Race Weekend Central

Friday Faceoff: Should the Chase Get a Road Course?

2015 Watkins Glen Cup Watkins Glen Nascar Via Getty Images

(Photo: NASCAR via Getty Images)

1. Watkins Glen International sold out for a second-straight year. Does that prove that good racing will bring fans out to the track, or is this a unique circumstance? Mark Howell, Senior Writer: These two factors are directly connected; Watkins Glen is inherently good racing. Being from that part of the country, I can say that …

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Who’s Hot and Who’s Not: NASCAR’s Right-Turn, Left-Turn Edition

2016 Loudon I Cup Tony Stewart Nigelkinrade Nkp

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade/NKP)

There was a time when the two road races on the NASCAR Sprint Cup schedule were like sideshows, separate from the main event and not exactly fan favorites.  Drivers who had limited road course experience simply struggled to survive. But after the last few seasons of weaker competition on ovals, better driver preparation and a …

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Who’s Hot and Who’s Not in NASCAR: Foggy Mountain Edition

2016 Pocono Ii Cup Jeff Gordon Tony Stewart Racing Logan Whitton Nkp

(Photo: Logan Whitton/NKP)

Supposedly it’s the middle of summer, but if you were fortunate enough to spend a lot of time at Pocono Raceway on Sunday and then again on Monday, it would have been easy to think that summer days and summer nights were gone. Monday turned into one of those “if you don’t like the weather, …

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Who’s Hot & Who’s Not in NASCAR: Pocono Edition

2016 Indianapolis Cup Kyle Busch Burnout Matthew T Thacker Nkp

(Photo: Matthew T. Thacker/NKP)

We know it was hot Sunday at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, with in-car temperatures regularly between 110 and 115, and track temperatures in the 130-degree range. But the temperature wasn’t the only indicator of who was hot, or not, at the famed 2.5-mile oval. HOT No matter what the temperature was, no driver was as hot …

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Who’s Hot & Who’s Not in NASCAR: Indianapolis Edition

2016 Loudon I Cup Matt Kenseth Burnout Nigel Kinrade Nkp

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade/NKP)

A big part of what happened at New Hampshire during the Sprint Cup race on Sunday had to do with location. Yes, location, location, location. Mainly, if you were on the top lane on a restart that was a good location. If you got stuck on the bottom, not so much. HOT One driver who …

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Who’s Hot and Who’s Not in NASCAR: New Hampshire Edition

2016 Kentucky Cup Brad Keselowski Helmet Logan Whitton Nkp

(Photo: Logan Whitton/NKP)

Admit it, you thought we were done with the Big One after leaving Daytona, but Kentucky Speedway provided us with another crash that took out a big chunk of the field. It also provided us with a true fuel strategy race that caused plenty of drama without the help of a late caution. You’ve got …

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Who’s Hot & Who’s Not: Kentucky Edition

2016 Charlotte Motor Speedway Nscs All Star Race Brad Keselowski Credit Nascar Via Getty Images

(Photo: NASCAR via Getty Images)

The restrictor plate race at Daytona brought us the usual action. That mainly included a big wreck involving something like 206 cars (well actually 22, but you get the point), and the always tense finish with of course, a car sliding over the finish line, because you know that happens all the time. HOT The …

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Friday Faceoff: Who’s the Best Driver Without a Ride?

2016 Nascar Xfinity Michigan Alex Bowman Pole

(Photo: Daniel Shirey/NASCAR via Getty Images)

NASCAR said after the races at Iowa this weekend that it’s “happy with the status of Iowa” Speedway as a standalone XFINITY and Camping World Truck Series date. But does the track need a Sprint Cup date, and at what track’s expense? Jeff Wolfe, Senior Writer: I don’t know if Iowa necessarily needs a Cup date. The …

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Who’s Hot and Who’s Not in NASCAR: Sonoma Edition

2016 Charlotte Cwts William Byron Truck Nigel Kinrade Nkp

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade / NKP)

It was a bit of different kind of racing weekend as the Sprint Cup series was off, but the Truck and XFINITY Series races provided plenty of good plots and subplots throughout the weekend. So, this week’s column will give some time and space to drivers and teams in those two series. HOT William Byron …

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Friday Faceoff: What’s the Year’s Most Memorable Storyline So Far?

2016 Michigan International Speedway Nscs Joey Logano Leads Martin Truex Jr. Photo Credit Nascar Via Getty Images

(Photo: NASCAR via Getty Images)

Fifteen races into the 2016 Sprint Cup season, what’s the most memorable storyline?  The biggest surprise? Vito Pugliese, Senior Writer: The most memorable story line thus far should have been Chase Elliott winning back-to-back races at Pocono Raceway and Michigan International Speedway, but rookie inexperience cost him two weeks in a row on the final …

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Who’s Hot and Who’s Not: Post-Michigan Edition

2016 Michigan I Cup Joey Logano Confetti John Harrelson Nkp

(Photo: John Harrelson / NKP)

The racing weekend at Michigan and Texas gave fans plenty of variety. Youth showed us their talents, restarts were crazy, at least two of the finishes were well worth waiting for and then there was a special groundhog appearance. Just your normal racing weekend. HOT Sooner or later Joey Logano was going to win a …

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Friday Faceoff: Should NASCAR Lower the Boom?

2016 Pocono I Cup Brad Keselowski Pit Stop Nigel Kinrade Nkp

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade / NKP)

NASCAR said that Brad Keselowski will not be further penalized for body modifications mare to the No. 2 car during a pit stop at Pocono last weekend.  Was the in-race penalty enough, or should NASCAR take further action on teams who try to alter the body to create more speed? Amy Henderson, Senior Editor: I …

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