The Frontstretch Newsletter: October 1st, 2008
1 view
Skip to first unread message
Frontstretch.com
Oct 1, 2008, 2:50:31 AM10/1/08
to The Frontstretch
THE FRONTSTRETCH NEWSLETTER Presented by Frontstretch.com
The Best Seat at the Track, The Best View on the Net!
October 1st, 2008
Volume II, Edition CLXXXVIII
Today's Top News
Rusty Wallace Returning To Cup Racing?
by Tom Bowles
Late-breaking news out of NASCAR-land Tuesday night connected the future of Dale Earnhardt, Inc. with the possible return of 1989 champion Rusty Wallace. In an article penned by Kenny Wallace at SPEEDTV.com, he revealed that the oldest and most successful Wallace brother was looking at making a return to the driver's seat. Claiming his desire was fueled by full-time comebacks from both Mark Martin and Brett Favre, Kenny claims Wallace is looking to make a decision sometime in the near future.
If true, the move would be a coup for DEI, now looking for three primary sponsors for three teams (see news below). Wallace has been out of racing since the end of the 2005 season, in which he finished eighth in the standings for Penske Racing's No. 2 Dodge. In 706 career Cup starts, Wallace has 55 wins, 202 Top 5s, and 349 Top 10 finishes to make him one of the most successful drivers in NASCAR history. As one of the late Dale Earnhardt's former best friends, he would bring instant credibility to a team that's struggling to maintain its competitiveness next season.
No comment yet from Wallace or ESPN on the rumor.
Joey Logano Out of Hall of Fame Racing No. 96
by Bryan Davis Keith
After making two disappointing starts in Hall of Fame Racing's No. 96 Sprint Cup entry, Joey Logano will not attempt further races with the team, Joe Gibbs Racing and Hall of Fame Racing officials announced Tuesday. Said team owner Ted Garfinkel, "We talked to Gibbs and decided that, for [Logano's] development and for our team, the best thing for all of us is for them to focus on Joey's development, and us to focus on our team."
Hall of Fame Racing has struggled with its program for the length of the Cup schedule in 2008; and much to the dismay of Logano, that hasn't changed with him behind the wheel. He has struggled in his first two Cup starts at Loudon and Kansas, coming up with a dismal average finish of 35.5 in the No. 96 car to date.
Veteran Ken Schrader, who was scheduled to drive the No. 96 this weekend at Talladega, is expected to fill the seat for Hall of Fame Racing for the remainder of the 2008 season. No word from the team on whether he'll be a candidate to drive the car full-time in 2009. Meanwhile, Logano is still expected to compete in Atlanta in a No. 02 Home Depot Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota; whether or not that schedule gets expanded will be announced in the coming weeks.
Allmendinger Out at Team Red Bull: Skinner, Speed to Share No. 84
by Bryan Davis Keith
Despite posting a career best ninth place finish this past weekend at Kansas Speedway, A.J. Allmendinger has been officially removed from the No. 84 of Red Bull Racing for the rest of 2008. On Tuesday, the team announced that Mike Skinner, who ran several races in the No. 84 earlier this season, will race the Red Bull Toyota for the next two weekends, at Talladega as well as the following week at Charlotte. From there, Red Bull development driver Scott Speed will drive the No. 84 for the final five races of the season.
Speed will initially attempt to make his Sprint Cup debut in a third No. 82 Red Bull Toyota at Charlotte, pulling double duty between Lowe's Motor Speedway and the ARCA RE/MAX Series season finale at Toledo. Speed's 2009 plans were not announced by Red Bull Racing as of yet, but he's expected to man the No. 84 full-time in a bid for Rookie of the Year honors in the Cup Series.
Paul Menard to Join Yates Racing in 2009
by Bryan Davis Keith
After the story broke last night -- reported in the Newsletter yesterday -- that Paul Menard would not return to DEI for the 2009 season, Menards and Yates Racing officially announced Tuesday that the current driver of the No. 15 will race a Yates Ford Fusion next year. No details were released regarding car numbers, but Menard is bringing full sponsorship from his father's Menards hardware chain. The move brings considerably more financial stability to the Yates operation, which has run its No. 28 and No. 38 teams with a patchquilt of sponsorships this season. It was initially announced Yates Racing will expand to three cars; however, sources tell Frontstretch.com's Tom Bowles that current drivers David Gilliland or Travis Kvapil could get the axe without additional financial support next year.
