 |
 |
 |
Jimmie Johnson wins the Sprint All-Star race.....again
posted by Mike Neff
Sunday May 19, 2013
Five-time is now four-time when it comes to the Sprint All-Star race. Coming into Saturday night’s race, Johnson was tied with Jeff Gordon and Dale Earnhardt for most wins in the annual event with three wins. Johnson bided his time, restarted the last segment in the second spot, dueled Kasey Kahne for two laps to secure the lead and pulled away to a convincing win. Joey Logano started the last segment in the seventh position, took advantage of a slip up by Kyle Busch on the start of the final segment, and ultimately came home in the runner-up spot. Kyle Busch rebounded from his slip up to muscle his way back to third. Kahne started the final segment on the pole but couldn’t hold off Johnson on the first few laps of the restart and ended up fourth. Kurt Busch won two segments, was the first on pit road for the money pit stop, but finished the event in fifth place. Jimmie Johnson summed up his results in two words, “we’re lucky”. It was tongue in cheek but Johnson was poking fun at the people who continue to accuse the No. 48 of preferential treatment, fixed races, and a blind eye to cheating. Johnson has one of the highest winning percentages in NASCAR history and it comes from natural talent and chemistry with his crew. This race also now ties Johnson with Davey Allison as the only two drivers to win the race in back-to-back years. Logano and Busch visited with the media after the race to speak about their runs. Logano was understandably upbeat about his second while Busch was quite dejected, having another All-Star race slip out of his grasp. Kahne spoke about the elephant in the room that is the length of the segments in the race during his post race availability on pit road. He noted that the inherent problem with the format is that the car is designed with downforce, on a track that is cool and has a bunch of grip. The only way to make the races exciting after the first couple of laps of racing would be to extend the segments to the The first 20 lap segment was won by Kurt Busch. Segment two went to his brother Kyle. That segment win allowed Bruton Smith to breathe more easily since he put up a $1,000,000 bonus to anyone who won all four of the segments. Segment three also went to the younger Busch, while the fourth segment win was tallied in brother Kurt’ s account.
Kyle Busch wins the North Carolina Education Lottery 200
posted by Mike Neff
Friday May 17, 2013
‘Rowdy’ Busch was back in his familiar No. 51 truck at his favorite track on the Truck schedule. Busch led 80 laps and thought he should have led more but had a fuel issue on pit road that resulted in him having to battle back through the field. The race was slowed by eight cautions that helped him work his way back through the field. Busch beat Brendan Gaughan to the finish by .488 seconds, while Max Gresham chased them both to the line for his first top three finish of his Truck career. Matt Crafton came home in fourth place after having to battle through a couple of tire mishaps during the event. Ty Dillon rounded out the top 5 for his first finish that high this season. Busch led the race three times for his 80 laps. Miguel Paludo was second on the laps led board with 33. Gaughan, Gresham and Dillon also scored bonus points for leading laps. There were two cautions in the first 72 laps of the race while 29 of the last 62 laps were completed under the yellow flag. Jeb Burton started the race on the pole but did not lead a lap. He did however end the race as the Rookie of the Race for his 13th place finish. Matt Crafton leads Burton by 22 points in the season standings after five races this season.
Matt Kenseth Snatches Victory from the Jaws of Defeat at Darlington
posted by Mike Neff
Sunday May 12, 2013
Kyle Busch appeared to be headed for another weekend sweep after winning the Nationwide race at Darlington on Friday night. However, a funny thing happened as they were bringing out the dustpan. Matt Kenseth chased down the dominant car of the night, passed him with relative ease and then strolled away to a 3.165 second victory. Kenseth led the final 13 laps after Busch had held the point for 265 of the 354 laps leading up to Kenseth’s race winning pass. After Kenseth worked around Busch, the No. 18 slid rapidly backwards over the final eight laps to fall from second to sixth place. Joe Gibbs Racing did manage a 1-2 finish after sweeping the podium in Friday night’s Nationwide tilt. Denny Hamlin, in his first full race back in the car since his vertebrae fracture at California, soldiered through the pain of his arms, neck and shoulders more than his recovered back to wrestle a second place finish away from the Lady in Black. Coming home in third was Jeff Gordon, who turned his 700th career start into a top 3 finish. Jimmie Johnson and Kevin Harvick rounded out the top 5 in the Bojangles Southern 500. Kurt Busch started the race on the pole and led the first 51 laps before coming to the pits for a green flag stop. After the stops cycled through Busch was back at the point for 18 more laps before his brother began his domination. The race went green for the first 302 laps save a seven lap caution stint from lap 125 to lap 131. The final 65 laps saw four more cautions that flew for accidents involving Regan Smith, Brad Keselowski, Casey Mears, Kurt Busch, Josh Wise, David Reutimann and Kasey Kahne. The race saw four leaders including Jeff Gordon in addition to the Busch brothers and Kenseth. The win is Kenseth’s 27th of his career and breaks a tie between himself and his teammate Kyle Busch. The win is Kenseth’s third this season which is the most among all of the competitors in the Cup series. Ricky Stenhouse Jr. was the Rookie of the Race. Jeff Gordon’s top 5 finish was his 300th of his career. He joins Richard Petty, David Pearson and Bobby Allison as the only four drivers in the history of the sport to accomplish such a feat.
