The Frontstretch Newsletter: November 12th, 2009

[Frontstretch.com]

THE FRONTSTRETCH NEWSLETTER 
Presented by Frontstretch.com
The Best Seat at the Track, The Best View on the Net!
November 12th, 2009
Volume III, Edition CCXIX

DON'T FORGET THE FRONTSTRETCH LIVE BLOG THIS SUNDAY!

 

Jimmie Johnson's early race wreck at Texas last weekend, combined with Mark Martin's top 5 finish, has closed up the battle for the championship significantly.  Johnson's lead is now down to 73 points with just two races to go -- so can Martin take advantage and make one final run at the trophy?
 
Sunday's race at Phoenix will tell the tale. Can't get to a television to watch the race?  Or are you too busy watching Philip Rivers and the Chargers take the Philadelphia Eagles on FOX to switch over?  Well, join your favorite Frontstretch writers for commentary, opinions, polls, and all kinds of other inside information you just can't get anywhere else as you follow the race LIVE from your computer.  The action starts at 2:45 PM EST on Sunday, so feel free to drop on by.  And remember, viewer posts are always welcome, so don't be shy -- participate!

Today's Top News
by Phil Allaway

Penalties announced for Nationwide teams

On Wednesday, NASCAR levied penalties against two Nationwide teams for infractions at Texas last weekend.

Firstly, the No. 18 of Kyle Busch was found to have an improperly secured weight in opening day inspection on Friday.  That violation has been punished with a deduction of 25 driver points from Kyle Busch and 25 owners’ points from car owner Joe Gibbs.  In addition, crew chief Jason Radcliff has been assessed a fine of $5,000 and placed on probation until December 31.  NASCAR cited Sections 12-1 (Actions Detrimental to Stock Car Racing), 12-4-l (Determination that something does not conform to rules), and 20A-2.3A (Improper attached weight) of the Nationwide Series Rulebook in their statement.

This move is consistent with an earlier penalty against Mike Harmon at Daytona this season.  As a result of the penalty, Kyle Busch’s point lead shrinks from 272 to 247 with two races to go.  However, by no means is he feeling the heat as a result of this ruling. 

Also, the No. 09 team (RAB Racing with Brack Maggard) was judged to have violated the impound procedure by making an illegal adjustment to the panhard bar.  As a result, now former crew chief Brad Parrott (see below) has been fined $5,000 and placed on probation until December 31.  In the release, NASCAR stated that Parrott violated Section 12-1, subsection 9-4-A (Crew chief assumes responsibility for the actions of his driver, team owner, and/or crew members), and Section 12-4-l (Unapproved Panhard bar adjustment during the impound period).

RAB Racing releases Brad Parrott

On Tuesday, RAB Racing announced the immediate dismissal of Brad Parrott from his duties as crew chief of the No. 09 Zaxby’s Ford.  He will be replaced in the final two races of the season by current car chief Ben Gable.  After the season ends, the team will decide on a permanent crew chief for the 2010 season. The team's driver and sponsor are also departing, as Townley and Zaxby's will be teaming up with Richard Childress Racing full-time next year.

Terry Cook to Stott Classic Racing

Terry Cook announced via his Facebook page on Wednesday that he will drive the No. 02 Chevrolet for Stott Classic Racing in the final two races of the Camping World Truck Series season.  He will be taking the place of Andy Ponstein, who was originally listed on the entry list for Friday night’s Lucas Oil 150.

Earlier this week, Cook left HT Motorsports’ No. 25.  Mike Bliss has already been named as Cook’s temporary replacement behind the wheel of the Cajun Industries Toyota.  Cook is currently 12th in Camping World Truck points, just 93 outside the top 10.

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.

 
Editor's Note:  What's Vexing Vito will return next week.  In the meanwhile, please enjoy this interview that our own Bryan Davis Keith conducted with Nationwide Series driver and part owner of Cardinal Motorsports, Peyton Sellers

 

Beyond the Cockpit:  Peyton Sellers
By Bryan Davis Keith

In a Nationwide Series garage littered with start and park teams, Peyton Sellers SFP-sponsored outfit has been one of the bright spots in a difficult 2009. Going the distance in nine races so far this season, he's collected one top 15 combined with thousands of laps of valuable experience the 26-year-old rookie can use moving forward. But can this feel good story survive until a sophomore season? Our own Bryan Davis Keith sits down with the owner/driver to talk sponsorship, support, and the typical humbling experience of going from star of your short track league to a Nationwide driver doing all he can to learn the ropes.

Keith: You've certainly gotten an education this summer.

