Race Weekend Central

Thinkin’ Out Loud: 2021 Verizon 200 at the Brickyard

AJ Allmendinger kisses the bricks at Indianapolis Motor Speedway after his Verizon 200 win. (Photo: NKP)

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

Verizon 200: What happened? AJ Allmendinger won the Verizon 200 at the Brickyard on Sunday (Aug. 15) after a chaotic conclusion to the first NASCAR Cup Series race on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course. Ryan Blaney, Kyle Larson, Chase Elliott and Matt DiBenedetto rounded out the top-five finishers.  "LET'S GOOOOOO!" @AJDinger and @KauligRacing are …

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Thinkin’ Out Loud: 2021 Go Bowling at The Glen

2021 Cup Watkins Glen Kyle Larson Wins Nkp

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

What happened? Kyle Larson won the Go Bowling at The Glen on Sunday (Aug. 8) after holding off a hard-charging teammate and leading the final 26 laps of the race. Chase Elliott, Martin Truex Jr., Kyle Busch and Denny Hamlin rounded out the top-five finishers.  RETWEET to congratulate @KyleLarsonRacin on his WIN at @WGI!#NASCAR pic.twitter.com/BU9OJMLMEQ …

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The Big 6: Questions Answered After 2021 Go Bowling at the Glen

Chase Briscoe in the driver's seat of his NASCAR racecar. Photo: NKP

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

Who … should you be talking about after the race? Kyle Larson can race on any kind of track in any kind of car (anyone else want to see him try his hand in the IndyCar Series?). Sunday (Aug. 8), he reminded everyone of that, making the tricky road course at Watkins Glen International look like …

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Frontstretch 5: Drivers Who Could Dethrone Chase Elliott on a Road Course

Nascar Cup Series

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

Defending NASCAR Cup Series champions Chase Elliott and the No. 9 Hendrick Motorsports team know how to put a solid road course race together. His seven road course wins rank him third behind eight-time winner Tony Stewart and Jeff Gordon’s all-time record of nine. To his delight and the field’s dismay, the first two races …

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Zach’s Turn: Team Penske in Midst of Massive Upheaval

Team Penske Joey Logano Brad Keselowski New Hampshire 2021

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

Team Penske has been the beacon of stability in NASCAR for the past eight years. That cohesion was officially upended one week ago when Roger Penske confirmed Brad Keselowski’s departure from Team Penske by announcing Austin Cindric will transition into the No. 2 Ford for the 2022 season. Change is extraordinarily rare at Team Penske, …

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Dropping the Hammer: The Next Gen Car vs. the Internet

NASCAR Next Gen car

(Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images)

On Monday morning (July 19), NASCAR alerted media members about the state of the Next Gen car. Following a review of data from a June 30 crash test at Talladega Superspeedway, an independent safety panel has given the Cup Series’ new car for 2022 a clean bill of health. According to NBC Sports, NASCAR told …

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Thinkin’ Out Loud: 2021 Foxwoods Resort Casino 301 at New Hampshire

2021 Loudon Cup Aric Almirola lobster Foxwoods Resort Casino 301 (Photo: NKP)

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

What happened in the Foxwoods Resort Casino 301? Aric Almirola won the Foxwoods Resort Casino 301 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway on Sunday (July 18) to steal an unlikely playoff spot in what’s been a dismal season. Christopher Bell, Brad Keselowski, Joey Logano and Ryan Blaney rounded out the top-five finishers. How about that? ? …

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Up to Speed: Will Christopher Bell be Ready for the Playoffs?

Christopher Bell smiles outside his car at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. (Photo: NKP)

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

Christopher Bell’s 2021 NASCAR season got off to a great start.  In the Daytona 500, his first Cup Series race with Joe Gibbs Racing, he led 32 laps and looked like a potential winner before getting collected in a crash. The following weekend’s race at the Daytona International Speedway road course had a much better …

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Aric Almirola Scores Maiden 2021 Victory at New Hampshire

2021 Loudon Cup Aric Almirola woohoo NKP

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

A relatively tame race followed the complete and utter mayhem that started the afternoon at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. The NASCAR Cup Series took to the Granite State oval on Sunday (July 18) and was almost immediately besieged by rain, which sent several cars spinning and brought out a red flag that lasted more than …

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Frontstretch 2-Minute Drill: Foxwoods Resort Casino 301 at New Hampshire

2019 Loudon Mencs Joey Logano Car Nigel Kinrade Photography

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

A northeast venture to the Granite State concludes the pre-Olympic break portion of the NASCAR Cup Series’ 2021 season. New Hampshire Motor Speedway hosts this afternoon’s Foxwoods Resort Casino 301 and it is the final NASCAR event prior to the opening ceremonies of the postponed 2020 Tokyo Summer Olympics getting underway later this week, coverage …

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NASCAR Mailbox: Does NASCAR Have a Communication Problem?

2021 Cup Atlanta Ii Joe Gibbs Racing Nkp

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

Drivers seemed pissed off more than normal this weekend. Repave/reconfiguration at Atlanta, Next Gen safety concerns. Why the sudden anger? – Rick P., Salem, Ore. I’ve never seen Cool Hand Luke, but I know the quote from that movie that holds water and will for years and years to come in human society is this …

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Thinkin’ Out Loud: 2021 Quaker State 400 at Atlanta

Kurt Busch celebrates in victory lane at Atlanta Motor Speedway after the Quaker State 400. (Photo: NKP)

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

What happened? Kurt Busch won the Quaker State 400 at Atlanta Motor Speedway on Sunday (July 11) after holding off his little brother during an intense final run to the checkered flag. Kyle Busch, Martin Truex Jr., Alex Bowman and Ryan Blaney rounded out the top-five finishers. "HELL YEAH WE BEAT KYLE" — @KurtBusch pic.twitter.com/apaHrHgfO6 …

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