Race Weekend Central

Did You Notice?: When Does a NASCAR DNF Start to Matter?

2017 Talladega II CWTS Cody Coughlin Chris Fontaine crash Rusty Jarrett NKP

(Photo: Rusty Jarrett/NKP)

Did You Notice? … The way NASCAR’s damaged vehicle policy has affected drivers running at the end of races? Sunday at Talladega Superspeedway set an all-time high for DNFs in the sport’s playoff era (2004-present) as 26 drivers failed to finish. Only a dozen cars wound up on the lead lap. The rate of carnage also …

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Couch Potato Tuesday: NBC Perseveres Through Talladega Wreckfest

2017 Talladega II CUP Brad Keselowski sunset Matthew T Thacker NKP

(Photo: Matthew T. Thacker/NKP)

Ah yes, Talladega.  A nail-biting weekend if there was ever one.  The Spring race weekend once held the nickname of “White Knuckle Weekend.”  Every race there gives you that feeling, in person or on NBC. Last weekend was huge for Talladega.  With Dale Earnhardt Jr. having his final run on the high banks, Alabama went …

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5 Points To Ponder: Dale Earnhardt Jr. Falls Just Short At Talladega

2017 Bristol II CUP Dale Earnhardt Jr Nigel Kinrad NKP

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade/NKP)

ONE: Dale Earnhardt Jr. Falls Just Short In the end, on a day dedicated in his honor and the 17th anniversary of his late father’s last win, it was not to be for Dale Earnhardt Jr., who finished seventh at the end of an insane race at Talladega. “I would have loved to have won …

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Dale Earnhardt Jr., Amy Earnhardt Expecting First Child

2017 Michigan II CUP Dale Earnhardt Jr Nigel Kinrade nKP

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade / NKP)

Soon, there will be another name added to the list of Dale Earnhardt Jr. nicknames: Daddy. Earnhardt and his wife Amy announced Monday afternoon via Instagram that the couple is expecting their first child, a girl. https://www.instagram.com/p/BaUm1FeB18m/?taken-by=dalejr The news comes with five races remaining in Earnhardt’s Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series career and off the …

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TJ Majors to Spot for Joey Logano in 2018

2017 NASCAR Monster Energy Cup Series, New Hampshire

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade / NKP)

TJ Majors, longtime spotter for Dale Earnhardt Jr. with Hendrick Motorsports in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series, is leaving the organization at season’s end with the driver of the No. 88, who is retiring after 2017. Majors will assume spotting duties for Joey Logano and the Team Penske No. 22 car next season; the …

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Thinkin’ Out Loud: Brad Keselowski Spoils Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s Farewell Party at Talladega

Brad Keselowski Restart Talladega

(Photo: Rusty Jarrett/ NKP)

Who’s in the headline – In a true survival of the fittest, it was Brad Keselowski who was the first driver under the checkered flag on Sunday at Talladega Superspeedway. Keselowski was able to make a pass on Ryan Newman on the last lap to power to the victory as two handfuls of cars were left …

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The Big 6: Questions Answered After the 2017 Alabama 500

2017 Talladega II CUP Brad Keselowski American flag John K Harrelson NKP

(Photo: John Harrelson / NKP)

Who… gets my shoutout of the race? On a day where many playoff drivers found Talladega Superspeedway trouble, only four of 12 championship-eligible drivers finished the 500-mile wreckfest. There was a golden opportunity for someone outside the postseason like Dale Earnhardt Jr. to steal the victory. But in the end, Brad Keselowski fought off the Earnhardt nostalgia …

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Up to Speed: A Lucky Final Season for Dale Earnhardt Jr.

Dale Earnhardt Jr

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade / NKP)

Dale Earnhardt Jr. put on a show this weekend at Talladega Superspeedway.  He won the pole, dodged a few nasty accidents, and ran near the front for most of the day. Alas, Junior’s final run at Talladega did not result in a victory. Talladega had to be a welcome break for Junior Nation.  Up to …

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Dale Earnhardt Jr. Bids Farewell to Talladega With Powerful Drive

Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Alabama 500 Talladega Superspeedway Talladega, AL USA Sunday 15 October 2017 Dale Earnhardt Jr, Hendrick Motorsports, Mountain Dew Chevrolet SS World Copyright: Matthew T. Thacker NKP

(Photo: Matthew T. Thacker/NKP)

The anxiety was higher than usual for the initial start of Sunday’s Alabama 500 at Talladega Superspeedway. Dale Earnhardt Jr. started from pole and raced for the lead early. It was only lap 8, but this was a big day. In Earnhardt’s final season in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series, he checked off another …

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Dale Earnhardt Jr. Wins First Pole in Final Talladega Start

Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Alabama 500 Talladega Superspeedway Talladega, AL USA Friday 13 October 2017 Dale Earnhardt Jr, Hendrick Motorsports, Mountain Dew Chevrolet SS World Copyright: Nigel Kinrade NKP

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade/NKP)

Six wins, 960 laps led, 17 years… somehow no pole position for Dale Earnhardt Jr. at Talladega Superspeedway. That came to an end Saturday when the No. 88 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet ended quickest in Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series qualifying at a lap time of 50.256 seconds (190.544 mph). For Earnhardt, who runs his final …

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2017 Frontstretch Podcast Powered by DraftKings – Episode 31: Talka-Dega

Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series GEICO 500 Talladega Superspeedway, Talladega, AL USA Sunday 7 May 2017 Dale Earnhardt Jr, Hendrick Motorsports, Nationwide Chevrolet SS and Kyle Busch, Joe Gibbs Racing, Skittles Red, White, & Blue Toyota Camry World Copyright: Nigel Kinrade NKP

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade/NKP)

Episode 31: Talka-Dega Frontstretch Podcast with Dustin Albino, Mike Neff and Zach Catanzareti In this week’s episode brought to you by DraftKings, Dustin, Mike and Zach recap the opening round of the Round of 12 at Charlotte Motor Speedway. With Mike and Zach at track, we discuss why the drivers were so darn hot and how exactly Kyle Busch …

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4 Burning Questions: Who Will Surprise Us All at Talladega?

Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Apache Warrior 400 Dover International Speedway, Dover, DE USA Friday 29 September 2017 David Ragan, Front Row Motorsports, TheHouse.Com Ford Fusion World Copyright: Logan Whitton NKP

(Photo: Logan Whitton/NKP)

Who Could Be a Surprise Cup Winner on Sunday? NASCAR’s Talladega week is where it gets fun for us writers. We get to publish our outlandish, bold winners who we predict may make us look like geniuses for once in our nine-month season. In this week’s Frontstretch Podcast powered by DraftKings, we added a little …

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