The Frontstretch Newsletter: September 29th, 2008
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THE FRONTSTRETCH NEWSLETTER Presented by Frontstretch.com
The Best Seat at the Track, The Best View on the Net!
September 29th, 2008
Volume II, Edition CLXXXVI
Today's Top News
Johnson Resists Edwards' Final Charge To Win At Kansas
by Phil Allaway
Carl Edwards dove into turn three on the last lap at Kansas expecting nothing to stop him -- not even the track's SAFER Barrier on the outside wall.
It was a move was so daring, so crazy... it almost worked.
Destroying the side of his No. 99 Ford, Edwards passed Jimmie Johnson briefly while losing control, but fell just short at the finish after slamming the concrete as Johnson passed him back to win the Camping World RV 400 at Kansas Speedway. The win was Johnson's first of the playoffs and fifth overall this season, allowing him to take a 10-point lead in the standings over his rival Edwards. But to Edwards' credit, he never gave up, making one of the most bonzai moves in recent history to try and win the race. Erasing a two car length lead at the end of the backstretch, his dive into the final turns was clearly not for the faint of heart.
"The ideal situation would have been me diving under Jimmie just fast enough to either not hit the wall or hit it less hard," Edwards explained of the maneuver that left fans on their feet. The Roush Fenway driver had earlier compared his move to something out of a video game; but unlike in EA Sports, the damage here was enough to slow his car down heading to the checkered flag.
And that left the win to Johnson, who had the dominant car for most of the race until Edwards found a line that allowed him to run down the No. 48 in the final few laps. Johnson then adjusted his line, which caused Edwards to scrape the wall on lap 266. Edwards then made his final lap charge, one that inevitably fell just short after he failed to beat Johnson out of the pits with his final stop.
"That pit stop really made the difference [in the result]," Johnson admitted. "The 99 [Edwards] was probably better on the long runs at the end."
For Edwards himself, it was a tumultuous day down pit lane. Charging from his 34th starting position, he ran into the No. 83 of Brian Vickers while leaving pit road during the first round of green flag stops. This required him to back up, costing him precious track position. Another incident saw him bounce off of the No. 22 of Dave Blaney under caution.
"I didn't know if other people were having the same trouble I was having, but it seemed like we were running into a lot of people and getting run into," Edwards said. "I don't know what was going on."
Behind the top two, Greg Biffle made a last lap pass of Jeff Gordon to make it a 1-2-3 finish for the top three in the point standings. The Chase so far has essentially been a three man race between Carl Edwards, Jimmie Johnson and Greg Biffle, and Sunday's Camping World RV 400 did nothing to change that fact -- altogether, they have yet to finish out of the Top 5 in three consecutive playoff races.
Matt Kenseth, who contended early before a spin set him back, rounded out the Top 5 finishers. Kevin Harvick finished sixth, followed by teammate and fellow Chaser Jeff Burton. David Ragan was the best finishing non-Chaser in eighth, followed by A.J. Allmendinger with a career-best ninth. Elliott Sadler rounded out the Top 10 finishers.
Point Standings (Top 12)
Sunday's victory at Kansas helped catapult Jimmie Johnson atop the points for the first time this season; however, his lead is just ten over Carl Edwards with seven races to go. Behind them, Greg Biffle's strong third place finish kept him third in points, just 30 behind what would be a surprising title upset. Those three are now the only men within 100 points of the top spot, giving them a clear leg up in this year's championship Chase.
Jeff Burton overcame a 37th place starting spot and a bad tachometer (that had to be changed before the race started) to finish seventh and maintain fourth in the standings. However, he remains 121 behind Johnson's blistering pace with no laps led during the Chase. Behind him, Kevin Harvick continues to hold the fifth spot in the standings after recording his ninth consecutive Top 10 finish. Jeff Gordon's fourth place run moved him up two positions to sixth, despite suffering from a stomach ailment that hampered him most of the weekend. Clint Bowyer dropped down a position to seventh; he is now 164 points behind after finishing 12th at his home track. On the flip side, Dale Earnhardt, Jr. moved up to 8th despite struggling to 13th while failing to solve his handling woes; now 190 back of Johnson, he'll need help from others in order to mount a successful title bid.
