The Frontstretch Newsletter - July 1st, 2008
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July 1st, 2008
Volume II, Edition CXXII
Today's Top News
by Phil Allaway
Randy Moss to make announcement on Truck Series plans at Daytona
Following up on a previous Frontstretch.com report, Randy Moss' potential involvement with a NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series team is quickly turning into reality. The Boston Herald is reporting that Moss will announce on Thursday at Daytona that his new truck team, Randy Moss Motorsports, will debut in just three weeks at Kentucky Speedway on July 19th. According to a source, the team has also acquired the use of the number 81 from NASCAR for the rest of 2008.
No mention of a specific driver was made, but Moss has already said that he wants an experienced driver in the truck at first in order to help the team go through the motions. Several sources have also claimed that Moss has purchased a share of Morgan-Dollar Motorsports (No. 46), but it is unclear whether the No. 81 will be the old No. 46, or if the No. 81 is a completely new team. So far this season, Morgan-Dollar has had a number of different drivers in the seat, all of whom have either brought sponsorship or driver development money to the table.
Hunt Brothers Pizza extends sponsorship with Haas CNC Racing
On Monday, Haas CNC announced that Hunt Brothers Pizza has agreed to extend their sponsorship of the team. Under the new deal, Hunt Brothers will be an associate sponsor on the No. 66 of Scott Riggs for the rest of the season; in addition, they will assume primary sponsorship on both Haas CNC Racing cars (Nos. 66 and 70) at certain races throughout the year. The company will debut as the primary sponsor of the No. 66 this weekend at Daytona for the Coke Zero 400, with their future schedule to be announced in the coming weeks.
"NASCAR is a natural fit for Hunt Brothers Pizza," said Scott Hunt, an executive for the company. The pizza restaurant currently has over 6,000 locations in 27 states across America, with its main focus in the Southeastern and Midwestern part of the country.
Previously, Hunt Brothers Pizza signed on for a one race deal as a primary sponsor of the No. 70 at Talladega --- back then, the car was being driven by fill-in Ken Schrader. After qualifying a surprising third, the team ran relatively well in the race with Schrader before blowing an engine late and finishing 41st.
RFD-TV to sponsor the Baker-Curb No. 37 at Daytona
Rural Free Delivery Television (RFD-TV), an Omaha-based cable network that proclaims itself as "Rural America's Most Important Network," announced on Monday that they will be the primary sponsor of the No. 37 Ford driven by Brad Baker in Friday night's Winn-Dixie 250 at Daytona. For those of you out there who do not receive the channel in your cable system (or on your satellite dish), think of RFD-TV as The Nashville Network (TNN, now Spike) in 1988 -- with some additional emphasis on agricultural programming -- and you have the philosophy behind the rapidly growing RFD-TV.
RFD-TV intends on using their primary sponsorship as an avenue to showcase some of their shows, including the revived Crook and Chase, their simulcast of Don Imus' morning radio show ("Imus in the Morning"), and a new show called "Music and Motors." "We could not think of a better way to launch our new national advertising campaign than combining a car at Daytona on the 4th of July with a national television audience," said Patrick Gottsch, Founder and President of RFD-TV.
Burney Lamar, who had been driving the No. 37 Ford without sponsorship in races Baker couldn't bring money to the table, has moved over to the second Stanton Barrett Motorsports team this weekend. He'll be driving the No. 31 Grandstay.net Chevrolet in what has become little more than a start-and-park entry for that team this year.
Front Row Motorsports Not Entered At Daytona
by Tom Bowles
NASCAR's Cup Series has 46 teams attempting to make the Coke Zero 400 this week; but for the first time this season, Front Row Motorsports is not among those entries listed. The unsponsored, underfunded operation has been at every Cup race to date, making 16 of 17 attempts while withdrawing from Pocono after failing inspection during Friday practice.
Most recently driven by Tony Raines, FRM cars have been driven by John Andretti, Jeff Green, Brian Simo, and Tony Raines in 2008. Raines drove the car most recently at New Hampshire, failing to qualify the No. 34 Chevrolet; it was the 11th DNQ the team had racked up so far this season. In the five events the team has made, their best finish was a 35th by John Andretti back at Fontana this February.
According to published reports, the organization will still enter its two Nationwide Series entries, driven by Eric McClure and Kevin LePage, in the Winn-Dixie 250 Friday night.
