The Frontstretch Newsletter: November 21st, 2008
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Nov 21, 2008, 12:32:22 AM11/21/08
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THE FRONTSTRETCH NEWSLETTER
Presented by Frontstretch.com
The Best Seat at the Track, The Best View on the Net!
November 21st, 2008
Volume II, Edition CCXXV
Today's Top News
Kenseth Extends Contract With Roush Fenway
by Kurt Smith
Matt Kenseth, the 2003 Cup champ and driver of the No. 17 DeWalt Ford, has extended his contract with Roush Fenway Racing in a multi-year deal announced on Thursday. Kenseth has been racing for Jack Roush since 1998, scoring 16 Sprint Cup wins and five consecutive Chase appearances for the organization. Kenseth also won the Sprint Cup Rookie of the Year honors driving for Roush Fenway in 2000.
"It's been a great 11 years at Roush Fenway Racing," said Kenseth. "I appreciate everything Jack and DeWalt have done for me over the years. We've had a lot of success together, including a championship, and I'm really proud of that."
The veteran was originally signed through 2010. Terms of the contract were not announced, but Kenseth is the fourth RFR driver locked up to a long-term deal this season, joining teammates David Ragan, Carl Edwards, and Greg Biffle.
Robby Gordon To Race In Baja 1000
Following the final Sprint Cup race of 2008 at Homestead-Miami Speedway, Robby Gordon, driver and owner of the No. 7 car, left for Ensenada, Mexico to compete in the Tecate SCORE Baja 1000.
Gordon will be driving the No. 77 Chevrolet sponsored by Monster Energy and Toyo Tires. This year's race extends 631 miles through the northern Baja California peninsula and begins today.
"This year's course is very technical, very rough and very fast, which plays right into our team's strengths," said Gordon. "The team has done a good job building up the reliability in our Monster Energy / Toyo Tires / 4Wheel Parts trophy truck. We've been in Mexico pre-running the course over the past few weeks. Having covered the course twice, I feel very confident of our chances."
Gordon has won the off-road overall race three times.
In Case You Missed It
by Kurt Smith
Menard To Drive No. 98 For Yates In 2009
Yates Racing announced on Tuesday that Paul Menard, former driver of the No. 15 Chevrolet for DEI, will run the No. 98 Ford Fusion for Yates Racing in 2009. The crew chief for the team will be Larry Carter, the former head wrench for the No. 26 of Jamie McMurray who led the team to three consecutive third place finishes to close out 2008.
"I'm really looking forward to starting this new chapter of my life with Yates Racing and behind the wheel of the No. 98," said Menard. "It's exciting to be starting with Max (Jones) and Doug (Yates), and having Larry Carter on the box making the calls. I've seen how solid the Roush/Yates engine program has been over the years, and I know we can have a really good season in the Menards Ford Fusion."
Menard raced in all 36 events for DEI in 2008. He finished 26th in the standings, with his best finish being a second at Talladega in October.
Plans for the other two Yates Racing teams have yet to be announced.
Homestead Ratings Down From 2007; Nationwide, Craftsman Series Ratings Up
Turns out Jimmie Johnson making history didn't make for a larger audience. The final Sprint Cup race of 2008 earned a 4.0 rating for ABC, down 4.8 percent from last year's 4.2. However, the average rating for Sprint Cup Chase races was 3.8, equal to the numbers from 2007.
In contrast, the last Nationwide event of 2008 at Homestead on ESPN2 scored a 1.6 Nielsen rating. That number was up 33 percent from last season's 1.2; overall, the average for ESPN2's coverage of the Nationwide races this season went up 7 percent from 2007.
And last but not least, the Craftsman Truck Series finale at Homestead scored a .96 rating on SPEED, up 136 percent from last year's .39. Average coverage for Truck Series races reached a record .80 rating in 2008.
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:
The Best 2008 NASCAR Stories That You Will Soon Forget
by Kurt Smith
Not Yarborough vs. Johnson; Yarborough AND Johnson
by Amy Henderson
With The Season Over, I Leave You With A Few Parting Thoughts And Shots
by Jeff Meyer
David Starr Driver Diary: Another Season In The Books
by David Starr
Driven To The Past: Desperate Times Call For Desperate Measures
by John Potts
Frontstretch On The Radio:
Join Patrick Snow, Matt Taliaferro, and Tom Bowles one final time in 2008 with our Athlon / Frontstretch podcast presented by Pepsi. We'll take a look back at the final race of the year, judge where Jimmie Johnson's third straight title ranks in the history books, and sort out the offseason pink slips to figure out exactly what teams are in jeopardy as the '09 season comes around.
