|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
Prayers for the victims of the deadly tornado outbreak in Oklahoma .
(5/21/13)
Courteousy NASCAR.com
(http://www.nascar.com/) :
BIFFLE CONFIDENT HE CAN CLIMB IN STANDINGS
'NASCAR: AN AMERICAN SALUTE' HONORS MILITARY
CHARLOTTE ENTRY LISTS
PICK A PACE-CAR DESIGN FOR POCONO
Courteousy FOX Sports
(http://msn.foxsports.com/nascar):
Where the heart is Kyle Busch, Joe Gibbs Racing help make a home a possibility with Habitat's help.
FULL STORY »
Pedals Of Fury: Justin Allgaier & James Buescher Tricycle Race (Video)
Try this What would happen if All-Star race was moved? Just imagine ...
FULL STORY »
Courteousy USA Today.com (http://www.usatoday.com/sports/nascar/):
Michael Annett will return to car at Charlotte
Read Story
(http://sports.yahoo.com/nascar/):
Smith picks odd time to play hardball
Courteousy SpeedTv.com
(http://nascar.speedtv.com/):
Like what you see on this site ?
Want to sponsor / contribute to this site ?
I'd love to have you "on board" !
Here's how to contact me :Attention Site Sponsors !!! . I really , REALLY ,would appreciate it !
Joe
Courteousy Sports Illustrated (http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/racing/?eref=sinav&sct=hp_nv_a):
" Big Four No More ? "
Cary Estes: Big four Sprint Cup teams challenged in NASCAR Power Rankings
Courteousy Sporting News.com (http://www.sportingnews.com/nascar):
Even though David Ragan won at Talladega and Kurt Busch nearly won the All-Star race, the small teams
of NASCAR face an uphill battle to compete with the multi-car, well-funded teams that consistently land in Victory Lane.
The NASCAR Hall of Fame vote is Wednesday and SN's Bob Pockrass knows one person who will be on his
ballot: Bruton Smith. Despite his flaws, Smith has done too much for the sport to not be recognized among its greatest.
Courteousy The Stock Car Gazette
( http://MotorSportsNews.Net) (Thanks Heather !):
Racin' Today
www.Catchfence.com
20-Year Anniversary of Gordon’s First Start in ’600′
CHARLOTTE, N.C.(May 20, 2013) - In Jeff Gordon's 700th career start at Darlington a fewweeks ago, the
87-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series winner notched his 300th career top-five. But ...
Google Alerts
PitTalks.com
How much is a pit crew really worth?
C O L U M N S / C O M M E N T A R I E S
SUBSCRIBE INFORMATION
Courteousy Frontstretch.com
(http://www.frontstretch.com/):
Bruton Smith Moving Charlotte Race?
SMI's top dog may be looking to move one of NASCAR's hometown races for 2014. O. Bruton Smith, Chairman of Speedway Motorsports,
Inc. told WBTV in Charlotte he's looking to shift the Fall, 500-mile Cup race at Charlotte Motor Speedway out to Las Vegas and make it a
postseason event. That 1.5-mile oval, which currently has just one date has done well attendance-wise, has great Fall weather
and puts Smith in a position (or so he claims) to do better financially. "We're discussing a ten-year contract," Smith told the television station. "For a lot of money every year."
Any date change, for 2014 and beyond would have to be approved by NASCAR; Smith is not in control of the schedule. However,
the sanctioning body has accommodated the SMI veteran in the past, as long as he maneuvers current dates from his tracks on
the schedule. For example, Smith was given an inaugural 400-miler at Kentucky Speedway, in 2011 at the expense of a second
race at Atlanta Motor Speedway.
The billionaire businessman controls tracks that have roughly a dozen dates on the
current Sprint Cup slate. Charlotte was once one of the "crown jewels," along with Bristol on his track ownership list but
attendance at its events has declined in recent years. Despite being the "motorsports mecca" of stock car racing, where most
race shops and the Hall of Fame is located Las Vegas has eked ahead based on the latest attendance figures reported, in 2012.
That year, the March race out West had 50,000 more fans than the Chase event held during the Fall of that year out in Charlotte,
a 1.5-mile oval whose asphalt has struggled to produce quality competition over the last decade.
Smith has also had a rocky relationship with Cabarrus County, where the track has been built. Four years ago, the owner
filed a lawsuit claiming government officials never followed through on a deal to help with infrastructure and improvements
at the facility. There's also been conflict with town residents over noise at the CMS dragstrip and potential future expansion
on the property.
Michael Annett Cleared To Race
A Nationwide Series regular sidelined since a vicious crash at Daytona is set to return. Michael Annett, out of the No.
43 Richard Petty Motorsports Ford since the season-opening race at Daytona tweeted Monday doctors have cleared him to slip
back behind the wheel. Annett, whose most serious injury was a broken sternum got hurt when he and Austin Dillon made contact
with less than four laps left, sparking a multi-car incident that totaled nearly a dozen cars and left the Iowa veteran heading
to the hospital.
"Can't wait to get back in the seat!!!" the driver said on his Twitter account. "Thanks for all the excitement for me to get back and thanks for all the support from everyone through these 3 long months." Good friend Reed Sorenson, a former RPM driver himself has been subbing in Annett's absence, posting a best finish of
10th. He'll return to his full-time employer, Key Motorsports' No. 40 Chevrolet beginning this weekend. Aric Almirola also
slipped in the No. 43 car for one race, posting a ninth-place result at Phoenix.
Annett, 26, is in his fifth full season racing the Nationwide Series. However, he remains winless in 139 career starts.
News 'N' Notes
- Don't expect major changes at struggling Stewart-Haas Racing anytime soon. When interviewed by SPEED this week,
an anonymous executive at SHR claimed they're not considering firing or reassigning crew chiefs within their three-car organization.
The team, which has just one top-5 finish amongst their drivers in 33 starts this season, has no driver better in points than
Ryan Newman in 17th.
- Roush Fenway Racing will run triple Fastenal-sponsored Fords in this weekend's Coca-Cola 600. Traditionally the sponsor
of Carl Edwards in the No. 99, the company will expand its portfolio to back Greg Biffle in the No. 16 and rookie
Ricky Stenhouse, Jr. in the No. 17 car. The sponsor has already been to Victory Lane once this year, with Edwards at
Phoenix and is looking to continue those winning ways in 2013.
Today's Featured Commentary
Cheers or Jeers: Both are Good News During Driver Introductions
Sitting In The Stands: A Fan's View
by S.D. Grady
They cheered. They booed. Hands were held out for a high five or a lucky
grab for an autographed hat. The drivers smiled, while the crews did something in between as they pushed their cars
down the gauntlet of team intros before the Sprint All-Star Race. In short, we saw and heard lots of emotion from not
only those on camera, but from the well-miked crowd in attendance. While many segments of the ever-changing All-Star
race are clearly contrived, the driver intros have actually become something of an art form over the years. It is always
one of the best parts of the night for the TV audience, mostly because the vast majority of NASCAR fans never get to go to
the track and see their favorite driver wave to the crowd on the giant rolling stage, or snap a pic as Junior rides by in
this week's sponsored truck. Even if they did, it is only on All-Star night that the whole crew gets to take a bow.
It really is a special moment of recognition for the teams. It's a fact that you'd think a few fans missed when we
heard their reactions Saturday. It wasn't just Kyle Busch that paused when he rose into the spotlight, braced himself
and smiled away the furious noises of apparently angry fans. Just about every driver heard the negative cries; heck,
even Danica Patrick endured more boos than cheers. Still, there was noise. That's something I don't always
hear when I'm sitting 40 rows up and waiting for the engines to crank over. The trend towards silence in the stands
has continued to grow over the years, and I struggle to understand exactly what it is in the crowd mentality that is missing
in our present century. Have we forgotten just how important it is to actively participate, even when we are sitting
on the sidelines? Or is it because we've become far too complacent to have the competition fed to us on whatever digital
means we have handy? It has to be a depressing moment to walk out on a stage, with 80,000 fans in the stands and no
one notices you. Too often, I watch the bottom half of the field just make the motions of taking their bow. What
makes me really angry is that those sitting around me are digging in their coolers, looking at the new T-shirt and trying
to figure out the FanVision while the real stars of the show are announced. They'll give me sideways glances as I continue
to applaud through the entire field. It worsens as I clap louder, appreciating when a local boy is called up, driving an unsponsored
Cup ride for the first time ever. They deserve attention, too. Do I boo? Oh, you betcha. I'm not touting
a cheer for every driver. I'm talking about letting them know you care. It matters that the seats are filled with
those who come every year, dads that are taking their kids to a special event, and co-workers out for a fun afternoon.
We come from all walks of life, drive top-of-the-line SUV's and the occasional junker. The NASCAR fan comes from as
varied a background as the drivers who pilot the brilliantly colored machines parked in pit lane. We love what auto
racing is. And if you've ever spoken to a NASCAR driver, it's a bone-deep reality that they love it, too. So
please, when you're sitting in the stands, make some noise! Besides the $75 you paid for entry into the track,
cheering is part of your job as a fan. If Logano did something stupid last week, remind him. Maybe Johnson won!
And maybe you think that's awesome. When your neighbor is a Junior fan and you wear the No. 24 on your hat, enjoy a
good-natured rivalry for the day. Driver Introductions are always a big deal -- even without the All-Star Night coverage
-- but they'll only be so if the fans find their voices to cheer and jeer.
Numbers Game: Sprint All-Star Race
by Tom Bowles
0
Laps led by Matt Kenseth Saturday night, just the third time this year he's been in a race and failed to pace the field
for at least one circuit.
1
The number of drivers who failed to finish due to a crash (Mark Martin). It's the second time in three years Martin has
wrecked out in the All-Star Race.
2
The number of laps Brad Keselowski completed before his transmission expired. The reigning Cup champ has just one top-5
finish, a second last year in five career All-Star Race starts.
3
The number of consecutive top-5 finishes for Kyle Busch in the All-Star Race. He was third on Saturday night but remains
winless for his career in the main event.
4
Career All-Star Race wins for Jimmie Johnson, a new NASCAR Cup Series record. He's also the first to capture the event,
back-to-back since Davey Allison in 1991-'92.
5
Leaders in Saturday night's All-Star Race out of 22 participating in the race. The Busch brothers, Clint Bowyer, and
Kasey Kahne spent time at the front along with Johnson.
6.0
Average finish for both Hendrick Motorsports and Joe Gibbs Racing, the best amongst NASCAR teams. Each one had all of
their full-time cars in the All-Star event.
15.7
Average finish of the three Stewart-Haas Racing cars in the All-Star event. None of them led a lap, extending their top-5
finish drought to eleven total races. The best finish for the organization this season is a fifth by Ryan Newman in this year's
Daytona 500.
$38,865
How much less sixth place paid, in Saturday night's All-Star Race compared to last year's Coca-Cola 600. In this event,
where the purse is heavily skewed towards the winner only six drivers took home $100,000 or more in the main event.
$795,000
The difference, in winnings between first-place Jimmie Johnson and second-place Joey Logano.
Courteousy Yahoo Sports
(http://sports.yahoo.com/nascar/):
Hot/Not: Enough with all the conspiracy theories
NASCAR is guilty of many things, but fixing races so that Jimmie Johnson can win is not
one of them.
J.J. shrugs off haters
Pit work pays off
Courteousy Bleacher Report.com
(http://bleacherreport.com/nascar):
Fantasy NASCAR Picks for Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte
By Chad Robb
Courteousy SpeedwayMedia.com (http://www.speedwaymedia.com/):
|
Thoughts on the All Star Race — Hendrick Rules
My friend Monte Dutton, who is one of the best or probably was one of the best writers on the
NASCAR beat, tweeted Saturday night that unlike normal races, the format actually seems to encourage all hell breaking loose
UNTIL the end. |
|
Ken Schrader Just Having Fun as ARCA’s Newest and Oldest Winner
Ken Schrader may just be the oldest winner in the history of the ARCA Racing Series presented
by Menards, but he is no doubt the happiest after taking the checkered flag first in the Menards 200 presented by Federated
Car Care this weekend at Toledo Speedway. |
|
Was The New All-Star Race Format a Winner or a Loser?
Now that the All-Star Race is over, the criticism/praise of NASCAR's new format begins! After
fairly exciting on track action during the first four segments, Jimmie Johnson stole the show in the final 10 lap dash after
battling with teammate Kasey Kahne with 8 to go. |
|
All Star Race Qualifying Procedure Different, But A Positive Change
When NASCAR announced earlier last week the new wrinkle to Sprint All Star qualifying –
that there would be no pit road speed limit in the mandatory four tire pit stop which every driver must do in a three lap
qualifying session – many people were skeptical. |
|
Riggs, RBR battle to season-best finish at Charlotte
At the end of the night, the truck that Scott Riggs pulled on pit road at Charlotte Motor Speedway
did not look like one that was a last-lap pass away from a top-ten finish. |
|
RCR Post-Race Report — NSCS Charlotte Motor Speedway
Richard Childress Racing teammates Jeff Burton and Paul Menard participated in the Sprint Showdown
finishing third and fourth, respectively. Kevin Harvick competed in the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race, capturing an 11th place
result. |
Somewhat Older News
(5/20/13)
Courteousy USA Today.com (http://www.usatoday.com/sports/nascar/):
Allmendinger isn’t sure if NASCAR team will stay around
Read Story
(http://www.nascar.com/) :
JOHNSON NOW AIMS TO RECAPTURE 600 GLORY
IN THE REARVIEW: ALL-STAR RACE
ANNETT SET TO RETURN FOR CHARLOTTE RACE
ENTRY LIST FOR CHARLOTTE NATIONWIDE RACE
Entry list for History 300 at 2:30 p.m. ET on Saturday
Courteousy SpeedTv.com
(http://nascar.speedtv.com/):
SPEED ALERT: Race Hub To Broadcast NASCAR Hall Of Fame's 'Class Of…
2 updates from Wall Stadium Speedway tonight !!
(Thanks Jeff Gravatt !!):
1 .
FACTORY STOCK TWIN 25’S HEADLINES MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND
SATURDAY (MAY 25) AT WALL STADIUM
WALL TOWNSHIP, N.J. ~ The cars and stars of Wall Stadium’s highly competitive Factory Stock division will enjoy
top billing this Saturday night (May 25) as they compete in Twin 25-lap championship events. Modifieds, Legend Cars, 4 Cylinder
racers and the touring TQ Midgets will also be a part of “Proud To Be American Night.” Grandstand seating opens
at 5:00 p.m. and qualifying starts at 6:00 p.m. Main events are slated for 7:00 p.m.
Wall Stadium’s Factory Stock division features
an impressive roster of competitors ranging from tested veterans to young up and coming racing stars. Defending champion Scott
Riggleman of Manchester, recent winners Ronnie Mullen and Joe Mongeau, both of Brick, John Bowers of Pt. Pleasant, lady driver
Tiffany Olejnik of Wall and Andrew Krause of Holmdel are just a few of the drivers expected to see action.
Interest is also high as the powerful Modified
stock cars will return after two Saturday’s off due to rain. Early season winners Steven Reed of Freehold and Oakland’s
Chris Hamilton will lead the way and brothers Christian and Adam LaCicero, both of Lavallette, multi-time champion Chas Okerson
of Freehold, veteran Ken Woolley, Jr. of Howell, Eric Mauriello of Brick and lady driver Shawna Ingraham of Brick will be
among those looking for their first win of the season.
In addition to the Factory Stock twin races and
the 40-lapper for the returning Modifieds, the Legend Cars, 4 Cylinder racers and the open cockpit TQ Midgets will all see
action in 25-lap main events. The Sportsman cars and the Limited late Models will have the night off.
To help honor those lost while defending
our country, special pre-race ceremonies will take place early in the evening. The patriotic theme will continue throughout
the night.
Saturday’s schedule will see
the competitor pit area open at noon with a paid test session set for 1:00 until 3:30 p.m. The regular afternoon practice
session will then begin at 3:30 p.m. and run until 5:00 p.m., while spectator seating will open at 5:00 p.m.
On track competition will then begin
at 6:00 p.m. with qualifying events to be followed by feature race action for all divisions at 7:00 p.m.
Action will then continue on Sunday
(May 26) as Wall Stadium presents the “Sunday Small-Car Series” starting at noon.
2
WALL STADIUM SUNDAY SERIES OPENER RESET TO MAY 26
WALL TOWNSHIP, N.J. ~ After steady showers forced the cancellation of the opening event for the popular “Sunday
Small Car Series” at Wall Stadium on May 19, racers are ready to celebrate Memorial Day Weekend this Sunday (May 26)
with action starting at noon. The series will then continue on most Sunday afternoons through the fall.
Among the vehicles involved in the “Sunday
Series” will be go-karts, Micro Stocks and Junior Legend Cars. More information is available
on the Wall Stadium Speedway website at wallspeedwayracing.com or by calling the speedway office at 732-681-6400.
Wall Stadium
presents professional motorsports events on most Saturdays and Sundays from mid-April through November. The speedway is located
on Route 34 in Wall Township, N.J., just one mile north of Garden State Parkway exit 98 and Interstate 195 exit 35B. The speedway
email address is CKMotorsports@aol.com.
Courteousy ESPN.com
(http://espn.go.com/racing/nascar/):
Hyped And Sniped
Christmas Abbott could become the first full-time female pit crew member for a Sprint Cup Series team, but not everybody
is on board with how she got there. McGee » Popularity puzzles Patrick 
Same Ol' JJ
NASCAR unveiled another new format for Saturday night's All-Star Race at Charlotte. But the end
result was very familiar:
Jimmie Johnson celebrating in Victory Lane. Terry Blount
Courteousy Yahoo Sports
(http://sports.yahoo.com/nascar/):
Why was race a letdown for so many?
Future uncertain for Allmendinger
Courteousy FOX Sports
(http://msn.foxsports.com/nascar):
NASCAR driver Schrader takes title of oldest ARCA winner
Tweets Of The Week: All-Star Edition
Mustang GT + Mark Martin's Engine = 800HP Of Street-Legal Awesomeness
Kurt Busch Is Focused, But Is He A Chase Contender?
All-Star race brought excitement
Final shootout, exciting qualifying — All-Star race got it right.
Courteousy Sporting News.com (http://www.sportingnews.com/nascar):
Danica Patrick has quickly become one of NASCAR's biggest stars and most popular drivers. She even
made the Sprint All-Star Race through the fan vote. And then she heard something she rarely experiences — boos.
Earnhardt glad to be back at Charlotte after missing last year's race
A year ago, AJ Allmendinger was struggling with Penske Racing, trying to make a name for himself in
NASCAR. Two months later, he was fired. Now he's back with Penske, running the Indy 500 in what he calls "a crazy year."
Courteousy The Stock Car Gazette
(http://MotorSportsNews.Net ) (Thanks Heather !):
Stock Car Gazette
Track Trash – Almost All (of the) Stars
by Racing Maniac
www.Catchfence.com
2013 Charlotte Motor Speedway May NSCS & NNS Weekend Track Event Schedule
CHARLOTTE MOTOR SPEEDWAY 2013 NASCAR SPRINT CUP SERIES NASCAR NATIONWIDE SERIES EVENT SCHEDULE Wednesday,
May 22ND 9:00 AM ..
Google Alerts
NASCAR's All-Star race fails to shineExaminer.comSaturday night's NASCAR Sprint All-Star race at Charlotte Motor Speedway proved to be less
than stellar. While there were moments of great racing, overall the no-holds-barred free for all hyped by promoters never
materialized.
PitTalks.com
How much is a pit crew really worth?
C O L U M N S / C O M M E N T A R I E S
Courteousy The Frontstretch.com
(http://www.frontstretch.com/):
Sprint Cup Race Recap: Johnson Makes History, Wins Fourth All-Star Race
by Justin Tucker
Coming
into Saturday night's All-Star Race, Jimmie Johnson had a shot at history. No driver, over nearly three decades had
won four All-Star events; Johnson sat tied with Dale Earnhardt and Jeff Gordon for the most, with three. Well, when
the smoke cleared after 90 laps late Saturday night at Charlotte, Jimmie Johnson would once again claim the $1 million dollar
paycheck and set a new record for others to "Chase" after.
The Sprint Showdown would kick off All-Star Saturday night
at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Martin Truex, Jr. would lead the field to green for the 40-lap main event qualifier, but
Jamie McMurray would prove to have the fastest car from the jump. McMurray took the lead on lap 1 and never looked back,
leading all 40 circuit en route to his first Sprint Showdown victory. Rookie of the Year candidate Ricky Stenhouse,
Jr. would impress all race long and claim his first berth into the All-Star Race by finishing second. Danica Patrick
would finish ninth and receive the Sprint All-Star Fan Vote for her first All-Star appearance.
But none of those three
would factor into the big race. Instead, the Busch Brothers would set the early pace during the All-Star event as they would
split the first four segment wins between themselves. Kurt Busch would win the opening segment of the 90-lap event,
followed by brother Kyle winning segments 2 and 3. Segment 4 was dominated by Kurt, as he trudged on to win and hold
the all important best average finish through the first four segments heading into the final pit stop.
Then, what
was shaping up to be a Busch brothers kind of night turned on a tire change. Hendrick Motorsports, with their duo of Kasey
Kahne and Johnson would beat Kurt and Kyle off of pit road to line up first and second on the final restart. On the drop of
the green, Johnson was able to pull in front of Kahne on the bottom after a short battle. Afterwards, Johnson would
never again be challenged as he cruised to victory by almost two seconds over runner-up Joey Logano and Kyle Busch. An 11.8-second
stop by his crew made the difference, launching the No. 48 into the track position needed after starting the night hanging
out way at the back.
A jubilant Johnson said after the victory, "I really didn't think we had a shot at winning, starting
20th. I don't know how we keep doing it."
Behind Johnson, Logano and Kyle Busch was Kahne in fourth, while Kurt Busch
rounded out the top-5 finishers. Denny Hamlin finished sixth, followed by Dale Earnhardt, Jr. Sprint Showdown
Winner McMurray was eighth, while Matt Kenseth and Carl Edwards rounded out the top 10.
Next up for NASCAR is the Coca-Cola
600, with coverage set to start on FOX with pre-race at 5:30 PM EDT. Race coverage will start at 6:00 PM, with the green
flag shortly afterwards.
Sidebar All-Star Race Stories
by Summer Bedgood
SPEED
Graphic Mistake Leads to Controversy
SPEED created controversy during last Saturday’s Sprint All-Star Race
when a new graphic incorrectly showed Jimmie Johnson should have entered pit road 11th when instead he entered fourth heading
into the fifth segment. NASCAR rules dictated that the driver’s average finish in the first four 20-lap
segments would determine the running order as the drivers headed down pit road for the final mandatory pit stop of the day.
While SPEED’s information was, in fact, incorrect it led to outcry on social media from fans who thought NASCAR
had played favorites for the five-time champion. Johnson left pit road second and eventually went on to win the race due to
track position.
"People just want to hate," said Johnson post-race. "That's fine. I'm just lucky.
NASCAR rigs the races and whatever they want to believe. I'm going home with a cool trophy and a big check and we all
really know what happened. So whatever."
Johnson’s win was his second in a row and fourth all-time, beating
out Dale Earnhardt, Sr. and Jeff Gordon for most career All-Star wins.
Busch Brothers Fall Short of Victory Following
Strong Run
While Kyle and Kurt Busch combined to win the first four segments of the All-Star Race, neither one
of them was in Victory Lane at the conclusion of the final 10-lap shootout. Kyle won the second and third segments and
finished third, while Kurt won the first and fourth segments and finished fifth.
“Unfortunately, tonight we
didn't have the best of stops and came out third and that was the race right there,” said Kyle. You've got to
be on the front row if you're going to win this thing.”
Kurt, meanwhile, led the field into the final pit mandatory
pit stop prior to the 10-lap shootout due to having the best average finish in the first four segments. But his pit
crew couldn't follow through, a stop over a second slower than his Hendrick competitors leaving him too far back in the pack
to make a run.
“My guys, I’m not getting down on them — we came out top 5,” said Kurt.
“Then we were a little tight that last run in the traffic or we didn’t get aggressive enough with your change.
You’re a half a click off on the stopwatch on a pit stop and half a click off on an adjustment, and you can go from
batting 4-out-of-5 to striking out the last time out.”
Jimmie Johnson went on to win the race.
Mixed
Results for Showdown Transfers in All-Star Event
Showdown transfers Jamie McMurray, Ricky Stenhouse, Jr., and Danica
Patrick (fan vote winner) finished eighth, 16th, and 20th, respectively, in Saturday night’s 22-car field.
McMurray
transferred from the Showdown after dominating the race, with Stenhouse right in tow. Patrick, who finished ninth in
the Showdown, was the recipient of the Fan Vote.
While the trio failed to lead any laps and really weren’t factors
in the race, they were undoubtedly grateful for the opportunity.
20 other drivers competed in the Showdown and failed
to qualify for the race.
Jeff Burton, Bobby Labonte, Ricky Stenhouse, Jr., and Martin Truex, Jr., in no particular
order, were also in the top 5 for the fan vote.
Quotes to Remember: Sprint All-Star Race
compiled by Summer Bedgood
“It's incredible, especially in the way we had to go about it tonight. I didn't do us any favors qualifying
yesterday. With this average that we had through the first four segments, I was really fearful I wouldn't have a shot
at a front-row start or a second-row start and I felt like the winner would come from one of those two rows. Not to
state the obvious, but that's really the goal from all of us is to try to be in that front row for the final restart.”
- Jimmie Johnson, race winner
“It was entertaining, to say the least. I thought all my guys did
a great job calling the race, keeping that average finish up. I thought we were a fifth to sixth-place car in the beginning
of the race and we just needed to get track position and I felt like if we got our track position, we could run decent.
I think we averaged fifth and then we came down pit road, beat one car out which put us in the second row, and in the back
of my mind before the race started I felt like I needed to be in the second row with 10 to go to at least have a shot at this
thing. My guys got me what I needed there and then it was up to me to make of the most of what I had. The 48 was
really, really fast. Once he got that clean air, he was gone. All I could do was hope for clean air and try to
stack everything up and give it one more shot.” - Joey Logano, finished second
“Yeah, it was really
good. Obviously I felt like we had a really, really fast race car. The Snickers Bites Camry was awesome, probably
the best car here, just ran up front most of the night and had really good runs through the segments there, we had two of
them, and average wise we were right there with Kurt. He beat us out a little bit. Ultimately, it came down to
pit road where my guys always prove their worth. Unfortunately, tonight we didn't have the best of stops and come out
third and that was the race right there. You've got to be on the front row if you're going to win this thing, and unfortunately
there on the restart getting side-drafted and sucked around and hit from behind and loose and everything else, I had to finally
get straight and get everybody off me to be able to race, and once I could do that I could go forward.” - Kyle Busch,
finished third (won Segments 2 and 3)
“Our pit crew did a great job getting us out first. I was a little
tight in the run before. Not enough time to really fix it if we wanted to get out first. So we just tried to get
four tires and I thought if I could just get clean air this Farmer’s Insurance Chevy. Then Jimmie just kinda stayed
right there and we couldn’t get rid of him and he beat me off into the corner into three and kinda on exit and it was
over after that. I was tight and fell back to fourth. The pit crew was great. It was a good run. Tried
hard and just a little too much. I bounced off a couple too many cars to really have a car capable of running with him
at the end.” - Kasey Kahne, finished fourth
"It was sure a blast to win two segments and lead laps I am
very proud of how this team is coming together. Everyone knew we were here tonight. We fought hard and felt all
along that we could win this race. The car got tight and was plowing during the final 10 laps. It just didn’t
have the same handling as it did in the first four segments.” - Kurt Busch, finished fifth (Won Segments 1 and 4)
TODAY ON THE FRONTSTRETCH:
From Saturday:
by Mike Neff
Courteousy SpeedwayMedia.com (http://www.speedwaymedia.com/):
|
Kurt Busch Has Mixed Feelings About 5th-Place All-Star Finish
Kurt Busch saw a potential victory slip to a fifth-place finish in Saturday night’s rain-delayed
NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race at Charlotte Motor Speedway. |
|
Another Million: Johnson Takes His Fourth All-Star Race
For the fourth time in his career, Jimmie Johnson scored victory in the Sprint All-Star Race.