Numbers Game : LENOX Industrial Tools 301
by Kim DeHaven
1
Number of times winner Kurt Busch led the LENOX Industrial Tools 301 Sunday.
2
Drivers that failed to qualify for the Cup race at New Hampshire.
(No. 21 – Marcos Ambrose; No. 34 - Tony Raines)
2
Cars that fell to the back of the field at the start of racing this Sunday.
(No. 8 - Aric
Almirola for a transmission change; No. 55 - Michael Waltrip for an engine change)
2 hours, 48 minutes, 56 seconds
Time it took to complete the LENOX Industrial Tools
301.
7
Caution flags for a total of 33 laps at New Hampshire.
9
Lead changes among eight drivers Sunday.
10
Laps led by LENOX Industrial Tools 301 winner Kurt Busch.
11
Penalties handed down by NASCAR during the running of the Cup race on Sunday.
18
Career wins for Kurt Busch in 273 starts.
26th
Kurt Busch's starting position in the LENOX Industrial Tools 301 on Sunday.
27th
Regan Smith's finishing position, earning him Raybestos Rookie of the
Race honors for the sixth time this season.
34
Positions gained by Michael Waltrip at New Hampshire to win the
USG Improving the Finish Award.
39
Cars running at the end of the LENOX Industrial Tools 301; 31 of those finished on
the lead lap.
43rd
A.J. Allmendinger's finishing position Sunday.
He completed 202 laps in the event before losing an oil line on the No. 84 Red
Bull Toyota.
59
Career Cup wins for Penske Racing after Kurt Busch's trip to Victory
Lane at New Hampshire.
64
Points that Kyle Busch leads Jeff Burton by in the NASCAR Sprint Cup point standings.
106.719
Average race speed (in mph).
132
Laps led by Tony Stewart in the LENOX Industrial Tools 301, the most of any
driver.
284
Laps in the LENOX Industrial Tools 301, equaling 300.472 miles.
101,000
Estimated crowd in attendance at New Hampshire.
$204,950
Kurt Busch's purse for winning the LENOX Industrial Tools 301.
$5,383,710
Total purse for the LENOX Industrial Tools 301.
Got NASCAR-related questions or comments?
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matt.ta...@frontstretch.com; and if you're lucky, you'll get your name in print
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Frontstretch afloat. Fanning The Flames returns Thursday with a whole new set
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Today's Featured Commentary
We Should All Join Hands and Love Kyle Busch
Sitting In The Stands : A Fan's View
by S.D. Grady
KYLE BUSCH
New England Fans: Jump on the Bandwagon
The article that followed, based on an open letter from "Busch's primary sponsor" to the inhabitants of New Hampshire Motor Speedway and surrounding areas, exhorted me to sign up and cheer for the Shrub simply because he wins races. This supposedly specious argument was backed up with the idea that since New England is currently enjoying success with many other major league teams (i.e. - The Red Sox, Patriots, and Celtics), the local fan would decide to cheer for this loudmouthed kid from Las Vegas based on the singular fact that he's a winner.
At first, my ire was aimed at the hapless journalist who decided to take up this silly letter and run with it in a positive light ... but then I stopped. Whoever wrote the original letter, signed as "Your Friends at Interstate Batteries," has seriously never discussed any sport with a New England Fan; or, for that matter, with a diehard NASCAR fan.
Does anybody happen to remember an 86-year drought where the Red Sox failed to win a World Series? Where were the Boston faithful during that time? We were at Fenway Park, cheering for our team that never won. When the Patriots lost the 1986 Super Bowl to the Chicago Bears, in an embarrassing 36-point defeat, did we abandon ship the following year? No. During the past twenty years, did we close up the Celtics franchise on the basis that they had difficulty even making the NBA playoffs? No; we stared at the past championship banners hanging from the Garden's rafters with fond memories... and hoped for better times.
Not once did the New England Faithful decide to switch allegiance to the New York Yankees, Giants, or -- God forbid -- the Knicks. That is not what we do. We cheer for our own... not the current reigning champion.
With that in mind, Mr. Interstate Batteries has gone out and asked the smart and savvy NASCAR fan -- devoted to a sport that has no geographic home besides Charlotte, NC or Daytona Beach, FL -- to trade in their chosen team devotion for something as shallow as Victory Lane. What is he thinking? Nope. Not happening.
