Race Weekend Central

Did You Notice?: A Look Into Aric Almirola Sub Possibilities

almirola kansas

(Photo: Russell LaBounty / NKP)

Did You Notice? … Two big-name drivers have already turned down the No. 43 ride to replace an injured Aric Almirola? Carl Edwards, once highly coveted by Richard Petty Motorsports many years ago has said no, he can’t go back and run the car through Sonoma on June 25. It’s not the first time Edwards has said …

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The Underdog House: Small Teams Impress at Talladega

2017 Talladega I CUP Cole Whitt car John K Harrrelson NKP

(Photo: John K. Harrelson/NKP)

Think Small This past weekend’s action at Talladega illustrated again what can happen when the racing is more in the hands of the drivers. There were several different names at the top eager to display their talent.  Aric Almirola nearly pulled off the weekend double, and David Ragan overcame crash damage to finish in the …

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The Underdog House: Changes in the NASCAR Ranks

2017 Richmond I CUP Michael McDowell pack racing Russell LaBounty NKP

(Photo: Russell LaBounty/NKP)

Think Small The 2017 season is at the quarter mark after nine races, and some trends are taking shape.  Wood Brothers Racing has established itself at the top of the class, which was to be expected after the team increased its alliance with Team Penske this year. Even within the group, the haves and have …

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The Underdog House: The Great Equalizer

2017 Bristol I CUP Jeffrey Earnhardt car Matthew T Thacker NKP

(Photo: Matthew T. Thacker/NKP)

Think Small Short tracks are popular with race fans because there is almost always some action somewhere in the field.  Cars are close together, tempers flare and drivers are aggressive.  Another reason to enjoy this type of racing is that short tracks (Bristol and Martinsville more so than Richmond) usually level out the playing field …

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Friday Faceoff: Which Rookie Is Top of the Class?

2017 Phoenix I CUP Erik Jones Jimmie Johnson racing Matthew T Thacker NKP

(Photo: Matthew T. Thacker / NKP)

In the days leading up to Matt Kenseth’s announcement of a six-race sponsorship deal with Circle K Wednesday, some speculated that the announcement would concern the driver’s imminent retirement. He may not be stepping aside any time soon, but realistically, how much time does Kenseth have? Matteo Marcheschi: Matt Kenseth doesn’t have long. While he has earned …

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Couch Potato Tuesday: FOX Makes Texas Look Good … Early On

2017 Texas I CUP Dale Earnhardt Jr racing Matthew T Thacker NKP

(Photo: Matthew T. Thacker/NKP)

Prior to the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach, the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series tackled the revamped Texas Motor Speedway.  The race itself turned out to be a little better than everyone thought it would be. Prior to the race starting, Jamie Little conducted a one-on-one interview in the coach lot with Jimmie Johnson. …

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The Underdog House: NASCAR’s Best-Kept Secret

2017 Texas I CUP Cole Whitt Matt DiBenedetto racing Logan Whitton NKP

(Photo: Logan Whitton/NKP)

Think Small It feels like NASCAR’s small teams get a bad rap right from the start from some fans and even media.  Too often, they’re lumped into a “backmarkers” category, often mocked for their poor performance compared to rivals.  To hear some people talk, you’d think they went out every week and ran in the 20’s …

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The Underdog House: No Margin For Error With NASCAR’s Small Teams

2017 Las Vegas CUP Ryan Blaney Timmy Hill racing John Harrelson NKP

(Photo: John Harrelson/NKP)

No Margin For Error Last week, we looked at the importance of improvement for small teams.  For those that realistically just can’t compete with their powerhouse rivals on a weekly basis, it’s a better measure than finishes alone. It’s also an important step for those teams a step ahead of the game, ones in position to one …

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Couch Potato Tuesday: FOX Fails With All-In NASCAR Fighting Strategy

Last weekend, NASCAR descended upon Arizona for some toasty racing.  Going into the weekend, the primary story was the fracas in Las Vegas.  Good lord, that story was “beaten” into the ground. Camping World 500k Kyle Busch obviously knew going into Phoenix that a lot of focus would be on his confrontation with Joey Logano.  NASCAR …

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Thinkin’ Out Loud: Ryan Newman Stretches Tires to Douse Winless Drought in Phoenix

Who’s in the headline – Ryan Newman won the 2013 Brickyard 400 before he was released by Stewart-Haas Racing. He has managed several third-place finishes, but only one runner-up since. In typical Newman fashion, he stayed out on a late-race caution with old tires and managed to hold off Kyle Larson to steal the victory. …

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Beyond the Cockpit: Corey Lajoie on the ‘Selfish’ Nature of NASCAR

2017 DAYTONA MCS Friday PRACTICE corey lajoie Bruce Nuttleman-8445

(Photo: Bruce Nuttleman)

He may have been raised by a NASCAR champion, but Corey Lajoie hasn’t had an easy ride in NASCAR. Heck, just two years ago, the 25-year-old didn’t even have a NASCAR license while he found no luck in his sponsorship hunt. But after a head-turning partial XFINITY Series schedule last year with JGL Racing, including …

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The Underdog House: NASCAR’s Intermediate Track Blues

2017 Atlanta CUP Matt DiBenedetto car

Photo: Nigel Kinrade/NKP

Think Small It can be said that the real NASCAR season starts at Atlanta. The Intermediate track season kicked off last weekend and the results were fairly predictable of the small teams this week.  In general at a 1.5 to 2-mile track, these teams struggle to keep up.  You might see a couple of teams …

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