Race Weekend Central

Rookies Jimmie Johnson, Scott McLaughlin & Romain Grosjean Adapt to Life in IndyCar

Jimmie Johnson competes in his first IndyCar race at Barber Motorsports Park

(Photo by Chris Owens/INDYCAR)

One of the biggest storylines coming into the 2021 IndyCar season was the influx of drivers joining the championship after successful careers in other major series, creating an unusually old and experienced rookie class. Scott McLaughlin left the Supercars Championship after collecting three straight titles to compete for Team Penske, 1o-year Formula 1 veteran Romain …

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The Big 6: Questions Answered After the 2021 Goodyear 400

Kyle Larson and Chris Buescher race at Darlington Raceway, Goodyear 400, May 2021. Photo: NKP

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

Who… should you be talking about after the Goodyear 400? Martin Truex Jr. dominated Sunday (May 9), leading 248 of 293 laps at Darlington Raceway on the way to his 30th career victory. Truex becomes the 28th driver in NASCAR history to win 30 or more races and sits sixth among active drivers in career wins. Truex …

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IndyCar’s 1st Oval Race Brings Driver Lineup Changes

Conor Daly at Texas in 2020

(Photo by Joe Skibinski/INDYCAR)

The NTT IndyCar Series can trace its roots to the early 1900s, when the American Automobile Association first started sanctioning events in 1902 and held the first American open-wheel racing season in 1905. Back then, the schedule consisted solely of dirt-track ovals, some of which were actually horse racing facilities. Paved oval tracks eventually joined …

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Frontstretch 5: Most Memorable NASCAR Cup Finishes at Kansas Speedway

2015 Nascar Kansas

16-18 October, 2015, Kansas City, Kansas USA Joey Logano (22), Matt Kenseth, Dollar General Toyota Camry (20), Jimmie Johnson (48) ©2015 John Harrelson / NKP

After enduring a wild weekend at Talladega Superspeedway, the NASCAR Cup Series will be heading off to a place that has gained itself a wild reputation in recent years: Kansas Speedway. Since the speedway’s inception in 2001, it has provided us with many unforgettable moments, from crazy crashes to close finishes and everything in between. …

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A Statistical Deep Dive in Jimmie Johnson’s 1st IndyCar Street Race

Jimmie Johnson giving feedback at St. Petersburg

(Photo by Chris Jones/INDYCAR)

Before Sunday, Jimmie Johnson had never raced on a street circuit. Aiming to learn, Johnson did all of that and more in Sunday’s (April 25) Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg, the second race of the 2021 NTT IndyCar Series season. The No. 48 Carvana Honda started 23rd and ran as high as 21st following …

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Will Power Charges to 8th at St. Petersburg

Will Power on the streets of St. Petersburg

(Photo by Chris Owens/INDYCAR)

After missing the second round of qualifying for the first time since Toronto in 2019, Will Power muscled his car to an eighth-place finish in Sunday’s (April 25) Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg, the second race of the 2021 NTT IndyCar Series season. Power’s crew called the 2018 Indianapolis 500 winner to pit road …

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Colton Herta Dominates in St. Petersburg; Josef Newgarden Second

Colton Herta Celebrates Winning at St. Petersburg

(Photo by Chris Owens/INDYCAR)

After being taken out by a spinning Josef Newgarden at Barber Motorsports Park last weekend, Colton Herta needed to jumpstart his IndyCar championship hopes. He did so with a commanding drive to victory in Sunday’s (April 25) Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg.  The Andretti Autosport driver started on pole position and was the class …

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Jimmie Johnson Settling Into New IndyCar World

Jimmie Johnson going out for practice at St. Petersburg

(Photo by Chris Jones/INDYCAR)

ST. PETERSBURG, Florida — After spending the greater portion of his racing life behind the wheel of a stock car, Jimmie Johnson now calls the NTT IndyCar Series home, but despite his experience, the seven-time NASCAR champion is begging to be treated like a first-time racer. In Johnson’s old racing environment, there were very little …

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Friday St. Petersburg IndyCar Notebook

Felix Rosenqvist practices at St. Petersburg

(Photo by Chris Jones/INDYCAR)

ST. PETERSBURG, Florida — Barber Motorsports Park was a tale of two races for Arrow McLaren SP, but the streets of St. Petersburg offer a chance for Felix Rosenqvist to forget last week and Pato O’Ward to figure out how to finally nail an IndyCar race win. For Rosenqvist, his race basically ended in the …

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NASCAR Stat Sheet: The No. 48 Is Back

2021 Cup Richmond Alex Bowman, No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet, Trophy (Credit: NKP)

Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography

Alex Bowman may not be the next seven-time champion, but Sunday (April 18) he was able to post a NASCAR stat that Jimmie Johnson couldn’t during his final three years in the NASCAR Cup Series: put the No. 48 in the winner’s circle. It also marked the first win for Bowman since Auto Club Speedway …

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A Deeper Statistical Dive Into Jimmie Johnson’s First IndyCar Race

Jimmie Johnson competes in his first IndyCar race at Barber Motorsports Park

(Photo by Chris Owens/INDYCAR)

BIRMINGHAM, Alabama — The statistics might show Jimmie Johnson finishing near the back of his IndyCar debut, but they cannot show how much he learned in an entirely new form of racing. After navigating through a six-car wreck on the first lap of the Honda Indy Grand Prix of Alabama and then spinning eight laps …

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The Big 6: Questions Answered After the 2021 Toyota Owners 400

Aric Almirola on pit road before racing at Phoenix Raceway in 2021. Photo: NKP

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

Who … should you be talking about after the race? The last time a Hendrick Motorsports car visited victory lane at Richmond Raceway, it was the fall race in 2008, and Jimmie Johnson took the checkers in the No. 48 en route to his third consecutive NASCAR Cup Series title. The No. 48 was the …

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