Race Weekend Central

Did You Notice?: NASCAR’s Newest 4-Alarm Fire, Furniture Row

Stp 500

(Photo: NASCAR via Getty Images)

Did You Notice? … The sport’s reigning NASCAR championship team won’t even exist in 2019? Tuesday’s announcement (Sept. 4) Furniture Row Racing will shut down this November should send chills down the spine of every racing owner. A sport that for years dealt with mounting financial wounds through indifference or simply covering them up suddenly had …

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4 Burning Questions: Will NASCAR Return to the Fairgrounds or Rockingham?

2012 Nascar Camping World Truck Series Rockingham

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

Will NASCAR return to the Fairgrounds Speedway or Rockingham Speedway? Two former Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series tracks were in the news this week. Fairgrounds Speedway in Nashville has long been one of the premier short tracks in the country, and from 1958 to 1984 hosted Cup races. Last year, in an open bid for …

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The 10: Best Paint Schemes of the Darlington Throwback Era

Darlington Field 2017

(Photo: Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images)

This week, the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series enjoyed its final off weekend of the season. We combed through the throwbacks that have been run since the beginning of the Darlington throwback era and found our 10 favorite throwbacks that have been run. Jeff Gordon/Dale Earnhardt Jr. –  “Gray Ghost” – 2016 The Buddy Baker “Gray …

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Thinkin’ Out Loud: Just Like Old Times, Kurt Busch Wins Bristol

Monster Energy Nascar Cup Series

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

Who’s in the headline Kurt Busch owned Bristol at one point in time. He won five races there from 2002 through 2006, including three straight in 2003 and 2004. Since his fifth win in 2006, he didn’t have a single runner-up finish. Busch ran in the top 10 the majority of the night and made …

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The Big 6: Questions Answered After the 2018 Bass Pro Shops NRA Night Race

2017 Kansas Ii Cup Kurt Busch Barry Cantrell Nkp

(Photo: Barry Cantrell/NKP)

Who…gets my shoutout of the race? Getting your best finish of the year?  Good.  Getting it at your home track? Bonus.  Trevor Bayne put together a solid late-race effort, running inside the top 10 for many of the closing laps before finishing 11th, his best result of 2018. After giving up the seat of his …

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The Big 6: Questions Answered After the 2018 Consumers Energy 400

Monster Energy Nascar Cup Series Pennzoil 400 Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Las Vegas, Nv Usa Friday 2 March 2018 Brad Keselowski, Team Penske, Ford Fusion Discount Tire World Copyright: Russell Labounty Nkp

(Photo: Russell LaBounty/NKP)

Who… gets my shoutout of the race? Sometimes a driver needs a good finish to turn things around, and this week that happened for Brad Keselowski. Since finishing third at Kentucky last month, Keselowski has had finishes of 32nd, 38th and 17th.  While teammates Joey Logano and Ryan Blaney have been competitive this season, Keselowski …

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NASCAR 101: All Right, Chase Elliott Won — Who’s Next?

2018 Watkins Glen Cup Chase Elliott Zach Catanzareti

(Photo: Zach Catanzareti)

When Chase Elliott finally pulled into Victory Lane in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series last weekend at Watkins Glen International, it checked off a few boxes. First, Elliott’s maiden win, which had been awaited since he broke into the series full-time in 2016. Then there was his nearly 100-race losing streak, one that’s quite …

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Friday Faceoff: Should Watkins Glen Get a Second Date?

2018 Watkins Glen Cup Zach Catanzareti Daniel Suarez

(Photo: Zach Catanzareti)

Now that Chase Elliott is off the schneid following his first career Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series win, who will the next first-time winner be? Clayton Caldwell: Alex Bowman. He’s been much more consistent this year than Dale Earnhardt Jr. was a year ago in that car and just recently signed a multi-year extension with …

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Beside the Rising Tide: NASCAR, How The Mighty Have Fallen

#9: Chase Elliott, Hendrick Motorsports, Chevrolet Camaro Napa Auto Parts Monster Energy Nascar Cup Series

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

BRIAN FRANCE NEWS Some of you will be surprised that I didn’t write an acerbic column this week discussing Brian France’s arrest for both a DWI and drug possession in Sag Harbor, N.Y. over the weekend. While my personal disdain for France remains high, frustration from what I’ve termed his “reign of terror” since taking …

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Hendrick Motorsports Extends Contracts of Alex Bowman, Nationwide

2018 Cup Bristol Zach Catanzareti Alex Bowman

(Photo: Zach Catanzareti)

Hendrick Motorsports has extended the contracts of both Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series driver Alex Bowman and primary sponsor Nationwide Insurance, the team announced Thursday (Aug. 2). Bowman signed a one-year extension to his contract, keeping him with HMS through the 2020 season. “Having this kind of support is incredible,” Bowman said in a press …

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5 Points to Ponder: Scary Darrell Wallace Wreck Nothing New for Pocono

2017 Pocono Cup Tom Bowles Jamie Mcmurray

(Photo: Tom Bowles)

ONE: Pocono Raceway’s Hard Wrecks NASCAR nation breathed a sigh of relief when Darrell Wallace Jr. emerged unscathed from a scary Pocono wreck Sunday (July 29). But those gasps? They’re nothing new at a triangular-shaped track known for hard crashes. In a different era, this race ended Bobby Allison’s career when the Hall-of-Famer blew a tire …

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Who’s Hot & Who’s Not in NASCAR: Geometry is Difficult

2018 Cup Pocono Zach Catanzareti William Byron

(Photo: Zach Catanzareti)

The Monster Energy NASCAR Cup and Camping World Truck series raced at Pocono Raceway this weekend and Kyle Busch added two more trophies to his collection. Busch tied Ron Hornaday for most career CWTS wins with 51 and tied Kevin Harvick for the most MENCS wins this season at six apiece. The MENCS event, Sunday’s Gander Outdoors 400 …

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