Race Weekend Central

The Big 6: Questions Answered After the 2020 Coca-Cola 600

2017NewHampshireMENCSMattKensethFaceNKP

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

Who… should you be talking about after the 2020 Coca-Cola 600? Brad Keselowski was going to come up short in the 2020 Coca-Cola 600.  He’d had a great restart with 46 laps to go, taking advantage of track position up front. However, Chase Elliott squeaked by and then took off in clean air, leaving Keselowski …

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Kurt Busch Wins Pole For Coca-Cola 600

NASCAR Cup Series

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

Not since early March in Phoenix had drivers in the NASCAR Cup Series set the starting field by virtue of qualifying. Kurt Busch now has the distinction of being the first pole winner during the COVID-19 pandemic after his late qualifying lap of 181.269 mph earned him the pole position for Sunday night’s Coca-Cola 600 …

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Daily Fantasy NASCAR DraftKings Forecast: Toyota 500k

2020DarlingtonNCSKevinHarvickCelebratonNASCARMedia

(Photo: Getty Images/NASCAR Media)

Two NASCAR Cup Series races in one week? Yep! Get your daily fantasy NASCAR DraftKings roster ready. The Toyota 500k at Darlington Raceway is set to begin shortly after 6 p.m. ET on Wednesday, May 20, and will air on FOX Sports 1. The start time has been moved up due to expected weather in …

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Kurt Busch Finishes 3rd in NASCAR’s Return at Darlington

NASCAR Cup Series

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

Kurt Busch tied his best finish of the season with a third-place effort at Darlington, NASCAR’s first race back amid the coronavirus pandemic. Sunday afternoon’s Real Heroes 400 was won by former teammate Kevin Harvick, but Busch had a consistent race, running near the front for most of the day. Matt Kenseth, Busch’s teammate at …

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Up to Speed: Which Drivers Are Likely to Tame Darlington in its 2020 NASCAR Return?

2019 Darlington MENCS Racing NKP

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

The 2020 NASCAR season, paused for about two months due to the COVID-19 pandemic, is less than a week away from resuming.  The first two races will be held at Darlington Raceway in South Carolina, about a two-hour drive from race shops in the Charlotte area.  They include a 400-mile event on Sunday, May 17 …

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Turn Back the Clock NASCAR 2004: A New Era Begins With the Chase

2014 NASCAR Nextel Cup Series, Homestead

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

As we think about the last 20-25 years in NASCAR, there are several special seasons that jump out at us. One of those, and maybe the most crucial one, was NASCAR 2004. Why? The reasons are plentiful. NASCAR 2004 featured the introduction of the Chase, the sport’s introduction to a playoff system. The first edition …

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The Frontstretch 5: Longest-Tenured NASCAR Cup Series Drivers

2019 Daytona I CUP Kurt Busch smiling NKP

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

It’s hard to survive in NASCAR’s top series. It’s success that usually breeds longevity, and the NASCAR Cup Series is rife with successful veteran drivers. Who’s been around the longest? Here are the five full-time Cup drivers whose careers began the longest ago. Due to the structure of the rules for rookies at the time, …

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Daily Fantasy NASCAR DraftKings Forecast: 2020 FanShield 500

2019 Loudon MENCS Brad Keselowski Pole Award Getty Images NASCAR Media

(Photo: Brian Lawdermilk/Getty Images for NASCAR)

It’s time for a duel in the desert as the NASCAR Cup Series makes the trek to Arizona for the FanShield 500 at Phoenix Raceway. Something is definitely different about the cars this week: the rear spoiler. It was reduced from 8 inches to 2.75 inches as part of the new short-track and road course …

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Daily Fantasy NASCAR DraftKings Forecast: 2020 Auto Club 400

Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

California dreamin’, on such a winter’s day. The NASCAR Cup Series teams don’t have to dream, as they are in Fontana, Calif. this week for the Auto Club 400. The race will air on Sunday, March 1 at 12:30 p.m. ET on FOX. Temperatures at Auto Club Speedway on race day will definitely feel like …

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2020 NASCAR Cup Series Preseason Power Rankings

2019HomesteadMENCSKyleBuschVictoryLaneCCK

(Credit: Christian Koelle, Frontstretch)

For the first time here at Frontstretch, our staff banded together to vote on who it thinks will be the top drivers of the 2020 NASCAR Cup Series season in a preseason power rankings format. Each participating staff member sent a 30-driver ranking before the beginning of the season, taking into account not only 2019 successes …

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Frontstretch Podcast: Best of 2019 & 2010s

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(Credit: Christian Koelle, Frontstretch)

In a fun offseason Frontstretch Podcast, Dustin Albino and Mike Neff discuss the best of 2019 and the 2010s. Kyle Busch ended the year with the big trophy, but was he the best driver of the 2019 season? Denny Hamlin had a rebound season, Neff believes the honor goes to the driver of the No. 11 car. …

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2019 NASCAR Driver Reviews: Kurt Busch

Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series

#1: Kurt Busch, Chip Ganassi Racing, Chevrolet Camaro Monster Energy

While Kurt Busch‘s decision to leave Stewart-Haas Racing for Chip Ganassi Racing in 2019 wasn’t exactly stunning, it did seem a little like his return to Chevrolet would be a downgrade. But after the checkered flag flew at Homestead-Miami Speedway to close out the 2019 NASCAR Cup Series year, that turned out not to be …

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