 

Sellers: It has [been rough.]  I've been very fortunate that in everything I ever drove, I've never really struggled in it. Don't get me wrong, there's been learning curves along the way, but from late model racing to the West Series, our first race out we finished fifth, second race we finished second. There were some learning curves throughout that year, but we had some good runs. This year, nothing we've been able to do has gotten us close to the top 10. We had an awesome run at Milwaukee that I thought was going to be the turning point for us. We struggled early on, but went to Milwaukee, ran well enough to be fifth or sixth, but wound up 15th because I got caught speeding on pit road, put us a lap down. I was really expecting that to be the turning point, but it wasn't. It was a bright spot more than anything.

Looking forward, now I've got a lot more experience. We unloaded here and we weren't that fast, but I felt like I was where I needed to be, as a driver. I was able to come down pit road after the first three laps of practice and say “let's work on this, this, and this.” I wasn't guessing, I wasn't saying “I'm not sure what the car is doing, but this is what I think it's doing.” I think my feedback has gotten better throughout the year. We just can't seem to get a handle on these cars for whatever reason. Starting a new team, the personnel and all that's involved with it, it's been a big learning curve.

 

Keith: Talk about your equipment. You've torn up a couple cars this summer, don't have a ton of resources. Can you put a finger on what your team is missing right now?

 

Sellers: Help from a Cup team. That's what it boils down to. We're trying to do it all independently. We run ECR engines, but don't get any setup help from them. Basically, second half of the year it's been my brother and myself. I've been driving, he's been setting them up. You know, you talk to people, you get some help from people, but as far as a solid relationship with somebody, we just don't have that.

 

Keith: Is that a matter of there's not enough money, or a matter of reaching out to people and the help's not there?

 

Sellers: Little bit of both, to be honest with you. The way the economy is right now, every team is fighting and fending for themselves. We've seen a little bit of that. I don't know what the reason for it is, but we just haven't been able to get some help from a Cup team. We bought cars from RCR and motors from RCR, but they've been struggling some this year too. It's a tough market right now.

 

Keith: You talked about your feedback. Being a short tracker, obviously these longer ovals are something different. What specifically about your feedback has gotten better even after only a few starts on the longer ovals?

 

Sellers: The hardest thing I've had to get used to, the biggest thing that's made a difference is learning the tracks. On the short tracks, you rely on tires to give you grip. Here, you rely on air to give you grip. Mentally, I've got to say “forget what the tires are doing, think about what the air's doing to the car.” That's been a big learning curve, and also just getting out there and doing it. It's different than short-tracking.

 

Honestly, I think a guy looking to race [at this level] would be better off to skip the late model stuff and just jump in an ARCA car. But you've still got to pay your dues somewhere, and I felt like I paid my dues early on, and now we're getting to try and chase a dream a little bit in the Nationwide Series, and I wake up every morning and thank the good Lord that I'm able to get out here and race for a living. We're not where we want to be right now, but we're out here. There's 50 drivers here trying to make this race today, and 5,000 out there wanting to be here. I realize that every morning that I wake up. I've got to get better with my feedback, but right now I feel like I'm breaking through some of those barriers I hit earlier in the year.

 

Keith: You mentioned ARCA. A lot of people talk about ARCA for development since that series gets to run the intermediate ovals. After this season is over, is that something where we may see you in an ARCA car more down the road?

 

Sellers: Absolutely. We ran the ARCA race at Kansas City, that was a home race for our sponsor, SFP. It made sense to go out there and run that race. It's just a matter of getting seat time on these mile and a half tracks. You can't go test now, NASCAR's nipped that in the bud. And I'm not 100% against that rule, but you've got to do something for the rookies. It's hard for someone like me to come here and qualify against Carl Edwards and Kyle Busch, who get to do this twice a week every week. We're racing for the same positions.

 

Keith: It sounds like you've made progress in 2009. You still don't have the development deal to move you forward, but do you still view 2009 as a step forward?

 

Sellers: We've been very fortunate. We've learned a lot of stuff, we've paid some dues. We've torn up some equipment paying those dues, and that's part of it. People forget how many cars Kyle Busch tore up at Hendrick, and now he's shining. You've just got to do it. You've gotta find the edge, and it takes wrecking a few cars to do it. We're getting through some of that right now, and though I'm just like everyone else, cringing when I wreck one, it's what you've got to do. We're lining our stuff up to be a stronger threat next year. So over the winter, we're going to work to build some relationships, get some help for our team here, and it'll be a good thing.

 

Keith: What's the situation for 2010?

 

Sellers: We've talked to the sponsor, they seem very positive about everything they're doing. But we're waiting.

