Race Weekend Central

Did You Notice? NASCAR & Politics, Raining on Goodyear & Penske’s Nasty Divorce

Did You Notice? That on the heels of Barack Obama’s decision to withdraw his sponsorship of a Sprint Cup car – remember, Pocono was the weekend he was supposed to put his name on the side of the No. 49 BAM Racing Toyota – another political party was spotted making waves at the Speedway. Presumptive Republican …

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Frontstretch NASCAR Power Rankings: Top 15 After the 2008 Pennsylvania 500 at Pocono

After the second weekend of testing out the Pythagorean theory at Pocono, the shape of the Chase came a little more into focus. The top drivers in points (“A” students) are solidifying their positions for September and beyond while aggressively going for the win – and the 10-point bonus that goes with it. Meanwhile, positions …

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Mirror Driving: Fuel-Mileage Snooze, What Did Roush Lose? & Grading Rain Tires

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: Tom Bowles (Editor-in-Chief; Mondays/Bowles-Eye View & Wednesdays/Did You Notice?) Tony Lumbis (Mondays/Rookie Report) …

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Who’s Hot/Who’s Not in Sprint Cup: 2008 Pennsylvania 500 at Pocono Edition

After a bout with Mother Nature forced a bizarre finish in the Pennsylvania 500 at Pocono – the second straight week of strange results for NASCAR – there was plenty of heating up and cooling off throughout the sport’s top levels. So, without further ado let’s get right to the list of Who’s Hot and …

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Voice of Vito: Charting NASCAR’s Championship Chase – Who’s In, Who’s Out… & What’s It All About, Anyway?

The last two weeks have certainly done their part in jumbling up the point standings, as races influenced by, um, extenuating circumstances have given us a look at how the Chase field may shake out as we get closer to that decisive 26th race at Richmond. Last week at Indianapolis, it was the tires that …

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Fantasy Picks ‘N’ Pans: How to Pick Your Team to Perform at Pocono

Pocono Raceway is the most uniquely shaped track on the Sprint Cup schedule, giving teams quite the challenge when it comes to getting their car to race well. Boasting the longest straightaway in Sprint Cup and a triangular shape with three distinct turns, the Pennsylvania facility is truly a 500-mile test of man and machine. …

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Frontstretch NASCAR Power Rankings: Top 15 After the 2008 Brickyard 400

And the winner of the first annual Indianapolis Heat Race is… Jimmie Johnson! OK, so maybe it was the Allstate 400 at the Brickyard, but the way in which the race was controlled by NASCAR – with competition cautions held every 10 laps – they might as well have renamed it the Allstate 25. With …

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Running Their Mouth: 2008 Allstate 400 at the Brickyard

This week, here’s a sneak peek at what a select few were thinking following the Allstate 400 at the Brickyard at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

The Yellow Stripe: Can the Nice Guy Really Finish 1st? Assessing Carl Edwards’s Chance at a Championship

What’s not to like about Carl Edwards? He loves his mother. He gives away his race win trophies to deserving causes. He lists his hometown as his favorite vacation spot. He’s put his money where his mouth is, and started a record business with a high-school buddy. He’s even appeared on the hit series 24, …

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Fanning the Flames: Junior Aces 1, Nationwide Notes & a NASCAR History Lesson

As I listened to the Jim Rome Show while sitting at my desk on Tuesday, I cringed when I remembered that Dale Earnhardt Jr. was to be a guest. Don’t get me wrong, I like Junior – I’m no rabid diehard but I’d like to drink a beer with the guy. Thing is, I really …

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Voices From the Heartland: Racing at Its Best in the Gateway to the West

It had been four years since I last visited the great city of St. Louis. At that time, I attended a (then) Busch Series race at Gateway International Raceway, which turned into a most memorable time! After all the events that transpired then, I never imagined that another trip to St. Louis could ever top …

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