The Cup Series is NASCAR’s main, top-level racing series. If a track is on the Cup Series schedule, it’s getting major, high-profile NASCAR races.
Place
Greenfield Picking Speedway
Greenfield Picking Speedway is another race track being talked about as a possible future short-track option. The hosts say there are legal problems that could affect whether it can keep operating or develop further.
“Darlington race” means a NASCAR race at Darlington, a track that’s especially famous in stock car racing. Here it’s mentioned as a reference point for what it might cost to do something similar.
Highway 421 is the route they take to get to the track. They’re using it to explain how the drive feels—more rural and secluded as you get closer to North Wilkesboro.
The Junior Johnson Grandstand is named after Junior Johnson, one of NASCAR’s most famous people. They bring it up because the venue honors racing legends throughout the property.
The Benny Parsons Grandstand is a section of seating named after Benny Parsons, a famous NASCAR driver. They mention it to show how much racing history is right there at the track.
A rotating scoring pylon is a big screen at the track that shows race standings. If it only shows the top few cars, it’s harder for fans to track where their favorite driver is during a long race.
They’re talking about an electronic scoreboard display in the infield. The issue is that it doesn’t show enough information for fans to follow the race for hundreds of laps.
Concept
quality of life thing
Here, “quality of life” just means making the race experience easier and more enjoyable for fans. The speaker wants better ways to track the race without relying on spotty phone service.
Replay monitors are the big screens at the track that show what happened again—like crashes or close calls. If there aren’t any, it’s harder for fans to understand the action in real time.
That phrase is just the track’s length: “five eighths of a mile” is 0.625 miles. Short tracks like this usually feel more intense because the cars are turning and passing more often.
Term
Bowman Reddit caution
In NASCAR, a “caution” is when the race slows down because something happened on the track. Cars bunch up behind the pace car so everyone can stay safe and the track can be cleared.
Charlotte is home to one of NASCAR’s biggest tracks in North Carolina. It’s a major event location, so having another race nearby can change how many fans show up in the region.
This is basically the idea that there are too many races in one area for the local fan base to fully support them. If events are too close together, fewer people may be able or willing to attend each one.
A replay screen is a display that shows video replays during a race. It lets fans see what really happened during a crash or spin instead of only watching it once in real time.
Place
New Samaritan Speedway
The host is talking about a particular race track they’ve been to. They’re saying that without a replay screen, fans can’t easily see what happened during crashes or spins, so it’s confusing.
A Jumbotron is a very large screen at a sports venue. The host is saying tracks should have something like that so fans can see replays and race info clearly.
A scoring monitor is the screen that shows race standings and timing. The host is saying it should show enough detail so fans can follow what’s happening during the race.
“Throwback charm” means keeping the old-school, nostalgic feel of a classic race track. The host is saying there’s a difference between that and being so behind the times that fans have a worse experience.
Term
lines start to form
As cars keep driving on the track, they rub off rubber and make certain paths grippier. Drivers then try to follow those best paths because it helps them go faster and turn more predictably.
Attrition just means how many cars get knocked out of the race or can’t keep going. If fewer cars drop out, there are more cars running for longer, and the race can feel more consistent.
A “regular season points race” is a race that earns championship points during the main part of the season. Those points matter for who makes it to the playoffs later.
“Next-gen” means the newer generation of NASCAR race cars. They’re saying they’ve seen some worse races on short tracks with the newer car, and they want this one to stay.
Concept
COVID money
They’re talking about pandemic-era funding that helped keep things going. In this case, it helped support efforts to bring the track back so it could host races again.
An all-star race is a special NASCAR race with a selected group of drivers instead of the usual full field. The host is saying that fewer cars can make the race feel different, especially because of traffic on track.
Lap traffic is when you’re trying to race but you keep running into cars that are slower and may be a lap ahead or behind. It can make it harder to keep your speed and can change how the race plays out.
Denny Hamlin is a well-known NASCAR driver who often competes for wins. Here, the hosts mention him while talking about who moved up and took control of the race.
Tire management is how a driver makes their tires last and keep grip for a whole run. Instead of driving as hard as possible every lap, they manage how hard they push so the tires don’t wear out too quickly.
Nashville refers to a NASCAR race venue in the Nashville area. Different tracks can make tires wear differently, so drivers have to adjust their driving style.
Term
intermediate Opels
This is talking about oval tracks that are in the middle length-wise—not the tight short tracks and not the huge fast ones. The speaker is saying he’s still working on that kind of track.
Kansas is a bigger oval track where cars run fast and passing often involves drafting. The speaker is using it as evidence the driver can do well on more than just short tracks.
Pit road is the area where teams service the car. If you break the rules there—like going too fast—you can get a penalty that hurts your position and makes the race harder to win.
Place
Merritt
This part of the transcript is a bit unclear. It sounds like they’re naming a place connected to the New Hampshire race, but the exact name may be misheard.
Trackhouse is a NASCAR racing team. The speaker is basically saying the driver could be even more competitive if the team were performing at a higher level.
Toyota is a car brand. In NASCAR, teams often run manufacturer-backed programs, and the speaker is saying a Toyota setup could help the driver compete for wins.
“SVG” is a nickname for a race driver named Scott van Gisbergen. In this segment, they’re talking about how he’s adjusting to NASCAR and doing well on oval tracks.
Steven Doran is mentioned as a teammate/crew member helping SVG. The point is that SVG isn’t doing this alone—his team is helping him adapt and get the right setup for races.
“Oval’s” here means NASCAR-style oval tracks, where cars run mostly left turns at sustained speed. The speaker contrasts oval driving with other track types, emphasizing that SVG had to learn how to drive these cars effectively on ovals.
Here, “transition” means SVG is moving into a new style of racing. They’re saying it’s hard to adjust when you’re used to different cars and different types of tracks.
Person
Pablo Montoya
They’re comparing SVG to another famous driver, Pablo Montoya, to explain how impressive SVG’s progress is. The idea is that Montoya also adapted to NASCAR and could still do well on oval tracks.
A “road course ringer” means a driver who’s really good at road-course racing. They’re saying Montoya was known for road courses, but he still could do well on oval races too.
It means a driver who’s really good at road courses—tracks with many turns, like a road course in other racing. The speaker is saying the driver isn’t only good at that anymore.
These are tracks where you can gain speed by following closely behind another car. The air behind the leader helps you, so races often come down to who times their moves best.
Place
Daytona last year
They’re referencing a recent Daytona race to make a point about who can lead and win. Daytona’s racing style can create opportunities for many drivers.
Bristol is a short track, but it’s also very steeply banked. That banking changes how the cars corner, so it can feel very different from other short tracks.
An “oval win” is just a win on an oval-shaped race track. These races often come down to timing—especially when there are cautions and restart moments.
Cautions are when the race slows down because of something unsafe on track. Everyone has to slow and follow the pace car, and it can completely change the strategy.
Iowa Speedway is an oval race track in Iowa. The host is using it as a yardstick—if the driver does better there than last year, it suggests real progress.
Superspeedway racing is what you get at the biggest, fastest oval tracks. At those tracks, air flow and drafting matter a lot, so the racing can look very different from road courses or smaller ovals.
Drafting racing is when race cars follow each other very closely. The car in back can go faster using the air “slipstream” created by the car in front.
Topic
preseason thunder
Preseason Thunder is a preseason time when NASCAR teams test things at the track. The speaker is saying they should wait to see how the changes work there before using them in the main season race.
Qualifying speed is how fast cars go in the timed session before the race. If qualifying speed is expected to be higher, it usually means the cars will be faster overall and the starting lineup could change.
Term
super speedway drafting product
At the biggest NASCAR tracks, cars often race in packs using drafting. This phrase means the rule/tech changes NASCAR makes to influence how that pack racing works.
A spoiler is an aerodynamic wing on the car. Saying “four inch spoiler” means the rules specify a particular size to help the car stay stable and handle better at high speed.
The splitter is a flat piece under the front of the car. Making it “wide” changes the airflow underneath, which can help the car feel more planted at high speed.
Intermediate tracks are a category of NASCAR tracks that aren’t the biggest superspeedways. The point here is that Daytona’s new aero parts are being matched to the approach used on those mid-size tracks.
