Race Weekend Central

Ernie Cope Moved to Crew Chief for AJ Allmendinger

2017 Cup Richmond Zach Catanzareti Aj Allmendinger

(Photo: Zach Catanzareti)

Veteran NASCAR crew chief Ernie Cope will take over the role for AJ Allmendinger, replacing Randall Burnett beginning this weekend during The Open at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Motorsport.com was first to report the news. Cope has sat atop the pit box 41 times in the Cup Series, including four times this season. All of those have been …

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Erik Jones Paces Monster Energy Open Practice

2017 Talladega I Nxs Erik Jones Nigel Kinrade Nkp

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade/NKP)

Furniture Row Racing certainly knows how to bring fast cars to Charlotte Motor Speedway. It was rookie Erik Jones who took full advantage Friday in the lone practice session before Saturday’s Monster Energy Open. The freshman headlined testing in the last chance race for drivers to transfer into the headlining All-Star Race later Saturday night. Jones …

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Happiness Is: A Safe, Long, Enjoyable Weekend

2017 Atlanta Cup Danica Patrick Nigel Kinrade Nkp

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade / NKP)

The NASCAR traveling circus is moving on from the carnival known as Talladega and parking itself in Kansas this weekend.  To some fans, that means a return to what may be considered more traditional racing.   To others? The weekend at Kansas Speedway will represent a return to boring 1.5-mile, cookie-cutter, follow-the-leader lameness that has brought …

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The Underdog House: Small Teams Impress at Talladega

2017 Talladega I Cup Cole Whitt Car John K Harrrelson Nkp

(Photo: John K. Harrelson/NKP)

Think Small This past weekend’s action at Talladega illustrated again what can happen when the racing is more in the hands of the drivers. There were several different names at the top eager to display their talent.  Aric Almirola nearly pulled off the weekend double, and David Ragan overcame crash damage to finish in the …

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Thinkin’ Out Loud: Ricky Stenhouse Jr. Avoids the Big One, Makes Big Last-Lap Pass At Talladega

2017 Talladega I Cup Rricky Stenhouse Jr Checkered Flag Nigel Kinrade Nkp

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade / NKP)

Who’s in the headline Restrictor plate racetracks are always the great equalizer. This weekend, Talladega Superspeedway’s parity roulette wheel landed on the name Ricky Stenhouse Jr. It wasn’t a shock Stenhouse was able to make it to Victory Lane Sunday, in large part because he had the fastest car in qualifying by a substantial amount. But …

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The Big 6: Questions After 2017 GEICO 500

2017 Talladega I Cup Ricky Stenhouse Jr Woohoo John K Harrelson Nkp

(Photo: John Harrelson / NKP)

Who… gets the shoutout of the race? Jamie McMurray. He’s been known throughout his career as a guy who has a knack for winning the big races and excels on restrictor plate tracks. A Daytona 500 win in 2010 and a July victory at the World Center of Racing in 2007, plus two Talladega Superspeedway wins …

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Ricky Stenhouse Jr. Wins First Career Cup Series Race on Last Lap Pass

2016 Daytona Ii Cup Ricky Stenhouse Jr Car Nigel Kinrade Nkp

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade / NKP)

Beginning from the pole of the Geico 500 at Talladega Superspeedway, Ricky Stenhouse Jr. led the opening 13 laps before getting shuffled out of line. With 29 laps to go, he got into the rear of Ryan Blaney, sending the No. 21 car around. But then he charged to the front. On a green-white-checkered finish …

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The Underdog House: Changes in the NASCAR Ranks

2017 Richmond I Cup Michael Mcdowell Pack Racing Russell Labounty Nkp

(Photo: Russell LaBounty/NKP)

Think Small The 2017 season is at the quarter mark after nine races, and some trends are taking shape.  Wood Brothers Racing has established itself at the top of the class, which was to be expected after the team increased its alliance with Team Penske this year. Even within the group, the haves and have …

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The Underdog House: The Great Equalizer

2017 Bristol I Cup Jeffrey Earnhardt Car Matthew T Thacker Nkp

(Photo: Matthew T. Thacker/NKP)

Think Small Short tracks are popular with race fans because there is almost always some action somewhere in the field.  Cars are close together, tempers flare and drivers are aggressive.  Another reason to enjoy this type of racing is that short tracks (Bristol and Martinsville more so than Richmond) usually level out the playing field …

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The Underdog House: NASCAR’s Best-Kept Secret

2017 Texas I Cup Cole Whitt Matt Dibenedetto Racing Logan Whitton Nkp

(Photo: Logan Whitton/NKP)

Think Small It feels like NASCAR’s small teams get a bad rap right from the start from some fans and even media.  Too often, they’re lumped into a “backmarkers” category, often mocked for their poor performance compared to rivals.  To hear some people talk, you’d think they went out every week and ran in the 20’s …

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Who’s Hot and Who’s Not in NASCAR: Never Count Him Out Edition

2017 Fontana Cup Ryan Blaney Nigel Kinrade Nkp

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade/NKP)

It almost seems like an annual rite of passage in these early stages of the Cup Series season. What’s wrong with the No. 48 team? Is Jimmie Johnson finally past his prime? Is this the year the now-seven time champion becomes an also ran as he winds down his career? Well, we got the answer …

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The Big 6: Questions After The 2017 STP 500

2017 Martinsville Cup Zach Catanzareti Kyle Larson

(Photo: Zach Catanzareti)

Who… gets my shoutout of the race? The Martinsville Speedway has been a great racetrack for JTG Daugherty Racing. AJ Allmendinger finished second in the spring race last season and 10th in the fall race. It shouldn’t be surprising that both Allmendinger and teammate Chris Buescher both performed well on Sunday. Allmendinger finished sixth, coming back after …

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