Race Weekend Central

Pace Laps: Aric Almirola’s Wreck Changes the Game, Ben Rhodes Comes up Shy of First Victory

2017 Kansas I Cup Aj Allmendinger Aric Almirola Pack Racing Nigel Kinrade Nkp

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade / NKP)

Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series: Almirola Crash Changed The Game – Just one week ago, Aric Almirola stood inside Victory Lane at Talladega Superspeedway. He’d won his second XFINITY Series race in his last three restrictor plate attempts, following that up with a fourth-place effort in the Cup race. A season-long goal of making the playoffs suddenly …

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Tracking the Trucks: Kyle Busch Lucks Into Toyota Tundra 250 Win

2017 Talladega I Cup Kyle Busch John K Harrelson Nkp

(Photo: John K. Harrelson/NKP)

In a Nutshell: After six long weeks off, the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series returned to action Friday night at Kansas Speedway. Cup Series regular Kyle Busch emerged victorious in a caution-filled Toyota Tundra 250, pulling 2.622 seconds ahead of Johnny Sauter by the finish. On paper, it sounds like another Busch beating in NASCAR’s lower series. …

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Kyle Busch Capitalizes on Ben Rhodes’ Blown Motor to Win Toyota Tundra 250

Nascar Camping World Truck Series Toyota Tundra 250 Race

(Photo: NASCAR via Getty Images)

Ben Rhodes dominated Friday night’s Toyota Tundra 240. His only problem? It was the Toyota Tundra 250. Rhodes’ expiring engine, giving up with eight laps left gift-wrapped Kyle Busch a much-needed NASCAR victory. Breezing by the wounded No. 27 Toyota, Busch scored his 47th career Camping World Truck Series win Friday night at Kansas Speedway. The driver of the …

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Beyond the Cockpit: Ben Rhodes on Balancing Business With Racing

2017 Daytona I Cwts Ben Rhodes Eddie Triconis Nigel Kinrade Nkp

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade / NKP)

Ben Rhodes is one driver you can bet will arrive at driver introductions with a smile on his face, especially in 2017, where he returns with Thorsport Racing for a second full-time season in the Camping World Truck Series. As part of the heavily populated young gun show in NASCAR, which has seemed to blossom thus …

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Tracking the Trucks: Kaz Grala Wins Plate Race NASCAR Survivor

Kaz Grala Credit Mike Neff

(Credit: Mike Neff)

In a Nutshell: During the latest edition of plate race NASCAR Survivor, it looked like the veterans had the votes to knock off the youngsters. But after a Demolition Derby-type affair, stalwarts like Matt Crafton and Johnny Sauter quickly learned they didn’t earn immunity from the dreaded Big One. Ben Rhodes got bumped on the backstretch by ThorSport …

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Couch Potato Tuesday: Martinsville Exposes Cracks In NBC’s Coverage

Cup Martinsville Martinsville Speedway Jeff Gordon

(Photo: Zach Catanzareti)

Martinsville Speedway typically brings close quarters, tire issues and some frayed tempers.  Last weekend, we got some of that.  As far as I know, no punches were thrown.  Two drivers clinched their spots in the Championship 4 at Homestead for their respective series and fans on hand got a good show…most of the time. Goody’s …

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Tracking the Trucks: Johnny Sauter Makes Late Charge to Victory at Martinsville

In a Nutshell: Contreras Motorsports put together a truck with the help of JR Motorsports for Chase Elliott to get some valuable seat time around Martinsville Speedway. Elliott responded by putting the truck on the pole and leading the most laps in the race. Johnny Sauter started fifth but methodically worked his way forward, making …

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Johnny Sauter Wins Martinsville; Punches Ticket to Championship 4

Johnny Sauter Checkered Flag Martinsville 2016 Truck Mike Neff

(Photo: Mike Neff)

With a Sprint Cup Series regular hot on his heels, Johnny Sauter did not skip a beat. The Daytona winner held strong, beating Chase Elliott to the line to grab his third Martinsville victory, second of the season and 12th of his Truck Series career “To get a win here in extra special,” Sauter said. …

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Ben Kennedy Confronts Ben Rhodes Following Martinsville Truck Race

2016 Chicago Cwts Ben Rhodes Nigel Kinrade Nkp

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade/NKP)

Tempers flared following the Camping World Truck Series race at Martinsville Speedway, as Ben Kennedy confronted Ben Rhodes following Saturday’s Texas Roadhouse 200. Following contact from Rhodes with 23 laps remaining, Kennedy spun in Turn 2 before getting pounded by John Wes Townley. Continuing on to finish 18th, Kennedy, who is a current Chase driver, …

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Truckin’ Thursdays: Looking Back at the 2016 Rookie Class … So Far, Part II

2016 Chicago Cwts Ben Rhodes Nigel Kinrade Nkp

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade/NKP)

Part I Austin Wayne Self No. 22 AM Racing Toyota Starts: 19 Wins: 0 Top 5s: 0 Top 10s: 1 Average Start: 23.5 Average Finish: 19.9 DNFs: 4 The 2014 ARCA Rookie of the Year entered the Truck Series full-time to pilot his family-owned truck and has spent much of the year running toward the …

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Ben Rhodes Tops Opening Truck Series Practice at New Hampshire

2016 Chicago Cwts Ben Rhodes Nigel Kinrade Nkp

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade/NKP)

In the last few minutes of opening NASCAR Camping World Truck Series practice at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, Ben Rhodes jumped a host of Chase drivers on the leaderboard to pace the opening session. The No. 41 Toyota posted a lap of 132.076 mph, the only driver to reach the 132 mph bracket. The first …

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Couch Potato Tuesday: 3 Kentucky NASCAR Races, 3 Different Results For FOX And NBC

2016 Kentucky Cup Pack Racing Sunset Russell Labounty Nkp

(Photo: Russell LaBounty / NKP)

Welcome back.  Last weekend saw three interesting races at the new-and-possibly improved Kentucky Speedway.  It’s pretty rare to see three completely different races in one race weekend. Before we start, FOX Sports announced on Wednesday that Shannon Spake has left ESPN to join the FOX Sports family.  The press release indicates that she will keep …

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