Race Weekend Central

Happy Hour: Nationwide Whackers are Hurting NASCAR’s Sprint Cup Series

On several occasions during the Martinsville race this past Sunday, the announcers in the FOX booth analyzed “short-term gain” vs. “long-term loss.” The comparison was made whenever a driver skipped a pit or took two tires for track position, meaning that they may gain track position in the short run, but the older tires may …

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Nuts for Nationwide: Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s 1st Win 10 Years Ago Today

On this very day some 10 years ago, Dale Earnhardt Jr. won his first race in NASCAR’s second series, taking the checkered flag in the 1998 Coca-Cola 300. The Kannapolis, N.C. native drove his father’s AC Delco-sponsored No. 3 Chevy to victory lane at Texas Motor Speedway. Later that same year, Junior founded JR Motorsports, …

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Did You Notice? The Myth of Roush Lawsuits, Strong Starts & Cheering Diversity

Did You Notice? That in the midst of the rumors surrounding Bill Davis Racing, it was revealed sponsor Caterpillar may be close to giving up the ghost and jumping ship to a top-level team for 2009? Namely, Joe Gibbs Racing. Now, let’s see, the No. 11 already has solid sponsorship from FedEx, the No. 18 …

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Mirror Driving: Veterans Driving Junk, Who’s in a Funk & Will Chrissy Wallace Flunk?

Chrissy Wallace, daughter of driver Mike Wallace, is set to make her debut in one of NASCAR’s top-three series this week. Has Wallace proven her talent?

Frontstretch NASCAR Power Rankings: Top 15 Drivers You Aren’t Seeing on Sunday

The first off week of the season allowed our staff to take a look at the other racing series that NASCAR has to offer; as such, they did a little ranking of some other drivers that the fans love to follow. Whether they are seasoned veterans in the waning years of their career, or young …

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Who’s Hot/Who’s Not in the Nationwide & Truck Series: 2008 Easter Edition

While Sprint Cup and Craftsman Truck Series teams were home this Easter weekend – spending quality time with family and catching up on March Madness – the Nationwide Series spent Saturday afternoon roaring around Nashville Superspeedway, the series’ sixth stop this season. While this column is normally reserved for discussing the trends of the hottest …

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Confidentially, SPEED Excels While ESPN’s Chemistry Needs Work

Probably the best thing about racing television coverage over the Easter weekend, in my humble opinion, was the introduction of “NASCAR Confidential” by SPEED on Sunday evening. This was a fresh look at the 2008 Daytona 500, with some insights from some interesting people, including legendary photographer Warren T. Taylor. Taylor hasn’t missed a Great …

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10 Points to Ponder… During NASCAR’s Easter Break

1) Takes One to Know One! – Megastar comedian and TV personality Jeff Foxworthy talked NASCAR in a CNN interview this week, attempting to persuade host Glenn Beck that instead of taking in a race at Daytona, he would be better served going to Talladega, Ala. for his stock car racing experience. In fact, Foxworthy …

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Mirror Driving: Bristol Part II, Top-35 Taboos & RCR Who?

Sunday’s race — the second on Bristol’s new surface — seemed more competitive than the fall race last year. Is Bristol back after a brief hiatus?