Spoiler braces are like extra supports for the rear wing/spoiler. They help keep it from flexing too much when the car is going fast, so the downforce stays more consistent.
It’s a small aerodynamic piece added to the spoiler to help it work the way the team wants. Think of it like tuning how the spoiler pushes the air down to keep the car stable.
This is basically how fast one car can go on its own, without relying on other cars to push it. It’s used to judge how much the new setup changes raw speed.
The “high side” is the part of the track closer to the wall. Drivers use it as a different racing line, and it can change how stable the car feels and how hard it is to stay in control.
Concept
extra help
On ovals, “extra help” often means other cars are helping you by drafting—basically reducing the air drag. That can let you keep speed longer than you could by yourself.
That’s NASCAR’s special set of rules for the fastest oval tracks. It changes things like aero parts and engine limits so cars don’t get too wild and the racing stays close.
Place
Springtalladay
They’re referencing Talladega’s spring NASCAR race. Talladega is known for cars running in tight groups where drafting and momentum matter a lot.
“Two by two” means the cars are basically lined up in pairs and not really passing much. The speaker is saying that for a long stretch, the race felt too predictable.
A “speedway package” is NASCAR’s special set of rules for the biggest high-speed tracks. It changes how the cars behave—especially how they run in packs and whether passing is easier or harder.
Term
driver's hands
They mean the racing should depend more on what the driver does—when to make a move and how to position the car—rather than everything being controlled by the rules so passing is limited.
Person
Stenhouse
They’re referencing a NASCAR driver (Stenhouse) as an example. The idea is that if a driver gets the right spot and momentum, they can pull away from the pack.
They’re talking about Talladega’s NASCAR track. It’s known for cars staying tightly grouped, and the debate is whether the racing has been exciting or just stuck in a predictable pattern.
On big NASCAR tracks, cars tend to run in lanes where they can draft off each other. The “third lane” means there’s a new lane forming beyond the usual two, which can change how passing works.
“Double filed” means the cars are mostly lined up two-by-two, staying in the same pattern. That can make it harder for drivers to pass in different ways, so the race may feel less exciting.
Atlanta is another NASCAR track. The host is comparing how the racing “flows” there versus Daytona—basically whether cars spread out and race cleanly or get stuck in one pattern.
The speaker is pointing to the 2004 Daytona 500 as a past example of a Daytona race that felt more open and exciting. They’re basically saying they want a similar kind of racing again.
Pit strategy is the plan for when to stop for tires and fuel. On NASCAR tracks, when you pit can be the difference between gaining positions and falling back.
Concept
unsafe
Here “unsafe” means the racing is getting too risky—like the cars are running in a way that makes big wrecks more likely. The host is saying they don’t want the race to turn into that kind of danger.
In NASCAR, overtime is when the race doesn’t end when it first looks like it will. Officials add extra restarts so the finish happens under racing conditions instead of a caution.
“Single file” describes a race situation where cars are strung out in one line, usually due to cautions, restarts, or aerodynamic/track constraints. It reduces passing opportunities and makes the race feel less competitive.
Joey Logano is a well-known NASCAR race car driver. Here, the hosts are talking about whether he’s back to being a top contender or if his good result was just a fluke.
Paul Wolfe is a NASCAR team leader who helps set up the car and plan how it will race. The hosts are saying his team’s preparation may be why Logano performed well.
“Top 20” just means finishing in the first 20 spots of the race. The host is saying they expect Logano to do okay, but not win or lead the championship.
“The Chase” is NASCAR’s playoff run where the championship contenders are separated from the rest. The host is basically saying that once the playoffs start, Logano may not look as strong.
Term
even year
They’re talking about a superstition that says results might follow a pattern based on whether the season is an even-numbered year. It’s not a technical rule—more of a “watch what happens” belief.
Team Penske is one of NASCAR’s most successful organizations, known for strong car setups and consistent performance across multiple tracks and eras. The host is using the team’s recent track strengths to argue what Joey Logano is likely to do.
Phoenix is a NASCAR track where the corners feel more “flat” compared with some other ovals. Teams that set up cars well for that kind of track often do well there.
Term
flat type of track
When people say a track is “flat,” they mean the turns don’t have as much banking or “tilt” as other tracks. That changes how the car grips the road and how teams set up the car for tire wear and cornering.
This means the championship is decided through rounds where drivers can get knocked out if they don’t do well. So you can’t rely on just one lucky race—you usually need strong results consistently.
It’s a saying for a car that can bail you out—like when everything else goes poorly, you still have a reliable way to get back on track. Here, they’re saying this team doesn’t consistently have that advantage.
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quality, unbiased motorsports coverage to all of you sitting there at home.
Welcome on in, ladies and gentlemen, to another edition of the Front Stretch happy hour program.
I'm your host, Mr. Brian Oh, and a little bit of a different background for me.
The better looking half of my house is working late, so I had to, you know, move away, move
around.
I am actually broadcasting outside in a fantastic backyard that I have.
So a little bit different, and we've got a little bit of a different program today.
No, Michael Mass, he decided to chicken out on the bet that he did last week.
And instead of wearing a mankini, he decided not to even show up.
So I'm very, very disappointed in him.
No, we gave him a week off for a vacation.
So he'll be back next week.
But one person that did show up is my man, Mr. Dalton Hopkins.
And Mr. Dalton Hopkins, you also have a bet that you could be fulfilling next Tuesday.
You want to take the viewers and our listeners through that bet right now.
Let's not stray away from the fact that Michael Mass, he's trying to get away from his responsibilities.
Okay.
It's true.
Let's put the focus on him.
The man owes us a bikini appearance.
So next week, tune in for something that you probably don't want to see.
I know Peter is giggling right now, but he wants to see it.
It's like a car crash.
Does Brian have to be shirtless?
That was part of this too.
That is true, but do you want me to be shirtless now, or do you want me to be shirtless?
I don't ever want to see you shirtless.
That was a trick.
You're not wrong.
Honestly, fair.
But I thought I'd rather go when the entire group is together, Chris.
So I was going to hold off.
But I mean, I am outside, so I can take it off if I want to.
I'm in the privacy of my own backyard, but I don't know.
But speaking of Michael Massi, filling in for him is a guy that covers a plethora of things.
Just came back from ACC Media Day, covers NASCAR as well as the Cow Golden Bears.
Mr. Thomas Dunn, Thomas, welcome to the program, my friend.
How are you?
I'm pretty good, and let me just do a little check right here.
Nope, not Michael Massi.
Although I did see him at Cracker Barrel in Atlanta.
We had a Cracker Barrel self, Massi, Landon, Brad, and allegedly Ross Chastain and his parents.
So the night didn't go very well for Ross, but in general, we were very well represented in the South over the last couple of weeks.
So a pleasure to be on with the fellas.
And as I finally start to regain my hearing after going to North Wilkesboro, first-ever short track,
and that was a great time, all things considered, and now I get to finally be back in my own house all the way across the country.
Yeah, a little disappointed in you, not going to lie.
You always got to wear earphones during cup races.
I mean, especially with the cup cars at a short track.
I mean, my God, you'll go deaf faster than I'm going to bring in my next guest.
But don't go ahead, my friend.
If you're a coward.
I am a coward.
If you're a sissy.
I am a sissy.
If you're a bit...
You didn't let me talk like that was.
Oh, sorry.
I was just...
I was trying to lead into that.
I was trying to lead into that.
No, I...
Carry on.
So for those of you who aren't monitoring your Twitter or your ex,
Mike Neff came up with a wonderful idea, our good friend Mike Neff came up with a wonderful idea,
and texted us saying that if Todd Gilleland wins the in-season championship,
or excuse me, the in-season challenge, I had to shave my mustache.
This was before North Wilkesboro, and I thought,
hey, that's a good idea, because I don't think that's going to happen,
so I feel like I'm pretty safe, and I feel much less safe now.
So I thought Chase Elliott was going to do a lot better.
This pass began North Wilkesboro, and then he didn't.
So I'm in trouble, but we're all in a little bit of danger right now.
All you have to avoid is right and blatant bad luck.
That's all you got to avoid.
