Race Weekend Central

Tech Talk: Mike Wheeler Talks Suspension, Brakes & Shifting for Pocono

Martinsville Cup Mike Wheeler 2018 Mike Neff

Crew chief Mike Wheeler on the No. 11 box

After the longest race of the season, the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series prepares to head to one of the four longest ovals on the schedule. The triangle-shaped Pocono Raceway in Long Pond, Pa., offers very unique challenges for the teams and crew chiefs. Mike Wheeler is preparing the No. 11 for Denny Hamlin to …

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Tech Talk: Splitter Clearance & Pit Stop Choreography With Trent Owens

Trent Owens Martinsville Cup 2018 Mike Neff

The Monster Energy Open was the first laps in anger with the restrictor plate aero package at Charlotte Motor Speedway. AJ Allmendinger won the final stage, while his JTG Daugherty Racing teammate Chris Buescher came home in fifth. Trent Owens, crew chief for Buescher, wasn’t able to take much away from the experience for the …

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Tech Talk: Justin Alexander Prepares for Radical All-Star Rules Package

Monster Energy Nascar Cup Series Quaker State 400 Kentucky Speedway, Sparta, Ky Usa Friday 7 July 2017 Justin Alexander World Copyright: Logan Whitton Nkp

(Photo: Logan Whitton/NKP)

This weekend is a reward, or at least that is what it is supposed to be. Drivers and teams who have won a Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race since 2017, along with winners of the All-Star Race in the last 10 years get to showcase their talents in front of many of the people …

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Tech Talk: Mike Wheeler on Bump Stop Material, Hard Landing & Pit Road Practice

Martinsville Cup Mike Wheeler 2018 Mike Neff

Crew chief Mike Wheeler on the No. 11 box

A typical Talladega race ended with some people thrilled, some people angry and others just disappointed. For Mike Wheeler and the No. 11 team, it was a disappointing race thanks to self-imposed difficulties after back-to-back pit road speeding penalties with driver Denny Hamlin. Looking to rebound, the team is preparing to head to the first …

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Tech Talk: Discussing Talladega Rule Changes & Rear Spoilers With Trent Owens

Monster Energy Nascar Cup Series Pennzoil 400 Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Las Vegas, Nv Usa Friday 2 March 2018 Chris Buescher, Jtg Daugherty Racing, Chevrolet Camaro Natural Light And Trent Owens World Copyright: Nigel Kinrade Nkp

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade/NKP)

In 2018, NASCAR did away with special aero packages just for the restrictor plate tracks. Now, teams utilize the same rules at Daytona International Speedway and Talladega Superspeedway that they run at every other track on the schedule. There are differences in what the car uses to establish the racing platform, but the scanning system that …

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Tech Talk: Springs, Splits, Shocks & Tires

Justin Alexander Cup 2017 Charlotte Mike Neff

(Photo: Mike Neff)

The third short track in four races in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series is a completely different challenge from the previous two. Martinsville Speedway is a flat, high-braking, rubbin’-is-racin’ kind of track. Bristol Motor Speedway is high banks with minimal braking, but the cars still trade paint. Richmond Raceway, meanwhile, is the short track …

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Tech Talk: Tony Gibson’s Take on Early-Season Pit Gun Woes

Tony Gibson Charlotte Cup Fall 2017 Mike Neff

Texas Motor Speedway was another strong showing for Stewart-Haas Racing. They swept the first three spots in qualifying and had two different cars lead laps, finishing with three in the top 10 and claiming second place with Kevin Harvick. The success of the organization this year is at least partly attributable to Tony Gibson directing …

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Tech Talk: New Notes for New Texas Surface with Mike Wheeler

Martinsville Cup Mike Wheeler 2018 Mike Neff

Crew chief Mike Wheeler on the No. 11 box

After the first break of the season, the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series series is ready to head to the Lone Star State for another crack at the newly reconfigured Texas Motor Speedway. Teams have survived the West Coast swing and are settling in for a stretch of 10 straight weekends of racing until the …

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Tech Talk: Trent Owens on New Camaros, Early Season Disappointments

Trent Owens Martinsville Cup 2018 Mike Neff

The Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series survived Snowmaggedon 2018 at Martinsville Speedway and is now on Easter vacation — and with the season six races old, we’re taking a little different look at the season through the eyes of a crew chief. In this edition, Chris Buescher’s crew chief Trent Owens looks back at the …

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Tech Talk: Justin Alexander on Air Pressures, Brake Cooling & Face Tattoos

Justin Alexander Cup 2017 Charlotte Mike Neff

(Photo: Mike Neff)

The Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series heads this weekend to the only track on the current schedule that was on the original Cup schedule, Martinsville Speedway. After winning the Daytona 500, the No. 3 of Austin Dillon has been struggling to be a factor on the downforce racetracks of the last four races. Things, however, …

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Tech Talk: Early Season Domination, Common Splitters, Pit Guns & Big Fish with Tony Gibson

Tony Gibson Charlotte Cup Fall 2017 Mike Neff

This year is going to be a little different with Tony Gibson in Tech Talk. He is not on top of a pit box for 2018, and will instead be an integral part of the preparation of all of the Stewart-Haas Racing entries in NASCAR. If the first four races of the season are any …

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