He did it in classic Jimmie Johnson fashion by not coming alive until the last segment and then doing an all-out blitz to
the finish. The race was rather calm, but the historic run by Johnson makes up for some of the vacant storylines this race
had. |
Courteousy FOX Sports
(http://msn.foxsports.com/nascar):
Feud of the Week: Joe Gibbs Racing vs. the Sprint All-Star Race
Courteousy New Jersey Motorsports Park
(http://www.njmp.com/):
May 14, 2013AHRMA Vintage Motorcycle Festival heats up with Atlantic County Harley-Davidson as
presenting sponsor - Read More >
AWE Tuning presents Volkstreffen German Festival and Car Show at New Jersey Motorsports Park - Read More >
(5/19/13)
Courteousy Bleacher Report.com
(http://bleacherreport.com/nascar):
Breaking Down Kurt Busch's Return to NASCAR Sprint Cup Contender Status
NASCAR All Star Race 2013: Biggest Stories From Saturday's Premier Event
by Jesse Reed
History was made in more than one way at NASCAR 's 2013 Sprint All-Star Race. A unique event, the All-Star race consisted
of five separate segments—four 20-lap mini-races, so to speak, and one final 10-lap sprint... Read More »
By Geoffrey Miller
Courteousy USA Today.com (http://www.usatoday.com/sports/nascar/):
Courteousy NASCAR.com
(http://www.nascar.com/) :
JOHNSON'S HALL OF FAME RESUME CONTINUES TO GROW
PIT ROAD PLAYS BIG PART IN ALL-STAR OUTCOME
POST-RACE REACTIONS: SPRINT ALL-STAR RACE
Courteousy Yahoo Sports
(http://sports.yahoo.com/nascar/):
Same ol' Charlotte story: J.J. a winner
Courteousy The Stock Car Gazette
(http://MotorSportsNews.Net) (Thanks Heather !):
Google Alerts
PitTalks.com
Crewman talk about the All Star Qualifying pole run for the #99 team
C O L U M N S / C O M M E N T A R I E S
SUBSCRIBE INFORMATION
Courteousy FOX Sports
(http://msn.foxsports.com/nascar):
Johnson makes history once more
Johnson makes history with fourth All-Star victory.
Courteousy SpeedTv.com
(http://nascar.speedtv.com/):
For the latest news from Bridgeport Speedway (http://www.bpspeedway.com/ ) { Ya'...like Wall Stadium Speedway. It rained here too last night } .But they did
race on Friday ! See my Bridgeport Speedway page :Bridgeport Speedway ! .
Re. New Egypt Speedway (http://www.newegyptspeedway.net/).
As of 11:30 AM, EDST. I still haven't seen the news from last
night's racing action there.IF they raced. But
I do know that the Billy Pauch Racing School for today (Sunday) has been cancelled .
Courteousy Sporting News.com (http://aol.sportingnews.com/nascar):
Earnhardt memory alive and well at Charlotte Motor Speedway
Jimmie Johnson surpassed Dale Earnhardt and Jeff Gordon Saturday night when he won his fourth Sprint
All-Star Race. Johnson is gaining on Earnhardt and Gordon in another important category, too—greatest driver ever.
When it comes to the Sprint All-Star Race, Jimmie Johnson is in a class of his own. He passed teammate
Kasey Kahne on the final restart and picked up his fourth career win in the prestigious race, the first driver to do it.
Kyle and Kurt Busch were sitting pretty in the Sprint All-Star Race. They had the fastest cars and
had split the first four segments of the five-segment race. But in the end, the two drivers went home disappointed.
Courteousy ESPN.com
(http://espn.go.com/racing/nascar/):
Starry, Starry Night
Some people just love to hate Jimmie Johnson. Well, the five-time Sprint Cup champ -- who won his record fourth All-Star
Race -- has a message for his critics: Whatever. David Newton » Highlights
Courteousy Bleacher Report.com
(http://bleacherreport.com/nascar):
Winners,Losers at NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race 2013
By Joe Menzer
NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race Results, Analysis
by Rob Goldberg
In a race featuring the best in the sport, Jimmie Johnson came away with the win at the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race. This
exhibition win gives him a nice payday of $1 million... Read More »
Courteousy SpeedTv.com
(http://nascar.speedtv.com/):
Courteousy NASCAR.com
(http://www.nascar.com/) :
JOHNSON REPEATS FOR FOURTH ALL-STAR VICTORY
Last stop dooms Kurt Busch’s bid for $1 million
SLIGHT FADE FOILS KAHNE IN ALL-STAR HOME STRETCH
Courteousy Amanda Vincent
Race Day Blog: Sights and Sounds From the Sprint All-Star Race
Daryl Wright Breaks It Down With Pit Road Rapper Kenyatta Houston
Daryl ' Vodkatime ' Wright Takes To Charlotte Motor Speedway
(5/18/13)
Courteousy SpeedwayMedia.com (http://www.speedwaymedia.com/):
|
Kenseth continues to add wins, emotion to early season success
Matt Kenseth enters NASCAR’s All-Star weekend as the hottest driver in the Cup Series
and a favorite to take home the $1 million prize on Saturday night. Coming off his third win of the season last weekend at
Darlington, Kenseth has been walking on air. His emotional celebration after winning his first Bojangles’ Southern 500
[...] |
|
Paludo Leads 33 Laps En Route to Seventh-Place Finish in Charlotte
Miguel Paludo and the No. 32 Turner Scott Motorsports team continued their strong start to
the 2013 season, exhibiting clever strategy and skillful driving in the fifth race on the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series
(NCWTS) schedule at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Earning their third top-10 start of the year, Paludo went on to lead 33 laps
and dominate on late restarts before bringing home a seventh-place finish in the Levine Children's Hospital Chevrolet. |
|
Rebound From Early Set Back Yields 12th Place Finish for Armstrong at Charlotte
Dakoda Armstrong and the No. 60 WinField Silverado team entered the NASCAR Camping World Truck
Series (NCWTS) NC Education Lottery 200 on Friday night with high hopes after successful practice sessions and a top-10 qualifying
effort. |
|
Matty’s Picks 2013 – Vol. 9 Sprint All-Star Race – Charlotte Motor
Speedway – May 18, 2013
We're 1/3 of the way through the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season, and it’s onto Speedweeks
at Charlotte. A million bucks is up for grabs this week (actually 2 million), and unlike the NHL, the NBA, and the MLB, we're
already on to the All-Star weekend. |
|
MAX GRESHAM EMBRACES A MEMORABLE THIRD-PLACE FINISH AT CHARLOTTE MOTOR SPEEDWAY
It was difficult for Max Gresham to pinpoint his favorite part of Friday's North Carolina Education
Lottery 200 at the Charlotte Motor Speedway. |
Courteousy NASCAR.com
(http://www.nascar.com/) :
PATRICK WINS SPRINT FAN VOTE TOP
TOP FIVE IN SPRINT FAN VOTE ANNOUNCED
Courteousy SpeedTv.com
(http://nascar.speedtv.com/):
Courteousy Bleacher Report.com
(http://bleacherreport.com/nascar):
NASCAR All-Star Race 2013: Drivers to Watch in Unique Charlotte Race
By Alex Ballentine
Courteousy SpeedTv.com
(http://nascar.speedtv.com/):
Personal Note !
Well I was @ Wall Stadium Speedway(( http://www.wallspeedwayracing.com/?from_fb=1): early this evening but Mother Nature decided to move up her shower plans for tonight
,and washed things out !
Courteousy Bleacher Report.com
(http://bleacherreport.com/nascar):
Problems NASCAR Must Fix to Broaden Its Appeal
By Joseph Shelton
Courteousy ESPN.com
(http://espn.go.com/racing/nascar/):
Something To Prove
Brad Keselowski doesn't feel like he drives with a chip on his shoulder. But in an interview with
ESPN NASCAR analyst
Ricky Craven, Keselowski admits past snubs motivate him. Watch
Making It In
Danica Patrick wants to make the All-Star Race through the Showdown, but if not ... Newton blog »
Racing Live! 7:30 ET »
Courteousy SpeedTv.com
(http://nascar.speedtv.com/):
Courteousy The Stock Car Gazette
( http://MotorSportsNews.Net) (Thanks Heather !):
www.Catchfence.com
Google Alerts
Insider Racing News
Kyle Busch Breaks “Drought” With NASCAR Camping World
Truck Series Win at Charlotte
Winless in his last seven starts in NASCAR’s Camping World Truck Series, Kyle Busch broke what
was for him a major drought with a victory in Friday night’s North Carolina Education Lottery 200 at Charlotte Motor
Speedway. Busch, who owns his own truck, charged from the back of the field after a pit road penalty to win in the series
for the first time since Sept. 24, 2011 at New Hampshire. The victory was Busch’s fifth at Charlotte and the 31st of
his career in 107 starts.
Brendan Gaughan ran second, .468 seconds behind Busch, with the race decided in an eight-lap green-flag
run to the finish after the eighth caution of the night. Max Gresham finished a career-best third, followed by series leader
Matt Crafton and Ty Dillon. “It was an eternity -- the starts were spread over a year and half,” Busch said of
his seven-race winless streak. “It certainly was frustrating last year that (crew chief) Eric (Phillips) and I weren’t
able to get to Victory Lane. We only ran three starts, and in all of those three starts, we were a really good truck and had
a shot to win in all three of those. “We’ve been fast. These guys do a good job, (crew chief) Rudy (Fugle) here,
taking over for my stuff on the No. 51with a smaller team -- it’s only him and a couple of other guys that are full-time
for it. These guys do a lot of work for being so small and just coming out here trying to knock out some wins.”
Busch had led 66 laps by the time Tyler Young’s spin caused the fourth caution of the race on Lap
82. On a fuel-only pit stop under yellow on Lap 84, Busch drew a penalty for dragging his gas can out of the pit stall and
restarted on Lap 88 at the rear of the field. Undeterred—and using the penalty as an opportunity to take four fresh
tires -- Busch carved his way through the field and had just taken over the seventh position when hard contact between the
trucks of Ron Hornaday Jr. and Jake Crum—after Hornaday cut his right front tire -- brought out the fifth caution on
Lap 94. After a spate of cautions, Busch finally regained the lead, passing Miguel Paludo for the top spot a lap before a
pair of simultaneous wrecks caused caution No. 8 on Lap 122. A crash near the front of the field eliminated Darrell Wallace
Jr. and damaged the truck of Brad Keselowski.
Note: The victory was the first as a crew chief for Fugle…Busch now has 113 wins in NASCAR’s
top three series combined…Gaughan scored his third straight top-five finish and climbed three spots to fourth in points…
Crafton leads in the series standings by 22 points over polesitter Jeb Burton, who finished 13th. (NASCAR Wire Service)
Quick Work on Pit Road Nets Carl Edwards Pole for Sprint All-Star Race
Needless to say, Carl Edwards loved the new qualifying format for Saturday night’s Sprint All-Star
Race. Benefiting from a high-speed trip down pit road and a quick pit stop during the unique three-lap regimen in Friday’s
time trials, Edwards won the pole for the 29th running of NASCAR’s non-points all-star event. With the pit road speed
limit waived for the qualifying session, Edwards ran three laps—including a mandatory four-tire pit stop—in one
minute 51.297 seconds, averaging 145.556 mph. The 15th of 19 drivers to make a qualifying attempt, Edwards knocked Kurt Busch
(144.398 mph) off the provisional pole. Dale Earnhardt Jr. posted the second fastest average speed (144.398 mph) but drew
a five-second penalty for a loose lug nut and will start 13th, leaving Busch on the front row beside Edwards.
Greg Biffle will start third, followed by Kyle Busch and Joey Logano, in an event that pays $1 million
to the winner -- and another potential $1 million to a driver who can win all five segments. The event will be contested in
segments of 20, 20, 20, 20 and 10 laps. “This is so unbelievable, because we tried so hard,” Edwards said. “This
is such an exciting qualifying format. There’s so much pressure, and to get the pole -- it’s spectacular. Our
car was fast. Our pit crew was fast. It was awesome. This is the way we want to start this weekend. We want to win this thing.
We want to win all $2 million, all the segments. It’s part of our plan… I vote we did this at every race track.
It’s so cool. It’s a lot of fun.”
Defending race winner Jimmie Johnson was fourth out and first to blow the pit stop. Johnson screamed
down pit road, but his No. 48 Chevrolet slid through his pit stall, forcing Johnson to back up before his crew could begin
its work. With a stop of more than 20 seconds, Johnson averaged 135.608 mph. A penalty for a loose lug nut added five seconds
to his time and cut his average speed to 130.160 mph. Johnson will start 18th on Saturday night. Kevin Harvick also slid through
his pit stall, and had his time disallowed because his crew started service before the No. 29 Chevy was back in the box. But
the miscue didn’t matter, given that an engine change after Friday’s practice will send Harvick to the rear of
the field for the start of the race. In a conventional two-lap qualifying session that preceded the Sprint All-Star Race time
trials, Martin Truex Jr. won the pole for Saturday’s Sprint Showdown at 193.424 mph (27.918 seconds), edging Jamie McMurray
(192.699 mph) for the top starting spot.
The top two finishers in the Showdown, which features a field of 23 cars this year, will transfer into
the main event. Winless since 2007, Truex is a veteran of the Showdown, and he confessed to being envious of those who were
exempt into the All-Star Race. “I’m definitely jealous that I’m not out there tonight,” Truex said
after winning the pole. “For an event like this, it’s neat to see them mix it up and do something different because
it’s an all-star race. There’s not points here. You don’t have to go by the book. This is the weekend where
you want to throw out the rules and make new stuff up, which generally they like to do.” (NASCAR Wire Service)
Is Winning Bruton Smith’s $1-million Bonus a Realistic Possibility?
Jimmie Johnson, on the other hand, doesn’t discount the prospect of winning Bruton’s Big
Bonus nearly that much. Track owner Bruton Smith, chairman of Speedway Motorsports Inc., has offered a $1-million bonus to
any driver who can win all five segments of Saturday night’s Sprint All-Star Race at Charlotte Motor Speedway. That’s
in addition to the $1-million top prize already on the line for the winner of the non-points NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race.
“I think there’s a chance, (but) I think it’s a long shot,” said Johnson, who won last year’s
exhibition event. “With the competition that exists in the All-Star Race, it’s going to be a long shot, but it’s
worth it, and it will bring some excitement. If somebody does ring that bell, it will be a hell of a party.”
Busch facetiously took credit for a rule change that should motivate drivers to race hard in each of
the four 20-lap segments leading up to the final 10-lap shootout. Last year, Johnson won the first segment and, knowing he
would be first to pit road before the final 10 laps, ran in the back during segments 2, 3 and 4. This year, drivers will enter
pit road for a mandatory four-tire stop based on best average finish in the four segments combined. “I don't know if
you have my transcript from last year, but I said the rules were stupid and they need to change it to this year's rules, so
I take full credit and responsibility for them changing the rules,” Busch said. “I think the rules are right this
year. (This year), you have to run each segment as hard as you can. You have to stay up front to keep your average finish
as good as you can. There's going to be a lot of things playing out in between the segments with pit stops, tire strategy
-- do you take two (tires), do you stay out, do you come in and get four if there's a yellow in the middle of a segment? Do
you pit then and get yourself ready for the next segment? There's a whole bunch of different things that could certainly lie
in the race, and I think it's going to make it a lot more fun not only for the fans, but for the crew chiefs as well. I say
fun, but I'm sure they will have some headaches after it, too. I think this year is going to be a heck of a lot better.”
--/-- Though the prospect of winning Bruton’s Big Bonus will enliven the action, too, Busch thinks it will be extremely
difficult for one driver to win all five segments. “Realistically, winning all the segments, if I were a sports bookie,
I would put a 300-to-1 on it." (NASCAR Wire Service)
P R E S S * R E L E A S E S
LIONEL RACING UNVEILS FIRST MISS SPRINT CUP CAR
CONCORD, NC. (May 17, 2013) – They’re three of the most recognized faces on race weekend.
They wear fire suits. They sign autographs. They always make it to Victory Lane.
But until now, they’ve never had their own race car.
Today at Charlotte Motor Speedway, Lionel Racing and Sprint unveiled the first-ever Miss Sprint Cup paint
scheme!
Designed by Lionel Racing, The Official Die-Cast of NASCAR, the Miss Sprint Cup car is a first for the
famous trio and the die-cast makes a fun NASCAR collectible for fans.
"The Miss Sprint Cup representatives are tremendous ambassadors for both Sprint and the NASCAR Sprint
Cup Series. Since the program began in 2007 they have amassed a large fan following on social media and at the racetrack,”
said Kimberly Meesters, Sprint’s NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Sponsorship Manager.
“Thanks to Lionel Racing, they now have a great-looking die-cast as the first piece of collectible
merchandise ever produced featuring the Miss Sprint Cup team.”
Designed on a Generation 6 stock car, the Miss Sprint Cup die-cast is just like the die-cast of any NASCAR
Sprint Cup series driver – from the Goodyear tires and window net to the “Miss Sprint Cup” name on the windshield.
Miss Sprint Cup Brooke Werner is already a big fan of the die-cast car. "The Miss Sprint Cup die-cast
really is one of a kind,” said Werner. “And I think fans are going to get a kick out of the fun design Lionel
came up with for our first-ever die-cast! Kim (Coon), Jaclyn (Roney) and I are looking forward to this collectible."
Howard Hitchcock, Senior Vice President and General Manager of Lionel Racing, anticipates the Miss Sprint
Cup car will not only be a hit with die-cast collectors, but also more casual fans of the sport who may not have purchased
die-cast before.
“We’re always looking for ways to reach the next generation of NASCAR fans and engage new
fans in the hobby of die-cast collecting,” Hitchcock said. “Each member of the Miss Sprint Cup team is a star
of the sport and fans of all ages love them – no matter who their favorite driver is. This may be the first die-cast
that truly appeals to every fan at the track.”
The Miss Sprint Cup die-cast is available for pre-order through the NASCAR.com Superstore, LionelRacing.com
and authorized dealers. The die-cast will be available to purchase at track in July. The car is produced under Lionel’s
Action Racing Collectable brand and is available in 1:24 scale.
###
“Ten Days Of Giving” Tour Culminates With NASCAR Day Celebration
The NASCAR Foundation Brings Industry Together Through Philanthropic Activities
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (May 17, 2013) – The NASCAR Foundation and the NASCAR industry celebrate
the 10th Annual NASCAR Day today at Charlotte Motor Speedway, the final stop on the “Ten Days of Giving” tour.
This special day is an unprecedented celebration of drivers, corporate partners, media and fans uniting with The NASCAR Foundation
to support a range of charitable causes that are relevant and meaningful to those within the NASCAR family.
“We are proud of the NASCAR industry’s contributions to communities through NASCAR Day over
the past 10 years,” said Betty Jane France, chairwoman of The NASCAR Foundation. “The industry has responded as
we envisioned, when we began the foundation, helping us raise almost $12 million for various charities, with an emphasis on
children’s causes. These funds have helped more than 100,000 children through numerous organizations including those
participating with the tour.”
As part of the day’s festivities, The NASCAR Foundation is hosting a celebratory cake-cutting ceremony
in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series garage at Charlotte Motor Speedway that includes appearances by NASCAR drivers and industry
representatives. Additionally, the foundation is presenting a check to Victory Junction for $3,385,454 symbolizing donations
collected for the camp over the past 10 years of NASCAR Day.
For the first time, The NASCAR Foundation launched a “Ten Days of Giving” tour that included
philanthropic activities in several markets across the country. At each stop on the tour, which began May 8 in Atlanta, the
foundation partnered with various organizations to deliver surprise acts of kindness. The tour also visited Winston-Salem,
N.C.; Brooklyn, Mich.; Darlington, S.C.; Kansas City, Kan.; New York, and Daytona Beach, Fla.
Some of the highlights from the last 10 days are listed below.
Day One: The NASCAR Foundation visited the George Washington Carver Boys & Girls Club in Atlanta,
Ga., and surprised the kids with a new flat-screen TV and video gaming equipment. In addition, The NASCAR Foundation celebrated
The Coca-Cola Company’s 10 years of contributions, totaling $500,000. NASCAR Camping World Truck Series driver John
Wes Townley participated in the day’s activities. Atlanta Motor Speedway joined the celebration by giving the kids race
tickets to the track’s NASCAR Nationwide Series Great Clips 300 race in September.
Day Four: The NASCAR Foundation and Darlington Raceway honored Stephanie Decker and her family
with an all-inclusive VIP race experience. Decker, a mother of three, lost both her legs after a tornado ripped through Henryville,
Ind., in 2012 and leveled their home. Stephanie used her body to shield her children from the falling debris, and, as a result,
the kids survived unharmed. The Stephanie Decker Foundation’s mission is to assist children in need of prosthetics and
to help others gain access to cutting-edge prosthetics. Decker was recognized and presented with a $5,000 donation from The
NASCAR Foundation for her charity onstage as part of the pre-race festivities prior to the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race.
Day Five: The NASCAR Foundation, along with NASCAR driver and Kansas City native Jennifer Jo Cobb,
surprised mothers staying at Ronald McDonald House Charities of Kansas City with beautiful, fresh flowers in honor of Mother’s
Day. In 2010, as part of its seventh annual NASCAR Day celebration, The NASCAR Foundation and Sprint donated a playground
for children at the facility in honor of Tom Murphy, former board member of The NASCAR Foundation and Sprint Vice President
of Corporate Brand Marketing, who was tragically killed in 2009.
Day Eight: The NASCAR Foundation surprised all past Betty Jane France Humanitarian Award finalists
with donations of supplies needed for their charities. The eight charities include: Alabama Institute for Deaf and Blind (Robert
Weaver), Andrew McDonough B+ Foundation (Ali McDonough), Autism Academy of South Carolina (Lorri Shealy Unumb), Autism Speaks
(Jake Bernstein), Bridge of Books Foundation (Patty Aber), Camp Sunshine of Sebago Lakes (Ron Eby), PBJ Connections, Inc.
(Brenda Doner) and Starlight Children’s Foundation (Michael Jackson).
Camping World, the Official Outdoor and RV Retailer of NASCAR, joined the cause this year and offered
the limited edition pin, designed by NASCAR’s first officially licensed artist Sam Bass, at Camping World SuperCenters
nationwide for a $10 donation to The NASCAR Foundation. NASCAR fans and supporters can pick up their collectible pins through
the end of the season at track during select race weekends or online at NASCAR.com/foundation.
To read a recap on each of the stops during the tour, please visit http://nas.cr/g4zP. Fans and supporters can join the conversation on Twitter using hashtag #NASCARDay.
N A S C A R * C A N A D I A N * T I R E * S E R I E S
Family ties drive DJ KenningtonCANOEFor D.J. Kennington the highlight of 2012 was not the record-breaking NASCAR Canadian Tire Series
season where he collected his second championship and won in seven of 12 races — it was the birth of his and his wife
Jaime's son Chase on Nov. 28.
C O L U M N S / C O M M E N T A R I E S
Two weeks in Charlotte bring memories of Dale Earnhardt, whose presence remains strong at his home
track. A seven-time Cup champion, The Intimidator is represented by his son and a legion of fans.
3 articles,courteousy Amanda Vincent
(Thanks Amanda !!!):
http://stockcarspin.com/2013/05/18/kyle-busch-claims-truck-series-win-at-charlotte/
Kyle Busch claims Truck Series win at Charlotte
http://stockcarspin.com/2013/05/18/carl-edwards-claims-pole-for-sprint-all-star-race/
Carl Edwards claims pole for Sprint All-Star Race
Martin Truex Jr. on pole for Sprint Showdown
Amanda Vincent
Courteousy SpeedTv.com
(http://nascar.speedtv.com/):
(5/17/13)
Courteousy NASCAR.com
(http://www.nascar.com/) :
BUSCH WINS TRUCK SERIES RACE AT CHARLOTTE
CONTACT AND PENALTIES PLAGUE PIT STOPS
SAUTER CRASHES AFTER CONTACT WITH BUESCHER
DOUBLE TROUBLE EARLY FOR QUIROGA
CALAMITY FOR HORNADAY AND OTHERS
WALLACE JR. SPINS LATE OFF TURN 2
Courteousy SpeedTv.com
(http://nascar.speedtv.com/):
Courteousy SpeedwayMedia.com (http://www.speedwaymedia.com/):
Previewing the 29th Running of the NASCAR All-Star Race
NASCAR comes home this weekend to kick off what in my opinion is the best two weeks on the
motorsport schedule. $2,000,000 is on the line this weekend at Charlotte Motor Speedway and the best stock car drivers in
the world will lay it all out on the line hoping to hoist that check when the dust settles.
|
CHEVY NSCS AT CHARLOTTE ALL-STAR RACE: Danica Patrick Press Conf. Transcript
DANICA PATRICK, NO. 10 GODADDY CARES CHEVROLET SS, met with members of the media and discussed,
how she approaches the Sprint Showdown, the potential of winning the Sprint Fan Vote and other topics. |
|
Trevor Bayne looks for Michigan win and better success this year
Trevor Bayne was out at Michigan International Speedway earlier this week testing with Wood
Brothers Racing in preparation for the event in June. Speeds were hitting over 200 mph as Michigan has become one of the fastest
tracks since the repave last year.
|
CHEVY NSCS AT CHARLOTTE ALL-STAR RACE: Jimmie Johnson Press Conf. Transcript
JIMMIE JOHNSON, NO. 48 LOWE’S PATRIOTIC CHEVROLET, met with members of the media at Charlotte
Motor Speedway and discussed last year’s All-Star Race win, his thoughts on the format for this year’s All-Star
race and other topics. |
|
Todd Peck Announces Return to Truck Series in 2013
Todd Peck isn't about to let arthritis slow him down. As a matter of fact, he plans on going
faster than ever in 2013. He announced today that he will return to drive his family-owned Peck Motorsports No. 40 Arthritis
Foundation Chevrolet Silverado in a limited NASCAR Camping World Truck Series schedule. |
Toyota NSCS Charlotte Mark Martin Notes & Quotes
"Dick (Trickle) made himself a mentor to many, Rusty (Wallace), myself, Alan Kulwicki -- you
know we wouldn't have been the racers that we were when we got here had we not come under his influence. Of course, you have
to change, after a while you have to adapt to circumstances as well. I was proud of who we were and the racers we were." |
Courteousy NASCAR.com
(http://www.nascar.com/) :
EDWARDS POSTS TOP SPEED IN ALL-STAR RACE QUALIFYING
Trickle’s impact goes well beyond results
Courteousy Sporting News.com (http://aol.sportingnews.com/nascar):
HEAR IT: Trickle makes 911 call before apparent suicide
Patrick says she knows nothing about so-called 'Danica rule'
Courteousy ESPN.com
Truex Jr. speeds to Sprint Showdown pole
Courteousy SpeedTv.com
( http://nascar.speedtv.com/):
Martin Truex Jr. will attempt to race his way into the All-Star race from pole position on Saturday.
ON THE POLE — Martin Truex Jr. won the
pole for tomorrow night’s 40-lap Sprint Showdown preliminary race at Charlotte Motor Speedway. The top two finishers
in that race, as well as the winner of the Sprint Fan Vote, will transfer into the Sprint All-Star Race and race for a $1
million winner’s purse.
Truex, the last of 23 drivers to go out, lapped the
1.5-mile CMS track at 193.424 miles per hour in his Michael Waltrip Racing Toyota. “I hope to get in the big show,”
Truex said. “That’s what it’s all about.”
Second was Jamie
McMurray at 192.699 mph, which was barely enough to edge his Earnhardt Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates teammate Juan Pablo
Montoya, third with a lap of 192.342 mph. Ricky Stenhouse Jr. was fourth, followed by Casey Mears, Jeff Burton and Danica
Patrick.
Courteousy Truck Series.com
(http://truckseries.com/):
SAUTER: Has Truck To Beat'
Courteousy FOX Sports
Kyle Busch sets pace in final practice
Bad luck for Ambrose during practice
NOTEBOOK: KESELOWSKI DISPLAYS MOSAIC ON CAR
FOR BUSCH, RUN-IN WITH KAHNE MERELY HARD RACING
Courteousy Sporting News.com (http://aol.sportingnews.com/nascar):
Kyle Busch can dish out payback as well as any driver. He's done it throughout his career. So Busch
expects Kasey Kahne to retaliate for being wrecked by Busch three times this year.
Dick Trickle is remembered as a hard-nosed racer and a short-track legend. But the NASCAR community
is wondering why the former driving star and popular figure took his own life.
Courteousy ESPN.com
(http://espn.go.com/racing/nascar/):
Door-To-Door
It's been nearly a month since Hendrick Motorsports employee Andrew Collier lost his brother, slain MIT police officer
Sean Collier. The hurt is still there. But so are many fond memories. Marty Smith »
Courteousy SpeedTv.com
Stenhouse shows the way in Sprint Showdown practice
Courteousy FOX Sports
Peters topS final Trucks practice at Charlotte
Courteousy Sporting News.com (http://aol.sportingnews.com/nascar):
Brother says Dick Trickle suffering from chest pains before death
Courteousy Bleacher Report.com
(http://bleacherreport.com/nascar):
Reviewing New Incentives for NASCAR All-Star Weekend
By Matt Fitzgerald
Complete NASCAR Sprint Showdown Preview
by Mike Chiari
While all eyes will be on Saturday night's NASCAR Sprint Cup All-Star Race, there are still three spots up for grabs, and
they will be decided by the annual Sprint Showdown... Read More »
Previewing NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race 2013
by Tim Daniels
Defending All-Star race champion and current Sprint Cup Series leader Jimmie Johnson headlines the annual showcase of elite
NASCAR drivers... Read More »
Courteousy Amanda Vincent
(Thanks Amanda !)
http://www.examiner.com/article/mike-harmon-accused-of-stealing-jennifer-jo-cobb-s-trailer
Mike Harmon accused of stealing Jennifer Jo Cobb's Trailer
Amanda Vincent
Courteousy The Stock Car Gazette
(http://MotorSportsNews.Net) (Thanks Heather !):
PitTalks.com
#48 makes changes on crew and #99 front changer suffers a major injury in practice
www.Catchfence.com
CONCORD, N.C. (May 16, 2013) – Pop music sensation Kaya Jones will perform the national anthem preceding Saturday night’s
NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race. Jones came to prominence as a member of ..
