The Frontstretch Newsletter: June 28th, 2009

[Frontstretch.com]

THE FRONTSTRETCH NEWSLETTER
Presented by Frontstretch.com
The Best Seat at the Track, The Best View on the Net!
June 28th, 2009
Volume III, Edition CXVI

Talk From The Track
FRONTSTRETCH LIVE FROM NEW HAMPSHIRE 
by Amy Henderson

Busch Wins Nationwide Race, Becomes 23rd Different Winner at NHMS

Kyle Busch stormed to the checkered flag in Saturday’s Camping World RV Rental 200 Presented by Turtle Wax, but his win was overshadowed by a New Hampshire Motor Speedway Milestone: Busch was the 23rd different winner in the 23 Nationwide Series races that the track has hosted. 

“That’s pretty cool.  Not a lot of tracks can say that,” Busch said of the record which dates back to 1990 and begins with Rick Ellis.

The list of winners at the track reads like a Who’s Who of Nationwide Series history and includes such notables as Kenny Wallace, Joe Nemechek, Jason Keller, Randy LaJoie, Mike McLaughlin, Elton Sawyer and two-time series champion Martin Truex, Jr. Several Cup stars have also made the cut, including Jeff Burton -- who also has four Cup wins at NHMS -- Ricky Craven, and Cup champions Matt Kenseth and Tony Stewart. 

It was actually Busch’s teammate who gave him his toughest competition.  Joey Logano raced at NHMS in the Camping World East Series during his 2007 championship campaign, and started from the pole on Saturday before finishing second.  Brad Keselowski, Mike Bliss, and Kevin Harvick rounded out the top 5 finishers.

For more on Saturday's Nationwide Series event, be sure to catch Bryan Davis Keith's Nationwide Breakdown on the site tomorrow morning.

Sorenson Tops Saturday Morning Sprint Cup Practice

Saturday morning’s Sprint Cup practice session at New Hampshire Motor Speedway produced several surprises. At the top of the charts was Reed Sorenson, the only driver from Richard Petty Motorsports not to grab a top 10 finish last week at Sonoma - and it looks like he’s trying to correct that this time around the track.  Joe Nemechek, who got his first career win at NHMS in 1999, was second-quick in his self-owned No. 87, and Casey Mears was third, followed by Martin Truex, Jr., who posted his time late in the session, and David Reutimann. Only these five drivers topped 128 MPH.  Next in line and just shy of the 128 mark was defending champion Jimmie Johnson, who dropped to sixth after Truex’s run.  Juan Pablo Montoya continues a hot streak, placing seventh, while perennial New Hampshire favorite Jeff Burton, last year’s winner Kurt Busch, and Kevin Harvick rounded out the top 10 in the morning session.  

Point leader and polesitter Tony Stewart was 23rd quickest in his backup car.

Truex Paces Sprint Cup Happy Hour

Martin Truex, Jr. again showed his muscle, pacing the final Sprint Cup practice session with a speed of 128.186 MPH around New Hampshire Motor Speedway Saturday afternoon.  Truex was the only driver to break the 128 MPH mark.  Jimmie Johnson was second with a speed of 127.795, while Greg Biffle’s late bid was good for third on the charts.  Reed Sorenson again showed strength by posting the fourth-fastest time, while Mark Martin muscled his way into the top 5 as well.  Former NHMS winner Kevin Harvick’s time was good for sixth place, while Juan Pablo Montoya, who is looking for a Chase berth, posted seventh.  Kurt Busch, David Reutimann, and Bobby Labonte finished out the top 10.  Johnson led all drivers with 61 laps completed, appearing to have one of the strongest cars for long runs on the 1.058-mile oval.

Lia Wins Wild New England 100

In a last lap shootout that would rival any racing series out there, Donny Lia came away with the win in the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour race at NHMS on Saturday.  Ted Christopher, known as “TC” to New England race fans, had the lead at the white flag, but Todd Szegedy, Ron Silk, and Lia were hot on his tail, pressuring him hard for the final ten laps.  Szegedy and Christopher, both former NHMS winners (Christopher’s ten wins, five each in modifieds and the Camping World East Series, are a track record) tangled coming off of turn four and spun coming to the checkers, spinning and allowing Lia to squeak by for the victory. 