In ninth, just two points behind Earnhardt Jr. is Matt Kenseth. Kenseth had a car that might have contended for the victory Sunday, but a mid-race spin courtesy of Casey Mears set him too far back in the pack to make up the difference -- he wound up 5th. Next, Denny Hamlin rounds out the Top 10, moving up one spot after handling problems dropped him to 11th in the race -- the best run of the three-man Joe Gibbs Racing stable. Behind him, Tony Stewart fell four spots to 11th after finishing seven laps down in 40th, the worst run of any of the Chasers at Kansas. Stewart's troubles began with a spin into the tri-oval grass on lap 130. This tore one of the supports off the splitter; eventually, part of the splitter was literally ground off the car, necessitating a green flag pit stop to fix it that cost Stewart five laps. From that point on, he simply limped to the finish and left the track without comment.
Rounding out the playoff contenders is Kyle Busch, who had mechanical problems for the third straight week on Sunday. Busch's engine sputtered on and off throughout the day, a glitch that was eventually traced to faulty fuel pressure in his Toyota. Coming home in 28th, one lap down, Busch now fell 311 points behind Johnson with just seven races left. If Busch was not out of contention after Dover, then he is now.
Danger Zone (Top 35)
There was no movement of teams in and out of the Top 35 this week. However, the margins between the "haves" and the "have nots" widened a bit.
The No. 00 of Michael McDowell failed to qualify at Kansas, falling a little further behind as a result. The No. 00 remains in 36th, but is now 29 points out of 35th place Robby Gordon and the No. 7. The No. 77 of Sam Hornish, Jr. is still in 37th place, but drops to 66 points out of 35th after an uneventful 33rd place run Sunday.
If this race was, in fact, the last ride for A.J. Allmendinger in Team Red Bull's No. 84, then he certainly made the best of it. His Top 10 finish moved the No. 84 up to 33rd in owner points, giving the team a 118-point advantage over 36th place McDowell. For more on A.J.'s solid run, read today's "Secret Star" section.
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Secret Star of The Race: The Best Run You Never Saw
This week, we're going with a tie. As Mike Ravesi so eloquently pointed out in the website's Bubble Breakdown, A.J. Allmendinger had the best run of his Sprint Cup career at Kansas – and it couldn't have come at a better time. One week after his breakup with Team Red Bull went public, the clock is ticking on when this 26-year-old's going to have to file for unemployment. But with replacement Scott Speed waiting in the wings sooner rather than later, the 'Dinger went down swinging in a race that may have given him a chance at new life for next year. His No. 84 team struggled at first Sunday, causing adversity when a tire rolled out of its pit box on Lap 76. The resulting penalty dropped Allmendinger well outside the Top 20; but the sophomore patiently worked his way through traffic on a day where it was difficult to pass, finally settling in 9th by the end of his 400-mile run.
"We just had a good car," 'Dinger said of a finish that perhaps ends his tenure with TRB on a high note. "The racing is so tough out there. Everybody is fighting so hard. You still have to be aggressive, but you have to leave it one notch below over the top."
"I'm definitely going to sleep well tonight."
Joining the 'Dinger in the "sound sleep" department is Elliott Sadler, who quietly brought home a 10th place finish in his No. 19 Dodge. His best run since a 9th at Michigan in August, Sadler snapped a slump in which he'd finished 24th or worse ever since.
"We did a lot of work at the Charlotte test and found out a lot of things that this car liked," he said after the run. "I'm proud of my guys at the race shop. They burned the midnight oil on Tuesday night. They stayed late and the truck left late to get all the stuff done so that we could be competitive here this weekend."
Now, the key for Sadler will be to remain competitive two weeks in a row; he hasn't had back-to-back Top 10s since he joined the No. 19 car in 2006. – Tom Bowles
STAT OF THE WEEK: 2.3. That's the average finish of Jimmie Johnson, Carl Edwards, and Greg Biffle combined during the 2008 Chase for the Championship. Together, they've swept all three race victories, collected nine Top 5 finishes in nine starts, and led 742 of a possible 967 laps (77%). Need more proof this year's title is down to a three-man race (unless all hell breaks loose at Talladega)? Nah, I didn't think you did. – Tom Bowles
Big Six: Camping World RV 400
by Amy Henderson
Who…gets my shoutout of the race?
