Race Weekend Central

Tech Talk: Chris Heroy Talks Fuel Mileage, Pit Stalls & Getting Better

2016 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, Las Vegas

4-6 March 2016, Las Vegas, Nevada USA Brian Scott and Chris Heroy © 2016, Nigel Kinrade NKP

Richard Petty Motorsports has made some recent changes in its organization. While the No. 43 team was changed on top of the pit box, the No. 44 stayed the same. As a result they’re making a change in its lineup and having Chris Heroy pick up where Trent Owens left off. There have been a …

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Thinkin’ Out Loud – Denny Hamlin Takes Home Win at Richmond While Jamie McMurray Grabs Final Chase Berth

2016 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, Richmond

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade / NKP)

  Who’s in the headline – Denny Hamlin started the regular season with a win at Daytona. He ended it with a win at Richmond. Martin Truex Jr. managed to be penalized on pit road again and potentially kill a winning effort. Kyle Larson got out of pit sequence but almost got back to the …

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Thinkin’ Out Loud: Martin Truex Jr. Claims Second NASCAR Crown Jewel of 2016

2016 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, Darlington

(Courtesy: NKP / Nigel Kinrade)

Who’s in the headline: For the first time in his career, Martin Truex, Jr. has won multiple races in a single season. Kevin Harvick was the dominant car for the vast majority of Sunday night’s Southern 500, but pit road miscues put him behind in the final laps and he was unable to overcome the handicap. Truex, now …

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Tech Talk: Matt McCall Talks Spring Rates, Pit Selection and Sway Bars

Matt McCall Martinsville Cup 2016 Mike Neff

Photo Credit : Mike Neff

While Matt McCall’s team didn’t win the race in Michigan last weekend the win did come within the organization, and that has to be a boost of confidence for his No. 1 team. McCall’s group, and their driver Jamie McMurray crossed the line in eighth place and gained some points in their effort to qualify for …

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Thinkin’ Out Loud – Kyle Larson Comes Away with First Sprint Cup Win at Michigan

2016 Michigan II CUP Kyle Larson woohoo Nigel Kinrade NKP

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade / NKP)

Who’s in the headline – Shouldering the label of best not to do something can be a heavy burden. For 98 Cup races, Kyle Larson took the green flag but was not the first one to see the checkered. After eight top 5s and 17 top 10s as a rookie, it seemed inevitable that Larson …

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Tech Talk: Tires, Aero, Firewalls and Fuel with Jason Ratcliff

Jason Ratcliff Indianapolis 2016 Cup Mike Neff

Photo Credit : Mike Neff

Bristol Motor Speedway presented NASCAR Sprint Cup Series teams with a myriad of challenges last weekend, from rosin on the bottom groove to rain delays. Heading into the Irish Hills of Michigan, teams will have a few more options. The wide racing surface at Michigan International Speedway always offers a vast number of racing options …

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Thinkin’ Out Loud – Kevin Harvick Wins 24 Hours of Bristol

2016 NSCS - Kevin Harvick Woohoo Bristol Night Race Photo John Harrelson NKP

(Photo: John Harrelson/NKP)

Who’s in the headline – A funny thing happened on the way to crowning one of the Joe Gibbs Racing drivers (or affiliate team) the 2016 Sprint Cup champion: the 2014 winner issued a statement at Bristol Motor Speedway. Kevin Harvick has had some strong cars this season, but the runs were derailed through a …

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Tech Talk: Trent Owens on the Tires & Surface Changes at Bristol

Trent Owens Indianapolis 2016 Cup Mike Neff

Credit : Mike Neff

After six months of learning how to run with the new aerodynamic package in 2016, NASCAR Sprint Cup Series teams had one final weekend off. They now begin a 14-week run to the championship at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Some teams used the off-week to regroup, others used it to fine tune their cars for the stretch …

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Thinkin’ Out Loud – Last Off Week of the Season Preparing for the 14-Race Run to the Championship

2016 Kentucky CUP Brad Keselowski woohoo Leslie Miller NKP

Credit : Nigel Kinrade Photography

Who’s in the headline – While there are multiple drivers who have run well this season, the brightest spotlight of the year has been on one organization. At this point in the season, Joe Gibbs Racing has been the class of the field for a majority of the races. Between its four teams, it has 10 wins. …

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Thinkin’ Out Loud – Denny Hamlin Wins at Watkins Glen

truex

Who’s in the headline – Denny Hamlin out-drove the field in Sunday’s Cheez-It 355 from Watkins Glen International to pick up his first-career road course win. Staying clean on pit road and on the racetrack, Hamlin passed Brad Keselowski and Kyle Busch with 10 laps to go to return to Victory Lane for the second …

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Tech Talk: Running Road Courses with Matt McCall

The second road course race of the season provides a far different set of challenges for teams and crew chiefs than Sonoma Raceway did earlier in the year. Watkins Glen International is run at a higher speed and is less technical than Sonoma. The additional challenge has been thrown at the teams because the track …

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Tech Talk: Jason Ratcliff Isn’t a Big Fan of NASCAR’s Lug Nut Rule

Jason Ratcliff Indianapolis 2016 Cup Mike Neff

Photo Credit : Mike Neff

NASCAR crew chief Jason Ratcliff guided his driver, Matt Kenseth, to the runner-up spot at Indianapolis Motor Speedway last weekend and hopes to utilize the knowledge he’s accumulated over the last few weeks to make a serious run at the win in Pocono Raceway this weekend. He utilized things that he learned at Pocono during …

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