Race Weekend Central

Martin Truex Jr. Comes Back From Tire Problem to Earn Kansas Top 10

Martin Truex Jr.

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

Kansas City, Kansas — Things did not look good for Martin Truex Jr. 60 laps into Sunday’s  (Oct. 24) NASCAR Cup Series playoff race at Kansas Speedway. Twenty laps before the end of the first stage, the Joe Gibbs Racing driver sat in 33rd, two laps off the pace. Like playoff drivers Brad Keselowski and …

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Frontstretch 2-Minute Drill: Hollywood Casino 400 at Kansas

#2: Brad Keselowski, Team Penske, Ford Mustang Verizon 5G and #24: William Byron, Hendrick Motorsports, Chevrolet Camaro Axalta pack racing Kansas spring 2021 Cup race NKP

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

Just three races remain in the 2021 NASCAR Cup Series season. First among them is Sunday (Oct. 24) afternoon’s Hollywood Casino 400 at Kansas Speedway, where 40 drivers settle in for 267 laps on the 1.5-mile yellow brick road. Even after last week’s likely-calm race at Texas Motor Speedway devolved into chaos in the final …

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Thinkin’ Out Loud: 2021 Texas NASCAR Playoff Race

Kyle Larson celebrates his victory in the 2021 Texas NASCAR playoff race at Texas Motor Speedway. (Photo: NKP)

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

What happened in the 2021 Texas NASCAR Playoff Race? Kyle Larson won the Autotrader EchoPark Automotive 500 at Texas NASCAR playoff race on Sunday (Oct. 17) after leading the final 218 laps to clinch a spot in the Championship 4.  William Byron, Christopher Bell, Brad Keselowski and Kevin Harvick rounded out the top-five finishers. RETWEET …

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Up to Speed: Can Joey Logano & Martin Truex Jr. Recover?

Joey Logano focuses before the 2021 NASCAR Cup Series race at Circuit of the Americas in Austin. (Photo: NKP)

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

On a day at Texas Motor Speedway when most NASCAR playoff drivers avoided serious trouble, Joey Logano and Martin Truex Jr. were not so lucky.  Both drivers looked to be on their way to top-10 finishes but dropped out of the race in the last 50 miles.  Logano’s engine failed on lap 300, relegating him …

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Contenders Set to Emerge in NASCAR’s Round of 8

NASCAR Kyle Larson

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

Just past the halfway point of the 2021 NASCAR Cup Series playoffs, the focus of the postseason is finally shifting. The first two rounds are all about who falls out. Now comes the time to focus on those who managed to advance. It’s a mixture of drivers you would expect and a few who might …

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NASCAR Stat Sheet: Hamlin Goes All in for Vegas Win

Denny Hamlin leads a pack of NASCAR race cars in the 2021 South Point 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, September 2021. Photo: NKP

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

Joe Gibbs Racing driver clinches spot in Round of Eight With 30 races in the books, the championship is in sight and we have a good idea who will probably be fighting for it at Phoenix. But it takes so much going right and not just piling up stats. Kyle Larson essentially rolled snake eyes …

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Thinkin’ Out Loud: Las Vegas NASCAR Playoff Race

2021 Cup Las Vegas Pack Racing Ryan Blaney, No. 12 Team Penske Ford (Credit: NKP)

Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography

What happened? Denny Hamlin won the South Point 400 at Las Vegas on Sunday night (Sept. 26) after leading a race-high 137 laps, including the final 39. Chase Elliott, Kyle Busch, Martin Truex Jr. and Ryan Blaney rounded out the top-five finishers. "Vegas Baby!" ? Take a look at @dennyhamlin's final lap to win at …

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Joe Gibbs Racing Notches Critical Performance at Las Vegas

2021 Cup Las Vegas Joe Gibbs Racing teammates Denny Hamlin, No. 11 Toyota, and Kyle Busch, No. 18 Toyota (Credit: NKP)

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

Joe Gibbs Racing has lamented its shortcomings at 550-horsepower racetracks all season, but the team’s performance at Las Vegas Motor Speedway should quell that concern. Denny Hamlin led a 1-3-4 finish for JGR on Sunday night (Sept. 26) with teammates Kyle Busch third and Martin Truex Jr. fourth. Good runs are always appreciated, but a run …

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Frontstretch 2-Minute Drill: South Point 400 at Las Vegas

Las Vegas Cup 2020 race

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

After cut tires, fights and eliminations highlighted the Cup Series’ race last Saturday (Sept. 18) at Bristol Motor Speedway, the field heads west to a (possibly) calmer venue in Las Vegas Motor Speedway on Sunday (Sept. 26) as the playoffs’ Round of 12 begins. Kyle Larson won the spring race in Sin City and won …

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Crew Chiefs for Martin Truex Jr., Aric Almirola Fined After Bristol Lug Nut Infractions

2021 Cup Bristol Ii Aric Almirola Nkp

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

The crew chiefs of the No. 19 of Martin Truex Jr. and the No. 10 of Aric Almirola have each been fined $10,000 following lug nut infractions found during post-race inspection in the NASCAR Cup Series on Sept. 18, NASCAR announced Sept. 21. Both Mike Bugarewicz of the Stewart-Haas Racing team and James Small of …

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NASCAR Stat Sheet: Kyle Larson’s Pick-Six Intercepts Potential Harvick Win

A pack, including Kyle Larson, of NASCAR Cup Series drivers racing at Bristol Motor Speedway, September 2021. Photo: NKP

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

Larson Headlines Bristol Weekend Renaissance Bristol Motor Speedway has a rich history of, shall we say, drivers seeing things from a different perspective. The track marketed these dust-ups with remarkable success and became a fan favorite for the same reason crowds throughout history loved the guillotine: It was a macabre spectacle. The blade had dulled …

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The Big 6: Questions Answered After the Bristol Night Race

Kyle Larson leads the pack in the 2021 Bristol Bass Pro Shops Night Race. (Photo: NKP)

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

Kyle Larson took the lead away from Kevin Harvick in the closing laps and held on to win at Bristol Motor Speedway Saturday (Sept. 18). Lapped traffic was a factor all night, allowing cars in second place to close in on the leader. Such was the case near the end of the race; Larson went to the bottom and then back up the track, squeezing Harvick a bit. The No. 5 of Hendrick Motorsports then slid up in front of Harvick, preventing the No. 4 from getting another run on Larson.