Race Weekend Central

Fanning the Flames: Who’s This Year’s Chase Cinderella? The Numbers Line up for Ryan Newman… To Finish 3rd

It’s all in the numbers, see? And the momentum, of course. Every year, some guy from the back half of the Chase field makes a dent at Loudon that throws that momentum their way. Except for 2004, when Big Mo hung with a seventh-seeded Kurt Busch and they won a title together, it’s been a …

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Voices From the Heartland: What if NASCAR’s Emphasis Really WAS on Winning?

As we all know, the whole Chase was brought to us in 2004 as a result of a few key factors – chief among them the simplistic greed of Brian France. France wanted to go head-to-head with the NFL during the fall months of the season. This grand illusion, I’m sure, was hatched long before …

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Thompson in Turn 5: Kyle Busch Misses the Chase? Fair Enough

In the aftermath of the Chevy Rock & Roll 400 last Saturday night (Sept. 12) from Richmond, one of the sport’s most prolific winners in Sprint Cup during the 2009 season was eliminated from title consideration with 10 races remaining. In actuality, Joe Gibbs Racing’s Kyle Busch is currently tied with Hendrick Motorsports driver Mark …

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Frontstretch Fantasy Insider: Lighting the Way to Your Own Chase Success at Loudon

And so beginneth the creation that Brian calls the Chase. For 12 select drivers, Sunday’s green flag will mark the start of a 10-race pursuit of a dream; but for 31 others, it’s a chance to end 2009 on a high note. So as the title contenders continue to stroke the points in their made-for-TV …

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Top 10 Punishments NASCAR Considered for Matt Crafton After the Race at Gateway

10. Giving him the “Black Flag” treatment. A whole can of it. 9. A good talking to. 8. An all-expense paid hunting trip led by Todd Bodine and Ron Hornaday. 7. An all-day indoctrination covering the entire NASCAR rulebook, but no one could find one. 6. A written apology to Hornaday and Bodine. 5. Truck …

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Mirror Driving: Matt Crafton’s Penalty, Kyle & Kurt’s Big Problems & Johnson Playing Dumb?

Matt Crafton was penalized at Gateway Saturday and sent to the back of the longest line for two incidents where he made contact with the truck in front of him.

Happy Hour: Would the Chase Critics Just Shut Up & Go Away? No… We Won’t

When NASCAR finally took us at Frontstretch in, recognizing us as part of their esteemed “Citizen Journalist Media Corps,” I finally felt as though I had achieved something that I had been striving for since high school: acceptance. I was finally part of the “in” crowd, no longer a misfit. I couldn’t remember what it …

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Who’s Hot/Who’s Not in Sprint Cup: 2009 Chase Elimination Edition

Maybe Kyle Busch smashing that Sam Bass-crafted guitar earlier this year was bad luck after all. Saturday night’s Chevy Rock & Roll 400 at Richmond International Raceway proved to play a different tune than Busch’s preference, though the racing Gods left enough light at the end of the tunnel for the No. 18 team to …

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