Race Weekend Central

Holding A Pretty Wheel: Let’s Reschedule NASCAR’s Focus

NASCAR at Atlanta Motor Speeday

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

All eyes are on Sin City this weekend as NASCAR debuts the full version of the 2019 intermediate rules package (aero ducts weren’t in use at Atlanta) at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. NASCAR has a lot riding on the next couple of seasons as it moves toward the end of the current television deal. If …

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Holding a Pretty Wheel: NASCAR’s Aging Ownership — & a Possible Silver Lining

2016 Cup Homestead Miami Speedway Joe Gibbs Roger Penske Zach Catanzareti

(Photo: Zach Catanzareti)

Fans have been feeling their ages lately as a slew of drivers, ones who defined a generation of racing, have stepped aside in recent years. You know the names by now: Jeff Gordon, Tony Stewart, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Carl Edwards, Kasey Kahne…all popular multi-race winners and title contenders.  Some will be enshrined in the Hall …

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Holding a Pretty Wheel: Things Just Got Silly

2017 Chicago Cup Kurt Busch Helmet Barry Cantrell Nkp

(Photo: Barry Cantrell/NKP)

You can say that NASCAR isn’t exciting these days, but this year, that certainly doesn’t include Silly Season.  Both rumors and moves started early and have become hot and heavy over the last few weeks. Drivers moving on so far this year include Jamie McMurray, Kurt Busch, Ryan Newman, Trevor Bayne, Martin Truex Jr. (No. …

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Holding a Pretty Wheel: For Just a Minute, NASCAR Gives Back All That’s Lost

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(Photo: Amy Henderson)

Seventy years into the game, NASCAR teams will use this weekend at Darlington Raceway to celebrate the sport’s long and colorful history with throwback paint schemes and uniforms. It’s appropriate that the nod to the past comes at Darlington, the sport’s oldest superspeedway at its oldest continuously run race (if you’re willing to count the …

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Holding A Pretty Wheel: Inspecting the Process

Monster Energy Nascar Cup Series

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

To the rear, inspection. These words have become all too familiar over the last couple of seasons as NASCAR has cracked down on weekend inspection failures. Frankly, it’s not a great look for the sport, as some weeks multiple teams pile up the failures, giving outsiders the impression that nefarious things are afoot. And it …

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Holding a Pretty Wheel: Why the Number of Winners Matters

Monster Energy Nascar Cup Series

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

The end of Saturday night’s Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race at Daytona International Speedway marks the halfway point in the 2018 season.  After 17 races of the 36-race schedule, we’ve seen just six different winners, the fewest in four decades.  Kevin Harvick and Kyle Busch have 10 of those wins between them, with five …

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Holding a Pretty Wheel: Is a Summer Storm Coming to NASCAR?

Monster Energy Nascar Cup Series

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade / NKP)

Long, hot days give way to sultry nights, tracks are hot and slick and expectations and frustrations mount.  It’s summer in NASCAR, and with 12 races to go in the sport’s regular season, there’s a rivalry brewing right along with the summer storms. Or is there? 2018 to date has largely been the Kevin Harvick …

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Holding a Pretty Wheel: An Open Letter to Whomever Ends Up Owning NASCAR

Monster Energy Nascar Cup Series

(Photo: Logan Whitton / NKP)

To NASCAR’s future purchaser: Congratulations on your acquisition.  You have an exciting time in store for you, and I wish you the best of luck in your new endeavor. Your position is somewhat unenviable; our sport has come to a crossroads in recent years.  It’s grown exponentially, changed immensely and fallen on hard times.  But …

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Holding a Pretty Wheel: NASCAR All-Star Format Falls Flat

2015 Charlotte All Star Pack Racing Ii Credit Nascar Vis Getty Images

(Photo: NASCAR via Getty Images)

So, this All-Star Race. NASCAR released the format for its All-Star event next month, and well, color me a bit underwhelmed. Two things went down: a change to the rules package for the cars and another to the format of the race itself. Let’s talk about the cars first.  NASCAR is adding a significantly taller …

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Holding A Pretty Wheel: NASCAR’s Vicious Money Cycle

Monster Energy Nascar Cup Series 2018 Nascar Media Tour Charlotte Convention Center, Charlotte, Nc Usa Tuesday 23 January 2018 Jimmie Johnson World Copyright: Matthew T. Thacker Nkp

(Photo: Matthew T. Thacker/NKP)

There was a time when a NASCAR driver was practically synonymous with his sponsor — that blue STP car was so recognizable as Richard Petty’s ride that “Petty Blue” is a color in every fan’s frame of reference. Though Dale Earnhardt drove the Wrangler ride for several years, one look at that black GM Goodwrench …

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Holding A Pretty Wheel: The Myth of Winning Too Much

2017 Kansas Ii Cup Kyle Busch Jimmie Johnson John K Harrelson Nkp

(Photo: John K. Harrelson/NKP)

“I like Martin Truex Jr. and all, but I hope he doesn’t dominate like he did last year.  He won too much; it was boring.” This topic came up in a conversation during the offseason, where the racing talk turns to deeper discussion debating the finer points of the sport. As a philosophy, “winning too …

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