Race Weekend Central

Pace Laps: Hot Streaks, First-Time Winners and Unfinished Business

Sprint Cup: A Streak Ends on 22 for Kurt Busch: It was Sunday’s Bass Pro Shops NRA Night Race at Bristol Motor Speedway where a NASCAR record came to an end. That record, being owned by Kurt Busch, was the run of lead-lap finishes to start a Sprint Cup Series season. Coming into Bristol, Busch …

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Kyle Busch Slays Field for 2nd Kentucky Win

kyle busch

Photo: Zach Catanzareti

By how fast Kyle Busch drove in Friday’s Alsco 300, it’s quite the surprise that it’s his first victory at Kentucky Speedway in 12 years. Leading 185 of 201 laps, Busch – outside of a constant threat by teammate Erik Jones – had the field covered en route to his 81st XFINITY Series win and …

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Pace Laps: The Buzz Behind NASCAR’s Weekend Fight

NHRA 2016 Ron Capps car courtesy NHRA media

(Photo: NHRA Media)

Sprint Cup Series: Tony Stewart’s Triumphant Return to Victory Lane – Coming off a solid race at Michigan International Speedway two weeks ago, Tony Stewart snapped an 84-race winless streak on Sunday, leading the final 22 laps in wine country at Sonoma Raceway. It was a caution on lap 86 that turned Stewart’s race around. The …

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Brennan Poole: I Want to Win Races Here and a Championship

2015 Xfinity Chicago

(Photo: Brett Moist / NKP)

“We’re going to be taking pictures this weekend, man,” NASCAR XFINITY Series Rookie of the Year candidate Brennan Poole joked to a friend during Game 4 of the Charlotte Hornets playoff series against the Miami Heat. “You better come down to get a picture with me in Victory Lane.” It all seemed like a joke. His …

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XFINITY Series Drivers Preparing To Tackle The Tricky Triangle

2015 Camping World Truck Pocono

(Photo: Matthew Thacker / NKP)

Rain might be in the forecast throughout the weekend at Pocono Raceway but nothing can ruin the vibe that the 2.5-mile racetrack has created for NASCAR’s XFINITY Series. This weekend marks the inaugural contest for the sport’s second-tier division at Pocono Raceway, a track that has been open to the sport’s premier series since 1974. In doing …

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Joe Gibbs Racing Sweeps XFINITY Series Practice Sessions at Pocono

2016 Atlanta NXS Kyle Busch car Russell LaBounty NKP

(Photo: Russell LaBounty NKP)

For the first time in XFINITY Series history, race cars logged laps on Pocono Raceway. Joe Gibbs Racing led the way, topping the charts in both practice sessions on Thursday. Practice One:  Defending Sprint Cup champion Kyle Busch led the opening practice at 170.171 mph, over a tenth of a second faster than his closest competition, …

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XFINITY Series Regulars Sweep Practice Sessions at Charlotte

2016 Fontana NXS Ty Dillon Austin Dillon Brett Moist NKP

(Photo: Brett Moist/NKP)

An XFINITY Series regular paced each practice session Thursday in preparation for Saturday’s Hisense 4K TV 300. It was a welcome boost for a division that has dealt with its share of Cup interlopers this season. In practice one, Joe Gibbs Racing Toyotas took center stage. Erik Jones, a two-time winner this season and the …

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Brennan Poole Cherishes NASCAR Opportunity Despite Close Loss

2016 Richmond Brennan Poole NASCAR via Getty Images

(Photo: NASCAR via Getty Images)

Brennan Poole was one caution flag – or lack thereof – from winning his first NASCAR XFINITY Series race in Saturday’s Sparks Energy 300. Given the circumstances, many drivers would have lost their cool, challenged the sanctioning body’s judgement or just carried a bad attitude. Not Brennan, though. He was smiling. Anyone curious as to …

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Elliott Sadler Wins In Wild Talladega Finish

2016 Elliott Sadler woohoo Talladega NASCAR via Getty Images

(Photo: NASCAR via Getty Images)

It took a wild finish, a big crash and a long review, but Elliott Sadler finally returned victory lane. Not bad a bad way to celebrate a 41st birthday. Sadler got the better end of a late-race crash with Joey Logano and benefitted from the caution flag coming out before being passed by Brennan Poole to …

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2-Headed Monster: Heat Races … Are They Worth It?

2016 Richmond I NXS Erik Jones car Russell LaBounty NKP

(Photo: Russel LaBounty/NKP)

NASCAR is in the midst of a brand-new experiment this season: heat races in the XFINITY Series. NASCAR has used heat races before in the Camping World Truck Series at Eldora, using multiple races to set the starting lineup for the main event, but until 2016 the NXS ran full-length events, lap one to lap …

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Eyes on XFINITY: Can Brennan Poole Maintain a Strong Start?

2016 Atlanta NXS Justin Allgaier Brennan Poole racing Russell LaBounty NKP

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As the XFINITY Series heads to Texas Motor Speedway, Texas native Brennan Poole finds himself 10th in the series points standings.  Poole, who will turn 25 next week, is perhaps the biggest surprise in the top 10 of the XFINITY standings.  So far, he has been keeping pace with his fellow NXS regulars, having posted just …

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Truckin’ Thursdays: Travis Pastrana’s Return Among Storylines to Watch in Las Vegas

Rhino Linings 350

(Photo: NASCAR via Getty Images)

While much of the NASCAR world is currently focused on Tony Stewart‘s announcement and the impending rainy weekend at Dover International Speedway, the Camping World Truck Series heads west to Las Vegas Motor Speedway for a Saturday night showdown. With a close championship battle, every race counts for Matt Crafton, Erik Jones and Tyler Reddick …

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