Busch Dominates at Darlington as JGR Sets Nationwide Series Record
posted by Amy Henderson
Friday May 10, 2013
Kyle Busch dominated the VFW Sport Clips Help a Hero 200 on Friday night en route to his 56th career Nationwide Series victory and fifth series win of 2013. Joe Gibbs Racing in general was the class of the field all night at Darlington Raceway, claiming four of the top 5 finishing spots, with only fourth-place Joey Logano keeping them from sweeping the top four spots. It was a historic night for JGR, as no team has ever before placed four cars in the top 5. Elliott Sadler finished second to Busch and Brian Vickers third, with Logano and Matt Kenseth rounding out the top 5. Busch led 107 of 147 laps on the way to the win. Sadler was the best among the Nationwide Regulars, finishing second despite an early spin in Turn 2, and gained points on leader Regan Smith, who finished seventh. Kyle Larson continued to impress at the Lady in Black, posting a sixth-place finish in his first Darlington start as he runs for rookie honors. Sam Hornish, Jr., who remained second in points, finished eighth while Kasey Kahne and Justin Allgaier filled the top 10. Smith now leads Nationwide Series points by 28 over Hornish. Sadler jumps two spots to third on his second-place run as Justin Allgaier fell one place to fourth. Vickers gained three sports and is now fifth, 49 behind Smith. Austin Dillon, Parker Kligerman, Brian Scott, Alex Bowman, and Kyle Larson round out the top 10.
Joe Gibbs Racing Penalties Reduced Following Appeal
posted by Summer Bedgood
Wednesday May 8, 2013
Joe Gibbs Racing had many of their penalties for the No. 20 team reduced during the appeal process on Wednesday. Driver Matt Kenseth and owner Joe Gibbs had their points penalties reduced from 50 to 12 points. Crew chief Jason Ratcliff’s suspension has also been dropped from seven races to one, though he will still be forced to pay the $200,000 fine. Not all of the penalties were reduced, however. Toyota Racing’s manufacturer points penalty was increased from five points to seven. All other penalties were dropped, including the suspension of Joe Gibbs’ owners license, the loss of bonus points for the Chase earned at Kansas Speedway, and the loss of eligibility into the Sprint Unlimited garnered from the pole at Kansas Speedway. JGR has accepted the penalties and will not appeal further. Following a dominant win at Kansas Speedway a few weeks ago, Kenseth’s car failed post-race inspection when it was found that a connecting rod was 2.7 grams below the minimum weight. Toyota Racing Development accepted the blame for the incident. The reduction moves Kenseth up to fourth in points, 66 points behind leader Jimmie Johnson. JGR has not announced who will replace Ratcliff this weekend in Darlington. The appeal was heard by Mark Arute, Dennis McGlynn, and Jack Housby. NASCAR cannot appeal the revised penalties.
