*THE FRONTSTRETCH NEWSLETTER Presented by
**Frontstretch.com<http://frontstretch.com/>
**
<http://frontstretch.com/>**The Best Seat at the Track, The Best View on
the Net!*
July 3rd, 2008
Volume II, Edition CXXIV*
Today's Top News**
**by Bryan Davis Keith*
*Franchitti Mulling Future, Full-Time Nationwide Series Ride After Closure
Of Cup Team
*
Finding himself out of a ride now that the No. 40 Sprint Cup team of Chip
Ganassi Racing has been shut down, Dario Franchitti has been presented
several options from CGRFS officials as to his future in racing.
Co-owner Felix Sabates stated on Wednesday that Franchitti has been offered
a ride in the IRL with CGRFS should he choose to return to his open-wheel
roots. Said Sabates, "Chip [Ganassi] pretty much told him if he wanted to go
to back to Indy that [he can] -- because it doesn't cost near as much money
there as it does here [in NASCAR]. Over there, Chip is the Rick Hendrick of
over here – so he can get a sponsor for an IRL car very easily."
Franchitti, however, has reportedly not reneged on his commitment to
becoming a stock car driver, and CGRFS officials have offered Franchitti a
full-time seat in the No. 40 Fastenal Dodge in the Nationwide Series.
Franchitti has driven the No. 40 at most companion races on the Nationwide
circuit this season, posting a best finish of sixth at Las Vegas. No
decision has been made, but comments lean toward Franchitti making the move
to stay within the stock car side of the organization.
"NASCAR is where I want to be," Franchitti said after his release. "I want
to be successful here, and I certainly don't want it to end like this. I
made a big commitment coming over here, and I'd like to get in an
opportunity to be successful."
The No. 40 Nationwide Series team is within the Top 30 in series owner
points, meaning Franchitti would have a guaranteed spot in the field should
he choose to pursue the Nationwide deal full-time. Franchitti currently
holds second place in the Nationwide Series rookie points, trailing only
fellow CGRFS driver Bryan Clauson, who may find himself the odd man out
should Franchtti take over the No. 40. Clauson ran the No. 41 part-time in
the Nationwide Series earlier this season, but the team has recently not
been run due to a lack of sponsorship.
*JR Motorsports' No. 5 Crew Chief Fined for Improper Language*
Chad Walter, crew chief of the No. 5 Chevrolet for JR Motorsports in the
Nationwide Series, has been fined $10,000 for use of improper language
during the televised broadcast of the Camping World RV Sales 200 this past
Saturday. Walter, who was interviewed following a crash by his driver Landon
Cassill in the garage area, used profanity in an interview as he expressed
frustration over Bobby Hamilton, Jr.'s role in Cassill's accident.
Team owner Rick Hendrick and driver Landon Cassill were also each docked 25
owner and driver points respectively for the incident. As a result, the
points penalty will drop the No. 5 car to 14th in the owner standings.
Walter remains on probation with the Nationwide Series, as he was placed on
probation earlier in the season for a rules violation at the season-opening
race at Daytona.
*Still haven't joined the Frontstretch Forums? Here's a peek at what you're
missing this week:*
Weigh in on what you think of the incident between Juan Pablo Montoya and
Kyle Busch. <http://www.frontstretch.com/board/index.php/topic,2690.0.html>
Could the rumors of Tony Stewart and Ryan Newman going to Haas CNC Racing be
true? <http://www.frontstretch.com/board/index.php/topic,2685.0.html>
Click here <http://www.frontstretch.com/board/index.php?action=register> to
join the forums and tell us what you think. Don't miss out on a chance to
share your opinion with a growing community of fans just like you!
*What's Vexing Vito?**
**by Vito Pugliese*
Well, this is good. Dario Franchitti, the 2007 Indianapolis 500 winner who
is just seven months removed from clinching the IndyCar Series Championship,
is now out of a ride in the Sprint Cup Series. To compound things, the team
has closed up shop just days before teams arrive in Daytona to begin
preparations for this weekend's Coke Zero 400. The culprit? Lack of
sponsorship. Can you explain to me again how a driver with Franchitti's
credentials, resume, and personality is struggling to find sponsorship for
one of the flagship Dodge teams in this series?
Apparently, the state of the sport is not as strong as many would have us
believe.
