Who… gets my shoutout of the race? Sometimes finishing position doesn’t reflect a good race accurately. That was the case Sunday for Austin Dillon, who gained 24 spots by halfway to get into the top 10. Pit strategy didn’t swing his way following a late caution that shook up the field, but Dillon’s 17th-place finish …
The lingering storyline from Talladega turned out to be a trio of Joe Gibbs Racing teammates whose strategy was to run far off the pace all day, including at the finish. NASCAR says the three didn’t violate the spirit of the 100 percent rule. What say you? Amy Henderson, Senior Editor: Hanging back at the …
Think Small The news that’s trickled in through the last week should be making everyone in the sport take pause and think about the health of several of its teams. The snowball got rolling last week when it was reported that Tommy Baldwin Racing was in the process of selling its charter to Leavine Family …
Who… gets my shoutout of the race? During most race broadcasts, you don’t hear much about about half the field, and during the Chase? Forget it. Unless a driver is in the Chase or spoiling the Chase for a driver in the playoffs, you’ll be hard pressed to see hide or hair of them. That was …
NASCAR released it 2017 Sprint Cup rules package late last week. What are your initial thoughts on the changes, which include a smaller spoiler and different rear-end rules as well as safety and testing policies? Mark Howell, Senior Writer: The 2017 Cup rules will only make what’s going well get even better. The biometric data …
1. Talladega If there’s anything to expect about Talladega it’s that you shouldn’t expect anything. The nature of restrictor-plate racing, especially at the Alabama track, makes it pretty much one giant crapshoot. While some drivers certainly have more skill than others at the track, one mistake by somebody else can erase it all in an …
Think Small It’s a given that NASCAR’s small teams don’t have the money and equipment that the bigger ones do. But a closer look reveals there is another piece of the puzzle missing many people don’t think about: factory support. While several of the smaller teams do have alliances with larger ones, manufacturer funding is generally reserved …
Who… gets my shoutout of the race? Intermediate tracks like Kansas are rarely kind to lesser-funded single-car teams, but this week, one of those teams broke up the party at the front for much of the weekend, including late in the race. AJ Allmendinger had a fast car, as evidenced by his 10th-place start, and …
Welcome to our ninth year of staff predictions! Each week, our experts attempt to tell you who the winner of each Cup race will be. Take a look to see who your favorite writers think will win it all (or at least score some points) this week! Think you can out-prognosticate our staff? Leave your …
Austin Wayne Self is the second driver to feature Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump on his truck. Should NASCAR make a rule about drivers using sponsorless entries to support a political campaign? If so, would it violate freedom of speech? Amy Henderson, Senior Editor: It isn’t a First Amendment violation. NASCAR isn’t a government entity, …
1. Is there a new player in the game? If Hendrick Motorsports has truly turned things around, this turning point couldn’t come at a better time for the organization … or a worse time for the rest of the field. HMS has found some impressive speed over the last few weeks and was dominant at …
Think Small Smaller NASCAR teams are constantly talking about improvement, and it’s something for which there is always room. However, improvement goals vary, and that is necessary because teams in the group are all at different stages of development as teams. One team’s goal of top-20 finishes may be totally unrealistic for another. There is …
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