Race Weekend Central

Friday Faceoff: Is the Old Bristol Back?

2018 Cup Bristol Zach Catanzareti

(Photo: Zach Catanzareti)

After early dominant driver Ryan Blaney was knocked out in a crash Sunday at Bristol Motor Speedway, Kyle Larson led a race-high 200 laps only to be disappointed by a late-race pass for the win by Kyle Busch. What effect will the defeat have on Larson and whether he can win a different race later …

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Frontstretch Podcast: Takeaways from Bristol

2018 Cup Bristol Zach Catanzareti Kyle Busch

(Photo: Zach Catanzareti)

In the latest episode of the 2018 Frontstretch Podcast, we review a rather wet, yet intense weekend of action at Bristol Motor Speedway with Dustin Albino, Mike Neff and Zach Catanzareti. Kyle Busch used the ‘ole golden chrome to nudge Kyle Larson out of the way with six laps to go en route to his second consecutive victory. While the …

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Thinkin’ Out Loud: Kyle Busch Wins Bristol Two-Day Marathon

Monster Energy Nascar Cup Series Ticketguardian 500 Ism Raceway, Phoenix, Az Usa Friday 9 March 2018 Kyle Busch, Joe Gibbs Racing, Toyota Camry Skittles Sweet Heat World Copyright: Russell Labounty Nkp

(Photo: Russell LaBounty/NKP)

Who’s in the headline Kyle Busch is the winningest active driver at Bristol Motor Speedway. He grabbed the win today to make it two in a row in 2018 and two in a row at Bristol. Busch led a race high five times for 117 laps, second only to Kyle Larson. Brad Keselowski won the …

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Tech Talk: Tony Gibson’s Take on Early-Season Pit Gun Woes

Tony Gibson Charlotte Cup Fall 2017 Mike Neff

Texas Motor Speedway was another strong showing for Stewart-Haas Racing. They swept the first three spots in qualifying and had two different cars lead laps, finishing with three in the top 10 and claiming second place with Kevin Harvick. The success of the organization this year is at least partly attributable to Tony Gibson directing …

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Friday Faceoff: What’s Up With the Officiating?

2018 Ryan Blaney Pit Road Pit Stop Monster Energy Nascar Cup Series

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

Kyle Busch has finished second, second, third, second and first in his last five races and currently leads the points standings. Is he the best driver in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series at the moment? Davey Segal: I’d call this one a push. Kevin Harvick has the edge on wins over Kyle Busch, but …

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Frontstretch Podcast: Corey LaJoie Talks Texas Motor Speedway

Monster Energy Nascar Cup Series

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade / NKP)

In the latest episode of the 2018 Frontstretch Podcast, we review the bizarre weekend at Texas Motor Speedway with Dustin Albino, Mike Neff, Zach Catanzareti and Corey LaJoie, driver of the No. 72 TriStar Motorsports Chevrolet. Kyle Busch beat Kevin Harvick heads up on a late-race restart, something not many drivers have done in 2018. It’s the first victory …

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Thinkin’ Out Loud: Kyle Busch Triumphs In Texas For First 2018 Win

2018 Kyle Busch Monster Energy Nascar Cup Series

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

Who’s in the headline After three seconds and a third in the last four Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series races, Kyle Busch finally put it all together Sunday at Texas Motor Speedway. Holding off a hard-charging Kevin Harvick down the stretch, Busch became the fifth MENCS winner of 2018 in the O’Reilly Auto Parts 500. …

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Friday Faceoff: What’s Been the Biggest Surprise of 2018?

2018 Las Vegas I Cup Aric Almirola John K Harrelson Nkp

(Photo: John K. Harrelson / NKP)

Clint Bowyer’s win at Martinsville Speedway snapped a 190-race winless streak. Who is most likely to be the next driver who has already won in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series to snap his long winless drought? Christian Koelle: Paul Menard is really impressing me over at Wood Brothers Racing. That car has some speed, and …

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Tech Talk: New Notes for New Texas Surface with Mike Wheeler

Martinsville Cup Mike Wheeler 2018 Mike Neff

Crew chief Mike Wheeler on the No. 11 box

After the first break of the season, the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series series is ready to head to the Lone Star State for another crack at the newly reconfigured Texas Motor Speedway. Teams have survived the West Coast swing and are settling in for a stretch of 10 straight weekends of racing until the …

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Frontstretch Podcast: Recapping the Opening 6 Weekends

Monster Energy Nascar Cup Series

(Photo: Logan Whitton / NKP)

In the latest episode of the 2018 Frontstretch Podcast, we review the opening six weekends of the NASCAR season with Dustin Albino, Mike Neff, and Zach Catanzareti, Austin Dillon kicked off the season returning the No. 3 car to Victory Lane at Daytona, before Kevin Harvick notched three more victories into the record book. The reigning Monster Energy NASCAR …

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Thinkin’ Out Loud: It’s Been a Stewart Haas Racing Year So Far

Monster Energy Nascar Cup Series Ticketguardian 500 Ism Raceway, Phoenix, Az Usa Sunday 11 March 2018 Kevin Harvick, Stewart Haas Racing, Ford Fusion Jimmy John's Celebrates His Win World Copyright: Russell Labounty Nkp

(Photo: Russell LaBounty/NKP)

Who’s in the headline  The first six weeks of the season are in the books and the headlines have been predominantly filled with one organization: Stewart Haas Racing. If it weren’t for a crash one-third of a lap from the finish line of the Daytona 500, the organization would have won five of the first …

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Tech Talk: Trent Owens on New Camaros, Early Season Disappointments

Trent Owens Martinsville Cup 2018 Mike Neff

The Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series survived Snowmaggedon 2018 at Martinsville Speedway and is now on Easter vacation — and with the season six races old, we’re taking a little different look at the season through the eyes of a crew chief. In this edition, Chris Buescher’s crew chief Trent Owens looks back at the …

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