1. Ryan Blaney to Team Penske This move wasn’t really a surprise since Blaney was already under contract with Team Penske, and the team was just biding its time with sponorship before pulling the trigger on a third car. It was a huge domino because if sets off a potential chain reaction of changes that could …
Think Small With Target pulling out of motorsports after this year, it leaves just two NASCAR teams on the circuit using a single primary sponsor for all 36 races. Jimmie Johnson‘s No. 48 has backing from Lowe’s (and Kobalt Tools, manufactured and sold by the store) while the No. 11 run by Denny Hamlin has FedEx. That leaves …
Martin Truex, Jr. is pretty much the king of the hill in NASCAR this season. He leads driver points by 48 markers, is tied with Jimmie Johnson for the most wins in the Cup Series this season and has 14 stage wins. That’s double the number of Kyle Busch, who’s second on that list with …
The Cup race at Indianapolis featured some exciting moments, but also a lot of crashes, while the XFINITY Series tried a race package that included restrictor plates and air ducts in the front of the cars. Did the lower series put on the better show, and should Cup consider using the same package next year? …
1. A groundhog that regretted its decision and another that probably didn’t As driver Stephen Leicht found out the hard way in 2012 during a practice session at Pocono, in racecar vs. groundhog, the racecar wins. Leicht was the driver unfortunate enough to hit the rodent as it crossed the racing surface, and there wasn’t much …
Think Small Indianapolis Motor Speedway isn’t exactly a track known for being kind to underfunded teams. It’s a track where aerodynamics and horsepower rule, and enough of both of those to win races usually comes at a price too steep for most of the small teams, because it begins on shaker rigs and in the …
Richard Childress Racing is considering dropping to a two-car organization next year if Menards moves sponsorship to another team. Roush Fenway downsized this season, and with sponsorship struggles, it’s possible other organizations could follow suit. Cutting back seems like a sound plan, but is it best for the long term? Michael Massie: If RCR downsizes, …
There are just seven races left for the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series drivers to earn a spot in the season playoffs, and with 11 in on race wins, the competition for the five remaining spots is hot and heavy. A few drivers—Kyle Busch, Chase Elliott and Jamie McMurray—look like they’ll make it in on …
Think Small Silly Season is heating up, and it could be a big one, with lots of drivers changing teams. Among the small teams, the biggest name in the rumor mill is Ryan Blaney, who could make the jump to Team Penske next year if the team can secure sponsorship for a third car. But …
Matt Kenseth is officially a free agent after the 2017 season. Can Kenseth, age 45, still land a top-level ride? Should he accept a mid-tier offer if the power teams don’t come calling? Bryan Gable: Absolutely. Just because Kenseth is not in his prime anymore does not mean he has no value to NASCAR’s best …
Racing is made of moments; bits and pieces of our consciousness. We don’t remember every lap of every race, but rather the snippets of the sport that make us sit up and take notice. It might be a few minutes from a race weekend, a video clip, a number that catches our eye and grabs …
Think Small I’ve written before about the small-team drivers and how they’re often overlooked, to their detriment. They’re virtually ignored on broadcasts unless they’re doing something wrong, and seem to be considered damaged goods in the free-agent market, though their racing efforts are often hampered more by budgets and equipment than any lack of ability. …
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