Top 10 Can’t-Miss Activities for Fans to Experience During the 10 Greatest Days in Racing
CONCORD, N.C. (May 16, 2013) – Every year, Charlotte Motor Speedway packs as much entertainment
as possible into the 10 Greatest Days in Racing to give fans an ...
Racin' Today
N A S C A R * C A N A D I A N * T I R E * S E R I E S
___________________________________________________________
CTV To Carry Live Coverage For First Time Of
NASCAR Canadian Tire Series Opener
• TSN Live Telecast On Deck For September Canadian Tire Motorsport Park Date
• Full Bilingual Broadcast Schedule Announced
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (May 16, 2013) – CTV, Canada’s most-watched television network
for the past 10 years in a row, is broadcasting the 2013 NASCAR Canadian Tire Series presented by Mobil 1 season opener for
the first time live from Canadian Tire Motorsport Park on Sunday, May 19.
Coverage of Sunday’s Pinty’s presents the Vortex Brake Pads 200 will begin at 1 p.m. ET.
(visit CTV.ca for local listings).
The NASCAR Canadian Tire Series will also air live on TSN for the Sunday, Sept. 1 race at Canadian Tire
Motorsport Park. The 2.459-mile road course is located near Bowmanville, Ontario, and is an hour drive from Toronto.
The two live broadcasts highlight the 2013 television schedule, announced today, for the NASCAR Canadian
Tire Series.
“Kicking off the season live on CTV is a huge opportunity to showcase the NASCAR Canadian Tire
Series and its competitive brand of racing to fans across Canada,” said George Silbermann, NASCAR vice president for
touring and weekly series. “This is a tremendous opening to a television package that brings fans all the action and
excitement of Canada’s top motorsports series. The historic broadcast coverage is a direct result of the dedication
that our partners, Canadian Tire and TSN, have to motorsports in Canada.”
The Sept. weekend is shared with the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, and the historic date marks the
first race held outside the United States in the more than 18-year history of the series.
The 10 remaining Canadian Tire Series events in 2013 will have a one-hour show telecast nationally on
a tape-delayed basis on both the TSN and RDS platforms, with the exception of the Sept. 21 championship finale at Kawartha
Speedway which will be a 90-minute special.
Additionally, TSN will air a season in review show telecast on Saturday, Nov. 30.
TSN, Canada’s Sports Leader, has been the television home for the series since its inception in
2007, while RDS and RDS2 – the French-language sister stations to TSN – are telecasting all of the races for the
third consecutive season. The French-language telecasts all will be carried by RDS2. The three Quebec events – Circuit
ICAR, Autodrome St. Eustache and Grand Prix de Trois-Rivieres – also will be shown on RDS.
The programs are produced by Fuel MediaLab and NASCAR Productions which include race coverage, driver
interviews and features. All coverage will be broadcast in HD.
For the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series broadcasts on TSN, Dave Bradley will handle the play-by-play duties
with Billy Rowse Jr. and Adam Ross will provide color analysis. They will be joined by pit reporters Todd Lewis and Spencer
Lewis. TSN’s Vic Rauter will join the team for the live telecasts. Didier Schraenen and Eric Descarries will handle
calling the action on the RDS side.
Along with their NASCAR Canadian Tire Series coverage, TSN and RDS are the official broadcasters of the
NASCAR Sprint Cup Series and NASCAR Nationwide Series in Canada.
2013 NASCAR CANADIAN TIRE SERIES BROADCAST SCHEDULE ON TSN & RDS
|
Race Date |
Venue |
TSN/TSN2 Premiere |
RDS/RDS2 Premiere |
|
May 19 |
Canadian Tire Motorsport Park (road course) |
Sun., May 19, 1 p.m. * |
Fri., June 14, 9 p.m. |
|
June 15 |
Delaware Speedway |
Sun., June 23, 1 p.m. |
Mon., July 8, 9 p.m. |
|
June 22 |
Canadian Tire Motorsport Park (speedway) |
Sun., June 30, 1 p.m. |
Fri., July 19, 11 p.m. |
|
July 7 |
Circuit ICAR |
Sun., July 14, 11 a.m. |
Fri., July 26, 11 p.m.; Sat., July 27, 10 a.m. (RDS) |
|
July 13 |
Motoplex Speedway |
Sun., July 21, 1:30 p.m. |
Sat., Aug. 3, 7 p.m. |
|
July 17 |
Auto Clearing Motor Speedway |
Sun., July 28, 11 a.m. |
Fri., Aug. 16, 11 p.m. |
|
July 27 |
Autodrome St. Eustache |
Sun., Aug. 4, 11 a.m. |
Sat., Aug. 24, 11 p.m.; Sun., Aug. 25, 10 a.m. (RDS) |
|
Aug. 11 |
Circuit de Trois-Rivieres |
Sun.., Aug. 18, 11 a.m. |
Fri.., Aug. 30, 7 p.m.; Sun., Sept. 8, 10 a.m. (RDS) |
|
Aug. 17 |
Riverside International Speedway |
Sun., Aug. 25, 1 p.m. |
Fri., Sept. 13, 7 p.m. |
|
Sept. 1 |
Canadian Tire Motorsport Park (road course) |
Sun., Sept. 1, 11 a.m. ‡ |
Fri., Sept. 27, 8 p.m. |
|
Sept. 7 |
Barrie Speedway |
Sat., Sept. 14, 2 p.m. |
Fri., Oct. 4, 8 p.m. |
|
Sept. 21 |
Kawartha Speedway |
Sun., Oct. 6, 5:30 p.m. ^ |
Fri., Oct. 18, 9 p.m. |
|
|
2013 Year In Review |
Sat., Nov. 30, 1 p.m. |
---- |
Subject to change. Check local listings for updated broadcast times. All times ET.
Courteousy The Frontstretch.com
(http://www.frontstretch.com/):
Frontstretch Live: At The Track
Be sure to follow your Frontstretch feed on both Facebook and Twitter as two of your favorite writers are live with All-Star Race coverage. Amy Henderson ( @Writer_Amy) and Mike Neff ( @MNeffShortTrack) will be manning the ship down in Charlotte.
Friday Racing Schedule: Charlotte
Sprint Cup and Camping World Truck Series teams are back in action at the 1.5-mile oval that's home to most of the organizations
in the sport. Here's a TV schedule to get you primed for the upcoming weekend...
10:30 AM - 12:00 PM Camping World Truck Series Practice SPEED
11:30 AM - 6:00 PM
IZOD IndyCar Series Indianapolis 500 Practice Day 6 Indycar.com
12:00 - 1:30 PM Sprint Cup Series
Sprint Showdown Practice SPEED
1:30 - 3:00 PM Sprint Cup Series All-Star Practice SPEED
4:00
- 5:00 PM Camping World Truck Series Qualifying SPEED
5:00 - 6:00 PM Sprint Cup Series
Sprint Showdown Qualifying SPEED
6:00 - 7:30 PM Sprint Cup Series Sprint All-Star Race Qualifying
SPEED
8:00 - 10:30 PM Camping World Truck Series North Carolina Education Lottery 200 SPEED
Childress Earns Honorary Degree From UNOH
Richard Childress has had many honors bestowed upon him during
his long career as a car owner in NASCAR. Childress has won 12 championships, most notably six NSCS championships with the
late Dale Earnhardt, four Nationwide Series driver / owner championships, and two in the Camping World Truck Series. On Wednesday
evening he was bestowed another honor as he received an honorary Doctor of Laws degree from the University of Northwestern
Ohio (UNOH).
With a crowd of more than 100 in attendance including his wife Judy, daughter Tina Dillon, son in law
Mike Dillon, and grandsons Austin and Ty Dillon. Dr.Jeffrey Jarvis, president of UNOH presented the degree to Childress based
on his achievements in the high performance / motorsports industry, his commitment to assist the school's goal of achieving
educational excellence, and his achievements in auto racing.
"Obviously , Dr.Childress is an icon in all of motorsports."
said Steve Farmer, V.P. of Corporate Development for UNOH. "We are recognizing him for his accomplishments on and off the
track, what he has done for all of motorsports and the great relationship we have with Dr.Childress and RCR."
During
the ceremony, his many achievements in auto racing, successful business ventures, and commitment to various charitable causes
were mentioned. Most notably of which being Childress' work with the Childress Institute for Pediatric Trauma, the Congressional
Sportsmen's Foundation, and numerous outdoor conservation causes. Childress was also recognized for his success with Childress
Vineyards, Yadkin Angus River Farm, Sapona Ridge Country Club, and Richard Childress Racing.
"This is a great honor
to receive this honorary degree from UNOH," Childress said. "I would like to thank everyone in racing,the vineyard, and CIPT
for being part of this, too."
Michigan National Guard to Sponsor Truck Series Race at MISThe Michigan National Guard and Michigan International
Speedway announced earlier this week that the organization will continue its partnership with the track to include the August
Truck Series race, the Michigan National Guard 200. The partnership will use the opportunity market the Michigan National
Guard's brand while spreading its message to their target audience. "Our partnership with Michigan International Speedway
connects many of our troops to a sport they really enjoy while also providing us a venue to show the public what the Michigan
National Guard is all about," Maj. Gen. Gregory Vadnais said. "Michigan is the automotive capital of the world and it only
makes sense that our Guard members are at the forefront of such a spectacular event." Tickets can be purchased at MISSpeedway.com
or by phone at 800-354-1010. Bell Equipment Joins Bryan Silas at CharlotteBryan Silas and T3R2 announced on Thursday that Bell
Equipment has joined the organization and will adorn the hood of the Florida-native's No. 99 Ford Friday night at Charlotte.
Bell Equipment was founded in 1954 and remains under the Bell family's control today, employing 2400 people worldwide. "Everyone
at T3R2 is excited to welcome Bell Equipment onboard for this weekend's race at Charlotte," Silas said. "Gary (Cogswell, crew
chief), the team and I are really clicking, so I'm looking forward to getting back to business and having a good run, not
only for us but for everyone at Bell Equipment too." In four races this season, Silas boasts a best finish of 19th
in a DNF at Kansas Speedway. He sits 25th in the standings.
TODAY ON THE FRONTSTRETCH:
by Matt Stallknecht
by Amy Henderson
by the Frontstretch Staff
by Jeff Meyer
Like what you see on this site ?
Want to sponsor / contribute to this site ?
I'd love to have you "on board" !
Here's how to contact me :Attention Site Sponsors !!! . I really , REALLY ,would appreciate it !
Joe
Courteousy SpeedTv.com
(http://nascar.speedtv.com/):
The next few days @ New Egypt Speedway(http://www.newegyptspeedway.net/) will be busy ! Saturday night racing. Billy Pauch racing school on Sunday,and the W.o.O.tour on Tuesday ! Please
visit my New Egypt Speedway News Page 3:New Egypt Speedway News Page 3 ! , for all the details !
Courteousy Yahoo Sports
(http://sports.yahoo.com/nascar/):
Happy Hour: Stewart, Gordon woes
Wall Stadium Speedway (http://www.wallspeedwayracing.com/?from_fb=1# ) also has a busy weekend ahead. Saturday night racing,and the Sunday Series !. Please
visit my Wall Stadium 2013 page : Wall Stadium Speedway 2013 , for the details !
Courteousy FOX Sports
(http://msn.foxsports.com/nascar):
Charlotte Television Schedule: Sprint All-Star Weekend
Courteousy Bleacher Report.com
(http://bleacherreport.com/nascar):
Most Exciting Sprint Cup All-Star Moments Ever
By Joe Menzer
Courteousy Sporting News.com (http://aol.sportingnews.com/nascar):
Best bets to win the Sprint All-Star Race
Dick Trickle was known as a short-track legend whose unique name led to a cult following among race
fans and sports fans alike. But to his former NASCAR peers, he is remembered as a mentor and a friend.
Courteousy SpeedTv.com
(http://nascar.speedtv.com/):
(5/16/13)
Courteousy SpeedwayMedia.com (http://www.speedwaymedia.com/):
EARNHARDT GANASSI RACING PARTNERS WITH ALL(R) DETERGENT AND SNUGGLE(R) FABRIC SOFTENER
AT CHARLOTTE MOTOR SPEEDWAY FOR LAUNDRY PIT STOP
Target racing partner, Sun Products and their all and Snuggle laundry care brands, will introduce
race fans to a new type of pit stop during Charlotte race weeks.
|
Landon Cassill to run Red, “Brite”, and Blue Flex Seal Chevy at Charlotte
Swift Response LLC, makers of Flex Seal and Flex Seal Brite, are pleased to announce the running
of the No. 4 Red "Brite" and Blue Flex Seal Chevy driven by Landon Cassill, at the History 300 at Charlotte Motor Speedway
on May 25th. |
|
Carl Edwards – Sprint All-Star Race
Carl Edwards will make his eighth appearance in the Sprint All-Star Race at Charlotte Motor
Speedway this weekend. In his previous starts he has one win, three top-five and four top-10 finishes. |
|
MIS NEWS: Jeff Gordon and Drive to End Hunger teams with MIS and Quicken Loans for
a month-long food drive
The speeds are sure to be fast and the action non-stop on June 16 when the NASCAR Sprint Cup
Series rolls into Michigan International Speedway for the Quicken Loans 400.
A Conversation with Jeremy Clements
When you drive for a family owned team, everyone has to do their part. Each week is a struggle.
Winnings are usually poured right back into the car in a never ending battle to keep the car on the track every week. |
Courteousy NASCAR.com
(http://www.nascar.com/) :
NASCAR RESPONDS TO SAD NEWS OF TRICKLE'S PASSING
TEN DAYS OF GIVING REWARDS CHARLOTTE STUDENTS
Throwback Thursday: Wallace spins Waltrip
NASCAR meets Hollywood at sport's Hall of Fame
LAST CHANCE: NASCAR SPRINT ALL-STAR RACE FAN VOTE
ALL-STAR WEEKEND VIEWER'S GUIDE
BY THE NUMBERS: CHARLOTTE
MARTIN TRUEX JR.'S CATWALK FOR A CAUSE
Courteousy FOX Sports.com
(http://msn.foxsports.com/nascar):
Hammond: Gordon's legendary career had rocky start 
What a save! Dale Earnhardt's so-called 'Pass in the Grass' still epic All-Star Race moment.
WATCH »
{Boooooooo !!!!! LOL !!! I was ,and still am,a huge Bill Elliott fan !!!}
Charmin Billboard: Skid Marks Are For Racetracks (Not Your Underwear)
It's A Pillow. It's A Pet. It's On Trevor Bayne's Car
Here's Your Crash Course On The NASCAR Sprint Cup All-Star Race (Video)
Change of pace What's going on with Dale Earnhardt Jr.? Crew chief Steve Letarte examines recent
run.
WATCH »
Analyzing Latest Buzz Surrounding NASCAR All-Star Race 2013
NASCAR Leaders Won't Lose Points in Sprint All-Star Race
Did Danica Make Jump to Sprint Cup Too Early?
Courteousy Yahoo Sports
(http://sports.yahoo.com/nascar/)
Sad News
Dick Trickle dead in apparent suicide
Courteousy ARCA
(http://www.arcaracing.com/):
 ARCA's thoughts and prayers are with the family and friends of stock car legend Dick Trickle. The Wisconsin
native made 10 ARCA Racing Series starts over his long career, earning one ARCA victory at Atlanta Motor Speedway in 1991
driving for NASCAR legend Junior Johnson. Trickle's ARCA tenure reaches all the way back to 1969 when he finished 14th at
Daytona in his series debut. He also finished second at Atlanta in 1993 driving for the Roulo Brothers. Trickle made his final
ARCA starts in 1994 with best finishes of second and fourth at Pocono, and fourth at Atlanta, where he also earned the pole
award. RIP.
|
Courteousy SpeedTv.com
(http://nascar.speedtv.com/):
Danica, Meet Patrick
Danica Patrick just missed the birth of her namesake, but she got there in time to dry him off and help him up. However,
there was one thing she couldn't do. Brant James » Danica: Five Observations »
Pastrana's World
Besides competing in the X Games, Travis Pastrana has had a lot on his mind of late -- like his
No. 1 goal: winning
a Nationwide Series race. Watch Catching up with Darrell Wallace Jr.
Courteousy Sporting News.com (http://aol.sportingnews.com/nascar):
With no points awarded and $1 million on the line, the Sprint All-Star Race is one of NASCAR's most
unpredictable events. Who will survive the crumpled sheet metal and produce some fireworks in the star-studded show?
Showdown field
These drivers need to win the Sprint Showdown
VIDEO: Darrell Waltrip-Rusty Wallace wreck a classic all-star moment
Courteousy The Stock Car Gazzette
(http://MotorSportsNews.Net) (Thanks Heather !):
Well NASCAR has figured out how to screw up the All-Star race 1) qualifying will be wild no speed limit
entering or exiting the pits 2) fan vote doesn’t have to be on lead lap just race able car. Many are calling this
the Danica rule.
Forecast for the races this weekemd:
- FridayA chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 1pm. Partly sunny, with a high near 85.
Light and variable wind. Chance of precipitation is 30%.
- Friday NightA chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly before 11pm. Mostly cloudy, with a low
around 62. Calm wind. Chance of precipitation is 30%.
- SaturdayA chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 9am. Partly sunny, with a high near
83. Calm wind becoming southwest around 6 mph in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 40%. New rainfall amounts of less
than a tenth of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.
- Saturday NightA chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 65. Chance
of precipitation is 40%. New rainfall amounts of less than a tenth of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.
Stock Car Gazette
Kenseth Takes It All at Darlington
by Lou Modestino
Tony Stewart – All-Star Hierarchy
KANNAPOLIS, N.C., (May 15, 2013) – The NBA has Kobe Bryant, Kevin Garnett and Shaquille O’Neal
on its list with 15 All-Star appearances. Baseball greats such as Brooks ...
Google Alerts
NASCAR Top 10 Power Rankings: Week 11Sports Central1. Jimmie Johnson: Johnson finished fourth in the Bojangles' Southern 500 at Darlington, posting
his sixth top 5 of the year and increasing his points lead. He now leads Carl Edwards by 44. “I've finished outside
of the top 12 only once this year ...
P R E S S * R E L E A S E
Speed Thrills: NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race Week Unlike Any In All Of Sports
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (May 15, 2013) – History collides with the present, as names including
Johnson, Gordon and Busch build upon a foundation laid by the likes of Waltrip, Yarborough and Earnhardt.
This Saturday night, the most thrilling all-star exhibition in all of sports roars under the lights at
the historic Charlotte Motor Speedway, with the 29th running of the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race. There are no points in this
one, but one major prize – a $1 million payout to the victor courtesy of Sprint.
In 1985, NASCAR held its inaugural all-star clash, with Darrell Waltrip coming home first among a field
of 12. This year, 22 cars will take the green on Saturday at 7:30 p.m. ET, live on SPEED, Motor Racing Network Radio and SiriusXM
Satellite Radio. Nineteen of those drivers have already locked up a spot; three more will earn entry moments before driver
introductions.
A primer on the all-star eligibility…
- Drivers who have won NASCAR Sprint Cup Series points races in 2012
and 2013
- Drivers who are past NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race winners in the
last 10 years
- Drivers who are past NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champions in the
previous 10 years
- The top-two finishers in the Sprint Showdown, the 40-lap race that
precedes the NASCAR Sprint
- All-Star Race
- The top Sprint Fan Vote driver who finishes the Showdown and whose
car is in “raceable” condition as determined by the series director per the 2013 entry blank. Fans may vote for
their favorite driver by using the NASCAR Mobile ’13 application or online at www.NASCAR.com/SprintFanVote. Votes cast from the NASCAR Mobile ’13 application count double.
Format changes will greet the world’s best drivers this weekend, all with one central theme: speed.
The need for speed begins Friday night with Coors Light Pole qualifying at 6 p.m. ET on SPEED. Qualifying
will consist of three laps and a mandatory four-tire pit stop. Pit road speed, entering and exiting, will not be enforced.
The team with the quickest time wins the Coors Light Pole and will lead the field to green on Saturday night.
Like last year, the 2013 NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race will consist of five segments – four 20-lap
segments and a 10-lap shootout. The winner earns a $1 million pay day from Sprint.
But unlike last year, the running order at the completion of the fourth segment (Lap 80) will be repositioned
based on the average finish for the first four segments – putting a premium on strong finishes throughout the entire
event. The new lineup will be placed directly behind the caution car prior to the opening of pit road for a mandatory four-tire
pit stop, placing a spotlight firmly on the unsung heroes of NASCAR – the pit crews. The order of the cars returning
to the track will determine the starting order of the fifth segment. Running order ties will be broken by the finish of the
fourth segment. In the fifth and final segment, only green flag laps will count.
This year there is even an added incentive: if a driver wins all five segments, he or she will take home
“Bruton’s Big Bonus” – an extra $1 million paid by Charlotte Motor Speedway and Bruton Smith, Chief
Executive Officer, Speedway Motorsports, Inc.
All of this action takes place this Saturday evening, the grand finale of a week packed with fan-friendly
activities on and off the race track.
See below for a full schedule of events for the upcoming week. All on-track activity will take place
at Charlotte Motor Speedway:
Friday, May 17, NASCAR Day – The NASCAR Foundation and NASCAR industry will come together
on Friday at Charlotte Motor Speedway (CMS) to celebrate the 10th Annual NASCAR Day. This special day is an unprecedented
celebration of drivers, corporate partners, media and fans uniting with The NASCAR Foundation to support a range of charitable
causes that are relevant and meaningful to those within the NASCAR family. Fans can get the commemorative NASCAR Day pin and
make a donation at www.NASCAR.com/foundation.
Friday, May 17, 6 p.m. ET – NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race Coors Light Pole Qualifying. For
tickets, call 1-800-455-FANS or log onto www.charlottemotorspeedway.com. SPEED will televise the event.
Friday, May 17, 8 p.m. ET – NASCAR Camping World Truck Series North Carolina Education
Lottery 200. For tickets, go to www.charlottemotorspeedway.com or call 1-800-455-FANS. SPEED, Motor Racing Network Radio and SiriusXM Satellite Radio will broadcast the event.
Saturday, May 18, 7:30 p.m. ET – Sprint Showdown (top-two finishers qualify for the NASCAR
Sprint All-Star Race). For tickets, go to www.charlottemotorspeedway.comc or call 1-800-455-FANS. SPEED, Motor Racing Network Radio and SiriusXM Satellite Radio will broadcast the event.
One final option remains for those not already locked in after the Sprint Showdown – the Sprint
Fan Vote. Fans may vote for their favorite driver by using the NASCAR Mobile ’13 application or online at www.NASCAR.com/SprintFanVote. Votes cast from the NASCAR Mobile ’13 application count double. Saturday, May 18, 9 p.m. – NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race. For tickets, call 1-800-455-FANS
or go to www.charlottemotorspeedway.com. SPEED, Motor Racing Network Radio and SiriusXM Satellite Radio will broadcast the event.
The drivers already locked into the main event are: Marcos Ambrose, Greg Biffle, Clint Bowyer, Kurt Busch,
Kyle Busch, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Carl Edwards, Jeff Gordon, Denny Hamlin, Kevin Harvick, Jimmie Johnson, Kasey Kahne, Matt
Kenseth, Brad Keselowski, Joey Logano, Mark Martin, Ryan Newman, David Ragan and Tony Stewart.
Keep up to date with all the week’s events by following @NASCAR or @CLTMotorSpdwy on Twitter (Hashtag:
#SprintAllStar).
The next NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race will be the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race at Charlotte Motor
Speedway on Saturday, May 18 at 7:30 p.m. on SPEED, Motor Racing Network Radio and SiriusXM Satellite Radio.
N A S C A R * C A N A D I A N * T I R E * S E R I E S
Courteousy NASCAR.com
(http://www.nascar.com/) :
Amid partial season, ESR driver hopes strong showing will prevent sponsorship issues in 2014
North Carolina Education Lottery 200 practice speeds
HARMON DENIES THEFT OF COBB'S HAULER
Courteousy The Frontstretch
(http://www.frontstretch.com/):
Jennifer Jo Cobb’s Transporter Stolen; Harmon Arrested
For Jennifer Jo Cobb, her 2013 season has gotten off to a very tough spot. A series of bad finishes will force
Cobb to qualify for Friday night’s North Carolina Education Lottery 200 on speed. Now, just getting to the track
might be impossible.
JJC Racing put out a statement on Wednesday morning that stated that her team’s transporter was stolen from her
shop on Saturday morning. According to said report, Cobb values the transporter and contents at $279,000.
The Sheriff’s Department issued warrants for the arrest of Nationwide Series driver/owner Mike Harmon and Sheila
Rice on Wednesday, then quickly apprehended them and charged them with felony larceny and breaking and entering.
Both are out of jail after posting $10,000 bonds.
Cobb is just hopeful that she’ll be able to run this weekend at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
“It is my sole concern to get the transporter back so that we can make Friday night’s NASCAR Camping World
Truck Series race at Charlotte Motor Speedway,” Cobb said. “We are working with other teams right now to
borrow the necessary items in the event our hauler and it’s contents are not returned. We are pleased with the
diligent work of the Rowan County Sheriff’s Department has shown in solving this crime."
Harmon is very angry over the situation and professed his innocence on Twitter.
“I want it known that I have never stolen so much as a piece of bubble gum in my life,” Harmon tweeted.
“I did not take [Jennifer Jo Cobb’s] hauler, [and] there is no video of me anywhere near the shop. Today,
she was the windshield and I was the bug, but when we get in Federal Court in a couple of weeks, there will be a boulder coming.”
Harmon and Cobb have worked together in the past. A couple of years ago, Harmon was the team manager for Cobb’s
No. 13 when she attempted to race in the Nationwide Series.
Qore-24 to Sponsor Newberry for Remainder of Season
NTS Motorsports announced on Wednesday that they have signed Qore Systems to a multi-year deal to serve as the new primary
sponsor for rookie Brennan Newberry in the Camping World Truck Series. Qore Systems will be launching their new product,
Qore-24, a brand new antimicrobial hand purifier, via the partnership.
According to Qore Systems’ website, Qore-24 is an alternative to alcohol-based hand sanitizers that have become
quite ubiqutous. It is said to provide 24 hours of protection from just one application, while not being harmful to
humans or other animals. In addition, it can also be used as a moisturizer. The product is currently available
in spray and wipe form.
To better advertise the new sponsorship, the team will change the number of Newberry’s truck from No. 14 to No.
24 for the rest of the season. Previously, the No. 24 was used for a part-time third truck for NTS Motorsports that
was raced by Kevin Harvick at Martinsville. That truck will likely now use the No. 14.
Entry List Update:
Note: These entries are accurate as of Wednesday night. However, they are still subject
to change.
Sprint Cup Series Sprint Showdown: 23 cars entered
Driver Change:
No. 95- Michael McDowell is in the seat, replacing Scott Speed. Speed is in Barcelona
this weekend for Rallycross at X Games Barcelona.
Entries:
No. 1- Jamie McMurray for Earnhardt Ganassi Racing
No. 7- Dave Blaney for Tommy Baldwin
Racing
No. 10- Danica Patrick for Stewart-Haas Racing
No. 13- Casey Mears for Germain Racing
No.
17- Ricky Stenhouse, Jr. for Roush Fenway Racing
No. 19- Mike Bliss for Humphrey-Smith Racing
No. 27-
Paul Menard for Richard Childress Racing
No. 30- David Stremme for Swan Racing
No. 31- Jeff Burton for
Richard Childress Racing
No. 32- Timmy Hill for FAS Lane Racing
No. 33- Landon Cassill for Circle Sport,
LLC
No. 36- JJ Yeley for Tommy Baldwin Racing
No. 38- David Gilliland for Front Row Motorsports
No.
42- Juan Pablo Montoya for Earnhardt Ganassi Racing
No. 43- Aric Almirola for Richard Petty Motorsports
No.
44- Scott Riggs for Xxxtreme Motorsports
No. 47- Bobby Labonte for JTG-Daugherty Racing
No. 52- Brian
Keselowski for Hamilton-Means Racing
No. 56- Martin Truex, Jr. for Michael Waltrip Racing
No. 83- David
Reutimann for BK Racing
No. 87- Joe Nemechek for NEMCO Motorsports
No. 93- Travis Kvapil for BK Racing
No.
95- Michael McDowell for Leavine Family Racing
Not Entered:
No. 35- Josh Wise for Front Row Motorsports
No. 51- Regan Smith for Phoenix Racing
No.
98- Phil Parsons Racing
Sprint All-Star Race: 19 cars entered currently, 22 will start
Note: Eligibility will be shown in parentheses.
