After a dismal partial schedule in 2007 that saw Sam Hornish Jr. qualify for only two Cup races in eight attempts, the IRL transplant shocked the NASCAR community with a top 15 in the Daytona 500. That brief glimmer of hope was short-lived, though, as the next week at Fontana Hornish completed only 20 laps before slamming into Casey Mears.
The checkered flag has flown over the field at Homestead marking the end of a historic 2008 NASCAR season. We saw controversial and exciting finishes, scary crashes and a historic third consecutive championship for the dynasty that is Jimmie Johnson, Chad Knaus and the No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports team. The season also featured three consistently …
Rookies in the Starting Lineup: Scott Speed (second), Regan Smith (26th), Chad McCumbee (28th), Brad Keselowski (31st), Aric Almirola (40th), Marcos Ambrose (41st) Unofficial Finishing Positions: Speed (16th), Keselowski (23rd), Smith (34th), Almirola (35th), McCumbee (39th), Ambrose (42nd) Rookie of the Race: Speed. In an attempt to secure a starting position for Speed in the first …
Editor’s Note: We’re happy to report Mike Ravesi was unable to do this column for the best possible reason – he and his wife are having their first child! All of us at Frontstretch couldn’t be happier for the Ravesis and their new addition to the family. While Mike is out, Managing Editor Tom Bowles …
Rookies in the Starting Lineup: Marcos Ambrose (18th), Regan Smith (21st), Sam Hornish Jr. (33rd), Scott Speed (38th) Unofficial Finishing Positions: Ambrose (18th), Smith (23rd), Hornish (33rd), Speed (40th) Rookie of the Race: Ambrose: Choosing to forego official Rookie status for 2009 to get the Aussie more track time in a Cup car is a decision …
Rookies in the Starting Lineup: Sam Hornish Jr. (21st), Marcos Ambrose (24th), Regan Smith (25th), Scott Speed (33rd), Brad Keselowski (37th), Joey Logano (43rd) Unofficial Finishing Positions: Keselowski (19th), Ambrose (21st), Hornish (23rd), Speed (33rd), Smith (34th), Logano (40th) Rookie of the Race: Keselowski. The 24-year-old rookie finally got to make his Sprint Cup debut this …
Rookies in the Starting Lineup (Due to rain, qualifying was canceled and the field was set by owner points): Regan Smith (32nd), Scott Speed (34th), Sam Hornish Jr. (36th), Marcos Ambrose (38th), Chad McCumbee (41st) Unofficial Finishing Positions: Hornish (24th), Ambrose (29th), Smith (30th), Speed (34th), McCumbee (36th) Rookie of the Race: Hornish. From the drop …
Rookies in the Starting Lineup: (Due to rain, qualifying was canceled the field was set by owner points): Aric Almirola (15th), Regan Smith (30th), Scott Speed (35th), Sam Hornish Jr. (36th), Chad McCumbee (41st) Unofficial Finishing Positions: Almirola (20th), McCumbee (25th), Speed (30th), Hornish (34th), Smith (42nd) Rookie of the Race: Almirola. The rain on Friday …
Martinsville, Va. played host to NASCAR’s field of 43 this past Sunday for the running of the TUMS QuikPak 500. The half-mile paperclip-shaped oval makes for some exciting beating and banging throughout the event. If you ever questioned how tough this track was, NASCAR veteran Kurt Busch came on his radio three-quarters of the way …
In a Nutshell: Johnny Benson took the checkered flag 0.785 seconds ahead of Dennis Setzer to win the Kroger 200 Saturday afternoon at Martinsville Speedway. The driver of the No. 23 Toyota took the lead with 44 laps to go and never gave up the top spot on his way to his first career Martinsville …
And then there were five. There are just 33 days left (and 14 races across all three series) in the 2008 NASCAR season, and we’re getting inexorably closer to the time of year the prizes are handed out. So, with a little over a month left in the season, let’s take a look at where …
The true rookie story of this race is about those drivers who were not here. Yes, some anticipated debuts were ruined by the weather, but it is not Brad Keselowski, Bryan Clauson or even Scott Speed that I am talking about. No, it is the dismissal of Patrick Carpentier and the continued sabbatical for Michael McDowell that disturbs me. I would really like to know what goes on inside the head of a Sprint Cup owner when they set expectations for a rookie driver with little to no experience at racing’s top level. I’m beginning to think that some team executives expect a driver to jump into the seat of a stock car for the first time and immediately race his way into the Chase.
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