Driving 400 miles in the heat on a slick track while finishing in the Top 5 in a Sprint Cup race is already a dauntingly difficult task -- doing that while battling the flu is nearly impossible. But that's just what Jeff Gordon did at Kansas. Gordon admitted before the race to feeling the worst he's ever felt before strapping in, but gutted out a strong fourth-place finish, his best since Infineon in June. The No. 24 team had Hendrick Motorsports development driver Brad Keselowski on hand to relieve Gordon, but the Rainbow Warrior lived up to his nickname, going the distance with the kind of finish that hinted that it might be too soon to abandon all hope of a championship run in 2008.
What…was Team Red Bull thinking?
Despite already having been given his walking papers, probably as soon as this week, A.J. Allmendinger drove the race of his career Sunday. In fact, probable replacement Scott Speed should be thanking Allmendinger for solidifying the car's Top 35 position in owner points, a parting gift that means Speed doesn't have to qualify on -- well, speed. Since a six-week hiatus for Allmendinger early in the season in which the team reevaluated its equipment, he's improved steadily, doing everything asked of him in the process. But instead of being rewarded for that hard work ... he's getting released.
Where…did the polesitter wind up?
After a barnburner of a last lap -- squarely in Victory Lane. After surviving one final charge from Carl Edwards that came up short, Jimmie Johnson carted home his fifth trophy of the year, taking over the point lead for the first time in 2008. In the process, he also padded a stat that shows when the No. 48 wins the pole, watch out -- this was Johnson's Sprint Cup-leading third win from the top spot this season.
Of course, Johnson is also trying to complete a task that has only been accomplished once in NASCAR Cup history and win three straight championships, something that only Cale Yarborough has done before (1976-78). And in the process, he's proving to be not only one of the best drivers of his era -- but one of the best ever.
When…have fans been treated to a better race at Kansas?
Possibly never. Had he not driven in just a little too deep on that last corner, Carl Edwards had the race won. Jimmie Johnson may have had a huge lead a couple of laps earlier, but Edwards had him dead to rights heading into the final lap. However, while making his bonsai move for the lead, Edwards couldn't quite hold the car and slid up and into the wall, killing his momentum heading to the finish line. Johnson then took the checkers after a fierce but clean one-lap battle that should go down as the best finish to date at Kansas Speedway. Not surprisingly, both drivers had smiles on their faces as they spoke after the race -- as it should be.
Why…does NASCAR allow teams whose qualifying times are disallowed to start under the Top 35 rule?
It's time to revisit a rule that allows a team who qualifies an illegal car to race while a team with a car that was legal on its lap goes home. If the issue is one such as the shock absorbers on the No. 42 this week -- something that could not have happened from a part failure -- the team in question should be sent packing, plain and simple. And NASCAR isn't blameless here; why the car got through opening tech with illegal shocks if, as the team claims, the shocks were the same as when they left the shop is also a huge question mark. But by and large, the issue here is that a legal car went home while an illegal one raced -- and that's unfair.
How…many of the top twelve are still championship players after Kansas?
While the full dozen are still mathematically in it, realistically, title hopes are still alive for only the top nine. There's only a spread of 191 points between leader Jimmie Johnson and ninth-place Matt Kenseth. As for tenth through twelfth - Denny Hamlin, Tony Stewart, and Kyle Busch - they would have to string together a phenomenal run while five or six teams would have to have a virtual shutdown in order to compete. For the others, Talladega is the Great Equalizer this week, and a middle of the pack driver in the Chase has a great chance for a huge points day should the top three find themselves victims of the speedway's Big One.
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:
Time For Joe Gibbs Racing To Fight -- Not Fold -- Through Its Dark Nightmare
by Tom Bowles
Matt McLaughlin's Thinkin' Out Loud: Camping World RV 400
by Matt McLaughlin
Ten Points To Ponder After ... Kansas
by Tommy Thompson
Sprint Cup Rookie Report : Carpentier Makes The "Best" Out Of A Bad Day
by Tony Lumbis
Bubble Breakdown : Allmendinger Shines In Possible Team Red Bull Finale
by Mike Ravesi
Nationwide Series Breakdown : Kansas Lottery 300
by Bryan Davis Keith
FRONTSTRETCH TRIVIA
Q. He was the first Cup Champion to have never started a Cup race prior to the modern era.
Check back Tuesday for the answer, here in the Frontstretch Newsletter!