NASCAR fans decide on "their" driver for many reasons. Sometimes, it has to do with an ability to cross the finish line first... but not always. And their devotion, once given, is nigh impossible to shake. We will stick with "our" guy through loss, injury, scandal, and even retirement. In order for Joe Fan to switch allegiance, something grievous must occur on the part of his driver.
I've cheered for many drivers through the years. Jeff Gordon may have been my first... but he is not my only. I am from New England, and I do look out for my own no matter what path they take in the racing world. No matter who they're driving for, all from this region have garnered a heartfelt cheer from me regardless of their success or failure. Ricky Craven, Geoffrey Bodine, Steve Park, Kevin LePage, Martin Truex, Jr.…each of them became my hometown heroes when they left the North for the automotive paradise in the South. Currently, I am keeping a careful eye on Sean Caisse, Donny Lia, and Joey Logano while they navigate the uncertain waters of the higher levels of racing. And my cheers will remain just as loud for the duration of their careers... I owe that to them. They are "my" drivers.
Now, back to the original question. Will I even consider standing up and clapping for Kyle Busch due to the fact he is the current points leader and possible 2008 champion? No. Why? I don't care for his style…off the track, and occasionally on the track as well. I will always admit he can drive a car and possibly even compete with the legends of our sport; however, in my view it takes more than raw talent to make a true champion. I look for humility and a positive personality; only when the driver of the No. 18 Toyota starts to conduct himself in a manner befitting a Sprint Cup Driver will be when I'll think about cutting him some slack.
But that hasn't happened quite yet. So, until then the executives at Interstate Batteries can expect to hear my sounds of disapproval joining thousands of others in the stands of New Hampshire when Kyle Busch is introduced in September.
P.S. - Read it for yourself! The Open Letter to New England Fans From One Of Kyle Busch's Primary Sponsors:
http://www.interstatebatteries.com/racing/press/busch_bandwagon.pdf
S.D. Grady is a Senior Writer for Frontstretch.com; her Fan's View column appears every Tuesday in the Frontstretch Newsletter. She can be contacted at sonya...@frontstretch.com.
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by Vito Pugliese
If NASCAR Drivers Were Movie Stars, Who Would Be On The A-List?
by Danny Peters
Talking NASCAR TV: SPEED Satellite Failure Not The Only Problem Over The Airwaves
by Doug Turnbull
Who's Hot / Who's Not In Sprint Cup : LENOX Industrial Tools 301 Edition
by Mike Lovecchio
Running Their Mouth : LENOX Industrial Tools 301
by Beth Lunkenheimer
FRONTSTRETCH TRIVIA:
Q. This former sometimes driver always purchased a seat for Elvis at any NASCAR event he raced in. Who is he?
Check back in tomorrow's Frontstretch Newsletter for the
answer!
Monday's Answer:
Q. What rule change did NASCAR implement in part due to an on-track incident at Loudon in 2003?
A. NASCAR's 'Lucky Dog' originated from an on-track incident at Loudon in 2003. After Dale Jarrett's car was stuck in the middle of the race track in danger of being hit, NASCAR banned racing back to the caution flag and created the 'free pass' to the first car behind the leader not on the lead lap. This process continues to the present day...
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TOMORROW IN THE FRONTSTRETCH NEWSLETTER:
- Mike Neff's Full Throttle Commentary
- Top News
- And Much, Much More!
TOMORROW ON THE FRONTSTRETCH:
Top 15 Power Rankings
by The Frontstretch Staff; compiled by Mike Neff
Did JPM Spin Kyle Busch off the top of our Power Rankings this week? Find out tomorrow, only on the Frontstretch!
by Jeff Meyer
Finally got the place cleaned up from last week's free for all and now Jeff wants to throw another ten out there to see whose panties he can get in a wad this time! You won't want to miss this week's Top Ten; just be sure to bring your sense of humor!
Mirror Driving
by the Frontstretch Staff
This week, the Frontstretch roundtable faithful delve into Juan Pablo's Havoline Spin Cycle, Silly Season Opening Its Doors, play a game of Truth And Dare with SMI's Bruton Smith, and look at the CTS and IRL -- a marriage made in Heaven?
Did You Notice...
by Tom Bowles
Tom is back with another round of observations following a busy week of NASCAR News.
Thompson In Turn 5
by Tommy Thompson
This week, Tommy honors the loss of a special friend in the racing family in his latest edition of Thompson In Turn 5. Godspeed, Bob!
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