Said Yates Racing GM Max Jones on Menard's hiring, "Paul is one of those guys I've personally been watching for the last two years; I think he's ready to take the next step in this series and become a driver we hear a lot about on the track in 2009."
The departure of Menard and his sponsorship leaves DEI in a state of greater disarray for the upcoming season. Sans BASS Pro Shops and their sponsorship of Martin Truex, Jr., DEI must now find sponsors for its No. 15 team and Aric Almirola's No. 8. As reported by Bowles in the newsletter yesterday, Regan Smith's No. 01 team will likely not continue following this season.
U.S. Army Not Returning To DEI In 2009; To Stewart-Haas?
by Tom Bowles
After months of shopping around, it appears the U.S. Army has finally found a home for 2009 : Stewart-Haas Racing. For weeks, it's been well-known the government agency was reluctant to resign with DEI and new full-time driver Aric Almirola, and made the divorce official this week in a reported call with team management.
Instead, the Army will realign itself with new Stewart-Haas Racing driver Ryan Newman next season after being rumored to either Bill Davis Racing or Team Red Bull. Newman's No. 39 car had been searching for a primary sponsor ever since Tony Stewart announced the purchase of the company midseason.
No word on when the sponsorship deal will be made public.
Today's Commentary
Amazing How Much Fun A Rainy Weekend In Martinsville Can Be
Full Throttle
by Mike Neff
The biggest late model race east of the Mississippi took place this weekend, the culmination of an event that had about as many twists and turns as a Robby Gordon merger discussion. There were technical inspections, attempts at cheating, an enormous battle with Mother Nature, double file restarts, a race that finished in near darkness -- and every bit reminded local racers of exactly why they love the sport.
Thursday morning dawned with hauler drivers waiting to park their rigs in the infield for the main event -- the Bailey's 300. The gate to the infield opened bright and early, at 7:00 AM, and the parade of teams immediately began. This year, there was an added twist – the drivers of the haulers drew for qualifying position and also chose a pit stall. In the long run, it made things quite a bit easier on teams when it came down to technical inspection. In previous years, it was a free for all when the tech line opened on Friday morning. But this year, inspection would be by qualifying group, so only 30 cars at a time would be in a mad dash for the tech line.
Parking the haulers is an all day process on Thursday. Nothing else takes place; the cars are left in the trailers, so once you are parked it is simply the end of your day. With 112 cars on the entry list for the weekend, it can actually be a bit of a race getting into the track itself, where tempers can get just as high as they can during the racing -- just like they do in any traffic situation. Things got so crazy this year, it was actually the first time I saw a hauler driver take it deep into the turn on the inside of another hauler and take a spot. I guess 36 wheels corner better than 18...
After our hauler was parked, our team (anonymous for this story) chose to take to the links. We went to Beaver Hills Golf Club and had the best time $15 could possibly buy. You heard right -- it was $15 for 18 holes and a cart. There aren't too many places on the planet that you can find a golf deal like that anymore, that's for sure. After we finished, it was dinner and bed before another early morning.
Friday dawned with the looming specter of technical inspection. As you can imagine, getting 112 cars through a thorough technical inspection is an extremely time-consuming process that takes most of the day. Being one of the first teams put through the ringer, we were also one of the first to find out that having a Five Star body on the car could lead to some body template issues. Unfortunately, ours was one of the worst, and definitely made us wish we had invested the $150 or so it would have taken to get our own set of templates to check the car ahead of time. The car needed the front cowl raised, the front bumper raised, the back of the roof lowered, the spoiler supported, and a couple of minor tweaks. Roughly seven hours after presenting it for inspection, we had removed the windshield, modified four window supports, installed four spoiler support brackets, and manufactured an aluminum bracket to raise the cowl -- some of several necessary changes we made in order to pass inspection.
