Race Weekend Central

Pace Laps: Daytona Provides Pair of Surprise Winners

Ross Chastain Daytona watermeln

(Photo: NASCAR via Getty Images)

Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series: Upset Winner Leaves NASCAR Fans Irate Last July, Justin Haley left Daytona International Speedway feeling like the track might have owed him one. His thrilling last-lap pass of Kyle Larson in the NASCAR Xfinity Series race was disallowed when officials determined he dipped below the yellow line. A potential win …

Read more

Friday Faceoff: Will the Summer Showdown At Daytona Be Mild or Wild?

kenseth leading daytona

Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Coke Zero 400 Daytona International Speedway, Daytona Beach, FL USA Saturday 1 July 2017 Matt Kenseth, Joe Gibbs Racing, DEWALT Flexvolt Toyota Camry World Copyright: Matthew T. Thacker NKP

The traditional-style plate races so far this year in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series have been varied from wild (Daytona International Speedway) to tame (Talladega Superspeedway). What scenario is more likely this week? Frank Velat: Talladega became notorious for having one crash-marred race after another to the point that drivers now seem to go …

Read more

Pace Laps: Big Moments For NASCAR’s Up-And-Coming Talents In Alex Bowman, Cole Custer

2019 Chicagoland NXS Cole Custer Victory Lane Nigel Kinrade Photography

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series: Alex Bowman’s Big Moment He was the quiet, unassuming replacement for Dale Earnhardt Jr. that spent years toiling in underfunded rides. Alex Bowman has spent the last year-plus racing under the shadows of his flashy, more marketable 20-something teammates: Chase Elliott and William Byron. He’s seven titles short of Jimmie …

Read more

Friday Faceoff: Do Road Courses Need Regular Layout Changes?

Sonoma Kyle Busch

(Photo: NASCAR via Getty Images)

Should NASCAR have stages on road course events? Mark Howell: NASCAR should reduce stages on road courses down to two, with the break serving as a halftime of sorts when teams can service their cars for the final push to the finish. Road racing is all about managing resources (brakes, tires, fuel). Two stages might …

Read more

Pace Laps: A Sonoma Snoozer, While Ross Chastain Takes NASCAR by Storm

2019 Gateway NGOTS Ross Chastain Trucks Nigel Kinrade Photography

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series: New Track, Same Sonoma Story Sonoma Raceway added its famed Carousel for the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series. But the new 2.52-mile course led to an unexpected challenge, not for the drivers but the fans. A caution-free race, except for stage breaks, became dominated by Kyle Busch and Martin Truex …

Read more

Frontstretch Podcast: Jeremy Clements Chats Season-Best Finish at Iowa

NASCAR Xfinity Series

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

In this week’s edition of the Frontstretch Podcast, Dustin Albino and Mike Neff break down a wild weekend of racing at Iowa Speedway where the NASCAR Xfinity and Gander Outdoors Truck Series took center stage. Ross Chastain was victorious in the truck race…. or so we thought, until NASCAR deemed the truck to be too low in the front. …

Read more

Pace Laps: Christopher Bell Puts on a Clinic, Truck Series Drama Unfolds In Iowa

2019 Iowa I NXS Christopher Bell NKP

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

Xfinity Series: Christopher Bell Show in Iowa  Heading into Sunday’s CircuitCity.com 250 at Iowa Speedway, Christopher Bell was the favorite. The No. 20 team lived up to expectations in the race, leading 186 laps en route to its fourth victory of the season. The victory is Bell’s second in four starts at the 7/8-mile short …

Read more

Friday Faceoff: Just How Big of a Deal Is Greg Biffle’s Win?

NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

Clint Bowyer said that the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series package at Michigan International Speedway “wasn’t racing.” Do you agree? Bryan Davis Keith: While even the great Dale Earnhardt was quoted as saying plate racing wasn’t real racing, even before the tapered spacer era, the stats showed that there were drivers that would capitalize on plate …

Read more

Frontstretch Podcast: Bobby Labonte Examines Career, Highs & Lows

NASCAR Nextel Cup Series, Bristol.

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

In this week’s edition of the Frontstretch Podcast, Dustin Albino and Mike Neff discuss the Monday matinee (June 10) at Michigan International Speedway where Joey Logano put a whippin’ on the field en route to his second victory of 2019. Spoiler alert, we didn’t like the action we saw, and neither did Kevin Harvick, who once again overcame pit …

Read more

Pace Laps: Michigan Monsoon Makes For Monday NASCAR Racing

NASCAR officiating under a rain delay at Indianapolis Motor Speedway (Photo: NKP)

(Photo: Zach Catanzareti)

Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series: Monday Race At Michigan Michigan International Speedway faced Mother Nature’s wrath a second straight year. Sunday’s (June 9) 2019 FireKeepers Casino 400 was postponed by rain and rescheduled for Monday at 5 p.m. ET. All the action will be covered live after Women’s World Cup Soccer action on FOX Sports …

Read more

Friday Faceoff: Is Kyle Busch Too Critical of His KBM Drivers?

#51: Kyle Busch, Kyle Busch Motorsports, Toyota Tundra Cessna and #18: Harrison Burton, Kyle Busch Motorsports, Toyota Tundra Safelite AutoGlass NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

With a Pocono Raceway doubleheader looming next year in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series, what should be done to ensure a more entertaining show? Mark Howell: The best way to insure a successful Pocono doubleheader is to make sure that Cup rules have been revised to enable the cars to carry more overall speed. A …

Read more

How Fit Are Formula 1 Drivers Compared to Other Elite Athletes?

Lewis Hamilton at the USGP

(Photo: F1 Media)

Editor’s Note: This article is posted in collaboration with an outside sponsorship client. The opinions and information contained within do not necessarily represent Frontstretch and its staff. A hot topic frequently surrounding Formula 1 drivers these days is how to classify them as athletes.  It seems easy to dismiss as we are not able to …

Read more