That was...
You know, in a way, my heart would like to see a Todd Gilleland victory for this thing,
but my brain, on the other side of it, now I know I'll have to pay the price to see that,
to see an underdog finish like that, so that's a shame.
Well, I just learned that Dalton Hopkins has a brain, so that's one, so that's awesome.
Sorry, Dalton, I love you, but that was...
Debatable.
...fastball right down the middle, and just bam!
Speaking of bam, he always tries to slap me whenever I see him.
That is our next guest from TSJ Sports, Mr. Peter.
Mr. Peter Strada.
Peter, how are you, buddy? It's good to see your smiley face.
Are you all recovered since you spent 25 hours at North Wilkesboro on Sunday?
Yes, long Sunday at North Wilkesboro.
Got there a little earlier than...
That you pompously did!
Yes, got there a bit earlier than the news had opened.
Why in the blue hell did you get the right NAS?
Chris, put the spotlights on him.
This is interrogation now. We got him. We captured him.
For a 7 p.m. race.
They said get there early to beat traffic. That's what I did.
There was no traffic coming in.
It just failed to properly say when the media center opened,
so I had a bit of free time roaming around that infield.
Peter, they send out these media bullpen story emails
on the media center hours.
Do you not know how to read?
Come on, nobody looks at those.
You're supposed to.
This wouldn't have happened.
Peter wouldn't have wasted four hours of his time trying not to melt
in the North Wilkesboro heat.
Peter, why don't you just go to the speak-easy?
Because I actually had other stuff to work on.
Oh.
Can't you just work on the speak-easy?
Just do it.
Just have a nice little bit of moonshine there.
I didn't even know what a speak-easy was.
I thought it was like a, you're speaking to people.
I don't know.
But Peter, I appreciate you coming on, buddy.
Let's dive on into our first topic.
Dalton, what's on your mind?
Let's dive on in, buddy.
We have a lot of topics.
We genuinely could not figure out which ones we wanted to talk about.
I'm going to go ahead and mention the first one because I know
Peter, our guest, has a lot of interesting thoughts about this as well.
And that's North Wilkesboro, the future of North Wilkesboro.
Whether it should come back next year on the schedule.
And perhaps the idea, just honestly like a reaction to this whole thing
where North Wilkesboro has gotten the complete revival.
The revival of North Wilkesboro is complete.
It's gone from dilapidated, overgrown, dead, left for dead,
racetrack that was really almost at the state of disrepair.
And then now it came back and now it's back on the Cup Series schedule again.
I mean, nobody ever thought that was going to happen, you know, five years ago.
But here we are.
And now you have to wonder, is there anywhere else that maybe that could happen to?
I think that's an interesting question.
It's more about just the future of North Wilkesboro,
but maybe about the future of short tracks in general, especially in the Cup Series.
So I'll open up the floor to that, Peter.
Peter, I really want to hear what your thoughts on that are.
Well, as the resident North Carolinian here, who grew up driving by
what remained of North Wilkesboro Speedway, it really does touch my heart to see
how much money, how much time and dedication has gone into bringing that place,
like you said, back from the dead.
It looks like a Rostov-odd racetrack.
It feels like equal bars 2026 and 1996.
Whenever you walk in, the only thing that's really new is the paint and Wi-Fi.
Other than that, it really feels like you're at a Winston Cup race,
you're at a late model race somewhere at a short track way back in the day.
And as far as next short track, that could be your vibe.
And there's a big push behind Greenfield Picking Speedway right now.
They're in some legal issues on the future of that track.
What may or may not happen with that land.
I don't know if the Cup Series would be ever in that place's future,
but I would love to see O'Reilly or trucks go back there
if maybe at the price of a Darlington race.
Now, Thomas, you were there.
What was it like from being in attendance?
How different was it from, I mean, you've gone to the last two races,
Atlanta and North Wilkesboro.
So just how different was it comparing just the amenities,
just the atmosphere of Atlanta compared to the amenities and atmosphere of North Wilkesboro?
Yeah, I think the one thing that stands out about Wilkesboro in particular
is that it's just a very intimate place.
And you're on Highway 421, you're in the middle of the woods,
like at least in my case, you're coming through the Triangle,
you're coming through Greensboro, Winston-Salem and all that,
you have a little bit of like city life,
some like people you can actually see, humanities here,
and then you're in the woods for a long time in the lead-up
and getting towards Wilkesboro.
And then you walk in and you're like, man, there's just all this history
that's staring me right in the face.
The Benny Parsons Grandstand, the Junior Johnson Grandstand,
that North Wilkesboro Speedway, the legend lives on sign,
right as you walk in from the fan side main entrance.
And I think you get in there, it holds, I want to say,
somewhere between 25 and 30,000 total around that number.
And you can get a sense of just how much that people have a sense of pride
in wanting to be around the place and seeing it come back to fruition
because it's different degrees in doing so when it's left for dead on the schedule
versus having exhibition races like the All-Star Race around
to then having points racing back.
And to me, I could feel that sense of like, man, we're really doing this
at North Wilkesboro compared to Atlanta.
There are some things where I do think they still need to get with the times
on certain things.
I think you can still have the best of both worlds with the historical nature of it
versus you still need to modernize.
And the two things that come to mind for me at least is a rotating scoring pylon.
They only show the top seven.
The turn 31 with the Tyson and like the manual usage, that's fine.
That's great.
I hope they keep that.
But they had like a digital one like in the infield and it only show the top seven
for all 450 laps.
And for those of you who have been to a racetrack and have to rely on
either cell service or Wi-Fi networks that barely work.
Imagine trying to find your driver in that window world 450
where everyone's multiple apps down, everyone's screwed up all over the place.
So at least for me, that's like a quality of life thing that I would like to see
because at 2026, you should be able to know where your driver is at all times
and to build on that.
There was no replay monitors.
I mean that every track you go to, it's like you think you see everything.
And in my case, yeah, I was in the front stretch grandstands and you would
think a five eighths mile track, you could see everything.
But that Bowman Reddit caution, no idea.
Like literally no idea to this, to this second.
I still don't know how I obviously saw the TV replay after, but why is it the
fact that I have to do that to see something on track?
And especially when it's like right across my peripheral vision.
So a lot of good, some things I would like to see improved at the same time,
but overall real sense of NASCAR being with the NASCAR family, so to speak,
if you will, you've got a bunch of people who are there for the first time like
myself, who had never seen, but never known the history of North Wilkes for
the last time that appoints Raysa.
I wasn't a lot.
So now it's just seeing that all kind of come together from all different walks
of life and overall cool experience, but also some things that do need to be improved.
Does it have a place on the calendar?
Come 2027, because it's like right in the middle between Bristol and
Martinsville and Charlotte.
I feel like we're almost at the point where we're over saturating that market.
If you were to put the 2027 scheduled together, would you include North Wilkes
Bro?
We're over saturating that market because people keep showing up.
That's where the fan base is.
I mean, like I'm sorry, I know that yes, there is a point there that yes,
NASCAR is primarily in the Southeast and there is over saturation in the
Southeastern States, but that's because that's where all the fans are.
I mean, you don't really sell out.
You're not going to sell out a track like that out of perhaps maybe California or
something like that.
That was just hurtful.
That was hurtful.
You're definitely not going to sell out anything in Idaho.
Everyone out there is too busy mowing lawns.
So in growing potatoes.
There you go.
I was waiting for that.
No reaction from Brian Nolan.
So okay, I tried my best out here.
Tough crowd, but look what Thomas said really speaks volumes to me because
that's kind of what I was thinking about earlier.
I was editing last night's articles and Michael Finley put out a good one,
five points and basically said it was talking about basically the same that
Thomas was just talking about, which is there is a difference between having
a throwback type of event and then having an outdated, outdated event and
having no scoring or having those scoring pilots where it's only like seven
cars in the manual thing.
I agree.
Like you can keep that as like a novelty as like maybe like a gimmick just
because it's like, oh, look, we're a short track.
You know, we're, we're really back to the roots.
You know, this is what short track racing it, but for the sake of having like
an international internationally recognized racing series, you should
probably have like at least a replay screen in the center.
Because if I was a fan at that track, that would drive me insane.