Unfortunately, the rain that was present when we arrived at the track was present all day, and even though the cars made it through inspection in time to get some practice in, the track was never dry -- meaning the teams went home again without a single lap turned on the circuit. A hearty meal, a trip to Wal-Mart, and we were suddenly back in bed hoping for drier weather on Saturday. Unfortunately, things didn't get any better weather-wise until very late that day -- but that is when the real fun began.
After several failed attempts at drying the track, the drivers were called to a meeting which most everyone thought was to tell us that we wouldn't see the track until Sunday morning. However, there was a greater plan in the works. The organizers informed the participants that an idea most of them had never heard of before was going to be tried to dry the track. Instead of the usual "jet dryers" you see on TV, they wanted all of the drivers to get on the track and turn laps to try and dry it. You heard me right, folks: 112 race cars on a half mile race track simultaneously. While most felt the idea was pure folly, the pace cars took to the track, and eventually, the cars began to roll out and follow them. At the peak of the effort, there were 102 race cars on the track at one time, and during the process all 112 cars made laps. To say it was a parade is an understatement; not only were the cars all over the speedway, but they were in a three-wide formation, no less. It looked like a World of Outlaws four-wide salute to the fans on steroids; but amazingly, it did end up working. The track dried out rather quickly, and everyone was informed that a short practice session would ensue. The cars were sent out in groups of 30 for roughly 10 minutes apiece, an equivalent of a NASCAR Happy Hour on Steroids for late models. With so little time to work with, teams were thrashing for all they were worth, getting as many changes tested in the shortest period possible. After practice, the cars were loaded up or left on pit road, and everyone headed home for a night of brainstorming to decide what changes they would apply for qualifying that would take place on Sunday morning.
Another day of the gates opening at 7:00 AM was followed by the beginning of qualifying inspection at 8:00. Final changes were made, and the cars were presented for one last technical check before they lined up for qualifying. 109 of the 112 cars took qualifying laps, and the Top 22 were locked into the field. Davin Scites sat on the pole for the second consecutive year with another track record, with Phillip Morris to his outside on the front row. The remaining cars were broken into four heat races, and the 25 lap heats were run with some amazing racing taking place -- thanks to double file restarts, of course. While some felt the restarts resulted in far more torn up race cars, there was no question the competition that ensued was fast and furious. The fans definitely got their money's worth.
The feature also offered up some extremely intense racing, with the lead being swapped multiple times until another rain event on lap 175. After 45 minutes, the track was dried, and as darkness began to fall, the race was restarted with 24 laps to go. As expected, the racing was still hot and heavy when the mandatory caution flew with 10 laps to go as the rules required. Unfortunately, with darkness enveloping the track, the decision was made to count caution laps during the final 10 -- and that simply made the racing even more intense. Dennis Setzer and Morris got together on the restart, and that allowed Jason York to take the lead as the race grew close to its finish. But Morris was dumped by Kelly Kingery to bring out a final caution, and the field bunched up one final time in a push for the checkered flag. Over the closing few laps, Setzer was all over York trying to take the lead, with Matt McCall and Matt DiBenedetto in close pursuit. But while Setzer was unable to get by York, Kingery was able to wreck DiBenedetto coming to the finish and secure fourth behind McCall. Butch Hamlet rounded out the Top 5 in a stellar late model race that was worth every bit of effort and frustration that led up to it.
If there is one race a fan should make the effort to see before they die, it is the Bailey's 300 at Martinsville -- and every driver who runs late model stock cars should attempt to make the race at least once in their career. It is an extravaganza that is unrivaled in local racing, and it proved it once again this year.
Mike Neff is a Senior Writer at Frontstretch.com. You can reach him at mike...@frontstretch.com ... and don't forget to check out his weekly Power Rankings on Wednesdays and Picks N Pans column on Thursdays!
Newsletter advertising works!
You just proved it! We have packages from single insertions to monthly and annual plans based around columns, features, and even the complete newsletter sponsorship. If you'd like to find out more, head over to our advertising information page and get started now!
