Race Weekend Central

The Frontstretch 5: Drivers Who Could Be the Next 1st-Time Winner

Tyler Reddick at Las Vegas Motor Speedway for the 2021 Pennzoil 400 Photo: NKP

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

1. Tyler Reddick Probably the only thing standing between Reddick and victory this year is equipment. Richard Childress Racing is just a tick behind the top big teams, and that tick means that Reddick will have to work that much harder for his win. But that will only make it sweeter. After his charging runner-up …

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Frontstretch 5: Best Non-Finale Races at Homestead-Miami Speedway

2021 Xfinity Homestead Myatt Snider, No. 2 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet, Burnout (Credit: NKP)

Credit: NKP

We all remember when Homestead-Miami Speedway hosted NASCAR’s finale weekend from 2002-19. Many fantastic championship battles were fought, which included many joys and many heartbreaks to go along with them. The speedway, though, lost its finale weekend to Phoenix Raceway in 2020, signifying the end of a historic tradition. But the speedway hosted races that …

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Frontstretch 5: Reasons Why Daytona’s Road Course is NASCAR’s Best Accidental Gem

Nascar Cup Series

#37: Ryan Preece, JTG Daugherty Racing, Chevrolet Camaro Kroger/Coca-Cola and #1: Kurt Busch, Chip Ganassi Racing, Chevrolet Camaro Monster Energy

Throughout NASCAR’s history, many racetracks have come and gone. Some have stood the test of time, while others faded away into obscurity after short usage. Coming upon this decade, NASCAR was on a fixed pattern with the racetracks they had at hand. It seemed like no new tracks would get to make their arrival anytime …

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Frontstretch 5: Biggest Takeaways from Daytona Speedweeks 2021

Nascar Cup Series

#12: Ryan Blaney, Team Penske, Ford Mustang Menards/Blue DEF/PEAK #43: Erik Jones, Richard Petty Motorsports, Chevrolet Camaro Armor All #36: David Ragan, Front Row Motorsports, Ford Mustang

This year’s Daytona Speedweek provided many reasons, both good and bad, to be remembered by. New faces in new places, along with an entertaining combination of big wrecks, hurt feelings and thrilling dashes to the finish. It was all topped off by Michael McDowell’s unbelievable first career NASCAR Cup Series win after 358 prior tries. …

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The Frontstretch 5: Best NASCAR Cup Seasons By Drivers Who Didn’t Win Championship

2008 Nascar Sprint Cup Series Texas

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

1. 1985 Bill Elliott won plenty of races and money and even earned a couple really cool nicknames in 1985. But the big prize eluded the red-headed Georgia leadfoot that year. Elliott came into 1985 having won a total of four NASCAR Cup Series races during the previous two seasons, but proved to be almost …

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The Frontstretch 5: Reasons to Start Races at 1 P.M. Every Sunday

Clint Bowyer

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

1. Sunday Evening (Oct. 25, 2020) Only in 2020 would we have a massive rain delay for only a 6% chance.#NASCAR — Chris Knight (@Knighter01) October 25, 2020 NEWS: Today's race has been postponed due to inclement weather at @TXMotorSpeedway. The #AutotraderEchoPark500 will resume Monday, October 26 at 10 AM ET/7 AM PT on NBCSN. pic.twitter.com/mLhwQRosdA — …

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The Frontstretch 5: Active Texas Records That (Probably, Maybe) Won’t Fall This Weekend

2015 Texas I Cup Jimmie Johnson Six Guns Credit Nascar Via Getty Images

(Photo: NASCAR via Getty Images)

As the NASCAR Cup Series heads to Texas Motor Speedway for the second time in 2020, there are some numbers to consider. There are plenty of stats that are important to consider for each and every race, and also some that stand out. Here are a few (one a dubious honor) Texas records for active …

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The Frontstretch 5: Drivers Who Should Race Full Time in ARCA

Arca Menards Series

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

The ARCA Menards Series ends its season this Friday night (Oct. 16) at Kansas Speedway with the Speediatrics 150, concluding the series’ first season under NASCAR ownership. Only four drivers competed in every race this year: Hailie Deegan, Drew Dollar, Bret Holmes and Michael Self. As this ARCA season ends, drivers and teams will begin preparing …

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The Frontstretch 5: (Other) Rules NASCAR Should Revisit

2020 Indianapolis Cup Denny Hamlin car, pagoda in background, NKP

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

The double yellow line rule has been hogging the spotlight this week (thanks, Talladega Superspeedway), but it’s not the only page in the rulebook that NASCAR should take a new look at in the offseason. Here are a few others that could stand a tweak or three. 1. Playoff Inspection There’s more on the line …

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The Frontstretch 5: NASCAR Xfinity Drivers Who Could Move to Cup in 2021

Nascar Xfinity Series

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

We are in the midst of that time of year again: silly season. While many moves have been made between NASCAR Cup Series drivers, there is always the underlying presence of Xfinity Series drivers making the big leap. The 2020 season saw four successful drivers from NASCAR’s lower divisions, specifically the Xfinity Series, move up: …

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The Frontstretch 5: Big 2020 NASCAR Silly Season Dominoes Yet to Fall

Nascar Cup Series

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

The dominoes began falling in Silly Season 2020 early this year, and they certainly picked up steam this week, with the announcement that Bubba Wallace will join new team owners Michael Jordan and Denny Hamlin in a new Toyota NASCAR Cup Series effort for 2021.  With that comes the announcement that Germain Racing will close …

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The Frontstretch 5: Non-Playoff Drivers Most Likely to Play the Spoiler

Monster Energy Nascar Cup Series

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

With the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs underway, the rest of the field often gets overlooked.  Actually, that’s putting it mildly; they’re generally soundly ignored as the drivers in title contention battle it out each week. But there are drivers outside the playoffs with plenty to prove, and they’d love nothing more than to waltz in …

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