Race Weekend Central

Thompson in Turn 5: NASCAR, Bring On the Road Courses – & the “Ringers” Too!

The debate concerning road-course racing and how it should or shouldn’t fit into the historically circle track-dominated world of NASCAR has heated up, as it routinely does twice a year leading up to and immediately following the sanctioning body’s only two events with right turns — Infineon and Watkins Glen. One issue is that some …

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10 Points to Ponder… After the 2008 Pennsylvania 500 at Pocono

1. Midget Money – Frequent NASCAR “bad boy” Tony Stewart was fined $10,000 after reportedly becoming angry at officials during a USAC midget race when they made a competition-related decision that adversely affected Tracy Hines, who drives for Stewart’s open-wheel team. Witnesses said that Stewart charged a USAC official – knocking his headset off – …

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Thompson in Turn 5: It’s Not Personal, It’s About Performance – Kyle Petty’s Time to Step Down

The latest news out of Petty Enterprises Inc. has Chad McCumbee penciled in to drive the No. 45 Dodge in place of Kyle Petty at Pocono. This is the second unscheduled absence in as many weeks by the 30-year NASCAR Cup veteran, and very possibly an indication that his career as a driver may abruptly …

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10 Points to Ponder… After the 2008 Allstate 400 at the Brickyard

1. Yuck! – Max Mosley, President of the governing body that oversees Formula 1 racing – the most widely followed form of automobile racing in the world – won a breach or privacy lawsuit against a British tabloid this week. The magazine ran a story about the 68-year old’s sexual escapades that quickly got picked …

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10 Points to Ponder… After NASCAR’s Summer 2008 Off Week

1. Belt Tightening – It is a safe bet that not all the economic dominoes have fallen for the NASCAR community quite yet, as financially slumping General Motors attempts to identify cost-cutting measures while seeking to generate $15 billion in savings through 2009. This past week, the automaker has informed both Bristol Motor Speedway and …

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10 Points to Ponder… After the 2008 Lifelock.com 400 at Chicagoland

1. Difficulties With Rejection? – New York City and the Waldorf Astoria Hotel’s Grand Ballroom have once again been selected as the site for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Awards Ceremony, to be held December 5, 2008. Guys, isn’t this the same place that has time and time again rejected your attempts to bring Sprint Cup …

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Thompson in Turn 5: Getting Over Kyle Busch – You May Hate Him, But He Sure Can Drive a Racecar

It has almost become amusing to hear so many people who collectively dislike NASCAR’s Kyle Busch find new ways to both express their dislike for him on a personal basis, yet accurately recognize that the young man is truly a phenomenal talent behind the wheel of a racecar. Of course, all the blame for putting …

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Mirror Driving: No More Green-White-Yellow?, Truex’s Face Turns Green & Red-Flagging NASCAR Scoring

Welcome to Mirror Driving. Every week, your favorite columnists sit down and give their opinion about the latest NASCAR news and rumors. Love us or hate us, make a comment below and tell us how you feel about what we’ve said! This Week’s Participants: Tony Lumbis (Mondays/Rookie Report) Tommy Thompson (Mondays/10 Points to Ponder & Wednesdays/Thompson in …

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10 Points to Ponder… After the 2008 Coke Zero 400 at Daytona

1. The Other Big Three – American automakers GM, Ford and Chrysler have just about reached the panic stage as their financial well-being becomes a critical concern. GM stock has lost approximately 75% of its value over the last year, Ford Motor Company has seen a 50% decline of stock value in the last three …

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10 Points to Ponder… After the 2008 LENOX Industrial Tools 301 at Loudon

1. What Could Possibly Go Wrong? – Hendrick Motorsports made it official last Friday that Casey Mears – who joined HMS in 2007 to replace Brian Vickers – would be released from his No. 5 Chevy ride at season’s end. Said team owner Rick Hendrick at the time of Mears’s signing, “Casey is a talented …

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Thompson in Turn 5: Jeff Burton Flying Under the Radar

For those that haven’t noticed, Jeff Burton is presently second in the NASCAR Sprint Cup drivers’ championship. It sounds like a fact that’s hard to miss; but really, it’s easy to overlook a man sandwiched in the standings between media darlings Kyle Busch – leading the points race due to his phenomenal on-track performances – …

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