Frontstretch On The Radio:
Three's a charm for Jimmie Johnson this year, but will Talladega prove a massive roadblock in a quest for his third title? Patrick Snow, Matt Taliaferro, and Tom Bowles will attempt to find the answer in this week's Athlon / Frontstretch Podcast Presented by Pepsi. Looking back on Carl Edwards' banzai run for the Kansas checkered flag, we'll tell you if he could put his checkered restrictor plate past behind him on Sunday -- or whether a surprise first-time winner will be in front of the pack by the end of 500 miles. Plus, we'll have the inside scoop on Menard's sudden switch, Waltrip's merry-go-round in the No. 00, and whether A.J. Allmendinger can pick up where he left off somewhere else.
Unsure when to tune in for the podcast? Well, the newest version usually comes out by Thursday night and gets archived at racetalkradio.com each Friday. Download us by heading over to http://www.athlonsports.com/racing/inside-racing-powered-by-pepsi, and don't forget to listen in on iTunes each week!! We're under "Athlon Racing Podcast."
Got NASCAR-related questions or comments?
Send them Matt Taliaferro's way at matt.ta...@frontstretch.com; and if you're lucky, you'll get your name in print when he does his weekly column answering back to you – the fans that keep Frontstretch afloat. Fanning The Flames returns Thursday with a whole new set of Fan Questions and Answers!
TODAY ON THE FRONTSTRETCH:
Menard's Departure To Yates Leaves DEI In Need Of Help
by Tommy Thompson
Did You Notice? ... Petty's Like Waltrip, Drivers Get Paid Too Much, And Parity's Lost
by Tom Bowles
Top Ten Reasons Drivers And Sponsors Are Leaving DEI
by Jeff Meyer
Mirror Driving: Who's Losing A Date To Kansas, Who's Already Lost The Chase, And Judging Lame Ducks
by the Frontstretch Staff
Frontstretch Sprint Cup Power Rankings : Top 15 After Kansas
compiled by Mike Neff
FRONTSTRETCH TRIVIA
Q. He was the first driver to win a NASCAR Cup level championship that was born after the start of NASCAR's Modern era. Who is he?
Check back Thursday for the answer, here in the Frontstretch Newsletter!
Tuesday's Answer
Q. He was the last driver that competed in the Grand National Circuit -- which, by definition, was prior to NASCAR's Modern Era -- to win a championship.
A. This one actually was pretty easy if you thought about it. At age 45, Bobby Allison became not only the oldest driver to win the Winston Cup when he bested the field in 1983--a full 22 years after he started his first Grand National race, a Daytona qualifier, in 1961--but also the last GN-era driver to win a Cup Championship.
Frontstretch Trivia Guarantee; If we mess up, you get the shirt off our backs! If we've provided an incorrect answer to the Frontstretch Trivia question, be the first to email the corrected trivia answer to tri...@frontstretch.com and we'll send you a Frontstretch T-Shirt ... FREE!
Coming Tomorrow in the Frontstretch Newsletter
-- Top Stories by Bryan Davis Keith
-- What's Vexing Vito? by Vito Pugliese
-- Frontstretch Line of the Week
-- Trivia, links to your favorite Frontstretch articles, and more!
Tomorrow on the Frontstretch:
Matt McLaughlin Mouths Off by Matt McLaughlin
We already have the Big One every year at Talladega ... but now you're telling me the track is cursed? That's exactly what Matt is saying, and he has all the reasons why in the latest edition of Mouthing Off.
Fanning the Flames by Matt Taliaferro
This week, Matt answers your questions about NASCAR and all things NASCAR-centric. What did you say? He didn't answer yours? Well maybe you didn't sent it to the right address: matt.ta...@frontstretch.com. Try that email thing again, and you just may see your question in Fanning next week!
Voices From the Heartland by Jeff Meyer
Jeff actually has a story related to his Midwestern roots, as he questions NASCAR's sanity in granting Kansas a second date on the schedule.
Fantasy Picks 'N' Pans: Talladega by Bryan Davis Keith & Mike Neff
Bryan and Mike have all the fantasy info you need this week to avoid the Big Catastrophe in your Talladega fantasy lineup.
Side By Side or NASCAR Confidential by TBD
------------------------------------------------------------
Talkback to the Frontstretch Newsletter!
Got something to say about an article you've seen in the newsletter? Well, it's as easy as replying directly to this message or sending an email to edi...@frontstretch.com. We'll take the best comments and publish them here!