Earlier this week, Target Chip Ganassi Racing IndyCar Series driver Dan
Wheldon announced that while he, at one time, had considered coming to
NASCAR, those plans have since been shelved. Wow, I wonder why? Could it be
that he would shy away from the opportunity to pilot such competitive
machines as the No. 40 or No. 41 Dodges in the most competitive racing
series on Earth? After years of asking Ganassi to let him make the move,
Wheldon has suddenly changed his tune and said that he sees himself in the
Target IndyCars for the next four years. Of course, those are cars, I might
add, that win with great regularity -- something that cannot be said for
Ganassi's efforts in the Cup Series.
Continuing along those lines, while there are other open-wheeled drivers who
have had their issues this season (cough, Sam Hornish, Jr. cough), perhaps
no one has struggled as mightily as Franchitti. In ten starts this year, he
has just one finish better than 33rd, and has failed to qualify for two
races on speed while missing five more to injury. Stats like that have
relegated him to 41st position in points; that's actually really bad. It
just goes to show that the Sprint Cup Series is, in fact, a meat grinder
that shows no favoritism based on what you may have done in the past.
But it also continues a trend in NASCAR of sponsorship dollars being in
short supply -- and often woefully inadequate. It's a pretty sad state of
affairs when cars that have been running routinely well, such as the Yates
Racing entries of David Gilliland and Travis Kvapil, have been sporting
blank quarterpanels at most tracks this season or have scraping by on
one-off sponsorships just to get to the next race. With the No. 40 car, we
have a team that just a few years ago was contending for titles and leading
the points with just a handful of races remaining with Sterling Marlin --
and now, they are closing up shop and laying off over 70 employees.
Considering a driver of Franchitti's caliber, along with the recent strong
showing from the twin Yates entries, it speaks volumes about the cost to
compete in this sport. For a sport that thrives and exists on sponsor
dollars -- so much so that upwards of $22 million is needed to even show up
to all the events and make the show with a competitive car -- this could
prove to unravel even further and amongst even more teams as the season
rolls on.
*Every Thursday, find out what's Vexing Vito; and if you've got a comment,
an opinion, or even a good topic, Vito can be reached at
vito.pugli...@frontstretch.com<http://../mail?view=cm&tf=0&ui=1&to=vito.pugli...@frontstretch.com>
.
*
*
FRONTSTRETCH LINE OF THE WEEK *
The Best Line From A Story You Need to See
*From **Did You Notice? ... Kyle Busch Throws Away The Win, NASCAR's
Discrimination Lawsuit Stalemate, And Jeremy Mayfield:
MIA*<http://www.frontstretch.com/tbowles/18158/>
*by Tom Bowles
**Did You Notice? … That there hasn't been much printed about the Mauricia
Grant diversity lawsuit as of late? That's because there's not much to say …
because no one's talking.*
*IMPRESS YOUR FRIENDS, BE A NASCAR RACING EXPERT!*
How, you ask? The answer is simple: read up on the teams and drivers you
love the most, right here on Frontstretch.com! Every day, Kim DeHaven and
her helpers Beth Lunkenheimer and Tony Lumbis post reams of PR from teams
across the NASCAR-o-sphere. Here's just a sample of the race reports for
this week's Coke Zero 400.
Driver Previews!
*Dodge Motorsports NSCS Coke Zero 400
Advance<http://www.frontstretch.com/ncpr/18152/>
*
*Clorox Team Hope Patience Turns Into Speed At
Daytona<http://www.frontstretch.com/bgnpr/18175/>
**Trent Snyder returns to the site of his two Feature Wins that led him to
the 2007 ASALMS North Title! <http://www.frontstretch.com/otherpr/18167/>*
Maybe someday, they'll be able to send moving pictures and sound through
thin air!
*Racefans To Receive Event Information And Multi-Media Messages Via
Bluetooth And Wi-Fi During Coke Zero 400
Weekend<http://www.frontstretch.com/ncpr/18174/>
*
This just in! Favre returns to the Packers and Earnhardt returns to the No.
8... oh, wait. Never mind.
Kerry Earnhardt to Drive Dale Earnhardt Inc. No. 8 Chevy in July Daytona
Nationwide Race <http://www.frontstretch.com/bgnpr/18146/>
Nothing to do with racing, but helpful advice from our friends at 3M
nonetheless.
*Simple Tips for Improving Fuel Mileage Can Add Up to Roughly 10 Percent
Savings per Tank <http://www.frontstretch.com/ncpr/18164/>*
Want More?
Sprint Cup <http://www.frontstretch.com/ncpr> | Nationwide
Series<http://www.frontstretch.com/bgnpr>| Craftsman
Truck <http://www.frontstretch.com/ctspr>| Tracks
PR<http://www.frontstretch.com/trackpr>| ARCA,
IRL and more <http://www.frontstretch.com/otherpr>
You can always see all the PR reports by going to your favorite site on the
net, *Frontstretch.com* <http://www.frontstretch.com/>!*
*
*Frontstretch On The Radio*:
Join Frontstretch's Tom Bowles and Matt Taliaferro for their weekly version
of the Frontstretch.com / Athlon Sports Racing Podcast Powered By Pepsi.
