Race Weekend Central

Happiness Is…Lawsuits, Consistency & Rumors

2016 Fontana Cup Jimmie Johnson Superman Nigel Kinrade Nkp

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade /NKP)

Another weekend, another wild finish, and another Jimmie Johnson win.  In some ways, the race and result brought a collective yawn.  Johnson racking up another win is about as surprising as the sun rising in the morning (at least that’s how it seems sometimes).  That Kevin Harvick ruled three-quarters of the race may have also …

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Happiness Is… Rookie Class Hype

Last Sunday, Jimmie Johnson matched the win total compiled by Dale Earnhardt, and now they sit tied at 76. Johnson accomplished this feat in almost five fewer seasons, which statistically points to just how good he really is.  That Johnson is just one championship behind Earnhardt says something – but with the ever-changing format of how a championship …

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Happiness Is… Atlanta, Handling & Musical Chairs

The Daytona 500 now sits in the rear view mirror.  Denny Hamlin added his name to the big trophy and enjoyed the spoils of the win.  While his story may be a feel good one for him and his team there is still something about the whole thing that felt a little flat.  It’s not …

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Happiness Is…Charters, Rookies & Green Flags

After Kyle Busch earned the 2015 Sprint Cup championship, the sport took a much needed break. The grind of the NASCAR season is one of the longest in sports, and the time away is good for the fans, drivers, crew people, media and anyone else associated with the traveling circus. For much of the offseason …

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Happiness Is… Jeff Gordon, Matt Kenseth and Finales

2015 Cwts Texas Erik Jones Burnout Beth Lunkenheimer

(Photo Credit: Beth Lunkenheimer, Frontstretch)

This weekend is the culmination of what sometimes feels like the endless NASCAR season. The Truck, Xfinity and Cup series all take their championship titles to Homestead undecided. The Truck and Xfinity series have done it the traditional way, with a season-long championship, and ones that have the second-place driver only about half a race …

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Happiness Is… Jimmie Johnson, Kyle Busch and Phoenix

2015 Darlington Cup Kyle Busch Clint Bowyer Cia

(Photo: CIA Stock Photo, Inc. ©2015)

We’re getting to the end of another long season in NASCAR, and it seems that one of the key ingredients is the question of rules and regulations. This ongoing mix of how the sport is policed continues to bring about elements of confusion – for fans, drivers and teams. The adjudication of driver penalties is …

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Happiness Is… Martinsville, Wonderboy & the Left Coast

Lewis Hamilton

(Photo: Getty Images)

This week in NASCAR has been a non-stop focus on the Matt Kenseth–Joey Logano happenings. What happened at Martinsville could be considered a fascinating case study in both driver etiquette and NASCAR management.   Let’s start with one of the big aspects of this whole brouhaha: the driver’s code. Apparently there is one, which means …

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Happiness Is… Paperclip, Scheduling, Surprises

2015 Martinsville I Cup Sam Hornish Jr Car Ii Credit Amy Henderson

(Photo Credit: Amy Henderson, Frontstretch)

The Chase has been a flawed concept from the get go. That’s not to say that some kind of encouraged late-season drama isn’t welcomed. (Whether it was really needed is still a point for debate.) Any sort of postseason that still has the regular season participants is at best a curious one and at worst …

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Happiness Is… Racing, America, and Business

Nascar Sprint Cup Series Hollywood Casino 400

(Photo: NASCAR via Getty Images)

It’s time to do the Talladega Tango once again. You know, that dance when a driver hangs around with a bunch of friends and then gets shuffled out of the order only to end up staring at everyone’s backsides. Or maybe it’s the dance when a driver tries to get close to someone they like …

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Happiness Is… New 2016 NASCAR Rules Package

The NASCAR Sprint Cup field races during the 2015 Bojangles' Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway

(Photo Credit: Yvonne Leonard, Frontstretch)

Editor’s Note: P. Huston Ladner is off this week. In his place steps our king of sarcastic wit, Matt McLaughlin, who puts a positive spin on some NASCAR news as of late. Happiness Is… A New 2016 NASCAR Rules Package: Looking across the desolate landscape of modern day stock car racing through the thick black …

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