©2008 Frontstretch.com
The Best Seat at the Track, The Best View on the Net!
October 1st, 2008
Volume II, Edition CLXXXVIII
Today's Top News
Rusty Wallace Returning To Cup Racing?
by Tom Bowles
Late-breaking news out of NASCAR-land Tuesday night connected the future of Dale Earnhardt, Inc. with the possible return of 1989 champion Rusty Wallace. In an article penned by Kenny Wallace at SPEEDTV.com, he revealed that the oldest and most successful Wallace brother was looking at making a return to the driver's seat. Claiming his desire was fueled by full-time comebacks from both Mark Martin and Brett Favre, Kenny claims Wallace is looking to make a decision sometime in the near future.
If true, the move would be a coup for DEI, now looking for three primary sponsors for three teams (see news below). Wallace has been out of racing since the end of the 2005 season, in which he finished eighth in the standings for Penske Racing's No. 2 Dodge. In 706 career Cup starts, Wallace has 55 wins, 202 Top 5s, and 349 Top 10 finishes to make him one of the most successful drivers in NASCAR history. As one of the late Dale Earnhardt's former best friends, he would bring instant credibility to a team that's struggling to maintain its competitiveness next season.
No comment yet from Wallace or ESPN on the rumor.
Joey Logano Out of Hall of Fame Racing No. 96
by Bryan Davis Keith
After making two disappointing starts in Hall of Fame Racing's No. 96 Sprint Cup entry, Joey Logano will not attempt further races with the team, Joe Gibbs Racing and Hall of Fame Racing officials announced Tuesday. Said team owner Ted Garfinkel, "We talked to Gibbs and decided that, for [Logano's] development and for our team, the best thing for all of us is for them to focus on Joey's development, and us to focus on our team."
Hall of Fame Racing has struggled with its program for the length of the Cup schedule in 2008; and much to the dismay of Logano, that hasn't changed with him behind the wheel. He has struggled in his first two Cup starts at Loudon and Kansas, coming up with a dismal average finish of 35.5 in the No. 96 car to date.
Veteran Ken Schrader, who was scheduled to drive the No. 96 this weekend at Talladega, is expected to fill the seat for Hall of Fame Racing for the remainder of the 2008 season. No word from the team on whether he'll be a candidate to drive the car full-time in 2009. Meanwhile, Logano is still expected to compete in Atlanta in a No. 02 Home Depot Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota; whether or not that schedule gets expanded will be announced in the coming weeks.
Allmendinger Out at Team Red Bull: Skinner, Speed to Share No. 84
by Bryan Davis Keith
Despite posting a career best ninth place finish this past weekend at Kansas Speedway, A.J. Allmendinger has been officially removed from the No. 84 of Red Bull Racing for the rest of 2008. On Tuesday, the team announced that Mike Skinner, who ran several races in the No. 84 earlier this season, will race the Red Bull Toyota for the next two weekends, at Talladega as well as the following week at Charlotte. From there, Red Bull development driver Scott Speed will drive the No. 84 for the final five races of the season.
Speed will initially attempt to make his Sprint Cup debut in a third No. 82 Red Bull Toyota at Charlotte, pulling double duty between Lowe's Motor Speedway and the ARCA RE/MAX Series season finale at Toledo. Speed's 2009 plans were not announced by Red Bull Racing as of yet, but he's expected to man the No. 84 full-time in a bid for Rookie of the Year honors in the Cup Series.
Paul Menard to Join Yates Racing in 2009
by Bryan Davis Keith
After the story broke last night -- reported in the Newsletter yesterday -- that Paul Menard would not return to DEI for the 2009 season, Menards and Yates Racing officially announced Tuesday that the current driver of the No. 15 will race a Yates Ford Fusion next year. No details were released regarding car numbers, but Menard is bringing full sponsorship from his father's Menards hardware chain. The move brings considerably more financial stability to the Yates operation, which has run its No. 28 and No. 38 teams with a patchquilt of sponsorships this season. It was initially announced Yates Racing will expand to three cars; however, sources tell Frontstretch.com's Tom Bowles that current drivers David Gilliland or Travis Kvapil could get the axe without additional financial support next year.