 

Bryan Davis Keith is a Senior Writer at frontstretch.com.  He can be reached at bryan...@frontstretch.com.

Listen In To Frontstretch On iTunes!
Tune in every Thursday afternoon to the Inside Racing Podcast presented by Wrigley's to get the inside dish on the week’s racing news. The Frontstretch’s Matt Taliaferro and Tom Bowles break down last week’s events, discuss current issues within the sport, and take a look ahead to this weekend’s upcoming race. With host Braden Gall keeping things in order for segments like Tom's Track Talk, Matt's Hot Laps, and more, it's an action-packed, fast-paced 30 minutes of racing debate. So if you’re tired of the cleaned-up, glossed-over network coverage, Inside Racing presented by Wrigley's is the place for you — Matt and Tom ask all the tough questions and provide the politically incorrect answers you seek. Look for our podcast on iTunes under the keyword: Athlon.
 
TODAY ON THE FRONTSTRETCH:

Fanning The Flames: The Crew Chief Carousel And Other Assorted Oddities
by Matt Taliaferro

Matt McLaughlin Mouths Off: Racing Against The Media-ocrity
by Matt McLaughlin

Even The "Rosetta Stone" Couldn't Help You Understand Brian France!
by Jeff Meyer

Jimmie Johnson's Garage Leadership Misinterpreted By The Media
by Tommy Thompson

Fantasy Insider: Watering Your Fantasy Seeds In The Phoenix Desert
by Bryan Davis Keith and Mike Neff

Hey, Frontstretch Readers!
Do you want the chance to win a free Frontstretch T-Shirt, and are you really good at talking about NASCAR? Well, we have the perfect opportunity for you. Our staff will be giving away a FREE T-Shirt to the reader who makes the best post in our Frontstretch Forum between now and the end of the season. So, what makes a good post? It's pretty hard to impress us, but here are some things we are looking for:

Does your post spark passionate reactions from other readers? Are you commenting on meaningful NASCAR-related events? Do your posts have substance? In other words, "Dale Jr. is the best driver ever" or "Danica Patrick is hot" will not cut it.
 
So go to the Frontstretch Forums, post early, post often, and post well! We'll announce the winner following the final race of the season at Homestead.

FRONTSTRETCH TRIVIA:

Q:  Phoenix International Raceway was first added to the Winston Cup Series schedule in 1988.  However, the track was far from being brand new at the time.  When did Phoenix International Raceway first open up for business?

 

Check back Friday for the answer, here in the Frontstretch Newsletter!
 
Wednesday's Answer:
Q:  Phoenix was first added to the Winston Cup Series schedule in 1988.  Which race did it replace on the schedule and why?
 
A:  Phoenix was given its November date for 1988 to replace Riverside International Raceway on the schedule, due to the venerable road course falling victim to suburban sprawl (more specifically, the City of Moreno Valley).  However, no one could really tell when the sprawl was going to overtake RIR.  The race was moved to Phoenix for 1988 partially because nobody knew if the track was still going to be there by November, 1988.

 

But, it was.  By that point, the only work that had been done was the cutting up of what was once Turn 8 and the beginning of the backstretch to make way for the Moreno Valley Mall at Towngate (which did not open until 1992).  The track was rerouted, and racing at the track actually continued into 1989.
 
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 by Kurt Smith
-- In Case You Missed It by Kurt Smith
-- Links to your favorite Frontstretch articles, Phil and Mike's Spoiler Picks, the "mystery" continues, and more!
 
Tomorrow on the Frontstretch:
Frontstretch Driver Diary: Scott Speed as told to Tony Lumbis
Scott Speed wraps up his second season as a driver diary contributor, talking Talladega, his battle for the top 35, and some offseason travel plans with a special friend ... Kyle Busch? Take a look at the journal from one of the most eclectic drivers on the NASCAR circuit before he goes into winter hibernation!

Driven To The Past by John Potts
Our famous former racing vet gives us another look back down Memory Lane. This week, with the chilly Fall weather in the air he takes his storytelling indoors -- literally -- to talk about some special races he did as a flagman without having to brave the elements.

Holding A Pretty Wheel by Amy Henderson
Pointed commentary from one of our site's veteran writers.

Happy Hour by Kurt Smith
The big story last weekend was the pursuit of Danica Patrick.  But Kurt looks into whether Danica's skill in the curves is more important, or if her "curves" are more important as the sport looks to use her as a marketing tool in any way they can.

Tearing Apart The Trucks by Beth Lunkenheimer
Beth's back with another round of news and commentary for the Truck Series, prepping for Friday night's Lucas Oil 150 at Phoenix.
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