This week, Tom and Matt will be joined by host Patrick Snow as they go the
extra mile to figure out whose fuel held up in New Hampshire ... and whose
tank got filled up with tears of sadness instead of raindrops. Together,
we'll figure out Dario Franchitti's future, the ghosts of Silly Seasons
Past, and if you're lucky, you might walk away with a prediction or two for
the Coke Zero 400 at Daytona.
Unsure when to catch 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<http://www.athlonsports.com%20/racing/inside-racing-powered-by-pepsi>,
and don't forget to listen in on iTunes each week!! We're under "Athlon
Racing Podcast."
And if you're up for it, we're always looking to hear from the fans; be sure
to write in and give feedback at insiderac...@athlonsports.com! Tell us a
topic we haven't been chatting about, and we'll be sure to mention it on the
air. Of course, the two individual hosts can also be reached at
tom.bow...@frontstretch.com and matt.taliafe...@frontstretch.com.
*TODAY ON THE FRONTSTRETCH:*
*
BSNews! DEI Announces New Stable of Drivers For 2009 ... And Other Bits From
The Newsroom Floor* <http://www.frontstretch.com/jmeyer/18183/>
*by Jeff Meyer**
Matt McLaughlin Mouths Off: Blow This Mother Up And Start Over With A New
Stock Car Racing Series* <http://www.frontstretch.com/mmclaughlin/18150/>**</>
*by Matt McLaughlin*
*
Fanning The Flames : Breaking Down TNT's Wide Open
Coverage*<http://www.frontstretch.com/mtaliaferro/18162/>
*by Matt Taliaferro**
Tearing Apart The Trucks : Tony Stewart Driving For Randy Moss? It's
Possible* <http://www.frontstretch.com/blunkenheimer/18157/>
*by Beth Lunkenheimer**
According To Bruton Smith, New Hampshire Offers Bright Future ... Not A
Means To An End* <http://www.frontstretch.com/ahenderson/18181/>
*by Amy Henderson*
* * <http://www.frontstretch.com/mtaliaferro/17946/>
*Newsletter advertising works!
*You just proved it! We have packages from single insertions to monthly or
annual packages surrounding news, columns, and even complete newsletter
sponsorships. If you'd like to find out more, head over to our advertising
information page<http://www.frontstretch.com/about/2716/newsletter-ads-work>and
get started now!
*FRONTSTRETCH TRIVIA*
*Q. Cup level drivers have come to us from all but one continent, Antartica.
Who was the only driver that hailed from Africa to start a NASCAR Cup race?*
*Check back here tomorrow for the answer. Only in the Frontstretch
Newsletter!*
*
Wednesday's Answer
**Q. This owner gave his driver a Rolls Royce for winning a race. Who was
he?*
*A.** Owner Felix Sabates gave driver Kyle Petty a Rolls Royce after Petty
won the 500 lap race at Rockingham, NC, on March 4, 1990.
**
**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!
**Tomorrow in the Frontstretch Newsletter:
* *Frontstretch Folio : Coke Zero 400**
*Be sure to check in with Kim this week when she lays out the facts this
week from Daytona!
*In Case You Missed It : News From The Week That Was*
Kurt Smith looks back at a week full of news that you might not have seen
... but is important nonetheless.
*
**Tomorrow on the Frontstretch:
**Driven To The Past*
*by John Potts
*No need to source his tales of past racing glory: John IS the source.
Great stories from NASCAR's past, every Friday on the Frontstretch.
*Holding A Pretty Wheel *
*by Amy Henderson
*Amy shares with us her experience as a member of Kenny Wallace's pit crew
last weekend in New Hampshire.
*
Happy Hour : The Official Journalist Of NASCAR
**by Kurt Allen Smith
*Kurt's edgy commentary returns as the perfect way to finish off your Friday
NASCAR fix.
*Driver Diary : Rick Crawford*
*by Rick Crawford*
Rick talks over the latest news on and off the track as the driver of the
No. 14 Circle Bar Ford in the Truck Series.
*Fantasy Picks 'N' Pans: **Daytona***
*By Bryan Keith & Mike Neff*
Don't let the extra mile take your team down for the count! Bryan and Mike
are here to give you everything you need to know about stocking your team
for the high banks at Daytona.
*
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*
(c)2008 Frontstretch.com
