Race Weekend Central

Tech Talk: Smooth Surface, Aero and Mechanical Grip All in Play with Trent Owens

Trent Owens Daytona Cup 2017 Mike Neff

Photo Credit : Mike Neff

Trent Owens and his No. 37 JTG Daugherty Racing team had a long weekend at New Hampshire. They are now packed up and heading to Indianapolis for another flat race track, although this one presents a whole new set of challenges. The sticky stuff threw Owens a challenge at Loudon but brake issues spoiled the …

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Thinkin’ Out Loud: Denny Hamlin Overcomes Crustacean Fear for First Win of 2017 at Loudon

Hamlin Nhms Win

(Photo: Rusty Jarrett/ NKP)

Who’s in the headline – Joe Gibbs Racing went past the halfway point of the season without a victory. That changed in the first race of the second half as Denny Hamlin took advantage of some strategy calls and track conditions at New Hampshire Motor Speedway to score his first win of the season. Hamlin …

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Thinkin’ Out Loud: Kentucky was Martin Truex Jr.’s World; Everyone Else was Looking for a Nut

2017 Kentucky Cup Martin Truex Jr Burnout Barry Cantrell Nkp

(Photo: Barry Cantrell / NKP)

Who’s in the headline – Just over a year ago, Martin Truex, Jr. turned the Coca-Cola 600 into his own personal playground. Saturday wasn’t that level of dominant, but it was close. Truex has been very strong on 1.5-mile tracks since the marriage of Joe Gibbs Racing and Furniture Row Racing at the beginning of 2016, …

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Thinkin’ Out Loud: Ricky Stenhouse Jr. Survives the Daytona Pandemonium For Second Career Victory

Rfr Leading Daytona

(Photo: Matthew T. Thacker / NKP)

Who’s in the headline – It took Ricky Stenhouse Jr. 157 races to visit Victory Lane for the first time. It only took eight more to make a return trip. Stenhouse made a late-race pass coming to the white flag and held off the competition to lead the final two laps to score the victory. …

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Tech Talk: Tires, Bumps & Cooling with Justin Alexander

Justin Alexander Charlotte Cup 2017 Mike Neff

Photo Credit : Mike Neff

The Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series is using the same aerodynamic package at the restrictor plate tracks that they have used since 2013, yet the teams continue to find more speed. The difficulty in passing presents bigger challenges to crew chiefs to make strategy gambles, putting more pressure on drivers to maintain track position gained …

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Thinkin’ Out Loud: Kevin Harvick Finally Tastes Well Aged Victory at Sonoma

Harvick Sonoma Win 1

(Photo: Lesley Ann Miller/ NKP)

Who’s in the headline: In a race that saw strategies all over the board, 10 different leaders exchanged the lead 13 times, and questions about leaders having enough fuel to the make the finish emerged to make the Toyota/Save Mart 350 one of the most compelling races of the season. When the checkered flag flew, it …

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Thinkin’ Out Loud: Kyle Larson Scores Second Career Michigan Win

2017 Nascar Monster Energy Cup Series, Michigan

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade/ NKP)

Who’s in the headline – For only the fourth time this season, a driver led the most laps in a race and went onto Victory Lane. Kyle Larson started on pole, led the most laps and finished the deal to grab his second-career victory at Michigan International Speedway. Martin Truex Jr. looked like he could …

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Thinkin’ Out Loud: NASCAR’s Tame Pocono 400 Turns Into Terrific Finish

2017 Pocono Cup Zach Catanzareti Ryan Blaney

(Photo: Zach Catanzareti)

Who’s in the headline – For the third time this season, we have a first-time winner in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series. It’s Ryan Blaney, who drove to the lead after a late-race restart with fresher tires than a dominant Kyle Busch. He then held off Kevin Harvick in a thrilling finish after Harvick closed in while Busch and …

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