Race Weekend Central

The Big 6: Questions Answered After the 2021 Coca-Cola 600

2021 Cup Charlotte Pack Racing - Erik Jones, No. 43 Richard Petty Motorsports Chevrolet (Credit: NKP)

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

Who… should you be talking about after the Coca-Cola 600? Kyle Larson cruised to his second win of the season at Charlotte Motor Speedway Sunday (May 30) with a whopping 10-second lead on second place. With Larson’s victory, Hendrick Motorsports passed Richard Petty Motorsports to set a NASCAR record with 269 wins as an organization. …

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Austin Dillon Leads Charlotte Cup Practice

2021 Phoenix Cup Austin Dillon NKP

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

Austin Dillon led the NASCAR Cup Series practice for the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway Friday (May 28). Dillon’s fast lap of 180.935 mph went to the top of the charts in the lone Cup practice session of the weekend. Hendrick Motorsports teammates Alex Bowman and Kyle Larson were the other two drivers going …

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NASCAR 101: 1st-Time Winners in the Coca-Cola 600

Austin Dillon Charlotte Cup Victory Lane 2017 Fiance Yvonne Leonard

(Photo: Yvonne Leonard)

The Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway, the longest race of the NASCAR Cup Series season, has crowned seven first-time winners since the first running in 1960. The race, no matter the era, tends to throw some nice surprises in the form of late-race pit stop strategy or by being in position for the win …

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Stock Car Scoop: What Should We Expect at Circuit of the Americas?

Kyle Busch at Circuit of the Americas Toyota Media Day CMS HHP

(Photo: Speedway Motorsports, CMS & Harold Hinson Photography)

The NASCAR Cup Series travels to Circuit of the Americas for the first-time ever on Sunday afternoon (May 23). What should we expect from the 40 drivers competing at the 3.41-mile track? Frontstretch’s Bryan Nolen and Adam Cheek discuss. Sign up for Stock Car Scoop on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or visit Frontstretch every Monday and …

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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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5 Points to Ponder: 2021 NASCAR Manufacturer Parity Among Ford, Chevy & Toyota

All three NASCAR manufacturers (Ford, Chevrolet, Toyota) battle at Kansas Speedway. (Photo: NKP) Ryan Blaney, Martin Truex Jr, Chase Elliott

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

1: NASCAR manufacturer parity … At the top 12 races into the 2021 NASCAR Cup Series season, it’s clear three organizations have separated from the rest of the pack. Joe Gibbs Racing (with Darlington Raceway winner Martin Truex Jr.), Team Penske and Hendrick Motorsports are the sport’s new Big 3, sweeping 10 of the top …

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The Big 6: Questions Answered After the 2021 Goodyear 400

Kyle Larson and Chris Buescher race at Darlington Raceway, Goodyear 400, May 2021. Photo: NKP

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

Who… should you be talking about after the Goodyear 400? Martin Truex Jr. dominated Sunday (May 9), leading 248 of 293 laps at Darlington Raceway on the way to his 30th career victory. Truex becomes the 28th driver in NASCAR history to win 30 or more races and sits sixth among active drivers in career wins. Truex …

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Up to Speed: Don’t Count Richard Childress Racing Out of the Playoff Picture

Richard Childress and Austin Dillon together during a NASCAR Xfinity Series race in New Hampshire (Photo: Zach Catanzareti)

(Photo: Zach Catanzareti)

In the spirit of NASCAR’s throwback weekend at Darlington Raceway, think back to the 2017 season. It’s the last time Richard Childress Racing put multiple cars in the Cup Series playoffs. Can they do it again in 2021? Back then, both drivers punched their tickets to the postseason with victories.  Veteran Ryan Newman stole a …

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NASCAR Stat Sheet: The No. 48 Is Back

2021 Cup Richmond Alex Bowman, No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet, Trophy (Credit: NKP)

Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography

Alex Bowman may not be the next seven-time champion, but Sunday (April 18) he was able to post a NASCAR stat that Jimmie Johnson couldn’t during his final three years in the NASCAR Cup Series: put the No. 48 in the winner’s circle. It also marked the first win for Bowman since Auto Club Speedway …

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Friday Faceoff: Should Drivers Be Allowed to Fight?

2021 Phoenix I Cup Christopher Bell Face Nkp

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

Six different drivers have won the first six NASCAR Cup Series races. How many more weeks will the streak continue? Which driver breaks it? Luken Glover: The streak is in jeopardy this week at Bristol Motor Speedway’s dirt track with guys like Kyle Larson and Christopher Bell in the field. I am not going to …

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Thinkin’ Dirty, Vol. 13: 2021 Bristol Dirt Nationals

Hawkeye 50

Photo Credit: World Racing Group via Jim DenHamer

The A-Main: Yung Money made plenty of noise, but with the big money on the line, Superman Jonathan Davenport answered the call Saturday (March 20). Already the winner of the season’s richest super late model race to date at Arizona in January, Davenport blew past Kyle Larson with 20 laps to go and stomped the …

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Thinkin’ Out Loud: 2021 Instacart 500 at Phoenix

2021 Phoenix I Cup Martin Truex Jr Victory Nkp

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

What happened?  Martin Truex Jr. won the Instacart 500 at Phoenix Raceway on Sunday (March 14) after leading the final 25 laps following a pass on the last restart.  Joey Logano, Denny Hamlin, Brad Keselowski and Chase Elliott rounded out the top-five finishers. RETWEET to congratulate @MartinTruex_Jr on his desert dominance! pic.twitter.com/PMjFeMvw7l — NASCAR (@NASCAR) …

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