The Frontstretch Newsletter: July 1st, 2009

[Frontstretch.com]

THE FRONTSTRETCH NEWSLETTER
Presented by Frontstretch.com
The Best Seat at the Track, The Best View on the Net!
July 1st, 2009
Volume III, Edition CXIV

Editor's Note: In Numbers Game yesterday, we incorrectly printed that Joey Logano had his 10th victory in 20 Sprint Cup starts. Of course, he has one ... our apologies for the rather obvious error.

EDITOR'S NOTE: FRONTSTRETCH LIVE AT THE TRACK THIS WEEKEND!

One of the site's most popular writers, our own Mike Lovecchio will be tracking all the action at Daytona from inside the garage, giving you the stories you're looking for with a special edition of the Newsletter planned over the weekend. It all culminates on Saturday night with his special participation in our LIVE blog during the Coke Zero 400! This weekend, Mike will be going the extra mile for you ... so we hope you enjoy it!

Today's Top News
by Kim DeHaven

Taylor Earnhardt To Drive No. 3 RCR Chevrolet

Dale Earnhardt's youngest child, daughter Taylor Earnhardt, will drive the No. 3 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet that her father raced to his 76th and final Cup victory in this year's Goodwood Festival of Speed in England. Prepared by former No. 3 team crew members Danny Lawrence and Rich Burgess, the car has been refurbished to resemble the one Earnhardt drove from 18th to 1st in the final five laps of the October 2000 race at Talladega. The 20-year-old youngest daughter of Earnhardt will drive it in multiple demonstration runs during the three-day event.

The Goodwood Festival of Speed is an annual event held since 1993 at the Goodwood House in West Sussex, a place of great British motorsports history. Race cars old and new will participate in both demonstration and competition runs up the nine-turn, 1.16-mile hillclimb circuit.

The event will be held on July 3rd through 5th, 2009.

NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Safe

Yesterday, NASCAR's Vice President of Communications, Jim Hunter, refuted a report claiming that the Camping World Truck Series is in jeopardy of ceasing operations.  "There's no truth to it whatsoever," Hunter said. "It's total B.S. The demise of the Truck Series is the figment of one person's imagination.  We're very aware that (the Camping World Truck Series) is affected the hardest during this economic recession. We're currently looking at options. We've never given up on a series, and we're not going to start now."

To ensure the health of the Truck Series, NASCAR is considering decreasing the schedule, increasing the number of single-day dates, and bringing back the half-time pit stops that could eliminate the traveling crews to five or six members per team in an effort to reduce costs. NASCAR Vice President of Competition, Robin Pemberton, said the use of crate engines is not an option NASCAR is considering for the series because it is one that would raise costs, not lower them. Said Pemberton, "They're not durable to last much beyond one race."

Mike Mulhern had initially reported in his blog last week that the series was in serious jeopardy of folding. However, Hunter is the second major NASCAR official to openly refute that story, echoing similar statements made by Vice President Steve O'Donnell.

Mayfield Gets His Day In Court

Results of a second drug test, performed by an independent laboratory, were identical to the initial test that resulted in the indefinite suspension of NASCAR Sprint Cup owner/driver Jeremy Mayfield, according to court documents released Tuesday.  MedTox Laboratories in St. Paul, MN tested both Mayfield's "A" and backup "B" samples last week and "confirmed the presence" of a "dangerous, illegal, banned substance."  The substance has been confirmed in court documents as amphetamines, and is specifically reported to be methamphetamines.

In rebuttal, Mayfield's attorneys claim proper procedure was not used during the testing process, and that NASCAR's drug testing program does not meet federal workplace guidelines.  His legal counsel continues to hope to have the entire test deemed invalid, leaving the sport with no evidence upon which it can enforce its indefinite suspension ruling. As for Mayfield himself, he maintains his innocence, citing the use of both Adderall and over-the-counter Claritin-D as the source of the false positives.

All the evidence will be heard today, July 1st, in U.S. District Court, as Mayfield is seeking a temporary restraining order that could see him back on the track as early as this weekend's race -- the Coke Zero 400 at Daytona International Speedway.

Have news for Phil and 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 archive by clicking here, and look for the newest edition to head your way sometime later this week! Of course, if all else fails, you can always listen to us on iTunes for FREE! Search for our weekly show under "Athlon."

Today's Featured Commentary
Matt DiBenedetto May Not Be Sliced Bread, But He’s Not Chopped Liver Either
Full Throttle
by Mike Neff

This past week at Loudon was not only the coronation of Joey Logano as the youngest driver to ever win a Cup race, it was also a chance for New Englanders to see who very well could be the next great sensation to move into the ranks of the racing elite. On Friday, Matt DiBenedetto battled door-to-door on the last lap of the Camping World East race, fighting his way to his second victory in four races this season by outdueling Ryan Truex, Jr. to the finish line.

A development driver for Joe Gibbs Racing, DiBenedetto is a very bright 17-year-old talent who will have a very good chance at making it to the Cup level -- considering he is following in the footsteps of Mr. Logano. DiBenedetto has been racing since he was seven, and came to the attention of this writer three years ago when he was running in the limited late model division at Hickory Motor Speedway. He was 14 at the time, running in a series where there are lots of drivers trying to make a name for themselves that will often drive far over their heads to win a race or gain positions. But that was never the case with DiBenedetto. Just a young teenager, he displayed incredible patience and wisdom running on a very tight, difficult race track. More times than not, he brought his car home without a scratch on it, while all of the cars around him looked like they’d been in a 500-lap night race at Bristol in the old days.

