Race Weekend Central

Xfinity Breakdown: Dover Teases But Ultimately Offers No Surprises

Nascar Xfinity Series

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

One of the more curious aspects of the 2019 NASCAR Xfinity Series season is how it’s managed to simultaneously subvert and reinforce its own narratives all year long. Cole Custer and Tyler Reddick won enough races to be part of a Big Three, but most people still consider Christopher Bell the favorite for the championship. …

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Xfinity Breakdown: Drive for the Cure 250

Nascar Xfinity Series

(Nigel Kinrade Photography)

Can you say spoiler? The NASCAR Xfinity Series playoffs might have been front and center Saturday (Sept. 28) going into the Drive for the Cure 250 at Charlotte Motor Speedway’s ROVAL. But it was part-time driver AJ Allmendinger stealing the show and the win, a perfect way to cap off his limited schedule with Kaulig …

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Xfinity Breakdown: Christopher Bell Opens Playoffs By Throwing Down the Gauntlet

2019 Richmond Nxs Christopher Bell Victory Celebration Nkp

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

It’s not for nothing that there was so much talk about the Big Three during the Xfinity Series regular season. The moniker was fresh in everyone’s mind after its use during the 2018 Cup Series campaign, and Cole Custer and Tyler Reddick certainly accomplished enough to deserve to be in the top trio. It’s not …

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Xfinity Breakdown: Tyler Reddick, Randall Burnett Conjure Magical Win in Las Vegas

2019 Las Vegas Nxs Tyler Reddick Victory Celebration Nkp

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

Champion boxer Gennady Golovkin likes to refer to what he does in the ring as the “Big Drama Show.” If he’s willing to share, Tyler Reddick, crew chief Randall Burnett and the No. 2 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet team showed they deserve that label, too. This group pulled off a white-knuckle gambit to TKO  the …

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Xfinity Breakdown: When Keeping It Real Goes Wrong at Indy

Nascar Xfinity Series

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

The only way that the critical moment of the Indiana 250 would have been more fitting is if Cole Custer had been involved. Custer wasn’t much of a factor at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Saturday, but his two chief rivals certainly where. Despite the presence of Kyle Busch in the field, Christopher Bell and Tyler …

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Xfinity Breakdown: Denny Hamlin Goes Back to Front to Back

2019 Darlington Nxs Cole Custer Trophy Nkp

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

It’s not too often that the key moment in a race at Darlington Raceway happens well after the checkered flag waves. Then again, Denny Hamlin has been making Xfinity Series events at The Track Too Tough to Tame into foregone conclusions for years, winning five of them and racking up a career average finish that …

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Xfinity Breakdown: Christopher Bell Now Officially Has No Weaknesses

2019 Road America Nxs Christopher Bell Victory Lane Nkp

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

There’s probably not really such a thing as a Christopher Bell naysayer. He’s clearly ready for Monster Energy Cup Series racing in 2020 — and an excellent argument could be made that he could have successfully made the jump this year — as he’s accomplished everything he possibly could at the NASCAR Xfinity Series level …

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Xfinity Breakdown: As Chaos Reigns at Bristol, Tyler Reddick Proves Both Lucky & Really Good

2019 Nxs Bristol Tyler Reddick Checkers Nkp

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

When a common reaction to a race is something along the lines of “now I’ve seen it all,” that’s usually a good sign. The Food City 300 at Bristol Motor Speedway did indeed have a little bit of everything, including an early wreck that took out a handful of favorites, an exploding tire, a stage …

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Xfinity Breakdown: Austin Cindric Wishes All Races Were Road Course Races

2019 Mid Ohio Nxs Austin Cindric Victory Lane Nkp

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

There’s been plenty of discussion this year about how there are less road course ringers in NASCAR now than in years past, but maybe we had one lurking among the NASCAR Xfinity Series regulars all along and didn’t even realize it. Austin Cindric sure looked the part again this weekend at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, …

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Xfinity Breakdown: Another Week, Another New Winner at Watkins Glen

2019 Watkins Glen Nxs Austin Cindric Victory Lane Nkp

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

The 2019 NASCAR Xfinity Series season is starting to take on the feel of the 2018 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series campaign. It’s had a Big Three that dominated early, claiming an outsized share of the race wins. But as spring has turned to summer, other drivers have started loosening up their stranglehold, and Watkins …

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Xfinity Breakdown: Now For Something Completely Different at Iowa

Nascar Xfinity Series U.s. Cellular 250

(Photo: NASCAR via Getty Images)

Christopher Bell was doing it again on Saturday afternoon in the U.S. Cellular 250. Winner of the previous two NASCAR Xfinity Series events at Iowa Speedway, Bell led more than 230 laps, made no mistakes and generally looked unbeatable when he was out in front in clean air. His chief rival this season, Cole Custer, …

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Xfinity Breakdown: Christopher Bell Puts Field, Battles in Rear-View Mirror at New Hampshire

2019 Loudon Nxs Christopher Bell Face Nigel Kinrade Photography

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

There was some tight racing and flaring tempers at times during the ROXOR 200 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. Christopher Bell just wasn’t part of any of it. Not for any bad reason from the perspective of the No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing team. Bell just simply was the best car for most of the …

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