Race Weekend Central

NASCAR 101: Why is NASCAR Struggling to Keep Sponsors?

2017 Dover Cup Zach Catanzareti Jimmie Johnson Kyle Larson

(Photo: Zach Catanzareti)

Lowe’s leaving NASCAR came as a big surprise to many NASCAR fans. The brand has been associated with one of the greatest drivers of all-time, seven-time Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Champion Jimmie Johnson. The brand association was a synonymous as Richard Petty with STP and Dale Earnhardt with GM Goodwrench. But it seems to be …

Read more

NASCAR 101: The West Coast Swing, Can it Predict the Future?

Monster Energy Nascar Cup Series Folds Of Honor Quik Trip 500 Atlanta Motor Speedway, Hampton, Ga Usa Sunday 25 February 2018 Kevin Harvick, Stewart Haas Racing, Jimmy John's Ford Fusion Wins World Copyright: Rusty Jarrett Nkp

(Photo: Rusty Jarrett/NKP)

From TV to Twitter, everyone is talking about the “west coast swing.” It started in 2015, and is a three week period where the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series goes to Las Vegas, Phoenix and Fontana. This was made to give teams an option to stay out on the west coast instead of going back …

Read more

NASCAR 101: 3 for 3, 3 Races In

Monster Energy Nascar Cup Series

(Photo: John K Harrelson / NKP)

The lower series of the NASCAR national series are known for many things, including their unpredictability with regards to entry lists. There are times when it’s tough to predict three-fourths of the list in an XFINITY or Camping World Truck Series race, thanks to a constantly changing driver lineup and even a slew of part-time …

Read more

NASCAR 101: Here’s Why the Winner of the Daytona 500 Isn’t Leading the Point Standings

Monster Energy Nascar Cup Series

(Photo:: Barry Cantrell / NKP)

Here’s a new one for you: Austin Dillon, Daytona 500 champion and the first victor of the 2018 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series season, is not leading the Cup point standings entering Atlanta Motor Speedway this weekend. In fact, he’s not even second. Weird, right? Well, thank the Cup Series’ ever-changing points system, which really …

Read more

NASCAR 101: Keeping Up with 2018 NASCAR Driver Changes

2018 Daytona Cup Bruce Nuttleman William Byron

(Photo: Bruce Nuttleman)

Whew. What an off-season, right? If you’ve been following the NASCAR scene, particularly its top three national series, since mid-November, it’s probably been tough to get a handle for all the changes coming to the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup, XFINITY and Camping World Truck series in 2018. That can be equal parts exhilarating and tiring; …

Read more

NASCAR 101: Our Storylines of 2017, Revisited

2017 Indianapolis Cup Jimmie Johnson Pack Racing Russell Labounty Nkp

(Photo: Russell LaBounty/NKP)

NASCAR 101 dives into quite a few statistics-based stories throughout each season, with 2017 no exception. From pole winners to series debuts, drivers from outside the United States to the oldest drivers on the circuit, there’s plenty to talk about from February to November, much of which doesn’t even leave the cutting room floor. Instead …

Read more

NASCAR 101: Who Didn’t Return to NASCAR in 2017?

15 February, 2016, Daytona Beach, Florida, Usa Brian Vickers (14) ©2016, John Harrelson / Nkp

(Photo: John Harrelson /NKP)

Time for another game of sifting through the long list of NASCAR national series drivers who didn’t make an appearance in 2017! After beginning this series in 2015 and continuing in 2016, this space will again chronicle the list of competitors who ran in one of the three NASCAR national series (Monster Energy NASCAR Cup, …

Read more

NASCAR 101: Race Winners Have Better Starting Positions (On Average) in 2017

2017 Monster Energy Nascar Cup Series O'reilly Auto Parts 500 Texas Motor Speedway, Fort Worth, Tx Usa Sunday 9 April 2017 Kevin Harvick And Ryan Blaney Green Flag Start World Copyright: Russell Labounty/nkp

(Photo: Russell LaBounty/NKP)

Talk is often made in NASCAR — or any form of auto racing, really — about winning a race from the pole position. After all, it’s part of running what could be considered a perfect race: qualifying faster than anyone else and then holding that lead to the checkered flag. Generally a driver loses the …

Read more

NASCAR 101: How’s NASCAR’s Drive for Diversity Program Done So Far?

Nascar Xfinity Series Thehouse.com 300 Chicagoland Speedway, Joliet, Il Usa Saturday 16 September 2017 Darrell Wallace Jr, Nickelodeon Green Slime Ford Mustang World Copyright:brett Moist Nkp

(Photo: Brett Moist/NKP)

The news of Darrell Wallace Jr.’s full-time move to the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series in 2018 was met with a fair share of excited NASCAR fans, some of whom have been waiting for Wallace’s breakout on the national NASCAR stage since he ran his first races in the XFINITY Series five years ago. And …

Read more

NASCAR 101: 5 Drivers Who Could Make Their Cup Debut Before the End of 2017

2017 Road America Nxs Dakoda Armstrong Russell Labounty Nkp

(Photo: Russell LaBounty/NKP)

Chances are you’re focusing more — if not completely — on the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series championship battle that’s wrapping up in a month, and rightfully so, since it seems like it could be quite the nail-biter once all is said and done. That said, five races remain in the 2017 Cup season, and …

Read more

NASCAR 101: 25 Years In Between Cup Starts

Monster Energy Nascar Cup Series Go Bowling 400 Kansas Speedway, Kansas City, Ks Usa Friday 12 May 2017 Dale Earnhardt Jr, Hendrick Motorsports, Mountain Dew Dew S A Chevrolet Ss And Carl Long World Copyright: Nigel Kinrade Nkp

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade/NKP)

This weekend at Talladega Superspeedway marks the first Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series start of the season for Mark Thompson. It’s also his first start of the decade… and his first of the century. Thompson, 66, is likely familiar to those who follow the ARCA Racing Series or even the last few seasons of the …

Read more

NASCAR 101: The Decline of NASCAR’s Team Count

3 5 June, 2016, Long Pond, Pennsylvania Usa Joey Logano And Matt Kenseth, Dollar General Toyota Camry Restart © 2016, Nigel Kinrade Nkp

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade/NKP)

For an extremely brief moment earlier this week, a new Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series team had joined the fray. StarCom Racing’s No. 00 showed up on the entry list for Dover International Speedway with Derrike Cope as its driver, becoming the 40th entry for the race. However, by Tuesday night, Cope and co. had …

Read more