Frontstretch Newsletter: 3 Pit Crews Suspended For Losing Wheels

Published: Wed, 05/04/22

Frontstretch Newsletter: May 4, 2022
Volume XVI, Edition LXVIII

What to Watch: Wednesday

- Today is Voting Day for the NASCAR Hall of Fame Class of 2023. The Voting Committee, which includes the past two NASCAR Cup Series champions (Chase Elliott and Kyle Larson) due to the Class of 2021 voting being done virtually, will meet this morning, watch hours' worth of videos and debate the candidates before voting for three new members, plus the Landmark Award winner.

For a refresher, the Class of 2023 Nominees are as follows:

Sam Ard - Two-time champion of the now-NASCAR Xfinity Series

Neil Bonnett - 18-time winner in the NASCAR Cup Series, broadcaster, host of TNN's Winners.

Tim Brewer - Cup Series championship winning crew chief, master of ESPN's Craftsman Tech Garage

Jeff Burton - 21-time Cup Series winner, 27-time Xfinity Series winner, broadcaster for NBC Sports

Carl Edwards - 28-time Cup Series winner

AJ Foyt - 1972 Daytona 500 winner, former team owner

Harry Gant - 18-time Cup Series winner, oldest driver to win a Cup race (52)

Harry Hyde - 1970 championship-winning crew chief, 56 wins as a crew chief

Matt Kenseth - 2003 Cup Series champion, 39-time Cup Series winner

Banjo Matthews - Team owner/car builder

Hershel McGriff - Four-time Grand National winner, 1986 Winston West champion, raced until age 90

Ralph Moody - Half of Holman-Moody duo, built cars that won two championships with David Pearson and 96 races

Larry Phillips - Five-time NASCAR Weekly Series champion, legend of Midwest late model racing

Ricky Rudd - 23-time Cup winner, won races in 16 consecutive years (1983-1998)

Kirk Shelmerdine - Four-time Cup Series championship winning crew chief (1986-1987, 1990-1991) for Dale Earnhardt

The Landmark Award nominees are:

Janet Guthrie - Competed in 31 NASCAR races from 1976-1980 with a best finish of sixth at Bristol while also running in USAC

Alvin Hawkins - NASCAR's first flagman

Mike Helton - President of NASCAR from 2001-2003, former track president, member of NASCAR Board of Directors

Lesa France Kennedy - Executive Vice Chairman of NASCAR

Dr. Joseph Mattioli - Founder of Pocono Raceway

The announcement is scheduled for 5 p.m. ET. There is no TV broadcast scheduled as of this writing for it, but it will likely be covered on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio. NASCAR should be livestreaming it as well. Needless to say, the announcement will covered substantially on FOX Sports 1's NASCAR RaceHub. We'll have the news on the Class of 2023 along with anything else that breaks at Frontstretch.

TV Schedule: Here

Around the World in Motorsports: May 4

- Earlier today, ARTA's Tomoki Nojiri and Nirei Fukuzumi won the 450 kilometer second round of the Autobacs SuperGT Series at Fuji Speedway. Their margin of victory was 2.57 seconds over the Tom's Toyota Supra shared by Sho Tsuboi and Giuliano Alesi. Team Impul's Nissan Z GT500 for Bertrand Baguette and Kazuki Hiramine was third, then the Autech Nissan of Ronnie Quintarelli and Tsugio Matsuda. Team Kunimitsu's Naoki Yamamoto and Tadasuke Makino were fifth in their Honda.

In GT300, Jim Gainer Racing's Nissan GT-R Nismo GT3 shared by Riki Okusa, Ryuichiro Tomita and Yusuke Shiotsu won the class by 1.555 seconds over a similar Nissan shared by Yuji Ide and Masataka Yanagida. The Subaru BRZ of Takuto Iguchi and Hideki Yamauchi were third, then the second Jim Gainer Nissan of Hironobu Yasuda and Keishi Ishikawa. The Lamborghini of Takashi Kogure and Yuya Motojima were fifth.

If you're wondering why a major race like this would take place on a Wednesday afternoon, it is because Japan is currently in the middle of Golden Week, a week of national holidays. Today is Greenery Day, a day designed to "commune with nature and be thankful for blessings."

Today's Top News:

Denny Hamlin, AJ Allmendinger Crew Chiefs Suspended After Dover Loose Wheels

NASCAR released their weekly penalty report Tuesday. In it, nine people were suspended due to three separate wheels coming off of race cars at Dover.

Ross Chastain Adds 4 Truck Races With Niece

Niece Motorsports announced Tuesday that Ross Chastain will drive in four additional races for the team in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series this year with Worldwide Express backing.

Gray Brothers Gain Dead On Tools Sponsorship

David Gilliland Racing announced Tuesday that Dead On Tools, sponsor of Friday night's Camping World Truck Series race at Darlington, will serve as a primary sponsor for Tanner Gray in the Trucks and Taylor Gray in the ARCA Menards Series.

Ken Schrader to Compete in SRX Race at I-55

Superstar Racing Experience (SRX) announced Tuesday that Ken Schrader, proprietor of Federated Auto Parts Raceway at I-55, will compete in the SRX race at the Pevely, Mo. dirt track as the "hometown hero."

Photos are courtesy of Nigel Kinrade Photography and our own Mike Neff.

Have news for Frontstretch? Don't hesitate to let us know; email us at frontstretcheditors@googlegroups.com with a promising lead or tip.

Today at Frontstretch:

5 Points to Ponder: There’s a Monster on the Track, & Its Name Is Hendrick Motorsports

by Jack Swansey

Did You Notice?: In NASCAR, 40 Is the New 50

by Tom Bowles

Josh Berry Discusses NASCAR Journey, Late-Model Pipeline & Breakout 2021 Season

as told to Adam Cheek

Here Are the 2022 Darlington Throwback Schemes

compiled by Joy Tomlinson

Eyes on Xfinity: Can 12 Regulars Win Before Playoffs?

by Josh Roller

Tomorrow at Frontstretch.com:

Beth Lunkenheimer will be back with another look inside of the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series with this week's edition of Truckin' Thursdays.

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