Race Weekend Central

Pace Laps: Congenial Richmond, KyBu Nationwide, other stuff

2014 Richmond Ii Cup Pack Racing Ii Cia

(Photo Credit: CIA Stock Photography)

Cup:  The Race That Wasn’t – No one did anything surprising in the race at Richmond.  Well, that’s not correct.  The idiot who climbed the catchfence in turn 4 surely did something surprising.  While many people have done idiotic things at a race track, it’s doubtful that anyone anticipated a fan climbing the fence bordering …

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The Big 6: Questions Answered After the 2014 Federated Auto Parts 400 at Richmond

2014 Richmond Ii Cup Brad Keselowski Car Cia

Credit - CIA Stock Photography

Looking for the Who, What, When, Where, Why and How behind Saturday’s race? Amy Henderson has you covered with 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? It’s hard enough to drive a Sprint Cup car …

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Holding A Pretty Wheel: The Man Nobody Remembers

2014 Atlanta Cup Steve Letarte Dale Earnhardt Jr Cia

One more night and it’s over. NASCAR’s so-called regular season will be on the books, the Chase field set, and the two-and-a-half dozen-or-so teams who don’t make it will be virtually forgotten for the rest of the year. In the final 10 races, it will be all Chase all the time, as teams vie for …

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Voice of Vito: Scouting Championship Scenarios in Pre-Chase Preview

2014 Dover I Cup Jimmie Johnson Woohoo Cia

(Credit: CIA Stock Photography)

Saturday night’s Federated Auto Parts 400 at Richmond International Raceway will mark the final event of the 26-week regular season and set the stage for the latest iteration of NASCAR’s Chase playoff system. It’s been 10 years and four championship scenarios now, of heading into RIR the first weekend of September to see who’s in …

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NASCAR Mailbox: The Lack of Negativity Surrounding Tony Stewart’s Return Was Refreshing

2014 Atlanta Cup Tony Stewart Cockpit Cia

(Credit: CIA)

Tony Stewart’s return to NASCAR was a story that wasn’t just a big deal to the NASCAR community. It was a big deal to a lot of people who rarely pay attention to the sport, if ever. Mainstream news organizations were present at Atlanta Motor Speedway, from Friday afternoon when Stewart made his first public …

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Five Points to Ponder: A Debut For One, One Veteran’s Record And One Race Left

2014 Atlanta Cup Ty Dillon Car Cia

(Credit: CIA Stock Photography)

ONE: ONE TO GO: RICHMOND And then there was one. Just 300 miles and 400 laps at Richmond International Raceway separate us from the end of the regular season and the start of the newfangled Chase for the Sprint Cup format. Kasey Kahne became the 13th driver to win a race this season at Atlanta …

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Happiness Is… Denny Hamlin, the Schedule & Tony Stewart’s Return

2014 Bristol Ii Cup Denny Hamlin Damage Cia

(Credit: CIA Stock Photography)

The schedule came out this past week and it gave everyone who follows NASCAR something to gripe about.  In truth, all the criticisms are valid because NASCAR, due to the way the business is run, is unable to make serious changes that would make people feel happy, though that can be a moving target. The …

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Fantasy Insider: Gauging NASCAR “Bubble” Brilliance At Atlanta

2014 Pocono Ii Cup Matt Kenseth Cia

(Credit: CIA Stock Photography)

Playoff scenarios. You may be bored with all the “what ifs” but when it comes to your fantasy roster, they’re a “what launches” you above your competition. Just what drivers may or may not do with a Chase spot on the line could well factor into how your fantasy team does these next couple of …

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Going By the Numbers: NASCAR Bubble Drivers “Chasing”… What, Exactly?

2014 Daytona Ii Cup Kyle Larson Jamie Mcmurray Conversation Cia

(Credit: CIA)

You’re well aware by now of the talk surrounding the Chase for the Sprint Cup – and, most particularly, the drivers who will make it into NASCAR’s version of a playoff system. Who’s in? Who’s out? Who’s out but could make their way in? Hold on. Is there really any reason to ask that last …

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Happiness Is… Bristol, the Pole & Another Soap Opera

2014 Indycar Milwaukee Parade Laps

Photo Credit: IndyCar

So, let’s rewind for a moment and go back to Michigan. OK, that may not be the best way to put it, as most fans are happy to put Michigan in the rear-view mirror and look toward Bristol, where the hope is that the track might restore some of its past flavor and produce some …

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Fantasy Insider: The Short and Long of It All at Bristol

2014 Michigan Ii Cup Matt Kenseth Travos Kvapil Racing Cia

(Credit: CIA Stock Photography)

I had the pleasure of being in the Charlotte area this week and spent one of those days doing something that I had wanted to do for quite some time. That was take a tour (of sorts) of several NASCAR team buildings and shops. These weren’t scheduled, it was just sort of a random thing …

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Going By the Numbers: Jeff Gordon’s 2014 Emulating His Most Prosperous

2014 Michigan Ii Cup Jeff Gordon Champagne Ii Cia

Two wins in the last four races should more than do the talking for him. But here’s why you should be scared of Jeff Gordon if you’re not, well, Jeff Gordon. He hasn’t been this good in years. Not, in fact, since his runner-up points finish in 2007 and, before that, his absolute dominance in …

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