Race Weekend Central

Clint Bowyer: “You’ll See Better Runs Coming from Tony Stewart”

2016 Phoenix I Cup Clint Bowyer Nigel Kinrade Nkp

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade / NKP)

Though Clint Bowyer is still 10 months shy of his name being on the door of the Stewart-Haas Racing No. 14 Chevrolet for 2017, he is already looking after Tony Stewart and his future team. After missing the opening eight rounds of the 2016 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season due to a January back injury, Stewart will …

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Holding a Pretty Wheel: Welcome Back, Smoke

2015 Bank Of America 500 Tony Stewart Charlotte Cup Mike Neff

(Photo: Mike Neff)

These last few weeks and months must have seemed like an eternity to Tony Stewart, a man whose life has been heretofore defined in fractions of seconds. They certainly seemed as so to his fans, who have been awaiting Stewart’s return since the three-time Sprint Cup champion was sidelined by a freak injury in an …

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Tony Stewart Fined by NASCAR For Criticism of Lug Nut Rule

2013 Dover Cup Tony Stewart Trophy Nascar Via Getty Images

(Photo: NASCAR via Getty Images)

On the day that Tony Stewart announced he would return to NASCAR, he was fined $35,000 for violating guidelines in the Sprint Cup Series Rule Book. On Wednesday, at a sponsorship appearance, Stewart criticized NASCAR’s 2015 rule change allowing teams to put less than five lug nuts on tires during pit stops, a change that …

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Tony Stewart to Return at Richmond

Tony Stewart Bank Of America 500 2015 Charlotte Cup Mike Neff

(Photo Credit: Mike Neff, Frontstretch)

It’s official: Tony Stewart is back. The three-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion, currently in his final season as a full-time driver before retirement, will return to the seat of his No. 14 for Stewart-Haas Racing for the first time in 2016 after a back injury sustained before the season began knocked him out of …

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2-Headed Monster: Has Brian Vickers Earned More Races This Season?

Brian Vickers Martinsville Cup 2016 Turn 3 Mike Neff

(Photo: Mike Neff)

Brian Vickers is somewhat of an enigma. He won the 2003 XFINITY Series championship and was subsequently promoted to the No. 25 team of Hendrick Motorsports. He underperformed in the car, winning just a single race during his three years with HMS – a victory that came at the expense of his teammate Jimmie Johnson, …

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Did You Notice? … Tony Stewart Could Easily Still Make The Chase

Tony Stewart Bank Of America 500 2015 Charlotte Cup Mike Neff

(Photo Credit: Mike Neff, Frontstretch)

Did You Notice? … Five races into the 2016 season the door is still wide open for Tony Stewart to make the Chase? Certainly, there’s a lot that would have to happen; the three-time Sprint Cup champion isn’t even expected to return to the series until May. The sabbatical leaves him out for about 12 …

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Brian Vickers Partners with Janssen to Race at Auto Club Speedway

After competing in two of the first four races of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season, Brian Vickers will return to the No. 14 car at Auto Club Speedway. Vickers, 32, will run the No. 14 Chevrolet for Stewart-Haas Racing for the third time this year. After being approved by NASCAR and doctors to run …

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Thinkin’ Out Loud – Brad Keselowski Cashes in With Late-Race Pass to Win at Las Vegas

2016 Las Vegas Cup Brad Keselowski Burnout Matthew T Thacker Nkp

(Photo: Matthew T Thacker / NKP)

Who’s in the headline – It had been 33 races since Brad Keselowski visited Victory Lane. Keselowski took the checkered flag first in Fontana last year in the fifth race of the season. On Sunday, he led the race three times but only led a total of 24 laps. The win put a third different manufacturer in …

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Thinkin’ Out Loud – Jimmie Johnson Wins Folds of Honor 500 at Atlanta

Who’s in the headline – After the debut of the 2016 low downforce package it is Jimmie Johnson standing in victory lane at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Johnson’s crew chief made a call to pit when the final fuel window opened. His driver stretched out an advantage over Kevin Harvick, the dominant car of the day, …

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Kurt Busch on Pole in Atlanta, Kyle Busch Time Disallowed

UPDATE: Kyle Busch’s qualifying time was disallowed after he failed post-qualifying inspection for an issue with the rear end of the car, rewarding Kurt Busch the pole and moving everyone forward one position. The defending champion will start 40th on Sunday; no further penalties are expected. Kyle Busch captured his first career pole at the Atlanta …

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Four Burning Questions: What Will Atlanta Attendance Look Like Sunday?

2015 Atlanta Cup Green Flag Credit Nascar Via Getty Images

(Photo: NASCAR via Getty Images)

Where to Place the Expectations on Ty Dillon? It’s like 2013 all over again. That year, it was a broken leg suffered by Tony Stewart that opened the No. 14 Chevrolet to Max Papis, Austin Dillon and Mark Martin. Now, it’s a L1 burst fracture for Stewart that gave Brian Vickers his first Daytona 500 …

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