Said Yates Racing GM Max Jones on Menard's hiring, "Paul is one of those guys I've personally been watching for the last two years; I think he's ready to take the next step in this series and become a driver we hear a lot about on the track in 2009."
The departure of Menard and his sponsorship leaves DEI in a state of greater disarray for the upcoming season. Sans BASS Pro Shops and their sponsorship of Martin Truex, Jr., DEI must now find sponsors for its No. 15 team and Aric Almirola's No. 8. As reported by Bowles in the newsletter yesterday, Regan Smith's No. 01 team will likely not continue following this season.
U.S. Army Not Returning To DEI In 2009; To Stewart-Haas?
by Tom Bowles
After months of shopping around, it appears the U.S. Army has finally found a home for 2009 : Stewart-Haas Racing. For weeks, it's been well-known the government agency was reluctant to resign with DEI and new full-time driver Aric Almirola, and made the divorce official this week in a reported call with team management.
Instead, the Army will realign itself with new Stewart-Haas Racing driver Ryan Newman next season after being rumored to either Bill Davis Racing or Team Red Bull. Newman's No. 39 car had been searching for a primary sponsor ever since Tony Stewart announced the purchase of the company midseason.
No word on when the sponsorship deal will be made public.
Today's Commentary
Amazing How Much Fun A Rainy Weekend In Martinsville Can Be
Full Throttle
by Mike Neff
The biggest late model race east of the Mississippi took place this weekend, the culmination of an event that had about as many twists and turns as a Robby Gordon merger discussion. There were technical inspections, attempts at cheating, an enormous battle with Mother Nature, double file restarts, a race that finished in near darkness -- and every bit reminded local racers of exactly why they love the sport.
Thursday morning dawned with hauler drivers waiting to park their rigs in the infield for the main event -- the Bailey's 300. The gate to the infield opened bright and early, at 7:00 AM, and the parade of teams immediately began. This year, there was an added twist – the drivers of the haulers drew for qualifying position and also chose a pit stall. In the long run, it made things quite a bit easier on teams when it came down to technical inspection. In previous years, it was a free for all when the tech line opened on Friday morning. But this year, inspection would be by qualifying group, so only 30 cars at a time would be in a mad dash for the tech line.
Parking the haulers is an all day process on Thursday. Nothing else takes place; the cars are left in the trailers, so once you are parked it is simply the end of your day. With 112 cars on the entry list for the weekend, it can actually be a bit of a race getting into the track itself, where tempers can get just as high as they can during the racing -- just like they do in any traffic situation. Things got so crazy this year, it was actually the first time I saw a hauler driver take it deep into the turn on the inside of another hauler and take a spot. I guess 36 wheels corner better than 18...
After our hauler was parked, our team (anonymous for this story) chose to take to the links. We went to Beaver Hills Golf Club and had the best time $15 could possibly buy. You heard right -- it was $15 for 18 holes and a cart. There aren't too many places on the planet that you can find a golf deal like that anymore, that's for sure. After we finished, it was dinner and bed before another early morning.
Friday dawned with the looming specter of technical inspection. As you can imagine, getting 112 cars through a thorough technical inspection is an extremely time-consuming process that takes most of the day. Being one of the first teams put through the ringer, we were also one of the first to find out that having a Five Star body on the car could lead to some body template issues. Unfortunately, ours was one of the worst, and definitely made us wish we had invested the $150 or so it would have taken to get our own set of templates to check the car ahead of time. The car needed the front cowl raised, the front bumper raised, the back of the roof lowered, the spoiler supported, and a couple of minor tweaks. Roughly seven hours after presenting it for inspection, we had removed the windshield, modified four window supports, installed four spoiler support brackets, and manufactured an aluminum bracket to raise the cowl -- some of several necessary changes we made in order to pass inspection.
Unfortunately, the rain that was present when we arrived at the track was present all day, and even though the cars made it through inspection in time to get some practice in, the track was never dry -- meaning the teams went home again without a single lap turned on the circuit. A hearty meal, a trip to Wal-Mart, and we were suddenly back in bed hoping for drier weather on Saturday. Unfortunately, things didn't get any better weather-wise until very late that day -- but that is when the real fun began.