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."
FRONTSTRETCH TRIVIA:
Q. These Father and Son teams have combined to win championships across the three top series. Who are they?
Check back next week for the answer, here in the Frontstretch Newsletter!
Thursday's Answer:
Q. These sets of brothers have won championships in NASCAR's top three series. Who are they?
A. Terry and Bobby Labonte won championships at the Cup and Nationwide level, while the Green brothers -- Jeff and David -- each won championships in the Nationwide series.
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 are entitled to a 15% discount off the WHOLESALE price on any stocked item. Not valid at dealer locations.
Next Week in the Frontstretch Newsletter
--Top News with Phil Allaway
--Big Six Review of 2008 with Amy Henderson
--Trivia, links to your favorite Frontstretch articles, and more!
Monday on the Frontstretch:
Matt McLaughlin Mouths Off by Matt McLaughlin
After a few technical issues of his own, Matt figures out how teams will technically get around the 2009 testing ban in his final column of the year (postponed from Thursday).
Bubble Breakdown Review: The Good, Bad, And The Ugly by Mike Ravesi
Mike takes a final look at which teams in the back of the pack overachieved this season, and which ones could struggle to return in 2009 after failing to secure a locked in spot.
How To Fix The Nationwide Series by Bryan Davis Keith
Bryan gives his ideas on how NASCAR's second most popular division can rebuild after another season filled with empty seats in the stands, Cup domination up front, and start and parkers littering the back of the field.
Ten Points To Ponder ... Offseason by Tommy Thompson
Tommy takes one last peek at ten stories we should keep an eye on in November and beyond.
Sprint Cup Rookie Report Cards by Tony Lumbis
It's a tough job, but someone's gotta do it; Professor Lumbis dishes out the final grades on the worst rookie class in NASCAR's 60-year history.
--------------------------------------------------------------
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!
©2008 Frontstretch.com
Presented by Frontstretch.com
The Best Seat at the Track, The Best View on the Net!
November 21st, 2008
Volume II, Edition CCXXV
Today's Top News
Kenseth Extends Contract With Roush Fenway
by Kurt Smith
Matt Kenseth, the 2003 Cup champ and driver of the No. 17 DeWalt Ford, has extended his contract with Roush Fenway Racing in a multi-year deal announced on Thursday. Kenseth has been racing for Jack Roush since 1998, scoring 16 Sprint Cup wins and five consecutive Chase appearances for the organization. Kenseth also won the Sprint Cup Rookie of the Year honors driving for Roush Fenway in 2000.
"It's been a great 11 years at Roush Fenway Racing," said Kenseth. "I appreciate everything Jack and DeWalt have done for me over the years. We've had a lot of success together, including a championship, and I'm really proud of that."
The veteran was originally signed through 2010. Terms of the contract were not announced, but Kenseth is the fourth RFR driver locked up to a long-term deal this season, joining teammates David Ragan, Carl Edwards, and Greg Biffle.
Robby Gordon To Race In Baja 1000
Following the final Sprint Cup race of 2008 at Homestead-Miami Speedway, Robby Gordon, driver and owner of the No. 7 car, left for Ensenada, Mexico to compete in the Tecate SCORE Baja 1000.
Gordon will be driving the No. 77 Chevrolet sponsored by Monster Energy and Toyo Tires. This year's race extends 631 miles through the northern Baja California peninsula and begins today.
"This year's course is very technical, very rough and very fast, which plays right into our team's strengths," said Gordon. "The team has done a good job building up the reliability in our Monster Energy / Toyo Tires / 4Wheel Parts trophy truck. We've been in Mexico pre-running the course over the past few weeks. Having covered the course twice, I feel very confident of our chances."
Gordon has won the off-road overall race three times.
