Race Weekend Central

Couch Potato Tuesday: The Playoff Cutoff Brings Hyperfocus

2019 Indianapolis Mencs Kevin Harvick Restart Nkp

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

Oh boy. Indianapolis Motor Speedway. This is a race that has been problematic for NASCAR over the last decade. It appears that they never properly gave penance for the fiasco in 2008. As a result, the race is a shell of it’s former self. It’s a great shame. Yes, there were apparently 65,000 people at …

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Thinkin’ Out Loud: 2019 Brickyard 400

2019 Indianapolis Mencs Kevin Harvick Victory Lane Nkp

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

The Headline(s): A series of hard wrecks and hair-raising restarts made Sunday (Sept. 8) one of the wilder Brickyard 400s in recent memory. One of them involved Jimmie Johnson, whose spin in front of nearly the whole field ended his 15-year streak of NASCAR postseason appearances. Clint Bowyer and Ryan Newman were then able to …

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Pace Laps: Cup Playoff Grid is Set, Justin Allgaier Readies For Xfinity Title Hunt

2019 Indianapolis Nxs Kyle Busch Checkers Nkp

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series: Calamity Strikes, Playoff Grid is Set Regardless of the attendance size, the 2019 Big Machine Vodka 400 was full of action. 48 of the 160 laps were run under caution, but when the checkered flag flew at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, the playoff grid was set. Nine drivers failed to finish …

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Kevin Harvick Wins 2nd Brickyard 400 as Clint Bowyer, Ryan Newman Make Playoffs

2019 Indianapolis Mencs Kevin Harvick Victory Celebration Nkp

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

Kevin Harvick dominated the 2019 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway to take home his second victory at the Brickyard. He won the Big Machine Vodka 400 by six seconds ahead of second-place Joey Logano. Harvick led from the pole before the first caution flag flew, with Stewart-Haas Racing teammate and …

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Pondering the Postseason Field: Who Secures the Final Spots?

2019 Atlanta Cup Daniel Suarez Nkp

(Photo: NKP)

It’s taken a few years and 25 races to get here, but there’s playoff drama to be found heading into this weekend’s Cup Series regular season finale at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.  After years where the playoff field was largely decided in the weeks prior to the finale, a quartet of drivers have proven unable to …

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Frontstretch Podcast: Cole Custer Opens Up on Darlington, Beer Bash & Buckshot

Nascar Xfinity Series

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

In this week’s edition of the Frontstretch Podcast, Dustin Albino and Mike Neff discuss throwback weekend at Darlington Raceway, which saw Erik Jones win his first race of the season. Is Jones’ No. 20 team a sneaky pick for Homestead-Miami Speedway? The playoff bubble intensified with a clash of battles between bubble drivers Clint Bowyer and Jimmie Johnson, as …

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Couch Potato Tuesday: NBCSN Stays Up Late at Darlington

2019 cup pack racing at Darlington sign cars blurry NKP

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

I can only speak for myself, but this was one of the most tiring weekends in recent years that didn’t involve covering the Rolex 24 at Daytona. A Cup race that started nearly four hours late due to rain, combined with weekend edit responsibilities and a number of major sports car series we (read: I) …

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Frontstretch Podcast: Daniel Suarez Battling Teammate for Playoff Position

Monster Energy Nascar Cup Series

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

In this week’s edition of the Frontstretch Podcast, Dustin Albino and Mike Neff discuss a fun weekend of short-track racing at Bristol Motor Speedway that saw Denny Hamlin edge out Matt DiBenedetto for the victory, though Matty D. won the hearts of many. With DiBenedetto announcing he won’t be returning to Leavine Family Racing in 2020, where are potential …

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NASCAR Mailbox: How Aggressive is Too Aggressive?

2019 Kentucky Ngots Ross Chastain Face Nigel Kinrade Photography

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

If you think about it, the most exciting racing occurs as a result of driver aggression, with drivers dive-bombing their cars into corners, not sure if they will make it out the other end. If drivers get after it, and are constantly aggressive and making daring moves throughout the event, this always makes the race …

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The Frontstretch 5: Big Pieces to the Silly Season Puzzle

#38: David Ragan, Front Row Motorsports, Ford Mustang Mds Trucking

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

The first big piece to the 2019 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series silly season puzzle was dislodged last week with the announcement that Matt DiBenedetto would not return to the No. 95 at Leavine Family Racing despite a career year for both driver and team. And while it’s likely that Christopher Bell will fall into …

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Who’s Hot & Who’s Not in NASCAR: Start the Dominoes

2019 Mencs Bristol Matt Dibenedetto Racing Nkp

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

Silly Season has finally officially kicked into gear for 2020 in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series, as last week it was announced that Front Row Motorsports’ David Ragan would be stepping back from full-time racing at season’s end, leaving the No. 38 open, and that Matt DiBenedetto would be one-and-done in the No. 95. …

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Clint Bowyer Has ‘Rebound Weekend’ at Bristol

2019 Mencs Bristol Clint Bowyer Racing Nkp

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

The 2019 season, prior to the Bass Pro Shops/NRA Night Race at Bristol Motor Speedway, had not been kind to Clint Bowyer. Good fortune finally turned Bowyer’s way on Saturday night (Aug. 17), and he came away with seventh place. “All in all, it’s a good weekend for us,” Bowyer said. “It was kind of …

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