Entries:
No. 2- Brad Keselowski for Penske Racing (2012 Champion, five wins in 2012)
No. 5- Kasey
Kahne for Hendrick Motorsports (Bristol winner, March 2013)
No. 9- Marcos Ambrose for Richard Petty Motorsports
(Watkins Glen winner, August 2012)
No. 11- Denny Hamlin for Joe Gibbs Racing (five wins in 2012)
No. 14-
Tony Stewart for Stewart-Haas Racing (2005, 2011 Champion, three wins in 2012)
No. 15- Clint Bowyer for Michael
Waltrip Racing (three wins in 2012)
No. 16- Greg Biffle for Roush Fenway Racing (two wins in 2012)
No. 18-
Kyle Busch for Joe Gibbs Racing (two wins in 2013)
No. 20- Matt Kenseth for Joe Gibbs Racing (2003 Champion, three
wins in 2013)
No. 22- Joey Logano for Penske Racing (Pocono winner, June 2012)
No. 24- Jeff Gordon for
Hendrick Motorsports (two wins in 2012)
No. 29- Kevin Harvick for Richard Childress Racing (Richmond winner, April
2013)
No. 34- David Ragan for Front Row Motorsports (Talladega winner, May 2013)
No. 39- Ryan Newman for
Stewart-Haas Racing (Martinsville winner, April 2012)
No. 48- Jimmie Johnson for Hendrick Motorsports (2006-2010
Champion, two wins in 2013)
No. 55- Mark Martin for Michael Waltrip Racing (2005 Nextel All-Star Challenge Winner)
No.
78- Kurt Busch for Furniture Row Racing (2004 Champion)
No. 88- Dale Earnhardt, Jr. for Hendrick Motorsports
(Michigan winner, June 2012)
No. 99- Carl Edwards for Roush Fenway Racing (Phoenix winner, February 2013)
Additional Entries:
No. 1. Winner of the Sprint Showdown
No. 2. Second-place finisher in the Sprint
Showdown
No. 3. Fan Vote Winner (Subject to additional rules for eligibility)
Camping World Truck Series North Carolina Education Lottery 200: 38 trucks entered
Manufacturer Change:
Wauters Motorsports No. 5 switches from Ford to Chevrolet.
Number Change:
NTS Motorsports' No. 14 switches to No. 24.
Drivers Ineligible to Earn Points:
No. 02- Brad Keselowski for Brad Keselowski Racing
No. 28- Blake
Koch for FDNY Racing
No. 50- Danny Efland for MAKE Motorsports
No. 51- Kyle Busch for Kyle Busch Motorsports
No.
92- Scott Riggs for RBR Enterprises
Driver Changes:
No. 07- Chris Cockrum returns to the seat, replacing Jamie Dick.
No. 6- Justin Lofton
returns to the seat, replacing Danny Efland.
No. 19- Ross Chastain returns to the seat, replacing Joey Logano.
No.
28- Blake Koch is in the seat, replacing Andy Seuss.
No. 84- Chris Fontaine returns to the seat, replacing Mike
Harmon.
Drivers who must qualify on speed:
No. 01- Jake Crum for Jake Crum Racing
No. 02- Tyler Young for
Young's Motorsports
No. 02- Brad Keselowski for Brad Keselowski Racing. If both No. 02 trucks qualify for
the race, one will have to change numbers for the race.
No. 10- Jennifer Jo Cobb for JJC Racing
No. 24-
Brennan Newberry for NTS Motorsports
No. 28- Blake Koch for FDNY Racing
No. 50- Danny Efland for MAKE
Motorsports
No. 57- Norm Benning for Norm Benning Racing
No. 75- Caleb Holman for Henderson Motorsports
No.
84- Chris Fontaine for Chris Fontaine, Inc.
No. 92- Scott Riggs for RBR Enterprises
No. 93- Chris
Jones for RSS Racing
No. 99- Bryan Silas for T3R2
Not Entered:
No. 0- Scott Saunders for JJC Racing
No. 21- Spencer Gallagher for Gallagher Motorsports
No.
38- JJ Yeley for RSS Racing
No. 63- Justin Jennings for MB Motorsports
No. 68- Clay Greenfield for
Clay Greenfield Motorsports
Today's Featured Commentary
Putting Money on The 20, The Bane of Kahne, MWR & RTR
What's Vexing
Vito
by Vito Pugliese
So after two weeks of hand wringing, speculation, and bewilderment over
what would become of Matt Kenseth’s season, all of that was put to rest last week. His points standing essentially
reaffirmed, and his crew chief's one week absence resulted in a win. If you aren’t putting Vegas money on him
right now for the title, you’re an idiot.
This team is but four months old, they’re up to speed and jelling like that decoy bomb in Die Hard With A Vengenace,
and the driver has been reduced to a blubbering snot pile of emotion on the radio after their third win of the year at last
week’s Southern 500. It always confused me why JGR never put Jason Ratcliff together with Kyle Busch on the Cup
side of things, given all of the success they had in Nationwide together. Kenseth is proving to be the missing piece
of the puzzle that Joe Gibbs Racing has needed since Tony Stewart’s departure in 2008 – and possibly his arrival.
Maybe it’s for the best that they didn’t land Carl Edwards after all back in 2011.
**********
Kasey Kahne was upset following his incident with Kyle Busch with 34 laps to go at Darlington. Despite having led
265 of 354 laps, a flat right rear tire conspired to deny Busch his third win of the year. A desperation dive bomb run into
Turn 1 caused Busch to slide up the track and nearly make contact with Kahne – but not quite. The disturbance
of air however caused Kahne to wreck, the third such incident in 11 races this year with Busch – and second in three
weeks.
That being said, Kasey is being a bit precious over the incident, saying that he expects another “I’m sorry”
call from Kyle Busch. The previous two incidents were plate wrecks, where Kahne was drafting with Busch and got turned.
Either because the new cars don’t match up well, he moved where Kyle was going, or whatever. Busch doesn’t
exactly have a reputation of wrecking Cup guys or causing superspeedway disasters. There was a time when Jimmie Johnson was
the cause of a couple of Talladega pile-ups and wiped out half of the field in the 2004 Daytona qualifying races.
I guess he’s in good company in that respect, but perhaps The Sprint All-Star Race might be the site of some retribution?
**********
Michael Waltrip Racing this week terminated crewman Lee Dodson, after Dodson was indefinitely suspended by NASCAR for
violating the sanctioning body's substance-abuse policy. Dodson had been a crewman on the No. 15 Toyota of Clint Bowyer.
Some may ask why he was not given the same option of completing the Road To Recovery program that A.J. Allmendinger was by
Penske Racing, rather than just being fired. First answer is easy: crewman are more expendable than drivers.
Young drivers with talent have a long shelf life and a bit of Teflon coating to them. Allmendinger got popped with
a DUI a few years ago when with RPM, prior to his failed drug test in 2012. Remember Scott Wimmer? He barrel rolled
a Dodge Ram through a road sign, ran home, and hid behind the bed while the cops busted in and hauled him off for DWI a few
weeks before the 2004 season started. Teams and sponsors have a lot invested in drivers: die cast cars, marketing materials,
cardboard cutouts with hands on hips – more so than they do with crewmen.
Secondly, it’s a workplace issue. If an employee is known to have a substance abuse issue, and causes another
employee to be injured it is a workplace issue – not a racin’ deal – and they’re subject to litigation
just like another other business operation. There is the matter of Bowyer’s sponsor, 5-Hour Energy. With
the FDA cracking down on anything remotely related to caffeine or alertness, it might be best not to have someone associated
with it that has a documented substance abuse issue – whatever that might be. That being said, here’s hoping
that Lee Dodson is able to complete the RTR program, resolve whatever it is he might be dealing with, and is able to work
himself back into the sport soon.
Frontstretch Line of the Week
From Beyond the Cockpit: Landon Cassill On Improvement, Lessons, And
Lasting Friendships
"I love the fans. I’ve had so many great experiences with them; I really enjoy it. One thing that’s
amazing with our sport is the things we can do with our fans. I actually have fans that I’ve developed friendships with—I
can’t tell you how many people that I communicate with, not just on Twitter, but on my cell phone. There’s a handful
of fans that I’ve given my phone number to because they’re good people and I made friends with them. They like
to talk about racing and so do I!" - Landon Cassill, on some of the experiences that he's had with
race fans.
TODAY ON THE FRONTSTRETCH:
by Jeff Wolfe
NASCAR Mailbox: Missing Fans, Employees, And Ghosts Of All-Stars Past
by Summer Bedgood
Truckin' Thursdays: Beating Busch At Charlotte
by Beth Lunkenheimer
Courteousy SpeedwayMedia.com (http://www.speedwaymedia.com/):
|
Toyota NASCAR Notes & Quotes Charlotte All-Star May 2013
Camry driver Matt Kenseth was victorious in Saturday night's NASCAR Sprint Cup Series (NSCS)
race at South Carolina's Darlington Raceway -- his third win of the 2013 season. Kenseth was previously triumphant at Las
Vegas Motor Speedway in March and Kansas Speedway in April. |
|
Pillow Pets to Partner with Bayne; “Welcome Home Troops”
Roush Fenway Racing has announced a multi-race partnership with Pillow Pets. The leader in
plush toys will serve as the primary sponsor on Trevor Bayne’s No. 6 Ford Mustang in the May 25th Nationwide Series
race at Charlotte Motor Speedway. As part of the Memorial Day Weekend festivities, Pillow Pets will take part in Charlotte
Motor Speedway’s “Welcome Home our Troops; Let Freedom Race” program, billed as the largest welcome home
ceremony for returning troops. |
|
Kurt Busch’s Car Will Pay Tribute to Armed Forces Day at Sprint All-Star Race
With Armed Forces Day being celebrated on Saturday (May 18), Kurt Busch’s No. 78 Furniture
Row/Sealy Chevrolet will observe the annual holiday with a special paint scheme for Saturday night’s Sprint All-Star
Race at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
|
NASCAR Nationwide Series Crew Chief Fined; Crew Chief, Car Chief Placed On Probation
For Infractions At Darlington Raceway
NASCAR announced today that NASCAR Nationwide Series crew chief Adam Stevens (No. 54 team)
has been fined and placed on probation for violations during this past weekend’s event at Darlington Raceway. In addition,
the team’s car chief Christopher Landis has been placed on probation for the remainder of the year. |
|
Experience the Thrill of Atlanta Motor Speedway with Special Offer from Richard Petty
Driving Experience
Fans looking to get out of the grandstands and truly experience the raw speed and power of
a 600-horsepower NASCAR race car on Atlanta Motor Speedway’s 1.54-mile surface can do so this summer with a special
offer from Richard Petty Driving Experience (RPDE). | |
Courteousy Sports Illustrated (http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/racing/?eref=sinav&sct=hp_nv_a):
Even Older news
(5/15/13)
Courteousy NASCAR.com
(http://www.nascar.com/) :
Power Rankings: Hamlin back in the mix
TRUEX JR. CAN USE ALL-STAR WEEK AS CATALYST
DARLINGTON SETS STAGE FOR TITLE RACE TO COME
Gen-6 car tests fast at New Hampshire
Dates set for Nationwide, Truck Series awards
Eldora adds Truck Series practice day
NASCAR All-Star race unlike any other competition
ALL-STAR QUALIFYING ADDS PIT-ROAD TWIST
Six pack of pop: Mario Lopez
Ten Days of Giving: Past BJFHA finalists
SHERWIN-WILLIAMS' IMPACT TO BE FELT ON MANY LEVELS
HOT LAP: CHARLOTTE MOTOR SPEEDWAY
Courteousy FOX Sports
(http://msn.foxsports.com/nascar):
Despite run-ins, Kahne enjoying strong season
Better days should be just around the corner.
Kenseth stuns competition, stakes claim as title contender.
Nothing To Lose, $2M To Gain. It's The NASCAR Sprint Cup All-Star Race
Bubba's Ride Rules: Darrell Wallace Jr. & His '67 VW Beetle
Courteousy SpeedTv.com
(http://nascar.speedtv.com/):
Courteousy ESPN.com
(http://espn.go.com/racing/nascar/):
Payback Coming?
Kyle Busch wrecked Kasey Kahne for the third time this season in the Southern 500 at Darlington. Should Kahne retaliate?
What say you? Your Turn » Newton: Kahne at boiling point? »
Indy Or Bust?
Sam Hornish Jr. won the "The Greatest Spectacle in Racing" in 2006. Today, he's just fine with being
a spectator of the famed Indianapolis 500. Sam Hornish Jr. blog » Nationwide Series home »
NASCAR lifts pit speed limit for All-Star race
Courteousy Yahoo Sports
(http://sports.yahoo.com/nascar/):
Stage is set for another All-Star letdown
The All-Star Race will give one team $2 million while giving fans nothing they don't see
just about every week.
Rule clarification may favor Patrick
Courteousy Sporting News.com (http://aol.sportingnews.com/nascar):
With four top-10s and ninth in the standings, Aric Almirola is the biggest surprise of the Sprint Cup
season. But his rise at Richard Petty Motorsports actually started a year ago at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
Team transported reported stolen, NASCAR driver suspected in theft
Dale Earnhardt Jr. plummets on SI's list of highest paid drivers
NASCAR won't prohibit suspended crew chiefs from communicating with team
Courteousy Bleacher Report.com
(http://bleacherreport.com/nascar):
Kenseth's Risky Move Paying off Big
Why NASCAR Needs to Take Sprint All-Star Race on the Road
Why NASCAR's Sprint All-Star Race Is a Must-Watch
By Jerry Bonkowski
Saturday's Sprint All-Star Race at Charlotte Motor Speedway (live on Speed at 7 p.m. ET) brings out both the best and worst
in NASCAR's top stars...
Courteousy The Stock Car Gazette
(http://MotorSportsNews.Net) (Thanks Heather !):
Google Alerts
NASCAR - Sprint Cup - All-Star Race PreviewMiamiHerald.comCapacity: 135,000 (Grandstand Seating). Total purse: Payouts: Year: 29th. On TV: Speed. Announcers:
On Radio: Motor Racing Network (MRN)/SIRIUS NASCAR Radio. Race record: 185.022 mph - 70 laps (30/30/10) - Jeff Gordon,
2001). Qualifying record:
PitTalks.com
1st. Annual Pittalks Charity Golf Tournament
N A S C A R * C A N A D I A N * T I R E * S E R I E S
C O L U M N S / C O M M E N T A R I E S
Mike Smith's StockCartoons 2013
2 articles ,courteousy Amanda Vincent
(Thanks Amanda !!):
http://stockcarspin.com/2013/05/15/nascar-nationwide-seires-crew-chief-fined-for-bumper-cover-issue-at-darlington/
NASCAR Nationwide Series crew chief fined for bumper cover issue at Darlington
http://stockcarspin.com/2013/05/15/two-nascar-crew-members-fail-drug-tests/
Two NASCAR crew members fail drug tests
Amanda Vincent
Courteousy The Frontstretch.com
(http://www.frontstretch.com/):
Testing Continues Across Multiple Racetracks
Tuesday was a busy day in NASCAR Nation,
with cars and drivers testing at several racetracks across the country. Dover had the most on hand, with six Sprint
Cup Series teams and five Nationwide Series ones testing for their May 31st – June 2nd race weekend. The three-car team
of Stewart-Haas Racing, with drivers Ryan Newman, Tony Stewart, and Danica Patrick were in attendance along with Germain Racing’s
Casey Mears. Juan Pablo Montoya and Jamie McMurray, both with Earnhardt Ganassi Racing rounded out the Sprint Cup crowd, all
of whom were impressed with the speed at the Monster Mile.
“Everywhere we’ve been with this car, it’s
been quite a bit faster than the car that we had last year,” said Jamie McMurray. “Normally, at a test you can
run faster than you can at the race. The track is clean, there’s not a lot of rubber on it, so yeah, our speeds today
have been quite a bit quicker than what we ran in race trim last year. It’s got a lot of grip and the track is really
fast.”
New Hampshire Motor Speedway was also the site for extra practice, as a Goodyear tire test for the July
race included drivers from all three manufacturers. Dave Blaney, Jeff Burton, and Jeff Gordon represented Chevrolet, Joey
Logano held up the Ford banner solo while both Clint Bowyer and Matt Kenseth were there for Toyota. The 1.017-mile oval was
chilly – the high, according to the National Weather Service was 59 degrees – but all indications are the test
was productive in creating an effective compound for NASCAR’s new Gen-6 chassis.
Finally, Kurt Busch and Trevor
Bayne joined forces to conduct a test at Michigan International Speedway. “We’re just trying to get a feel for
the Goodyear tires,” said Busch. “There’s so many little things you have to learn with this car.”
Teams are also concerned about Michigan speeds, which after the repave last year rose to well above 200 miles an hour. Marcos
Ambrose won the pole last June, driving the Gen-5 with an average speed of 203.241 MPH.
News ‘N’ Notes
-
Two crew members from NASCAR teams were suspended indefinitely Tuesday for violating the sport’s substance abuse policy.
Lee Dodson, who worked for Clint Bowyer’s team has been terminated following the public announcement. Nationwide
Series crew member Frank Earnhardt was also named in the official NASCAR release, which claimed both men failed testing
during the Darlington race weekend.
Today's Featured Commentary
Time To Rev Up The All-Star Race Before Everyone Falls Asleep
WTF Wednesdays
by Ellen Richardson
As this Saturday Night’s All-Star race approaches and Fox’s 2013 Saturday Night Sprint Cup race television
ratings continue to plummet (3.5 overnight following the Southern 500 – second lowest in 2013), my thoughts have been
on how this event can and needs to be improved for future success.
Before I get into my ideas, I am asking each fan
reading this to think about what you consider a NASCAR All-Star.
In my mind an All-Star in any form of motorsports,
including NASCAR, is one that not only wins but who works hard to learn every aspect of the sport, dreams every day of getting
in the next car that will go fast, and is willing to put in any and all effort to achieve his or her dream.
Thinking
about this definition, does that really paint a picture of only those drivers competing in the Sprint Cup Series? The
answer is a resounding no.
While I look up to many of the Sprint Cup drivers who worked hard to get where they are
today--those who did anyway--what about those hard working drivers that compete in the other two top NASCAR series? With that
vein, what about those hard working Sprint Cup Series pit crews who are now going to be left out of the All-Star weekend due
to what was reported by Yahoo Sports as “limited funding”?
Being promoted as the “Biggest Night in
NASCAR”, the current NASCAR All-Star race has continued to discount and leave out the hard working drivers and teams
who compete in both the NASCAR Camping World Truck and Nationwide Series.
If the NASCAR All-Star race is truly the
“Biggest Night in NASCAR” why wouldn’t you allow all three of your top-series a chance to compete? I
realize that this would be a near impossibility for all three full-series to compete in one night, it wouldn’t be so
far-fetched for an all weekend event.
Think Daytona Speed Week on steroids! In fact, my ideal All-Star Weekend
would not only give Sprint Cup drivers as well as Speedway Superstar singers a chance to shine, but those drivers who won
races last season in the Camping World Truck and Nationwide Series that should compete in their own All-Star races throughout
the weekend. I would also give fans from each series a chance to vote in one new rookie driver to be entered into each
race.
The biggest stipulation for each would be that Sprint Cup Series drivers could not compete in either of these
additional races. This is whether they qualified for the Sprint Cup Series All-Star race or not.
If possible,
I would even have a short track late model shootout All-Star race on the quarter-mile oval, located on the speedway’s
front straightaway. I would even add to the excitement of this race by having each competitor choose a Sprint Cup driver
to serve as his or her crew chief. This would be a great way for these drivers to be true All-Star mentors to those
with high hopes to someday compete on their level. Not to mention being rewarded with the type of major financial award
that these already wealthy Sprint Cup Series drivers receive following Saturday night’s Sprint Cup Series race. I
believe these teams could use this kind of money a little more than Cup drivers?
Let’s not forget the pit crews
who pour blood, sweat and tears into assisting these drivers with their success. Allow the fans who view each race to
tweet their selections for the hardest working pit crew for each series. The winners would receive their own trophies
and financial awards. This team would also receive first pit selection for the 2014 events.
As I
come to a conclusion on what I hope to be an All-Star idea, I wanted to give fans a chance to also chime in on something that
Danielle Trotta said on NASCAR Race Hub Tuesday night, regarding the All-Star race. As she explained the new rules for
this Saturday Night’s race, Trotta mentioned that the one item that remains constant is that “the competition
is between NASCAR’s best drivers.”
One question for you Danielle, why do we have three top-series
in NASCAR if only the best drivers are in the Sprint Cup Series? WTF?
TODAY ON THE FRONTSTRETCH:
Did You Notice? ... Saturday Night Slowdowns, Clinching The Postseason Early
And Quick Hits
by Amy Henderson
by Ellen Richardson and Jeff Wolfe
by the Frontstretch Staff
Some sad news today
Courteousy Sporting News.com (http://aol.sportingnews.com/nascar):
Body of missing race fan Nick Bower found near Talladega
Courteousy Truck Series.com
(http://truckseries.com/):
BUESCHER: Confident Heading Into CMS
Courteousy SpeedwayMedia.com (http://www.speedwaymedia.com/ ):
|
Riggs, RBR back on track at Charlotte
After sitting out the last two NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) events, Scott Riggs
is excited about his return behind the wheel of the Ricky Benton Racing (RBR) Enterprises No. 92 BTS Tire and Wheel Distributors/Goodyear
fleetHQ/QMI Chevrolet at Charlotte in the North Carolina Education Lottery 200.
|
Surprising and Not Surprising: Bojangles’ Southern 500
On what has become a Mother’s day weekend tradition at the historic Darlington Raceway,
here is what was surprising and not surprising in the 64th annual Bojangles’ Southern 500. |
|
The Final Word – Leaving Darlington, Kenseth is again riding high
What a difference a couple of weeks can make. Matt Kenseth had just won at Kansas, only to
be docked 50 points, among other team fines, penalties, and suspensions. Not good. After taking it in the teeth he rebounded
to finish seventh at Richmond, eighth at Talladega, and then things really perked up. NASCAR gave him back all his points
from Kansas, except for a 12 point slap, and they reduced his crew chief's suspension to just one race. The last one he ran. | |
|
Ford Racing — Trevor Bayne Michigan Speedway Testing Quotes
Trevor Bayne, driver of the No. 21 Motorcraft/Quick Lane Ford Fusion in the NASCAR Sprint Cup
Series and the No. 16 Cargill Beef Ford Mustang in the NASCAR Nationwide Series is on hand at Michigan International Speedway
with his Wood Brothers Racing team, testing their car in advance of the June race at the Speedway. Bayne took time during
the test to chat with media in attendance. |
|
Kevin Harvick No. 29 Rheem/Budweiser Chevrolet SS NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race Advance
Last weekend Harvick and the No. 29 Budweiser team finished fifth at Darlington Raceway and
advanced two spots to 10th in the 2013 driver point standings. |
|
Gilliland Ready to Take Risks in Showdown
David Gilliland has never raced in NASCAR's Sprint All-Star Race, but he feels like his chances
of earning a spot in that line-up this weekend are better than ever. The driver of the No. 38 Long John Silver's Ford feels
more confident about his team's capabilities than ever before as they prepare for Saturday night's Sprint Showdown, the precursor
to the All-Star event. |
|
Watkins Glen Win Earns Ambrose a Spot in the Sprint All-Star Race
Marcos Ambrose earned a spot in this weekend's Sprint All-Star Race with his dramatic win at
Watkins Glen (N.Y.) International last season. The road course ace wheeled passed Sprint Cup Champion Brad Keselowski in the
final turns to capture his second consecutive win at the New York road course. |
|
Almirola Aims to Win Showdown, Compete in All-Star Race
Aric Almirola will compete in Saturday's Sprint Showdown looking for a win to gain a spot in
the headline Sprint All-Star Race. To qualify for the All-Star Race, the No. 43 Smithfield Ford team will have to finish first
or second in the Sprint Showdown 40-lap qualifier race. The race will have two 20-lap segments and an optional pit stop between
them.
David Starr to Race the Build Your Future Toyota in Charlotte
No. 81 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series driver David Starr will race the BYF Toyota Tundra
in the N.C. Education Lottery 200 at Charlotte Motor Speedway on May 17. The race will be televised live on SPEED Network
at 8:00 p.m. EST and will be broadcast via the Motor Racing Network on SIRIUSXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90. |
(5/14/13)
Courteousy SpeedTv.com
(http://nascar.speedtv.com/):
Courteousy Sporting News.com (http://aol.sportingnews.com/nascar):
A MWR crew member fired for violation of substance-abuse policy
JGR Nationwide crew chief of Kyle Busch car fined, suspended
Kyle Busch has unintentionally taken out Kasey Kahne three times this season—the latest at Darlington—and
all eyes will be on how Busch handles racing Kahne and how he answers questions media will be asking.
Joe Gibbs Racing nearly sweeps Darlington on Saturday with Matt Kenseth winning, Denny Hamlin second
and Kyle Busch sixth. Kenseth's third victory makes him the biggest threat to Jimmie Johnson and Brad Keselowski.
Courteousy FOX Sports
(http://msn.foxsports.com/nascar):
Don't mistake good racing for feuding
Busch, Kahne both aggressive, but that doesn't mean they're feuding.
Courteousy USA Today.com (http://www.usatoday.com/sports/nascar/):
Matt Kenseth confident of maintaining his momentum
Read Story
Courteousy Yahoo Sports
(http://sports.yahoo.com/nascar/):
Power Rankings: No lead is safe
Jimmie Johnson actually extended his points edge at Darlington, so why are we discussing
a new No. 1?
All-Star Race lets drivers have fun
Courteousy ESPN.com
(http://espn.go.com/racing/nascar/):
Rough Patch
Whether hampered by poor qualifying, caught in a late wreck or confounded by the Gen-6 race car, Danica Patrick has struggled
of late. James »
Courteousy Bleacher Report.com
(http://bleacherreport.com/nascar):
FYI WIRZ: NASCAR, NHRA and IndyCar Drivers Define the Feel of Racing Momentum
by Dwight Drum
Encarta Dictionary defines momentum as the power to increase or develop at an ever growing pace. They also call momentum
the speed or force of forward movement of an object... Read More »
How to Convince Others NASCAR Drivers Are Athletes
by Christopher Leone
"Why do they put NASCAR on ESPN and SportsCenter ? It's not a sport. Those guys aren't athletes." Yawn . We've heard it
all before... Read More »
Debunking the 5 Biggest Myths About NASCAR
by Jim Folsom
What are the five biggest myths in NASCAR ? That's hard to say in a sport with as many myths as NASCAR has. It has mythical
figures all throughout its rich history... Read More »
FYI WIRZ: NASCAR's Matt Kenseth, Top Drivers Talk Darlington Final Flag
by Dwight Drum
Maybe the final flag at Darlington Raceway should be called the tattered flag, not the checkered flag, owing to the winning
walls that surround the 1.366-mile oval with 25-degree banking... Read More »
Courteousy The Stock Car Gazette
Stock Car Gazette
Kenseth Making Up for Lost Points
by Chuck Abrams
www.Catchfence.com
Justin Lofton And Eddie Sharp Racing Return To Charlotte With MadVapes
"E-Cig Brand Backing Defending Charlotte NCWTS Race Winners!!" DENVER, N.C. (May 13, 2013) - Justin Lofton
returns to ESR this weekend to defend his 2012 Charlotte Camping World Trucks ...
Google Alerts
Kyle Busch still an enigma at No. 9 in my Power RankingsSI.comThat had to be a scary prospect for the rest of the teams in NASCAR. Busch was in his mid-20s
at the time and appeared poised to become the most dominant driver in the sport. All he needed to do was mature a bit and
learn to control his emotions, and .
We compare V8 Supercars to their NASCAR equivalentsNEWS.com.auTHEY say everything is bigger in America, but while NASCAR stock cars certainly have more
grunt than V8 Supercars, the Aussie vehicles are more technically advanced in almost every respect. From afar, the vehicles
look quite similar, although the V8 is
PitTalks.com
COTW–Joe Crossen 2013
Why the All Star Qualifier is Important
C O L U M N S / C O M M E N T A R I E S
Cheers and Jeers: What Happened to the Darlington Fun?
Courteousy The Frontstretch.com (http://www.frontstretch.com/):
NASCAR's Sprint Cup ratings for Darlington left the Lady In Black starving for attention.
A 3.5 overnight, tied for the second-lowest rating of FOX's 2013 Sprint Cup coverage also tied a 12-year low for the track
since the network first televised races there in 2001. Only Richmond, with a 3.4 had a lower Nielsen number so far this season.
It's interesting to note the sport's three least-watched telecasts - Richmond, Texas, and Darlington - have been run on Saturday
nights. The NBA Playoffs, televised alongside drew both a larger audience overall and in the coveted 18-to-49 age group.
Today's Featured Commentary
Luring in the New NASCAR Fan: 1993 vs. 2013
Sitting In The Stands: A Fan's View
by S.D. Grady
Jeff Gordon posted one heck of a stat on Saturday night when he took the green flag for the Bojangles' Southern 500: 700
consecutive starts in the Sprint Cup Series. In case you were wondering, that represents over 20 years of showing up
to work every single week. During those two decades, he's become the No. 3 all-time race winner in NASCAR history, proud
owner of four Cups and three-time Daytona 500 champion. I'm a little chuffed to say I've watched him, week in and week
out achieve these stellar feats.
Then I paused and realized, 20 years? I've been a devout follower of NASCAR for all that time? It might actually
be a bit longer, but Gordon's entrance into the Cup Series is one of the hallmarks I place my stock car nuttiness next to.
However, it wasn't really Gordon that won me over -- not entirely. After all, he spent much of the 1993 season bumping
into walls and other assorted moving objects. 14th in points that year, with 11 DNFs he was in all possible ways a rookie.