Friday's Answer
Q. Since Brian France took over as CEO of NASCAR, he's changed the way points are awarded twice. How many changes have been made to the points since its inception in 1949?
A. There have been 12 changes to the NASCAR Cup level point system since its inception in 1949. If you'd like specifics, check at the bottom of this article from USA Today It was written in 2004, so it won't include the current 12th version which includes twelve drivers in the Chase instead of the top ten and those within 400 points within the leader.
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 News from Phil Allaway
-- Sitting in the Stands: A Fan's View by S.D. Grady
-- Numbers Game: Camping World RV 400 by Kim DeHaven
-- Trivia, links to your favorite Frontstretch articles, and more!
Tomorrow on the Frontstretch:
The Voice of Vito by Vito Pugliese
Join Vito Tuesday for another thought-provoking NASCAR column that'll have you using your own voice at the office water cooler to discuss.
The Yellow Stripe by Danny Peters
Frontstretch's rookie British columnist puts down the tea and gets to work dissecting America's #1 Stock Car Series.
Who's Hot / Who's Not In Sprint Cup : Camping World RV 400 by Mike Lovecchio
Be sure to check in with Mike on Tuesday for a statistic-based column sorting out which drivers should be looking toward the Championship -- and who might be better off preparing for next season.
Running Their Mouth : Camping World RV 400 by Beth Lunkenheimer
You know how that Patriot Act pretty much lets the NSA listen to anything they want? Well, they don't have anything on Frontstretch's own Double-Naught Spy, Beth, when it comes to finding who said what this week. Be sure to check in Tuesday for all the quotes that you may have missed!
Talking NASCAR TV by Doug Turnbull
Last week, Doug said the ESPN/ABC crew did a good job but left some room for improvement. How did they do this week in Kansas? Check in Tuesday to find out.
------------------------------------------------------------
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©2008 Frontstretch.com
The Best Seat at the Track, The Best View on the Net!
September 29th, 2008
Volume II, Edition CLXXXVI
Today's Top News
Johnson Resists Edwards' Final Charge To Win At Kansas
by Phil Allaway
Carl Edwards dove into turn three on the last lap at Kansas expecting nothing to stop him -- not even the track's SAFER Barrier on the outside wall.
It was a move was so daring, so crazy... it almost worked.
Destroying the side of his No. 99 Ford, Edwards passed Jimmie Johnson briefly while losing control, but fell just short at the finish after slamming the concrete as Johnson passed him back to win the Camping World RV 400 at Kansas Speedway. The win was Johnson's first of the playoffs and fifth overall this season, allowing him to take a 10-point lead in the standings over his rival Edwards. But to Edwards' credit, he never gave up, making one of the most bonzai moves in recent history to try and win the race. Erasing a two car length lead at the end of the backstretch, his dive into the final turns was clearly not for the faint of heart.
"The ideal situation would have been me diving under Jimmie just fast enough to either not hit the wall or hit it less hard," Edwards explained of the maneuver that left fans on their feet. The Roush Fenway driver had earlier compared his move to something out of a video game; but unlike in EA Sports, the damage here was enough to slow his car down heading to the checkered flag.
And that left the win to Johnson, who had the dominant car for most of the race until Edwards found a line that allowed him to run down the No. 48 in the final few laps. Johnson then adjusted his line, which caused Edwards to scrape the wall on lap 266. Edwards then made his final lap charge, one that inevitably fell just short after he failed to beat Johnson out of the pits with his final stop.
"That pit stop really made the difference [in the result]," Johnson admitted. "The 99 [Edwards] was probably better on the long runs at the end."
For Edwards himself, it was a tumultuous day down pit lane. Charging from his 34th starting position, he ran into the No. 83 of Brian Vickers while leaving pit road during the first round of green flag stops. This required him to back up, costing him precious track position. Another incident saw him bounce off of the No. 22 of Dave Blaney under caution.