I can't tell you how many times I've been to New Samaritan Speedway because
they don't have a replay, they don't have a replay screen out there at
New Samaritan and something will happen.
I'll be like, oh, I'll look at the replay and see what, oh, right.
And so I won't even know like why, why did this guy just dump that guy?
Was he the reason why he spun out earlier?
It's so hard to tell because there's no replay.
So that would drive me insane.
So if you're going to have it in the future, if you're going to have it on
the calendar in the future, you've got to have a Jumbotron.
You got to have maybe just a little bit more on the scoring monitor.
I'm not saying have Indianapolis level, you know, 40 cars on the scoring,
just maybe like 15 or 20.
You know, I feel like that's reasonable and then have like the bottom 10 or
the bottom five just cycle through the rest of the, the field,
kind of like what other tracks do.
So I just, there, there is a difference between having a throwback,
having a throwback charm and just being straight up outdated.
And that's, I feel like North Wilkesboro just a little bit too much
on the fence with that right now.
We need to update those fan amenities so people will continue coming back.
But there is no doubt there is a charm there right now.
But you have to keep, keep that charm there before it loses its
luster. I don't want that track to lose its luster.
I want it to stand and schedule.
And there goes Brian Nolan.
My bad. I was muted.
Is that me?
There he is.
Thomas, I feel like, I truly feel like this racetrack is perfect for like an all
star race, like it's beaten and bangin and it should be, should be Saturday night,
not Sunday night. That's a story for a different day.
But I truly do feel like that there is a place for an all star event here,
maybe just not a regular season event.
Could they somehow go back to what they did in, was it 2023, 2024, I think,
and put North Wilkesboro still on the calendar, but just make it the all star race?
I mean, I feel like, at least from my perspective, I'm a very anti-NASCAR all star
race type person. It's just, it doesn't do anything for me.
Agreed.
You're doing the same thing over and over again, except, oh boy, yay,
million dollars in the year 2026.
I mean, it's just not, it's not too, it's not too different to what it's already
happening and it's not unique in the sense of the presentation and kind of the aura
surrounding it.
So I think actually it would hurt North Wilkesboro if it went back to an all star
event because one, you're not getting the sample size of blaps.
I think the racing got a lot more maneuverable as the night went on,
even though 450 laps is a long time and it got in just about around three hours.
I thought in general, you could see the lines start to form out the longer they went.
And especially when you cut half the field arbitrarily just because of how good they
are, it's like, well, you're only going to see so much of the good stuff in a setting
like that.
And, you know, not everything needs to be like instantaneous, like, you know,
sometimes Bristol and Martinsville go into debauchery.
I think North Wilkesboro presented a good sense of it has to be hard and it has to
be difficult for these drivers to work through it.
And especially over a race that didn't have a ton of attrition.
I think it's right where it needs to be in terms of having a regular season point
race going in the future.
And I do think just at the same time like Dalton mentioned when he coincided with
some of my points, it's that you just got to modernize it for this approach in this
way.
And I think North Wilkesboro is unique enough in its own standing as a short track
to last as a regular season points race.
I would definitely like to see it with a better car.
We've seen a lot worse next-gen short track races than that.
So I definitely would like to see it stay as a regular season points race going forward.
Final thoughts, Peter, on this topic, should they stay or should they go?
It should definitely stay after so much effort was made because of COVID money and the
fan efforts to bring this track back.
I think it definitely has a home on the long-term NASCAR schedule, whether that's
Cup and Truck, Cup O'Reilly and Truck, whichever combination of all three series.
My only issue with it being an all-star race is I don't feel like there's enough cars on
track.
I feel like lap traffic definitely became a factor in Sunday's race.
They kept handling so close to the Gano in the closing laps especially.
And with half the field, the Gano probably drives off to a 23 four-second lead
instead of an eight-tenth of a second lead at the finish.
Let's dive on into our second topic of the evening.
Once again, this program is presented by My Place Hodes.
We have been basically living in My Place's the past month.
Dalton, you and Kevin, Nick, are going to be staying out of My Place this upcoming weekend
at ND Thomas Dunn, even, but to stay at A My Place when he was covering the ACC media
days in Charlotte.
So big thanks to My Place.
Once again, save 10% when you use the code front-stretch.
I will introduce the second topic of the evening.
Once again, folks, whenever we go to a road course, it feels like it's SVG's world and
we're just living in it.
Well, well, well, folks, it was a SVG top five show on Sunday.
Not only did he finish in the top five, he flat out passed.
We saw him pass in Lugano.
Denny Hamlin.
I mean, this guy took the lead and he had a funny exchange and he was like, what do I
do?
I'm in the lead here.
Maybe I had, there's an F-bomb or two that I did not say, but you know, paraphrasing
here.
So I think, Peter, I'll open it up to you.
Is it time for us to shed that label of the road course ringer for SVG?
Has he finally established that he can potentially win at other types of racetracks starting
with the short track?
I say yes because we saw in the truck race and we saw Sunday in the cup race that he
is becoming more adept at more than just the road courses.
I think it was Atlanta where he also had a top five.
It may have been Nashville.
I'm getting those two races confused possibly.
Anyway, he is starting to slowly adapt to NASCAR style racing on a wide variety of Opels.
And if you ask drivers after road course races, they'll say he's the king of tire management
and out of place like Wilkesboro with that brand new pavement, tire management is named
the game.
So a lot of road course tendencies will transfer over to places like Wilkesboro or Martinsville,
maybe even Nashville.
And those are the tracks where you see SVG starting to learn things at a faster clip.
His weakness he admitted at post-race is still intermediate Opels and I just think with more
time he'll become more and more of a threat at those bigger, faster tracks.
Thomas, you were there for the truck race as well.
Was it surprising to see him running in the top five, not only in the truck race as well?
I would say there was a healthy amount of surprise, I think, just given the depth of
that truck field.
I mean, there were a lot of good drivers in there.
You got Corey Hymes, you got Chase Elliott, Christopher Bell, and that's before you get
to the regulars who were stealing the show and Chandler Smith and Lane Riggs.
But I think I kind of look at it from almost to mine, so to speak.
I think he has shedded that road course ringer label, but at the same time he's still looking
to come into his own and be that guy on Opels on a weekend, week-out basis.
We mentioned what he did this past week in Wilkesboro, that was awesome.
I thought last year his race at Richmond, I think someone where you can have multiple
lines, you can have comers and goers, I think that's really in SVG's wheelhouse.
Even some certain, like he's had some spotlight performances too, I would say like Kansas last
year where he, I think we had a pit road penalty to start the race, came back, finished top
10.
New Hampshire before he got wrecked out was running in the top 10 on Merritt.
So I think he's showing flashes and I think on the short track, his short tracks as a
whole is where I would pinpoint him as the best on Opels within his racing acumen right
now.
I still think there's still quite a ways to go on the mile and a half and speed ways
to make me think that he's still, he's the type of well-rounded driver that will go
out and contend for a championship, but this is still notable progress in its own right
to not only say that we will look at him on the road courses, but say, yeah, you're someone
who can make some noise and then some on short tracks.
And Dalton, I think they, I think, you know, Coleman said it best, imagine if Trackhouse
was good.
I mean, if he was in, let's say like a Toyota or something, oh man, he would be, I think
he would be up there contending, but like, Trackhouse has been, God awful, they've been
putrid this year and what SVG is doing is, is a testament to not only him, but I mean
the talent that he, that he has brought to the state.
You got to commend him on, on just what he has accomplished.
Well, you know, you have to commend him, but you also got to commend the rest of his team
too.
I mean, let's give Steven Doran his flowers also.
I mean, SVG came into this sport really just, I mean, without any knowledge of how, how
to drive these old, how to drive these cars on Oval's and he needed other folks to kind
of guide him through that and he needed a crew to support him through that challenge.
And he's, he's had Steven with him and he's done a fantastic job managing that race and
giving him the right cars that he needs.
And it's, it's very difficult to, to transition like that when you are so used to a different
type of car with a different type of package, different types of tracks.
But when it comes to SVG himself, I think that he is kind of at, I like to say he's
at one Pablo Montoya level right now.
