Race Weekend Central

Tracking the Trucks: Johnny Sauter Makes Late Charge to Victory at Martinsville

In a Nutshell: Contreras Motorsports put together a truck with the help of JR Motorsports for Chase Elliott to get some valuable seat time around Martinsville Speedway. Elliott responded by putting the truck on the pole and leading the most laps in the race. Johnny Sauter started fifth but methodically worked his way forward, making …

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Tech Talk: Matt McCall on Martinsville Strategy, Tires & Brake Cooling

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Photo Credit : Mike Neff

Having been eliminated from Chase contention, the sole focus of the No. 1 team of Jamie McMurray is to win a race before the end of the 2016 season. McMurray has won two poles at the half-mile track in southern Virginia, and his average finish there is among his best on the circuit. His crew chief …

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Thinkin’ Out Loud: Joey Logano Carries Penske Banner to Win, Favorites Fall Below the Cut-Off at Talladega

2016 NASCAR Talladega

(Photo: Barry Cantrell / NKP)

Who’s in the headline – Joey Logano dominated the second round of the Chase last year, winning all three races and leading most of Talladega en route to the win. This year the wins are much harder to come by. However, in a nearly must win scenario, Logano came to the fore when it was …

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Tech Talk: Springs, Shock, Fuel Mileage & Wooden Gas Pedals with Chris Heroy

Heading into Talladega Superspeedway, the crew chiefs in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series have many sleepless nights. In the end, it is probably the track where they make least impact of any race during the season. Chris Heroy and his No. 44 team, driven by Brian Scott, roll in knowing their teammate won on a plate …

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Thinkin’ Out Loud: Kevin Harvick Eliminates Deficit to Secure Invite to Round of Eight With Kansas Win

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(Photo: NASCAR via Getty Images)

Who’s in the headline – Kevin Harvick knew that his misfortune at Charlotte was just a blip on the radar. Many other people were writing him off, but there is a reason he has not been eliminated before Homestead since this elimination format was implemented. Harvick has figured out what he wants to feel in a …

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Thinkin’ Out Loud: Jimmie Johnson Puts His Foot Down, Advances to Round of Eight with Charlotte Win

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(Photo: Mike Neff)

Who’s in the headline – After giving away two races in the first round of the Chase thanks to pit road miscues, Jimmie Johnson left nothing to chance at Charlotte on Sunday. After Hurricane Matthew pushed the racing action back to Sunday, he took advantage of the tough track conditions to pull out an old-school butt …

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Thinkin’ Out Loud: Martin Truex, Jr. Dominates at Dover

Who’s In The Headline Martin Truex, Jr. is on fire to start this Chase. Round 1 has been a showcase for he and the No. 78 team, who won the first race at Chicagoland, then came close in the second at New Hampshire before late restarts shuffled them back. At Dover, they had the second-fastest …

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Thinkin’ Out Loud: Kevin Harvick Nets Loudon Victory With Late Restart Pass

2016 NASCAR New Hampshire

23-25 September, 2016, Loudon, New Hampshire USA Kevin Harvick celebrates in victory lane ©2016, Logan Whitton/NKP

Who’s in the headline – While Joe Gibbs Racing cars dominated the event, it was Kevin Harvick who parked it in Victory Lane on Sunday afternoon at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. The JGR crew and affiliate led 280 of the 300 laps. Harvick took advantage of a late race, front row restart to wrest the …

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Tech Talk: G-Forces, Sway Bars & Inspection Failures with Jason Ratcliff

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Photo Credit : Mike Neff

Being in the Chase adds a whole new level of pressure for NASCAR Sprint Cup Series teams. Not only can a bad race back a team into a corner, but the scrutiny of the sanctioning body to make sure everyone is on a level playing field also puts teams under a huge microscope. This isn’t …

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Thinkin’ Out Loud: Martin Truex, Jr. Overcomes Adversity With Late Charge to Win at Chicagoland

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(Photo: Nigel Kinrade/NKP)

  Who’s in the headline – Martin Truex, Jr. overcame a tire issue under green flag conditions to put himself in position to make a run at the race win. A late-race caution and a strong pit stop resulted in Truex restarting outside the second row. An aggressive move to the outside allowed him to …

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