Penske Has Suspensions Reduced On Appeal
posted by Thomas Bowles
Wednesday May 8, 2013
Roger Penske’s team got some relief Tuesday from NASCAR’s Chief Appellate Officer John Middlebrook, as he chose to reduce penalties assessed to that organization at Texas Motor Speedway in early April. Middlebrook, after hearing the evidence from both sides Tuesday chose to reduce all suspensions in the case from six to two weeks, plus NASCAR’s All-Star Race on May 18th. That means the final consequences for both teams are the following: No. 2 car No. 22 car Other Middlebrook’s official statement was short, simply stating, “After looking at all the facts, data, and interpretations from the rule book, I have decided to uphold the original fines and points penalties. However, I have decided to reduce the suspensions of the seven team members involved from six points races and the All-Star race to two points races and the All-Star Race.” However, it seemed both sides, after presenting their cases were far more pleased with how the case was handled during this portion of the appeal. “We were able to talk about areas we worked in,” said Roger Penske, referring to the “gray area” of the NASCAR rulebook officials ultimately felt stepped over the line. “I’m very happy with the outcome. This sport has been built on innovation. All of us have tried to innovate in areas not defined in the rulebook. We were in that area.” In conversations with the parties involved, it was clear the controversy surrounded parts designed to increase the rear-end angle at the back of both cars. In past years, with innovation limited through the Car of Tomorrow templates teams have played around with suspension systems designed to make the rear end of the car easier to “move.” The more the car skews in the corner, the easier it can be to handle and gain extra speed. However, NASCAR had made rules designed to curb those types of innovations this year and made the determination Penske parts to build the rear suspension were unapproved. Why they had gone undetected in previous inspections was never addressed, along with claims someone else in the garage had alerted officials to possible inappropriate car construction. One thing Penske did admit, though is had this decision been issued by the initial appeals panel, he would not have pressed his luck with Middlebrook. “All of us,” he said. “Have lost points for certain infractions over the years. The key thing is to have people back at the racetrack operating in full control.” The end results leave Logano 18th in points, 146 behind championship leader Jimmie Johnson and 43 outside a Chase position. Keselowski is far more stable; fifth in points, he’s 69 behind and 45 ahead of 11th-place Matt Kenseth. Neither of the Penske cars have won a race this season. “Moved on from last few weeks,” Keselowski tweeted Wednesday morning. “And ready to focus on @TooToughToTame (Darlington Raceway).” The next round of NASCAR penalty appeals, focusing on Joe Gibbs Racing and Matt Kenseth will be heard on Wednesday morning. Connect with Tom!
Penske Racing LOSES Penalty Case, Will Appeal To NSCRC John Middlebrook
posted by Thomas Bowles
Wednesday May 1, 2013
A three-member panel Wednesday unanimously upheld penalties assessed to Penske Racing after pre-race inspection at Texas Motor Speedway. Comprised of Pocono President Brandon Igdalsky, Bowman-Gray President Dale Pinilis and former NASCAR VP Paul Brooks, the trio determined the sanctioning body’s evidence was enough to “convict” Penske to the tune of points lost, suspensions given and $200,000 in fines. Roger Penske, in response has pledged to send a final appeal to National Stock Car Racing Commissioner John Middlebrook. That hearing will occur Tuesday, May 7th at NASCAR’s Research and Development Center. Here’s a quick list of what penalties are pending (everything but the points deductions will be deferred, pending Middlebrook’s approval until after the final appeal): No. 2 team No. 22 team Both teams NASCAR’s representation included Sprint Cup Director John Darby but not Vice President Robin Pemberton, who was whisked away to Florida on jury duty. Owner Roger Penske was in attendance to defend the allegations along with Team Manager Travis Geisler, Tim Cindric, Walt Czarnecki, Joey Logano’s crew chief Todd Gordon along with several other key principles. UPDATE: The National Stock Car Racing Commission issued a brief statement, reviewing the penalties and then explaining the following. “Upon hearing the testimony and carefully reviewing the facts, it was a unanimous decision by the National Stock Car Racing Appeals Panel to uphold the original penalties assessed by NASCAR.” “The Appellants have the right under Section 15 of the rule book to appeal this decision to the National Stock Car Racing Chief Appellate Officer.” Connect with Tom!
