Race Weekend Central

The Underdog House: Sponsorship Changes on the Horizon?

2017 Richmond I Cup Michael Mcdowell Pack Racing Russell Labounty Nkp

(Photo: Russell LaBounty/NKP)

Think Small With Target pulling out of motorsports after this year, it leaves just two NASCAR teams on the circuit using a single primary sponsor for all 36 races. Jimmie Johnson‘s No. 48 has backing from Lowe’s (and Kobalt Tools, manufactured and sold by the store) while the No. 11 run by Denny Hamlin has FedEx.  That leaves …

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NASCAR 101: 10 Longest Winless Streaks Among Full-Time Cup Drivers

2017 Dover Cup Zach Catanzareti Paul Menard

(Photo: Zach Catanzareti)

Few things are more gratifying than breaking a negative streak. Bear that in mind if you wondered why Kasey Kahne‘s victory in the Brickyard 400 in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series last weekend found the driver and his team so elated in Victory Lane. Sure, it’s Indianapolis Motor Speedway, so a victory at the …

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Did You Notice?: NASCAR Silly Season Turns Toward The Sophisticated Business Of NASCAR Charters

2017 Phoenix I Cup Ryan Blaney Pack Racing Russell Labounty Nkp

(Photo: Russell Labounty/NKP)

Did You Notice? …. That Brad Keselowski’s signing narrows down the list of Silly Season question marks? Keselowski’s extension, announced Tuesday, keeps him in the Team Penske No. 2 Ford with sponsorship from Miller Lite. The move came paired with a new contract for crew chief Paul Wolfe as well; the duo will continue their successful …

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Thinkin’ Out Loud: Kasey Kahne Uses Beneficial Pit Call and Strong Restart to Capture Brickyard Victory

2017 Indianapolis Cup Kasey Kahne Team Kissing Bricks Russell Labounty Nkp

(Photo: Russell LaBounty / NKP)

Who’s in the headline – Kasey Kahne has been rumored to be out of his ride for two or three years. While the talk seems to be more intense of late, Kahne and his No. 5 team have kept their nose to the grindstone. A fortunate pit call on lap 148 in the Brickyard 400 …

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The Frontstretch 5: Drivers Who Need a Win to Make the Playoffs & Can Actually Get One

Monster Energy Nascar Cup Series Monster Energy Nascar All Star Race Charlotte Motor Speedway, Concord, Nc Usa Friday 19 May 2017 Ryan Blaney, Wood Brothers Racing, Motorcraft/quick Lane Tire & Auto Center Ford Fusion And Clint Bowyer, Stewart Haas Racing, Haas Automation Ford Fusion World Copyright: Nigel Kinrade Nkp

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade/NKP)

There are just seven races left for the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series drivers to earn a spot in the season playoffs, and with 11 in on race wins, the competition for the five remaining spots is hot and heavy. A few drivers—Kyle Busch, Chase Elliott and Jamie McMurray—look like they’ll make it in on …

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Did You Notice?: NASCAR Daytona Races Can Be Deceiving

Kurt Busch And Wife

(Photo: Rusty Jarrett/NKP)

Did You Notice? … NASCAR races at Daytona can be deceiving? The sport’s Super Bowl, February’s Daytona 500 is known as a race whose winner rarely competes for the series title. Only Jimmie Johnson (2006 & 2013) has accomplished the feat since 1998. There’s a lot of reasons Daytona winds up so different than the rest …

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The Underdog House: NASCAR About to Get Silly?

2017 Kansas I Cup Michael Mcdowell Car Barry Cantrell Nkp

(Photo: Barry Cantrell/NKP)

Think Small Track surfaces aren’t the inly thing heating up as summertime hits full swing.  NASCAR’s Silly Season is coming, and while so far, it’s been confined to rumblings and rumors, there’s potential for things to blow up.  While most of the speculation concerns the bigger teams in the sport, including who will fill the …

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Who’s Hot & Who’s Not in NASCAR: Left, Right, Left, Right Edition

2017 Las Vegas Cup Kevin Harvick Nigel Kinrade Nkp

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade/NKP)

NASCAR drivers had one of those rare weekends, not because they were in California, but because it was their chance to make some right turns this weekend. While they did make a lot of right turns, still along with some left ones, things didn’t go right a lot of times. Unless of course, you’re Kevin …

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Daily Fantasy Forecast: Toyota-Save Mart 350 Preview

2017 Martinsville Cup Zach Catanzareti Ryan Newman

(Photo: Zach Catanzareti)

The Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series heads to Sonoma Raceway for the Toyota Save Mart 350 this Sunday afternoon at 3:00 p.m. Cars hit the track on Friday at 3:00 p.m. for first practice, and then at 2:45 p.m. on Saturday for Coors Light Pole Qualifying. Here are nine drivers to look out for during …

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Who’s Hot & Who’s Not in NASCAR: Speed . . . I Am Speed Edition

2017 Nascar Monster Energy Cup Series, Michigan

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade/NKP)

Michigan International Speedway is one of the fastest on the NASCAR circuit (and that includes the restrictor plate tracks of Daytona and Talladega). So maybe we shouldn’t be surprised the driver running a design for a racing movie won on Sunday. Kyle Larson isn’t a superstar just yet, but with a few more days like Michigan, he …

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The Underdog House: NASCAR’s Vicious Cycle

2017 Dover I Cup Aj Allmendinger Pack Racing Nigel Kinrade Nkp

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade/NKP)

Think Small It’s hard for small teams to get noticed.  This is something that’s been discussed over and over  and continues to create a vicious cycle for these teams: Lack of money leads to lack of performance, and lack of performance makes sponsors shy away, leading to a lack of money…you see the problem here? …

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Brad Keselowski Fastest in Michigan Happy Hour, AJ Allmendinger Crashes

2017 Pocono Cup Brad Keselowski Car Phil Allaway

(Photo: Phil Allaway)

In Happy Hour for the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series at Michigan, Team Penske’s Brad Keselowski set the fastest lap of the 55-minute session.  Keselowski’s lap of 36.474 seconds (197.401 mph) was just under four-hundredths of a second faster than Kyle Busch. Pole sitter Kyle Larson was third quickest, followed by Joey Logano and Erik …

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