"I didn't know if other people were having the same trouble I was having, but it seemed like we were running into a lot of people and getting run into," Edwards said. "I don't know what was going on."
Behind the top two, Greg Biffle made a last lap pass of Jeff Gordon to make it a 1-2-3 finish for the top three in the point standings. The Chase so far has essentially been a three man race between Carl Edwards, Jimmie Johnson and Greg Biffle, and Sunday's Camping World RV 400 did nothing to change that fact -- altogether, they have yet to finish out of the Top 5 in three consecutive playoff races.
Matt Kenseth, who contended early before a spin set him back, rounded out the Top 5 finishers. Kevin Harvick finished sixth, followed by teammate and fellow Chaser Jeff Burton. David Ragan was the best finishing non-Chaser in eighth, followed by A.J. Allmendinger with a career-best ninth. Elliott Sadler rounded out the Top 10 finishers.
Point Standings (Top 12)
Sunday's victory at Kansas helped catapult Jimmie Johnson atop the points for the first time this season; however, his lead is just ten over Carl Edwards with seven races to go. Behind them, Greg Biffle's strong third place finish kept him third in points, just 30 behind what would be a surprising title upset. Those three are now the only men within 100 points of the top spot, giving them a clear leg up in this year's championship Chase.
Jeff Burton overcame a 37th place starting spot and a bad tachometer (that had to be changed before the race started) to finish seventh and maintain fourth in the standings. However, he remains 121 behind Johnson's blistering pace with no laps led during the Chase. Behind him, Kevin Harvick continues to hold the fifth spot in the standings after recording his ninth consecutive Top 10 finish. Jeff Gordon's fourth place run moved him up two positions to sixth, despite suffering from a stomach ailment that hampered him most of the weekend. Clint Bowyer dropped down a position to seventh; he is now 164 points behind after finishing 12th at his home track. On the flip side, Dale Earnhardt, Jr. moved up to 8th despite struggling to 13th while failing to solve his handling woes; now 190 back of Johnson, he'll need help from others in order to mount a successful title bid.
In ninth, just two points behind Earnhardt Jr. is Matt Kenseth. Kenseth had a car that might have contended for the victory Sunday, but a mid-race spin courtesy of Casey Mears set him too far back in the pack to make up the difference -- he wound up 5th. Next, Denny Hamlin rounds out the Top 10, moving up one spot after handling problems dropped him to 11th in the race -- the best run of the three-man Joe Gibbs Racing stable. Behind him, Tony Stewart fell four spots to 11th after finishing seven laps down in 40th, the worst run of any of the Chasers at Kansas. Stewart's troubles began with a spin into the tri-oval grass on lap 130. This tore one of the supports off the splitter; eventually, part of the splitter was literally ground off the car, necessitating a green flag pit stop to fix it that cost Stewart five laps. From that point on, he simply limped to the finish and left the track without comment.
Rounding out the playoff contenders is Kyle Busch, who had mechanical problems for the third straight week on Sunday. Busch's engine sputtered on and off throughout the day, a glitch that was eventually traced to faulty fuel pressure in his Toyota. Coming home in 28th, one lap down, Busch now fell 311 points behind Johnson with just seven races left. If Busch was not out of contention after Dover, then he is now.
Danger Zone (Top 35)
There was no movement of teams in and out of the Top 35 this week. However, the margins between the "haves" and the "have nots" widened a bit.
The No. 00 of Michael McDowell failed to qualify at Kansas, falling a little further behind as a result. The No. 00 remains in 36th, but is now 29 points out of 35th place Robby Gordon and the No. 7. The No. 77 of Sam Hornish, Jr. is still in 37th place, but drops to 66 points out of 35th after an uneventful 33rd place run Sunday.
If this race was, in fact, the last ride for A.J. Allmendinger in Team Red Bull's No. 84, then he certainly made the best of it. His Top 10 finish moved the No. 84 up to 33rd in owner points, giving the team a 118-point advantage over 36th place McDowell. For more on A.J.'s solid run, read today's "Secret Star" section.
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!