Like remember Montoya came in and by kind of near the end when he was done with NASCAR,
I think you could probably say he was a regular.
You know, you wouldn't really say that he's a road course ringer at that point, even
though that the road courses were kind of the tracks that he was the best at, but he
was still, he would still show up on Oval's to every once in a while.
He would still put up a pretty good finish, a top five here or there.
He almost won a Dover in 2013, almost be Tony Stewart.
But I think SVG is, is right there.
What's really surprising is how quickly he has gotten there.
It's only his second full time year and he's already putting up top five finishes on
Oval's running top five consistently.
He was maybe, I mean, he was a lap away from winning at Atlanta.
He was maybe like one better, better, better push away from winning at Atlanta.
And that kind of goes to show that he has learned so much.
And I don't think that, yes, he still has a little bit more to learn.
But to be honest, if he, if he gets any better, he's going to be winning races.
And if he got that much better from in comparison from 2025 to 26, I am really
excited to see where he's going to be in 2027, because if he continues that, that
progression, we're going to start seeing SVG running up front on Oval's a lot more
consistently and challenging for wins a lot more consistently.
I, part of me kind of wants to make a bet that he's going to win a Oval race
within the next year and a half, but I'm already like, Oh, for one on bed.
I don't really, really, what, what, what would you bet?
I, I, uh, I mean, geez, I don't, I don't bet very much.
I'd probably, I'd probably put like, I put like 40, I bet, I bet he could, I was
thinking, I don't know.
Yeah.
Like by that, I mean, like, I would agree with you.
Like I would also bet that I would think that he's probably going to win the next
year.
I don't know though.
Like I do feel like he's going to win, but it may not be like at a short track
and maybe like a like a ton of like out of the blue, like they could just
everybody reckoned he wins, but then again, I could also see them like Iowa and
he wins.
Like, I mean, like he's getting to be at that point where it's like, he's not a
road course specialist anymore.
Yeah.
I think he's, I think he's shitted that label.
Um, he's, he's not, he's not, New Hampshire, New Hampshire.
Well, yeah.
And see, the thing is, is that SVG seems to be good at certain types of tracks.
Yes.
Daytona, Atlanta.
Uh, I don't know about Talladega, but, um, like the, the drafting tracks, like,
yeah, but then again, like everyone's kind of have their moment to shine there.
I mean, Cody, where led, like what 20 laps at Daytona last year?
Like everyone's got a moment there.
What's wrong with that?
But no, absolutely nothing is wrong with that.
Um, but my point being is that those tracks are good by all means go for it.
For sure.
But by all, but by that, I mean, like those tracks are great equalizers, but
SVG, he's also got speed at certain types of tracks.
Like, and look at the stick just brought up Richmond.
I was going to say short tracks in general, short, flat tracks.
Bristol, he does not like, but it's a short track, but it's high banked and it's
not flat, it's not flat at all.
It's got a little bit more speed in the corners.
Look at the tracks that he, look at the old tracks that he is good at.
Look at where we just did.
North Wilkesboro, not very high banked, a little flat, New Hampshire, pretty
flat Richmond, relatively flat, Martinsville.
He's had, well, to be honest, I gotta go, I gotta, I gotta look back at
Martinsville is Martinsville results.
But my point being is that there are those tracks that resemble the road
course of Brian's going to look it up.
SVG started fifth in the spring and finished 11.
See what I mean?
These, these short tracks, these short, flat tracks that almost resemble road
course types of corners.
It works out for him.
Peter, what do you think?
Tom, uh, oh, yeah, Peter, go for it.
And then we'll go to Tom.
It's Peter's time.
Peter gets to talk now.
My apologies.
I, Peter, I am so sorry.
That was totally my bad.
Well, Peter lay down.
Oh my.
I agree with what you guys said.
The flatter short tracks seem to be riding SVG's wheelhouse.
And we saw this 15 years ago with Marcus Ambrose that the VA supercar background
does translate somewhat to these flatter shorter tracks.
I don't know if it's a hundred percent a one to one, uh, translation, but
something there does seemingly click between both Ambrose and SVG.
So I think, yeah, it would, wouldn't be shocking to me to see whether it's in
cop or truck or O'Reilly, him to eventually get an oval win.
Thomas, does it happen this year or will we have to wait till 2027?
Yeah.
Now you're waiting for till 2027, but this is a notable progress in its own
right to be quite honest.
And I think, uh, if I remember correctly from this earlier, this season of
Martinsville, he was running like top 10 all day in this recently and like very
late fell out of the top 10.
And I look at, he's got like different like driving properties at some of
these different short tracks.
Like he was a bottom feeder a lot of the day at North Wilkesboro Richmond.
He likes running the top.
And at least for me, the big benchmark of progress will be, uh, if he's, uh, even
remotely capable at Iowa, I mean, it was a miserable Iowa race last year for him.
I think he was like responsible for like two to three cautions, uh, by himself.
So when I, when I look at it, uh, from a big picture lens, this is great progress
to have.
And I think Iowa would be a good benchmark to see just how much progress he has
shown from last year, uh, heading into this season and going in beyond.
So I would take the bet that he would be in contention for a win, uh, on an
oval in the next year and a half.
I don't know that he gets it done because you need, I think need to have more
high leverage moments in an oval before I sit here and say he's going to win.
Uh, but in general, I mean, this is market progress.
And I think a lot of 90s team 97 fans should be very excited about what he's
brought to the table in that regard and really showing up, uh, all of track house.
Yeah.
Last thing here, before we dive on into our third topic, Dalton, um, the
Stig put it out, there's no question now that, uh, Van Gisburg is taking over
this track house team as a team leader.
Do you agree with that?
Is this still Chastain's team?
Obviously you've got the rookie and Connor Zillich, but I mean, SVG is by far
higher than Chastain is in points.
Chastain is nowhere near the cut line.
Um, I think he's out of the top 20 to be quite honest.
Um, it is, is this SVG's team?
If you base it off of current results, current performance, absolutely.
There's no doubt about it.
Um, he's better at, he's, he's got better results on ovals than Ross.
Everybody, I mean, just about everybody's got better results than Connor Zillich
right now, uh, that poor kid is going through it.
But, um, I mean, and he's, he is a consistently, he's almost a guaranteed
winner at all the road courses that we go to almost, but he's, he's, he's
going to get wins every year.
I mean, regardless.
So before Ross was almost the guaranteed winner every year.
And this year I don't, I just, I don't see that happening at all.
I don't know where he is.
And ever since that crazy breakout performance at not really, not breakout,
but ever since that really one off performance at the 600 last year, I
haven't seen Ross be Ross Chastain.
Um, he was a little fast in practice.
I think this previous weekend.
So I thought, okay, maybe he'll show up.
Maybe he'll do, maybe this was, you know, he'll get like a top 10 or something,
but I haven't seen much out of them.
So, but I think when it comes to legacy, you cannot discount what Ross has done
for that, for that company.
I mean, he got their first win.
He's got the most, does he have the most wins for them?
I'm, now I'm not so sure.
Does he still, does he still be Peter's nodding?
Yeah, he's, he's catching up.
He's got eight.
SVG's got, he's one away from time that.
So, but regardless, I mean, Ross was really the first one to kind of break
out and, and bring Trackhouse onto a level that contended with the likes of
Hendrick Motorsports, the likes of Joe Gibbs racing, even if it doesn't happen
right now.
So there, you cannot discount that in the eyes of Justin Marks.
But when it comes to performance itself, as of right now, ask me again in like a
year, if you ask me again at the same time next year, I think he, I think you
got to put SVG on the top of that, on the top of that list.
Actually, quick correction, eight cup wins, Ross only has six.
Okay.
Okay.
So there you go.
There you go.
Interesting.
I mean, I still, still, I mean, Daniel Suarez was the first team's
first driver, but Ross was the first one that really kind of showed that that
team can compete.
So I still, what I say still stands, I think I still, I'm going to stick to what
I said, but regardless, there's no doubt that SVG is a very close second place.
We're going to take a quick break when we come back.
We're going to be diving on in to the new super speedway package and more
that is coming up next year on the NASCAR, fronttritch.com's happy hour program.
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home.