“What an eventful day,” said Lia after the race.  “Just a great day and a real exciting last lap there.  I was just trying to hang in there and keep my foot in it.”

The race was wild from the start.  There were several crashes and an early incident that left Christopher two laps down before he came back to challenge for the win.  Sprint Cup stars Ryan Newman and Kasey Kahne had strong cars early, but were among the victims of spins and multi-car incidents, finishing 34th and 31st, respectively.  Eddie Flemke, Jr., Ronnie Silk, Rowan Pennink, and Christopher rounded out the top 5.

Richard Petty Motorsports Looking For Momentum at NHMS

Kasey Kahne’s win last week at Infineon was Richard Petty’s first in over a decade as a car owner, and the three cars that Richard Petty Motorsports had finishing in the top 10 showed that the team is ready to turn a corner.  Whether they will continue that turn has yet to be seen -- but the four teams under the RPM umbrella would like to serve that notice at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.

Statistically, it looks to be a tall order.  Last week’s winner, Kahne, has never visited Victory Lane at NHMS.  “We really haven’t had too many cars capable of winning in Loudon,” says Kahne of his problems at New Hampshire, although he's quick to add the No. 9 car is usually capable of running in the top 10.  He’s not alone, though, in his victory drought up in the Northeast: none of his RPM teammates has a victory at the Magic Mile, either.  Kahne has just four top 10 finishes and a lone top 5 in ten races at the track, while Elliott Sadler has just one more top 10 than Kahne in 20 career starts. A.J. Allmendinger has yet to crack the top 10 in three attempts, while Reed Sorenson has a lone top 10 in six starts.

But Sorenson may be RPM’s ace in the hole this week as statistics are, in this case, deceiving.  Sorenson is good here, as only a couple of laps’ worth of fuel kept him from winning in September 2006 as a rookie.  And with a top 5 performance in each of the weekend's three practice sessions, he's clearly established himself as one of the men to beat this Sunday.

Sorenson, who starts 27th, isn’t sure why he's developed such an affinity for NHMS.  “I don’t know why I like that track so much. I guess I am just naturally comfortable there," he theorized. "Maybe it's like some of the tracks I raced on growing up or in the ASA. Whatever the reason, I like racing at that place. The Bahre family built a really cool track, and the Speedway Motorsports people will make it even better. I hope they don’t ever change the configuration. I like it just the way it is now.”

Sorenson also enjoys the passion of the New England fans, though he isn’t sorry that his hometown Braves beat the Red Sox in interleague play earlier this week.  “As a driver, you like going places where the fans really appreciate the sport. I’m a big Braves fan, so I hope most of them are mad at me after the Braves beat the Red Sox in interleague play this week -- but I think we’ll all agree about racing,” said Sorenson.

NHMS is certainly friendly to first time winners, and Sorenson isn’t the only RPM driver looking for that maiden trip to Victory Lane.  A.J. Allmendinger is also winless in his Cup career and looking to build on the momentum of a top 10 finish at Infineon last weekend.  For Allmendinger, whose ride has depended on finding sponsorship for each week they race and is sponsored by Berlin City Auto Group, a New Hampshire dealership which is also owned by team co-owner George Gillett, that first win could secure a stronger deal for the future. 

Allmendinger called last week’s race “incredible,” adding, “Our people in this organization are warriors.  They fight like heck whenever challenged, and we have had our share of challenges this year.  I hope we can get some more good runs like we had [at Infineon.]”

Sadler agrees that momentum is important, and so is the dedication of everyone in the organization.  “Our people at this team are working a lot of hours and sacrificing a lot to make this organization succeed, and those efforts are showing on the track.  I’m pumped up about where we are going.”

The organization is constantly looking for ways to improve -- even if it involves changing manufacturers in the wake of Dodge's bankruptcy filing.  With their payments from that company largely in arrears, it is rumored that at least the No. 9 team of Kahne will switch to Toyota later this year to see if another manufacturer will equal more success.  After Infineon, one thing's for sure: there is certainly momentum in the RPM camp.  Only time will tell if the organization will fulfill the potential they have showed.

