The Frontstretch Newsletter: Hendrick Motorsports Sweeps the Budweiser Duels
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Feb 20, 2015, 1:10:14 PM2/20/15
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THE FRONTSTRETCH NEWSLETTER
Presented by Frontstretch.com
The Best Seat at the Track, The Best View on the Net!
Feb. 21, 2015
Volume IX, Edition XV
Presented by Frontstretch.com
The Best Seat at the Track, The Best View on the Net!
Feb. 21, 2015
Volume IX, Edition XV
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FRONTSTRETCH AT THE TRACK! We're at the track from Daytona covering all the Sprint Unlimited action. Follow our Editor-in-Chief/Writer, Tom Bowles at @NASCARBowles and be sure to check our Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for all the latest news, reaction, and results from a full day down at the 2.5-mile superspeedway.
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What to Watch: Friday- Tonight is the season opener for the Camping World Truck Series at Daytona International Speedway. 34 trucks will battle for 32 starting spots later this afternoon. Coverage starts with NCWTS Setup at 7 p.m.
- The Sprint Cup and XFINITY Series teams will both be out on-track for multiple practice sessions (in the XFINITY Series' case, they are their only practice sessions prior to qualifying on Saturday morning.) Practice coverage begins at 11 a.m.
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This weekend's TV Schedule can be found in Couch Potato Tuesday here.
This weekend's TV Schedule can be found in Couch Potato Tuesday here.
Top News
by The Frontstretch Staff
by The Frontstretch Staff
Dale Earnhardt, Jr. Takes First Budweiser Duel; Gordon 2nd
On Thursday, Dale Earnhardt, Jr. avenged his disqualification from Sunday's pole qualifying by charging up from the rear of the field to put himself in position to contend. On lap 43, Earnhardt Jr. used a swooping maneuver to sweep by Matt Kenseth to take the lead. From there, Earnhardt Jr. held off the pack to claim the win and the third starting spot in the Daytona 500. Pole sitter Jeff Gordon was second, followed by Joey Logano, Tony Stewart and Clint Bowyer. Read more
Jimmie Johnson Takes Budweiser Duel No. 2; Danica Patrick, Denny Hamlin Feud
Jimmie Johnson started from the pole in the second Budweiser Duel and once he was able to dispatch of Kyle Busch, dominated the proceedings to earn the win. Kyle Busch was second, followed by Carl Edwards, Greg Biffle and Martin Truex, Jr. Further back in the pack, Danica Patrick was spun out for the second time in as many days by Denny Hamlin. While Patrick would come back to finish tenth in the race, she angrily confronted Hamlin after the race. Read more
Kurt Busch’s Lawyer Files Motion to Reopen Protective Order
On Thursday, attorney Rusty Hardin filed a motion on behalf of Kurt Busch to reopen the protective order that was granted to Patricia Driscoll on Monday. In a statement, Hardin stated that he has multiple additional witnesses that have come forward to contradict Driscoll's testimony from the order hearings. Read more
Kenny Wallace Planning Limited XFINITY Series Run
On Thursday, Kenny Wallace announced on Twitter that he will return to the XFINITY Series later this season to drive in both standalone races at Iowa Speedway. He did not note who he will be driving for, or what will serve as his sponsor. Read more
NASCAR Next Driver Austin Hill Paces First Daytona Truck Practice
Austin Hill brought significant momentum to Daytona after winning the season opener for the K&N Pro Series East at New Smyrna Speedway on Sunday night by leading flag-to-flag. The momentum carried over to the first Camping World Truck Series practice, where Hill and his No. 82 Empire Racing Ford turned in the fastest lap of the session at 47.743 seconds (188.509 mph). Past champion Travis Kvapil was second fastest, followed by John Wes Townley, Matt Crafton and Ty Dillon. Read more
Johnny Sauter Tops Second Daytona Truck Practice
Prior to getting into the Daytona 500 on his qualifying speed, Johnny Sauter turned in the fastest lap in Happy Hour for the Camping World Truck Series on Thursday afternoon. Sauter's lap of 47.215 seconds (190.617 mph) was a tenth and a half faster than teammate Cameron Hayley. Rookie Austin Theriault, Ty Dillon and Spencer Gallagher rounded out the top 5. Read more
Kyle Larson Wins Thursday Daytona 500 Practice By Beating Four Other Cars
On Thursday afternoon, NASCAR held a rare race day practice session for Sprint Cup teams ahead of the Budweiser Duels. There were not many takers. A grand total of five drivers ventured out onto the 2.5 mile tri-oval to turn in laps in the session. Kyle Larson was fastest. Read more
Have news for The Frontstretch? Don't hesitate to let us know; email us at phil.a...@frontstretch.com with a promising lead or tip.
