Race Weekend Central

Thinkin’ Out Loud – Coke Zero 400

2014 Daytona Ii Cup Aric Almirola Team Victory Lane Cia

(Photo: CIA Stock Photo, Inc. ©2014)

Key Moment – The only set of green flag pit stops occurred from lap 83 through 87 Sunday. Aric Almirola was running near the end of the top 10 when he peeled off to pit lane. He was the second car off in the group of cars he came down with, and slotted into second when …

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Pace Laps: First-Time Winners, Long-Time Winners and Ferrari’s Forgettable Race

2014 Daytona Ii Cup Ricky Stenhouse Jr Jimmie Johnson Davod Ragan Racing Cia

(Credit: CIA Stock Photography)

Did you miss an event during this busy week in racing? How about a late-night press release, an important sponsorship rumor, or a juicy piece of news? If you did, you’ve come to the right place! Each Monday, The Frontstretch will break down the racing, series by series, to bring you the biggest stories that …

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The Big 6: Questions Answered After the 2014 Coke Zero 400 at Daytona

2014 Daytona Ii Cup Aric Almirola Kurt Busch Racing Cia

Credit - CIA Stock Photography

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? Casey Mears deserves the shoutout for delivering his team its …

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Truckin’ Thursdays: Memorable Series Moments Part II

2013 Ms1 Cwts Brendan Gaughan Ron Hornaday Jr Funny Cia 430

Once again this weekend, the Camping World Truck Series sits idle while the Nationwide and Cup series head off to Daytona International Speedway for the 4th of July weekend. With little in the way of news other than Kyle Larson’s announcement that he’ll be running Eldora (who didn’t see that one coming?) and Kyle Busch’s …

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Frontstretch Foto Funnies: That’s Just Wrong…

2014 Pocono I Cup Jimmie Johnson Dale Earnhardt Jr Congrats Cia

Credit: CIA Stock Photography

Welcome to the Frontstretch Foto Funnies! Ever see a photo that’s just begging for a caption? We see them all the time! Each week, we’ll pick a few, then let our staff give it their best shot. We’ll post the best ones for you! Want to get in on the fun? Each week, we’ll also …

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Voices from the Cheap Seats: BSNews! Chad Knaus Fumes After Pocono Defeat

2014 Darlington Cup Chad Knaus Jimmie Johnson Cia

(Credit: CIA Stock Photography)

Chad Knaus, longtime — hell, only — crew chief for six-time champion Jimmie Johnson, lashed out Sunday after the No. 48 was defeated in its bid to become the first car to win three races in a row, or a hat trick, since NASCAR CEO Brian France started his campaign to liken stock car racing …

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Thinkin’ Out Loud: 2014 Auto Club 400 at Fontana

Key Moment – When five drivers lost tires between laps 193 and 197, a caution finally came out. All of the lead lap cars except for Landon Cassill hit pit lane. Kurt Busch, Tony Stewart and Paul Menard took two tires, moving to the front while the remainder of lead-lap cars took four. In the …

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The Big 6: Questions Answered After the 2013 Sprint Unlimited at Daytona

The good news is that nobody had to worry about points on Saturday night. The bad news is that many teams come to Daytona with three cars: their Sprint Unlimited car, Daytona 500 car and Daytona 500 backup. After a practice wreck, some teams could be left scrambling. Carl Edwards’s team already loaded his Unlimited car on a hauler bound for Charlotte after his practice wreck; they’ll fix it, hang new sheetmetal, and bring it back to serve as the Daytona 500 backup as Edwards was forced to pull his original second car out for Saturday’s race.

The Big 6: Questions Answered After the 2012 TUMS Fast Relief 500 at Martinsville

There were a few typical Martinsville skirmishes on Sunday. Kurt Busch called Kevin Harvick “half-assed” when Harvick refused to cut him some slack as Busch wanted to move into the bottom groove and Harvick got into him instead spinning him around. Johnson was upset with Mears after Mears got into his right front, wrenching the steering wheel from his hands, though no damage was done. Montoya was upset with Johnson, who shoved his way underneath the No. 42 in the closing laps, sending him up the track.