Race Weekend Central

The Big 6: Questions Answered After the 2015 Auto Club 400 at Fontana

2015 Fontana Cup Jeff Gordon Ryan Newman Racing Credit Nascar Via Getty Images

Photo Credit: NASCAR via Getty Images

Looking for the Who, What, When, Where, Why and How behind Sunday’s race? Amy Henderson has you covered each week with the answers to six race-day questions, covering all five Ws and even the H… the Big Six. Who… gets my shoutout of the race? While Stewart-Haas Racing and Team Penske are grabbing attention by …

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Friday Faceoff: Ratings, Relevance & NASCAR Surprises

2014 Texas Ii Cup Aj Allmendinger Cia

(Credit: CIA Stock Photography)

1) NASCAR’s TV ratings suffered a year-to-year decline for the first time last week. Just a month ago, they were up significantly over 2014. Is this a sign the new rules package has failed to deliver, the sport’s recent momentum is declining or is it really nothing to worry about? Phil Allaway, Editor: I definitely …

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Who’s Hot and Who’s Not in NASCAR: 2015 Auto Club 400 at Fontana Edition

2015 Phoenix I Cup Dale Earnhardt Jr Crash Damage Credit Nascar Via Getty Images

Photo Credit: NASCAR via Getty Images

Burnouts (Hot) Burnouts, yes, Kevin Harvick knows all about burnouts lately. He’s had plenty of practice, winning the last two races, and looking back to last year, he’s won four of the last six. If you go back a little more, he’s been first or second in each of the last seven races and he’s led an astounding …

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NASCAR Sprint Cup Power Rankings: Top 15 After Las Vegas

2015 Las Vegas Cup Kevin Harvick Woohoo Credit Nascar Via Getty Images

After two weeks, Kevin Harvick was tired of being the bridesmaid. For the second week in a row he led the most laps, but this time that number included the most important lap winning the race at Las Vegas. With his third top-2 finish of the season, Harvick further solidified his lead in the points but …

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Did You Notice? … The Good, The Bad & The Ugly

2014 Talladega Ii Cup Tony Stewart Spin Cia

(Photo: CIA Stock Photography)

Did You Notice? … Two races into 2014, Kevin Harvick is the only Stewart-Haas Racing car with either a top-5 or top-10 finish? SHR’s struggle has been notable as Tony Stewart was off the pace at Atlanta, uncompetitive long before getting caught up in a mid-race accident. Regan Smith has run admirably, keeping the No. 41 …

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Who’s Hot and Who’s Not In NASCAR: Daytona 500 Edition

2015 Daytona I Unlimited Matt Kenseth Burnout Credit Nascar Via Getty Images

(Photo: CIA Stock Photography)

Editor’s Note: Jeff Wolfe takes over our Hot/Not column this year. Come back every Tuesday to see his take on the sport along with which NASCAR drivers are trending up… or down over the last few weeks of racing. Burnouts (Hot) Matt Kenseth went without a win in 2014, so maybe his victory in the …

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Thinkin’ Out Loud: 2015 Sprint Unlimited at Daytona

Sprint Unlimited 2015 Daytona (2) Mike Neff

(Photo: Mike Neff)

Who’s In The Headline – Matt Kenseth added another notch to his Daytona belt. The two-time 500 champ wrestled the lead away from Martin Truex Jr. on lap 56 and took control of NASCAR’s season-opening exhibition race, the Sprint Unlimited. Kenseth did his best rolling chicane maneuvers over the final 19 circuits of the event, successfully …

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New Lineup, New Attitude for Roush Fenway Racing in 2015

2014 Atlanta Cup Greg Biffle Matt Puccia Cia

(Photo: CIA Stock Photo, Inc. ©2014)

New faces join the familiar veterans this season at Roush Fenway Racing, but no matter how long they’ve been with the team, the three Sprint Cup and four XFINITY series drivers have a common goal: to put the team back on top. It’s no secret that 2014 was not a strong season for RFR. Carl …

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Roush Fenway Racing Announces 2015 Crew Chief Lineup

2014 Kentucky Cup Jack Roush Cia

(Credit: CIA Stock Photography)

On Tuesday morning, Roush Fenway Racing announced the driver-crew chief pairings for their three full-time Sprint Cup and four full-time XFINITY Series teams.  The organization will have a combination of brand new and familiar atop their pit boxes. Starting on the Sprint Cup side of the organization, Greg Biffle will once again have Matt Puccia …

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NASCAR Sprint Cup Power Rankings: Top 15 After Phoenix

2014 Phoenix Ii Cup Kevin Harvick Champagne Cia

Credit: CIA Stock Photography

And then there were four. The drivers competing for the Championship at Homestead next week are set, and as the other Chase races have proven, it wasn’t without drama. Kevin Harvick’s only option was to win, and win he did, in dominating fashion by leading the most laps. Denny Hamlin and Joey Logano needed top-10 finishes …

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Who’s Hot & Who’s Not in NASCAR: Phoenix – Homestead Edition

2014 Texas Ii Cup Ryan Newman Face Cia

(Credit: CIA Stock Photography)

The Championship Round is set. A Sunday date at Phoenix International Raceway separated the final four drivers from the rest of the field. The teams left in the mix weren’t necessarily the ones on top for the majority of 2014, just the ones who got it done best in the Eliminator Round. Who’s hot enough …

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