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FRONTSTRETCH JOB: WEBMASTER
Frontstretch.com is looking for a talented and motivated individual to fulfill the role of the site's webmaster. The ideal candidate must be highly proficient in WordPress, as the site recently converted from Textpattern to WordPress as the content management system. The webmaster will assist with leftover conversion tasks, work with the management team to implement site enhancements and help troubleshoot problems as they arise. The candidate must also have a working knowledge of search engine optimization strategies to help improve search rankings for the site. Motorsports knowledge is preferred but not required. The candidate should have on average at least 1-2 hours per week to devote to Fronstretch initiatives. If you are interested, please contact our Business Manager, Tony Lumbis at Tony....@gmail.com.
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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!
©2015 Frontstretch.com
FRONTSTRETCH JOB: WEBMASTER
Frontstretch.com is looking for a talented and motivated individual to fulfill the role of the site's webmaster. The ideal candidate must be highly proficient in WordPress, as the site recently converted from Textpattern to WordPress as the content management system. The webmaster will assist with leftover conversion tasks, work with the management team to implement site enhancements and help troubleshoot problems as they arise. The candidate must also have a working knowledge of search engine optimization strategies to help improve search rankings for the site. Motorsports knowledge is preferred but not required. The candidate should have on average at least 1-2 hours per week to devote to Fronstretch initiatives. If you are interested, please contact our Business Manager, Tony Lumbis at Tony....@gmail.com.
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Frontstretch Folio: Daytona 500
by Rick Lunkenheimer
This weekend, the Sprint Cup Series officially opens the 2015 season with the Daytona 500. The race will be broadcast live on FOX on Sunday, Feb. 21 at 1:00 p.m. ET; it can also be heard on your local Motor Racing Network affiliate or SiriusXM channel 90. Drivers will compete for 200 laps (500 miles).
Records and Facts
Dale Earnhardt, Jr. is the defending winner of the Daytona 500. Last February, the driver of the No. 88 Chevrolet started ninth and endured a lengthy rain delay before taking the checkered flag under caution ahead of Denny Hamlin. Brad Keselowski finished third, while teammates Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson rounded out the top 5.
Only nine drivers in 56 races have won the Daytona 500 from the pole. Most recently, it was Dale Jarrett who grabbed the checkered flag from the top spot in 2000. Jeff Gordon is the only active driver on the list.
Only four drivers have won both the Sprint Unlimited and the Daytona 500 in the same season: Bobby Allison (1982), Bill Elliott (1987), Dale Jarrett (1996 and 2000) and Jeff Gordon (1997). Meanwhile, only five drivers have won the Daytona 500 and gone on the win the series championship: Jimmie Johnson (2006, 2013), Jeff Gordon (1997), Richard Petty (1964, 1971, 1974, 1979), Cale Yarborough (1977) and Lee Petty (1959).
Track Facts
Track/Race Length: 2.5-mile tri-oval; 200 laps (500 miles)
Banking: 31 degrees
Frontstretch: 3,800 ft., banked six degrees
Backstretch: 3,400 ft., banked three degrees
Grandstand Seating: 147,000
Website: http://www.daytonaintlspeedway.com/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/DaytonaInternationalSpeedway
Twitter: https://twitter.com/disupdates
VIPs
Grand Marshal / Command: Actor Vince Vaughn
Honorary Starter/Wave Green Flag: U.S. Women's National Soccer Team; Abby Wambach, Kelley O'Hara, Christie Rampone
Honorary Pace Car Driver: Paralympics bronze medalist and Dancing With The Stars finalist Amy Purdy
National Anthem: Singer/songwriter Phillip Phillips
Flyover: United States Air Force Thunderbirds
Pre-race Schedule
Happy Hour: Saturday, Feb. 21, 10:30 - 11:55 a.m. ET on FOXSports 1
Race Day Forecast
Sunday: Partly Cloudy
High: 79
Low: 56
They Said It
"This is one of the most gratifying poles here at Daytona that I have ever had. Not just because it's my final Daytona 500, but because you have to try to plan it out and you have to try to play that chess match and we played it really well." - Jeff Gordon
“Last year is in the rear view mirror. We're looking ahead and I feel good about the direction for this season as far as building cars and what we need to go fast. We’ve made a number of changes and things seem to be clicking. Cole (Pearn, crew chief) and I are on the same page and that’s important for obtaining success. Right now, all systems are go." - Martin Truex, Jr.
“The Daytona 500 is a very important race, it’s the premier race of the year and important to get the season kicked off on a high note. We’ve got the Duel’s on Thursday to try and secure a good starting position for the 500. We are looking to build momentum and get the season off to good start with our No. 16 Ortho Ford.” - Matt Puccia, Greg Biffle's crew chief
This weekend, the Sprint Cup Series officially opens the 2015 season with the Daytona 500. The race will be broadcast live on FOX on Sunday, Feb. 21 at 1:00 p.m. ET; it can also be heard on your local Motor Racing Network affiliate or SiriusXM channel 90. Drivers will compete for 200 laps (500 miles).