After several failed attempts at drying the track, the drivers were called to a meeting which most everyone thought was to tell us that we wouldn't see the track until Sunday morning. However, there was a greater plan in the works. The organizers informed the participants that an idea most of them had never heard of before was going to be tried to dry the track. Instead of the usual "jet dryers" you see on TV, they wanted all of the drivers to get on the track and turn laps to try and dry it. You heard me right, folks: 112 race cars on a half mile race track simultaneously. While most felt the idea was pure folly, the pace cars took to the track, and eventually, the cars began to roll out and follow them. At the peak of the effort, there were 102 race cars on the track at one time, and during the process all 112 cars made laps. To say it was a parade is an understatement; not only were the cars all over the speedway, but they were in a three-wide formation, no less. It looked like a World of Outlaws four-wide salute to the fans on steroids; but amazingly, it did end up working. The track dried out rather quickly, and everyone was informed that a short practice session would ensue. The cars were sent out in groups of 30 for roughly 10 minutes apiece, an equivalent of a NASCAR Happy Hour on Steroids for late models. With so little time to work with, teams were thrashing for all they were worth, getting as many changes tested in the shortest period possible. After practice, the cars were loaded up or left on pit road, and everyone headed home for a night of brainstorming to decide what changes they would apply for qualifying that would take place on Sunday morning.
Another day of the gates opening at 7:00 AM was followed by the beginning of qualifying inspection at 8:00. Final changes were made, and the cars were presented for one last technical check before they lined up for qualifying. 109 of the 112 cars took qualifying laps, and the Top 22 were locked into the field. Davin Scites sat on the pole for the second consecutive year with another track record, with Phillip Morris to his outside on the front row. The remaining cars were broken into four heat races, and the 25 lap heats were run with some amazing racing taking place -- thanks to double file restarts, of course. While some felt the restarts resulted in far more torn up race cars, there was no question the competition that ensued was fast and furious. The fans definitely got their money's worth.
The feature also offered up some extremely intense racing, with the lead being swapped multiple times until another rain event on lap 175. After 45 minutes, the track was dried, and as darkness began to fall, the race was restarted with 24 laps to go. As expected, the racing was still hot and heavy when the mandatory caution flew with 10 laps to go as the rules required. Unfortunately, with darkness enveloping the track, the decision was made to count caution laps during the final 10 -- and that simply made the racing even more intense. Dennis Setzer and Morris got together on the restart, and that allowed Jason York to take the lead as the race grew close to its finish. But Morris was dumped by Kelly Kingery to bring out a final caution, and the field bunched up one final time in a push for the checkered flag. Over the closing few laps, Setzer was all over York trying to take the lead, with Matt McCall and Matt DiBenedetto in close pursuit. But while Setzer was unable to get by York, Kingery was able to wreck DiBenedetto coming to the finish and secure fourth behind McCall. Butch Hamlet rounded out the Top 5 in a stellar late model race that was worth every bit of effort and frustration that led up to it.
If there is one race a fan should make the effort to see before they die, it is the Bailey's 300 at Martinsville -- and every driver who runs late model stock cars should attempt to make the race at least once in their career. It is an extravaganza that is unrivaled in local racing, and it proved it once again this year.
Mike Neff is a Senior Writer at Frontstretch.com. You can reach him at mike...@frontstretch.com ... and don't forget to check out his weekly Power Rankings on Wednesdays and Picks N Pans column on Thursdays!
Newsletter advertising works!
You just proved it! We have packages from single insertions to monthly and annual plans based around columns, features, and even the complete newsletter sponsorship. If you'd like to find out more, head over to our advertising information page and get started now!
Frontstretch On The Radio:
Three's a charm for Jimmie Johnson this year, but will Talladega prove a massive roadblock in a quest for his third title? Patrick Snow, Matt Taliaferro, and Tom Bowles will attempt to find the answer in this week's Athlon / Frontstretch Podcast Presented by Pepsi. Looking back on Carl Edwards' banzai run for the Kansas checkered flag, we'll tell you if he could put his checkered restrictor plate past behind him on Sunday -- or whether a surprise first-time winner will be in front of the pack by the end of 500 miles. Plus, we'll have the inside scoop on Menard's sudden switch, Waltrip's merry-go-round in the No. 00, and whether A.J. Allmendinger can pick up where he left off somewhere else.
