Race Weekend Central

Happiness Is… Crossing Boundaries & Changes

2017 Fontana Cup Ricky Stenhouse Jr Trevor Bayne Nigel Kinrade Nkp

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade / NKP)

The races at Richmond International Raceway this past weekend featured some enjoyable competition.  It’s what many fans have clamored for over the past few years and serves as a reminder that the 1.5-mile and over tracks may bring fast cars but not always the best racing.  And now it’s on to Talladega, just about as …

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Slipstream Saturday: Ferrari Forging Their Way; Russian Grand Prix

Para Sebastian Vettel Nao Ha Duvida A Pista De Sochi Favorece A Mercedes

(Photo: Getty Images)

This weekend Formula 1 returns to Sochi, Russia for the Russian Grand Prix.  The lead story is how Ferrari has finally proved to be a capable challenger to Mercedes, having won two of the first three races this season.  Sebastian Vettel is holding the top spot in the driver’s standings in what should constitute an …

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Will Power Claims Pole for Grand Prix of Alabama

Photo by: Joe Skibinski - IndyCar

Will Power celebrates after earning the pole at the GP of Alabama (Photo by: Joe Skibinski - IndyCar)

Will Power sped to the pole position for the Honda Indy Grand Prix of Alabama at Barber Motorsports Park. Power, with a time of 1:06:961, bested his teammate Helio Castroneves, 1:07:143  to earn the top spot to begin the race.  It is his fourth pole at the 2.3 mile, 17-turn track, and is 46th overall. …

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Happiness Is…Sponsorship, Technology & Barber

2016 Nascar Sprint Cup Series, Bristol

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade NKP)

The news is light this week as NASCAR heads to Bristol Motor Speedway.  This event, once a jewel of the schedule, has now fallen alongside many of the other races on the schedule.  Though it may not hold the prestige it once did, it is still short-track racing, which means that it is sure to …

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Slipstream Saturday: Alonso…and Some Bahrain GP

fernando-alonso-mclaren-honda-f1

Fernando Alonso will once again greet F1 crowds from the grid in 2021 (Credit: McLaren)

The announcement that Fernando Alonso would be skipping the Monaco Grand Prix to race the Indianapolis 500 has garnered almost all of the attention of the Formula 1 paddock.  While in some ways it is a dizzying announcement, brimming with angles to be examined, the overall sense is that the move is a good one …

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Happiness Is… Interesting Things

fernando alonso (credit: McLaren)

(Photo Credit: McLaren)

Order has been restored to the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series.  With Jimmie Johnson earning his 81st victory this past weekend at Texas Motor Speedway, all the pundits can breathe a sigh of relief in discovering that all of the words used to question or doubt Hendrick Motorsports have been for naught.  The empire has …

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Happiness Is… How Things Look In NASCAR

2017 Atlanta Cup Dale Earnhardt Jr Nigel Kinrade Nkp

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade/NKP)

Looks like a rather slow news week happening in the NASCAR world.  Sure, there’s little bits of stuff here and there but nothing that causes one’s ears to perk up.  The 2018 Cup schedule is supposedly reaching finality, for example without many of the major changes fans were looking for.  Already leaking out is that there …

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Happiness Is… Maintaining the Positive View

2017 Fontana Cup Kyle Larson Martin Truex Jr Racing Barry Cantrell Nkp

(Photo: Barry Cantrell / NKP)

Happiness Is…Holding.  One of the things that continues to be a big discussion point surrounding NASCAR are the TV ratings.  These numbers point to viewership numbers but are also the key component for gauging fan interest and the sport’s overall ‘health’.  Once again, the Cup race this past weekend at Auto Club Speedway set a …

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Happiness Is…Good Stuff

2016 Las Vegas Cup Michael Mcdowell Pack Racing Matthew T Thacker Nkp

(Photo: Matthew T. Thacker/NKP)

It seems that much of all the hype, concern, debate, resentment, vitriol and whatnot surrounding the implementation of stages is all for naught.  The Cup race this past weekend at Atlanta played out as almost any other race at a 1.5-mile track.  The question that should have been raised is why, when the caution flag flew …

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