Race Weekend Central

Thinkin’ Out Loud: 2015 Southern 500

2015 Darlington CUP Carl Edwards champagne CIA

(Photo: CIA Stock Photo, Inc. ©2015)

Who’s in the headline – While Carl Edwards’s name appears in the headlines, it is his pit crew that deserves the accolades. The new aero package provided some great racing and passing opportunities, but the race came down to an eight-lap dash for the cash. Fresh tires were good enough for 15–20 laps, so whoever …

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Brad Keselowski Takes 2015 Southern 500 Pole

Brad Keselowski Cup Qualifying Darlington 2015 Mike Neff

(Photo Credit: Mike Neff, Frontstretch)

Brad Keselowski has embraced this throwback weekend and it has loved him in return. Keselowski ran a 27.492-second lap at a speed of 178.874 mph to win the pole for Sunday’s Southern 500. Starting to his outside will be Kurt Busch. The elder Busch brother ran a 177.588-mph lap in 27.691 seconds. Kevin Harvick was …

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2015 Southern 500 Retro Paint Scheme Photo Gallery

Brad Keselowski and Kasey Kahne Darlington Cup Retro 2015 Mike Neff-136

(Photo Credit: Mike Neff, Frontstretch)

Off the Wall With: Josh Wise

2014 Loudon I CUP Josh Wise CIA

(Photo: CIA Stock Photography © 2014)

On the spot this week: NASCAR driver Josh Wise What’s fun besides racing? Josh Wise: Playing with my kids. What’s the top item on your bucket list? Wise: Win a Sprint Cup race. Your go-to on movie night is: Wise: I watched Anchorman this morning. There isn’t a go-to flick but I like to watch …

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Tech Talk: Jason Ratcliff Discusses How to Deal with All Those Throwback Schemes

Jason Ratcliff Bristol 2015 Cup Mike Neff

Photo Credit: Mike Neff, Frontstretch

Spending two weeks thinking about a 42nd-place finish can be tough on a race team, but it helps when it is looking forward to a race in which it went to Victory Lane just two years ago. It also doesn’t hurt that the organization is probably the hottest in the series right now, and it is going to …

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Thinkin’ Out Loud: Looking Back at the First 24 Races of 2015 for Off-Week No. 3

Joey Logano leads a pack of cars at Bristol Motor Speedway

(Photo: CIA Stock Photo, Inc. ©2015)­­

Who’s in the headline – There are drivers with more wins but no one has more points than Kevin Harvick. While points don’t really matter they are a telling factor for Harvick. The driver of the No. 4 is having one of the best seasons in the history of the sport. Harvick has 17 top-five …

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Thinkin’ Out Loud: 2015 Irwin Tools Night Race at Bristol

Joey Logano Trophy Victory Lane Bristol 2015 Cup Mike Neff

Photo Credit: Mike Neff, Frontstretch

Who’s in the headline – The half mile Bristol Motor Speedway has hardly been a highlight for Joey Logano over the early years of his career. Prior to the night race in 2013, Logano had a single top-10 run in nine career starts. In the last three night races Logano has run fifth, first and first. …

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Kyle Busch Wins, Chris Buescher Comes Up Snake Eyes On Fuel/Tire Gamble in 2015 Food City 300 at Bristol

Kyle Busch XFINITY Bristol 2015 Victory Lane Trophy Mike Neff

Photo Credit: Mike Neff, Frontstretch

Chris Buescher is the point leader in the Xfinity Series. His lead over second-place Ty Dillon was 24 points coming into the race at Bristol Motor Speedway Friday night. Many people would have played it safe and followed a conservative pit strategy to make sure they made it to the finish. Buescher is not many …

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Off the Wall With: Justin Allgaier

2015 Pocono CUP Justin Allgaier vertical CIA

Photo Credit: CIA Stock Photography

This week’s good sport: Sprint Cup driver Justin Allgaier What’s fun besides racing? Justin Allgaier: I’m kind of a flavor of the week kind of guy. I’ve always got some new hobby. I’d say two things. Go out on the lake and go wake surfing and then golfing. That is kind of my two getaways …

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Denny Hamlin Sweeps Poles at Bristol

2014 Richmond II CUP Denny Hamlin teeth CIA

(Credit: CIA Stock Photography)

Denny Hamlin has the feel for Bristol, at least for this weekend, when it comes to qualifying. Just two hours after securing the best starting spot for the Xfinity Series race, Hamlin went back out onto the high-banked half-mile of Bristol Motor Speedway and scored the pole for the Cup Series race. Hamlin bested his …

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Clint Bowyer, Rob Kauffman Share Information About Separation from MWR

Clint bowyer on track during practice at Martinsville Speedway

(Photo: Amy Henderson, Frontstretch)

Clint Bowyer and Rob Kauffman stopped by the media center at Bristol Motor Speedway Friday morning to discuss the decision to both part ways and to leave Michael Waltrip Racing. Bowyer’s comments were predominantly focused on the members of his No. 15 team and explaining his reasoning as quickly as humanly possible. In contrast, Kauffman’s …

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Tech Talk: Matt Puccia Talks Tire Wear at Bristol

Matt Puccia Martinsville 2015 Mike Neff

(Photo: Mike Neff, Frontstretch)

The No. 16 team of Greg Biffle is heading into Bristol knowing it has to win in the next few weeks to have a chance to run for the championship, and crew chief Matt Puccia feels confident that the team is going to have something for the competition thanks to a strong car from the spring …

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