Kyle Busch Wins Denny Hamlin Short Track Showdown
posted by Thomas Bowles
Friday April 26, 2013
Who says Joe Gibbs Racing teammates don’t get along? Kyle Busch is certainly receiving gifts, from Denny Hamlin in the form of shiny trophies from winning the latter’s annual charity event. Rowdy was romping through the field again at Richmond Thursday night, taking control at the race’s midpoint and cruising during the latter stages to win the Showdown for the third time in the past six years. In a race that benefits the Denny Hamlin Foundation, created to help those with cystic fibrosis Busch had his late model hitting on all cyilnders down the stretch. Pulling away from fellow Cup driver David Ragan, in the final segment of the 75-lap race the outcome was simply never in doubt following a 5-minute break for pit stops prior to Lap 47. Ben Rhodes, Ronnie Bassett, Jr., and Garrett Campbell rounded out the top-5 finishers. Other Cup drivers, including defending race champion Tony Stewart were in the field but never a factor up front. Smoke, actually extending his slumping start to 2013 into this race got wrecked before the halfway point and wound up 28th. Matt Kenseth, still distraught after a midweek penalty virtually negated his win at Kansas was never truly competitive, either; he finished 22nd. Also on Thursday night, African-American driver Ryan Gifford won the first K&N Pro Series East race of his young career. Surviving a five-lap shootout, following a red flag he cruised home over Brandon Gdovic. Connect with Tom!
Matt Kenseth, Joe Gibbs Racing, Toyota Penalized As Engine Fails Kansas Post-Race Inspection
posted by Thomas Bowles
Wednesday April 24, 2013
Until the end of time, Matt Kenseth can say he crossed the finish line first at Kansas Sunday. NASCAR Record Books will say the same. But after a harsh series of penalties announced on Wednesday, should they stand that’s about the only thing Kenseth can hang his hat on after a successful weekend turned sour. According to multiple reports, officials at the NASCAR R & D Center in North Carolina discovered a connecting rod on Kenseth’s engine, brought in for Kansas post-race inspection weighed three grams less than the minimum weight of 525g. The consequences, announced today are crippling for both driver and team. Kenseth, along with car owner Joe Gibbs have been docked 50 driver and owner points, actually reducing their overall totals heading into Kansas even though the No. 20 car won the race. That lost chunk of points drops Kenseth from eighth to 14th in the standings. More importantly, the win “won’t count” for either bonus points in the Chase or determine postseason eligibility; that means the driver, now in “Wild Card” position is considered to have one win so far this season instead of two. That’s just the tip of the iceberg on these consequences. Crew chief Jason Radcliffe, fined $200,000 based on the infraction has also been suspended for the next six Sprint Cup points events, along with the All-Star Race. Toyota, whose TRD engine department ultimately supplies the JGR powerplants has had five points deducted from its total in the manufacturer’s championship. And finally, Joe Gibbs himself, already docked 50 owner points has had his license suspended by NASCAR, which means he’s ineligible to accrue owner points for the No. 20 until the next six Sprint Cup Series points races are completed. Gibbs, NASCAR has clarified will still be able to travel to the racetrack despite a suspended license. In a tersely worded statement, the owner says he’ll appeal the ruling, which violated three parts of the series rulebook. The one most pertinent is Section 20-5.5.3(E) which states only magnetic steel connecting rods, with a minimum weight of 525.0 grams will be permitted. Sections 12-1 (actions detrimental to stock car racing) and 12-4J, which gives officials the right to penalize for parts they claim do not conform to NASCAR rules were also cited in the sport’s official release. Toyota Racing Development’s Lee White, in a statement released early this afternoon took responsibility for the violation. During NASCAR’s routine post-race tear down of Matt Kenseth’s race-winning car and engine from Kansas Speedway,” he stated, “One of our engine connecting rods weighed in approximately three grams under the legal minimum weight of 525 grams. None of the other seven connecting rods were found to be under the minimum weight. We take full responsibility for this issue with the engine used by the No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR) team this past Sunday in Kansas — JGR is not involved in the process of selecting parts or assembling the Cup Series engines. It was a simple oversight on TRD’s part and there was no intent to deceive, or to gain any type of competitive advantage. Toyota is a company that was built on integrity, and that remains one of the guiding principles of the company. The goal of TRD has always been — and will continue to be — to build high-performance engines that are reliable, durable and powerful, and within the guidelines established by NASCAR.” Kenseth, who has led 482 laps this season, two higher than his total last year has been one of the strongest competitiors on the Sprint Cup track in 2013. His engines have also passed several previous inspections.