Unsure when to tune in for the podcast? Well, the newest version usually comes out by Thursday night and gets archived at racetalkradio.com each Friday. Download us by heading over to http://www.athlonsports.com/racing/inside-racing-powered-by-pepsi, and don't forget to listen in on iTunes each week!! We're under "Athlon Racing Podcast."
Got NASCAR-related questions or comments?
Send them Matt Taliaferro's way at matt.ta...@frontstretch.com; and if you're lucky, you'll get your name in print when he does his weekly column answering back to you – the fans that keep Frontstretch afloat. Fanning The Flames returns Thursday with a whole new set of Fan Questions and Answers!
TODAY ON THE FRONTSTRETCH:
Menard's Departure To Yates Leaves DEI In Need Of Help
by Tommy Thompson
Did You Notice? ... Petty's Like Waltrip, Drivers Get Paid Too Much, And Parity's Lost
by Tom Bowles
Top Ten Reasons Drivers And Sponsors Are Leaving DEI
by Jeff Meyer
Mirror Driving: Who's Losing A Date To Kansas, Who's Already Lost The Chase, And Judging Lame Ducks
by the Frontstretch Staff
Frontstretch Sprint Cup Power Rankings : Top 15 After Kansas
compiled by Mike Neff
FRONTSTRETCH TRIVIA
Q. He was the first driver to win a NASCAR Cup level championship that was born after the start of NASCAR's Modern era. Who is he?
Check back Thursday for the answer, here in the Frontstretch Newsletter!
Tuesday's Answer
Q. He was the last driver that competed in the Grand National Circuit -- which, by definition, was prior to NASCAR's Modern Era -- to win a championship.
A. This one actually was pretty easy if you thought about it. At age 45, Bobby Allison became not only the oldest driver to win the Winston Cup when he bested the field in 1983--a full 22 years after he started his first Grand National race, a Daytona qualifier, in 1961--but also the last GN-era driver to win a Cup Championship.
Frontstretch Trivia Guarantee; If we mess up, you get the shirt off our backs! If we've provided an incorrect answer to the Frontstretch Trivia question, be the first to email the corrected trivia answer to tri...@frontstretch.com and we'll send you a Frontstretch T-Shirt ... FREE!
Coming Tomorrow in the Frontstretch Newsletter
-- Top Stories by Bryan Davis Keith
-- What's Vexing Vito? by Vito Pugliese
-- Frontstretch Line of the Week
-- Trivia, links to your favorite Frontstretch articles, and more!
Tomorrow on the Frontstretch:
Matt McLaughlin Mouths Off by Matt McLaughlin
We already have the Big One every year at Talladega ... but now you're telling me the track is cursed? That's exactly what Matt is saying, and he has all the reasons why in the latest edition of Mouthing Off.
Fanning the Flames by Matt Taliaferro
This week, Matt answers your questions about NASCAR and all things NASCAR-centric. What did you say? He didn't answer yours? Well maybe you didn't sent it to the right address: matt.ta...@frontstretch.com. Try that email thing again, and you just may see your question in Fanning next week!
Voices From the Heartland by Jeff Meyer
Jeff actually has a story related to his Midwestern roots, as he questions NASCAR's sanity in granting Kansas a second date on the schedule.
Fantasy Picks 'N' Pans: Talladega by Bryan Davis Keith & Mike Neff
Bryan and Mike have all the fantasy info you need this week to avoid the Big Catastrophe in your Talladega fantasy lineup.
Side By Side or NASCAR Confidential by TBD
------------------------------------------------------------
Talkback to the Frontstretch Newsletter!
Got something to say about an article you've seen in the newsletter? Well, it's as easy as replying directly to this message or sending an email to edi...@frontstretch.com. We'll take the best comments and publish them here!
©2008 Frontstretch.com
Reply all
Reply to author
Forward
0 new messages