Race Weekend Central

Friday Faceoff: Can NASCAR Sustain Southern 500 Success?

Kurt Busch goes for a spin during the 2015 Bojangles' Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway

(Photo: CIA Stock Photo, Inc. ©2015)

The Bojangles’ Southern 500 was by most counts a success with the new aero package and tires matched to it; ratings were the best for a Labor Day weekend show since 2007. Can NASCAR sustain the success of the Southern 500 and in general, and what could be done differently? Summer Bedgood, Senior Editor: I …

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Pace Laps: Southern 500 Success, Denny Hamlin’s Dominance and the Busy NHRA Weekend

2015 Darlington Cup Carl Edwards Celebrates Cia

Photo Credit: CIA Stock Photography

Cup Series: Darlington Lives Up to the Hype – All of the hype leading up to Sunday night’s Southern 500 put NASCAR in a win or lose situation. With so much excitement brewing for the throwback weekend theme, the action on the track, desperately needed to entertain, and entertain it did. Leading up to the race …

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2015 Frontstretch Cup: Staff Predictions for the 2015 Southern 500

Fans fill the stands at Darlington Raceway for the 2013 Southern 500

(Photo: CIA Stock Photo, Inc. ©2013)­­

Welcome to our eighth year of staff predictions! Each week, our experts attempt to tell you who the winner of each Cup race will be. Take a look to see who your favorite writers think will win it all (or at least score some points) this week! Think you can out-prognosticate our staff? Leave your …

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Friday Faceoff: Panic Time for Jeff Gordon?

2015 Bristol Ii Cup Jeff Gordon Car Cia

(Photo: CIA Stock Photo, Inc. ©2015)

The summer stretch is coming to a close and Jeff Gordon still hasn’t won a race. Is it time for the No. 24 team to click the panic button? Aaron Bearden, Assistant Editor: No, the No. 24 team shouldn’t hit the panic button just yet. Despite its struggles, the team is sitting in position to make the Chase …

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Open-Wheel Wednesday: The “Surprise” Champion, Stellar Seasons and More

Scott Dixon celebrates his race win and championship title at Sonoma

(Photo credit: INDYCAR)

Huston Ladner: So where does anyone want to begin? Matt Stallknecht: Man… where to even start. Toni Montgomery: Am I the only one who made the mistake of pretty much forgetting all about Scott Dixon? Matt: I completely forgot about him. Toni: And then wondering where the hell he came from. Huston: I doubt it. Matt: I figured …

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Pace Laps: Heartbreaking Losses and Replacement Drivers

Juan Pablo Montoya on track at Sonoma (credit: IndyCar)

(Photo: IndyCar)

IndyCar: Montoya Critical of Himself, INDYCAR Following Championship Loss – 1.179 seconds. That’s all that separated Juan Pablo Montoya from a Verizon IndyCar Series championship. Montoya, who led the points from the season-opening Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg in March, lost the championship in a tiebreaker to four-time champion Scott Dixon following a sixth-place finish …

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Friday Faceoff: Was Bristol a Good Race Despite Lack of Wrecks?

2015 Bristol Ii Cup Jeff Gordon Jamie Mcmurray Racing Cia

Photo Credit: CIA Stock Photography

The Bristol night race featured lots of racing, but not as much of the beating and banging that some fans expect at short tracks. Is that kind of racing necessary for a “great” short-track race, or can such a race without too many bent fenders and crumpled doors still satisfy? Amy Henderson, Senior Editor: It …

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2015 Frontstretch Cup: Staff Predictions for the Irwin Tools Night Race at Bristol

Food City 500

(Photo: NASCAR via Getty Images)

Welcome to our eighth year of staff predictions! Each week, our experts attempt to tell you who the winner of each Cup race will be. Take a look to see who your favorite writers think will win it all (or at least score some points) this week! Think you can out-prognosticate our staff? Leave your …

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Pace Laps: Using the Bumper & Short Track Excursions

Lyle larson leads a pack of cars during the Pure Michigan 400 at Michigan International Speedway

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

Sprint Cup Series: What A Drag – Michigan’s high-drag package was dragged down by poor reviews from the start. Drivers complained openly leading into the weekend that passing was problematic; loose conditions getting behind another driver bogged them down aerodynamically and left everyone running in place. Still, NASCAR thought the many grooves of Michigan International …

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2015 Frontstretch Cup: Staff Predictions for the Pure Michigan 400

Travis Kvapil during a NASCAR practice at Michigan International Speedway

(Photo: CIA Stock Photo, Inc. ©2015)­

Welcome to our eighth year of staff predictions! Each week, our experts attempt to tell you who the winner of each Cup race will be. Take a look to see who your favorite writers think will win it all (or at least score some points) this week! Think you can out-prognosticate our staff? Leave your …

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Pace Laps: Missing Expectations, Flying Fists, and Surprise Contenders

2015 Watkins Glen Cup Jeff Gordon Car Cia

Photo Credit: CIA Stock Photography

Sprint Cup Series: Oh, What Might Have Been… Watkins Glen is sold every year as the last regular season “wild card” race, the last place an underdog can work his way into the Chase under the right circumstances. There were high hopes entering the weekend for defending winner AJ Allmendinger, Tony Stewart, Jeff Gordon and …

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2015 Frontstretch Cup: Staff Predictions for the Cheez-It 355 at the Glen

Jeff Gordon leads a pack of cars in the 2014 Cheez-It 355 at the Glen at Watkins Glen, NY

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

Welcome to our eighth year of staff predictions! Each week, our experts attempt to tell you who the winner of each Cup race will be. Take a look to see who your favorite writers think will win it all (or at least score some points) this week! Think you can out-prognosticate our staff? Leave your …

Read more