By Frontstretch Staff
Jeb Burton Driver Diary: Qualifying Success, Turkey Hunting and Moving Forward
Since we last talked, we’ve gotten three races in. Martinsville went well; we ran great all day long. I felt like we should’ve gotten the win there, but all in all, it was a good points day and we led a bunch of laps. Then we went to Rockingham and got another pole–that was good. In the race, we had a pretty good finish–not as good as I wanted it to be but another good points day.
Joe Gibbs Racing Penalties Reduced Following Appeal
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 …
Penske Has Suspensions Reduced On Appeal
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 …
NASCAR Writer Power Rankings: Top 15 After Talladega I
Well, how about that!? It was David and David against Goliath at Talladega and, much like the popular fairytale, David won. At a racetrack that produces unlikely winners, the Front Row Motorsports teammates didn’t disappoint, claiming the team’s first win and sweeping the top two positions over the powerhouses of Hendrick, Gibbs and others. They said anyone can win at the restrictor plate racetracks, but you still have to be around on the final lap. David and David both avoided multiple big ones, a three-hour rain delay and made the right move coming off turn four of the final lap.
Top Ten Mother’s Day Gifts From NASCAR Drivers
*10.* From Ryan Newman: all the Bloomin’ Onions she can eat and a new puppy.
*9.* From Clint Bowyer: the Camo Cadillac he drove on Duck Dynasty. What mom wouldn’t want to accessorize with that baby?
*8.*From Jeff Gordon: a nice, relaxing Sunday drive in a Camaro…
WTF Wednesday: Bring Back the Darlington Excitement
While viewing the final laps of the Aaron’s 312 and 499 Nationwide and Cup series races last weekend, my faith in the excitement that made me love this sport began to return. For the first time in a very long time, I was actually jumping up and down in my living room as I witnessed …
Pay-Per-View vs. a Highlight Reel: Fixing FOX’s Terrible Coverage
Which would you rather have, four hours of uninterrupted NASCAR race coverage or a one hour highlight reel? That’s a tough question these days. One I used to be able to answer unequivocally. Why would I want the Sprint Cup Series to go pay-per-view? Well, when FOX cuts to commercial every five minutes, regardless of …
Pace Laps: NASCAR’s Miracle Moment, Cautions Breed Controversy And “21”
_Did you miss an event during this busy week in racing? How about a late-night press release, an important sponsorship rumor, or a juicy piece of news? If you did, you’ve come to the right place! Each week, The Frontstretch will break down the racing, series by series, to bring you the biggest stories that you need to watch going forward for the week ahead. Let our experts help you get up to speed, no matter what series you might have missed, all in this edition of Pace Laps!_
Frontstretch Foto Funnies: Dude, That’s Just Gross…
_Welcome to the Frontstretch Foto Funnies! Ever see a photo that’s just begging for a caption? We see them all the time! Each week, we’ll pick a few, then let our staff give it their best shot. We’ll post the best ones for you!_
_Want to get in on the fun? Each week, we’ll also designate one of the photos for fan captions. Leave your best ideas in the comments below or on our “Facebook page.”:https://www.facebook.com/Frontstretch We’ll choose our favorite one and reprint the photo next week with its new caption!_
Mirror Driving: Where Do Penske, Piquet, Scott, And Hamlin Go From Here?
*Shocker! (sarcasm) A NASCAR-appointed appeals board has unanimously upheld the penalties against Penske Racing from pre-race inspection at Texas Motor Speedway. As a result, Penske Racing will appeal to Chief Appellate Officer John Middlebrook on May 7th. Did NASCAR get one this right… or is Penske right to continue fighting?*
Summer: I think the penalties were too severe, so yes, I think they should keep fighting. That doesn’t mean I think it will do a damn bit of good.
Phil: I’d argue that the point penalties might not be worth appealing further at this point. I don’t even think Penske cares about them. It’s those suspensions that get you. That’s why he’s still going on, because I don’t think they needed to suspend that many people.