Secret Star of The Race: The Best Run You Never Saw
This week, we're going with a tie. As Mike Ravesi so eloquently pointed out in the website's Bubble Breakdown, A.J. Allmendinger had the best run of his Sprint Cup career at Kansas – and it couldn't have come at a better time. One week after his breakup with Team Red Bull went public, the clock is ticking on when this 26-year-old's going to have to file for unemployment. But with replacement Scott Speed waiting in the wings sooner rather than later, the 'Dinger went down swinging in a race that may have given him a chance at new life for next year. His No. 84 team struggled at first Sunday, causing adversity when a tire rolled out of its pit box on Lap 76. The resulting penalty dropped Allmendinger well outside the Top 20; but the sophomore patiently worked his way through traffic on a day where it was difficult to pass, finally settling in 9th by the end of his 400-mile run.
"We just had a good car," 'Dinger said of a finish that perhaps ends his tenure with TRB on a high note. "The racing is so tough out there. Everybody is fighting so hard. You still have to be aggressive, but you have to leave it one notch below over the top."
"I'm definitely going to sleep well tonight."
Joining the 'Dinger in the "sound sleep" department is Elliott Sadler, who quietly brought home a 10th place finish in his No. 19 Dodge. His best run since a 9th at Michigan in August, Sadler snapped a slump in which he'd finished 24th or worse ever since.
"We did a lot of work at the Charlotte test and found out a lot of things that this car liked," he said after the run. "I'm proud of my guys at the race shop. They burned the midnight oil on Tuesday night. They stayed late and the truck left late to get all the stuff done so that we could be competitive here this weekend."
Now, the key for Sadler will be to remain competitive two weeks in a row; he hasn't had back-to-back Top 10s since he joined the No. 19 car in 2006. – Tom Bowles
STAT OF THE WEEK: 2.3. That's the average finish of Jimmie Johnson, Carl Edwards, and Greg Biffle combined during the 2008 Chase for the Championship. Together, they've swept all three race victories, collected nine Top 5 finishes in nine starts, and led 742 of a possible 967 laps (77%). Need more proof this year's title is down to a three-man race (unless all hell breaks loose at Talladega)? Nah, I didn't think you did. – Tom Bowles
Big Six: Camping World RV 400
by Amy Henderson
Who…gets my shoutout of the race?
Driving 400 miles in the heat on a slick track while finishing in the Top 5 in a Sprint Cup race is already a dauntingly difficult task -- doing that while battling the flu is nearly impossible. But that's just what Jeff Gordon did at Kansas. Gordon admitted before the race to feeling the worst he's ever felt before strapping in, but gutted out a strong fourth-place finish, his best since Infineon in June. The No. 24 team had Hendrick Motorsports development driver Brad Keselowski on hand to relieve Gordon, but the Rainbow Warrior lived up to his nickname, going the distance with the kind of finish that hinted that it might be too soon to abandon all hope of a championship run in 2008.
What…was Team Red Bull thinking?
Despite already having been given his walking papers, probably as soon as this week, A.J. Allmendinger drove the race of his career Sunday. In fact, probable replacement Scott Speed should be thanking Allmendinger for solidifying the car's Top 35 position in owner points, a parting gift that means Speed doesn't have to qualify on -- well, speed. Since a six-week hiatus for Allmendinger early in the season in which the team reevaluated its equipment, he's improved steadily, doing everything asked of him in the process. But instead of being rewarded for that hard work ... he's getting released.
Where…did the polesitter wind up?
After a barnburner of a last lap -- squarely in Victory Lane. After surviving one final charge from Carl Edwards that came up short, Jimmie Johnson carted home his fifth trophy of the year, taking over the point lead for the first time in 2008. In the process, he also padded a stat that shows when the No. 48 wins the pole, watch out -- this was Johnson's Sprint Cup-leading third win from the top spot this season.
Of course, Johnson is also trying to complete a task that has only been accomplished once in NASCAR Cup history and win three straight championships, something that only Cale Yarborough has done before (1976-78). And in the process, he's proving to be not only one of the best drivers of his era -- but one of the best ever.
When…have fans been treated to a better race at Kansas?
