Frontstretch Newsletter: Feb. 25, 2021
Volume: XV, Edition XIX
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Around the World in Motorsports: Feb. 24
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For Ferrari, this will be their first true attempt to compete at Le Mans in the top class since the days of the Ferrari 512LM in the late 1960s and 1970s.
By 2023, the top class of the WEC will be split between Hypercar and LMDh, balanced to achieve some form of performance equity. Audi, Porsche and Acura have already committed to the lower-cost formula In IMSA, there are still no plans to allow Hypercars in the top class of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship as of now. The LMDh formula is due to debut in IMSA at the 2023 Rolex 24 at Daytona.
- Murillo Racing announced that they will field a Porsche Cayman GT4 MR for Christina Nielsen and Aurora Straus in SRO America's Pirelli GT4 America series in 2021. In addition, Katherine Legge will also be present in a "program mentor" role.
Straus has previously competed in the series (then known as Pirelli World Challenge GTS SprintX) for ST Racing in a BMW M4 GT4 in 2018. Nielsen has no previous experience in the series.
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- Work continues for teams in North Carolina as the final preparations are being made for this weekend's action in Homestead. If anything of note breaks, we'll have it for you at Frontstretch.
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| | Steve Letarte Replacing Ryan Sparks as Corey
LaJoie’s Homestead Crew Chief
Spire Motorsports announced Wednesday that crew chief Ryan Sparks will miss Homestead due to COVID-19 protocols. NBC Sports' Steve Letarte will return to the pit box in a substitute role.
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| | Daniel Suarez Gains Camping World
Sponsorship
Trackhouse Racing Team announced Wednesday that Camping World will serve as the primary sponsor of Daniel Suarez's No. 99 Chevrolet in multiple races this season, starting this weekend in Homestead.
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| | Denny Hamlin to Start on Cup Pole at
Homestead
Joe Gibbs Racing's Denny Hamlin, by virtue of his two top five finishes to start the season, will start on pole in Sunday's Dixie Vodka 400 at Homestead. Joey Logano starts second, then Christopher Bell, Kevin Harvick and
Kurt Busch.
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| | Practice, Heat Races Announced for Bristol
Dirt Race
Bristol Motor Speedway and NASCAR announced Wednesday that there will be three days of activity at Bristol Motor Speedway for next month's dirt racing weekend. In addition, the Food City Dirt Race will have heat races
determine the grid.
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| | Charlotte Motor Speedway to Host Fans up to
30% Capacity
Charlotte Motor Speedway announced Wednesday that they will allow 30 percent capacity for the upcoming Coca-Cola 600 weekend. This means that roughly 28,000 fans will be able to attend the Coca-Cola
600.
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| | Austin Cindric Begins on Pole in Xfinity
Homestead Event
Team Penske's Austin Cindric will start on the pole in Saturday's Contender Boats 250 at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Joe Gibbs Racing teammates Daniel Hemric, Harrison Burton and Brandon Jones start second, third and fourth,
respectively, while Jeb Burton starts fifth.
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Photos are courtesy of Nigel Kinrade Photography and NASCAR Media via Getty Images.
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"A lot changed, right? I was a broke kid just trying to make it and make a living and be able to pay rent. Like, I mean 2016 when I lost my ride [with Tommy Baldwin Racing] right before Daytona, I was selling my seats to be able to pay rent. And then by the end of that year, I was driving for Hendrick Motorsports. So a lot has changed. I feel like the pressure I put on myself is really the thing that stayed consistent.
"Like, I had my goals no matter what the car I was driving was. I had what I thought was acceptable and where I thought I needed to run, and I put a lot of pressure on myself to make those goals happen and to run well. So I still have that. Those goals just got higher, obviously. But yeah, the tools I have to improve myself as a racecar driver have changed. My life has changed. Like, pretty much everything has changed." - Alex Bowman on how things have changed
for him over the past few years.
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