Race Weekend Central

Chase Elliott Posts ‘Uneventful’ 2nd-Place Finish at Martinsville

Chase Elliott at Martinsville

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

For Chase Elliott, the first seven races of the 2021 NASCAR Cup season were “eventful.” That’s one way of describing only earning two top fives and finishing 13th or worse in four of the remaining five races, including one DNF. So the Hendrick Motorsports driver was more than pleased with an “uneventful” Sunday afternoon at …

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Jeff Gordon Tested Positive for COVID-19, ‘Good to Go’ for Martinsville

Jeff Gordon

(Photo: Zach Catanzareti)

Jeff Gordon revealed April 8 he tested positive for COVID-19 last week, but that he’s “good to go” to cover this weekend’s NASCAR Cup Series race at Martinsville Speedway. The NASCAR Hall of Famer and Fox Sports analyst shared the news on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio’s “On Track.” “I can’t say my off-week was great because …

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Dropping the Hammer: The Justin Allgaier Reset

Justin Allgaier at Atlanta

Getty Images via NASCAR Media

You don’t need me to remind you how long, hot and weird the summer of 2020 was. A lot of it’s a blur, for better or worse. But one moment that’s stuck with me in the ensuing year came on June 1. That night, the Xfinity Series competed at Bristol Motor Speedway in its third …

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Dropping the Hammer: Bristol Dirt Race Earns Date in 2022 and ‘Beyond’

NASCAR Cup on Bristol dirt

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

Any questions about whether NASCAR’s “Bristol Dirt” experience would live to see another year were answered well before the checkered flag fell on Monday’s (March 29) Cup Series main event. During the final stage break, Bristol Motor Speedway flashed a message on the video screens that hang above the infield: “Dirt returns in 2022. Lock-in …

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Dropping the Hammer: Embracing Pandora’s Box of Bristol Dirt Race

Daniel McFadin Dropping the Hammer

Graphic by James Crow

OK, let’s get this out of the way up top. I’m not a fan of dirt racing. There, I said it. In my 30 years on this planet, aside from a couple events as a child I have no memory of, I have yet to attend a race that involved dirt. That’s due more to …

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Alex Bowman Quietly Earns 1st Top-5 Finish of Season

Alex Bowman at Atlanta

Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography

While all eyes were on Ryan Blaney and Kyle Larson’s battle for the win Sunday (March 21) at Atlanta Motor Speedway, Alex Bowman quietly finished third for his first top-five finish of 2021. It was Bowman’s first top five since the Texas Motor Speedway playoff race last fall. “We kind of struggled on long runs …

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Report: LeBron James New Partner of Roush Fenway Racing’s Parent Company

Nascar Cup Series

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

Less than five months after Michael Jordan announced his entry into NASCAR with 23XI Racing, it’s being reported that LeBron James could be entering the game via Roush Fenway Racing. The Boston Globe reported Tuesday that James, a four-time NBA champion, is the newest partner of Fenway Sports Group, the parent company of Roush Fenway …

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Dropping the Hammer: Winless Denny Hamlin Leads Points As Experience Takes Over in Phoenix

Daniel McFadin Dropping the Hammer

Graphic by James Crow

OK, class, it’s time for a pop quiz! We’re through five races in the 2021 NASCAR Cup Series season. After Sunday’s (March 14) race at Phoenix Raceway, who’s the points leader? If you guessed any of the five drivers who have visited victory lane, you’d be wrong. In fact, the race winner highest in the …

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John Hunter Nemechek Stepped Down to Win & It’s Working

2021 Trucks Las Vegas Kyle Busch Motorsports driver John Hunter Nemechek, No. 4 Toyota, and Kyle Busch, No. 51 Toyota (Credit: NKP)

Credit: Nigel Kinrade Photography

Did lessons John Hunter Nemechek learned in his lone NASCAR Cup Series season help him beat Kyle Busch for his first Camping World Truck Series win in three years? “For sure,” Nemechek told Frontstretch this week. Which ones? “I can’t disclose that information,” Nemechek said matter of factly. Click here for video of the full …

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Dropping the Hammer: What’s Eating Ty Dillon?

Ty Dillon at Homestead

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

Near the end of a roughly 15-minute monologue posted Monday on social media, Ty Dillon reminded his audience of an important fact. “I’m not a philosopher, I’m not a perfect speaker.” He’s just a NASCAR driver with a platform. The 29-year-old driver decided to use it to let us all know that for a brief, …

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Chris Buescher ‘Most Relaxed I’ve Been in a Racecar in a Really Long Time’

Chris Buescher

Credit: James Gilbert/Getty Images

Remember Chris Buescher? If the 2015 Xfinity Series champion drifted from your mind over the last five years, he surely got your attention Sunday (Feb. 28) in the NASCAR Cup Series race at Homestead-Miami Speedway. The 28-year-old driver started 12th and took the lead from Brad Keselowski on lap 53. Buescher wound up winning stage …

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Dropping the Hammer: If 2021 Isn’t NASCAR’s ‘Best Season Ever,’ It Could Be Weirdest

Michael McDowell prepares to race in the 2021 Dixie Vodka 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway Photo: NKP

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

Putting labels on something — especially ahead of time — can be dangerous. Sometimes, it comes back to haunt you. Other times? It’s unintentionally brilliant. In NASCAR, the most successful example of giving an event a label, or an awesome name, in advance was 1992’s Cup Series All-Star Race. You may also know it as …

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