Race Weekend Central

Fire on Fridays: Weighing Risk vs. Reward on NASCAR’s Return

2019 Darlington Mencs Racing Nkp

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

It was April 30 when NASCAR announced its plan to return to racing, beginning May 17 at Darlington Raceway. There’d be two Cup events at the Track Too Tough To Tame, followed by a couple more at Charlotte Motor Speedway with some Xfinity and Truck Series events intertwined. It’ll be 71 days, almost an entire normal …

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Justin Haley on Cheat Days, Daytona Stories & Getting Back to Racing

Nascar Xfinity Series

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

Justin Haley, driver of the No. 11 Chevrolet for Kaulig Racing in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, discusses in the below video how he’s been spending his time while quarantined, including some home improvement work, his strict diet that’s been ongoing for six years and how he gets his sweet tooth fix (as weird as it …

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Anthony Alfredo on iRacing, Driving for Legends and “Fast Pasta”

Nascar Xfinity Series

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

As the NASCAR world begins to ramp up preparations to return to real racing, drivers remain quarantined at home, including Richard Childress Racing’s Anthony Alfredo. The part-time driver of the No. 21 Chevrolet for RCR joins Davey Segal to discuss his recent Saturday Night Thunder victory at Dover International Speedway, which included an impromptu hat …

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With National Series Set to Return, ARCA Remains on the Sidelines

2020 Phoenix Arca Racing Nkp

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

With NASCAR’s national series set to return May 17 at Darlington Raceway after a lengthy hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic, optimism within the sport and the overarching sports landscape has transitioned to something that has been foreign for almost two months. Positivity. Although the 17th is a long way away and we know much …

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Fire on Fridays: Changing Things That Need Changing Isn’t a Bad Thing

2019 Daytona Clash Cup Track Overhead Nkp

(Photo: NKP)

As 2021 looms, so does the implementation of the Next Gen car, new wheels, a revamped schedule and possible new venues, among other things. For the most part, NASCAR fans have (surprisingly) been receptive to the changes that are on the way in what’ll be the biggest single year of change in the sport’s half-century-plus …

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Matt DiBenedetto Ties Career-Best Finish with Runner-Up at Las Vegas

2020 Las Vegas Ncs Matt Dibenedetto Car Nkp

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

Last time fan favorite Matt DiBenedetto finished second, there were tears and heartbreak. This time around, there were smiles. Lots of them. DiBenedetto earned his second career runner-up finish in the Pennzoil 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway Sunday (Feb. 23), staying out under the final caution to gain track position and thus capitalize. stayed …

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Jimmie Johnson Scores Top Five at Las Vegas: “I knew we were going to start the year strong”

Jimmie Johnson

(Photo: Davey Segal)

Coming off a 35th-place finish in the season-opening Daytona 500, seven-time champion Jimmie Johnson kicked off his “real” season in style, scoring a top five finish in the Pennzoil 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. “Strong day,” Johnson said. “Sadly with probably 15 to go or so I got in the outside wall off [Turn] …

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NASCAR Further Explains Safety Procedures in Ryan Newman Crash

Monster Energy Nascar Cup Series

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

Almost one week removed from the horrific crash that sent Ryan Newman to Halifax Medical Center, NASCAR addressed the safety procedures and gave a timeline of the events that took place at Daytona International Speedway. Executive Vice President and Chief Racing Development Officer Steve O’Donnell, along with John Bobo, NASCAR Vice President of Racing Operations, …

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Kevin Harvick Puts $50K Bounty on Kyle Busch in Truck Series

Kyle Busch, Joe Gibbs Racing, Toyota Camry M&m's Kevin Harvick, Stewart Haas Racing, Ford Fusion Busch Beer Monster Energy Nascar Cup Series

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

Kyle Busch won his seventh consecutive Gander RV & Outdoors Tuck Series event on Friday night at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, dating back to 2018. Busch won all five of his starts last season driving for his own team, Kyle Busch Motorsports, and will compete at Las Vegas (Feb. 21), Atlanta (March 14), Homestead (March …

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Sheldon Creed Scores Top 10 in Las Vegas: ‘Wins Are Coming’

Sheldon Creed Vegas

(Photo: Davey Segal)

The box score will show a 10th-place run for Sheldon Creed, but his performance in Friday’s Strat 200 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway demonstrated much more than that. Creed battled side-by-side with eventual winner Kyle Busch for laps upon laps, with the defending Cup Series champion ultimately besting Creed, who led eight laps, on the …

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Fire on Fridays: The Highest Highs, the Lowest Lows

Olympus Digital Camera

(Photo: Rick Lunkenheimer)

I’d never felt the palpable energy on Sunday afternoon leading up to the Daytona 500. I’d also never felt the gut punch and fright I felt Monday after the checkered flag flew. The 36 hours from when the 500 began to when it ended, including the events that preceded and followed, had some of the …

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