In the meantime, Petty says that race fans everywhere have given kudos for the team’s recent success.  "No matter where we went,” said Petty of the praise.  “If we went out to eat or down the road to the service station or at the race track; I guess I didn’t realize it was spread that much.  Monday, I think we just took the phone off the hook.  Everybody was just calling and saying congratulations as if I’d done something.  The crew has been working at it.  They’ve been close… it wasn’t anything that I did different last week than what I’d been doing.  I’m just keeping the bills paid.”

And showing race fans everywhere why he’s still the King.

Have breaking news for the Frontstretch? Don't hesitate to let us know; email us at ashl...@mail.com with a promising lead or tip.

It's Frontstretch Podcast Time!!!
Don't forget about Tom Bowles and Matt Taliaferro's Athlon / Frontstretch Podcast, sponsored this season by Wrigley's! Check out the newest edition by clicking here; and remember, you can always listen to us on iTunes for FREE! Search for our weekly show under "Athlon."

TODAY: PRESENTING THE FRONTSTRETCH LIVE BLOG

The Frontstretch live blog heads back east this weekend as the Sprint Cup Series travels over 3,000 miles from Sonoma, Ca. to New Hampshire. The coast and type of track may have changed, but the live blog remains the same. Join Cami Starr and your favorite Frontstretch writers TODAY at 1:45 p.m. for instant analysis, polls, videos and much much more.

FRONTSTRETCH FANTASY RACING
At Frontstretch.com, it's never too late to get in on the fantasy fun!  There are still chances to win in our Game of Tomorrow, Frontstretch 4Play, NASCAR Knockout, and even our new salary cap game, Hat Dance Dynasty.  Just because you missed out at the start of the season doesn't mean you have to stay on the sidelines... Click here to get involved today!

FRONTSTRETCH TRIVIA:
Q. Of the four drivers that have competed in every Cup race held at New Hampshire, only one has not won an event there.  Name him.
Check back Monday for the answer, here in the Frontstretch Newsletter!

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!

ADVERTISEMENT
Save Big at Porter and Pittsburgh Paint Locations Nationwide!
Frontstretch.com has negotiated a special price for its readers on all paints and sundries at any corporate owned Porter Paints or Pittsburgh Paints location.  Tell your sales associate to use account number TA000553 to let them know that you are a Frontstretch reader, and you are entitled to a 15% discount off the WHOLESALE price on any stocked item. Not valid at dealer locations.

Coming Monday in the Frontstretch Newsletter:
-- Lenox Industrial Tools 301 Recap by Phil Allaway
-- Secret Star of the Race: The Best Run You Never Saw by Tom Bowles
-- Big Six: Lenox Industrial Tools 301 by Amy Henderson
-- Links to your favorite Frontstretch articles, Stat of the Week, and more!

Monday on the Frontstretch:

Matt McLaughlin's Thinkin' Out Loud: New Hampshire by Tom Bowles
Filling in for Matt, Tom's got all the post-race analysis and NASCAR water cooler fodder you need to know after the Sprint Cup Series goes flat track racing, short track style at New Hampshire.

Bowles-Eye View by Amy Henderson
Live from the track, Amy will have her take on the biggest stories coming out of New England this weekend in her weekly post-race commentary.

Five Points To Ponder by Mike Lovecchio
Mike has five things you shouldn't have missed from the last week in NASCAR racing, including highlights from our live race blog as he dissects a full slate of NASCAR action in Memphis and New Hampshire.

Bubble Breakdown by Mike Ravesi
Mike tracks all the action in and around the Top 35, as teams battle for that all-important final spot on the bubble at New Hampshire.

Sprint Cup Rookie Report by Tony Lumbis
Tony will have all your post-New Hampshire race analysis for all the Sprint Cup freshmen in his weekly rookie report.

Nationwide Series Breakdown: Camping World RV Sales 200 by Bryan Davis Keith
Bryan breaks down all the action from the Nationwide Series race at New Hampshire.

Tracking The Trucks: MemphisTravel.com 200 by Beth Lunkenheimer
Beth has all the post-race analysis as the Trucks beat and bang at Memphis.
--------------------------------
Talk back to the Frontstretch Newsletter!
Got something to say about an article you've seen in the newsletter? 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!
©2009 Frontstretch.com