on the outside of the front row? In the last six Daytona 500s, second-place starters have finished inside the top 10 just once. Tony Stewart (3rd): Looking to end an 0-for-13 streak at the Daytona 500 despite 17 career wins there in various series. He would also be the first reigning champion to win the 500 since Dale Jarrett in 2000 (See that name popping up a lot? There’s a reason the ESPN analyst’s career was defined by Daytona.) Dale Earnhardt, Jr. (5th): Seeking to snap his winless streak at a whopping 129 Sprint Cup races. A second Daytona 500 trophy would also give him more than his Hall of Fame father, who won the event just once, in 1998. And perhaps the most important stat of all: an injury-free night puts NASCAR at 396 Cup races and 11 year’s since Dale Sr.‘s death, the last such tragedy we’ve experienced at this level. Marcos Ambrose (7th): With a win, becomes the first foreign-born winner of the Great American Race since Mario Andretti back in 1967. Talk about exclusive company; the darkhorse candidate has already been impressive in Speedweeks, running third in both the Shootout and his Gatorade Duel. Michael McDowell (11th): Hoping for a first career top-10 finish in his 85th start. That’s currently the biggest “0-for” in that category for any driver in the field (McDowell’s best run-to-date is a 20th, at Richmond in the Fall of 2008. He’s more known for this near-tragic flip at Texas Motor Speedway qualifying than anything else.) Joey Logano (12th) – along with Kyle Busch (14th), Mark Martin (22nd), Martin Truex, Jr. (26th), Clint Bowyer (30th), Denny Hamlin (31st), Bobby Labonte (32nd), Joe Nemechek (34th), David Reutimann (38th), and Landon Cassill (39th): These ten drivers will look to drive the first foreign manufacturer ever into Victory Lane for the Daytona 500. Toyotas have been around since 2007, and Kyle Busch won the 400-mile July race in 2008 but never has a Camry captured the sport’s biggest prize. A.J. Allmendinger (15th) – The best-positioned of any winless driver to score their first career victory at Daytona. Trevor Bayne did that last year, but it’s also Allmendinger’s first ever start in a Penske car, an added level of difficulty no one’s accomplished since Michael Waltrip’s historic victory in 2001. Jeff Gordon (16th) – Seeking a fourth 500 victory, an accomplishment that would leave him second all-time only to Richard Petty’s seven. Ricky Stenhouse, Jr. (21st) – If he scored the upset, heading to Victory Lane in just his second career Cup start it would match the feat best buddy and teammate Trevor Bayne accomplished last year. The defending Nationwide Series champ, Stenhouse has flashed some speed this week; he had a top-10 qualifying effort and ran solidly inside the top 5 for most of his Duel. Mark Martin (22nd) – Bidding to become the oldest driver in history to win a Cup race, let alone break an ominous 0-for-27 track record in the 500. Harry Gant currently holds the record: he was 52 years, seven months and six days old when winning Michigan in August of 1992. David Ragan (25th) – A bit of a longshot, with an underfunded Front Row Motorsports Ford but the July Daytona trophy-holder is looking for back-to-back Cup wins at this track. That hasn’t happened since Jeff Gordon in 2004-05. Kurt Busch (28th) – The 2004 Cup champ, with a new team is seeking his first ever win with a restrictor plate. Holding 24 career Cup victories to his credit, that’s the most of any active driver without one at Daytona or Talladega. Danica Patrick (29th) – Needs a 10th or better to become the highest-finishing woman in the history of the Daytona 500. Janet Guthrie (1980) holds the record with an 11th-place result. Juan Pablo Montoya (35th) – See Ambrose above re: foreign-born driver. Montoya is also bidding to be the first former Formula One driver to win it since Andretti in ’67. Trevor Bayne (40th) – Everyone remembers the upset of the NASCAR season last February. If the 21-year-old can do it again, he’d be the first back-to-back Daytona 500 winner since Sterling Marlin in 1994-95. Only two other drivers have ever done it, and both are Hall of Famers: Richard Petty (1973-74) and Cale Yarborough (1983-84). Terry Labonte (43rd) – The two-time Cup Series champion is making his 30th career start at Daytona… but he’s never captured the 500. Only Dave Marcis (0-for-32) has run more Daytona 500s without scoring a victory. And of course, whoever takes the checkered will have the distinction of being the first ever driver to win the Daytona 500 on a Monday night. History in the making regardless… let’s see if these one of these wheelmen can add a little icing on the cake. Connect with Tom!
Daytona 500 to Run Monday Night at 7 PM Live on FOX
posted by Bryan Davis Keith
Monday February 27, 2012
As of 10:15 AM this morning, NASCAR officials announced that the start of the 54th running of the Daytona 500 has been pushed back to 7 PM on Monday evening, with live coverage to be provided on FOX. Engines are slated to fire at 7:02 PM. The announcement comes as rain has been pelting the Daytona International Speedway throughout last evening and into this morning. WWE star John Cena, who was scheduled to drop the green flag, will no longer be able to fulfill his duties at the race due to scheduling conflicts. Tickets are still available should walk-up fans now be able to attend the event.
Will The Daytona 500 Even Run On Monday?
posted by Thomas Bowles
Monday February 27, 2012
What you’ve already heard is that the Daytona 500 has been postponed until tomorrow, 12 noon EST (still televised on FOX). But here’s the breaking news: now a 70% chance of rain at that time. Heavy rain expected through 5 PM, rain not fully clearing out until later… could be another long day. For updates, stay tuned to the main page of the website, our Facebook page (look up Frontstretch Race Page) and Twitter @TheFrontstretch.
Daytona 500 Starting Lineup
posted by Thomas Bowles
Sunday February 26, 2012
Hey everyone! Here on the Frontstretch, we’re dabbling with something new in 2012: giving you live, up-to-date starting lineups and results. So, without further ado here’s how the 43-car grid stacks up for Sunday’s edition of the Great American Race, the Daytona 500. Cars in RED are outside the top 35 in NASCAR’s owner points
Unofficial Results: Drive4COPD 300
posted by Thomas Bowles
Saturday February 25, 2012
Hey everyone! Here on the Frontstretch, we’re dabbling with something new: giving you live, up-to-date results from the racetrack. So, without further ado here’s the unofficial Nationwide Series order of finish from Saturday afternoon’s race down in Daytona: KEY:
*- Led The Most Laps Editor’s Note: Remember, some drivers will score zero points as they’re only allowed to accumulate them in one of NASCAR’s top three series: Sprint Cup, Nationwide, or Camping World Trucks.
2012 Championship Standings – With One Race Complete
Unofficial Results: NextERA Energy Resources 250
posted by Thomas Bowles
Saturday February 25, 2012
Hey everyone! Here on the Frontstretch, we’re dabbling with something new: giving you live, up-to-date results from the racetrack. So, without further ado here’s the unofficial Truck Series order of finish from Friday night’s race down in Daytona: KEY:
*- Led The Most Laps Editor’s Note: Remember, some drivers will score zero points as they’re only allowed to accumulate them in one of NASCAR’s top three series: Sprint Cup, Nationwide, or Camping World Trucks.
2012 Championship Standings – With One Race Complete
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