Of course, being a smart driver doesn't mean slow. When he turned 15 and was allowed to run in the Late Model division at Hickory, DiBenedetto finished fourth in his very first race. This wasn’t just any race, mind you -- this was the Fall Brawl, titled as such because of its reputation as an all out battle to the finish. Because it is so late in the season -- or just because of the race’s hype -- there are more torn up race cars in the Brawl than you will see in almost any other event short of a demolition derby. Yet for most of that day, DiBenedetto ran the entire race wreck-free and near the front of the pack, mixing it up with guys who have been running in the late model series at Hickory for years. With five laps to go, he didn’t have a mark on his car and was poised for a shot at the win. Unfortunately, that’s when the brawl part really took over. DiBenedetto ended up getting run over by another competitor and struggled home to a fourth place finish -- still a very impressive debut in the senior division at the historic track.

The following year, he ran in the UARA series, winning the Rookie of the Year and finishing fourth in the series standings. DiBenedetto also won two UARA Stars races that season -- but he wasn’t done yet. He then took his car to Martinsville, VA and ran in the Bailey’s 300 to finish out 2007. Longtime readers of this column have certainly heard of this event, which routinely brings in over 100 late model stock cars from all over the country east of the Mississippi to chase after a big payday and a coveted grandfather clock. DiBenedetto went up against the best of the best as a rookie in the event and -- once again -- he debuted at a major race with a fourth place finish. Last year, he was running in the top 5 coming to the finish line when he got dumped by another competitor and rolled home in seventh. But at Bristol, DiBenedetto finally broke through, becoming the youngest driver to ever win a race at that track last August.

This year finds DiBenedetto in the Camping World East series, as well as doing testing and R&D work for Joe Gibbs Racing. The teen is going to make his debut in the Nationwide series this Fall, running in a JGR car at Memphis that should afford him a chance at a pretty good run -- especially considering how strong those cars tend to be in that division.

DiBenedetto might not be getting the same publicity that Logano did at 17 years of age, but don’t be fooled; this kid is the real deal, and could very well be the answer when the time comes for Joe Gibbs Racing to fill a fourth seat in the Cup Series.

Mike Neff is a Senior Writer for Frontstretch.com. He can be reached at mn...@carolina.rr.com.

THIS SATURDAY NIGHT: PRESENTING THE FRONTSTRETCH LIVE BLOG
The Frontstretch live blog heads to the Sunshine State this weekend, as the Sprint Cup Series leaves behind the flat track in New Hampshire to hit the high banks in Daytona. The type of facility may have radically changed, but the live blog remains the same. Join Mike Lovecchio and your favorite Frontstretch writers Saturday night at 7:45 p.m. for instant analysis, polls, videos and much much more.

Think you have what it takes to write for the Frontstretch?
Are you looking for a fast-growing website that can give you an opportunity to not only share your thoughts on racing, but have FUN doing it with a group of laid-back, dedicated personnel?  Well, we have the place for you.  Frontstretch is actively seeking 1-3 additional writers for both our newsletter and website to add to our dedicated staff in 2009. Follow this link for more information on how you can become a weekly columnist for the site and/or newsletter!

TODAY ON THE FRONTSTRETCH:

Did You Notice? ... Ganassi Kept The Wrong Guy, Logano's A Little Too Shy, And Money Talks
by Tom Bowles

Mirror Driving: Logano A Legend Already?, Loudon's Last Gasp, And Who's Hall Of Fame Worthy
by the Frontstretch Staff

No News Is Bad News: Dark Days Still Loom On The Horizon For NASCAR
by Vito Pugliese

Top Ten Reasons New Hampshire Was The Only Race This Year To See A Ratings Increase
by Jeff Meyer

Frontstretch Sprint Cup Power Rankings: Top 15 After New Hampshire
compiled by Mike Neff

FRONTSTRETCH TRIVIA:
Q. What Indy 500 legend got his first of seven career NASCAR wins in Daytona's 400-mle race?
Check back Thursday for the answer, here in the Frontstretch Newsletter!

Tuesday's Answer:
Q. The 400-mile race at Daytona is a July 4th holiday tradition -- but when was the last time the Coke Zero 400 was actually run on July 4th?.
A. On July 4th, 1992, Ernie Irvan piloted the No. 4 Kodak Chevrolet to victory at Daytona Beach in what was then known as the Pepsi 400. Of course, it could be looked at as a trick question considering the name change ... but we were actually looking for a literal answer on this one!

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!

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Coming tomorrow in the Frontstretch Newsletter:
-- Top News from Todd Abbott
-- What's Vexing Vito by Vito Pugliese
-- Links to your favorite Frontstretch articles, and more!

Tomorrow on the Frontstretch:
Matt McLaughlin Mouths Off by TBD
Matt's on vacation this week, so while he's off celebrating the 4th one of your other favorite experts will sub in with the exceptional commentary you've come to expect.

Voices From The Heartland by Jeff Meyer
Tough times call for tough measures, leading some drivers to associate their name and face with less than reputable sponsors. Jeff will call them all out in this week's pointed commentary coming straight out of the Hawkeye State.

Fanning The Flames by Matt Taliaferro
Athlon Racing's resident editor-in-chief tackles your questions in our weekly Fan Q & A. Do you have something you'd like to say to Matt? Don't sit on the sidelines! Send it to matt.ta...@frontstretch.com, and you just may see your question in print next week!

Thompson In Turn 5 by Tommy Thompson
With the success of the double-file restart, Tommy discusses other ways NASCAR could benefit from ideas and practices that are commonplace at local short tracks throughout the country.

Frontstretch Fantasy Insider: Daytona by Mike Neff and Bryan Davis Keith
Not sure how to navigate your fantasy team around the high banks? That's OK; our fantasy experts know the way to restrictor plate success, and they'll help you pick your drivers wisely heading to Daytona.
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