Race Weekend Central

Friday Faceoff: Is There Such a Thing As Home Track Advantage?

Clint Bowyer sits in the garage area at Kentucky Speedway in 2018. (Photo: NKP)

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

1. Stewart-Haas Racing has put all four of its cars in Victory Lane this season in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series. Prior to this year, what was the best overall season by a multi-car team? How does that team compare to the 2018 stats put up by SHR?  Michael Massie:  Even with SHR’s dominance, …

Read more

2-Headed Monster: Is It Bad So Many Drivers Are Leaving NASCAR?

2018 Darlington Cup Zach Catanzareti Kyle Larson

(Photo: Zach Catanzareti)

Gone are the days when NASCAR drivers would race until they couldn’t find a ride anymore. From Tony Stewart to Kasey Kahne, more and more drivers are calling it quits at a younger age to race elsewhere. The trend leads to this week’s question: Is it bad for NASCAR that so many drivers are leaving? …

Read more

The Frontstretch 5: Really Bad Racing Calls

Bahrain Grand Prix Practice

1. Well, yeah, we messed up, but, just deal, OK? Former journeyman driver Brett Bodine is the current lead pace car driver for NASCAR. Ironic, considering his only Cup Series victory came about because of a pace car miscue. In a race at North Wilkesboro in 1990, Bodine had led 63 laps at one point …

Read more

Friday Faceoff: Past Lucky Winners

2018 Cup Charlotte Roval Zach Catanzareti Ryan Blaney

(Photo: Zach Catanzareti)

1. This week, NASCAR announced a new rules package for 2019. What do you expect from it as a whole and do you feel like it was a step forward or backward? Amy Henderson: I’m 100% willing to save judgment until we actually see how this package performs on track under race conditions. If the …

Read more

2-Headed Monster: Ryan Preece or Daniel Hemric, Who Will Have The Better Career?

Nascar Xfinity Series

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade / NKP)

We’ve got our rookie class for the 2019 season. It was announced last Friday (Sept. 28) that Ryan Preece and Daniel Hemric will both move up to the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series and compete against each other for Rookie of the Year. More rookies could be added to the list later, but the focus …

Read more

Underdog House: Charlotte ROVAL Put Small Teams in NASCAR Spotlight

2017 Kansas Ii Cup Aj Allmendinger Matthew T Thacker Nkp

(Photo: Matthew T. Thacker / NKP)

Think Small Road courses present a unique opportunity for underdog teams. Much in the same way as restrictor plate races, they are an equalizer in terms of minimizing the performance gap between the haves and the have nots. The absence of the cars’ dependance on aero also contributes to the parity. The previous two road …

Read more

Brad Keselowski Ignites Turn 1 Melee Late At Charlotte

2018 Cup Charlotte Roval Zach Catanzareti Brad Keselowski

(Photo: Zach Catanzareti)

There was a sense of dread coming into the event at the Charlotte Motor Speedway ROVAL that the race could result in a big crash. For the most of the race, it looked like the competitors of the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series would put those fears to rest. But they just couldn’t quite make …

Read more

2-Headed Monster: Should The Cup Series Return To Rockingham Speedway?

2012 Nascar Camping World Truck Series Rockingham

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

News broke on Aug. 30 that Rockingham Propertires LLC had purchased Rockingham Speedway, formerly known as North Carolina Motor Speedway. The new owner said the intent is to have racing once again on the legendary track that hosted the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series from 1965 to 2004. This leads to this week’s question: as …

Read more

2-Headed Monster: Are Too Many Drivers In The Playoffs?

2018 Cup Dover Zach Catanzareti Jimmie Johnson Chad Knaus

(Photo: Zach Catanzareti)

Through the many incarnations of the NASCAR postseason, the playoff field has gradually grown from 10 drivers to 16. Is 16 too many, or is it fine the way it is? Champions Should Be Good, Not Good Enough For most of the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series teams, the initial goal each year is to …

Read more

2-Headed Monster: Should Teams Get More Racing Revenue Or Adapt?

2018 Auto Club Cup Martin Truex Jr., Furniture Row Racing, Toyota Camry Bass Pro Shops/5 Hour Energy

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

After the announcement that Furniture Row Racing is shutting down one season after winning the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series title with Martin Truex Jr, it has become increasingly clear that large changes need to happen in NASCAR. Otherwise, more and more of the top teams will continue to fold. The solution boils down to …

Read more

2-Headed Monster: Will Justin Allgaier Go Back to the Cup Series?

#7: Justin Allgaier, Jr Motorsports, Chevrolet Camaro Brandt Professional Agriculture Nascar Xfinity Series

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

Justin Allgaier is having a career year in the NASCAR XFINITY Series, having won four races while leading the point standings with three races left in the regular season. Allgaier is clearly one of the best drivers in NXS, which leads to this week’s question: Should Allgaier move back up to the Monster Energy NASCAR …

Read more

Tracking The Trucks: Justin Haley Triumphs As KBM Teammates Crash

2018 Trucks Martinsville Zach Catanzareti Todd Gilliland

(Photo: Zach Catanzareti)

In a Nutshell: Team owners who have multiple drivers have one concern above all others when it comes to competition among teammates: don’t wreck each other. Well, at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park on Sunday, Kyle Busch may have missed an opportunity to remind his drivers, Noah Gragson and Todd Gilliland, about such a rule. The …

Read more