Welcome back to the Front Stretch happy hour program presented by my place
hotels, Brian Nolan, Dalton Hopkins, Thomas Dunn and Mr. Peter Serrata from
TSSJ Sports, join in the program.
I want to enter our third topic of the evening. Dalton, do you want to
introduce this or should I, my friend?
Yeah, there's been a lot of talk about the super, the new super speedway package
that NASCAR just announced this previous week, dropping the horsepower and
somebody helped me out with this. I helped me out here, but it's in the
four hundreds. It's pretty darn low, but the idea of the is four, is it four
65 That sounds right. I was going to say 460 somewhere around
there. It looks like Brian's looking it up, but yeah, I think this is the idea
of this new package is meant to create, is to be able to create, allow drivers to
create runs and allow a third lane to form, be able to allow them to, into
replicate what we saw at Atlanta a couple of weeks ago, which kind of
resembles what we saw at the super speedways back in, you know, early 2000s,
late 90s, that kind of type of super speedway racing. A lot of people consider
that type of racing, the golden age of drafting racing, a super speedway
racing. So I am cautiously optimistic. I would like, I hope that's true. I know
that there is a, apparently there is a testing session that's scheduled in
Daytona later in, like the preseason thunder is supposed to come back in
Daytona next year. So I would like to see them wait until then before, before
they just implemented, before they implemented into the regular season's
final race. But if it's like what we saw at Atlanta and they truly do believe
that it's going to do that, I'd like to see that. That's also supposed to
increase qualifying speed as well. Supposed to go about three miles
an hour or something like that. So Peter, I'm interested in your thoughts
because I'm sure you saw that and I'm sure you reacted to it as well.
I share your cautious optimism and I can give you my actual thoughts in person.
And I see you after 400 miles in Daytona next month.
Someone's being aerated right now. Someone's, someone's.
That's what happens when you have to work, when you have to be outside.
There's a plane going overhead. OK, I'm strong.
There's no planes in Idaho, Brian.
Then how do I get from one racetrack to another?
You still, you just drive.
Greyhound. I don't believe you.
Greyhound bus.
There is the, I mean, I think there are trains that go.
I've never, honestly, I don't think I've ever gone on a train before.
Come on, get on Amtrak, man. Come on.
Yeah, really, Amtrak definitely said it was crazy.
Yeah, I just realized that.
Oh, yeah, I've never, yeah. Interesting.
Well, well, Brian. Yeah, they're just playing, Peter.
You want to finish your thought?
Yeah, I'm welcome for any change for the super speedway drafting product.
Because what we've seen at Daytona and Talladega has gotten a bit stale
ever since next year was introduced and minimal changes have been made.
I still think this is also a very minimal
most they can make at really last minute for Daytona next month kind of change.
Maybe it'll make some drastic change in the racing product.
I don't know. I'm not an engineer.
I'm not a race car driver.
But for my Denny Hamlin, Chase Elliott and a few others have said
they seem to think it'll change whatever we see at Daytona in August.
So if they think that, then I think that too.
Like I said, I'll be able to give you my true thought out thoughts
after the checkers fly in Daytona and we have crowned a regular season champion.
For those that don't know, it will be a four inch spoiler
and wide splitter stuff for the same as their intermediate tracks.
Safety requirements remain the same.
It will be four 65 horsepower new spoiler braces,
spoiler deflection device redesigned to accommodate the four inch spoiler.
Single car speeds estimated at two to three miles an hour faster than current
qualifying and Thomas, it feels like they're they're trying to.
Let's say, for an example, you have like Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
He goes to the high side, nobody helps him,
but he's got a big enough run that he can like he can last a little bit
until he gets that extra help.
It feels like they want to see where you can get a little bit
of a little bit of a boost, then you're going to need it to have some help.
I am cautiously optimistic.
I feel like they're trying to replicate what we've been seeing at Atlanta
from a couple of weeks ago.
I think this is a step in the right direction,
but kind of what Denny Hamlin said on Action Detrimental,
he likes what Steve O'Donnell is doing, not not testing it out and then trying it.
They're just trying it.
I mean, they're going ballast to the wall.
They're not going to have a practice session.
Just do laps qualifying done.
And I think they're taking the initiative.
I like it.
Yeah, I think you have to appreciate the action because, I mean,
I think we would all agree.
I mean, this super speedway package just in general, I think
broad brush besides Atlanta has sucked.
It just has.
I mean, you can't willingly tell me here and go back to Springtalladay
and sit here and say that two by two for the last for what fell like last 40 laps
is what the speedway standard ultimately should be.
And I think whatever ultimately tries to get us in the direction of where
that 2019-2021 speedway package is, is a welcome change.
In certain respects, I do think it's also kind of a lipstick on a pig type
of approach just because of how bad the speedway package has been at times.
But in general, it's better than to just let the status quo be status quo
and say, well, revisit this in the off season.
So I do want to, you know, echo that appreciation for wanting to go in the
right direction, I think in more so from a general sense,
putting it back in the driver's hands, so to speak, like when you hop that
online, like you mentioned with the Stenhouse example, they're gone.
Goodbye. See you later.
Have a good one.
And now it's like, OK, you have it run.
You can go find a way to maneuver yourself around somebody, have enough momentum
to try and clear them potentially and create something where you can control
your own destiny as much as you reasonably can within that context.
So at least for me, I would share the optimism that is heading in the right
direction, but in the same way, it's like you have to prove it to me just
because of how bad the speedway racing has been at times from Daytona
and Talladega's perspective, specifically.
So, Dolan, what would what would a successful Daytona race be?
Is it just getting up to that third lane and then getting the ability
to have that extra and then until you find a guy or just what would you
consider a success?
Finding that, like you said, finding that extra lane, being able to develop
that third lane and I don't want to see a 20 lap run to the end where
they're just double filed the entire time.
I look for the record, I think Daytona, the summer race of Daytona actually
has been like the one drafting track that has actually that has been
putting on a good show after that's not Atlanta, that's been putting
on a good show every single year still because last year's was fantastic.
The year before that was pretty darn good also.
So it's it's it's not like summer Daytona is going to be good, I think.
And that's kind of why I wish they maybe waited until next year to implement this.
But if you're talking about success, I looked at that third lane was
already kind of happening at Daytona.
So even if that does occur again, I think if we just see something like
we did at Atlanta, you know, where we saw that first stage where everyone
just kind of split up and for a little bit there, it almost was like a race
from like it looked like the 2004 Daytona 500.
That's just the first one that comes to mind.
We're like, everyone kind of got spread out and the pit strategies became a
little bit more but a little bit more important.
But I just don't want to see I don't want to see 2000 or 2019 maybe or 2020
where the runs became so big and so bad that it became unsafe.
Like it was we were just wrecking every single every single lap.
And, you know, we saw four different overtime attempts.
Like I just I just want to see a decent race where the cars are close together.
They can use the runs as they wish.
And if this package really does what it says it's supposed to do and give
these guys a little bit more action up at the front, give these guys a little
bit more of an option to figure out what lane they want to use, have a
little bit more of a of a choice, I guess, instead of falling to the back
if they get out of line.
So we're not single file for 60 laps and waiting till the next pit stop.
As long as we don't see that, I'm okay with it.
But to be honest, summer Daytona races been pretty good.
So if we just see this, if we just see that again, I'm not going to be upset with it.
I feel like it's the Daytona 500 and the Talladega races that have really suffered.
Let's dive on in into our final topic of the evening.
Once again, thanks to my place hotels response for this program.
Once again, you can use the code at front stretch.
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Last but not least, gentlemen, he's had a dreadful season.
Absolutely dreadful.
And then he comes Sunday night and he absolutely kills the field.
Joey Logano, was this an anomaly or is the real Joey Logano going to stand
up and make his presence known?
Because, as Dalton Hopkins likes to say, and yes, there is another plane
that is flying above me, so maybe a little loud.
I apologize.
I'm sorry, Dalton, for your inconvenience.
Is Joey Logano back or was this an anomaly?
Dalton, I'll have you go first.
No, no, I don't think he's back.
Look, everybody, a lot of these guys, they get a really, really good,
they get a good race every once in a while.
