Race Weekend Central

5 Points to Ponder: Cousin Carl’s Return & Trevor Bayne’s Last Hurrah

2016 Chicago Cup Carl Edwards Nigel Kinrade Nkp

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade/NKP)

ONE: Two Into Six Joey Logano and Kevin Harvick have already booked their spots in the Championship 4 and will race for the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series title in two weeks. On the other end of the spectrum, Chase Elliott (-39 points) Aric Almirola (-57 pts) and Clint Bowyer (-72pts) have to win to …

Read more

5 Points to Ponder: Beware the Ides of “Mart”

2018 Cup Zach Catanzareti Martinsville Joey Logano

(Photo: Zach Catanzareti)

ONE: A Dish Served Cold For the second time in five races in the 2018 playoffs, Martin Truex Jr. was denied a win on the very last lap of the race. Predictably his immediate post-race reaction was hotter than his glowing brake rotors. “He may have won the battle, but he ain’t winning the damn …

Read more

5 Points to Ponder: Emotional NASCAR Rollercoaster For John Hunter Nemechek

Nascar Xfinity Series

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

ONE: Martinsville Hallelujah for Martinsville Speedway, the oldest, slowest and (in my humble opinion) best track on the circuit. The Chase iteration of 500 laps around the paperclip is usually feisty and memories of a many laps down Matt Kenseth ramming the leader Joey Logano into the wall and the Denny Hamlin vs Chase Elliott …

Read more

5 Points to Ponder: Heartbreak on NASCAR’s High Banks

2017 Talladega Ii Cup Pack Racing Nigel Kinrade Nkp

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade/NKP)

ONE: Halfway Home Talladega Superspeedway will mark the midway point in the 2018 playoffs and for some drivers, the race will also mark the end of their title aspirations even with one remaining track to come in the second round. As things stand, Chase Elliott’s win at the Monster Mile sees him safely ensconced in …

Read more

5 Points to Ponder: A NASCAR Unknown (For Once)

2018 Las Vegas I Cup Denny Hamlin Rusty Jarrett Nkp

(Photo: Rusty Jarrett/NKP)

ONE: The Roval Awaits Despite all the week to week drama inherent in NASCAR, the truth is not much really — and I mean, really — changes. But this weekend, we truly have a difference maker: a brand-new track, a first-time road course in the post season and as the final race of the first …

Read more

5 Points To Ponder: 2018 IndyCar Championship Edition

Img 3729

(Photo: Danny Peters)

ONE: The race was over before the first turn The importance of qualifying was writ large on the INDYCAR season finale before the completion of the first turn. Starting in sixth place, Alexander Rossi, chasing a maiden title in his 50th open-wheel race, damaged his front wing in a collision after teammate Marco Andretti had to …

Read more

5 Points to Ponder: Unexpected Racing Champions

Monster Energy Nascar Cup Series Pennzoil 400 Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Las Vegas, Nv Usa Friday 2 March 2018 Brad Keselowski, Team Penske, Ford Fusion Discount Tire World Copyright: Russell Labounty Nkp

(Photo: Russell LaBounty/NKP)

ONE: An Unexpected Champion What a huge weekend for Brad Keselowski. He won at Darlington Raceway, in both series, for the first time (and for the first time since 1975 for Penske) but the real question is can he turn this into some much needed momentum for the stretch run? “Moments like today are just …

Read more

5 Points to Ponder: Chasing Glory

2017 Indycar Pocono Will Power Chris Jones

(Photo: Chris Jones)

ONE: Chasing the Playoffs Just three races remain before we begin the 2018 iteration of the playoffs and it’s an excellent trio of tracks to close us out before the serious business of the post-season begins. First up, we head to NASCAR’s coliseum, or Thunder Valley if you prefer, and Bristol Motor Speedway. Then, after …

Read more

Five Points: Big Decisions Loom for NASCAR

2017 Coca-Cola 600 wide view Nigel Kinrade/NKP

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade /NKP)

ONE: BRIAN FRANCE Such is the vituperative nature of the 24/7/365 news cycle nowadays that when I get a “breaking news” alert on my phone, I’m almost scared to look. When I read the headline that Brian France had been arrested for DUI and criminal possession of a controlled substance there was part of me …

Read more

5 Points to Ponder: When 6th Place Is a Good Result 

Ryan Newman in the garage at Chicagoland Speedway, September 2017. Photo: NKP

(Photo: Barry Cantrell/NKP)

ONE: Sixth place 2018 has been an awful debut for the Chevrolet Camaro in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series. In a sign of just how much it’s struggled, Ryan Newman just picked up his best result of his season’s 20 races to date with a sixth-place finish at New Hampshire. Over his 18-win, 19-year, …

Read more

5 Points to Ponder: An Idea To Fix The NASCAR Summer Slog

2017 Bristol Ii Cup Kyle Busch Denny Hamlin Racing Rusty Jarrett Nkp

(Photo: Rusty Jarrett / NKP)

ONE: Night Racing Let’s be honest, fellow NASCAR fans; this summer stretch of racing can feel like a little bit of a slog. Sure, we have a great variety of tracks, including the road course at Watkins Glen, the Lady in Black — arguably the best track in the sport — and then, of course, …

Read more

5 Points To Ponder: Keeping Up with the Joneses 

#18: Kyle Busch, Joe Gibbs Racing, Toyota Camry Interstate Batteries #20: Erik Jones, Joe Gibbs Racing, Toyota Camry Buyatoyota.com Monster Energy Nascar Cup Series

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

ONE: Young Guns Firing What a win that was for Erik Jones under the bright lights at Daytona International Speedway! Not at the track this weekend, I actually watched on DVR. So by the time I settled down for the race, I already knew Jones was the winner. But watching the laps click down, I …

Read more