Race Weekend Central

Friday Faceoff: Was Bristol a Good Race Despite Lack of Wrecks?

2015 Bristol Ii Cup Jeff Gordon Jamie Mcmurray Racing Cia

Photo Credit: CIA Stock Photography

The Bristol night race featured lots of racing, but not as much of the beating and banging that some fans expect at short tracks. Is that kind of racing necessary for a “great” short-track race, or can such a race without too many bent fenders and crumpled doors still satisfy? Amy Henderson, Senior Editor: It …

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Thinkin’ Out Loud: 2015 Pure Michigan 400 at Michigan

2015 Michigan Ii Cup Matt Kenseth Team Trophy Cia

Photo Credit: CIA Stock Photography

Who’s in the headline – Joe Gibbs Racing established their dominance early in the weekend and threw down the gauntlet in qualifying by putting their cars first through third, and all four in the top six. When the race started, Matt Kenseth took advantage of his 16th career pole and a very strong car to race off …

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The Big 6: Questions Answered After the 2015 Cheez-It 355 at the Glen

AJ Allmendinger races theorugh the esses during the Cheez-It 355 at the Glen at Watkins Glen International

(Photo: CIA Stock Photo, Inc. ©2015)­

Looking for the Who, What, When, Where, Why and How behind Sunday’s race? Amy Henderson has you covered each week with the answers to six race-day questions, covering all five Ws and even the H… the Big Six. Who… gets my shoutout of the race? The unsung performer of the week was tough this time …

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Aric Almirola Discusses Rain, Rules Package at Kentucky Speedway

2015 Charlotte I Cup Aric Almirola Walking Vertical Cia

Photo Credit: CIA Stock Photography

With rain threatening Sprint Cup Series practice again, Aric Almirola took the time to discuss how his opinion of the new rules package and lack of practice for this weekend’s Quaker State 400 at Kentucky Speedway. Almirola, who currently sits 16th in the championship points standings, answered questions from the media while announcing new sponsorship …

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The Big 6: Questions Answered After the 2015 Coke Zero 400 at Daytona

Dale Earnhardt, Jr. Daytona No 88

(Photo: CIA Stock Photo, Inc. ©2015)

Looking for the Who, What, When, Where, Why and How behind Sunday’s race? Amy Henderson has you covered each week with the answers to six race-day questions, covering all five Ws and even the H… the Big Six. Who… gets my shoutout of the race? Restrictor-plate racing is definitely a skill in itself, and this …

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Number Crunching: 2015 Coke Zero 400 at Daytona

2015 Daytona Ii Cup Jeff Gordon Kurt Busch Racing Cia

Photo Credit: CIA Stock Photography

Much like last week at Sonoma, this week’s race will require a bit of luck for your NASCAR Fantasy Live team. For the season opening Daytona 500 I try to pick drivers all starting towards the rear of the field to maximize place-differential points while minimizing the risk from a driver crashing out. Normally by …

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Did You Notice? Unpredictable Plates, Flagging & Quick Hits

Sprint Unlimited 2015 Daytona (3) Mike Neff

(Photo: Mike Neff, Frontstretch)

Did You Notice? There’s rarely any rhyme or reason to plate racing? Only three top-10 finishers from last July’s Coke Zero 400 went back-to-back in February’s Daytona 500: Denny Hamlin, Casey Mears and Clint Bowyer. Of those three, only Hamlin has had a successful season, clinching a Chase bid early in the year at Martinsville. Mears …

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The Frontstretch 5: Tracks That Could Offer New 2015 Winners

2015 Daytona I Unlimited Pack Racing Credit Nascar Via Getty Images

(Photo: NASCAR via Getty Images)

Welcome to the Frontstretch Five! Each week, Amy Henderson takes a look at the racing, the drivers and the storylines that drive NASCAR and produces a list of five people, places, things and ideas that define the current state of our sport. With Amy busy this week, Frontstretch Assistant Editor Aaron Bearden looks ahead to …

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Sam Hornish Jr. Looking to Renew Chase Hopes with Richard Petty Motorsports

2015 Charlotte I Cup Sam Hornish Jr Cia

Photo Credit: CIA Stock Photography

Walking around the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series garage, it is pretty difficult to miss seeing an Indianapolis 500 champion. With long sideburns and a new fire suit, this former Team Penske driver has finally landed back in NASCAR’s premier division. Prior to this season, Sam Hornish Jr. had not raced in the Daytona 500 since …

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Who’s Hot and Who’s Not in NASCAR: 2015 Quicken Loans 400 at Michigan Edition

2015 Pocono I Cup Danica Patrick Pack Racing Cia

(Photo: CIA Stock Photo, Inc. ©2015)

Burnouts (Hot) 97, 131, 131, 95. Those are the numbers of laps led in each of the last four Sprint Cup points races by Martin Truex Jr. But the only number Truex needed and now has is the No. 1, as in the number of wins he has so far this season. The win by …

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Frontstretch NASCAR Power Rankings: Top 15 After the 2015 FedEx 400 at Dover

2015 Dover I Cup Jimmie Johnson Woohoo Cia

Photo Credit: CIA Stock Photography

Breaking News: Jimmie Johnson wins at Dover. OK, maybe not a surprise headline but Johnson did lead just 23 laps and held off a green-white-checkered charge from teammate Kasey Kahne and Kevin Harvick. The victory marks his 10th at Dover, making him only the fifth driver to reach that milestone. The Monster had no mercy, …

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Who’s Hot and Who’s Not in NASCAR: 2015 Axalta We Paint Winners 400 at Pocono Edition

2015 Dover I Cup Aric Almirola Sam Hornish Jr Racing Cia

(Photo: CIA Stock Photo, Inc. ©2015)

Burnouts (Hot) It’s one thing to be fast for most of the race, but it’s quite another to be the fastest at the end of a race. Figuring out just how to work the end game of a race can be pretty tricky. But that’s what championship teams do, and the No. 48 team got …

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