Race Weekend Central

Thinkin’ Out Loud: 2021 Toyota Owners 400 at Richmond

Alex Bowman

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

What happened? Alex Bowman won the Toyota Owners 400 at Richmond Raceway on Sunday (April 18) following an impressive late-race restart where he lined up in third place. Denny Hamlin, Joey Logano, Christopher Bell and Martin Truex Jr. rounded out the top-five finishers. Let the party begin! ? Retweet to congratulate @Alex_Bowman on a huge …

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Stock Car Scoop: Is Martin Truex Jr. the Man to Beat at Richmond?

Martin Truex Jr. celebrates with a burnout after winning 2021 spring Phoenix Cup race Photo NKP

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

The NASCAR Cup Series is going short track racing once again and for the second consecutive week, it looks like Martin Truex Jr. is the favorite to conquer the oval in Virginia. Can he get it done for his third victory in the last four races at Richmond or could someone else arise and defeat …

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Couch Potato Tuesday: FOX Sports 1 Dodges Rain in Martinsville

Brad Keselowski and Denny Hamlin lead the NASCAR field at Martinsville Speedway, April 2021. Photo: NKP

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

Once again, rain put a damper on a NASCAR race weekend. The sad truth is that everyone saw it coming. The rain that postponed the races to Sunday was predicted three to four days in advance. It just bites. All three races, including Thursday night’s Whelen Modified Tour opener, were affected by rain. At least …

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Stock Car Scoop: What is Martin Truex Jr.’s Secret at Martinsville?

Nascar Cup Series

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

The NASCAR Cup Series went short track racing at Martinsville Speedway, and it was Martin Truex Jr. getting the victory for the third time in his last four starts at the paperclip. What is his secret? Bryan Nolen and Adam Cheek dive into it that topic, why Ryan Blaney cant close the deal and get …

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Zach’s Turn: Ryan Blaney Remains Winless at Martinsville

2021 Martinsville I Cup Ryan Blaney Nkp

Ryan Blaney (Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

Ryan Blaney has earned top-five finishes in five of the last seven races at Martinsville Speedway yet remains winless at the half-mile paperclip. After Sunday’s (April 11) race, that statistic should have read six top fives in the last seven. Instead, a pit-road miscue and ensuing penalty derailed what could have been a winning run …

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Martin Truex Jr. Outraces Teammate Denny Hamlin for 3rd Martinsville Victory

Martin Truex Jr. does a burnout after winning the Blue-Emu Maximum Pain Relief 500, 4/11/2021 (Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

Martin Truex Jr. has become quite the Martinsville expert. Truex hunted down Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Denny Hamlin and passed him for the lead with 20 laps to go in Sunday (April 11) afternoon’s Blue-Emu Fast Pain Relief 500 at Martinsville Speedway, successfully defending his title as the spring race winner from 2020. He has …

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The Big 6: Questions Answered After the 2021 Food City Dirt Race

Joey Logano and Daniel Suarez race on Bristol Motor Speedway's dirt surface March 2021. (Credit: NKP)

Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography

Who … should you be talking about after the race? Joey Logano is well-known for his aggressive driving style, and it served him well on Bristol Motor Speedway’s brand-new, albeit temporary, dirt surface, despite his relative inexperience on dirt. Logano used restarts to his advantage, taking the lead from a fast and closing Daniel Suarez …

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Alex Bowman, Ryan Blaney Lead Cup Practices at Bristol Dirt

2021 Cup Bristol Dirt Practice Alex Bowman, No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet (Credit: NKP)

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

For the first time since its 2021 season-opening race weekend at Daytona International Speedway, the NASCAR Cup Series held on-track practice. Alex Bowman and Ryan Blaney posted the fastest times in each respective practice session at the Bristol Motor Speedway dirt track on Friday (March 26). Practice 1 Bowman completed 42 laps in the opening …

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Bad Boys Getting Dirty at Dirt-Covered Bristol Motor Speedway

Noah Gragson at 2021 Xfinity race at Daytona Photo NKP

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

It’s that time of the month that the old-timer, long-time NASCAR writer and observer stops by to share some words of wisdom with you. While I will never get used to stage racing and having playoffs in my favorite sport, I am thrilled that not as many drivers and crew guys get hurt as back …

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Frontstretch Podcast: Stewart & Jessica Friesen On Historical Bristol Dirt Starts

2017 Eldora Cwts Stewart Friesen Truck Russell Labounty Nkp

(Photo: Russell LaBounty/NKP)

Husband and wife Stewart Friesen and Jessica Friesen are making history this weekend, becoming the second married couple to ever compete in a NASCAR national series race when they compete at the Bristol Motor Speedway Dirt Track on Saturday (March 27). They join Davey Segal this week to discuss why and how this specific opportunity …

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Did You Notice?: NASCAR Team Orders Creeping Into 2021

2021 Trucks Atlanta Kyle Busch, No. 51 Kyle Busch Motorsports Toyota, Burnout (Credit: NKP)

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

Did You Notice? … The way in which teammates helped each other out at Atlanta Motor Speedway last weekend (March 20-21)? The most obvious example came in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, where Kyle Busch twice slowed down in the final laps of a stage to let John Hunter Nemechek pass by and win. In …

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Dropping the Hammer: Embracing Pandora’s Box of Bristol Dirt Race

Daniel McFadin Dropping the Hammer

Graphic by James Crow

OK, let’s get this out of the way up top. I’m not a fan of dirt racing. There, I said it. In my 30 years on this planet, aside from a couple events as a child I have no memory of, I have yet to attend a race that involved dirt. That’s due more to …

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