Race Weekend Central

Sprint Cup Rookie Report: Aric Almirola Amazes Again at Bristol!

Rookies in the Starting Lineup: Regan Smith (fourth), Aric Almirola (23rd), Sam Hornish Jr. (35th) Unofficial Finishing Positions: Almirola (13th), Smith (14th), Hornish (37th) Rookie of the Race: Almirola. For the second time this season, Almirola was behind the wheel of the No. 8 DEI Chevy at the Bristol Motor Speedway. The rookie came into this …

Read more

Sprint Cup Rookie Report: Pocono Shocker – Chad McCumbee Bests Freshmen Field in Pennsylvania

Rookies in the Starting Lineup: Sam Hornish Jr. (26th), Chad McCumbee (34th), Michael McDowell (35th), Regan Smith (36th) Unofficial Finishing Positions: McCumbee (17th), McDowell (24th), Smith (25th), Hornish (26th) Rookie of the Race: McCumbee. The 23-year-old Craftsman Truck series veteran managed to qualify for his first Sprint Cup race in 2008 this past weekend, after failing …

Read more

Sprint Cup Rookie Report: 2008 Mid-Term Grades – Reviewing NASCAR’s Rocky Rookie Road

The season is just past the halfway point, which means it’s time for Professor Lumbis to issue his midterm report cards for the 2008 rookie class. Get out your Tums, though – as after team closures, numerous wrecks, and poor finishes, this report is sure to give some readers agita after reading about the dreadful …

Read more

Mirror Driving: The Busch-Montoya Scuffle, a Silly Season Shuffle & Saving the Truck Series With… the IRL?

Welcome to Mirror Driving. Every week, your favorite columnists sit down and give their opinion about the latest NASCAR news and rumors. Love us or hate us, make a comment below and tell us how you feel about what we’ve said! This Week’s Participants: Tony Lumbis (Mondays/Rookie Report) Vito Pugliese (Tuesdays/Voice of Vito) Mike Neff (Wednesdays/Power Rankings & …

Read more

Sprint Cup Rookie Report: Aric Almirola Ascends to the Top at New Hampshire

Rookies in the Starting Lineup: Patrick Carpentier (first), Dario Franchitti (seventh), Sam Hornish Jr. (20th), Regan Smith (25th), Michael McDowell (38th), Aric Almirola (39th) Unofficial Finishing Positions: Almirola (23rd), Smith (27th), Carpentier (31st), Franchitti (38th), Hornish (39th), McDowell (42nd) Rookie of the Race: Almirola. It was a dismal start to the weekend for Almirola – …

Read more

Did You Notice? Kevin Harvick’s Drought, Dario Franchitti on the Outs & DEI Losing Its Clout?

Did You Notice? That in expanding my short and sweet column from Monday, Kevin Harvick’s winless streak in Cup racing – as Danny Peters so dutifully pointed out is up to 51 races, with his last points-paying win occurring at the 2007 Daytona 500? Wait a minute… isn’t that the disputed Daytona 500 for the ages, …

Read more

10 Points to Ponder… After the 2008 Toyota/Save Mart 350 at Sonoma

1. Still Able To Get ‘Er Done – 1995 Busch (Nationwide) Series Champion and 1996 Winston (Sprint) Cup Rookie of the Year Johnny Benson won for the third consecutive time at the Milwaukee Mile in the Camping World RV 200 Craftsman Truck Series race Friday evening. With the win, Benson maintains his CTS points lead …

Read more

Sprint Cup Rookie Report: Regan Smith Wrecks… But Still Finishes Strong

Rookies in the Starting Lineup: Jon Wood (12th), Patrick Carpentier (17th), Michael McDowell (24th), Aric Almirola (28th), Regan Smith (29th), Sam Hornish Jr. (37th) Unofficial Finishing Positions: Smith (21st), McDowell (26th), Carpentier (31st), Almirola (33rd), Hornish (35th), Wood (36th) Rookie of the Race: Smith. Smith had the precarious task of starting in the eye of the storm …

Read more

Sprint Cup Rookie Report: Sam Hornish Jr. Carries Banner for Penske Racing

Editor’s Note: Regular Rookie writer Tony Lumbis is off this week, so our resident Nationwide Series expert Bryan Davis Keith filled in. Tony returns from vacation in time for next Monday’s edition. Rookies in the Starting Lineup: Dario Franchitti (21st), Michael McDowell (29th), Sam Hornish Jr. (31st), Patrick Carpentier (37th), Regan Smith (38th) Unofficial Finishing …

Read more

Sprint Cup Rookie Report: Regan Smith Finally Gains Momentum in Martinsville

Rookies in the Starting Lineup: Aric Almirola (third), Sam Hornish Jr. (26th), Regan Smith (33rd), Michael McDowell (34th), Patrick Carpentier (37th), Dario Franchitti (43rd) Unofficial Finishing Positions: Smith (14th), Franchitti (22nd), McDowell (26th), Hornish (28th), Carpentier (29th), Almirola (42nd) Rookie of the Race: Smith. It may be virtually impossible to have an uneventful day at the …

Read more

Voices From the Heartland: Where to Hide or Find Your NASCAR-Themed Easter Eggs

Well folks, it’s that time of year again! It’s time to get creative and dye those Easter eggs! For all you hardcore NASCAR fans, I hope this week’s column will give you a few ideas on where to hide all those eggs that you actually put racecar numbers on. (Don’t be ashamed, everyone does it. …

Read more