There had to be somebody else out there that got me tuning in.
To satisfy my lagging memory, I pulled up the results for the 1993 Mountain Dew Southern 500 and found my answer, memories
jumping off the page describing the glory days of NASCAR in the '90s. Besides running on an assortment of aging, cracking
short tracks that have since been removed from our schedule, we had one of the best rivalries running in the sport.
Those were the days of Rusty Wallace and Dale Earnhardt, Sr., single-car efforts battling for total supremacy atop the standings.
Neither was ever "my" driver, but I was guaranteed an exciting Sunday whenever the cars in black cranked their engines.
Besides the drivers' wisecracking ways, I loved watching them aim for one another's bumpers and drive the wheels off their
cars.
However, two drivers does not a lifetime fan make. Mark Martin won that day driving his signature No. 6 Valvoline
Ford. Even then, the wiry little guy was always in the hunt, offering up thrills here and there (Editor's Note: Martin's
victory was his fourth consecutive, tying a modern-day NASCAR record). Brett Bodine, Rusty Wallace, Earnhardt, Ernie
Irvan (in his first race driving the once-famous No. 28), Ricky Rudd, Harry Gant, Morgan Shepherd, Kenny Schrader and Kenny
Wallace rounded out the top 10. The list of names conjured memories of classic wrecks, a little name-calling in the
pits, a green car and personalities that became the face of NASCAR as they vacated their rides. Jeff Gordon, in case
you're wondering, finished 22nd five laps down -- barely a blip on the day's radar.
We had just instituted electronic scoring. The networks were getting more interested in what happened in North Wilkesboro
and the stands were jam packed. Beer, tobacco and auto parts still reigned supreme on the hoods of the machines we felt
we could actually buy on Monday. All in all, I was sold on the dust, dirt, and mayhem.
But what about today? With drivers like Stenhouse Jr. taking their virgin flights on the cookie cutters, is NASCAR
able to garner the interest of a new fan? Do we have the rivalries, veterans and stories needed to continue to build
the allegiance of that random sports enthusiast who just clicked on FOX? What would they see?
They would learn of a five-time champion still seeking his sixth, the reigning one who loves to tweet and one hot chick
rolling around in the back of the pack. Joey Logano and Denny Hamlin stare at one another across pit road, frustration
evident before decorating the other's door with rubber. Mark Martin talks to the camera, wrinkles and enduring smile
still included. A few faces from 1993 chatter in the booth, giving depth to the telecast for those who didn't know the
brakes glow in the corners. And on the random occasion, NASCAR will visit a short track where it won't be all aero and
engine. Instead, it's guts and determination that takes the winner to Victory Lane.
We've got a new car and technologies. Meanwhile, crew chiefs listen to their drivers through a headset that belongs
to the '80s. The tracks are a network of sensors and yet, the teams can't mount one on their car. NASCAR remains
a mix of throwback and testing the barriers of speed. It offers an intriguing option to the international auto racing
scene, one that features high octane computers aimed down the middle of the road by a human.
Yes, the new guy might notice empty seats in the grandstands. But if they are a "car guy," they will be enamored by the
roar of the engines and non-stop action that a four-hour marathon provides. If they're really lucky, the resident bad
boys will mouth off at the TV cameras, call their competitors names on the radio and maybe hunt down a rival on the cool-down
lap.
All in all, NASCAR in 2013 has all the ingredients 1993 had which resulted in millions of fans following a sport that once
belonged to the back roads of the Deep South. Over the decades, we've managed to retain that curious generational mix
of drivers, sponsors, locations, and competition that remains unique to this form of auto racing.
With all the negative press that NASCAR fans heap upon their favorite pastime, it might seem inconceivable that we still
have that magical mix of drama and competition that existed 20 years ago, drawing this fan into a life devoted to 43 teams
taking to the track every week. But we do.
Those 700 starts certainly flew by. Twenty years have passed without a blink. And after careful consideration,
I can gladly say I'm looking forward to 700 more.
Kyle Larson Stat
Series: Nationwide Series
Track: Darlington Raceway
Car: No. 32 Cessna Chevrolet
Qualified:
7th
Finished: 6th
Points Standings: 10th
Want to follow Kyle Larson yourself?
Twitter: @KyleLarsonRacin
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KyleLarsonRacing
Website (under construction): http://kylelarsonracing.com/
Looking for a little history? Try... http://kylelarsonracing.net/
Numbers Game: Bojangles' Southern 500
by Tom Bowles
0
Top-5 finishes for Kyle Busch in the last four events, after his late-race fade to sixth at Darlington. It's easily his
longest drought of the year in the Cup Series.
1
The starting spot for Kurt Busch at Darlington, his first time winning a pole position since leaving
Penske Racing. He last started up front June, 2011 at Michigan, a span of 67 Cup races.
1
Driver within a
full points race of Jimmie Johnson after eleven events. Carl Edwards is the only one who could “catch” Johnson
after the Coca-Cola 600 depending on where the two finish.
2nd
Finishing position for Denny Hamlin Saturday
night, his best run of the year despite missing four-plus races after Fontana due to an L1 Compression Fracture injury in
his lower back.
3
Consecutive top-10 finishes for Carl Edwards, including a seventh on Saturday night to
keep him second in points.
3.155 seconds
The margin of victory for Matt Kenseth in the Southern 500, the
highest for any race at Darlington since Sterling Marlin "edged" Elliott Sadler by 3.5 seconds in the Spring of 2002.
4
The
number of drivers to lead the race Saturday night. All of them led at least 16 laps: winner Matt Kenseth, third-place Jeff
Gordon, sixth-place Kyle Busch (who led the most, with 265) and fourteenth-place Kurt Busch.
5
The number
of cautions at Darlington, which tied a season low. It was also the least amount of yellow flags thrown during a 500-mile
race there in fifteen years (two, 1998).
6
The number of DNFs suffered, combined within BK Racing in their
debut NASCAR season of 2012.
7
The number of DNFs suffered, combined within BK Racing through eleven races
so far in 2013. David Reutimann was the latest victim, crashing out with less than 100 laps to go Saturday night.
9
The number of lead changes Saturday night, the fewest for any Sprint Cup race this season. (Previous low: 12, Phoenix
& Martinsville.)
18
The number of races since Brad Keselowski last won, at Dover in the Fall of 2012.
It’s his longest victory drought since he stepped foot behind the wheel of the No. 2 car.
21.2
Average
finishing position of Joey Logano since tangling with Denny Hamlin at Fontana. He was 22nd at Darlington Saturday night, never
a factor.
34.0
Average finish this season for rookie Timmy Hill, in his first year driving for FAS Lane Racing.
Hill was a distant 33rd, nine laps off the pace in his first Darlington start as the team struggles to find its place in the
Cup Series.
35
Total number of laps completed by Mike Bliss in the last two races he’s qualified for.
Driving for Tri-Star Motorsports, he’s collected $105,886 during that stretch, leaving his “salary” at $3,025.31
per lap.
48
Number of laps led by Dale Earnhardt, Jr. this season. He's paced the field for just one in the last nine Sprint Cup
events (Kansas).
$293,423
Difference in money won for David Ragan between Talladega and Darlington. Last week's winner collected just $79,685 at
the Lady In Black after blowing an engine down the stretch. He ran 39th.
TODAY ON THE FRONTSTRETCH:
Racing To The Point: Just Who Is Making The Decisions In NASCAR?
by Brett Poirier
Who’s Hot / Who’s Not In Sprint Cup: Darlington-All Star Edition
by Brad Morgan
Going By The Numbers: Which NASCAR Team Is Off To Their Best Start Ever?
by Kevin Rutherford
Five Points To Ponder: Titanic Teams And The Deaththroes Of A Network
by P. Huston Ladner
Couch Potato Tuesday: The Darrell Waltrip Effect On Kyle Busch
by Phil Allaway
Courteousy SpeedwayMedia.com (http://www.speedwaymedia.com/):
Matt Kenseth: The Man To Beat In 2013
Yes, Jimmie Johnson has a considerable margin over the field right now (44pts) but Matt Kenseth
who sits 3rd in the standings has put up performances as good as if not better than the 5-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion.
Through just 11 races, he's led 781 laps which is already more than 9 of his 13 previous Cup seasons including his 2003 championship
run.
|
THREE-TIME ALL-STAR RACE WINNER GORDON PLANS TO BE AGGRESSIVE
Saturday night's NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race may be pointless, but it provides a valuable learning
tool for Jeff Gordon and the No. 24 Cromax® Pro team. |
|
Kangaroo Express Hops on Board the No. 4 Arrowhead Machine
Jeb Burton and the No. 4 Arrowhead team is thrilled to announce the addition of Kangaroo Express
to their Turner Scott Motorsports Silverado for the Friday, May 17 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) event at Charlotte
Motor Speedway (CMS). |
|
MICHAEL WALTRIP RACING’S SEVENTH ANNUAL FAN FEST MOVED TO FALL
Michael Waltrip Racing will host its annual Fan Fest in the fall at the height of NASCAR’s
“Chase for the Sprint Cup.” The event at MWR’s headquarters in Cornelius, N.C., has traditionally been held
during Charlotte Motor Speedway’s May events, but this season the race shop is undergoing some capital improvements
to further enhance the visitor and employee experience.
A Jeff Gordon story – Sometimes the little things mean the most
A few times a year, I’m privileged to be able to go to a NASCAR race as part of the media.
It’s a unique experience that allows me to be a small part of something that has an enormous impact on so many. What
may surprise you is that it is often the little things that make it so special. |
Courteousy Yahoo Sports
(http://sports.yahoo.com/nascar/):
Hot/Not: Kenseth hot on Johnson's heels
Jimmie Johnson's 44-point lead in the Sprint Cup Series isn't as impressive as Matt Kenseth's
early line.
And now for some very interesting news from New Egypt Speedway(http://www.newegyptspeedway.net/) , AND ... Wall Stadium Speedway ( http://www.wallspeedwayracing.com/?from_fb=1#) !
World of Outlaws coming to New Egypt Speedway on Tuesday,May 21st !
(Thanks Nick &, or Pete !!) :
World of Outlaws Purse Increase For One Lucky Non-Regular
Tour Set To Invade New Egypt Speedway For Outlaw Classic
New Egypt, NJ-- On Tuesday, May 21st, the World of Outlaws sprint tour will invade New Egypt Speedway for the
first time since 2007 for the Napa Auto Parts Outlaw Classic. Many local Tri-State area sprint teams are expected to run as
well including Billy Pauch, Jr., Davey Sammons, Robbie Stillwagon, and Kyle Reinhardt. As an extra bonus for the local sprint
teams, the first non-regular World of Outlaw sprint to cross the finish line will receive at least $500 cash.
“We have a bunch of teams that could travel pretty far to race with us,” said General Manager Allyse
Wolfinger. “We know the cost is high to come race with us and we want to thank the area race teams that are choosing
to do so.”
Local sprint teams are set to go head to head with World of Outlaw regulars Daryn Pittman, Cody Darrah, Steve
Kinser, Donny Schatz, Craig Dollansky, Sammy Swindell, Joey Saldana, Chad Kemenah, Paul McMahan, Jason Sides, Kraig Kinser,
and Kerry Madsen. Daryn Pittman was the winner of last year’s Jersey Rush and has been on a tear in his first year racing
for Kasey Kahne Racing. Steve Kinser was the winner of the last World of Outlaw event held at the Speedway in 2007.
All drivers will be required to purchase a DIRTcar membership, if they have not already done so, in order to
race. The race pays $6,000 to win and $500 to take the green. There is tow money that depends on the driver’s finish
in their consolation race. The $500 cash to the first non-regular across the line is in addition to their feature winnings.
Tickets are currently on sale through the World of Outlaws http://dirtcar.ticketforce.com/. Main grandstand seating in sections 4 and 5 along the front stretch are reserved seating selling for $35. General
admission tickets are $30, teens 12-15 are $15, and children 11 and under are free. Pit admission will be $40 but only sold
the day of the event. Reserved seating tickets on the day of the event will only be sold at the front ticket entrance.
Pit gates will be opening at 3:00 pm on the day of the event. Front gates will be opening for advanced ticket
holders and Will Call at 3:30 pm and will open to the general public at 4:00 pm. Hot laps will begin at 6:15 pm with the first
green flag waving at 7 pm.
Overnight camping is permitted in the designated camping area located behind the Speedway. Camping is free
of charge. The Speedway asked fans to respect our neighbors and there are no open fires permitted.
For all of our younger fans looking to enter the pit area, it is the New Jersey State law that anyone under
the age of 16 is not permitted into the pit area. Fans 16 or 17 years of age must present a copy of their birth certificate
and be accompanied by a parent to sign the Minor Parental Consent Form. All younger fans and their parents can fill out the
necessary paperwork in the Speedway office located next to the front ticket windows.
For more information on the Outlaw Classic, visit with Speedway’s website www.newegyptspeedway.net, “Like” us on Facebook /newegyptspeedwayofficial, or follow us on Twitter @nesspeedway.
Wall Stadium Speedway's weekend plans (Saturday night & the
Sunday Series opener ! )
(Thanks Jeff Gravatt !!) :
Saturday :
LITTLE LEAGUERS TO BE HONORED AT WALL STADIUM AUTO RACES SATURDAY (MAY
18)
WALL TOWNSHIP, N.J. ~ Youngsters from area
Little League baseball teams will be admitted to Wall Stadium Speedway’s stock car races free of charge this Saturday
night (May 18) when wearing their team jersey when they arrive at the ticket booth. Grandstand seating will open at 5:00 p.m.
on Saturday, with qualifying starting at 6:00 p.m. and main event racing starting at 7:00 p.m.
The 4 Cylinder division, led by defending champion
and new father Brien Crosby of Wall, will be in the spotlight with twin main events. The Sportsman, Limited Late Model and
Factory Stock racers will also see action. The Modified and Legend Cars will have the night off.
Saturday’s schedule will see the competitor
pit area open at noon with a paid test session set for 1:00 until 3:30 p.m. The regular afternoon practice session will then
begin at 3:00 p.m. and run until 5:00 p.m., while spectator seating will open at 5:00 p.m.
On
track competition will then begin at 6:00 p.m. with qualifying events to be followed by feature race action for all divisions
at 7:00 p.m.
Action will then continue on Sunday (May 19)
as Wall Stadium kicks off the “Sunday Small-Car Series” starting at noon.
Sunday :
WALL STADIUM SUNDAY SERIES OPENER MAY 19
WALL TOWNSHIP, N.J. ~ Competitors in the very popular “Sunday Series” of kart and small car racing held
on Wall Stadium’s fifth mile paved “inner oval” will kick off for the 2013 campaign this Sunday afternoon,
May 19. The series will then continue on most Sunday afternoons through the fall.
“I want to welcome everyone with either
a racing kart or a small car to participate,” Sunday Series Race Director Alan Brenner said. “We want everyone
to know that they are welcome.”
Among the vehicles involved in the “Sunday
Series” will be go-karts, Micro Stocks and Junior Legend Cars. More information is available
on the Wall Stadium Speedway website at wallspeedwayracing.com or by calling the speedway office at 732-681-6400.
Wall Stadium
presents professional motorsports events on most Saturdays and Sundays from mid-April through November. The speedway is located
on Route 34 in Wall Township, N.J., just one mile north of Garden State Parkway exit 98 and Interstate 195 exit 35B. The speedway
email address is CKMotorsports@aol.com.
(5/13/13)
Courteousy NASCAR.com
(http://www.nascar.com/):
JOHNSON'S POINTS LEAD LOFTY AS ALL-STAR BREAK HITS
Five-Time stands 44 points ahead of second-place Carl Edwards
Slowly, Darlington returning to its old self
MOBIL 1 DRIVER OF THE RACE: DARLINGTON
IN THE REARVIEW: RECAPPING DARLINGTON
DARLINGTON'S GREATEST HITS
Courteousy FOX Sports
(http://msn.foxsports.com/nascar):
RaceTrax: Entries, schedules for All-Star race weekend
Last Lap: Redneck Cities Rating Upsets NASCAR Fans
GIF It Up: Rowdy Doesn’t High Five & Gas Man Takes A Wild Ride
Advance Look: Krash Kab Krew Invades Darlington (Photos)
Courteousy Sports Illustrated (http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/racing/?eref=sinav&sct=hp_nv_a):
" Burning Busch "
Cary Estes: Kyle Busch's maturity still in question, plus NASCAR
Power Rankings
Courteousy ESPN.com
(http://espn.go.com/racing/nascar/):
Beware Joe Gibbs Racing
Sure, Matt Kenseth got the win Saturday night at Darlington. But his Joe Gibbs Racing teammates, Denny Hamlin and Kyle
Busch, put on one heckuva show in their own right. Blount
Courteousy Sporting News.com (http://aol.sportingnews.com/nascar):
Search continues for NASCAR fan missing since Talladega race
Last year, Jimmie Johnson dominated the first segment of the Sprint All-Star and then laid back the
rest of the night, riding around until the final 10-lap segment. With new rules in place, he won't be able to do that this
year.
Vegan driver wants NASCAR fans to eat less meat, have some veggies
Like what you see on this site ?
Want to sponsor / contribute to this site ?
I'd love to have you "on board" !
Here's how to contact me :Attention Site Sponsors !!! . I really , REALLY ,would appreciate it !
Joe
Courteousy SpeedTv.com
(http://nascar.speedtv.com/): 
CUP: Sherwin-Williams Boosts Investment In Sport, Becomes ‘Official…
Courteousy Bleacher Report.com
(http://bleacherreport.com/nascar):
Who's Hot, Who's Not After Darlington
By Christopher Leone
Courteousy The Frontstretch.com
(http://www.frontstretch.com/):
Sprint Cup Race Recap: Kenseth Tames the Lady, Wins at Darlington
by Justin Tucker
Matt
Kenseth came into Saturday night's Bojangles' Southern 500 already a winner this week. On Wednesday, the NASCAR Appeals Board
reduced the penalties assessed to the No. 20 and Kenseth from violations stemming from the STP 400 at Kansas last month.
Kenseth's crew chief Jason Ratcliff saw his six race suspension reduced to just one race. Kenseth would also see his
50 point penalty reduced to 12. Other penalities, including a rare ban on the team earning owners' points for six weeks
were thrown out as well.
Saturday night would prove to be the cap on a perfect week for Kenseth and Joe Gibbs Racing as Kenseth would pass his
JGR teammate Kyle Busch with 13 laps to go to claim his first Darlington win and his 27th career NSCS win.
"This is a dream come true," Kenseth shouted on his radio. "Thank you guys very much."
Kenseth's JGR teammate, Kyle Busch, would have the dominant car on the night leading 265 of 367 laps on the night, but
a cut right rear tire in the closing laps would derail his night relegating him to a sixth-place finish. Busch left
the track after Saturday's race without comment after being involved in another on track incident with Kasey Kahne, his third
such incident this season. Meanwhile, Denny Hamlin completed his first full race since being injured in a last lap crash at
Auto Club Speedway in March and sent a statement to the rest of the NSCS field that he is indeed 100 percent by finishing
second to his JGR teammate Kenseth.
In a race that was slowed by just one caution during the first 302 laps, Jeff Gordon celebrated his 700th career start
in style by bringing his Cromax Pro Chevrolet home third for his second top 5 of 2013. Gordon would improve to 12th
in the NSCS standings with this finish. Points leader Jimmie Johnson would continue to solidify his hold to the top spot of
the NSCS standings by finishing fourth on Saturday night. This was Johnson's series-best sixth top 5 and eighth top
10 of 2013. Johnson increased his series points lead to 44 over Carl Edwards.
Kevin Harvick would rebound from bad luck at Talladega to score a top-5 finish on Saturday night. Rounding out
the top 10 were Kyle Busch, Carl Edwards, Juan Pablo Montoya, Dale Earnhardt, Jr. and Ryan Newman.
It appeared for most of the closing stages of the race that Kasey Kahne would be the closest competitor to Kyle Busch
for the race win. After the fourth restart, Kahne was able to keep pace alongside Busch for a full lap. It appeared
that Kahne had cleared Busch entering Turn 1, but the back end of Kahne's No. 5 Time Warner Cable Chevrolet snapped loose
and slammed into the wall. It was a move that left Kahne anything but impressed.
"Three times this year me and Kyle had contact and I had a chance, capable-winning cars, it's disappointing on the points
side and not winning some of these races," Kahne said. "Whether he hit me or just blew the air off, whatever it was, he blew
his entry. I'm not sure what he was thinking on that."
Darlington proved to be the same old tough Darlington on Saturday night. A true throwback to what stock car racing
should be. Lots of great racing through the field and a great finish at the end. The Gen 6 race car passed another
huge test on Saturday night.
The Sprint Cup Series returns home next week to begin the 10 greatest days of racing with the Sprint All Star race.
Coverage gets underway with the Sprint Showdown at 7:00 PM EDT on SPEED.
Chasing the Chase: Johnson Maintains Advantage by Staying Out of Trouble
by Phil Allaway
As the season continues on, one thing has become quite clear. It is very unlikely that anyone will be able
to gain on Jimmie Johnson in the points if he keeps earning 40 points a week. That is what Johnson accomplished
at Darlington by finishing fourth. With Carl Edwards' seventh-place finish, Johnson expanded his points lead
up to 44 points. The combination of Matt Kenseth's victory on Saturday night on the track and in the R&D Center
on Wednesday has moved Kenseth up to third in the standings. At this time last week, he was 11th and hoping for a wild
card.
Dale Earnhardt, Jr. had an up-and-down night at Darlington but brought home a decent ninth-place finish.
However, since so many of the drivers around him in the standings finished in front of him, he dropped one place to fourth.
Clint Bowyer carried last-minute sponsorship from Yum! Foods' Kentucky Fried Chicken (specifically, their current ad
campaign for Boneless Original Recipe chicken). However, he had a relatively quiet night on his way to a 11th-place
finish. That was enough to maintain his fifth-place in points.
Kasey Kahne had a great car on Saturday
night and was in position to win. However, controversial contact with Kyle Busch resulted in Kahne going into the Turn
1, then the engine dying. Kahne's crew fixed up the Time Warner Cable Chevrolet as best as they could, but it just was
not the same. Another encounter with the wall didn't help things as Kahne struggled to finish 17th. However, that
finish was still good enough to move him up into a tie for sixth with Brad Keselowski. Keselowski was doing ok
until an unscheduled stop for tires dropped him two laps down. After getting one of those laps back, Keselowski happened
to be in the wrong place at the right time and ran into the back of Casey Mears' GEICO Ford, damaging his own Fusion.
Keselowski would eventually finish nine laps down in 32nd.
Kyle Busch moved up two positions to eighth after finishing sixth, but was very unhappy with his
result after cutting a tire late in the race. Aric Almirola dropped one place to ninth after a 20th-place run,
which snapped his streak of four consecutive top 10s. Kevin Harvick's fifth-place finish was good enough to move
him into a tie with teammate Paul Menard for tenth in points (Harvick officially gets the spot thanks to his win at
Richmond).
Standings: 1) Jimmie Johnson 423, 2) Carl Edwards -44, 3) Matt Kenseth -59, 4) Dale
Earnhardt, Jr. -64, 5) Clint Bowyer -74, t-6) Kasey Kahne -97, t-6) Brad Keselowski -97, 8) Kyle
Busch -98, 9) Aric Almirola -106, t-10) Kevin Harvick -108, t-10) Paul Menard -108.
Best
of the Rest: t-12) Jeff Gordon, -112, t-12) Greg Biffle -112, 14) Martin Truex, Jr. -122, 15)
Jamie McMurray, -128, 16) Ricky Stenhouse, Jr. -141, 17) Ryan Newman -147, 18) Kurt Busch -161, 19)
Joey Logano -164, 20) Jeff Burton -165.
Wild Cards: 1) Paul Menard (tied for tenth in points, loses tiebraker
with Harvick due to lack of a win), 2) Jeff Gordon (12th in points, wins tiebraker over Greg Biffle)
Currently Ineligible for Wild Card: 1) David Ragan (26th in points, one win)
Race Winners: Jimmie Johnson (Daytona, Martinsville), Carl Edwards (Phoenix), Matt Kenseth (Las Vegas,
Kansas, Darlington), Kasey Kahne (Bristol), Kyle Busch (Fontana, Texas), Kevin Harvick (Richmond), David Ragan (Talladega)
Underdog
Selection No. 1: Travis Kvapil for BK Racing; started 28th, finished 23rd
2013 has been a tough year for BK
Racing as a whole. The team, which a year ago had the disadvantage of having equipment from the defunct Red Bull team
that was a year or more old, should be caught up to their peers by now in terms of equipment. And with improved equipment,
a newer, smaller team like this one should be looking at improving over last year and making gains each week. Until
Darlington, they had failed to even keep up with last year's performance for the first part, with Kvapil's average race finish
falling seven full positions from 25.7 in 2012 to 32.7 in 2013.
This week, though, Kvapil finally seemed to gain a
little ground. He finished 23rd, nearly ten positions above that average, and his run was his second-best through eleven
races this year. His best finish of 22nd came at Texas last month. Kvapil and Company need to be consistently posting
top-25 runs this year to be on track for overall improvement, so perhaps they can build on a solid night at the Lady in Black.
Underdog
Selection No. 2: Dave Blaney for Tommy Baldwin Racing; started 37th, finished 27th
While it's true that Bobby Labonte
had a better finish than Blaney, what gives Blaney the edge this week is the number of positions Blaney was able to gain from
start to finish. Blaney picked up ten spots on Saturday nights, which is one indicator that the team is making the right
calls during the race. Being able to keep up with the racetrack (especially one as notoriously difficult as Darlington)
is one key to teams being successful. Simply maintaining, or perhaps even losing spots (as Labonte did) when it's not
due to an on-track incident, isn't something a team can do each week and hope to reach the next level.
Underdog
Selection No. 3: Landon Cassill for Circle Sport; started 32nd, finished 30th
For the team that is perhaps the
poorest even among the poor, Circle Sport is showing a lot of gumption in 2013. Consider this: a year ago, this team
was pulling in early each week. So far in 2013, they've already been running at the conclusion of more races than they
were in all of 2012—and that's a big step. Two weeks ago at Richmond, Cassill brought home the team's first lead-lap
finish of the year. A week later at Talladega, he grabbed their best finishing position of 2013 with a 22nd-place result.
That might make his 30th-place run at Darlington seem like a step back, and if the story ended there, it might have been…but
before the race, Cassill told me he wasn't sure the team would be able to go the distance at all. Yet, when the checkered
flag fell, Cassill was still out there running—the team made the last-minute commitment to take the chance running old
and used equipment, to finish the race. That takes heart and determination, and this team is showing an abundance of
both.
Sidebar Darlington Stories
by Phil Allaway
Hamlin's First Full Race Back a Success
After starting last weekend's Aaron's 499 at Talladega and a really good week leading up to Darlington, Denny Hamlin
was all set to go the full 500 mile distance Saturday night. How did it go? It went really well. Then again,
Darlington went well for anybody working for Joe Gibbs Racing, regardless of the series.Hamlin qualified a strong sixth, fell
back in the early part of the race, then gambled on a two-tire stop on the first caution. When full darkness fell on
the 1.366 mile oval, Hamlin's car appeared to come to life. By the end of the race, Hamlin had a well-deserved and much-needed
second-place finish.
How did Hamlin feel after the race, physically?
"I'm tired. This is a tough, grueling race, so that's nothing to hang our heads about," Hamlin said to FOX Sports'
Krista Voda after the race.
Hamlin did not mention any issues with his back during the interview. That sounds like Hamlin passed the Darlington
test with flying colors.
Kasey Kahne Angry with Kyle Busch After Late Crash
Late in Saturday night's race, Kasey Kahne appeared to be the only person who could legitimately challenge Kyle Busch
at the front of the field. On the restart from the fourth caution, Kahne spent the entire first lap side-by-side with
Busch for the lead in a truly exciting battle. However, when the two drivers entered Turn 1 on Lap 334, there appeared
to be ever so slight contact between the two cars. Kahne's car ended up in the Turn 1 wall, while Busch continued on.
It is the second week in a row--and the third time this season--that the two drivers have come together on-track.
After the race, Kahne voiced his displeasure to MRN.
"I don't know what his deal is with me," Kahne said. "[Busch] blew that entry into Turn 1. The car moved
and then spun out. I don't know if he actually touched me or not. If he would have just entered normal like he
entered the whole race, there would have been no issues and I would have been leading off [Turn] 2. He just didn't want
that to happen, so he blew Turn 1 [intentionally]."
As for Busch, he was very upset at the end of the race after his right rear tire was cut. Even though he still
finished sixth, he stormed off after the race and did not speak to reporters or PR representatives.
Busch's crew chief,
Dave Rogers, stated that Busch was "somber and disappointed that [the wreck] happened, but...it's part of the sport."
Rogers also stated that he couldn't tell whether Kahne and Busch had touched in Turn 1 to precipitate the crash.
Phil Allaway is the Newsletter Manager and a Senior Writer for Frontstretch. He can be reached via e-mail at phil.allaway@frontstretch.com. Follow him on Twitter at @Critic84.Quotes to Remember: Bojangles' Southern 500
compiled by Beth Lunkenheimer
“Overall the weekend went pretty good just due to the preparation of the 20 guys, Jason Ratcliff (crew chief)
— they put a lot of effort, several test plans — we had our plan all weekend. It actually went pretty smooth.
