Race Weekend Central

Going By the Numbers: NASCAR’s Newbie Cup Runneth Over in 2014

2014 Michigan II CUP Austin Dillon car CIA

(Credit: CIA Stock Photography)

The 2014 season is over, and NASCAR’s gained the highest degree of attention – positive or otherwise – it’s received in years. And yet, you’re not happy. That’s certainly the case for many fans and viewers of the sport, who look at the experiment that was the new Chase format with disdain, even outrage. The …

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2014 NASCAR Fantasy Review: Booms, Busts and Future Hopes

2014 Phoenix II CUP Kyle Larson car CIA

(Credit: CIA Stock Photography)

The just-completed NASCAR season had its usual twists and turns along with some punches thrown as well, and while those events sometimes had a significant effect on the outcome of a real race, they also likely had an effect on the outcome of how your fantasy team fared. The following is a brief overview of …

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Did You Notice? … Distinguishing NASCAR Dreams From Reality

2014 Texas II CUP Ricky Stenhouse Jr face CIA

(Credit: CIA Stock Photography)

Did You Notice? … The audience increased for this year’s version of the Chase? Homestead ratings, released Tuesday wrapped up the latest ten-race version of NASCAR’s playoff, a 3.1 Nielsen number flat year-to-year but still good enough to keep the audience rising. Yes, executives around the sport are trumpeting how much this postseason boosted interest. …

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The Frontstretch Five: Memories to Keep From 2014

2014 Homestead CUP Kevin Harvick Tony Stewart credit NASCAR via Getty Images

(Credit: CIA Stock Photography)

Welcome to the Frontstretch Five, a brand-new column for 2014! 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. This week, Amy has some 2014 memories that …

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Fantasy Insider: Prepping For Your Own NASCAR Title Bout

2014 Phoenix II CUP Tony Stewart Danica Patrick CIA

(Credit: CIA Stock Photo, Inc. ©2014)

We are down to the final event of the season and sure everybody is talking the so-called Championship Four in Kevin Harvick, Denny Hamlin, Ryan Newman and Joey Logano. However, unless you have one of those guys on your fantasy team this week, or have had them for the entire season, the fact that everything …

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Fantasy Insider: Dare To Take Risks Out In The Desert

2014 Kentucky CUP Kevin Harvick Josh Wise racing CIA

(Credit: CIA Stock Photography)

If you picked Jeff Gordon last week at Texas, with just a few laps to go you thought you had it made. He had a comfortable lead and it all looked good for him advancing into NASCAR’s version of the Final Four and for your fantasy team that day. Then, after his old buddy Clint …

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Frontstretch Foto Funnies: Someone Tell the Invisible Man We Found His Stuff…

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?  Leave your best ideas …

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Fantasy Insider: Late Revenge Tactics Could Ruin This Fantasy

2014 Pocono II CUP Alan Gustafson Jefff Gordon CIA

Credit: CIA Stock Photography

One of the things that is out of a NASCAR fantasy team owner’s control are the revenge tactics that can take place on the track. And since we are now down to the final three races of the season, there seems to be a lot of “getting even” stuff going on. There are few of …

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Austin Dillon Entered in Texas Nationwide Series Race

2014 Atlanta CUP Austin Dillon CIA

(Credit: CIA Stock Photography)

Richard Childress Racing announced on Tuesday that Austin Dillon will be behind the wheel of the No. 33 Grainger Chevrolet in the NASCAR Nationwide Series race at Texas Motor Speedway. Dillon has never finished worse than sixth in his previous four starts on the oval, earning a best finish of third in April 2013. “It’s been …

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Fantasy Insider: Martinsville Mayhem Ahead

One of the interesting things about the fantasy world in NASCAR is that as the Chase field narrows, just who is in the Chase in real life means less and less for your fantasy picks most likely. It’s just simple numbers. With just eight drivers remaining in contention for the title heading into Martinsville, that …

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Did You Notice? … Tough Sledding, Payback Time And Penalty Free

2014 Atlanta NNS fans CIA

(Credit: CIA Stock Photography)

Did You Notice?… How ratings keep declining in this Chase? Talladega, the Russian Roulette 500-miler of the playoffs should have been a “can’t miss” race for those interested in the sport’s new format. There’s no event more unpredictable for an “elimination” event, whereby the checkered flag Sprint Cup’s postseason field was trimmed from twelve to …

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Thinkin’ Out Loud: GEICO 500 – Brad Keselowski Lives to Fight Another Day

2014 Talladega II CUP Brad Keselowski flag credit NASCAR via Getty Images

Credit: NASCAR via Getty Images

Key Moment – The caution flag flew with four laps to go for a piece of metal on the race track. The No. 22 of Joey Logano had it on his grill under caution and rubbed it off when the yellow flag was in the air. The end result was a green-white-checkered finish that brought …

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