Race Weekend Central

The Big 6: Questions Answered After NASCAR’s First 9 Races of 2019

2019 Las Vegas I Cup Kyle Busch Nkp

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

Who… should you be talking about so far? Kyle Busch is certainly making himself the early title favorite for 2019. With a series-leading three wins so far, Busch has a solid 20-point buffer over second place in points and an eye-popping average finish of 3.9.  Busch and teammate Denny Hamlin are the only drivers to finish …

Read more

The Big 6: Questions Answered After the 2019 Toyota Owners 400

2019 Atlanta Cup Ryan Newman Nkp

(Photo:Nigel Kinrade Photography)

Who… should you be talking about after the race? Martin Truex Jr. scored his first 2019 win, but more surprising is that it was also his first ever Cup win on a track less than one mile. That’s right, in 80 short-track tries, he came up empty.  The 81st time was the charm for Truex, who …

Read more

The Big 6: Questions Answered After the 2019 Food City 500

2019 Bristol Zach Catanzareti Cup Kurt Busch

(Photo: Zach Catanzareti)

Who… should you be talking about after the race? Defending race winner and active Bristol Motor Speedway win leader Kyle Busch suffered damage in a chain-reaction crash on the initial start of the race after starting 17th. Busch suffered damage to his car’s rear bumper after Ricky Stenhouse Jr. ran into him from behind.  Fortunately for …

Read more

The Frontstretch 5: Recent Xfinity Champs & How Cup is Treating Them

Nascar Xfinity Series Lilly Diabetes 250 Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Indianapolis, In Usa Saturday 22 July 2017 William Byron, Liberty University Chevrolet Camaro Wins World Copyright: Rusty Jarrett Nkp

(Photo: Rusty Jarrett/NKP)

1. William Byron (2017) Years in Cup: Second year in 2019 Current Team: Hendrick Motorsports Races: 43 Wins: 0 Top 5s: 0 Top 10s: 5 Average Finish: 21.3 Best Points finish: 23rd (2018, first full season) Byron is the hardest in this group to judge because he’s the least experienced in Cup by at least …

Read more

The Big 6: Questions Answered After the 2019 O’Reilly Auto Parts 500

2019 Phoenix I Cup Daniel Suarez Nkp

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

Who…should you be talking about after the race? Some days it’s your day, and Sunday (March 31) was Denny Hamlin’s afternoon. Hamlin didn’t look like he had a car to compete with teammate Kyle Busch early on, and a pair of pit road issues might have ended his bid early.  But Hamlin kept his head …

Read more

Holding A Pretty Wheel: The Good, Bad And The Ugly Of Recent NASCAR Fixes

2019 Daytona Clash Cup Daniel Suarez Pack Racing Nkp

(Photo: NKP)

NASCAR made some fairly significant schedule changes this week for the 2020 season, the biggest swing at what had become a stagnant calendar for several years. The sanctioning body has hinted more changes are to come as current track contracts come to an end and the seventh-generation cars are phased in for 2021. But is …

Read more

2-Headed Monster: Are The Changes to the NASCAR Schedule Good Or Bad?

2019 Phoenix I Cup Kyle Larson Pack Racing Nkp

(Photo: NKP)

The 2020 schedule for the NASCAR Cup Series was announced on Tuesday (March 26) with more changes than in recent years combined. The question is: Did NASCAR get it right? Frontstretch’s Amy Henderson and Clayton Caldwell debate. Sure, NASCAR made changes…but they missed the mark When the 2020 Cup Series schedule was released, there were some …

Read more

The Big 6: Questions Answered After the 2019 STP 500

2019 Atlanta Cup Jimmie Johnson Nkp

(Photo: NKP)

Who… should you be talking about after the race? Brad Keselowski was the definition of dominant Sunday (March 24), leading 446 of 500 laps. He beat every car off pit road on every pit stop and got passed for the lead under green only once during his march to the front. Team Penske is quickly making …

Read more

The Big 6: Questions Answered After the 2019 Auto Club 400

2019 Daytona I Cup Kurt Busch Nkp

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

Who… should you be talking about after the race? Kyle Busch took the checkered flag for the 200th time in a NASCAR national series race at Auto Club Speedway.  Busch had the dominant car on the day, leading seven times for 134 of 200 laps. He won the first two stages before opening up a commanding lead …

Read more

The Frontstretch 5: Things Fans Should Hope to See on the Gen-7 NASCAR Racecar

2019 Phoenix I Cup Alex Bowman Pack Racing Nkp

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

1. Mechanical grip… and a different approach 2019 might not be remembered as the year with the most exciting racing, but it might go down as something else: the year NASCAR became dedicated to real, meaningful change in the sport. One of those changes that’s on the way in two short seasons is the seventh-generation …

Read more

The Big 6: Questions Answered After the 2019 Ticket Guardian 500k

#12: Ryan Blaney, Team Penske, Ford Mustang Moneylion #18: Kyle Busch, Joe Gibbs Racing, Toyota Camry Skittles

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

Who… should you be talking about after the race? Kyle Busch had the best car in the field when he really needed it and was finally able to capitalize on that in 2019, winning his first Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race of the season after running down Ryan Blaney in the final laps to take …

Read more