Race Weekend Central

4 Burning Questions: Should NASCAR Limit Cup Organizations to 2 Teams?

Denny Hamlin and Kyle Busch talk before 2021 Bristol Motor Speedway dirt race Photo: NKP

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

Should NASCAR further limit an organization’s car count? Last year, I wrote a column about what my vision for NASCAR would be in 10 years’ time. One of what I feel were one of the more interesting things I wrote about at the time was the idea of NASCAR going to more of a rigid …

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4 Burning Questions: Will the SRX Format Be Successful?

2022 NASCAR Cup Next-Gen-Ford-Mustang-Driver-Side

(Photo: Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images via NASCAR Media)

Will the SRX Format be successful? Superstar Racing Experience released its race and points format on Thursday, and the results are a bit questionable. Timed races seem like not a great idea, judging by how they were received in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series a few years ago. At the same time, SRX also …

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4 Burning Questions: The Vaccine Column

#16: A.J. Allmendinger, Kaulig Racing, Chevrolet Camaro Ellsworth Advisors and #11: Justin Haley, Kaulig Racing, Chevrolet Camaro LeafFilter Gutter Protection at Homestead-Miami Speedway, March 2021. Photo: NKP

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

What is the COVID situation currently? It has now been two weeks since the COVID-19 vaccines were made available to all adults in the United States, and it’s clear that the key to getting this virus under control is getting as many people as possible vaccinated. This is certainly not a political issue. Regardless of …

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4 Burning Questions: Is Chase Elliott Underperforming as Champion?

Chase Elliott at Martinsville

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

What is a Pearson Grade? A couple of years ago, I created a metric using loop data called a Pearson Grade. Every driver has a Pearson Grade, and it is determined after a race. Simply put, it is the difference between a driver’s average running position, or ARP, and a driver’s average finishing position, or …

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4 Burning Questions: Reviewing SRX’s Broadcast Team

James Hinchcliffe at 2019 Texas IndyCar race Photo: IndyCar Meda

(Photo: IndyCar Media)

How will SRX’s broadcast crew work out? This week, CBS Sports announced its on-air talent for their broadcasts of Superstar Racing Experience this summer. The six-race season, held over six consecutive Saturday nights, will be anchored by Allen Bestwick as the play-by-play announcer and Lindsey Czarniak as the host of the program. Brad Daugherty has …

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4 Burning Questions: Chatter About Charters

Bubba Wallace races at Phoenix in No. 23 23XI Toyota 2021 spring Cup NKP

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

What is the state of team ownership in NASCAR? Right now, there are currently 17 NASCAR race teams operating the 36 Cup Series charters. It is expected that NASCAR’s next TV contract will see an increase in rights fees being paid, as this column elaborated on last month after both the NHL and NFL signed …

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4 Burning Questions: Can Denny Hamlin Win It All?

Denny Hamlin FedEx No. 11 races with Bubba Wallace's McDonald's No. 23 at 2021 Atlanta spring Cup race NKP

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

Can Denny Hamlin win it all this year? It’s clear that Denny Hamlin is going to be the NASCAR Cup Series championship favorite for the rest of this season. Although Hamlin has not been able to win so far this year, he has six top-five finishes in seven starts so far this year, with his …

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4 Burning Questions: It’s Dirt, Baby

dirt racing

(Photo: Russell LaBounty/NKP)

Go cars go? NASCAR is going racing in the Windy City… virtually. Earlier this week, NASCAR announced that the Pro Invitational Series will be racing on the Chicago Street Course. By all accounts, this racetrack is going to at least look absolutely beautiful. NASCAR really picked the best layout possible when it comes to getting …

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4 Burning Questions: The Search for Even More Money

Denny Hamlin and Kyle Larson pack racing in 2021 spring Phoenix NASCAR Cup race. (Photo: NKP)

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

What will happen next week at the first race in the PIS? This is the final 4 Burning Questions before the NASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series, a series coming into this season with some plusses and minuses. The series, thrown together as a replacement for NASCAR last spring, was a mess. Inconsistent entries, rules and …

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4 Burning Questions: The Search for More Money

2019 Phoenix Mencs Denny Hamlin Checkers Nkp

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

How much is the new NHL deal worth? This week, ESPN and the NHL agreed to a sweeping new TV rights package, beginning with the next season later this year. The seven-year deal brings a reported $400 million to the league annually, or double what the league’s current deal with NBC brings. The interesting part …

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4 Burning Questions: Myatt Snider Wins at Homestead

Myatt Snider Celebrates after winning Homestead Xfinity race 2021 Photo NKP

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

Who won the NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Homestead? Last Saturday, everybody knew who won the Contender Boats 250 at Homestead-Miami Speedway in the NASCAR Xfinity Series. Myatt Snider was able to survive two overtime restarts and beat a hard-charging Tyler Reddick on the high side to prevail in the race. Snider is the first …

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4 Burning Questions: Should Commentators Own Teams in the Series They Cover?

Dale Earnhardt Jr. with Steve Letarte and Rick Allen

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

Should commentators be involved with racing teams in the series they cover? We just can’t have nice things, apparently. Steve Letarte, a former race-winning crew chief for Hendrick Motorsports, took a job this offseason as a consultant for Spire Motorsports. This might be just a little bit of a problem, because Letarte is also a …

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