Once the race started, I noticed we were able to hang in there for a while. I knew at that point we’d be okay if we
just kept up with the track positions that we would have a good night.” - Wally Brown, crew chief for Matt Kenseth
“We ran good. We didn’t run as strong as what I hoped throughout the day. We were kind of mired in the fifth
to eighth positions for most of the day. Track position was so key. You had two to three laps on restarts to get your positions
and after that you were in defense mode. For me, we kept grinding away. Pit crew picked us up some stops obviously throughout
the night. It was one of those days where we got our car better, pit crew picked us up positions and took us to the most optimum
spot we could get to and that was second.” - Denny Hamlin, finished second
“Well we all wanted this 700th start to be a memorable one and not one like we had last year. So, it was a great
effort by this Cromax Pro Chevrolet team. Alan (Gustafson) called great calls and the pit stops were fantastic; especially
when it counted the most there at the end. We were just bouncing between tight and loose and right there at the end, it was
about the best that it had been all night. That’s what you want, you know? To be able to have good track position and
have the car pretty well working for you; so, it was a really solid night. I’m very proud of this.” - Jeff
Gordon, finished third
“It was just a great 500 miles here at Darlington. There is nothing easy about this race track. It keeps you on
your toes all night long. We had a great car. We lost a little tack position at the end. But we still got back into the Top-5;
but I kind of ran second and third all night long; wish I was a little bit better, but this Emerald GreenLowe’s Chevrolet
was doing a good job. We had fun (laughs). I love this place. I wish we could race here three or four times a year. I wasn’t
prepared for the track to change as much as it did there; and then it kind of stayed there all night long. But my first run
or two was far different than I expected.” - Jimmie Johnson, finished fourth
“That was a pretty good run for this whole Budweiser Chevrolet team tonight. We were loose for most of the race
and those long green-flag stops didn’t help us any, either. When we got caught a lap down there, I thought it was going
to ruin our night. But, we overcame that, had great stops on pit road and took advantage of things out of our control to finish
fifth. It was a good night for this team.” - Kevin Harvick, finished fifth
“We struggled a lot tonight and we ended up coming back to seventh, so I’m proud of our effort. But it’s
like Jimmy and I talked about, we’re just missing something. We have been really good at this size of race track and
I thought our Geek Squad Ford was gonna be really good. Qualifying was great, other than my mess up, but it was just a struggle
all night. That’s a long race when you’re just hanging on to the lead lap and trying to make something happen.”
- Carl Edwards, finished seventh
“Well, we didn’t unload as good as we wanted, but we got into it really good. We did a really good job. Everybody
on the Target Chevy has been doing a great job. We have been running like this all year. We’ve just had all kinds of
mistakes and things. I keep telling the guys we have got to execute. If every person here does their best we are going to
be looking like heroes here.” - Juan Pablo Montoya, finished eighth
“We had a real good car all weekend. Just never really got great track position. The last half of the race the
car was a little bit up out of the race track, but we were still pretty happy. Traffic was terrible, just real dirty air out
there. We were faster than the No. 42 at the end of the race, just couldn’t pass him. Probably faster than the No. 99
and No. 29 too, but got to be in front of them.” - Dale Earnhardt, Jr., finished ninth
“That was a really good comeback by our Quicken Loans team. Our race car was loose pretty much all night up until
that last run, but Matt Borland (crew chief) and the guys kept adjusting on it and working on it trying to make it better.
They really just didn’t give up, and we were able to get the ‘Lucky Dog’ two different times to get back
on the lead lap, and we ended up with a top-10 finish. I’m just really proud of how hard these guys battled tonight.”
- Ryan Newman, finished tenth
“It’s a little disappointing. I know it’s different being out front. The car will drive a lot different,
but we still don’t have the grip that we need. We’re missing it ever since the season started with this car. We’ve
got to figure it out.” - Greg Biffle, finished 13th
“We were wicked free and could not keep up with the changing conditions of the track. We made a number of chassis
and air pressure adjustments but couldn’t get the car hooked up. We let it slip away and that’s disappointing.
But we won the pole, led laps, ran up front for a good portion of the race and came away with a respectable finish.”
- Kurt Busch, finished 14th
“Oh, we were racing hard. I had a great Time Warner Cable Chevrolet. The car was getting better and better as the
race went, but they had to make a lot of adjustments and things. But, I don’t know. Three times this year me and Kyle
(Busch) have had contact. And I’ve had capable of winning cars. It’s disappointing on the points side and not
winning races. But that was close racing. He entered so early and he was just going straight to the corner. So whether he
hit me or just blew the air off, whatever it was, he blew his entry and I’m not real sure what he was thinking on that.”
- Kasey Kahne, finished 17th
“It was a tough night for the No. 27 Pittsburgh Paints/Menards crew. We struggled with handling issues for the
majority of the day, and I put us behind late with a pit road penalty. Slugger (Labbe, crew chief) made adjustments all night
and we were able to catch a break at the end with those caution flags to get a couple of our laps back. We’ll learn
from tonight and move on to Charlotte next weekend, try to have some fun and race our way into the big show (All-Star Race)
on Saturday night.” - Paul Menard, finished 19th
“That’s not the result we wanted at all. That was a tough night. We fought hard, but just weren’t quite
good enough. We were slipping and sliding all over the place, so we’ll regroup and go to Charlotte and have another
go at it. It makes things really difficult when you don’t have very many opportunities to work on your car, but it is
what it is.” - Aric Almirola, finished 20th
“That was a rough night for No. 31 Caterpillar team. We definitely didn’t get the rotation we wanted to in
the middle of the turns which pretty much set the tone for the evening. These guys never gave up and we were able to play
strategy and gain some positions in the end. I’m proud of their effort. I’m confident our team will bounce back
at Charlotte Motor Speedway these next two weekends.” - Jeff Burton, finished 21st
“Those long green flag runs just killed us,” Patrick said. “It’s tough because you get behind,
and it’s hard to get caught back up when the pace is that fast and there are so little yellows at the beginning. We
had a setback in practice, and that cut into our practice time and because of that we didn’t get to make any qualifying
runs, which led us to going out cold in qualifying, which is not a strength of mine anyway. So it was just a tough weekend.
Nothing is wasted. No run or no lap is wasted, but sometimes the fruits of your labor aren’t realized until later on.”
- Danica Patrick, finished 28th
“We honestly weren’t that bad. We weren’t great, but I thought we were pretty good. Early on we had
a tear-off on the front of the car that blocked the whole thing and we had to come in and get that off because it was overheating,
so that put us a lap down. Then we left a right-rear tire loose and had to come in for that and were four laps down. And then
there at the end we were just trying to get the wave around and get a lap back and we got three-wide and I think the 27 got
loose and got into us. It’s unfortunate, but the good thing about this weekend was that we had speed. I was pretty happy
with the progress we made as a team. We just didn’t get a chance to show it.” - Casey Mears, finished 37th
“It looked like we got some trash on our grille, so we came down and we knew we were gonna lose a lap or two, but
we were fortunate and we caught a caution so our penalty wasn’t gonna be that bad. We got some water put back in it
and pulled some tape, and went back out and it skyrocketed temperature-wise again, so I don’t know if we’ve got
something clogged up in our radiator duct work or the radiator itself, but we lost water a second time. It’s unfortunate
not to finish the race here, but I’m proud of our guys. We worked hard and had a decent car. We’ll take some time
to recuperate and get ready for the All-Star Race.” - David Ragan, finished 39th
TODAY ON THE FRONTSTRETCH:
by the Frontstretch Staff
Courteousy The Stock Car Gazette
( http://MotorSportsNews.Net) (Thanks Heather !):
Stock Car Gazette
Track Trash – A Ton, Darling
by Racing Maniac
Google Alerts
World's Spotlight Shines on May Race WeeksPaddockTalk“In the next two weeks, hundreds of thousands of fans will attend race events at the speedway,
enjoy Food Lion Speed Street and visit area race shops and the NASCAR Hall of Fame,” said Marcus Smith, president
and general manager of Charlotte Motor ...
Racin' Today
N A S C A R * C A N A D I A N * T I R E * S E R I E S
Courteousy SpeedwayMedia.com (http://www.speedwaymedia.com/):
|
Darlington – Matt Kenseth Understands
Matt Kenseth is a man of history. Rarely have we seen anyone more excited than Matt Kenseth
for winning Darlington’s Southern 500. In my youth, this was one of the sacred crowns of the NASCAR Sprint Cup circuit
until the powers that be decided that the old track was not worthy of two races a few years ago. The track is tough and it
takes a special talent to win at the egg-shaped track, but few had as much fun winning a race here than Matt Kenseth. |
|
NASCAR Is Turning Racing Into Welfare On A Race Track
NASCAR is that one sport we have in America that has just as many pros as it has cons, but
the cons unfortunately outweigh the pros. What it is going to take for NASCAR to grow a pair and make the right calls? What
is it going to take for NASCAR to realize that their stupidity doesn't bring more fans to the track? |
|
At 700 and counting, Gordon’s Cup career still going strong
Jeff Gordon’s never had a problem racking up impressive statistics. He’s a four-time
Sprint Cup champion, has 87 career wins and 72 poles. But Saturday night in Darlington Gordon added two equally important
numbers to his racing resume. He made his 700th career start and capped it off with a third place finish, which earned [...] |
|
RCR Post-Race Report — NSCS Darlington Raceway
Richard Childress Racing teammates finished fifth (Kevin Harvick), 19th (Paul Menard) and 21st
(Jeff Burton). |
|
Persistent No. 6 Team Keeps Bayne on “The Lady in Black”
Roush Fenway Racing’s Trevor Bayne got tangled up in a wreck less than 25 laps into Friday
night’s VFW Sport Clips Help a Hero 200. The No. 6 Cargill team worked hard and fast during a series of pit stops at
Darlington Raceway to make rear-end body repairs and keep the car on the track. By the checkered flag, Bayne was fewer than
10 laps down from the leader and finished in 32nd place. |
|
Kurt Busch Finishes 14th in Darlington; Sets Team Record for Laps Led in Race
After starting on the pole and leading a race total of 69 laps, Kurt Busch slipped to a 14th-place
finish in Saturday night's Bojangles' Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway. |
|
CHEVY NSCS AT DARLINGTON: Jeff Gordon Post Race Press Conf. Transcript
In his 700th NASCAR Sprint Cup Series career start, Jeff Gordon took the lead for Team Chevy
by scoring a third-place finish at the Bojangles’ Southern 500 in his No. 24 Cromax Pro Chevrolet SS. A seven-time winner
at Darlington, this marked Gordon’s 300th top-five finish in the sport; which recognizes him as becoming the fourth
driver to accomplish this feat (joining David Pearson, Bobby Allison and Richard Petty). |
|
Ford Darlington Post-Race Cup Quotes
DAVID RAGAN – No. 34 Peanut Patch Boiled Peanuts Ford Fusion – “It looked
like we got some trash on our grille, so we came down and we knew we were gonna lose a lap or two, but we were fortunate and
we caught a caution so our penalty wasn’t gonna be that bad." |
Courteousy USA Today.com (http://www.usatoday.com/sports/nascar/):
Denny Hamlin passes first test in comeback
(5/12/13)
Courteousy NASCAR.com
(http://www.nascar.com/):
NASCAR HONORS MOTHER WHO LOST LIMBS TO SAVE KIDS
GORDON SAVORS 700TH START, TOP-FIVE FINISH
Gordon glad milestone was a memorable race that put him back in contention
HAMLIN'S RETURN COULDN'T HAVE GONE SMOOTHER
COOL DOWN LAP: CHASE FIELD TOUGH TO PREDICT
ONE-RACE DEAL NETS ONE BIG WIN FOR BROWN
Courteousy Sporting News.com (http://aol.sportingnews.com/nascar):
Denny Hamlin sat on the sidelines for four weeks and most of last week after starting and exiting the
car and watched his team plummet in the points standings. But he returned Saturday and built momentum with a strong run.
Just days after the Joe Gibbs Racing team for Matt Kenseth had its penalties greatly reduced, Kenseth
races to victory in the Sprint Cup race Saturday night after teammate Kyle Busch captured the Nationwide race Friday.
Courteousy The Stock Car Gazette
(http://MotorSportsNews.Net) (Thanks Heather !):
Insider Racing News
Matt Kenseth Surges To Third 2013 Victory At Darlington
Unsinkable Matt Kenseth capped a banner week for unsinkable Joe Gibbs Racing with a victory in Saturday
night's Bojangles' Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway with a substitute crew chief on his pit box -- the unsinkable Wally
Brown. The past four days could hardly have been better for JGR, with Wednesday bringing a substantial reduction in penalties
on appeal for an engine infraction Apr, 21 at Kansas. On Friday, Gibbs cars ran 1-2-3 in the Nationwide Series race at Darlington,
and the organization followed that Saturday with a 1-2 finish from Kenseth and Denny Hamlin in the 11th NASCAR Sprint Cup
Series race of the season.
Kenseth took the lead from JGR teammate Kyle Busch on Lap 355 of 367 and pulled away to win by 3.155
seconds over Hamlin, as Busch faded to sixth. Hamlin also had much to celebrate in his first full race back from a compression
fracture to his first lumbar vertebra, sustained during a last-lap crash at Fontana, Calif., in late March. It was a race
of significant numbers. Jeff Gordon finished third in his 700th Cup start, all consecutive. Jimmie Johnson ran fourth and
extended his series lead to a massive 44 points over seventh-place finisher Carl Edwards. In a race that saw just four drivers
pace the field, Kyle Busch led 265 laps but faded to sixth at the finish, thanks to a cut tire on the final 30-lap green-flag
run.
Journeyman Brown won his first race as a Cup crew chief, after serving with four different drivers before
his one-week shot on the pit box with Kenseth, who will get regular crew chief Jason Ratcliff back next week at Charlotte
after Ratcliff's six-race suspension for an underweight connecting rod was reduced to one event on appeal. But the day belonged
to Kenseth, whose resilience under trying circumstances was emblematic of the organization he joined this season. "Honestly,
I've only dreamed about winning the Southern 500," said Kenseth, who notched his first victory at Darlington, his third of
the season and the 27th of his career. "This to me probably feels bigger than any win in my career. I really feel bad that
Jason isn't here. This is obviously his team and his effort, but Wally did a great job filling in. We had a fifth- or sixth-place
car, fighting loose, (and) those last two adjustments (on pit road) were just awesome."
For Hamlin, second place was the best he could have hoped for, given the strength of Kenseth's car in
the closing laps. "For me, we kept grinding away," Hamlin said, clearly tired from the effort of his first race back at one
of NASCAR racing's most demanding tracks. "Pit crew picked us up some spots, obviously, throughout the night. It was one of
those days where we got our car better, pit crew picked us up positions, took us to the most optimum spot we could get to—and
that was second." --/-- From a physical standpoint, Hamlin admitted the race took its toll. "Really, it's just like starting
your season over," he said. "To start it back over at Darlington for 500 miles, there's some muscles that have gotten weak.
I've gotten pretty sore and tired, mentally tired as well. We'll have a couple of weeks really to rest until the next long
event (Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte), and we'll be good to go then."
A caution for Regan Smith's spin off Turn 2 on Lap 302 of 367 -- only the second yellow of the race—interrupted
a cycle of green-flag pit stops. After Juan Pablo Montoya took a free pass as the highest scored lap car, and Harvick availed
himself of a wave-around, there were 11 cars on the lead lap for a restart on Lap 309. By then, Kyle Busch had led 218 laps
and had dominated the race ever since he wrested the lead from his brother, polesitter Kurt Busch on Lap 74. But the pit stops
on Lap 303 put the lead-lap cars on the edge of their fuel windows. They need not have worried. On Lap 311, Casey Mears tangled
with Kurt Busch and reigning series champion Brad Keselowski off Turn 4 to cause the third caution. All but the top-four cars
came to pit road for fuel under the yellow, leaving Kyle Busch, Kenseth, Kasey Kahne and Gordon out front on slightly older
tires.
Johnson was first off pit road with new tires and quickly moved to third. Busch fended off a challenge
from Kahne right after the restart and held a lead of .850 seconds when an accident involving David Reutimann and Josh Wise
brought out the fourth caution and gave the lead-lappers a chance to pit for tires. Kahne briefly took the lead after a restart
on Lap 333, but one lap later, Kahne's Chevy slapped the wall near the apex of Turns 1 and 2 and the race went yellow for
the fifth time. The result was the same. Busch pulled away after the restart and opened a comfortable advantage, this time
over Kenseth, only to have Kenseth run him down and pass him on Lap 355. (NASCAR Wire Service)
Kyle Busch Dominates Darlington For 56th Nationwide Series Victory
Kyle Busch kept it simple Friday night at Darlington Raceway. The strategy was basic—win the pole,
stay out front and win the race with the strongest car, and Busch did an admirable job in every category. He dusted the rest
of the field at the venerable track in the South Carolina sandhills, pulling away to win the VFW Sport Clips Help a Hero 200
by .935 over Elliott Sadler, who recovered from an early spin to finish second. Brian Vickers came home third, followed by
Joey Logano and Matt Kenseth. With cars in first, second, third and fifth, Joe Gibbs Racing became the first organization
to place four cars in the top five of a Nationwide Series race.
Rookie Kyle Larson ran sixth, followed by Regan Smith, who extended his series lead by 28 points over
eighth-place finisher Sam Hornish Jr. The victory was Busch's fifth in eight NNS starts this season. Busch, who led 107 of
147 laps, extended his career win record in the series to 56. Busch scored a perfect Driver Rating of 150.0, his 16th perfect
rating since NASCAR started keeping the statistic in 2005. Busch won the race on a track that has started to regain the abrasive
characteristic of the racing surface that was a hallmark of the Darlington before a repaving project in 2008. Realizing that,
Busch insisted on a four-tire stop on lap 121, even though his tires were only eight laps old, and that move helped win the
race.
Busch also was able to pull away from his rivals trough Turns 1 and 2, the wider end of the egg-shaped
track. "You want to be good at both ends here, but there's a lot of speed in 1 and 2, so you're going to have to take advantage
of that as best you can," Busch said. "Three and 4 is an end where—I'm not going to say slower is faster—but maintaining
a minimum speed is faster down there. But it seems like it's a little easier to do than not having a good-handling car in
1 and 2. There's a littler margin of error in Turn 1 and 2."
Sadler found that out the hard way when he spun in that corner while trying to keep up with Busch. Sadler
explained that he simply misjudged the corner and got loose. "I was pushing it, trying to keep up with the 54 (Busch)," Sadler
said. "I wanted to get up there and try to lead some laps and just went in there too hard and got loose and had to make a
decision whether to spin out or try to correct it, and I overcorrected and spun out. "Lady Luck helped me from not hitting
anything." --/-- About the only thing that could slow Busch's progress was an issue on pit road. Busch came out sixth after
a slow stop on Lap 51 under yellow for Sadler's spin.
Charging forward after the restart, Busch was on Kenseth's bumper, challenging for the lead by the time
the race reached Lap 74, just past halfway. For the next eight laps, Busch hounded Kenseth, finally clearing his teammate
for the lead on Lap 82. Busch held the top spot until a caution on Lap 119 for Kyle Fowler's wreck changed the running order
again. Logano and Austin Dillon stayed out on old tires and led the field to a Lap 125 restart. Sadler restarted third after
a two-tire stop, while Busch took the green in fourth on four fresh tires. Busch made short work of the drivers on older rubber
and passed Logano for the lead on Lap 130. Game over. (NASCAR Wire Service
N A S C A R * C A N A D I A N * T I R E * S E R I E S
C O L U M N S / C O M M E N T A R I E S
SUBSCRIBE INFORMATION
Courteousy ESPN.com
(http://espn.go.com/racing/nascar/):
Oh, Darlington!
Matt Kenseth said his victory in the Southern
500 at Darlington "probably feels bigger than any win in my career." That's
saying something, considering he's a two-time Daytona 500 winner. David Newton
Courteousy FOX Sports
(http://msn.foxsports.com/nascar):
Comeback kid What injury? Denny Hamlin makes racing look easy in return from injury.
WATCH NASCAR ON FOX »
Kenseth snags coveted Darlington win
Kenseth passes teammate late for Darlington win.
Courteousy Sporting News.com (http://aol.sportingnews.com/nascar):
Kasey Kahne is starting to learn what he needs to do to win — stay away from Kyle Busch. Kahne
wrecked for the third time this year while battling Busch, spoiling a chance to win at Darlington.
First Kurt Busch dominated, starting from the pole and leading early at Darlington. Then his brother,
Kyle, took over, running roughshod over the field. But in the end, they both went home reeling from disappointing finishes.
SCANNER CHATTER: Radio talk not so tame at Darlington
Courteousy SpeedTv.com
(http://nascar.speedtv.com/):
Courteousy Amanda Vincent
(Thanks Amanda !):
http://stockcarspin.com/2013/05/12/matt-kenseth-gets-first-southern-500-win/
Matt Kenseth gets first Southern 500 win
Amanda Vincent
Courteousy Bleacher Report.com
(http://bleacherreport.com/nascar):
Tracing Jeff Gordon's Ageless Excellence
by Geoffrey Miller
Every element of why Jeff Gordon remains a competitive NASCAR threat at in his 22nd season shone bright in Saturday night's
Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway—a timeless venue in and of itself... Read More »
Winners and Losers from Darlington
By Christopher Leone
Matt Kenseth Wins Southern 500
by Brian Mazique
Matt Kenseth came on late to win the 2013 Bojangles Southern 500. He overcame teammate Kyle Busch with just 12 laps to
go to grab the win. Busch had led for 265 laps before relinquishing the lead... Read More »
Courteousy Sporting News.com (http://aol.sportingnews.com/nascar):
Matt Kenseth had always dreamed of winning the Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway. He finally did it
Saturday night, but it came at the expense of teammate Kyle Busch.
Danica photobombs David Ragan at Darlington
Courteousy ESPN.com
(http://espn.go.com/racing/nascar/):
Southern Comfort
Matt Kenseth visited Victory Lane at Darlington for the first time, taking interim crew chief Wally Brown with him. It's
Kenseth's third win of the Sprint Cup season. Recap »
Courteousy SpeedTv.com
(http://nascar.speedtv.com/):
(5/11/13)
Courteousy NASCAR.com
(http://www.nascar.com/) :
KENSETH WINS SOUTHERN 500 AT DARLINGTON
JGR driver earns first victory at Darlington
JGR'S SUCCESSFUL APPEAL COULD BENEFIT HAMLIN
KAHNE DAMAGED BATTLING BUSCH FOR LEAD
MEARS, KESELOWSKI RUN OUT OF SPACE
Courteousy SpeedTv.com
(http://nascar.speedtv.com/): 
Courteousy Yahoo Sports
(http://sports.yahoo.com/nascar/):
Kenseth edges JGR teammates for Darlington win
Courteousy Sporting News.com (http://aol.sportingnews.com/nascar):
Matt Kenseth spoils Kyle Busch's dominant run at Darlington
Courteousy FOX Sports
(http://msn.foxsports.com/nascar):
Matt Kenseth wins showdown at Darlington | Results
Lady's night: Sights and sounds from Darlington
Stepping up: Richard Petty bringing team back to top
Courteousy USA Today.com (http://www.usatoday.com/sports/nascar/):
(http://sports.yahoo.com/nascar/):
Gordon proud of NASCAR milestone
Courteousy ESPN.com
(http://espn.go.com/racing/nascar/):
Meaningful Moment
Jeff Gordon's 700th career start -- coming Saturday at Darlington -- is meaningful beyond the number. That he's still competitive
makes it truly special. David Newton
Courteousy USA Today.com
(http://www.usatoday.com/sports/nascar/):
Courteousy Bridgeport Speedway
(http://www.bpspeedway.com/):
5/8 Mile track
UPDATE 5/11 - 1:30 PM- BRIDGEPORT SPEEDWAY IS RACING TONIGHT
TONIGHT 5/11 - MOTHERS NIGHT
FREE FLOWERS FROM FLOWER TRANSFER LOGISTICS & CREAMY ACRES FARM FOR MOMS & $15 ADULT ADMISSION
BIG BLOCK MODS, CRATE/SPORTSMAN, OUTLAW STOCKS, AND ROOKIES
MUSIC BEFORE THE RACES ALONG WITH MOON BOUNCE
RACING STARTS AT 6:30 PM
Courteousy The Stock Car Gazette
(http://MotorSportsNews.Net) (Thanks Heather !):
Stock Car Gazette
Atop the Spotters’ Stand – The Lady in Black
by Heather Meyer
www.Catchfence.com
Google Alerts
NASCAR: Penske Racing Has A Challenge AheadRant SportsWhen NASCAR first penalized the teams of Brad Keselowski and Joey Logano, it was going to
cost both teams a lot not only within the point standings, but performance-wise as well. Despite the 25-point deduction in
the driver and owner standings, both ...
Ragan says Gen-6 car has equalized fieldMiamiHerald.comIn 2011, Regan Smith captured the Darlington race for tiny Furniture Row Racing. Ragan
acknowledged that Smith used a different pit strategy than much of the field and was able to hold on to the victory. Ragan,
though, said he's coming in with the hope
P R E S S * R E L E A S E S
___________________________________________________________
Richard Childress featured in "A Racer's Life" this Sunday on SPEED TV
Personal account of team owner's life to air at 8:30 p.m. ET
WELCOME, N.C. (May 10, 2013) - Richard Childress, president and CEO of Richard Childress
Racing, will be featured in the next installment of SPEED TV's on-going series, "A Racer's Life: Richard Childress" this Sunday
at 8:30 p.m. ET.
The hour-long show takes viewers for an in-depth and personal account of the driver-turned-championship-owner's
life and career. He talks about how he got into racing, the glory years with Dale Earnhardt, and after, and the growth of
Richard Childress Racing to where it is today.
The interview was conducted in four different places with four different people. Austin Dillon, Childress'
grandson and driver of RCR's No. 3 Advocare Chevrolet in the NASCAR Nationwide Series, and former RCR driver, Ricky Rudd.
A rare interview with Judy Childress, Richard's wife, adds even more of an in-depth and first-hand account of the 14-time
championship team owner, family man, outdoorsman and businessman.
Childress and host Steve Byrnes head to where it all began for the Winston-Salem, N.C. native at Bowman
Gray (N.C.) Stadium. After talking about his early battles - on and off the track - they conduct another segment in a place
near and dear to the RCR owner, his personal "trophy room" at his home. Also featured is the picturesque Childress Vineyards
in Lexington, NC and the RCR Museum on the RCR campus in Welcome.
"I've been around Richard Childress for 28 years and I learned things about him through this that I didn't
know -- who and what inspired him to go into racing and how he became a man at a very young age when his father died," Byrnes
said. "When we started talking about Dale, he got really emotional. When Dale was starting his own race team, he had lots
of organizational questions and always called Richard for advice. Dale would say, 'I know you're sitting down having a glass
of wine, but I have some questions for you.'
"Richard said that to this day, at a certain time of night, he looks at his watch and waits for that
phone call, but it hasn't come since 2001. I'd always respected him as a self-made man, but didn't really know how hard he
had to work to make it. Judy was great about recounting those tough times and helping us understand just how much they lived
race-to-race. His truly is a rags-to-riches story."
In the program, Childress details his path to NASCAR greatness
through key milestones, including his first visit to the track to his stint as an independent NASCAR racer; the difficult
decision to hang up his helmet and put Earnhardt in his car; hiring Rudd; Earnhardt's return to RCR and his and Childress'
triumphs and eternal bond; Childress' vision for the future of RCR; and his regrets over the years.
Viewers tuning in to SPEED TV at 8:30 p.m. ET on Sunday, May 12 will hear it all during the 60-minute
show, "A Racer's Life: Richard Childress."
#*#*
Daytona International Speedway Launches New Mobile Ticketing Site
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Daytona International Speedway, which will next showcase the stars of NASCAR
on July 5-6 for the Coke Zero 400 Weekend Powered By Coca-Cola, launched a new, mobile-friendly option that makes it even
easier for race fans to purchase tickets to a wide variety of events directly from their smartphones.
The new mobile ticketing site gives race fans the ability to easily purchase event tickets at the “World
Center of Racing,” Sprint FANZONE/Pre-Race access and much more. Fans can simply visit daytonainternationalspeedway.com
on a mobile device and select the “Tickets” link next to an event.
“This new mobile ticketing site makes it easier for fans to purchase admission to their favorite
races at Daytona International Speedway,” Track President Joie Chitwood III said. “As technology evolves, it’s
important for us to continuously improve our mobile offerings to enhance the fan experience, be it during a race weekend at
Daytona International Speedway or leading up to one of our great events.”
Moovweb helped launched the new mobile ticketing site at Daytona International Speedway as well as the
other 12 International Speedway Corporation facilities.