And Joey Logano, this is a new track, I mean, new-ish, I should say,
but this is kind of a new track that not many folks have focused on.
And in the past, because it was just an all-star race,
and Joey Logano was a winner of one of those races.
And I seem to recall he had a performance in that race, much like he did on Sunday night.
So it's this really isn't that surprising to me to see him perform as well as he did,
because it just felt like they were preparing for this.
They felt like they were more ready for this than everybody.
Like he and Paul Wolfe were more ready for this than every other team.
I feel like it's just the results of that.
But when we go to Indianapolis this week, I expect him to run top 20.
And that's probably the best we're going to see of him, unfortunately.
I'm not knocking him.
I just I'm not going to lose it.
I'm not going to say, oh, my gosh, he's a championship favorite after he had one really good race.
I just I don't see that's going to happen.
Noah Coleman put in these are these are his best tracks leading up to Daytona.
The Chase will expose him.
I would have to agree.
I just honestly, I feel like he's kind of exposed already
because I don't think he's like this whole year has just not gone that that well at all.
So I just I don't really see him.
I mean, it's pretty fair.
He's not going to make room for the championship, right?
I mean, this isn't this if it was still the elimination format, I would not say that.
But I know this is an even year and I know that there's a whole lot of a lot of superstition with that.
But I'm going to say pump the brakes.
I don't think he's back.
I don't think we're going to see him running top fives and, you know,
winning a bunch of races from now until the end of the year.
Does he win one more race?
I wouldn't be surprised.
I could easily see him win Richmond.
But before I pass it on, keep in mind, think about who he drives for and Team Penske.
Think about what types of tracks Penske has been really good at these last few years.
Look at Phoenix, flat type of track.
And then they go to New Hampshire last year.
Joey Lagana was really fast in New Hampshire last year.
He almost won it at Richmond.
Did he win?
And maybe I'm thinking two years ago, but it's been pretty fast at Richmond in the past.
And he goes to North Wilkesboro, kind of a flat track, flat type of track.
These are tracks that kind of mirror Phoenix a little bit.
These are that these are type of tracks that Team Penske has clearly got their setups pretty dialed in on.
So not too surprised to see that.
I think when we go to Indianapolis next week, I think it's going to be more of the same.
I hate saying that for Joey Lagana fans, but I'm just being realistic.
If he wins at Indianapolis, we'll talk about this again.
You're going to see a vastly different opinion from me.
That's just my that's just what I think right now.
And Thomas Massey said something really, really notable, the mile and a half track.
And that's where Lagana has been massively struggling in.
You got Kansas, you got Vegas, you got Charlotte, you got Homestead.
Those are four out of the 10.
I may, if you want to consider Gateway as well, let's say, well, just for chits and giggles,
that's five out of the 10 race.
That's half the chase.
I can't see him coming back as one of the favorite just because of how
putrid and how dreadful their mile and a half program has been.
Am I am I wrong in that statement?
I just don't see it for this 22 team this year.
And I think it's important that Dalton mentioned that we're not in the
elimination format any year to serve as your get out of jail free car.
I mean, they just don't bring fast cars on a consistent basis.
And I'd be remiss if I believe it was our Tom Bulls who put up saying, is it time
for Joey and Paul Wolf to split ways a couple of weeks ago?
I mean, they just do not bring fast cars on a consistent basis.
Their average running position is nowhere near the standard of prime Joey Lagana.
And I think it's been pretty adamant.
So for the last couple of years, and that includes him winning a championship.
I think many people would argue that 2024 season still wasn't close to what
Joey Logano has shown over the course of his time, especially in the late 2010s.
And even early 2020s for that matter.
So when I look at the big picture perspective, I don't see it in terms of
Joey Logano doing something and making it run like Tony Stewart did in 2011.
And there's just too much that is not going their way.
And they just haven't shown it.
And I think this is lately a sport of what have you done for me lately?
And the 22 team has not shown enough for me to think that they're going to go on
a run, maybe a March Madness-esque run, you know, as a team that you're not
necessarily expecting to do it in this day and age.
So not yet for Joey Logano, maybe they find something in the coming years,
but it just, they have not shown enough on a consistent basis to warrant that type of a moniker.
Peter, are you going to agree with Brian saying he is not championship material,
or are you going to go against the grain and try and convince us of it?
I'll play a bit of a fence-sitter here and say, yeah, he's not championship material yet,
but we've seen time and again where all the Tennessee cars start off season slow,
slowly find speed over the summer.
And by the time the playoffs hit, boom, they're there.
I agree, Logano and all of Ford really is at a detriment on the intermediate
track, which do make up most of the chase this year.
But they do have a lot of flat short ovals between now and chase time.
They can potentially bank up wins, bonus points, and I still wouldn't doubt Logano.
If he even has a snowballs chance and you know what, at going far in this chase,
I think Paul Wolfe and Logano both are two of the smartest minds,
two of the biggest talents in the sport, and you can't keep them down forever.
I think they will come back eventually.
It will probably be in 2027, but I wouldn't put it past them to have something to
turn around this year in the closing weeks.
Don't any final thoughts on Joey Logano before we take one more commercial break
and wrap up this program?
Look, I don't think the question is whether or not he is championship
material. The question is, is he going to make a run for the championship?
I think we're well past that.
And thank God, because honestly, it's like Thomas said, they don't deserve a get out of
jail free card. It's too late for that. We're past halfway through the season.
The first half of the season was absolutely abysmal.
They don't deserve a run at the championship.
Do they win another race for the end of the year?
I could maybe see that happening.
This is Joey Logano we're talking about.
I think the real question is, does he even make the chase?
Now, the percentage right now, the chances of him doing that, I would say are pretty high.
He's pretty well embedded in the chase right now.
I'm just looking at it.
Yeah, so he is, okay, so that's a pretty decent amount.
He's 49 points ahead of 17th Eric Jones.
So with the amount of races that are left, which really isn't all that much before Daytona,
so I'm counting four or five races left before the end of the regular season,
I think he's just got to stay more consistent than Eric Jones and a lot of the other guys that
are behind 16th. And I think he's going to be okay, especially if it truly is a sign that
better finishes are to come.
And it's like, we saw a comment earlier, these are his best tracks before the chase.
So it's really not farfetched to think that he's going to make the chase.
However, we've kind of established in the past, it's been established in the past that if you're
below 11th or if you're below 10th in the chase field, you're kind of screwed.
Like you're not going to make a run at the championship.
You just don't have the points.
I think the actual, I think it was nobody outside of the top five won the championship.
And a lot of simulations than NASCAR ran.
Somebody can fact check me on that, but I'm pretty sure that's what it was.
I mean, Briscoe said it to me after the care center visit in Phoenix.
He's like, if you're not in the top six at the start of the chase,
basically you've said good season and you're just going to try and get wins.
So he's definitely agreeing with you, Dalton.
Yeah. And I think that's just it.
Like for them to, I think Joey Logano fan shouldn't be counting on him to make a run
at the championship.
I think what they should really be counting on is, hey, maybe we can see
another win or two, you know, before the end of the year.
This is not a championship year for Joey Logano.
This is not going to be an even number year where he's going to come back and win the
championship.
It's just, I'm sorry.
It's just not going to, and you know what?
That's not really entirely a Joey Logano prop.
That's not really his fault.
That's not Paul Wolf's fault.
The, maybe that's just a Ford problem because they just haven't had the,
they just haven't had the speed.
I think it's funny last week where we're talking about on this show that
we were saying Ryan Blaney is the only driver that's won for Ford.
Since Joey Logano at Texas last year, and then Joey Logano updated that just now,
or just this past weekend.
So I think it's just a Ford problem, but I would not be surprised if we saw another
win out of Joey, but I think 2027, I think that team needs to start getting ready for
2027.
I know it's early on, but just start getting ready for a rebound in 2027.
I'm just saying guys, two weeks ago, Ford won one race.
Two weeks later, they won three.
So maybe there, maybe they're turning the corner, but we're going to take a quick
break, one last commercial break when we come back.
We're going to wrap up shop and get you ready for the upcoming week.
This is thefrontstretch.com's happy hour program.
We'll be back.
Hi everybody, Tom Boles from Frontstretch.
