Race Weekend Central

Thinkin’ Out Loud – Phoenix Chase Race 9 – And Then There Were Four

2014 Phoenix Ii Cup Kevin Harvick Burnout Cia

(Credit: CIA Stock Photography)

Key Moments – Denny Hamlin was a lap down more than once in the race thanks to a flat tire and a two tire stop that resulted in his car being less than competitive with the faster cars. Hamlin was granted the Lucky Dog under the third and seventh cautions of the race. The No. 11 …

Read more

The Big 6: Questions Answered After the 2014 Quicken Loans Race for Heroes 500 at Phoenix

2014 Phoenix Ii Cup Kevin Harvick Champagne Cia

Credit: CIA Stock Photography

Looking for the Who, What, When, Where, Why and How behind Sunday’s race? Amy Henderson has you covered each week with the answers to six race-day questions, covering all five Ws and even the H… the Big Six. Who… gets my shoutout of the race? His top-10 run might not have been noticed at all …

Read more

The Frontstretch Five: Things You Might Have Missed Amid the Chase Hype

2014 Texas Ii Cup Pack Racing Cia

(Photo: CIA Stock Photo, Inc. © 2014)

Welcome to the Frontstretch Five, a brand-new column for 2014! Each week, Amy Henderson takes a look at the racing, the drivers, and the storylines that drive NASCAR and produces a list of five people, places, things, and ideas that define the current state of our sport. This week, Amy ‘s got a few things …

Read more

Thinkin’ Out Loud: Goody’s Headache Relief Shot 500

2014 Martinsville Ii Cup Dale Earnhardt Jr Burnout Cia

Credit: CIA Stock Photography

Key Moment – During the caution flag that flew for the third incident between Kasey Kahne and Brian Vickers on lap 278, Steve Letarte realized that Dale Earnhardt, Jr. was going to restart in the fourth position, which would have put him in the outside line. Letarte called Earnhardt in, put four tires on his …

Read more

Did You Notice? … Tough Sledding, Payback Time And Penalty Free

2014 Atlanta Nns Fans Cia

(Credit: CIA Stock Photography)

Did You Notice?… How ratings keep declining in this Chase? Talladega, the Russian Roulette 500-miler of the playoffs should have been a “can’t miss” race for those interested in the sport’s new format. There’s no event more unpredictable for an “elimination” event, whereby the checkered flag Sprint Cup’s postseason field was trimmed from twelve to …

Read more

Thinkin’ Out Loud: GEICO 500 – Brad Keselowski Lives to Fight Another Day

2014 Talladega Ii Cup Brad Keselowski Flag Credit Nascar Via Getty Images

Credit: NASCAR via Getty Images

Key Moment – The caution flag flew with four laps to go for a piece of metal on the race track. The No. 22 of Joey Logano had it on his grill under caution and rubbed it off when the yellow flag was in the air. The end result was a green-white-checkered finish that brought …

Read more

Did You Notice? … Hornish Hire Sign Of Shift In NASCAR’s Ford Hierarchy

2014 Road America Nns Sam Hornish Jr. Credit Nascar Via Getty Images

(Credit: Getty Images)

Did You Notice? … Sam Hornish, Jr.’s strategy worked? His choice to run a limited schedule, in top-notch Nationwide equipment as opposed to running full-time with a struggling team paid off this week. Hornish will be the replacement for Marcos Ambrose in 2015, driving the No. 9 Ford for a Richard Petty Motorsports program that …

Read more

Who’s Hot and Who’s Not In NASCAR: Dover – Kansas Edition

2014 Richmond Ii Cup Kevin Harvick Cia

(Credit: CIA Stock Photography)

Dover International Speedway did its job: separate the contenders from the pretenders. After 400 circuits at the Monster Mile, only 12 drivers remain in contention for the ultimate prize, the NASCAR Sprint Cup trophy. Which drivers have what it takes to survive the Contender Round and which are lucky to have made it this far? …

Read more

Sam Hornish, Jr. Among Rumored Replacements for Marcos Ambrose

2014 Mid Ohio Nns Sam Hornish Jr Pole Cia

(Credit: CIA Stock Photography)

Could Sam Hornish, Jr. be the next driver behind the wheel of the No. 9 at Richard Petty Motorsports? Recently, the Associated Press covered Hornish and his trip to Kentucky Speedway for the NASCAR Nationwide Series VisitMyrtleBeach.com 300. The 35-year-old three-time IndyCar series champion shared his thoughts on the season, his career, and the future …

Read more

NASCAR Mailbox: Grand Jury or Grandstanding?

2014 Chicago Cup Tony Stewart Car Cia

Credit: CIA Stock Photography

The news we have all been waiting for finally broke on Wednesday in regards to the Tony Stewart / Kevin Ward, Jr. story. With the investigation complete, Ontario County District Attorney Michael Tantillo has decided to present the case to a grand jury, despite the fact that those handling the investigation had previously said that they saw …

Read more

Racing to the Point: What Kept Marcos Ambrose from Becoming a Great?

2014 Michigan I Cup Marcos Ambrose Cia

(Credit: CIA Stock Photography)

With all of the spotlight on the winner-take-all race for the title at Homestead-Miami Speedway, Marcos Ambrose probably won’t receive much attention in what will most likely be his final Sprint Cup race. He’ll run 29th, slip into the shadows and a year from now we’ll be trying to remember his name. Was it Marcus …

Read more