Race Weekend Central

Podcast: Brandon Brown on His Emotional Talladega Win & How Close Brandonbilt Was to Closing

Brandon Brown joins Davey Segal on the Frontstretch Podcast to discuss his first NASCAR Xfinity Win

Graphic: Jared Haas

His tears of joy said it all, but Brandon Brown joins Davey Segal this week as the first repeat guest on the podcast this season to revel further in his first career NASCAR Xfinity Series victory at Talladega Superspeedway. He explains why the win was so emotional given his and his father’s journey to this …

Read more

Truckin’ Thursdays: No One Safe Heading to Martinsville

2021 Talladega Trucks Matt Crafton Wrecked Truck Nkp

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

After Tate Fogleman’s victory Saturday (Oct. 2) at Talladega Superspeedway, the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series heads to Martinsville Speedway on the verge of its first playoff round with three non-postseason-eligible winners. Christian Eckes‘ triumph at Las Vegas Motor Speedway kicked off the Round of 8, leaving only Martinsville on Oct. 30 to decide the Championship …

Read more

2-Headed Monster: Should Every NASCAR Playoff Track Have Lights?

NASCAR lights at Martinsville

(Photo: Zach Catanzareti, Frontstretch)

Lights at a NASCAR track can sometimes be overlooked. But if you check Twitter, fans are often curious which tracks have them (Hi, Bob!). The course of a race weekend can change drastically based on whether a track has lights. Over the last decade or so, several tracks have added lights but there are still …

Read more

NASCAR Mailbox: When Should a Playoff Race Be Deemed Official?

NASCAR Talladega

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

Should the rules for a race being deemed “official” change for the playoffs? – Justice W., Mobile, Alabama A fair and intriguing question, and especially topical. On paper, the playoffs should never cut corners. Whether it’s ending a stage under caution to ending races early like we saw on Monday (Oct. 4), neither scenario is …

Read more

Couch Potato Tuesday: Schumacher Provides Context but Not Necessarily the Content You Want

F1 Gp Monza

Tifosi Ferrari Fans Monza Formula 1 GP Monza. Foto Imago/Insidefoto

Last weekend was an exciting weekend of action at Talladega Superspeedway. I know. I was there. An astute viewer may have even seen me at the Infield Care Center in the rain Monday (Oct. 4), trying to get quotes from William Byron, Matt DiBenedetto and Ryan Preece. There is plenty to write about in regards …

Read more

Frontstretch 5: NASCAR’s Most Recent Maiden Driver-Team Victories

2014 Nscs Aj Allmendinger Victory Lane Nkp

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

With Bubba Wallace‘s first career victory at Talladega Superspeedway on Monday (Oct. 4), it was the first time a Black driver had visited a NASCAR Cup Series victory lane in nearly 60 years and the first triumph for 23XI Racing in its debut season. The win is also the first time a driver and team …

Read more

F1 Midweek: Tires & the Turkish Grand Prix; Underwhelming Aston Martin

Lance Stroll Feature

(Photo: Aston Martin Media)

With Formula 1 returning to action this weekend after a rest weekend, there are a number of topics to consider as the teams turn laps in Turkey. The main focus for the weekend will no doubt center on the driver’s championship and the close race between Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen (246.5 points – 244.5). …

Read more

Dropping the Hammer: More Reasons Why Bubba Wallace’s Talladega Win Is a Big Deal

Bubba Wallace at Talladega

(Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images)

Where do you even begin? Let’s start with 4:27 p.m. ET on Monday, Oct. 4. With rain coming down and more to come, NASCAR declared the YellaWood 500 at Talladega Superspeedway over, three laps from the conclusion of stage 2. In that moment, while sitting on 23XI Racing’s pit box, Bubba Wallace became the 198th …

Read more

Did You Notice?: NASCAR Fans Claiming a Race Was Fixed for Bubba Wallace?

2021 Talladega Ii Cup Bubba Wallace Denny Hamlin Chris Graythen Getty

(Photo: NASCAR Media via Chris Graythen of Getty Images)

Did You Notice? … The reactions in the wake of Bubba Wallace‘s first ever NASCAR Cup Series win at Talladega Superspeedway? It’s the first time since December 1963 a Black driver has visited victory lane, 10 months into Wallace’s first season running with the most famous minority owner in NASCAR history, Michael Jordan. That’s a landmark …

Read more

The Big 6: Questions Answered After the 2021 Yellawood 500

Bubba Wallace celebrates his NASCAR Cup Series win in the Yellawood 500 at Talladega, October, 2021. Photo: NKP

(Photo: Chris Graythen/Getty Images)

Who…should you be talking about after the race? Say all you want about rain-shortened races, but here’s what went down in ‘Dega: teams knew the rain was imminent, and there were racing like it was the closing laps, because at a track without lights that takes hours to dry and autumn shortening the days dramatically, …

Read more

Thinkin’ Out Loud: 2021 YellaWood 500 at Talladega Superspeedway

Bubba Wallace lead a pack cars in the 2021 Yellawood 500 at Talladega Superspeedway. Photo: NKP

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

What happened? Bubba Wallace won the weather-shortened YellaWood 500 at Talladega Superspeedway on Monday (Oct. 4) after rain halted the race, 117 laps into the 188-lap event. Brad Keselowski, Joey Logano, Kurt Busch and Christopher Bell rounded out the top five finishers. FIRST WIN for @BubbaWallace! Taking that hardware home from @Talladega! #NASCAR pic.twitter.com/VbefdK4h5X — …

Read more