The stars of NASCAR return to Daytona International Speedway on July 5-6. Tickets to the Coke Zero 400
Powered By Coca-Cola NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race and the Subway Firecracker 250 Powered By Coca-Cola NASCAR Nationwide Series
race are available by calling 1-800-PITSHOP or online at www.daytonainternationalspeedway.com. Fans can follow NASCAR on Twitter (@NASCAR) and stay up to speed on the latest news by using hashtags
#NASCAR and #COKEZERO400. Fans can also stay connected with Daytona International Speedway on Twitter, Facebook and Pinterest for the latest news all season long.
N A S C A R * C A N A D I A N * T I R E * S E R I E S
C O L U M N S / C O M M E N T A R I E S
SUBSCRIBE INFORMATION
Courteousy Sporting News.com (http://aol.sportingnews.com/nascar):
Sprint Cup crew chiefs have track presence despite suspensions
Denny Hamlin prepares for long, tough Darlington race
Courteousy SpeedTv.com
(http://nascar.speedtv.com/):
Rainout @ Wall Stadium (http://www.wallspeedwayracing.com/?from_fb=1#):
The races scheduled
for this evening have been cancelled due to weather conditions. The Legend Twin 25s and the Moms Race will be rescheduled,
date TBA. Happy Mother's Day to all moms, enjoy your weekend and we will see you next week for Little League Night!
Rainout @ New Egypt Speedway too (http://www.newegyptspeedway.net/) :
ATTENTION:
Due to inclement weather expected throughout
the day,
tonight's races have been canceled.
Courteousy SpeedTv.com
(http://nascar.speedtv.com/):
Denny Hamlin plans to play through pain
Ragan still on Cloud Nine, accepts Keselowski apology
RYAN NEWMAN REMAINS FRUSTRATED OVER TALLADEGA
BUSCH WINS FROM POLE AT DARLINGTON
BAYNE COLLECTS SILAS AT DARLINGTON
Courteousy SpeedTv.com
(http://nascar.speedtv.com/): 
Courteousy SpeedwayMedia.com (http://www.speedwaymedia.com/):
|
Kurt Busch Captures Pole in Darlington; Furniture Row Racing Driver Sets Track Record
Kurt Busch blistered the daunting Darlington Raceway oval Friday, setting a track record en
route to claiming the No. 1 starting position for Saturday night's Bojangles' Southern 500 Sprint Cup Series race. |
|
CHEVY NSCS AT DARLINGTON: Qualifying Notes and Quotes
KURT BUSCH, NO. 78 FURNITURE ROW RACING/SERTA CHEVROLET SS – POLE WINNER - YOU JUST CUT
A NEW TRACK RECORD. DID IT FEEL LIKE IT? “It did and it didn’t. There is still maybe a little bit more time out
there. I might have to hold my breath for 27 more seconds for a couple more other guys" |
|
Ford Darlington Qualifying Quotes
ARIC ALMIROLA – No. 43 Smithfield Ford Fusion – “The draw hurts us. It’s
not ideal for us at all, but it is what it is. We can’t do anything about that. It’s supposedly a random draw,
so we just do the best we can with what we’ve got. It’s not a great lap there for us. I messed up a little bit
and the car was a little bit tight, so that’s OK. We’ll go race them.” |
|
Previewing The Bojangles Southern 500 At Darlington Raceway
This weekend, NASCAR heads to the track nicknamed "too tough to tame" and rightly so. Darlington
Raceway is a 1 mile egg-shaped oval nestled in a small town in South Carolina and once a year, NASCAR awakens this legendary
speedway and will adorn the lady with her signature black walls before the race is done. |
|
CHEVY NSCS AT DARLINGTON: Jeff Gordon Press Conf Transcript
JEFF GORDON, NO. 24 CROMAX PRO CHEVROLET SS met with media and discussed his 700th start, contracts,
his experiences in driving with back pain, racing at Darlington, and more. |
Toyota NSCS Darlington Notes & Quotes – Denny Hamlin
DENNY HAMLIN, No. 11 SportClips Toyota Camry, Joe Gibbs Racing - How was the first practice
today at Darlington? "It was good. Obviously it takes a little while to get the rust kind of knocked off, but I feel very
comfortable and excited to kind of get back to the competitive spirit again."
|
CHEVY NSCS AT DARLINGTON: Danica Patrick Press Conf. Transcript
DANICA PATRICK, NO. 10 GODADDY.COM CHEVROLET SS, met with members of the media at Darlington
Raceway and discussed going to a back-up car following a practice accident, her confidence going into this race after last
years’ experience at this track and other topics. |
|
Daytona International Speedway Launches New Mobile Ticketing Site
Daytona International Speedway, which will next showcase the stars of NASCAR on July 5-6 for
the Coke Zero 400 Weekend Powered By Coca-Cola, launched a new, mobile-friendly option that makes it even easier for race
fans to purchase tickets to a wide variety of events directly from their smartphones. |
|
CHEVY NSCS AT DARLINGTON: Jimmie Johnson Press Conf. Transcript
JIMMIE JOHNSON, NO. 48 LOWE’S EMERALD GREEN CHEVROLET SS, met with members of the media
at Darlington Raceway and discussed the rich history of the track, his successful start to the 2013 season, his thoughts on
Hendrick Motorsports teammate Jeff Gordon making his 700th start and other topics. |
|
Bowyer To Drive KFC’s “I Ate The Bones” Paint Scheme in Darlington
At some point this weekend at Darlington Raceway Clint Bowyer is sure to look into a television
camera and say: “I Ate The Bones.” That’s because Bowyer’s No. 15 Toyota will carry Kentucky Fried
Chicken’s “I Ate The Bones” paint scheme Saturday night when the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races at the 1.366-mile
South Carolina track. |
|
Dale Earnhardt Jr. Appearance Highlights "No. 88 Package" for July 6 NASCAR Sprint
Cup Series Race At Daytona
Daytona International Speedway will offer a special ticket package for the upcoming NASCAR
Sprint Cup Series event on Saturday night, July 6 at the “World Center of Racing” that includes a question and
answer session with No. 88 National Guard driver Dale Earnhardt Jr. |
|
Richard Childress featured in "A Racer’s Life" on SPEED this Sunday
Richard Childress, president and CEO of Richard Childress Racing, will be featured in the next
installment of SPEED TV's on-going series, "A Racer's Life: Richard Childress" this Sunday at 8:30 p.m. ET.
| Courteousy Sporting News.com (http://aol.sportingnews.com/nascar):
After fast Indy test, Kurt Busch earns pole with record qualifying speed
Newman still frustrated over Talladega, has not spoken with NASCAR
Courteousy ESPN.com
(http://espn.go.com/racing/nascar/):
Door-To-Door
Ricky Craven edging Kurt Busch at Darlington in 2003 is perhaps the greatest finish in NASCAR history. Truthfully, it's
even better than you remember, especially when they re-tell it. Marty Smith
Courteousy FOX Sports
(http://msn.foxsports.com/nascar ):
Kurt Busch sets track record, wins Darlington pole
Results
Fast Facts: Darlington Raceway
Courteousy SpeedTv.com
(http://www.speedtv.com/ ) :
Courteousy Sports Illustrated (http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/racing/?eref=sinav&sct=hp_nv_a):
" Fresh Start "
Lars Anderson: Re-engergized Gibbs racing could surprise at Darlington
Courteousy USA Today.com (http://www.usatoday.com/sports/nascar/):
(http://nascar.speedtv.com/):
CLEAN SWEEP — If qualifying is any indication, the Joe Gibbs Racing Toyotas will be
really tough in tonight’s VFW Sport Clips Help A Hero 200 NASCAR Nationwide Series race at Darlington Raceway. For the
first time, JGR swept the top four starting spots in a Nationwide race, with Kyle Busch on the pole at 172.584 miles per hour.
Busch’s pole lap was just 0.01 seconds faster that Elliott Sadler, who qualified
at 172.523 mph. On Row 2 will be the JGR Toyotas of Matt Kenseth and Brian Vickers, while Row 3 will belong to a pair of Chevrolets,
with Justin Allgaier inside and Kasey Kahne outside. Completing the top 10 will be Kyle Larson, Austin Dillon, Sam Hornish
Jr. and Trevor Bayne. Series points leader Regan Smith will roll off 11th
Courteousy FOX Sports
(http://msn.foxsports.com/nascar):
Menard 'close' to extension with Childress Cup team
Kurt Busch considers running IndyCar races with Andretti
Courteousy Sporting News.com (http://aol.sportingnews.com/nascar):
NASCAR suffered two big losses this week when penalties against Penske Racing and Joe Gibbs Racing
were drastically reduced upon appeal. But NASCAR President Mike Helton says NASCAR is still in control.
Courteousy SpeedTv.com
(http://nascar.speedtv.com/):
HAPPY TIME, PEOPLE — The second and final NASCAR Sprint Cup practice for tomorrow night’s
Bojangles’ Southern 500 is in the books. Juan Pablo Montoya was fastest in Happy Hour, lapping the 1.366-mile track
at 177.070 miles per hour in his Earnhardt Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates Chevrolet SS.
Second
behind Montoya was rookie Ricky Stenhouse Jr., 176.809 mph in the No. 17 Roush Fenway Racing Ford. His teammate Carl Edwards
was next at 176.543 mph. Completing the top five were Jeff Burton and Kurt Busch.
Greg
Biffle made it three Roush Fenway Fords in the top six. He was followed by Matt Kenseth, Jeff Gordon, Martin Truex Jr. and
Kyle Busch, with Dale Earnhardt Jr. 11th.
Qualifying begins at 5 p.m. and will be
televised on SPEED. Tune in for all the action from Darlington.
CUP: Kurt Busch Drives Fenderless
Is Bill Elliott retired, or still interested in racing?
Danica meets 'Lady In Black' in crash at Darlington
Courteousy FOX Sports
(http://msn.foxsports.com/nascar):
Jeff Gordon’s $30 Million New York Condo For Sale
Ragan, little guys front and center
Gilliland, Ragan offer hope for less powerful Sprint Cup teams.
This Jeff Gordon Back Tattoo Is Absolutely Incredible
Five time Bill Elliott earns nickname in his own right with historic victories at Darlington
Raceway.
WATCH VIDEO »
She's no lady Just how did Darlington Raceway get its unusual nickname?
WATCH »
She's no lady Just how did Darlington Raceway get its unusual
Courteousy NASCAR.com
(http://www.nascar.com/) :
JGR'S VICKERS FASTEST IN NATIONWIDE PRACTICE
BY THE NUMBERS: DARLINGTON
Courteousy ESPN.com
(http://espn.go.com/racing/nascar/):
Around The Track
Matt Kenseth is feeling a sense of relief, Jeff Gordon's ready for start No. 700, and "The Lady in Black" is waiting. Keep
up with all the news and action -- live -- at Darlington. David Newton
Courteousy SpeedTv.com
(http://nascar.speedtv.com/):
Courteousy The Stock Car Gazette
(http://MotorSportsNews.Net) (Thanks Heather !):
Google Alerts
PitTalks.com
The Kings Cup is coming May 21st. at Victory Lane Karting
ARCA
ARCA Trucks kick off 2013 season at Flat Rock Saturday; Bobby Dale Earnhardt among entrants
(FLAT ROCK, Mich. - May 10, 2013) - The ARCA Truck Series is kicking off its 15th season of competition
this Saturday, May 11 at Flat Rock Speedway in Flat Rock, Michigan with a 100-lap feature event.
And a name familiar to stock car fans across the world will be a part of the festivities. Bobby Dale
Earnhardt, grandson of Dale Earnhardt, Sr., will be making his ARCA Truck Series debut.
N A S C A R * C A N A D I A N * T I R E * S E R I E S
Courteousy Sporting News.com (http://aol.sportingnews.com/nascar):
The March 2003 race at Darlington is widely regarded as the greatest finish in NASCAR history. Kurt
Busch and Ricky Craven will certainly never forget it — nor their handshake in victory lane. They relive the magical
moment.
2 articles,courteousy Amanda Vincent
(Thanks Amanda !!):
http://stockcarspin.com/2013/05/10/interim-crew-chiefs-report-for-duty-at-darlington/
Interim crew chiefs report for duty at Darlington
http://www.examiner.com/article/nemechek-heads-to-darlington-for-400th-nationwide-series-start
Nemechek heads to Darlington for 400th Nationwide Series start
Amanda Vincent
Mom's will be honored @ all 3 New Jersey oval tracks this weekend .
Bridgeport Speedway (http://www.bpspeedway.com/ ) is set for another busy weekend ! See my Bridgeport Speedway page :Bridgeport Speedway ! , for all the details !
Wall Stadium Speedway ( http://www.wallspeedwayracing.com/?from_fb=1#) is also set for some serious racing action this weekend ! See my Wall Stadium 2013 :Wall Stadium Speedway 2013 , for the details !
It's also going to be another busy Saturday night @ New Egypt Speedway (http://www.negyptspeedway.net/)! See my New Egypt Speedway News Page 3 :New Egypt Speedway News Page 3 ! , for the details !
Also !
For those of you who like their race cars and bikes to go straight,and incredibly fast ! I
have posted some news from Old Bridge Twp. Raceway Park ( http://www.etownraceway.com/),aka Englishtown ,on my Drag Racing page : Drag Racing !
Courteousy Bleacher Report.com
(http://bleacherreport.com/nascar):
Most Dominant Seasons in Sprint Cup Series History
By Christopher Leone
Strangest Accidents in NASCAR History
by Joseph Shelton
Tighten your belts, you are now entering the Speedway Zone. Accidents in NASCAR are as commonplace as breathing in your
everyday life... Read More »
Breaking Down Jimmie Johnson's Dominance in the First Half of the 2013 Season
by Michael Guadalupe
Jimmie Johnson has been one of the most dominating drivers so far this season in NASCAR. It shouldn’t be a surprise
to see Johnson running well, especially after having a solid season last year... Read More »
Courteousy Sports Illustrated (http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/racing/?eref=sinav&sct=hp_nv_a):
Courteousy The Frontstretch.com
(http://www.frontstretch.com/):
Friday Racing Schedule: Darlington
Sprint Cup and Nationwide teams are back in action at the 1.33-mile speedway that's steeped in tradition. Here's a TV
schedule to get you primed for the upcoming weekend...
11:30 AM - 1:30 PM Sprint Cup Series Practice
No. 1 SPEED
2:00 - 3:00 PM Sprint Cup Series Happy Hour
SPEED
3:30 - 5:00 PM Nationwide Series Qualifying ESPN 2
5:00
- 6:30 PM Sprint Cup Series Qualifying SPEED
7:30 - 10:00 PM Nationwide
Series VFW Sport Clips Help a Hero 200 ESPN 2
Brown to Serve as Crew Chief for Kenseth
Joe Gibbs Racing announced on Thursday evening that
Wally Brown will serve as the interim crew chief for Matt Kenseth in this weekend's Bojangles Southern 500. Brown is no stranger
to being on top of the pit box, serving as the crew chief for Carl Edwards during the 2006 season for 27 races. He's
also worked with Jamie McMurray, Joey Logano and David Gilliland in the Sprint Cup Series. Kenseth's regular crew chief
Jason Ratcliff is suspended for this weekend's race at Darlington for violations stemming from April's STP 400 at Kansas Speedway.
The original six-race suspension was reduced in Wednesday's appeal hearing. Ratcliff will return for next weekend's All Star
Race at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Nemechek Lands Sponsor for DarlingtonJoe Nemechek's No. 87 Toyota
will sport a brand new sponsor this weekend at Darlington Raceway. Royal Teak Collection.com will make their debut as a primary
sponsor in Saturday night's Bojangles' Southern 500. "I am very excited to have RoyalTeakCollection.com on our
No. 87 car and look forward to promoting the premium brand of teak wood casual furniture," Nemechek said. Royal Teak
Collection.com is celebrating their first race as primary sponsor by offering a special promotion for race fans on their web
site. Royal Teak is one of the world's largest manufacturers of patio/casual furniture,offering a range of solid teak and
all weather wicker collections.
Peanut Patch Returns as Ragan's Sponsor
Just days removed from Front Row Motorsports' victory at Talladega
Superspeedway, McCall Farms, Inc. announced that Peanut Patch would sponsor David Ragan's No. 34 Ford in Saturday night's
Bojangles' Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway. The company made its debut last season at Darlington.
"It's great to
have Peanut Patch back on our car this year, especially here in Darlington for their first primary race of the season," Ragan
said. "Not only is the Southern 500 one of the most prestigious and historical races in NASCAR, but Darlington is right up
the road from McCall Farms' headquarters. So you could say that Peanut Patch is the home team at this race."
Prior
to his victory last weekend, Ragan's best finish on the season came in the form of a 20th-place result at Richmond under the
lights. He currently sits 26th in the points standings.
Gresham Picks Up Two Race Sponsor
Earlier this
week, Eddie Sharp Racing announced a new partnership at the National Hardware Show in Las Vega. Trimmer Assist, a "revolutionary
new string trimmer and blower suspension system," will partner to serve as primary sponsor for Max Gresham's Chevrolet for
two races. The Georgia-based company is scheduled to back the No. 8 team for next weekend's North Carolina Education Lottery
200 at Charlotte and at Dover on May 31st.
"We are so proud to partner with Max Gresham in the No. 8 Chevrolet for
Eddie Sharp Racing," Tony Hanes, inventor of Trimmer Assist said. "Gresham represents the same fundamental principles of our
Trimmer Assist brand--cleverness, strong work ethics, and commitment to success."
In 20 career Truck Series starts,
Gresham boasts a best finish of 11th at Martinsville last fall. He currently sits 19th in the points standings after four
events.
Frontstretch Folio: Bojangles' Southern 500
by Beth Lunkenheimer
The Sprint Cup Series heads to Darlington Raceway this weekend for a Saturday night showdown. The Bojangles' Southern
500 is the 11th race of the 2013 season and will be broadcast live on FOX at 6:45 PM ET. The race can also be heard on your
local MRN affiliate or SiriusXM Radio Channel 90. Drivers will compete for 367 laps (501.322 miles) en route to the checkered
flag.
Records and Facts:
Kasey Kahne holds the record for fastest qualifying lap with a speed of 181.254
mph, set for the 2011 Showtime Southern 500. Kahne led a race-high 124 laps but was left to settle for a fourth-place finish.
Regan Smith went on to take the win, just 0.196 seconds ahead of Carl Edwards. Brad Keselowski and Ryan Newman finished third
and fifth, respectively.
Jimmie Johnson is the defending winner of this weekend's race. After starting on the outside
pole, the driver of the No. 48 Chevrolet led a race-high 134 laps en route to his third career win at the storied track. Denny
Hamlin, Tony Stewart, Kyle Busch and Martin Truex, Jr. rounded out the top 5.
Track Facts:
Track /
Race Length: 1.366-mile egg-shaped oval, 367 laps, 501.322 miles
Degree of Banking: Turns 1 and 2: 25 degrees;
Turns 3 and 4: 23 degrees
Frontstretch: 1,229 feet, banked 3 degrees
Backstretch: 1,229 feet, banked 2
degrees
Grandstand Seating: 68,000
Pit Road Speed: 45 mph
Opened: 1950
Pre-Race Schedule
Practice:
Friday, May 10, 11:30 AM - 1:30 PM ET on SPEED
Happy Hour: Friday, May 10, 2:15 - 3:00 PM ET on SPEED
Qualifying:
Friday, May 10 at 5:10 PM ET on SPEED
VIPs
Grand Marshal / Command: Cup drivers' mothers plus Stephanie
Decker, a mother who lost both of her legs shielding her children from a tornado that destroyed their home in March, 2012
National
Anthem: Outshyne's lead singer Waylon Owings
Race Day Forecast
Saturday: PM Thunderstorms; Chance
of Rain 50%
High: 85
Low: 64
They Said It:
"We're still all smiling and in a great
mood from Talladega. Darlington is an awesome race track. It's unique. Richmond you can relate to Phoenix, Bristol you can
kind of relate to Dover. Darlington you can't relate to anywhere. It's its own plas, and there's no other race track in the
country, at least that I've ever raced on, that's even close. It's a tough track. It definitely lives up to its nickname each
and every year. It's very challenging, but it's a lot of fun." David Gilliland
"I love tracks with character
and Darlington certainly has it. Tire wear used to be a big deal there, but not so much now with the track trying to come
back in. It's aging slowly. It's still not quite like the old track. Track position and strategy will be very important. If
actually has the highest sensation of speed. It was build in the '40s and '50s for cars to go 120 mph, and we are going 200.
It's also very narrow. I'm looking forward to it. It's one of my favorite tracks." Jimmie Johnson
"[Darlington
is] one of the places we go to where you have to race the track. If you get caught up in racing someone too hard or lose focus
for just a second, you are int he fence. I think that's why I love the place so much. It is definitely one of my favorites.
I love the challenge and running up against the fence. I love everything Darlington throws at us. I mean, when you go into
Turn 1, the car slides. You don’t know when the car is going to stop. We are so close to the wall. There are parts of
that track where you feel like you are out of control. I think that’s why it is so fun to be able to go out and do that
for 500 miles. I’m not superstitious, but whatever we’ve been doing of late seems to work so we aren’t changing
anything and if it takes a troll riding on the dashboard, I don’t mind the company in the car." Martin Truex, Jr.
TODAY ON THE FRONTSTRETCH:
by Ellen Richardson
by Amy Henderson
by Kevin Rutherford
as told to Beth Lunkenheimer
Courteousy SpeedTv.com
(5/9/13)
Courteousy SpeedwayMedia.com (http://www.speedwaymedia.com/):
|
James Buescher: The performance is not reflected by the results
"We just haven’t finished the way we’ve ran. We’ve been running really strong;
just don’t have the results to show for it. Gotta keep building on Kansas and go from there." |
|
NASCAR’s Losing Streak – Will They Make Changes?
After a week of tremendous joy with David Ragan slaying the giant on Sunday, things got a little
testy on Tuesday and Wednesday of this week. First, NASCAR’s Chief Appellate Officer, John Middlebrook, weakened NASCAR’s
penalties to Penske Racing’s No. 2 and No, 22 teams. |
|
NASCAR Consistency Called Into Question After Newman’s Comments At Talladega
Recent comments made by NASCAR drivers continue to raise questions and cause controversy as
the 2013 NASCAR season approaches its eleventh race this Saturday at Darlington Raceway. |
|
TriStar Motorsports Pre-Race Notes & Quotes – Darlington
There’s a lot that goes into a two-step routine with famed Darlington Raceway. Car handling
and driving ability are two elements that help ‘balance’ the driver’s efforts from earning a ‘Darlington
Stripe.’ Mike Bliss, Jeff Green, Hal Martin, Eric McClure and their teams have been prepping all week for their soiree
with “The Lady In Black” |
|
David Ragan Races His Way Out of Sprint Fan Vote, Into Sprint All-Star Race
David Ragan’s dramatic win at Talladega Superspeedway vaulted him into the NASCAR Sprint
All-Star Race for just the second time in his career. If the Front Row Motorsports driver earns a trip to Victory Lane at
Charlotte Motor Speedway on Saturday, May 18, he’ll pocket at least $1 million. If he wins all five race segments …make
it $2 million. |
|
Nine-Time GRAMMY Winner Sheryl Crow to Perform Pre-Race Concert for the 55th Annual
Coke Zero 400 Powered By Coca-Cola
Nine-time GRAMMY winner Sheryl Crow, whose long list of hits include “All I Wanna Do,”
“Soak Up The Sun” and her latest single “Easy,” will perform a hour-long pre-race concert prior to
the 55th annual Coke Zero 400 Powered By Coca-Cola NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race on Saturday, July 6 at Daytona International
Speedway. |
|
|
|
Treasure Hunters From Around The World Gathering At Darlington Raceway
Darlington Raceway, along with the Florence Visitors Bureau, and the Pee Dee Geocachers, have
teamed up to give fans attending the Bojangles Southern 500 this weekend a unique opportunity to hunt for treasure located
around the hallowed grounds of the Track To Tough To Tame. |
|
Mark Martin on Larry Phillips/Darlington Preview
No. 55 Aaron’s Dream Machine driver and future Hall of Famer Mark Martin doesn’t
want to influence the 54-member voting panel that will convene May 22 to vote for the next five members of the NASCAR Hall
of Fame. |
Courteousy ESPN.com
(http://espn.go.com/racing/nascar/):
Ready For 700
It's been a heck of a career for Jeff Gordon, and it's far from over. Take a look back with "NASCAR Now" as he gears up
for his 700th career start this weekend at Darlington. Watch
Chase Chances
It's a question that will eventually have an answer, but we have 16 weeks to watch it unfold. Will Tony Stewart, Denny
Hamlin or David Ragan charge to the Chase? Terry Blount Blount chat wrap » Kurt
Kurt Busch passes rookie test for Indy 500 
Courteousy FOX Sports
(http://msn.foxsports.com/nascar):
Jeff Hammond weighs in on Penske and Gibbs' penalties.
Jeff Hammond on how teams involved in wrecks at Talladega move forward to
the co...
Steve Byrnes talks to Ricky Stenhouse Jr. about the wreck at Talladega, his
new ... Lady's night Blazing speeds will mean another Darlington thrill ride.
LARRY MCREYNOLDS »
Original approach They say the couple that cooks together, stays together, right? Wonder if this really
counts ...
THAT'S NEW »
Michael McDowell Has A Really, Really Bad Sunburn
Courteousy NASCAR.com
(http://www.nascar.com/) :
YOUNGEST EARNHARDT ALSO THRIVES ON HORSEPOWER
Taylor Earnhardt an established horse sportswoman
HARVICK BEHIND DECISION TO FINISH TALLADEGA RACE
ALMIROLA, NO. 43 RPM CAR STREAKING TO DARLINGTON
RICKY STENHOUSE, DANICA PATRICK COMFORTABLE AS COUPLE
Courteousy SpeedTv.com
(http://nascar.speedtv.com/) :
From Auto Racing SpeedTv.com
(http://auto-racing.speedtv.com/):
Courteousy Yahoo Sports
(http://sports.yahoo.com/nascar/):
Do underdogs stand a chance at Darlington?
David Ragan led a 1-2 finish for Front Row Motorsports at Talladega, but don't count on
a surprise this week.
Darlington a pillar of NASCAR history
Kurt Busch turns laps at Indianapolis
Courteousy Sporting News.com (http://aol.sportingnews.com/nascar):
Hamlin cleared to run full race at Darlington
Brian France divorce documents show net worth of NASCAR Chairman
Regan Smith stunned the NASCAR world when he won Darlington's Southern 500 in 2011. Don't expect it
to happen again. Upsets are rare at the track "Too Tough To Tame."
Ricky Stenhouse Jr. is getting used to being overshadowed by his famous girlfriend. Like being ignored
by fans and getting cut out of photos. Such is life when you're dating NASCAR star Danica Patrick.
Dale Earnhardt Jr. knew his JR Motorsports team had tremendous potential with Regan Smith. Smith already
has Earnhardt Jr.'s team in a position it has never been before — atop the Nationwide points standings.
Courteousy Bleacher Report.com
(http://bleacherreport.com/nascar):
Sprint Cup Disappointments Having Excellent 2013 Seasons
By Jerry Bonkowski
FYI WIRZ: NASCAR's Fastest with Dale Earnhardt Jr. Talk Wall Hits at Darlington
by Dwight Drum
Darlington Raceway walls always win. Ask any NASCAR driver, past or present. The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series roars to action
during the Bojangles’ Southern 500 May 11 at Darlington Raceway in Darlington , South Carolina... Read More »
Courteousy The Stock Car Gazette
(http://MotorSportsNews.Net ) (Thanks Heather !):
This weekend’s weather for Darlington:
- FridayA slight chance of showers after 2pm. Mostly sunny, with a high near 87. Southwest wind 5
to 11 mph. Chance of precipitation is 20%.
- Friday NightA slight chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 62. South wind around
9 mph. Chance of precipitation is 20%.
- SaturdayA chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 84. Southwest wind
9 to 13 mph. Chance of precipitation is 40%. New rainfall amounts of less than a tenth of an inch, except higher amounts possible
in thunderstorms.
- Saturday NightA chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 62. Chance
of precipitation is 50%. New rainfall amounts of less than a tenth of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.
Stock Car Gazette
The 8 Hours of Talledega
by Lou Modestino
Stock Car Gazette
SHORT TRACK: Five Minutes with Hoosier Hundred Promoter Bob Sargent
by Stephen Cox
Google Alerts
Great Drivers Dominate But Surprises HappenAuto Racing Daily Smith recorded two firsts – his initial victory and that of Furniture Row Racing, a
single-car team. Could lightning strike again? Perhaps – especially coming six days after Front Row Motorsports' one-two
upset by David Ragan and David Gilliland at ..
PitTalks.com
The Comeback–Eric Bilyeu
C O L U M N S / C O M M E N T A R I E S
Mike Smith's StockCartoons 2013
JGR SCORES DECISIVE VICTORY IN APPEAL HEARING
SUBSCRIBE INFORMATION
CourteousyThe Frontstretch.com
(http://www.frontstretch.com/):
Joe Gibbs Racing Receives Substantial Reductions at Appeal
Joe Gibbs Racing had many of their penalties for the No. 20 team reduced during the appeal process on Wednesday.
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, claiming that the offending connecting rod was sourced from
a European vendor.
Driver Matt Kenseth and owner Joe Gibbs had their points penalties reduced from 50 to 12
points. The
reduction moves Kenseth from 11th up to fourth in points, 66 points behind leader Jimmie Johnson.
