 |
 |
 |
Rolex 24 Standings Through 21.5 Hours (1pm EST)
posted by Phil Allaway
Sunday January 29, 2012
DP: GT:
Rolex 24 Standings Through 18.5 Hours
posted by Phil Allaway
Sunday January 29, 2012
DP: GT:
Rolex 24 Standings Through 11 Hours
posted by Phil Allaway
Sunday January 29, 2012
DP: GT:
Standings after 5 Hours 50 minutes
posted by Phil Allaway
Saturday January 28, 2012
DP: GT:
Standings After Regulation Sprint Race Distance (2 hours, 45 minutes)
posted by Phil Allaway
Saturday January 28, 2012
DP: GT:
Grand-Am to Add B-Spec Events Later in 2012
posted by Phil Allaway
Saturday January 28, 2012
On Saturday, Grand-Am Road Racing officially announced the creation of a new series that will act as the teritary division for the organization. The series will simply be referred to as “B-Spec.” The new B-Spec class is designed to be a very inexpensive way for brand new organizations to get involved with racing, and for existing organizations to cultivate new talent at a minimal cost. No professional drivers from any series will be allowed to participate in any B-Spec races. The B-Spec series will race four cylinder subcompact automobiles. Five manufacturers have already signed on to provide vehicles for the series. Those are Mazda with their 2, Honda with their Fit, Ford with their Fiesta, Mini with their Cooper and Kia with their brand-new Rio. As for how expensive these cars will be, Mazda would have prospective teams purchase a new Mazda 2. These start at roughly $15,000. From there, there would be a $2600 package that teams would have to buy from Mazdaspeed Motorsports. Finally, there would the all-important safety equipment (roll cage, racing seat, safety harness, fire extinguisher, etc.). The total cost per new car would be somewhere between $20,000-$30,000. Grand-Am brass are quite confident that the series will be a great fit in the organization. “This new form of Grand-Am racing will attract new racers and in the process, new fans,” said Mark Raffauf, Grand-Am’s Managing Director of Racing Operations. “The cars are cool and the competition will be door-to-door, which should be a lot of fun for everyone – a nice fit with what Grand-Am already has happening at every event.” The B-Spec class will race at six tracks later this season starting with Homestead at the end of April. Subsequent rounds would be held at New Jersey Motorsports Park, Mid-Ohio, Watkins Glen (during the Six Hour weekend), Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca and Lime Rock Park. Events will be 30-45 minutes in length with no pit stops. The new series has been likened to the Renault Cup, a spec-series of Renault Le Car’s (and later Renault Alliances) back in the 1980’s. However, it more closely resembles IMSA’s International Sedan Series, which featured Acura Integras, Plymouth Horizons, Volkswagen Golfs, and the 1980’s version of the Dodge Charger, amongst others.
Ryan Dalziel Wins Overall Pole for Rolex 24, Brumos Racing on GT Pole
posted by Phil Allaway
Friday January 27, 2012
One of the sport’s legendary racetrack owners, spearheading the last independently-owned Sprint Cup facility has died. Dr. Joe Mattioli, 86, passed away Thursday afternoon at the Lehigh Valley Hospital Center after a lengthy illness. A dentist by trade, the patriarch of one of the most influential NASCAR families staked the biggest portion of his reputation on racing, constructing the 2.5-mile Pocono Raceway in Northeast Pennsylvania and convincing the most popular series in the country to stage races there. Constructed in the early 1960’s, the “Tricky Triangle” as it’s become known has hosted a total of 68 Cup Series events, beginning in 1974. Pocono Raceway is also home to a successful driving experience, a mainstay for the ARCA Series (two races per year) and has recently hosted one Camping World Truck Series event per season. Open-wheel cars also once graced the asphalt at a facility that has grown to hold over 100,000 fans. But Mattioli’s legacy reaches far beyond the racetrack. His land in Northeast PA is now home to a 25-acre solar energy system, made up of 40,000 American-made photovoltaic modules that will produce more than 72 million kilowatt hours (kWh) of energy over the next 20 years. Opened in 2010, it makes the raceway the largest solar-powered sports facility in the country, spearheading NASCAR’s push towards protecting the environment and renewable energy. A Navy medic during World War II, Mattioli went to Temple University in Philadelphia, PA through the G.I. Bill and established a successful dental practice in the area. Investing in real estate during the ensuing decades allowed him to accumulate wealth and establish the funding necessary to build the racetrack, which now has expanded to include nearby lodging year-round among other projects, past, present and future which have helped boost the economy in the Pocono Mountain Region. “‘Doc’ was a true leader in every sense of the word,” said the Mattioli family in a statement. “As a visionary, he brought an unknown sport into an alien place, where he along with his unstoppable will and undeniable tenacity built one of the biggest monuments of sports. His passion for his projects was only overshadowed by his deep love for his family, which he gave to all of us hand over fist.” For years, other corporations have looked to buy the speedway and the surrounding land but Mattioli would never sell. That leaves Pocono one of just three tracks on the NASCAR schedule not owned by NASCAR-linked International Speedway Corporation or Bruton Smith’s Speedway Motorsports, Inc. (Indianapolis and Dover are the other two). Mattioli also steadfastly clung to the track’s 500-mile distances, a tradition that was only recently changed for 2012. The good doctor leaves behind his wife Rose – the couple was married 63 years – three children, seven grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. In August, 2011 he had retired from his role as President of the Raceway and left the day-to-day operations in the hands of grandchildren Brandon, Nick, and Ashley Igdalsky. There are no plans to sell the facility in the wake of his death; in fact, it was left in a trust so the track will remain in family hands for generations to come. “They can’t touch it,” he said last year in a conversation recounted by Brendan Gaughan Thursday on SiriusXM’s NASCAR channel. “They’re going to learn how to run it or starve.” Chances are, with the great teacher the grandkids had to learn from success, not starvation will be the modus operandi for years to come.
