Race Weekend Central

Nitro Shots: You Go, Girl! I Think…

Nhra 2015 Charlotte Courtney Force Fast Qualifier Credit Toni Montgomery

Photo Credit: Toni Montgomery, Frontstretch

Nitro is in the air here in Charlotte. Well, it’s on the billboard anyway. Advertisements have gone up for the Carolina Nationals next month, and the billboard I saw features Courtney Force and her racecar. The very first impression I had was to think how great it was to see a woman on the ad …

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Pace Laps: Missing Expectations, Flying Fists, and Surprise Contenders

2015 Watkins Glen Cup Jeff Gordon Car Cia

Photo Credit: CIA Stock Photography

Sprint Cup Series: Oh, What Might Have Been… Watkins Glen is sold every year as the last regular season “wild card” race, the last place an underdog can work his way into the Chase under the right circumstances. There were high hopes entering the weekend for defending winner AJ Allmendinger, Tony Stewart, Jeff Gordon and …

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Nitro Shots: Change is in the Air

Zmax Dragway Carolina Nationals Vincent Nobile 2014 Mike Neff 017

Photo: Mike Neff, Frontstretch

Since the tenure of new NHRA President Peter Clifford began last month, big changes have begun to roll out for NHRA with the new TV deal and most recently with the Pro Stock category rules. As previously discussed, the new television deal is a big opportunity for NHRA. Follow comment threads and social media posts …

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Pace Laps: Wild Races, Crazy Spins, and Speed Records

2015 Pocono Cup Kasey Kahne Car Cia

(Photo: CIA Stock Photo, Inc. ©2015)

Cup Series: Unexpected Wild Race at Pocono Leads to Victory for Matt Kenseth – It was quite the 400 miles at Pocono Raceway. With wrecks filling the first half of the race, the second half seemed like it would get even more wild. However, the field set a steady pace for the final 80 laps, …

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Off the Wall With: Matt Hagan

Matt Hagan before the 2014 NHRA 4-Wide Nationals at ZMax Dragway

(Photo: Toni Montgomery, Frontstretch)

Welcome to Off the Wall With, where we ask your favorite drivers five questions that are… well, off the wall! We’ll check in with a different driver each week to get a peek into life outside the racecar. This week, we’ve got NHRA Funny Car points leader Matt Hagan on the spot. What’s fun besides …

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Nitro Shots: The Pro Stock Edition

Zmax Dragway Carolina Nationals V Gaines 2014 Mike Neff 016

Photo Credit: Mike Neff, Frontstretch

Sometimes things just fall together. Pro Stock report cards were on tap for this week and to go along with it, that’s where the bulk of the news seems to be coming from too. Combine that with stealing the show in the finals last weekend at Denver, and it’s just been a Pro Stock kind …

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Pace Laps: Excellent Xfinity Finish, NHRA Burn Down, Fantastic Ferrari & More

Kyle Busch Indianapolis Xfinity 2015 Mike Neff

(Photo: Mike Neff, Frontstretch)

Sprint Cup Series: From Sidelines Back To Superstar – Kyle Busch‘s battle back from injury has been well documented. So has his return to Victory Lane, three times in the last four weeks entering Indianapolis. But Busch’s Brickyard 400 triumph Sunday, the first for Toyota at the esteemed 2.5-mile oval simply took his comeback to another …

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Nitro Shots: New TV Deal a Big Opportunity for NHRA

Nhra 2014 4 Wides Jeg Coughlin

(Photo: Toni Montgomery, Frontstretch)

Last week, I began on driver report cards and it was my intention to continue with Funny Car today. However, given the rather huge announcement about the new television deal for 2016, driver report cards will be pre-empted this week to allow a higher-rated program (a discussion on the new television package) to air instead. …

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NHRA Teams Up With FOX Sports Starting in 2016

Nhra 2015 Charlotte Jr Todd Car Courtesy Kalitta Motorsports

(Photo: Kalitta Motorsports)

NHRA today announced a multi-year agreement with FOX Sports that will begin with 2016 coverage of the Mello Yello Drag Racing Series. That means NHRA will part ways with longtime television partner ESPN at the conclusion of 2015. The new deal calls for a minimum of 16 Sunday elimination shows to be broadcast live, with …

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Pace Laps: Hope Alive, a Perfect Team, & Close Finishes

2015 Kentucky Cup Kyle Busch Checkered Flag Cia

(Photo: CIA Stock Photo, Inc. ©2015)

Sprint Cup Series: Busch Keeps Chase Hopes Alive With Miraculous Three Weeks – If Kyle Busch is able to make the Chase for the Sprint Cup come September, the previous three races will have been the critical part of the run. Busch, who missed the first 11 Sprint Cup races of the season following a …

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Nitro Shots: Report Card Time

Zmax Dragway Carolina Nationals Clay Millican 2014 Mike Neff 076

Photo Credit: Mike Neff, Frontstretch

Back in the first column of the season, after some disappointing starts to the year for a handful of drivers, we declared that one bad race does not a bad season make. That’s true. One of the drivers who got out of the blocks slow was Jack Beckman, and it’s worked out all right for …

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