Race Weekend Central

Slipstream Saturday: Mercedes Fighting Back, News & The Chinese Grand Prix

credit: Getty Images

Photo Credit: Getty Images

Formula 1 takes to the Shanghai International Circuit this weekend. The first two practices are history with Lewis Hamilton displaying the form that has been typical of him, and Mercedes, for the past year. But rather than his teammate nipping at his heels, Kimi Raikkonen demonstrated that Ferrari just might have pace this year, something …

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Happiness Is… Off Weeks, Texas, Tony & More

2015 Las Vegas Cup Danica Patrick Credit Nascar Via Getty Images

(Photo: NASCAR via Getty Images)

So the early off-week in the motorsports calendar has now passed and it’s time to get ready and energized for racing to resume. This weekend is another one that’s fun-filled and action-packed, or at least that’s how it’s supposed to be. But to play the game that Tom Bowles does every week, let’s hit upon …

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Happiness Is… Wussies, A Weekend Off & Martinsville

Brad Keselowski Martinsville 2015 Mike Neff 032

(Photo: Mike Neff, Frontstretch)

A lot of attention is being focused on the state of Indiana recently, and that’s not just because the NCAA Men’s Final Four and championship will be taking place there this upcoming weekend. Nor is it because the Rolling Stones announced they would be playing Indianapolis Motor Speedway on July 4, though the track does …

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Open-Wheel Wednesday: Juan Pablo Montoya is Back

Indycar 2015 St. Pete Juan Pablo Montoya Victory Lane Credit Chris Jones

Photo Credit: Chris Jones

A quick note before getting into any kind of discussion about the season opening IndyCar race. While this column may attempt to bring some humor to the sport, I recognize first that a woman attending the race suffered injuries from debris from one of the cars. The reports are that Brigitte Hofstetter is in stable …

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Sebastian Vettel Wins 2015 Malaysia Grand Prix

Sebastian Vettel (credit:actusports.fr)

Photo Credit: Actusports.fr

In just his second race since joining Ferrari, Sebastian Vettel earned a surprising win at the Malaysia Grand Prix. Lewis Hamilton finished second with his teammate Nico Rosberg taking third. Vettel’s teammate Kimi Raikkonen had the drive of the race and crossed the line in fourth. Williams’s Valtteri Bottas earned the fifth spot upon his return from a back injury. …

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Slipstream Saturday: 2015 Malaysian Grand Prix Preview

daniel ricciardo (credit: Getty Images)

Photo Credit: Getty Images

The second round of the Formula 1 season gets written this weekend as the series visits the Sepang track for the Malaysian Grand Prix. There’s been a spate of news in the interim since Australia, with perhaps the most notable being that there will be no German Grand Prix on the calendar this year. That …

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IndyCar Preview: 2015 Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg

2014 Indycar Milwaukee Will Power Drama

It seems like it has been quite some time since the IndyCar Series was ripping around the track. Oh, that’s right, it has. The end of the 2014 season came on Aug. 30, which means that nearly seven months have passed since it ran competitive laps. Sure, they’ve been testing, but that’s quite the layoff. …

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Happiness Is… Saving Ducats, Starting & Resuming

2015 Atlanta Cwts Timothy Peters Truck Credit Nascar Via Getty Images

Photo Credit: NASCAR via Getty Images

Not quite the easy week to write about NASCAR and offer anything that resembles happiness, right? Let’s look back at the on-track festivities real quick. The Xfinity Series had all the heart-stopping action that accompanies watching mold grow as another Cup driver stunk up the show and walked off with the check. Kevin Harvick tried …

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Slipstream Saturday: Melbourne in the Rear View; News

Daniil Kvyat 2015 F1 Infiniti Red Bull Racing Rb11 Wallpaper 800x450

(Photo Credit: Red Bull Racing)

The debut of the Formula 1 season in Melbourne may have been a bit of a dud in terms of overall competition but it did give a snapshot as to where everyone is at the moment and a forecast for what to expect the rest of the season. The obvious realization is that Mercedes has …

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Happiness Is… Hot Dogs, Pyrrhic Victory & Keloorah

2014 Martinsville Ii Cup Martinsville Overhead Cia

(Photo: CIA Stock Photo, Inc. © 2014)

Well, Phoenix was fun… or something. Before the weekend started, Happiness Is wondered if Kevin Harvick would just sweep everything, leaving the only question as to whether his car and crew would hold up. As far as Sprint Cup goes, he did just that and with little in the way of drama, though NASCAR tried …

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Slipstream Saturday: Looking to Melbourne

Lewis Hamilton 2015 Australia

(Credit: Clive Mason/Getty Images)

Frontstretch will be expanding its Formula 1 coverage this year. Look for more regular columns covering the sport.   Formula 1 has gotten its season started this weekend in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. There’s all kinds of different stories as things get going, so here’s a recap and preview for the opener. What’s News To begin, …

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Happiness Is… Competition Cautions, Confusion & Consistency

2014 Texas Ii Cup Paul Wolfe Brad Keselowski Cia

(Credit: CIA Stock Photography)

Ah, NASCAR.  All professional sports that receive any modicum of attention get to enjoy their tales being played out in the media.  That’s part of the reason that we all pay attention.  This idea isn’t new.  One of the reasons that baseball fascinated people was the offseason, which is how the phrase ‘hot stove’ came …

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