Race Weekend Central

2-Headed Monster: Does a Personnel Change Need to Happen at 23XI Racing?

2021 Cup Richmond Bubba Wallace, No. 23 23XI Racing Toyota, and Tyler Reddick, No. 8 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet, Racing (Credit: Brian Lawdermilk/Getty Images via NASCAR Media_

Photo: Brian Lawdermilk/Getty Images via NASCAR Media

Has there been a team in recent memory to have more pressure on them in their first season than 23XI Racing? With high profile team owners like NASCAR superstar Denny Hamlin and all-time NBA great Michael Jordan, the pressure to win is high for all involved with 23XI Racing. So far in 2021, the team …

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Did You Notice?: Denny Hamlin Letting Dominant NASCAR Season Slip Through His Fingers

2021 Cup Richmond Denny Hamlin Headshot (Credit: NKP)

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

Did You Notice? … Denny Hamlin has had the best start to a season statistically in his NASCAR career? Hamlin currently leads the points by 81 over teammate Martin Truex Jr., over a full race’s worth, while piling up eight top-five finishes in nine starts. His average finish of 4.2 is less than half the total …

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Frontstretch 5: NASCAR Cup Drivers Who Can Rejuvenate Sluggish Seasons With Talladega Win

2020 Talladega playoff Cup Chase Elliott leads in pack racing Photo NKP

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

Talladega Superspeedway race weekend is upon us at last, which means fast racing, daring passes, big crashes and exhilarating down-to-the-wire finishes. While most race fans are eager to see what will unfold this weekend (April 24-25), most NASCAR Cup Series drivers and teams will carry plenty of dread with them instead. Due to the high-risk …

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Bubba Wallace on Adam Toledo & the ‘Never-Ending Battle’

Bubba Wallace

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

Thursday, April 15, was a day dominated by news related to the deaths of Black people by way of police officer. In Minneapolis, Minn., the trial of Derek Chauvin, the police officer accused of murdering George Floyd last May, came to its conclusion. Miles away in Brooklyn Center, Kim Potter was arraigned on a charge …

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Two NASCAR-Filled Months into 2021, A (Slight) Return to Normalcy

2019 Richmond MENCS Kyle Busch Denny Hamlin Martin Truex, Jr. Car NKP

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

Things are starting to get better! I got my first dose of Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine (thanks, Mark Martin!) almost two weeks ago. Fortunately, I only had minimal soreness in a couple of pangs that lasted a few seconds apiece and then felt a little more tired than usual that night, so I’m looking forward to …

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Daily Fantasy NASCAR DraftKings Forecast: 2021 Martinsville Spring Cup Race

2019 Martinsville MENCS Martin Truex, Jr. Face NKP

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

The NASCAR Cup Series is back in action and ready to take on Martinsville Speedway Saturday night (April 10). Let’s get your NASCAR DraftKings rosters set for short track racing! Martinsville is a .526-mile oval shaped like a paperclip with tight corners and short straightaways. There’s not a lot of room to run, so you …

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4 Burning Questions: Chatter About Charters

Bubba Wallace races at Phoenix in No. 23 23XI Toyota 2021 spring Cup NKP

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

What is the state of team ownership in NASCAR? Right now, there are currently 17 NASCAR race teams operating the 36 Cup Series charters. It is expected that NASCAR’s next TV contract will see an increase in rights fees being paid, as this column elaborated on last month after both the NHL and NFL signed …

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5 Points to Ponder: Dirt & Road Courses Forever?

Bristol dirt track in 2021, overhead view, Jared C Tilton/Getty Images

(Photo: Jared C Tilton/Getty Images via NASCAR Media)

1: Bristol Dirt Experiment a Win (For Now) First it took decades for the NASCAR Cup Series to return to a dirt track, albeit one that isn’t generally a dirt track but rather Bristol Motor Speedway covered with dirt. Then it took an extra day for the race to actually be run, since apparently Mother …

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Fire on Fridays: Here’s Which Cup Regular Is Going to Win the Bristol Truck Race

Kyle Larson wearing a mask at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Photo: NKP

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

This weekend’s 44-truck entry list for the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series’ inaugural race on the Bristol Motor Speedway dirt track is a little over 15% NASCAR Cup Series driver, with seven competitors who run full time in Cup dropping down to run the Truck race the night before. Bristol comes a week after a …

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Friday Faceoff: Should Drivers Be Allowed to Fight?

2021-Phoenix-I-Cup-Christopher-Bell-face-NKP

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

Six different drivers have won the first six NASCAR Cup Series races. How many more weeks will the streak continue? Which driver breaks it? Luken Glover: The streak is in jeopardy this week at Bristol Motor Speedway’s dirt track with guys like Kyle Larson and Christopher Bell in the field. I am not going to …

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NASCAR Mailbox: How Long Can Atlanta Wait to Repave?

Kyle Larson and Ryan Blaney lead the NASCAR Cup Series action at Atlanta Motor Speedway, March 2021. Photo: NKP

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

If there’s another first-time winner this season, who will it be and why do you think so? – Bart B., Clarksville, GA The possibilities are (almost) endless. The first names that come to mind are Tyler Reddick and Bubba Wallace. Seeing that Chase Briscoe and Stewart-Haas Racing clearly have a lot of work left to …

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Thinkin’ Out Loud: 2021 Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 at Atlanta

2021-Atlanta-I-Cup-Ryan-Blaney-Victory-Lane-NKP

Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography

What happened? Ryan Blaney won the Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway on Sunday (March 21) after passing Kyle Larson with eight laps to go for the victory. Kyle Larson, Alex Bowman, Denny Hamlin and Kyle Busch rounded out the top-five finishers. RETWEET to congratulate @Blaney on his first win of 2021! …

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