Race Weekend Central

Who’s Hot/Who’s Not in Sprint Cup: 2008 TUMS QuikPak 500 at Martinsville

It was the same track, same story for Jimmie Johnson and the No. 48 team, who extended their top-10 streak at Martinsville to 13 races with a win this weekend. Not only did Johnson extend his top-10 streak at the paperclip half-mile, but he also extended his top-10 streak overall to eight races on the …

Read more

Matt McLaughlin Mouths Off: Halfway Home – A 2008 NASCAR Chase Review

Five short weeks ago, NASCAR’s latest rendition of the ill-considered Chase kicked off with all the fanfare the powers that be could muster, despite general apathy by the mainstream press who still seem to think this NFL and World Series thing might fly even against the juggernaut of the shamelessly self-proclaimed “fastest growing sport in …

Read more

Mirror Driving: Sorting Out Jeff Burton’s Title Hopes, the Harvick-Edwards Fracas & 28-Car Fields

This week’s race at Charlotte saw another shuffle in the point standings, as Jeff Burton took over the second spot. Is Burton, with just two wins on the season, a realistic title threat, or will it take more than that to bring home the Cup?

Frontstretch NASCAR Power Rankings: Top 15 After the 2008 Bank of America 500 at Lowe’s

The Chase has reached its halfway point, and for all intents and purposes, we’re down to a three-man race for the title. It’s just not the three men you would have expected after Richmond in September. While Jimmie Johnson remains a major player amongst the Power Rankings, it’s Jeff Burton and Greg Biffle replacing Carl …

Read more

Who’s Hot/Who’s Not in Sprint Cup: 2008 Bank of America 500 at Charlotte Edition

This week’s race was a crucial one for a number of teams who ran into problems last week at Talladega. One of those contenders – the No. 99 of Carl Edwards – saw similar luck this weekend, when electrical issues forced him to lose a number of laps en route to a 33rd-place finish. But …

Read more

Talking NASCAR TV: ESPN Finally Points the Camera Lens Beyond the Chasers

The Bank of America 500 at Lowe’s Motor Speedway in Charlotte did not produce many exciting storylines besides the weekly plight of the Chasers. ESPN reported on the state of these drivers well, however, and also made a move in the race’s first half that went above and beyond that coverage. As stated many times …

Read more

Bowles-Eye View: With NASCAR’s Chase Halfway Done, Experience – Not Youth – Has Already Won

As one of the younger NASCAR writers on the beat, it’s easy to get caught up in the hype surrounding a changing of the guard in this sport. So early on, it came as no surprise I was ready to jump on board with a season in which Kyle Busch and Carl Edwards spent the …

Read more

Matt McLaughlin’s Thinkin’ Out Loud: 2008 Charlotte Fall Race Recap

The Key Moment: Jeff Burton and Jimmie Johnson waged a spirited battle for a few laps after the final restart before points leader Johnson apparently decided discretion was the better part of valor. In a Nutshell: Wasn’t this new car supposed to end the era of cars up front with clean air on the nose …

Read more

Holding a Pretty Wheel: A Tale of 2 Drivers, Will the Real Carl Edwards Please Stand Up?

On one side of the garage, there’s a driver who is thrilled when he wins and gracious when he’s not. He owns up when he causes something on track. He’s kind and funny with the fans, and has worked his butt off to get to the top level of the sport. He contends for championships …

Read more

Voices From the Heartland: Regan Smith vs. Tony Stewart Takes the Heat Off Cousin Carl

I am not a journalist. I am a columnist. As such, I can report or write about the facts as I interpret them. Let’s face it, it’s one of the reasons y’all love me so much… or vice versa. Having said that, I will tell you now it’s the reason I have Regan Smith’s name …

Read more

Fantasy Picks ‘N’ Pans: Picking the Best of Some Lowe’s Home Cookin’

The Chase is almost to the halfway point, and the haves and have nots among the Chase contenders are pretty well defined now. Fantasy gamers need to think about how desperate their top drivers are to get back into contention, or if they’re content with their lot and intend for consistent, solid finishes to differentiate …

Read more