Race Weekend Central

Fire on Fridays: Is Ownership the Future for Brad Keselowski, NASCAR’s No. 1 Free Agent?

Brad Keselowski celebrates with United States of America flag after winning 2021 talladega spring cup race Photo NKP

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

By winning at Talladega Superspeedway on April 25, Brad Keselowski might’ve moved into a tie for the second most wins at the track. But he also solidified his spot as the No. 1 free agent for the upcoming silly season. With 35 career wins, the 2012 NASCAR Cup Series champion is a lock for the …

Read more

Fire on Fridays: No Need to Change Rule for Declaring Series Points Eligibility in NASCAR

Brett Moffitt car at Daytona Xfinity Photo Nigel Kinrade Photography

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

On Thursday (April 22), Brett Moffitt became the second major driver to switch his points eligibility in the season. Moffitt switched his points eligibility from the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series to the Xfinity Series. Because he has competed in all the Xfinity races thus far, he is playoff eligible. However, he starts with zero …

Read more

Fire on Fridays: Inability to Secure Nashville Fairgrounds Points to No New Short Tracks … Again

Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway racetrack NASCAR

(Photo: Christian Koelle)

When a Nashville Fair Board commissioner said during a meeting this week that “there’s not going to be a NASCAR race at the [Nashville Fairgrounds] Speedway in 2022,” it essentially confirmed that the NASCAR Cup Series will not add a new short track to its schedule for the 52nd consecutive season. I realized I’m pounding …

Read more

Fire on Fridays: Let Carl Edwards Retire in Peace

2016 Chicago Cup Carl Edwards Nigel Kinrade Nkp

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade/NKP)

In music journalism, there’s a subset of news that’s not terribly common but ever present nonetheless. It usually surrounds a veteran artist or band who hasn’t done x thing in a while — release an album, reunite with the old band, get back on speaking terms with a former collaborator, etc. System of a Down …

Read more

Fire on Fridays: It’s Time for Another ‘1st Time in 51 Years’

Nascar Cup Series

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

Last weekend at Bristol Motor Speedway, the NASCAR Cup Series did something it had not done since 1970 when it raced on a dirt surface. Now it’s time for the top national touring series to do something else for the first time in 51 years: add a short track to the schedule. Yes, that’s right. …

Read more

Fire on Fridays: Here’s Which Cup Regular Is Going to Win the Bristol Truck Race

Kyle Larson wearing a mask at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Photo: NKP

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

This weekend’s 44-truck entry list for the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series’ inaugural race on the Bristol Motor Speedway dirt track is a little over 15% NASCAR Cup Series driver, with seven competitors who run full time in Cup dropping down to run the Truck race the night before. Bristol comes a week after a …

Read more

Fire on Fridays: Despite the Hype, NASCAR Is Going to Atlanta This Weekend, Not Bristol

2019 Atlanta Cup Ricky Stenhouse Jr Pack Racing Nkp

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

Did you know that NASCAR is having a dirt race at Bristol Motor Speedway? If you’ve paid attention to any form of NASCAR media this whole week (and really longer than that), you’ve been beaten over the head by that news. Every day, there’s new news about that race weekend, whether it’s about the conditions …

Read more

Fire on Fridays: A (Camping) World of Difference

Raphael Lessard races with another truck adorned with Camping World colors in 2021 Las Vegas spring race Photo NKP

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

Chances are last weekend’s NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race from Las Vegas Motor Speedway was a struggle for about a fourth of the spotters guiding drivers around the track, but the final product was better for it. For Las Vegas, Camping World CEO Marcus Lemonis offered $15,000 to any team that ran a Camping …

Read more

Fire on Fridays: 7 NASCAR Cup Drivers Who Have to Win in 2021

Kyle Larson talks with Matt DiBenedetto 2021 Daytona 500 Photo NKP

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

Entering August 2020, if you’d asked me which drivers were on the hot seat and might lose their ride if they didn’t produce soon, William Byron would’ve been near the top of my list. Sure, Byron signed an extension with Hendrick Motorsports that month, but contracts aren’t always fulfilled in sports. Plus, Rick Hendrick doesn’t …

Read more

Fire on Fridays: How I Learned to Stop Worrying & Love Bristol on Dirt

2020 Bristol Ii Track Cup Nkp

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

Last fall marked the announcement of the NASCAR Cup Series’ 2021 return to dirt in after many, many decades away. And I didn’t know how to feel. Which was weird. By all accounts, it should have felt like a homerun. NASCAR’s seven-season foray into dirt in the Camping World Truck Series at Eldora Speedway seemed …

Read more

Fire on Fridays: FOX & NBC, Get Your Heads Out of Your…

2020 Daytona Ncs Air Titans Rain Nkp

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

What FOX has labeled as NASCAR’s “Best Season Ever” started out with a record low — ratings, that is. And while there are many factors as to why, no one should shoulder more blame than the television partners, FOX and NBC. Sports Business Journal reported Feb. 17 that the Daytona 500 on FOX only had …

Read more

Fire on Fridays: Folks, We’ve Got Some Debuts On Our Hands

#98: Chase Briscoe, Stewart Haas Racing, Ford Mustang Highpoint.com

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

There’s a lot to look forward to with the upcoming NASCAR season, and it’s not just because of all the new tracks. OK, granted, that’s a significant part of it. NASCAR Cup, Xfinity and Camping World Truck series drivers at Circuit of the Americas and Nashville Superspeedway? A downright silly amount of road courses across …

Read more