Race Weekend Central

Beyond the Cockpit with Jason Line: NASCAR Tech on the Drag Strip

NHRA 2014 4 Wides Jason Line Jimmy Alund

Jason Line (right) talks with Jimmy Alund, substitute driver for teammate Greg Anderson for the opening five races of 2014. Credit: Toni Montgomery

After Jeg Coughlin, Jr. told Toni Montgomery and Mike Neff last month that Jason Line brought his experience in the engine department at Joe Gibbs Racing to Pro Stock and revolutionized the class, there was no question that Frontstretch needed to catch up with Line and find out what he meant. The current Pro Stock …

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Beyond the Cockpit with Richie Crampton and Morgan Lucas: Drag Racing in Australia, Amazing Rookie Seasons, and MAVTV

zMax Dragway Carolina Nationals Richie Crampton 2014 Mike Neff-083

Credit: Mike Neff

Richie Crampton came a long way to race in the NHRA. From the other side of the world, as a matter of fact. Crampton, who originally hails from Adelaide, South Australia, is in his rookie season driving the Geico Top Fuel dragster for Morgan Lucas Racing. He’s off to a fast start, scoring two victories …

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Beyond the Cockpit with Jeg Coughlin, Jr.: How Much Can You Cram Into 11 Seconds?

zMax Dragway Carolina Nationals Jeg Coughlin  2014 Mike Neff-025

Credit: Mike Neff

Jeg Coughlin, Jr. is a five time champion in the NHRA’s Pro Stock class, but he’s also busy off the track with his family business. Most automotive enthusiasts are familiar with the JEGS catalog, and in more recent years, JEGS.com.  It’s a go-to supplier with just about anything you need in your garage on hand …

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Smart Investments: Why the US Army Is Still on the Drag Strip

NHRA 2014 Tony Schumahcer team Pentagon visit

Tony Schumacher and the U.S. Army dragster team visiting the Pentagon. Courtesy True Speed Communication.

For a time, every branch of the U.S. military was represented on a car somewhere in NASCAR. Then little by little they began to disappear, and after this year, with the announcement of the departure of the National Guard from both NASCAR and IndyCar at the end of the season, the last of them will …

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NHRA for Everyone: Diversity Done Right

NHRA 2014 4 Wides Brittany Force intros

(Credit: Mike Neff)

Race cars don’t know what color or sex their drivers are. But the fans in the stands do and the realization over the years across the board has pretty much been this: get a diverse range of drivers on the track, draw a diverse, and larger, base of fans who are interested in seeing those …

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Beyond the Cockpit with Erica Enders-Stevens: Momentum, Movies and Who’s In the Other Lane?

NHRA 2014 4 Wides Erica Enders Stevens media center

(Photo Credit: Mike Neff, Frontstretch)

The competitiveness of female drivers across all the classes of the NHRA’s Mello Yello series this season has been a huge story. Women have been competing in the NHRA since Shirley Muldowney broke through the gender barrier over 40 years ago, and starting with Muldowney, they have enjoyed success, winning races, and, in the cases …

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NHRA’s Family Affair

zMax Dragway Carolina Nationals John and Courtney Force 2014 Mike Neff-006

Father’s racing sons, brothers racing brothers. It’s been done in pretty much every form of racing. Daughter’s racing father’s, sisters racing sisters, and wives racing husbands is a bit more unusual. The fact that all of these things take place on every level of NHRA competition at every event means that the phrase “it’s a …

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Pace Laps: KyBu Riding Steady, NHRA Week, F1 Sochi, and More

NHRA 2014 4 Wides Pro Stock race from roof

Sprint Cup Series: Busch Hanging Tough – With all the drama that unfolded after the race at Charlotte, the storylines seem to overlook one of the more intriguing aspects developing during the Chase, that being Kyle Busch.  If there had been odds in Las Vegas on who might be involved in such postrace nuttiness, KyBu’s name …

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Pace Laps: HMS Flounders, Schumacher Wins Again and Perspective

zMax Dragway Carolina Nationals Tony Schumacher 2014 Mike Neff-090

(Photo Credit: Mike Neff, Frontstretch)

Sprint Cup Series: The Mighty Stumble – Hendrick Motorsports has long been the barometer to which other teams measure themselves.  Their position atop the performance and business hierarchy make them an easy target, similar to teams like the New York Yankees or the New England Patriots.  And for those who love to take a shot at …

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Pace Laps: Dover Downer, Elliott’s Excellence, Crafton’s Consistency and More

2014 Dover II CUP AJ Allmendinger racing CIA

(Credit: CIA Stock Photography)

Sprint Cup Series:  Dover Downer – After the excitement of the first two races of the reborn Chase, Dover produced a race that didn’t follow the script.  Rather than being a hard-charging affair, with the four drivers positioned to lose out racing like madmen, it seemed like everyone did his best to log laps, not make …

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2014 IndyCar Driver Reviews Part 3

2014 IndyCar Auto Club Will Power trophy kiss credit Huston Ladner

Simon Pagenaud Team: Schmidt Peterson Hamilton Motorsports Sponsor: Oculus Transport/Lucas Oil/MAV TV Rank: 5 Wins: 2 Top 5s: 8 Top 10s: 12 Pagenaud ended up as the highest ranking driver who was not part of one of the three powerhouse organizations of Penske, Ganassi or Andretti. He wasn’t just the highest ranking though, as he …

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