Records and Facts
Dale Earnhardt, Jr. is the defending winner of the Daytona 500. Last February, the driver of the No. 88 Chevrolet started ninth and endured a lengthy rain delay before taking the checkered flag under caution ahead of Denny Hamlin. Brad Keselowski finished third, while teammates Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson rounded out the top 5.
Only nine drivers in 56 races have won the Daytona 500 from the pole. Most recently, it was Dale Jarrett who grabbed the checkered flag from the top spot in 2000. Jeff Gordon is the only active driver on the list.
Only four drivers have won both the Sprint Unlimited and the Daytona 500 in the same season: Bobby Allison (1982), Bill Elliott (1987), Dale Jarrett (1996 and 2000) and Jeff Gordon (1997). Meanwhile, only five drivers have won the Daytona 500 and gone on the win the series championship: Jimmie Johnson (2006, 2013), Jeff Gordon (1997), Richard Petty (1964, 1971, 1974, 1979), Cale Yarborough (1977) and Lee Petty (1959).
Track Facts
Track/Race Length: 2.5-mile tri-oval; 200 laps (500 miles)
Banking: 31 degrees
Frontstretch: 3,800 ft., banked six degrees
Backstretch: 3,400 ft., banked three degrees
Grandstand Seating: 147,000
Website: http://www.daytonaintlspeedway.com/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/DaytonaInternationalSpeedway
Twitter: https://twitter.com/disupdates
VIPs
Grand Marshal / Command: Actor Vince Vaughn
Honorary Starter/Wave Green Flag: U.S. Women's National Soccer Team; Abby Wambach, Kelley O'Hara, Christie Rampone
Honorary Pace Car Driver: Paralympics bronze medalist and Dancing With The Stars finalist Amy Purdy
National Anthem: Singer/songwriter Phillip Phillips
Flyover: United States Air Force Thunderbirds
Pre-race Schedule
Happy Hour: Saturday, Feb. 21, 10:30 - 11:55 a.m. ET on FOXSports 1
Race Day Forecast
Sunday: Partly Cloudy
High: 79
Low: 56
They Said It
"This is one of the most gratifying poles here at Daytona that I have ever had. Not just because it's my final Daytona 500, but because you have to try to plan it out and you have to try to play that chess match and we played it really well." - Jeff Gordon
“Last year is in the rear view mirror. We're looking ahead and I feel good about the direction for this season as far as building cars and what we need to go fast. We’ve made a number of changes and things seem to be clicking. Cole (Pearn, crew chief) and I are on the same page and that’s important for obtaining success. Right now, all systems are go." - Martin Truex, Jr.
“The Daytona 500 is a very important race, it’s the premier race of the year and important to get the season kicked off on a high note. We’ve got the Duel’s on Thursday to try and secure a good starting position for the 500. We are looking to build momentum and get the season off to good start with our No. 16 Ortho Ford.” - Matt Puccia, Greg Biffle's crew chief
Rick is a Contributor and Photographer for Frontstretch. He can be reached at rick.lun...@frontstretch.com.
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TODAY ON FRONTSTRETCH:
by Joseph Wolkin
by Matt Stallknecht
by Amy Henderson
by Tom Bowles
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FRONTSTRETCH TRIVIA:
COMING MONDAY
FRONTSTRETCH TRIVIA:
Q: In 1994, Michael Waltrip had one of the best cars in the Goody's 300 at Daytona, running for much of the race in the lead group. However, a rather bizarre instance put him back in the group and out of the hunt. What happened?
Check back Friday for the answer, here in the Frontstretch Newsletter!
Wednesday's Answer:
Wednesday's Answer:
Q: In 1996, Bobby Labonte rolled his Interstate Batteries Chevrolet during the Gatorade Twin 125s. What did the flip reveal that allowed for an "IndyCar-style" whine that Runt Pittman had pioneered for Morgan-McClure Motorsports the previous year?
A: The rollover revealed a relatively complicated exhaust setup underneath the car. Labonte's car had what was known as an "X" exhaust. The exhaust would come together in one pipe, then split to two different exhaust pipes that exited on either side of the car. In addition, there were what appeared to be inner pipes inside of the main exhaust pipes. Such a system is illegal today since NASCAR requires exhaust pipes to exit on only the right side of the car. The crash can be seen here.
COMING MONDAY
In The Frontstretch Newsletter:
We'll have recaps of all season openers this weekend from Daytona.
On Frontstretch.com:
We'll
have a series of post-race commentaries breaking down the Daytona 500 and what we can learn from it for the rest of the year.
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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!
©2015 Frontstretch.com
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