Revised
Sprint Cup Series Points after Talladega:
1. Jimmie Johnson
383
2. Carl Edwards
-41
3. Dale Earnhardt, Jr. -59
4. Matt Kenseth
-66
5. Clint Bowyer
-67
6. Brad Keselowski -69
7. Kasey Kahne
-84
8. Aric Almirola -90
9.
Paul Menard -93
10.
Kyle Busch -98
11.
Greg Biffle -103
12.
Kevin Harvick -107
t-13. Martin Truex, Jr.
-114
t-13. Jeff Gordon -114
15. Jamie
McMurray -116
16. Ricky Stenhouse, Jr. -127
17. Ryan Newman
-141
18. Joey Logano -146
Current
Wild Cards: 1. Kevin Harvick (12th in points, one win), 2. Greg Biffle (11th in points, no wins)
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.
JGR has not announced
who will replace Ratcliff this weekend in Darlington.
The appeal was heard by Mark Arute of Stafford Motor Speedway,
Dover Motorsports CEO Denis McGlynn, and former car owner Jack Housey.
NASCAR cannot appeal the revised penalties.
Gibbs Sponsor Ceases Sales
Wednesday did not bring 100 percent good news for Joe Gibbs
Racing. Wrigley announced that they are pulling the caffeinated Alert Energy gum off the market temporarily. The
product removal is in respect to the Food and Drug Administration's current investigation into foods with caffeine added to
them and whether they are safe for the general public, and in particular, children. At Talladega, Sadler was supposed
to run Alert Energy's purple and orange colors on his No. 81 Toyota. However, the team made a wrap change at the track
to Doublemint. Sadler was the sole driver to miss the field for Sunday's Aaron's 499 due to qualifying being rained
out. It is currently unclear as to whether this will affect Sadler's one remaining Cup race in the No. 81. Entry
List Update:
Note: These entries are accurate as of Wednesday night. However, they are still subject to change
right up to race day.Sprint Cup Series Bojangles' Southern 500: 44 cars entered
Drivers Ineligible
to Earn Points:
No. 19- Mike Bliss for Humphrey-Smith Racing No. 35- Josh Wise for Front Row Motorsports No.
51- Regan Smith for Phoenix Racing No. 87- Joe Nemechek for NEMCO Motorsports/JRR Driver Changes:
No.
32- Timmy Hill returns to the seat, replacing Terry Labonte. No. 55- Mark Martin returns to the seat, replacing
Michael Waltrip. Drivers who must qualify in the top-36:
No. 52- Brian Keselowski for Hamilton-Means Racing Drivers
most at risk of failing to qualify, but could still have a provisional available:
No. 19- Mike Bliss for Humphrey-Smith
Racing (44th in owners' points) No. 32- Timmy Hill for FAS Lane Racing (38th in owners' points) No. 87-
Joe Nemechek for NEMCO Motorsports/JRR (40th in owners' points No. 93- Travis Kvapil for BK Racing (39th in owners'
points) No. 95- Scott Speed for Leavine Family Racing (41st in owners' points)* No. 98- Michael McDowell
for Phil Parsons Racing (42nd in owners' points)* Not Entered:
No. 21- Trevor Bayne for Wood Brothers Racing Nationwide
Series VFW Sport Clips Help a Hero 200: 43 cars entered
Drivers Ineligible to Earn Points:
No. 00- Michael McDowell
for SR2 Motorsports No. 4- Landon Cassill for JD Motorsports with Gary Keller No. 5- Kasey Kahne for JR
Motorsports No. 18- Matt Kenseth for Joe Gibbs Racing No. 22- Joey Logano for Penske Racing No.
23- Harrison Rhodes for R3 Motorsports/Rick Ware Racing No. 33- Ty Dillon for Richard Childress Racing No.
42- JJ Yeley for The Motorsports Group, LLC No. 47- Scott Riggs for The Motorsports Group, LLC No. 54-
Kyle Busch for Kyle Busch Motorsports/Joe Gibbs Racing Driver Changes:
No. 00- Michael McDowell returns to
the seat, replacing Blake Koch. No. 16- Chris Buescher returns to the seat, replacing Ryan Reed. No. 23-
Harrison Rhodes returns to the seat, replacing Robert Richardson, Jr. No. 52- Joey Gase returns to the seat, replacing
Donnie Neuenberger. No. 54- Kyle Busch returns to the seat, replacing Joey Coulter. No. 79- Kyle Fowler
is in the seat, replacing Jeffrey Earnhardt. No. 92- Dexter Stacey returns to the seat, replacing Tim Andrews. Drivers
who must qualify on speed:
No. 00- Michael McDowell for SR2 Motorsports No. 4- Landon Cassill for JD Motorsports
with Gary Keller No. 10- Jeff Green for TriStar Motorsports (Guaranteed to start via the Past Champions' Provisional)* No.
15- Stanton Barrett for Rick Ware Racing No. 16- Chris Buescher for Roush Fenway Racing No. 17- Tanner
Berryhill for Vision Racing No. 18- Matt Kenseth for Joe Gibbs Racing No. 42- JJ Yeley for The Motorsports
Group, LLC* No. 46- Chase Miller for The Motorsports Group, LLC* No. 47- Scott Riggs for The Motorsports
Group, LLC* No. 52- Joey Gase for Jimmy Means Motorsports No. 73- Derrike Cope for Derrike Cope Racing No.
92- Dexter Stacey for KH Motorsports Not Entered:
No. 34- Danica Patrick for Turner Scott Motorsports No.
37- Matt DiBenedetto for Vision Racing (announced) No. 55- Jamie Dick for Viva Motorsports No. 85-
Bobby Gerhart for Bobby Gerhart Racing No. 89- Morgan Shepherd for Shepherd Motor Ventures *- Expected to Start-and-Park Today's Featured Commentary
Charting The Suspendables and Expendables
What's Vexing Vito
by Vito Pugliese
When it was made known that Penske Racing and Joe Gibbs Racing were going to appeal
their respective penalties, many were skeptical of the outcome. After all, National Stock Car Racing Commission Chief Appelate
Officer John Middlebrook has connections to GM! He’s friends with Rick Hendrick! Penske fields Fords!
Gibbs is nearly guilty of treason running Toyotas!
In actuality what happened was after failing in the initial appeal,
Middlebrook reduced the initial fines imposed by NASCAR in the final appeal to those that most feel reasonable, equitable,
and within the scope of the infractions in question. Penske Racing will get their crew chiefs, car chiefs, and team
manager back after three weeks instead of seven.
Joe Gibbs Racing had their fine reduced from 50 points to 12, a six-race
suspension for crew chief Jason Ratcliff will now just be one, the wins and pole count towards the title and next year’s
Sprint Unlimited – and Joe Gibbs is eligible for owner’s points. Satisfied with that result, JGR declined
to appeal the rulings any further.
Which begs the question: Why not make Middlebrook the one in charge of issuing
penalties in the first place? Whoever is on the panel that decides such things, they apparently have a greater grasp
of the parts, pieces, and processes involved than the guillotine of points, prize money, and personnel that has been wielded
in recent years.
**********
With that being said, NASCAR has opted not to fine Ryan Newman after the late race
accident at Talladega saw another car end up in his lap, in about the same spot he had a blowover a couple of years back.
Newman’s comment that, “They can't get their heads out of their asses far enough to keep them on the race track,
and that's pretty disappointing. I wanted to make sure I get that point across. Y'all can figure out who 'they'
is." NASCAR was not happy with the remarks, but said they opted not to fine him because he “did not disparage
the racing product.”
Uh, what? So Denny Hamlin is fined for saying the cars aren’t racing like the
used to – yet – , but Newman tells the sanctioning body on TV to get their heads out of their ass, and
he gets a thank you for not trashing the sport? At this rate, I can only imagine what will happen the next time Johnny
Sauter thanks Jesus for a win and a safe race…
**********
While David Ragan was sailing past former teammates
Carl Edwards and Matt Kenseth for the win on the final lap at Talladega last Sunday, I couldn’t help but marvel at yet
another talent Roush Fenway Racing has allowed to walk out the door and find success in recent years. After he got the
boot from the No. 26 in 2009, Jamie McMurray promptly won the Daytona 500 and Brickyard 400 -- while just missing out on the
Southern 500 and Coca-Cola 600. Matt Kenseth left the only home he had known after 13 seasons this year, and already
has two wins, and has dominated all but a few races thus far. To think that they almost lost Carl Edwards a couple of
years ago as well, should be a splash of wake up water to RFR.
Between losing sponsorships, foundation laying personnel,
and mothballing iconic car numbers, the days of it being simply Roush Racing seem eons ago. Sure, Nationwide titles are nice,
but Cup wins are what make headlines and reign in the sponsorship and top talent. What was supposed to be a marketing
boon and sponsorship bonanza has nearly gone bust in recent years, between shutting down cars, losing drivers, losing a title
on a tie-breaker, and chasing their tails for almost two years with faulty simulation software.
**********
David
Ragan’s win at Talladega will go down as one of the greatest finishes in that track’s history. If you have
a few minutes, check out my compilation of the 10 Most Amazing Talladega Finishes -- there is a new one that needs to be added shortly.
Frontstretch Line of the Week
From Five Points to Ponder: Firsts, Families And Failing Pit Crews
"You never forget your first love. Whether it’s a high school sweetheart, a faithful
old hunting dog, or a fickle race track in South Carolina with a contrary disposition. And, if you happen to be a race car
driver there’s no victory so sweet, so memorable, as whipping Darlington Raceway."- The late Dale Earnhardt,
on Darlington Raceway.
TODAY
ON THE FRONTSTRETCH:
by Jeff Wolfe
NASCAR Mailbox: Harsh Comments and Penalties Galore
by Summer Bedgood
Truckin' Thursdays: Peters' Roots, King's Return and Newberry's Experience
by Beth Lunkenheimer
Courteousy SpeedwayMedia.com (http://www.speedwaymedia.com/):
Bobby Labonte’s Career Is One of Trials, Triumphs and Raw Deals
Bobby Labonte made his 700th career NASCAR Sprint Cup Series (NSCS) start at Talladega Superspeedway
this past Sunday leading laps under green before being swept up in a late race wreck finishing 20th.
|
|
Gilliland Still Smiling over Big Day for Little Team
David Gilliland is probably the happiest second-place finisher around. After pushing his teammate
David Ragan to victory for Front Row Motorsports' first Sprint Cup victory last weekend at Talladega Superspeeday, Gilliland
has been just as central to the team celebration as the guy who crossed the finish line first. |
|
Busch and Craven were ‘two guys taking the gloves off’ at Darlington in
2003
It’ll be 10 years late next week since the thrilling finish between Kurt Busch and Ricky
Craven at Darlington, but it still brings a smile to both their faces. Speaking to the media on Tuesday, both Busch and Craven
retold of that magical day in which they crossed the finish line virtually linked together. Craven [...] |
Crunching The Numbers: Darlington
With a weekend full of rain delays, wild wrecks, close finishes, and underdog winners at Talladega
Superspeedway behind them, the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series and NASCAR Nationwide Series head to Darlington Raceway, NASCAR’s
first superspeedway, for some night racing on Mother’s Day weekend at the track that is “Too Tough To Tame”. |
|
Surprising and Not Surprising: Talladega Aaron’s 499
With a three hour plus rain delay pushing the Aaron’s 499 from day into a Talladega Night,
here is what was surprising and not surprising from the Alabama 2.66 mile oval. |
|
Hot 20 over the past 10 – Kenseth heads to Darlington 38 points richer
Funny what 38 points can do for a driver. That is the amount NASCAR gave back to Matt Kenseth
after hearing the appeal for that engine violation that bit him after Kansas. For the 2003 champion, the change of mind moved
him from outside a Chase place all the way up to fourth in the standings.
Courteousy Sporting News.com (http://aol.sportingnews.com/nascar):
Details emerge as court documents unsealed
Courteousy Bleacher Report.com
(http://bleacherreport.com/nascar):
Complete Preview of NASCAR Sprint Cup Series at Darlington
By Chad Robb |
(5/8/13)
Power Rankings: Kenseth shoots to highest rank yet
APPEAL DECISION KESELOWSKI'S BIGGEST ESCAPE YET
TO STEWART, THINGS CAN ONLY GET BETTER
SIX PACK OF POP: ROMA DOWNEY, MARK BURNETT
Inside Access with Miss Sprint Cup: Go-karts with Ricky
NASCAR Air Titan Rises above Talladega turbulence
Ten Days of Giving: Countdown to 10th NASCAR Day
Two roads at Sonoma test for Almirola, Ambrose
2 artcicles,courteousy Amanda Vincent
(Thanks Amanda !!):
Joe Gibbs Racing penalties reduced
Jeff Gordon to hit 700 mark at Darlington
Amanda Vincent
Courteousy ESPN.com
Courteousy The Stock Car Gazette
(http://MotorSportsNews.Net ) (Thanks Heather !):
www.Catchfence.com
KANNAPOLIS, N.C., (May 7, 2013) – She’s a mature lady with a robust personality and a devil-may-care
attitude. A little rough around the edges, she has broken the
Viva Motorsports Looking for Drivers for Remainder of 2013 NASCAR Nationwide Series Season
May 6, 2013 -‐ Viva Motorsports is looking for drivers to fill out the rest of the season.
Fresh off their 12th place finish at Talladega, Viva
NASCAR: Coble's Racing NotesBrainerd Daily Dispatch Busch has a commitment with the No. 78 Furniture Row Racing Chevrolet to race in the
600 on Memorial Day weekend. Adding Indianapolis would require precision and luck with travel connections to be at Charlotte
on time for the start of the race. Stewart ...
P R E S S * R E L E A S E S
Statement from Joie Chitwood III on the missed Economic Development and Job Creation Opportunity for
the State of Florida
The following statement can be attributed to Daytona International Speedway President Joie Chitwood III:
“We are clearly disappointed by the outcome last week in the Florida Legislature. We made
a very compelling case for what could have been a successful public / private partnership with the State of Florida to create
jobs and generate real economic growth. We also had substantial local, regional and statewide support.
“However, given this setback to our project, we are forced to reassess the proposed redevelopment
and closely examine a number of factors such as its timing, size and scope, before we decide on next steps.”
#*#*
NASCAR’s Air Titan™ Delivers At Talladega
NASCAR Sprint Cup, Nationwide Races Defy Rain Thanks To Track-Drying Technology
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (May 8, 2013) – Last Saturday and Sunday, May 4-5 at Talladega Superspeedway,
a strong spring storm deposited more than an inch of rain on the grounds around the largest venue in the NASCAR Sprint Cup
Series. Despite some breaks in the clouds both days, the 2.66-mile track was soaked at the most inopportune times –
just before the start of the NASCAR Nationwide Series (May 4) and NASCAR Sprint Cup Series (May 5) races.
However the innovative first phase of the NASCAR-developed Air Titan™ track-drying system was on
site at Talladega and was dispatched for both events. That deployment was the official beginning of a stretch goal charged
by NASCAR Chairman Brian France less than a year ago: Significantly reduce the time it takes to dry the track to benefit the
fans in the stands and those watching on television.
Until this year, scenarios like these would have led to protracted drying time with jet dryers and vacuum
trucks, shortened races due to long track-drying time or postponement of the events altogether.
“We’re pleased with the Air Titan’s first official on-track results,” said
Steve O’Donnell, NASCAR senior vice president of racing operations. “This was a great collaboration between NASCAR,
our top-tier vendors and the Talladega track services staff.” Ring Power supplied 16 large Sullair air compressors
to power the Air Titans. Those, in addition to the jets and vacuums, were the components of this system.
“Both days, we saved at least an hour if not more in drying time,” O’Donnell said.
“We ran the system while it was still raining to stay ahead of the weather and also ran it twice each day, successfully
drying the track only to see more rain after we’d gotten it dry. We were able to minimize the drying time for both races
so that our fans saw exciting finishes on the scheduled days of the events instead of being forced to alter their plans due
to postponements.”
O’Donnell also noted that the Air Titan™ still was able to enhance drying time despite the
conditions at Talladega (colder temperatures, dampness and ongoing mist). With sunshine following a rain shower, drying time
should improve significantly.
O’Donnell said the NASCAR Air Titan™ team also took away operational learnings specific to
a track the size of Talladega and believes it will be even more effective the next time the technology is used. “We’ve
still got some work to do with the power units (air compressors). We’ve already prepared mock-ups and have assembled
more research to prepare for tests very soon on the next phases of development, cost containment and logistics,” he
said.
France originally challenged NASCAR’s R&D Center to have the Air Titan™ ready for use
for if needed for the 2013 Daytona 500. That goal was met and the system was in place at Daytona International Speedway for
the sports’ biggest event. The technology also was on site this year at Martinsville Speedway (where it was successfully
used prior to a NASCAR Sprint Cup practice) and Kansas Speedway before its first race-day assignment at Talladega. Discussions
are ongoing between NASCAR and its track partners on use of the Air Titan™ at their venues as the season progresses.
How The Air Titan™ Works
NASCAR’s R&D team took an advanced scientific approach during the production of Phase 1 of
the Air Titan™. It uses compressed air to efficiently and reliably push water off of the racing surface and onto the
apron where vacuum trucks remove the remainder of the moisture. Jet dryers follow each Air Titan™, drying any excess
water that remains on the racing surface. That model worked seamlessly at Talladega, resulting in the opportunity to provide
fans with two of the most exciting finishes to date this season.
Currently there are three types of the Air Titan™ – a single Air Titan™ where the power
unit is on the apron and six feet of the Air Titan™ is on the track. A triple Air Titan™ where an 18-foot power
unit is a tractor trailer equipped with three compressors. There is also “in-line, where a truck pulls a compressor,
which in turn pulls an Air Titan™ for use on the apron and on pit road.
Another benefit of the Air Titan™ is that it’s capable of operating next to the SAFER barrier.
Because of their nozzle, jet dryers create a “gap” of approximately 10 feet where they cannot reach. The Air Titan™
doesn’t have that limitation. Also the jets are not capable of operating at full power in some areas due to damaging
the infield grass, whereas the Air Titan™ doesn’t have that issue.
PitTaks.com
The Comeback–Eric Bilyeu
C O L U M N S / C O M M E N T A R I E S
Courteousy The Frontstretch.com
(http://www.frontstretch.com/):
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 All-Star Race
on May 18th. That means the final consequences for both teams are the following:
No. 2 car
Brad Keselowski – loss of 25 driver points
Roger Penske – loss of 25 owner points
$100,000 fine (assessed to crew chief Paul Wolfe)
Two-race suspensions (plus the All-Star Race) for Wolfe, car chief Jerry Kelley and engineer Brian Wilson
No. 22 car
Joey Logano – loss of 25 driver points
Roger Penske/Walt Czarnecki (listed owner) – loss of 25 owner points
$100,000 fine (assessed to crew chief Todd Gordon)
Two-race suspensions (plus the All-Star Race) for Gordon, car chief Raymond Fox, and team engineer Samuel Stanley
Other
Two-race suspension (plus the All-Star Race) for team manager Travis Geisler (services both cars)
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).”
Today's Featured Commentary
Bring Back the Excitement
WTF
Wednesdays
by Ellen Richardson
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 two drivers drive to dream wins at Talladega Superspeedway. This
weekend, both series will travel to another very exciting track, Darlington Raceway. The track “Lady In Black”
has had an extensive history of real door-to-door racing. As many fans may remember, this 1.366-mile egg-shaped oval
has played host to some of the best racing that NASCAR competition has ever seen. I don’t think that race fans
will ever forget the closest finish in NASCAR history, in March 2003, where Ricky Craven edged Kurt Busch for the Cup win
by only .002 seconds. This track also played host to the first win for Saturday’s Aaron’s 312 winner, Regan
Smith in a race that brought out the tempers of both Kevin Harvick and Kyle Busch on pit road for NASCAR Illustrated Magazine’s Best Feud. While I am looking forward to this weekend’s racing, I continue to question NASCAR’s decision to eliminate
a second race at the 'The Track Too Tough To Tame.' Despite the supercharged racing that has continued at the sport’s
first superspeedway twice a year since 1960, NASCAR decided to eliminate a race on the schedule in 2005 so that Phoenix International
Raceway and Texas Motor Speedway could pick up additional races. While I am the first to admit that I have enjoyed
some of the racing at Texas and Phoenix, this weekend’s battle at Talladega was reminiscent of the type of David and
Goliath battles that were once witnessed at Darlington. With NASCAR's eyes continuing to focus on the cash prize,
I am afraid that many of the wrong decisions are being made , and that will take away what both competitors and fans are hoping
to see: true competition. As Kevin Rutherford so poignantly made clear in Tuesday’s Going By The Numbers, both fans and competitors seemed disappointed and frustrated that many historically competitive tracks, like Darlington
and Atlanta, have been stripped of a race. Lest we also forget Rockingham, whom may never be in the running for a Nationwide
or Cup Series race again? I have to agree with Rutherford, who brings up a good point, “Imagine if some
of these tracks were visited more than once (Darlington and Atlanta once were, of course). Could we have seen better championship
finishes?” I believe not only better championship finishes, but increased fan excitement. As this has been
on the top of my mind this week, I decided to take a number from today’s young drivers who cling to social media for
fan input. I took to Facebook to ask a few friends and fans their thoughts on adding a second Darlington race to the
future top series schedules. Chase O’Brien, a long time NASCAR fan who also spends a lot of his Saturday
night’s at several local NASCAR Home Tracks, said it is time to bring tracks like Darlington back to their past glory.
“The races are great at this drivers track,” said O’Brien. “One groove tracks always
put on a show and while some drivers may not like this fans do. Why do you think fan attendance at tracks like Bowman
Gray Stadium are consistently high?” Paul Heath, Motorsports Social Media Consultant, said that he was disappointed
when Darlington’s Labor Day race was taken away in the past and would like to see this return. “Tracks
that are a part of when and where NASCAR got its roots are now basically being disrespected and forgotten,” said Heath.
“Darlington deserves to have two races a year and never should have lost one. I think you would be hard pressed to find
a driver in the Sprint Cup series that wouldn't like to see Darlington get its two races back.” So as NASCAR
continues to try to drive its way into the future, let’s hope that some of these continuously perplexing changes don’t
take away the kind of excitement that us long-time fans have all come to know and love.
TODAY ON THE FRONTSTRETCH:
by Tom Bowles
by Summer Bedgood and Mark Howell
by Huston Ladner
compiled by Mike Mehedin
Courteousy Sports Illustrated (http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/racing/?eref=sinav&sct=hp_nv_a):
Sporting News: Angst over NASCAR's TV future
Courteousy SpeedwayMedia.com (http://www.speedwaymedia.com/):
|
NATIONAL STOCK CAR RACING CHIEF APPELLATE OFFICER STATEMENT
On May 7, 2013 the Chief Appellate Officer heard and considered the appeal of the penalties
from the No. 2 and No. 22 Penske Racing NASCAR Sprint Cup Series teams. These penalties stemmed from pre-race inspection for
the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series at Texas Motor Speedway April 13.
The Final Word – Talladega, a place where all your dreams can come true
Talladega, where we watched Matt Kenseth dominate, where we saw Jimmie Johnson and Carl Edwards
contend, and where we watched a lot of cars torn up. It is also where we saw two cars from an underfunded operation charge
up from out of nowhere to claim the top two spots at the finish line. |
|
Burton’s Cup Future Rests Solely on His Performance
As a new generation of drivers enters the Sprint Cup Series, the veterans are finding it tougher
and tougher to remain competitive. Other than a few breakout weekends, Jeff Burton hasn’t been much of a threat over
the past few seasons.
|
Reutimann Involved in ‘The Big One’ at Talladega Superspeedway
David Reutimann and the No. 83 Burger King / Dr. Pepper Toyota team finished 41st at Talladega
(Ala.) Superspeedway on Sunday afternoon after being involved in "the big one" on lap 42. Involved in the accident entering
turn one, Reutimann's Camry suffered extensive damage and the BK Racing team was forced to retire from the Aaron's 499. |
|
Contact Removes Kvapil from Contention at Talladega Superspeedway
Travis Kvapil and the No. 93 Burger King / Dr. Pepper Toyota Camry finished 38th at Talladega
(Ala.) Superspeedway on Sunday afternoon after sustaining damage during a lap 20 incident. | |
|
|
|
|
|
Contact me !!!
Like what you've read here? Share my passion and want to contribute? WANT TO SPONSOR
THIS SITE ?
Have advice / suggestions on how I can improve this site,or move it to a better webserver ?
Please get in touch!
If you would like to contribute news / comments. I have 2 requests
1 .Spelling ,and punctuation , doesn't matter. I'm not perfect ,and I don't expect you to be.
2. Keep your comments / pictures clean,or I won't even consider posting them on this site .
I will post your comments , If ,and only IF ,you permit me to to so .
Just
click this address to send me mail:
OR you can call me, on my cell phone ,and leave a message @ 732 581-8331. | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
blank
Born on date 11/14/08
Now for the reason for creating this site
This site was created by me because of frustations with other internet service providers, and is for
the use of anyone who's interested in anything about NASCAR.
However,over time I hope to add other auto racing news,from other auto racing series
/ venues ,in the hopes of having something here for everyone to enjoy.
Now for a little bit about me ,
I'm Joe,from New Jersey. I've lived in the Garden State for most of my life. It's also where
I've been fighting,to get a major NASCAR track built somewhere in the NYC/NJ area for many years now.
I am also "foot soldier" / bill collector for the electric company.So I do work days. Therefore
the best time to check for any updates is after 8 pm,on weeknights. But just about any time on weekends !!!
My favorite current driver : KASEY KAHNE
I'm also a fan of :Martin Truex Jr. ( Hey ! He's a "Jersey Guy" !!! I was rooting for him since
I first saw him racing .and winning,as a 17 year old,in the modified division at Wall Stadium ( now known as Wall Speedway
) !!!
My favorite all time driver : "Awesome Bill From Dawsonville" ... BILL ELLIOTT !!!
Needless to say .My favorite car owner is fellow "Jersey Guy"...Ray Evernham
My favorite NASCAR Track : Dover
My favorite local tracks : Wall Speedway (paved),and New Egypt Speedway (dirt)
My favorite actors/actresses : Tom Hanks, John Wayne,Kiefer Sutherland ,Catherine Zeta-Jones,Rene
Zellweiger
My Favorite movies : Star Wars ( all 6 of them),
Lord of the Rings (ALL OF THEM),
Gone With the Wind,
Fort Apache,
She Wore A Yellow Ribbon,
The Longest Day,
Saving Private Ryan.
Zorro (especially the Antonio Banderas ones !)
Batman ( the ones with Michael Keaton,and Christian Bale ! The rest of them...blech ! Sorry Adam
West ! I used to like the old "campy" BATMAN tv shows. But then I grew up !)
Favorite TV shows :
MASH !!!
Cheers,
Seinfeld,
Bones
House
24 !!! & House !, & Fringe !!! , & Terra Nova ! ,
& Alcatraz !(Always,and forever !!!)
The Following ! (my newbie for 2013 !)
Law and Order : SVU
Touch
Person of Interest
Favorite all time master sleuth :
Sherlock Holmes !
(as portrayed by Jeremy Brett !)
Favorite Comedy Routine :
"Who's on First ? "
Needless to say my favorite comedy team is ....
Abbott & Costello !!!
My other interests other than NASCAR :
My family
The New York Yankees ( I was BORN a Yankee fan !!!)
The New York Giants
The New Jersey Nets
The New York Knicks
The Hawthorne Caballeros "all age" & Alumni Drum & Bugle Corps
The Golden Knights Alumni Drum & Bugle Corps
The Bayonne Bridgemen Alumni Drun & Bugle Corps
The Cadets Drum & Bugle Corps (formerly of Garfield NJ.Now they currently are based in Allentown,Pa.)
Do I give you the impression that I also love Drum & Bugle Corps? I could go on with the many
corps that I really enjoy !
I was a snare drummer in high school !
I truly hope that you enjoy visiting my site. I also hope that you will come back often,and that
you tell your friends & family about it.
P.S.
As I type this ( Nov.25,2006). My current 1/24 scale NASCAR diecast car collection is @ 175 + cars
!!!
Personal note from me. ( AKA Site disclaimer...or something like that ! )
If you see something here that you would like to use on your website / newsletter /
whatever. Please feel free to do so.
HOWEVER !!!
I do ask that you give credit where credit is due ( as I do here). Please indicate
something (somewhere / somehow ),that you got it from this website.
Thank You,
Joe
<form action=" http://www.google.com/cse" id="cse-search-box"> <div> <input type="hidden" name="cx" value="partner-pub-2077414117218202:oqoa8k-kp4k"
/> <input type="hidden" name="ie" value="ISO-8859-1" /> <input type="text"
name="q" size="31" /> <input type="submit" name="sa" value="Search" /> </div> </form>
<!-- Google Custom Search Element --> <div id="cse" style="width:100%;">Loading</div>
<script src=" http://www.google.com/jsapi" type="text/javascript"></script> <script type="text/javascript"> google.load('search', '1'); google.setOnLoadCallback(function(){
new google.search.CustomSearchControl('http://www.josfor919.com/joesnascarnews/').draw('cse'); }, true); </script>
|
|
|
|