Johnny Sauter Penalized For Fuel Cell Infraction At Kansas
posted by Thomas Bowles
Wednesday April 24, 2013
Thorsport Racing, along with former Truck Series point leader Johnny Sauter are reeling this Wednesday after a major penalty involving their No. 98 Toyota. On Wednesday, NASCAR announced the team was fined $10,000, crew chief Joel Shear has been suspended for four races and 25 owner points were taken away as a result of a faulty fuel cell, confiscated during pre-race inspection at Kansas. Driver Sauter was also hit was a loss of 25 points, completely reshaping the championship Chase heading into the next race of the season at Charlotte May 17th. According to NASCAR officials, the team violated multiple sections of the rulebook. The key ones involve Section 20B-16 and 20B-16.1B, regarding the proper size and functioning of fuel cells. “Once a fuel cell or fuel cell components have been certified,” the rules say, “Modifications of any kind will not be permitted.” The 16.1B portion refers to black safety foam, with a minimum height of eight inches that must be used as a safety mechanism when putting together the fuel cell itself. By violating that rule, NASCAR is insinuating the team modified or enhanced the cell in some way by cutting back / replacing that foam. Section 12-1, actions detrimental to stock car racing was also listed as a rules violation along with 12-4K, which gives NASCAR Officials the leeway to penalize teams when they feel previously legal equipment was modified, in any manner after being initially inspected. Thorsport, as of yet has not said whether they plan to appeal. The penalties mean Matt Crafton becomes the new Truck Series point leader, by 13 over Jeb Burton while Sauter gets pushed back into a tie for second place. |
||
 |
Find tons of cheap tickets to 2012 speedway races like Talladega NASCAR schedule, Brickyard 400 at Indy Motor Speedway, Coca Cola 600 Charlotte Motor Speedway tickets plus the full 2012 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 |
Tom: Of the three drivers effectively knocked out of the Chase for the Nextel Cup, who do you feel the most sorry for : Kurt Busch, Rusty Wallace, or Jeremy Mayfield?
Jeff: Rusty. The others still have more years to race.
Toni: Rusty for me, too, but because he avoided this type of thing all year and then bam—three races in a row he’s a victim.
Amy: Definitely Rusty…not one of his problems has been his fault.
Tom: Well, I guess we’re all in agreement then…it’s Rusty for me as well. But to be honest, I didn’t think any of the three were one of the top title contenders going in. So other than the Rusty fans, I think people may be sorry for Rusty but not surprised that this is the outcome for him; the same goes for Busch and Mayfield, too.
Amy: Me too, Tom…except I never thought of Rusty as not really in it…if anyone could win it on pure heart, it’s Wallace.
Toni: Well, at least Rusty still goes out at the top of his game"¦just not as much at the top of it as he wanted.
Jeff: But I don’t feel THAT sorry for him. He’s already got a championship.
Tom: The thing was, Rusty never got that win to put him over the hump. If they could have only finished first in that race at Pocono, or at Bristol, or just somewhere in the past two months, I think they could have gained the momentum they needed.
Amy: But he never had the DNF to put him in a hole either.
Dennis: Sorry, but I don’t feel sorry for any of them, even Rusty. Maybe it is their personalities"¦ I really don’t know for sure. I’m just glad to see Rusty the Big Head…Jeremy the Aww Shuckster…and Kurt the Hothead all out of the hunt.
Toni: Nothing against Mayfield, but I never saw him as anything but a long shot anyway. Consistency issues.
Jeff: But Mayfield has been there both years of the Chase.
Dennis: I agree 100%...Mayfield only had 8 Top 10s all year…hardly championship material, and yet, because of the contrived points deal, he was a contender.
Jeff: Oh God! Not that again Dennis!
Dennis: Another week of Mirror Driving…another week of Dennis bitching about the Chase…you bet!!
Amy: Yes and no to that one…Mayfield had to be in tenth to get in the contrived points deal in the first place. And he was higher than that when this started; seventh, in fact.
Tom: That may be true, but this year the 19 team never had the consistency during the regular season to play a factor in the Chase to begin with. Top 15s get you in…but they don’t get you the championship win.
Dennis: Evernham’s teams still just seem a bit messed up right now…they took a step back this year despite still putting a team in the Chase.
