Tracking the Trucks: Smith’s 350

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*In a Nutshell:* Nelson Piquet, Jr. took the checkered flag 0.223 seconds ahead of Matt Crafton to win the Smith’s 350 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway Saturday night. The driver of the No. 30 Chevrolet led for times for 30 laps and made a thrilling last-lap pass for his second victory of 2012. Joey Coulter, Brendan Gaughan, and Todd Bodine rounded out the top 5.

*Who Should Have Won:* *Nelson Piquet, Jr.* Having run sixth in the lone practice session, the driver of the No. 30 Toyota qualified 13th and took the lead for the first time during a round of green flag pit stops. He went on to lead three more times, including the final lap. Though he tried and failed to make a pass on Crafton twice in the closing laps, he made one last attempt on the final lap and made the move stick en route to his third national series victory this year.

Largely Absent from Chase Headlines, Stewart and Kahne Poised to Make Waves

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Look at the headlines this week, and you might think they tell the story of the early weeks of this year’s Chase. First Brad Keselowski and then Denny Hamlin grabbed attention for their winning efforts at Chicago and New Hampshire, respectively, and each was touted as the title favorite after the victory. And then, of course, there’s Jimmie Johnson, the five-time Chase champion who is the overwhelming favorite to win this weekend at Dover and who also happens to have the points lead.

And then there are the drivers on the opposite end of the spectrum: Jeff Gordon and Dale Earnhardt, Jr. and Greg Biffle and Matt Kenseth and Kevin Harvick…and the speculation about what has gone wrong, why they’re done and why they think they’re not. Throw in a couple of props to the Michael Waltrip Racing team and how they’ve flown in under the radar and are poised to make the team one of NASCAR’s elite. That about sums it up, right?

Four Burning Questions: Dover Edition

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Well, New Hampshire came in like a lamb and out….like a lamb. As we enter week 3 of the NASCAR Chase for the Sprint Cup, the question that begs is whether or not a dramatic spark will be lit to kick the sport back into gear after two weeks of general malaise. And if recent history tells us anything, Dover is not likely to be a race of high drama either given the rock hard tires that are used for this race. Whether or not the Monster Mile can deliver after a series of C-grade races is high on the list of headlines to look out for this week.

At any rate, here’s what to watch for this week in Dover.

Champions Don’t Need to be Told to “Fall in Love”

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Before we get started, here’s a bit from the “It’s about freakin’ time, life beyond NASCAR” file.

THE REAL REFS ARE BACK!!!! After last Monday nights total farce of a Monday Night Football game, which, by NASCAR terms, was akin to the infamous Indy Tire Debacle Race a few years back, I vowed never to watch another NFL game until the league settled its dispute with the REAL referees. Well thank goodness, my Sundays are now saved!

Title Fight Better the Second Time Between Stenhouse, Sadler

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Last year’s battle between Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and Elliott Sadler was about as much entertainment as Nationwide Series fans had gotten in a decade. After five consecutive years of having the trophy bestowed upon a double dipping all-star with premier equipment, Cup pit crews and talent that had long proven ready to graduate to the Sprint Cup Series, finally the points battle had some suspense…and some fresh blood to boot.

This year, it’s only gotten better. With Cup involvement down, leading title contenders Stenhouse and Sadler have combined for nine race wins and proven among the class of the field for the vast majority of the season’s 27 events thus far. Not only is the battle for top of the charts close, it’s among drivers that are viable threats to win every weekend.

Formula 1 Friday: The Prof

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_“There’s only one real hero in the F1 paddock. Sid Watkins”_ – Mika Hakkinen

As we touched on briefly a fortnight ago, motor sport on both sides of the ocean lost one of it’s true legends recently. A man to whom our sport will forever be in debt – Professor Eric Sidney Watkins. His huge personality and irreverent sense of humour will be missed around the world, but his legacy will live on, not only within motor sport, but within the medical world as a whole.

Fans Have Questions, We Have Answers: NASCAR Thursday Roundup

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So far, the Chase for the Sprint Cup has gotten off to a rather anti-climactic start and as such it seems that many fans are disappointed. They want excitement, drama, and some good racing. Who wouldn’t? But if you look at the two tracks they have raced at lately, is it really that much of a surprise?

Actually, I’m not even sure that is what fans want. While I didn’t think last Sunday’s race Loudon was anywhere close to exciting, I didn’t think it was terrible! Sure Hamlin dominated, which didn’t help, there was still some racing throughout the pack and I personally enjoy keeping up with the other contenders. However, no one else seemed to feel the same way.

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Beyond the Cockpit: Parker Kligerman on Transitions And Championship Dreams

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_Parker Kligerman has found himself in a unique situation during his sophomore season in the Camping World Truck Series. After running half of the year with Brad Keselowski Racing, the team he drove for during his rookie campaign, the 22-year-old was released following his seventh-place run at Pocono in August. Less than a week later, he landed at Red Horse Racing behind the wheel of the No. 7 Toyota without missing a race._

_Fast forward to today and Kligerman has four top-4 finishes in five events plus a 23rd-place result in a race where he led 10 of 200 laps before a cut tire and the ensuing damage took him out of contention. Kligerman took some time out of his week to talk about how his passion for racing began, his focus on the championship and so much more._

The Power of Numbers

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The recent Sprint Cup adventures of Denny Hamlin and the No. 11 FedEx team at Joe Gibbs Racing have been fun to watch.

Not only has Hamlin won three of the last five races, but his victory at New Hampshire last weekend was apparently the result of sheer destiny. Hamlin met with race fans and tweeted like a swami with a Smartphone as the day of the Sylvania 300 approached. Not even incorrect tire pressures for qualifying could de-rail the FedEx Freight Express. Starting 32nd was little more than a hiccup for the No. 11 Toyota. Hamlin raced into the lead on lap 94 and led an additional 99 circuits en route to his fifth Cup victory of the season. Life looks good right now for the No. 11 team, especially when its oh-so-confident driver can predict specific wins weeks before the green flag flies.