Statement On Dr. Joe Mattioli's Passing
posted by Thomas Bowles
Friday January 27, 2012
From the family of former Pocono Raceway owner and president, Dr. Joseph Mattioli… It is with the upmost remorse that we announce that Dr. Joseph Mattioli passed away this afternoon. His loss has left with each of us an unbearable sadness, which we’ll bear with us for the rest of our lives. “Doc” was a true leader in every sense of the word. As a visionary, he brought an unknown sport into an alien place, where he along with his unstoppable will and undeniable tenacity built one of the biggest monuments of sports. His passion for his projects was only overshadowed by his deep love for his family, which he gave to all of us hand over fist. Beyond our family, he had a true love and admiration for the wonderful members of his North Eastern Pennsylvania Community. He had a great respect for all of the great people that laid the foundations of prosperity before him, and an even greater hope for the future of our area, which he believed lies in its youth. He leaves not only his family, but also everyone he’s ever met with an insatiable desire to take life by the horns. He always lived life on his own terms He did it his way. “Every man’s life ends the same way. It is only the details of how he lived and how he died that distinguish one man from another.” – Ernest Hemingway He died loved, respected, and admired.
SunTrust Racing, TRG fastest in Opening Practice for Rolex 24
posted by Phil Allaway
Thursday January 26, 2012
When the track opened up for practice at 10am Thursday morning, the teams were ready and raring to go. Many of the teams had new equipment to come to grips with, while others were using older, proven machinery. Unfortunately for Starworks Motorsport, their new equipment let them down before they even got onto the track. A failure in the Ford powerplant was found on pit road before the car even saw the track. As a result, they were forced to miss the first session while they changed the engine. The other 13 Daytona Prototypes managed to make their way onto the track and set times. The results more or less kept in line with the Roar Before the 24 test. The SunTrust Racing No. 10 Chevrolet Corvette DP driven by Max Angelelli turned in the fastest lap with a time of 1:41.952 (125.706 mph). This is about six-tenths of a second slower than the fastest test times. However, temperatures are just about 80 degrees at the track. Second was the No. 01 BMW Riley DPG3 for Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates. The car, driven by Graham Rahal, posted a lap at 1:42.086 (125.541 mph), a tenth and a half slower than the Corvette. Third was the No. 99 Gainsco/Bob Stallings Racing Chevrolet Corvette DP driven by Alex Gurney with a 1:42.199 (125.402 mph). Juan Pablo Montoya in Ganassi’s No. 02 and John Pew in the Michael Shank Racing No. 60 Ford Riley DPG3 rounded out the top-5. In GT, Spencer Pumpelly in the No. 67 TRG Porsche 911 GT3 Cup set down the fastest lap of the session right at the end of the session. His lap of 1:49.867 (116.650 mph) was less than two-hundredths of a second faster than Dirk Muller in the No. 94 BMW M3 for Turner Motorsport. Third in class was the Paul Miller Racing No. 48 Porsche 911 GT3 Cup driven by former Porsche factory driver Sascha Maassen with a 1:50.078 (116.426 mph). Sebastian Asch in the No. 17 Burtin Racing with Goldcrest Motorsports Porsche 911 GT3 Cup was fourth fastest, while Emil Assentato in the No. 69 FXDD Ferrari 458 Italia rounded out the top-5.