Tom: Changing gears, I think Sunday was proof that we should feel bad for the 2 car in 2006 though. Rusty and his replacement couldn’t be more different. Wallace crashes out not of his making, gives a gracious extended post-race interview, straight from the heart. Busch crashes out not of his making (tire), he nearly runs a guy over in the garage again, refuses any sort of interview, and leaves the track without comment. And yet, he thinks he’s going to magically win over fans by switching cars. News flash, Kurt : the new car doesn’t automatically change your personality"¦I’ll step off the podium now.
Toni: Yeah, but see on the no comment issue, well, I think that’s kind of funny. You’re damned if you do, and say something that offends fans. But you’re damned if you don’t, as you get perceived badly for leaving with no comment. I’m willing to admit that if I was angry and disappointed, I’m not sure I could graciously face an interview either.
Amy: True, Toni…but he had plenty of time to come up with some kind of comment for his fans (I’m guessing he has some).
Tom: Well, Toni, it’s not like Kurt hasn’t done this before though.
Toni: So?
Tom: I just found it ironic considering his reasons for leaving the 97 in the first place.
Dennis: I think Kurt wants to tick off Roush enough to get his release…which will probably happen this week.
Toni: I’m not necessarily jumping in to defend Kurt here, I’m kind of turning it to me personally. I have a slow temper. When I get fired up, you are probably not going to get a decent airable comment out of me for several hours. So I’m just feeling like if I want to wait a day or two to comment, that’s my prerogative—or Kurt’s in this case.
Amy: Maybe…but If I were his sponsor, I might think otherwise. If I was his fan, I’d be disappointed in him, too.
Toni: Fans and sponsors both need to allow these guys to be human beings.
Tom: I think Dennis has a good point…maybe Kurt’s trying extra hard to make a case for getting himself released. He and McMurray have been making it a point to be awfully moody lately.
Amy: And apparently it worked.
Jeff: Morgan Shepherd leaves the track with no comment and no one cares…
Tom: That’s cause he’s never in the race, Jeff!
Dennis: Sponsors want robots that spout the sponsors’ names in the right order.
Amy: I agree with that"¦but they’re also paying $20 million for those plugs. For $20 million, I’d pony up a thank-you.
Tom: There have been so many cautions recently, but this race was pretty mild. Were the track and tire conditions better, have the drivers gotten tired of wrecking, or is everyone (NASCAR, Goodyear, the drivers) finally learning something?
Dennis: Yes, we’ve learned something. Atlanta is the best 1.5 mile track on the schedule..BY FAR. NASCAR should have the folks send the blueprints for Atlanta Motor Speedway to every track owner…and have them rebuild their track as close as possible.
Toni: Well, no one has repaved or levigated this track either. The surface is the same as it was last year. I think it might also help that there are multiple grooves at Atlanta.
Jeff: The tires still suck though.
Tom: I think that’s the most important thing of all to take from Atlanta…for once, you have a track that renovated itself and actually made the racing BETTER. How often have we been saying that lately?
Jeff: Homestead did alright with their track.
Dennis: Of course, Rockingham also featured the same quality of racing as Atlanta…so Atlanta might suffer the same fate…did you see the empty seats?? I was being SARCASTIC of course…AMS is safe. Last time I looked, the folks down South have been beaten up, too. So it wasn’t surprising to me to see empty seats at Talladega and at Atlanta this year.
Tom: It just seems like Atlanta has always had trouble getting people to fill seats though. This isn’t a new thing.
Toni: Shame really. That’s a great track to go to. Atlanta isn’t a bad city.
Dennis: Atlanta is a wonderful city to visit.
Amy: Yeah, but does location matter?
Tom: I think it might, honestly. If you look at Atlanta, they have some trouble keeping attendance up with some of the sports teams that they have in both the NHL and NBA.
Dennis: Atlanta is one of those tracks that depends more on the immediate area around them though…unlike a Bristol or a Daytona that draw people in from all over the world.
Tom: So it’s not surprising that the area is struggling to get fans to come to a race there. Of course, this all goes back to NASCAR being completely oversaturated in the Southeast.
Dennis: NASCAR is still a Southeast sport at heart…despite the nationwide appeal. Just try to find NASCAR in the news outside of the Southeast on a weekly basis…doesn’t happen in the Midwest unless the race is close by. But go to a Southeast city, and NASCAR is in the sports page prominently every week…so I don’t think I would call it oversaturated in their home area.
