Race Weekend Central

NASCAR 101: William Byron’s Cup Trajectory? Not Too Irregular

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)

Is William Byron being rushed to the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series too quickly? Nah. In fact, be surprised it didn’t happen sooner. Think about it this way: Byron, 19, comes as one of the hottest prospects in recent memory in NASCAR’s national series. He’s seemingly been well-funded, with Liberty University — the college Byron …

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NASCAR 101: How Will the Lowered Cup Driver Participation Cap Actually Affect XFINITY & Truck Series?

2017 Xfinity New Hampshire Zach Catanzareti Kyle Busch Brad Keselowski

(Photo: Zach Catanzareti)

It’s been a busy week in NASCAR, from the will-he-won’t-he news of Kurt Busch‘s Stewart-Haas Racing tenure to the usual Wednesday penalty report that this time bit Erik Jones following last weekend’s race at Pocono Raceway to the move of the overtime line to the start/finish line. But the talk of the town has undoubtedly …

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Ryan Preece Earns 1st XFINITY Series Win at Iowa

2016 Xfinity Homestead Miami Speedway Zach Catanzareti Ryan Preece

(Photo: Zach Catanzareti)

NASCAR fans who watched the 2016 NASCAR XFINITY Series season probably wouldn’t have expected Ryan Preece in Victory Lane in an XFINITY event anytime soon. That’s no knock on Preece’s driving ability, just his circumstances. In his first full-time season in a NASCAR national series, Preece finished 17th in points for Johnny Davis’ No. 01 …

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NASCAR 101: 10 Longest Winless Streaks Among Full-Time Cup Drivers

2017 Dover Cup Zach Catanzareti Paul Menard

(Photo: Zach Catanzareti)

Few things are more gratifying than breaking a negative streak. Bear that in mind if you wondered why Kasey Kahne‘s victory in the Brickyard 400 in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series last weekend found the driver and his team so elated in Victory Lane. Sure, it’s Indianapolis Motor Speedway, so a victory at the …

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Matt Crafton Conquers Eldora, Wins 1st Race of 2017 Truck Season

2017 Daytona I Cwts Matt Crafton Rusty Jarrett Nkp

(Photo: Rusty Jarrett / NKP)

Every time the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series comes to Eldora Speedway, there’s talk of dirt track specialists, dirt track specialists and more dirt track specialists. But sometimes, the regulars prevail, too. Just ask Matt Crafton. In Wednesday night’s (July 19) Eldora Dirt Derby 150, the fifth held at the Ohio dirt track in the …

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Matt Kenseth: ‘As of Today, I Do Not Have a Job for Next Year’

2017 Pocono Cup Zach Catanzareti Matt Kenseth

(Photo: Zach Catanzareti)

Matt Kenseth could be back in a car in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series. He could not be. Right now, he’s not so sure. In a press conference at Kentucky Speedway Friday (July 7), Kenseth addressed his status for 2018 with Joe Gibbs Racing, telling reporters he didn’t know what the future held. “I’m …

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NASCAR 101: Drivers Who’ve Won in All 3 NASCAR National Series

2017 Cup Charlotte Media Tour Zach Catanzareti Ryan Newman

(Photo: Zach Catanzareti)

A triple-header weekend in NASCAR generally means we have to address at least one elephant in the room, one that decides to take it upon him or herself to run all three races in one weekend. Unsurprisingly, this weekend’s racing at Kentucky Speedway is no different. Kyle Busch will compete in all three national series …

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Brennan Poole Scores Daytona XFINITY Pole

Brennan Poole Xfinity Charlotte Mike Neff

(Photo: Mike Neff)

If Brennan Poole‘s looking to get his first career win in the NASCAR XFINITY Series this weekend at Daytona International Speedway, he’s off to a good start. The driver of the No. 48 won the pole for Friday’s Coca-Cola Firecracker 250, turning a lap of 182.949 mph in the final round of qualifying. Poole will be …

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Jeb Burton, Ray Black Jr. Lead Thursday XFINITY Daytona Practices

2016 Phoenix I Nxs Drew Blickensderfer Jeb Burton Russell Labounty Nkp

(Photo: Russell LaBounty/NKP)

Jeb Burton’s making just his second NASCAR XFINITY Series (or NASCAR national series as a whole) start of 2017, but he’s off to a good start. The part-time driver for JGL Racing’s No. 24 led first practice for the Coca-Cola Firecracker 250 at Daytona International Speedway Thursday (June 29) at a speed of 190.215 mph. …

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NASCAR 101: Meet the 5 Drivers Making Their Cup Debuts at Sonoma

2016 Xfinity Elkhart Lake 26 27 August, 2016, Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin Usa Alon Day ©2016, Barry Cantrell / Nkp

(Photo: Barry Cantrell / NKP)

Remember the beginning of this month, when this column covered Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series debuts and how they were up in 2017? Turns out we were just getting started. At that point, four drivers had (or were about to) make their series debuts in 2017, with the addition of Ryan Sieg and Ross Chastain …

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NASCAR 101: The 10 Youngest First-Time Cup Winners

02/19/06 Daytona, Florida. Brian Vickers. Nascar Nextel Cup Series, Daytona. Daytona 500.

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

When Ryan Blaney won his first Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race last Sunday at Pocono Raceway, he did so at the ripe old age of 23 years old. Which has to put him among the youngest winners ever in the series, right? …right? Well, yes, but also… not totally. I mean, look, with his win, …

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