Ford Racing unveils 2013 Ford Fusion
posted by Mike Neff
Tuesday January 24, 2012
In the biggest announcement so far of the 2012 NASCAR Sprint Media Tour hosted by Charlotte Motor Speedway, Ford Racing took the wraps off of their 2013 Ford Fusion. The car incorporates common areas agreed upon by all manufacturers with style components unique to the 2013 production car to give fans a race car that truly resembles the street version of the Fusion. While there are most likely going to be some tweaks to the design the car is definitely a much needed change from the current race car and a vast improvement toward bringing the STOCK back to stock car racing. The car was a collaborative effort across many different parts of the Ford organization. One of the key members of the project was Garen Nicoghosian, design manager for specialty vehicles. He was oozing with pride over the car as the assembled members of the media commented on the great looks. He’s a fan of the cars that used to race in the old Trans Am series and it shows in the end product. “I am a big fan of the flared fenders” Nicoghosian said. “The body style and the proportions we came up with lent itself to the flared fenders and the planted look that it gives to the car. It reminds you a lot of a Porsche 911 in how it just looks planted into the track.” While the other manufacturers have not yet unveiled their proposed cars for 2013, Ford has certainly set the bar high with their Ford Fusion. |
||
 |
Promo code: Front
Find tons of cheap speedway tickets like Talladega race tickets, NASCAR Sprint Cup tickets, NASCAR Nationwide Series tickets and the full 2011 Monster Jam schedule.
Don't miss this week's edition!
Frontstretch Podcast: November 18th Edition
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!
Dodge Motorsports NSCS Sylvania 300 Race Advance - NHMS
Wednesday September 10, 2008
Dodge Motorsports NSCS Sylvania 300 Race Advance
New Hampshire Motor Speedway
HISTORICAL DATA
· Total Dodge NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Wins: 201
· First Dodge NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Win: Lee Petty, 2/1/53, West Palm Beach, Fla.,100 miles, .5-mile track
· Last Dodge NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Win: Kurt Busch, 6/29/08, Loudon, NH, 317.4-miles, 1.058-mile track, 2008 Lenox Industrial Tools 301
· First Dodge NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Win at NHMS: Ward Burton, New England 300 (2002), 92.342 mph avg. speed
· Last Dodge NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Win at RIR: Kurt Busch, LENOX Industrial Tools 301 (2008), 106.719 mph avg. speed
· First Dodge NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Win at this event: Ryan Newman, Sylvania 300 (2005), 95.891 mph avg. speed
· Last Dodge NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Win at this event: Ryan Newman, Sylvania 300 (2005), 95.891 mph avg. speed
DODGE AT NEW HAMPSHIRE MOTOR SPEEDWAY
· Dodge has three wins at New Hampshire. Kurt Busch won the rain-shortened (284 of the 301 scheduled laps were completed) race earlier this year. Ryan Newman won the second event in 2004 and Ward Burton was the winner at the first race in 2002. Newman also won the second race in 2002 before joining the Dodge family.
· Dodge driver Ryan Newman has started from the pole four times at NHMS, more than any other driver. Newman holds the track qualifying record of 133.357 mph (28.561 sec.) set in September, 2003.
· Bill Elliott, driving the No. 9 Dodge Dealers/UAW Dodge, became the oldest pole winner when he started from the No. 1 spot in the 2002 New England 300. Elliott was 46 years, 9 months, 13 days old.
· Penske Racing’s Kurt Bush (No. 2 Miller Lite Dodge) leads all current Dodge drivers with three Sprint Cup victories at NHMS. Teammate Ryan Newman is second with two wins.
THE DODGE BOYS
· The 11 Dodge teams entered in the Sylvania 300 will seek the manufacturer’s 202nd victory in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. Dodge teams have posted 41 wins since the manufacturer returned to NASCAR’s premier series in 2001 (including four this year) after being out of the sport since 1977.
· Kasey Kahne recorded the 200th win by Dodge in the Sprint Cup Series with his victory in the Pocono 500.
· Rusty Wallace took the win in the 1993 inaugural event at NHMS, the first of three for car owner Roger Penske at the track.
· Dodge driver Patrick Carpentier earned his first-career Sprint Cup pole when he circled the 1.058-mile oval at 129.776 mph. Carpentier became the first rookie to capture a pole since Denny Hamlin accomplished the fete at the Richmond fall event in 2006.
· Kurt Busch’s win at this year’s LENOX Industrial Tools 301 was the 18th of his career. Busch has three victories and six top-10 finishes in 15 starts at NHMS.
· CGRFS driver Reed Sorenson (No. 41 Target Dodge Charger) will be making his 100th NSCS start this weekend at NHMS. His first start came in October 2005 at Sorenson’s home track of Atlanta Motor Speedway. The 22-year-old has one pole, five top-five and 13 top-10 finishes in NASCAR’s premier series.