Tom: But getting back on point, I don’t honestly think the cautions really went all that far down on Sunday, because NASCAR keeps throwing ‘em out whenever they see a plastic wrapper on the track.
Jeff: No question about it, NASCAR’s gone "yellow flag crazy."
Dennis: Texas the cautions will be plentiful again. We might see tire issues there again, and at Phoenix, too.
Toni: I agree, I don’t see getting through Texas without a pile of cautions again.
Tom: To be honest, I think Atlanta has a lot of room to race, and that certainly helped. That and all the mysterious debris cautions…one of which appeared to be called for smoke. SMOKE!
Amy: I’m all for safety, but throwing a flag for a blown tire because they saw tire smoke and thought it was an engine was just too much.
Dennis: A few of those cautions looked like the old ASA rules…LACK OF COMPETITION cautions.
Tom: The battle for 11th is beginning to heat up "" with 11 through 15(McMurray, Gordon, Sadler, Harvick and Nemechek) separated by only 89 points with three races left. Three of those guys finished in the Top 10 at Atlanta, with just Nemechek and Harvick struggling. Any predictions for who will earn that 11th place bonus check?
Jeff: McMurray …again.
Amy: Remember when nobody cared who finished 11th?
Jeff: I still don’t really care!
Amy: Me either, Jeff. But just for fun, I’ll take McMurray too.
Toni: McMurray for sure. He’s still ticked about missing the Chase. No one on Earth is getting between him and the consolation prize.
Dennis: I say Jeff Gordon. He tested at Texas, and the team seems to have figured out what he is asking for now…like Ray Evernham. His new crew chief doesn’t listen to what he says half the time, and that works better.
Amy: But McMurray probably has the most to prove. Jeff said he doesn’t care about it.
Tom: Actually, I think Nemechek might be the one who gets it. I would have been more confident about that if he had a good run at Atlanta. But he’s still come on strong in the second half of the season, and avoided many of the problems this group has had in the past 10 or 12 races.
Dennis: The thing is, I could care less who wins 11th. It’s like rooting for a baseball team to make it to the .500 mark. WHO CARES? They didn’t win enough!
Amy: Right, like the Padres in this year’s baseball playoffs…only got there because everyone else was worse.
Tom: I still think it’s important to mention, Dennis…there are still 33 other racers out there besides the 10 in the Chase, and they’re not getting mentioned often enough. And not only that, there are some terrific stories in this group. Like Brian Vickers…the guy was almost out of his ride 10 races in. And now he’s come all the way from out of the Top 25 to have a shot at 11th.
Toni: Their fans care, too. I’m sitting here rooting for a guy to just finish in the Top 30 in Ken Schrader. That’s something to get excited about.
Dennis: Alright, but would you rather see Schrader win at Phoenix and finish dead last at the other 2 races?? Or finish 20th at all 3 and finish 30th in points instead of 31st?
Toni: I’ll take the win, but we’re talking reality here, aren’t we? Not that I don’t think Schrader is capable of winning a race. I just don’t think the BAM car is there yet. A top 5 perhaps with the right combination of racing luck and perfect chassis.
Dennis: Give Schrader a whole car and he could win…I would love to see Schrader in equipment like the 20 car’s for a full year.
Tom: See, I think everyone watches their driver to win…but they also want to see them move up in points, too. There are only a handful of drivers capable of winning the championship each year. For those who know they’re out of it, those fans consider 11th a big accomplishment.
Toni: If Schrader had a shot at 11th, I’d care. So I’m with Tom on that. It does matter to some people. The same people who are unhappy with the idea that the Chase drivers get all the attention, most likely.
Tom: Two years ago, it mattered so much more. It mattered who was gunning for 25th and 23rd and 13th and 31st.
Dennis: Maybe we should have a CONSOLATION CHASE for 11th place then, too.
Tom: Now, if you’re not in the Chase no one cares about the points. But those positions pay, and those drivers fight hard. We shouldn’t forget that.
Dennis: The teams care, because it is MONEY. But I don’t think the fans are as pumped up about it. Last time I looked…I never saw anyone saying, "WE’RE NUMBER 11!"
Toni: And yes, they even still care about 25th. I know a whole group of Schrader fans who cared about 25th very much.
Tom: Dennis, when I was growing up as a fan of Darrell, I wanted him to get EVERY points position he could. I remember wanting him desperately to finish in the Top 20 back in 1997.
