Race Weekend Central

Friday Faceoff: Is Pack Racing a Better Show Than Tandem Drafting?

2018 Joey Logano Talladega Cup

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

Ford has won every race at Talladega Superspeedway since fall 2015. Why do you think that is, and who is most likely to end their streak? Mark Kristl: I lack the engineering background, so my answer is this: Ford teams work extremely well together. They bring fast cars to the track, they draft together in practice, …

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The Underdog House: Half Mile Concrete Jungle

2019 Phoenix I Cup Matt Dibenedetto Nkp

(Photo: NKP)

Top of The Class Matt DiBenedetto and Leavine Family Racing have been quite the surprise thus far in 2019. In fact, this group had the kind of weekend at Bristol Motor Speedway that will have us revoking their underdog eligibility if it were to become a regular occurrence. Many fans were first introduced to DiBenedetto …

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The Underdog House: Shootout At The Underdog Corral

2019 Daytona I Cup Michael Mcdowell Nkp

Top of The Class Michael McDowell was easily the fastest dog in the west this week. His No. 34 Front Row Racing Ford was quick from the get go and backed it up on race day, starting and finishing in 15th. McDowell was once known primarily for the violent head-on collision and subsequent barrel roll …

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The Underdog House: Dogs with Chili, Slaw & a Top 20 Finish

Martinsville Cup 2019 Mike Neff Ty Dillon

Top of The Class Ty Dillon is back at the head of the underdog table this week. The number 13 turned out to be plenty lucky for Dillon, as his No. 13 Chevrolet finished in the 13th position in Sunday’s STP 500 at Martinsville Speedway on Sunday (March 24). For the Germain Racing driver, the …

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Friday Faceoff: Should There Be More Stringent Requirements to Race in Cup?

2019 Las Vegas I Cup Kurt Busch Nkp

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

After the debacle last Friday when no one posted a speed in the final round of qualifying, should NASCAR change the format? If so, how? Bryan Gable: I’ve been okay with group qualifying up until now, but what we saw on Friday is not acceptable. Single car qualifying would be an easy fix. Otherwise, introduce a …

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The Underdog House: Going Back To Cali

2019 Phoenix I Cup Chris Buescher Nkp

(Photo: NKP)

Top of The Class Chris Buescher reclaimed his spot as the top underdog yet again this week. Buescher’s 16th-place finish highlighted a rather uneventful Cup race for the have nots on Sunday (March 17) at Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, California. For JTG Daugherty Racing and Buescher, the race mirrored their performance in many of …

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Friday Faceoff: Did Daniel Suarez Overreact to Michael McDowell Last Week?

2019 Phoenix I Cup Chase Elliott Pack Racing Nkp

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

Based on what Michael McDowell did during qualifying last week, was Daniel Suarez‘s reaction warranted? Mark Kristl: Was it warranted? Probably not. In the heat of the moment though, I understood Suarez’s reaction. He qualified 28th. He wanted to gain some starting positions. He was frustrated and McDowell served as a scapegoat. Joy Tomlinson: I don’t …

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The Underdog House: Kicking Up A Little Dust

2019 Las Vegas I Cup Ty Dillon Tires Nkp

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

Top of The Class Ty Dillon finally unseats Chris Buescher as the top dog this week. Dillon bested the 2015 Xfinity champion by one spot, finishing 15th in the Ticket Guardian 500 at ISM Raceway. For Germain Racing and Dillon, the 2019 season has begun relatively well. Dillon has advanced to the second round of …

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Friday Faceoff: Is Group Qualifying the Best Option?

2019 Las Vegas I Cup Chris Buescher Ryan Preece Brad Keselowski Racing Nkp

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

With a few drivers blasting the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series qualifying format this weekend, what do you think would be the best qualifying method from a competition and fan entertainment standpoint? Wesley Coburn: I like group qualifying. Single-car qualifying stretches out millions of years, furthering the casual perception that NASCAR is boring. Group qualifying makes …

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The Underdog House: The Other Side of the Neon Garage

2019 Atlanta Cup Chris Buescher Racing Nkp

Top of The Class Once again, JTG Daugherty Racing’s Chris Buescher was the top underdog in Sunday’s Pennzoil 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. While he wasn’t able to secure a top-10 finish, he did bring the No. 37 Chevrolet across the stripe in 18th place. There were plenty of unknowns going into the race …

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The Underdog House: Marching On Atlanta

2019 Atlanta Cup Chris Buescher Racing Nkp

Top of The Class For the second time in 2019, JTG Daugherty Racing put a driver in the top 10 at the end of the weekend’s Cup event. This time, it was Chris Buescher carrying the torch for the organization at Atlanta Motor Speedway, as he brought the No. 37 Chevrolet across the stripe in …

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Tracking The Trucks: 2019 Ultimate Tailgating 200

2019 Atlanta Trucks Zach Catanzareti Kyle Busch

Atlanta Motor Speedway, February 2019. (Photo: Zach Catanzareti)

In a Nutshell: Kyle Busch reigned as the weather rained, as both seemed to be the only thing capable of ending the NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series race at Atlanta. The weather was likely inconsequential, as Busch had the dominant truck all race long and picked up his fifth win at the 1.5 mile track in …

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