NHMS TRACK FACTS
· This past January, New Hampshire International Speedway was purchased by O. Bruton Smith (SMI) and renamed New Hampshire Motor Speedway.
· Commonly referred to as ‘Loudon’, NHMS was once a popular motorcycle circuit known as Bryar Motorsports Park. After nine-months of construction, the new multi-purpose track opened adding Sprint Cup and SCCA races.
· The July 9, 2000 Cup race at NHMS was the first single day sporting event in New England to draw over 100,000 fans.
· Sunday’s Sylvania 300 at NHMS is the first race in the 2008 Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup.
· The 2001 New Hampshire event was postponed due to the September 11 terrorist attacks and rescheduled for the Friday after Thanksgiving. Robby Gordon scored his first career Sprint Cup win in that race.
RAYBESTOS ROOKIE OF THE YEAR STANDINGS
· Sam Hornish Jr. – The three-time IndyCar Series champion and 2006 Indy 500 winner finished 39th in his first trip to NHIS in the No. 77 Mobil 1 Dodge Charger.
· Patrick Carpentier – The driver of the No. 10 Dodge Charger from Gillett Evernham Motorsports currently sits 36th in driver points. In the spring race at NHMS Carpentier earned his first NSCS pole and finished 31st.
· Hornish Jr. and Carpentier are outside the top 35 in owner points and must secure a spot in the field during Friday’s qualifying session at NHMS.
Regan Smith 184
Sam Hornish Jr. 182
Patrick Carpentier 176
Michael McDowell 161
DID YOU KNOW?
· NASCAR’s ‘Lucky Dog’ originated from an on-track incident at Loudon in 2003. After Dale Jarrett’s car was stuck in the middle of the race track in danger of being hit, NASCAR responded with a ban on racing back to the caution flag and created the ‘free pass’ to the first car behind the leader not on the lead lap. The process continues today.
· In September of 2000, NHMS became the first track outside of Daytona and Talladega to implement restrictor plate racing for Cup Series cars. Jeff Burton won wire-to-wire. The restrictor plate ‘experiment’ was not used again at the New Hampshire track.
Quote of the Week
“The first race at New Hampshire was probably the best all-around race that we’ve had this year. The car was fast in qualifying and we started on the outside of the front row. The race didn’t play out like we wanted it to, but we were still able to get a top-10 finish. A carbon-copy of that weekend would be huge for us this week. We could pick up a lot of points, but it would also go a long way in establishing some consistency for us that will hopefully carry to the end of the year.”
Bobby Labonte, No. 43 Cheerios/Betty Crocker Dodge Charger
DRIVER QUOTES:
“It’s disappointing that we didn’t make the Chase, but I feel like we’ve come a long ways since last year. This entire Budweiser Team has worked very hard this season and we’ve been consistent. We just had a few bad weekends that kept us from making the Chase. Our team has done a great job. It takes time. Last year at this time, we were around 20th in points and didn’t have a shot. I think we’ve come a long ways as a team and our consistency from seventh or eighth to 15th has been really good as far as I’m concerned.”
Kasey Kahne, No. 9 Budweiser Dodge Charger
“This will be my first time in a Cup race during ‘The Chase’ and I’m looking forward to it. I’m not making very many Cup starts this year, but I want to show these guys that I belong on the same track as them. So the challenge is to race hard and earn their respect, but also be cautious that there are drivers out there racing for a championship. This is where I want to be. I want to race in the Sprint Cup Series and a race like this weekend can go a long way in helping me achieve that goal.”
Chad McCumbee,
This Week on the Frontstretch:
Mirror Driving: Rebuilding Denny Hamlin, Kurt Busch, Penske, And The NASCAR Banquet’s Future
The Only Thing Mutual? Penske, Kurt Busch Both Stand to Lose Big
Who Gets An Early Christmas Gift? Sorting Through Potential Busch Replacements
Burned At The YouTube Stake: How Technology Brought Busch Down
2011 NASCAR Driver Review: Justin Allgaier
2011 NASCAR Driver Review: A.J. Allmendinger
2011 NASCAR Driver Review: Aric Almirola
2011 NASCAR Driver Review: Marcos Ambrose
2011 NASCAR Driver Review: Michael Annett
2011 NASCAR Driver Review: Greg Biffle
2011 Driver Review Schedule
FREE WEEKLY NEWSLETTER! CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP
This report was provided by an outside PR source and posted by Ren Jonsin.
©2000 - 2008 Ren Jonsin and Frontstetch.com. Thanks for visiting the Frontstretch!