Dennis: Well you know what they say about 2nd place…FIRST LOSER..so that makes 11th place the TENTH LOSER. I guess the fact I was an Earnhardt fan is showing too…DE would never have been crazy about an 11th place run.
Tom: In the CTS race Saturday, what was behind the last lap wreck that wiped out a good portion of the field. And did NASCAR get the finishing order right in the final results?
Dennis: I saw it and it confused the devil out of me…NASCAR probably came as close as they could. Oh my God, I said something almost nice about NASCAR…
Toni: I saw the Speed News clip, so I can certainly see how it was a nightmare to figure out. But I’ll agree that I think they did the best they or anyone could have done. As for what was behind it, that would be Mr. Sprague.
Tom: Sprague always seems to get himself in the middle of something. It just doesn’t seem like he can ever keep his nose clean…that’s an unfortunate beginning for him with Wyler, a wrecked race car on the weekend.
Toni: Sprague is old school. That would be the school that says if you can sniff the win, bring back the trophy or the steering wheel. Jack brought back the steering wheel.
Tom: So true…but that’s why he’s sitting on Saturdays running CTS, and not Nextel Cup.
Dennis: Speaking of the Truck race…how about that Joey Miller!! He has been doing great in the 12 truck.
Tom: I agree about Miller…it’s nice to see some young kids still come into a series increasingly dominated by veterans. It’s going to turn into a nice learning ground for them.
Toni: There’s a learning ground where they get to race the Cup veterans, the best of the best, without the Cup guys being a threat of taking over their series. The Cup veterans there are a part of the series instead of coming in to invade it.
Dennis: What was even more impressive with Miller is that the 12 team only had 4 Top 10s all year…he has one in only 2 races!
Dennis: The Truck Series has again given us some of the best racing all season..as usual. But I wonder if anyone is noticing??
Tom: Predictions for Texas?
Dennis: Who looks silliest in a cowboy hat??
Toni: Juuunnniiiiiooooorrrrrr.
Jeff: Carl Edwards for two in a row! Just as I was right last week!! Does anyone remember?
Dennis: I will pick Mark Martin.
Amy: I’ll go with Elliott Sadler, he’d due for a win.
Dennis: Elliott will look silly in a cowboy hat..so thats a strong choice.
Toni: I should pick Jimmie Johnson again this week, and help Stewart out a little more. I sure whammied him in Atlanta.
Dennis: In that case pick a Gordon/JJ dead heat. Get 2 whammies for the price of one!
Tom: See, with the sweep in fashion, I think this is Biffle’s race to lose. The bigger issue is whether tires will pop up and become a problem like they were at Charlotte. Also, Tony Stewart didn’t have the greatest Spring here…this could be the one race left in the mix that could open the door for teams like Martin and Kenseth.
Toni: Kyle Busch would look really silly in a cowboy hat too.
Amy: If we’re basing predictions on who would look silliest in a cowboy hat, I say Jimmie Johnson OR Kurt"¦his ears might hold it up unnaturally high on his head.
Tom: Nobody would come close to topping Buckshot Jones with that type of hat though. A five foot guy with a giant cowboy hat? Now THAT would look silly.
Jeff: Baby Hamilton. What about him and a cowboy hat.
Amy: ooh, Baby Hamilton. All you’d see is hat and ankles.
Dennis: Bobby, Jr.?? The hat would totally cover him…and a little dog, too.
Friday on the Frontstretch:
Four Burning Questions: All-Star Analysis and The New Kyle Busch
Has NASCAR’s All-Star Night Lost Its Shine?
Frontstretch Foto Funnies: Get Me A Bunny
Voices From the Cheap Seats: It’s Not Nice To Fool Mother NASCAR!
FREE NEWSLETTER! CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP
NEW YEAR? NEW NEWSLETTER. LOOKING FOR THE INFO YOU NEED ABOUT NASCAR IN 2013 – SENT RIGHT TO YOUR EMAIL INBOX?
Well, you’ve come to the right place. The Frontstretch Newsletter gives you more of the daily news, commentary, and racing 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 stay informed … so make sure you jump on for the ride!
©2000 - 2008 Frontstretch Staff and Frontstetch.com. Thanks for visiting the Frontstretch!
