Race Weekend Central

Up to Speed: Denny Hamlin Needs to Let it Go

Denny Hamlin scratches his head on pit road at Charlotte Motor Speedway. (Photo: NKP)

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

Denny Hamlin doesn’t have to be happy.  He doesn’t have to like getting spun by Alex Bowman in the closing laps at Martinsville Speedway.  He doesn’t have to celebrate missing out on a potential win during a 2021 NASCAR Cup Series season where he has enjoyed plenty of strong runs, but few victories. No, Hamlin …

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Frontstretch 2-Minute Drill: Xfinity 500 at Martinsville

2019 Martinsville MENCS Racing NKP

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

The penultimate race of the 2021 NASCAR Cup Series at Martinsville Speedway is upon us, and pretty much everything is still up in the air. Kyle Larson has won three straight races, including sweeping both events in the Round of 8 thus far at Texas Motor Speedway and Kansas Speedway. He’s led a combined 386 …

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From Daytona to Dagobah: Is Matt Mills NASCAR’s Biggest Star Wars Fan?

Matt Mills poses on pit road at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. (Photo: NKP)

#5: Matt Mills, B.J. McLeod Motorsports, Chevrolet Camaro J.F. Electric

What if I told you that the NASCAR Xfinity Series field now had one of biggest Star Wars nerds in racing?  Matt Mills is in the midst of his third full year in the series driving the No. 5 (or Red Five) — and sometimes the No. 99 — for BJ McLeod Motorsports. He’s having …

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Did You Notice?: What’s Next for Ford’s NASCAR Future After Rocky 2021 Playoffs?

Ford drivers Ryan Blaney and Austin Cindric chat on pit road at Kansas Speedway. (Photo: NKP)

#12: Ryan Blaney, Team Penske, Ford Mustang Menards/Moen and #33: Austin Cindric, Team Penske, Ford Mustang MoneyLion

Did You Notice? … The way Ford has struggled during the 2021 NASCAR Cup Series playoffs? As I first pointed out at CBS Sports, they’ve gone 0-for-8 and sit outside Championship 4 position for the first time in the history of the format, implemented in 2014. That could change this weekend at Martinsville Speedway if any …

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Up to Speed: A Good Bad Day for Kyle Busch at Kansas

Kyle Busch at 2021 NASCAR Cup Series race on Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course, NKP

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

Kyle Busch’s rocky path through the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs took another unexpected turn at Kansas Speedway. Entering Sunday’s (Oct. 24) race, Busch was on the playoff bubble, just eight points above the cut line. It was a slim margin, but not necessarily a reason to panic. Once among his worst tracks, Busch had finished …

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Thinkin’ Out Loud: 2021 Kansas NASCAR Playoff Race

Kyle Larson and No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports crew points up in victory lane, Sean Gardner/Getty

(Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images)

What happened? Kyle Larson won the Hollywood Casino 400 at Kansas Speedway on Sunday (Oct. 24) for his third consecutive victory. Chase Elliott, Kevin Harvick, Kurt Busch and Denny Hamlin rounded out the top-five finishers. You earned it today, @KyleLarsonRacin! Retweet to congratulate the @TeamHendrick driver on an impressive win at @kansasspeedway! pic.twitter.com/stXuaHpqu7 — NASCAR …

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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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Did You Notice?: NASCAR Rivalries Not Named Harvick-Elliott & Remembering 550 HP

2021 Daytona Road Cup Tyler Reddick William Byron racing NKP

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

Did You Notice? … Kevin Harvick and Chase Elliott isn’t the only rivalry to heat up in the final few weeks? Some other drivers butting heads have flown under the radar a bit with these two taking up so much air in the room. Here’s three other sets of people in the NASCAR community to keep …

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5 Points to Ponder: Despite Trouble at Texas, Denny Hamlin Showed Championship Form

Denny Hamlin waits for a NASCAR race at Charlotte to begin. Photo: NKP

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

1. Denny Hamlin showing championship potential We’ve seen it time and again: Denny Hamlin makes the playoffs only to fall flat in the season’s most critical moments. But fast forward to the 2021 season and we’ve seen the No. 11 team strike first in the Round of 16 and the Round of 12, winning at …

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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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Kyle Larson Outlasts Late-Race Mayhem at Texas, Claims Championship 4 Slot

Kyle Larson & the No. 5 Team Celebrate in Victory Lane at Texas Motor Speedway. Photo by Rick Lunkenheimer

(Photo: Rick Lunkenheimer)

Just as he did at the Charlotte Motor Speedway ROVAL last week, Kyle Larson survived carnage at Texas Motor Speedway to secure his eighth win of the season and a spot in the Championship 4 at Phoenix Raceway. Larson led 256 laps en route to the victory, keeping his distance from a bout of late-race …

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Daily Fantasy NASCAR DraftKings Forecast: 2021 Autotrader EchoPark Automotive 500

Kyle Busch’s No. 18 Skittles Zombies car of Joe Gibbs Racing at 2020 fall Texas NASCAR Cup race, NKP

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

Yeehaw! The NASCAR Cup Series travels to the Lone Star State for the first playoff race in the Round of 8. Let’s round up drivers to fill your daily fantasy NASCAR DraftKings roster for Sunday’s (Oct. 17) race at Texas Motor Speedway. After a wild event at the Charlotte Motor Speedway ROVAL, teams get back …

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