In Case You Missed It
by Kurt Smith
Menard To Drive No. 98 For Yates In 2009
Yates Racing announced on Tuesday that Paul Menard, former driver of the No. 15 Chevrolet for DEI, will run the No. 98 Ford Fusion for Yates Racing in 2009. The crew chief for the team will be Larry Carter, the former head wrench for the No. 26 of Jamie McMurray who led the team to three consecutive third place finishes to close out 2008.
"I'm really looking forward to starting this new chapter of my life with Yates Racing and behind the wheel of the No. 98," said Menard. "It's exciting to be starting with Max (Jones) and Doug (Yates), and having Larry Carter on the box making the calls. I've seen how solid the Roush/Yates engine program has been over the years, and I know we can have a really good season in the Menards Ford Fusion."
Menard raced in all 36 events for DEI in 2008. He finished 26th in the standings, with his best finish being a second at Talladega in October.
Plans for the other two Yates Racing teams have yet to be announced.
Homestead Ratings Down From 2007; Nationwide, Craftsman Series Ratings Up
Turns out Jimmie Johnson making history didn't make for a larger audience. The final Sprint Cup race of 2008 earned a 4.0 rating for ABC, down 4.8 percent from last year's 4.2. However, the average rating for Sprint Cup Chase races was 3.8, equal to the numbers from 2007.
In contrast, the last Nationwide event of 2008 at Homestead on ESPN2 scored a 1.6 Nielsen rating. That number was up 33 percent from last season's 1.2; overall, the average for ESPN2's coverage of the Nationwide races this season went up 7 percent from 2007.
And last but not least, the Craftsman Truck Series finale at Homestead scored a .96 rating on SPEED, up 136 percent from last year's .39. Average coverage for Truck Series races reached a record .80 rating in 2008.
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:
The Best 2008 NASCAR Stories That You Will Soon Forget
by Kurt Smith
Not Yarborough vs. Johnson; Yarborough AND Johnson
by Amy Henderson
With The Season Over, I Leave You With A Few Parting Thoughts And Shots
by Jeff Meyer
David Starr Driver Diary: Another Season In The Books
by David Starr
Driven To The Past: Desperate Times Call For Desperate Measures
by John Potts
Frontstretch On The Radio:
Join Patrick Snow, Matt Taliaferro, and Tom Bowles one final time in 2008 with our Athlon / Frontstretch podcast presented by Pepsi. We'll take a look back at the final race of the year, judge where Jimmie Johnson's third straight title ranks in the history books, and sort out the offseason pink slips to figure out exactly what teams are in jeopardy as the '09 season comes around.
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."
FRONTSTRETCH TRIVIA:
Q. These Father and Son teams have combined to win championships across the three top series. Who are they?
Check back next week for the answer, here in the Frontstretch Newsletter!
Thursday's Answer:
Q. These sets of brothers have won championships in NASCAR's top three series. Who are they?
A. Terry and Bobby Labonte won championships at the Cup and Nationwide level, while the Green brothers -- Jeff and David -- each won championships in the Nationwide series.
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 are entitled to a 15% discount off the WHOLESALE price on any stocked item. Not valid at dealer locations.
Next Week in the Frontstretch Newsletter
--Top News with Phil Allaway
--Big Six Review of 2008 with Amy Henderson
--Trivia, links to your favorite Frontstretch articles, and more!
Monday on the Frontstretch:
Matt McLaughlin Mouths Off by Matt McLaughlin
After a few technical issues of his own, Matt figures out how teams will technically get around the 2009 testing ban in his final column of the year (postponed from Thursday).
Bubble Breakdown Review: The Good, Bad, And The Ugly by Mike Ravesi
Mike takes a final look at which teams in the back of the pack overachieved this season, and which ones could struggle to return in 2009 after failing to secure a locked in spot.
How To Fix The Nationwide Series by Bryan Davis Keith
Bryan gives his ideas on how NASCAR's second most popular division can rebuild after another season filled with empty seats in the stands, Cup domination up front, and start and parkers littering the back of the field.
Ten Points To Ponder ... Offseason by Tommy Thompson
Tommy takes one last peek at ten stories we should keep an eye on in November and beyond.
Sprint Cup Rookie Report Cards by Tony Lumbis
It's a tough job, but someone's gotta do it; Professor Lumbis dishes out the final grades on the worst rookie class in NASCAR's 60-year history.
--------------------------------------------------------------
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!
©2008 Frontstretch.com
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