Race Weekend Central

Beyond the Cockpit: Bobby Labonte on Adjusting, Winning & Shooting the Truck?

At a time when veteran drivers are becoming a thing of the past in NASCAR, Bobby Labonte is the rare 40-something who’s remained a fixture in the series. Indeed, the sport has changed quite a bit since the Texan captured his lone Cup title nine years ago – but one thing that hasn’t is how …

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Holding a Pretty Wheel: The 2 NHMS Gems You Probably Didn’t See

LOUDON, N.H. – Each Monday in the Frontstretch newsletter, Tom Bowles brings readers the “Secret Star of the Race.” This is the driver who has a great run but gets little mention on television, not getting the credit he deserves for a strong performance. Thinking about that this weekend at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, I …

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The Big 6: Questions Answered After the 2009 Lenox Industrial Tools 301 at Loudon

Who… gets my shoutout of the race? There were a lot of candidates for the shoutout after Sunday’s race at Loudon (June 28), with a variety of strategies that played out – but coming back to finish 11th after getting taken out on a restart trumps gambling on Mother Nature any day. Casey Mears looked …

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Kyle Busch Wins 2009 Camping World RV Sales 200, Becomes 23rd Different Winner at NHMS

LOUDON, N.H. – Kyle Busch stormed to the checkered flag in Saturday’s Camping World RV Rental 200 Presented by Turtle Wax (June 27), but his win was overshadowed by a New Hampshire Motor Speedway milestone: Busch was the 23rd different winner in the 23 Nationwide Series races that the track has hosted. “That’s pretty cool. …

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Drivers Looking Forward to Taking on New Hampshire’s Magic Mile

LOUDON, N.H. – New Hampshire Motor Speedway is one of the Sprint Cup Series’ northernmost stops and the track itself certainly provides a unique challenge. It’s a flat 1-mile oval with long straightaways and tight turns – think Martinsville on Popeye’s spinach. It’s notoriously hard to pass on and hard to get the setup perfected …

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Beyond the Cockpit: Kenny Wallace on the Fan Car, Big Changes & Using Your Imagination

The NASCAR Nationwide Series has evolved through the years, in every aspect from the series’ vision to the technology and expense needed to be successful. A handful of drivers have been there through many of the changes, and this week we speak with one of them. Frontstretch’s Amy Henderson sat down with Nationwide and Cup …

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Holding a Pretty Wheel: Kenny Wallace & Team Trying to Score 1 for the Good Guys

Sponsorship is always a hot topic in racing and in the current economic environment, many teams, even some top Sprint Cup teams, are worried about sponsor dollars. And in the Nationwide Series, that talk is often doubled. There has been growing concern over the last decade as more Sprint Cup drivers are entering more Nationwide …

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The Big 6: Questions Answered After the 2009 Toyota/Save Mart 350 at Sonoma

Who… gets my shoutout of the race? Running on a smaller budget is usually not indicative of a great finish, but someone forgot to give Marcos Ambrose that memo. Ambrose once again showed his considerable road-racing skill as he was alternately patient and aggressive in his march from the back of the field (where he …

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The Big 6: Questions Answered After the 2009 LifeLock 400 at Michigan

Who… gets my shoutout of the race? I’ve never had a problem with fuel-mileage racing; it’s certainly exciting in its own way. Who would have thought the lead would change twice on the last lap because two different leaders ran out of gas? The mileage issue proved the old adage about better lucky than good, …

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Holding a Pretty Wheel: Too Vanilla or Too Obnoxious? Where’s NASCAR’s Middle Ground?

It isn’t easy to please race fans. That becomes evident in any discussion about drivers. One guy isn’t talented enough, and if he has a family name with a racing history, well then, by gum, he’d better live up to it or else! The next is too talented, apparently, because he wins too much, whatever …

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