Race Weekend Central

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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Holding a Pretty Wheel: Perception, Reality & NASCAR’s Million-Dollar Problem

Nascar Cup Series

#10: Aric Almirola, Stewart-Haas Racing, Ford Mustang Smithfield

There was once a young driver with a reputation for winning. He built a name for himself at the local bullrings, racing ā€” and sometimes winning ā€” against drivers twice his age and who had been racing before he was born. He scraped together what sponsorship he could, and put more than he could probably …

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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" ā€” @KurtBusch pic.twitter.com/apaHrHgfO6 …

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Zach’s Turn: Stewart-Haas Racing Earns Much-Needed Boost in Nashville

2021 Nashville Cup Kevin Harvick Stewart-Haas Racing pack racing NKP

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

That Stewart-Haas Racing has had a dismal year is no breaking news. Perhaps, though, the organization’s run at Nashville Superspeedway finally provided a turning point. Aric Almirola‘s miserable season had a sizeable uptick in performance by claiming pole position in a rare qualifying session and managed to translate that into a fourth-place finish. Meanwhile, teammate …

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The Big 6: Questions Answered After the 2021 Ally 400

2021 Cup Nashville Kyle Larson Pit Stop Nkp

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

Who … should you be talking about after the Ally 400? Kyle LarsonĀ proved again Sunday (June 20) that the No. 5 team is no fluke. Larson led a whopping 264 of 300 laps at Nashville Superspeedway and was rarely challenged up front in the track’s NASCAR Cup Series debut. Larson’s fourth win of the season …

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Kyle Larson Wins 3rd Straight Points Race, Triumphs in NASCAR’s Debut in Nashville

Nascar Cup Series

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

Sunday (June 20) marked the first time the NASCAR’s Cup Series visited Nashville Superspeedway, holding the Ally 400 on a sunny, hot afternoon in the Music City. It might’ve been a new venue, but in the words of Talking Heads’ “Once in a Lifetime,” it was the “same as it ever was” with Kyle Larson …

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Frontstretch 2-Minute Drill: Ally 400 at Nashville

2021 Nashville Cup Aric Almirola car NKP

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

Sunday (June 20) marks the third of five tracks that the NASCAR Cup Series will visit for the first time in 2021. Bristol Dirt and Circuit of the Americas have passed while Road America and the Indianapolis road course lie ahead, but this weekend features a trip to the Music City for a 400-mile race …

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Aric Almirola Snags Cup Pole at Nashville Superspeedway

Aric Almirola smiling from Charlotte Photo NKP

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

Aric Almirola scored just his third career pole and his first since 2019 as the second car out for qualifying at Nashville Superspeedway Sunday morning (June 20). ā€œThat’s the hard part about this year without qualifying,ā€ Almirola told NBC Sports. ā€œWe got in a wreck early at Daytona and it immediately puts you in a …

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Thinkin’ Out Loud: 2021 NASCAR All-Star Race at Texas

2021 Texas all Star Race Kyle Larson Burnout NKP

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

What happened? Kyle Larson won the NASCAR All-Star Race at Texas on Sunday (June 13) after a bold pass for the lead in the final round. Brad Keselowski, Chase Elliott, Joey Logano and Ryan Blaney rounded out the top-five finishers. YUNG MONEY LARSON.@KyleLarsonRacin wins for the third week in a row, winning the #AllStarRace for …

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Ross Chastain, Tyler Reddick, Aric Almirola, Matt DiBenedetto Advance to All-Star Race

Ross Chastain in the garage at Circuit of the Americas, 5/22/2021 (Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

Two hours prior to the NASCAR Cup Series’ 2021 All-Star Race, four drivers locked in their spots to race for $1 million late Sunday (June 13) evening. Ross Chastain, Tyler Reddick and Aric Almirola won the first, second and final rounds, respectively, of the All-Star Open to qualify for the main event. Matt DiBenedetto, who …

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Thinkin’ Out Loud: 2021 Drydene 400 at Dover

2021 Cup Dover Alex Bowman Woo Hoo (Credit: NKP)

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

What happened at Dover? Alex Bowman won the Drydene 400 at Dover on Sunday (May 16) after taking the lead on pit road and leading the final 97 laps. Kyle Larson, Chase Elliott, William Byron and Joey Logano rounded out the top-five finishers. To the No. 48 pit crew … … this one's for you! …

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NASCAR Stat Sheet: Martin Truex Jr. Makes 19 the New 78 with Darlington Win

2021 Darlington I Cup Martin Truex Jr. Burnout Nkp

Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography

While some drivers want to get away from Darlington faster than getting out of Society Hill after a speeding ticket, other drivers are glad they visited for Throwback Weekend. But the stats and radar gun do not lie: Martin Truex Jr. dominated the race at Darlington Raceway while becoming the first driver to reach three …

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