Race Weekend Central

Couch Potato Tuesday: NBC’s Early NASCAR Coverage Excels

Kyle Busch and Joey Logano race for position in the Quaker State 400 at Kentucky Speedway.

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

Welcome back, chaps. I had a pretty good time in Florida. Got a couple of good interviews and covered a couple of interesting races. Also, here’s an insider fact about NBC broadcasts: when they go to commercial, the feed that we saw in the Media Center constantly played the NBC chimes through the whole break. …

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Benny Gordon Pilots the Public Launch of the Performance Energy Group Race Team

Benny Gordon Daytona International Speedway

(Photo: Performance Energy Group)

Last weekend saw the public launch of Performance Energy Group (PEG), a new race team that plans to compete part-time in the Xfinity Series. This small operation determined to succeed using an old-school method, and it isn’t the first time in recent years that this method has been tried in NASCAR. Back in 2013, Swan Racing was …

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Beyond the Cockpit: Bobby Labonte on the Reality of Racing Past 50

2015 Daytona International Speedway NSCS Bobby Labonte credit NASCAR via Getty Images

(Photo: NASCAR via Getty Images)

15 years ago, Bobby Labonte was on top of the world. He finished fourth in the Pennzoil 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway to clinch the Sprint Cup Championship, the crown jewel of his career. At the time, there was no reason to believe that the victories wouldn’t continue to stack up and another championship was certainly in …

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Austin Dillon Crash Aftermath a True Display of NASCAR Camaraderie

2015 Daytona II CUP Austin Dillon crash out of car CIA

Photo Credit: CIA Stock Photography

We’re going to cut to the chase right here. The ride that Austin Dillon took into the catchfence early Monday morning at Daytona International Speedway was one of the scariest-looking crashes I’ve seen in over 25 years of either watching or being involved with the sport. There were few, if any people at the track …

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Xfinity Series Breakdown: 2015 Subway Firecracker 250 at Daytona

2015 Daytona II NXS Austin Dillon victory lane CIA

Photo Credit: CIA Stock Photography

After a somewhat shaky start to the evening due to rains delaying the start to nearly 9 p.m. and a couple of early incidents slowing the pace, the Subway Firecracker 250 settled into a very nice rhythm Saturday night. Brian Scott led early and often from the outside pole. While polesitter Daniel Suarez did lead …

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Steve Byrnes Named Recipient of 2016 Squier-Hall Award

Steve Byrnes

(Photo: FOX Sports)

On Saturday afternoon at Daytona International Speedway, NASCAR Hall of Fame Executive Director Winston Kelley and Brett Jewkes announced that Steve Byrnes, recently of FOX Sports, has been named as the receipient of the fifth Squier-Hall Award for NASCAR Media Excellence. As a result, Byrnes will be inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame as …

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David Ragan, Ty Dillon Pace 2015 Subway Firecracker 250 Practice Sessions at Daytona

2014 Daytona II NNS Trevor Bayne Darrell Wallace Jr racing CIA

On Friday, the Xfinity Series held two practice sessions in preparation for Saturday night’s Subway Firecracker 250. Given the need to protect machinery, most drivers participated in only one of the sessions. The vast majority of the field went out on track in the first session. While learning what your car can and can’t do …

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Dale Earnhardt Jr. Fastest in 1st Cup Session at Daytona; Big Crash Sends 10 to Backups

2015 Daytona II CUP Jeff Gordon Dale Earnhardt Jr racing CIA

Photo Credit: CIA Stock Photography

For the Sprint Cup Series teams, Friday was supposed to be a day of preparation for this weekend’s qualifying and racing.  However, for a number of teams, Friday ended up being rather painful. Roughly 10 minutes into the session, Brad Keselowski had contact with Kyle Busch in turn 2. Busch’s Interstate Batteries Toyota then spun …

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Danica Patrick Leads Stewart-Haas Racing 1-2-3-4 in Cup Happy Hour at Daytona

2015 Daytona II CUP Kurt Busch Kasey Kahne Danica Patrick racing CIA

Photo Credit: CIA Stock Photography

The final practice session of the day at Daytona International Speedway was far calmer than the first. There was still some drafting on-track, but it was mainly of the single-file variety. In addition, a group of drivers focused their on-track time on single-car runs. In the draft, Hendrick Motorsports’ engine program showed its strength. Cars …

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NASCAR Removes Xfinity/Truck Series Banquet from Doral

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USA Today‘s Jeff Gluck is reporting that NASCAR will move all sanctioning body activities, including the joint Xfinity/Camping World Truck Series Banquet, away from Trump National Doral Miami, effective immediately.  The move has been done in response to recent controversial statements uttered by the real estate mogul.  No replacement site has been announced as of …

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Kenny Wallace to Drive for Joe Gibbs Racing at Iowa

IMCA

(Photo: Jimmy Dearing)

On Thursday, Kenny Wallace announced on his own Twitter feed that he has been tapped to drive the No. 20 Toyota Camry for Joe Gibbs Racing in the Xfinity Series U.S. Cellular 250 at Iowa Speedway. Naturally, the 51-year old veteran is very excited about the opportunity. I just received a BIG HONOR; "Kenny Wallace …

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Couch Potato Tuesday: FOX Does Well in Parts; NBCSN Excels in Fontana

2015 Sonoma I CUP Martin Truex Jr pack racing credit NASCAR via Getty Images

(Photo: NASCAR via Getty Images)

Last weekend was pretty crazy in the racing world. You had the Sprint Cup Series on a road course, always a good time. You also had the Verizon IndyCar Series at Auto Club Speedway in what turned out to be just about the wildest race in the history of open wheel racing. Crikey. Toyota/Save Mart …

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