Race Weekend Central

NASCAR 101: Whose Championship Hopes Are Over Even Before Phoenix?

2015 Texas Cup Brad Keselowski Car

(Photo Credit: Beth Lunkenheimer, Frontstretch)

OK, so let’s go into these next two weeks – the final two of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season – assuming that drivers still eligible for the Chase for the Sprint Cup will win. Two reasons for that: One, there’s the fact that Homestead-Miami Speedway is the season finale, and whomever remains can win …

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NASCAR 101: Is Matt Kenseth vs. Joey Logano an Instant Classic?

2015 Martinsville Ii Cup Joey Logano Crash Damage Cia

(Photo: CIA Stock Photo, Inc. ©2015)­

Is Matt Kenseth vs. Joey Logano already one of the biggest moments in NASCAR’s history when it comes to driver feuds? It’s tough to proclaim something an instant classic or already infamous in the moment or shortly thereafter. Generally, emotions and feelings run so rampant that, once the euphoria wears off, one looks back on …

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NASCAR 101: Newcomers Completely & Utterly Invade Martinsville Truck Entry List

2015 Martinsville I Cwts John Wes Townley Truck Credit Amy Henderson

(Photo Credit: Amy Henderson, Frontstretch)

Martinsville Speedway’s NASCAR Camping World Truck Series races? Easily the best of any track on the circuit these days to both discover and watch young talent. Which is not wholly surprising. Each season, it’s the first on the schedule that allows drivers 16 and 17 years old to race, and it’s also among the first …

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NASCAR 101: The Sprint Cup Series’ Best on Restarts

2015 Bank Of America 500 Kevin Harvick Charlotte Cup Mike Neff

(Photo Credit: Mike Neff, Frontstretch)

Let’s say this weekend’s race at Talladega Superspeedway ends with a green-white-checkered finish. Not a given, but not unlikely, either. In the last five years, the Sprint Cup Series has gone over the scheduled distance of 500 miles 10 times, while others – like last year’s Aaron’s 499, which was set up for a green-white-checkered until …

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NASCAR 101: Which Chaser Can Win Kansas?

2015 Kansas I Cup Kevin Harvick Kurt Busch Carl Edwards Racing Credit Nascar Via Getty Images

(Photo: NASCAR via Getty Images)

Let’s be frank: This weekend is the last normal chance for a driver to win his way into the Chase for the Sprint Cup’s penultimate round. And you already know what I mean. Next weekend, the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series will descend upon Talladega Superspeedway in the final race of the Contender Round before NASCAR lops off …

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NASCAR 101: Are the Right Drivers Out of the Chase?

2015 Dover Ii Cup Jimmie Johnson Helmet Ii Cia

(Photo: CIA Stock Photo, Inc. ©2015)

You can say a great deal of things about the Chase for the Sprint Cup in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. You can say it’s a gimmick. Call it a flawed, unnecessary system. Consider it an intrigue-injecting setup that makes for an altogether exciting race to the title. Whatever the opinion – and oh, are …

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NASCAR 101: Where Have the Champions Gone?

2015 Loudon Ii Cup Tony Stewart Car Cia

(Photo: CIA Stock Photo, Inc. ©2015)

For years, the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series had a bit of a problem: finding an abundance of young talent that could challenge for wins among the veterans on a weekly basis. The Rookie of the Year battles (some lack thereof) reflected it; until more recently, the series could go years without a strong class, with either …

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NASCAR 101: If You Watch 1 Xfinity Race All Year, Make It Kentucky

2015 Kentucky Nxs Green Flag Cia

(Photo: CIA Stock Photo, Inc. ©2015)

Maybe you regularly follow the NASCAR Xfinity Series. Maybe you don’t. There’s no judgment either way; these days, at its best the series is an entertaining ramp-up into the Sprint Cup Series event the following day, but there’s also the fact that it is, indeed, a warmup, the race where some of the Cup full-timers …

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NASCAR 101: The History of the Chase

2014 Richmond Ii Cup Chase Field Cia

(Credit: CIA Stock Photography)

It all started in 2003. That’s when RJR Reynolds announced it was no longer sponsoring NASCAR’s elite division, and soon followed was an announcement that Nextel would sponsor the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series starting in the 2004 season. There were rumors that the new company would want a playoff format, and that added with Matt …

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NASCAR 101: Can Anyone Clinch a Chase Spot with a Win?

2015 Darlington Cup Jeff Gordon Car Cia

Photo Credit: CIA Stock Photography

You’ve heard it all year: win and you’re in the Chase for the Sprint Cup. Well, this weekend marks the final chance for a driver in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series to do so. By scoring a victory, while also being inside the top 30 in points and having attempted every race of the season …

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NASCAR 101: Xfinity Series Getting Into Throwback Spirit, Too

2014 Darlington Nns Chase Elliott Wins Cia

(Photo: CIA Stock Photography)

Much of the hullabaloo over this weekend’s racing at Darlington Raceway revolves around the sheer girth of throwback events and paint schemes that will populate the Southern 500 for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series come Sunday night. As the race re-assumes its historic Labor Day weekend date, the sanctioning body and its teams are celebrating …

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NASCAR 101: Didn’t Pay Your NASCAR Sponsorship Bill? You’re Not Alone

Justin Boston Talladega Candid 2014 Arca Mike Neff

Photo Credit: Mike Neff, Frontstretch

Kyle Busch and his Kyle Busch Motorsports are in the midst of a lawsuit – though they’re not on the receiving end. Earlier this week, it was revealed that the Camping World Truck Series team had sued former driver Justin Boston and sponsor Zloop after the company reportedly skipped out on payments to keep Boston …

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