Race Weekend Central

XFINITY Breakdown: Elliott Sadler is a Darlington Winner

Elliott Sadler put together his best race of the 2016 season on Saturday, winning the VFW Sport Clips Help a Hero 200 at Darlington Raceway. The victory is Sadler’s second of the season and first ever at Darlington. Although Sadler officially made the decisive pass for the lead following a late restart, he still had …

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Pace Laps: Sieg Looking for Chase Spot, Moffitt’s Big Win and Pagenaud’s Title Hopes

2016 Ncwts Brett Moffitt Woohoo Michigan Photo John Harrelson Nkp

(Photo: John Harrelson / NKP)

Sprint Cup Series: Youth Makes A Comeback – Much of the NASCAR season has been focused on when there will be a “changing of the guard.” 45-year-old Tony Stewart is retiring, 45-year-old Jeff Gordon has already done so but is filling in for fellow 40-something Dale Earnhardt, Jr. during his concussion recovery. That trio accounts for millions …

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XFINITY Breakdown: Michael McDowell Finally Masters Road America

2016 Pocono Ii Cup Michael Mcdowell John Harrelson Nkp

(Photo: John Harrelson / NKP)

Michael McDowell had been close to winning at Road America before, but he had always come away empty-handed.  On Saturday, McDowell got his first chance since 2013 to tackle the four-mile road course in Wisconsin.  This time, McDowell was the one in victory lane.  Driving for Richard Childress Racing, he put together a solid race, …

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Eyes on XFINITY: Who is the Favorite Among the Road Course Specialists?

Alex Tagliani in his truck at the Canadian Tire Motorsports Park (8/29/15) credit: Getty Images

(Photo credit: Getty Images)

NASCAR’s XFINITY Series will take on the winding, twisting, four-mile Road America course in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin this weekend.  That means that a cadre of racers who specialize in turning right and left will face off against the NXS regulars one last time in 2016. The practice of teams bringing in a road course specialist …

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Pace Laps: Hot Streaks, First-Time Winners and Unfinished Business

Sprint Cup: A Streak Ends on 22 for Kurt Busch: It was Sunday’s Bass Pro Shops NRA Night Race at Bristol Motor Speedway where a NASCAR record came to an end. That record, being owned by Kurt Busch, was the run of lead-lap finishes to start a Sprint Cup Series season. Coming into Bristol, Busch …

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Friday Faceoff: More NASCAR-IndyCar Crossovers in the Works?

2016 Bristol Motor Speedway Nscs Matt Kenseth Leads Pack Credit Nascar Via Getty Images

(Photo: NASCAR via Getty Images)

Last week, we talked about the addition of a road course to the Chase, and next week, the series heads to a 2-mile oval, of which there are two on the schedule for three races — but none in the Chase, and there’s only one short track race as well. What would an ideal Chase …

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Eyes on XFINITY: Ryan Sieg, Jeremy Clements, B.J. McLeod Hearken to Era of Independents

Ryan Sieg

(Photo: NASCAR via Getty Images)

“Names are made here.”  That is the tagline NASCAR has used when marketing the XFINITY Series for the past few years.  It is true that the XFINITY Series is the home (or former home) of some of NASCAR’s rising talents.  Most fans view the second-tier division through that lens.  They follow NXS racing to watch …

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Pace Laps: The Motorsports World Remembers Bryan Clauson

2016 Nxs Joey Logano Watkins Glen 2016 Photo Nascar Via Getty Images

(Photo: NASCAR via Getty Images)

Sprint Cup: Drivers Honor Bryan Clauson: Though this weekend has seen more fish caught than laps turned for the Sprint Cup Series – who wrapped up their final off-weekend of 2016 – a few drivers spent some special time at one of the premier dirt tracks in the United States. Just three days following the …

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Eyes on XFINITY: Childress’ Championship Hopes Hinge on Consistency

2016 Michigan I Cup Ty Dillon Racing John Harrelson Nkp

Before the 2014 season began, NASCAR instituted a new elimination-style Chase for the first time in the Sprint Cup Series.  While none of the competitors were quite sure about how to approach the new championship format, it seemed that the teams who had the most raw speed (and therefore stood the best chance at winning races) …

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XFINITY Breakdown: Joey Logano Delivers a Win for Team Penske

2016 Nxs Jj Yeley Reed Watkins Glen International Photo Nascar Getty Images

(Photo: NASCAR via Getty Images)

Joey Logano and Team Penske finally put everything together and claimed an XFINITY Series win in 2016.  Logano piloted the part-time No. 12 car to victory at Watkins Glen International, winning the Zippo 200 at The Glen.  He led 67 of 82 laps, claiming his first NXS victory since winning at Watkins Glen one year …

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Friday Faceoff: TMI from Dale Earnhardt, Jr.?

2016 Pocono Ii Cup Jeff Gordon Tony Stewart Racing Logan Whitton Nkp

(Photo: Logan Whitton/NKP)

Chris Buescher and Front Row Motorsports grabbed the checkers after a rain-shortened race at Pocono Raceway.  Is a win for an underdog driver and/or team good for the sport/Chase or not?  Amy Henderson, Senior Editor: Absolutely it’s good for the sport.  I think people like to pull for an underdog, and a winner like Chris Buescher …

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