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Welcome back to the NASCAR happy hour program.
Brian Nolan here with you wrapping up shop on this Tuesday evening.
We will honestly, we'll just give our guests the mic, Peter.
It's always a pleasure, buddy. You're one of my favorite humans.
We send each other memes and stuff all day, every day.
So you are the best. I always love, absolutely love Peter.
When I go on my Instagram feed after work and I have 15 unread messages from you.
So shout out to you, Peter. I appreciate that.
But can you, can you promote your socials and then promote any stories you're working on, buddy?
Yeah, all my work we found on both Twitter and YouTube at just my name, Peter Strata.
And as far as upcoming stories, nothing major in the works.
My next NASCAR race will be Daytona with Dalton.
So I'll try to keep him in check all weekend there.
Yeah, really, I'll need a lot of help there.
But yeah, it should be a fun weekend coming up at Indianapolis.
Love the Breakyard 400.
It's one of my favorite races of the year.
And looking forward to Trucks, O'Reilly and Cup all at Indy this weekend.
Have you ever been to Indy, Peter?
I've been to the track and taking the tour and all that, but never there for a race.
So it's still on the bucket list tracks to see a race.
Mr. Thomas Dunn, you were at the last two races as a fan.
I know that your other job is about to start in about, probably about five weeks from now
or something like that, six weeks.
So are you going to be doing any NASCAR coverage?
And then what articles are you going to be writing for Front Stretch in the upcoming days?
Yeah, so ironically enough, we talked about the Joey Logano topic.
And it'll be opposing the question of will Joey Logano go on another championship run?
Now, I'm going to have to digest the argument a little bit more before I preview what I write
about it. But because there is precedent for it, regardless of what I think and what I just said,
there is precedent for what a run Joey Logano has made.
And Brian, I wish it was five to six weeks before this thing started.
We got fall camp coming up in a couple of weeks.
So it all starts very fast.
It all starts very fast.
But in general, I'm going to take a look at my calendar a little bit more to see what races
I can physically cover, because as you well know, it's sometimes very hard to get NASCAR
races out on the West Coast. We only get so many of them.
Yeah, we only get so many of them.
But in general, I think it was just cool as I kind of dialed back to Kern a little bit.
I did my first Front Stretch race at Sonoma a couple of weeks ago and it's super cool to do
that. My home track, not too far away and just kind of get things out there, especially from a
West Coast lens and seeing people who have really really put together kind of a loyalist
perspective that show up to that track and then kind of turning it around and then doing what
people do on a week to week basis in some cases and go into the track and having the
checkered flag fly at Atlanta 145 in the morning and then go into Waffle House and then turning
it around and go into Wilkesboro after that at a race track that is probably one of the most
inconspicuous on the whole calendar. You're in the woods and you don't think there's a race track
sitting there and then voila. There it is. So we're working on that. We're working on some more
spotlight features going on and especially anytime I can get more West Coast lenses
under the NASCAR community, I think that's something I always take a lot of pride in,
especially in a sport that has such southern roots, people don't necessarily expect all that. So
that's kind of the general gist of everything going on and we'll see where we end up at the
track soon enough. I know I'll be at Las Vegas Motor Speedway later on, so maybe I'll see some
of the fellas over there. You'll see me, buddy. So definitely, I'm definitely looking forward to
seeing you there. Mr. Dolan Hopkins, you've covered NB500. Do you ever cover the Brickyard 400?
Oh, I have not. This will be the first year that I've ever seen NASCAR race cars on the
Indianapolis Motor Speedway in person. So I'm pretty excited. I'm excited to go there and
experience that. I'm actually, is it weird? I'm actually maybe a little bit more excited to go to
IRP and see that. I don't blame you. Thanks. Yeah, I don't blame you. The trucks and the
ARCA cars out there, I'm actually kind of, I'm actually a little bit more excited because I'm
kind of good. I'm going to get to go there kind of like as a fan because it's going to be Kevin
Nicks and Christopher DeHardy or The Hardiest as I like to call him and he's going to be out there
doing that for us for IRP. But I'll be at IRP as kind of like a fan. So I get to kind of experience
a short track race as a fan for probably really the first time NASCAR race. So that'll be fun.
But then, you know, it's back to work in Indianapolis, Motor Speedway, the big one, the next
day to cover the O'Reilly race and the Cup Series race. But either way, Indy's so cool. It's a great,
it's a great area. I'm actually, I'm really excited to stay at the My Place Hotels out there,
just because that location is awesome. I love the My Place out there. It's like 14 minutes from
the track. It's so convenient. Like, you guys, for those of you who don't like go to the track
regularly, it is such a pain in the ass to like leave a track at like 9pm or 10pm at night and
then have like a 45 minute drive to your hotel. That sucks. Like, I love the fact that My Place
is going to be right there and there's like some restaurants and like little shops and the gas
station right across the street. Looking forward to it. It's a great location. So yeah, no, it's
going to be right. Yeah. Yeah. It's going to be great. It's going to be great weekend. I'm looking
forward to it. So you can do the Danny Peters and I from Sonoma, where we run into each other
unironically at a Burger King unbeknownst to the other. Yeah. You and Nixie. Love it. I love it.
Yeah, like you were saying, Chris the Hard, it's always a party with the Hardy.
And then Kevin Nix, they're going to be covering it. Well, Dolan has a few libations
and belaxis at IRP. We thought, hey, let's have him be a fan. So he'll be back at it for
the finale of the in season challenge and then the Brickyard 400. Coming up next on
the Frontage Podcast Network, we got through the gears of my man Michael B. And then Eric
has got stock car scoop. And you also have the Indy car, the pit straight with Al Benjamin and
Alkskins and more that is coming up here on the Frontage Podcast Network. Gentlemen, it's always
a pleasure. Thank you so much. Big thanks to our producer, Mr. Chris Graham. Michael Massey will be
back next week. Dalton really fast. Are we taking next week off? Are we taking two weeks off?
Uh, for Massey or myself? No, because we have a bi-week after Indy.
Oh, oh God. Uh, I don't know. We haven't really discussed that, have we? I mean,
we, I guess we got to talk about that a little bit. Yeah. So we may probably take a week off after
next week we'll be here, but the week after that we'll probably take off. Okay, let's plan that.
So we'll be back next week. After that the following week we'll be off and then we'll be back
following Iowa. So don't worry. We'll be back next week for, don't knock, Thomas Dunn, Peter
Stroud, Chris Graham and everybody associated with Frontage, even though Peter's not, that's okay.
I am Brian Owen. Thank you so much for joining us. We'll talk with you guys next week on Frontage.
Sadly, here in the Frontage happy hour program.
My Place Hotels is a proud sponsor of Front Stretch Racing. Whether you're pulling in for a quick hot
lap or buckling up for the full month-long endurance race, we have you covered. From shifting gears for
a meeting to keeping pace as a traveling nurse, waiting for the green flag on a big construction
project or taking a cool down lap from the road will keep your engine running. Use promo code
FRONTSTRECH for 10% off. Hi everybody, Tom Bowles from Front Stretch. Good journalism isn't free.
It takes time, resources and dedication. We at Front Stretch are proud of all the motorsport
stories that we do and want to be able to keep offering them to everyone without going to a
subscription model. That's where we need help from those who have not only the passion for motorsports
but also the means to potentially help out an independent journalism outlet. If 400 people
stopped right now and gave us $10, we'd be able to fund all our travel to all the race tracks
that we cover for a month and bring you all these great videos that you see here every week.
So if you love us or reporters or content, please consider our donation at Front Stretch.com
slash donate. We're thankful for everyone's support and we take seriously the privilege
of bringing quality unbiased motorsports coverage to all of you sitting there at home.
About this episode
North Wilkesboro’s revival takes center stage as the hosts debate whether it deserves a return to the NASCAR schedule and what “throwback” should look like with modern fan tech. The conversation broadens to short-track futures, then shifts to SVG’s rapid oval adaptation and tire-management strengths. Superspeedway talk follows, including NASCAR’s new package aimed at enabling a third lane. The episode closes by questioning, “Is Joey Logano back or was this an anomaly?” and weighing his Chase outlook.