Possibly never. Had he not driven in just a little too deep on that last corner, Carl Edwards had the race won. Jimmie Johnson may have had a huge lead a couple of laps earlier, but Edwards had him dead to rights heading into the final lap. However, while making his bonsai move for the lead, Edwards couldn't quite hold the car and slid up and into the wall, killing his momentum heading to the finish line. Johnson then took the checkers after a fierce but clean one-lap battle that should go down as the best finish to date at Kansas Speedway. Not surprisingly, both drivers had smiles on their faces as they spoke after the race -- as it should be.
Why…does NASCAR allow teams whose qualifying times are disallowed to start under the Top 35 rule?
It's time to revisit a rule that allows a team who qualifies an illegal car to race while a team with a car that was legal on its lap goes home. If the issue is one such as the shock absorbers on the No. 42 this week -- something that could not have happened from a part failure -- the team in question should be sent packing, plain and simple. And NASCAR isn't blameless here; why the car got through opening tech with illegal shocks if, as the team claims, the shocks were the same as when they left the shop is also a huge question mark. But by and large, the issue here is that a legal car went home while an illegal one raced -- and that's unfair.
How…many of the top twelve are still championship players after Kansas?
While the full dozen are still mathematically in it, realistically, title hopes are still alive for only the top nine. There's only a spread of 191 points between leader Jimmie Johnson and ninth-place Matt Kenseth. As for tenth through twelfth - Denny Hamlin, Tony Stewart, and Kyle Busch - they would have to string together a phenomenal run while five or six teams would have to have a virtual shutdown in order to compete. For the others, Talladega is the Great Equalizer this week, and a middle of the pack driver in the Chase has a great chance for a huge points day should the top three find themselves victims of the speedway's Big One.
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:
Time For Joe Gibbs Racing To Fight -- Not Fold -- Through Its Dark Nightmare
by Tom Bowles
Matt McLaughlin's Thinkin' Out Loud: Camping World RV 400
by Matt McLaughlin
Ten Points To Ponder After ... Kansas
by Tommy Thompson
Sprint Cup Rookie Report : Carpentier Makes The "Best" Out Of A Bad Day
by Tony Lumbis
Bubble Breakdown : Allmendinger Shines In Possible Team Red Bull Finale
by Mike Ravesi
Nationwide Series Breakdown : Kansas Lottery 300
by Bryan Davis Keith
FRONTSTRETCH TRIVIA
Q. He was the first Cup Champion to have never started a Cup race prior to the modern era.
Check back Tuesday for the answer, here in the Frontstretch Newsletter!
Friday's Answer
Q. Since Brian France took over as CEO of NASCAR, he's changed the way points are awarded twice. How many changes have been made to the points since its inception in 1949?
A. There have been 12 changes to the NASCAR Cup level point system since its inception in 1949. If you'd like specifics, check at the bottom of this article from USA Today It was written in 2004, so it won't include the current 12th version which includes twelve drivers in the Chase instead of the top ten and those within 400 points within the leader.
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 News from Phil Allaway
-- Sitting in the Stands: A Fan's View by S.D. Grady
-- Numbers Game: Camping World RV 400 by Kim DeHaven
-- Trivia, links to your favorite Frontstretch articles, and more!
Tomorrow on the Frontstretch:
The Voice of Vito by Vito Pugliese
Join Vito Tuesday for another thought-provoking NASCAR column that'll have you using your own voice at the office water cooler to discuss.
The Yellow Stripe by Danny Peters
Frontstretch's rookie British columnist puts down the tea and gets to work dissecting America's #1 Stock Car Series.
Who's Hot / Who's Not In Sprint Cup : Camping World RV 400 by Mike Lovecchio
Be sure to check in with Mike on Tuesday for a statistic-based column sorting out which drivers should be looking toward the Championship -- and who might be better off preparing for next season.
Running Their Mouth : Camping World RV 400 by Beth Lunkenheimer
You know how that Patriot Act pretty much lets the NSA listen to anything they want? Well, they don't have anything on Frontstretch's own Double-Naught Spy, Beth, when it comes to finding who said what this week. Be sure to check in Tuesday for all the quotes that you may have missed!
Talking NASCAR TV by Doug Turnbull
Last week, Doug said the ESPN/ABC crew did a good job but left some room for improvement. How did they do this week in Kansas? Check in Tuesday to find out.
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